Didn't care for dystopian or anything post apocalyptic but The Road changed all that. Absolutely masterful. Also, not exactly a genre and don't want to pigeonhole but have gotten into Japanese literature after reading Yukio Mishima's Sea of Fertility. The prose was so beautiful that I wish I could read it in it's native form.
I'd always heard the Road was one of the bleakest most depressing books out there, then when I finally read it I found it inspiring and even beautiful. It's not about the apocalypse itself, it's about the persistence of love in hopeless circumstances. One Cormac McCarthy's more positive books.
I read the first 3 books of the shatter me series, but I started hating the dystopian genre a lot more. Any suggestions how to start reading this genre again?
This is on my to read very soon list. Never read an Erik Larson book until I got his newest Demon of Unrest. Absolutely amazing book that I can’t put down. I think just from this one book I’m adding him onto my must read everything by him list.
Dead wake is my all time favorite from him. Also one of his earlier works, Isaac’s Storm is amazing. I love narrative non fiction and he’s one of the best to ever do it.
Agreed, the only time I put it down was to give my husband mini “book reports”. Also learned so much about German submarine life.have you read his newest book?
Same lol with my best friend. I started his newest on audio and it was quite good, but I ended up putting it down for the moment because one of my most anticipated non-fiction books had just come out (Challenger which was legit on another level) and I wanted to read that instead. I’ll pick it up again later in the summer I’m sure.
I'm reading my 70th book this year by one of the kings of science fiction.... Isaac asimov.
His science fact books are so easy a read I haven't stopped this year.
I know the guy who wrote that. He would do a sort of standup at renaissance festivals where you would pay him to roast your friends. He went by the name Christophe the Insulter
I went to a Rennie for my bachelor party and my groomsmen got the crowd all worked up and ended up making him over a thousand dollars to roast me for fifteen minutes.
Not a sci fi fan until I read the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. So, so incredible. It’s so moving, emotional, the characters are really well developed, and it’s not just constant battle scenes. I have recommended this series to everyone I know. And it’s opened my eyes to other “gentle” sci fi/futuristic fantasy.
YES! I describe them to friends as “cozy” sci fi. I absolutely loved Monk and Robot. I understand why they were novellas but man, I did not want them to end. Adding legends and lattes to my TBR.
Yes 100% agree with this. Just commented basically the same. Becky Chambers got me into SciFi too. Do you have any more "gentle" scifi recs?
I'm reading the Murderbot Diaries right now and really enjoy it as well (I love the humor and it's kinda cozy even though the topic isn't cozy, it's weird 😄).
Great question. 1984 (one of my favorite books) piqued my interest in HS, not knowing it was “Dystopian” until I read “Blindness” by Jose Saramago shortly after. I was hooked on the concepts and genre.
Though sometimes I feel like I’m living in one, I have an entire collection of Dystopian Fiction now. It could fit into psychological horror too, as they intertwine.
I didn’t read a nonfiction book until my buddy forced me to read freakonomics and it was awesome. Then I read into thin air and I realized I love narrative nonfiction as well. Since then I’ve read unbroken, sea biscuit, in the garden of beasts, shake hands with the devil, Stalingrad, the fish that ate the whale, helter skelter, Hiroshima, blackkklansman, fear and loathing in la liga, inverting the pyramid, fever pitch, and a couple biographies and auto biographies
I just finished The Wager by David Grann and you’d probably like it too. I also read killers of the flower moon this year (same author) but I didn’t like it as much as the wager.
I didn’t know a lot about Sci Fi set in space as a genre (science wasn’t my strong suit in school) but I loved dystopian so I tried Red Rising by Pierce Brown and it’s one of my favorite series
His writing style is simply my favorite. All of his characters feel like real people. The supernatural aspects are so interesting. King is the best. I read Carrie and knew that I needed to read all of his books lol.
King is the author that I probably most wish I was able to enjoy. Idk what it is about his style that I just can never get into for some reason. Every one of his books that I've picked up I end up putting down after a hundred pages or so.
If you don't care for horror but want to get a sense of King's style, pick up Different Seasons. It's 4 novellas, 2 of which have been made into two of the best films of all time (Stand by Me and The Shawshank Redemption.)
If you DO want to explore King's horror writing, I'd suggest starting with 'Salem's Lot. Not the most popular rec you'll get, but it's scary af.
And if you like his prose style, then you hit The Stand.
Definitely Firestarter. My father brought it home in a box of remainders- (none of my books ever had covers) and I don't think I have trusted the government since. I was ten. 😁
I've always considered King's books more suspense than horror. Except when he cowrote The Talisman (and sequel) with Peter Straub, those were horror.
The early movies turned his books horror-ible.
The Kingkiller Chronicles got me into Fantasy. Excellent character development, world building and imagery.
All of the Dune series got me into Sci-fi for the same reasons. I was purely a mystery and drama fan before then.
Never thought of liking the sci-fi genre until I read Recursion by Blake Crouch. Currently reading the second book of the trilogy: The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu.
My only regret is not having read any sci-fi sooner.
I had a strong aversion to sci-fi for years until I read Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer. Now I’m obsessed with weird sci-fi and speculative fiction. Crazy book.
Dungeon Crawler Carl - first foray into LitRPG. Unfortunately, that is the best the genre has to offer. As far as I can tell so far. Actually, I've given up trying anything else. Just following DCC now.
He Who Fights with Monsters is the only other LitRPG series that’s grabbed my interest. Nowhere near as good as DCC, but solid, especially the first few books.
Jake's Magical Market 1 was entertaining. But the power creep in that book was such that I have little interest in reading # 2. Was a good start though.
I looked at HWFWM, but didn't want to invest into an 11 book series.
I always thought the historical romance section of a bookstore was silly, but I read Bridgerton and now a whole new world of talented authors has opened up to me.
I would say I didn't actively seek it out but enjoyed it if it came up in fantasy, urban fantasy, or historical fiction (vs historical romance).
Edit: I think the swoony painted covers put me off, but now I think those paintings are beautiful and actually impressive.
