Book Recommendations To Escape The World For A Bit
We won’t be making this intro longer than it needs to be because times are tough, we’re sad girlies and need to feel something else.
If you’re here from my Self Care Tips to Avoid Burnout blog, welcome! If you found me somewhere else, I’m so glad to have you here!
I’m a back-to-reading-at-30-because-life-is-depressing person, and these are the books I binged in a weekend, read everything the author writes, never left the couch, or healed my soul without being a self help book.
Thank you for wanting to see my very special list, and I hope you enjoy any that you read as much as I did!
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Scarlett Princess- the WHOLE series +
This book will be on every list I ever make about books. It tore me apart, stole my soul and has yet to return it. I read the whole 4 book series over a weekend.
No, I’m not a fast reader.
No, I didn’t move from my seat.
Yes, I cried at least twice throughout all of them.
I can’t even begin to tell you how Rowan stole my heart, but I want to be like her and also thank her sister for helping me heal without realizing I needed it.
I decided I wanted to read it solely based on the first sentence, “Death was a hefty price to pay for vodka.” and I’ve never looked back.
It’s cozy, enemies to lovers, one bed, closed doors, political intrigue, slight fae powers, strong family, strong personalities and characters to love forever.
I also recommend any and all books these authors write, and yes I’ve read all but 3 of them now. Still working through that last few.
Dream Harbor- The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, The Cinnamon Bun Book Store, The Christmas Tree Farm (so far)
I don’t like Gilmore girls and Hallmark movies are so annoyingly predictable. I read fantasy, adventure and not real-world books.
So why did I binge all of these books, with them taking under 48 hours each to read?
Again, I can’t tell you how much I love these books! The characters are all so different, the true human flaws they are working through are so nice. I was rooting for them and yelling at them for being so stupid. The chemistry is so good, and yes there is spicy scenes that you should be aware of.
But this Dream Harbor world can not be built fast enough. I’m already going back and rereading the Pumpkin Spice Cafe here soon, but the books seem to get better with each new one coming out.
If spicy books are your thing (which I shared in my Self Help Tips to Avoid Burnout that you should totally try it to cure some depression) then I highly recommend reading these books if you haven’t.
It’s the pinnacle of cozy reading, with the right amount of spice and just a sprinkle of cute mystery to make the plot enjoyable outside of the couple you’re rooting for in each book.
Wonderful combo!
The Mapmakers Daughter
This was a random find on my Kindle, but it was such a nice change of themes from my normal romance. It’s about the past and present, two stories colliding together and I LOVE those books!
A mapmaker, one of the only women of her time and a girl back with her dad and his map shop after losing her husband. One’s uncovering the mystery of the map, and the other is trying to survive a life that could change at any moment.
I definitely didn’t devour it as much as some of these other books, but it was a great change of pace, and honestly I have some of the authors' other books on my wish list for later.
Cozy, mystery, tension building, history and healing.
So good!
Mead Mishaps series
I decided to buy this book because Meg’s Tea Room said it was a cozy fantasy and I could NOT get into reading. The first book I bought from Target to try and start a hobby still sits on my bookshelf. One day I’ll read it, but right now it stays.
I bought That Time I Got Drunk And Saved A Demon, and my world has never been the same! Cozy, adventure, banter, dragons, pink hair, and SPICE!? This was where teenage me was screaming EXCUSE ME!?
And now, here we are! Diving into darker fantasy and romance (not too crazy, I can’t do the dark mafia ones) books like no one’s business!
And yes, I recommend ALL the books she’s written, have purchased them or read them on KU, and will continue buying and reading her books.
Such a beautiful, spicy and fun vibe. Kimberly is here to stay in my world.
A Dowry of Blood
I remember I bought this after Christmas with a gift card I got. It was supposed to be the first book I read for 2024, and I finished it 3 days before the new year.
Oops!
I was not expecting to love this book as much as I do! The writing style is so beautiful, very diary and lyrical vibe. The first bride of Dracula seemed so innocent and wanting to figure out this new and strange life that she’s living now.
What it’s like living for centuries, adding more “brides” to the relationship, hating and loving someone so much and moving forward through life.
I honestly want to read it again and may yet. But it is a bit darker, still has some spice, but I recommend it specifically for the story and writing. It’s just so cool! And getting the physical copy where the pages are all a little different as in they aren’t the same length on the side just SCREAMS cool journal/diary.
Unbury the Bones
This book! Total Kindle find! It’s by a super Indy author and they have a total of 4 books as of now. 2 for Unbury the Bones and 2 totally cute cozy monster cafe/candy store stories.
I don’t even know how I decided to read these, but they aren’t super long and I just ran through them! No spice at all, and Unbury the Bones is a bit of a mystery. Oh! And the cliff hanger it ends on made me SO mad the second book wasn’t out yet.
I believe they’re only available on ereaders, but I completely recommend. Especially when you’re needing a quick little pallet cleanser, something cozy, platonic and such true friendship it made me jealous of not having someone like that. Just so trusting and reliable for the 2 characters.
The Poisoner
This one, excuse me for your first book as an author! I had an idea what it would be about based on the description but what we got!?
Vampire, poisoner, stalking, hating, loving, killing, spice and graphic mystery!? I will say there are some sensitive topics and was a little uncomfortable at times, so read the warning. But if you’re open and able to read it, I highly recommend.
Again, not for everyone. But if you want an all consuming attraction and mystery, “EXCUSE ME!?” moments and a potential cliff hanger to leave you upset for a year or 2, then this is it.
Again, very dark and I needed a bit of a cleanser after this. Out of this list, I’d recommend a Dream Harbor book, otherwise a quick novella that has a for sure happy ending.
