Our Favorite Comfort Reads

List of the Month
March 2025 (see all)
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March 2025 List of the Month: Our Favorite Comfort Reads
Description
Some books are perennial rereads, offering worlds into which we like to withdraw for comfort and respite. This month's List of the Month is devoted to Our Favorite Comfort Reads. Each member may add five titles. Given the subjective nature of the topic, downvoting is not allowed.
2
23 Members
tardis, karenb, lquilter, Storeetllr, Euryale, keristars, cthulhuslibrarian, norabelle414, andsoitgoes, NorthernStar, MuranoBlue, elenchus, maeve_spry, Rainkatt, oceancat, souloftherose, eclbates, SallyCarpenter, Tosta, Tadams862, catseyegreen, Grassangel, ggnanadesikan
Explanations
tardis: Thanks for picking the omnibus, keristars - it saved me filling my entire list with Murderbot :)
Storeetllr: All are great. My favorite’s the one I’m rereading at the time.
keristars: Couldn't pick WHICH Murderbot book, so I selected the omnibus of the first 4. Isn't it strange how this should be so comforting? and yet for so many of us, it is!
MuranoBlue: I have this in audiobook. I listen to them at night when I'm having trouble sleeping or staying asleep.
3
107,121 members
1,296 reviews
½ 4.3
24 Members
deanc, anglemark, BookDoc16, PortiaLong, andsoitgoes, MuranoBlue, CarltonC, elenchus, knotbox, themulhern, Bookwomble, Jjean7, treegardner, SF_fan_mae, LoriBelle7, Kyler_Marie, LDPace, Charon07, catseyegreen, princesslimabean, tmerp, mavmcsmith, mrsDULY, Heather.Ward
Explanations
MuranoBlue: I read this book so many times, along the Lord of the Rings between 15 and 30 years old. This was my first and favorite comfort read.
themulhern: It's a perfect little book, fall of cleverness that adults can appreciate but also a great adventure for children.
4
35,742 members
629 reviews
½ 4.3
20 Members
SJaneDoe, lquilter, knerd.knitter, bobbyl, raidergirl3, Kathleen828, kac522, vwinsloe, AbigailAdams26, LoveOfMuffins4820, treegardner, barefootsong, erinrob, Breannad, Jacce76, hungrycaterpillar, sadiehawkin, TooManyBooks_Bruh, StephanieH0712, Heather.Ward
Explanations
knerd.knitter: This is probably the only story of my choices that would actually qualify as comfort reading from an objective standpoint. It's not disturbing or dark or even really that sad. I have read this book since I was a child, and its familiarity makes it comforting.
Jacce76: A great Canadian Novel. The Characters are ones that you love. Rereading is like coming back home to those you know and love.
7
15,379 members
493 reviews
½ 4.3
13 Members
tardis, Ciarda, oceancat, knotbox, Bookish59, eclbates, msemmag, SandyAMcPherson, Grassangel, ElizabethanT, dtgriscom, mrsDULY, Sabrieljourney
Explanations
tardis: Diana Wynne Jones has provided me with many comfort reads, but this may be the one I've re-read the most.
8
29,294 members
597 reviews
4.1
9
15,892 members
223 reviews
½ 4.3
11
11,910 members
285 reviews
4.2
10 Members
lorax, ReshiBec, bjappleg8, CarltonC, SandyAMcPherson, ManWithAnAgenda, tmerp, DebHudon, ggnanadesikan, SamiParker
Explanations
lorax: I could have filled the list with Pratchett, but this is as good as any to pick as a representative.
12
153,485 members
2,211 reviews
½ 4.3
13
6,634 members
390 reviews
½ 4.3
10 Members
BookDoc16, ReshiBec, charl08, Rainkatt, kac522, perennialreader, LadyoftheLodge, Kyler_Marie, Tosta, Justme73
Explanations
perennialreader: It deals with books, of course I liked it!
14
6,689 members
149 reviews
½ 4.3
9 Members
Stevil2001, lizzy50usa, MuranoBlue, vwinsloe, AbigailAdams26, SandyAMcPherson, MsSally, ElizabethanT, ggnanadesikan
Explanations
MuranoBlue: Don't we all want to be Harry? We don't fit where we are expected to but Harry, she makes it out of her uncomfortable world and fights for a new one and wins. Go Harry!
15
52,903 members
871 reviews
4.2
16
3,750 members
224 reviews
4.1
8 Members
tardis, lquilter, Storeetllr, Euryale, Morphidae, oceancat, souloftherose, Grassangel
Explanations
tardis: Love watching Maia find his feet in the court. This book also stands for the others in the same world: Witnes for the Dead, etc. which I also re-read (or listen to) often.
