My wife has had life long ADHD, and finally did something about it. Seeing her life change for the better has been amazing.
She’s always struggled to read more than a page. I believe she’s made it through some fluffy stuff over the years, like Twilight and some Dan Brown books. It’s been years since she even opened a book. Now that she has some focus, I’d love to be able to read something with her.
I’ve read a lot. McCarthy is my favorite, followed by Steinbeck. Those kinds of things are not going to land for her. Does anyone have any suggestions for her? Something light and easy that hits emotionally. Maybe something a bit spicy?
I know this isn’t much info. Neither of us are sure about what she would like. Thanks for any help!
by jailbird4444
9 Comments
what genres of other media does she like, like tv shows or movies? if you guys have a library around you, it might be worth it to go in and take a look. then she could check out anything that caught her eye and explore some genres without having to commit to buying anything
also, as someone who got diagnosed with ADHD and medicated as an adult, one of the best things was being able to finally read books without it being a massive mental strain. it was one of the things i was most excited to be able to do – she’s in for a treat
What are her hobbies/interests? What does she like to do in her free time? That will help narrow what she might like.
Also kudos to her for getting her diagnosis! I struggled a long time with reading due to my ADHD and it’s still tough. If she hasn’t yet I’d suggest trying guided reading strips whilst reading-they help keep my eyes on one line at a time which is a huge issue I have while reading (my eyes dart ahead and back on the page). If she wants something about ADHD, I also highly recommend Carla Ciccone’s “Nowhere Girl”, a memoir about late diagnosis of the disorder in girls/women/afab folks. I found a lot of kinship and support in that book!
For comedy/mystery, One for the Money by Janet Evanovich – very easy to read
To kill a mockingbird ! easy to read and very touching
Given the timing, if she likes fantasy at all, maybe The Dark is Rising?
I recommend it because the story begins on December 20 and progresses over twelve days. It can be motivating to try to “read along” with the actual calendar. Reading along, almost like watching an episode of a tv show daily, may help her develop reading as a habit.
I reread it every year!
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is a gateway book into the cozy fantasy genre. Also The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. Quick reads that hook pretty well as good on-ramps back into reading. Tons more suggestions on /r/cozyfantasy
You are straight up asking for romance here. Emily Henry is a staple, Ali Hazelwood is too.
The Adventures of Amina Al Sarafi. A retired female pirate captain and mom brings her team back together for one final escapade. Set in the Middle East. Kinda like Sinbad, except from a feminist perspective.
If she wants to try a classic or two, The Great Gatsby and The Sun Also Rises are both engaging and pretty short.
Spicy, light, and easy might look like romance or litfic. Those genres are really broad, so you might want to look through bestsellers and recommendations and see what plots grab her attention. If a queer relationship won’t put you off, Red White and Royal Blue might be fun, since it’s a different take on a romance.
Thrillers tend to be quick reads as well. I’m regrettably not the best source for either romance or thrillers, but I recently read Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera and it was pretty fun. If she’s okay with darker subject matter, she might have fun with Gone Girl – that was a smash hit and a pretty quick read.