If you're in the US like me, I hope you're doing what you can to get out the vote: donating, knocking on doors, making calls, and helping your friends and family--and don't forget casting your own ballot!
This week leading up to the election will be rough. The following days, and possibly weeks, will be even harder while we're waiting for results to become official. No matter what happens, we all need to guard our energy. There are lots of hours in the day and even more during sleepless nights. Please do not spend those hours refreshing the latest polls. It helps no one, and polls are meaningless at this point anyway.
Fiction for "escapism" gets a bad rap, but if there was ever a time for it, it's times like now. So, here are some books to curl up with and escape, with no real-world politics in sight.
Your election-escape reading list
Note:
All of these books are lovely escapes for me, but that doesn't mean they're stress-free. Sometimes you need pure coziness, but sometimes it's more distracting to worry about the fate of a fictional world instead of ours. I'll try to note which is which.
In no particular order...
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers for pure unadulterated coziness, tea brewing, and curious robots.
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi for an amazing magical heist (and cut-throat politics, but politics between African gods)
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna for small stakes, lovable characters, and witchy fun.
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell for good-hearted monsters, beautiful
relationships, and actually a great Halloween read too.
Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher
for love, adventure, and feeling better about the world... honestly just read anything by T. Kingfisher and you'll feel better.
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie for a tough but welcome reminder that even immortal multi-incarnate space dictators aren't invincible.
Where Peace is
Lost by Valerie Valdes for a gentler reminder that there is life and even healing after the world seems to have ended.
A Thousand Recipes for Revenge by Beth Cato for straight-up delicious (and sometimes dangerous) adventure.
And if you haven't read it, Warped State (by me!) for the good guys triumphing against evil bazillionaires.
