Thoughts on Genres

I've been reading since I was a kid, but it's only been in the last 10 years or so that I have noticed the trends in the book industry and it really just came to me when I thought about my reading habits in the shower the other day.  Is it just me or can you solve the world's problems when you are in the shower and not singing at the top of your lungs (Take Me To Church and Uptown Funk are my current favorite shower songs, but I have been known to belt out some Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert)?  I frequently find answers to problems I've run into at work, how to handle something with the kids and yes even a blog post :)

So here's what I have noticed:

Mystery and suspense are always around and contemporary romance as well for me.  I'm not a big non-fiction reader but I know that is always around, but I'm talking about my reading habits.

Somewhere around 2002-2003, the vampire/paranormal craze hit romance.  I read as much as I could get my hands on.  The Dark Hunters series by Sherilyn Kenyon, Anita Blake by Laurell K. Hamilton, the Carpathians by Christine Feehan and so many others, but it's been 10 years and it's hard to remember.  But somewhere along the way this fizzled out and I've looked through my Kindle library and there are so many series I haven't read yet, but I'm not feeling it at the moment.

Romantic Suspense also really came into play shortly after I went on the paranormal reading spree.  It was really big and while it very much is still around, there was a true heyday somewhere around 2005 or so.  Dee Davis, Mary Burton, Jayne Krentz, Elizabeth Lowell and Nora Roberts were some of must reads (and still are).

Also the general fiction genre took off with the likes of Jodi Picoult, Kristin Hannah, Elizabeth Berg, Emily Griffin, Elin Hilderbrand, Lisa Scottoline and many others.  I have enjoyed and still enjoy books by these authors.  I can count on a heartfelt story that feels real.  And while I love a happy ending, I don't mind an occasional unresolved or not as happy ending.  That said the ending of several Nicholas Sparks (who is a local author for me) tick me off.  But that's another blog post.

As the paranormal started to fizzle for me (too much of it for me, maybe) Young Adult seemed to be hitting it's prime. The Twilight series bridged the gap for many of us not-so-much-young adults.  We were reading paranormal so it wasn't a stretch to go read Twilight, I mean it had vampires.  Sparkly ones at that ;)  Then it was Harry Potter.  And the Hunger Games.  All YA became popular but I would say the Hunger Games trilogy ushered in the post-apocalyptic genre which is still going to some extent but I am seeing more people getting tired of it.  I admit that it hasn't piqued my interest as much after I finished the Divergent series.  There are still some great books out there, but I think I'm burnt out on it.  Somewhere in there was the paranormal ability and angel books, like The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting and the Fallen series by Lauren Kate.  There were also serious books and alternate reality seems to be popular and just plain contemporary. I honestly wish there had been this much YA when I was a young adult, but I'll enjoy it at 40.

While I feel YA is still going strong, it ushered in edgier books centered around kids finishing high school and in college.  An age group that wasn't really in many books before.  Romance seemed to pick up around 25-40 and suspense was usually older characters.  So these edgier books centered around this new age group (17-24) became New Adult.  This genre was mainly launched by independent authors like S.C. Stephens, Jamie Mcguire and Abbi Glines to name a few and now all of them are published by major publishers. Yay for them!  I have been working my way through Abbi Glines' Rosemary Beach and Seabreeze series.  They have been great.  I also love anything by Jamie McGuire.  The Beautiful Disaster series of books have been excellent and I have read the first Maddox brothers book and have purchased the second one.  Love these!  Some other of my favorites are Jennifer Armentrout, Colleen Hoover, Rachel van Dyken and too many other authors to mention.  But I'm seriously  loving this genre right now which is what led to me thinking of this post because I wonder what will come after this.

And we can't forget erotica.  Yes it's always been there, but the Fifty Shades of Grey books really ushered in women being less ashamed to be seen reading it.  I remember the year it was really popular being in Myrtle Beach for a girls' weekend and you could look around the pool, everyone was either reading a Fifty Shades book or a Hunger Games book.  LOL!  But this brought Cheyenne , Jaci Burton and many others to the forefront and while there were some books that seemed to copy the Fifty Shades of Grey model, there were many refreshing new ideas and great books. I don't see this genre going away but it's faded a little.  I'm thinking with the movie coming out next weekend that it may be revived.

And along the way I have stayed true to reading contemporary romance from Nora Roberts, Kristin Higgins, Lisa Renee Jones, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Lori Foster.  These authors are timeless and seem to move with the times keeping their books fresh and interesting and of course full of love, conflict and of course a happy ending.  Yes it's a formula, but it's a formula that works and these authors and many others bring a freshness to it that make it fun, serious, mysterious and hot.  Romance is the biggest selling genre with a good reason.

