I know I use the phrase “most favourite thing of ever” copiously…but I MEAN IT THIS TIME: Humour in books is…my most favourite thing of ever. I get so befuddled when a book doesn’t have funny moments. Who stole your rainbow cake sprinkles, Little Book? WHY ARE YOU SO SAD??? I firmly believe that humour is crucial for excellent storytelling. *
Although, speaking of laughter — I have an unfortunate habit of laughing at ENTIRELY THE WRONG TIMES. Please. Never watch a sad movie with me. I will laugh. I’m sorry. It’s how I cope? I can probably blame it on books.
Book: *does something tragic*
Me: *laughs nervously to compensate heart shredding traumatically*
I AM COMPLETELY NORMAL.
I LOVE HUMOUR … BUT NOT ALWAYS.
I hate slapstick comedy. I hate crude humour. I hate humour that makes fun of things and people. Like making fun of mental illness? BIG NO. (This why I DNF’d and loathed Finding Audrey.) Making fun of being fat? Or a disability? Or being timid? Or being feminine? Or being DIFFERENT? Just no no no no. And sadly I’ve read books that do this and I always hate it.
What I do like in humour is — witty banter humour; self-deprecating humour; making-the-best-of-a-terrible-situation-humour. I like sarcasm. (POLITE SARCASM!) I like cutely awkward situations and dorky characters. I like people making light-hearted fun of themselves. I like good-natured teasing. I like dry humour and gallows humour.
Today I’m linking up with Top Ten Tuesday for their prompt “Ten Books That Will Make You Laugh” — WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THE MOST AWESOME PROMPT EVER. I greatly had to contain myself from mentioning 3984398 books. ** You’re welcome.
* Although that saying, there are MANY pieces of writing I love that aren’t even remotely funny. For instance, Only Ever Yours is not funny. Not even slightly. I’m still 100% traumatised and I loved it. And also you know what else isn’t funny? POSTAGE PRICES. It’s like “here let me order an amazing look book for this amazing price… oh PLUS $398593 FOR POSTAGE, SUCKER!” It’s tragic. But I digress.
** Because goodness knows how LONG my posts seem to be these days. I APOLOGISE.
WHY BOOKS SHOULD BE FUNNY
- It makes tragedy easier to handle. Like “hey let’s laugh at the fact that we are dead instead of cry” because laughing = makes you feel better. It just does.
- Sarcastic and sassy quips are a sign of intelligence. I totally heard this somewhere. ERGO IT’S TOTALLY TRUE. The internet never lies.
- Humour = amusement. And we aaaaall like to be amused. What’s the Roman saying? “Two things only the people anxiously desire — bread and circuses.” We want the bad and dark stuff, sure, but we all secretly want the laughs. WHY DO YOU THINK COMEDY DOES SO WELL??
- It makes a GREAT contrast. If your story is 100% doom and gloom, then it just gets depressing and makes eating a brick wall about as enticing. So if people are laughing and joking and then — KABOOM DEVASTATION — it emotionally impacts readers more.
- Books should also be funny because I said so. And, well, hello? World Ruler In Progress here. Everyone might as well start caving to my will now…
- DEMON ROAD: Basically anything by Derek Landy. Honestly. Just stop whatever your’e doing and GO READ DEREK LANDY. I laugh so hard when reading his books that I have to stop and catch my breath. Dry black humour? WE GOTCHA COVERED.
“We all go through tough times.”
“My parents are trying to kill me.”
“We all have issues.”
- PRINCESS OF THORNS: This book is everything. Fairy tale retelling. Sister saving her brother. Evil magic. Torture. Bleeding. SASSSSS. So. much. sass. They basically sass themselves through a bazillion near-death adventures and then settle down and eat their weight in potatoes to recover. #admirable
- EMMY & OLIVER: This is the kind of book I thought would be too silly and fluffy? BUT NOPE. It perfectly mixes a dark topic (child abduction) with the cutest dorkiest humour of ever. (Also Emmy’s parents are freaking hilarious.)
“We don’t even have a goldfish.”
“You’ve got to think toward the future.” My dad smiled at me. “Maybe one day you’ll move out and your mom and I will get a golden retriever to replace you.”
- LADY MIDNIGHT: I know, I know, I keep rabbling on and on about Shadowhunter books at the moment. BUT THEY’RE SO PERFECT. They’re so funny. In order to be a Shadowhunter, you basically have to be able to stab stuff and be infinitely sassy. (This is possibly THE best Cassandra Clare book yet, peoples.)
“We are well known for our jests, japes, and ballads,” the faerie said, clearly offended. “Some of our ballads last for weeks.”
“I don’t have that kind of time,” Emma said. “I’m a Shadowhunter. Quip fast, die young.”
- FURIOUSLY HAPPY: An adult book (GASP) plus non-fiction (DOUBLE GASP) and yet I couldn’t stop laughing. It’s written by a blogger (!!!!!) about her journey with mental illness and duuuuuuude. It’s perfect. It’s hysterical. It has “fury” in the title so clearly I approve.
In other words, if you spent most of the morning reading Twitter and then scribbling weird, indecipherable notes to yourself on your arm then you are probably on the right track to becoming a successful artist. Or to being homeless. Those things aren’t mutually exclusive.
- MAGNUS CHASE: Also Rick Riordan…basically everything he touches turns to hysterically good humour. Plus stabby things. Honestly stabby things + humour = the best combination. ALL THE COOL AUTHORS ARE DOING IT. And while Percy Jackson is undoubtedly marvellous…I’m picking Magnus Chase today because I laughed SO MUCH reading it.
“They’re not dead,” I told the goat. “They both have pulses.”
“Oh.” The goat sighed. “Well, give them a few more hours and they’ll probably be dead.”
“What is wrong with you?”
“Everything,” said the goat.
- GOOD OMENS: This isn’t YA…shhhh. Don’t let it out that I read an adult book and liked it. But seriously this book is FREAKING HILARIOUS. I laughed so much. And if you’re a fan of the Supernatural TV show you have got to read this. I will literally slap it against your noggin until you do.
Aziraphale: “I was going to ask you the same thing — WATCH OUT FOR THE PEDESTRIAN!”
Crowley: “It’s on the street, it knows the risks it’s taking!”
- THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US: Sarcasm everywhere. It is so very sarcastic that it gives my own sarcastic soul life. (Also this is the only Kasie West book I’ve read but basically converted me. ME. A fantasy nerd = loving contemporary? WHAT IS THIS.)
- THE RAVEN BOYS: This is the kind of book that you chuckle softly to yourself and then suddenly — BOOM — your heart is broken. Thanks for nothing, Maggie Stiefvater. (Which means “thanks for everything omg I am such a rabid fan.”) (Also someone has pre-ordered The Raven King. 8 DAYS TO GO, PEOPLES. 8 DAYS UNTILE THE RAVEN KING.) Basically Stiefvater books always blend humour and beautiful writing perfectly. #goals
- ILLUMINAE: I’m mostly putting this here because I love A.I.D.A.N and feel like frequently reminding you. (Yes he’s the destructive psychotic computer system. IS THAT A PROBLEM? HMM???) By the way, this book is glorious. Read it.
“Um, because you’re loopier than Flacky McPsycho, Mayor of Crazytown?”
“My databases show no record of this Crazytown of which you speak. A brain the size of an entire city burns inside me. My intelligence quotient is beyond the human scale. I would prefer if you did not refer to me in such a fashion.”
“Oh, poor baby. Did I hurt the mass-murdering psychopathic artificial intelligence’s feelings?”
ALSO I REALLY HOPE YOU GOT THE REFERENCE THAT IS THE TITLE OF MY POST. I HOPE YOU’RE SINGING THE SONG RIGHT NOW. #MARYPOPPINSNERD
As soon as I saw your post I was just like Rick Riordan all the way. I don’t think I have ever laughed through so much of any other book. Although it dies not take much to make me laugh or burst out with random snorts or ejaculation. But those books were funny, I need to read the Magnus Chase ones too.
YUP. He is like THE most continually funny author in the history of ever. Magnus Chase just had me giggling insanely the whole time…especially with the chapter titles. OMG YOU MUST READ IT SOON!!
I found out this week that I haven’t read too many books that have me laugh a lot. But we do share some of the same. haha. Thanks for the post.
