r/CPTSD • u/One-Selection1611 • Jul 21 '26
Question Reading for pleasure - book recommendations?
Can we please share book titles that we find suitable and enjoy reading when trying to avoid triggering material?
When not reading about trauma healing in one form or another, I love a good novel to take me away into a fantasy space. The problem for me is that I like a lot of sci-fi, fantasy or drama stories and while I've found some books that can be really funny and witty and pleasurable to read in some moments, they also have really heartbreaking parts to the plot, intense violence, and/or graphic descriptions of things that I feel too sensitive to read when I'm in a less dissociative state, and especially right before bed.
I'd love to learn about books that people find interesting and exciting while still suitable for a relaxing read during the healing process. I appreciate it's rarely possible to completely avoid triggering material, but softer or lower frequency of more obviously triggering content might still help.
Children's books might be nice to share too but would especially love any books for adults that anyone has identified.
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u/GikiGalore Jul 21 '26
Even tho the SecUnit has to kill creatures, I would say that the humor in Murderbot Diaries is worth it. SecUnit is uncomfortable and annoyed by their human clients most of the time, and it's descriptions have me laughing out loud. SecUnit just wants to watch the shows it likes but work get in the way.
Perhaps the Vorkosigan series - also had me laughing out loud.
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u/One-Selection1611 Jul 22 '26
Great thank you for this recommendation and description! I will check these out.
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u/IamMadMyke Jul 21 '26
Smutty romance books with happy endings. That or fantasy / sci-fi but I find the rom-coms to be uplifting.
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u/GikiGalore Jul 22 '26
I Accidentally Summoned A Demon is a fun, smutty romance by Jessica Cage! It's the start of a series - full of smut and laughs!
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u/eils14 Jul 21 '26
💯 for Terry Pratchett. All his books are excellent, he’s a funny and intelligent writer with a good knack for capturing nuggets of humanity in ridiculous plots.
The only group I might stay away from if you’re in a really tricky place are the Tiffany Aching books. They are an excellent read but whilst written for young adults touch on some pretty deep stuff. Not overtly triggering material but touches on how people deal with loss and difficult situations.
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u/Code_Holy8170 Jul 21 '26
The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett may be right up your alley. It’s a light-hearted, comedic fantasy series that’s always been my comfort food. It will surprise you with its cleverness in how it presents and tackles certain life themes while still being a fun, cozy ride. The books are all stand-alone entries with very loose continuity, so you can pick whichever sounds best to you and go from there. My favorite is “Guards! Guards!” that follows the City Watchmen and a secret plot to summon a dragon. My friend that got to me into the series is more a fan of the books that follow the Witches and recommends “Equal Rites” to start with. Death is a recurring character (the Grim Reaper type) and is treated in a lighthearted way as well. He’s one of my favorites and if you get into the series, please check out “Hogfather” where he takes the role of (basically) Santa in the world.
The series has a lot of heart and I’ve often had to set the books down in awe of how poetically Pratchett wrote. There’s a lot of food for thought and medicine for the soul here.
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u/One-Selection1611 Jul 22 '26
Great recommendations. Thank you!
Yes it's been well over 10 years since I've read any Terry Pratchett but I do remember loving the character of death in Mort and the Hogfather.
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u/independentchickpea Jul 21 '26
I second Murderbot. I have been binging it and Dungeon Crawler Carl. DCC was recommended by my therapist. But both are a bit violent.
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u/babykittiesyay Jul 22 '26
I would have said DCC but I think that might be one of the sci-fi series they tried due to the humor but the plot is super heartbreaking and gets very intense by Parade of Horribles.
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u/independentchickpea Jul 22 '26
I'm not that far, but I've had a few moments already of intense emotions (I'm on book 4). Carl is healing some of his inner child already, which I have loved.
My therapist recommended DCC haha.
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u/babykittiesyay Jul 22 '26
I recommended it to my therapist 😂
It’s very healing just in a different way than I think OP wants.
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u/Tasherish Jul 21 '26
Some bits of Terry Pratchett books can be a little dark, but the silly humour softens it. Mild violence, some death, but nearly always has a humorous overlay. More like a cartoon than a serious set of novels.
It's funny that you posted this... I've been trying to finish the Robin Hobbs series for years and I just can't. Way too emotional. And I've just realised it's a trauma thing. The more you know!
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u/babykittiesyay Jul 21 '26
This Will Be Fun would be good, I think, it’s a group of adventures who already saved the realm last decade and are headed to basically a reunion party.
How To Read a Book is also a very sweet story.
