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What gets you to try a new book?
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CBRetriever
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Oct 25, 2020 09:46AM
one of the problems with libraries (same as for most bookstores) is that the number of new books they carry is pretty small and most libraries are pretty financially challenged when it comes to book purchases so they usually only get the ones from major publishers
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CBRetriever wrote: "one of the problems with libraries (same as for most bookstores) is that the number of new books they carry is pretty small and most libraries are pretty financially challenged when it comes to boo..."CBRetriever, I wholly agree. That's why I've never been much of a library person for fantasy, and with the pandemic of course it's a non-starter. 90 per cent of my purchases are on line now for fantasy books. I don't think that will change at this juncture. I still prefer going into physical bookstores because I like the experience, seeing all the titles and covers, etc., but that looks like it will be a thing of the past for me too.
Mod
I also am more likely to try a new author/ series if I can get the book "free" from the library or with my Kindle unlimited subscription.
I am far less likely to try something new if I have to directly pay for it unless by reviews of people I trust it seems like I will actually enjoy the book.
I hear you Melanie. Book buying gets expensive! That's a smart practice you have employed. With frugality in mind, I think that's why (because I am a "re-reader") I never want to spend money on a book I won't read more than once. I want to have books on my shelves that I will pick up years later and re-visit. But in the end of course, that's still a lot of money on books. Good thing I really don't have any other real vices, lol. I hope to get into Kindle at some point - you make it sound like a good idea. Just wished I read online better. Still love that physical book in hand.
CBRetriever wrote: "one of the problems with libraries (same as for most bookstores) is that the number of new books they carry is pretty small and most libraries are pretty financially challenged when it comes to boo..."Do other cities have reciprocal agreements? Our metro does and over the years am a member of 4 libraries including their digital assets. So I very seldom buy books and my wife and I are working on having more physical books go out than come in. That means a credit balance at the large used bookstore and will use it as a fee paid library for some books, usually monthly reads I can't find at libraries.
Another source I did not see mentioned is the Internet Archive. Was the only place I could find a copy of A Night in the Lonesome October for a monthly read. Books can be downloaded or borrowed for up to 14 days: https://archive.org/details/nightinlo...
John wrote: "CBRetriever wrote: "one of the problems with libraries (same as for most bookstores) is that the number of new books they carry is pretty small and most libraries are pretty financially challenged ..."Hi John! Thanks for that info on the Internet Archive! It does look like a great resource!
We have a very good library system in Canada, where I live. Most libraries in major cities have access to a great selection of books, its just that I find them lacking in new fantasy releases, of course, because more and more new fantasy authors I am interested in are actually Indie, not London/New York big-published, and less inclined for profitability reasons, of course, to ply their self-published wares at the local library.
PL wrote: "I hope to get into Kindle at some point - you make it sound like a good idea. Just wished I read online better. Still love that physical book in hand."Once you get used to how comfortably thin an e-reader is, you won't want to go back.
Tomas wrote: "PL wrote: "I hope to get into Kindle at some point - you make it sound like a good idea. Just wished I read online better. Still love that physical book in hand."Once you get used to how comforta..."
And once you get used to Kindle deals too. Those pesky $1.99 books! ;p And of course discount info threads in Goodreads are not very good for your wallet.
Silvana wrote: "And once you get used to Kindle deals too. Those pesky $1.99 books! ;p And of course discount info threads in Goodreads are not very good for your wallet."Well, just go for self-published books. They're often below $5 even without discount, unlike trad-pub e-books which have inflated prizes to $10+ so the publishers can use the extra money to counter losses from print while the author still gets miserable 10%.
I only read Fantasy and Science Fiction, but I will read just about any sub genre. I have lots of ways that I discover books, but the bottom line for me is always the blurb. If it sounds interesting, then I'll add it to my TBR. Then other things may push me to read it sooner or later, like reviews, challenges, buddy reads, posts on here or reddit, mood, friends talking about it, etc.I've noticed that when the nominations for monthly reads come around and when the polls are posted, I tend to get at least a couple new additions to my TBR.
PL, I actually have trouble reading physical books anymore. I use the Kindle App on my tablet, so I always have a lit screen, it's small and easy to carry around, I don't get ink stains on my hands when I read, and I don't have to move around constantly to get comfortable. Then there's also the fact that I can read on my phone, so if I'm out and about (not so much lately) then I can just read even if I didn't think about bringing my "book" with me. I also have a huge selection of e-books from my library, so it's just so much easier to download it in a second or get an email that my hold has gone through.
Silvana wrote: "And once you get used to Kindle deals too. Those pesky $1.99 books! ;p And of course discount info threads in Goodreads are not very good for your wallet. "and the free monthly Tor books
and the Humble Bundles
and Story Bundle
Tomas wrote: "PL wrote: "I hope to get into Kindle at some point - you make it sound like a good idea. Just wished I read online better. Still love that physical book in hand."Once you get used to how comforta..."
I don't know Tomas, but I am open to trying...it will take a lot to get used to....
