Top 5 Wednesday: Books outside my comfort zone

My first T5W in ages. Hopefully I’ll float back into the habit.

5. Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

Out of my comfort zone because: It’s horror. Me and horror are a bit dodgy at best. I like it, but I have to do some serious mental prep to read it. If you didn’t hear about this book when it came out a couple years ago, it’s pretty interesting. Written to look like a furniture catalogue with increasingly disturbing advertisements, Horrorstor takes place in an Ikea knockoff store. It’s creepy. It’s good. I’m glad I read it.

4. Easy by Tammara Webber

Out of my comfort zone because: It’s new adult. I wouldn’t call out out of my zone anymore, but when I picked it up it certainly was. It was my first new adult book, and it made me a fan of the genre. Since then, I’ve found a few more good’uns and a loooot of bad’uns. Overall though, it introduced me to a good genre and I’m glad I read it.

 

3. Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Out of my comfort zone because: It’s a 90s fantasy. My parents’ house is full of 90s fantasy, but I had never picked any up due to the covers. They’re just all so.. dated. But I’ve since learned my lesson – I’m a bad and I feel bad. This series is fantastic and it’s led me to pick up the second book and want to pick up the rest.

 

2. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

Out of my comfort zone because: It’s science fiction. Now, I’ve read sci-fi before, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Before this though, I had never read space opera sci-fi. And since, I’ve picked up more along in the same genre, like The Forever War. I’m thinking about attempting Dan Simmons soon, and PKD on top of that. This book has really been a gateway for me. I LOVE SCIENCE FICTION, MAN.

 

1. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Out of my comfort zone because: It’s a thriller. This remains the only thriller I’ve read, which is why it’s number one. I plan on reading The Da Vinci Code eventually, along with the rest of the Robert Langdon novels if I like it. But otherwise, I just don’t tend to reach for these. No idea why – I like what I’ve read, I just have no drive to read more. Halp?

….

For all except number one, these books I’ve read that were originally out of my comfort zones all ended up being gateway books for me. My reading tastes have expanded so much because of them, and it’s wonderful. So if a friend recommends you a book you’d normally not read, try it out – you might find you like it. :”D

As always, the Top 5 Wednesday group can be found here if you’d like to join.

Happy reading!