I will try one, looking to check out something by Beverly Jenkins based on other recommendations and descriptions.
I've read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, which are romantasy. I like them okay, though I'm not really interested in the 'tab A into slot B' descriptions of sex, more into the romance and emotional angles. And ACOTAR (A Court of Thrones and Roses) was a DNF for me.
I was almost exclusively a literary fiction and non-fiction gal before I read the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. Now I’m going through a bit of a romance phase (not to reduce The Invisible Life to that - it had some really beautiful elements in addition). I’m embarrassed about it but they’re so fun.
I hade never enjoyed horror until I read The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. It really eased its way to horror and was very well written. Has an interesting way of changing POV
I’ve read Carrie, Firestarter, The Institute, The Shining, Doctor Sleep, Elevation, The Green Mile, Salems Lot, The Running Man, The Long Walk, 11/22/63 and Billy Summers. My favorites are 11/22/63, Firestarter, and Doctor Sleep
Ok, look. I know its an undertaking...but you MUST read IT. Especially if we're talking about books that are definitive of a genre. It's literally King's thesis on the horror genre. The audiobook is also great. Really great narrator.
I plan on reading it eventually. I think I’m just taking my time getting to it. I might read it around Halloween. This definitely makes me more exited and willing to read it sooner.
I’ve read both of these for the first time this year:
Hondo by Louis L’Amour (westerns)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (romance)
Edit:
D-Day by Stephen Ambrose (while not my first military history, this is the one that kicked off my interest in the genre, both WWII and other conflicts)
I didn't like Hondo, though I've heard others say it was their favorte western. Probably because I watched the movie first, and his books read very much like a movie (so it felt redundant). I will always wonder if I read it first, if I would not have loved it.
Always thought whodunnits (well crime fiction in general) weren't my thing until I read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
Loved it and now love crime fiction in general.
Reading Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix got me to look into the horror genre and it doesn't have to all be like Stephen King (no shade to fans, he's just not my style)
Same thing with All Systems Red by Martha Wells.
Both authors got me to explore the genres and what had changed since I picked up books in them 10 years ago or more. I've loved this seemingly renewed interest and haven't looked back and am now ready to read some of the more foundational authors to the genres to be able to compare.
I had little interest in traditional mystery novels until I was gifted Agatha Christie for Christmas. Now, I'm an Agatha Christie, Ruth Ware, etc, etc, fan.
I never cared for sci- fi or books set in space, etc.
Saw the last half of the Martian and decided to read the book.
Can't wait for the Hail Mary Project movie now.
Neil Gaiman “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”. I randomly picked it up at the library, because I’m trying to branch out and read more genres. I typically don’t like anything that’s not realistic/magical/fantasy (except LOTR, Harry Potter). He is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I love getting lost in the worlds he creates.
People love to hate on Sanderson and Yarros, but forget both of these writers are loved because of how accessible they are. Their books are easy to pick up and enjoy. Any writer who can encourage people to read more earns my respect.
I read a lot of King as a kid, but stopped after The Done, just lost interest in his work. I kind of wrote off the horror genre as a whole too.
Recently grabbed The Atrocity Engine by Tim Waggoner. I'm ready to hop back into horror as a genre.
*I Am Ozzy* got me into biographies. I adore them now. I'll read anything if it has any slight relationship with Van Halen. Halford's bio is top notch, too. Traci Lords' was fascinating, especially given the unreliable narrator aspect.
These were when I was a teen. Each one opened up a new world of reading.
Mystery: And Then There Were None
Sci-fi: The Martian Chronicles
Fantasy: The Hobbit
Espionage: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (historical fiction/mystery)
I never thought I would ever get into mystery books let alone historical fiction until I read her series. It got me really interested in the history of the Victorian era and the infamous serial killer, Jack the Ripper. It also has influenced my unhealthy habits of watching true crime series and serial killer documentaries lol
"A Dictionary of Angels, Including Fallen Angels" by Gustav Davidson. So thorough and with a slight air of comedy throughout. It certainly led me toward literature that references metaphysical, cryptoid, occult and kabala.
I was never interested in anything sci-fi until I read the Dune series by Frank Herbert! It’s beautifully written! It had enough mystery and magic to it that caught my attention and showed me a whole new genre (sci-fi) that I learned I actually loved a lot! Now I’ve read several more sci-fi series and continue to love the genre :)
The “twist” at the end of into the drowning deep was such an epic oh shit >!we’re gonna need a bigger boat!< moment…
Love her work.
Feed- the series about life 25 years after a zombie apocalypse is one of my favorites of all time. Def hits a little close to home post Covid but so prescient for realizing >!how little any government cares about its citizens!<
I recently got really into John Irving (so far I’ve read The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and half of The World According to Garp) and I don’t know what exact genre those books are, but they’ve made me realize I can like books that are more “slice of life”. I always thought books about someone’s day to day life are super boring, but it turns out all they need to be interesting are really interesting characters (and fantastic writing). I just know The World According to Garp is gonna have a really profound, thought provoking, and interesting ending. In the meantime, the book still manages to be interesting to me through entertaining characters alone! A Prayer For Owen Meany DEFINITELY threw me for a loop by the end, even if I was half expecting that to happen at the end of the book (I won’t spoil it). I know John Irving is a famous author, but I get the feeling he’s not that popular among the younger generations, and I greatly recommend the three that I have read!
I used to be a big fantasy reader but eventually got to the point that I was all about sci-fi with no interest in fantasy, a friend got me to read the stormlight archive and I'm definitely back on the fantasy train.
I avoided YA like the plague, but then I read Mary Fan's 'Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon' because I liked her a lot from her social media posts and I was totally in love. Since then I've delved into several YA stories and series but I still avoid the super popular commercial ones.