Legend of the Huntress
This one I think I found on Instagram or TikTok!? The author was sharing how she had very few followers and her second book was coming out soon. She broke down how she wrote the main character about herself, being taller and bigger and not being able to see herself in stories among the “petite” leading ladies. So she created her own strong character who’s flawed and broken, and strong and annoyingly difficult man she falls madly for and him too, and the adventure to figure out who she is.
I’m definitely not doing the book justice, because she’s so strong and capable, and grows into herself more and more, I love and hated the leading man, when they finally got together and just CRASHED emotionally and physically, just crazy good!
I was annoyed with both of them for not talking and making things clear, I cried when they finally figured things out, and then in the second book when it ends like THAT!? And now it’s waiting who-knows-how-long to get the third? Just be aware. But totally worth it.
Oh, and he’s a wolf shifter and she may be a goddess…?
Forged by Magic
Excuse me! How did this cute little small town romance with and elf and orc take my heart?
Well it did, and if you didn’t think a cute and cozy town romantasy could be written with dragons, kings, mystery and magical other creatures, you would be wrong as well.
I just love books that have a good plot and strong characters growth. Both parties come to find each other, not wanting the others help and having their own prejudices, But mystery and happiness with spicy scenes when they finally realize they’re good together.
This could also be a good pallet cleanser after a heavy book like the Poisoner. And it’s standalone happy ending, with other books in the series. Similar to the Dream Harbor books, they take place in the same world with similar characters making an appearance, but otherwise their own stories entirely.
The Never King series
A Peter Pan retelling where he’s the bad guy, steals Wendy, very dominant and controlling, kills and can’t get enough of her? This one almost bothered me how much I loved it for how dark and twisted it was. But SO good!
The lost boys involved, the plot behind it all, it wasn't just about the spicy scenes, and they were SPICY throughout all the books. It help my attention to see what was going to happen next, how the shadows are involved, the backstory behind everyone and just how dark and twisted Neverland is.
All the books in this series were such a quick and bingeable read. As of right now, all the books in the core series are out. And then the author has 2 more coming out more about Captain Hook and the Croc…yes, that’s right! The first one is out, with the second to come, but these as well, a must read!
Ice Planet Barbarians
Hear me out. I took a chance. Captured women from earth by aliens, crash landing on another freezing alien planet, big blue men that are overpopulating the women and their race is dying, no one understands each other, other than they are someone SUPER attracted to each other?
Yes. I’ve read at least 5 of the 21 books the author has written. These too, total pallet cleanser from a heavier book when you still want spicy scenes to help you from burning out and thinking about the world. Some days I think that I wouldn’t actually mind being captured, taken to an alien planet and having their baby (and this is coming from someone who does NOT want kids and is happily in a long term relationship).
So if you actually want to escape from the world, this is the planet to head to. Just a heads up, it doesn’t start the greatest and there is some death involved. But after that, and some of the alien mens’ issues they’re working through, and the women too, it’s super good!
The Lost Melody
This book I found on a Goodwill shelf and, I’m going to include the cover of mine because it’s far superior AND has music notes as sprayed edges. I have truly won!
But for a random book I picked up for $2 and brought on vacation, I devoured this too! A mystery in an insane asylum, undercover pianist who gets mistaken (or tricked!?) for a patient and has to find a relative that haunts the halls!?
There’s just a hair of romance that makes you root for her escape and the sweet doctors heart. But it really puts into perspective what those men and women had to go through, whether they were really struggling with some mental illnesses or were left for being “too much” of something for their families to want anymore.
So between that and the authors investigation into music therapy just made my heart so happy! It reminded me of when I went to a nursing home with my aunt and sang as she played the piano. It was so cool to hear how some of them never said much or remembered anything, but would sing along to their favorite songs.
It’s just a beautiful reminder of how the brain works and what a true blessing music is in our world.
One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns
This one, what a way to end my list for now! If you want something different, then THESE books my friend! We’re friends now right? You read all the way to the end of my list, I hope we’re friends.
But as my friend, you should totally read this if you haven’t! From magic being locked in a deck of cards, and each card coming with specific magic and only a certain amount exist, to the most desirable and rare card holding a demon that just so happens to be stuck in the mind a child because she didn’t know the extent of what she was looking at.
There is a little bit of spice, specifically in the second book, but the characters and story in these? Incredible! And with the second one being about breaking the spell, saving the adult girl now with the demon in her mind and the king that created all of this just to save or be with his family? The mystery that unfolds and the characters that you invest yourself in just take you on such a fantastic and political adventure!
If something different in a fantasy realm is what you’re looking for, definitely check out this duology.
And that’s my list! I’ve been trying to get back into reading more and more. Having my dry spells, but the books on the list are my absolute recommendations to get you out of a slump or try something new.
Hobbies are something I’m still actively working on, and with all the books being thrown around as a “must read”, I just wanted to throw a few out there too. Whether you’ve seen these or not, there will always be more to read and recommend.
But this is a “safe” list for when you’re in a slump, and especially for the ones where you’re looking for some spice to break things up? Save this list. Pin it to your book board on Pinterest, or add to your Amazon cart!
As I scroll through, and since I have a Kindle, all but 2 of these books are on my bookshelf as my “prize”. I decided only my favorite books will have physical copies for me to look at.
The ones that aren’t on the shelf yet? Stuck in my Amazon cart at the moment, but will be there soon!
But to end this, don’t overthink things or what you like. If what you’re reading is making you happy, relieving some stress for the world, and maybe even helping your relationship, what’s there to complain about!?
Happy reading!
PS. Made it to the end but still struggle with work-life balance and you’re ready to create a healthy lifestyle that sticks no matter the season of life you’re in? Then check out my RCK SLD Method coaching option. Would love to chat more with a fellow reader about it!
