I have been in a major reading slump for honestly years now. I tend to read either fanfic of stuff I’m already into or nonfiction these days cause it’s more likely to hold my attention. BUT I really miss getting sucked into a book or series and nothing I’ve picked up has really caught my attention.
Here’s what I definitely need:
– 3rd person (I usually prefer 3rd person limited)
– Likeable protagonist
– POV mainly stays with the same character or scene, especially in the beginning (I don’t like jumping between different character groups or scenes as a rule, but if characters have been established together it’s okay if the pov follows their different paths later)
– World building that is either relatively simple or meted out in a slow and thoughtful way. I want to understand what’s going on immediately.
– a satisfying ending
Here are some themes I like:
– I usually prefer male or androgynous protags, or if women, gender nonconforming
– A main duo with soulmate vibes (usually not in a romantic sense)
– Nonhuman characters interacting with humans (Asimov-style robots, AI, talking animals, demons, spirits, etc). If one of these is part of the duo, all the better!!
– a nice balance of lighthearted and angst
– usually I like stories that are a smaller scale rather than world ending scale but if it’s really focused on the experience of the main protag/duo, I can still enjoy a larger scale story
– the villain or antagonistic force has a personal relationship of some kind to the protagonist
bonus theme if you happen to know of one: possession/body sharing with a nonhuman like a demon/spirit
I’ll read anything from middle grade to adult if it’s good.
Books I like (that may or may not fit these themes):
– All asimov robot stories, Daneel and Lije
– Bartimaeus trilogy (rare fun use of 1st person)
– The girl and the ghost (example of middle grade, love this brand of possession story)
– Harry Potter (particularly the 3rd person limited pov, balance of fun/angst, extreme readability)
– the left hand of darkness (harder to get into but I loved the main duo)
– 2001
Help, my friend keeps asking me about what I’m reading and I need an answer!!
by CalicoSparrow