Uplifting book recommendations for a sick friend

[MrsBean21]

My friend is a big reader; usually mysteries, witchcraft, travelling, along those lines. The only genre she is not into is romance.

She is undergoing chemotherapy at the moment. I can’t visit as often but send books regularly and would like to keep doing this but running out of ideas.

Please can you suggest some of your favourite reads.

Many thanks

I'm loving the DC Smith stories by Peter Grainger...

Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch

Wise Children, Angela Carter. Literary but fun and easy. Hope she is doing ok

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Angela Carter is a good recommendation. If she likes witchy/horror stuff, how about M R James? Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker is a sort of travel book, but very interesting and lighthearted. More generally, I cannot recommend Patrick Fermor’s A Time of Gifts too highly. It would be perfect. It’s a travel book, but Fermor is wonderfully joyful, enthusiastic and upbeat. Just right for someone who is unwell. Best wishes to your friend.

Still Life by Sarah Winman.

It is a beautiful read, funny, touching, love, friendships, art, travel.

I don't want to finish it.

A River Runs Through it by Diana Settlefield
The Taxidermists Daughter by Kate Mosse
Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver
Magpie Murder Series by Anthony Horowitz, and the Hawthorn series by AH also.
The Appeal by Janice Hallett

Unruly by David Mitchell made me laugh - the history of the Kings and Queens of England up to Elizabeth I.

Recently, I was surprised by how much I loved The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan which I didn’t think would be my thing at all.

I also loved Wild by Cheryl Strayed which is an ultimately uplifting memoir - there’s also a great film version starring Reese Witherspoon.

Thank you so much for all the above suggestions. I’ll compile a list and start looking for these reads. My friend has read a few mentioned already so it’s good to know I’m on the right track.

Andris bear, AA Albright and Misty Simon for witchy cosies. Hope your friend is ok op x

I second Weyward by Emilia Hart as recommended above. - it has a feelgood ending. The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrove is a story about witch trials which is highly recommended on the book threads. Have just bought it myself but haven't read it yet. I also really enjoyed The Women by Kristin Hannah - one of my favourite books of the year.

I liked Weyward and The Fair Botanists as well. The Manningtree Witches is good too but not madly uplifting.

I really recommend Remarkably Bright Creatures. Such a clever, lovely story which is also very deep at the same time.

Adding Sara Sheridan's most recent book The Secrets of Blythswood Square..

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn is a lovely book.

Wow! Thanks everyone, your suggestions are great! I’ve managed to pick up three of the above mentioned today!

I really appreciate your help-thank you!

Agree but Fermor is quite wordy..long sentences etc..

True. I agree. Sadly, I find quite a lot of his stuff unreadable. But A Time of Gifts is the exception. The first half, which covers his journeys around pre-war Holland and Germany, are very readable and a total joy. In fact, if all his books were as good as that he’d be my favourite writer. Certain writers, like certain people, always lift me. Fermor is one of them. P. G. Wodehouse, Dickens, and Jane Austen have never failed me either. And Stephen Fry reading Sherlock Holmes is my idea of heaven. Oh, and Brian Blessed’s autobiography, read by the man himself. I nearly crashed the flippin car I was laughing so much.