Book Suggestions - Maybe something pleasant, calming, enjoyable to read?

Rainydaze · January 16, 2019, 09:25:21 PM

Quote from: Three Roses on December 13, 2018, 12:22:27 AM
Demelza! ♥️ I've watched all the seasons of Poldark on PBS but have thought of getting the books. I do love to read.

I love Poldark, it's proper Sunday evening 'put your feet up in front of the TV' watching for me.

Quote from: Hope67 on January 01, 2019, 07:09:33 PM
Hi Blues-Cruise & Three Roses - Only just seen your replies - and thank you! Great suggestions. I need to come back here to update on my reading experience - as I have read some things over Christmas. I'm a bit too tired right now, but I'll hope to come back later in the week, when I have more energy - and will write about it - as I appreciated all the suggestions, and took some of them on board - as my library stocked some of the books.
Hope

So nice to hear you did some reading over Christmas, Hope.

It is really therapeutic. There's a really good website I like using called 'Goodreads' where you can list books you've read and then it recommends you other things you might enjoy. I really like it because you can have a browse and then add books you're interested in to your 'To Read' list, so you don't forget all the things that have caught your eye.

DandelionCrown · January 29, 2019, 05:12:11 AM

Hi!

As an English major and a lover of books of all kinds, I have a few recommendations. If you like poetry, the poetry collection "How Lovely the Ruins" is an amazing book for trauma and difficult times. It's my absolute favorite. "The Princess Saves herself in this one" is also great feminist poetry, if you're into that.

The Percy Jackson series is fun especially for when I want to build a blanket fort and hide out for days. (I've done that, it's great). A Dog's Purpose is one of my favorite books to cry over because it's about a good dog and his human and that always has me gushing tears. I also like the Clockwork Series by Cassandra Clare more so than I do her Mortal Instruments series, and found that I really enjoyed that. I've been meaning to revisit the Harry Potter series as well. These books satisfy my inner child's need for fantasy and adventure, and tend to be the safer stories that I've had on my shelves for eons and eons. These are definitely my build-a-blanket-fort stories.

Of course, there's also cheesy romantic comedies, and my brand happens to be LGBTQ romance, so I have to recommend the Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Sometime after Midnight by L Phillips, Running with Lions by Julian Winters, Riding with Brighton by Haven Francis, Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin, and Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg. (You can probably tell that this is one of my favorite genres to unwind to). I personally find the formula and pattern of romance novels soothing. These tend to be more my taste than my inner child's, though, so I tend to go for these when not in flashback.

Hope67 · January 30, 2019, 07:18:51 PM

Hi again Blues_cruise - I will have a look out for the GoodReads website you mentioned. Thank you.

Hi DandelionCrown - Thanks very much for your reply - and suggestions. I will try to get hold of the "How Lovely the Ruins" book you mentioned - as I do like poetry. I think I saw the film called 'A Dog's Purpose' and that did make me cry - so I can imagine the book would be similar. Thank you so much for all your suggestions, and I am very happy to have so many recommendations to look at - I have got some time this weekend, and I am going to try to chill out and relax and read some calming and enjoyable things. That's my plan.
Hope

Kizzie · January 30, 2019, 08:07:42 PM

Tks for this thread Hope as I just realized I have a pile of books relating to trauma waiting to be read and nothing that is relaxing or calming. I used to read all the time at night before going to sleep and I guess I stopped because trauma books are not exactly relaxing, well that plus having an iPad.

Anyhow, I am going to comb through this thread and see if I can come up with a few titles that will help me get back into reading before bed, I do miss it.

Tks again

Kizzie · January 30, 2019, 08:22:58 PM

I just remembered when I was a young teen I loved The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew - might be something for your inner teen

.

I also used to love the books by veterinarian James Harriot (All Things Bright & Beautiful, All Creatures Great and Small).

Hope67 · April 19, 2019, 01:40:30 PM

Hi Kizzie,
Only just read your replies here - and thank you. I used to enjoy watching the James Herriot films as a child. I haven't heard of the Hardy Boys, although the name 'Nancy Drew' does sound familiar. I will have a look - thank you.
Hope

Ecowarrior888 · May 20, 2019, 02:11:12 PM

For me I love A wrinkle in time, Ella enchanted, I love Mary Alice Monroe Beach house series. Those tend to be my go to books when I am in a mood. Especially Mary Alice Monroe Beach house series, literally as you read it you feel like you are sitting on a porch in front of the ocean, the pace of life just slows down and you take it all in. It has romance, healing, and my favorite wildlife conservation somehow embedded in it. It is AWESOME

sorry im obsessed, there are some parts of series where main character describes past trauma but it doesn't focus on it. It focuses on moving forward which inspires me.
Also flow books are amazing like: A book that takes its time or the big book of less. Has things for creative mindfulness and activities.

Or Tiger's curse is a good YA novel, takes you through Indian mythology and just fantasy

loooove it. Just for random fantasy novel

I hope I helped

Scout · August 13, 2019, 07:13:51 PM

For some reason this one isn't as famous, but it was one of J.K. Rowling's books. Simple and easy, Secret-Gardeny.
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

Also,
The Wednesday Wars
Gary D. Schmidt
(love, love, love the audiobook edition)

Turtle in Paradise
Jennifer L. Holm

Snowdrop · August 13, 2019, 07:59:30 PM

Harry Potter, for me. Also the Percy Jackson books, the Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper, and the Box of Delights dramatisation.

Hope67 · June 19, 2020, 07:51:33 AM

Hi EcoWarrior & Scout & Snowdrop,
So sorry for the late replies, I've only just re-visited this thread, and seen your replies. So many great suggestions here, I wish there was more time to read! I enjoyed reading your descriptions of the books, made me feel quite calm, which is a nice feeling.
Hope

Alter-eg0 · January 27, 2021, 03:35:22 PM

I've really been enjoying novels by Jenny Colgan. Easy to read, feel-good stuff. Many of them are series, too, which is good.

Pioneer · January 31, 2021, 09:57:12 PM

There is a book series by James Herriot, who was a veterinarian in Scotland, and many of his stories are from his real life experiences. They are overall light, humorous stories though some of them are sad or deal with a more serious theme. Overall though, his stories will lighten my mood. And each chapter is kind of like it's own short story so it's easier to put the book down and come back to it later.

PhoenixA · April 23, 2021, 10:47:44 PM

Ohhh this is another great thread :-)

Reading has always been a go-to soother and I had forgotten some of my favorites like Laura Ingalls books (and the one she or her daughter wrote years later about her living to see cars and the telephone come to be), James Herriots books and one author that I loved and was wonderful escapism for me - Gerald Durrell. He wrote a ton of books about his adventures going and finding animals for zoos (which I wasn't too keen on) but then his movement toward a focus on conservation of species - and I found him funny. Read most of them as a kid then forgot... hmmm where to start now??

Always the cheezy romances when I'm super stressed and need total escapism.

All these ideas put a smile on my face and now I'm gonna go pick up my kobo and see what I can find!!