64. Books That Will Get You Into Reading
My 12 picks for books that will (re)inspire you to start reading
The number one book recommendation I get asked for? Books that will get you into (or back into) reading!
Not my favorite books, not the books that will change your life, not the best writing…
I almost always get asked for books that will get you excited to read more.
Easy to get into, engaging throughout, and books that are FUN to read.
It’s my favorite recommendation to share and I wanted to put together a list for you if you also want to get into (or re-inspire your love of) reading.
In the past four years, I’ve read 181 books so I had a lot to choose from for this list.
These 12 picks are the ones that I’ve recommended most frequently and I’ve split them into a few categories so you can choose the vibe/genre you’re looking for.
Hope you enjoy! And if you have any friends who have been talking about getting into reading, share this list with them as a great starting point!
Engaging Mysteries & Thrillers
These books will grab your interest immediately and keep you turning pages until the very end. I personally love a mystery or thriller to get back into the reading groove.
The Guest List
Murder mystery. Thrilling. Quick Read.
This was my number-one mystery recommendation for a long time. This book is easy to get into, has an interesting cast of characters, and takes place on a remote island in Ireland where a wedding is about to take place… Or is it?
One Second After
Survival Story. Emotional. Thrilling.
What would happen if modern technology and life as we know it changed forever? This book grips you from the start and never lets go. Although this is an incredible thriller, it also opens up thought-provoking ideas and makes you reflect on humanity and what it means to survive.
The Last One
Thriller. Mystery. Gripping. Quick Read.
This book will NOT change your life but it will definitely keep you turning pages trying to figure out what the heck is happening on this mysterious cruise ship and who you can trust. I stayed up far too late to finish this fast-paced thriller.
Da Vinci Code
Thrilling. Dramatic. Race To The Finish.
Whenever I lose my passion for reading, there’s nothing like a Dan Brown book to get me back into it. Following symbologist Robert Langdon and his fast-paced adventure through the Louvre and the life of Da Vinci is such an enjoyable experience.
Need A Beach/Vacation Read
For reading while on vacation (whether that’s a beach, pool, or campground) or just on your patio at home with a cool drink for company. These are light but still incredible books that pass my ‘always recommend’ check.
The Treasure Hunters Club
Mystery. Treasure Hunters. Quick Read.
Based on the coast of Nova Scotia, this book is pure adventure and fun following a quirky cast of characters on a treasure hunt from history. This would be a perfect light, fast mystery read to enjoy on vacation — or anytime!
Oona Out Of Order
Contemporary Fiction. Time Travel.
On January 1st, Oona wakes up in a different year of her life — one year she’s 68 and the next she’s 24 so she truly is experiencing her life out of order. Each year she learns something new about life, love, friendship, and aging. A really fast, enjoyable read and a cool take on the time travel genre.
One Italian Summer
Summer Read. Magical Realism. Quick Read.
The perfect light, fast read to enjoy on a beach. Our main character arrives on the Amalfi Coast and meets who she thinks is her recently deceased mother as a young woman. She doesn’t know how that’s possible but she’s going to soak in every moment of her Summer with her new friend.
Daisy Jones & The Six
Contemporary Fiction. Romance. Summer Read.
This is an incredible audiobook performed by a full cast! The novel follows a famous band from the 70s, reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. The book takes you through modern-day interviews with the band members that tell the story of love, betrayal, and rock and roll.
Thought-Provoking & Historical Fiction Reads
These reads are a bit deeper, more emotional, and stick with you long after you reach the final sentence. These are great books to get you into some richer novels and enjoy varied stories.
The Nightingale
Historical Fiction. Emotional. Romance.
This book will WRECK you in the best way. I cried throughout this story of two women in occupied France during WWII who have very different, but intertwined, journeys through the war. Love, family, heartbreak, hope… This book has it all.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Contemporary Fiction. Friendship.
This book is about two friends who design video games. But on a whole other level, it’s about creativity, what it means to collaborate, what you do for love, and so much more. A truly delightful novel that will have you enthralled throughout.
The Island Of The Sea Women
Historical Fiction. Emotional. Friendship.
I had no idea about the incredible women divers who make up a huge part of Korean history — this novel follows two friends on the island of Jeju and their journey through war, family, heartbreak, and the fellowship of the female divers who lead their families through the hardships of history.
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Contemporary Fiction. Emotional. Found Family.
Largely through the voice of an Octopus called Marcellus, this is a story of found family and small towns and a strange but life-changing friendship between a woman named Tova and the old octopus at the aquarium. This is also a great audiobook listen!
🤠 What’s Cool…
I’ve been following Emma on LinkedIn for years and I'm always blown away by her concise, accessible messaging advice for tech companies and beyond.
This post popped up in my LinkedIn feed the other day and I STOPPED IN MY TRACKS and took a screenshot immediately.
Emma’s definitions of positioning, messaging, and copywriting are so clear and helpful! I use these terms pretty much every day for my business and I had never seen them mapped out so simply altogether like this.
I saved it to my ‘good stuff’ folder and I know I’ll be referring back to this helpful definition graphic many times in the future. Thank you, Emma!
📚 Currently Reading…
I’m right in the middle of my very first Stephen King novel: 11/22/63 and I am enthralled by the story.
The book surrounds an English teacher in 2011 who discovers a way to travel back in time to a particular day in 1958 and sets out on a mission to stop the Kennedy assassination.
I was immediately hooked - which is good because this book is over 800 pages long - and I’m halfway through with no slowing down.
I’m very interested to see how they handle the topic of time travel, the butterfly effect, and whether this man can really change history. I’ll keep you posted next week!
🍊 Working On…
Writing new blog posts for my website. I tackled three new posts this week and got them published to backfill my content plate.
I love it when I FINALLY carve out time (although it’s rare) to write my own content.
It gives my website new content for Google to crawl for my SEO, more resources for people to access on search engines, and more pages for my Pinterest to point back to for new traffic.
Here are some of the posts I shared on my website in the past few months…
If you see some familiar topics you’d be correct! I often select core topics that I share on my blog, my substack, and social media. I add different elements of the topic for each channel — this is how I repurpose content as a solopreneur.
Thank you for being here and chat next Wednesday,
xo — Belle