I feel like “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is the perfect book for people with ADHD. It is fast paced absurdist sci-fi 😊 The best thing about it is the way that it is written. It constantly goes off side tangents that has little to nothing to do with the story, but all of which are hilarious.😂
The best tip I have for reading books with ADHD is listening to audiobooks. You can control the speed folks talk. It’s the best. Also I’m dyslexic so I read a lot of stories w pictures like Manhwa or Webcomic. Webtoon is a good place to start since they have a lot of free comics you can read to see if you like the style of reading.
I started "The Kissing Quotient" bc everyone says to try smut/adventure/mystery to get back into reading. (I chose smut, which I was new to.) And it turns out that the main character is an autistic woman, written by a late-diagnosed woman! Highly recommend
The author you aren't talking about is Coleen Hoover. Sorry, I spotted a book of hers in the background of one of your videos (not sure if it was in a IG post ngl). On another note: I LOVED The Midnight Library. I would recommend Almond by Won-pyung Sohn, it's short and really easy to get through it (if you don't mind whiping your tears from time to time). And lastly, I'm in for the self-help reccs!
I'm currently going through Agatha Christie's murder mystery books. I usually read them in 2 days lol. But sometimes I'll draw it out further especially if it's a longer read. So many clues, twists, suspects, and suspense. Even the one I'm currently reading which has a pretty slow boring beginning is now so captivating and it's hard to put down the cause I'm like "WHAT?! TELL ME MORE".
I cannot wait for this video as I have never seen a video like this recommending books. I first thought it was like basic adhd type books that were self help until I read the title more. I hated reading when I was younger and hardly ever did due to my undiagnosed adhd, was definitely more a visual gal for movies & shows. Now diagnosed as an almost 30 year old I have gotten more into reading and want to try to read more and trying out books is sometimes such a task because of how long they make chapters. 20-30 pages for one chapter is way to long and if I am not hooked by the first few pages I’m out
I can recommend Terry Pratchett. 60+ books and theres several different series. Good fun, British humor, lots of interesting characters, little if any, smut. But Nanny Ogg is innuendo station. Fantasy.
I am just jumping into his books, I love them! Have you checked out Jasper Fforde’s books? I’d highly recommend his Nursery Crimes books, they’re just so fun. Sadly he doesn’t have 60+ written but there’s a lot in the Thursday Next series
I was so hyped about it and then you mentioned Hoover 😭😭😭 I hate her with a burning passion for how she warped the idea of love for so many young girls of my age. But yeah I'm also a lover of mystery/thriller/suspense so definitely gonna read these. Gonna start tell no one rn!! Thanks!
Dear Child by Romy Hausman Elevation by Stephen King ACOTAR by Sarah J. Maas Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens End of Watch by Stephen King Everything's Eventual by Stephen King Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Tell No One by Harlan Coben
If you want a recommendation that adds to this list you've got to try Six of Crows! Fast paced fantasy with amazing characters (many of whom are neurodivergent coded)
I've been on a reading binge for the last month! My library gives access to ebooks and audiobooks through Hoopla (I know Libby is another popular one). I usually lean towards longer series, because I like to get lost in the world, but it also means my productivity takes a dive because I'll just stay in bed and read all day. Listening to audiobooks has been a fun way to "read" but still do things. I've loved listening to the Graphic Audio productions, where they have a full cast for all the characters and add sound effects and all that. It may not be a good for for people with sound sensitivities, but it definitely keeps me engaged. They've done the ACOTAR books, Fourth Wing and the Harbinger series by Jennifer L. Armentrout (less smut than the others, but still has some spice). I tried Crave by Tracy Wolff, but was kinda annoyed by the main character. Right now, I'm starting the second book of the Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown. It's zero-smut, pure 'hero in a dystopian world,' but really good so far! It's also been done by Graphic Audio, but only the first two are done and released.
I love the idea of this video! I also love reading but to be honest there are times when not a single book can keep my attention... I got so curious by a few of the books you mentioned and they are definitely being added to my tbr 💛💛
The very first adult novel I read was Subterranean by James Rollins, it is still one of my faves. I guess I would describe it as fictional archaeology/palaeontology suspense-action-adventure(maybe fantasy science?). I wish there were more books in this style!
A touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone) By Scarlett St. Clair, Fourth Wing (I like SJM but think Fourth Wing was super Fast Paced for an ADHDer), and Percy Jackson
I was feeling so guilty that I don't finish books and have so many started, and some time ago I decided to stop caring about that and just read whatever picks my interest. I'm now fine with not finishing a book and just starting another one, and I finish more books than ever before.
This was an awesome and entertaining video!! Your descriptions of the books made me realise that I really have to try to read Stephen King books. They sound fascinating!! If you are planning on doing a self help book version of this video. I HIGHLY recommend How to Keep House While Drowning. It was honestly life changing for me while going through depression and AuDHD burnout. Reading the book gave me so much more patience, understanding, space and kindness towards myself when it comes to keeping house :’)❤
The Rivers of London books by Ben Aaronovich!!! I love them because the main character Peter is very likeable and witty, there’s action from beginning to end, and the plots are complex but exciting. The premise is that he’s a lowly police constable in modern day London, who finds out that magic is real and becomes an apprentice wizard cop! The worldbuilding and magic system are super cool and detailed. There are 9 books plus novellas and graphic novels, so there’s a lot to get into. They’re not too long, and the plots don’t get repetitive or lazy like some series. The audiobook narrator is AWESOME, one of the best I’ve ever heard. 1000/10 recommend, especially for us ADHDers!!!
Love this so much. Midnight library is one of my all time fav books! I would love to see a self help book version of this video. Especially as a newly diagnosed adhder (at the age of 30 - my life finally makes so much sense)
I love “the ones we’re meant to find”! Interesting way to tell a story that kept me pretty intrigued the whole way through and yet it’s simple enough to not get overwhelmed with information.
