Staying motivated to read when life is demanding and the world is on fire can be difficult.
Everything in your TBR pile feels like another way to drive your productivity rather than a chance to escape. Challenging topics or high page counts make you want to melt into a puddle like a popsicle in the July sun. Expanding your mind through reading is a great motivator, but reading for rest has an important place, too. We may not be close to any light at the end of the tunnel, but maybe we can light a little candle in the middle for a little reprieve.
I’m calling these kinds of books “Read-Betweens.” They’re the kind of quick, light reads to keep you in words (or pictures) when you are between books and don’t feel like making a commitment to something more substantial. These types of reads will be different for everyone. Find whatever genre or topic is comforting or brings you joy. Reread a childhood favorite. Pick up a classic with a twist or as a graphic novel. Wander through a used or independent bookstore until something catches your eye.
Here are a few options to get you started.
Cats of the World by Hannah Shaw
Hannah "Kitten Lady" Shaw and professional cat photographer Andrew Marttila journey to thirty countries to bring you hundreds of photos and stories of cats from every corner of the world. This beautiful book will not only give you a good dose of kitty cuteness, but it will also give you some great vacation destination ideas.
Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley
Katie's got it pretty good. She's a talented young chef, she runs a successful restaurant, and she has big plans to open an even better one. Then, all at once, progress on the new location bogs down, her charming ex-boyfriend pops up, her fling with another chef goes sour, and her best waitress gets badly hurt. And just like that, Katie's life goes from pretty good to not so much. What she needs is a second chance. Everybody deserves one, after all--but they don't come easy.
Luckily for Katie, a mysterious girl appears in the middle of the night with simple instructions for a do-it-yourself do-over: 1. Write your mistake 2. Ingest one mushroom 3. Go to sleep 4. Wake anew. And just like that, all the bad stuff never happened, and Katie is given another chance to get things right. She's also got a dresser drawer full of magical mushrooms--and an irresistible urge to make her life not just good, but perfect. Too bad it's against the rules. But Katie doesn't care about the rules--and she's about to discover the unintended consequences of the best intentions.
Pride and Prejudice in Space by Alexis Lampley
Elizabeth Bennet lives on a small moon in the Londinium lunar system with her parents and four sisters. While she dreams of piloting a starship rather than settling down with an eligible man, her world turns upside down when the handsome Mr. Bingley docks the Netherfield StarCruiser on the neighboring estate. The arrival thrusts the Bennet sisters into the bustling asteroid field of the system's wider society, and Elizabeth's aspirations are suddenly in flux. Drawn into the orbit of Mr. Bingley's friend, the proud Fitzwilliam Darcy, Elizabeth is determined to dislike him despite his ten thousand aurum per year.
Can the Bennet sisters navigate the perils of love and space? Will Elizabeth avoid the collision course she's on with the formidable Mr. Darcy? This tale of scifi romance for women explores timeless themes of love, pride, and prejudice, set against the backdrop of the infinite cosmos. Pride and Prejudice in Space features stunning, colorful chapter headers and an array of interior art. With over 60 full-color illustrations and designs, readers will be captivated by this new world--from maps and brochures to digital message logs and pages pulled from the Bennet sisters' journals and sketchbooks.
I’m Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-ups by Chris Harris
An illustrated collection of comically irreverent rhyming poems for readers of all ages, ranging in topic from avocados and anacondas to zombies and zebras (dressed like ghosts).
Heidi: A Graphic Novel adapted by Mariah Marsden
When young Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in a small shepherd's hut in the Swiss Alps, everyone expects him to turn her away. He has a bad reputation: mean, growly, and harsh as the cold mountain winds. But Heidi is quick to take on any challenge, whether it's keeping an eye on the rebellious goats, learning to read, or melting Grandfather's icy heart.
Heidi's adventures take her up and down her beloved mountain, from picnics in the high alpine meadows all the way to the distant streets of Frankfurt and a city life she could never have imagined. But when homesickness strikes, Heidi must weigh old friendships with new ones and find her place in an expanding world. Given new life as a graphic novel in artist Ofride's warm, folk art-inspired style, Heidi celebrates the joy of storytelling, the wonders of nature, and the healing power of kindness.
For more short, fun reads, check out this list from the Tulsa City-County Library.
