DISCUSSION: How Do You Choose What To Read?

So I know this sounds like a fairly obvious task but I'm curious to know whether choosing a book to read is the same for everyone or whether choosing books is more personal and individual. I think I've been reading long enough to know the kind of books I like but I have noticed a few things I look for...

The Genre
I tend to stick the genre's I know I love. I read mainly YA books, but the main genre's I like are thrillers, contemporaries, paranormal and I'm just starting to get into fantasy. I know these are really broad genre's but I don't tend to pick up much out of these categories. I'll occasionally read historical fiction but it has to be really good. 

The Cover
I know, I know. Never judge a book by it's cover...but I do ok. I can't help it (pls don't judge me 😢). I just find that if a cover doesn't grab my attention then I'm not too inclined to pick it up. Sometimes I'll make an exception...which leads me onto my next point.

Recommendations
I don't have many friends who are hardcore book lovers like me. So I get 99.9% of my recommendations from the internet (the most reliable source anyway, right?) I used to watch booktube to get recommendations and while I still do, since I started blogging I get majority of them from other book bloggers. The likelihood is that if I haven't heard anyone recommend a book then I'm not going to read it. 
So what do you look for when choosing a book to read? Anything that I've missed? Let me know in the comments!

26 comments

  1. I also look at how long a book is. Sometimes I want something short i can read fast so I will got to Goodreads and check that out. Cover is a big one for me though :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, how long a book is does affect me as well! I didn't think of it before but I always go on goodreads and check how many pages a book is!

      Delete
  2. Genres also matters to me a lot. Most of the time, I don't read books of the same genre consecutively. Dystopian, Thrillers, and Historical are my go-to genres. Covers don't matter much to me but I tend to buy or highly consider buying beautiful books (soooo wrong, I know!). Recommendations highly matter to me. I usually put recommended books at the top of my tbr :)

    Specific themes of books also motivate me to choose them like WWII books immediately land at the top of my tbr as compared to other historical books or books with diverse main characters. Also, authors matter to me! I usually try prioritize books from my fave author!! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I normally read recommended books first as well! Yeah, I have to agree with specific themes as well, I love reading things about serial killers and mystery!

      Delete
  3. I generally always read books in the YA genre so I'll always start by searching for books in that section of the library/bookstore/online store and then I guess it depends what mood I'm in? Seasons also play a huge part in that! Like in spring and summer, I generally only read contemporaries and then in autumn and winter I'm all for the paranormal and fantasy novels. If book bloggers/book tubers are also raving about a specific book and the synopsis piques my interest I'll probably read that shortly! I'm very much a mood reader though, so it all depends on that. ;D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I read a lot of YA as well, sometimes I'll venture into NA but not very often. I do wish there was more NA books that I enjoyed though. I'm such a mood reader as well, the genre I read changes constantly!

      Delete
  4. I admit I judge a book by its cover as well, I can't help it! I feel like if an author has spent all their time perfecting their book, the cover should be on that draws a person in as well. BUT what draws me in may be a turn-off for another person, so I can't go solely by that logic. Lol!
    I generally stick to YA, thriller, or true crime novels. Also, books that go against the grain of how books are "supposed" to be. Think Ellen Hopkins. :)

    Great discussion!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always feel terrible for judging a book by it's cover but I can't help it, beautiful covers just call to me. I love true crime and everything that goes along with that. I did try to read an Ellen Hopkins book once but I just couldn't get along with it!

      Delete
  5. Recommendations and the genre are the main ways I choose what to read as well. :) I also like to look at blurbs before picking a book up to see if it's something that interests me. :) Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous discussion! <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One of the ways I choose what to read is from reviews by other bloggers. Most of the time I won't pick up a book if I've not heard anything about it unless the blurb really grabs me!

      Delete
  6. Whatever is on my review pile XD. Not strictly true, but I mainly focus on what I have to review and at the moment that's mostly YA. I seem to have gone off crime/thrillers for the moment (they're all the same!!!!!) and Chick Lit is in the rearview mirror, well it isn't but I just don't fancy reading it. So YA it is. I've kinda stuck myself into a corner, without even meaning to. So I'm working on all my YA review copies, mostly Kindle books actually which are making my eyes go square!

