Like a lot of people, I love a good book. No matter the genre, there are good reads everywhere. So, if you’re like me and plan on spending this Valentine’s Day cuddled up with a hardcover book, here’s a list of some of my favorite comfort books. 

“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë

You may have looked up this book in cliff notes in your high school literature class, but now is the time to give Jane a proper, fair shot. 

Charlotte Brontë writes about a young woman named Jane who has been dealt some difficult cards. Between abusive aunts and cruel schooling conditions, Jane takes the opportunity to escape to work as a governess for the wealthy Rochester, whom she develops feelings for despite not knowing his haunting secret. 

This book has it all, honestly. I love that it has all of the extravagance and drama of a classic novel, as well as tones and themes that feel modern. I love the spookiness of this book, and no matter how many times I read it, the ending packs the same punch. 

“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott

This American classic is one of my favorite books of all time until the protagonist makes the worst decision in literary history. 

Written by Louisa May Alcott, “Little Women” is a historical, feminist, coming-of-age novel that follows a family of strong-spirited girls as they navigate womanhood along with the boy next door. 

This book never fails to destroy me in the most wonderful ways. If you’re in the mood for a good cry, give it a chance.

“The Host” by Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer’s “The Host” is a thick book that is a comfort read of mine.

The book is a dystopian story that follows a girl whose brain has been infiltrated by an alien life form. It is such an interesting concept, and I especially love how the book uses it to tell a compelling story. 

Melanie Stryder, the main character, deals with love, life, friendship and survival, all while her body is being taken from her. The way this book is paced is why I love it, as the pacing adds to the emotion the story is trying to tell. If you are just getting back into reading, this book is a good jumping-in point.

“The Basketball Diaries” by Jim Carroll

Despite this being a shorter book, the themes, characters and story are just breathtaking and gut-wrenching. 

“The Basketball Diaries” is a memoir by Jim Carroll that follows his childhood in New York City, NY, as a delinquent exploring the world of sex, drugs and basketball. What sets this book apart is that each chapter is an edited version of Carroll’s actual journal entries from his diary when he was a teenager in New York City. This made the piece more personal as it is a short read that is impossible to put down.

“The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon” by David Grann

This adventure book takes some time to get going, but once the foundation is set, it’s an absolute thriller. 

Written by David Grann, this story is about the 1925 venture into the treacherous Amazon rainforest in search of a lost civilization. British explorer Percy Fawcett, in 1925, disappeared with his son in the Amazon rainforest while looking for the ancient Lost City of Z. Over the years, many have ventured into the jungle to try and recover the lost party and civilization they looked for, and this book looks into these ventures. 

This book has had a chokehold on me for quite some time. It’s thrilling, exciting, educational and true. If you have a taste for adventure, be sure to check it out.

“Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage” by Alfred Lansing

“Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage” is my favorite work of Fiction. 

The book follows Ernest Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica in 1914 and the serious conditions and deadly threats they faced as they carried out their mission. The book showcases the crew’s intense bravery, teamwork and tact as it follows them in this less-than-ideal environment.

I love this book because it is a testament to the human spirit and its endurance. There is a sense of brotherhood throughout the book that pulls you in and attaches you to the crew, even more so because they are real people instead of fictional characters.