I’ve noticed a lot of people saying that!! Like it was SO hard for me to just to stick to 10!! But most people hadn’t read many funny books?! *gasps* I love the hilarious ones. 😂
I laugh at the entirely wrong times too! But not just in books which makes for very awkward situations in real life… *hides behind book shelf* I’ve been wanting to read Derek Landy’s books for a while now and I can’t believe I haven’t read Magnus Chase either… I’ve had it ever since it came out. And Lady Midnight… >_< The list goes on.
HAAA ME TOO. I always laugh when I should probably not. We can just hide together and laugh tragically, yes? *brings pizza to this party* AHEM. Duuuude, you definitely need Derek Landy though. DEFINITELY ABSOLUTELY. And at least if you wait a little longer with Magnus Chase, you’ll have the sequel to go straight onto, right!?? Procrastinating has it’s good parts… 😂
What a fantastic post, Cait! I had quite a few giggles reading through it. 🙂
If you haven’t already, I highly recommend Jonathan Stroud’s “Bartimaeus Sequence”. The titles are “The Amulet of Samarkand”, “The Golem’s Eye”, “Ptolemy’s Gate”, and “The Ring of Solomon”.
To give you an idea of the humour: http://www.bartimaeusbooks.com/bart_message.html
I’m right there with you on the slapstick humour. Nothing could be less funny (except maybe a paper cut. Those aren’t funny.)
Thanks for a great post!
Oh oh I’ve read the Bartimaeus graphic novel!!! IT WAS SO GOOD AND FUNNY OMG. 😂 I literally have no idea why I haven’t read the actual book but it is definitely on the to-do list. :’)
(I’m glad I’m not alone in hating slapstick. Argh. I end up just cringing and wish it’d stop.)
That gif from Mary Poppins is THE BEST. I swear I could watch that movie on repeat and never get bored . .. well, probably never. I just did the horrible thing of realising that I’ve read LIKE NONE of these books which means I’ll just have to buy them. *runs in circles shouting THE HORROR*. I’m actually not kidding though – this must explain why I found it so hard to do this week’s TTT, I couldn’t think of any books that were in and of themselves hilarious (because apparently books can only be funny if they are on this exact list, but shush). I must stop being such a high fantasy addict because those books are never the downright hilarious ones – they’re the ones that just kill everyone *coughGAMEOFTHRONEScough*. So, *adds all these books to TBR*. I totally agree that the humour has to be right though! I don’t like mean characters or actual, real people who make fun of people. Such as the mean one from Divergent whose name escapes me.
((I can’t believe I still haven’t started the Raven Boys. I think I might be broken. I know I’m going to love it.))
OMG I’M SO GLAD YOU GOT THE MRRY POPPINS REFERENCE. MY WORK HERE IS DONE. Well, only partially done since you clearly need some of these books in your life. ;D Mostly Maggie Stiefvater…seriously, pleeeeease read a Stiefvater book someday!! *gets on knees and begs you*
But, truly, this list is mostly of books with funny PARTS, not just 100% funny. I don’t read like 100% comedy books because I need me some tragedy in amongst the chuckles. But, pfft, never stop being a high fantasy addict. FANTASY IS THE BEST. THAT IS ALL.
This is going to sound preeeeetty lame but yeah. By ULTIMATE funny book must-have is the Confessions of a Shopaholic series. It’s mindless and mentally relieving. Especially great on those college days when you’re just like, UGGH LIFE! STOP MAKING SENSE ALREADY 😛
Uggh. Now I hate myself for not doing a spell check of my my previous comment. *MY not BY
Hehe, I DO GET THAT! Mindlessly fun books are excellent and totally needed!! (We can’t always read books that make us sob right?! It’s exhausting. 😂)
I LITERALLY JUST GOT MAGNUS CHASE FROM THE LIBRARY YUSS. I don’t like mean humor/humor at the expense of others. I like humor in books, mostly, but sometimes it feels awkward… I don’t know. Some of my favourite funny books are Heist Societ (sass levels high) and Skulduggery Pleasant.
THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS, SHANTI. 🎉 🎉 Basically Rick Riordan and Derek Landy are THE most funny authors I’ve ever read. They never disappoint. :’)
Love Rick Riordan’s books! The Wingfeather Saga is another humorous series I really like. And Skipping Christmas.
Ooh, I shall look up this Wingfeather Saga because I NEED MORE FUNNY BOOKS IN MY LIFE. 🎉
They are for a younger age level than a normally read….probably around 12-13. But I loved them anyway. I mean, even the title of the first book gives you a sample of what is coming: ‘Across the Dark Sea of Darkness’ 😉
Furiously Happy!! LOVE that book. Her other one is good as well. Emmy & Oliver was cute and funny too. Great list!
I so didn’t expect Emmy and Oliver to be so funny! And like to deal with darker topics but STILL be adorably hilarious?! I LOVE THAT BOOK SO MUCH. *shrieks*
John Dies at the End.by David Wong. It’s wacky, random, hilarious, horrific…wait. What was that last one? And, oh my God, I LOVED Good Omens. Every exchange between Crowley and Aziraphale was hilarious!! I like books to be funny, or just plain sarcastic, I’m not fussy.
But…but DOES JOHN TRULY DIE AT THE END??? I must know. 😂 I’m kidding. I must read it, clearly, because I love funny-book recommendations! *dashes for goodreads*
My Favourite book is funny~ The Golem’s Eye, second book of the Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. It’s dark with sarcasm. Bartimaeus and Nathaniel keep bantering back and forth. I know you read the graphic novel of the first book, Cait, so you have no reason not to pick up this book. I read the second book before I read the first book, so totally doable. *shoves it into your face* *stares in anticipation*
Also seeing you describe Furiously Happy, reminds me again that I forgot to add Paaz to my list this week. It’s like Furiously Happy. Sort of I guess. The author was admitted to a psychiatric ward, and I never expected it to be so heartbrokenly funny, you know. Too bad it is only in Dutch.
I have doubly no reason not to read Bartimaeus because I ACTUALLY OWN THE FIRST BOOK. *shrieks* Actually my sister got given it and was not reading it, so I stole it and am no actively not reading it. Wut is life. I NEED TO FIX THIS. (The graphic novel was so so funny.)
Awww, I’m sad I’ll miss out on Paaz then. D: It sounds wonderful if it’s like Furiously Happy!
Oh man… My brain must be rotting because the only hilarious book I can think of is Howl’s Moving Castle! Am I pathetic? I could be… It’s very possible, you know?!
But it’s probably understandable because I usually read weird books… My favorite authors are Franz Kafka, Haruki Murakami, Kazuo Ishiguro… Not that their books/stories don’t have humor… They do, but they just don’t make me go LMFAO. If you know what I mean… But they all do excel in adding wit to an otherwise sad situation…
And I agree… Making light of sickness/illness /disability never did it for me…
As for recommendations… Do read Howl’s Moving Castle if you haven’t already… It’s a kiddy book, but a really good one! Have you read Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis? It’s sad but it has some humor too… It’s very metaphorical… If you haven’t read him then do give him a try… And if you HAVE, then you probably either love him already, or totally hate his guts…
I haven’t even read Howl’s Moving Castle. 😂 SO WE’RE FAILING TOGETHER THEN. HEHEH> Ahem. But I do understand! Not all books are funny (even thoooough, I think it’d be nice if they were. But then again, some books can’t be funny or it’d make them weird, right?)
Agh, you are so right. Fowl humor and humor at another’s expense is not humorous. Sarcasm = life. Also, dark humor and dry humor are my faves.
Illumine looks pretty dang cool. I just started reading The City of Bones. Basically all the characters are little sarcastic potatoes. <3 But some of them are a little too dark and broody for me. Is this me hearing you recommend the series? Need to know pleeeeease.
YESSSS. We are in muchly agreement here. *hi fives*
And YES. That is the perfect description of them. Little sarcastic potato Jace. <3 AND SIMON. Simon is hilarious and is my darling. (I recommend EVERYTHING on this list.)
Several things (as always):
– Finding Audrey does what now?!?!! I feel insulted by this book despite not having read it. Adding it to my nonononever list on GR.
– Today I feel like I’m very much in need books that make me laugh. thank you <3
– Sarcastic and sassy quips are the best! Those are the lines I basically read out loud.
– Contrast definitely! Humour can be used in really good ways – like a character can mask their feelings with funny dialogue even when everything is going totally wrong.
– THIS ENTIRE TIME I WAS PLANNING ON ASKING YOU IF YOU'VE READ FURIOUSLY HAPPY AND YOU HAVEEEEEE. The Bloggess is so awesome and that book made me laugh out loud so much that my flatmate was genuinely concerned. Also everything she says about mental illness touches my heart.
