Conversations With Kav – Seasonal Reading

I am very much a mood reader so it’s pretty much impossible for me to stick to a monthly TBR like a lot of people do. Content creators on Booktube create lovely monthly TBR videos, sharing the books they plan to read in the next month. So, right now, I’m being inundated with these goal-oriented videos and, while I love watching them, I can’t imagine anything more torturous than having to make up a reading list and sticking to it for a whole month!

EXCEPT….

I have noticed a definite inclination towards certain genres and tropes in different seasons.

Summer

Like I discovered an affinity for Contemporary Rom/Coms this summer. It was like I couldn’t get enough of fun, flirty meet-cutes, witty banter and plots filled with comedic flare. I could read one after another and never grow bored. It wasn’t that I didn’t read other genres as well, but I craved rom/coms…especially ones set in summertime.

Autumn

So, then things get kinda strange when the crisp cool weather heralds in the fall. Oh, I’ll still read a rom/com if it catches my eye but what I can’t live without, literally, I would pine away without… a healthy dose of Romantic Suspense! And, as the days get shorter and the nights grow colder and I start making a hot cocoa to sip while I read, just any Romantic Suspense won’t do. It has to be a Stalker trope! Yes, I know that sounds really odd…maybe even creepy to some of you…but I cannot make it through the fall without a few good stalker books!

Winter

I live far enough north that the snow starts to fly in November so that’s when I officially feel like winter has arrived. And my reading cravings become oddly specific. I’m still on the Romantic Suspense kick BUT now I need a snowed in with a crazy stalker guy / damsel in distress / brooding hero to the rescue trope. Bwahahaha. Don’t judge. It’s really more than a craving…it’s a deep rooted bibliophile need and I have no idea why. I can settle for being stranded by another kind of natural disaster, but snow is my first choice. And while I love a strong heroine to the rescue other times of the year, the first chill of winter screams ‘damsel in distress’ to me. Isn’t that odd? Oh, and the brooding hero is very important. All noble intentions but miffed that he’s been put in that position. And he shouldn’t communicate well. Like, if he doesn’t talk for the first 50-100 pages, you know just heavy sighs and annoyed grunts kind of thing, well, then I’m swooning in bibliophile bliss. (Told you my reading cravings became oddly specific!)

Christmas

Guess we can’t talk seasons without mentioning Christmas. I can happily read Christmas books any time of the year but I start looking for them in September and read most of them before December. That’s because I want to make sure giveaway books reach winners in a timely fashion so they can be enjoyed during the holidays. This is the time of year that I actually look for novella collections. And I’m particularly fond of Regency Christmas novellas. And Amish Christmas books in general…which is kinda weird since they really don’t celebrate the holidays with the same gusto us Englishers do. Then again, maybe it’s the simplicity of the festivities that are the draw.

So, what about you? Do different seasons spark different genre interests in you too? Or am I just peculiar? 🙂

Oh — and you’ll notice I didn’t mention spring and that’s because I really don’t think I have a genre/trope preference in the spring. I think I’m so gobsmacked giddy over no more snow and getting back into my garden that I’m happy to read anything that strikes my fancy.

52 thoughts on “Conversations With Kav – Seasonal Reading”

  1. This is a fun question, Kav! I have one book that’s become an annual reread for me: A Walk to Remember, which I read sometime around fall/Christmas. Aside from that, I think associate the Anne of Green Gables series with fall and “crave” it around that time. The Sierra Jensen series also feels like fall to me.

    I think I like to read things that parallel times in the year (I.e. Valentine’s/romance in February, back-to-school in August/September). But, I do find it fun to evoke that Christmas feeling at other times of the year.

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    1. Ohhh –is your Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks? It does sound good and I’ve never read anything by him before. And yes to Anne of Green Gables. One of my favourite Anne quotes is “I am so glad that I live in a world with Octobers.” I used to read the entire Anne series every year but for some reason that was my summer thing. It started when I was still in school and I’d spend the first couple of weeks of vacation in the company of Anne and I guess that stuck when I got older. Haven’t read any of the books in years though. Must rectify that.

      I agree that it’s fun to read books set in the same ‘real life’ season, but I won’t not read a book because it’s a winter setting and it’s summer for example. I do get a kick out of stumbling across the perfect book at the perfect time — like it’s actually October in the book and it’s October in my life! I have My Phoney Valentine by Courtney Walsh on my TBR pile and I keep reaching for it but then think…wait until at least January because there aren’t that many Valentine’s Day books out there so I have that to look forward to. 🙂 Happy Reading, Stephanie!

