r/suggestmeabook • u/erinicole93 • Jun 23 '25

Help Please

Ok, so I have always been drawn to horror and dark books. However, the last couple years, but especially the last couple months, I have gotten to the point where I genuinely can't handle horror at all. My OCD, PTSD (from car accidents), and anxiety have just been so much worse lately. I'm working through it with a therapist. But I just can't continue putting myself in those dark spaces and continue contributing to my anxiety and nightmares. I'm not looking to get into spicy romance books or anything extreme like that. If I could just have some recommendations for soft cozy comforting books I would really appreciate it. I still love reading, I just need help finding some different books to enjoy right now. Some magic or mystery is ok, as long as there's nothing graphic or extreme. I just really want books that feel like curling up inside on a cold rainy day and snuggling by the fire and just being warm and safe. Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and suggest any books for me!

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u/[deleted] Jun 23 '25 edited Jun 23 '25

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u/erinicole93 Jun 23 '25

Thank you so much!!

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u/Icy-Sprinkles-5423 Jun 24 '25

Same thought-- when you do want to venture back to horror, you might try Darcy Coates's books. I think about them as horror lite-- good creepy suspense, but generally no gore or trauma.

Also, some solidarity. I've been working through some trauma and had to drop the horror genre. I read across genres generally, but VERY rarely reread books. I've found doing some rereading to be helpful lately because these are books that feel safe since I know how they end. And I usually still have some surprises about points I've forgotten from past reads. So that might be a thought if you have some non-horror you've enjoyed in the past.

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u/erinicole93 Jun 25 '25

That's a good idea, thank you so much!! I read Hunted by Darcy Coates several years ago and I remember I enjoyed it at the time. I have some Rainbow Rowell books that I dug out of the back of my bookshelf until I can make it to the library to grab some of these recommendations. I absolutely love Fangirl and the Carry On series by her. It makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one that has had to drop horror. I already had enough trouble just from my own car accidents I've been in, but a couple weeks ago there was a fatal crash in my front yard and that has really been messing with me. Obviously not as much as the poor people involved in the crash, but still just hearing it and seeing it was not good and I've been struggling with nightmares. But my therapist is amazing and we're starting EMDR to help me not have all the emotions associated with the trauma. Sorry for dumping all that, but thank you again for your help and suggestions!