Hello, dearies! Today, we shall talk about fluff. And how sometimes, fluff scares me. But how other times, I really find myself liking it. Okay, okay, it isn’t exactly often… in fact, on my last review of a fluffy I loved, Tanya @ Girl Plus Books was shocked that I rated one so highly! And it got me thinking… I need to do a post! Fluffies for the Fluffphobic, if you will.
Of course, this was not easy. What makes a fluffy? Rashika @ XpressoReads finds it to be more of an overall feeling than a type. Holly @ The Fox’s Hideaway said that for her, books that contain tough issues almost can’t be fluffy. Val @ The Innocent Smiley suggested The Handmaid’s Tale facetiously, so she’s helpful 😛
The point of this being… I have no actual idea what makes a fluffy book? But I think these are fluffy. You can tell me if you don’t agree- and you can also tell me what qualifies a book to be called fluffy, too. Maybe, if you’re like me and the thought of reading too much fluff terrifies you, you’ll have some luck with these books!
Fluffy Goodness: Accurate swimming rep, and an adorable friends-to-lovers romance. Fluffy Goodness: A road trip across Europe with a bus full of delightful senior citizens and a super likable romantic interest. Also, did I mention Europe? Fluffy Goodness: Another swimming book with accurate details? Hell yes. Also, a very cute plot, and an MC who grew a lot! Fluffy Goodness: This is probably only borderline fluffy, but it left me feeling super uplifted so I’ll allow it. This is the most relatable book I have ever read. Full stop. Fluffy Goodness: Friends-to-Enemies-to-Lovers? Hell yes. Also, survival and camping and a really intense romance that was sex positive. Shall I go on, or are you convinced? 
Fluffy Goodness: Family adorableness, and I basically was Lara Jean in high school.
Fluffy Goodness: Still super cute, but Kitty has upped her snark game. #Win
Fluffy Goodness: Solid conclusion, and even talks about heading to college!
Fluffy Goodness: Yeah, it deals with cheating and such, but I think it was handled awesomely, and it’s got some fabulous messages.
(Coming soon!)
Fluffy Goodness: Oooh this is better than the first one, friends! Lots of character growth and fabulous friendships, and also, Europe!!
A Few More You May Like (Cause I Did!)
I’ve never thought about what my definition of fluffy is. I guess for me it’s kind of an overall feeling too, like Rashika said? But I’m not a big fluffy person? It’s a mood I’m in less often. But I do like fluffy sometimes, and I have been known to absolutely adore certain fluffy books!
I personally think of fluffier books as the kind that leave you with that feel good feeling, and are pretty easy to just breeze through quickly. I feel like I don’t read enough fluff these days so I’m going to have to try some of your recommendations! Great post! 🙂
Fluff is my comfort zone. Fluff makes you happy. Fluff is easy reading in the best possible way. Yay for fluff. Also I have read and really liked most of the books you have up there. ANd if I didn’t read them I own them. Told you fluff is my JAM. Glad you found some that worked for you 🙂
LOL @ Val! I cracked up at her recommendation because it’s so Val!
These are all great suggestions! I’m a big fan of fluff so I know what I’m talking about! 😉 I’m especially in love with anything written by Jen Malone, Jen Bennett & Jenny Han! I’d probably add some adult romance to my list too, but I feel like that would be a 10000 words essay, so I better not! 😉
I think a fluffy book is one that focuses on love and other happy things. They make the reader feel happy. Like the book version of a romantic comedy. I don’t read a lot of fluff, but I have read The Upside of Unrequited. I mostly liked it.
I love this! For me, my definition of fluff is closest to Rashika’s– it’s all about the feelings the book evokes. I read a ton of fluff, and you mentioned some of my favorites in this post! Upside, the To All the Boys series, Starry Eyes, and Wanderlost are all titles I really enjoyed.
For some reason I didn’t know you read all the Lara Jean books? I am impressed! I still need to get to them at some point haha. Especially since it’s gonna be on Netflix soooon.
Also I think the Handmaid’s Tale counts 😛
I love a fluffy read, and I think I use the term to describe a book that incorporated serious topics, while keeping it light, but also left me in an elated state. The only book on your list, which I have read, that didn’t quite fit the bill as a fluffy-to-me book was 99 Days. I am one of the pro-99 Days people (THEY WERE ON A BREAK!), but I think it had too much drama for me to put on my fluffy pile, but like, one man’s drama is another man’s fluff.
The Handmaid’s Tale lol. Wanderlost looks great, I remember kinda wanting that one. I mean road trip through Europe. And starry Eyes is obviously on my list. I liked Top Ten too, so I should read more Cotugno.
So what IS fluffy? Well golly for me I think it’s definitely a light tone, usually a contemp (but not necessarily) and it leaves me feeling positive or elated (I think that’s the word Sam used). So yeah I agree with that. A book I feel giddy or happy about after finishing?
Yay, I’m not a big fluff reader but you’ve listed the Lara Jean series which I adore! This is such a fun post Shannon!
I tend to think of a fluffy book as one without too much drama and that doesn’t focus on really tough issues. So yeah, the ones you shared here seem to fit that criteria! I don’t read a lot of fluffy books, but some are quite good. 🙂
-lauren
Wow. I love those Jenny Han book covers! And I do love a good fluffy book every now and then. Books don’t have to be serious all the time!
