68 Books and Series to Read While Social Distancing From Home, Recommended by Avid Readers

"So far it's been The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. In these times, having a fun horror/comedy to enjoy really helped take my mind off things for awhile!"

— Alison K.

"My favourite has been The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires! It was very different from my normal reading but sucked me right in. One person commented it's Steel Magnolias meets Dracula, but it's so much more! A creepy / funny book about women's roles in the community and family. This is for anyone looking for a nostalgic escape into the '90s suburbs where football moms turn out to be the heroes after all!"

— Katie H.

"The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. Because sometimes you need to hope that what's menacing your life and family can be stood up against and conquered."

— Kenya S.

"I loved The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman. It was so lighthearted and funny, but had a sweet story that made you feel good! And there were some parts that made me just laugh out loud! Definitely needed during this scary and trying time."

— Jessica G.

"The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman was exactly what I needed right now. It's light in tone, and I loved Nina — she's a book/trivia nerd after my own heart. I enjoyed the supporting characters, too! One of the rare books that I have finished and almost wanted to re-read again immediately so I could crawl back into that good feeling."

— Randi H.

"I loved Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman. It has been a great reminder of the importance of companionship."

— Havana C.

"Severance. I just needed to fully lean in with a pandemic dark comedy."

— Zoë G.

"Severance by Ling Ma. It's about a pandemic; books that aren't about pandemics just seem weird at the moment."

— Megan L.

"I read this last week and also enjoyed it. I liked that it wasn't too similar to *this* plague, and it was fast paced enough to keep me engaged."

— Katie O.

"Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purose, Healing, and Hope by Karamo Brown — I usually go for thrillers and books that stress me out and keep me up at night, but this pandemic has completely shifted my reading preferences. I've been gravitating toward books about hope and books with happy endings or rereads where I already know what's going to happen. I've been bingeing Queer Eye on Netflix, and I decided to make my way through the Fab Five's books. Karamo is one of my favourite of the Fab Five, and so much of his story resonated with me. Our lives were completely different, but the messages and lessons learned really spoke to me. It was just the message of hope that I needed during this time of uncertainty."

— Tiffany K.

"Sourdough by Robin Sloan. It was beautifully written, had a storyline that threw me for a loop (which surprised me, considering it is mostly about bread and robotics), and the way the food was described made me hungry for more!"

— Morgan V.

"I am reading The Martian, because Mark is the ultimate self-isolation champ!"

— Amanda K.

"Red, White, and Royal Blue!! It was the perfect fluffy escape!"

— Nicole W. H.

"Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston! This made my heart so happy. I smiled and laughed the entire time. I loved the alternate reality of a woman president. And the conflict at the end wasn't some recycled drama you find in other romance stories. This will probably be my favourite read of the year."

— Tañia T. C.

"The first book that I was able to stay focussed on during this time was Oona out of Order. It is a fun read and definitely an escape read as you follow Oona through her time travelling."

— Amy B.

"Oona Out of Order was just about the perfect listen for these days at home. I loved following Oona through her mixed-up life, and discovering all of her secrets as she herself discovers them!"

— Kerry F.

"My favourite book during this quarantine has been The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. Even though the MC is alone, she (like all of us should right now) hopes for a better and brighter tomorrow."

— Angela L.

"The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. Isolation. Preparedness. Puts things into perspective."

— Rebecca E.

"Marie Kondo's Joy at Work. Working from home has given me space to reevaluate my work systems and find better ways to get organised."

— Kieran B.

"I am rereading the Harry Potter series for the 100th time, and I am loving every minute of it. I needed to go home and return to a place that makes me happy. It is allowing me to escape this world and visit with old friends when I'm not allowed to do that in real life. Also, I have been watching the movies and needed to read about a Ginny who doesn't suck!"

— Danielle N.

"I've been rereading the Harry Potter series. While the world outside feels scary and unpredictable, it feels good to read something comforting and familiar."

— Alea H.

"The Grace Year by Kim Liggett. It was exactly the type of story to pull me out of my 'I don't feel like reading anything' rut! It's a great mix of The Handmaid's Tale and Hunger Games, and the very end leaves you craving for answers! I love a book that makes you Google 'what happens next' when you finish it, and this one did not disappoint! The story also makes me grateful that all I have to do right now is stay home in order to keep everyone safe."