Finally is the Mystery/Suspense/Horror genres for me.  I started reading heavy as a teenager with V.C. Andrews (I was in the height of the Dollanger family books), Stephen King and Dean Koontz.  Stephen King and Dean Koontz are still must reads for me.  I've added J.D. Robb, Michael Connelly, John Sandford, Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, Janet Evanovich, Lisa Scottoline (she's both mystery and general fiction), James Patterson (yes he's my guilty pleasure, but that's another blog post as well).  There are many others in this genre as well. 

After writing this post, I think I will make a series of posts with authors I have discovered and loved over the years. 


And just to clarify, I in no way think these swings through genres are bad.  Variety is wonderful.  I love each and every genre and love to see authors do great.  I love to see new authors on the scene and enjoy my favorites.

What are your thoughts about the progression of reading fads/binges that you have participated in. 

What is your favorite genre of the moment?

What would you like me to talk about from my perspective?  I am going to get back to reviews, but I like sharing my feeling as well. I know I enjoy reading posts on what the bloggers think about reading.  I'll also share my bookshelves and my reading habits in more depth.  But I would love to hear from you as well.  If you have a blog post about any of these topics or your reads from 2014, let me know, I love to read these and may have missed them.

2015 Nonfiction Reading Challenge

Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography
at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I've  been reading more and more nonfiction books each year (my favorites are interesting memoirs and running books, but I read just about anything).  So the Nonfiction Reading Challenge hosted by The Introverted Reader is a great one to challenge me to continue reading nonfiction.

The Challenge:  Read any non-fiction book(s), adult or young adult. That's it. You can choose anything. Memoirs? Yes. History? Yes. Travel? Yes. You get the idea? Absolutely anything that is classified as non-fiction counts for this challenge.

I always like levels in my challenges, so here are mine:

Dilettante--Read 1-5 non-fiction books

Explorer--Read 6-10

Seeker--Read 11-15

Master--Read 16-20

This challenge will last from January 1 to December 31, 2015. You can sign up anytime throughout the year.

I am not limiting the challenge to bloggers. You can also link to a review you wrote on another site, such as GoodReads or LibraryThing.

Crossovers with other challenges are acceptable, and feel free to read your books in any format you like.


I'm signing up at the Seeker Level, so come back and check out my progress.

***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

I love a TBR pile reading challenge so this one hosted by Bookish is perfect for me.  Each year I strive to read more off my shelf, virtual or real, so this challenge helps me try and read more of my books.  The challenge is hosted by Bookish and will have read-alongs and wrap-ups alternating months.  Make sure you check out the sign-up post for more information.

Challenge Guidelines

1. The challenged will run from January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015. The sign up link below will remain open until January 16, 2015 at 11:30am.
2. Anyone can enter! You don't have to be a blogger, just as long as you review the book you've read. You can review on your book on your blog, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, etc.
3. Any genre, length, or format of book counts as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your self for some time. Short stories and novellas do count! The only stipulations that the book must have been released in 2014 or earlier. No 2015 ARCs or 2015 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed.
4. On the 25th of every other month (see schedule below), we will post a wrap-up for the previous two months. These posts will be done by one our bloggers and will contain new linkys for you to add your own wrap-up posts. If you did not sign up by January 17, this is where you can sign up as well.
5. To help you tackle your TBR piles we will also be hosting Read-A-Longs on months that do not have wrap-ups. Voted on by challenge participants, Read-A-Longs will have two post dates: the first half of the book and the second half. Please note: You do not have to take part in our Read-A-Longs to participate in the TBR Pile Challenge. You can participate in all of them, some of them, or none of them. This aspect of the challenge is entirely optional.
6. There will be two giveaways - July and December. Giveaway details will be explained once the giveaway post goes up. We don't want to overwhelm you with too many details now  :)
7. You don't have to follow Bookish to join the challenge, but you do have to follow us to be entered in the giveaways.

How many books are you planning to read for this challenge?

1-10 A Firm Handshake

11-20 A Friendly Hug

21-30 First Kiss

31-40 Sweet Summer Fling

41-50 Could This Be Love?

50+ Married with Children

I plan to read at the Could This Be Love level. I think I should be able to read 40-50 of my own books. Come back here and see how I'm doing :)

1. Sometimes It Lasts by Abbi Glines (on my ereader since 2013)
2. Kiro's Emily by Abbi Glines (freebie from December 2014)
3. Tidal by Emily Snow (have had the audio since early 2014)
4. Enforce by Rachel van Dyken (bought December 2014) 
5. Forever Too Far by Abbi Glines (bought December 2014)
6. Bad for You by Abbi Glines (review audiobook from mid-2014)
7. Hold on Tight by Abbi Glines (review audiobook from mid-2014)
8. Take a Chance by Abbi Glines (bought 2014)
9. One More Chance by Abbi Glines (review audiobook from 2014)
10. Rush Too Far by Abbi Glines (review audiobook from 2014) 
11. Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb (from audible credit several years ago) 
12.  

