A Month of Books :: My Favourite Genres

Last updated on 10 February 2017

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This used to be a done deal. I always used to read fantasy books, and that was about it (perhaps with the exception of the occasional Agatha Christie’s Poirot). But then these past few years I’ve really gotten into the dystopian genre, probably thanks to The Hunger Games. Cheers, Suzanne. So I thought today I would suggest some books in each of those genres, so you can hopefully, find a new read!

Fantasy

The Harry Potter series, by J. K. Rowling – a no brainer for me. My all time favourite books.

The Hobbit, by J.R.R.Tolkien – I don’t include The Lord of the Rings here because, although the stories are incredible and I love them to bits, I hated reading the books. They are just so long, and there is way too much Elvin song, and Ent poems for my liking. But The Hobbit is great because it’s similar, and it’s short.

The Wheel of Time series, by Robert Jordan – I’ve actually only made it up to book 4 in this series, but all my friends absolutely love it. I’ve really
enjoyed the first four, and am slowly getting through the rest. There are 13 in total, and each book is basically a door stop, so it’s a huge commitment, but if you like long fantasy epics, this is definitely one.

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke – I read this when I was about 12 and I loved it so much. It’s still a favourite of mine, and although it’s aimed at a younger audience, it’s still an amazing book. It’s a book about books, and different worlds and crazy characters and has a brilliant story line.

The Inheritance series, by Christopher Paolini – Like I mentioned previously, Eragon was the book that made me want to write. It’s a great fantasy series about dragons and their riders, and the amazing and imaginative world of Alagaesia. It even has maps and a glossary.

Dystopian

The Hunger Games series, by Suzanne Collins – Perhaps another no brainer. I think this is the immediate series a lot of people think of when they think ‘dystopian’, and for good reasons. It’s a great series, and I actually think they did a really good job with the movies so far. Looking forward to the next one!

The Divergent series, by Veronica Roth – I mentioned this series in my favourites lists nearer the beginning of this month. I think I like it more
than the Hunger Games. But if you loved the Hunger Games, chances are you’ll love these books too. They are a great read, fast paced with great characters.

The Delirium series, by Lauren Oliver – The concept of this trilogy was really intriguing to me. The whole story is around the idea that love is a
disease. The main character obviously falls in love, and her whole world is called into question. Another great dystopian society based on people’s fear of a greater force in control of all their lives.

The Maze Runner, by James Dashner – An almost terrifying story of boys who live in a compound and have to find their way out of the deadly maze that surrounds them. This book is so well written, and so gripping that you’ll finish it in no time. It’s a really great corrupt-society book, and it moves at a fast pace.

Variant, by Robison Wells – If you like books that are based in a high school setting, and you like dystopian…this is for you. This is a great book about a boarding school that has crazy rules and regulations, with different groups of students who gang up on each other, and a main character who just wants to get out of there, complete with all the answers. The sequel to Variant, Feedback, is just as good, too.
There are so many genres of books, that sometimes it’s hard to just pick one. But do you have a favourite? What it is? And what’s your favourite book within that genre? Are there any books in fantasy or dystopian that you can suggest for me to read?