Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light and Fun

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I read so many light and funny romances as a kid/teen, both YA and adult, and though I still love them, I don't read NEARLY enough of them. I think the quickest, easiest way to improve my mood is with something hilarious and romantic, and if it's contemporary, well, that just makes it even easier. You don't have to use your brain very much. No tricky world-building. Just fun. Fun and a fabulous sense of humor.

NOT TRUE.

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I talk about this one ad nauseum, so I will just say PARIS. CUTE BOY. Shenanigans. Go read.

2. Anything by Sophie Kinsella

I love, love, love British chick lit. And the undisputed queen of British chick lit is Sophie Kinsella. As a teen I devoured every book she wrote: all of the Shopaholics, though my personal faves are her standalones, Can You Keep a Secret?, Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl and I've Got Your Number, all of which reduced me to tears of mirth. I haven't read her latest yet, but you can bet your bum I'll be getting to it ASAP.



3. Almost anything from Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot was probably the YA author I read the most as a teen. I find nearly all her books hilarious. Particular "light" standouts would be Pants on Fire, Teen Idol and her adult books The Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, Every Boy's Got One, and the Queen of Babble series.

4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling.  

Or, in fact, the first three Harry Potters, aka before these books started murdering my soul in a way that felt almost personal. I love rereading the Harry Potter books, particularly the earlier ones, because most of my favorite characters are still ALIVE. They have such a sense of humor and wonder and magic to them. Never fails to lighten my mood.

5. Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding

Most of you have seen the movie (Those you you who haven't, I don't know what's wrong with you), and while I love the movie something fierce, I also love the book. This is the first book that ever caused me to cry with laughter. Bridget is a total prat with body dysmorphia and some serious personality flaws, but God, is she funny.

6. Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, and the rest of the Georgie Nicolson series

THESE BOOKS. Theeeeese booooks are the funniest dang things you will ever read in your whole life. I don't even know how to talk about them (and I talk about them all the time). Every single person in this series is hilarious. Every one is uber British and overflowing with lunacy and I actually cry with laughter when I read about Viking weddings and basoomas and oh my God I need to go reread these bye.

7. Austenland and Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale,  
Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter, Epic Fail and The Art of Flirting by Claire LaZebnik, and other Janeite books

I said last week how much I love books that are inspired by classic literature. Well, I also love books that play with and make FUN of those of us obsessed with old stories with starchy petticoats and repressed sexual tension. The three books I listed above are only a handful of the funny and light Janeite books out there, and I personally can't get enough.

8. Anything by Maureen Johnson

I love her brand of humor. I am always guaranteed to laugh out loud while reading one of her books. 



9. This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

I love reading books about famous people and regular people falling in love and being all cute and modern-day fairy tale-ish, kind of like Gorgeous, a recent hilarious read that is now a favorite of mine. I thought this book was super cute.

10. Decked with Holly by Marni Bates

This book is so silly and so funny at the same time. When I read it, i compared it to a cupcake in book form, which is exactly what it is. Sweet and cute and not pretending to be anything but what it is. 


Honorable mentions: Spoiled by Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks, 52 Reasons to Hate my Father, all beach and summer romances, Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway, Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill, Past Perfect by Leila Sales, How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer.