Growing up, many people usually have two views regarding reading; you either love it or hate it. Being forced to read books in school puts many people off of trying to read for fun and enjoyment, and many people find it difficult to believe that reading can be more like a hobby and not homework. Once you find the right genres and authors for your specific reading taste, reading can be an incredibly pleasant and entertaining experience. If you are interested in picking up reading as a hobby or trying to read a book that isn’t The Great Gatsby or Great Expectations, here are five books that can get you hooked on reading, ranging from romance to fantasy. 

5. A Court of Thorns and Roses – Fantasy 

A Court Of Thorns And Roses is the first book in the ACOTAR series by author Sarah J. Maas. This novel follows a 19-year-old huntress named Feyre, who lives in the magical world of Prythian. When Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a magical creature shows up on her doorstep, demanding justice and revenge for the death of the wolf. Feyre is unwillingly taken from her home and moved to a different part of Prythian, where she must deal with the consequences of her actions. However, as Feyre begins to spend more time with her captor, she realizes that this beast is not as bad as she thinks he is. Feyre’s world unravels as she is thrown right into the world of immortal faeries who rule all of Prythian, and she realizes that everything is not as perfect as it seems. 

Often described as a Beauty and the Beast retelling, ACOTAR is a romance fantasy series focusing on the magical world of faeries, wolves, and many terrifying and deadly creatures. The ACOTAR plot is mainly fantasy focused, with a prevalent romance subplot throughout the entire series, which spans five books(and counting). With a rating of 4.20/5 stars on Goodreads, ACOTAR is the perfect series if you are looking to begin reading fantasy novels. If you are looking to be thrown into a world of magic, deceit, and true love, this series is for you. 

4. The Silent Patient- Thriller 

The Silent Patient is a thriller/ mystery novel written by Alex Michaelides. This novel follows a woman named Alicia Berenson, who seemingly lives a perfect life working as a painter and living in a luxurious house with her husband, until one day, her husband Gabriel comes home from work, and Alicia shoots him in the head five times. After this incident, Alicia refuses ever to speak a word again. When a criminal psychotherapist named Theo Faber thinks he has what it takes to get Alicia to talk and reveal why she did what she did, he goes to extreme lengths to ensure he can get the job done. As Theo begins seeing Alicia, he learns more daunting information than he could ever imagine, which leads to many twists and shocking revelations. 

With The Silent Patient being Michaelides’ debut novel, its 4.18/ 5 star rating on Goodreads is insanely impressive. This novel hooks audiences into a suspenseful story that will have people’s jaws dropping. Its short chapters and quick pacing make this book incredibly easy to binge-read. The Silent Patient is an excellent thriller novel that will undoubtedly leave you wanting to read more mysteries. 

3. Daisy Jones & The Six – Literary Fiction

Daisy Jones & The Six is a novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid that follows the fictional band Daisy Jones & The Six. Set in the 1970s, this book is loosely based on the real-life band Fleetwood Mac and is written entirely in interview transcripts. An interviewer sits down with all of the Daisy Jones & The Six members and asks them to explain their rise to fame and how they all met. Throughout this book, readers get to see all of the interesting character dynamics emerge, such as the relationship between Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne, who are the lead singers and songwriters of the band. The novel talks about the Hollywood scene in the early 70s and how the rock and roll lifestyle can affect a person positively and negatively. This book was a massive success amongst its readers, so much so that it was adapted into a television show by Prime Video, released in March of 2023. 

Similarly to the novel, the television show performed very well and was well-loved by critics and audiences. The series brought the novel’s music and characters to real life, and its impact was so prevalent that the show even managed to snag nine Emmy nominations for the upcoming awards show. Daisy Jones & The Six is an excellent novel for readers interested in music and looking for a book they can see come to life on screen.