What is Your Type of Book?

First of all, everyone HAS to have a TYPE of book they like. Fantasy, Non-Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Action, ect. So tell everyone what type of book you like and which ones you would recommend to others.

I'm a simple guy who just likes a good story. Fantasy and Fiction make up the vast majority of library. I barely touch non-fiction and only read horror on rare occasions.

I'm always recommending The Magician's Guild and the Black Magician trilogy to fans of fantasy.

For me mostly fiction and an occasional chick lit here and there.

Like Ape I'll read any story that appeals to me, regardless of the genre although I never read romance or chicklit (unless it's a classic like Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice.
I tend to favour non-realist genres though - mostly science fiction, a little fantasy, and anything umm, weird. I often get strange looks when I tell people what stories I've enjoyed reading.

Wow - calling Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre chicklit. Better hearing that than being deaf I suppose, but that's really the extend of it.

Nope. No type.

I like a wide variety of reads.

I love fiction ~ mostly thrillers and chick lit. I also love memoirs.

Books with pages and print are an absolute requirement, followed closely by such niceties as covers, unbroken spines, and dust jackets.

Anyone who calls Pride and Prejudice chicklit clearly isn't reading the same book that I am.

Mostly historical fiction and mysteries. But I also read biographies and non-fiction when the subject appeals to me.
Jane Austen, chick lit? Yikes!

I am a vampire person and love stories. I think Chicken Soup for the Soul is amazing, too, because people, no matter what age, will just pour their heart out with stories that may change your life as well.

I enjoy Detective and Mystery stories followed by Science Fantasy and Science Fiction. I just read Pride and Prejudice if it's not considered chicklit what is it? Just straight romance?

Mysteries (Marsh,Marric,Dexter,Susan Wittig Albert) Civil War and Biographies. Historical Fiction

I tend to gravitate towards fictional canon, because I'm inherently suspicious of anything that hasn't been around long enough to assure that it has at least some quality that makes it worth reading. I will admit that I have a soft spot for the Victorians in particular.

#11: I think Jane Austen isn't often referred to as chicklit because it's turned into a catch-all term for mediocre fluff marketed towards women. No matter what Mark Twain had to say about it, I wouldn't really use those words to describe her. Sure, romance could be used as a more accurate category if you really want to label her, but you could also lump her in with social satire as well.

I have a suggestion for everyone... There is a group called Bite Me and READ
Join it!
Even if your not a vampire person like me, we will talk about other cool stuff, too!

I like realistic fantasy - I can't have too fantastical, but a little bit is okay (like the Discworld series, which is basically set in a familiar yet zany setting with more magic and rampant stupidity).

For me, any book under 1,200 pounds. Heavier than that and it's too awkward on the subway. That's essentially my only criterian, though.

I tend towards stories with some sort of fantastic or uncanny element, which I guess can include magic realism, gothics, horror, fantasy of various sorts, weird fiction (old and new), and the occasional science fiction. I do read and enjoy more realistic fiction, but I generally don't seek it out with the same enthusiasm.

In terms of genre/subject: I like SF, Fantasy, Mysteries, Historical Fiction (not bodice rippers), Thrillers, Humor, Erotica, Modern Fiction.

Non-Fiction: History, Biography, Memoir, Science

Some: Horror, Romance

What I don't like: Horror that is black and white, or obvious. I hate pink, plastic Romance, I don't mind books that have Romance in them, but not the books written to a formula. Don't care for Poetry. Don't like to read True Crime - think it is too close to exploitation.

I generally don't care for short stories. They are too short for me to develop any sense of place or care about the characters or story. If I do start to care, then they are over too soon and I feel the experience is incomplete.

I also prefer modern books to the older ones, I don't generally like the style of older writing. It is too slow, meandering and boring for me.

In terms of what I like in the structure of a book:

I like meaty books that have good description, good character development and a good story that is believable. I like books that have the POV doing some self-reflection or internal thoughts. It has to be written so it flows and is not slow, but I don't like very spare or stripped down writing that has no character depth. I also am not always fond of the summary type of story. It is fast, but lacks immediacy for me. Don't mind first person POV.