Yeah, like I think Rashika kinda nails that it’s about feeling. But for me, fluffy does mean books that don’t *really* get serious, that are more on the sweet and simple side (which isn’t a bad thing. we need those books that just make us so damn happy and giggly as much as the ones that make us cry!). My go-to for fluff used to be Kasie West (I haven’t read her newest because the last one disappointed me greatly, and I think her earlier contemporaries were better). But I also really adored To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Upside of Unrequited too. And Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour, The Art of Lainey (which I *think* is fluffy?), and Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde. But yeah, this was a great post, Shannon! I do hope Rashika ends up writing one about the definition of fluffy books, because that would be so interesting to see the different opinions on it.
I do actually like fluffy books…SOMETIMES. ? I was always vehemently opposed before but then I realised I actually like them as light/fast reads!? So my TBR isn’t just fully murder and stabbing, which does get exhausting after a while.??I LOVE THE LARA JEAN BOOKS SOOO MUCH AHH. I think, for me, “fluff” means it can be emotional but not like DIRELY so??! Like no one’s going to die or fall off a building lol lol…but there can still be breakups and tensions and drama like that?? Like I’d consider Becky Albertalli’s books “Fluff” event hough Simon Vs deals with a lot of emotional topics, but I guess it’s not LIFE threatening? Same with Lara Jean. On the other hand, people like Angie Thomas and John Green are NOT writing fluff.??
Oooh, see what I started? I made a post and din’t even know it. Bahahaha! Okay, if you asked me to define fluffy – I might actually have a hard time. I feel like many contemporaries get labeled as fluffy just for being contemporaries. And I read contemporary almost exclusively but don’t think I read a lot of fluffy books. (OMG, now my head is starting to hurt. It’s too early in the morning to figure this out.) I tend to equate fluffy books as being light on issues, not touching on anything too deep, skimming the surface of plot and development, and overall having a “cutesy” feel. And for the most part, I don’t like cutesy. Like the Jenny Han series – I read the first book, found Lara Jean feeling like a 12 year old instead of 16 (or whatever she was supposed to be) and it just felt too cutesy. I never continued the series. I don’t get that same feel from Becky Albertalli or Katie Cotugno. Maybe it’s one of those things where the fluff is all in the eye of the beholder.
Great topic! I feel like fluffy is when you are reading a book and you don’t have to stop to take a hard look at what is going on. When you finish the book you feel complete and not overwhelmed at all. Great list I haven’t read a few of these I will need to check them out.
I feel like this post was written for me. Fluff means cotton candy to me. Nothing but sweet situation and cutesy romances which I am super picky about. I do; however, love Becky Albertalli and the Lara Jean trilogy. I’ve heard amazing things about Starry Eyes so I may look into the audiobook.
I am a shameless romance lover. All the fluff please :3 However, there are a lot of books here that I haven’t read yet. Namely, the Jenny Han trilogy. I have been meaning to read those for a long time now. I also really want to read 99 Days (because I know I will either love it or hate it.) and The Upside of Unrequited. I even own that one so I have no excuse!!
I have read Together at Midnight and I totally agree with you. It’s cute but not overly fluffy at all.
My recent post: http://oliviascatastrophe.com/2018/04/sunflowers-in-february-book-review/
Dreamology will probably forever be my #1 pick for fluffy books for non-fluffy readers. I just adore it so much, and I recommend it to everyone. I haven’t read most of the books on this list though 🙂
Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles
Ooh, I loved Wanderlost and Dreamology. I thought Dreamology was super unique and executed the high-concept plot really well. Her other book, Literally, is also a super unique and fluffy delight. Great list!
I am totally a fluffy book reader but there are a few I’ve not read on here so I’ve got some more books to add to my list. I think I need to get to Wanderlost considering it’s only been on my TBR ever since it was released.
It always fascinates me that people associate “Europe” and books set in Europe as fluffy kind of books. Maybe it’s because I live there, that I don’t see the appeal and outsiders romanticize these countries a whole lot? I feel like there is a little bit of that. That being said, Wanderlost WAS a fluffy kind of book for sure, the romance was really sweet. Also, agree with Lara Jean, these books are way too adorableeeeeeeeeee I loved them so much. I haven’t read Starry Eyes just yet, but it’s on my TBR and I can’t WAIT to read it 😀
I like a little bit of fluff now and again. Too much seriousness and darkness can make you crazy! (Though I did not find 99 Days fluffy—I think that’s one of the few books we’ve disagreed on.)
Hmmm. I love Becky Albertalli, but I always feel like a grumpy old lady, because Lara Jean bored me. If the biggest plot point in the book is “which boy will I choose?”, then it’s too fluffy for me. Unless it happens to hit me just right, and I adore it. Obviously I’m SUPER easy to please.
I agree with Rashika– an overall feeling of lightness and happiness is what qualifies as fluffy. And also Holly– because tough stuff makes a book significantly unfluffy for me. Lara Jean’s books TOTALLY qualify. But my #1 go to is Emma Mills!! FOOLISH HEARTS is a rainbow of hearts and smiles.
Fluff is my favorite sort of contemp and the only I gravitate towards to be honest. I agree with the feeling thing- I’d say fluff tends to be shippy and happy-making, and if it deals with difficult topics does so in an engaging but not melodramatic way. They also tend to be books I’d like to reread. The Lara Jean books and everything by Emma Mills are probably the best examples. A few of my other favorites: PS I Like You, Geekerella, Queens of Geek, Royals, The Art of Lainey, Dating Sarah Cooper, Simon vs, and The Anatomical Shape of a Heart.