I like V.E Schwab but the fun fantasy ones like A Darker Shade of Magic and Vicious, I’m not sure if they’re ADHD friendly exactly but Hayley’s excited talking about her fav books made me think of it
I have ADHD too, and I love reading. I used to be in that habit of reading non stop for months and then not reading at all for months afterwords. My best decision ever was to get a Kindle unlimited subscription and I spent so much time reading on my phone. Then I realized just how much I was reading and my battery was constantly dying before I was ready to stop reading for the day so I bought a Kindle paperwhite e-reader on black Friday. Best decision ever. I read so much, and my kindle is my favorite thing ever. With KU I can borrow 20 books and be good. I also tend to buy the eBooks if I really loved them, and then when I don't feel like picking something new up, I'll go back and reread other books. Acotar is one of my favorite series ever. Mist and Fury was so well done, and I love the way that the entire series talks about trauma. (the smut is just extra goodness lol)
One series that had me hooked and satisfied my ADHD is Kerri Maniscalco’s Kingdom of the Wicked series It has romance, fantasy, mystery, murder, suspense, and adventure! Highly recommend it!!!! Her work in general is 🔥for me
OMG just finished the Audiobook of the Midnight Library😍 it was the perfect book to get me back into fiction books...perfect message within it too💔 I need more like this:)
I mentioned it in the community post, but i gotta say it again here because i love her work so much. Jessie Mihalik's books are so great. Spicy space operas with badass woman protagonists, and so fun!! The author is a software engineer as well, and we stan a STEM queen. Book 2 of her most recent series, Eclipse the Moon, has the best depiction of a neurodivergent woman I have ever read, and i felt so seen and understood reading it, without feeling pandered to or patronized. I wish i could give this author the biggest consensual bear hug as thank you.
Everyday by David Levithan Percy Jackson Series (Rick Riordan as an author in general) Patrick Rothfuss Brandon Sanderson These are some of the only books/authors in life that I just couldn't put down.
i want to suggest the inkheart series (inkheart, inkspell and inkdeath) by Cornelia Funke it's super captivating and she writes very good characters I have the midnight library on my TBR thanks for this videao Hayley 💛
This may sound silly but I have ADHD and I want to become a reader and I'd love to see a video about HOW you read. I know people have suggested audiobooks to me before but I was curious about the different circumstances/habits that help people read if they have trouble actually getting into the habit/practice of reading? Most I can read right now is 20 pages of anything at a time.
I don’t know if this helps or not, but I have definitely read books 20 pages at a time before! If you need motivation to go back, I find it helps me to sometimes make a full Activity of it - a hot drink, blanket, fairy lights/candle, making it a special fun thing :) But not every time, cos that would be too much effort xD
Things that might help: Reading things you WANT to read, not anything that feels like an effort. You can have a few books on the go at a time if the stories are different enough to keep them straight in your head, then you can mood read, instead of feeling like you HAVE to read the one specific book if you want to read. Works better on a physical book than ebook, but having something like a ruler or piece of paper under the line you’re on can make it easier not to skip about when you’re excited about what’s coming up (or just tired and not focusing the best). Giving yourself permission to give up on a book you’re not enjoying, no matter who recommends it or how many people love it. Figure out when you like reading- before work/school, on public transport, lunch break, before bed (warning for the last- don’t pick anything too exciting once reading gets easier or you WILL start seeing the sun rise and having that oh no moment).
I found that comic books help alot. Pictures to keep me stimulated with easy to see words because of text boxes and bubbles As little as 32 pages ( the standard comic book length.) and as much as 500 ( if you get a really big book that has like 15 smaller books in it ) if you prefer the bigger collected editions. And there are so many to choose from that you basically never get bored from reading them unless the story gets cancelled And they are anywhere from 2.99$ for a single book to sometimes 50+$ for larger collected editions which makes them in my opinion a really affordable reading option too depending on where you find it.
I love Brandon Sanderson! All his books are great and the voice actors for the audiobooks are really good (and still sound good at 1.8x speed :P) Mistborn and Stormlight are just *chefs kiss*
Ooooh currently recovering from a concussion, so I need engaging books since I can’t do anything else while I listen. Perfect timing (aka a delightful coincidence)
My favourite book to recommend in the thriller/suspense category is „The lies I tell“ by Julie Clark. Such a page turner, I could not put this down! It’s about two women out for revenge, a con-artist and a reporter trying to expose her, with many twists and turns of events. Loved, loved, loved this one
I can really recommend the books „the house in the cerulean sea“ and „under the whispering door“ from TJ Klune! They are both just amazing and it just feels like a big warm hug to me :)
I meant to read the Midnight Library for months now, it is sitting on my coffee table. I am going to start it now! I think there are others from the same author that are great too! Thank you!
I recommend the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. A wizard detective (i know but, it works) with a different, creature filled supernatural case every book. Some horror, a little smexy time here and there. Great series!
Just finished Divine Rivals and cant wait for the next book to come in from my library! I will be honest I got the suggestion from seeing a Pinterest post of the main characters and figured i would give it a try. It might be a little predictable but I am still having fun with it.
Ok I HAVE to mention ‘The Black Dagger Brotherhood’ series by JR Ward. It’s all very fast paced, each book is its own adventure of modern day vampire smut that carries a main story throughout an entire series. They’re very easy to read books and you will totally blush reading in public 😂 but they were great to get me back into reading after a long stint off books.