Bobby wrote: "I only read Fantasy and Science Fiction, but I will read just about any sub genre. I have lots of ways that I discover books, but the bottom line for me is always the blurb. If it sounds interestin..."Part of it for me too, Bobby, is that I like reading before bed. I work shift work, so sometimes "before bed" is at 9AM, lol. It's hard enough to get quality sleep already. If I'm on an electronic device before bed, it just compounds the issues of getting restful sleep for me (you know the studies say it's not good for your sleep patterns).
PL wrote: "If I'm on an electronic device before bed, it just compounds the issues of getting restful sleep for me (you know the studies say it's not good for your sleep patterns). "That's more the backlit devices like tablets - the Kindles are front lit like shining a light on a book and it's recommended that you turn down the illumination when reading in the dark.
Plus they're useful if the electricity goes out. I've used mine to navigate in the dark and that's a lot less dangerous than candles.
CBRetriever wrote: "Silvana wrote: "And once you get used to Kindle deals too. Those pesky $1.99 books! ;p And of course discount info threads in Goodreads are not very good for your wallet. "and the free monthly To..."
and other freebies like their short fiction. Have acquired enough over the years, I feel guilty and go out of my way to pay for something from them, on sale of course.
https://www.tor.com/2020/10/26/downlo...
On the devices and reading before bed, check for Blue Shade setting to help with affecting sleep patterns. And they play audible/audio which does not need the screen on after starting. I almost exclusively listen at bedtime now.
John wrote: "CBRetriever wrote: "Silvana wrote: "And once you get used to Kindle deals too. Those pesky $1.99 books! ;p And of course discount info threads in Goodreads are not very good for your wallet. "and ..."
Blue Shade setting...ok I might try that. Also, maybe listening to audio might even help me sleep...
I am willing to try basically anything as long as it sounds interesting. I use my local library and few apps so i only have to pay full price for books i love. so basically my method for choosing a book is reading the blurb and maybe checking out a few reviews. its really loose since I have access to free books or cheap subscriptions.I pay 10 dollars monthly for kindle unlimited and about 9 dollars for scribd monthly (this app has audiobooks and ebooks and is sooooo much better than audible). for me this is worth it because what I actually read is much more the 20 dollars per month. if a book is not on one of these apps, my local library usually has it available. I constantly have soooo many books on hold at the library and only end up actually finishing a few of the books I check out. I couldn't image having to pay full price for books that I thought were interesting and then ended up DNFing them and I DNF a lot. This method really works for. I only buy physcial copies of books that I have already read, loved and can see myself rereading. saves me a lot of money. This has helped my discover new authors, genres and books that I have loved without spending too much money.
Kindles don't affect my sleep, otherwise I wouldn't be falling asleep with my finger on the page and advancing several pages.... And I'm always having to clean out my Vocabulary lists of words like the, and,, etc.
Meagan ✊🏼 Blacklivesmatter ✊🏼Blacktranslivesmatter wrote: "I am willing to try basically anything as long as it sounds interesting. I use my local library and few apps so i only have to pay full price for books i love. so basically my method for choosing a..."That's lots of good info Megan! Thanks! I just wanted to clarify, so you often read the books first (via library, or some other platform / app) then you only buy the hard copy of the book after you decide you have fallen for it? So you are a re-reader then? Or is it just to have your favs on your shelf / share / loan to others, etc.?
CBRetriever wrote: "Kindles don't affect my sleep, otherwise I wouldn't be falling asleep with my finger on the page and advancing several pages.... And I'm always having to clean out my Vocabulary lists of words like..."CBRetriever, I wish I could say the same. It's the shift work. It can play havoc with your sleep and makes you sensitive to a whole bunch of things, I believe, that don't typically impact those who don't work shifts in weird ways.
PL wrote: "Part of it for me too, Bobby, is that I like reading before bed. I work shift work, so sometimes "before bed" is at 9AM, lol. It's hard enough to get quality sleep already. If I'm on an electronic device before bed, it just compounds the issues of getting restful sleep for me (you know the studies say it's not good for your sleep patterns)."I have an older Kindle Paperwhite that has no built-in lights, so I just read with a lamp on as if it was a normal book. E-ink display is quite close to paper anyway.
Tomas wrote: "PL wrote: "Part of it for me too, Bobby, is that I like reading before bed. I work shift work, so sometimes "before bed" is at 9AM, lol. It's hard enough to get quality sleep already. If I'm on an ..."Hmmm...thanks Tomas! Worth a try!!!!
