Reading: Ways to Find Great New Books

Back in September 2015, I wrote this blog post for the Writing Wenches. Since the site is no longer available to view, I wanted to share it today with my readers because I’m always on the lookout for ways to find great new books, and I’m sure you are too.

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I love books. I love to read. As a kid, my earliest book recommendations came from my mom and the amazing librarians in the children’s section of our local library. As a teen, I read books my friends said were must-reads and I spent hours exploring the shelves of bookstores.

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While I have favorite genres and I most definitely have favorite authors, I’m always open to new ideas and new authors or at least authors that are new to me. Because of my husband’s influence I read (and loved!) Douglas Adams and Michael Crichton. A friend introduced me to Barbara Michaels and I stumbled onto Michael Grant when scanning the bookstore shelves for something that just looked interesting — I had no idea as I grabbed his book “Gone” that I’d become a huge fan with an obsession for his series.

Before we were all connected through the internet, I often discovered new authors and books by catching recommendations on talk shows or the news. That’s how I actually first heard about Harry Potter.

Today, there are so many ways to find amazing new authors and books. Social media makes it easier than ever to stay connected but there’s something to be said for the old-fashioned method of simply asking another human (in person!) what they recommend.

The next time you’re in a book store ask the clerk or even the person standing next to you in the aisle what they’re reading or what’s the best book they’ve read this month. Most readers love to talk about their favorite authors and the great books they’ve read. Connect and share and you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to climb out of a reading rut and discover something new.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to find new authors and authors that are new to me.

On Twitter:

Search the hashtags #amreading, #books and #authors. Check out the #amwriting hashtag. These are great ways to find not only new authors to read but fun writerly and readerly people to follow.

On Facebook:

Follow your local library’s page or your favorite author’s page. Check out what your favorite author is reading or who that author interacts with to find new authors and books to enjoy.

IRL:

Spend time at your local library. Check out the displays that have recommendations from the librarians, ask for recommendations — don’t be afraid to ask. Librarians are there to help and they’re usually plugged into what’s hot in different genres.

Be bold and step out of your comfort zone. Choose to read something from a different genre. There’s a lot of great literature and awesomely engaging stories out there.

#Amreading in December

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I’m about 50 or so pages from completing my personal 2016 Goodreads reading challenge of 25 books. Once upon a time, reading 25 books in a year would not have been a challenge — I typically read twice that and often more. However, times change. Life changes. I write full time and some days after writing for clients and then adding words to my own WIP, I simply prefer to lose myself in a movie instead of a book. Still, I completed my Goodreads challenge, or I will later this week when I finish Chuck Sambuchino’s craft book “Get a Literary Agent” and 25 books in 2016 isn’t half bad.

That brings us to December. Now. I decided instead of continuing to work my way through my TBR pile this month, I would treat myself and indulge in a reread of a favorite series. Last year during the Christmas holidays I reread the Gone series by Michael Grant. The previous Christmas, I reread Harry Potter, although I usually do that reread in the summer.

This year, December 2016 I’m rereading Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series.

If you enjoy reading YA with a supernatural/fantasy theme, then I highly recommend The Mortal Instruments Series.

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You can take a look at the different books here. Since the first book “City of Bones” was released in 2007, five more books were added plus a companion series called the Infernal Devices and a new sequel trilogy to the Mortal Instruments called The Dark Artifices, which begins with “Lady Midnight”. The next book after “Lady Midnight” is set to release in May 2017 and will be titled “Lord of Shadows”.

Currently, I’m on Chapter 20 of “City of Bones” and I’m enjoying it this time around as much as I did the first time I read it. I love the dialogue, especially the banter between Jace and Clary, even Simon’s commentary brings a grin while reading. I’m dreading the end of this book just a bit, because I do know what’s coming next and this particular end made me a bit growl-ly. However, it was a good end and fun way to lead into book 2 “City of Ashes”.

Whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year, I hope you’re experiencing peace and joy. And do I hope you’re making time for a good book or two or three.

Happy Reading!

