Books to Read Instead of Getting Drunk (or Books for Maximum Escapism)

by Helen M. Pugsley
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6 books
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Black-eyed Susans

A Novel of Suspense
Julia Heaberlin, 2015
Okay it seems crazy for a fantasy author to start off this list with a thriller. Listen though, I couldn’t put this down for the week I was reading it! I also learned consuming horror media is a great way to combat your anxiety because it gives you a different problem to focus on. Go forth and escape into the mystery of a girl who was nearly murdered!

Iron Widow

Xiran Jay Zhao, 2021
I don’t care if you don’t know anything about Chinese history, or chi, if you like fantasy, you’re going to like this! There is a femme non-binary lead, mecha suits, war, and polyamory. It was literally so cool I was talking my coworker’s ears off about this one.

Children of Blood and Bone

Tomi Adeyemi, 2018
This is one of my favorites. When I worked at the library, I’d recommend this to people and they’d be put off by it’s size, then return it to me in a week or less saying “I read that in a night! I devoured it!” This is like Throne of Glass but better.

The Space Between the Stars

Aimee Pinard, 2020
Okay, this is about as indie as it gets. I found it in a Free Little Library, and read it in, like, three days. Hand-drawn (but super cool) cover, two whole reviews, all of that. I need someone to suffer with me though. This book featured the only realistic sex scene between two teenagers I have ever read, an abusive home-life, the experience of extreme poverty, dating rich dudes, but make it realistic, and relationship problems that keep you on edge. I was, like, not taking on extra hours at work so I had time to read.

Call Down the Hawk (The Dreamer Trilogy, Book 1)

Maggie Stiefvater, 2019
I checked. The entire trilogy is out. Stiefvater is amazing. Thank me later. Go forth and hide in a book, not a bottle.

Alanna

The First Adventure
Tamora Pierce, 2014
“BuT iT’s A kIdS bOoK!” And? You think the feds care? I didn’t read this until I was an adult. Pierce made a queer masterpiece without realizing it. I started this series on audiobooks and liked it well enough I switched to small print paper backs, and muscled through barely being able to see the pages because I was so into it! We get a lady knight who pretends to be a dude! Heck yeah!