This week's topic is changes in my reading life.
I have to admit, I never thought there would be a change. For so long I have been so firmly a non-fiction reader. I love knowledge, especially of history. I crave it, even. Yet I am slowly being drawn to middle-grade and YA, particularly those of the Karen McManus/thriller variety, as well as more paranormal fare, with the likes of the Cassidy Blake series. And my adoration of Mary Downing Hahn has not abated from childhood, despite the fact that I am a grown-ass woman now and nearing forty.
Even so, history will always be my first love. I will first and foremost continue to travel back in time to Medieval and Renaissance England with the likes of Dan Jones, Helen Castor, Matthew Lewis, and so many other historians I adore (though I think we know I would travel just about anywhere with Dan Jones).
Yet, I am fairly certain I will continue to find middle grade and YA that grabs my attention and won't let go until I've read the very last page.
Happy Reading!
Sarah
Oh my gosh, historical fiction is one of my first loves, which of course led me to some great nonfiction authors. I love Allison Weir so dang much. Have you read any Sharon Kay Penman? My absolute fave historical fiction!
ReplyDeleteI don't read historical fiction, it is one of the only genres I have to stay far, far away from because it is incredibly frustrating when I know the real history and an author completely gets it all wrong (Philippa Gregory is THE WORST!).
DeleteI have heard a lot about Sharon Kay Penman and if I ever decided to start reading some historical fiction, I would start there for sure. Thanks for coming by!
Welcome to the worlds of Middle grade and YA!
ReplyDeleteThank you Leah, I am really loving it!!
DeleteHopefully you will continue to delve into the dark side with McManus and others haha! Is her new one here yet?????
ReplyDeleteI'm kinda liking it when YA and paranormal go together- depending on the book, of course. But I've been seeing more creepy YA stuff and kinda liking it? Maybe I'm just in a spooky mood!
I will read everything McManus writes, no question. She is A.MAY.ZING. I am going to die before it gets here, January is soooo farrrrr awaaaaaay!!!!
DeleteSame.!!!!!!
DeleteThat's an interesting switch, from nonfiction to middle-grade/YA. I love nonfiction and I love middle-grade, too.
ReplyDeleteRight?? Have you always liked both, was it a gradual switch from one to the other, or how did it go for you??
DeleteThere are so many great middle grade and YA books out there.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT.
And our school book fairs had TONS of them back in October. It is ridiculous how much I am loving middle grade mystery/thriller right now.
DeleteHistory is a major love of mine as well, but it's always fun to expand our horizons and try new things!
ReplyDeleteOh, have you ever heard of Harry Turtledove? He writes epic alternate histories and I also want to say he's a history professor? Really interesting fiction.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
I have never heard of Turtledove. I think I would be much more inclined to read historical fiction or alternative history if written by a professor of the subject. I shun historical fiction almost en masse, because it gets so bungled by certain authors who don't bother to stick to any kind of truth. (I really do not like Philippa Gregory!) I did read an alternative history once written very much as a non-fiction book, it was interesting. Thanks for coming by!
DeleteI'd never set out to read alternative history, but was given one of his books and loved it. If you look him up, I hope you enjoy him (and thanks for the warning about Philippa Gregory)!
DeleteI love history too. One of my long-term reading projects is reading the unabridged version of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. My Kindle says I still have 90 hours of reading time left, so maybe I'll finish it in 2020?
ReplyDeleteWhile you are on that, my own behemoth that I may never conquer is William Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I finally bought it a couple years ago because whenever I would check it out from the library, someone else was always waiting for it next so I could never check it out more than once. It's quite the tome as well, here is to us accomplishing our goals of reading these books...before we die!
Deletei think blogging has changed us all.i used to read mostly suspense/thrillers. now, they are still my fave, but i read a lot mor e paranormal/supernatural,young adult, and fantasy....
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
I would agree. I used to kind of keep to myself, had no idea what all these weekly memes were, and was just talking to myself about books. It is a learning curve, that is for sure!
DeleteHistorical Fiction is one of my genres I reach for!!! Here is my post-https://paigesofbook.blogspot.com/2019/11/welcome-back-i-have-missed-doing-top.html.
ReplyDeleteI have a really hard time with historical fiction when it comes to subjects/eras I know a lot about, because so often they are not as accurate as I want them to be. There are some authors though who really strive for accuracy and share the sources and materials they used, which is something I really think is important and I appreciate. Thanks for coming by!
DeleteThat's interesting! I hope you end up enjoying all the middle grade and YA titles you pick up. Recently I have been reading mostly Thrillers but I do branch out a lot more to try different things.
ReplyDeleteIt was a shock to me too! I thought, no way, I would never read something meant for middle schoolers - I was embarrassed enough about enjoying YA. Now I don't care and will shout it from the mountain-tops!
DeleteI guess I love it all though I have read more non-fiction in the last decade than ever before. I also read YA but I am picky. I got into that when I was working in a bookstore with a huge YA section. What became a new thing for me in the last few years is reading poetry.
ReplyDeleteI always think that is really great when people read and enjoy poetry. No matter how I try, I just can't get into it. I am pretty picky about my YA, but I am going head-first into middle grade to find great reads for my students!
DeleteI read mostly fiction, but I share your admiration for Dan Jones. I've read several of his books and been entertained as well as informed by them all.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE DAN JONES! We are practically best friends...and I am sure he just loves when I tell people that, lol. I got to meet him two years ago and it was pretty much the second greatest day of my life. I wrote about it here: https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.blogspot.com/2017/09/heres-what-happens-when-you-meet.html
DeleteI love that you love to learn! There's so much information out there and sometimes I feel as though I'll never soak up enough of it. So, I'm definitely there with you! But it's great that you've expanded your reading habits to other genres.
ReplyDeleteThat is EXACTLY how I feel!! Then I think about all the books that I will want to read that have not even been published yet! It is EXHAUSTING. But I love that middle grade and YA can be a quick palette cleanser of sorts when I am burned out on my non-fiction treasures and need a break from the heavy loads.
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