As a writer I’m curious. As a reader I wonder if you can give me some ideas. I have found some ways to select books, but I’m sure you can share others. Please visit here and let me know.
Here are some ways I select books:
- I ask my reading friends what they’re reading. Well, I don’t always ask. They often tell me. Often my reading friends have some great ideas of books to share.
- Author interviews on public radio give me some direction. I hear the authors talk about their books. That can be intriguing. Two programs I particularly like is the New York Times Book Review podcast and Fresh Air podcast. Both offer in-depth looks at the
newest books. - Goodreads. Sometimes My Goodreads friends suggest a book to me. They pay attention to the kinds of books I read, and they make a recommendation. I don’t simply go with their recommendation, I study the book and its author first.
- Amazon suggestions. Amazon likes to try and figure out what I like to read. They send me all sorts of suggestions. Unfortunately, I often purchase books for other readers–like my husband–whose tastes are very different. This messes up Amazon’s logarithm. Nonetheless they sometimes have a good suggestion that fits my reading tastes.
- My book club. I belong to a very relaxed book club. We don’t require everyone to read the suggested books. But, if a book intrigues me, I do read it, and it’s often something I would never have heard of otherwise.
- Book reviews. Before I hit the purchase button on Amazon or B&N, I look over the reviews. I study the good and bad ones. The best leads are often in the 3 and 4 star reviews. The 5 star reviews love everything about the book. They are blinded by their adoration. The 1-2 star reviews are blinded by their dislike of the book. But, the 3-4 star reviews can give you a good idea about the book and whether it might suit you.
- Get a sample of the book before you actually hit the purchase button . If I know nothing about the book or the writer (even if my book club recommends the book), I get a sample. If I hate the book in the first few chapters, I know not to order it.
These are some ways I find books. How about you?
If you’re looking for a good new mystery series, try the Jenna Scali mysteries. Here’s the book trailer for Book One.
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