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How do you choose your books?


Vanwa

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I want to know how something makes it onto your TBR pile in the first place...

 

Do you hit the book shops and just randomly select?

 

Do you go to your favourite genre section and peruse?

 

Do you go in with something in mind? Is it usually a recommend, review, or new release publicity that makes you select your next read?

 

Personally I just peruse the genres I like most, looking at authors I know. If there is nothing new by them, then it can take me an hour or two, a trip to the bathroom, a cuppa in the coffeeshop and then another hour or two to choose something to read instead.

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I dont actually pacifically go book shopping if that makes sense.........I just tend to be drawn in if I pass a book shop and generally come out with a book or 3 :lol:

I tend to read the synopsis and decide from there and on occassion a cover catches my eye so it makes me look at it......:(

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Personally I just peruse the genres I like most, looking at authors I know.

 

Me all over, in the library.

 

If there is nothing new by them, <snip>

 

...I randomly pick up an author that I don't know, scan the blurb to see if I can tell if there is too much violence, if not, I take it home and read it. :lol:

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For hardback books or those I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy, I'll probably reserve it at the library.

 

Other than that, I'm very strict at making a note of any books that I like the look of, based on reviews here or in the newspaper or on the radio. I collate the list on my computer and synchronise it onto my phone. Then, I go to the bookshop, completely ignore the list, browse the display tables and shelves, and buy whatever takes my fancy.

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I mostly browse, if a synopsis sounds good then I'll get it, and then I've bought of lot of books that people have read on here that I like the sound of and think I'll enjoy and of course I buy anything by my favourite authors. I do have a list though of books I'd like to read at some point, sometimes I buy books from that, but mostly I just buy what takes my fancy :lol:

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For hardback books or those I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy, I'll probably reserve it at the library.

 

Other than that, I'm very strict at making a note of any books that I like the look of, based on reviews here or in the newspaper or on the radio. I collate the list on my computer and synchronise it onto my phone. Then, I go to the bookshop, completely ignore the list, browse the display tables and shelves, and buy whatever takes my fancy.

 

:lol:

 

I tend to stick to certain genres, but I do sometimes try new things - usually after reading a review on here! :(

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Sometimes I'm looking for something specific, such as the latest novel by one of my favourite authirs. Sometimes I'm looking for a specific book for a reading circle or because someone else has mentioned it and I like the sound of it. And other times I go wandering aimlessly around book stores and pick up whatever takes my fancy (which is what I did on Saturday while spending some of my Waterstones gift card money which I got as a leaving prezzie from work).

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Other than that, I'm very strict at making a note of any books that I like the look of, based on reviews here or in the newspaper or on the radio. I collate the list on my computer and synchronise it onto my phone. Then, I go to the bookshop, completely ignore the list, browse the display tables and shelves, and buy whatever takes my fancy.

 

:lol: I print my list out though, then completely ignore it.

I'll print about 3 pages of authors and/or titles, then go to the monthly Library Sale, clutch the list whilst going through every book in the place.

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I have a wish list in my head of books that I've read about here or elsewhere that I'd like to read.

 

Generally I'll go to a bookstore and wander around, picking up all the books from my wishlist and looking at them, then deciding that they cost too much and putting them back.

 

On the way back to work I'll count down the days to the nearest bookfair and wonder how much chance I'll have of finding the books there. :lol:

 

If I'm in a remainders or secondhand store, I'll have a look at everything and will typically walk out with at least a couple of books.

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Often I make myself a list from reviews I've read in newspapers, magazines, a certain book forum :lol: or from friends.. and the next time I find myself in a bookstore or library, I investigate them a little further and choose from there.

 

It's a rare day that I leave either the bookstore or library sans books. :(

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Guest velocipede2288

I often read of books in bibliographies that are recommended, but sometimes, I pick up a book in a charity shop and think "I'll give that a try" just as I did with Martina Cole's The Take, and went on to read more of here books.

Or I read of someone enjoying a book, and give it a try myself. I heard of Thoreau's "Walden" in a book on esponage,went on to buy it, and it became on eof my favourite books.

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I switch genres with each new read like fantasy-classics-crime-current. I try and mix in fave authors,but will browse the library/amazon/goodreads etc. and have probably read more books by writers 'new to me' this year.

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I have an A5 notebook that has every book or author I'd like to try written it which I take with me to the bookshop. I always seem to leave with one or two from the 'book' and about five that I've just randomly picked up :D

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I have a wish list in my head of books that I've read about here or elsewhere that I'd like to read.

 

I have a mental list too....books that are mentioned here or by friends. Also, if I see a good movie which is based on a book I'll usually end up reading the book too....such as Interview With The Vampire which I saw years ago and read recently.

 

If I've just finished a certain genre I might look for similar books online and add those to the mental list/BCF Note pad. The list is always being added to so I never really run out of books to read. :D

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I read reviews on the net, newspapers etc and when I find a book that might interest me, I add it immediately to my Amazon wishlist - which is the best way for a disorganized person like me! Before I head to the bookstore I usually jot down the ones I want most, or if I forget to do this, I depend on my mental list.....which is risky :D Either way, I usually leave the bookstore with a mixed bag of books I had in mind and stuff that just caught my fancy.

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I usually read reviews from this forum or look at what people I know like the same type of books that I do are reading. Then I make a list :D

 

But a lot of the time I do go into a shop forgetting the list and usually found myself drawn to a book by the title or the design of the cover :D

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When in a bookshop, I like to give everyone an even chance so I start at Fiction: A and scan every single spine until I get to Fiction: Z. If the title grabs me I'll check to see if cover/edition, blurb, mini-reviews at the front (if any) and random excerpt appeal. If they do, I'll usually buy the book on the spot PROVIDED the book's in good condition.

 

Today, for example, I looked at five copies of the same book from my wishlist and bought none as the binding wasn't satisfactory on any of them. When this happens for a book not on my wishlist, I will jot the title down in one of my many omnipresent notebooks, check it out on Amazon when I get home, and add it to my wishlist if the reviews on there clinch it.

 

I am planning to type up my wishlist in Word and print it off soon for ease of reference whilst physically bookshopping, but as there are more than two hundred books on my wishlist that task daunts me rather.

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I usually look at cover and title (despite what they say about not judging by cover it does give an idea of what to pick up and what to reject) then I read the synopsis and maybe the first few pages if I'm in half a mind. If I'm in a book shop I usually look at the books on offer, then I might have a browse of the shelves (more a glance at favourite authors really) and the Jasper Fforde books (the only crime I really read), and I might look at anything I'd seen recommended. Oh and I might browse the psychology section.

Online I'll look at my recommendations and the top 10 or 100 maybe and maybe new releases and offers, I don't like browsing on the web as much anyway it's just not the same.

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