This post: [May exposes herself for rereading constantly]
(I’m joking!! I expose myself for this all the time.)
I’ve been running low on post ideas, and frankly my blogging motivation has gone down a lot ever since school started back up again for me. (Online of course!) But my unfortunately genius friend May gave me the idea to talk about my comfort reads, so here I am today doing exactly that!! And sorely wishing I could reread them right now.
Comfort reads are on everyone’s minds right now as we struggle to navigate this strange, stressful situation. So hopefully you might pick up some of these since 1) I’ve been yelling about most of them for a while now and 2) they will maybe bring some comfort to you as well!!
PERCY JACKSON
To no one’s surprise, this is first on my list! I know I’ve annoyed approximately everyone with the amount of times I’ve talked about PJO, but it’s just… the equivalent of Harry Potter to me and I will never grow old of it.
I’ve read The Lightning Thief six times at this point, and I’m also very VERY tempted to do another series reread this month. I don’t know how I have the willpower to not do that right now, but I’m just hoping I stay strong!! Because I’d finish it in 3 days and then read nothing else for 3 weeks!!!
SIX OF CROWS
Yes, again, I am surprising no one with this! Granted, I don’t think I’ve talked about Six of Crows for a bit of time now, which is great so I can give the love to other, just as amazing, lesser-known books.
But this is still very much a loved book of mine, and I’ll never grow old of the feeling of comfort that I get whenever I return to it. I love this world and I love these characters and I love the story that Leigh weaved. Not to mention May yet AGAIN (this is sickening), but we’re definitely doing a series reread in December this year!!
FOOLISH HEARTS &
RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE
The aforementioned May (oh my god she is everywhere what the hell) will laugh at me when she sees this because my Emma Mills love can be attributed a Lot to her but… it’s true!! It’s just a really cute book, with a really cute romance, and really cute friendships. The dialogue is so funny, too, and I feel so much happier and lighter when I finish it!
I also included Red, White & Royal Blue, because it gives me the same feelings as Foolish Hearts! While I’ve only read it once, it’s definitely something I’ve been wanting to reach for lately. I really love the characters and the dialogue, because it’s one of the most hilarious books I’ve ever read, and I’m saving this one to reread when I hit Rock Bottom sometime this year.
ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE
YES this book makes me sob, YES it is still a comfort read!!! I don’t know why my brain works like that but it does!!!!
I think it’s kind of like. if I’m sad about something in my life, then at least I can read this book and be sad about something else? Maybe?? But also this book just really hits different when you’re gay or when you’re sad, so to be BOTH is just like a whiplash to your face and I Love it.
I also feel like… the way that the author writes about growing up and being a teenager is very relatable to me? It might be just a me thing, but it all feels so real and beautiful with just a twinge of sadness!
(Another thing is that I read this around the time I started questioning my sexuality, so it has some Extra meaning to me!)
LEGEND
This was one of the very first YA series I read, after Divergent and Six of Crows (it hurts me to see those two books next to each other). Meaning that there’s nostalgia attached to it, and I discovered that it was a lot more than I thought when I read Rebel and got emotional over the JuneDay content!!
The ending of this series also makes me cry a bunch (I cried on and off for a whole hour after I finished rereading it last year), and I think Marie Lu in general has a penchant for writing the most painful yet perfect endings. Somehow, I find comfort in that? Just the way she can portray realness in her stories yet still end them hopefully?
ON A SUNBEAM
This is my favorite webcomic/graphic novel! It’s a gorgeous book, in terms of the story and the characters and the stunning art. I think “soft” is one of the best ways to describe it—all of it—and that’s exactly why it brings me so much comfort.
I also feel like art in a story allows you to form a deeper, more emotional connection with it! Which can be bad, when you can’t connect to it very well, but when you’re drawn in to it like I’m drawn into the art in this book, it feels like an otherworldly experience. (Besides the fact that it’s, you know, set in space.)
Heartstopper is also a comforting webcomic for me to return to! I think my love for it has lessened a bit lately, but it still deserves a mention here.
A WISH IN THE DARK
This is a fairly new addition, but I’m very confident in it! I can see myself returning to this book whenever I just need to smile. It’s a truly heartwarming book, both in terms of the story/characters themselves and also the meaning that the Thai representation has to me. Anything related to Thailand feels like coming home!
Plus, middle grade books are often soothing in a way no other book age group can recreate? They all have some level of hope in them, especially when you see that these are just kids trying to do their best, and this book definitely has that feeling of hopefulness.
THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY
Here comes more childhood nostalgia! I read these books when I was younger and loved them so much, and it somehow feels like I know both the characters and the story so well yet can also completely rediscover them again when I reread. There’s also that wonderful found family aspect that I love reading, especially with kids.
