There seems to be a genre for every kind of book ever published—and probably even a few for books that haven’t been written yet. From romance to horror, from westerns to sci-fi, there’s something out there for every taste. I doubt I could list them all here, and even if I could, I’d forget a few and offend someone in the process. But let’s be honest: you don’t even have to open a physical book these days. Audiobooks, eBooks, blogs, serialized fiction on apps—storytelling is everywhere, in whatever format fits your life.
Still, there’s something about finding your genre—the one that makes you lose track of time, ignore texts, and forget that you left laundry in the washer three days ago (Hypothetically, of course.), or just keeps you up way past your bedtime.
Over the years, I’ve covered a fair bit of literary territory. I won’t claim to have read from every genre, but I’ve sampled a healthy variety. If we sat down to talk about it, you might ask me what my favorite genre is. And I’d probably stall. Not because I don’t know, but because it depends. Sometimes I’m in the mood for something fast-paced and wild, other times I just want to ask “Who Dun It?”. You know how some people ask, “What do you feel like eating?” and then stare blankly into the fridge for twenty minutes? Yeah, it’s kind of like that.
So, I’ll turn the question to you: What’s your favorite genre?
Some people are loyal to just one, like lifelong mystery buffs or fantasy die-hards. Others bounce around like literary hummingbirds, sampling whatever catches their eye. I’ve known folks who swore they didn’t like reading—until someone handed them the right book. Suddenly, they were hooked. That’s the magic of genre: it helps you find stories that speak your language, stories that reflect your imagination, your values, your fears—even your guilty pleasures.
My own reading life didn’t start in childhood like it does for a lot of people. I picked up reading for fun a little later than most. It took the right push and the right book—okay, three books, handed to me by a friend who was a devoted reader of science fiction and fantasy. At the time, I didn’t know much about the genre beyond what I’d caught in movies, but I trusted my friend’s enthusiasm. That night, I cracked open the first of those novels… and that was it. I was in. Oh, by the way, I’ve reread all three of those a few times.
My brother was another influence on me. He became a reader a few years before me. I remember his favorite author was Anne McCaffrey. His love of her work was instrumental in starting my reading adventure where I did.
Fantasy became my first love—dragons, distant worlds, powerful magic, the whole deal. I devoured it. Then, curious to explore beyond wizards and warriors, I drifted toward other genres. Westerns were next, thanks to a few Louis L’Amour books that practically smelled of leather and gunpowder. From there, it was thrillers, historical fiction, memoirs, horror, and quite a bit of historical non-fiction when the mood was right. Each genre offered something new: a different voice, a different lens, a different thrill.
What’s funny is that we don’t always realize how much a genre shapes our expectations until we switch it up. You walk into a horror novel expecting a sense of dread. You open a romance novel expecting hope (and maybe a little steam). In a western, you brace for dusty towns, hardened heroes, and a shootout or two. That’s the beauty of genre—it prepares you for the emotional ride ahead, even if you don’t know exactly how the story ends.
Of course, some books like to break the rules. You’ll find everything, from a cozy mystery with ghosts to a romance set on a space station. Genres are more flexible than we give them credit for, and the best stories often blend elements from several.
So, whether you’re loyal to one shelf at the bookstore or you treat the library like a literary buffet, it’s worth taking a moment to think about why you love the books you do. Is it the escape? The emotional connection? The wild twists? The nostalgia? Or maybe it’s just that you like spending time with characters who feel more real than your neighbors. (Let’s be honest—some fictional people are easier to root for.)
Whatever your answer, it says something about you. Not in a judgmental way—there’s no “right” genre—but in a way that reflects how you see the world, or how you want to see it.
So again, I’ll ask: What do you like to read? And more importantly—why?