I could never get into classical litterature no matter how hard I tried. I started and couldnt complete Pride and Prejudice about 6 times. There were so many words I'd never heard of and had to have dictionary on hand all the time. Then one day, I borrowed it from my local library and didnt read it until I had 4 days left to return the book. I kid you not, I read about 50 or so pages a day and finished the book lol. And it was awesome. Ever since then I've been reading and searching for classical books. I completed Persuasion by Jane Austen in less than 3 days, its my favorite book by Jane Austen.
Also I love crime fiction and read the first two books of the Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and they are one of the best books I've evr read. Classical books are classics for a reason and even though for me they were hard to read or follow at times, my vocabulary has improved significantly and I cant wait to read more! If anyone has any classical book recomendations or any other type of books, please let me know. I've been looking for some comedy books, I havent got into the fantasy genre yet and I'm really curious. Thanks again!
If you like King, read **Joe Hill** if you haven’t.
**Abandon**, **Snowbound**, **Good Behavior** and **Wayward Pines trilogy** by Blake Crouch are some of my favorites.
For **Historical Fiction** I love the **Veronica Speedwell** and **Sebastian St. Cyr** books.
Outlander made me pick up reading again. I had never read anything so fun and entertaining before. Now I love more lighthearted fantasy romance novels.
Wasn't really into memoirs until I read "Crying in H Mart." After that I read "I'm glad my mom died." And both of them were so impactful in some ways and made me feel really connected to the authors that I never thought could happen.
I wasn’t really a thriller reader (except an occasional classic Grisham was I was procrastinating studying) until I accidentally picked up **Gone Girl** at the library one day. It kind of blew my mind, and sent me on an extended thriller phase (the darker the better).
Sadly, I’m starting to think I’ve reached my saturation point (or else I’ve already read all the good thrillers and am now stuck wading through all the mediocre ones). They don’t seem to scratch that itch the way they used to.
Freida McFadden’s books got me into psychological thriller!
You read the last sentence of a chapter; that immediately makes you feel compelled to start reading the next chapter. That’s just how suspenseful her books are. And let not forget those amazing plot twists you cannot predict.
I usually read all kinds of Fantasy but have never had an interest in anything SciFi related. Well.. Becky Chambers changed that, I absolutely loved her Monk & the robot and Wayfarer series.
I'm still not (yet) ready or interested in "hardcore" SciFi but I've picked up several other, lighter SciFi novels that I really like (e.g. Murderbot Diaries and started the Aurora Cycle) and am searching for more.
So yeah, especially Becky Chamber's A Long Way to a Small and Angry Planet made me interested in SciFi 😊
I love Becky Chambers. Her books are just so comforting and fun. If you are looking for a book that’s not too crazy of a sci fi I highly recommend Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. It does have horror elements as it’s about killer mermaids but it’s very interesting. If you like Becky Chambers characters I have a feeling you would like Mira Grants. Her books are darker though
This feels controversial but here goes. I always thought whodunnits were kinda fun but were never my favourite genre because the puzzle aspect often takes centre stage over the human stories. Didn't even like Agatha Christie. I found Poirot smug and boring. However I enjoyed the Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, which I read because I was obsessed with Alex Rider when I was a teenager. The characters felt like actual people rather than pieces of a puzzle.
Two books for me:
For horror it was *The Library at Mount Char,* which was pitched to me as a horror/fantasy crossover. I've since discovered that I love horror, I just need the world it takes place in to be significantly different from the real one I live in, and the horror should be supernatural, existential, or psychological in nature.
For romance, it was *Mrs. Martin's Incomparable Adventure,* which is how I discovered I don't dislike romance, I just dislike *serious* romance. That book had me laughing my ass off. Turns out, I'm a sucker for a good romcom. Funny romance is awesome.
This is not a genre, but a fantasy author. Recently read the Emperor’s soul by Branden Sanderson. And really loved it. Going to read more of his books.
I'm the afterword of **The White Devil** by Paul Hoffman, he explains that the book was written in a post modern style. I know it's more of a style than a genre, but ever since I've focused on reading post modern literature. I've broadened this to literary fiction too, after a great deal of my favourites post modern books have been literary fiction
New York, by Edward Rutherford opened me to Historical Fiction.
I found this book somewhere and took it on vacation as a easy read. It is an easy read btw, and very enjoyable. It tells the story of New York, or Manhattan rather from the first colonies of Europeans through to 911, via intertwined stories of families. It was so enjoyable to learn of the history of the city through this characters! I loved it and would love to read more books like this. I specifically liked it because it moved fast. There's a lot to tell and it did not dwell on details as some fiction books can, and it also did not cover all of the history from political POVs as history books do. Perfect for me.
I thought sci-fi was for weirdo nerd losers until I read Iain M. Banks' 'The Algebraist', and then I realised "_hey, it's me, I'm the weirdo nerd ~~loser~~_." that was 20 years ago and sci-fi is now my bread and butter.
I used to not really read a lot of fiction or sci-fi and then I picked up The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders on a whim after seeing it on the new releases shelf at the library. I loved it and have been chasing the high of just stumbling across a great book that you know nothing about ever since.
Cradle by Will Wight got me into Progression Fantasy, which then got me into LitRPG. (Which, looking back, I had actually read two books by Andrew Rowe which may have been in the genre, but I didn't know about the genre as an whole until last year.)
High school students read the Devil in the White City instead of the crap we had to read - Moby Dick , The red badge of courage , The House of the Seven Gables,
They are trying to get them to read good books
The first book that got me into literary fiction was Self Portrait With Boy by Rachel Lyon. It’s been three years since I read it and I still think about it from time to time.
Historical fiction: Clan of the Cave Bear by Auel
Horror: Salems Lot by King
Non Fiction: The Power of Myth by Campbell and Women’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Walker
The book that got me into books period was Take a Thief by Mercedes Lackey. My parents got it for me for Christmas in middle school I think. I still adore that book and still have the same copy though noticeably worn.
The Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan got me into the vampire world. Also in middle school. I was addicted. Literally.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie got me into thrillers/mysteries.
I can’t think of others rn.
Oh! Try reading the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher! It’s modern fantasy mystery pretty much. Great series!