I also have FANTASTIC new memories to attach to this series now, since I reread the first 2 books with the loml Emma and she herself is a comfort to me!!
what are your comfort reads? are you rereading them right now during this mess? if not, what other ways are you coping? what books are you nostalgic over??
p.s. i would’ve mentioned the foxhole court on here if i didn’t hate it so much… listen, it’s terrible and problematic and the worst but that trashfire brings me so much comfort and i’m probably rereading it some time this year
p.p.s. i also would’ve mentioned the poppy war if not for the, you know, brutal genocide, murder, torture, and rape. but fang runin best character
PJO is such a comfort reads for me too, I don’t think I’ll ever grow out of it!
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same here!!! i feel so sad for everyone who missed out on it in their childhood
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Oh I’ve been wanting to reread Six of crows so badly recently!
(www.evelynreads.com)
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i hope you get the chance to read it soon!! it’s definitely one of my faves <3
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don’t mind me, just going to finally get around to reading the second book so we can buddy read the 3rd and 4th…LOVE this post bb!!!
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take as much time as you need!!! my excitement to buddy read with you will not diminish <33
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Percy Jackson for me too! I also like mortal instruments.
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pjo is superior i love it! and aahh i never finished tmi but i’m glad it’s a comfort to you <3
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I love rereading comfort books!! mine are definitely The Hobbit, Harry Potter, anything by John Green, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, and My Antonia by Willa Cather <3 Love this post!
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i need to read on the jellicoe road SO bad! a lot of my friends have rec’d it to me for years now so i’m super late 😭😭
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ahh legend!! i feel like that one doesn’t get as much hype but it’s one of my favorite trilogies!! also yeah that ending killed me. and i’ve had the mysterious benedict society on my tbr for ages lol. maybe i’ll finally get around to reading it soon since it has my fav foud family trope!!
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i feel like it might’ve gotten some hype when it came out, but i think it definitely gets less love than a lot of other popular ya series! and ahh i hope you get the chance to read mbs soon, it’s such a fun read! 💗
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can i steal this post idea luv because i have no ideas of my own… (also i just wrote “steal” as “still” help)
how i grinned like an idiot seeing ari and dante on this list…also “YES this book makes me sob, YES it is still a comfort read!!! I don’t know why my brain works like that but it does!!!!” DEEPLY relatable felt it on a molecular level.
what are your comfort reads? six of crows! ari and dance! bone gap (dont even ASK why this means sm to me? I dont KNOW) but you’ll see my post soon on it (i hope.)
also huh i should like,,, read the Percy Jackson series maybe?
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well i saw u already did it so yay for u and post ideas!!!
and bruh shut up i was an ari and dante stan before u were ever one >:(( (jk i hate ppl who say things like that u are valid!) and every time u mention bone gap as a comfort read i want to reread it, because i remember absolutely NOTHING about it lmao. and AAAHHH i am so scared u would hate pjo?? if you do end up reading definitely keep in mind that it’s like… meant for kids and also isn’t like a literary masterpiece but if you love it i would cry
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My comfort reads are any HP books, SoC, the Night Circus and any Kerstin Gier books although I am not currently reading them. 😅
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ah i know a lot of other people who have the night circus as a comfort read too! i don’t think i’ve read any kerstin gier but i’m glad her books are comforting to you <3
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Oh, going back to your comfort zone feels so good sometimes! 👏🏻❤️
Ari & Dante and Legend?? YES, PLEASE 😍
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it really does! and aahh so glad to hear you also enjoy ari and dante and legend — both are so good!! 🥰
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OMG wow I totally forgot The Mysterious Benedict Society ever existed, so thank you for those flashbacks! The nostalgia is real. I need to reread the PJO series because I’ve only read it once (I know, how dare I) and it’s stuck with me for a long time. Right now Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is my comfort read, so I’ve been reading that alongside new books.
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ah of course! mbs was just such a fun series for me to read when i was younger (i actually had to read it for school and it was one of the few school books i actually loved haha). okay well not to be an enabler but… DO IT!! reread pjo 😌😌
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when you are Gay and Sad ari and dante is most certainly always going to be a comfort read!! also slightly embarrassed to admit i have never read percy jackson *cue all my ‘friends’ coming @ me* bUT i also never finished harry potter so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ who’s the real winner 😎 legend is definitely a comfort read to me too, it was my first YA read and like you, i cry a Lot and i Feel things x
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omg rhi!!! i feel so sad for people who missed out on pjo in their childhood, you were robbed 💔💔 but yes for not finishing harry potter! i wish i’d waited a bit longer before reading it because then i’d have found out what a mess jk rowling beforehand 🤮
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i honestly am considering reading it soon??? should i??? yes when i read it (first book)
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whoops— when i read it i was like 7??? small child 🥺 let me know if i should read pjo, hope you’re having a lovely day!!
