Here we are once again! A day to celebrate all of us: Book Lover’s Day. The first Saturday in November and arguably the best holiday of the year, at least for an avid reader.
I have done my fair share of research and questioning to gain an understanding of the most beloved books from five different genres. I must admit I’ve fallen willingly into the repetitive cycle of romance novels. We all know how difficult that is to escape. While this list of books might look familiar, I hope it provides you with a new book to read this fall just as it has for me.
Romance
Romance always floods the shelves, but right now it is basically overflowing. With that being said, I know there is an abundance of books I can choose from for this genre. From Colleen Hoover to fan-fictions, the options are endless, but what resonates with me most is a British classic.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is arguably one of the building blocks of romantic literature. Its conversations surrounding love, marriage, and pressures of society on an “acceptable” love for the time remain relevant. Austen’s novel is also incredibly feminist for its time. The protagonist Elizabeth Bennet desires to marry for love not purely marry just to marry as a woman was expected to. This novel is observed through many lenses. However, it surpasses others in its rebellion against norms during the 19th century and also its relevance today in the 21st.
Mystery
Though the mystery genre is not one I often gravitate toward, some novels come to mind immediately. Most of the popular mystery novels are turned into the most capturing films thus drawing me toward the literature.
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is a novel planted at the top of my reading list for this fall. The Queen of Crime outdid herself with this one as it is known to be incredibly well-organized and methodical. Lovers of this book say that it reads like an old-fashioned detective novel with an enjoyable twist ending. She can balance an abundance of characters and storylines with impressive skill. If nothing else, this is an entertaining read that a range of readers can enjoy.
Dystopian
I have recently found immense joy in the dystopian genre. In my final semester of university, I took a Utopian Fiction course. We all know with every utopia comes dystopia. Growing up in the late 2000s, I remember just how flooded the shelves became with the some of best dystopian series of my generation. The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Divergent series all come to mind for this one. All of these are insanely popular complete with numerous movies, fandom groups, and devoted fans.
As an eighth grader, friendships built off of the love of these novels stood the test of time. Each author individually captured the glorification of a utopic world to then contrast it with the struggles and horror that come with it. All three of these series exhibited just what the world could look like if we decide to take science and technology a step too far.
The Hunger Games and Divergent series show idealized communities only to come crashing down with the weight of necessary rebellion. As a young adult, I think that is what drew me to these novels. The awareness that everything could come crashing down intrigued me. I think we all wanted to be that person if this ever happened in real life.
Horror
I am not scared of many things, but horror literature and movies are most certainly at the top of my list. I’ve tried many times to read horror novels, but I find that seeing the words on the page makes it all the more creepy. There is something about having to imagine the story that makes it all the more scary. The King of Horror, Stephan King, challenged me as a reader, because while I love his writing style, I am definitely scared of what’s inside.
The Shining is one of the only novels and movies I can get through in this genre. I find this novel to be far more fascinating than fearful. I just want to crawl into King’s brain and know exactly what his thoughts were when he made a character like Jack. King is similar to Agatha Christie in the way that his story balances different characters and storylines, while also edging you to a climactic ending that you didn’t expect at the start.
I am inept in the progression of Jack’s insanity through the possession of the hotel and am fascinated by all its layers. This novel is sure to frighten, confuse, and keep you hooked the whole way through.
Fun fact: I visited the hotel the movie adaptation is based on in Colorado and it is just as creepy as I hoped.
Fantasy
There are so many fantasy novels that deserve to be mentioned in this article and I struggled to narrow it down to one. My favorite characteristic of this genre is they are usually part of a series. Lucky us, right? You always want more of the fanciful world, characters, and magic. I find myself using this genre as a means of escapism. It also is the most remnant of childhood.
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings possess all the components of fantasy literature. Wizards, elves, magic, ghosts, and more unexplainable features fill the pages. These books transport me into a world that seemingly makes no sense whatsoever, but yet does at the same time. Just as King and Christie balance their storylines, Tolkien does the same in his novels. There is so much going on sometimes I have to take a step back and reread certain sections. At times it feels like it is five stories in one. I would argue that this series is a fantasy lovers must-read, but it also comes with its challenges.
I am excited to use this Book Lover’s Day to reread some of my favorites, but also to start something new. Are you up for the challenge?
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