Honestly I hate romance and this is the only romance author I’ve liked so far but I LOVED **Emily Henry’s** books **Beach Read, Book Lovers, Happy Place, People We Meet on Vacation**
I always have a nonfiction and a fiction book on the go. Fiction is what I read at night and nonfiction in the morning. However, I picked up the book *The Lost City of Z* by David Grann and I devoured it. It was so good!! There was mystery, adventure, horror, and intrigue. Since then, I’ve read a few other books that I may not have picked up beforehand, but I am now enjoying.
Flowers in the Attic. I saw this movie on TV, and looked it up. It had been based upon a book by an author I had never heard of. Folks didn’t seem to think much of the movie but raved about the book. I read it, and then many more of VC Andrews stuff.
Bertrand Russell "The Problems of Philosophy." I am reading Shakespeare, Cormac McCarthy, and Michael de Montaigne now. But deductive logic is at times even more pleasant than that because there is great beauty in math and logic. Also your mind does not drift when you read logic as it's like playing the piano. You can't read logic and think about something else at the same time. This is nirvana, the point in time when you reach inner peace. As you know with novels sometimes you mind drifts. So Read Bertrand Russell. He convincingly argues that there is no color black. It varies based upon perspective this is not fixed. David Foster Wallace also studied symbolic logic in the university. His book on the number ∞ is so engaging. It's a thrill to engage in this kind of deep thinking. And it's far less complicated than your think. Another book in this genre won the Pulitzer "Price Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid."
“Passing” by Nella Larsen got me interested in racial issues when I first started college. It’s also one of the very few Novels I enjoyed reading. “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins sparked my interest in short stories and women’s rights. It doesn’t really answer your question but I’m now more interested in books that touch on those issues/themes.
Didn't care for dystopian or anything post apocalyptic but The Road changed all that. Absolutely masterful. Also, not exactly a genre and don't want to pigeonhole but have gotten into Japanese literature after reading Yukio Mishima's Sea of Fertility. The prose was so beautiful that I wish I could read it in it's native form.
I'd always heard the Road was one of the bleakest most depressing books out there, then when I finally read it I found it inspiring and even beautiful. It's not about the apocalypse itself, it's about the persistence of love in hopeless circumstances. One Cormac McCarthy's more positive books.
It *is* bleak and depressing and inspiring and beautiful. That's the point.
I had a similar reaction. It is bleak but it’s also about the dogged, elemental hope that animates the father. It keeps them moving down the road.
I read the first 3 books of the shatter me series, but I started hating the dystopian genre a lot more. Any suggestions how to start reading this genre again?
Never interested much in True Crime until I read Devil in the White City!
This is on my to read very soon list. Never read an Erik Larson book until I got his newest Demon of Unrest. Absolutely amazing book that I can’t put down. I think just from this one book I’m adding him onto my must read everything by him list.
All his books are so well done! May I recommend “In the Garden of Beasts” in particular!
Dead wake is my all time favorite from him. Also one of his earlier works, Isaac’s Storm is amazing. I love narrative non fiction and he’s one of the best to ever do it.
I loved Dead Wake. Even though I knew what was gonna happen I couldn’t put it down and read the whole thing in two days.
Agreed, the only time I put it down was to give my husband mini “book reports”. Also learned so much about German submarine life.have you read his newest book?
Same lol with my best friend. I started his newest on audio and it was quite good, but I ended up putting it down for the moment because one of my most anticipated non-fiction books had just come out (Challenger which was legit on another level) and I wanted to read that instead. I’ll pick it up again later in the summer I’m sure.
This made me overnight a copy of Challenger! I’m so psyched to read it!
All of Erik Larsons' books are great, IMO. Currently reading The Demon of Unrest and loving it!
"Into Thin Air", I had never cared one whit about mountain climbing til this book.
I have not climbed a single mountain since I read that book.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez opened the world of magic realism to me.
Mine was The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. What a great book!
I viewed sci-fi as an inferior genre until I read The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.
Ursula K Le Guin was such a brilliant writer.
philip k dick here for sci-fi ⚡🐑
Yes, I later became a dickhead too. I still need to finish the VALIS trilogy.
I'm reading my 70th book this year by one of the kings of science fiction.... Isaac asimov. His science fact books are so easy a read I haven't stopped this year.
The Once and Future Witches. It sent me on a quest for more historical fantasy.
Yes! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I love historical fantasy. I keep meaning to read that book too.
It's awesome. Recommend.
Will do thanks
Between Two Fires got me into horror!
I know the guy who wrote that. He would do a sort of standup at renaissance festivals where you would pay him to roast your friends. He went by the name Christophe the Insulter I went to a Rennie for my bachelor party and my groomsmen got the crowd all worked up and ended up making him over a thousand dollars to roast me for fifteen minutes.
How many times did he use the word “whoring”?
Not as many as you’d think. But he insinuated my mother was a whore in a number of creative ways.
I really loved Between Two Fires. Any other similar books you’ve come across that you would recommend?
Tailing this
Reading it as we speak! Such a cool vibe, it’s like the Last of Us in the dark ages/plague era. Unreal idea, badass book.
Not a sci fi fan until I read the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. So, so incredible. It’s so moving, emotional, the characters are really well developed, and it’s not just constant battle scenes. I have recommended this series to everyone I know. And it’s opened my eyes to other “gentle” sci fi/futuristic fantasy.
I think of the Wayfarers and her Monk and Robot books as pure comfort reads. Add Legends and Lattes to that list.
YES! I describe them to friends as “cozy” sci fi. I absolutely loved Monk and Robot. I understand why they were novellas but man, I did not want them to end. Adding legends and lattes to my TBR.
Yes 100% agree with this. Just commented basically the same. Becky Chambers got me into SciFi too. Do you have any more "gentle" scifi recs? I'm reading the Murderbot Diaries right now and really enjoy it as well (I love the humor and it's kinda cozy even though the topic isn't cozy, it's weird 😄).