Generally what attracts me most in a book is fiction that is emotional, really connects you to the characters, has action but is not ALL action, a good story and usually has some sort of romance in it. I lean mostly towards fantasy and romance. My favorite series at the moment is the Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling and enthusiastically recommend them to anyone who wants to listen.

Generally I'm not very fond of contemporary stories, classics, chick-lit, horror or books with sad endings although there are exceptions to all of these.

Sibylle: LOL, i just realised what an inappropriate label that was, although I thought more of those books as romances (note to self: must proofread posts!).

I also wrote it unthinkingly while recalling another online discussion about chicklit. Someone made a tongue-in-cheek reference to those classics as the original 'chicklit', and I should have put in the apostrophes. I just put that down withouth considering the original context - I would never equate the classics with chicklit (no offence to chicklit fans).

I like women's fiction, general fiction, Christian nonfiction, mystery/crime/thriller books.
I have way too many TBR's (a thing I seem to share with some others on LT). I don't like a book with a lot of really gross gory descriptions. I do not care much for fantasy or historical romance unless it is really well written such as Phillipa Gregory.

i always follow Duke Ellington's maxim regarding music: "If it sounds good, it is good" changing "sounds" to "reads".....but then my taste is shamelessly eclectic (and i tend toward pomposity in my speech) ;-D

Love mystic realism (aka magic realism), poetry, fantasy, and most YA fiction (comes with the teacher territory). Never read a romance, but like good historical fiction.

When all else fails I always turn to historical fiction. Particularly anything set in England between Henry II and James I.

I have an anti-type in that I hate hate hate self-help/"spiritual" books. (Religion and theology books are just fine and encouraged, but people like Louise Hay are NOT.) But other than that I just like good writing.

Literary fiction would be #1. Close seconds would be historical fiction and memoir.

Historical fiction - Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks or Music and Silence by Rose Tremain are two recent ones that come to mind.

Contemporary women's fiction - Toni Morrison, Barbara Kingsolver, Margaret Atwood, Isabel Allende, Kate Grenville, Joanne Harris, Sarah Waters, Amy Tan, Louise Erdrich - I could go on and on.

I am pretty eclectic; I will read almost anything except westerns. Mysteries, thrillers, chicklit, sci fi, fantasy, young adult, children's, historical fiction...even a Harlequin romance if that's all that's handy. You name it. I was that geeky kid w/nose stuck in a book during recess...now I'm the geeky adult w/nose stuck in a book (almost literally, as I just cannot get used to these #%^&*! bifocals! and just take them off & hold the book under my nose!)

i will read anything except Christian Fiction (oxymoron, anyone?) and Romance...but i will allow some leeway here...if it makes me LAUGH!!!!

J

I like to mix it up.. humor, fiction, non-fiction, historical novel, autobiographies, fantasy and sci-fi. The only thing I don't read much of is mystery or romance, mostly because they have been kinda boring when I've attempted them.

I'm a big lover of horror and mystery/detective stories (Stephen King and Agatha Christie are possibly my two favorite authors). I read classics as well, usually alternating by reading a contemporary work of fiction followed by a classic, then another contemporary work, etc etc

I read a whole range of things. Most authors are European and the works classic literature. I just got over my "kinky philosopher" phase with writers like Georges Bataille and books like Herculine Barbin about a 19th century French hermaphrodite. But I also read Harlequin historical romance because they're fun, albeit predictable, but hell, who cares. On the heavier end of things, I guess I also look for those reflective, mopey protagonist-narrators who struggle with "existence" and are woefully misunderstood by the world.

I like fiction and the occasional popular technology.

Within fiction I like almost anything that's broad, deep and intricate. Not deep philosophically, but depth of characters and stories. In my twenties I read a lot of Stephen King; The Shining and The Stand are two good examples of B, D and I for me.

I am currently in a crime novel phase, but not exclusively. I like James Ellroy. I recently finished American Tabloid, and L.A. Confidential before that. Ellroy wrote or was involved in the screenplay for the movie Street Kings, starring Neo, and I liked that.

