Let’s be honest. The phrase “I hate reading” doesn’t mean someone hates stories or ideas. It usually means they’ve been traumatized by dusty classics in high school or picked up the wrong book at the wrong time. Maybe you associate reading with boredom, eye strain, or those massive novels that sit on your nightstand for months collecting guilt instead of turning pages.
Here’s the thing though. Reading doesn’t have to feel like homework. The right book can change everything. It can make you laugh on a plane, keep you awake past midnight, or make you see the world differently. The secret is finding books that don’t feel like reading at all. They feel like experiencing something new. So let’s dive into some titles that might just convert you into someone who actually enjoys cracking open a book.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This book grabs you by page three and doesn’t let go. It follows Starr, a teenager who witnesses her friend’s death at the hands of a police officer. The story unfolds with such raw emotion and authenticity that you forget you’re reading words on a page.
What makes this perfect for reading skeptics is the voice. Starr talks like a real person, not some carefully constructed literary character. The chapters move fast. The dialogue crackles. Before you know it, you’ve read fifty pages without checking your phone once.
Thomas writes about serious topics without making the book feel heavy or preachy. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you long after you finish, making you think about perspectives you might not have considered before.
Educated by Tara Westover
Memoirs hit differently than fiction because you know someone actually lived through these events. Westover grew up in rural Idaho without formal schooling, eventually teaching herself enough to get into Cambridge University. Her journey sounds impossible, which is exactly why it’s so compelling.
The book reads like a thriller in parts. There’s tension, danger, and moments where you genuinely worry about what happens next. For people who struggle with fiction because it feels “made up,” this true story delivers the same page-turning quality without requiring you to suspend disbelief.
Westover’s writing style is clean and direct. She doesn’t waste your time with flowery descriptions or philosophical tangents. Every scene serves the story, making it nearly impossible to put down once you start.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
This mystery novel is narrated by Christopher, a fifteen-year-old with autism who sets out to solve the murder of a neighbor’s dog. What sounds like a simple premise becomes something much deeper and more moving.
Christopher explains the world through diagrams, math problems, and logical deductions. The format breaks up the text in ways that make it visually interesting and easier to digest. You’re never staring at intimidating blocks of text for pages on end.
The chapters are short, some just a single page. This structure is perfect for reluctant readers because you always feel like you’re making progress. Plus, the mystery element keeps you curious enough to keep going, even if you typically bail on books halfway through.
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah’s memoir about growing up in South Africa during and after apartheid manages to be simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking. He has this gift for taking deeply serious situations and finding the absurd humanity in them.
Each chapter reads almost like a standalone story, so you don’t feel locked into a massive commitment. You can read one chapter about his mother throwing him out of a moving car to save his life, process that, and come back later for another chapter about his DJ career.
Noah writes the way he talks, which makes the book feel like he’s sitting across from you telling these wild stories. There’s no pretension or literary posturing. Just honest, engaging storytelling from someone who’s lived through situations most of us can barely imagine.
The Martian by Andy Weir
If you’ve seen the Matt Damon movie, forget it for a second. The book is even better, and here’s why it works for reading haters: it’s funny, fast-paced, and feels more like reading someone’s sarcastic diary than a traditional novel.
Mark Watney gets stranded on Mars and has to science his way to survival. The technical details could be boring in the wrong hands, but Weir makes them entertaining by filtering everything through Watney’s irreverent personality. He’s basically a smart-aleck problem solver who won’t shut up, which makes for surprisingly addictive reading.
The short log entry format means you’re constantly moving forward. There’s always a new crisis, a new solution attempt, a new joke. You never get bogged down in lengthy descriptions of the Martian landscape or tedious explanations of orbital mechanics.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor is socially awkward, painfully honest, and follows the same rigid routine every day. Watching her navigate the world with zero filter is both uncomfortable and oddly charming. This book sneaks up on you emotionally.
The first half reads almost like a comedy as Eleanor misunderstands social cues and says exactly what she’s thinking in every situation. Then it gradually reveals deeper layers, making you care intensely about someone you initially found strange or off-putting.
Honeyman’s writing is crisp and efficient. There’s no wasted space, no showing off. Just a perfectly crafted character study that somehow makes you laugh and cry, sometimes on the same page. For people who think books are boring, this proves they’ve just been reading the wrong ones.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
This fantasy novel involves magical children, a mysterious island, and a caseworker sent to investigate whether these kids pose a threat to society. It sounds potentially dense or complicated, but Klune keeps everything light and accessible.
The book radiates warmth and humor. It’s the literary equivalent of a cozy blanket and hot chocolate. For people intimidated by fantasy worlds with complex magic systems and made-up languages, this offers just enough magic to be interesting without requiring you to study a glossary.
Each character has distinct personality quirks that make them memorable and entertaining. The plot moves steadily without rushing, giving you time to fall in love with the island and its inhabitants. It’s pure comfort reading that doesn’t insult your intelligence.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
A murder happens at a school fundraiser. The book jumps between before and after the death, gradually revealing which parent died and who killed them. This mystery structure makes it nearly impossible to stop reading because you constantly want answers.
Moriarty writes sharp, witty observations about suburban parenting culture, toxic relationships, and the masks people wear in public. The dialogue feels real. The situations are recognizable even when they escalate into darkness. You’re not escaping into some fantasy world; you’re peeking behind closed doors in a community that might look like yours.
The chapters are short and switch between different character perspectives. This variety keeps the pace brisk and prevents any one storyline from dragging. Before you realize it, you’ve burned through two hundred pages without meaning to.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This book is basically a love letter to video games, 1980s pop culture, and virtual reality. If you’ve spent more time gaming than reading, this might be your gateway drug into books. The entire plot revolves around solving puzzles in a massive online game.
Cline writes in a straightforward, unpretentious style that feels like your gamer friend explaining their latest obsession. There’s action, competition, high stakes, and constant forward momentum. The book never slows down long enough for you to get bored.
Sure, some critics found the nostalgia references overwhelming, but for the target audience of people who’d rather be playing games than reading, those references are what make the book feel accessible and familiar. It meets you where you are instead of demanding you adapt to some literary standard.
Conclusion
The books on this list work for reading skeptics because they prioritize story and voice over literary showboating. They’re page-turners that respect your time and intelligence. Some make you laugh, others make you think, and a few might make you cry when you least expect it.
Reading doesn’t have to be this noble, difficult activity. It can be entertainment, escape, or a way to understand perspectives different from your own. The key is finding books that speak to you specifically, not the ones teachers or critics insist you should love. Which of these sounds most interesting to you? Tell us in the comments.