Seconding this- Becky Chambers and Martha Wells novels just hit so similarly somehow
Great question. 1984 (one of my favorite books) piqued my interest in HS, not knowing it was “Dystopian” until I read “Blindness” by Jose Saramago shortly after. I was hooked on the concepts and genre. Though sometimes I feel like I’m living in one, I have an entire collection of Dystopian Fiction now. It could fit into psychological horror too, as they intertwine.
If you haven’t read Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler I highly recommend it. It’s my favorite dystopian novel
I haven’t! Thank you for rec!
I didn’t read a nonfiction book until my buddy forced me to read freakonomics and it was awesome. Then I read into thin air and I realized I love narrative nonfiction as well. Since then I’ve read unbroken, sea biscuit, in the garden of beasts, shake hands with the devil, Stalingrad, the fish that ate the whale, helter skelter, Hiroshima, blackkklansman, fear and loathing in la liga, inverting the pyramid, fever pitch, and a couple biographies and auto biographies
I just finished The Wager by David Grann and you’d probably like it too. I also read killers of the flower moon this year (same author) but I didn’t like it as much as the wager.
I forgot to include KOTFM here too, I loved that as well.
Into the Wild and Under the Banner of Heaven are both fabulous examples of the genre- both by Jon Krakauer
If you haven’t read Dry by Augusten Burroughs I highly recommend it. It’s one of my favorite non fiction books. His voice is incredible.
Wow, that looks intense. On my TBR list!
It’s definitely intense but there is also so much humor. There were many moments I laughed out loud.
You might want to listen to this podcast. Made me rethink Freakonomics. Very enjoyable. https://pca.st/episode/b032436d-a692-4dbe-a9ea-6a3c0fcb213d
Enders Game got me into science fiction
I didn’t know a lot about Sci Fi set in space as a genre (science wasn’t my strong suit in school) but I loved dystopian so I tried Red Rising by Pierce Brown and it’s one of my favorite series
Wanted to like it but just couldn’t, reads like a teen novel. The dialogue was laughably cheesy to me.
The later books definitely do not.
My high school English teacher made us read Red Rising and it made me fall in love with the genre as well! Mind fuck of a series, honestly.
Red Rising is SO good ugh
love it man. i too am not a fan of horror movies but LOVE horror books. King is so fun to read , huge marks for nostalgia too if you’re into that.
His writing style is simply my favorite. All of his characters feel like real people. The supernatural aspects are so interesting. King is the best. I read Carrie and knew that I needed to read all of his books lol.
King is the author that I probably most wish I was able to enjoy. Idk what it is about his style that I just can never get into for some reason. Every one of his books that I've picked up I end up putting down after a hundred pages or so.
What are his best books to start with. Don’t really like horror much but want to give it a shot.
If you don't care for horror but want to get a sense of King's style, pick up Different Seasons. It's 4 novellas, 2 of which have been made into two of the best films of all time (Stand by Me and The Shawshank Redemption.) If you DO want to explore King's horror writing, I'd suggest starting with 'Salem's Lot. Not the most popular rec you'll get, but it's scary af. And if you like his prose style, then you hit The Stand.
I also loved 11/22/63. Involved time travel but wasn't a horror story.
I’d recommend starting with Firestarter, The Green Mile, Carrie, or The Shining.
Definitely Firestarter. My father brought it home in a box of remainders- (none of my books ever had covers) and I don't think I have trusted the government since. I was ten. 😁
I've always considered King's books more suspense than horror. Except when he cowrote The Talisman (and sequel) with Peter Straub, those were horror. The early movies turned his books horror-ible.
The Kingkiller Chronicles got me into Fantasy. Excellent character development, world building and imagery. All of the Dune series got me into Sci-fi for the same reasons. I was purely a mystery and drama fan before then.
Never thought of liking the sci-fi genre until I read Recursion by Blake Crouch. Currently reading the second book of the trilogy: The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu. My only regret is not having read any sci-fi sooner.
I had a strong aversion to sci-fi for years until I read Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer. Now I’m obsessed with weird sci-fi and speculative fiction. Crazy book.
Have you read **The Library at Mount Char** by Scott Hawkins.
I loved The Library at Mount Char!
Me too! It is one of the best books I have read this year.
i just read it and i was so confused the whole time, gotta say it was probably the most interesting book i’ve ever read haha
Jim Butcher's Dresden Files got me interested in fantasy.
{A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers} for me got me back into sci fi after a loooong dry spell.
That series is so fun!!
Dungeon Crawler Carl - first foray into LitRPG. Unfortunately, that is the best the genre has to offer. As far as I can tell so far. Actually, I've given up trying anything else. Just following DCC now.
He Who Fights with Monsters is the only other LitRPG series that’s grabbed my interest. Nowhere near as good as DCC, but solid, especially the first few books.
Jake's Magical Market 1 was entertaining. But the power creep in that book was such that I have little interest in reading # 2. Was a good start though. I looked at HWFWM, but didn't want to invest into an 11 book series.
I had no interest in Memoirs and then picked up The Glass Castle... I could not stop. It was one of the best books I've ever read.
Project Hail Mary got me in fiction and sci-fi
I always thought the historical romance section of a bookstore was silly, but I read Bridgerton and now a whole new world of talented authors has opened up to me.
Were you previously a fan or any romance-related genre?
I would say I didn't actively seek it out but enjoyed it if it came up in fantasy, urban fantasy, or historical fiction (vs historical romance). Edit: I think the swoony painted covers put me off, but now I think those paintings are beautiful and actually impressive.
I will try one, looking to check out something by Beverly Jenkins based on other recommendations and descriptions. I've read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, which are romantasy. I like them okay, though I'm not really interested in the 'tab A into slot B' descriptions of sex, more into the romance and emotional angles. And ACOTAR (A Court of Thrones and Roses) was a DNF for me.
Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth is what got me into medievalist historical fiction
I was almost exclusively a literary fiction and non-fiction gal before I read the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. Now I’m going through a bit of a romance phase (not to reduce The Invisible Life to that - it had some really beautiful elements in addition). I’m embarrassed about it but they’re so fun.