– Also I promise I will read Raven Boys SOOOOOON! and basically also read everything else you've just mentioned. *scribbles all the titles down*
Heh,, yeeeeep. I mean, tons of people adore Finding Audrey, but as someone with anxiety myself I found it totally insulting. >_< AND YES WE ALL NEED MORE BOOKS TO MAKE US LAUGH!! I love the ones that manage to rip feels AND be hilarious. That's talent. :') YES YES OF COURSE I HAVE. IT'S JUST SO GLORIOUS RIGHT?!? I haven't read MUCH of her blog but I immediately went to find it once I finished the book. And I need the first book. 😂 I love that she's so brutally honest about mental illness and shows that it can be funny. <3 OKAY BUT I HOPE YOU'VE STARTED THE RAVEN BOYS BY NOW. *taps foot impatiently*
I haven’t read any of the books in your list but I want to read them all. Your post is so cute with all the GIFs and beautiful book covers that it made my mood lighter just going through it. I am intrigued enough and I hope to find some of these books to add to my TBR especially since I haven’t read many funny books. Great post.
Aww, thank you, Diana!! *twirls happily* I’m really glad you liked my post!
I like my books to have a blend of humor and seriousness. But I will happily read the occasional book that’s just over-the-top silliness- stuff like the League of Princes series.
If you like snarky, humourous books, by the way, you should look into Discworld. Don’t start with the first book. Start with Guards! Guards!, which is the sixth book (but you can read the series as a whole in just about any order so long as you read the mini-series within it in order). You’ll love it, trust me.
(Also, you got the song stuck in my head with that title. Thank you very much for that.)
Oh oh I know I need to read Discworld! I read the graphic novel?? But that’s probably nto truly counted. 😂I just saw how many books there were and kind of was like “oh nope”. 😂 BUT I WILL BRAVE UP AND READ THEM, I PROMISE.
Don’t be intimidated! You don’t even have to read all the books (though I guarantee you’ll want to). Pick a mini-series to focus on to start with and read that and you’ll be fine. I recommend either the Watch novels or the Tiffany Aching books. (Or Moist von Lipwig, that works too.) And here’s a handy graphic reading guide if you want: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/5d/f4/f2/5df4f21d361561121949e07edbe1652e.jpg
OMG The Raven Boys and Cassie Clare….love it! I find them so chuckle-able. Yes that’s now a word, ha.
On my list today is Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and the Princess Diaries (cos OLD SCHOOL!!!). I haven’t read many of the books on your list but that just means my TBR GETS LONGER. HEHEHEE.
Chuckle-able is a gREAT way to describe it, tbh. 😂 And Me & Earl is totally hilarious, omg, I was definitely laughing out loud in that. And I find it even MORE funny that it’s a movie, despite Greg spending all that time saying how sucky his book would make as a movie. 😂 😂
I basically agree with everything you said in this post. I LOVE HUMOR but not evil humor that is crude or mean or picks on people who are different. I LOVE SARCASM TOO . . . I also have this love of puns. (There was this time when a friend was introducing me to someone else and telling that person that I was a writer and the guy said, “Is that right?” and I was like, “That’s WRITE.” Ahem). And Maggie Stiefvater is so humorous and I love all of her books dearly (sometimes I just sit in front of my bookshelf and stare at my row of Maggie Stiefvater books). Same with Cassie Clare. I ADORE the hilariousness in her books.
A really funny trilogy is The Lynburn Legacy, which is about sorcerers and imaginary voices and friendships and family and magic battles and sass. I think you’d like it.
omg PUNS! I can’t believe I didn’t mention PUNS! I love puns — especially terrible cliche ones. 😂 (I love your write/right story. XD THAT IS THE BEST.) And zomg, Maggie Stiefvater can just write these books that rip your heart out AND make you laugh. SHE IS A WIZARD BASICALLY. (And I also confess to staring at my row of Stiefvater books. And I also take far too many pictures of them for my bookstagram and I’m 0% sorry.)
Oh oh I haven’t even heard of The Lynburn Legacy! *dashes off to google it further*
Sneaky! I actually begin to think you weren’t going to mention The Raven Cycle…. But of course, I was wrong. Thank god! I mean, you can’t do a blog post about witty bantering and then not include all those dialogs! =D I’ve reread all the books so I’m on top of the Raven King when it arrives,, and they where just as funny the second time around. I just lay there in my bad, laughing out loud.
And O.M.G!!!! THE RAVEN KING WILL ARRIVE SHORTLY!!!! I DON’T WANT TO READ IT!!!! I WILL NEVER HAVE A FUNCTIONING HEART AGAIN AFTER THIS!!!
HOW COULD I DO A POST AND NOT MENTION THE RAVEN CYCLE? HMM? IT JUST CANNOT HAPPEN. 😂 Omg I re-read too and I’m STILL not sure I’m emotionally prepared for The Raven King’s arrival. *shrieks* My copy has been shipped, but it’s coming from the UK so will probably take 2 weeks to get here. THAT IS TOO LONG. I’M DYING, OMG, GABBY.
Ohhh Derek Landy. One of my friends is a big fan of Skulduggery Pleasant. I think it’s time I give it a shot.
YES. DO SO. I need to finish the Skulduggery books, but I can attest to the first 6 being wonderful and hilarious too. :’)
First – 10,000 bonus points for your Mary Poppins reference! 😀 (LOUD AND LONG AND CLEAR)
Second – I really really must read Furiously Happy ASAP! I’ve heard such great things.
Third – My TTT
YAYYYY YOU GOT MY REFERENCE!! *floats up to the ceiling because is laughing*
And yes! Furiously Happy is so very glorious. I was basically choking on laughter as I read it. 😂
Ooh, so many good ones, uhhh. *racks brain* Oh! One that my writing friend is writing for NaNo! I laugh so many times, especially with the character named Rachael (my name).
Is the character named for you on purpose?! BECAUSE THAT IS KINDA AWESOME. 😂
Yes! It was named for me, and I was laughing so hard!
I love the way you describe these books. Most of them don’t look like my typical, but you’re so funny you make it work!
EEEEEP. I’m glad you think my post was funny. 😂 BASICALLY. MY JOB HERE IS DONE THEN. *shrieks gleefully*
Illuminae made my list, too. I was surprised at how funny it is and at how much I loved the characters.
YES. Illuminae was just so perfect, right?! And how it managed to be funny PLUS deal with huge tragedies is just excellent writing. 😀
Princess of Thorns and Illuminae, YAASSSSSS! I should have figured that one of the funniest people I know would have an epic TTT for this topic ;D For myself though, I really need to read more funny books.. most things I read are soul-crushing, but some humor thrown in the mix really makes a book well-rounded, like with Nikolai in Siege and Storm <3 I've been having people tell me to read My Lady Jane, which is apparently hilarious, so I might just do that. Amazing list, as always!
Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles
BAHHA, YOU’RE SO NICE TO ME 😂 But yes, omg, as good as the soul-crushing-feels-devouring books are…it’s good to have some funny ones in there. :’) I particularly like when a book does BOTH. They make us laugh to get our guard down and then — BOM. TRAGEDY.
Omggg, yes to Nikolai! He’s one of the most hysterically funny characters of ever. 😂
So basically, your whole list is fantastic and the books on there that I haven’t read yet (Derek Landy sounds great and just my type of humor!) I need to get stat.
Also yes, any thing Rick Riordan. I love all his books but the Magnus Chase had me in tears!
DUDE. YOU MUST GET ONTO DEREK LANDY! And Demon Road’s sequel just came out so it’s honestly a perfect time. :’)
Oh yes, the Raven Boys has some really funny scenes. I especially loved the one in The Dream Thieves, when Gansey calls up Malory and discusses the pigeon show just to make Adam laugh.
And I forgot about Shadowhunters! That series is sass and witty quips from start to finish. So many hilarious quotes in those!
OMG YES. I LOVE THAT PIGEON SCENE. 😂 I love so many of those scenes. Chainsaws antics…omg THE DOG. Mallory’s dog = somehow entirely hilarious. Also just the randomness of Blue’s house has me smiling a lot. Basically that series is PERFECT AND I LAUGH/CRY BECAUSE OF IT.
That dog was awesome! It is amazing how Stiefvater gave an entire personality to a non-speaking animal! Same for Chainsaw! I loved in TRB how she woke up Gansey and Noah with her squawks – that was such a great scene.
I need to grab a copy of Good Omens – you convinced me. I also need to finally pick up Demon Road. I own Furiously Happy but never read it – did you read her first one? Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. I seriously recommend it. Nice list and thanks for sharing. Your blog is always such a visual pleasure.
