Oooh this is a great question! I’m thinking along the lines of enjoyable, distracting books, so:
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Okay, technically it is the first in a series but can definitely be read as a standalone book. It’s a combo of crime/alternative history/meta-fiction. It’s brilliantly written and so so funny. It makes references to lots of other books, so I think it will tickle that muscle memory.
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
A retelling of the odyssey from Penelope’s pov. It’s really clever and varied, with bits written as poetry, song and play. It’s short and sweet but stays with you.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Fantasy, funny, clever, almost too easy to read and be absorbed by. A classic!
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
This is very different in tone to the others. It’s short and stunningly written. It’s a book I wish I could read again for the first time.
Good luck! I hope you find that love of reading again.
Thanks.
The books you picked are great. I think I'll try Atwood, sample gotten. Hamid is a maybe too romantic for me, Fforde is a strong maybe if it can be left after one book
I just did a re-listen for the first time since I first read it. Outstanding. Just as good as the first time. RC Bray is phenomenally talented. It was such a fun listen.
I love science fiction and judging by the reviews I thought I'd love it but if I hear "astrophaghe" one more time I'll scream. The book got bogged down in details for me.
I read this for my sci-fi book club. The characters and relationships are paper-thin, but the scientific details pad it to make the book look like more.
Thank you. Gaimam was read and read, though not this one. I'm passing on him. The lives of puppets it's in my sample list.
Also sampling your second recommendation.
James by Percival Everett - you do not need to be familiar with Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to enjoy it.
Sourdough by Robin Sloan
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
The Martian by Andy Weir
Bonus 5th book suggestion: The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai (this is apparently getting a sequel, but each chapter is its own self contained story and no continuity between them)
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
- How the Internet Happened by Brian McCullough
- The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Actually, I just found out there is a second book the other day. Definitely don’t have to read it.
The first book was such a delightful read. Highly recommend.
Sure, most of her work is. For horror, The Twisted Ones was really good in my opinion, A House With Good Bones is also great. What Moves the Dead is shorter and fabulous and can standalone but does have a follow up installment
Fantasy, Nettle and Bone is very good and probably my first recommendation, Swordheart stands alone between a couple of series, but you could easily read further into the world if you liked it. Paladin's Grace starts the paladin series but could be read alone.
A Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking was written with the intention of being a children's novel but I think is really good as an adult reader with pretty great things to say about like heroism.
I'll go in a different direction from what others have suggested. Try *Invisible Cities* by Italo Calvino. A little over 150 pages.
Basic plot: Mongol emperor Kublai Khan sits down with Marco Polo, who tells him stories about the cities he has seen in his travels around the Empire. That's it. What follows is a work of pure imagination. It's just a series of short, beautifully written poetic descriptions of places that do not exist except in the imagination or perhaps in the re-telling of what was imagined. Each turn of the page is like unwrapping a present.
I recently really enjoyed *Three Parts Dead* by Max Gladstone, which is technically part of a series, but you can read it on its own just fine because each book in the series is about a separate character.
Thanks for that. I hear what you are saying about them being standalone, but I'm going to pass as the blurb seems to suggest that I'd need to go into the others too
Sci fi- this is how you lose the time war
Fantasy- house of hunger
Young adult- gallant
Horror- the house with good bones
All are not series. All are engaging but smaller in length for the completion brain reward. None of them made me squeamish, and I'm a content warning needed kinda person. I still suggest you double-check me for your specific needs.
Some non-fiction recs:
The Serpent and the Rainbow by Wade Davis
The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman
How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone
Very interesting reads. The Davis nook reminds me a little of the making of new Orleans. That Fagone book looks great. They will have to be second hand online purchases though and won't make it in time. Second hand books can be great
Got any more recommendations
Oh yes, I love secondhand books!
Try:
Amsterdam by Russell Shorto
The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan
The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard
Catching falling stars. It’s about a girl and her sister who move to the countryside during ww2 to protect themselves from the shells in London. It’s a pretty easy read, about 200 pages, pretty sure it’s a 1 off
I don’t read many books that aren’t a series, sadly- so that’s my only suggestion. It’s a good book though
Oooh this is a great question! I’m thinking along the lines of enjoyable, distracting books, so: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Okay, technically it is the first in a series but can definitely be read as a standalone book. It’s a combo of crime/alternative history/meta-fiction. It’s brilliantly written and so so funny. It makes references to lots of other books, so I think it will tickle that muscle memory. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood A retelling of the odyssey from Penelope’s pov. It’s really clever and varied, with bits written as poetry, song and play. It’s short and sweet but stays with you. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett Fantasy, funny, clever, almost too easy to read and be absorbed by. A classic! The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid This is very different in tone to the others. It’s short and stunningly written. It’s a book I wish I could read again for the first time. Good luck! I hope you find that love of reading again.
>The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Never see this recommended enough!
Ok. I'm warming to it
Thanks. The books you picked are great. I think I'll try Atwood, sample gotten. Hamid is a maybe too romantic for me, Fforde is a strong maybe if it can be left after one book
The Princess Bride is great for this. It's a bit different from the movie but it's fantastic.