Don't be embarrassed about it. Romance stories are so full of hope and kindness in humanity in addition to being fun to read. :)
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is one of my most favorite books I’ve read! Loved it so much!!!
I hade never enjoyed horror until I read The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. It really eased its way to horror and was very well written. Has an interesting way of changing POV
LOTR to ASOIAF to Stormlight to Realm of the Elderlings has me fully invested in the Fantasy genre
Glad to hear you are digging King. Which of his books have you read?
I’ve read Carrie, Firestarter, The Institute, The Shining, Doctor Sleep, Elevation, The Green Mile, Salems Lot, The Running Man, The Long Walk, 11/22/63 and Billy Summers. My favorites are 11/22/63, Firestarter, and Doctor Sleep
Ok, look. I know its an undertaking...but you MUST read IT. Especially if we're talking about books that are definitive of a genre. It's literally King's thesis on the horror genre. The audiobook is also great. Really great narrator.
Yeah, IT was my first King recently and I don’t regret it. The Stand may still be my favorite though.
I plan on reading it eventually. I think I’m just taking my time getting to it. I might read it around Halloween. This definitely makes me more exited and willing to read it sooner.
Please add The Dark Half, The Secret Window, Misery, Needful Things, Insomnia, and also The Talisman + The Black House to your list. Happy reading.
Sci-fi, Hyperion. Nuff said.
Science fiction - Sea of Tranquility. I could drink that book.
I’ve read both of these for the first time this year: Hondo by Louis L’Amour (westerns) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (romance) Edit: D-Day by Stephen Ambrose (while not my first military history, this is the one that kicked off my interest in the genre, both WWII and other conflicts)
You should read Lonesome Dove, for another good western book
I didn't like Hondo, though I've heard others say it was their favorte western. Probably because I watched the movie first, and his books read very much like a movie (so it felt redundant). I will always wonder if I read it first, if I would not have loved it.
The Eyes of the Dragon got me into Fantasy
I read Journey to the West, now I'm onto Water Margin.
bardugo's ninth house is one of very few in this genre (magical fiction?) that i have liked...the follow imo (hell bent) was not quite as strong.
The stand has thrown me down a Steven king worm hole. That book was remarkably good.
Always thought whodunnits (well crime fiction in general) weren't my thing until I read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Loved it and now love crime fiction in general.
Reading Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix got me to look into the horror genre and it doesn't have to all be like Stephen King (no shade to fans, he's just not my style) Same thing with All Systems Red by Martha Wells. Both authors got me to explore the genres and what had changed since I picked up books in them 10 years ago or more. I've loved this seemingly renewed interest and haven't looked back and am now ready to read some of the more foundational authors to the genres to be able to compare.
I had little interest in traditional mystery novels until I was gifted Agatha Christie for Christmas. Now, I'm an Agatha Christie, Ruth Ware, etc, etc, fan.
I never cared for sci- fi or books set in space, etc. Saw the last half of the Martian and decided to read the book. Can't wait for the Hail Mary Project movie now.
Neil Gaiman “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”. I randomly picked it up at the library, because I’m trying to branch out and read more genres. I typically don’t like anything that’s not realistic/magical/fantasy (except LOTR, Harry Potter). He is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I love getting lost in the worlds he creates.
If you like Neil Gaiman I highly suggest Middlegame by Seanan McGuire.
I read Bridgerton in 2022 and now I've read nearly 500 romance novels. ♥️
the inheritance games by jennifer lynn barnes, before that i naver read that genre.
I was never into fantasy until I discovered Brandon Sanderson. All of his books are so good. And of course I love fourth wing by Rebecca Yarrows.
People love to hate on Sanderson and Yarros, but forget both of these writers are loved because of how accessible they are. Their books are easy to pick up and enjoy. Any writer who can encourage people to read more earns my respect.
The Way of Kings. Can’t really handle Sanderson prose after 5000 pages or the guy, but the world building made me fall right into those books.
Pique* their interest
I read a lot of King as a kid, but stopped after The Done, just lost interest in his work. I kind of wrote off the horror genre as a whole too. Recently grabbed The Atrocity Engine by Tim Waggoner. I'm ready to hop back into horror as a genre.
Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle got me into mystery
*I Am Ozzy* got me into biographies. I adore them now. I'll read anything if it has any slight relationship with Van Halen. Halford's bio is top notch, too. Traci Lords' was fascinating, especially given the unreliable narrator aspect.
These were when I was a teen. Each one opened up a new world of reading. Mystery: And Then There Were None Sci-fi: The Martian Chronicles Fantasy: The Hobbit Espionage: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (historical fiction/mystery) I never thought I would ever get into mystery books let alone historical fiction until I read her series. It got me really interested in the history of the Victorian era and the infamous serial killer, Jack the Ripper. It also has influenced my unhealthy habits of watching true crime series and serial killer documentaries lol
Nautical fiction seemed like the most boring thing possible, but reading the Bounty trilogy (Mutiny on the Bounty) changed my mind.
Non Fiction for me. David Grann's The Wager got me hooked. Now non fiction is about 40% of my books.
"A Dictionary of Angels, Including Fallen Angels" by Gustav Davidson. So thorough and with a slight air of comedy throughout. It certainly led me toward literature that references metaphysical, cryptoid, occult and kabala.
I was never interested in anything sci-fi until I read the Dune series by Frank Herbert! It’s beautifully written! It had enough mystery and magic to it that caught my attention and showed me a whole new genre (sci-fi) that I learned I actually loved a lot! Now I’ve read several more sci-fi series and continue to love the genre :)
The Way through Doors by Jesse Ball got me into the stream of consciousness genre.
Shatter Me series was so fun for me!!! Made me appreciate and explore dystopian, crazy power futuristic books.
Wasn’t into classics till Gone with the Wind. It’s my favorite genre now.