Yesss *commences happy dance* IT IS SO VERY GOOD TRUST ME. 😂 And Demon Road’s sequel is just out, so it’s an excellent time to start. ;D And I didn’t read Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, BUT I REALLY WANT TO. I actually didn’t realise Furiously Happy WAS a sequel until I started it. oops. 😂
Magnus Chase! Excellent book for this list. I loved that so much! I almost included Good Omens too but its been too long since I’ve read it. Clearly that means I need to pick it up soon.
I’ve heard the Good Omens audiobook is magnificent too. So I reeeeally want to re-read it but via that. YAY FOR MAGNUS CHASE’S HILARITY.
For hilarity, the book that instantly popped to mind was (not YA, or Fantasy really, oops, but awesomely funny) Libba Bray’s ‘Beauty Queens’. It’s about a group of pageant girls who crash on a desert island and go alternatively LOST / Lord of the Flies, with sass and sarcasm and all the funny.
Oh oh I’ve heard of that one but I haven’t read it yet! NOW I definitely need to because I’m so addicted to funny books. 😂
OH MY GOODNESS, CAIT. Because of you, I decided to read the Raven Boys. YOU HAVE RUINED MY LIFE (in the best way possible). I ended up reading it in one day and then dying because I needed the next.
And Magnus Chase is hilarious! I am a diehard Riordan fan, though. I might be a bit biased. XD
One day, your book is going to be among the list of hilarious books that are also amazing. Because I can’t stop thinking about those excerpts that I read (I swear I’m not a psychopath), and you know that’s a sign of a good book.
THIS IS GLORIOUS NEWS. I AM NOT EVEN SORRY. IN FACT. I’M IMMENSELY PLEASED. *flails wildly* Just you wait until you read the REST. 😀
Omgggg, you are so sweet though. 😂 <3
Steelheart comes to mind, with David’s bad puns that ended up being hilarious. Although other than that I must join with the masses and say that I don’t actually recall reading a lot notably funny books? Maybe I just have a bad memory.
I hate crude humor too. Also sarcasm– in the wrong way. It can be immensely funny, or it can come across as genuinely rude and hateful, and that’s when I’m not all about it. And I hate humor that makes fun of people, too. I’m so over all these jokes that make fun of people for being smart, or liking to read, or being a sci-fi geek, or being on the chess team, or pretty much anything. I’m still trying to figure out how being smart and liking to get good grades is a bad thing…
But anyway. I’m going to go on a rambling rant if I continue with that. xD I do enjoy a funny book. It seems sometimes that mostly TV and movies get all the humor? So when I find a book that is just as hilariously cute and quotable, it makes me quite happy.
Omggg, I’m actually reading Firefight right now! AND I ADORE IT. 😂 Actually David’s metaphors have my laughing out loud. I’m sure my family thinks I’m rather deranged but pffffft. Good laughable books are my FAVOURITE.
And I agree about sarcasm! I really hate the rude kind…like it can be really selfish? And acidic? I’m more a fan of self-depreciating sarcasm, because it can be kinda sweet at the same time. ;D And dude YES. Enough with the hating-on-smart-people…why even is that??? Gah.
My bestie has been recommending I read Good Omens for AGES. Clearly I need to get on that. And awww, yes! I love Riordan. His books are always such a fun time.
YES. LISTEN TO YOUR BESTIE. THEY KNOW WHAT’S UP.
“Magnus Chase” is sitting on my shelf, waiting impatiently for me to finally read it. I need to get my ish together! I also really need to re-read “Good Omens”. Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett both have (had, Rest well Sir Pratchett) awesome senses of humor.
Fantastic list. I really need to reconsider “Raven Boys” and Cassandra Clare’s books. So many bloggers are listing them and I feel left out.
And yes, Cait, thank you, the Mary Poppins song is now on steady loop in my head.
YESSSS. I hope you like Magnus Chase if you do get a chance to read it!! 😀 I think it’s possibly my favourite Riordan book now?!? It’s just so hilarious. omg.
And I feel like I really ought to read some more Terry Pratchett someday! I feel like a shameful bookworm since I’ve only read one. 😂
YAYY YOU GOT THE MARY POPPINS REFERENCE.
I love Andrew Smith books, all his books are funny to me. They are all a crude funny, though, but I love his books and need more. Also Sarah J. Maas books make me laugh at the best of times. I like books to be serious, I don’t usually read books if they are known for their humor. I would rather have a serious book with surprises of humor. I also like sassy humor, who doesn’t! Lady Midnight is a great example. I can not get over that scene when Mark asked for a plate of strawberries. I died as he was giving his explanation to the waitress:)
I have read Winger, but hehe I mean IT WAS FUNNY IN PLACES?!?! But not really my style. 😂🙈🙊 I’m glad you like it tough!! And SJM’s books definitely do have their hilarious moments. ;D And I think it’s awesome when books just slip in the humour but still have a serious actiony plot, right?!
OMG THE STRAWBERRY SCENE WAS HILARIOUS.
“Might I make free with your strawberries?” 😂 😂
Humour is definitely something I love in a book, especially if the events of the book are quite dark, because otherwise it just gets way too heavy! I hate humour that’s in bad taste too though, so no making fun of people in a cruel way (because I’ve been on the receiving end of that kind of thing and it isn’t nice!) or putting anyone down.
When I think of humour in books though I mainly think about Starter for Ten by David Nicholls. Even though I haven’t read it in years, I remember reading it in public and literally laughing out loud to myself and looking totally insane, it was that funny! I always liked the humour in the Harry Potter books too 🙂
AGREED! And humour can help make something really dark manageable. And omg I agree: cruel humour just doesn’t even make sense to me. It’s never funny when someone else is getting hurt by it. 🙁
I do love a funny book, but I do get annoyed when snark and sarcasm is followed by more snark and sarcasm, and it just goes on and on and.. oh my god, would you please just give it a rest, YOU ARE NOT FUNNY, YOU ARE IRRITATING!
But I do like funny books! And I am a fan of crude humour. Not necessarily overly crude humour, but jokes about sex and body parts really tickle me. So I loved The Seriously Messed Up Week in the Otherwise Mundane and Uneventful Life of Jack Samsonite by Tom Clempson to be reaaaaally funny. I literally laughed out loud reading it. And it’s only mildy crude. Wanking and things. Hilarious.
Lobsters by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivion was also brilliant… not crude exactly, but awkward and embarrassing humour around sex. SO FUNNY! I laughed so hard on the bus, it’s ridiculous.
I haven’t read many funny books lately, but there have been funny characters. Kash from The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig, and Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles by Marrissa Meyer. OH HOW I LOVE THORNE! I finished Cress today, and god, that guy is amazing. So arrogant and hilarious, but such a wonderful man! Not a hero my backside! Oh I love him. I would like a Thorne of my own. Mostly because he’s sooo funny. But, I do think funny characters work really well. The Lunar Chronicles is not a funny series, but Thorne is the comic relief during seriously high stakes situations, and it’s just brilliant. I think I prefer the odd funny character over funny books in general.
I’m in the middle of reading a non-fic feminist book, and meh. The author is constantly trying to be funny and sarcastic, and it is just not working for me. It’s really bloody annoying. I’m still reading because it makes good points, but I really wish she’d stop trying to be funny, because I’m really starting to dislike her writing voice. Just enough with the humour that is failing on me. Uuuugh,
Great post, Cait!
YUP. I think there’s a fine line between being sarcastic and hilarious, to being irritating and self-pitying with the sarcasm?? I prefer the light-hearted-self-depreciating sarcasm tbh. 😂 OH. I want to read Lobsters! I THINK. I mean, the title sounds really familiar so I feel like it’s buried on my goodreads tbr somewhere. 😂
ZOMG KASH WAS AMAZING. I was laughing out loud at his quips. <3 And I loooove Thorne (AND IKO) OF COURSE. Thorne feels like Jack Sparrow honestly. 😂
(It's annoying when the humour falls flat though, right? I've read books with that happening and gahhh. Some people aren't meant to be funny and THAT'S OKAY. It's better to write something natural than forced, right?!)