Hayley you should give Tara Moss's books a go! I love her fantasy series, her female detective books and her most recent one too. Worth borrowing the 1st book from each series from the library to see if they're your vibe. Very descriptive and interesting from the 1st page
AGH! 'The Road Virus Heads North' and '1408' were the stories I was obsessed with from Everything's Eventual. I'd LOVE more videos like this and highly recommend Pet Semetary and Verity in the category of suspense/thriller
Oh thank you for this video! I want to get into reading more again, but I am, kind of, since I’m listening to audio books, but it’s not totally the same as sitting down to read a physical book. Would you like to write down all the books in a list format, please? That would be really helpful. 🙏🏼✨
If you are not against fantasy... The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher is SUCH A GREAT read. I'm binging through book 13 right now and I have read every book in 2-3 days so far. They are somewhere between 400 and 800 pages. Absolute page turners!!! It's the best urban/high fantasy I've read so far and magic weaves through the entire plot. It's also murder/mystery to a point, because Harry Dresden is a private detective as well as a wizard. Within the first book he collects enemies left and right. Most of them become important later, but you will get a little paragraph reminding you who is who whenever characters reappear. It can get gory and dark, but also funny and light and beautiful and sometimes horny, but not too much. It's just the perfect mix between incredible tension and drama and comedy and ARGH I love those books. SO MUCH! They also include so many mythological creatures, it's great. Highly recommend!!!
I used to love reading and over time I read less and less. Like you I need something to be consistently good/exciting. Got to be funny, intelligent, witty and thrilling. A few years ago I randomly picked up a Robert Rankin book called Sex, Drugs & Sausage Rolls and loved it so much I read it in two days (which is usually very hard for me to do). There’s also another author who I found and her books have been turned into small films/shows called Agatha Raisin. Each book is pretty short but fun to read.
Another great one - The Parliament by Aimee Pokwatka (horror/suspense - kinda has a YA tone but definitely is not). Not only does the action start pretty quickly, and not only are there plenty of breaks in the already relatively short chapters, *and* not only are there many (but not too many) characters with several through lines of action going on to keep your attention - but there's a story within a story! The main story is punctuated with a fantasy book they're reading to stay distracted and pass time, so there's always something holding your attention. And to top it all off, it's well written with great characters and several great arcs throughout. I loved it so much.
i'm someone with ADHD and also an avid reader. I really enjoyed Psalm of the wild built by becky chambers. Its a small yet entertaining book at only 160 pages and has a sequel. T. Kingfsher writes some great creepy mysteries (Ex. A house with good bones). I also tend to enjoy a lot of YA Fantasy (Ex. Six of Crows)
Highly HIGHLY recommend anything by Martha Wells or Becky Chambers. Martha Wells has a well-known sci-fi series called the Murderbot Diaries and it is fast-paced, snappy, and sarcastic! Becky Chambers has a duology called the Monk and Robot Duology that is slower paced BUT don't let that deter you. It feels like a nice calming down book, and the pacing really works for the novella. Both of the series mentioned are mostly novella length so go go go!
Check out K.F. Breeze. I’ve read three of her series and they’re all on kindle unlimited. Great characters and sassy dialogue, pull you in action and mystery, and excellent plot driven spice!
Regarding ACOTAR - I got so caught up with the fact that Tamlin referenced Limericks, and completely spiralled into “Ireland doesn’t exist in this world which means there’s no County Limerick, so how can you name a poem after a place that doesn’t exist? Is there something else in the Fae realm called Limerick?” I know logically that it’s just probably that SJM didn’t put any thought into it, but it completely threw me out of the story and I had to put the book down for a couple months. I do this kind of spiralling a LOT 😂
100% with you on tell no one. the film is great too. kudos to you for asking the question in the book store, i never even thought of it! love stephen king too 👍
Hi! So, I'm not a big book girlie, but, tbh, always wanted to read more, but everything just didn't click in my head. I'm 19 years old and through my life, like, from teenage years i happened to finish like 2 or 3 books. And one of them is Stephen King's book "Insomnia". I read it almsot 4 years ago and still remember it vividly. There is a lot of suspense and such a vivid description of things that happening in the book. I'm not very good with english as it's not my native language, so I'm afraid im not able describe you correctly what's it about, but I'll still try. This is a book about a widower who, after the death of his wife, began to experience insomnia more and more every day to the point of having hallucinations and seeing some creepy and strange things, that he can't explain. The description of those hallucinations are just amazing! And i would really love to see a video about some of the self-helping books, as I'm not good in finding a lot of info about how to deal with some of the adhd problems thar bother me. Thanks for uploading such a great video and especially for the subtitles! Can't wait to see another one of your long videos❤
My all time favorite is a fantasy series from Jacqueline Carey. The first book is Kushiel's Dart. It's got court intrigue, spies, treason, action, adventure, spice, all around drama. The first 100 pages or so can be a little slow because of the world building needed... But it's soooo good. I've read the whole 9 book series like twice. The first book I think I've read like 6 times.
If you want to read more fantasy that is fast paced/suspenseful I would recommend Fourth Wing. There’s always something going on in that book and it does get a little spicy 🌶️ towards the end too 😉
I also love Stephen King but have a hard time getting into his longer books. I got halfway through Under the Dome before I gave up. However, I loved The Long Walk by him. It's about 380 pages. I finished it in three days. I highly suggestion checking it out :).
r.f kuang also has a writing style that's perfect for ppl with bad attention spans, ESPECIALLY the poppy war triology. look up all the tw, but it's such an immersive & compelling series if you can handle all the dark topics
I loved this. Anything to do with books. Thank you so much. I would recommend Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. A standalone fantasy that has magic, hard journey's, scary monsters, and good fights. I would also highly recommend the audiobook version of this on Audible. I love audiobooks. They have helped me enjoy other bits of reading without getting too overwhelmed with all new information. If there is a series of books, it really helps listening to them to process the information more smoothly. It also gets my mind to be more present and mindful, which is lovely.
