Today I got inspired by the fabulous charts my fellow blogger Wildaboutthewrittenword creates and thought I'll try my hand at a similar infographic myself :) Come to think of it, what better way to represent my reading preferences in 2016?
If I retrospect on my reading journey so far in 2016, the first half was predominated by the fantasy genre - I suddenly stumbled upon a previously undiscovered wonderland of adventure fantasies, fantasy romances and fairy-tale retellings. Dragons and flying griffins, curses and spells, wizards and witches, seers and healers, fairies and angels all flitted in and out of my imagination at a breathtaking pace!
That fantasy-loving phase lasted till July, when I found myself slowly veering towards past-present mysteries with a dash of romance. For a few months, I was intrigued by secrets covered up in the past, lost letters, suddenly discovered old diaries and black-and-white photographs of long-dead ancestors! Some of these books, such as those written by Rosanna Ley, had the added bonus of being set in exotic lands like Morocco, Italy, Spain and Burma.
Lately, I have found myself developing an affinity for goosebumps-inducing gothic fiction with a healthy mix of supernatural, mystery and romance - nicely in time for the imminent chilly weather! How long this particular phase lasts is anybody's guess at this point, but I do have a lot of gothic and supernatural books on my Kindle to explore. So it can be safely assumed that it won't be terribly short-lived.
That fantasy-loving phase lasted till July, when I found myself slowly veering towards past-present mysteries with a dash of romance. For a few months, I was intrigued by secrets covered up in the past, lost letters, suddenly discovered old diaries and black-and-white photographs of long-dead ancestors! Some of these books, such as those written by Rosanna Ley, had the added bonus of being set in exotic lands like Morocco, Italy, Spain and Burma.
Lately, I have found myself developing an affinity for goosebumps-inducing gothic fiction with a healthy mix of supernatural, mystery and romance - nicely in time for the imminent chilly weather! How long this particular phase lasts is anybody's guess at this point, but I do have a lot of gothic and supernatural books on my Kindle to explore. So it can be safely assumed that it won't be terribly short-lived.
In between these major phases, whenever I have felt the need for a light and entertaining read, I have picked up a historical romance - sometimes filled with frothy humour (the Julia Quinn kind) or serious emotions (the Mary Balogh kind) or just plain angst (the Meredith Duran kind).
2016 has been an unprecedentedly fantastic reading experience so far, with me discovering new genres and many hidden gems. This was the year when the number of good books I kept coming across finally compelled me to make this long-desired book blog a reality. The very fact that I have managed to write so many blog posts is a testament to the quality and quantity of review-worthy books I have read in 2016.
Now that the last quarter of the year has set in, we will soon find out the kind of reading journey the next year will bring. While I can't foresee my reading patterns in the next year, I can definitely predict that it will be another year choc-full of enriching books that transport me to many more unexplored territories and introduce me to many more intriguing characters!
Now that the last quarter of the year has set in, we will soon find out the kind of reading journey the next year will bring. While I can't foresee my reading patterns in the next year, I can definitely predict that it will be another year choc-full of enriching books that transport me to many more unexplored territories and introduce me to many more intriguing characters!
Whoever said a picture can say a thousand words sure knew what s/he was talking about. This visual so aptly summarises your reading journey of 2016. Cool! And, I can see fantasy ties in for top position with gothic fiction. While I did enjoy your enthusiasm for fantasy fiction, am glad you are back to gothic cos' knowing you are reading something I would love makes me really anticipate your next post.
ReplyDeleteFantasy actually ties for top position with past-present fiction. I think I've developed a fondness for these dual timeline part-historical, past-mystery novels that I have been reading more and more for the last few months. I like it if these novels have a tinge of the gothic in them too. But I think pure gothic novels are still a bit too dark and gloomy for me; it seems whenever I read some particularly creepy one I get a nightmare about it within a few days! :( So I think true gothics are books I stood stay away from. Mild gothic ones like Jane Godman or Amanda DeWees are fine though.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I've been reading some really good Barbara Erskine gothics lately. Liking them a lot :)
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