I’m not mad about practical jokes or cruel humour. The Young Ones TV series left me absolutely cold. But I love the idea of top ten books that made me laugh… I’ll have to trawl through my sff lists and see what I’ve got *rubbing hands, gleefully*
Practical jokes are okay, but eh, I find cruel humour entirely unfunny. *hides*
Out of all of these, I’ve only read The Raven Cycle and Illuminae. I fail! *hides* I agree that AIDEN was funny though XD And The Raven Boys make me laugh (and cry…and drown in feels) I swear to Cait though, Good Omens, Magnus Chase and Princess of Thorns are on my tbr shelf! For my list, I didn’t forget about Riordan, I put both the PJ series and HoO on there this week LOL!
NO YOU DON’T FAIL BECAUSE YOU HAVE READ THE RAVEN CYCLE. *gives you cupcakes* Zomg, TRC loves to drown you in feels and joy all at once and no wonder we’re all DAMAGED afterwards. #noregrets. :’)
The sassy books are the best, I like dark humor too! I am halfway through Demon Road, the sass is real.
I have probably already mentioned this but Howl’s Moving Castle. That is one of the funniest books I know of. Howl is a wizard, who is a drama queen, and is obsessed with being beautiful.
Ohhhh YAY FOR DEMON ROAD!! I’m so excited that you’re reading it! *flails* And I reeeally want to read Howl’s Moving Castle. Just because I see a lot of people mention it? And I feel like my childhood was possibly a sad thing to be devoid of this Moving Castle. 😂
I totally agree with Good Omens. It’s one of the funniest books I’ve read, and now I want to reread it because it was so funny. And Rick is definitely the king of writing absolutely hilarious books! It was far too tempting to just make a list of all his books this week. 🙂
I want to reread it too! I think I vaguely heard the audio book is splendid??? So I plan to try that someday too. 😂
I’ve listened to the BBC radio version of it which was really good because it had a load of different actors in it. I’d definitely recommend it! I might have to go check out the audiobook as well. 🙂
What a lovely post and I love how you’ve laid this out.
Illuminae is a book that I definitely need to read soon so it’s really encouraging to see it on here.
Lynn 😀
Illuminae is basically everywhere, isn’t it?! Especially when it first came out. BUT I PROMISE THE HYPE IS WORTH IT. 😂
I love books that can make me laugh. Illuminae DID actually have some funny moments. It’s a nice break between all the death and devastation! GAH! haha I really need to read some of these. Simon Vs. the Homo-Sapiens Agenda is quite funny in parts. I really want to read Furiously Happy – Jen is a great blogger.
-Lauren
YES. omg Illuminae was like “lemme punch you in the feels” and then 2 seconds later “and now laugh because this is tragic but hilarious”. 😂 I LOVED THAT BOOK BUT I’M ALSO EMOTIONALLY DAMAGED. Ahem. And YES! Simon Vs was hilarious. :’)
DEREK LANDY’S BOOKS ARE SO FUNNY!!! I was chuckling reading the quote you took from Demon Road! ;D Rick Riordan and Cassandra Clare also write funny/witty things which I think is partially why I love their books so much. Another book I laughed SO HARD while read is Geek Girl by Holly Smale. The whole series is so fantastically funny! :’)
I haven’t read that Geek Girl series yet BUT I SEE IT EVERYWHERE. And now that I know it’s funny…*dashes off to goodreads*
LOL!!!! Cosign on so many of these reads! Especially Emmy & Oliver! I love when get to break the silence in a room full of people with laugh out loud moments ahah They may hate me for it but hey… such is life LOL 🙂
Laughing is gooooood. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN LAUGHING. (Except, maybe, laughing while eating cake?) And omg Emmy and Oliver were both utterly adorable.
Oh my gosh, the sword of summer made me laugh so much! It was absolutely awesome *sigh*! Awesome post 🙂
Nabila // Hot Town Cool Girl
It made me laugh an enormous amount too. 😂 It’s probably my favourite Riordan book now!
GAAAAAH! Let me just sit here and squeeeeeeee with you over:
Good Omens (because THIS BOOK is the bomb diggity, man. Yes, I know this is no longer the phrase to use. No, I don’t care. I ALWAYS pick up Terry Pratchett when I want to laugh while reading. He just gets the job done. But this is also a win because Neil Gaiman.)
The Raven Boys (but really I mean THE ENTIRE SERIES except the last book because I haven’t read it yet and just KNOW it’s going to kill me into itty bitty broken pieces.)
Illuminae (I agree, AIDAN is everything. Everyyyyyyyyything!)
I just. So much yes in one post. You rock.
Great list this week! Here’s my TTT. Happy book-ing to you!
Good Omens is the ONLY Pratchett book I’ve read. I FEEL LIKE I’VE PROBABLY MADE A TERRIBLE LIFE DECISION HERE AND SHOULD FIX IT IMMEDIATELY, YES? 😂 And zomg I am not read for The Raven King. AND I AM ALSO OVER-READY BECAUSE IT’S BEEN OVER A YEAR. *shrieks* Hooooow do we handle all the feels?! HOW.
YES I ALSO LOVE HUMOUR. Although unlike you I like crude humour 😉 Haha. I mean, I went to a public high school, it’s practically law.
BUT OMG funny, sarcastic, witty banter gives me life. And goofy characters. They make me so happy 🙂 🙂
FAIR ENOUGH. 😂 And goofy adorable characters are the besssssst. Like Percy Jackson. WHAT AN ADORKABLE GOOFBALL.
Great picks! I”m so excited to get to Lady Midnight – I’m glad to hear it’s so good! 😀 And, I think I need more Derek Landy in my life. 🙂
Check out my TTT.
YOU DO. Everyone needs copious amounts of Derek Landy in their life. :’)
YES. As usual, we’re twinning. I completely agree about the good and bad kinds of humor. Completely.
I love snarky, sarcastic humor and witty banter between characters SO MUCH. I guess I don’t want every book to be funny, because that would make the really good ones not stand out as much, but they usually end up being my favorites.
I was happy to see TRC on here, because those books have some really funny lines. Especially in retrospect. XD
The Fold and 14 by Peter Clines are both hilarious! I’m not sure if you’d like them, though? They’re adult sci-fi/mystery/thriller-type books. But soooo good. I would definitely include Harry Potter and Simon vs. on my list as well.
OF COURSE WE ARE TWINNING. I’m not surprised at all. 😂
I like it when books just have a LITTLE bit of funny in them? Like, obviously sometimes it doesn’t work and can make the book feel cheap (or forced) and some authors just really aren’t good at humour and should stop. Immediately. Forced humour is utterly painful. Eeek.
(I laughed out loud a LOT in my TRC reread…but I wonder if part of that was like the panicked-hyperventilating-laugh of someone [aka me] who sees their doom coming?)
Any book with a sarcastic sassy bastard I will instantly read, no matter what it’s about. I also love it when characters make arrogant comments, but they don’t come off as unlikable because they’re still really good people who are AMAZINGLY WITTY AND OHMYGOSH I LOVE!!!!
LIKE THE FALSE PRINCE, AMIRITE?!?! 😂
And yes! Like when it’s joking-arrogance. Like they act all stuck-up but inside they are venerable little precious cinnamon rolls. <3
I love funny books! Humor in and of itself doesn’t make me like a book, but if a book that I’m already liking turns out to be funny, it just makes it SO much better. And so many of the books that are on your list are books that I’ve been meaning to read, so I’m glad to hear that they’re funny. I can’t believe I haven’t read Magnus Chase yet! I was so sure that I’d read it the day it came out, and yet here we are months later and I don’t even have a copy. Still not quite sure how that happened.
YOU MUST TRY MAGNUS CHASE EVENTUALLY. I thought it was one of the funniest Riordan books of EVER. And that’s saying something because all his books are so hysterical. 😂 (Hey but at least you won’t have to wait so long for the sequel, right?!)
I sadly have not read any of these books, though I hear a lot about them! (I’m cheap, I’ll admit it…) But I absolutely ADORED your post — you made me laugh in a post about books that make you laugh! 🙂 I tend to agree with you on what I find funny — witty banter is my absolute favourite!!! I also have a bit of a childish sense of humour, so I like it when I occasionally come across a YA book where the characters have moments where they laugh at silly and ridiculous things…like it’s ok to act their age (and never grow up!!).
OMG MY JOB HERE IS DONE THEN. 😂 And I totally agree! It’s great in YA when they laugh at silly things…I mean, they’re saving the world and fighting aliens, but it’s great to remember they’re just kids too, sometimes. ;D
As soon as I saw the title of this post I thought that surely at least one of Cassandra Clare’s books would be in the mix. I LOVED Lady Midnight but Jace’s one liners in The Mortal Instruments made me laugh out loud countless times!
