Welcome book lovers! As someone who is deeply passionate about reading, I always find myself drawn to books that resonate with my personality and values. I believe that the books we love the most reveal so much about who we are and what we care about. That’s why today, I want to share with you the books that I think you might most resonate with!

Book recommendations based on your personality

So, whether you’re a fellow book lover, or simply looking for some new reading recommendations to get started, I hope you’ll find this post enjoyable and inspiring. Let’s dive in!

Fiction novels for introverts

People low in Outgoingness tend to be highly meticulous, careful, and methodical. They can sometimes be perfectionistic, and tend to want things to happen in an orderly and planned fashion. But what do they like to read?

1. “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt – a sweeping and atmospheric novel that follows the journey of a young man as he navigates the complexities of loss, identity, and the art world.
2. “The Jane Austen Book Club” by Karen Joy Fowler – a charming and witty novel that follows a group of friends as they explore the works of Jane Austen and the intricacies of their own lives.
3. “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott – a classic coming-of-age novel that follows the lives of four sisters and their struggles to grow up and find their place in the world.
4. “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman – a quirky and heartwarming novel that follows the journey of an introverted office worker as she learns to navigate the complexities of friendship, love, and the human connection.
5. “Sophie’s World” about a young girl who receives strange letters that make her reflect on and see the world differently than she ever did before.

Fiction novels for extroverts

People high on Outgoingness tend to show high positive emotion and enthusiasm, low stimulation and action. These books and characters should appeal to individuals who value excitement, adventure, and taking risks in their reading material.

1. “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer – a true story about Chris McCandless, a young man who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and adventure.
2. “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald – featuring the flamboyant and charismatic Jay Gatsby, who throws wild parties and lives life to the fullest.
3. “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” by Cheryl Strayed – a memoir about a woman who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail, taking risks and embracing new experiences.
4. “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac – a beat generation classic about two friends who embark on a series of spontaneous road trips across America.
5. “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert – a memoir about a woman who leaves behind her old life and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, traveling to Italy, India, and Indonesia.
6. “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho – a philosophical novel about Santiago, a shepherd who sets out on a journey to fulfill his personal legend, encountering unexpected adventures and challenges along the way.

Fiction novels for rebels and intuitives

People high in Openness to experience and iNtuition tend to be more novelty-seeking. They like varied, unusual, and unique experiences in their reading.

1. “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez – a magical realist novel about the Buendia family, featuring imaginative and surreal elements that explore the nature of reality.
2. “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay” by Michael Chabon – a novel about two comic book creators in 1940s New York City, exploring themes of creativity, escape, and the power of imagination.
3. “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón – a mystery novel that takes place in a secret library in Barcelona, featuring a protagonist who is drawn into a world of mystery, secrets, and unexpected twists.
4. “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger – a science fiction love story about a man who has the ability to time travel, and the consequences that arise from his travels.
5. “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel – a philosophical novel about a young man named Pi who survives a shipwreck and is marooned on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, exploring themes of faith, storytelling, and the meaning of life.
6. “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern – a fantasy novel about two young magicians who are selected to compete in a mysterious, high-stakes competition, set in a magical and fantastical world.
7. “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley – a dystopian novel about a future society where people are conditioned to be content and conform, showcasing characters with strong personalities who resist the status quo.

Fiction novels for sensing and traditional types

People low on Openness to experience and strong in Sensing tend to prefer more down-to-earth reading. Familiar tropes, done masterfully, should spark your fancy.

1. “Little House on the Prairie” by Laura Ingalls Wilder – a classic series of books about a pioneer family in the late 19th century, showcasing a traditional and down-to-earth way of life.
2. “The Bridges of Madison County” by Robert James Waller – a novel about a photographer who visits rural Iowa and falls in love with a married woman, exploring themes of love, family, and tradition.
3. “The Stand” by Stephen King – a post-apocalyptic novel about a group of survivors who come together in a traditional, down-to-earth community, as they try to rebuild their lives after a catastrophic event.
4. “The Thorn Birds” by Colleen McCullough – a historical novel set in rural Australia, about the Cleary family and their struggles with love, tradition, and the power of faith.
5. “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell – a classic novel set in the American South during the Civil War and Reconstruction, showcasing the traditional values and way of life of the old South.
6. “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck – a novel set in rural China, exploring themes of tradition, family, and the struggles of rural life in a rapidly changing world.

Fiction novels for empathetic and agreeable types

Highly agreeable and empathetic individuals might be drawn to books like these!

1. “To Sir, with Love” by E.R. Braithwaite – a novel about a teacher who works in a challenging inner-city school and strives to make a positive difference in the lives of his students.
2. “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett – a novel set in the 1960s about a young white woman who joins forces with two black maids to write a book that exposes the injustices and inequalities of the segregated South.
3. “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman – a novel about a grumpy, solitary man who learns to open his heart and find joy in life through his interactions with his quirky and endearing neighbors.
4. “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd – a novel about a young girl who runs away from her abusive father and finds solace with a group of black beekeeping sisters, exploring themes of community, acceptance, and forgiveness.
5. “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak – a novel set in Nazi Germany about a young girl who is sent to live with a foster family and learns the power of literature and the human spirit.
6. “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein – a classic children’s book about a tree that gives everything it has to a young boy, showcasing the importance of generosity, kindness, and love.
7. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon – a novel about a young boy with autism who sets out to solve the mystery of a dead dog, showcasing his unique perspective on the world and his capacity for empathy and understanding.