Book rec, MALIBOU RISING. Read it during 1 afternoon. So intreaging. Like being let loose in the kardashians house and se everyones true colours+ deep characters and reflections about love, fame and what’s important. I really think you would love this book Haley 💕
I just wanted to ask if you’ve ever read Percy Jackson? It it one of my all time favorite series. It’s so good, Rick Riordans writing in general is good. He actually has a son with ADHD and dyslexia which inspired him to write the books.
❤ The Midnight Library Also, you should check out his other books: How To Stop Time and The Humans (I devoured them!) Also, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (VE Schwab) was AMAZING and Gallant was a quick read. Also, I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two Darker Side of Magic books. Oh and for scifi totally read Andy Weir's books I especially loved Project Hail Mary (Artemis and The Martian were great as well!)
I recommend the Fatemarked series by David Estes. Oh. My. Gosh! It is wonderfully written, has very short chapters, and has a game of thrones vibe to the large cast of characters where anything goes. The books are compelling from cover to cover. I could barely put it down.
I used to read a ton & then stopped for YEARS and the book that got me back in was Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson. It's told in verse (aka poetry) so not a ton of words and you can breeze through it while also chewing on Carson's gorgeous writing if you want to take it slow. It's also a gay romance which helps me lol, but cw for csa mentioned briefly at the beginning (iirc its just once & doesn't really come up again, I read this a while ago but no one who recommends it mentions that and it seems important!)
ALSO: PENANCE BY ELIZA CLARK! It's a fictional story written like a true crime book that I *devoured*. It's broken up with different "sources" which helps with reading, and the story itself is just super compelling and horrific. Check content warnings for this one too because its pretty dark the whole way through but it's incredible.
If you like fantasy try Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. There are 41 in all but you can start at a handful of places. “Guards! Guards! Is a great place. As well as “Mort” or “Equal Rites” I can have a hard time staying with a book, my mind can wander. Pratchett’s writing style wonders along with my mind. Especially the first two books “The Color of Magic” and the “Light Fantastic” those two books are him basically lampooning fantasy tropes one after another no real narrative.
Oh yay! This was great, thank you Hayley! Question-do you think Elevation would be triggering for someone dealing with body image/dysmorphia/etc? (Also, my guess is Colleen Hoover.)
Stephen King is great!! I hate horror movies, but love his writing. The Stand was one of my favorites - I chewed through it in two weeks. Where the Crawdads Sing is so. Good.
A couple of other short story/short books by Stephen King that i really enjoyed were The Shawshank Redemption (my favourite of the two), and The Body. I’d also recommend We Were Liars (cant remember the author) - that book genuinely left me like 😮. I read it within a day and loved it.
I recently read Yours For the Taking by Gabrielle Korn and couldn't put it down! Here's the synopsis: The year is 2050. Ava and her girlfriend live in what's left of Brooklyn, and though they love each other, it's hard to find happiness while the effects of climate change rapidly eclipse their world. Soon, it won't be safe outside at all. The only people guaranteed survival are the ones whose applications are accepted to The Inside Project, a series of weather-safe, city-sized structures around the world.
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It never occurred to me to try to find books that work well with ADHD specifically. I have high hopes for this video 😮
Yes!!! This approach honestly changed how I went about finding books and now I’m a consistent reader again!!
I feel like “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is the perfect book for people with ADHD. It is fast paced absurdist sci-fi 😊
The best thing about it is the way that it is written. It constantly goes off side tangents that has little to nothing to do with the story, but all of which are hilarious.😂
Brilliant rec!
I am currently reading this. It is a nice read. But I am not gripped that much. Will read it but will take me while.
The best tip I have for reading books with ADHD is listening to audiobooks. You can control the speed folks talk. It’s the best. Also I’m dyslexic so I read a lot of stories w pictures like Manhwa or Webcomic. Webtoon is a good place to start since they have a lot of free comics you can read to see if you like the style of reading.
I started "The Kissing Quotient" bc everyone says to try smut/adventure/mystery to get back into reading. (I chose smut, which I was new to.)
And it turns out that the main character is an autistic woman, written by a late-diagnosed woman! Highly recommend
Thank you!!
I second this!
The author you aren't talking about is Coleen Hoover. Sorry, I spotted a book of hers in the background of one of your videos (not sure if it was in a IG post ngl). On another note: I LOVED The Midnight Library. I would recommend Almond by Won-pyung Sohn, it's short and really easy to get through it (if you don't mind whiping your tears from time to time). And lastly, I'm in for the self-help reccs!
Thought about Coleen Hoover straight away. There some books of her I like.
My guess was Coleen Hoover, too. I’ve enjoyed the books I’ve read by her but I know she also gets a lot of hate.
How come Colleen Hoover is getting a lot of hate? I haven’t read any of her books, so idk 😅
Thank you! I just got Almond on your recommendation!
@@kate.cousteils wow I feel flattered haha. Update me when you finish to know if you enjoyed it :)
I'm currently going through Agatha Christie's murder mystery books. I usually read them in 2 days lol. But sometimes I'll draw it out further especially if it's a longer read. So many clues, twists, suspects, and suspense. Even the one I'm currently reading which has a pretty slow boring beginning is now so captivating and it's hard to put down the cause I'm like "WHAT?! TELL ME MORE".
And Then There Were None is my fave Christie!
The ‘one dark window’ duology is so good. The magic is so interesting, there’s mystery, and the ending is perfection. Leaves you feeling so satisfied!
Yes! I read them in like two days! They were long books but I couldn’t put them down!!!