YES. I could’ve listed 10 Cassandra Clare books…but I restrained myself. 😂 But omg, Jace’s one liners are tHE BEST. And all his sass. And all Simon’s dry sarcasm. BASICALLY THAT SERIES = LIFE.
I completely agree with you: witty banter and sarcasm are the BEST!! And why, oh why, did I forget how funny Illuminae was?? I laughed several times with that one. And I loved some of the banter in Emmy & Oliver. That was one fantabulous book. Love your list!
Omg Emmy’s parents though. THEY ARE SO DELIGHTFULLY HILARIOUS. I honestly didn’t expect that book to be so so good. 😂 hehe
I LOVED the humour in Lady Midnight. I remember a part in the beginning where Emma is like ”I wasn’t planning on dumping Cameron, but a picture of a llama came up on my phone – because I didn’t have a picture of him so I used a llama – and the llama made me so angry and I couldn’t help myself” I LAUGHED SO HARD
Did you read Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. It’s soooooooo funny, even the chapter names made me laugh. If you haven’t read it yet, you definitely should omg.
x Amber, http://thenamelessbookblog.blogspot.nl/
OMG YES THAT LLAMA QUOTE IS THE BEST. 😂 That entire book is just too hysterical at times…I mean, and then it punches you in the feels??? HOW IS THIS FAIR. *loves book anyway*
Well I put Magnus Chase in this post on my list because I’d read it and loved it. 😉
I like funny books…. But if I’m being honest, I’m not the biggest fan of them. I love serious books – somehow, it just gets way more in depth then funny books. My all time favourites are serious, thoughtful books with beautiful language – which is probably why The Shadow of the Wind is one of my all time favourites. The language just flows so beautifully and I adore it. I’m learning Spanish just so I can read it in it’s original language.
Wow I went off topic there! I have to agree with you about Finding Audrey – it was incredibly boring as well as being extremely disrespectful. And so much was left unanswered… Not even in a good way! Yeah, not the best book ever..
Fair enough! And that’s why we need both kinds, right?!? It’s interesting because a book will impact me WAY more if I have a chance to laugh in it. :’) But omg you’re learning Spanish for the sake of reading a book!? YOU ARE AMAZING. I BASICALLY BOW TO YOUR DEDICATION RIGHT NOW.
I couldn’t even finish Finding Audrey. I have social anxiety and I found it so totally inaccurate and rude and just made fun of the whole thing. I honestly think mental illness + slapstick comedy doesn’t work. 🙁
I am so bad at humour. *dies* I couldn’t even think of anything for this theme.
Awww, really?! 😂 Well, know that you’re not alone! Because I’ve read a ton of people’s TTTs this week that struggled with it. hehe. I could’ve listed A TON MORE. 😂
I love Mary Poppins!! I also love to laugh – and funny books. However, I agree with you – disrespectful, rude, or crass humor are not my thing. I can sometimes take a bit of the last two in moderation (i.e., no worse than Supernatural’s forays into it), but disrespectful “humor” that pokes fun at real world problems, or mocks people – that isn’t funny at all!
I really need to read Demon Road, btw – it just sounds hysterical, and if I had more free time, I’d be reading it right now.
While Cassandra Clare’s stuff isn’t really my thing, I will give her sense of humor a flying pass. So much funny, quotable dialogue is a wonderful thing 😉
Strangely enough, I found parts of Good Omens really funny, but other parts just sort of bored me. And alone, Gaiman and Pratchett are hysterical, so maybe it was just the mood I was in? One of each of their solo novels made it onto my list.
Regardless, your list made ME laugh, and I loved it as always! Have a good day!!
(and here’s the link to my TTT if you have the time): http://rlhendrian.com/ttt-top-10-books-that-cracked-me-up/
Yayyyy, you got my Mary Poppins reference! *GIVES YOU CAKE*
But agreed *nods* I can take a bit? I can handle SOME crass/crude humour, but I really can’t with the disrespectful/bitter humour. It’s just too acidic, ugh. And anything slapstick loses me because I don’t understand how it’s funny. It’s just EMBARRASSING. Ergh.
Yessss, Demon Road is so splendid and I just ordered the sequel. EEEEP. I CANNOT WAIT. (Mind you, I could be reading the rest of Skulduggery while I wait, but, ahem. >_> I’m scared of the trauma.) I did think some of Good Omens was pretty slow, buuuut, I LOVE the Supernatural TV show and finally it was a book that was on par with it for me!! 😂
EEEEEP. I’M SO GLAD YOU THINK MY LIST WAS AMUSING. MY JOB HERE IS DONE.
Oh yes! I totally agree! And I need to read a loooot of books from this list, especially Derek Landy’s books!
DUDE YES. ALL THE LANDY. VERY MUCH ALL THE LANDY. *flails wildly*
I actually loved Finding Audrey. I felt it was a very respectful rendition of anxiety(or what Audrey’s condition is called, I can’t remember) and I LOVED the romance. Ah well. Every book nerd for themselves, right?
Alright. Here are some of my favorite, snarky, funny books:
1) The Wee Free Men by Terry Prattchet. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FUNNY AND AWESOME AND SARCASTIC THIS BOOK IS. IT’S AMAZING.
2) The Brotherband Chronicles. This is the companion series to the Ranger’s Apprentice series(which is also sarcastic and funny) but the Brotherband Chronicles are so much more funny snarky, even if there’s a massive battle going on.
3) The Kane Chronicles ARGH THEY ARE AMAZING AND FUNNY AND SARCASTIC AND SASSY AND SNARKY AND EVERYTHING YOU COULD EVER WANT.
Sorry if I made your TBR fall over with these recommendations…
Well I’m glad you enjoyed Finding Audrey then! I actually have social anxiety myself and I felt it was totally mis-represented. Eeep.🙈🙊
I NEED TO READ MORE TERRY PRATCHETT. I NEED. Good Omens was so perfectly hysterical. 😂 And duuude, YES to John Flanagan. I grew up with Rangers Apprentice and LAUGHED MY HEAD OF BASICALLY. 😂
I guess you’d know better than me if Finding Audrey misrepresented social anxiety, then.
YASSS John Flanagan’s books are crazy awesome. DID YOU KNOW THAT A NEW RANGER’S APPRENTICE BOOK CAME OUT LAST YEAR?! IT’S ABOUT HALT AND CROWLY WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER. I HAVEN’T READ IT YET, BUT I NEED TO OMG.
YOU MEAN THE TOURNAMENT AT GORLAN??? YES I READ IT AND IT WAS SO GLORIOUS TO SEE HALT AND CROWLEY YOUNGISH. <3
YASS THAT’S THE ONE. I NEED TO READ IT, LIKE NOW.
Books that make me laugh are always the best, probably because I’m a really sarcastic person, but also because laughing is always a good idea. Love this post, adding books to my TBR as we speak.
AGREED. I’m a hopelessly sarcastic person. 😂 So when books pull it off flawlessly? I = happy bean.
Magnus Chase was on my TTT list, too! So funny. All of Rick’s books are hilarious, but I especially loved the references to his other books what with Jack the sword and the chapter title about Jason passing out all the time, ha! And when I read the title of this post I immediately got the reference! And I actually started singing the song in my head!
YES MAGNUS CHASE IS HYSTERICAL. I think it’s funnier than The Heroes of Olympus series, even though I adore that series to death. :’) And zomg the reference to the pen-sword was so sneaky and perfect. 😂
OMG I’M GLAD YOU WERE SINGING THE SONG. *gives you Mary Poppins award*
I definitely agree with you when it comes to Rick Riordan! He manages to incorporate so much humor into his stories, and I laugh it up whenever I’m reading one of his books 🙂
MEEEE TOOOOO. I’m always cackling when I read his book — especially those hilarious chapter headers. How does he even do it?!?! GAH, I LOVE.
I haven’t read Demon Road yet, but I love the Skulduggery Pleasant books! Derek Landy is a humour genius. Ditto to Rick Riordan. Soooooo excited for The Raven King! 8 days seems like forever!
YESSSSS. All the days seems like forever!! *sobs wildly* I cannot wait for my pre-order to arrive. I CANNOT WAIT. *tries to contain self*
*fails*
*SHRIEKS*
Cait, I cannot believe you forgot Percy Jackson on this list! #faints Just kidding…I forgive you.
But yes, all these books are absolutely hilarious! Kady and Ezra’s conversations and remarks in Illuminae were so full of win and I loved the dialogue in Emmy & Oliver as well. Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous post! <3
Wait…I guess I must have skipped over Magnus Chase on the list. I clearly need my vision checked.
