Book Series To Read During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hey friends,

When 2020 started, I bet none of us really expected to be living through a pandemic, did we? And yet, here we are. And honestly, it’s really scary. Most of us have never lived through a situation like this. The only time I remember feeling an anxiety like this was probably post 9/11 when the world was in turmoil and everyone was afraid of another attack, including ten-year old me.

But as Dumbledore said, “happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” I hope you and your loved ones are able to find light during this dark time.

Speaking of Dumbledore… that brings me to the topic of today’s post: my suggestions for book series you can read during this crazy time. I’ve read six books since all this pandemic chaos started about two weeks ago, and I’m excited to be flying through my TBR list. But, because we’re unsure of how long this is going to last, now is the perfect time to start reading a series. You can still order books from Amazon—they just might take a couple extra days to arrive.

Some of these series I’ve read, some of them I’ve partially read, and some of them are on my TBR list, too.

1. The Selection series by Kiera Cass. This series is basically The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games, and you will fly through all five books. They’re definitely lighter reads—perfect if you’re looking for an easy distraction.
2. The Caraval trilogy by Stephanie Garber. I’ve read the first two books in this set ( Caraval & Legendary) and I cannot recommend them. They’re part of the fantasy genre which is great if you want to lose yourself inside a whole other world.
3. The Wedding Date series by Jasmine Guillory. I’m not technically sure if this is classified as “series” but The Wedding Date, The Proposal, and The Wedding Party are all threaded together by similar characters. Secondary characters from the The Wedding Date are the main characters of The Proposal.. you get the idea. These books are so fun to read, and the characters really jump off the page at you.
4. The Beach House series by Mary Alice Monroe. One of my personal favorites, The Beach House series has five books so far and the sixth is coming out in May. I have an Advanced Reader’s Copy of it, and I’m so excited to read it during this social distancing. These books are beautifully written and focus on family dynamics and relationships, all set against the beautiful South Carolina barrier island, Isle of Palms.
5. The Lowcountry Summer trilogy by Mary Alice Monroe. Can you tell I’m a huge MAM fan? If you like summer beach books, you’ll definitely like these books. I picked up my first copy of The Summer Girls at the local grocery story on the way to the beach a few years ago, and I was hooked.
6. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Even if you’ve already read these books, now is a great time to re-read them. I love having the luxury of re-reading a book that I loved the first time. (Fun Fact: I try to read Little Women at least every two years). I also feel like I find things I missed when I read something the second or third time.
7. The Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. These are some of my favorite books from my childhood, and I’m due for a re-read soon. If you’re looking to take your mind off everything going on in the world, I cannot recommend these enough. If you’ve got younger kids at home, these are also wholesome read-aloud books. (My mom used to read aloud to us every night as a family, and it was great quality time).

There are so many more series I could list, but these are probably some of my favorites. Some honorable mentions are Outlander if you’re looking for something with a lot of depth. Be prepared for a LOT of pages. If you like longer books in a series, check out A Court of Thorns & Roses or Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. I’ve started the ACOTAR series and loved the first book, but they are THICK! But, depending on how long this social-distancing lasts, I may read them!

Hope you enjoyed these recommendations. Let me know your recommendations or what you’re reading in the comments below.

Stay healthy & stay home!

Love,

Emma

Photo Location: Southern Shangri-La.