I cannot wait for this video as I have never seen a video like this recommending books. I first thought it was like basic adhd type books that were self help until I read the title more. I hated reading when I was younger and hardly ever did due to my undiagnosed adhd, was definitely more a visual gal for movies & shows. Now diagnosed as an almost 30 year old I have gotten more into reading and want to try to read more and trying out books is sometimes such a task because of how long they make chapters. 20-30 pages for one chapter is way to long and if I am not hooked by the first few pages I’m out
ME TOO!! Agreed!!
Booktube is Great! I've fallen down a rabbit hole of Book recommendation videos lol
I can recommend Terry Pratchett. 60+ books and theres several different series. Good fun, British humor, lots of interesting characters, little if any, smut. But Nanny Ogg is innuendo station. Fantasy.
I am just jumping into his books, I love them! Have you checked out Jasper Fforde’s books? I’d highly recommend his Nursery Crimes books, they’re just so fun. Sadly he doesn’t have 60+ written but there’s a lot in the Thursday Next series
If you like terry pratchet you will probably also like Douglas Adams “Hitchikers guide to the Galaxy”
I was so hyped about it and then you mentioned Hoover 😭😭😭 I hate her with a burning passion for how she warped the idea of love for so many young girls of my age.
But yeah I'm also a lover of mystery/thriller/suspense so definitely gonna read these. Gonna start tell no one rn!! Thanks!
Dear Child by Romy Hausman
Elevation by Stephen King
ACOTAR by Sarah J. Maas
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
End of Watch by Stephen King
Everything's Eventual by Stephen King
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Tell No One by Harlan Coben
This will definitely help keep me from wandering around barnes and nobles for hours because i can't choose a book😂 thank youuuuu
If you want a recommendation that adds to this list you've got to try Six of Crows!
Fast paced fantasy with amazing characters (many of whom are neurodivergent coded)
Yes, I would second that.
I've been on a reading binge for the last month! My library gives access to ebooks and audiobooks through Hoopla (I know Libby is another popular one). I usually lean towards longer series, because I like to get lost in the world, but it also means my productivity takes a dive because I'll just stay in bed and read all day. Listening to audiobooks has been a fun way to "read" but still do things.
I've loved listening to the Graphic Audio productions, where they have a full cast for all the characters and add sound effects and all that. It may not be a good for for people with sound sensitivities, but it definitely keeps me engaged. They've done the ACOTAR books, Fourth Wing and the Harbinger series by Jennifer L. Armentrout (less smut than the others, but still has some spice). I tried Crave by Tracy Wolff, but was kinda annoyed by the main character.
Right now, I'm starting the second book of the Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown. It's zero-smut, pure 'hero in a dystopian world,' but really good so far! It's also been done by Graphic Audio, but only the first two are done and released.
I love the idea of this video! I also love reading but to be honest there are times when not a single book can keep my attention...
I got so curious by a few of the books you mentioned and they are definitely being added to my tbr 💛💛
Just checked out A Midnight Library from the library (lol). I like that some chapters are like 1-3 pages, very short, easy to read!
Genuinely so nice to have super short chapters!
The very first adult novel I read was Subterranean by James Rollins, it is still one of my faves. I guess I would describe it as fictional archaeology/palaeontology suspense-action-adventure(maybe fantasy science?). I wish there were more books in this style!
Big fan of James Rollins. Excavation and Ice Hunt are a couple of my faves from him to.
A touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone) By Scarlett St. Clair, Fourth Wing (I like SJM but think Fourth Wing was super Fast Paced for an ADHDer), and Percy Jackson
Fourth Wing is impossible to stop. I read both books in a heartbeat.
I was feeling so guilty that I don't finish books and have so many started, and some time ago I decided to stop caring about that and just read whatever picks my interest. I'm now fine with not finishing a book and just starting another one, and I finish more books than ever before.
This was an awesome and entertaining video!! Your descriptions of the books made me realise that I really have to try to read Stephen King books. They sound fascinating!! If you are planning on doing a self help book version of this video. I HIGHLY recommend How to Keep House While Drowning. It was honestly life changing for me while going through depression and AuDHD burnout. Reading the book gave me so much more patience, understanding, space and kindness towards myself when it comes to keeping house :’)❤
Thank you for this suggestion!! I will add it to my list!
Yes! This is a good one!
The Rivers of London books by Ben Aaronovich!!! I love them because the main character Peter is very likeable and witty, there’s action from beginning to end, and the plots are complex but exciting. The premise is that he’s a lowly police constable in modern day London, who finds out that magic is real and becomes an apprentice wizard cop! The worldbuilding and magic system are super cool and detailed. There are 9 books plus novellas and graphic novels, so there’s a lot to get into. They’re not too long, and the plots don’t get repetitive or lazy like some series. The audiobook narrator is AWESOME, one of the best I’ve ever heard. 1000/10 recommend, especially for us ADHDers!!!
Love this so much. Midnight library is one of my all time fav books! I would love to see a self help book version of this video. Especially as a newly diagnosed adhder (at the age of 30 - my life finally makes so much sense)
I love “the ones we’re meant to find”! Interesting way to tell a story that kept me pretty intrigued the whole way through and yet it’s simple enough to not get overwhelmed with information.
I like V.E Schwab but the fun fantasy ones like A Darker Shade of Magic and Vicious, I’m not sure if they’re ADHD friendly exactly but Hayley’s excited talking about her fav books made me think of it
I have ADHD too, and I love reading. I used to be in that habit of reading non stop for months and then not reading at all for months afterwords. My best decision ever was to get a Kindle unlimited subscription and I spent so much time reading on my phone. Then I realized just how much I was reading and my battery was constantly dying before I was ready to stop reading for the day so I bought a Kindle paperwhite e-reader on black Friday. Best decision ever. I read so much, and my kindle is my favorite thing ever. With KU I can borrow 20 books and be good. I also tend to buy the eBooks if I really loved them, and then when I don't feel like picking something new up, I'll go back and reread other books. Acotar is one of my favorite series ever. Mist and Fury was so well done, and I love the way that the entire series talks about trauma. (the smut is just extra goodness lol)
Thank you!!! I want to read more but it's really hard to pick books with so much out there. I will totally be reading these!