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      1. Hi, Kav! Yes, one and the same. I received a copy for my 16th birthday but ended up getting into the reread rhythm just after college I believe 🙂

        I have no idea how you read everything you DO, however I do hope you have time for an Anne reread soon ❤️. What a lovely way to start summer break! Working at a school, I think Anne helps reconcile me to being back at work 😉

        And, I agree! Although it’s fun to have books well-timed to the seasons, that doesn’t always happen.

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    2. That is a wonderful book! One of his absolute best! I have read it several times myself. A good friend of mine who reads primarily Christian fiction recently purchased/finished his new release, and I obtained it from my library hold list this weekend.

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  2. I am afraid that my reading list is curated by the book publishers because I read mostly new books for review. But that means I read Christmas books in fall and winter. I don’t really notice much when the book takes place. And I request books in my favorite genres: Historical and Suspense. With a dash of dual time, rom com and women’s fiction thrown in.

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    1. I can see how that would be an issue. I’m lucky in one way since I don’t read ebooks because I can only get audio books on Net Galley and that’s only 3-4 books a month so since I read about 30 books a month that leaves plenty of room for me to fit in my quirky crave reads. 🙂 I’m also careful about the books I choose, which narrows down my selection considerably too. Do you find it hard to keep up with your review books. Paula? My Net Galley percentage is 99% right now…I have only one book waiting in the wings. I get antsy if I have two or three unread…well not listened to. Happy Reading, Paula!

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      1. Well I have been on Netgalley for almost a year. I finally got my % up to 80% but I keep adding books and it goes back and forth.
        Bethany House and Revell are merging and we had to reapply to be a reviewer. We will know by the end of November. I was auto approved for Revell but that ended however, Laura Davis at Interviews and Reviews got all of us who review for I&R re instated.

        I sometimes over schedule. But am now caught up. I need to be more choosy. I am also on some of my favorite author’s street teams. So, sometimes the NetGalley wants get put lower on my list. But I try to keep up with the release dates.

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    2. Paula, I didn’t know that about Bethany & Revell merging. 😮 I’m auto-approved by both, have 100% ratio, & have been a member for almost 15 yrs. I haven’t heard anything yet. I’m guessing I will eventually since the two are merging…

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      2. Sorry, Kav, for using your mood reading post to work out some NG kinks. You can delete them if you want. Have a blessed day!! ❤

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    3. I didn’t know Revell and Bethany were merging either! This explains a lot. I can apply for 30 books from Bethany and get maybe one since I’m a reviewer but don’t have a blog. I’ve always gotten every book I requested from Revell. I just asked for three I had on my tbr list and those 3 rejections were in my email in quick order. I was trying to figure out what changed, and the merger has to be it.

      Oh well, I’m slowing way down on reviewing anyway. I’ve reviewed 251 books for Netgalley in 15 years. I’m just getting tapped out 🙂

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      1. I didn’t know either — wonder if that will mean fewer books releasing? Ack! Are you requesting review books from Revell/Bethany House through Net Galley? Or do you do Net Galley in addition to being on a special publisher’s list?

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      2. Tracey, I’m getting tapped out as well. On top of reading and reviewing the book, I also post them on A LOT of different bookseller sites plus Goodreads & copy & paste all the links on NG. That’s the time consuming part of NG. I’ve started buying more books this year & often on Amazon or Baker books I get them on sale. Baker often offers 40% off w/ free shipping!

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      3. Kav, I request through Netgalley only, I’m not on any publishers list directly. I kind of prefer the anonymity and not being beholden to an author. That can get sticky when a book isn’t what I hoped for and have to work to find something positive to say about it. As of right now I see plenty of books on Baker Book house website for purchase, will see what the future holds.

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      4. That’s interesting. It used to be that Baker Publishing Group had a contact in Canada that we’d get to choose books from to review — maybe up to a four a month? And we’d get paperback copies. But that stopped a year ago and we were referred to Net Galley for ebooks so I guess that’s what they are doing now. So grateful to you for nudging me to check out the audio books on Net Galley. That’s been a boon for me. 🙂 Baker Book House is amazing! Love their discounts and I’d much rather spend my money there then on Amazon. I use it when I can for giveaways. I think the shipping cost would negate any savings for me to order books from there for myself though.

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    4. Thanks, Paula. I didn’t get one, so I beat them to the punch. I see that I’m still auto-approved for Bethany, but now have to request Revell books. So I emailed them & asked them why since I’ve had auto-approval with them for years. I don’t mind having to request them now, but I’m wondering how easy It will be to get approved.

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      1. If you go to their main page on the website there is a list to the right where it says: reviewers. Click on that and it will take you to a description of what a reviewer does with a link to the new application form.

