I’m looking for a book or book series to read out loud with my (30F) husband (30M). This is a cute way for us to spend time together in the evenings or sometimes as one of us is cooking the other is reading. We read Harry Potter (my recommendation since he never read it) and the first Percy Jackson series (his recommendation since I never read it). We wanted another series or book as a palate cleanser before reading the next Percy Jackson series. We tried the first Warriors book, and my husband just couldn’t get behind it. I was bummed because I grew up with that series and we have cats, but he said he just couldn’t keep track of the characters. We have thrown Redwall or something by Terry Pratchett as an idea, but I was curious if the folks of Reddit had a better idea.
by 1coffee_cat0
9 Comments
The Menagerie Series by Tui T Sutherland. It’s hilarious, and, while not as complex as PJ, it’s a world above Warriors. A lonely kid finds a secret magical zoo. The unicorns are snobby assholes, the mermaids go on a labor strike, the griffins are escape artists, and each creature speaks in their own vernacular, so it’s fun to read aloud.
The Fablehaven series by Brandon Myll
Does it need to be YA? If not, I recommend reading books that have been turned into movies. That way, you can have a date night where you watch the movie after reading the book.
I enjoyed Contact by Carl Sagan. Approachable sci-fi with a woman main character. The movie is a fun date night movie too
The Cat Lady Chronicles is a cute three book series about a woman who rescues a cat from the side of the road only to find out he’s a shifter and needs her help.
If you like humorous books you might enjoy A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore about a guy who becomes a grim reaper.
Married with Zombies by Jessie Peterson is about a couple dealing with marital issues and zombies. It’s a fun read and there’s some romantic elements in it.
Maybe give the Hunger Games series a try? Or maybe some of Michael Crichton books like the Jurassic Park books, or even Sphere or Prey or The Andromeda Strain for some of his standalone books
A bit more bleak than the series you’ve mentioned but the protagonists are a married couple of city guards in yet another “hive of scum and villainy”…
The Hawk & Fisher series by Simon R. Green (first book: No Haven for the Guilty)
If mysteries are okay, here are some suggestions:
[Chet and Bernie series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/46206-chet-and-bernie-mystery) by Spencer Quinn – About a private investigator and his dog–from the perspective of the dog.
[Death on Demand series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40376-death-on-demand) by Carolyn G. Hart – The owner of a mystery bookstore and her husband stumble into solving cases. If you have a Roku and the Roku Channel, the TV show *[Hart to Hart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hart_to_Hart)* has a similar light, breezy feel.
[Fox and O’Hare series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/99019-fox-and-o-hare) by Janet Evanovich – If you liked the TV series *[White Collar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Collar_(TV_series))*, this series has the same premise of a smooth handsome con man teaming up with a tough-as-nails FBI agent to catch criminals. Except here the FBI agent is a woman.
Hope this helps and you find a series you like.
If you want a fun, more adult book, try “Old Man’s War”.
My kids and husband really liked the “Magisterium” series by Cassandra Clare. They said it was similar to Harry Potter but better.
John Flanagan,
Dave Duncan,
Sherwood Smith,
Tamora Pierce,