Reading Glasses — Ep 452: Escapist Book Rex!

Hosts: Brea Grant & Mallory O’Meara
Date: March 5, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Reading Glasses focuses on escapist reading—that is, books and genres that help readers take a break from stressful times and immerse themselves in another world. Brea and Mallory offer a nuanced look at what escapism means for different individuals, provide a wealth of recommendations, address listener feedback about journals and dust jackets, and tackle timely book tech dilemmas (especially ethical e-reader use). Their tone balances humor, empathy, and their trademark candidness about both bookish joy and present-day anxieties.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Makes a Book "Escapist"?

• Personalized Escapism: Both hosts emphasize that escapist reading is highly personal—what calms one person could stress another. For Brea, escapism means avoiding books about topics currently stressing her out, such as filmmaking. Instead, she prefers massive world-building or other genres far removed from her daily life.
  Quote (16:31, Brea): "I don't want to think about stuff... I want to know nothing about what I'm going through."
• Not Always Cozy: Mallory differentiates between "cozy" and "escapist." She points out that escapism is about immersion and being swept into another reality, even if that world is stressful or scary—so long as it's unfamiliar.
  Quote (17:56, Mallory): "For me, an escapist book can have lots of conflict and stress as long as it's not conflict and stress that reminds me of the conflict and stress I'm going through in my real life."

Escapist Book Recommendations

Brea's Picks

• Mysteries, especially Japanese Mysteries
  • The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
    Brea loves mysteries because they "give my brain something to work through that isn't what I'm currently thinking about" (18:42). Locked-room mysteries, in particular, let her channel stress into problem-solving far away from her real issues.
• Epic Fantasy
  • Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
    Large world-building and adventure, but not so complicated it becomes hard work; Brea notes, "It's a cool place to escape to that I would like to visit, even though it would be scary" (21:06).
• Space Opera
  • Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
    A tongue-in-cheek intergalactic talent show, perfect for those who want lighthearted fun.
• Cozy Science Fiction
  • A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
    "Just a bunch of robots. They open a noodle shop. It's super cute... it was a nice warm cup of tea, but noodles" (25:54).

Mallory's Picks

• Romantic Fantasy/Monster Smut
  • Cambric Creek Series by ZM Natausta
    Celebrated for its walkable, affordable, cozy setting where "everyone has health insurance." Mallory highlights how, beyond the spicy content, readers crave the low-stakes, idealized community.
    Quote (20:34, Mallory): "This cozy community... is a very low stress, low stakes world."
• Surreal/Literary Fiction
  • Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi
    Surreal, puzzle-like immersion: "You will be able to stop thinking about it and puzzling over it. It's so surreal... you won't be panicking about fascism." (22:20)
• Hybrid Mystery/Comedy
  • Mr. Flood's Last Resort by Jess Kidd
    Involves a hoarder and a caretaker in a gothic mansion with strange secrets—satisfying for "those who love weird houses and helping eccentric old men" (25:29).
• Queer High Fantasy YA
  • The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
    "Magic, romance, secret identities... a great world to get lost in" (26:37).

Notable Moments & Quotes

• On Escapism vs. Real Life:
  Mallory (17:56): "So many cozy things are about running a small business. I'm sure booksellers are reading some of these cozy books just weeping tears of blood."
• On Monster Romance:
  Mallory (20:34): "The monster boning is fun, but I want to live in Cambric Creek."
• Bria’s Escapism Preferences:
  Brea (16:42): "I rarely read books about making movies because movies are stressful and that is what I tend to be doing all of the time... But something with massive world building, going to space and almost dying, like, is very comforting to me."
• Mallory’s Caveat for Epic Fantasy:
  Mallory (26:29): "A lot of the epic fantasy I read mirrors real world struggles... So it's tough because I'm looking for something totally apart from that."

Segment Timestamps

• [01:03] – Current Reads:

  • Bria: The Cautious Traveler's Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks
  • Mallory: Black Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char Adams

• [04:15 – 09:45] – Listener Feedback:

  • Journaling only for favorite reads
  • Cute dust jacket reuse ideas
  • Confidence in advocating for YA romance in libraries

• [10:45 – 12:45] – Hosts' Upcoming Events:

  • Bria’s movie screening at SXSW and Panic Fest

• [16:01] – Main Theme:

  • Why escapist books matter right now

• [16:27] – Escapist Reading Philosophy:

  • Personal definitions of what counts as escapist for each host

• [18:42] – Book Recommendations Begin

  • Each host offers five picks with explanations

• [29:49] – Book Tech Dilemma:

  • Ethical options for e-readers besides Kindle (Kobo, Nook, Boox, iPad, used Kindles), with the conclusion that there is no “halo” option under capitalism

• [34:24] – Bookish Question:

  • Do authors expect readers to read the jacket copy, or can you go in cold?

Notable Listener Feedback

• Praise for journaling only books that truly resonate (Michelle)
  Quote (05:35, Bria): "You go back through and you're like, these are the ones that made it into the journal."
• Making posters from dust jackets for kids (Rachel)
• Librarian gaining confidence to advocate for YA romance thanks to Reading Glasses (Kristen), leading to discussion of current anti-LGBTQ+ book legislation
  Mallory (08:33): "Pushing back against this in any way possible is absolutely amazing."

Book Tech: E-Readers Without Amazon [29:49]

• Question: Are there ethical e-reader alternatives to Kindle?
• Conclusion: While Kobo, Nook, and Boox exist, all are owned by large corporations with their own issues. "There’s no ethical consumption under capitalism" (32:34, Mallory). Used devices and library borrowing are as close as most readers can get, but even then, Amazon infrastructure is hard to avoid.

Book Jacket Copy: Should You Read It? [34:24]

• Short answer: Jacket copy is marketing, usually not written by the author, and not necessary for enjoying the book. Most authors hope you’ll dive in any way you like, prepared or not. Mallory (35:44): "It's not really about us. It's about selling the book." Brea (35:51): "Unless it's a book in a series, you don't need any information up front to enjoy a book."

Final Notes

• A resolutely anti-AI stance:
  Mallory (10:45): "We're not going to do a book tech segment on this stuff... This is an anti AI podcast."
• Recap of their signature humor and camaraderie, especially in off-the-cuff conversations and meta-jokes about their own favorite recommendations (e.g., Mallory retiring her perennial mention of Shady Hollow [26:35])
• Multiple calls to send in escapist recs and questions.

For More Escapist Book Recommendations

Email: readingglassespodcast@gmail.com

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"These are fun things. These are cool, fun things to do. That's the whole point of this podcast, is to give you the mental tools to know yourself as a reader and to... figure out what you want to read next."
— Mallory O’Meara [11:09]

Ready to get lost in a book? Dive into one of their empowering and immersive recs—and don’t be afraid to leave the real world on the other side of the page.