Horror stories are important to us, but it can sometimes be difficult to say why. The voyeuristic thrill of seeing others in danger and fearing for their lives or their sanity; the unique opportunity to get close to death and danger while remaining safe. Horror is a genre like no other, and the best horror …
American literature
Dark academia is more popular than ever before — a blend of literary fiction and genre fiction, gothic and grounded. Dark academia books come in many styles, but they all share the theme of, well, dark academia. Putting a firm definition of dark academia can be tricky but it generally involves places of higher education, …
Of all the great genres of literature, thriller books can be some of the hardest to define and box into a specific style or collection of tropes. The best thriller books often tip into similar genres: mystery novels, horror novels, and crime novels. For that reason, you’ll find plenty of genre overlap here. But it’s …
The allure of love, passion, and heart-stirring emotions has long drawn readers to the world of romance literature. This carefully curated collection of the best romance books promises to ignite your imagination and captivate your heart. From timeless classics to modern love stories, and spicy tales these romance books cater to every taste, whisking you …
Fantasy books are, more often than not, very epic things. Expansive worlds with entire histories, all built out of the imaginations of a single author. When you have a fictional fantasy world with its own laws, politics, lore, traditions, and geography, it makes sense to want to make a series out of it. For that …
Fantasy is a colossal genre that has had an enormous impact on the lives of its readers and fans. This is a fiercely beloved genre that goes far beyond literature. For these reasons, selecting the best fantasy books of all time is a tall order, as is simply defining what fantasy actually is. Originally inspired …
We should all be feminists. This is a simple truth. Being an active feminist, as well as an anti-racist and anti-queerphobic, is how we make a society to be proud of. Regardless of who you are and what gender you are, one of the best ways to be a better feminist is to read feminist …
It’s hard to ignore the fact that, historically, the genres of sci-fi and fantasy have been dominated by straight, white men, with a few notable exceptions. Over the past few years, however, there has been a colourful shift to queer fantasy and sci-fi books, and books of that genre written by incredible women and authors …
Gothic fiction is a genre with an incredible legacy, but it’s also one that is seeing an exciting modern revival. Since its beginnings in the late 18th Century, the gothic genre has grown and changed, having a hand in the creations of horror and science fiction. As such, gothic novels are at once broad in …
Representation of minority experiences in genre fiction is important for ensuring that art offers a more universal experience. But there’s more to it than that. Diversity of voices within genres like horror also allows that genre to be shaken up by new ideas and approaches to the medium. Queer horror books bring a unique voice …