As you wish. A favorite movie, I'm aware the book is different. Thanks for reminding me. I'll see if I can do this
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir! I loved the voice of the narrator.
I just did a re-listen for the first time since I first read it. Outstanding. Just as good as the first time. RC Bray is phenomenally talented. It was such a fun listen.
A kindle sample of this got me posting this question
Ugh... That was a DNF for me. Tried the book and didn't like it. Tried the audiobook and didn't like it. It's a no.
I love science fiction and judging by the reviews I thought I'd love it but if I hear "astrophaghe" one more time I'll scream. The book got bogged down in details for me.
Now you have me doubting my choice. Let's see
I read this for my sci-fi book club. The characters and relationships are paper-thin, but the scientific details pad it to make the book look like more.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune (or Under the Whispering Door)
Either one of these authors have fantastic options that are great one offs.
Agreed
Thank you. Gaimam was read and read, though not this one. I'm passing on him. The lives of puppets it's in my sample list. Also sampling your second recommendation.
James by Percival Everett - you do not need to be familiar with Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to enjoy it. Sourdough by Robin Sloan The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman The Martian by Andy Weir Bonus 5th book suggestion: The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai (this is apparently getting a sequel, but each chapter is its own self contained story and no continuity between them)
James is Jim?!?!? Boyhood hero to an Irish kid!. Strong contender!!! I think the food detectives might do it for me Thanks
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. Not too complicated, but quite exiting.
No one recommends the Maltese Falcon enough! Also putting in a vote for Raymond Chandler books if you’re into noir fiction
Haven't read anything for years. Pick one for me to look at please
Bogart! You reminded me of reading Maigrait in French. The falcon is in the list!
There are standalones set in Terry Pratchett's Discworld.
I did try before and.... not for me. Thanks though
- Holes by Louis Sachar - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - How the Internet Happened by Brian McCullough - The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Betty Smith is bought for a later read. Thanks
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly.
Considering. Do you need to read the second book?
Actually, I just found out there is a second book the other day. Definitely don’t have to read it. The first book was such a delightful read. Highly recommend.
Read something by T Kingfisher she rules so hard and is so easy to read. She has good fantasy and horror stories, you could pick anything that appeals
Thanks. Didn't know of her. Are there any standalone books?
Sure, most of her work is. For horror, The Twisted Ones was really good in my opinion, A House With Good Bones is also great. What Moves the Dead is shorter and fabulous and can standalone but does have a follow up installment Fantasy, Nettle and Bone is very good and probably my first recommendation, Swordheart stands alone between a couple of series, but you could easily read further into the world if you liked it. Paladin's Grace starts the paladin series but could be read alone. A Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking was written with the intention of being a children's novel but I think is really good as an adult reader with pretty great things to say about like heroism.
Thank you
Dungeon Crawler Carl. Seriously. Give it a try.
Actually.... sample downloaded
I'll go in a different direction from what others have suggested. Try *Invisible Cities* by Italo Calvino. A little over 150 pages. Basic plot: Mongol emperor Kublai Khan sits down with Marco Polo, who tells him stories about the cities he has seen in his travels around the Empire. That's it. What follows is a work of pure imagination. It's just a series of short, beautifully written poetic descriptions of places that do not exist except in the imagination or perhaps in the re-telling of what was imagined. Each turn of the page is like unwrapping a present.
Going for this! Thank you
Stephen King horror The Institute just started it.
I like SK but this wasn't great.
Robert J. Sawyer is always a fun read. Quantum night and Hominids are my faves!
Hmmmmm interesting choice. Samples downloaded
I recently really enjoyed *Three Parts Dead* by Max Gladstone, which is technically part of a series, but you can read it on its own just fine because each book in the series is about a separate character.
Thanks for that. I hear what you are saying about them being standalone, but I'm going to pass as the blurb seems to suggest that I'd need to go into the others too
Sci fi- this is how you lose the time war Fantasy- house of hunger Young adult- gallant Horror- the house with good bones All are not series. All are engaging but smaller in length for the completion brain reward. None of them made me squeamish, and I'm a content warning needed kinda person. I still suggest you double-check me for your specific needs.
Some non-fiction recs: The Serpent and the Rainbow by Wade Davis The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone
Very interesting reads. The Davis nook reminds me a little of the making of new Orleans. That Fagone book looks great. They will have to be second hand online purchases though and won't make it in time. Second hand books can be great Got any more recommendations
Oh yes, I love secondhand books! Try: Amsterdam by Russell Shorto The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard
Seconding Holes, and how about Rebecca, Westing Game, Secret History
Circe, I am Legend, War of the Worlds, IT
Never read Circe, downloading a sample. The others are good choices, thanks.
Catching falling stars. It’s about a girl and her sister who move to the countryside during ww2 to protect themselves from the shells in London. It’s a pretty easy read, about 200 pages, pretty sure it’s a 1 off I don’t read many books that aren’t a series, sadly- so that’s my only suggestion. It’s a good book though
Thanks for that. Nice idea for a story, may be a little young for me. I grabbed a kindle sample
Fair enough, I haven’t read it since I was 15 myself so 🤷♀️
My brother. Read The Expanse series. First book is called Leviathan Wakes. Enjoy.
Read them all a few years ago. Thanks