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Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Nov 5th, '16, 01:27
by ArmyAunt
I have several methods of choosing books. I have several favorite authors who I'll read anything by. I read books suggested to me by friends. I also get a crap ton of free ebooks in Kindle and Nook formats. I pick them mostly by price, but also by description and reviews. I don't read many of the positive reviews, but read the 1-star reviews instead. They'll tell me more of what I really want to know.
Consequently, I've got a long list of books that I want to read, but haven't gotten to yet. Currently, I'm reading Outlander while I wait for season three on TV.
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Nov 16th, '16, 10:55
by PulciniVerdi
If a book has a very good cover it'll pick my eye and I'll read about what it is: if it's interesting it'll go on wishlist, if it's awesome (and I have some money on me) it's a buy. Titles do the same trick but can't survive if the plot is too out of my comfort zone.
If I'm online I'll go for my wishlist, if I'm on a bookshop I'll go in my fav section and look for what's new. Also new books from writers that I already know and love have more chance to get in my shelf.
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Nov 18th, '16, 17:01
by Momò
Funny thing for me is most the time my mom finds them. xD
She'll be looking for books and she already knows what kind I like so she'll send it my way. x3
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Jul 26th, '17, 19:41
by Afanasei
My first criteria is the spine- if the title catches my interest, I'll pull it off the shelf and read the blurb inside the cover. And if that sounds interesting, I'll read the book.
Initial turnoffs include illegible font, text and background colors that are too similar so it's hard to read the title. After that, if the blurb goes on and on about how ordinary or special the protag is, and if it does the "Protag must save the world with the help of the mysterious new boy in class who she can't stop thinking about, but how is she supposed to focus on saving the lives of her friends and family when he's soooooo dreeeaaamyyy" that really just kills any interest i had in reading it
like romance is good and all but that kind of romantic subplot 9/10 times actually hurts the story
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Oct 1st, '17, 03:56
by WishingMoon
My first go to is if I heard of it before. If a book has made the best sellers list or recommended by a friend it should be fairly good. There are exceptions and you will probably hear complaints if that is the case.
The next is the cover grabbing my attention. That will make me pick it up but I'll put it back down if it doesn't have a summary in the back. (Why is that so uncommon these days?)
If I am looking for something, let's say a book about X, I'll look on Amazon and see what is best reviewed.
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Dec 8th, '17, 15:42
by Shy
1. Best seller
2. Thick
3. Engaging description
4. I only choose 3rd-person-POV books
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Dec 12th, '17, 07:52
by tavisharts
typically it's the description.
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Jan 3rd, '18, 08:07
by Vlad Bloodhaven
Title and the synopsis. Though I have books where the title is very "meh", but the synopsis and overall story were good. Really you can never truly tell how a book is going to be until you actually read it.
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Jan 27th, '18, 09:45
by Nixiefae
I'm pretty bad this, I to kind of tend to go based on a cover of a book before I look to see what it's about. It's a bad habit because I'm sure I've passed on good books. Though sometimes I will pick a books based on its title or it's summary of what it's about . I've also picked a book based in what genre it was in.
Re: How do you pick a book?
Posted: Sep 28th, '18, 18:55
by Akili Li
This just reminded me of a series I found recently, where the back cover information was written in first person, and was TERRIBLE. Just, every single over-the-top cliche of fan-fiction-hell you can think of.
I actually remembered one of the titles because the back was the worst I'd ever come across. Just awful.
But then one of my library book sales had a book from that same series where the back blurb was covered with old stickers, and I hadn't remembered the author at all, so I didn't connect the two. I opened the book randomly to somewhere in the middle.... it was written in 3rd person PoV, not 1st, and while it was certainly full of cliches, it was also exceedingly humorous. I was laughing out loud, without having any context, just from the dialogue in that random spot.
So I got the book and then later looked up the author.
And was super confused, because that title I'd remembered with the TERRIBLE back blurb was part of the same series.
So then of course I had to track down the rest of her works and check.
Yep, universally awful synopses. Most of the books were thankfully written in 3rd person.
Some of them were in 1st, though, and just as bad as the backs. So it was really hit or miss.
Still, that stuck in my mind, that disconnect between back and book.