Have you stepped outside of your favorite reading genre(s) this year?
Tanya – Like last year, this year, I rarely strayed beyond my comfort zone of genre and Speculative fiction. I gorged myself on mystery, fantasy, dark fiction and horror. My first foray into reading something I normally wouldn’t have, came because of the February Monthly Motif Challenge – Read a New Release. I chose The Vegetarian, Han Kang – a contemporary novel that I found wanting, but that critics seem to love.
I stayed in my comfort zone after that until August, when I read 2 contemporary novels that were getting a lot of buzz – The Nest, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney – which I loved; and Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty, which I also liked. The Nest was a debut novel, but I was familiar with Moriarty, having previously enjoyed some of her works – Big Little Lies and The Husband’s Secret.
Kim – I really expected to challenge myself more this year but when I look back I don’t see much of that. I mostly stuck to my favorite genres of mystery, paranormal, and a bit of fantasy.
I read A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman based on reviews I’d seen even though I rarely read contemporary. I loved it! It was funny and sweet. I also read Boy 21, Matthew Quick and The Girl With All The Gifts, M.R. Carey after Tanya suggested them to me and really enjoyed both of them so much! Both turned out to be really thought provoking.
Did you try reading outside your comfort zone this year?
(Photo Credit: Marie-Sophie)
// Comments //
Tamara @ Traveling With T
I love that Liane Moriarty is outside your comfort zone because she is all up in my comfort zone… But I did not care for Truly Madly Guilty like I thought I would. Sigh.
Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews
I rarely read outside of my comfort zone, but I did read a few books that I didn’t know had a bit of paranormal in them. It was just a touch so I kept reading. 🙂
I like my genres and stay close to them. 🙂
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My A Month of Faves
Tanya Patrice
@Elizabeth same here. I’m glad I did the Monthly Motif reading challenge which forced me to read a few books outside my comfort zone.
Susie | Novel Visits
Outside of your comfort zones is inside mine! Aren’t we lucky to have so many different types of books out there?
Tanya Patrice
@Susie I love how you put that!
Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories
I don’t feel like I read too much out of my comfort zone this year but then again I feel like I hardly read anything, I didn’t even reach HALF my goal. Sigh….hoping next year will go better.
Tanya Patrice
@Tanya I feel ya! But hey any books read during the year is a win!