Anonymous wrote:I am a new reader and am looking for recommendations within fiction or non-fiction. My criteria is that the book should have a happy ending. Biographies are also fine.

I finished reading Queen Charlotte which is based on the Netflix series and loved it.

Also any tips for fast reading and better comprehending are appreciated.

I haven't watched or read that but Philippa Gregory writes a ton of historical fiction books about English royals (The Other Boleyn Girl may be her most famous). They're easy and fun to read!

Anonymous wrote:OP, as an adult with obligations, it can be a lifelong challenge to read for enjoyment while also stretching yourself while also not committing to “homework.”

But homework can be fun too. I found a genre I really liked as an adult: “crime fiction.” And I tried to learn and read all I could about it, which lead to crazy detours, like spending a year reading everything by Faulkner.

Someone else could have read some other books and ended up as a buff about the Napoleonic wars or Native Americans. Just ride the wave and follow where it takes you.

Op here.
That is true... Each time I start reading, I get distracted by other more important commitments - kids, work, deadlines and I rarely finish my reading task.

OP, as an adult with obligations, it can be a lifelong challenge to read for enjoyment while also stretching yourself while also not committing to “homework.”

But homework can be fun too. I found a genre I really liked as an adult: “crime fiction.” And I tried to learn and read all I could about it, which lead to crazy detours, like spending a year reading everything by Faulkner.

Someone else could have read some other books and ended up as a buff about the Napoleonic wars or Native Americans. Just ride the wave and follow where it takes you.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Great suggestions... Thank you!

OP, also know that if there is an ebook you want to read that your library doesn't have, you can "recommend" it on the library's website (and maybe also in Libby). I would say that my library buys probably 50% of the books that I recommend. (If they do, they will notify you that they've bought it and let you be the first to check it out.) Also, you can get reciprocal borrowing privileges from other counties' library systems, in case your library doesn't have a book you're looking for.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is the big book for the last year. Category: Romantasy. Reads fast.

Before I Let You Go, by Kennedy Ryan just got a GMA book pick.

Other popular romance authors right now are:
Emily Henry
Ali Hazelton
Colleen Hoover

The Deal by Elle Kennedy was really good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You basically want the romance genre overall, where HEA is required. There are tons of sub-genres and overlap - historical and contemporary being the first, big divisions, but with overlap with genres like fantasy and mystery.

You’ll learn what tropes you enjoy pretty quickly - class division, friends-to-lovers, retelling, etc.

Romance is the largest part of the market, so you’ll have lots of options. Start exploring…you’ll find your niche!

Any book recommendation in that category?

A few I liked:

- Funny You Should Ask + Once More With Feeling - by Elissa Sussman

- Very Sincerely Yours, by Kerry Winfrey

- Romantic Conedy, by Curtis Sittenfeld

- Seven Days in June, by Tia Williams

this is OP. Thanks for the suggestions. I am about to finish reading Very Sincerely Yours and I loved it.

Yay!! I’m so happy to hear this! 😊

I used to read a lot (was even a double English and political science major) and then didn’t for ages. A few things have gotten me back into reading:
- embracing audiobooks (listen to a LOT when doing chores)
- reading “on the page” at least 5 mins a day and tracking it (I use Bookly) so my streaks seem like a game. Even 5 mins adds up!
- with a few exceptions, only reading things that I’ve really wanted to read or that come recommended by 3 or empire people.

I just finished listening to “Someone Else’s Shoes” (which I learned about on this forum) and think it might fit what you’re looking for. Last year I read “In a New York Minute” and “Book Lovers” and think you may enjoy both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You basically want the romance genre overall, where HEA is required. There are tons of sub-genres and overlap - historical and contemporary being the first, big divisions, but with overlap with genres like fantasy and mystery.

You’ll learn what tropes you enjoy pretty quickly - class division, friends-to-lovers, retelling, etc.

Romance is the largest part of the market, so you’ll have lots of options. Start exploring…you’ll find your niche!

Any book recommendation in that category?

A few I liked:

- Funny You Should Ask + Once More With Feeling - by Elissa Sussman

- Very Sincerely Yours, by Kerry Winfrey

- Romantic Conedy, by Curtis Sittenfeld

- Seven Days in June, by Tia Williams

this is OP. Thanks for the suggestions. I am about to finish reading Very Sincerely Yours and I loved it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You basically want the romance genre overall, where HEA is required. There are tons of sub-genres and overlap - historical and contemporary being the first, big divisions, but with overlap with genres like fantasy and mystery.

