Today’s post is full of recommendations for readers who don’t read a certain genre/subgenre!
If You Don’t Read (insert genre/subgenre), Try This One!
Today’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is a “genre freebie.” I’m inspired to recommend a book for you in a genre you never read. I believe that if you’re not a reader or not a reader of a certain genre, maybe you haven’t read the right book. This is my attempt to lure you into reading that genre you might have been avoiding!
I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday: Genre Freebie (oops! more than ten today!)
***This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.
(In no particular order
If you don’t read historical fiction, try …
- West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge (my FREE Book Club Kit)
- The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk KIdd
- The Girl from Gernica by Karen Robards
- The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner
- The Berlin Apartment by Bryn Turnbull
If you don’t read WWII historical fiction, try …
If you don’t read science fiction, try …
If you don’t read nonfiction, try …
- Narrative Nonfiction: The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore; The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (audio format)
- Memoir: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (audio format)
- Oral History: The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede (followed by the Broadway musical, Come From Away). The Only Plane in the Sky by Garret M. Graff
- Sports: The Boys of Riverside by Thomas Fuller (FREE Book Club Kit), The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (audio format)
- Self-Help: Atomic Habits by James Clear, Remember by Lisa Genova, The Choice by Dr. Edith Eva Eger, You’re Not Listening by Kate Murphy, Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
- (gentle and reflective) Essay Collection: Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones
- Inspiration: Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield
- U. S. History: And There Was Light by Jon Meacham
If you don’t read romance, try …
- Love and Lavender by Josi S. Kilpack
- The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right or The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by Suzanne Allain
- Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot
If you don’t read literary fiction, try …
- James by Percival Everett (FREE Book Club Kit)
- Small Things Like These (novella) by Claire Keegan
- Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kruegar
If you don’t read young adult, try …
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (or any title by this author)
If you don’t read quirky characters, try …
If you don’t read thrillers, try …
- The Nature of Fragile Things (genre mashup) by Susan Meissner
- The River by Peter Heller
- The Good Sister (domestic psychological thriller) by Sally Hepworth
If you don’t read mystery, try …
- The Violin Conspiracy or Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
- Exiles by Jane Harper (also The Dry and Force of Nature)…a loosely connected series…all standalones, but Exiles wraps up the Aaron Falk storyline
- The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton
- The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
- All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny (stand-alone in a long series)
If you don’t read family drama, try …
If you don’t read Epistolary, try …
- The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (FREE Book Club Kit)
- Kate & Frida by Kim Fay (Also, Love & Saffron)
- 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
If you don’t read Westerns, try …
News of the World by Paulette Jiles (plus the movie adaptation)
If you don’t read Women’s Fiction, try …
Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan
If you don’t read Poetry, try …
- A novel in free verse! Paper Hearts by Meg Wiviott
- Additional suggestions here.
QOTD:
Can I recommend a book for you?
Which book would you add?
ICYMI:
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Wow what a fab list, Carol, something for everyone!
Thanks Nicki! It’s dangerous to get me started on recommendations! LOL
I’ve enjoyed all the books that I’ve read by Kate Quinn and Jane Harper. These are some great suggestions. Thank you for all the different books.
I’m happy to hear that you’ve enjoyed Harper and Quinn! Harper has a new book coming out next year, but I wonder what Quinn has in the works?
I’ve only read Project Hail Mary from your list. There’s so much historical fiction!
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2025/08/05/top-ten-tuesday-ya-books-that-seem-to-be-forgotten/
It’s hard to know where to start when recommending histfic! I could list pages of recs!
I think you covered it all. Everything you recommended that I’ve read—I also recommend.
That’s amazing to hear! Thanks for the vote of confidence!
Radar Girls is a great look at a different aspect of WWII.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/football-reads-ten-books-to-prepare-for-football-season/
It’s my fav of the Ackerman books!
This is a great theme!
And, yes, I totally agree that The Day the World Came to Town is a wonderful introduction to the historical genre. It has such a conversational tone.
Thanks! Book recs are my fav posts to write!
This is a very comprehensive list! I do have James and The Woman They Could Not Silence on my TBR.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Thanks Aymee! I hope you enjoy both those books! Hopping over to read your post…..
Carol this is an AMAZING post!! What great work!!!!!
Thank you! The most difficult was limiting it to just a few titles per genre and not overthinking it!
I’ve done a “gateway” post to nonfiction–it was the same problem!
Nice list! I still need to read Radar Girls. Atomic Habits is amazing. Thanks for sharing.
https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/08/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-things.html
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Radar Girls is my fav of Ackerman’s books!
Fabulous suggestions! I love how you have something for everyone here!
Thanks! It was fun to curate! The challenging part was limiting it to a few and not overthinking it!
I love your take on the genre freebie! What a fun resource to have 🙂 My TTT
Thanks for your kind words! Hopping over to read your post…..
What a great list!
Thanks! 📚
This is such a great post! Thanks for taking the time to put it together!
Thank you! Giving recs is so fun!
Yes, yes, yes to Project Hail Mary as an introduction to Sci Fi.
I also have James on my list: https://clairehennighan.wordpress.com/2025/08/06/my-top-ten-historical-fiction-novels/
I rec PHM (audio) to everyone! Hopping over to read your post….
You have some great recommendations here, Carol. There are 22/54 of them that I haven’t read, but out of those, there are several already on my TBR. I might be adding more of them.
Thanks! So many books so little time! I love that our reading lives are never dull and are filled to the brim with possibilities!
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