How are we already on Day 4 of Five Fall Favorites? It feels like it just started. (But I’ve been working and applying to colleges all this week, and I’ve barely had time to read many posts. Hopefully I can catch up.)
Today’s category is for books in genres I don’t usually read. This is a bit difficult for me, since I read a lot of genres (I don’t like them all equally, though).
Testing of the Stars by P.D. Atkerson
Sci-fi with spaceships and aliens isn’t my thing at all–yet somehow, this book and its sequels (especially the sequels–they’re better than book 1, so keep reading) became some of the best books I’ve read this year. I loved the characters so much that it could have been set in a medieval fantasy kingdom, and I wouldn’t have cared. (Actually, a few chapters are…you’ll have to read the book to know what I’m talking about.)
The Beauty in Their Scars by Joanna Alonzo
Not only is this book unlike what I usually read, it’s in an objectively unique genre: contemporary fantasy. By that, I mean fiction set in made-up countries in the real, “modern” world (think the early 2000s-ish time period where most contemporary romances are set) with mostly made-up cultural elements and a touch of fairy-tale “magic” (not exactly the right word for it, but I don’t know how else to put it). If that sentence confused you, I hope it made you want to read this book. If you need more convincing, you can read my full review here. (The prequel is free on all platforms.)
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
I think this is one of only two non-Shakespearean plays I’ve ever read and the only American play I’ve read. Needless to say, plays aren’t a genre I default to, and I likely would never have picked this one up if I didn’t have to read it for my most recent literature class. However, I ended up quite enjoying it–I thought the dialogue was hilarious and the theme was impactful.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Like A Raisin in the Sun, this is another book I read for school. I ended up enjoying it, although it’s very different from what I’m used to reading. I liked the writing style, the setting, and the themes.
Like the Air After Rain by Kellyn Roth
Historical fiction–mainly Christian romance–used to be one of my most read genres. Then I realized how frequently these books disappointed me and how they paled in comparison to actual historic literature. Recently, I’ve tried to avoid the genre–except for a few certain authors, of which Kellyn Roth is definitely one. I was amazed by Like the Air After Rain and think it’s one of the best historical fiction novels I’ve ever picked up.
Want more recommendations? Visit these blogs.
Hannah E. Griggs | Blue Flower Story Company | Ellie’s Book Haven | Southern Scribblings | A Ruby in the Rough | Read Another Page
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