One series that had me hooked and satisfied my ADHD is Kerri Maniscalco’s Kingdom of the Wicked series
It has romance, fantasy, mystery, murder, suspense, and adventure! Highly recommend it!!!! Her work in general is 🔥for me
Perfect timing for this video! Me and my friends just finished book club and this is perfect👌
I loved the Midnight Library. Also SJM is amazing
OMG just finished the Audiobook of the Midnight Library😍 it was the perfect book to get me back into fiction books...perfect message within it too💔 I need more like this:)
I mentioned it in the community post, but i gotta say it again here because i love her work so much. Jessie Mihalik's books are so great. Spicy space operas with badass woman protagonists, and so fun!! The author is a software engineer as well, and we stan a STEM queen. Book 2 of her most recent series, Eclipse the Moon, has the best depiction of a neurodivergent woman I have ever read, and i felt so seen and understood reading it, without feeling pandered to or patronized. I wish i could give this author the biggest consensual bear hug as thank you.
Everyday by David Levithan
Percy Jackson Series (Rick Riordan as an author in general)
Patrick Rothfuss
Brandon Sanderson
These are some of the only books/authors in life that I just couldn't put down.
Brandon Sanderson but not Stormlight Archives haha
Second to Patrick. Name of the Wind is incredible
Omg!! I read Everyday in high school (graduated in 2016) and I STILL think about it from time to time! So good.
I love Matt Haig! Makes a lot of sense that his books are an easy read as he is audhd himself 😊
i want to suggest the inkheart series (inkheart, inkspell and inkdeath) by Cornelia Funke
it's super captivating and she writes very good characters
I have the midnight library on my TBR
thanks for this videao Hayley 💛
I read through these in 3rd grade and they were my favorite for years. I remember being incredibly proud that I read them because they were long haha
This may sound silly but I have ADHD and I want to become a reader and I'd love to see a video about HOW you read. I know people have suggested audiobooks to me before but I was curious about the different circumstances/habits that help people read if they have trouble actually getting into the habit/practice of reading?
Most I can read right now is 20 pages of anything at a time.
I don’t know if this helps or not, but I have definitely read books 20 pages at a time before! If you need motivation to go back, I find it helps me to sometimes make a full Activity of it - a hot drink, blanket, fairy lights/candle, making it a special fun thing :) But not every time, cos that would be too much effort xD
Things that might help:
Reading things you WANT to read, not anything that feels like an effort.
You can have a few books on the go at a time if the stories are different enough to keep them straight in your head, then you can mood read, instead of feeling like you HAVE to read the one specific book if you want to read.
Works better on a physical book than ebook, but having something like a ruler or piece of paper under the line you’re on can make it easier not to skip about when you’re excited about what’s coming up (or just tired and not focusing the best).
Giving yourself permission to give up on a book you’re not enjoying, no matter who recommends it or how many people love it.
Figure out when you like reading- before work/school, on public transport, lunch break, before bed (warning for the last- don’t pick anything too exciting once reading gets easier or you WILL start seeing the sun rise and having that oh no moment).
Highly recommend Fourth Wing, I just finished the first book it was great!
Was going to suggest this too. Seems like it would fit the bill. I sailed through it! :)
I found that comic books help alot.
Pictures to keep me stimulated with easy to see words because of text boxes and bubbles
As little as 32 pages ( the standard comic book length.)
and as much as 500 ( if you get a really big book that has like 15 smaller books in it ) if you prefer the bigger collected editions.
And there are so many to choose from that you basically never get bored from reading them unless the story gets cancelled
And they are anywhere from 2.99$ for a single book to sometimes 50+$ for larger collected editions which makes them in my opinion a really affordable reading option too depending on where you find it.
I love Brandon Sanderson! All his books are great and the voice actors for the audiobooks are really good (and still sound good at 1.8x speed :P) Mistborn and Stormlight are just *chefs kiss*
Ooooh currently recovering from a concussion, so I need engaging books since I can’t do anything else while I listen. Perfect timing (aka a delightful coincidence)
My favourite book to recommend in the thriller/suspense category is „The lies I tell“ by Julie Clark. Such a page turner, I could not put this down!
It’s about two women out for revenge, a con-artist and a reporter trying to expose her, with many twists and turns of events. Loved, loved, loved this one
This genuinely sounds so interesting!!
@@hayley.honeyman I think so! great video btw, I also love Stephen King (and have ADHD) so I'm super excited to read the books you recommended
I'm a huge reader! I devour books within days. Haha. So I'm very interested to see what books Haley recommends and if I've read any of them. 🤔
I can really recommend the books „the house in the cerulean sea“ and „under the whispering door“ from TJ Klune! They are both just amazing and it just feels like a big warm hug to me :)
This is exactly what I was looking for!! Books that catch you from start to finish 😊
I meant to read the Midnight Library for months now, it is sitting on my coffee table. I am going to start it now! I think there are others from the same author that are great too! Thank you!
I recommend the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. A wizard detective (i know but, it works) with a different, creature filled supernatural case every book. Some horror, a little smexy time here and there. Great series!
Just finished Divine Rivals and cant wait for the next book to come in from my library! I will be honest I got the suggestion from seeing a Pinterest post of the main characters and figured i would give it a try. It might be a little predictable but I am still having fun with it.
Ok I HAVE to mention ‘The Black Dagger Brotherhood’ series by JR Ward.
It’s all very fast paced, each book is its own adventure of modern day vampire smut that carries a main story throughout an entire series. They’re very easy to read books and you will totally blush reading in public 😂 but they were great to get me back into reading after a long stint off books.