I also like more light-hearted crime. Anything by Elmore Leonard, including Get Shorty and other recent examples, but also his earlier more hard-boiled works like Mr. Majestyk and his even earlier westerns like Valdez is Coming. I also like Carl Hiaasen, who legitimizes the existence of the Florida tag on fark.com.

Farther back in crime I like crime-noir authors like Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep) and Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon, The Thin Man).

Related to crime, I've liked spy novels, anything by John le Carre. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is really good, and the movie with Richard Burton is one of the best and grittiest spy movies ever.

John Steinbeck is a great story teller who treats his characters with gentle respect.

Ironic observation. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. Mark Twain. The Sunshine Soldiers by Peter Tauber.

I cut my teeth on science fiction, but I rarely read it anymore except to re-read some of my favorites by Robert Heinlein, Larry Nivens, John Brunner, Arthur C. Clarke et al.

Popular technology? Measuring America by Andro Linklater is a surprisingly interesting account of how and why America was surveyed.

Mostly literary fiction both modern and classic, a smattering of crime and sci-fi, travel books, some humour and the odd book that reinforces my political views. I also think it is a great shame that short stories aren't more widely read and appreciated.

The genre I guess I consider "mine" is fantasy, particularly YA. This is the genre in which I tend to read the most.

But I consider myself a fairly eclectic reader, and also enjoy some classic writers like Jane Austen, the Brontes (I've even read Anne), and some Dickens. I like cozy mysteries like The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I read various other YA and children's authors. I've read a little bit of SF, like Ender's Game and To Say Nothing of the Dog. I've read a bit more literary fiction last year, too, and found that I like what I've read there. Historical fiction is another fun one to read from time to time. I like some realistic fiction. Generally speaking, I like books with memorable characters, and don't mind if a story takes awhile to get going as long as I like the people I'm reading about.

I read some nonfiction, though my personal library is weighed more heavily towards the nonfiction side than what I actually read. I like more narrative nonfiction and haven't been particularly picky about subject (sports, history, and linguistics to name a few I read last year), but I tend to pick up books about books the most, whether literary criticism or list-making types.

What I won't read is horror, and I don't tend to like postmodern reads.

i love any book especially romance !

I take it back--have read a romance (Outlander and its sequels), loved it, but think the Scottishness and the NC setting and the historical aspect had tons to do with it.

i love buks which mix sci fic with comedy or fantasy with comedy eg...hitch hikers guide to the galaxy, discworld series by terry pratchett and phule series by robert lynn aspirin.

I will read just about anything with the exception of the stereotype romance novels. You know the ones that are very predictable and usually have the Fabio looking guy in the front cover holding some southern belle. I just can't take those ones seriously and everytime I see one I have a picture of my grade 9 teacher throwing Ashes to Ashes over her shoulder saying this is garbage and it actually landing in the garbage can. At the current time I seem to be leaning more towards historical fiction but after having read about twenty of them in the past year I am trying to put a bit more variety to the reading spectrum. That being said however I would recommend Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel trilogies. It is Fantasy but she used Earth's geography and history in it; it is just named a little different.

I'm the same as Teelgee I mean I read other stuff too but I gravitate towards historical fiction. I also have a soft spot for women authors especially classics like Austen, the Bronte's and Wharton... I really must read some by Elizabeth Gaskell

I like a good plot and good prose if the two happen to be in the same book I'm in heaven. I hate introspective books with heavy prose and no real plot driving it forward (I just read The Sea ugh).

I gravitate towards historical fiction and murder mysteries. But I also enjoy science fiction, fantasy, vampire, humor, and fiction that isn't predictable. I'm not much into chicklit or horror anymore. I went through a phase in my youth (oh it all seems so long ago) when I enjoyed these but somehow they've lost their appeal.

For non-fiction, I enjoy biographies, current affairs, travelogues and history

Pretty much Sci-Fi, and only Sci-Fi. Occasionally a "thriller" like Dean Koontz

I prefer fiction, though I'll give almost anything a shot if it's highly recommended. I like a well told story. I do have a tendency for fantasy, but have been picking up some regular literature lately too. The only genre I've had trouble getting into is Westerns.