How do you choose your books?

[Urban Sprite]

I'm doing a little reseach into people's reading habits for an entry I'm planning to write for my blog, and I just wondered how people choose the books they read.

When I go into a bookshop, I tend to head straight for the genres I enjoy and look for similar authors to my favourites. I might also choose a book if it sounds interesting from the blurb on the back, or if its been recommended to me.

How do you choose your book? Any feedback gratefully received :)

[Lulu]

How smarmy!  Good for you, keeping your integrity :)

[Pamela Kaye]

I review mostly YA boks, and enjoy dystopian, paranormal, historical (I know they are somewhat far apart!), horror, with romance being my least favorite. In reviewing for my blog I have tried to read things I wouldn't normally pick, at least once a week. And I have found that I have actually enjoyed a lot of the books I thought were not something I would like.

 

So I would suggest being open and branching out to new things, unless you have a blog that is limited to one genre, including a big variety will help you gain readers.

 

My blog: Between the Bookcovers.

 

Pam

[Deborah Previte]

Hi, Pam,  

Coming by to visit you!  I love dystopian novels, as well.  And, agree about being open and branching out to new things. 

Deb/TheBookishDame

http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com

 

[Deborah Previte]

Pam,

There's a glitch in your comment posting system.  Can't leave comments!  You may want to check this out.  Loved your blog.  You write wonderful reviews on the YA books.  I know they will appeal to readers of that genre!

 

Hope you'll stop by your review of "Beautiful Creatures" to get the comment I was able to leave for you there.

Deb/TheBookishDame

http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com

[Christine Van Winkle]

I read Publisher's Weekly, check Amazon for upcoming books and read other's reviews. The LA Times, Paris Review, etc. Their twitter accounts are helpful and easy ways to find out what's coming up soon that will fit my taste.

[Deborah Previte]

Great comment, Christine!  I love the Paris Review!  Coming to visit you....

Deb/TheBookishDame

http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com

[Lulu]

I have a lot of unread books on my shelves, and 3 full fileboxes of further backlog in my coat closet.  Unfortunately, I still buy swaths of them from local used bookstores, Powell's, and Amazon.  THEN I get selections from my dear sister who works in publishing...so it's a hodgepodge, and I don't pay attention to newness and my blog has little focus other than to do what I do for my friends: offer my quick take on whether I enjoyed a book and whether someone else might like it.

[Grace Conyers]

Hehehee. OK, let me introduce my method of randomness. Bear with me here, you'll probably think I'm insane.

 

First off, I'm a grad student. That, of course, means I don't have any spare money because we're considered expendable labour. Secondly, I'm a bibliophile that must get my fix of non-academic reading in at least a half hour every night lest I go insane and take all of my companions with me.

 

So, my method of choosing what books to read start off with necessity. Free. I'll peruse the library's shelves, then the free cart for titles that catch my attention. In this town, there really aren't many of them. I recently started adding book give-away competitions to my list of free places to get books. I only sign up for ones that interest me though.

 

What interests me? Good question. I have a tendency to read a wide range of things. I'm a sucker for fantasy and fiction, so I look at those first. If the blurb seems like a good, fun story, then I'm in. If it seems redundant to the things I've read before... not so much. Next up are science books. I'm a fanatic for all science books. History of science, math, physics, you name it, I'm likely to read it. Albeit slowly. I'll look for these if I have a little extra time on my hands so I can really get into them without feeling guilty about taking so long to read them.

 

After those two categories are exhausted, it's a free for all. My criteria to even pick up a book and look at it after that fall to catchy title, awesome cover, and recommendations. I'll pick it up and read the back or inside cover. If it piques my interest even slightly, I'll flip to the first chapter and start reading. If the first page doesn't get my attention, I skim through a little further on. If it still doesn't do it, I put it back.

 

If I don't find anything that suits me by this point, but I'm still desperate and broke, I'll head back to the library and find something I've not read yet. If I'm miraculously not broke, then I'll go for a book that I can get some value out of, like a craft book with a bunch of patterns, or a YA book that I'll be able to sell back later.

 

Once upon a time I had money and I would actually go about choosing in a less haphazard and cheap way. However, I've been a student so long I've forgotten how to choose books I was dying to buy and read. Maybe someday all this education will pay off and I'll be able to go back to those wonderful days. =)

[Deborah Previte]

I'm very eclectic in my tastes.  Probably because I'm borderline Asbergers!  LOL   I've always been an insatiable reader and learner so my reading has been varied and continuous.  I don't think there's a book I'm not happy to read and review.

That being said, I like books that have a good story to tell.  I enjoy new and independently published books because that's a new, unmined treasure trove of fantastic books written by talented authors!  In the past couple of years some of my very favorite books have come out of this source.

I can tell you that I read so much I am constantly looking for the newest books and book sources.  It's amazing how many awesome authors there are with something meaningful to share.  There are great resources for finding books nowadays, as well as the normal, easy to find resources.

The only books I won't read are romance novels, soft porn. and hard core demon/wolf/spirit books.  I do love vampire and witch books, but I'm not into demons in any shape or size!  I detest the formula and pablum of romances. I'm not a reader of "trash" novels.

I'm also not fond of business, non-fiction books; although, I enjoy non-fiction in memoirs, biography, adventure and other contemporary subjects.

I'm always open to publishing houses, publicity media and author's contacting me to read and review books.  I do read the books before I would ever publish a review of them.   I'm also a freelance editor.

 

Please come visit (and follow!) my blog:   http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com

Deb/TheBookishDame

 

 

[Pamela Kaye]

Yes, thanks for mentioning the independently published books, another great source of books!

[Laurie Horton]

I choose according to recommendations received from friends and groups on Goodreads and recommendations on Amazon.com

[Angela Avers]

I frequent a website of a Christian homechool curriculum provider. The moms (and dads) there post all the books we've read each month and rate and review them. This is where I get a lot of my ideas for books to read. I enjoy hearing what others have thought of the books. I also can, after visiting the site for going on five years, realize who has reading tastes similar to mine.

 

I also sometimes look at what amazon shows me as a suggestion after I've made purchases there.

 

If I am in a bookstore, I have to admit, the look of a book might catch my eye. Then I read the blurb. The blurb may further grab my attention. Contrary to what many aver, I do think we tend to judge books by their covers and I feel a good cover and blurb can help or hinder an author.

 

The top place where I find ideas for new titles to read is from family members or close friends. The friends post the books to FB and I may see their review there. As for my family, my brother and I trade book lists each month and discuss the books we read. We have very similar reading styled too. I also trade lists with my mother-in-law and a few other family members.