Question about new books

[smilerbabeuk]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, so forgive me if its not. Where do you go to look at newly released books and reviews? Do you look in newspapers or publishers or somewhere else?

I have been a prolific reader since I was about 12, but I have always simply gone to the library or a bookshop and got what looked interesting. its been a revelation to discover the world of book reviews and recommendations! I have compiled a list of books to read from reviews and comments on the various threads on here, but where is the best place to look out for new books?

 

thanks in advance.

 

jo

[Kylie]

Good question Jo. I'm not sure that it has been asked before.

 

I have often wondered the same thing. For example, a book called The Passage by Justin Cronin was recently published and loads of people seem to be reading it but I'm not sure how everyone heard about it. I read a review on the New York Times website, but how else did other people find out? There's probably a lot of word-of-mouth happening.

 

I learn about some new books from reading the book sections on websites such as the Guardian and New York Times and the rest I probably learn about on BCF and occasionally Goodreads.

[chesilbeach]

It can be tricky to find out what books are being published, and unfortunately, I don't think there's one single place to look.

 

Here are some of the things I do:

• For specific authors I want to read, I look to see if they have their own website, blog or twitter as they will keep you up to date with what they're doing. Alternately, you can keep an eye on the authors page on www.fantasticfiction.co.uk as it will tell you any new books coming out soon.
• You can also do the same for publishers - most of them have websites and more are on twitter now as well in order to publicise their authors, so they can be a good source of information. Some also have an email newsletter facility which will give you some advance notice of new books.
• Another option are the big online books sellers like Amazon who will have a list of "Hot Future Releases" which will give you what books people are pre-ordering that are due out shortly.
• There's also the BBC Radio 4 programme, Open Book but it will probably only have one new book per week, but at least you'll usually get an inteview with the author. It's available as a podcast or on the iPlayer for a week after broadcast.
• For reviews, Kylie's right about newspapers being a good source and I also use the Guardian website (I used to look at The Times as well, but now it's a paid subscription I don't bother), but most of the broadsheet newspapers have a review/books section to look at.
• I mentioned following authors websites, blogs and twitter earlier, and they can also be a good source of info for new books, as they'll often be sent ARC books to review or to blurb on, and I've picked up some great recommendations from them.

Think that covers most of what I do! Hope it helps.

[BookJumper]

I'm always jotting down recommendations from here and actively seek out my favourite authors on Facebook to see what they're up to, however my main method is the simplest one you could think of: spending quality time in bookshops, looking at new release shelves / announcements for future signings and making a note of what looks interesting. It works, though it would help if they started putting book posters around town for all genres as opposed to just what's in the charts.

[Janet]

I have often wondered the same thing. For example, a book called The Passage by Justin Cronin was recently published and loads of people seem to be reading it but I'm not sure how everyone heard about it. I read a review on the New York Times website, but how else did other people find out? There's probably a lot of word-of-mouth happening.

Amazon sent me an email about that book quite a few weeks before I started spotting it mentioned on here or seeing it in bookshops. I think some books get much more heavily promoted than others for some reason.

 

I had an email from Amazon today - 'Top pre-orders in books'. I see Stephen Fry's new one is out next month!

 

I used to have NewBooksMag but didn't renew my subscription this time. I get the Waterstone's mag when it comes out and I'm always looking on Amazon. And here, of course!

[Talisman]

I heard about The Passage just browsing on Amazon - it came up as a book that others had bought in addition to the one I was looking at. To be honest though, most of the time I take very little notice of reviews - especially from major newspapers. As an author myself I know that the best books do not necessarily even get a look in when it comes to the national dailies - if you really want to know what's what the best thing is to ask friends what they are reading, or failing that to go and browse, either online or in a High Street bookstore. That's how I find most of the books I have read, not from newspaper reviews but simply by looking and being in the right place at the right time, but then again, aren't we always !

[smilerbabeuk]

Thanks for your replies. I guess I shall have to learn to look better, I have been oblivious for too long! It is interesting to see where you look, it does give me some ideas.

[AbielleRose]

If you're on Twitter you can follow most of the major publishing companies. I follow Random House, Simon and Scheuster and a couple others and they're always announcing new authors and books that are coming out along with links to a synopsis. There is a huge, really informative literary community on Twitter.

[JudyB]

Book reviews in various publications are always a good starting point. Once you have a favourite author the website FantasticFiction keeps you informed of new releases and books of a similar style/nature.

[poppyshake]

Amazon and Audible sent me promo e.mails about 'The Passage' and Waterstones have had a huge advertising campaign on it. It was hailed as the next big thing in their quarterly magazine and they were giving away a free supplement containing the first few chapters (may have been as many as six.) I read a bit and decided I'd probably like it and so didn't read anymore as I'll read it in it's entirety at some point.

 

The Waterstones quarterly is a good place to read about new releases etc (or it was, I don't like the new format as much but then I'm hopeless with change) though it's in their own interest to write good reviews and so you never read a bad one. It's good to read the synopses though and just see what's up and coming.

[Ruth]

I tend to just have a look at whatever grabs my attention in various bookshops. I also read lots and lots of book sites, which advertise new books coming out. Regarding The Passage, which Kylie mentioned, I saw an advertisement for that book in Books Quarterly (Waterstones book mag), and keep seeing ads for it on various sites.

 

And I follow various authors and publishers on Twitter and Facebook too.

[Kylie]

Thanks everyone for shedding some light on The Passage. It looks like it pays well to have your works plugged by Amazon and Waterstones!

[acliffe85]

Husband got the passage from waterstones was like the 1st chapter so something he loved it and has reasontly purchase it from tescos he can seem to but it down

[pontalba]

All of the above really are good methods. Amazon also will suggest books to you based on your previous purchases, and quite often I have bought the suggestions. Although occasionally I've wondered how they get from what I've bought to what they suggest.

 

If you have Library Sales nearby, that's a great place to experiment. After all if you only pay a dollar or so for a book, it's not so terrible to re-donate it somewhere.