We all have a tendency to stick with the same genres we know and love, but we all, I’m sure, also have the urge to branch out completely, try something new. It reminds me of Beach Read by Emily Henry, where authors January and Augustus switch from their usual genres of romance and speculative/literary fiction respectively and try the others’. It can be a very hard thing to do; when you know you love a genre, you just want to hide out in it for the rest of time. Expanding your range doesn’t have to be permanent. Just try one or two books out from one genre and give it a shot.
Oftentimes, I go to my friends for recommendations because I can trust them to give me, the fantasy-poetry-contemporary-romance reader, some good suggestions, even if we read completely different genres. For example, some of the books I’ve read based on recommendations that are out of my usual genre are:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Historical Fiction)
Verity by Colleen Hoover (Thriller)
Twisted Love by Ana Huang (Dark Romance)
However, those recommendations don’t always work out, and that’s okay! Also, I have to look for some myself, and that can be even more of a struggle when you don’t have anyone to ask about them. Finding things you enjoy in books (tropes, themes, etc.) can help you stretch into other genres. Some things I like to consider when looking for books from other genres to try are:
Topic
Reviews
Content or trigger warnings
Themes
Representation/diversity
Or sometimes you just have to go by vibes! Some of the books I’ve read that are nonfiction (a genre I rarely read) have been some of the most entertaining and insightful books, but I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t picked it up and started reading for the fun of it. Find things that have similar qualities to what you enjoy reading and try something. It never hurts to try, and you should never feel ashamed to DNF a book. Sometimes it just isn’t for you! Know your limits, but don’t be scared to never try it. If you don’t like it, then you don’t like it! That’s how I found out I don’t particularly care for mafia romances; I gave it a shot with a few different books in the genre, then stopped. If it’s not for you, don’t sweat it. Trust the process and whatever happens, happens!
Here is a quick list of recs of books that have helped me expand my range!
Read This To Get Smarter by Blair Imani (Nonfiction)
Writing Unbound by Thomas Newkirk (Nonfiction)
Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Short Story/Literary Fiction)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare (Play)
Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White (YA Horror)
Murder in the Marsh by Kevin Carey (Mystery)
The Summit by the Sea by Michael Lajoie (Historical/Literary Fiction)
The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (Memoir)
The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco (YA Horror)
Try something new this year! If you like science fiction, try horror! If you like speculative fiction, try reading a memoir! If you’re into nonfiction, try reading contemporary or speculative fiction! Life is too short, so try something new!
Mae Fraser @maeflowerreads