— Taylor C.

"I really loved The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant. It is the first book in ages that actually made me weep. When I picked it up, it didn't occur to me that part of it would be about the flu epidemic of 1918, but that's not the part that made me cry."

— Lori A. S.

"The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. Besides being a fascinating work of narrative nonfiction, it was also inspiring to read about how society persevered despite the hardships of the Blitz, and how people did their best to maintain a sense of normalcy in a very turbulent time. It definitely gave me some perspective about my own difficulties right now!"

— Nicole C.

"During this time of shelter in place the YA book Slay by Brittney Morris surprisingly worked. It's about a teenager who developed her own video game that went viral because she didn't feel comfortable in the gaming space, being a WOC. So she made her own world. Right now we all don't feel comfortable in the real world and we're trying to find our place in the virtual world. And just like in the book in real life we have the disrupters and protestors making it harder to just do the right thing and get along. Eventually the MC has to find balance between her worlds and look toward her future that will be very different. Just as we wait for what our new normal will be as well."

— Tamara F.

"I didn't realise right away that what I needed during this quarantine was something so far from reality that I could escape. I found myself searching lists on the internet for 'compulsive literature' and page-turners, and was surprised to find myself drawn to fantastical horror novels. The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher was perfect. It was gripping, well voiced, and absolutely absurd. Plus it fit the [POPSUGAR Reading Challenge] prompt: A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name."

— Katie O.

"Evicted by Matthew Desmond. It was different than what I was expecting. I was expecting facts and figures and boring data and instead, it was an intimate portrait of humanity and how the stress of rent plays into the lives of a community. Especially during this quarantine, it has caused me to have much more empathy for individuals struggling to pay and collect rent."

— Laurie S.

"I loved The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver. I've had a lot of 'I'm supposed to be doing this right now . . .' feelings over cancelled plans/lost work, and Lydia navigating her two parallel lives was very comforting and relatable."

— Jessica A.

"The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni. The threads that run through his life story are the three Fs: friendship, family, and faith. At various times he thinks he can do without one or more of these, but they always gently pull him back. Sam deals with some very real — and sometimes scary — adversity, but it is ultimately such a hopeful book, which we could all use right now."

— Kathy J. P.

"[Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel] is my favourite because it's a dystopian novel about a flu pandemic. It's a beautiful story that has helped unleash deep feelings of appreciation of the everyday things of life."

— Grace M.

"I just finished re-reading The Stand (because it seemed appropriate for being in quarantine) and a book called [The Library of the Unwritten] by a queer author (we all need a bit of a librarian outwitting heaven and hell to protect unwritten stories)."

— Sharra R.

"I enjoyed The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. While we are confined inside, Harold walks across the country hoping to save another person. The relationships he has with others are what make this a powerful story."

— Laura C.

"A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. It's a good take on the range of ways people adapt to circumstances changing in ways they cannot control."

— Callen F. Z.

"Make Your Bed by William McRaven. During this lockdown it's been hard to find motivation to accomplish some tasks, and this book brings a lot into perspective and says to just start each morning by making your bed, as the first task done may help motivate [you] to accomplish more."

— Alexandria M.

"In this uncertain time, I like to go to my comfort readings. This means anything Agatha Christie, preferably with Poirot in them. My favourites include Death on the Nile (can't wait to see the movie also this year!), Five Little Pigs, and Sad Cypress. I've read almost all of Christie's books, but the magic of her beautiful writing, mysterious cases, and unexpected twists never cease to amaze me."

— Astrid F. L.

"The Library Book because it was so well-written and it made me feel nostalgic for my visits to the L.A. Public Library. It also made me feel a renewed respect for librarians and all the services libraries provide to a community."

— Meg J.

"My [favourite] book I've read during quarantine is Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova. The similarity of being in quarantine and living with a case of Huntington's disease was relatable. Both quarantine and Huntington's disease are a feeling of being trapped in a situation which you have no control and happened unexpectedly. They both affect your family negatively even though you wish you could do anything to help them. In the novel Inside the O'Briens as well as life during quarantine you have two options, to give up or to fight your best to live a good life in the moment. Although Huntington's disease is a life-changing disease with no cure and quarantine will soon be over, the message remained the same; quoting from the novel, 'You are now here or you are no where.'"