Hayley you should give Tara Moss's books a go! I love her fantasy series, her female detective books and her most recent one too. Worth borrowing the 1st book from each series from the library to see if they're your vibe. Very descriptive and interesting from the 1st page
AGH! 'The Road Virus Heads North' and '1408' were the stories I was obsessed with from Everything's Eventual. I'd LOVE more videos like this and highly recommend Pet Semetary and Verity in the category of suspense/thriller
Hoover got me back into reading🤣😭 She just itches that ADHD brain with suspense and smut
Oh thank you for this video! I want to get into reading more again, but I am, kind of, since I’m listening to audio books, but it’s not totally the same as sitting down to read a physical book. Would you like to write down all the books in a list format, please? That would be really helpful. 🙏🏼✨
Absolutely lovedddddddd Midnight Library, and it left a lasting impact on me.❤
Kayla Ancrum is a YA author who has ADHD and she writes her novels in a vignette style that is SO readable and works so well with my ADHD!
Reading fictions is one of my hyper-fixation. I don’t use audiobook because I’ll just zoning out. Thanks for your recommendations!
Fourth Wing! It's a chunker but so exciting from page 1. I got through the 817 page sequel in less than 5 days 😅
If you are not against fantasy... The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher is SUCH A GREAT read. I'm binging through book 13 right now and I have read every book in 2-3 days so far. They are somewhere between 400 and 800 pages. Absolute page turners!!!
It's the best urban/high fantasy I've read so far and magic weaves through the entire plot. It's also murder/mystery to a point, because Harry Dresden is a private detective as well as a wizard. Within the first book he collects enemies left and right. Most of them become important later, but you will get a little paragraph reminding you who is who whenever characters reappear. It can get gory and dark, but also funny and light and beautiful and sometimes horny, but not too much. It's just the perfect mix between incredible tension and drama and comedy and ARGH I love those books. SO MUCH! They also include so many mythological creatures, it's great. Highly recommend!!!
I used to love reading and over time I read less and less. Like you I need something to be consistently good/exciting. Got to be funny, intelligent, witty and thrilling. A few years ago I randomly picked up a Robert Rankin book called Sex, Drugs & Sausage Rolls and loved it so much I read it in two days (which is usually very hard for me to do). There’s also another author who I found and her books have been turned into small films/shows called Agatha Raisin. Each book is pretty short but fun to read.
Another great one - The Parliament by Aimee Pokwatka (horror/suspense - kinda has a YA tone but definitely is not). Not only does the action start pretty quickly, and not only are there plenty of breaks in the already relatively short chapters, *and* not only are there many (but not too many) characters with several through lines of action going on to keep your attention - but there's a story within a story! The main story is punctuated with a fantasy book they're reading to stay distracted and pass time, so there's always something holding your attention. And to top it all off, it's well written with great characters and several great arcs throughout. I loved it so much.
hi!! could you make a video/short on dopamine crashes vs burnout? and how to deal with both of them? ty!!
i'm someone with ADHD and also an avid reader. I really enjoyed Psalm of the wild built by becky chambers. Its a small yet entertaining book at only 160 pages and has a sequel. T. Kingfsher writes some great creepy mysteries (Ex. A house with good bones). I also tend to enjoy a lot of YA Fantasy (Ex. Six of Crows)
Highly HIGHLY recommend anything by Martha Wells or Becky Chambers. Martha Wells has a well-known sci-fi series called the Murderbot Diaries and it is fast-paced, snappy, and sarcastic! Becky Chambers has a duology called the Monk and Robot Duology that is slower paced BUT don't let that deter you. It feels like a nice calming down book, and the pacing really works for the novella. Both of the series mentioned are mostly novella length so go go go!
Check out K.F. Breeze. I’ve read three of her series and they’re all on kindle unlimited. Great characters and sassy dialogue, pull you in action and mystery, and excellent plot driven spice!
Regarding ACOTAR - I got so caught up with the fact that Tamlin referenced Limericks, and completely spiralled into “Ireland doesn’t exist in this world which means there’s no County Limerick, so how can you name a poem after a place that doesn’t exist? Is there something else in the Fae realm called Limerick?” I know logically that it’s just probably that SJM didn’t put any thought into it, but it completely threw me out of the story and I had to put the book down for a couple months. I do this kind of spiralling a LOT 😂
100% with you on tell no one. the film is great too. kudos to you for asking the question in the book store, i never even thought of it! love stephen king too 👍
Hi! So, I'm not a big book girlie, but, tbh, always wanted to read more, but everything just didn't click in my head. I'm 19 years old and through my life, like, from teenage years i happened to finish like 2 or 3 books. And one of them is Stephen King's book "Insomnia". I read it almsot 4 years ago and still remember it vividly. There is a lot of suspense and such a vivid description of things that happening in the book. I'm not very good with english as it's not my native language, so I'm afraid im not able describe you correctly what's it about, but I'll still try. This is a book about a widower who, after the death of his wife, began to experience insomnia more and more every day to the point of having hallucinations and seeing some creepy and strange things, that he can't explain. The description of those hallucinations are just amazing! And i would really love to see a video about some of the self-helping books, as I'm not good in finding a lot of info about how to deal with some of the adhd problems thar bother me. Thanks for uploading such a great video and especially for the subtitles! Can't wait to see another one of your long videos❤
I love the self help book video! I'm running to the book store now lol
My all time favorite is a fantasy series from Jacqueline Carey. The first book is Kushiel's Dart. It's got court intrigue, spies, treason, action, adventure, spice, all around drama. The first 100 pages or so can be a little slow because of the world building needed... But it's soooo good.
I've read the whole 9 book series like twice. The first book I think I've read like 6 times.
