Some weeks demand an escape hatch—preferably one lined with pages, portals, and plots that dissolve the world around you. Lucky for us, yesterday’s Reader’s Choice poll delivered a delicious theme: Take Me Somewhere Else. And honestly? I couldn’t wait to dig in.
So today, we’re diving into stories that don’t just entertain… they transport. Books that let you slip into another skin, another sky, another life entirely. Whether you’re craving fantasy landscapes, atmospheric historical settings, or immersive sci-fi realms, consider this your boarding pass.
🌙 When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
If you’re looking for a book that grabs you by the collar and hurls you into another world, this fantasy-romantasy hybrid is your ride or die. It’s lush, brutal, tender, and wildly cinematic. The moment the creatures rise, reality flattens to a single thought: keep reading. Perfect for when you need to disappear into a world with teeth and wings.
🕯️ Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Sometimes “somewhere else” means leaning all the way into whimsy, chaos, and delight. This cozy fantasy workplace rom-com drops you smack in the middle of villain lairs, questionable HR policies, and a slow-burn dynamic that makes you want to call out of real-life responsibilities. It’s escapism in the form of moral ambiguity and banter.
☁️ The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
Escapism doesn’t always require dragons or magic—sometimes history itself is the portal. Larson’s signature narrative nonfiction style immerses you so deeply into Churchill’s wartime London that the modern world dissolves. Atmospheric, intimate, and astonishingly human, it’s a reminder that “somewhere else” can be real and still feel otherworldly.
🌊 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
If your soul is begging for a complete change of scenery, try… outer space. Humor, heart, science, a brilliant alien bestie—this book is the definition of “lose track of time” storytelling. You won’t just be taken somewhere else; you’ll be taken light-years away.
🐚 The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
A love letter to portal fantasy. A book about stories, thresholds, wanderers, and the longing we all carry to peek into another life. Harrow’s prose wraps you in silk and sends you tumbling across worlds. It’s dreamy, aching, and perfect for readers who crave wonder.
✈️ Your Turn—Where Are You Headed Next?
What book last carried you somewhere else entirely? The one that dissolved your surroundings and made you forget the laundry, the errands, the to-do list, everything?
Drop your favorites below—let’s build the ultimate escape reading list together. 📚✨
literary gluttony 
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