Grassangel: This book is filled with the strength of kindness underneath the fantasy names and politics. I enjoy rereading during Christmas and the new year, as it's all about new beginnings.
17
33,064 members
472 reviews
4
18
10,919 members
480 reviews
½ 4.3
19
6,096 members
37 reviews
½ 4.6
20
254 members
8 reviews
4.2
7 Members
NorthernStar, amanda4242, jpalfrey, SandyAMcPherson, Grassangel, ggnanadesikan, Sabrieljourney
Explanations
NorthernStar: This should really be all of the Penric series. I first added Penric's Demon, then added this omnibus of three. I love all of LMB's books, but this has got to be the series that is a true comfort read for me.
21
22,428 members
1,354 reviews
4
22
29,731 members
838 reviews
3.9
23
27,850 members
512 reviews
4.2
24
5,995 members
158 reviews
½ 4.3
6 Members
charl08, sarahemmm, lizzy50usa, saskia17, cathymcles, jhereg
Explanations
sarahemmm: Hmmm - another middle-aged love selection. Maybe it says something about me?
25
7,747 members
109 reviews
4.1
6 Members
SylviaC, elorin, LDPace, Marcy_Ann, MsSally, Sabrieljourney
Explanations
elorin: Menolly's story is a favorite from childhood.
26
15,876 members
278 reviews
4.2
5 Members
tardis, Stevil2001, drword, CarltonC, igorken
Explanations
tardis: I could have put any number of Pratchetts on this list, but I do love the Watch books.
27
18,489 members
481 reviews
½ 4.3
28
8,747 members
397 reviews
4.1
29
5,467 members
397 reviews
4
30
6,805 members
217 reviews
4.1
31
45,384 members
1,038 reviews
4
5 Members
aprille, knerd.knitter, LucindaLibri, Marcy_Ann, Red-Hawk
Explanations
knerd.knitter: I have an audiobook of this read by the author that I love and have listened to many times. I am not an auditory learner, so I rarely listen to books the first time I read them, but once I've read a story, especially a couple times, I love finding a good audiobook of it.
32
8,643 members
327 reviews
3.9
5 Members
anglemark, WendyRobyn, catseyegreen, MylistKate, v1v1enne
Explanations
v1v1enne: Driest humor, relaxing and fun, like Wodehouse on lowest gear
33
7,341 members
319 reviews
4.1
34
29,144 members
598 reviews
½ 4.3
35
10,328 members
240 reviews
4
5 Members
lorax, aprille, anglemark, elenchus, slimikin
Explanations
elenchus: Really it's the Aubrey-Maturin canon. Some of the 20 novels are more enjoyable than others, but all are fine and the first is as good a marker as any. The Napoleanic Era is fascinating, the adventures rollicking fun, but in the end it's the friendship that brings me back.
slimikin: More of a comfort series than a comfort book: I deliberately leave some books unread so when I desperately need a reliably wonderful world and story, I can pick up the next in the series and dive in.
36
67,735 members
1,016 reviews
4.2
37
832 members
10 reviews
½ 4.3
38
16,758 members
635 reviews
4
39
38,939 members
872 reviews
4.2
40
33,109 members
576 reviews
4.2
41
6,393 members
240 reviews
4
42
4,220 members
90 reviews
3.9
43
13,367 members
211 reviews
4.2
44
7,177 members
242 reviews
4.1
45
46,563 members
1,682 reviews
4.1
3 Members
knerd.knitter, LadyoftheLodge, mousegrl
Explanations
knerd.knitter: I know this book so well; like others on my list, this is one that I have an audiobook of that I have listened to numerous times, and I know whole passages by heart. While the story isn't exactly comforting, it is comforting to me.
46
6,402 members
115 reviews
½ 4.5
47
12,551 members
247 reviews
3.9
48
4,370 members
64 reviews
4.9
49
1,932 members
156 reviews
3.9
3 Members
bandpmom, Tosta, eroper
Explanations
eroper: A book that is truly "charming."
50
2,687 members
101 reviews
½ 4.4
3 Members
lorax, maeve_spry, SealedArchive
Explanations
lorax: Criminally forgotten and too long out of print. I love it and I cry every time.
51
9,972 members
213 reviews
4.1
52
1,601 members
7 reviews
½ 4.6
3 Members
rarm, kleo, tmerp
53
1,921 members
71 reviews
4.1
3 Members
NorthernStar, maeve_spry, souloftherose
Explanations
NorthernStar: This was the first of Kingfisher's books I read. It was recommended by another author I like, and is still a huge favourite.