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      1. Paula, I don’t have anything like that on my main pg or anywhere. No list to the right that says reviewers. I’ll wait & see what they say when they email me back. After being on there almost 15 yrs & giving me a privilege I don’t think it’s fair to take it away, but oh well . . . Thanks!!

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      2. Did you google Bethany House? On the right there is a list . Click on : Fiction book reviewers. Then look for a blue highlighted : application form. Hope that helps.

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      3. Ok, thank you, Paula! I found it. I was looking on NG, not the publisher’s website. 🙄 I have all that info already filled out on Netgalley. I’ll wait & see if they want me to redo it when they email me back. Probably. Have a blessed day!

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  3. I am very much a mood reader, but I wouldn’t say that I’m a a particularly seasonal reader. I am drawn to all of the shiny new CF books and would love to read them all! I know that I can’t though due to both money and time. Michelle Griep’s 12 Days at Bleakley Manor is my traditional Christmas read that I try to read or listen to each year. It’s truly not very Christmassy in a modern sense but in a Dickens timeframe. That said, I could honestly read a Christmas book anytime of the year. Considering that most days it’s close to 90 degrees F in the Fall, that probably makes it feel just a tiny bit cooler. Come on Fall weather….we need some cooler weather! Now, I’m off to be a poll worker and work these crazy elections. It’s been a zoo!

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    1. Oy, I can only imagine what a zoo it is! At least you’ll have a good book to come home to, hopefully!

      I think we need a Christmas book discussion. I love hearing about the books that people find worthy of being revisited every year. I have some that have become a part of my Christmas tradition and I’m always on the look out for new ones to add to my collection.

      I wonder if experiencing changing seasons contributes to my seasonal reading habits? Like the change in weather triggers some latent bibliophile need. lol I’d probably be reading summer rom/coms all year round if I lived where you do. Happy Reading, Perrianne.

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  4. Never really seriously analyzed my purchase or selection habits – interesting topic. So, I select most of my books from newsletters I receive from authors or publishers, or from the “new reads” shelf via my library. Many ideas also come from this blog. The only seasonal preference I have would be Christmas books. I try to look for and read some Christmas themed books (typically novellas) in November and December.

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    1. Oh yes, new book selections are definitely a trigger for reading and buying books too. I read so much that I can satisfy both my shiny new craving and my odd seasonal cravings each month. 🙂 We’ll definitely have to have a Christmas book discussion very soon. Happy Reading, CC!

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  5. I don’t know why… but in the cooler months I gravitate to more rustic, country, historical ,sometimes Amish reads. Like the Barbour Romance Collections that have a ton of shorter historical romances in them. I tend to read more historical over modern in the cooler in months. In the Spring and Summer I think I do more romcom/wedding vibes. I love Christmas books all year round.

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    1. That’s what happened to me this summer — I read way more contemporary novels than historical or even romantic suspense which was unusual for me. I like to have a balance of genres and I can usually achieve that but something went haywire this summer. lol I’m starting to have a powerful yearning for Regency romances again so maybe there’s something to your historicals in the cooler months trend.

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      1. I have been devouring regency lately. I got hooked on “Proper Romance” books and now I keep trying to track down more and more of them. Lol!

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  6. I saw the comment about Netgalley and I wanted to weigh in. That does throw off my mood reading because I’m trying to read and review what’s coming out. I’m behind on my Netgalley. I am at the 70ish% and most of my book reading has been arcs but it’s been outside of Netgalley. I feel like everytime I get close to the 80% I go on a requesting spree. My focus for the remainder of the year is to catch up for January. And request less books so I can read more of my tbr books that are collecting dust.

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    1. And the hard thing about Net Galley is that there’s no guarantee that your request will be accepted so what’s the harm in going for more to even out your chances? Only then you get accepted for all of them and you’re scrambling to catch up. I can totally see that happening to me if I read ebooks! Right now I just have one Low Country Lost to listen to and I’m excited to get started!

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      1. That’s TI Lowes book right? I just read Some Like it Scot by Pepper Basham from Netgalley and oh my it was WONDERFUL!

        Yeap, I get myself in trouble by requesting a bunch because they take a while to get approved anyway. And then one day a bunch are approved at once and I’m behind again, lol.

