Week Three Prompt Response

For this week I will be answering the following hypothetical Readers Advisory questions with the help of Novelist and Goodreads. The questions were created by my instructor. All of my answers will be italicized. 

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!

I am happy to help! The fourth book in the series is The Lunatic Cafe. Can I print you a chronological list of books in this series? There are almost thirty books in the main series alone. 

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

Are you familiar with Anthill by E.O. Wilson? Like Prodigal Summer, this book also has a strong ecological focus and sense of lyricism, but it is faster-paced. Would you like to give this book a try?

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

I think I have a good book for you! Are you familiar with Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden? It's an epic historical fiction novel set in Japan. The book was so popular that it even became a film in 2005. I have heard this is a really descriptive and atmospheric book - perfect for someone who wants an immersive literary experience.

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

If you like Elizabeth George's style of mystery, I would also recommend Deborah Crombie, Tana French, and Louise Penny. Their novels are generally less creepy than the ones by John Sandford!

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

How fun! And yes! There is a fast-paced zombie trilogy called Newsflesh by Mira Grant. The first book, Feed, came out in 2010. Here is a brief description of the book that I found on Novelist: "In the year 2014, a new virus emerges, taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command, FEED, and, now, 20 years later, two reporters will stop at nothing to expose the dark conspiracy behind the infected." Does this sound like something your husband would like to try?

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

Sure! Here are some that I would recommend: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (2018), The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins (2019), and Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2020). I would also recommend that you read some of the classics, since those are regularly recreated in media. A good example would be the famous novel, Little Women. Even though it was written in the late 1860s, a new movie version of it came out in 2019. 

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.

If you like clean and fast-paced thrillers, I would recommend books by Traci Hunter Abramson and Terri Blackstock. As a note: Some of their books may contain religious themes.

How do you find your next read?

The answer for this is actually quite simple. I love Goodreads and have been using it extensively for almost a decade. I especially love their book lists, and there are so many of them - even for really obscure genres and topics within literature. Goodreads will show up easily in Google search results, and you do not have to have an account in order to read book reviews or peruse book lists on Goodreads. 

Reading Profile

About Me

In order to learn more about me as a reader, I believe it is important to delve into my personal background. After all, there are a variety of factors that can influence one's reading preferences, including political and personal identities. When I read a book, I am not just reading it as a cut-and-paste person; I am a gender-fluid, autistic Marxist-Leninist, who spends their time creating art and participating in political activities. As one can imagine, I read books with a keen eye towards feminist, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and class-related issues.

Beyond that, I am thankful to work at the West Carrollton branch of Dayton Metro Library, which is based in and around Dayton, Ohio. In my free time, as one can see from my other, more well-established Blogger blog (after pink), I am extensively involved in both the poetry and art communities. 

My Reading Overview

I tend to bounce around from genre to genre and subject to subject. I enjoy learning about a variety of human experiences and gaining as much knowledge as I can about the human experience. However, there are a few genres that I gravitate towards the most, and likewise, there are genres that I have not explored as much. Additionally, there are themes and aspects of books that I particularly enjoy (these are the "Literary Green Lights" I have detailed below), and there are also themes and aspects that I find to be triggering/turn-offs (these are the "Literary Red Lights" that I have detailed below). 

For this reason, I appreciate Saricks' approach to Readers Advisory, as detailed in the 2009 article, At Leisure: The Rule of Three. I am ultimately most concerned with the tone and flavor of a book - how it makes me feel.

My Favorite Genres (in no particular order)

1. Non-fiction
2. Poetry
3. Science fiction
4. Urban fantasy 
5. YA fiction
6. Horror

My Least Favorite Genres (in no particular order)

1. Westerns
2. Comic Books
3. Inspirational or Religious Fiction
4. Mystery
5. Thriller
6. Suspense

Literary Green Lights

1. Inclusive dialogue
2. Diverse characters 
3. Streamlined plots (i.e. the plot doesn't dive into unnecessary descriptions and characters)
4. Feminist perspectives and perspectives from other traditionally marginalized groups
5. Dialogue that has a sense of levity, despite potentially difficult scenarios
6. Authors from traditionally marginalized groups
7. Banned or controversial due to socially progressive qualities

Literary Red Lights

1. Highly triggering topics (detailed descriptions of abuse, rape, etc.)
2. A worldview that promotes imperialism, capitalism, racism, sexism, etc.
3. Authors who are sexist, racist, etc. (this can include research into an author's personal life)
4. Drama for drama's sake (I'm looking at you, The Great Alone)
5. Poorly written or overly academic language

A Note

Throughout the upcoming months, I will be annotating and reviewing five books from five genres. In addition to a review, I will also pair each book with a piece of art, as a nod to both my degree in art history as well as my life-long love of art. 

Thank you for stopping by!

References

Saricks, J. (2009). At leisure: The rule of three. Booklist, 106(3), 25.