Skip to main content

Top Ten Genre Novels I Want to Read

I have a lot of top genres, of course including science fiction and fantasy, but I saw that Jana did historical fiction, so I thought I would try that too. This is an easy one for me since both of my book clubs predominantly read historical fiction! I would say this is a genre I used to read a lot on my own, but I don't know if that would still be true if not for my book clubs. I am pretty excited about some of our upcoming reads though, including one on Hedy Lamarr and one on Rosalind Franklin. And, of course, I am always adding to the list for sci fi and fantasy.


Top Historical Fiction Novels I Want to Read

  1. The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict--My book club read for March, about Hedy Lamarr's history as a scientist and wife in Nazi Germany before she became a Hollywood actress.
  2. Atomic Anna by Rachel Barenbaum--This is kind of a hist fic/sci fi crossover, about a woman who goes forward and backward in time to prevent Chernobyl.
  3. Spear by Nicola Griffith--a gender-bent retelling of the Percival myth, so bit of a hist fic/fantasy crossover. 
  4. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray--The story of J. P. Morgan's personal librarian.
  5. Matrix by Lauren Groff--About Marie de France who rises to become the prioress of a Middle Ages nunnery.
  6. Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict-- About Rosalind Franklin. Benedict is sure cleaning up on this list!

Top Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels I Want to Read

  1. Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty--Space station mystery. Enough said. 
  2. Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao--Fascinated by this story of a woman pilot where women are typically used as fuel (more complex than that, but you can look up a full summary).
  3. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin--I feel like I hear about this everywhere, but it's about a group of friends and their video game company, and I think I would enjoy it.
  4. Babel by R.F. Kuang--Set in an alternate historical British empire (more crossover!) where linguistic translation equals money and magic. A friend enjoyed it and I think I will too.

Comments

Pam said…
I hope you enjoy all of these when you can read them! I have The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict on my TBR, but I have seen a few others she has written that also sounds interesting.

Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/favorite-historical-fiction-the-1920s-1930s/
@Pam Wow, I haven't even heard of that one! She sure is prolific!

Popular posts from this blog

Books On My Fall 2025 To-Read List

It's already mid-fall, so I've already read some of these, but I imagine I'll finish more before the fall is out! I'm reading quite widely these days--I seem to be reading 3-6 books at any given time, because of book clubs, yes, but also mood, format, and availability. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books On My Fall 2025 To-Read List An Amateur Witch's Guide to Murder by K. Valentin--I received this ebook for review from LibraryThing, and I've never been quite so pleased with my choices! This was a hilarious ride from the get-go and crammed full of witchy Goth kid oddities and gore--a perfect Halloween read, and hopefully the beginning of a series! A Bridesmaid's Guide to Murder by Abigail Scott--Another ebook I received for review from LibraryThing--and whatever it is, books ending in "Guide to Murder" are killing it for me these days! (Let's not look too deep...) I'm not finished, but I'm loving it so far. Don't Forget to Write by Sara Go...

Cozy/Atmospheric Reads

I love this topic for rejoining Top Ten Tuesday!  I'm trying to lean in as much as possible to the coziness of fall and the upcoming winter season. I've done a lot better with that the last few years. Just because it isn't my favorite doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. Plus, some books I'm reading lately that are apropos for the Halloween atmosphere pervading my neighborhood this month at least.  Cozy/Atmospheric Reads Adenashire, a Cozy Fantasy Book Series by J. Penner--These books are the epitome of cozy fantasy with distinctive characters from a variety of creative fantasy backgrounds, including orcs, fennex, and gargoyles. The Bloodstained Key by Charity Rau--Not so cozy, but stiflingly atmospheric--a Gothic novel set inside a fairytale. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall--Really captures the cozy atmosphere of a small town and a trove of magical family secrets. An Amateur Witch's Guide to Murder by K. Valentin--I don...

My Reactions to Common Book Buzzwords or Phrases

I'm trying to post but take it easy, so I'm including my reactions to some of the example buzzwords Jana used in the prompt, plus any more I think of. I had some very strong and immediate reactions, probably since these buzzwords are so common, especially in romance and the romantasy that's ultrapopular these days! Happy Top Ten Tuesday! My Reactions to Common Book Buzzwords or Phrases Phrase: "Morally grey characters" My Reaction: NO. Why?: I'm thoroughly sick of this trend, especially because it typically means "morally grey male love interest" which typically actually means "I fell in love with a serial killer BUT HE LOOOOVES ME." No. Don't get me wrong, I can and do enjoy genuinely nuanced characters and I do not expect anyone, much less a fictional character, to be perfect nor do I want them to be, but if I see that phrase, I think Rhysand, or, at best, Christian Grey, and I'm just not into that. (But if you are, you're ...