Kingdom of Knuffel

Shadowfall wrote:I come up with ideas about something I want to learn about, and then I look for a book that can teach me more about that.

For books of the fantasy or Sci-Fi genre, I look for books that have authors or a series I am familiar with. I read a lot of the same Fantasy/Sci-fi authors.
Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Piers Anthony, Steven Brust, Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey, Robert Jordan, Elizabeth Haydon, Neil Gaiman, someone like that.
Sometimes Ill pick a book based on the cover and summary.

For romance, I just pick what summary sounds the best and hope its a good book.
I do like Nora Roberts and Laura Kinsale, though.

Well, since I read and like EVERYONE ELSE on that list of sci-fi/fantasy authors, guess I'll be looking up Elizabeth Haydon next and reading her.....

It's a combination, I guess. I don't really know for sure. I always read the summary on the back, that much I can tell you. I must admit, though I know it's wrong, I love to judge a book by it's cover. An attractive cover and title easily drag me in. And if I like the summary, I try a page to see the writing style, but by then I'm usually already sold. But what's always bound to reel me in is a good character description I encounter on the internet or something. That attracts me to find out more about a story.

Also I often use movies as trailers of a book. If I like the movie, I'm bound to love the books xD
I think that's mostly how I've been picking my books lately, now I don't have as much time.

Since I don't do ebooks, and everything's been closed down for so long, it's been harder to get books the way I normally do.

Since you can't do the same sort of choosing process online as you can in person, if you're ordering books.

So my reading habits have changed.

Lately I've been going after a particular topic or subject I'm interested in, even though I know it won't be as entertaining to read (nonfic rarely is), because even if the writer isn't as talented I can at least get something out of it.

The other one is getting used children's books, because often if the writing is bad the art can at least save it to turn into a project of some kind, and if the art is bad but the writing is good it turns into a different sort of project as I make copious use of white-out and turn it into a pop-up book or drawing exercise, and it's rare for both to be bad.
Especially when they have those handy Newberry and Caldecott awards you can use to find some good author or illustrator recommendations to start from.

I judge book by the cover, the description and online reviews.

I usually choose a book by its popularity.

The cover doesn't really matter. Some of my favourite books have really ugly covers so..
First I look "genre" (what I want to read), then author, then the summary. If I can, I read a few pages (from the middle). If the author is new to me I may read some reviews.
And I often ask friends for recommendations.

tavisharts wrote:I go based on the summary.

Because I get most of my books as an ebook now there is no judge by cover. XD

Hehehehe, another ebook reader here Feeling the same, no cover to judge for!


I usually narrow it down by genres. There are some genres I don't like so I don't buy them.
If I know and have previously liked the author, then it's likely I will give a shot to the new book (which sometimes is a disappointment).
If not I check the summary. This is a deal breaker for me.


I have several sources of books at this moment.
One is my public library, where I have a wishlist and every now and then I get one book from there.
Another one is StoryBundle, where you can buy very affordable indie books - not all are worth your money, but there are always a few nice ones in each set.
And finally there are some authors I kinda follow, so I end up buying more of their books.