Hi. My partner and I are trying to limit our time on screens and spend more time reading. However, we are finding it hard to choose our first book to read. We have this illogical fear that we will feel like “we wasted our time reading a book we didn’t enjoy”… which has made getting started on reading our biggest obstacle to overcome. I’m sure that it will get easier for us to read more once we get past that hurdle and find enjoyment from reading. That being said, are there any “entry level” books anyone would highly recommend that had them wanting to read more?
I tend to gravitate more towards fantasy. I was big on the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and A Song of Ice and Fire books. I’m also a big sci-fi enjoyer when it comes to video games or board games, so I could also see myself enjoying sci-fi books as well (if it’s not too heavy on the tech side… think more like Star Wars, Mass Effect, Cyberpunk 2020/2077 vibes). I also consider myself to be progressive and left-leaning politically. I would be open to educational books in that sense (like The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander… I’m really considering starting with this, but not sure if it should be my first book).
My partner is the opposite of me in a lot of ways. She isn’t big in fantasy or sci-fi. Doesn’t like Star Wars or LotR at all but loved the GoT series and Harry Potter movies. She seems to gravitate more towards drama (particularly, relationship drama), but also thrillers, mystery, etc. Something that is more realistic but that has crazy twists and turns. Also interested in progressive values.
All that said, we are generally open to any and all genres if you consider a particular book to be a must-read entry-level book. Hopefully this opens our door to read more.
by chicharito14_FPL
11 Comments
You should read Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. Your partner should read Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. Don’t read anything about either, just trust me
Give Blake Crouch a try. I’d recommend Dark Matter. He blends sci fi and thrillers and there are always lots of twists and turns!
The Murderbot series by Martha Wells are fun and well liked by a lot of readers. The first few books in the series are novellas so they’re easy to get into.
As for worrying about wasting your time on a book you don’t enjoy, it’s perfectly okay to stop reading a book if you don’t like it! And, if you have access to a library, you won’t even be out the cost of a book. Since you’re getting (back) into reading, expect to DNF many books since you’re still figuring out your reading tastes. You have to kiss a lot of book frogs to find your book princes, after all.
For you, I recommend The Witcher series. The first two books are short story collections. If you’re worried about wasting time, short stories seem like a natural place to start.
For your partner, I recommend One of Us Is Lying. It’s a realistic murder mystery at a high school.
And even though it didn’t fit either description well, I think you would both enjoy Song of Achilles.
Have you read Harry Potter or just seen the movies? Reading them is very different. Maybe start there?
*The Ghost Variations* by Kevin Brockmeier is an absolute gem of a book. It’s one hundred 2-page stories about ghosts. Some are funny, some wistful, some weird…all charming! Highly recommended!
Try Red Rising. At first you’ll think it’s just like Harry Potter, except it’s SciFi.
…until the *passage* happens.
I’m going to say maybe The Last Wish (the first witcher book/short story prequel collection) as well as the second, The Sword of Destiny. I liked the series more than ASOIAF and it has way more likeable characters but its not quite as consistent quality wise as them. But the first two short story collections are solid.
Another recommendation is Agatha Christie mysteries. Some good starters are And Then There were None, Murder on the Orient Express, and The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I enjoy the ones where Hercule Poirot is the detective.
A Sci fi rec is Ender’s Game By Orson Scott Card.
Edit: Oh also The Hunger Games is a great one to start with if you haven’t read them yet!
And btw part of reading is reading bad books! If you aren’t feeling it there’s no shame in not finishing it, and if you finish a book you didn’t like you still learned what you don’t like for the future!
Try Terry Pratchett- Monstrous Regiment or Nation
I bet you would both like Ready Player One. It’s heavy with 80’s references and nerd culture. The audiobook is pretty good too. (read by Wil Wheaton) It isn’t the most well written book, but it is a fun story.
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Also Sabriel by Garth Nix. It is a young adult book about a girl who is in her teens and she gains some power when her father disappears and passes his legacy down to her. She has to travel through the lands to try to find out what happened to him while forging her own path. It is well written and light fantasy. Very Harry Potter/GoT adjacent.
Take a look at The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi. It’s accessible sci-fi with really fun world building and a decent mystery, so might appeal to your partner on those levels even though it’s sci-fi.