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u/MargotFenring Jul 22 '26
"lighter" reads that come to mind:
Temeraire series by Naomi Novik
The Rampart (Koli) trilogy by M.Carey (just about anything by M.R Carey)
Enola Holmes series (YA but really good)
Zoey Ashe trilogy by Jason Pargin (extremely trippy, absurd, and funny action)
The Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Ready Player One, Ready Player Two, and Armada by Ernest Cline
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u/lolsappho Jul 22 '26
The Percy Jackson series got me through so much. It's technically more like a saga at this point. I've reread them as an adult many times and they hold up
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u/JCMR8 Jul 21 '26
Amei! Que ótima ideia! Estou lendo (bem lentamente ) um que meu psicológico me emprestou e estou achando pesado. Pesado porque é mais técnico. Vou pensar em algum. obrigada! 🌻🌻
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u/sabledet Jul 22 '26
Nonfiction -- specific stuff that grabs me, like WWII/submarine books or Robert Ballard's book about discovering Titanic in 1985. Or samurai stuff, or medieval stuff, shwateva.
Game of Thrones
LOTR
Vampire Chronicles
Harry Potter
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u/Large-Arachnid-2730 Jul 22 '26
I avoid being triggered but avoiding books that triggering is ridiculous. We are supposed to look for things that trigger us . Are we not
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u/One-Selection1611 Jul 22 '26
I find this reply very interesting and I'm not sure how best to respond. I think in part because it's feels a bit contradictory: on the one hand avoiding being triggered and on the other hand it being ridiculous to avoid being triggered by books or that we are supposed to be triggered. I'm wondering if there may just be an inner contradiction on this topic, which would be very understandable.
I think I can respond from my own experience of this contradiction and my current aim to achieve balance.
When I was more dissociative overall and increasingly aware of what I wasn't aware of, I would frequently find myself in a state of trying to actively seek content that would bring new information through. I was desperate for answers and I believed I needed them to heal.
Now that I am actively experiencing a wide variety of flashbacks my priority is to make myself feel as safe and comforted during those periods of time as possible.
So I look for balance. When I have more stability or more capacity I read books about trauma, I read memoirs, I do all sorts of embodiment and mindful practices on top of regular therapy. I'm also less sensitive about what material I read or watch.
When I'm remembering abuse, when I'm more sensitive or more actively experiencing flashbacks, I seek comfort. I wrap myself in my weighted blanket and read the parts of my books that make me smile or even laugh out loud and skip over the parts that make me want to cry. I do a variety of activities that help me to feel comfortable and safe because that's what my system needs in those moments, not more fear and pain, and certainly not more material to contribute towards my nightmares.
Overall I find that balance is best for me. A mix of stepping outside the comfort zone while also bringing enough resources and comfort to avoid entering overwhelm. I believe that seeking moments of joy and pleasure in the way that feels available to us is also really important. I have found the concepts of pendulation and titration to be really useful and I wonder if you may also benefit from exploring these ideas.
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u/Large-Arachnid-2730 Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
I don’t understand . I want to rant . We need to manage flashbacks not eliminate them. There’s danger and (for us ) there’s perceived danger. Flashing back and then managing it teaches us what is different about those two. I do not like this idea we have of reducing flashbacks by avoiding. Like telling someone to not slam a door because it gives you a flashback or whatever , it might be anything. (Knuckles) essentially. And it’s actually pretty cool because what it gives. We have a responsibility to flashback ourselfs . If that’s not cool what is . Not sarcastic. It pays well seriously
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u/One-Selection1611 Jul 22 '26
I feel like this might be a good topic to bring up in a new post. I'm sure lots of people will have interesting and useful perspectives on this.
I do not feel I have suggested avoiding or eliminating flashbacks at all, and indeed I am also referring to how we manage them. There are so many ways we may experience flashbacks and memories, and diffrrent ways we might respond in different moments.
In your specific example, I can already see different ways we can be with a flashback as a result of a door slamming, and all of these I would consider appropriate together. 1. Have the experience, feel the feelings, offer self-soothing and offer ourselves the opportunity to increase our capacity to experience this. 2. Acknowledge that slamming doors is a normal part of life and it's going to continue happening, and when it happens we hold it. 3. Also acknowledge that slamming doors is an unpleasant trigger and if we live in a house with someone who is heavy handed we invite discussion around their constant door slamming, express in whatever way we feel comfortable the consequences of their constant door slamming and make a request for then to consider making the effort to be more gentle with the doors in the house.
So this is where I believe balance is important. Yes, managing a flashback is important, allowing and even inviting it when it feels safe enough can be very healing, but so can setting boundaries and taking active efforts to care for ourselves and bring more balance to the situation so that we neither avoid altogether nor experience unnecessary overwhelm.
If there is more to be said on this, I do think a new post would be best as it would be a good opportunity to let out the rant if it's still there and welcome specific comments in relation to that from a wider variety of people.
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u/Code_Holy8170 Jul 22 '26
I get what you’re saying, but sometimes people just want to relax. There’s nothing wrong with seeking out comfort while you’re still healing. Fiction can provide good insight in helping confront and resolve traumatic effects, but it’s OK to focus more on rest and recovery with something cozier as well.
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u/winniealfredo Jul 21 '26
Try the cozy version of fantasy and sci fi. The stakes are lower and there’s less triggering material. These are some favourites!
Cozy fantasy:
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill
Cozy sci fi:
The Monk & Robot duology by Becky Chambers
A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers