The genres included here are either too large or too small to be divided into subgenres. You have to just dive in and enjoy!
Historical fiction is too large of a subgenre to break down more specifically. It includes any novel that is set in the past. Some of the most well-known historical fiction authors are Philippa Gregory who writes dramas about the British monarchy, Bernard Cornwell who writes about everything from Europe in the Middle ages to the American Revolution, and Colleen McCullough who wrote epic novels that span the Roman Empire to the Australian Outback.
Any novel set in the real world in the modern day that is not a romance, mystery, thriller, science-fiction, or fantasy would be considered "contemporary fiction". Similar to historical fiction, this is too broad of a genre to break down more narrowly. Contemporary fiction can center around a family drama, overcoming some sort of personal obstacle, facing adversity, or anything else. The tone can be either light-hearted or serious, depending on the plot. Try some of these authors: Kristin Hannah, J. Courtney Sullivan, Jojo Moyes, Terry McMillan, Amy Tan, Jesmyn Ward, Kevin Kwan
Horror novels can overlap with several other genres (particularly fantasy and thriller), but what sets the horror genre apart is that the point is to scare the reader and set them ill at ease. The plot can involve either realistic horror (like a serial killer) or supernatural horror (like a zombie, ghost, etc.) These are some notable authors in the horror genre: Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, Stephen King, Joe Hill, Jim Butcher, Max Brooks, Riley Sager, Shirley Jackson, Anne Rice, Dean Koontz
The western fiction genre had its heyday in the early 1960's, partly due to the popularity of Western films and movie stars like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. Western genre novels are always set in the American West during frontier times when it was the "wild west". The characters are cowboys, Native Americans, oil tycoons, business tycoons, ranch hands, and other classic western genre character tropes. Some of the most popular western genre authors were Zane Grey, Louis L'Amour, Larry McMurtry, and Cormac McCarthy. A contemporary western/mystery crossover author is Craig Johnson.
