Most of my reviews are of historical fiction … more specifically, Christian historical romance novels. I primarily read this genre for the following reasons:
- I love historical settings. To me, the past is a completely different world that actually existed. There were no “good old days”? Think again!
- I love romance. I don’t know why, but without romance, I just don’t enjoy the story as much. Of course, there are plenty of non-romantic books I’ve enjoyed … okay, more like three. Or two. Maybe -5.
- I love clean fiction. I’m actually not big on Christian fiction unless it’s done well (it’s rarely done well), but a title being labelled “Christian fiction” is a good way of determining that it’s clean. Well, usually …
Those are pretty decent reasons, right? Still, I argue that reading too much of any genre is a bad idea.
I’m not saying that reading more of one kind of book than another is a bad thing. I quite enjoy my Christian historical romances, and I want to keep reading them. However, I’m going to start reading books of a variety of genres.
Yesterday I went to the library and picked up The Selection (dystopian romance), Oregon Brides (basically what I always read), Lizzy & Jane (contemporary), the Red Fairy Book (children’s fairy tales), and Australian Shepherd (nonfiction animal care). Even so, I honestly could have done better for variety (I do have a couple books on hold that are a little different, but they haven’t arrived yet).
My advice to you would be to go to the library, pick up several random books (do a better job at it than I did, though!), and bring them home. That seems a pretty decent way to try new kinds of books to me! And it’s fun.
Anyway, on with my reasons why you should read varied genres.
- Your mind will stop growing. Statistics have proven that people who don’t at least try more than one genre of book are stupid. Okay, I made that up, but trying different things and expanding your horizons and all that is generally considered a good idea.
- It’s unhealthy. Seriously. Your mind needs more than one kind of book just like your stomach needs more than one kind of food.
- You will miss out on some different perspectives. The same genre, even if written by different authors, is generally biased in one way or another about humankind or about a certain chapter in humankind or something like that.
- You will miss out on some cool books. I never thought I’d enjoy The Hunger Games, but I really did! There are a lot of amazing books out there in every genre. Don’t just read one kind!
- Because I said so.
Thanks for reading,
~Kellyn Roth~
Bloglovin’ · Goodreads · Facebook
p.s.
What’s your favorite genre? Do you read too much of it or are you pretty evenly balanced? What do you think about reading too much of any one genre?
17 Responses
i actually just went to b&n and got some books in a genre i dont usually read. guess i mind-read this psot was coming 😉
You’re a psychic blog post reader?! Whoa … 😀
IKR?! pretty cool… 😉 XD
I agree. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut… :/ I really don’t have anything to read right now, however. #needforlibrary
I hope you’re able to go to the library or otherwise find a great book soon! 🙂
Thanks!
Yay! We were able to go to the library yesterday afternoon, so now I’m stocked for a while. 🙂
Yay! I hope you got some great books. 🙂
What’s your favorite genre?: AGH I LOVE SO MANYYYYYY! I think… fantasy and contemporary (this one is newly added). I also like some aspects of sci-fi but not too much of it (actually sci-fi is a favorite) and I also like dystopian. Because I write that. XD
Do you read too much of it or are you pretty evenly balanced?: Um, I actually don’t know what genres I usually read??? But I just had a contemporary party and OMG I LOVE CONTEMPORARIES SOOOOOOO MUUUUUUUUCH.
What do you think about reading too much of any one genre?: Hmm, I guess it’s okay. I mean you should read as many genres as you can to broaden your prospects (I got the saying wrong didn’t I) but you read how you read, I guess.
AND YAY THE SELECTION!!! I mean it’s not thaaaaaaaaaat great (kicked off the favorites list whoops) but it’s still good. Although I HATE The Heir and the Crown. JUST UGH.
To me, you seem super balanced. Whenever I read your MMMs, I’m like, “Maaaan, she read more than one kind of book!” *glares at my historical fiction stack*
Now I want to read some contemporary fiction … I’ve read so little. Even less that was actually aimed at my age-range … XD (what? I had to get into the middle schools at SOME POINT, SOMEHOW as a closet homeschooler and Andrew Clements was just THERE in my brother’s room … 😉
I’m gonna start it soon … and my friends are pretty evenly divided in having not read it (because they hate the idea, I guess? Oh-kay …) and loving it … so I’m like, “I guess I’ll love/hate it.” XD
Aww, I guess. XD Historical fiction is good, though!
XD Contemporaries are awesome! Hopefully you’ll be able to read more for your age-range. 😛
I mean, it really is a love or hate series. People thought America was annoying (not meeeee) so they didn’t like the series, but I hope you enjoy it!
Yeah … I read overmuch of it though … so it gets redundant. I mean, I still love it, but the plots have molded together in my head. XD I need to start reading new genres …
Honestly, I really think that would be another genre I would enjoy just as much as historical fiction. If I read it though, it’s usually because an Indie author asked me to, so I’m like, “Eh … mmkay …” But yes, I should totally read it for enjoyment purposes only … ’cause that’s always the best kind of reading.
Okay, so, this is stupid, but I’m a little turned off by her name – America Singer. I’m like, “Uh … that is … so crazy that I feel like she’s the child of a movie star and a supermodel. Or some other famous person who can get away with naming their kid crazy things. But yes, that’s a silly, stupid prejudice! 😛
Well, there’s something behind America’s name, that you’ll find out later. Singer is her last name because of her caste, and America because her mom wanted her to symbolize something from before (or something).
Oh, there’s like symbolism. Mmkay. *nods*
Yup. XD
But what if the only genre I enjoy is fiction…? What if I’m stupid? It’s totally worth it!!! 😆 #foreveryoung #fiction4life #callmestupidxD
Though I guess I should expand my reading choices…. I should go down my tbr list and pick something new and different out. Maybe. But I’ve already been to the library recently, though.. So I doubt I’ll be going for awhile. 😭
I don’t really consider fiction to be so much a genre as the only kind of book out there. It’s definitely the only kind of genre-able book out there. I was talking more about, say, reading only historical fiction (like me) or fantasy (like other people) or whatever.