HAHAHAH. YES. I WOULD NOT FORGET THE AMAZINGNESS OF RICK RIORDAN. 😂 I mean, I could’ve said Percy Jackson? But *whispers* I’m shallow enough to admit that Magnus Chase matched my photo colour-scheme better so I picked it. AHEM.
This is the second post I’ve read, maybe third? that mentioned Derek Landy. Maybe I should just read one of his books so that I can intelligent talk about it.
Your photos rock!
I would tell you some books that make me laugh, but I think all of them or at least their authors are already on your list. OH, The Ascendance Trilogy made me laugh too. I can’t think of anything else though.
I also tagged you for a different Dragon Loyalty Award.
Yessss, Ashley, omg, you will LOVE Derek Landy. I just KNOW IT IN MY BONES. (Okay that was creepy, but seriously now. He is so so so funny.) And omg I feel silly for not including The False Prince! That book was AMAZING, and I seriously need to finish the trilogy. :’)
Eeeep. DRAGONS! *flies to your blog*
*waves hand in the air* I got the reference! I’m singing the song!
Also, I have Illuminae next to me right now. I got it from the library a few days ago because I keep hearing rave things about it.
YOU ARE THE BEST THEN, CLEARLY. 😂 (Like only a handful of people even got it, omg.) Duuuude, read Illminae. DROP EVERYTHING AND READ THAT FANTASTIC BEAST.
Love your list! Illuminae also made my list this week – I just love all the sarcastic conversations and, of course, AIDAN. I also can’t believe I didn’t think of the Raven Cycle, especially as it exactly my type of subtle humour!
Heres my TTT
YES. Subtle humour is amazing right?! And like inside jokes between the characters! *hugs the Raven Boys*
AIDAN IS AMAZING.
I REFUSE TO BELIEVE HE’S THE VILLAIN.
Now you have me singing Mary Poppins! DAMN YOU!!!!!! haha
I LOVE funny books, they give me life! <3 We chose a couple of the same books and I was also tempted to add some others that you included – like Demon Road, as that did make me giggle. Funny books are just my favourite thing. I love a book that can have me laughing out loud, which I think is why The Martian became one of my all time favourite books. Sarcastic and sassy characters are also my favourite, those are usually the characters who make me laugh. I need more funny books and characters in my life.
MWAHHAH MY EVIL WORK HERE IS DONE. 😂 Honestly whenever I think if “laugh” I think of that song. hehe.
That is EXACTLY why I need the Martian!! Like from looking at it, I’m kind of all “back away slowly nope nope” but everyone swears it’s hilarious and that just calls to me. :’)
I think I have seen Furiously Happy on just about every TTT. The Raven Boys, yes!
Finally! I have tried commenting on this post five times since yesterday. Each comment getting progressively shorter. Haha. *shakes fist at Kindles*
Eeeep, that must’ve been frustrating for you! D: *gives you cake for your efforts anyway* And the Raven Boys = I LOVE THEM SO MUCH I CANNOT HELP BUT FLAIL OVER THEM.
OMG YES ILLUMINAE MADE ME LAUGH SO SO MUCH! I am so excited to start reading Lady Midnight, I’ve heard so much hype and I can’t wait much longer! Awesome post 🙂
AFJDLKSAD IT IS BEYOND WONDERFUL, TRUST ME, LILY. It’s probably my favourite Shadowhunter book yet. :’) I only say “probably” because I still really love Simon/Jace/Clary a lot. :’)
Illuminae! The Raven Boys! The Distance Between Us! All the Rick Riordan books! The snark and sass and humor are wonderful. I love books with sassy characters. Also, you’re right about Shadowhunters; I think sass runs in their genes lol.
It’s so totally a REQUIREMENT for Shadowhunters to be sassy. 😂 I’M SO GLAD BECAUSE I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
Ohmygosh!! A healthy little dose of humor in an otherwise serious book makes it 100x better! Like Uriah from the Divergent trilogy! Most of my favorite characters are usually the side character who is slightly (or, maybe, incredibly) sarcastic. (I totally, completely agree with you that sarcasm and banter are possibly some of my favorite types of humor!) One of my absolutely favorite books that was completely serious, was probably only somewhat bearable (oh, who am I kidding, it still tore my heart to pieces) because of the sarcastic humor of the protagonist. Code Name Verity was just incredible, and because it was so heartbreaking, the humor helped lift spirits on occasion. I’ll stop rambling now lol XD
YESSS ABSOLUTELY I COULDN’T AGREE MORE. *shrieks happily* I especially love those insanely witty side-characters. :’) Although they almost always die. Whyyyyyy. I love them. *sobs* Ahem.
CODE NAME VERITY WAS AMAZING. But I’m 100% traumatised from that. And I did like how Verity was slightly sarcastic and made jokes and things even though it wasn’t funny, per se, it did keep the book from being always depressing? (But seriously it is such a good good book.)
Coming late to the party, but this is a great post. Some wonderful recommendations here! There goes my weekend… Here’s a few more:
Caroline Stevermere/Patricia Wrede: “Sorcery and Cecilia”. An epistolary novel with the subtitle “The Enchanted Chocolate Pot”. That kind of says it all…
Pretty much anything by Diana Wynne Jones, especially “Deep Secret”
Christopher Healy, “The Hero’s Guide to Saving the Kingdom” – the Princes Charming object that their names are never mentioned in the tales; hilarity ensues. Towards the younger end of the YA spectrum.
And out of left field: “The Warrior’s Apprentice” by Lois McMaster Bujold. Classic Sci-Fi. The rest of the series is definitely not YA, but that one is hilarious, snarky, and disturbingly serious at the same time – the protagonist is a teenager pretending to be an Admiral in a Space Navy. Probably on the older end of the spectrum, though. For the adults among us, “A Civil Campaign” in the same series regularly has its readers literally gasping with laughter.
Omg I haven’t heard of ANY OF THESE, LEIGH. I shall look them all up for sure. The Warrior’s Apprentice is especially intriguing me, eeeeep. It sounds maybe a bit like Ender’s Game? But seriously a teenager pretending to be an Admiral SPEAKS TO ME HUGELY.
Great list! I love love Illuminae and The Distance Between Us. So much sarcasm. I think I usually like “Sarcastic and sassy quips are a sign of intelligence” the most, haha!
I’ve got Bad Omen and the Raven Boys on my TBR! Can’t wait!
Lovely list, Cait!
We sassy ones are just THE SMARTEST. Clearly. *flips hair* 😂
Illuminae. YES YES YES YES YES. This was surprisingly funny, and I loved Kady so much. Her quips = ultimate sass. And I definitely agree with the Raven Boys too, I just finished The Dream Thieves, and Ronan is hilarious. Weird, but hilarious.
Omg there was SO MUCH SASS in Illuminae!! <3 Kady was the best basically. Plus her and AIDAN's dialogue was amazing.
DUUUUUDE. YOU ARE READING THE RAVEN BOYS!! *shrieks gleefully* That series is subtly hilarious.
Ahhh, okay Cait, you’ve made me add a number of books to my TBR now, and push up a few more in my list, so thanks! I love the same sort of humour you do, I think. I really can’t stand crude humour (though I will admit, sometimes I do chuckle through my cringing) and I hate, hate, HATE humour that makes fun of other people, and not in the gentle ribbing sort of way, Not the sort of inclusive humour that invites a person to laugh at themselves. Sarcasm though? Sarcasm that isn’t rude and offensive? SIGN ME UP. also satire. I LOVE satire.
BOOKS THAT MADE ME LAUGH – The Princess Bride, omg. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray! probably a few more that I can’t think of right now, but those two.
YAYYYY. YOUR TBR IS MOST WELCOME. (I hope it doesn’t fall on you and squash you flat though but, eh, the bookworm life IS dangerous after all.) And omg I confess to SOMETIMES giggling at crude humour. Me & Earl & The Dying Girl is pretty hilarious but also pretty crude. 😂
But YES OMG I hate the snippy acidic humour where people just rip others to shreds. I don’t even get how that’s funny. It’s actually scary that being cruel can be amusing. 🙁
I NEED TO READ THE PRINCESS BRIDE. I’m actually horrified at myself for being a huge fan of the movie but not having read the book. 😂
I agree! It can be pretty scary that people find being cruel amusing.
But OMG Cait! How have you not read The Princess Bride?? Read it soon! It’s amazing. I’m planning to read it again soon, tbh.
“What is wrong with you?”
“Everything,” said the goat.
