I don't usually have that problem. I go to my local library 2-3 times a week, usually on my lunch period, and browse the new books. I usually find something that looks interesting.
Right now, I am getting into an author, Katherine Center, whose latest book is called "Things You Save in a Fire". I read that book, and then devoured two other books by her. There's just something about her voice that I love. And, it would seem that I am moving way from YA literature that I spent several years enjoying.
But what happens if you can't figure out what you want to read?
All is not lost.
A while back, I was told about a website called What Should I Read Next? and I decided to conduct two searches to test the site out. I had just given up on a YA book that disappointed me. Actually, a number of books I've tried to read recently have disappointed me. So maybe a website could pick better than me?
My first search was on one of my favorite YA books, The Fault in our Stars, by John Green. This is a story written from the point of view of a teen aged girl terminally ill with thyroid cancer.
Based on that book, what else might I want to read?
These were some of my results, and I may pick one to read.
- Jennifer E Smith - The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (I looked on Goodreads and it had a slightly less than 4 star rating - but the description didn't seem to appeal to me.)
- David Levithan - Every Day (A 4 star rating - and the description intrigues me. Every day, a different body, a different life. This one has possibilities.)
- Gayle Forman - Just One Day (a tiny bit more than 4 stars but it is more of a romance than what I normally go in for. Yes, The Fault in our Stars is a romance, but it was so much more. Interesting, the site also picked the sequel to this Gayle Forman book.
- Matthew Quick - Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock (this one sounds so harrowing, I don't know if I would be able to pick it up. It is told from the point of view of a suicidal teen intending to murder someone.)
- Rachel Cohn, David Levithan - Dash and Lily's Book of Dares (a "Christmas in New York" type of book. Not sure.)
By now, I had intrigued by the Internet wanting to help me with my next reading selections. What a site had found me based on The Fault in Our Stars introduced me to several books, including one I may just read (although, I never did). So, I started looking for other sites providing this service. I tried a site called Bookkaholic but apparently it doesn't exist any more.
Finally, I found an intriguing site called Lazy Library, where no recommended book is over 200 pages. But several searches resulted in blank pages. I don't think it was working well with my browser settings. Or maybe just with me.
I guess I am on my own for choosing my next book, which I really don't mind.
Do you use web sites to help you choose your reading? What kind of results have you had?
Maybe the "featured books" shelf in my library is the best, after all?
Day seven of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost
My guess is that "The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight" has nothing whatsoever to do with statistics, and that it wouldn't really appeal to me...
ReplyDeleteHi Alana - I rely on finding books in charity shops, books I've bought and never read, books recommended through groups I attend ... or in magazines I might see - they're mostly educative histories with some biographies attached ... but enjoy what you read.
ReplyDeleteThere are two books I've bought ... but never used! 'How to become ridiculously well-read in one evening' and 'A year of reading' - lots of ideas in them ...
Good luck with your choices ... cheers Hilary
When I was a tween, my father found a librarian to pick books for me. I read some pretty great books then.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, I just don't know. I just got a bunch of books on my Nook on New Year's Day (there was a thing with a bunch of free books if you picked them up then), and I've been choosing based on which blurb appeals at that moment in time.
So many books. So much choice. Good luck.
I go to the STARcat library website and search for books and I also use the recommendations from the librarian, it helps that my son works at the library too, smiles. I like the cozy mysteries, just simple books as I do read a lot of textbooks during the semester. smiles
ReplyDeleteI decide by a variety of methods: 1. Recs from friends. 2. Reading reviews on Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. 3. Browsing the New Releases shelves at my public library 4. Looking at award winners (Booker Prize, Pulitzer, National Book Award, etc.) 5. Mining the Works Cited page of a favorite read (Rohr's _Falling Upwards_ was filled with quotes from authors I had not read, so I mined that for two years). 6. Seeing what Goodreads recommends when they say "More like this" about a book I enjoyed. 7. Asking my local librarians. 8. Asking the other women in my book club. We each read about 6 books a month, so we spend part of our time sharing books we did not read together because we only have one a month we read together. 8. Reading books based on films in current release. 9. Reading BLOG POST REVIEWS! Thanks for sharing the link to What Should I Read Next? I haven't run across that yet. Sounds cool. I'm off to explore it now.
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