54
25,358 members
613 reviews
4.2
55
8,174 members
357 reviews
4.1
3 Members
Ciarda, NorthernStar, MsSally
Explanations
NorthernStar: Almost anything by Patricia Briggs is a bit of a comfort read for me.
56
9,001 members
161 reviews
½ 4.3
3 Members
perennialreader, kyurenka, DebHudon
Explanations
perennialreader: Loved all of the books in the series, but this is my favorite.
57
43,907 members
567 reviews
4.1
58
15,176 members
423 reviews
4.1
59
8,481 members
487 reviews
4.1
3 Members
ReshiBec, Charon07, slimikin
Explanations
slimikin: More of a comfort series than a comfort book: I deliberately leave some books unread so when I desperately need a reliably wonderful world and story, I can pick up the next in the series and dive in.
60
17,813 members
311 reviews
4.1
61
2,767 members
93 reviews
3.9
62
740 members
14 reviews
½ 4.3
3 Members
hipdeep, cthulhuslibrarian, mavmcsmith
Explanations
hipdeep: Taran Wanderer is probably the most comforting to me at this time, but the whole set has the power to take me back.
cthulhuslibrarian: I didn't read this series until I was an adult. I enjoyed all of the books immensely, but Taran Wanderer helped me get through a very trying time when I was feeling lost and having to make some difficult decisions about the direction of my life.
63
11,489 members
211 reviews
4.1
3 Members
sarahemmm, PortiaLong, elorin
Explanations
sarahemmm: Heinlein has been much maligned, but surely had the best intentions. This one is both charming and apposite in the era of AI.
64
3,590 members
133 reviews
½ 4.3
65
41,181 members
682 reviews
4
66
47,391 members
1,049 reviews
3.9
67
15,204 members
310 reviews
3.9
3 Members
aprille, lahochstetler, v1v1enne
Explanations
v1v1enne: Scenes like the Christmas one, the descriptions of nature, so much beauty
68
10,125 members
186 reviews
3.9
70
2,907 members
112 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
RBeffa, Darth-Heather
Explanations
Darth-Heather: adventure that sweeps the reader away from reality with every page
71
2,862 members
81 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
sarahemmm, slimikin
Explanations
sarahemmm: Unexpected, middle-aged love between enemies... What could be more comforting?
slimikin: More of a comfort series than a comfort book: I deliberately leave some books unread so when I desperately need a reliably wonderful world and story, I can pick up the next in the series and dive in.
72
1,198 members
27 reviews
3.8
2 Members
skid0612, Nonconformisto
Explanations
skid0612: Discovered Fletch in my teens and have never let him go. Fletch, Confess Fletch, & Fletch's fortune might be the second best trilogy of all time (After Lord of rings).
73
1,075 members
28 reviews
4.1
2 Members
birder4106, themulhern
Explanations
themulhern: Rikki is just so awesome!
74
1,043 members
23 reviews
3.9
75
24,477 members
271 reviews
4.1
2 Members
pitjrw, kleo
76
7,365 members
111 reviews
3.8
77
3,804 members
86 reviews
½ 3.7
78
7,793 members
440 reviews
4
79
6,110 members
226 reviews
4
2 Members
dara85, infosleuth
80
2,387 members
101 reviews
4.1
2 Members
Moloch, annecm
81
1,615 members
106 reviews
½ 4.4
82
420 members
26 reviews
½ 4.4
83
40,720 members
487 reviews
3.8
84
19,390 members
305 reviews
4.1
85
2,119 members
42 reviews
3.8
2 Members
Morphidae, Maddz
86
61,811 members
810 reviews
3.9
2 Members
paulmdh, LawnyB44
87
16,162 members
205 reviews
3.8
88
15,233 members
426 reviews
½ 3.7
2 Members
reader517, LDPace
89
2,538 members
71 reviews
4
90
22,701 members
1,377 reviews
½ 4.3
91
2,892 members
46 reviews
½ 3.7
92
1,529 members
53 reviews
3.8
2 Members
sarahemmm, JalenV
Explanations
sarahemmm: Heyer is always a comfort, but this is probably the most 'classic' in elegance and style
93
743 members
48 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
Aquila, Stevil2001
94
40,865 members
307 reviews
3.9
95
40,139 members
330 reviews
4.2
2 Members
tgimom, mavmcsmith
96
32,479 members
534 reviews
4
97
17,857 members
293 reviews
½ 3.6
98
6,206 members
121 reviews
4.2
2 Members
kaixo, perennialreader
Explanations
perennialreader: There is a wonderful rhythm to this book. Lowers my blood pressure when I read it.
99
5,355 members
90 reviews
4
100
951 members
74 reviews
4.1
2 Members
terran, Darth-Heather
Explanations
Darth-Heather: by turns inspirational, moving, and amusing