Currently Listening: Tidal by Emily Snow

Tidal by Emily Snow

Obtained From: Simon & Schuster Audio for review

Why I chose this one: I am very into New Adult and this sounded interesting

Date Started: Jan. 2, 2015


About Tidal:

From New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Emily Snow: Hollywood starlet Willow Avery is out of rehab, with only one chance left to redeem herself before she’s officially on every director’s blacklist……At least, that’s what her parents and her agent are claiming. She doesn’t really give a damn if she never makes another movie—she just wants to get on with her life, get back to her friends, and find her next escape. But Willow is broke. And whether she likes it or not, acting is the only job she knows how to do.

When she accepts the lead in a beach drama, set in Hawaii, Willow meets Cooper, the gorgeous Australian surfer who’s been hired to train her for her new role. With the bluest eyes she’s ever seen and the sexiest accent she’s ever heard, Cooper’s different from the men she’s used to. He doesn’t want to use her. And he refuses to let her fail.

But when an old friend re-enters Willow’s life—a friend whose toxic presence reminds her of the painful memories and deadly habits she’s tried so hard to suppress—Willow will have to choose between the girl she was and the person she’s becoming…or she may lose the man she’s starting to love.
 

Currently Reading: Misbehaving by Abbi Glines

Misbehaving by Abbi Glines

Obtained From: Edelweiss
Why I chose this one: I've been making my way through the Sea Breeze series and loving it

Date Started: Jan. 1, 2015

About Misbehaving:
An unexpected affair leads to mind-blowing harmony in this Sea Breeze novel from New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines.

Jason is sick of living in his rock star brother’s shadow. So when he ships off to Sea Breeze, Alabama, he’s looking for a much deserved escape and a chance to blow off some envious steam. Falling for the local bad girl was definitely not the plan. But as the new duo enjoys some naughty fun in the Alabama sun, Jason learns that even though Jax is the musician in the family, he’s not the only brother who can rock someone’s world.

2015 Audiobook Challenge

Another great challenge for me is the 2015 Audiobook Challenge.  I have a 30 minute each way commute so I enjoy listening to audiobooks.  This challenge is hosted by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens.  You can check it out and sign up here.

Reading Challenge Details:

• Runs January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015. You can join at anytime.
• The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2015 than you did in 2014.
• Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
• ANY genres count.
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Shelfari, Booklikes, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc. – I’ve created a Goodreads Group for the challenge, feel free to join.
• If you’re a blogger grab the button (on the sidebar) and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweeting about the challenge.

By request, a new level (Marathoner) has been added this year for the hardcore listeners and the numbers for My Precious has been changed from 30+ to 30-50.

Levels:

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
  
• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
• Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30-50
• Marathoner (Look Ma no hands) 50+

I'm going with the My Precious level. Love the name of this level. So I'll be listening to 30-50 audiobooks.

1.  Tidal by Emily Snow
2. Bad for You by Abbi Glines
3. Hold on Tight by Abbi Glines
4. Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau
5. The City by Dean Koontz
6. One More Chance by Abbi Glines
7. Suspicion by Joseph Finder
8. Rush Too Far by Abbi Glines 
9. Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb

2015 Snagged @ The Library Challenge

Another great challenge for me to join is the Snagged @ The Library Challenge hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog & The Book Nympho.  Sign up here.

Guidelines:

• Runs January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015. You can join any time.
• The goal is to read at least twelve (12) books from the library. Twelve should be easy, that’s one a month. While twelve is the minimum, there is no maximum limit. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you.
• Any format will work for this challenge (print, ebook or audio) as long as you checked it out from the library it counts.
• Books can be any genre (fiction, nonfiction, romance, fantasy, mystery, thriller, horror, etc.).
• Crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed, including re-reads. The goal is to support your local library and save money.
• To join this challenge, grab the 2015 Snagged @ The Library Reading Challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads (so as long as you have a dedicated shelf and Felicia has created a Goodreads group), Shelfari (I’ve created a Shelfari group. You can join and post your progress within the group), or BookLikes, etc., for the 2015 Snagged @ The Library Reading Challenge. The point of linking up is to have a place where people can see what you’re reading.

Levels:

1. Dewey Decimal: read 12 books
2. Thrifty Reader: read 24 books
3. Overdrive Junkie: read 36 books
4. Stalking the Bookstacks: read 50+ books

I'm going for the Overdrive Junkie level, 36 library books should be easy. I will aim for Stalking the Bookstacks, but I'm trying to read some of my own books as well :)

1.  Burn by James Patterson
2. Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau
3. The City by Dean Koontz
4. Suspicion by Joseph Finder
5. You Don't Want to Know by Lisa Jackson
6. Private Vegas by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
7. Hope to Die by James Patterson