Diving head-first into a new genre can be really daunting. It sometimes feels exhausting to me, having to learn all sorts of new genre conventions while keeping track of the plot of a book. So, when I decided I’d try getting into new genres, I started with cross-genres. Being a big fantasy reader, I picked some romantasy novels to start with since I normally don’t enjoy reading romance. A Barista’s Guide to Love & Larceny by Caroline Bonin was the novel that got me to actually start exploring other genres this year. Having the familiar world-building tropes take a backseat to the characters’ relationships was a change that I really had to get used to, but found myself enjoying anyway. After reading a couple romantasy novels, I felt more confident in picking up romance books, like Whitney Amazeen’s A Summer of Dandelions. Starting with a cross-genre really helped ease me into the prevalent tropes of the new genre.
Sometimes circumstance is the spark to curiosity, as was the case with me wanting to expand the genres that I read. I don’t always have time to dedicate to reading for enjoyment, so the books I’ve read before were always the same genres and series that I knew best. Then I started taking classes and getting involved in programs (like Pine Reads Review!) that encouraged me to read outside of my usual young adult or middle-grade fantasy genres. I had to actively make time for the stories assigned to me, and many of them are genres that I wouldn’t have been interested in before. Science fiction, for example, never caught my attention because I was never interested in the science the worlds were built on, even though the genre often overlaps with fantasy. Taking a class all about science fiction, even though I was mostly reading older works, has piqued my interest about what’s being published in the genre now. Editing with Pine Reads Review and getting to hear how much other people love romances and comedies has made me want to read a few, when I used to just brush them off.
On the topic of my time with Pine Reads so far, I’ve really had to open my mind to different genres that I wouldn’t have given the time of day before. And not just in terms of the books that I am personally reading; I’ve learned a lot about genres through my fellow writers and their reviews of books. Genres like dark academia and folktale retellings, for example, I would have no clue where to begin searching for a new book. But after seeing how excited reviewers get over new releases, or those visiting old genre classics, I’ve managed to build a foundation of books I want to pick up as soon as I have the time to. Anasofia’s review of Forgive-Me-Not by Mari Costa, for instance, I wouldn’t have looked twice at without seeing Anasofia talk about the dynamic of the characters. And, obviously, this isn’t limited to just reviews published by Pine Reads. I’ve found myself scrolling lists of new releases in general and looking at reviews, especially if they’re outside the scope of my regular genres, to see what’s being said about the book and if it feels like a genuine reaction, rather than one manufactured to get sales.
This might be one of the hardest parts about getting into new genres: keeping an open mind. Each genre has their tropes and their clichés. Oftentimes the clichés will drive people away from a genre. In fantasy, it could be the unpronounceable names or the “chosen-one” archetype. Or in romance, it could be the miscommunication and love triangle tropes—the tropes I used to believe dominated the genre, and which put me off from it. Something I had to practice whenever I picked up a new book was leaving all my preconceived notions at the door. Sure, some books fall into tropes that leave me annoyed or rolling my eyes. But I found that any book was far less enjoyable if I went in dreading the possibility that a certain trope would make an appearance. And the truth of the matter is, most authors will put their own spin on each trope that should make it unique. I can’t know if I’m going to enjoy it if I go in expecting to hate it.
Don’t be afraid to explore new genres—in fact, if you’re curious about other genres at all, I’d say there’s no time like the present to start your adventure.
Grace McCool, Pine Reads Review Writer & Editor
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