Armchair BEA: Genre Fiction

Julie's Genres

Click to read of our
Historical Fiction Reviews

I read so many different genres but for this I'll pick Historical Fiction. I love reading about it because I feel like I get the narration along with experiencing something about that time period. Most of the time I end up learning something a long the way as well. I'm going to give you 3 recommendation in case this isn't your genre of choice or you are looking for a good one in it:

A Good American by Alex George
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (anything by her is a great bet)
Hemingway's Girl by Erika Robuck

Enjoy!

Jenn's Genres

I've actually been thinking about this a lot lately, why I read what I read.  I don't enjoy most contemporary fiction.  There's way too much reality (illness, drama, death) for me and that's what I read to escape. Oddly my love of history keeps me from enjoying most historical fiction... I'm a stickler for the facts. 

I love crime and thrillers because I love a good puzzle (Meg Gardiner, Kathy Reichs, and Iris Johansen to name a few favorite authors in this genre).  But my first love will always be YA, especially paranormal and fantasy. And I'll talk more about it later in the week...

Click to read some of
our Food-lit Reviews

However, my other love is food-lit.  Everyone inevitably asks me what food-lit is, and as I'm pretty sure I made up the term, it's no wonder why.  I love food centric books, probably because I love to cook.  I think cooking is pretty magical in and of itself, depending on who's in the kitchen, so books that incorporate it are pretty high on my list.  The epitome of food-lit is Sarah Addison Allen.  Her books are the standard to which I hold all food lit, so if you're looking for a place to start, check out her work...  and if you're really interested, I love to give recommendations...

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
The Girl Who Chased the Moonby Sarah Addison Allen
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry
The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

That should keep you hungry!


Alice's Genres

Click to read some of
our Romance Reviews

I think I am the absolute opposite of Jenn when it comes to why I read.  I love contemporary fiction.  I love the reality of it.  I read with my heart, I am an emotional person and I love books that evoke my emotions.  I like that ache in my heart, those tears in my eyes, the sadness and joy I feel when I read about someone who conquerors cancer or loses a loved one.  I also love Chick-Lit as long as the Chick in question isn't a twenty-something year old fresh out of a relationship determined to make it on her own only to realize that cute, sexy neighbor is her true love after all.  I prefer my Chick-Lit about a thirty-something year old divorcee with kids who is starting a new adventure.  

My other favorite genre is memoirs, which I will tell you about late this week.

My favorite genre's have evolved as well.  When I was younger and still believed in true love, I loved a good romance novel.  I was a faithful reader of Johanna Linsdey, Jude Deveraux, Amanda Quick, and LaVyrle Spencer.  I loved reading about how two seemingly mismatched people, always at odds found a way to love each other in spite of their difference. I believed that's what love was, stronger than any other thing there is but so worth fight for.  Now I'm a bit more cynical and realize that all those romance novels probably gave me a grossly inaccurate view of love.  I still believe love conquers all, however it's a lot less dramatic as it is in romance novels.  The major drawback of my cynicism is that I no longer read romance novels like I used to.