I really enjoy books by Kelly Armstrong. They are like fantasy/romance. I especially enjoyed the "Bitten" series from her.
If you want to read more fantasy that is fast paced/suspenseful I would recommend Fourth Wing. There’s always something going on in that book and it does get a little spicy 🌶️ towards the end too 😉
Clean funny fantasy recommendation: most books from KM Shea, but especially all the Magiford trilogies, and the first two elves of Lessa books.
I have never been so excited to watch a video!
I would highly recommend“In my dreams I hold a knife” - it’s a thriller with gossip girl vibes and it got me out of a reading slump 😂
I also love Stephen King but have a hard time getting into his longer books. I got halfway through Under the Dome before I gave up. However, I loved The Long Walk by him. It's about 380 pages. I finished it in three days. I highly suggestion checking it out :).
Would love a self help book version of this video !!
I'm a huge ACOTAR fan. Have you read the rest of the series?? You'll love the second one if you haven't read it yet!
r.f kuang also has a writing style that's perfect for ppl with bad attention spans, ESPECIALLY the poppy war triology. look up all the tw, but it's such an immersive & compelling series if you can handle all the dark topics
I loved this. Anything to do with books. Thank you so much.
I would recommend Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. A standalone fantasy that has magic, hard journey's, scary monsters, and good fights.
I would also highly recommend the audiobook version of this on Audible. I love audiobooks. They have helped me enjoy other bits of reading without getting too overwhelmed with all new information. If there is a series of books, it really helps listening to them to process the information more smoothly.
It also gets my mind to be more present and mindful, which is lovely.
Book rec, MALIBOU RISING. Read it during 1 afternoon. So intreaging. Like being let loose in the kardashians house and se everyones true colours+ deep characters and reflections about love, fame and what’s important. I really think you would love this book Haley 💕
I just wanted to ask if you’ve ever read Percy Jackson? It it one of my all time favorite series. It’s so good, Rick Riordans writing in general is good. He actually has a son with ADHD and dyslexia which inspired him to write the books.
❤ The Midnight Library
Also, you should check out his other books:
How To Stop Time and The Humans (I devoured them!)
Also, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (VE Schwab) was AMAZING and Gallant was a quick read. Also, I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two Darker Side of Magic books.
Oh and for scifi totally read Andy Weir's books I especially loved Project Hail Mary (Artemis and The Martian were great as well!)
"Unmasking Autism" I have read some of it. I'm working on the book Inner Child Recovery Workbook worth my therapist
You loved Midnight Library, please read Blake Crouch's 'Dark Matter'
Mercy Thompson, it is werewolf, vampire and walkers. Fast pasting stories but very slow burn
I recommend Butcher & Blackbird! So much fun, smutt, murder and a lot of humor!!
I recommend the Fatemarked series by David Estes. Oh. My. Gosh! It is wonderfully written, has very short chapters, and has a game of thrones vibe to the large cast of characters where anything goes. The books are compelling from cover to cover. I could barely put it down.
As an adhd reader, I recommend audio books at 2x speed, lol. Helps keep me focused on almost any book I try.
I used to read a ton & then stopped for YEARS and the book that got me back in was Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson. It's told in verse (aka poetry) so not a ton of words and you can breeze through it while also chewing on Carson's gorgeous writing if you want to take it slow. It's also a gay romance which helps me lol, but cw for csa mentioned briefly at the beginning (iirc its just once & doesn't really come up again, I read this a while ago but no one who recommends it mentions that and it seems important!)
ALSO: PENANCE BY ELIZA CLARK! It's a fictional story written like a true crime book that I *devoured*. It's broken up with different "sources" which helps with reading, and the story itself is just super compelling and horrific. Check content warnings for this one too because its pretty dark the whole way through but it's incredible.
colleen hoovers writing is chronically readable so i don’t blame you bestie 👀
If you like fantasy try Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. There are 41 in all but you can start at a handful of places. “Guards! Guards! Is a great place. As well as “Mort” or “Equal Rites”
I can have a hard time staying with a book, my mind can wander. Pratchett’s writing style wonders along with my mind. Especially the first two books “The Color of Magic” and the “Light Fantastic” those two books are him basically lampooning fantasy tropes one after another no real narrative.
Once you are done with Discworld try “The Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy” by Douglas Adams
Other recs:
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
Bittersweet by Susan Cain
The 39 Clues Series by Rick Riordan
People hate her?? I had no idea I've read 2 books. Completely loved them
Oh yay! This was great, thank you Hayley! Question-do you think Elevation would be triggering for someone dealing with body image/dysmorphia/etc? (Also, my guess is Colleen Hoover.)
Stephen King is great!! I hate horror movies, but love his writing. The Stand was one of my favorites - I chewed through it in two weeks.
Where the Crawdads Sing is so. Good.
The Stand is my all time fave King book!!!
We are all the same in the dark was a good one that got me back into reading
Love this video, will have to read these.
A couple of other short story/short books by Stephen King that i really enjoyed were The Shawshank Redemption (my favourite of the two), and The Body. I’d also recommend We Were Liars (cant remember the author) - that book genuinely left me like 😮. I read it within a day and loved it.
not sure if it's quite fast enough but I was definitely intrigued - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
7:31
She's either talking about Colleen Hoover, Cassandra Clare or Jaime McGuire...
I recently read Yours For the Taking by Gabrielle Korn and couldn't put it down!
Here's the synopsis:
The year is 2050. Ava and her girlfriend live in what's left of Brooklyn, and though they love each other, it's hard to find happiness while the effects of climate change rapidly eclipse their world. Soon, it won't be safe outside at all. The only people guaranteed survival are the ones whose applications are accepted to The Inside Project, a series of weather-safe, city-sized structures around the world.