Hello Reader.
This week I am writing to you from my floor. I just went for a walk in very cold temperatures, and now my legs are defrosting. I have this thing where if my skin gets cold, it burns and itches like crazy when I start to warm back up. The internet tells me this is called cold urticaria and it’s basically an allergic reaction to the cold. Love that for me.
Anyway, here on the ground, I have an excellent view of one of my bookshelves. This shelf is where I house all my comfort books.
What is a comfort book?
I could break down a comfort read into subcategories. There are the series I know that I love, the books that remind me of my youth, books that are beautiful and meaningful with reflections about life, and books that are fun stories with low stakes.
It’s that last group that I want to recommend to you today.
Sometimes, Reader, there’s too much going on in the real world, and I don’t want to have to wrap my head around an elaborate fantasy world. Sometimes even my childhood favorites have topics I’d rather not think about. Sometimes there is enough darkness. I want to laugh, I want to feel like the book is giving me a hug, and I want to know that everyone will be happy in the end.
Enter, in no particular order:
My Top Five Comfort Reads
I’m not sure how many times I’ve talked about this book already but that’s because I love it. On the off-chance that you’ve never heard of the movie, the general premise is the adventures of Sophie the hatmaker and the wizard Howl. If you’ve seen the movie, the book isn’t quite the same. I personally prefer the book, but I also love the movie. I think they just have different vibes.
This book is a funny, cozy fantasy. It pokes fun at the genre and I appreciate it.
I recommend the series as a whole. It’s about talented children with a secret mission. It’s a gentle mystery, but since it’s a kids book, you know it’s all going to be okay.
Another gentle mystery, another book I’ve talked about before. Jasmine solves mysteries, featuring cats. I really like the writing style of this book. I’m sure it isn’t for everyone, but I think it’s really funny. The input from her friends adds a light-heartedness to the topic.
Literally any of the Twilight books work here. It’s just camp, Reader, I can’t explain it. I do have a little nostalgia influence, but I also just really love these books. Call me crazy, but there are some pretty funny bits. Plus, I think most of us know the story (if you don’t, somehow, the series follows Bella Swan as she gets to know the Cullen family, who aren’t quite human). We know what happens. It’s a safe read.
A cozy little found-family coming-of-age story that celebrates personal quirks. Colie moves to a beach town with her aunt. It’s cozy. It’s comforting. Good stuff.
Happy reading!
p.s.
Reader, I want to cut my hair off. I had full intentions of growing it back out to waist length, but now I want a bob (a lob?).
I’ve had waist-length hair before and I hated it. I have a lot of fine wavy hair. This means I can either have thick and healthy ends with absolutely no volume on top, OR I can have movement and body with stringy thin ends.
I thought maybe this time could be different because it’s much healthier going into the growth journey, but it’s only at nipple length and I’m already sick of it. It’s somehow flat and frizzy and greasy and dry.
My current plan is to suffer through this until summertime. That way, I won’t make any rash decisions, and I’ll give my balyage time to grow out past my collarbones. Then I can chop it all off at my shoulders and go from there.
I will not, however, under any circumstances, be getting bangs.