Happy Tuesday! It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, the weekly feature run by That Artsy Reader Girl where you choose ten books to fit a weekly prompt. This week’s prompt is ten books I would hand to someone who claims not to like reading. This is such an intriguing prompt and really got me thinking. There’s no perfect book for anyone but regardless, need something that’s fairly short and with a plot that really grabs you right from the beginning. So here are my choices for various types of people.
The Martian by Andy Weir
I have to start with The Martian and not just because it’s my favorite read of 2021. I’m a mechanical engineer and have lots of engineer friends. This is the book I’d choose for them. This one starts out so strong and never lets up. I think it would totally hook my geeky friends and they’d love it just as much as me.
A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
I adore this series and again, it’s one that really starts off with a bang to get the reader’s attention. For my sciency/engineering friends that might be a little more romantic or not quite as geeky, this one is perfect. It’s got a romance I love, tons of great places the characters visit and just a touch of physics that isn’t too overblown. Plus, it’s pretty short!
A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab
This probably seems like a weird choice but I can’t help but include this adult fantasy series since this is really what jump started my own reading. I always said I liked reading if asked but I read only a few books a year and was really in a rut, continuously rereading a handful of books and never really branching out. My sister gave me this series for Christmas of 2018 and I read it in only a few weeks and then went on to read 75 books in 2019, nearly 10 times what I’d read in the prior year. This spurred on my real love of reading and threw me into the world of fantasy, why couldn’t it work for someone else?
Illuminae by Jamie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
This sci-fi series looks intimidating but is actually a fast read and the multi-media format is great for someone who is intimidated by reading. It’s action-packed and such a good time. For someone who likes action but maybe prefers movies or TV, this could be a good way to get into reading.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I recommend this book to everyone and for the right non-reader, it would be the same. I gave this to my mom who reads very little and she loved it and then picked up a few more books afterwards saying it put her in the mood to read. For someone who is into celebrity gossip, romance, or just has an interest in old Hollywood, this would be a great choice.
If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
I read this as an ARC earlier this year and it’s so much fun. Lots of people like TV and movies but don’t really read. For someone who likes reality TV and rom-coms, this is an easy next step. If they like Cinderella or Disney, even better. I loved this story and it was so thoughtful, sweet and funny.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Another choice for the romance and rom-com movie fans, The Hating Game is a quick read and a great time. For someone that says reading is boring but is content to sit through a 2 hour rom-com movie, this one has enough laughs and romance scenes to keep them invested.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Like a good mystery, thriller or mind-bending tale? Recursion is all of that in a fairly short and quick read. This book almost read like a movie, I could see it being a great movie. It would be a good option for someone looking for that big movie thrill from a book with just a touch of science fiction, very light on the actual science-y talk though.
The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk
I went through high school as a drama and music kid. Band, chorus, drama club, Thespian Society, I did them all and most of my friends did too. I would recommend The Other Side of Perfect to any of them or anyone who had a similar high school experience. This book gave me so many nostalgic vibes, it was like being back in high school and I loved every minute of it. Regardless of if they like to read, I think they’d all appreciate it for the same reason.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
OK, maybe not for someone who doesn’t like reading at all but definitely for someone who claims not to like fantasy, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a great intro to reading fantasy. I think readers often try to jump into adult fantasy which is so dense that it’s intimidating and often turns readers off. Starting with YA is a great way to dip your toes into the world of reading fantasy and this series is such much fun. Someone who likes watching fantasy TV or movies but doesn’t read would also find this a good place to start as it’s much easier to read than adult fantasy.
That’s it, I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think of my choices or what you’d recommend.
Susan Lyn Knits and Reads 
The Martian has been a very popular choice this week. I couldn’t agree more with it!
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-would-hand-to-someone-who-claims-to-not-like-reading/
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I think these are great suggestions. I am very interested in trying Illuminae. It looks like my sort of read.
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Illuminae is so much fun and the format is totally unlike anything I’ve ever read. I read all 3 this year and gave them all 5 stars for sheer enjoyment.
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Blake Crouch is awesome. I don’t’ think I’ve read anything of his that I didn’t like. And _The Martian_ made my list, too.
My post—https://fiftytwo.blog/2021/11/02/ttt-books-to-recommend-to-non-readers/
Happy TTT!
Lori
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A great list! It helps to understand what the potential reader likes before giving them a book rec.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/bookish-gift-guide-big-spender-edition/
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Funny enough, I DNF’d THE MARTIAN pretty fast because I found it so boring. My husband, on the other hand, was totally intrigued from the beginning. He’s not an engineer, but he has that kind of brain, so maybe that’s why it worked so well for him and not for me. RECURSION, on the other hand, kept me totally riveted throughout.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
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A Darker Shade of Magic is great. I feel like it’s the type of fantasy that can appeal to a wide audience.
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The Martian is a good recommendation, I’ve seen it on quite a few lists today actually. Happy reading!
My TTT: https://readwithstefani.com/ten-old-favorite-books-i-want-to-reread-to-determine-if-theyre-all-time-favorites/
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A Darker Shade of Magic is one of my favourite books ever, definitely a good starter fantasy!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2021/11/02/top-ten-tuesday-340/
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What I love about the Martian that makes science easy. It has a lot of scientific data but it is easily explained and does not make you feel stupid for not knowing sooner.
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Agreed! It has a lot of science but in such an accessible way. You can be a scientist/ engineer or know nothing about physics and you can still enjoy it.
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