Deciding on buying new books - which ratings

[Anonymous]

So lots of books recommended here end up on my shelf and I end up quite liking them.

Usually I use Goodreads for the rating, looking for a 4+. I look at the 3 star reviews and read the first screen of reviews.

Sometimes I find searching on Goodreads a little tedious. I'm curious how others get their book recommendations. I've also gotten a few book recommendations fr9m other books or things like reading the Costco connection magazine.

There's some people who post their reading list on their website, and if I like/respect/appreciate/agree with the person overall, books they like are generally well enjoyed by me too.

I love browsing book stores and used book stores, usually for an hour or so. I'll pick 6 or so books, sit down, read a page or two, check reviews.

But always am eager for more and an curious what you all do.

[Anonymous]

Here’s how I find books to read and buy:
- Events at local bookstores and books highlighted in their emails or newsletters.
- NYT and Washington Post books Sunday book sections. I also follow their Instagram pages and look at their best books of the year lists when they are published in Nov/Dec.
- Bookstagramer reviews
- Books/ authors profiles on NPR.
-Browsing bookstores

[Anonymous]

List and rate the books on Goodreads that you loved and hated. Find through “compare books” active reviewers with whom your tastes are similar.

[Anonymous]

I also have a couple of literary critics who I trust.

[Anonymous]

Prize short lists and sometimes long lists (Pulitzer, National Book Award, Pen, Booker, Orange). New York Times notable books of the year. For 20th century classics -- the Modern Library 100 for both fiction and nonfiction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prize short lists and sometimes long lists (Pulitzer, National Book Award, Pen, Booker, Orange). New York Times notable books of the year. For 20th century classics -- the Modern Library 100 for both fiction and nonfiction.

I’ve used the prize lists for years, but find them much less reliable now that they’d treated winners are treated like a version of Christian Rock, valued for their message more than their quality.

[Anonymous]

I have an extensive to read list on goodreads and an extensive want to read tag on libby. I am in a book club, and I look at what books people like here and in the Peloton Moms Book Club on FB - and I talk to my friends in real life about what books they're reading.

I don't love the prize lists - I think those are too intellectual for me, so luckily I loved Demon Copperhead BEFORE it won any awards

I have authors I like, and I read their new releases, and if a lot of people are really talking about a book and I think I might be interested in the topic, I check it out.

I don't like reading other people's reviews of books before I read it - I don't want any spoilers. I look at the general topic of the book on Goodreads, but not really more than that. I like reading on my kindle now, and sometimes I read the intro samples to books and see what "grabs" me before I decide.

[Anonymous]

Goodreads, bookstagram, and booktok.

The critics and some of the awards are getting paid by the give publishers.

[Anonymous]

I don't go on ratings ever. I go on readings. Pick up the book, read the first page, if you keep reading to page 20 buy it.

[Anonymous]

For me it's a big mix! I've actually gotten a surprising number of good recs here on DCUM. I'll ask my friend circle for recs - they often have good ones. Reviews, twitter, podcasts, magazine writeups - I find books in all these places. My agent just recommended a book to me that I'd been putting off reading, and I ended up loving it. I get a fair number of books through Kindle Unlimited and the Amazon First Reads program, too - just, picking by title and writeup usually, then.

I don't look at lists, because I don't find much of a correlation between what makes the lists and what I like.

I do use Goodreads but I don't have any rule about 4+ or 3+ stars or anything. Some of my favorite books are poorly rated on Goodreads! (My own books aren't very well rated there either.)

But I will read GR reviews more for a vibe check than anything - to see if people's complaints seem like ones that I can deal with. If I'm getting annoyed by a book, I will sometimes go to GR to see if other people have the same complaints.

I used to do what PP suggests and browse bookstores, and see if a cover and some lines grab me. I almost only read on my Kindle now so I don't do that as much anymore.