If there is one universal truth about undergoing treatment for a serious illness, it is this: there is so much waiting.

There is waiting in the lobby before your name is called. There is waiting in the exam room for the doctor. And then, there is the infusion chair—the hours spent tethered to an IV pole while medicine drips slowly into your system. While medical science has made incredible leaps in recent years—introducing targeted therapies and advanced Immunotherapy for cancer that use the body’s own immune system to fight the disease—the patient experience still involves a lot of sitting still.

During these long stretches, your mind can be your worst enemy. It tends to wander toward anxiety, statistics, and what ifs. This is why a good book isn’t just a hobby during treatment; it is a survival tool. It is a portal to another world.

However, not just any book will do. When you are navigating the physical and emotional toll of treatment, you generally don’t want to read heavy tragedies or medical dramas. You want escapism. You want low-stakes mysteries, charming characters, or worlds so immersive that the beep of the infusion pump fades into the background.

If you are looking for a mental vacation, here are five books released in the last decade that are perfect for keeping the chemo brain occupied and the spirits high.

1. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (2022)

Sometimes, the best way to get out of your own head is to get into the head of a giant Pacific octopus.

It sounds like a strange premise, but Remarkably Bright Creatures has become a runaway hit for a reason. The story follows Tova, a widow working the night shift at an aquarium, who forms an unlikely bond with Marcellus, a grumpy, highly intelligent octopus who is planning a jailbreak.

Why it works for treatment: This book is the literary equivalent of a warm hug. It is gentle, funny, and deeply life-affirming without being cheesy.

The Distraction Factor: The chapters narrated by Marcellus the octopus are so unique and voice-driven that they immediately pull you out of your current reality. You aren’t sitting in a clinic; you are in a tank looking out at the world with disdain and curiosity.

Audiobook Note: If you are too tired to hold a book, the audio version is spectacular. The voice actor for Marcellus captures the “curmudgeonly octopus” vibe perfectly.

2. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (2020)

For a long time, mystery novels were dark, gritty, and gruesome. But recently, the “cozy mystery” genre has made a massive comeback, led by this absolute gem of a book.

Set in a peaceful retirement village in England, the story follows four septuagenarians who meet weekly to solve cold cases for fun. When a real murder happens on their doorstep, they jump into action, often outsmarting the actual police.

Why it works for treatment: It is hilarious. Richard Osman brings a dry, British wit to the page that will make you laugh out loud in the quiet room.

The Vibe: It treats aging not as a decline, but as a superpower. The characters use their invisibility as seniors to snoop, gather clues, and get away with things younger people couldn’t. It is empowering and lighthearted, despite the murder plot. It reminds you that life doesn’t stop just because you are slowing down physically.

3. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021)

If you loved The Martian, this is Andy Weir’s best work since. It centers on Ryland Grace, a junior high science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or why he is there. He slowly realizes he is on a suicide mission to save Earth from an extinction-level event.

That sounds stressful, but the execution is pure greatness. It is about a guy solving one problem at a time using science, logic, and duct tape.

Why it works for treatment: When you are going through medical treatment, you often feel a lack of control. Your body is doing things you can’t stop.

The Focus: This book is all about agency. Watching the protagonist solve impossible problems is incredibly satisfying. It engages the logical part of your brain, shutting down the emotional, anxious part.

The Pacing: It is a page-turner in the truest sense. The chapters often end on cliffhangers, which is exactly what you need to make a three-hour infusion appointment feel like it only lasted twenty minutes.

4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017)

Sometimes you don’t want aliens or octopuses; you want high-stakes drama and glamour.

This novel tells the life story of a reclusive Hollywood icon, Evelyn Hugo, as she finally gives a tell-all interview to an unknown reporter. It spans decades, covering her rise to fame, her seven scandalous marriages, and the one great love she kept hidden.

Why it works for treatment: It reads like the best tabloid magazine you have ever bought, but with beautiful writing.

The Glamour: It transports you to Old Hollywood—emerald green dresses, film sets, Oscars parties, and paparazzi flashes. It is lush and sensory.

The “Unputdownable” Quality: The structure of the book, moving through each “husband,” gives you natural stopping points, but the gossip is so juicy you won’t want to stop. It is pure brain candy that requires very little cognitive load to enjoy.

5. Circe by Madeline Miller (2018)

If you really want to leave the modern world behind—including hospitals, doctors, and insurance forms—go back to Ancient Greece.

Circe retells the story of the witch from The Odyssey, but from her perspective. Banished to a deserted island by Zeus, she hones her craft, tames wild lions, and crosses paths with famous mythological figures like Daedalus, the Minotaur, and Odysseus.

Why it works for treatment: Madeline Miller’s prose is hypnotic. It feels less like reading a novel and more like having a spell cast on you.

• The Scenery: The descriptions of the island—the herbs, the loom, the ocean, the wolves—are incredibly grounding. It is an immersive nature bath in book form.
• The Solitude: Circe spends centuries alone on her island, but she isn’t lonely; she is powerful. For a patient who might feel isolated by their diagnosis, there is something deeply resonant and strengthening about her journey of self-discovery in solitude.

Choosing Your Format

A final note for the reader-in-treatment: be kind to yourself regarding how you read.

Chemotherapy and other treatments can sometimes affect your vision or cause fatigue that makes tracking text on a page difficult. If you find your eyes getting tired, switch to an e-reader where you can bump the font size up to large.

Better yet, download the audiobook versions of the titles above. There is no shame in closing your eyes, putting on noise-canceling headphones, and letting a narrator carry you away. The goal isn’t to finish a reading list; the goal is to find a few hours of peace. Whether you choose the depths of the ocean or the far reaches of space, the right book is a faithful companion in the waiting room.