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  7. What an interesting topic! I had to think about it for a while. 🤔 I do make lists according to release date for 2 reasons. 1) NetGalley & 2) your quarterly RCW, Kav. NG will archive the book within a certain amount of time, so it’s necessary not to over request or I feel under pressure. Pain levels cause me to read slower & throw off my concentration both for reading & reviewing. Which is the reason here lately I haven’t reviewed every book I read & have requested less NG books. Making lists after RCW week is self-explanatory! 😄

    Yes! Stalker suspense books in the Fall! Anytime of the year, but for some reason when Fall hits I start looking for them. I’d never noticed that before. I just purchased 2 new ones. I can’t remember the titles, but I’ll check later. What is it about Fall & romantic stalkerish suspense? I also enjoy books by authors like Denise Hunter & Courtney Walsh, who tend to have books set during the Fall season. I love reading Christmas books in the Fall especially Christmas suspense if I can find any. And novellas right before Christmas bc I get overwhelmed with full length books in Dec, for sure! I don’t care for collections any time of the year. Each story is just too short for me & the conclusion always feels rushed. I just got one from an author & only reviewed her story. LOL

    Summer time . . . anything goes! Indies, new authors, catching up on books I missed. A hodgepodge!

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    1. Oooh, I like that word hodgepodge. I think that’s what my spring reading is!

      I’m a list maker too and I put little stars by the ones that I absolutely don’t want to miss, but sometimes they get missed anyway when my bibliophile cravings take over. 🙂 I’m so glad I’m not the only one seeking stalker vibe romantic suspense in the fall! We can be quirky readers together.

      I’ve spent an hour searching through indie authors and have come upon two stranded in the snow novels that look promising — one contemporary and one historical — so we’ll see what’s up next for me. So many books, so little time! It’s all about pacing ourselves, isn’t it? Happy Reading, Diane!

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      1. I had to visit Goodreads to look at my Spring reads. I’m on Nancy Mehl’s team so she has books out in the Spring as well as some other new releases by well-known publishers. I think I tend to read more NG books then & as you said, pace them. No particular genre, tho.

        I ordered these recently bc they have double Kindle Rewards Points days. I saved mine up & got Christmas with You by Susan May Warren FREE & another book for only $1.99!

        Toils and Snares by Alana Terry (I think this is stalkerish, if not it sounds intriguing & she’s a new to me author)

        Fair Warning by Hannah Alexander

        Ranger Courage by Lynn Shannon

        Stalking Season by Sandra Robbins set in the Smoky Mountains

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      2. I’ve read books 1.2 and 4 of that Ranger series by Lynn Shannon…wonder why I skipped over #3? Oh — I know why, I started with #4 which is a Christmas book and then decided to start the series from the beginning (such a novel idea!) but haven’t made it to #3 yet. I’ve read Stalking Season and it’s fantastic! And your other two books sound wonderfully stalkerish, though the Hannah Alexander one is #5 or 6 in the series. I wonder if they need to be read in order? Thanks for sharing, Diane. Definitely moving Alana Terry up on my list now.

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      3. I’ve read Lynn Shannon’s books totally out of order & it doesn’t seem to matter. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. They’re all good! Hmm…not sure about Hannah Alexander’s. I didn’t realize it was re-written & part of a older series, with a suspenseful, new cover.

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  8. this is a fun question. we can share and see what everyone else is like. I see a lot of names over and over here and reading their answers to this question is, well just fun. thanks for this. I am similar to you. I do read rom coms and christmas all year long. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  9. Thanks for sharing your reading mood. I hadn’t thought of it much. I do get in the mood to read Christmas stories before Christmas time. I don’t like to read them in December. Other than than I’m a sucker for an engaging description and a beautiful book cover I don’t care what genre it is! Thanks for giving me something to think about.

    Nora finding hope at yahoo . com

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    1. I fall for pretty book covers all the time — definitely contributes to my mood reading! Interesting that you don’t like reading Christmas books in December. I’m usually Christmased out by December from reading Christmas books earlier. Happy Reading, Nora!

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  10. I saw this topic this morning but couldn’t get back here to it until my company just left. Whew!

    Seasonal reading…I know you think your quirky in how you choose your reading material but isn’t everyone? My first priority is to make a list of my must-read authors and when their next release comes out. So, for November I must read Tessa Afshar’s The Queens Cook and Cornered by Lynn Backburn, Lynette Eason and Natalie Walters which fits nicely into the Fall suspense vibe. I’ve already started collecting my 2025 must-reads and have 14 books from Ja through June.

    I don’t think I intentionally seek out certain genres at certain times, but I do try to rotate contemp, historical and suspense to keep from getting in a rut. I’m quirky in that I’ll read Christmas books any time of the year, the hotter it gets the more I want something with a snowy cover and storyline. Somehow that cools me off, mentally that is, haha. I’ve come to the conclusion I’m more of a Christmas junkie that I thought. I read Christmas the way you read cozies and rom/coms. I checked on Goodreads and counted 65 Christmas books already starting at Jan 1st! There are tons of Christmas books available on KU and I’m trying to read as many as I can before my subscription ends 11/10. Then I’m taking a break while my sister visits. After that I still have quite a few on my kindle that I’ve bought to catch up with. The first 2 are Christmas books, of course.

