Happy Fri-Yay Internet Peeps! It’s me, the tired but wired Blog Maven here with the first of our Friday Fun series. Wednesdays, we talk shop, Fridays, we chilllax.
These are strange, tense times. Reading is a great and wonderful escape, and if you are able to support new and emerging authors during this time, thank you. Your support keeps the arts alive.
On the other hand, we have a great deal more down time than many of us are used to. There are only so many true crime docs on Netflix, so let’s play some Bookshelf/ E-library Bingo!
Many of us have that teetering TBR stack we keep meaning to get around to, or books that we meant to check out and never did. With many libraries being closed, we have to rely on the books we already have at home, or that can be accessed through Libby and other e-library programs.
Here are 20 ideas for books to hunt down and try out while we live under quarantine.
The Bodice Ripper: Historical romances! Naughty dukes, irredeemable lords, and rapscallion gentlemen, oh my.
Teen Girl Saves the World: She is the chosen one. She has all the gifts. And all the hot guys want her despite her average girl persona.
Early 2000’s: 2000-2010, aka the aughties was a wild time. Pick a book, any genre, published in the first decade of the new century.
Mystery/ Thriller, Adult: Anything from Grisham to Larsson, you may find something that grips you to the last page.
From the 90’s: 1990-1999. Another memorable decade and nostalgic for many of us. Something fun and quick to fill an afternoon can be revisiting a series you once loved as a kid and giving it a new read.
High Fantasy: Go full Tolkien. If there are elves or dwarves on the cover, all the better.
Biography: Reading about the stranger than fiction lives some people have lived is fascinating in itself, be they figureheads of history, serial killers, or entertainment icons.
Sexy, Bitey Books: There was a time when you could sneeze and pretty much stumble over some paranormal romance. Bonus points if you pick an author you’ve never heard of before!
Spaceship/ space soldier on the cover: There is a lot of underrated sci-fi out there. From Weber’s Honor Harrington series to Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series, this is a vast genre you should dip your toe into at least once.
Teen Boy Saves the World: Bonus points if you pick something other than Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.
Horror, Adult: Whether you read with the light on or live to be scared, take a walk on the dark side.
A genre you’ve never read before: We all have our go to favorites. But you might surprise yourself giving something new a try.
Contemporary Tuesday: Read it on a Tuesday! Whether it’s YA, Chick-lit, or Romance, it is set in the here and now.
Older Than You: Give a classic or modern classic a try. Whether you go old school with Austen or new school with Salinger
So Last Year: Great books come out every year and it’s hard to keep up with them all. Find a debut author from 2019 you kept meaning to give a try!
Bromance, The Western: Western isn’t all Louis L’Amour. Whether you pick em’ for the smirking cowboy on the cover or bucking broncos, give the Old West, or the Strange West (Speculative Western!) a try.
Horror/ Paranormal, YA: There are a shocking amount of stellar YA horror out there. If you don’t own any, take a peek at what your elibrary has to offer.
Non-fiction: Non-fiction covers a wide range. Whether you go for True-Crime, Historical Events, Science, Nature, check out what the wide world of non-fiction has to offer.
Here there be kilts: What does a Scotsman have beneath his kilt? The world may never ken.
The Early Years: Have an author you recently read and loved? Was that their first book, or the first you’ve heard of them? Look up some of your favorite authors and see what early works they have you may have missed.
Whether you have a Prime account, an extensive home library, or use the resource links below, we hope these bookish ideas tickle your fancy and help you find some new favorites!
Resource Links!
Project Gutenberg→ https://www.gutenberg.org/
The Libby App→https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby/
CALLING ALL READERS!!
In case you missed it, Sword & Silk’s kickstarter reached its goal! As we start wading through submissions, we are looking for bloggers, booktubers, bookstagrammers, and enthusiastic readers to join our street team. Get early access to ARCS! Participate in cover reveals! Come join our secret internet party! THE FORM >>>> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOPmmrpqeD7k8rzm5fBc22mk2S8p6cV-dhVDGREHBEqwLCXw/viewform