Top Ten Books That Push My Comfort Zone
Today's Top Ten Tuesday list is Books I Enjoyed that Were Outside My Comfort Zone (or books you’d like to read that are outside your comfort zone!).
I don't step outside my comfort zone often so I didn't have ten titles that I've already read to give you. Instead I decided to split my list between books I have enjoyed that were outside my comfort zone, and books I haven't read yet that are going to be outside my comfort zone whenever I get around to them.
These are my top 5 books I liked that were outside my comfort zone:
1. Red White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston– Romance isn’t really my thing, and I don’t try to hide it, and I don’t hesitate to call out books when romance is inserted for seemingly no reason at all… So it was odd that I picked up a romance novel (and even watched itits movie) but I did and found it to be kind of cute.
2. Quiet Dell by Jayne Anne Phillips – This is a weird one, I picked from the library because I needed a Q entry for the A-Z Challenge 2025. It’s halfway between historical fiction and true crime, as it’s a fictional retelling of a real crime.
3. Zodiac Unmasked by Robert Graysmith – This was my first true crime read ever; the Zodiac (2007 film) with Jake Gyllenhaal is probably one of my favorite movies so I suspected ahead of time that I would like the book.
4. Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham – This was outside my comfort zone on two levels, the first being that I don’t usually like audiobooks and that was how I found this non-fiction, and two I don’t really read non-fiction unless it’s about horses.
5. Troublemaker by Leah Remini – Memoirs are on the list of stories I don’t usually read; I find that sometimes the authors have an inflated idea of self-importance. But Scientology is an intriguing subject, and I learned all about it from someone who actually lived it.
Those are the top 5 books I read and enjoyed. Here are the top 5 books I want to read that are outside my comfort zone:
1. A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez – I don’t read a lot of classics, often finding them boring or too out of date. But I hear this is a good one so I’m working up to it.
2. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher– Suicide seems like a rougher topic than I want to deal with, but it also sounds like it should be essential reading.
3. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – I don’t read a lot of comedies, so I’m hoping this lives up to it’s hype.
4. The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure – Holocaust stories are always depressing and intense. It’s a real thing that happened and it shouldn’t be forgotten, but I have to be in the right frame of mind to tackle a book on the subject.
5. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger – Seems a bit mushy for my tastes not sure how much I really want to read it.
I read Hitchhikers and I was underwhelmed, but I know that I am in the minority. I also read the Paris Architect and liked it. It was an interesting idea.
ReplyDeleteGood to know. I've seen the Hitchhikers movie and was underwhelmed, I am hoping the book will be better.
DeleteWe read Hitchhiker's Guide in my book group, and half of the group were avid fans and half loathed it! Go figure!
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting. It sounds like I have a 50% chance of enjoying it.
DeleteI read Thirteen Reasons Why before I saw all the uproar about it.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my TTT post
https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/%f0%9f%93%9a-toptentuesday-10-books-outside-my-comfort-zone-reading-tuesdaybookblog-booktwitter-bookx/
The uproar was why I added to my TBR list... There were a lot of passionate people out there advocating for both its importance and others for it to be banned from schools. The moment someone says ban it, i just assume it's important.
DeleteThe HItchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was hilarious. Hope you like it.
ReplyDeletei don't read many comedies, so i hope it's funny
DeleteI'm glad to hear you enjoyed Red White and Royal Blue, even if it is outside of your comfort zone. It's one of my favorites :)
ReplyDeleteI was very surprised it was as good as it was.
DeleteThe Time Traveler’s Wife sounds like a good one. I think they made a movie about it. Here is my TTT. https://dmhoisington.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/top-ten-tuesday-9/comment-page-1/#comment-1039
ReplyDeleteI believe you are right about there being a movie for it.
DeleteI never read Time Traveler's Wife but did see the film from several years ago; it was sweet but sad if I remember right. I read one of Jay's books years ago, but it was a Christmas story that I did like. :) Thanks for visiting my list today!
ReplyDeleteI don't really read seasonal reads, outside of october (horror season, lol). More of a mood reader.
DeleteOoh nice lists! All new to me ones as they all sound like they are outside my preferences as well. I guess my picks weren't books that were far outside my comfort zones, they just weren't my usual kinds of reads. But they were still pretty enjoyable!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my TTT!
At least you had ten that matched a theme. I don't step outside the zone very often (I know what I like) so it was hard looking for titles that I already had read.
DeleteI have not read any of these. They are also outside my comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteI have my doubts that I'll get around to reading the last half of my list.
DeleteI tried reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, as it's one of my husband's favorites. While, I loved the movie adaptation, I did end up DNF the book.
ReplyDeletePam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/ten-graphic-novels-ive-read-in-2025/
I've read #1 from your read list and #2 form your TBR.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2025/11/11/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-enjoyed-that-were-out-of-my-comfort-zone/
I read The Time Traveler's Wife and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy a few years ago. I enjoyed both of them. Hope you enjoy your books.
ReplyDeleteI loved The Time Traveler's Wife but I must confess that there was ugly, ugly crying involved!
ReplyDeleteI would think the Chernobyl book would be fascinating.
ReplyDelete