Recently, Emma from emmmabooks created a brand new tag (you can see her video here that seemed like a lot of fun! This tag is all about coming up with answers outside of your comfort zone, and it has one major rule:
You have to pick ONE GENRE that you frequently read about… and then, you can’t use ANY books from that genre while answering the questions!
Since I read a lot of YA contemporary, that’s the genre I’ve chosen to disqualify from my answers for this tag. (I’m still allowing adult contemporary, and you’ll see why in a moment.)
Let’s get going!
1. A book that is an exception when it comes to genres or elements you don’t typically like:
This was an easy one for me, but it’s an entire series: The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare. I normally can’t handle love triangles at all and think they’re awful, and I almost never have an issue choosing a side, but I think this series has the best love triangle in the history of literature (no, really) and I was never able to choose sides because I loved both sides SO MUCH.
2. A book you enjoyed from a genre you previously held some stigma against:
If you’d asked younger me to try adult contemporary romance—specifically the steamy, lust-y stuff with shirtless dudes on the covers? NO. WAY. I can admit now that I was misjudging the entire genre and projecting my own fear of being slut-shamed for enjoying books with sex. ? The irony isn’t lost on me that I spent my entire teen life reading and writing explicit fanfic, but gods forbid I pick up a steamy novel…
Anyways, the magical book that changed my mind was A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (which I never would’ve picked up, if Amber hadn’t raved so much about the amazing rep in it).
3. A book you didn’t know was out of your comfort zone until you started reading it:
I had to think about this one, but decided on The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. I knew this book involved child abuse, but didn’t know much about the synopsis beforehand. You can imagine my shock when I learned that the entire book is a preteen boy’s perspective on watching his neighbors abuse their newly adopted family member nearly to death just because she’s a girl. This book was BRUTAL and, while I applaud why Ketchum wrote it (to bring awareness to the real events it was based on), I’ll never touch it again.
4. Pick a friend who motivates you to pick up books you might not normally be interested in—is there a book they convinced you to give a try?
I think one friend who has been introducing me to a lot of books out of my comfort zone lately is Sionna. She reads a lot of paranormal fantasy, which isn’t out of my comfort zone so much as it is a genre I’ve only recently gotten back into (it was my fave as a teen but I left it for the last several years until 2018). I haven’t been let down by any of her recommendations yet!
5. A book that is out of your comfort zone, but you would like to read:
One that’s really had my attention lately, and I want to order soon, is The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women. I don’t read much nonfiction, and when I do, it’s usually memoirs from celebs I love (like Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime). I almost NEVER pick up nonfic about tragedies like this one about these poor women who had radium products tested on them during the WWI era, but I hear so many rave reviews I just have to read it.
6. A book or genre so outside of your comfort zone that you’ll probably never give it a chance:
This was actually pretty hard for me to pick a title for, but I’ll just say that I’ll most likely never return to Christian fiction—and I don’t think I’ll ever pick up Amish romance novels, either, if you consider those two similar enough to count them both.
TAGS:
If you’ve already done this tag, or don’t want to do it, don’t feel pressured at all! And if I didn’t tag you but you want to do this, consider yourself officially tagged ♥
Sionna (Books in Her Eyes)
November 15, 2018This is an interesting Tag and I totally agree with you on #2. I also wrote fanfic which could get steamy at times and yet still looked down on the Romance genre. I still find myself doing it too and have to check myself! I will definitely read A Girl Like Her eventually ^_^
Haha I’m glad I can help you expand your reading 🙂
I look forward to doing this Tag! Thanks!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018Thank you! 😀 Hahaha I love that I’m not alone with the fanfic thing. I also loved to roleplay online as a teen (I spent YEARS on RP forums and actually miss it still sometimes) and it was usually on explicit lgbtq+ boards. ??
