12 Escapist Novels for When Reality Becomes Overwhelming

      March 13, 2025

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      Source: Garri Chaverst for The Everygirl

      Source: Garri Chaverst for The Everygirl

      Even though it’s only March, 2025 has already been full of intense headlines. Each morning, as I wake up and check the news, it feels like playing a game of Mad Libs where the blanks include a “billionaire’s last name,” a “verb ending in -ing,” and a “horrific tragedy.” Amidst the world's chaos, I often crave a momentary escape into someone else's life for a bit of tranquility. Fortunately, books provide that opportunity for escape. These selections aren't heavy reads meant to inspire self-improvement or serious nonfiction that prompts deep reflection; instead, they offer such rich world-building that you must remind yourself they aren’t real while you’re engrossed.

      Escapist literature pulls you in so deeply that it allows you to forget your own worries as you become fully absorbed in someone else’s narrative. They present vivid fantasy landscapes, transformative historical backdrops, or gripping storylines that captivate your full attention. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by current events, you’re in luck; I’ve compiled a list of escapist reads to help you unplug. Here are 12 books that provide a break from reality when the real world feels a bit too… real.

      Andy Weir

      Ryland Grace finds himself as the only survivor on a desperate, last-ditch mission where failure means the end for humanity and Earth. Right now, however, he lacks any memory of who he is or what his task entails, and he’s far from home, accompanied only by two dead bodies. Alone on this small spacecraft, it’s up to him to tackle a threat that could lead to extinction. Fortunately, with an unexpected ally, he just might have a fighting chance.

      Ali Hazelwood

      Scarlett Vandermeer prefers to keep a low profile, focusing on her goal of getting into medical school while recovering from an injury that nearly ended her swimming career. Swim captain Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline, which drives him to win gold medals and break records. On the outside, they appear to share no common ground. However, a secret disclosure alters everything, leading to a temporary arrangement between them. But when avoiding Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett discovers her feelings may be treading into perilous waters…

      Laura Steven

      In countless lifetimes, they’ve been lovers. In every single one, they've met with violent ends at each other’s hands. Evelyn has vivid recollection of all her past lives, where she has been murdered before turning eighteen by Arden, a supernatural entity tied to her soul. The issue? She cherishes her current life, and her younger sister depends on her for survival. To save her sister, Evelyn must locate the ancient devil pursuing her across her lifetimes before it finds her first, uncover the reason for the hunt, and ultimately break their curse—all while trying to avoid falling in love… once again.

      Blake Crouch

      “Are you happy with your life?” are the final words Jason Dessen hears before being knocked unconscious by a kidnapper. He awakens strapped to a gurney, surrounded by people in hazmat suits. The world he has awakened to is drastically different; his wife is no longer his, and he never fathered a son. Instead, Jason is a well-known genius, not just an ordinary college professor. Is this life the illusion, or is it the one he remembers? And if the home he recalls is genuine, how can Jason return to the family he loves?

      Kaliane Bradley

      In the near future, a civil servant receives a dream salary but must take on a top-secret mission. The government seeks to collect “expats” from different eras to evaluate if time travel is attainable. She is designated as a “bridge,” tasked with living alongside and observing an expat from 1847, Commander Graham Gore. Over the forthcoming year, the bridge unexpectedly and passionately falls in love, leading to unforeseen consequences.

      R. F. Kuang

      Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu are meant to be rising stars. However, Athena reigns as a literary sensation, while June is virtually unknown. When June witnesses Athena’s accidental death, she acts impulsively, stealing Athena’s recently completed manuscript about the overlooked contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I. June edits the manuscript and submits it to Athena’s agent as her own work. But emerging proof threatens to unravel June’s (borrowed) success, forcing her to confront just how far she is willing to go to claim what she believes she deserves.

      Sabaa Tahir

      In a savage world, resistance leads to death.