If there’s anything we’re all finding ourselves craving right now during quarantine it’s an escape from reality. We’ve rounded up 5 books we’re loving during quarantine that we think will satiate every type of reader.
There’s something for the female biz owner with big dreams, the woman who is walking through her pain and needs to be reminded she’s not alone, the hygge-lover who feels right at home curled up on a couch with a cup of tea and delightful novel, and the working-so-hard-to-keep-things-together-woman who wants to read a thrilling book then escape into the movie afterwards.
Regardless of where you find yourself during these uncertain days, I hope you find a book in this list to keep you company and make you feel less alone.
1.) The Upside of Being Down, by Jen Gotch
If you’ve never stumbled across the brand Ban.do, you’re missing out on a delightful shop full of one-of-a-kind gifts and lots of happy colors. The founder, Jen Gotch, just released an honest and entertaining memoir about her journey through mental health struggles and how that contributed to the successes of Ban.do. You’ll find yourself laughing at her totally honest and self-deprecating stories and underlining her unexpected business advice. A delightful and entertaining read if you enjoy memoirs and entrepreneurship.
2.) Where The Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens
I’ve never sat on the edge of my seat right up until the last page like I did with this novel. The story is set in the North Carolina marshlands, a place you’ll know by the back of your hand through the writer’s beautiful storytelling. The book is centered on the survival of a young girl, Kya, who is essentially left to raise herself in the marsh while simultaneously intertwining with the murder investigation of a young boy in the small coastal town nearby. Compelling, beautifully written, and the perfect escape into another world full of clams, shorebirds, and fish hidden in the swamp.
3.) More Myself, by Alicia Keys
After listening to a live interview on Instagram with Alicia Keys I immediately went to Audible and downloaded her book, More Myself. I find the release of this raw and honest look into true self expression so timely. Alicia takes us down a raw and vulnerable look into her past…the complicated relationship with her father, the loss of privacy surrounding her romantic relationships, and the pressure she felt to attain female perfection, and invites us into the question we all wonder at one point in our lives: who am I, really?
4.) Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng
The Little Fires Everywhere miniseries starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington just released on Hulu, which means this book was gooooood. Everything Reese touches is magic (were you as obsessed with Big Little Lies as I was?!) and this story based on two families from different socioeconomic backgrounds in Shaker Heights, OH is no exception.
5.) Untamed, by Glennon Doyle
Glennon Doyle, best-selling author of Love Warrior and Carry-On, Warrior, explores the highs and lows of untaming yourself from the world’s expectations and setting yourself free. In chapters set up like mini essays, she shares with us her journey through divorce, finding love again, and rebuilding a life in which she listens to her own inner voice. One of my favorite stories in the book is the point at which she realizes a mother’s job is to “stop being a martyr and start being a model”.
And there you have it! 5 books we’re loving during quarantine. 5 books we’re reading in our minivans with a cup of coffee. 5 books we’re listening to on Audible while we clean our house for the gazillionth time. I hope these titles give you some space away from reality or, at the very least, something to look forward to when the kids go down for bedtime.
Written by Mary Beth Johnson, our marketing and sales director at Whimsy + Wellness, and avid book lover.
