How To Find Your Next Favorite Book
By: Preston Simmons | Written: 19 May 2021
Finding a new book to read can be hard.
Sometimes, finding a new book to read can be overwhelming. There are literally hundreds of millions of different books to choose from, so it’s no wonder some people may not know where to even begin. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be hard. It’s actually quite easy to find the next book to read if you know how to start. If you don’t know the first steps you need to take, don’t worry; you’ve come to the right place. This article will show you the right path to find the next book or series for you. Your next favorite book is closer than you think.
#1 – Pick A Genre
The first step is the most important, and for some, the most difficult. Begin by choosing a genre that you are interested in reading. There are 14 different genres to choose from, each with its own unique characteristics. Are you looking for epic adventures on a grand scale? Perhaps you might enjoy Fantasy as a genre. Check out this article on the best epic fantasy series for beginners if that genre interests you. Maybe you want to read something scary or unnerving? Horror could be the genre you’re looking for. In the mood for stories of love and relationships? Romance might be what you want to read next.
Once you find the genre you are most interested in, you can move on to the second step for finding your next favorite book.
#2 – Research Your Chosen Genre
Once you pick a genre you want to read, the next step would be to research it! Researching isn’t hard. A simple google search is all you need to do to be on your way to your next book. Simple go to google and type, “Best (your chosen genre) books.” If you want something new or recently released, make sure to add the specific year you want at the end of the search.
For example, say you want to find fantasy books. Your search would look something like this: “Best fantasy books 2021”. If you type that in, you’ll find hundreds of well-regarded fantasy books people have recommended as recently as 2021. This type of search will work for all different types of genres.
If you aren’t picky with the book you want to read, you could stop at this step. You are definitely going to have a ton of different options to choose from if you stop here. However, there are additional steps you can take to really pinpoint exactly the next book or series to read.
#3 – Explore Communities For Your Genre
The next step in finding your next favorite book is exploring different communities related to the genre of your choice. These communities are filled with like-minded people like you that are interested in the same genre as you. Many people in these communities have read hundreds or even thousands of books related to what you want to read and have a ton of recommendations for books that you may like. Some of the best communities for books include Reddit, Goodreads, and the site you’re currently on– Reader’s Grotto.
Why Reddit?
Regarding Reddit, start by joining a subreddit dedicated to your genre. As an example, for fantasy, r/fantasy would be the community for you. For romance, r/romancebooks is where you’ll find romance aficionados. Reddit has a subreddit for basically any genre you can think of, and others you probably had no idea existed. Reddit is also great for finding books in general. Are you looking for a book that has a super-specific plot, filled with twists, is scary, and has romance in it? Not to mention, it takes place in space? No problem, head over to r/booksuggestions, and someone will tell you exactly what book you’re looking for.
How good is Goodreads?
Goodreads is less specific than Reddit is but is no less helpful. Over 90 million people have registered with the website, and every day, more people contribute to it. Goodreads is a place where you can find tons of books of all genres on a well-organized and easy-to-use website. Here, tons of lists have been made that contain the best books of the genres you are interested in. Readers like you have made these lists, so you can be sure to find a series or genre that may interest you based on what others have already read.
These tools are a great way to find new books, but are also a way to make reading more enjoyable in general.
#4 – Choose An Author
Now you are on Reddit or Goodreads and have joined a community related to the genre of your choice. What’s next? The next step would be to find well-reviewed authors in that genre that have written great books. Most genres have millions of different books to choose from, so it can be pretty overwhelming to find the right author for you.
Choosing an author to read is similar to dating. When you look for a partner, you may have prerequisites that they must meet for you to feel like you’ve found the perfect person for you. Similarly, you should feel the same way towards authors you discover. Every author has their own unique writing style that you may or may not enjoy. Some authors use extremely detailed descriptions to describe their locations in their book. Others don’t. Some authors write in a more casual tone, while others write in a more classical tone filled with difficult prose and words you haven’t seen since taking your SATs.
Read up on the authors that you discover. Are their books generally loved, or are they controversial? Is their writing style difficult to read, or more for everyone of all ages? Use the communities you’ve joined to see what others think of certain authors. Again, Goodreads and Reddit are great places to start your author search. You can even find articles dedicated to certain author’s works that may ease your search.
Once you find an author that you think is a right fit for you, you are one step closer to finding your next favorite book.
#5 – Read The Reviews
So you’ve chosen a genre to read, you’ve researched the genre, you’ve joined a community dedicated to the genre, you’ve found authors that have written books in the genre of your choosing. By now, you probably have some books that have piqued your interest. So, do you pull the trigger and purchase the books you’ve found? Sure you can. But there’s one more step that will probably benefit you before you make that buy.
So many people out there make purchases on a whim and end up regretting it. It’s even worse with books. It’s so common that people pick up books to read, only to get halfway through chapter one and realize that the book isn’t for them, so they never reread it. If this was you, more than likely, you’re not the only one this has happened to. Luckily, reviews are made to avoid this from happening to you.
Reviews will guide your way…
Reviews will give you insight into many aspects of the book that you probably wouldn’t have gathered just from the description on the back of the book itself. Is the book well written? Does the book have interesting characters? Does the book conform to genre tropes, or does it break the mold in clever ways? Reviews have all sorts of important information that will benefit you and ensure that the book you choose will be something you will enjoy.
Amazon and audible is a great place to read reviews on both the book you’re interested in and the audiobook version as well. Goodreads is the easiest place to find reviews on any book you can think of, and Reddit will more than likely have in-depth discussions on any book you may be interested in. Or, you can look for book blogs online that do reviews on books, like this one on Reader’s Grotto.
Reading reviews is a great way to be sure you’ll find your next favorite book!
Finding your next favorite book to read should be a fun and rewarding experience. Before you know it, you’ll have a list of books on your “To Be Read” list that will take you months to finish. Are you up for the challenge?
What books do you have on your “To Be Read” list? What do you look for in a new book? How do you search for new books?
Comment below and let me know!
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