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Amanda
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/01/the-rec-league-in-case-of-emergency/
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=165652
Shout out to the commenters in our latest Whatcha Reading post!
There were some great comments about “In Case of Emergency…Break Glass” books and a request for a post. We’re always happy to run requests like these!
We ran a similar post in 2020, so we did our best not to duplicate suggestions.
Sarah: In 2020, I mentioned the Call of Crows series, ( A | BN | K | G | AB | Au ) and that I always keep them with me should I need to soothe everything with heaping doses of rage. Wow, was my rage a lot different then.
Right now, my rage is endless and my balance is precarious. I’m doing the delicate monitoring of staying informed while also protecting my brain from that which will harm me.
The titles I have in my “break glass in case of emergency” stack aren’t out yet (I’m sorry) but with a new Veronica Speedwell ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) and a new Murderbot ( A | BN | K | AB ) in the next few months, a re-read of both series seems alluring.
However, my pick isn’t one thing, it’s a category: Magazines. Check out the digital magazines at your library because they have just about everything, from craft to gossip, travel to poetry – birds and horses and art and food. You’ll likely find library access to magazines in Libby/OverDrive, Flipster, PressReader, or another app to which your library has offered access.
When my brain cannot book, magazines are perfect.
Elyse: I am struggling so hard right now, and this kind of stress amplifies my autoimmune issues which sucks. I’m navigating that space of not being immediately in-your-face with the news while still being informed.
Right now I just don’t have the mental capacity to sit down and read a book. All my juice is being used up at work and when I’m not at work I have to recharge. I’m watching a lot of hockey because my brain is capable of the mental work of “did the biscuit go in the basket” and that’s about it.
When I’m not watching hockey, I’m listening to audio books but I’m being careful in my selection. I’ve been listening to a lot of Terry Pratchett. Prachett’s books are satire, and funny, and blistering on point without ever feeling dark. His heroes are mostly ordinary people who Do The Right Thing even when it’s hard, but they aren’t gleaming Paladins of virtue. He also points out that evil is often overwhelmingly stupid. I can’t help but wonder what he would be writing were he still with us, and I’m sure whatever it was would be hopeful while also cutting in its accuracy.
Pratchett had a lot of books, so if you don’t know where to start, the very first book is The Color of Magic. ( A | BN | K | G | AB | Au | Scribd ) There are several sub-series though, and my two favorites are the City Watch Series which begins with Guards! Guards! ( A | K | G | AB | Au ) And the Granny Weatherwax series which starts with Equal Rites. ( A | BN | K | AB )
If you have read all the Pratchett books, then I recommend listening to/reading Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher which is very similar in humor and tone.
I’ve been knitting while I listen to audio books and working on Melt the Ice hats as well as some homebrew anti-ice socks.
Lara: At the moment my emergency book is anything written by KJ Charles. Presently, I’m rereading
Slippery Creatures and it’s great! The writing is sharp and vivid, and the story is immersive. When I read it, the real world temporarily disappears and I’m at peace.
Amanda: For a brain break, I’ve been diving into a lot of webtoons, primarily through sites like Webtoons and Manta. You can marathon a series or just check in to read a chapter a day. There are tons of free options, so there’s often no monetary obligation to give one a try.
Tangentially, I’ve found that organizing my giant To Read/Reading webtoon library has been particularly soothing. I used Manga Baka to do that.
I’m not typically a re-reader, but I do make an exception for the following books:
Kiki: In shitty times, I like to return to a big series so that I don’t have to think about what my next book is going to be. Combine that with the way I’ve come to rely on historical romance in the last few years and I recommend the Mackenzie series by Jennifer Ashley, which starts with The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) though I’m particularly fond of A Rogue Meets a Scandalous Lady. ( A | BN | K | AB )
In the same vein, Jo Goodman’s westerns, especially In Want of a Wife. Like the Mackenzie series, there are a good number of them, and they are absolutely immersive.
Final suggestion: audiobook everything. I can’t focus on physical/ebooks right now, but I can put on some noise cancelling headphones and crochet or paint or cross-stitch or cook and that helps soothe the pressure that is non-stop building in my chest.
Take good care of each other, y’all.
What are your “Break Glass” books? Tell us in the comments!
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/01/the-rec-league-in-case-of-emergency/
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=165652
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