Gentle books to read at the end of the year

It’s that time of year—the stage when exhaustion builds, and we find ourselves with less and less energy to do things. Even when we’re motivated, it often feels like we’re running low on fuel. Yet, in this context, stopping reading is not an option. This is a list of 10 recommended books that tick all the boxes to accompany the close of 2024.

This selection includes novels, anthologies, and nonfiction texts that focus on the small and everyday, telling the kinds of stories capable of touching our hearts. These can be read anytime and anywhere—and they probably will be because you won’t want to put them down. They’re also great recommendations for discovering new authors or exploring different facets of established ones. In short, these are gentle books to help complete your annual reading goal in the best way.