You’ll learn what tropes you enjoy pretty quickly - class division, friends-to-lovers, retelling, etc.

Romance is the largest part of the market, so you’ll have lots of options. Start exploring…you’ll find your niche!

Any book recommendation in that category?

I'm a big historical romance reader, but I dabble in contemporary. If you want recommendations, share what sub-genres interest you and I'll make a few suggestions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You basically want the romance genre overall, where HEA is required. There are tons of sub-genres and overlap - historical and contemporary being the first, big divisions, but with overlap with genres like fantasy and mystery.

You’ll learn what tropes you enjoy pretty quickly - class division, friends-to-lovers, retelling, etc.

Romance is the largest part of the market, so you’ll have lots of options. Start exploring…you’ll find your niche!

What is HEA?

Happily Ever After 🙂

Oh. So HEA means Happily Ever After. Ok. Thanks.

- Another vote for getting a library card and going in person to browse. For a reader, there’s really nothing like it. You’re like a kid in a candy shop - sooooo much right there’s waiting for you - and it’s free! So you can have fun selecting books and trying anything that catches your eye without fear that you’ll be wasting your money.

- Also, it might be helpful to download the Goodreads app and create a free account. This way you can keep track of what you’ve read (and what you tried but did not like enough to finish). You can also keep a “To Read” list on there with all the suggestions you collect along the way. Plus it’s easy to find other books written by the same author, after you finish a book you liked a lot. I’ve found it really helpful over the years.

- Finally, when it comes to novels with happy endings, I agree that romance is a good place to look. There are so many kinds - contemporary stories that take place now, and historical romances that take place at various times in the past. Do you have a preference? If not, try some of each.

- Sometines it helps to ask yourself “Whose story do I want to hear?” Like what kind of main character do you want to read about?

For me, it sometimes helps to focus on an age group - teenagers, and their coming of age” stories? (There are some GREAT ones out there that I’ve loved as an adult. Some were romances, but many were not. Good stuff.) Or people in their 20s just starting to become adults (new jobs, romances, friendships)? Or people in their 30s, often dealing with very busy lives and families? Or older - 40s/50s who are experiencing a big life change or reflecting on their past choices and next stage ahead.

If you have more ideas about the type of characters or time periods that interest you, let us know and we can make more recommendations.

Have fun!!

See if you like mysteries. There are mysteries that range from lighthearted to more hard boiled, and many writers have themes — so Diane Mott Davidson mysteries center around a caterer, so there’s a bit of light romance, a few recipes, and continuing characters throughout the series. Laura Lippman writes mysteries set in Baltimore, and captures details of the culture and the neighborhoods perfectly. If you have a hobby or a particular interest, there’s probably a mystery series that includes liberal sprinkles about that interest. Daniel Silva’s books focus on intelligence agents and art restoration.
Donna Leon’s are set in Venice, and include such detailed descriptions of food that fans eventually got a cookbook to accompany the series.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You basically want the romance genre overall, where HEA is required. There are tons of sub-genres and overlap - historical and contemporary being the first, big divisions, but with overlap with genres like fantasy and mystery.

You’ll learn what tropes you enjoy pretty quickly - class division, friends-to-lovers, retelling, etc.

Romance is the largest part of the market, so you’ll have lots of options. Start exploring…you’ll find your niche!

What is HEA?

Happily Ever After 🙂

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You basically want the romance genre overall, where HEA is required. There are tons of sub-genres and overlap - historical and contemporary being the first, big divisions, but with overlap with genres like fantasy and mystery.

You’ll learn what tropes you enjoy pretty quickly - class division, friends-to-lovers, retelling, etc.

Romance is the largest part of the market, so you’ll have lots of options. Start exploring…you’ll find your niche!

Any book recommendation in that category?

A few I liked:

- Funny You Should Ask + Once More With Feeling - by Elissa Sussman

- Very Sincerely Yours, by Kerry Winfrey

- Romantic Conedy, by Curtis Sittenfeld

- Seven Days in June, by Tia Williams