I’ve always been an avid reader. In a good year, I’d read somewhere between 20-30 books, and I would discover new favorites along the way. But for the last year and a half, I’ve really struggled. When I go to the bookstore it’s taking longer to find books that interest me because everything feels cookie cutter and similar, and then when I finally sit down to read what I’ve purchased, I can’t get into it or I give myself my usual 100-150 pages and I still don’t like it. I don’t know how to get back on track.
It’s probably me but I’ve been feeling a bit of sameness in books that I’m finding on the shelf.
– A historical fiction book with a mystery that spans a generation…
– A woman must return home after the loss of a loved one and finds a mystery note, door, book….
– A fantasy novel with a great premise but then hints at an enemies to lover plot at the very end of the description (which means you know what this book is actually about)…
– A story that follows 4 characters connected through time in 1923, 1945, 1971 and 2019…
– And of course, a woman returns home, where 5 people were murdered 30 years ago and with her return emerges clues to the unsolved mystery of their deaths…
And so forth. It all feels the same. I want something grounded in its own lore, that eagerly wants to do its own thing. Some of these log lines and summaries feel like they’re checking boxes.
I like mystery, coming of age, contemporary fiction, SOME historical fiction, YA (especially fantasy) but I can’t crack the code to what I need to get me back on track. Suggestions?
by moxieroxsox
5 Comments
How about [Fortune Favors the Dead](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/eb8c7ae9-41b0-442b-b3f1-8e01870fe219) by Stephen Spotswood?
Derek Miller has a contemporary and historical fiction two parter.
Norwegian by Night is the first book and contemporary. How to Find Your Way in the Dark is a prequel to the first. The main character is an old man in the first and a young boy coming of age in the second.
I read FYWITD first and loved it. It has everything: humor, mystery, history, historical NYC, love. Just a delightful read.
Grounded in its own mythos: The Expanse Series. It’s sci fi noir. Don’t have to be into either to enjoy it. Very well written series.
The seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley
If you’re up for reading a YA thriller, I recommend Five Survive by Holly Jackson
The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle for a different mystery take. Read this two years ago and was my favorite read of that year.
Scythe for a YA sci Fi with an interesting premise. Is it the highest quality writing? No. But if you go in with expectation that the plot and prose is ultimately YA and can just enjoy it for what it is I think it’s a good time.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi for a historical fiction/fantasy. I loved this. Notorious pirate pulled from retirement for one more adventure.
Red Rising for a fast paced, never lets up series. The first is basically Hunger Games on Mars, moves more heavily sci Fi from there, but still has pretty heavy fantasy vibes. My favorite series from the last decade, high on my list of overall favorites.