We all have a genre we love and always read. For me, that’s romance. For you, it might be the same, or it might be fantasy or something entirely different.
But we all have to step out of our comfort zones sometimes, whether that’s because of necessity or want. And that process is never comfortable. You often don’t know where to start, what would appeal to you, and choosing the wrong book could mean you never try that genre again (which would be a shame).
So yes, it’s daunting. Worth it, though!
This is how I found historical romance. And yes, I know, it’s still romance – but! It’s romance of the kind I always avoided before, like it was literally on my do-not-read list. Then I gave it a chance and in return, I got so much joy, so many lovely stories, and even a favorite read or three.
Now I’m looking to find something new, and I started thinking more about how people even do that, or at least how I did that previously. Below you’ll find my conclusions and what I think is the best way to start reading a new genre. Ready to go? Let’s do it!
Find something close to what you already love
It’s good to have something familiar in something new. And it’s a smart, simple way to ease yourself into it instead of shocking your mind into accepting something completely strange.
Using my own example: when I first started reading historical romance, it was Tessa Dare’s books that got me into it. And if you don’t know, the historical romances Tessa Dare writes are way less… historical than usual? They’re fun and read like contemporary rom-coms with some historical elements there to spice things up.
So, for instance, if you mainly read romance but want to get into horror, try romance books with horror elements, something like Your Blood, My Bones, or Don’t Let the Forest In. If you mainly read fantasy but want to get into romance, try romantasy like The Jasad Heir or The Jasmine Throne. If you want to go from romance to classics, then perhaps Jane Austen or Elizabeth Gaskell are for you. And if you read romance but want to go for lit fic, maybe try Sally Rooney.
I hope you see what I mean – there are these transitional books or genres that create a sort of bridge which makes it much easier for you to get used to new things.
Try staples of the genre
If you want to jump straight in, then try what the fans of the genre you want to read like best.
I did this when I first started reading historical romance as well – I saw Lord of Scoundrels, What I Did for a Duke, Slightly Dangerous and Devil in Winter recommended everywhere in historical romance spaces. And so, I tried them all and trusted the tastes of long-time fans. Wouldn’t you know it, I loved two out of four of those books, which is not a bad ratio at all!
So this is what I recommend to you as well. If you want to know what’s the best place to start, current readers of that genre will know what’s best, and it pays off to trust them on this.
Let life lead you where it may
Funny story: I never set out to try historical romance at all. I was trying to get into horror. And using the logic of my first tip, I went for All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles. My idea was that this book is kind of scary (which I wanted to get used to), but it also has a murder mystery (which I love) and a romance (because duh!).
But instead, what it led me to is historical romance!
So, maybe you’ll set out to try one genre and life (and internet) will take you elsewhere. But that’s the fun of it – there are no strict rules to this. As long as you try something new that makes you happy, that’s all that matters.
DNF whenever you feel like it
Look, people dislike not finishing books, and I get it, I do – it looks weird in the trackers and leaves you kind of unsatisfied. But trust me on this, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
For example, when I first started reading historical romance, I tried The Lotus Palace by Jeannie Lin. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me at the time, and I struggled for a few days before I decided – you know what, just DNF it.
And that’s what I did. I moved on to other books and loved them so much. But if I hadn’t DNF’d that one book, I never would have continued to read in this genre, because for a moment, I genuinely thought maybe I’m the problem and historical romance isn’t for me, after all.
Give yourself permission to DNF as much as you need until you get to what you actually enjoy.
Lower the stakes
Spending lots of money and time on something you’re not sure you’ll like is scary, I know! But I have good news for you: you don’t really have to.
I write more about how to read affordably here, which should help you find easy tips to get books for free or at least cheap. But the point is that you should make good use of the library, subscription services, and free resources.
You can also borrow from a friend.
As for the time investment, I suggest trying shorter books of the genre first. For example, don’t commit to a full series of seven books if there’s a 300-page standalone you could read instead. What you need is a taster to start with, not a commitment.
Figure out what you want specifically
Look, I understand that you may not know the specifics of what you want to read. Maybe it’s all just a murky, kind of vague vision for you. But I guarantee we can find a way to figure out the specifics, or at least get you close enough.
First of all, what are the vibes you’re going for, the atmosphere? Do you want something light and hopeful, sort of breezy? Or perhaps whimsical, funny, and warm? Are you looking for gothic and gloomy?
Once you find the vibe, you can maybe go through Pinterest and find some photos that suit your ideas. Type in anything and then “aesthetic” (for example, “rom com aesthetic” or “gothic dark academia aesthetic”) – this should get you plenty of good material.
Now, if this doesn’t help (and maybe even if it does), it’s also a good idea to try to compare what you want to read to an existing piece of media.
It could be a book (“I want something like Lies of Locke Lamora but with more romance”) or a movie (“I want something like the movie Anastasia but in a more fantasy world, with a Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack feeling”) or a mix of both (“I want something like Practical Magic but set in a world like The Night Circus”), or some hybrid of all of that (“I want something funny like Resident Alien, but where the alien is fae instead and there’s more romance”).
Basically, think about what you’ve read or watched that feels close to what you need.
Finally, add your own tastes to it. Think about the writers you like, what specific tropes you like, etc. All of this will help you paint a better picture for the next step.
Ask for help
There’s no shame in it! Most people lurk online and there’s enough material that you can sort of piece together something like what you need, but never exactly, and therein lies the problem.
The best way to find what you need is to – you betcha – ask someone. Whether it’s a librarian or a bookshop clerk or a reddit forum, or a friend, you can find the most tailored recommendations that way.
In the previous step you figured out what you really want. Great! For example, mine is that I want a horror novel with murder mystery and a bit of romance, with a kind of gothic, autumny feel, and where the horror is more ghosts and haunted houses than violence and gore. I want it to feel like that scene in Anastasia where she dances with the ghosts/visions. I normally read lots of fantasy and romance and my favorite author is Alix E. Harrow.
Now take your description and go to your local library, bookshop or r/suggestmeabook reddit sub, and I guarantee someone will point you to the right book. Or several! If you choose to go for photos/aesthetics as a way to show what you want, there’s a great reddit sub called r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis where you can do just that.
It’s much better and easier than struggling on your own.
Final Thoughts
I hope you find this guide helpful in your journey of finding new books to love. If you’re shy about reddit and asking other people, feel free to leave a comment below with your specific wants and needs, and I’ll do my best to recommend a book that suits your tastes.
What’s your strategy to get into a new genre? Let’s talk about it in the comments!
