
Looking for something to read during the circuit breaker? These Up Lit books will warm up the coldest of hearts.
In these troubling times, there’s no better way to soothe the soul than with a good book. Our current fave form of escapism during the pandemic? Up Lit (or uplifting literature) to give our mood a good, positive vibes-filled boost. And while we’re feeling down and out about the circuit breaker, Covid-19 and all the havoc they’ve wreaked in the past few months, we’re finding solace in the written word. We need some warm and fuzzies and we need ’em right now! Here are some feelgood fiction books to help you look at the brighter side of life, aka the best books to read during the circuit breaker:
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
One morning, Harold Fry wakes up and decides to hand deliver a letter to his dying friend, Queenie – and walks 600 miles to do it. He believes as long as he walks, Queenie will live. Along the way, he meets an interesting cast of characters, who each help Harold rediscover himself and his feelings for others. It’s one of those books that make you wonder what if – and how different life could have been if we had chosen another path.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
If you’ve never seen the movie with Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts, go ahead and read the book version first. We promise you, it’s worth it. Wonder is one of those books that will make you laugh, cry and then laugh again – and trust us, you’ll probably want to read it a second time. It’s a heartwarming story about Auggie, a young boy with a craniofacial condition, trying to fit in with the rest of his classmates, and how he fails and succeeds along the way. You’ll find yourself rooting for Auggie all the way, who proves to all of us that “you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.” This is one feel-good story you’ll definitely want to add to your list of books to read during the circuit breaker.
The Vacationers by Emma Straub
Although we can’t head off to the beach RN, this beach read is as good as it gets. We’ll spend a summer with the Posts as they head off to Spain with their extended family and friends to celebrate Franny and Jim’s 35th wedding anniversary and Sylvia’s high school graduation. But it’s not all tapas and sangria – secrets come out and old wounds come undone. This book isn’t outright Up Lit, but reading about juicy family scandals can be just as fun!
The One-in-a-million Boy by Monica Wood
This feelgood fiction book details the friendship between 104-year-old Ona, a prickly Lithuanian immigrant (think Carl from Up) and an 11-year-old boy scout. Then, after the boy’s sudden death, his divorced rockstar and absentee father reappears on the scene and forms an unlikely friendship with Ona. This story will remind you of how we mustn’t take things for granted – especially the people we love.
The Summer of Impossible Things by Rowan Coleman
If you could go back and see what your mum was like as a young woman, would you? Thirty years ago, something terrible happened to Luna’s mother; something she only reveals in her final goodbye to her daughters. Now Luna and her sister have the chance to set the story straight and go back to their mother’s birthplace. But they’re starting to find more questions than answers until something absolutely crazy happens and Luna finds out that she’s travelled through time – which means she can change things. But in doing so, she’ll put her own life at risk to give her mother the life she truly deserves…
How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
Oooh, this feelgood fiction is a goodie. It centres on Tom Hazard, who has secrets. First, he’s not actually 41 years old and second, he’s actually been alive for centuries. He’s performed with Shakespeare, sailed the high seas with Captain Cook and had a few Dark and Stormies with Fitzgerald. Now, he just wants to live an ordinary life as a high school history teacher. And on his first day of school, he falls for a French teacher who seems to be falling for him too. But here’s the hitch – he isn’t allowed to fall in love. Now, Tom has to decide: should he keep on living in the past, or finally begin living in the present?
Do these Up Lit, feelgood fiction finds sound good? Let us know what you think and share your own recommendations by tagging us on Instagram!