Fiction novels for logical and disagreeable types

If you are low on Agreeableness in the Big Five, and show high logical thinking and an analytical mindset, you might enjoy these books.

1. “The Reversal” by Michael Connelly – a legal thriller about a criminal defense attorney who takes on a case that challenges his beliefs and forces him to rethink his approach to the law, showcasing his analytical and critical mindset.
2. “A Game of Thrones” by George R.R. Martin – a high fantasy novel about a world where noble families fight for control of the Seven Kingdoms, showcasing characters who are strategic, critical, and logical in their thinking.
3. “The Andromeda Strain” by Michael Crichton – a science fiction novel about a team of scientists who race against time to contain a deadly virus that has escaped from a government laboratory, showcasing the protagonist’s critical and analytical mindset.
4. The “Three Body Problem” by Cixin Liu, a science fiction novel which is bound to send your mind thinking and questioning everything.
5. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson – featuring the highly analytical and meticulous computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander.

Fiction novels for conscientious and goal-oriented types

People strong in Conscientiousness tend to be goal-oriented, driven, and ambitious. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t enjoy a good fiction novel.

1. “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins – a science fiction novel about a future society where children are selected to participate in a brutal annual competition, showcasing the protagonist’s perseverance, focus, and determination to survive.
2. “Dune” by Frank Herbert – a science fiction novel set in a distant future where humanity has spread throughout the galaxy and is controlled by feudal noble houses, showcasing characters who are goal-oriented, focused, and determined to achieve their objectives.
3. “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien – a high fantasy novel about a hobbit who sets out on a quest to destroy a powerful ring and save Middle-earth, showcasing the protagonist’s perseverance, focus, and determination to complete his mission.
4. “The Way Of Kings” series by Brandon Sanderson – my favorite fantasy series about a world plagued by storms and conflicts between gods. A slave that has to endure and show resilience against the odds.

1. “The Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan – a high fantasy series about a world where magic exists and the fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of a young farm boy, showcasing the protagonist’s perseverance, focus, and determination to save the world.
2. “The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August” by Claire North – a science fiction novel about a man who lives his life over and over again, each time with the knowledge and experience of his past lives, showcasing the protagonist’s focus and determination to achieve his goals.
3. “The Belgariad” series by David Eddings – a high fantasy series about a young farm boy who sets out on a quest to recover a powerful magical artifact and save the world, showcasing the protagonist’s perseverance, focus, and determination to complete his mission.

Fiction novels for easygoing and playful types

People low on Conscientiousness tend to be relaxed and easygoing. So as well their reading.

1. “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams – a science fiction comedy about an unwitting human and his alien friend who travel through space, showcasing the protagonist’s relaxed and playful attitude towards life.
2. “Good Omens” by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman – a fantasy comedy about an angel and a demon who team up to prevent the end of the world, showcasing the protagonist’s relaxed and playful approach to life.
3. Honestly anything Terry Pratchett. I would recommend Going Postal! It’s an amazingly light read and a fantasy.
4. “The Princess Bride” by William Goldman – a fairy tale about a young woman who is rescued from an evil prince by her true love, showcasing the relaxed and playful attitude of the characters towards life.
5. “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger – a coming-of-age novel about a young man who is expelled from his prep school, showcasing the protagonist’s relaxed and playful attitude towards life.

Fiction novels for assertive and confident types

People low on Neuroticism tend to be self-assured, passionate, and confident.

1. “The Dark Tower” series by Stephen King – a dark fantasy series about a gunslinger on a quest to find the Dark Tower, showcasing the protagonist’s assertiveness, passion, and strong personality.
2. “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas – an historical adventure novel about a man who seeks revenge after being falsely imprisoned, showcasing the protagonist’s assertiveness, passion, and strong personality.
3. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain – an adventure novel about a young boy who travels down the Mississippi River with a runaway slave, showcasing the protagonist’s assertiveness, passion, and strong personality.
4. “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde – a dark tale about a man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty, showcasing the protagonist’s assertiveness, passion, and strong personality.

Fiction novels for modest types

People low on Assertiveness tend to show high Modesty. They like thought-provoking experiences that stimulate their thinking and show them new perspectives.

1. “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee – a coming-of-age novel about a young girl who learns about prejudice and injustice in the South, showcasing the protagonist’s modest and introspective personality.
2. “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers – a novel about a deaf-mute who brings together a group of people from different backgrounds, showcasing the modest and introspective personalities of the characters.
3. “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – a novella about a young prince who travels from planet to planet, learning about life and love, showcasing the protagonist’s modest and introspective personality.
4. “The Remains of the Day” by Kazuo Ishiguro – a novel about a butler who looks back on his life and career, showcasing the protagonist’s modest and introspective personality.
5. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky – a coming-of-age novel about a introverted high school student who navigates life and relationships, showcasing the protagonist’s modest and introspective personality.

Thank you for joining me on this journey through some of the books I love the most, and then some more books too. I hope that my recommendations have given you a new perspective on the power of literature to connect us with our deepest selves.

If you have any books that you would love the most based on your personality, I would love to hear about them in the comments. Let’s continue to celebrate our love for reading and the stories that shape our lives. Until next time, happy reading!