Just as eating the same meals every day would eventually get boring, picking up the same genre of books can land you in a reading slump. Whenever I find myself in the mood to read something new, but unsure about where to start, my first instinct is to change up the kinds of books that I’m reading. It can be intimidating to try reading something new, so here are some easy starter book recommendations to help you try out a new genre.Â
Memoir:Â
Educated by Tara WestbrookÂ
This book was one of the first memoirs I ever read, and it helped me learn to love reading other people’s real stories. It follows the author’s life growing up in a survivalist, isolated Mormon family where her parents didn’t allow her to attend school. It’s an emotional read, but a very inspiring one. Celebrity memoirs can also be a great way to get into this genre! It’s fun to read nonfiction about someone you love to learn about and hear about their life from their own voice. Right now, I’m listening to Famesick by Lena Dunham on audiobook, and listening to her read her words out loud helps me get into the story more.Â
Romance:Â
Anything by Emily Henry, especially Happy Place and People We Meet on Vacation
These two books are great beach reads, and they are fast paced and easily digestible. Henry’s writing is witty and lighthearted, and her characters and the relationships she builds are so lovable. Her books are especially memorable because they feel like romcoms in the best way. They are also so much more than just romance books, and always have some sort of subplot in addition to the amazing character development. Reading Emily Henry books feels cozy, like watching my favorite episode of Friends.Â
Fantasy:Â
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
If you love romance but are looking to read something new, ACOTAR is a great way to get into reading fantasy. I wasn’t a big fan of reading series before I read these books, but my friends and I decided to try it out together. The world building is easy to understand, especially for beginners to fantasy, and the story of a young girl exploring the world of faeries is overall exciting. Not to mention this is the perfect time to start reading this series since the newest book, A Court of Splintered Harmony, will be released on October 27th! Â
Historical Fiction:Â
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. SchwabÂ
Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres, and a genre that I think is so underrated. This book is perfect for fans of fantasy or even romance who want to try something a little bit different. Spanning multiple time periods, Addie sells her soul so that she can be immortal, but in exchange she is cursed so that no one she meets will ever remember her. It’s a unique concept that is extremely well written, and it’s stayed with me for years after I’ve read it.Â
Literary Fiction:Â
Anything by Sally Rooney, especially Normal People and Conversations with FriendsÂ
Literary fiction can be a tricky genre to get into at first, but Sally Rooney’s books stand out to me because of the way they focus on characterization rather than plot. These two novels are good reads for fans of romance, and both focus on the complexities of modern relationships.Â
Horror:
Bunny by Mona AwadÂ
If you are looking to read more horror during spooky season, Bunny is a great way to read something a little scary without jumping into something too intense. Following a creative writing graduate student at a prestigious university, she is quickly accepted into a mysterious group of other creative writing students that call each other “Bunny.” Her confusion towards them soon turns to fascination as she finds herself falling farther and farther into their schemes.Â
Classics:Â
Little Women by Louisa May AlcottÂ
Classics are another tricky genre at first, but Little Women is a beautiful and accessible story for all ages. This story of sisterhood has stuck with me for years after my first read, and I love how the book follows the sisters as they transition from childhood to adulthood and begin to grow into their own lives. Each sister is relatable in their own way, and so are the themes about family and growing up. I also highly recommend the 2019 movie version!Â
If you are still looking for more book recommendations and want to try something new, BookTok or watching BookTubers is also a great place to start. There are so many creators online who have exposed me to new media that I never would have found otherwise. I’m a firm believer that trying out new books is a great way to expand your reading horizons, because you never know what kinds of stories you might find next.Â