Digital Feel-Good Books For People Who Don't Like Feel-Good Books

Press release from Somerset County Library System of New Jersey: Not everyone wants a “happily ever after;” there are those of us that enjoy a bit of misery, a few twists, and a lot of turns. However, during the current COVID-19 crisis we could all use a few extra moments of hope and happiness. While you are busy being safe at home, the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey (SCLSNJ) encourages you to explore a few moments of bliss through the virtual collections.

“I’m not usually a fan of the warm and cozy, but I have changed my tune as of late” said Yvonne Selander, collection development manager. “I tend to reach for the serial killer thrillers and gritty mysteries. Sure, I throw in a romance every once in a while when the thrillers get a little too dark to lighten the mood and mix things up, but as a rule, the grimmer the better. But during these stressful times, I am all about the romances and the warm fuzzies.”

According to a recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), approximately 45 percent of U.S. adults have reported feeling worried or stressed during the COVID-19 crisis. Luckily, research from the World Literacy Foundation has found that reading can reduce stress by almost 70 percent.

“I have put together a list of some of my favorite feel-good titles for you to enjoy at home, even if feel-good books aren’t your thing” said Selander. “Full disclosure, some of these books will make you tear up a little, but you’ll turn off your device with a smile on your face.”

Digitally discover these feel-good titles and more:

• “The Accidental Beauty Queen” by Teri Wilson
• “A Bad Day for Sunshine” by Darynda Jones
• “The Big Finish” by Brooke Fossey
• “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michele Richardson
• “The Bromance Book Club” by Lyssa Kay Adams
• “Close Enough to Touch” by Colleen Oakley
• “Happiness for Humans” by P.Z. Reizin
• “The Honey-Don’t List” by Christina Lauren
• “How Not to Die Alone” by Richard Roper
• “In Five Years” by Rebecca Serle
• “The Love Story of Missy Carmichael” by Beth Morrey
• “Mr. and Mrs. American Pie” by Juliet McDaniel
• “The Operator” by Gretchen Berg
• “The Reluctant Fortune-Teller” by Keziah Frost
• “Summer Hours at the Robbers Library” by Sue Halpern
• “The Ten Thosand Doors of January” by Alix E. Harrow
• “The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters” by Balli Kaur Jaswal
• “When We Were Vikings” by Andrew David MacDonald

This press release was produced by Somerset County Library System of New Jersey. The views expressed here are the author's own.