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aahhh i encourage anyone to read pjo!! but you probably will enjoy it less than i do since the childhood nostalgia thing haha
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Percy Jackson is the ultimate comfort book 😔
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it’s truly my favorite!!! 🥺
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I’ve re-read Aristotle and Dante a few times! Plus listened to the audiobook, and bought copies for my friends so I have people to yell about how great it is with. The other book I have re-read a few times is Jane Eyre, it’s been a while though so maybe it’s time for another one :)
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i’ve heard that the audio for ari and dante is so good, so i’ll have to try it next year when i reread it again lmao! and oh i’ve never read jane eyre (i’m always so bad at reading classics), but i’m glad it’s comforting to you <3
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Percy Jackson is such a great comfort read so I’m not at all biased when I tell you to totally re-read it again!! :P I had to borrow the books from a friend so I could only read them only once, but I got The Lightning Thief at the last book fair in my city (in English even, woaaah) so I’m totally inclined to do a re-read soon ^^
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aahh i think for now my want to reread is sated because i have asian/queer tbrs for may and june, but i probably will reread it in july 😭😭 and yay i’m so glad to hear you were able to get a copy of the lightning thief!! i hope you reread & enjoy it soon 💕
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Gimme anything by Rick Riordan, Enid Blyton or Roald Dahl! They’re just the best comfort reads!
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rick riordan books truly hit different :o)
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Percy Jackson is my ultimate comfort read! 😍😍 I started re-reading The Hunger Games series during my birthday month because it’s been years and it’s my favorite 😊
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yes! pjo will always be one of my favorites <33 and ah i'm glad you started rereading thg as a comfort/gift!! i've never read it 😳😳
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i can totally relate about books that make you sad still being comfort reads!! i think it has to do with the fact that the books really impacted you emotionally and you want to go back and read them to patch up the holes in your heart but you end up crying over them yet again and the cycle starts all over 😳😳
lol jokes aside, this post was so lovely! i LOVE Foolish Hearts so much it’s not even funny… have you read Famous In A Small Town? i just finished it and i think i liked it almost as much 😆
and Percy Jackson is SUCH a comfort read for me too, i’ve never actually reread it but just thinking about it (and Harry Potter) brings back childhood nostalgia ahhh ;) i loved reading this and will definitely have to check out the rest of these! <3 <3 <3
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oh no i don’t go into rereading books expecting the holes in my heart to be patched up, i know they’re going to be ripped apart even more 😭😭 honestly it’s so strange that it’s comforting!!!
and ah no i haven’t read famous in a small town! i need to request that + this adventure ends from my library when this all ends!!
i’ve reread pjo so many times and i could just keep doing it forever aahhh. but the childhood nostalgia is so strong with it! i love it and the characters so much <33
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Absolutely agree with you about Ari & Dante! All the feels I get after reading the book… I just LOVE it ❤❤
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ari and dante is the best! i always feel so Understood after reading it <33
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Ahh, May, this post is everything!! I got so excited because I’ve read almost all of the books you talked about and not only does that never happen to me when I read blog posts, but also I love them all so I got all nostalgic while reading this.💛
The Mysterious Benedict Society!! I don’t even feel embarrassed by the fact that I definitely reread this series at least once a year…I just love it too much. There’s actually a new book if you haven’t read it yet, I think it came out in September 2019? It’s just as magical and while the original characters are a little grown up (I think they’re about 16ish?) it was so nice to revisit them and was so comforting to read. I LOVE THEM ALL. Especially Reynie.
Foolish Hearts, yes, I love, and also Percy Jackson, of course. And Ari and Dante!! And SoC! Wow, I love all of these and they’re perfect comfort reads.🥺Lovely post!
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aaahh that makes me so happy to hear!! first of all because yay for reading almost all the books on this list, and second of all yay for feeling nostalgic 🥺🥺
and i love that you reread mbs every year!! there’s no need to justify rereading it if it brings you comfort <3 and aah yes, i definitely need to read the fourth book soon! i didn't know they were all grown up though (does that make constance like… 8ish? i have no idea what their ages are fhdshfsd)
i'm so happy you liked my post, olivia!! thank you so much for reading and commenting 😭💕
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Haha yes, I think Constance is around eight? But even though they’re a little older, they all keep that childhood vibe going on, if that makes sense. It’s so good and was the cutest story ever🥺
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