PLAY TO WIN
Books that feature games or the theme of gaming have proven a great hook for readers, myself included. Games, puzzles and riddles immediately suggest strategic critical thinking and a balance of rules, inventiveness and creativity. Literature about video games offers a similar allure, with the added benefit of exploring the idea of infinite lives and infinite chances.
War Literature
Penelope Lively’s Booker Prize-winning novel Moon Tiger follows the life of Claudia Hampton. The book starts with Claudia as an elderly lady in a London hospital room. Claudia, a bestselling historian, whose life has spanned World War Two, imagines writing a history of the world. Instead,
Myths Retold
Greek myths have sparked imaginations for centuries. These stories of love and vengeance, gods, heroes and monsters have continued to inspire countless new novels and retellings. Here are a couple of my favourite stories based on Greek myths.
Non-fiction Highlights
Wild History is a brilliant exploration of hidden historical sites in Scotland. I found the concept of wild history itself very interesting. As the author says, there are very few parts of the world that are truly “wild” anymore; to be wild is to be unadulterated by human activity and by now human activity can be traced to even very remote corners of the globe.
High Fantasy
This book is an intriguing mix of high fantasy, science fiction and horror, and features the best of these genres. Our magic system is Necromancy, and our main character is Gideon, an indentured servant of the Ninth House.
History in Writing
Comedian and writer David Mitchell’s ‘Unruly’ introduces readers to England’s early kings and queens, from the legends and lies about King Arthur to Elizabeth I.
Cosy Fantasy
What exactly is cosy fantasy? It’s a subgenre of fantasy which became popular around 2020. With everything that was going on then, it’s no surprise readers were looking for comforting, escapist books. Hence the rise of cosy fantasy.
Literary Libraries
As someone who prefers to spend my time surrounded by books, it probably won’t come as a surprise that I gravitate towards stories set in libraries. For many people, libraries are more than a place to borrow books, as wonderful as that is. They represent inclusivity, exploration and community. So, a book set in a library is already giving me ideas on what to expect. And if there’s something a bit supernatural about the library, all the better!
Across Generations
Stories that depict relationships between different generations of people are one of my personal favourites; especially when it’s family members who love each other but struggle to communicate. It’s the perfect setup for hijinks as well as some good comfort reading.
