This is a good question because I am not so sure I know myself. I have read a lot over the last few years, and I have grown and adapted my reading to what appeals to me more in that moment of life. Things that were once staples have become nostalgic throwbacks, less favoured genres are now pushing to the front of the pack, and it is all a bit of a muddle in my head right now. Let’s unpack it, shall we?

Let’s start with what I do know. I love historical fiction, and I neglected this genre in 2025. Historical fiction ticks so many boxes for me while still allowing for variety, genre-bending, and intrigue, regardless of whether you’ve read about the same event or era before. I could read so many stories about the same event because the more I read about it, the more voices and perspectives that come out, and I can learn about angles I never knew existed or points of view that show things in such a different light. These are largely also stories of resilience, strength, purpose, survival, and life-changing events that will almost always hook me in. I don’t think I will ever tire of historical fiction, and I hope this little spiel has awoken something in you with the genre.

Another genre I love is fantasy, however, I am noticing a shift that is pretty major in terms of my reading preferences. The first thing, and this is quite unfortunate really, is that I really can’t get into a lot of romantasy books these days. When the book isn’t focused on the romance, I find it so much more enjoyable and funny to read, and often the romance works better that way as it comes out naturally. When romance is the forefront of the fantasy book, like with many romantasy books, I find my interest in the plot is lacking, and I often can’t get through the first few chapters. So, 2026 looks like it will be a year of limited romantasies. I am looking to pick up a lot more adult fantasy this year. This is the demographic positioning I feel best aligns with my fantasy preferences, and there are more than a few series I have on my tbr list that I look forward to getting to throughout the year. While the demographic isn’t necessarily indicative of the language and complexity of the novels, I find that adult fantasy tends to contain the elements I enjoy most when it comes to fantasy, specifically a more layered plot and conflicts, darker and more descriptive settings, and moral, political, and social dilemmas that are engaging and intriguing.

I am getting into short stories and poetry a little more, and have a handful of reads awaiting their turn on my library tbr stack. I think I am starting to gravitate towards these kinds of novels and collections due to their concise and sharp nature. I like the hard-hitting, vivid descriptions, the plots that move and pull the characters with them while still allowing time and space for internal monologues and reflections, and reads where the emotion is rife and raw. From literary fiction to science fiction, I have read more than a few genres within this category, and I am looking forward to finding more stories that will make my favourites lists by the middle and end of the year.

I am also getting back into manga and graphic novels, in part due to their short length and easy reading, but also because I enjoy them a lot. These certainly fit more into the ‘for fun and giggles’ side of my reading, which is good, seeing as I need a break now and then with my reading and my work. The ones I am reading and watching currently are My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen, and I feel like reading and watching them will help create those good vibes and connections with the material. I know I can’t wait for the ebooks to be slowly made available for me to read, hence my watching of the series. This may spoil some things, but honestly, I am just looking for something fun to consume, and I don’t mind what medium it comes in.

Besides these key points, I am pretty open with my reading at this stage. Even though I swore off classics and dark academias for a bit, thanks to my September Scholarly Reading, I do have some dotted throughout my library requests and lined up for later in the year. I guess no genre is a no for me. If you have any favourites from 2025 that you think I should check out, let me know!