Top Ten Words/Topics That Instantly Make You Buy/Pick Up A Book
Any books that fall into these categories are pretty much insta-reads (or at least insta-going-on-the-TBR) for me. As I made the list, I realized that a lot of it, for me, has to do with wanting to read about things that are relevant specifically to my life. Does this make me a selfish reader? If so, I am not ashamed.
1. "The _______'s Wife/Daughter"
Example: The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve
I adore most books with this title structure. Why? Perhaps because I am a wife...and a daughter? Plus, titles like these almost always equate to women's fiction, which I love.2. Marital Strife
Example: Love The One You're With by Emily Giffin
Okay, this is NOT something I aspire to, but my interest is always piqued by a book with marital strife as a major plot mover. I like to think it's because my marriage is so blissfully wonderful that I have to look elsewhere to read about such things. :-)3. Babies/Pregnancy
Example: A Bump In The Road by Maureen Lipinski
Again, this is completely selfish in nature, but as a mom I love to read about mom-related and baby-related books. Most of them are written either from a very humorous perspective (I love to laugh at my own mom mistakes, why not others' as well?) or an introspective one (moms muddling through child-rearing and trying to figure it all out). I enjoy either side.4. Travel + Humor = Win
Example: Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson
I'm a lover of travel. And travel can be hilarious sometimes. Miscommunicating in countries where you don't know the language, not knowing local customs, missing connections--these all have the potential to be funny (in hindsight, at least). A travel memoir that embraces this is a winner.5. Food-Related Nonfiction
Example: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
I've already waxed poetic about food memoirs, but my love extends to all things food-related. I am a horrible chef, but my stepfather was trained at the Culinary Institute of America, so I harbor a fascination for this area of reading.6. "Psychological Thriller"
Example: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
This term is pretty broad, but I think the spirit of Gone Girl captures it fairly well. The more twisted and unexpected, the better.7. Zombies
Example: World War Z by Max Brooks
This has absolutely no relation to anything in my life. I just have a really sick fixation on the zombie apocalypse. I have an escape and survival plan in place, it involves baseball bats and an Ergo carrier.8. Female 20-Somethings In Their Post-College Years
9. Collegiate Setting
Example: I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What can I say? I adored all 4 years of my college experience, and now I work at a college. College settings are very, very familiar to me.10. Set In/Near My Hometown
Example: I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
I should basically just say "Wally Lamb novels" because no one else sets their books in southeastern Connecticut. But if they did, I would totally read them! No matter what the genre! SECT in the house, boiiiiiiii.What do you think, readers? Do you share any of my preferences? What are your insta-read topics?
I still need to read Gone Girl. Great list!!! Love your blog name :)
Reply<3! New follower!!
Beth | The Reading Vixens
Vixen's Top Ten!
Thanks Beth!! Gone Girl is totally worth the read. :)
I love psychological thrillers! Great list.
ReplyYeah, I think most people can get behind that genre!
I love psychological thrillers and I wish there were more books set in college that were awesome... I haven't been able to find as many good ones as I have for HS and Post-College Life. But College was the freaking BEST and I wish that magic was captured more often in books :)
ReplyMy TTT
I totally agree. It's so hard to find GOOD (read: not cheesy) books about college. I love reliving those years. :)
Those are very unique and interesting topics. Zombies made my list too!
ReplySeriously, I don't do a lot of sci fi/paranormal, but zombies are the shizzle.
I'm a giant sucker for anything set in my home state as well. I can't resist a good Wisconsin book :)
ReplyI watch The Walking Dead. That's been my only brush with zombiedom. I've heard great things about World War Z. I'm thinking I might need to pick it up ;)
The Walking Dead is pretty awesome, though I must say I tend to prefer my zombies in books vs on screen. They scare me too much in person. Hahaha. At least while reading I can prevent nightmares by picturing them wearing bowties or something stupid...
Great list! I love books set in places where I've lived/am living, too, especially when they acknowledge it by including place names and landmarks! It's kinda fun isn't it.
ReplyThere's a real thing about giving a book the title "so-and-so's wife/daughter" isn't there; they're very eye-catching somehow, and yet something about them bothers me. I like how they immediately give you a sense of who the people in the relationship are, and yet it stings a bit because the woman (I've seen I think one that was a male - unless I'm imagining it!), who is the subject of the book, is only referred to via her connection to a man. It irks me like "Mrs Frank Smith" irks me. Sorry, bit of a pet peeve. I hadn't thought of it before but that could be why I'm rather reluctant to pick those books up. I loved The Time Traveler's Wife but by-and-large I haven't read many. Got a couple more on the shelves but...
Love me a good psychological thriller! Still have to read Gone Girl. And I love universities as settings, or the uni years for the characters, only there aren't very many of them are there? And now with "New Adult" we've got some more but they're just about sex and strike me as a bit immature and angst-riddled.
Oh dear I sound so whiny just now! Having a good day, I swear! My Top Ten Tuesday list
Good point about the wife/daughter thing, never thought of that (I also can't STAND when I get things addressed to "Mrs (Hubs Name)", totally irks me.) I think, for the most part, I've found that the female characters are strong enough in those novels that I don't think they are overshadowed or ruled by their male counterparts...even if the title illustrates them in relation to that person.
Also, completely agree re: new adult. I definitely don't gravitate to college-setting books that are all about sex...I look for novels that take themselves a little more seriously than that. :)
Yeah, I agree about zombies! :D
ReplyMel@thedailyprophecy.
Zombies are so cool/terrifying. I hope you have an escape plan in place too. :)
OhmiGod, Gone Girl is an ah-mazing book! I love psychological thrillers. Also college settings and 20-something settings are just what I like to read about. Great list!
ReplySana @ artsy musings of a bibliophile
Oooh sounds like we have a lot in common!!
I share a lot of these preferences, too, even though I had to recently exit my forties, not my twenties! I used to read more about mothers and babies than I do now, but still vividly remember that transitional time. To collegiate, I would add boarding school settings. I'm a sucker for those.
ReplyOh yes, boarding schools are good too. I loved Prep.
I love books about sisters and siblings. I am the oldest of four and have 2 sisters and a brother who has recently past. The sibling bond is strong and the family dynamic is fascinating to me, especially when siblings don't get along! The Weird Sisters was a favorite of my sisters and I.
ReplyAh, as a girl blessed only with brothers, I often wonder at the sister/sister relationship! Something special there for sure. And I'm very sorry to hear about your brother.
Interesting list - I keep meaning to try some food-related non-fiction. I pretty much live to eat.
ReplyFoodie nonfiction would definitely be your thing then. :) I'd love to hear what you think if you try it!