Family Game Night says more about your reading preferences than your Zodiac sign. Whether you’re gathered with the littles to play endless rounds of Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders, or you’re in the fourth hour of a ruthless Monopoly standoff, your favorite board games are a great predictor of your reading personality and what books might scratch the same itch. Here is our entirely unscientific but totally intuitive read on what to read after you’ve stacked the cards and packed away the pieces.
Catan
Your competitive nature hides a romantic spirit and a secret tendency to hoard. You love building a kingdom, and you’ll do anything to protect those under your wing. High adventure, slow-burning romance and political intrigue pave the road to your heart. And if there’s a special edition to be had, you’ll collect them all.
Reading recs: A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas, The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros.
Mafia
You probably have an analog day planner with codenames for certain people. You can always find whatever’s missing and your research skills are the stuff of legends. No one can get a read on you because you keep your reading under wraps, but your game preference tells all. We know you like a killer twist ending and a multi-layered plot.
Reading recs: The Queens & Monsters series by J.T. Geissinger, The Made series by Danielle Lori and Run, Posy, Run by Cate C. Wells.
Guess Who
An observer by nature, you have an eye for detail and you know what makes people tick. You’re also a bit of a drama llama and there’s nothing you enjoy more than getting together to spill the tea — and you like it piping hot. Spicy drama, complex personal motives and angsty family epics are your catnip.
Reading recs: These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean, We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.
Candy Land
You’re the mom of your group, always wanting what’s best for others. You like your world sweet and predictable, but you secretly crave adventure. As long as there’s a happy ending, you can handle a little stickiness along the way.
Reading recs: Legends & Lattes series by Travis Baldree, The Band series by Nicholas Eames, The Custard Protocol series by Gail Carriger.
Battleship
Can you help it if friends are afraid to play against you? You’re the ultimate strategist. You have a good heart but take no prisoners, and your trash-talk is second only to your charm. Fearless and fierce, you’re not afraid of a little gore as you race the protagonist to figure out whodunit.
Reading recs: The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy, The Marko Zorn series by Otho Eskin and The Gray Man series by Mark Greaney.
Scrabble
They think it’s your way with words that makes you hard to beat, but the truth is that you’re good at hacking your way to a win. You have an insatiable curiosity and you love to figure out how things work. Fiction is great, but what you really want to know are facts.
Reading recs: Word Slut by Amanda Montell, Evergreen by Trent Preszler, The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, Why Brains Need Friends by Ben Rein.
Clue
The details really matter to you and nuance is your best friend. Everyone thinks you’re clairvoyant, but you’re just observant and notice micro-signs. No wonder you’re always three steps ahead. You love a good procedural where organized teamwork meets intuition triggered by evidence.
Reading recs: Harry Bosch series by Michael Connolly, V.I. Warshawski series by Sara Paretsky, Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French.
