Redditors Declare These Are The Books That Made Them Fall In Love With Reading

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For many readers, there's always one book you keep coming back to — the special pick that opened your heart to a love of reading. It could be an absolute classic you read in school that made you see the world in a different light, or a novel you picked out from the bookstore because you were simply drawn to the cover, and it ended up changing your life. Whatever the book was, that's the story that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place. 

So, we wondered about the different answers that readers from all over the world would give when asked that question. And what better place to look than Reddit, the hotbed for discussing anything and everything? We dove into countless discussions across multiple subreddits solely dedicated to books, with threads with hundreds of comments and upvotes giving us insight into which novels have sparked a love of reading for the masses.

While we're not able to introduce every title we came across, we worked our magic and narrowed the list down to just five picks. These titles repeatedly earned upvotes, had readers commenting how much they adored the book, and kept resurfacing across multiple threads. These are the stories that many Redditors declare made them fall in love with reading for the first time, or all over again.

Novel Prize-winning author's book, "Never Let Me Go," was introduced by us as one of the best modern classics that's perfect for a book club, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that another work of Kazuo Ishiguro's, "The Remains of the Day," made this list. When a Redditor asked for the 'books that reminded you why you love reading' in the r/suggestmeabook subreddit with nearly 500,000 users, one comment from the hundreds stood out. 

"The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro lit a fire under me again. It really made me realize that even though I don't have the uncritical wonder that allowed me to get lost in books as a child anymore; adult literature can be emotional and complex and do a lot more than just tell a fun story," tofu_appreciator commented. The comment received just under 100 upvotes, and another user replied, "Anything Ishiguro. His language is perfection. Did you read Klara and the Sun? Heartbreaking and gorgeous."

Many readers consider "The Remains of the Day" one of their favorite books of all time, due to its beautiful prose and the heartbreaking and quiet way Ishiguro explores themes of memory, duty, and regret. The story follows a man as he reflects on his lifelong duty as a butler and all of the opportunities he might have missed on this path of a life of service. 

When a Redditor asked the r/suggestmeabook subreddit for suggestions of a book that will help them find their love for reading again, the most upvoted comment with more than 150 upvotes noted, "Project Hail Mary got me back into books. I actually read it twice." And that was just the beginning. The comment alone sparked more than 25 replies, enough to be considered its own mini-thread. 

We couldn't help but notice an insightful reply to the comment that stated, "Seconded. A close to perfect blend of the compelling and light with a lot of humor while also [possessing] really profound moments that make you want to keep reading. It's a solid 'momentum' book if you're in a slump and need to get your appetite for reading up." Scrolling through the hundreds of comments on the post, Andy Weir's "Project Hail Mary" came up countless times. 

The book garnered so many positive reviews that a film adaptation of the book is set to be released in 2026. And with Ryan Gosling headlining the film, we definitely don't think it'll be added to the list of book-to-movie adaptations that blew up in everyone's faces. "Project Hail Mary" is about an astronaut on a dire yet very lonely mission to save planet Earth from its demise. If you read this Weir book and end up loving it, make sure to check out his other bestselling work, "The Martian." 

If you deem yourself a bibliophile, there's a strong chance you've already read something by Agatha Christie, or at the very least, heard of her and her passion for a good ol' mystery. Often deemed the "Queen of Mystery" or the "Duchess of Death," Christie's novels are loved for their clever twists and unforgettable characters.

Unsurprisingly, many Redditors are on board with this sentiment. We viewed more than twenty posts discussing books that ignited or reignited people's love for reading, and Agatha Christie's works were brought up in more than half of the discussion posts. And, of the many titles mentioned, the book that started it all for the legendary author, "And Then There Were None," was the most frequently cited. Readers suggested it as the perfect entry point into the author's creative world of suspense. 

In another post on r/books, a Redditor shared how they felt like "throwing the book across the room" and described the mystery novel as "the most ingenious and best mystery book I've ever read." The post garnered more than 10,000 upvotes and over a thousand comments from fellow readers who were eager to share just how impactful the book was for them. One user replied, "I felt the exact same way. You should read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and The ABC Murders. It's like finding out where a bunch of 'over used tropes' got their (much better) start!" 

One Redditor kept it short and simply asked fellow Redditors, "What book will make me love reading?" Among the hundred or so replies, the most upvoted comment highlighted one reader's appreciation for "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, saying, "The Book Thief is one of those books that makes you start appreciating not just good stories but story craft and writing." Another insightful Redditor echoed the sentiment, replying, "It's 10 years since I read The Book Thief, but I remember finishing it and describing it as one of the most beautiful books I'd ever read ..." 

Take heed: it's not just a good book, it's a heartbreaking one. Set in Germany under Nazi occupation, the story follows a young girl named Liesel, whose life is constantly being shaped by loss and fear. The only way she learns how to cope with the overwhelming chaos around her is through books. Through reading, she finds solace, courage, and quickly realizes the power of words.

To get a better idea of how readers felt after reading "The Book Thief," we looked at reviews and came across one particularly heartfelt discussion. The original poster explained how they had cried a lot after finishing the book, and many readers agreed, sharing stories of how they read it in public and instantly regretted it. Readers agree that the journey Zusak took them on is a gut-wrenching yet beautiful one. 

A classic novel to pick for your next book club read, "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas is a story of revenge, redemption, and an unforgettable adventure. Our writer first read it in high school, and it was one of the books that made her fall in love with reading. Turns out, she's not alone — countless Redditors shared that this very novel was the book that started it all for them. 

As soon as we saw that Dumas' classic was the most upvoted answer to the question, "What made you fall in love with literature?" we knew it deserved a spot on our list. And if you need more proof of just how one-of-a-kind the story is, look it up on any active book or reading subreddit. Readers rave about the edge-of-your-seat feel, the intricate plotting, and the deeply layered characters. 

One Redditor was left floored, writing a review of the classic in the r/books subreddit that said, "What an amazing and captivating story. Dumas' writing ability left me absolutely dumbfounded every time I'd pick the book up. I've never read about such perfectly crafted and complex characters. Such memorable scenes, relationships, and events. I feel as though I'll never read a book like this one." The post alone was upvoted by more than a thousand users. It's truly no wonder that Dumas' masterpiece continues to inspire readers more than a century and a half after its release in 1844.