    I love reading about how everyone decides what they pick to read. There’s no way I can make a monthly list though, like so many of us I read whatever I’m in the mood for. Such a fun topic. Conversations with Kav is fast becoming one of my favorite days 🙂

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    1. Yay! I’m enjoying these conversations too. I’ve been whittling down my want to read list from all the indie authors on my list from last week and it was so hard to figure out where to start so I decided I’d go for Christmas stories first. Have already read three and have 9 more on my want to read list and two are with a snowed in theme. Eeeeppp!

      I do what you do too, trying to vary the genres I’m reading (but I did kinda get in a contemporary rom/com rut this summer and I’m not sorry!) And I look ahead each month to what’s being released and try to narrow down which ones I’ll buy on audible and which ones I’ll check the library for…but it’s still very much a mood thing when it comes down to the actual ordering time. Glad to hear that I’m not the only mood reader out there — though you are much more organized than I am with your TBR lists — already plotting out 2025!!!! I’m in awe. Not wonder you’re our star reporter. 🙂 Happy Reading, Tracey!

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  11. I don’t think I’m really a genre-reader by season (and not into any kind of holiday books at all🤣), but I do definitely find that I enjoy a book more if I read it during the season that it is set in. I think it’s really more to do with climate though, lol, because I can relate to the way the characters are feeling if I’m experiencing that same heat, cool-air or bitter-cold that they’re feeing alongside them.

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    1. You don’t read any holiday books at all??? No Regency Romance house parties?! Not holiday meet cutes under the mistletoe?! I enjoy reading a book with the same season I’m living in but I don’t go out of my way to find them. It’s just happy happenstance when it comes along. And sometimes, in the blistering heat of summer I find it refreshing to read a book set in the bitter cold of winter. Bibliophile air conditioning. 🙂

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      1. 🤔 Carolyn Miller had a Regency Romance house party book that I REALLY enjoyed, but I don’t think it was set during a holiday. I will occasionally read a holiday book if it’s a part of a series that I’m enjoying, but for the most part no, lol, I don’t usually go for them.
        And same as you said, I don’t go out of my way to read books set in the the current season either, but I find it enjoyable when it happens to line up😉

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  12. Think I’m just a random reader. I love just about any genre other than sci-fi and fantasy as long as it’s a clean read. I love Christmas stories all year round as well as other holiday type stories. I do like to mix it up with trying to read no more than 2 in the same genre in a row before mixing it up with something else. Sometimes I need something light and other times I want something that speaks to my heart and soul with depth. Occasionally, I have to take a few days off without reading at all. Either life happens or I don’t want to get stuck doing nothing but reading. Often, I try to pace myself on a book I know I’m going to love, but usually not very good at doing that. I, too, am not a book of the month person or sitting strict goals, but like to read what I choose and when. That’s why I usually avoid reading challenges. It gives that control over to others.

    I always say “Read what you enjoy as you wish to read it!”

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. You’re like me, though I do like the occasional fantasy novel if it’s not what I call ‘high fantasy’ (where all the names, places, complex political systems etc are all so foreign it’s impossible to remember anything.) And I try to mix up my reading too – not just because I like so many different genres but because I want to have a nice selection for my blog so that my giveaways will appeal to all readers. Sometimes I’m not good at that — like now when all I seem to want to read is suspense but I’m trying! Oh…and I’m getting kinda heavy on the Christmas books too. Oops. Love your motto: Read what you enjoy as you wish to read it! Something bibliophiles can take to heart. Happy Reading, Kay!

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  13. Boy, can I relate to being a mood reader. And it can change in the same day sometimes! I used to read/listen to entire series in a row. Now I tend to switch up genres quite a lot. Sometimes I waste far too much time deciding what I FEEL like reading next.

    I wouldn’t say I’m a seasonal reader but I have been reading Christmas books in the last 3 or so years. It helps get me in the mood and frame of mind amidst all the craziness and demands of shopping, planning, baking, etc.

    Speaking of which….. I have a HUGE recommendation. I can’t recall that you’ve posted about it but this debut novel is amazing!! Christmas in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell. She’s written some Christian non-fiction previously. This is now my all-time favourite Christmas book. I put my review up on Goodreads today and thought of your giddiness young reading this book!

    Now I need to go back and read all the comments and see what everyone said!

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