I relate a lot to that goat. I’ve not even read the book. BUT RIORDAN IS LIFE.
Grover blushed. “I was sort of camped outside the Artemis cabin?”
“What for?”
“Just to be, you know, near them.”
“You’re a stalker with hooves.”
ALSO SKULDUGGERY. OH MY GOSH. I see Last Stand of Dead Men there, have you read it yet?!??!
My two Funniest Books Ever, apart from Percy and Skulduggery, are the Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison (I loooove them) and Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. (If you’ve not read that yet, WHY NOT, IT’S SCI FI HOLY GRAIL, and also totally your kind of humour.)
But one last thing, YOU SAY YOU DON’T LIKE SLAPSTICK, but watch this and HAVE YOUR LIFE CHANGED.
I KNOW RIGHT? That goat is really quite relatable. I am probably a goat, tbh.
AND NO I HAVEN’T FINISHED SKULDUGGERY YET. I AM A HORRIBLE PIECE OF HUMAN. Although I have ordered Desolation? Because I’m addicted to Demon Road???? But yeah. Someone tell me to be brave and go finish Skulduggery. *shrieks* Ohoh I haven’t read Hitchhiker’s Guide BUT I GOTTA TRY IT THEN.
Sometimes the trouble with humor in books can make the sadness all that more heartbreaking. Humor rounds out a character and rounds out a story and can make my heartache for days when things take a turn for the worst a story. TFiOS pops into my head first…there are so many moments that made me laugh and sigh and then…gah! My heart is hurting…the authors who get it are the best, right?
OH I AGREE WITH THAT. TFIOS was brilliant and absolutely HEART BREAKING. *cries just remembering*
ARTEMIS FOWL is hilarious. *wiggles eyesbrows of hinting at Cait*
I GET THE SUBTLE HINT, I DO. 😂 I seriously should’ve read those books by now…
You should read Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh – It’ll have you rolling on the floor laughing.
I really want to read that one! I’ve heard it’s hysterical. 😂
I literally laughed liked a lunatic in public while I was reading it! 🙂 Also, thanks so much for coming by my blog! It’s great talking with you!
Of course Raven Boys is on here hahaha, I love it though! And I love the quiet, wry sort of humor in the book. So good. Oooh I LOVE sass and fairy tales and I already own Princess of Thorns so I guess I need to read it soon! The Distance Between Us was so good and bantery! I love banter. On the Fence by Kasie West was good too! And I think you might love The Art of Lainey and Meant to Be as well; I really love read YA contemp that is super bantery, funny, and romantical (it’s the best kind!).
Yesssss “quiet, wry” is the best way to describe Maggie Stiefvater’s humour! AND COINCIDENTALLY IT’S MY FAVOURITE. *hugs all her books* And zomg you must devour Princess of Thorns. <3 It's hysterically funny and sassy and actually one of the best retellings I've ever read. :') OH OH I've wanted to read The Art of Lainey for a while! 😀
I can’t wait to read it!!! OH MY GOSH THE ART OF LAINEY IS SO GOOD. I’ve read it 3 times, it’s one of my fave contemps!! It’s very funny and soooo sassy, and has good character development. SQUEE <3
YES! I laughed more while reading Furiously Happy than I have for years while reading a book. Seriously, there were tears. Hubby had to come and make sure I was still breathing. The cat rodeo… oh my, the cat rodeo… I have that scene tabbed for quick access on rubbish days! I got a copy of her first book after reading FH and I’m kind of scared to read it in case it doesn’t live up to my expectations. Oh and I’ve just got my hands on a copy of Demon Road so I’m excited to see it included in your post.
EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT BOOK WAS SO PERFECT AND HILARIOUS. 😂 I need to read the first book too!! I actually don’t know why I read them out of order?!? But i’ve heard the first one is more about taxidermy which kind of scares me but pfft. I’m sure it’ll be great. ;D
I think you’d dig The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. It’s not YA, but it’s basically cover-to-cover wit arranged among fantastic world building and description. The guy slays dialogue. I ended up reading it with a friend because she got tired of me interrupting her every five minutes to say, “Let me read this hilarious bit to you right now before I explode.” It was a legit concern.
Omg, okay I officially NEED THAT THEN. I actually have vaguely heard people talk about it??? But omg clever hilarious dialogue is so my weakness. I SHALL LIBRARY THIS IMMEDIATELY. 😂
Humor really is important! Basically, you said it all. XD *adds allll the books to my reading list*
I think in my own writing I tend more towards gallows humor. It’s just really funny to me, and I love laughing at all the wrong times.
What sort of humor do you enjoy writing most?
YAY. I am glad you’re a fellow humour fan!! *cheers* And in my own writing? Definitely dry-self-depreciating sarcasm. FOR SOME REASON IT CRACKS ME UP. 😂
Dry-self-depreciating sarcasm? Sweetness!
YESSS! I absolutely chuckled during Demon Road (in between bouts of frustration) and Magnus Chase, books often don’t make me laugh but these ones definitely did. AIDAN is freaking awesome too! I’m not good with humour either, I usually am slightly amused but it’s hard for a book to make me laugh lol.
I see your point and I love books that make me “smile out loud” (I always keep the laughter inside, smiling is as far as I go) but my favorites always tend to be the dark and depressing ones with like zero humor for some reason.
I kind of read this post from a writer’s perspective, which I think was good for me. I definitely have an issue with writing too “dark”… I thought you had a good point about humor contrasting with the darker parts. I hadn’t thought of that. But I guess my big question is – how do I be funny? What if I’m just not funny? I CAN’T WRITE HUMOR!!! I just don’t have a good sense of what people will find funny. And don’t say if it makes me laugh then it will make other people laugh – not true!
Let’s see… No crude humor? D: But Cait, think of all the great opportunities for fart jokes! (I enjoy some sophomoric humor, okay? That’s okay though. You don’t have to like it, but I do.)
Let’s see… I like the sarcastic quips kind of… I mean, I like humor, properly placed, I think. My problem with some of the humor, though, is that it seriously takes away from the gravity of the story sometimes, and that bothers me. I mean… I can’t think of any evidence at this second, but maybe Rick Riordan’s books or something would fit the bill. You said that the quips are a show of intelligence, but if the story relies too much on jokes to work out, then it ends up seeming like the author doesn’t know how to respect his readers. Like the only way to make them enjoy the story is through immature storytelling.
I don’t know. I mean, I’ve liked humor. Mothership by Isla Neal and Martin Leicht is one of my favorite funny books because the story to me was relatable and had enough seriousness… I feel like books like Artemis Fowl, Eragon, Unwind, and so forth are books that have made me smile, but don’t make me feel like the author doesn’t get me.
So… I guess it’s a balance?
I’ve been needing some more good humor books. Thanks for the recommendations here! 🙂
I’ve just started the Shadowhunter series, and the humor is fab.
Have you read any Terry Pratchett books? They’re said to be full of humor.
MOST WELCOME! I’m glad they’re helpful!! hehe and yesss Cassandra Clare is just constantly perfect for her humour and sass. And I HAVE heard of Terry Pratchett, but am kind of daunted because his series is like a gazillion books isn’t it?! I don’t even know where to start.🙈🙊
I haven’t read Emmy & Oliver (but I want to! I LOVE Robin Benway! Plus, Audrey Wait! is SO hilarious!) and I heard mixed things about Furiously Happy. You should totally check out My Kind of Crazy. I wasn’t a fan of the love interest, but it IS die-hard hilarious. I was practically crying with laughter. No lie. And the MC, who is a guy, is adorable. I read The Distance Between Us, too! Lmao. She was a little cruel, though. She didn’t know how to shut her sarcasm down at times, I think. But honestly, Caymen had me dying too. Plus her boo is also mine. haha
Omg I NEED this My Kind of Crazy then!! *dashes off to Goodreads* I do so love to crack up over a book, hehe, as you can tell. 😂 Ahh, I think sarcasm CAN be hard? I actually thought The Distance Between Us did the sarcasm REALLY well, but I read Anatomy of a Misfit ages ago and really disliked how acidic hers was. SO YEAH. It’s subjective, right?! 😛
It probably depends on the topic, but I usually need humour in my books, even if it’s only 1%. I need SOMETHING. The books I’ve read lately were meh and made me forget all the funny books I’ve ever read (except Rick Riordan’s, which reminds me that I really need to get The Hidden Oracle. I also still really need to read Lady Midnight woops)
I SO NEED TO GET THE HIDDEN ORACLE TOO!! *shrieks* I’M SO excited for it. 😀