If you have a spare moment, let me know in the comments below what you’re reading. I’m always looking to add title to my TBR list. Or which book(s) do you want Santa to bring?

 

 

Book Series I Love to Reread

I’ve always been a reader who regularly rereads favorite books. At least once a year I pull out my copy of “Death on the Nile” by Agatha Christie and my equally tattered copy of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” These well-worn and beloved books have yellowing pages, cracked spines, and are as wrinkled as a shar-pei puppy. Don’t care. I love these books — although I may have to concede and treat myself to new copies.

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Reaching for a favorite book to reread is comforting. A chance to escape the doldrums of daily life and venture into a different world to visit old friends. Isn’t that what our favorite literary characters are? Old friends? I think so.

I’m right there on the Karnak with Hercule Poirot sailing down the Nile. Of course after reading the book dozens of times, I know who the victim will be and who the murderer is, but it doesn’t stop me from rereading “Death on the Nile.” I pick it up time and time again, because of Poirot and the other characters as well as the setting and Christie’s distinctive voice.

Beyond rereading individual books, I have several series I also enjoy reading over and over. It takes a bit more time to reread a series, but I still find it immersive and as enjoyable as the first time I read the books. My top favorite book series I love to reread are:

  • Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (have read the series a total of 13 times)
  • The Gone Series by Michael Grant (have read series 7 times)
  • The Starcrossed Series by Josephine Angelini (have read series 5 times)
  • Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts (have read series 6 times)

The latter two actually are trilogies but I still consider them a series. I’ve also reread the Star Wars X-Wing series three or four times — it’s my favorite set of books in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

So why all this rereading when there are so many amazing new books out there to discover? In one word: characters. It’s the characters for me. Each of these series has characters I love to love and that I love to hate. From their witty dialogue to the way they deeply feel, how they lead, and their flaws that make them believable, the characters in these books series leap from the pages and stay with me long after the last page has been read.

Someday, I hope I can create characters that resonate with readers the way the ones in my favorite book series resonate for me.

What’s your favorite book or book series to reread? I’d love to know so go ahead and share it in the comment section below. Maybe you’ll help me find my next book series to read, love, and reread.

It’s Friday! Whatcha Reading?

It’s Friday! We made it! So I have only one question for you —

What are you reading this weekend?

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Whatcha reading?

Celebrate #FridayReads by posting in the comments below your reads for the weekend. And if you’ve ever been curious about the origin of #FridayReads, check it out here.

I will be curled up reading Michael Grant’s “Front Lines“.

The TBR List

Like many of you, my TBR or to-be-read list keeps growing despite the fact that I continue to read and finish books. And how can it not grow when there’s a continual supply of new books from both veteran and first-time authors?

More than 300,000 print books are traditionally published each year, just in the U.S. You can check out the statistics here.

And what about ebooks? And self-published books? Bottom-line — there are a lot of books available and it’s no wonder our TBR lists keep growing. Personally, I think it’s a good thing to have a large reading list. Recently, I wrote out an actual list of my TBR book titles as part of an effort to get a bit more organized. I didn’t list the books in any particular order and I’m not reading them in a certain order either.

I thought I’d share some of that list with you today along with links to the book so if it strikes your fancy, you can add it to your TBR list as well.

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Barb’s TBR Book List (in no particular order)

The Tattooed Heart by Michael Grant (sequel to Messenger of Fear)

Front Lines by Michael Grant

The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah

The Replaced by Kimberly Derting (sequel to The Taking)

The Devil Within by Lauren Greene

Deceived (Soul Keeper Series) by L.A. Starkey

Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt

Avoidables by Rachel Medhurst

The Waking Engine by David Edison

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Cloak of Shadows (The Netherwalker Series) by C.K. Dawn

Ghost Unbroken by Annie McLeod

Doctor Abbott by Michelle Laverdure

Flirting with Fame by Samantha Joyce

Now That You’re Here by Amy K. Nichols

This is a mere snapshot of my TBR list — some pretty amazing books on there and I’m anxious to read each one. Go ahead and leave the title and author of the next book on your TBR list in the comments, I’d love to have more great books to add!