Fall is the time for curling up with a blanket, a cup of tea (or coffee), and a good book. But choosing the right book for you can be a more involved decision. Every genre has its own appeal and it can be hard to find the ones that speak to you. This guide is intended to give an overview of different genres and some tips on choosing books.
Realistic Fiction
These books have a story that seems plausible to happen in real life but are not true stories. They can reflect events or situations that could have occurred in modern times, but they are not rooted in a real-life event.
Science Fiction
SciFi (as it is commonly referred to) tells tales of futuristic concepts that imaginative settings that involve advanced technology and science. For example, it could be a story about life on other planets or time travel. They often have scientific data as a basis, but push the limits on what is known in actuality.
Fantasy
When reading a fantasy novel, you often feel like you are in a whole new world – because you are! Fantasy novels contain stories that are set in “unreal” and/or magical settings, involving mythical creatures or seemingly impossible things.
Non-Fiction
It can range from biographies to dictionaries. Anything that is true facts and not made up via the imagination is non-fiction.
Historical Fiction
While this could be deceivingly similar to realistic fiction, historical fiction takes a specific time period and tells a story using fictional characters to talk about a real-life event or time in history. The story would be keeping the manners, social conditions, and other details of that period unchanged while incorporating fictitious characters.
Romance
Like the name, the romance genre focuses on relationships and romantic love between two individuals. There is often some difficulties with this relationship, but the ends almost always have a happy ending.
Choosing the Right Book for You
Classic
These books are socially known as the most important and influential books in our literary history. They tend to be the ones taught in schools and referred to in the media.
Mystery
Mystery novels usually have a suspenseful plot involving a crime, which the main character is involved in and/or is trying to solve. The book itself follows through trying to solve the crime and brings the reader into it.
Young Adult
These novels can encompass any other genre of fiction but are specifically catered towards young adults. This can mean a variety of literary techniques are employed to target this population. While the intended audience may be adolescents, that doesn’t mean adults won’t also enjoy them!
Each genre has a unique spin on its stories that makes it different than the others. There are actually many more subgenres, but these are the most widely referred to. When considering the genre that is right for you, consider the types of movies and T.V. shows that you watch. Chances are if you like crime shows and action movies, you will probably enjoy mystery novels. If the Hallmark channel is your favorite, romance is definitely the fit for you. Of course, your
tastes do not have to line up perfectly, but it is the place to start. Try something from each genre and see what you think. Reflect on what you liked and did not like while reading the book to determine if it was simply the storyline or author’s writing, or if the genre was what made it hard to enjoy. There are so many books out there within each genre. Something exists that will have you tearing at the pages, racing through the story. Once you find it, it will be easy to continue finding your niche in the reading world.