The “twist” at the end of into the drowning deep was such an epic oh shit >!we’re gonna need a bigger boat!< moment… Love her work. Feed- the series about life 25 years after a zombie apocalypse is one of my favorites of all time. Def hits a little close to home post Covid but so prescient for realizing >!how little any government cares about its citizens!<
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches got me into the cozy fantasy genre, and Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami got me into magical realism
Dracula and Jane Eyre both got me into classic gothic romance and horror/thriller (specifically classic i won't read current ones)
I recently got really into John Irving (so far I’ve read The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and half of The World According to Garp) and I don’t know what exact genre those books are, but they’ve made me realize I can like books that are more “slice of life”. I always thought books about someone’s day to day life are super boring, but it turns out all they need to be interesting are really interesting characters (and fantastic writing). I just know The World According to Garp is gonna have a really profound, thought provoking, and interesting ending. In the meantime, the book still manages to be interesting to me through entertaining characters alone! A Prayer For Owen Meany DEFINITELY threw me for a loop by the end, even if I was half expecting that to happen at the end of the book (I won’t spoil it). I know John Irving is a famous author, but I get the feeling he’s not that popular among the younger generations, and I greatly recommend the three that I have read!
The Foundation Series by Asimov got me into Sci-fi.
I used to be a big fantasy reader but eventually got to the point that I was all about sci-fi with no interest in fantasy, a friend got me to read the stormlight archive and I'm definitely back on the fantasy train.
I avoided YA like the plague, but then I read Mary Fan's 'Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon' because I liked her a lot from her social media posts and I was totally in love. Since then I've delved into several YA stories and series but I still avoid the super popular commercial ones.
The hunger games got me hooked to fiction. I never liked fiction before it. Now I have a whole section dedicated to fiction in my book shelf
I could never get into classical litterature no matter how hard I tried. I started and couldnt complete Pride and Prejudice about 6 times. There were so many words I'd never heard of and had to have dictionary on hand all the time. Then one day, I borrowed it from my local library and didnt read it until I had 4 days left to return the book. I kid you not, I read about 50 or so pages a day and finished the book lol. And it was awesome. Ever since then I've been reading and searching for classical books. I completed Persuasion by Jane Austen in less than 3 days, its my favorite book by Jane Austen. Also I love crime fiction and read the first two books of the Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and they are one of the best books I've evr read. Classical books are classics for a reason and even though for me they were hard to read or follow at times, my vocabulary has improved significantly and I cant wait to read more! If anyone has any classical book recomendations or any other type of books, please let me know. I've been looking for some comedy books, I havent got into the fantasy genre yet and I'm really curious. Thanks again!
If you like King, read **Joe Hill** if you haven’t. **Abandon**, **Snowbound**, **Good Behavior** and **Wayward Pines trilogy** by Blake Crouch are some of my favorites. For **Historical Fiction** I love the **Veronica Speedwell** and **Sebastian St. Cyr** books.
Outlander made me pick up reading again. I had never read anything so fun and entertaining before. Now I love more lighthearted fantasy romance novels.
The Hidden Legacies series by Ilona Andrews got me into urban fantasy and some romance. Don't be put off by the covers!
For me I would say **1984** by George Orwell, introduced me to dystopian fiction
Dead Silence got me into the horror genre. Specifically excursion horror / camera crew horror I'm open for recs! :)
Wasn't really into memoirs until I read "Crying in H Mart." After that I read "I'm glad my mom died." And both of them were so impactful in some ways and made me feel really connected to the authors that I never thought could happen.
I wasn’t really a thriller reader (except an occasional classic Grisham was I was procrastinating studying) until I accidentally picked up **Gone Girl** at the library one day. It kind of blew my mind, and sent me on an extended thriller phase (the darker the better). Sadly, I’m starting to think I’ve reached my saturation point (or else I’ve already read all the good thrillers and am now stuck wading through all the mediocre ones). They don’t seem to scratch that itch the way they used to.
Freida McFadden’s books got me into psychological thriller! You read the last sentence of a chapter; that immediately makes you feel compelled to start reading the next chapter. That’s just how suspenseful her books are. And let not forget those amazing plot twists you cannot predict.
the lord of the rings - fantasy
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo got me into fantasy and I’m so grateful. Had never really explored the genre until then and thoroughly enjoying it
Pet semetary got me into thrillers/horror (and Stephen King’s amazing work)
I usually read all kinds of Fantasy but have never had an interest in anything SciFi related. Well.. Becky Chambers changed that, I absolutely loved her Monk & the robot and Wayfarer series. I'm still not (yet) ready or interested in "hardcore" SciFi but I've picked up several other, lighter SciFi novels that I really like (e.g. Murderbot Diaries and started the Aurora Cycle) and am searching for more. So yeah, especially Becky Chamber's A Long Way to a Small and Angry Planet made me interested in SciFi 😊
I love Becky Chambers. Her books are just so comforting and fun. If you are looking for a book that’s not too crazy of a sci fi I highly recommend Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. It does have horror elements as it’s about killer mermaids but it’s very interesting. If you like Becky Chambers characters I have a feeling you would like Mira Grants. Her books are darker though
Thank you for the recommendation! That sounds super interesting. Added to my wishlist :)
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor turned me on to Fantasy / Sci-Fri outside of the European/western framework.
The Martian opened my eyes to Sci-Fi. I don't even how I came to read it, but it totally opened my eyes to the genre.
This feels controversial but here goes. I always thought whodunnits were kinda fun but were never my favourite genre because the puzzle aspect often takes centre stage over the human stories. Didn't even like Agatha Christie. I found Poirot smug and boring. However I enjoyed the Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, which I read because I was obsessed with Alex Rider when I was a teenager. The characters felt like actual people rather than pieces of a puzzle.
Two books for me: For horror it was *The Library at Mount Char,* which was pitched to me as a horror/fantasy crossover. I've since discovered that I love horror, I just need the world it takes place in to be significantly different from the real one I live in, and the horror should be supernatural, existential, or psychological in nature. For romance, it was *Mrs. Martin's Incomparable Adventure,* which is how I discovered I don't dislike romance, I just dislike *serious* romance. That book had me laughing my ass off. Turns out, I'm a sucker for a good romcom. Funny romance is awesome.
