For Readers: Blog

Feel-good reads

Take a break from the real world and treat yourself to a comfort read! These feel-good books are the perfect companions to keep you company as summer winds down.

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz is an amusing sci-fi novella about found family and noodle-slinging robots. In postapocalyptic San Francisco, a group of robots awaken to find their employer’s restaurant abandoned. They decide to give the noodle business a go in order to preserve their freedom, refusing to be deterred by someone spamming them with bad reviews. This is a hopeful read that also deftly touches on real issues like capitalism and climate change. [e-book | print]

Ready for a witty cozy mystery? The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols is about a landlady’s stand for justice, told through the eyes of the eccentric residents of her Southern California community. The renters of Mrs. B’s bungalows all have complicated backstories, but she rents to them because she believes in them. When her newest resident is accused of murder, she turns herself in to save him, and the neighbors rally together to uncover the real killer. [e-book | print | audiobook]

Romance readers who like well-researched historicals will enjoy A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell. This charming slow-burn romance follows childhood rivals who join forces on a treasure hunt. Archeologist Elfreda is trying to establish herself in the field, and Georgie is just trying to get back to city life, but as the duo adventure together to find a Viking hoard, they find they have much more in common than they think. [e-book | print]

A bestseller in Korea, The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin is a comforting tale of finding yourself by slowing down. Overcome with the pressures of life, Jungmin suddenly quits her job and hides out in her apartment for a year. When she finally ventures out, she is drawn into a local pottery studio with a welcoming atmosphere. As she gets to know her fellow students, she starts to heal her wounds and find joy in life again. [e-book | print]

Sylvia's Second Act by Hillary Yablon is an upbeat and funny story about second chances. Thanks to some bad investments and her husband’s affair, Sylvia leaves behind their Florida retirement community and pursues an old dream: making it in New York City. With the help of her best friend Evie and despite the hindering of her adult daughter, Syliva moves to the city, gets a job as a wedding planner, and finds romance along the way. [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

Blending memoir and nature writing, Chloe Dalton’s Raising Hare is an inspiring work about a transformative animal encounter. Dalton reflects on the time she spent rescuing and raising a wild hare, looking at the role of the hare in British folklore and history while also reexamining her own relationship with the natural world. More than just a sentimental animal story, this book thoughtfully asks how humans can connect with nature while still respecting its need for freedom. [e-book | print | audiobook]

⏤Laura