Kaya @ afictionalbookworm
November 15, 2018This is a really interesting tag!! I totally agree with #1, like THE FEELS ARE REAL.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018Thank you, I thought it was, too! I usually don’t adopt booktube tags often because a lot of them feel more “suited” to a video than a blog post but I felt like this one would translate well. 😀
Kelly Brigid
November 15, 2018Thank you for the tag! Love you , boo! <3 I still need to read the Infernal Devices series at some point. I haven't read a single book by Cassandra Clare before! (I know, I know, I DARE call myself a fan of YA fantasy! Lol)
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018Love you too! ♥♥ I can’t wait to read your answers if you decide to do this one! Hahaha no judgment from me. I only picked her books up this year! I binge read 8 of them in a few months but I got a little tired of flying through them so fast so I’ve decided to give myself until the start of the new year before continuing.
kayleighhokis
November 15, 2018I’ve been seeing this tag everywhere but you’re the first that didn’t negate fantasy (that I’ve seen) so it was fun to see your answers. I forgot Christian fiction was even a thing tbh! Thank you for the tag! <3
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018Oh yay, I’m glad mine was a little unique in that sense, then! 😀 Hahah yeah… I try to block Christian fiction out of my memory as much as possible because I grew up in a crazy religious household and was only allowed to read Christian fic for the most part. If it wasn’t Christian, it at least had to be “clean” until I was… gosh, 15-16? I snuck around a bit, though. ?
Kristina
November 15, 2018Nice answers!
Ouuh this tag is interresting, and also quite harder as it needs you to disqualify a whole genre which you read alot ? I may attempt this!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018It really does make it tough! I was originally going to do YA fantasy but then I realized that the perfect answer to the very first question was YA fantasy. ? Oooh, I hope you do, I’d love to see your answers!
ambsreads
November 15, 2018This is such a great tag, I definitely will have to jump on it! I also relate to your answer about adult romance. As a teen I was so self conscious and nervous that I could barely leave the house. I’d been brought up in a house where my mums partner at the time made me think being female was bad and we were all sluts. So, I couldn’t even read a book that implied sex! I am so glad you ended up reading A Girl Like Her though! Talia Hibbert is such a fantastic writer ❤️
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018Thank you, love, please do! I’m so glad I’m not the only one who was so self conscious about adult contemp romance. I still sometimes feel self-conscious when I post a review for a book, especially if the cover is very sensual. Yikes about your mom’s former partner! I’m sorry you had to deal with that! For me it was that my parents were super strict and religious until I hit 17-ish, and even then, my dad’s views on sexuality RE: women were… tough, to say the least, for a while. I’ll never forget my mom jumping all over him for slut-shaming me after I had my first one-night-stand at 21—he FREAKED OUT. Sigh. People are so weird about sex lol.
Kathy @ Books & Munches
November 16, 2018Thanks for the tag! <3 Although this does look like it isn't going to be an easy one, haha.
I do know what I'll be answering on 3. though. Easy-peasy.
Also, when it comes to paranormal romance – ever tried reverse paranormal romance? I only read two or three books in the genre but it's SO different and.. I liked it? :')
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018You’re welcomeeee~ Haha it was tough but fun, so I’m looking forward to your answers! What is reverse paranormal?!?! I’ve never heard of this!
Kathy @ Books & Munches
November 19, 2018I am going to ignore how my pregnancy brain screwed that one up. *whistles and runs off* [I can’t even type the freaking asterix’ anymore without thinking of that one specific book..]
Cindy
November 16, 2018This sounds quite fun! The Infernal Devices is so heartbreaking agh.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018They really are but they’re SO GOOD. I didn’t love the first book but was obsessed by the end of that trilogy!
Ellyn
November 16, 2018Ahh this is such a cool tag and I can tell it’s going to get me thinking which I love! Thank you so much for tagging me Destiny, I can’t wait to figure out my answers!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018Yaaaaay! I can’t wait to read them! 😀 You’re welcome, my love!
tasya @ the literary huntress
November 16, 2018Oh this is really interesting, I already write my draft! 😀 TID definitely has the best love triangle ever written!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 16, 2018Haha yay!! 😀 Yes it really does!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
November 18, 2018Thanks so much for the tag, this one looks like so much fun!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 19, 2018You’re welcome! I can’t wait to see your answers if you do it!
CG @ Paper Fury
November 26, 2018Oh I love this tag!! It’s definitely making me think about what my answers would be too. ?I don’t think I’ll ever pick up a just blatant christian fiction again ughgh nope. And yesss to the love triangles in the Cassandra Clare books! I think it’s because she develops ALL the sides and it isn’t obvious who they’ll end up with?! I love Jem and Will both so much ???
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 27, 2018Thank you! Bahahaha NOPE to christian fic, I’m so glad it’s not just me. And yes, I agree completely! Like I honestly had moments where I had NO CLUE who Tessa would end up with.