— Kirby B.

"I loved When We Believed in Mermaids! I loved travelling to New Zealand during a time when we can't ourselves leave our homes and travel. I loved this story of two sisters and their relationship over time."

— Samantha R. D.

"Zatanna and the House of Secrets! I've definitely needed some light reads, and it's a DC kids book; it's fun and magical!"

— Megan E. T.

"The Price of Paradise by Susana López Rubio. It was a free book from Amazon for World Book Day which was appreciated because I can't get library books. It was a story that pulled me in and made me forget about everything for a while. This pandemic started when I was on holiday in Guatemala. Then the border closed and I was one of those people stuck overseas. Which was very stressful and not fun at all. I'm home now and since I'm a teacher, I'm unemployed. I'll be alright, and I'm happy to stay home to keep everybody safe. But I'm also glad I have books to lose myself in."

— Linda V.-C.

"The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez because a fun, flirtatious romance with an up-and-coming musician hero will always get me reading (as long as it's not cheesy), and Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker because hard hitting, expertly researched and written narrative nonfiction can absorb your mind and keep it focussed on something other than the chaos that we are living through."

— Donna B.

"The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez. It's the perfect rom-com — heartfelt, funny, sexy, angsty, and fantastic characters. Exactly what I needed to make me smile and take my mind off of everything going on in the world."

— Katie P. P.

"My favourite lockdown read so far has been We Are Animals by Tim Ewins. It's a feel-good story about how sometimes the best thing to do is just have faith that everything will work out in the end. I think it's the story we all need right now."

— Jennifer H.

"The Holdout by Graham Moore earned the descriptor 'unputdownable.' I love a legal thriller any day of the year, but this book has a heroine who is smart and gutsy, holds more than one mystery to solve, and tackles issues of race, class, and inequality without losing the characters and the plot. I loved it — the protagonist has to keep shifting perspectives, and so did I. This was the inspiration I didn't know I needed to switch perspectives on this pandemic and take action!"

— Lilith P.

"A re-read of Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey because it was an old favourite from my preteen years. It was comforting, like a cosy blanket. After the quarantine stuff, and a couple storms that knocked out power and internet, causing MORE stress, I needed it. I read it in one day, and ignored the rest of the world. It felt like escaping and visiting an old friend."

— Ruth W. Y.

"Space Case is a middle grade murder mystery on the moon. There are some definite similarities to living on the moon and what we're experiencing now. It was a 'fun' fast-paced book that I listened to with my two school-age daughters. We all loved it. It's literally the only book I've been able to pay attention to this whole time."

— Hilary T. K.

"Presidents of War by Michael Beschloss. It not only showed the crisis this country has pulled through before, but depicted leadership and Presidents, Congress, and the American public taking good and bad actions."

— Karen K.

"I just finished The Diviners by Libba Bray. It was nice to be able to mentally be in 1920s New York and be involved in a supernatural murder investigation."

— Megan R.

"Dear Edward. It was weird reading about a tragedy during what I consider a global tragedy, but it got my mind off the current state of the world for a little bit. The writing was beautiful and the story heartbreakingly beautiful."

— Kenzi B.

"I loved The Bromance Book Club! It grabbed me right away and was able to distract me for longer than 20 minutes! It helped me get back into my reading groove! So good!"

— Kaila M.

"Agreed! I listened to [it], and the narrators were great and sucked me in! Great for a fun escape!"

— Kristine W. B.

"I just finished reading Between the World and Me, and this quote is something I highlighted in the book because I FELT it in my soul:

'I was made for the library, not the classroom. The classroom was a jail of other people's interests. The library was open, unending, free.'

This book isn't always easy to read but I do think it's important to read it and absorb it. So often we as a society choose to listen to react vs. absorb, and this book really taught me the importance of paying attention to another's words when they are explaining a feeling or a personal fight they are going through, regardless of what it may be."

— Zareen S.