    Plus I'm making my way through the Mortal Instruments/TID books. I've finished the first three MI books and I'm just about to start Clockwork Angel. I'm attempting to catch up before Lord of Shadows in May, which should be easy enough to do. I'm loving the series so much, mind, so that's a huge bonus!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooo that's a good one. I hadn't thought of including that on the list, but I do try to read review books first as well. Sometimes I don't though, other books sometimes peak my interest more. I was going to start the mortal instruments series but I just decided it was too many books to catch up on!! Glad you're enjoying it though!

      Delete
  7. I mean...I'd love to say that I just hand-pick titles off my TBR, but to be honest, that's a dark, deep monster that keeps getting worse, and I don't even know where it starts and begins haha.
    I'm quite an impulsive person and reader. If someone who's opinions and tastes I trust says that they've recently LOVED a book,and if it commands my interest, I will most likely pick it up next...
    That's exactly how my TBR keeps growing and never, ever getting smaller haha.

    So mostly, it's up to recommendations for me. But sometimes- covers, titles or synopses of the most random book, that I've never heard of, will grab my attention and I will read it...

    This is a really legitimate question haha, since seemingly, everyone does it differently.
    Great post!
    Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I'm so impulsive as well. If I see a blogger highly recommend a book then I'm more likely to pick it up sooner than other books on my TBR. You're not the only one, I got rid of so many books from my TBR not long ago but somehow I've creeped back up to my original number.

      Yes, I'm seeing so many new ways people choose books that I didn't even really think about!

      Delete
  8. As far as what books I add to my TBR, it's almost always a genre thing. I love contemporary (adult and YA), new adult, and a tiny bit of historical, paranormal and fantasy thrown in now and then. And I have a handful of favorite authors and I will always read what they release. As far as how to choose what I want to read *next*, I'm a total mood reader. It's all about what I feel like in the moment. Fun topic/post, Kirsty!
    Tanya @ GIRL PLUS BOOKS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm such a mood reader as well, what I feel like reading changes on a day to day basis!

      Delete
  9. I think I pretty much have the same system as you. I stick mostly to genres I love - so fantasy, YA and historical fiction - and I get lots of recommendations from blogs and Goodreads. And I definitely judge by the cover! I know I shouldn't, but I just can't help it! :)
    Great post! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I read mostly YA but I would like to start getting into NA more. I think everyone secretly judges a book by it's cover, we shouldn't, but we do!

      Delete
  10. For new books that aren't on my radar, I generally keep an eye on other bloggers who have similar reading tastes. As soon as they start raving about a new author or series, then I check the book out to see if it sounds like something I'd be interested in. Skimming through ratings on Goodreads is another thing that will solidify whether or not I add it to my TBR.

    When it comes to choosing a new book of my shelves, I generally have an idea of a few that I'd like to read soon-ish. But when I have a hard time narrowing it down to just one, I give the pile to my husband and have him choose for me. Sometimes he chooses based on cover or title, other times he reads the synopsis and chooses from there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, goodreads is amazing for helping me pick new books. I don't know what I'd do without it! Yeah I also have this internal tbr list as well as my actual one. Like books that I'm really excited to read are normally at the front of my mind.

      Delete
  11. Most of those things matter to me too! I definitely know what I like these days and mostly read in those genres. I do take Goodreads ratings and other bloggers/bookstagrammers opinions into account. But I will sometimes read a a book I haven't heard much about.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, the only time I ever read a book I haven't heard much about is if I'm really drawn in to the blurb!

      Delete
  12. Recommendations are my #1, but also the genre that I feel like reading also helps. I read almost everything so I'm a mood reader. Also, if I have a review coming up, that usually decides it right now. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, a good recommendation from someone I trust sells a book for me immediately. I'm such a mood reader as well!

      Delete
  13. This is pretty much how I decide my next read as well :D when it comes to genre, I mostly only read contemporary and fantasy haha but I depend so much on recommendations! Just like you, if I never heard my trusted reviewers talk about a certain book then chances are I'm not gonna read them �� I'm so mainstream hahaha great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think we're all very mainstream really! Recommendations are what keeps books alive! Thanks for stopping by!!

      Delete