My fiancé (25F) and I (26M) are taking turns picking books to read together, but we both like different styles and genres. I want to try and find something that we could both enjoy, or at least stay interested in throughout the read.
She likes fun, lighthearted, adventures and murder mystery dramas where she can be swept away into the story. I like science-fiction, fantasy, and historical war dramas that are more dark and introspective.
I am currently reading through the Backyard Starship series by J. N. Chaney and Terry Maggert and the Foundation series by Asimov. She loves the Good Girls Guide to Murder series by Holly Jackson and The Cerulean Chroniclesseries by TJ Klune.
by evicted_tig
5 Comments
Oh, this is NOT easy!
Check out books by Diane Setterfield, particularly [Once Upon A River](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/71872930-north-woods?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_12). They are truly stories for sweeping away (although not murder mysteries) while also being magical and a bit fantastical. Plenty to enjoy and think about.
I’m thinking of some books that might split the difference:
*{{Murderbot Diaries* by Martha Wells}}. First in a series. The main character is a (reformed?) murder-bot.
*Farthing* by Jo Walton. First in the series. Murder mystery, set in an alternative 1940s Britain where the UK made peace with the Germans. some M/M romance (off-page).
The *Temeraire* series by Naomi Novik. *His Majesty’s Dragon* is the first book. Adventure + alternative history + war chronicle. Basically “what if you added dragons to the Napoleonic War?” Sounds cheesy BUT Novik absolutely nails the dialogue and gets really creative with exploring the whole world, not just Europe. Lots of military tactic stuff but also human relationships. Anyways it’s not pulpy at all, really well-written! Some F/M romance.
*Witchmark*, by CL Polk. Takes place in a pseudo-Victorian setting; turns out the magic system is run by some pretty shady stuff. Main character is a war veteran. Some M/M romance (mostly off-page)
*The Calculating Stars*, by Mary Robinette Kowal. Speculative fiction / alternative history. What if a disaster in the early 1950s forced an accelerated space exploration timeline? Kowal does an excellent job exploring how they would have made it work with existing math/science. The main characters are war veterans and former pilots, mostly women.
*In Other Lands*, by Sarah Rees Brennan. Coming of age in a fantasy land with a pacifist main character who ends up in some war-like settings. Raises some really interesting morality questions. Some M/M romance.
The *Salvagers* series by Alex White, starting with *A Big Ship at the End of the Universe*. Space opera; starts with a main female character who is basically a racecar driver (well, futuristic space-ship race car thing). Sci-Fi + heist elements
The Lady Trent series, starting with *A Natural History of Dragons* by Emily Wilde. The main character is a widowed aristocrat who is a passionate archaelogist (in a world where dragons exist / existed). Sounds dry but was actually really compelling.
Devolution by Max Brooks is perfect for you guys! It’s from the POV of a somewhat shallow young woman who is an unreliable narrator. She and her husband relocate to a techno hippie remote community to try and save their marriage and have to integrate into the very eccentric group. Then there’s a localized apocalypse, then the community has to identify, accept the existence of, and fight a cryptid. It’s really well written and fast-paced but gives you a lot to think about. You’ll both love it.
Lexicon by Max Barry is a nice combination of sci-fi and thriller. It’s not exactly lighthearted, but it is incredibly engrossing right from the start, and it’s definitely something you can get swept away by.
Master Class by Christina Dalchar is also a good mix of the two genres with some heavy dystopian thrown in. This one is darker in my opinion. Reads a lot like a Black Mirror episode. You’re going to get a LOT of introspection and social commentary from this one.
Middlegame by Seannan McGuire is heavy on the fantasy, sci-fi, and adventure genres. This one is probably more your wife’s speed
Anything by Neil Gaiman would probably be a good fit for both of you.(fantasy) Maybe start with American Gods or Neverwhere. The latter is a bit more lighthearted. They’re both absolutely packed with adventure, action, and mystery. Gaiman is my absolute favorite author.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins is primarily a dark fantasy, but heavy on the adventure and very fast paced. This one can get a bit gruesome in spots though. TW for >!rape, child abuse/neglect, and animal harm/death!<
Love and War in the Apennines by Eric Newby. It’s a war memoir about how Eric Newby was captured, escaped and went on the run in Italy during the Second World War, and it includes how he met the woman who went on to become his wife.
The first chapter explains how he was captured, and if it puts you off, it’s fairly atypical for the rest of the book.
The book is reasonably light-hearted, and has it’s funny moments, but I think it would appeal to both of you.