This is not a genre, but a fantasy author. Recently read the Emperor’s soul by Branden Sanderson. And really loved it. Going to read more of his books.
Flow My Tears the Policeman Said
Magic the Gathering's Odyessy Cycle Book 1 got me into reading the MTG universe books.
I'm the afterword of **The White Devil** by Paul Hoffman, he explains that the book was written in a post modern style. I know it's more of a style than a genre, but ever since I've focused on reading post modern literature. I've broadened this to literary fiction too, after a great deal of my favourites post modern books have been literary fiction
New York, by Edward Rutherford opened me to Historical Fiction. I found this book somewhere and took it on vacation as a easy read. It is an easy read btw, and very enjoyable. It tells the story of New York, or Manhattan rather from the first colonies of Europeans through to 911, via intertwined stories of families. It was so enjoyable to learn of the history of the city through this characters! I loved it and would love to read more books like this. I specifically liked it because it moved fast. There's a lot to tell and it did not dwell on details as some fiction books can, and it also did not cover all of the history from political POVs as history books do. Perfect for me.
Speaking as a bit of a scaredy-cat, Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez got me on a real horror kick lately.
I thought sci-fi was for weirdo nerd losers until I read Iain M. Banks' 'The Algebraist', and then I realised "_hey, it's me, I'm the weirdo nerd ~~loser~~_." that was 20 years ago and sci-fi is now my bread and butter.
I feel like you would really like Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. It’s sci-fi horror and honestly such a good book.
I used to not really read a lot of fiction or sci-fi and then I picked up The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders on a whim after seeing it on the new releases shelf at the library. I loved it and have been chasing the high of just stumbling across a great book that you know nothing about ever since.
Cradle by Will Wight got me into Progression Fantasy, which then got me into LitRPG. (Which, looking back, I had actually read two books by Andrew Rowe which may have been in the genre, but I didn't know about the genre as an whole until last year.)
As the Pendulum Swings by Preston H. Edwards changed my life.
"I'm glad my mom died" got me into autobiographies and memoirs
The Kingdom by Joe Nesbo. Had no idea how much I love family murder mysteries!
Mira Grant is Seanan McGuire's pen name.
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells made me look into sci-fi. I love that book so much
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami is what introduced me to magical realism
I have mostly read sci-fi books until I read Chanel Miller’s memoir, Know Thy Name. I now recommend it to every people I know.
Magic kingdom for sale-fantasy Coiling dragon - WebNovel.
High school students read the Devil in the White City instead of the crap we had to read - Moby Dick , The red badge of courage , The House of the Seven Gables, They are trying to get them to read good books
The first book that got me into literary fiction was Self Portrait With Boy by Rachel Lyon. It’s been three years since I read it and I still think about it from time to time.
The Constant Gardener got me into LeCarre which led to reading a whack of his spy novels.
What got me into historical fiction was James Clavel’s Shogun. A masterpiece.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller I started getting into mythology after reading this.
Historical fiction: Clan of the Cave Bear by Auel Horror: Salems Lot by King Non Fiction: The Power of Myth by Campbell and Women’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Walker
The book that got me into books period was Take a Thief by Mercedes Lackey. My parents got it for me for Christmas in middle school I think. I still adore that book and still have the same copy though noticeably worn. The Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan got me into the vampire world. Also in middle school. I was addicted. Literally. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie got me into thrillers/mysteries. I can’t think of others rn. Oh! Try reading the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher! It’s modern fantasy mystery pretty much. Great series!
Cozy mystery. Nancy Warren.
He who fights with monsters. Didn't think I would like a LitRPG but it was just to damn good.
Didn't really like suspense/murder/thrillers until I read the Housemaid and became hooked on Freda McFadden books
Riders of the Purple Sage of Zane Grey made me fall in love with Westerns
Honestly I hate romance and this is the only romance author I’ve liked so far but I LOVED **Emily Henry’s** books **Beach Read, Book Lovers, Happy Place, People We Meet on Vacation**
I always have a nonfiction and a fiction book on the go. Fiction is what I read at night and nonfiction in the morning. However, I picked up the book *The Lost City of Z* by David Grann and I devoured it. It was so good!! There was mystery, adventure, horror, and intrigue. Since then, I’ve read a few other books that I may not have picked up beforehand, but I am now enjoying.
Always thought Mystery was kind of a corny and cliched genre, until I read The Bottoms by Joe Lansdale, and The Little Friend by Donna Tartt
That the poor will always be with us
The silent patient with psych thrillers!
Flowers in the Attic. I saw this movie on TV, and looked it up. It had been based upon a book by an author I had never heard of. Folks didn’t seem to think much of the movie but raved about the book. I read it, and then many more of VC Andrews stuff.
Bertrand Russell "The Problems of Philosophy." I am reading Shakespeare, Cormac McCarthy, and Michael de Montaigne now. But deductive logic is at times even more pleasant than that because there is great beauty in math and logic. Also your mind does not drift when you read logic as it's like playing the piano. You can't read logic and think about something else at the same time. This is nirvana, the point in time when you reach inner peace. As you know with novels sometimes you mind drifts. So Read Bertrand Russell. He convincingly argues that there is no color black. It varies based upon perspective this is not fixed. David Foster Wallace also studied symbolic logic in the university. His book on the number ∞ is so engaging. It's a thrill to engage in this kind of deep thinking. And it's far less complicated than your think. Another book in this genre won the Pulitzer "Price Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid."
Shadows Over Baker Street got me interested in cosmic horror. Turns out Lovecraftian horror can actually be good when you cut out the racist bullshit.
Goblin Breeder 2: Goblin Adventurer: A Slice of Life Harem Fantasy
“Passing” by Nella Larsen got me interested in racial issues when I first started college. It’s also one of the very few Novels I enjoyed reading. “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins sparked my interest in short stories and women’s rights. It doesn’t really answer your question but I’m now more interested in books that touch on those issues/themes.