I was tagged by Rachel for this wonderful tag and even though her favourite genre is one I struggle with (historical fiction), her reviews are always my favourite, so you should all go and check her blog out.
What is your favourite genre?
This is not quite as easy for me to answer as it used to be but it’s definitely fantasy in all its subgenres. I used to read A LOT more fantasy than I do now but it is the one genre I could not live without.
Runner-ups were memoirs and short stories (which, you know, is not really a genre), and I also read a lot of general fiction and literary fiction.
Who is your favourite author from that genre?
This is such a difficult question… But I think I am going with N. K. Jemisin because her writing excites me to no end. I have not quite read all her backlist (I have not yet read her Dreamblood duology) but that is only because I am pacing myself. N. K. Jemisin is on top of her game and for me the most exciting writer today (not just in fantasy but in general actually). I cannot wait for her collection of shorter works coming out later this year and then for everything else she might ever decide to write.
What is it about the genre that keeps pulling you back?
Fantasy, when done right, can be escapist fun while also being so much more. It is super varied, so depending on my mood I can read something slow and whimsical or something fast-paced and heart pounding.
Fantasy can be hard-hitting in a way that is still fun to read – sometimes I need a little escapism in my reading while still being mentally stimulated and fantasy does that for me.
What is the book that started your love for that genre?
I don’t actually remember as I have been reading fantasy since I was a child. And yes, I loved Harry Potter when I was younger but those books occupy a different space than other fantasy books in my mind. I think the first “proper” fantasy book I read and remember was Märchenmond by Wolfgang & Heike Hohlbein (Magic Moon in English apparently). I also needed to read Lord of the Rings after watching the first movie because I could not wait a whole year before knowing what’ll happen next. So, those two probably.
PS: I got the Folio Society edition of Lord of the Rings for Christmas last year and that is THE most beautiful thing I own.
If you had to recommend at least one book from your favourite genre to a non-reader/someone looking to start reading that genre, what book would you choose and why?
I am stealing Rachel’s idea and recommending books based on other genres. Because I could not narrow it down to one book.
If you like mystery novels, you should read Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Divine Cities trilogy. The first book in particular is a murder mystery set in a fantasy world and it was just a wonder to read and more people should pick it up.
If you like fairy tales or historical fiction I would wholeheartedly 
recommend Katherine Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale. Set in the north of Russia with its seemingly never-ending winter, this book is evocative and creative, the spins she puts on familiar fairy tales while adding something original is just something I really adore in fantasy. The fantasy elements are also not too much in your face, which might help people who are not the biggest fans of super technical worldbuilding.
If you are into classics, then Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke might 
be right up your alley – the book is written in a snarky Austen style, complete with footnotes and non-sequitors, and I found it so very brilliant and clever.
If you like more experimental fiction you should pick up All The Birds In The Sky by Charlie Jane Anders which combines the best of Sci-Fi and Fantasy to something wholly original.
If you are looking for something political and sociological you really should pick up N. K. Jemisin’s The Broken Earth trilogy – to be fair, I do think you should pick those up anyways, because Jemisin is a genius and her work is the best there is (for me at least).
Why do you read?
Because I don’t know how not to.
I am tagging Kaleena, Nadine and Ashleigh and everybody else who wants to do this! (Please let me know if you decide to do this tag because I want to read everyone’s answers!).
I have thoughts on books 
Loved reading your answers! And I love that you and Hadeer did this tag at the same time and both chose NK Jemisin. I really must read The Stone Sky so I can wrap up that trilogy and try her other series.
And I loved your recommendations section – I’ve had the Bennett trilogy, The Bear and the Nightingale, and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell all on my TBR for ages and your descriptions lead me to believe they will all be a good fit for me (hopefully).
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I mean, N.K. Jemisin is just SO good at what she does. I don’t think I have rated any of her books less than four stars.
I adored the Bennett trilogy when I read it last year, I tend to like mystery aspects in my genre fiction more than I like mystery novels themselves. And the books are so clever!
I do think that you’d enjoy both The Bear and The Nightingale and Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell but the latter is a whooping 1000 pages and such a commitment…
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I really adored The Fifth Season. The Obelisk Gate was a bit second book syndrome-y for me but also I’d waited over a year to read it after finishing The Fifth Season so that could be why. I really need to finish that trilogy though. Which of her other series would you recommend I try next?
I have Jonathan Strange on my shelf but you’re right it is SO intimidating. I need to be inspired by Simon’s example and start tackling the massive books on my TBR.
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I have only read her Inheritance trilogy and enjoyed that a lot as well. I do like stories with gods and how those living gods influence social structures and Jemisin adds a nice twist to it.
I tend to gravitate towards shorter books this year as well – the longest I read was 600 pages and the vast majority was under 300.
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That sounds good to me! I know Hadeer really loves the Dreamblood duology but I know the Inheritance trilogy is more popular on the whole.
I am really in that ‘read as many books as possible’ mindset which is so nonsensical. I need to switch my brain to actually caring about quality over quantity.
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I know what you mean – there are SO many books I want to get to and when I read shorter books I have the feeling of having a better chance at getting there – which is irrational.
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I will absolutely do this! Now to get my thinking cap on 🤔
Reading your post though I realise I read a lot more fantasy(ish) than I thought! I have to admit I’m more fantasy-lite – mainly because I prefer a female protagonist and there isn’t enough high fantasy with a female protagonist 🙈
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Yes! Me too. I really struggle with “High Fantay” written by men – like Sanderson’s books are nice and all but they get SO bogged down in minute descriptions of the world that I get bored and distracted.
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I really must try more fantasy; I don’t pick it up nearly often enough!
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I mean, I’ll obviously agree with that. I do love speculative fiction in general a whole lot.
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ooh I’d forgotten Robert Jackson Bennett! I loved City of Stairs but never got around to reading the rest of the trilogy; I’ve forgotten nearly everything about the first book by now though, so I’d have to reread it (which shouldn’t be too bad as I remember loving it!).
Have you read Jemisin’s “The City Born Great”? I think that’s one of the short stories that’s going to be included in her collection. I have to say, I read it and…did not understand it one bit lmao.
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I really loved the whole Divine Cities trilogy. I just adore the way Bennett writes his characters. Also, I am always a sucker for worlds with a well thought out mythology.
I haven’t read any of Jemisin’s shorter works – so I cannot wait to read them all in one place!
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Thank you so much for the tag, Hannah! This will definitely be a fun post to think through and write.
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❤ The Bear and the Nightingale is the *best*
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Oh yes, so much. I cannot wait to read the last book in the trilogy (I did gt promised an eARC for it ages ago, so I am keeping my fingers crossed)
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Omg I am so jealous! And happy for you, obviously! Can’t wait to see what you think of it! I preordered the physical copy ages ago and neeeddddd it on my shelves.
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