The topic of the day is genre fiction. What do you read and what draws you to that genre?
I read just about anything. I don’t really consider the genre when I select a book. It makes me a bit crazy to read blogs that only focus on one type of book. I think everyone should branch out and try multiple things to broaden their reading.
I do have one genre prejudice though. I don’t like cozy mysteries. These are the books where a non-law enforcement type person solves crimes. I love supernatural and paranormal books (and even ones with mysteries) but I can’t suspend disbelief enough to read cozy mysteries. Here’s what’s going through my mind the whole time:
- A normal person does not run across a dead body in the course of their day. If you find yourself face to face with dead bodies often, you are probably a serial killer yourself and I hope someone figures it out and arrests you.
- Somewhere in the course of all these books the main character decides to withhold some key fact from the police until she follows up on it herself. This is called obstruction of justice and I keep hoping someone will arrest her.
But no one ever arrests the main character in these books so I end up disappointed.
What do I like? I tend to read a lot of books with witches and superpowers and magical stuff. Some of my favorites are:
The Women of the Underworld series by Kelley Armstrong. This has witches, werewolves, necromancers, and sorcerers. I like the way the series builds by making the next book about a peripheral character in the previous book.
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Harry Dresden in the only wizard in the Chicago phone book. The series starts with him working private investigation cases and helping the police with “strange” cases but it builds into so much more. The audio productions are amazing.
The Hollows series by Kim Harrison. In the 1960s the human population is decimated by a disease in genetically modified tomatoes. Now that they aren’t outnumbered vampires and witches and werewolves and others start to live openly. Rachel Morgan is a witch who starts to develop unusual powers over the course of the series.
What do you read? Do you stick to one type of book or all you all over the place?
I lean toward paranormal and YA. Although I will read non-fiction and mystery. I also like Horror. I really will check out pretty much anything, except Erotica which I do NOT read.
I like contemporary books.
Lindsey,
I’m getting more open to stopping books if they don’t grab me early too. I used to feel like I had to finish things. But, now I figure there are too many good books out there to waste time on ones that aren’t exciting for me.
I’ve heard of the Dresden Files, but I didn’t really know what the books were about until now. This sounds like a series I’d enjoy, and I’m going to add it to my TBR list. Thanks for recommending it!
I don’t read much paranormal, but I’m not against it. I should give it more of a try in the future.
I never really thought too much about a dislike of Cozy Mysteries, but now that I think about it, I haven’t read that many. I have started a couple I just couldn’t finish. I read an article about how some agents read the first 200 words of a manuscript and if they are not enticed by then, it goes in the reject bin. I have found myself doing that more often. It’s only happened a couple of times recently, but I think it is a good rule to go by.
My Genre @ Lindsey Gray
I don’t take genre into account when choosing a book either, unless I feel like a certain type when I’m choosing. I feel the same way about non-law enforcement types trying to solve crime! If you come across a dead body and your first instinct is not to call the cops, you have issues! The Women of the Underworld series sounds really interesting, I might have to check them out!
I like cozy mysteries, but I do loathe it when an amateur detective keeps something from the police.
I adore all three of those series!
YAY another Harry Dresden fan! I love that wizard so much, I am always looking forward to the next installment 🙂
I agree with you about genres, I will read most any fiction I can get my greedy little hands on, but I have a slight preference for paranormal as well, and if there is some romance and hot scenes as well, all the better!
If you are into fantasy, you should check out Jim Butcher’s other series, The Codex Alera, it’s really good as well, filled with complicated politics and people with strange powers.
Here’s my Better Blogger / Genre Fiction post 🙂
Lexxie,
I loved the Codex Alera series too!
I completely agree about cozy mysteries! I can never accept that the protagonist is somehow the only one who can solve the mystery and that all the law enforcement people are incompetent.
Ha ha, I love your analysis of cozy mysteries. You’re right, of course, but I still enjoy reading them every now and then. Although I prefer straight thrillers more. In fact, like you, I read just about anything.
I think I should read some Jim Butcher! I keep hearing about his books but never have read one. Thanks for the recommendations.
We are definitely quite similar in reading taste as I can’t stand cozy mysteries either! I’m not great with normal mysteries, so cosy ones are seriously a step too far!
I don’t read much paranormal, but I’m not against it. I should give it more of a try in the future.
I agree. There are so many genres I like that it’s very hard to pick one favorite. I can understand that you always have one you prefer the most, but it’s great to read different things – so I don’t understand how someone can read only one type of book. I’ve never read many things about The Hollows series, but it sounds like my thing! Diseases, genetically modified: that’s the stuff I like to read about. Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll check it out on Goodreads.