"The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald; a light read and a reminder of how quickly the American dream can alter."

— Mona P.-T.

"I fell hard for the Until the End of the World series by Sarah Lyons Fleming. I've been hearing great things about her writing for years, but it was only this pandemic that prompted me to pick it up. I felt every possible emotion, and yet, I didn't think about COVID-19 for several hours at a stretch. I'm not usually someone who binges an entire series, but I absolutely could not put this trilogy down. It's post-apocalyptic writing at its best!"

— Shannon D.

"Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Centre took me completely by surprise! I was expecting a light, fluffy romance and while there was some of that, it was so much more! There was a depth to the story and the characters that I was not prepared for, and even a little bit of mystery. I absolutely fell in love with the protagonists, and their friends, family, and coworkers. It was light and fun and meaningful, the perfect quarantine book!"

— Chelsey N.

"Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan. I loved that this book took me away from everything that has been going on. It has a clever story line and kept surprising me right until the end."

— Jolene E. S.

"The Book Thief because it was narrated by Death and it was an all-around great book."

— Lynita C..

"Uprooted by Naomi Novik. It was just a great escape from the real world."

— Monica E. H.

"The Priory of the Orange Tree — complete escapism to another world and it is nice and long."

— Sinead H.

"I loved Crescent City by Sarah Maas. The action in it was a great distraction from the current events of the world; I felt like I could escape!"

— Lindsay M.

"The Simple Wild and its sequel Wild at Heart by K.A. Tucker. A romance, but with a deeper plot, too, set in Alaska. They are absolutely perfect 'escape' books!"

— Kayla A.

"[Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears by Pema Chodron] because the message is so essential right now. And [it] fits the [POPSUGAR Reading Challenge] prompt for published in my birth month (September)."

— Melissa S. G.

"A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. The book pulled me into it so hard that I forgot everything going on around me, I just needed to solve the murder with Pip."

— Kaitlyn N. W.

"His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik — an alternative history of the Napoleonic Era with a Dragon Air Force! I am not much of a fantasy reader but I do love Regency and Napoleonic era fiction — mystery, espionage, and romance. I was having a terrible time reading anything, but agreed to give this a try at a friend's urging in a buddy read. It was such fun, totally captivated me, and actually gave me my reading mojo back."

— Theresa R.

"I loved American Royals! It was such a fun book that made me forget all the quarantine stuff that was going on."

— Brenda D.

"The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill — This book is full of fantasy, magic, and wisdom, which I think we all need during times like these. It whisks you away and engrosses you in something other than what is going on outside your door."

— Lauren B.

"The Idea of You by Robinne Lee. It's pure escapist fun!"

— Anamika R.

"Heartstopper! I binged through the whole series so far. It was so nice to get some[thing] really nice and fluffy and [it was] exactly what I have needed during this time. I've been struggling to really focus on any books, but these [were] perfect for me and my brain right now!"

— Claire S.

"Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. Totally took me out of the place that I was to another world. Escapism at its best. I love a retelling of a fairy tale, but I think this became another awesome story in its own right. Five stars!"

— Sonia D. M.

"Wildland. It kept me on the edge of my seat and my mind temporarily [away] from COVID."

— Heather D. B.

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, as it was so uplifting and distracted me from the lockdown really well."

— Helen M.

"Just finished Nine Perfect Strangers, and it was so good! It sucked me in and made me forget about everything else going on."

— Abbey D.

"The Story of More: How We Get to Climate Change and Where to Go From Here by Hope Jahren. As the subtitle explains, Jahren's ambitious book shows us how humanity's enterprising spirit drove us into our current consumerist society. Divided into short chapters that don't overwhelm readers, she explains the steps that led to our current food, energy, and environmental (air pollution, global warming, mass extinction) crisis. What I love the most is that Jahren then tells us what we can do to mitigate these; but she does it by offering us baby steps: focus on just one of the issues she mentions in the book and follow the suggestions she offers. Jahren's mastery of her topic and understanding of her reader's possible anxieties result in a book that offers a glimpse of hope in what would otherwise be a very grim reality."

— Jeimy G.

"Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce was a great escape from the virus panic for my inner horse girl."

— Tina M.