What makes me happy? A weekend of reading. Good books. Comfy couch. Great snack (Cheetos) and drink (Diet Dr. Pepper). I dive into my favorite mysteries, thrillers, romantic comedy, women’s fiction, WW2 fiction, and biographies. Pure nirvana.
Recently, an author friend asked on Facebook if we thought our reading choices had changed over time. Before answering this question, I had to review my reading history.
In some respects, my reading taste had changed. I still liked mysteries, cutting my teeth on Nancy Drew and wanting to be Trixie Belden (she had brothers, not sisters). I discovered Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Agatha Christie’s mysteries as a teenager. Later on, I delved into Mary Stewart and M. M. Kaye’s romantic mysteries.
During my teen years, my mother introduced me to Emilie Loring romances. (I love them so much and have collected all of her first editions.) I read more of this genre because Happy Ever After endings sure did feel good.
As a newlywed with little spending money, I read mostly romance and mysteries I found in discount book stores, garage sales, flea markets. I exchanged books with family and friends.
So far, my taste has changed very little.
Five friends and I formed a book club. Each of us submitted books for consideration. Our selections-biographies, nonfiction, women’s fiction, literary fiction, classics, and mysteries-were put into an envelope. At the end of our discussion, we drew our next month’s read. Since we were six individuals with different tastes and interests, our choices varied.
I admit I would have never chosen a few of those books and only read them because of book club. Some were not good AT ALL (confirmed I will never be an F. Scott Fitzgerald fan), and lively discussion ensued over those. Some were outstanding. I delved into other books written by those authors. Whether good or bad, I finished each and every book to participate when our club gathered.
So, this whole post has now circled to the present and my friend’s question about changing reading choices. Yes, mine has, mostly because of book club driving me to read books I would have never considered. Nothing supplants my love for mysteries and romance genres; however, I have discovered new authors. Biographies have become a go-to as well as World War Two fiction and nonfiction.
Being an author has created many ways to discover new books in these times. I read the back copy, check out the front cover, and sometimes look at reviews and other comments. And then I decide whether or not to take the plunge.
I love love love reading a book and feeling the incredible heartfelt “Aah” when done.
Have your reading choices changed over time?
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Word by Word 
Hi Vicki, enjoyed the blog post! 🙂 My reading has not changed much through the years. I enjoy many of the same types of books I did when in my teens, mysteries, romantic suspense, classics and books on animals, including endangered species. I like an occasional, political current affairs tome and cookbooks.
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Classics! And book club has read those as well. Some I’ll never read anything by that author again just like books of today. Others have been enlightening. Hugs, Reggi!
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Reblogged this on Vicki Batman – sassy writer of funny fiction.
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Vicki, A fascinating and thought-provoking question! My reading choices changed a lot over time. As a child, I loved stories about horses, Black Beauty, the Red Stallion series, and the Black Stallion series. As a teen and young adult, I was a science fiction fan, then morphed into Stephen King. I’ve read many of his books. Now I enjoy mysteries, mystery romance. paranormal mysteries, and psychological thrillers. I’m not sure why my choices changed!
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Hi, Jeanne and so glad you popped by. Some of my choices changed because I read cover copy and was intrigued. And one thing leads to another and so on.
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Hey, Vicki. Oh, my goodness, my heart melted at the picture of all the Emily Loring books. My mom got me to reading those, too. I no longer have any of them due to space issues. Many of the romance/suspense authors on your list were on my reading list. I read a lot of historical novels and romances. I went through a period of reading science fiction and spy thrillers. Some way out paranormal–shapeshifter types. I used to read some pretty sexy books. I don’t read any of those types of books anymore. I read second chance romantic suspense (which I write), and some cozy mysteries, a few romcons, and have moved more into women’s fiction. So, my tastes have changed. Great question. I shared. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing, Marsha. Emilie Loring wrote nice romance books. I can still remember telling my mom I needed to go to the library because I’d finished my library books-twice! She looked and looked at me, went to her handbag, and removed a book, saying, “Read this.” I did-twice!
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My tastes have changed very little, also. I still prefer books about people and relationships. More drama than mystery or comedy or fantasy.
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Hi, Darlene! I’ve never been fond of fantasy or sci-fi. I guess that leaves everything else!
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