If you’re into fantasy, do you ever pick up a romance and give it a shot? Or read a historical fiction book if you’re into scifi? It’s a leap of faith that doesn’t always work out but when it does it’s pretty sweet.
I asked a friend what her favorite book was, and she said The Goldfinch. I had never heard of it and hadn’t read any fiction/contemporary like it, but it ended up being such a great surprise. It was one of the few 5 star reads of that year and I never would have experienced it if I hadn’t taken the chance.
I’d say every so often, just take a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.
by PhotographFast1943
3 Comments
I do for my bookclub! That’s a book a month, and more often than not a book is chosen that I wouldn’t pick up for myself. They aren’t always hits, like your experience, but I find it a good way to step out of my comfort zone and to learn more about why I do and don’t like certain genres.
I do occasionally… notably the time I broke away from YA, my favorite, to read a horror book. Lol, I still tell people about how traumatized it made me
I’m not going to actively look for a book that is outside my usual interests just for the sake of it, but if a book comes to my attention for whatever reason and a number of critics/friends/other people in my general circles mention enough things that sound interesting, I’m more than willing to give it a chance. Machine Man by Max Berry is one that springs to mind as something I probably would have glossed over had I found it on the shelf while casually strolling through a bookshop, but a friend recommended it to me, and I enjoyed it.