Favorite Genres?
Recently, my husband asked me what my favorite types of stories are. Am I more drawn to fantasy or romance? Could I read fantasy without romance, or romance without fantasy, etc.? This got me thinking.
Initially, I answered that I think I prefer fantasy and don't have to have romance. I figured I'm not very interested in romantic fiction unless it's fantasy-related. But then I read the highly-revered Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Its sole focus was on fantasy and world-building, with much less emphasis on romance at first.
And I hated it.
To say I hated Name of the Wind would probably be an understatement. I found myself bored out of my mind, being annoyed by the main character, and unable to care less about the stories he had to tell. The world-building was too confusing and too in-depth for my liking. I just didn't care about it at all.
So this got me wondering if perhaps I do enjoy romance over fantasy. This especially became evident when I fell in love with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, which is by no means a fantasy story. I suppose it's not really even considered historical fiction, considering it was written in the time period it is based on. However, I went on to read Sense and Sensibility, which seemed to focus less on romance, and didn't care as much for it. So I wouldn't say I'm a particular fan of regency novels either.
But then I read Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray, an author I love. It was a sci-fi romance, so I figured that since I seem to be drawn to romance primarily, perhaps I would enjoy it. And honestly...I didn't. It was okay, but it wasn't a page-turner for me. The romance aspect just wasn't very appealing either.
I went on to read books like Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett. Disliked both of them. I wasn't surprised that I didn't enjoy Red Queen since I saw many mixed reviews on it. I was a tad disappointed in my dislike for Onyx & Ivory though, since I used to be a huge horse lover growing up. The problem with both of these stories, for me, was that although the worlds and magic systems were interesting, the stories themselves just weren't. None of the characters were likable enough. None of their adventures were intriguing enough. I just couldn't care less about what happened in these books.
Perhaps I spoiled my enjoyment of many books because I set the standard so high for myself after reading the A Court of Thorns and Roses trilogy by Sarah J. Maas. It's not the best series by any means, but I personally really enjoyed it. The fantasy aspect, world-building, character development, romance tropes...I loved all of it (save the sex scenes, which are not my cup of tea in general, but I can write another review on that). Another series I've enjoyed so far (and need to catch up on before the third book releases next month!) is the Folk of the Air series by Holly Black.
What do these two series have in common? A few things. 1) First-person storytelling. Somehow I feel much more immersed when the story is told in first-person. I care more about the characters and feel more of a connection with them. 2) Enemies-to-lovers romance, mixed with slow-burn. I can't get enough of it and I couldn't tell you why, but I just adore these tropes. 3) A faerie world. I never took much interest in the world of faeries and fae, but I find it fascinating now. It has just the right amount of mysterious, whimsical magic that isn't too childish and isn't too dark. It's not for everyone, but I was actually quite surprised when I found I enjoyed this sort of world.
Obviously, this is not to say I will stick to books that are only fantasy, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and take place in a faerie-type world. I still enjoy books like Pride and Prejudice, the Harry Potter series, and numerous Star Wars books; they're just a bit more hit-or-miss for me.
I have countless fantasy/faerie novels on my TBR list--more than I know what to do with lol. I don't think I'll ever get around to reading all of them, let alone getting my hands on them. But I'm happy to know that there are so many options out there to try! I don't know if I'll like them or not, but I'm excited to give them a chance!
What are your favorite story genres? Do you gravitate toward fantasy, sci-fi, historical, romance, or maybe horror? I have yet to try some horror novels but I'm interested in checking one out soon if you have any suggestions!
Talk to you next time,
Zayla
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