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222 E. Nine Mile, Ferndale, MI
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Staff Picks - Genre Recommendations

Horror

According to NoveList's Getting Up to Speed in Horror it is "fiction intended to produce fear and/or revulsion in readers. The genre manipulates our emotions and a deep-rooted fear of the unknown primarily through the use of setting (haunted house, anyone?) and by creating an uncomfortable atmosphere (a menacing presence). The object of fear could be material (clowns, wolves, vampires), intangible (ghosts, demons), or even real-world problems (solitude and failure). Readers never know when "the monster" will jump out and the suspense keeps readers riveted." 

Key authors to try: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Paul Tremblay, Grady Hendrix, Shirley Jackson, and Ferndale's own Josh Malerman. 

ISBN: 9780345504968
Title: The Passage
Author: Justin Cronin
ISBN: 9780312656492
Title: Let Me In (or Let the Right One In)
Author: John Ajvide Lindqvist
ISBN: 9780062679109
Title: The Cabin at the End of the World
Author: Paul Tremblay
ISBN: 9780316242905
Title: The Three
Author: Sarah Lotz
Title: Frankenstein
Author: Mary Shelley
ISBN: 1982138262
Title: The Amityville Horror
Author: Jay Anson
Title: Mr. Shivers
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett

Romance

According to NoveList's Getting Up to Speed in Romance these "novels have a central plot revolving around a developing romantic relationship and with an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending" (Romance Writers of America), which can be a happily-ever-after or a happy-for-now. While the genre includes books with a wide range of subgenres -- from historical to science fiction to suspense and more -- those settings are secondary to the love story. Romance also includes a wide range of sexuality, from inspirational romances where the characters may share one gentle kiss to erotic romances with explicit kink."

Key authors to try: Robyn Carr, Nora Roberts, Meg Cabot, Beverly Jenkins, Sandra Brown, Heather Graham, Josie Silver, and many, many more. 

ISBN: 9781476729084
Title: The Rosie Project
Author: Graeme Simsion
Title: Maurice
Author: E.M. Forester
Title: P.S. from Paris
Author: Marc Levy
Author: Becky Albertalli
Title: Get a Life, Chloe Brown
Author: Talia Hibbert
Title: Red, White & Royal Blue
Author: Casey McQuiston
Title: The Music Shop
Author: Rachel Joyce

Non-Fiction Graphic Novels

NoveList's Getting Up to Speed in Adult Graphic Novels describes graphic novels like so: "Graphic novels are stories that are told using sequential art. Authors use words and images to tell their stories, although some graphic novels tell an entire narrative using only art. They contain a complete story, just like a novel. The outdated idea that graphic novels are meant for kids or not serious literature has given way to an appreciation of them as a format for all ages, with rich storytelling comparable to traditional text-only books." 

Non-Fiction graphic novels can be memoir, historical information/stories, or deal with recent current events. Here are some librarian recommended options if you're interested in trying this style out.

Key Authors to Try: Alison Bechdel, Roz Chast, John Lewis, Ali Brosh, Art Spiegleman, Craig Thompson, Lucy Knisley, and many more.

ISBN: 9781603094504
Title: They Called Us Enemy
Author: George Takei
ISBN: 9780544586178
Title: Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans
Author: Don Brown
ISBN: 9780393342468
Title: The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media
Author: Brooke Gladstone
Title: You & a Bike & a Road
Author: Eleanor Davis
Title: Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations
Author: Mira Jacob
Title: The Complete Persepolis
Author: Marjane Satrapi
Title: The Imitation Game: Alan Turing Decoded
Author: Jim Ottaviani