I forced myself through ‘popular’ books and hated it… what now?

I think I accidentally picked the wrong “entry point” into reading.

I tried The Millionaire Fastlane and The Psychology of Money because of all the hype and YouTube recommendations but I couldn’t finish either. They felt repetitive, forced, and honestly a bit boring for me.

But here’s the thing. I know I like reading.

I genuinely enjoy literature classes, short stories, and the kind of narratives we study in school. So it’s not that I dislike books. I think I just chose the wrong genre to start with.

Now I’m stuck in this weird place where I want to get into reading again, but I’m afraid of picking the “wrong” book and going through the same experience.

I don’t have a specific genre in mind yet. I’m still figuring out what I enjoy. I just want a good starting point that actually pulls me in and reminds me why I liked reading in the first place.

If you’ve been in a similar situation or have suggestions for a strong “first book” to get back into reading, I’d really appreciate it.