Mod
PL wrote: "Lol...I hear you Marc. I wish I was more of a library person. My wife is. Libraries are the most inexpensive and easiest way to get books. But something about always having to go to the library in University, maybe, traumatized me. Lol. I love libraries, especially touring older ones, but for some reason I can't go there to do work, nor do I typically go there to browse (of course as you noted with Covid this is all moot). My wife is a big audio person and I must say libraries where I live have lots of great audio books, it seems, a very wide selection. If I ever really get into audio I think libraries will be the way to go for me to find some great books.."My daughter is a huge fan, and I go in when she goes in. I wander down the fantasy section while we're there, although I sometimes find interesting titles in other sections. I tripped across one of my favorite books, Curse of the Kissing Cousins (which at the time was called Without Mercy), in the mystery section. The series features a woman who writes articles about old (imaginary) TV shows, which I really wish had been made. This one was a combo of the Addams Family and the Brady Bunch, combining normal and weird in one family. I would love to see that. I got that out for my wife, who loves mysteries, and decided to read it myself. Great story and series.
I also go there for the video/DVD section.
Allison wrote: "lol! I think PL asked about what makes us try books, not ereaders ;)"LMAO! I holding on for dear life Allison, while paper books still exist!
Someone will dig up some rotted binding and shriveled pages, all decayed, decades from now, and wonder, "what is that?", the way my youngest daughter asked when she first saw my mother's 8-track tape machine.
Mod
A young person asked me what the save icon was meant to be. That hurt!
I should say I also browse sites that offer books like Scribd, so I would encourage authors without a whole marketing campaign behind them to get their books up there too!
Allison wrote: "lol! I think PL asked about what makes us try books, not ereaders ;)"Well, they are a way to read more, for some of us, thus giving us the space to try more books. Without an e-reader, I wouldn't really read much as I have little space in my room to store physical books (let alone the nightmare of transport when I eventually move out).
Mod
Allison wrote: "hahaA young person asked me what the save icon was meant to be. That hurt!
I should say I also browse sites that offer books like Scribd, so I would encourage authors without a whole marketing c..."
LOL!
Hey, Allison, thanks so much for putting me onto Scribd! I'm perusing there right now! I like it!!! I going to sign up!!!!
I've been avoiding going down too many rabbit-holes re: my passion (I'm having a tough enough time keeping up with stuff on Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, still-open physical bookstores, the general web, etc.) but Scribd looks very much worthwhile!
Mod
Nothing too revolutionary, below. Reading through it again, it doesn't talk about fantasy. There are some motifs that are appealing to me by default, that wouldn't motivate someone else:- Goodreads has definitely guided recent reads and purchases, in that order. Reviews will spark reminders of books that I own and haven't read (not necessarily the specific book the review was written about). A tendency toward high ratings among my GR friends always helps a book find its way to my shelves!
- I'd like to say I'm immune to marketing, but of course I'm not. GR itself is a marketing site. Tor and Orbit have more space on my bookshelf than there would be if I weren't signed up for their newsletters.
- Price is definitely a factor. A pro published ebook that's gotten my attention, and is $3 or less will get a spontaneous download (if I'm not feeling overwhelmed with TBR). Self-pubs have "earned" less leniency, regardless of their price (including $0). At this point I'd have to see at least one high ranked review from a GR friend/follow before I bothered.
- A polished and appealing presentation always helps! A sweet looking cover can turn the tide for a book that's already gotten my interest for other reasons.
- Blurbs aren't a factor. At best I will skim the cover copy after reading a few reviews, and I'll completely have forgotten it by the time I read the book.
- Specific to SFFBC, I've read three SFFBC selections in three months thanks to the zoom discussion, that I might not have found time for otherwise.
Silvana wrote: "Tomas wrote: "PL wrote: "I hope to get into Kindle at some point - you make it sound like a good idea. Just wished I read online better. Still love that physical book in hand."Once you get used t..."
I love my kindle reader not only is it thin and lightweight you can have multiple books with you at once.
Basically find your Tribe. There are some members of this group that I love everything they recommend and others that I hate everything they love and love most things they hate. When it comes to buying physical books I pick up the book I think I want and check out the Goodreads ratings. Anything under 4⭐️ goes back on the shelf unless one of my friends loved it. Life is too short for so so books. Or the cover speaks to me. More purchases come down to cover than I care to admit and most of them have been good purchases. Then I carry it around the store for a while. Sometimes I just decide that I don’t want it after all and put it back. Other times it’s a “must have” kind of obsession. An obsession with Stephen Kings Sleeping Beauties as it was being pushed before its release date actually got me back into reading again.
I have a lot of books on my iPad that I get off the internet but usually only read them that way if I can’t get the physical copy. I do live a long way away from bookshops a lot of the time.
Much loved authors get bought on release day regardless (or is that irregardless since it’s now in the dictionary...no regardless). But only if I can get them discounted at the store like Target. I actually only buy the books of one author full price. Mark Lawrence.
Jacqueline wrote: "Basically find your Tribe. There are some members of this group that I love everything they recommend and others that I hate everything they love and love most things they hate. When it comes to ..."
Beth wrote: "Nothing too revolutionary, below. Reading through it again, it doesn't talk about fantasy. There are some motifs that are appealing to me by default, that wouldn't motivate someone else:
- Goodrea..."
Thank you very much Jacqueline! Yes, part of the issue has been building up a group of friends/acquaintances who love fantasy + have relatively the same reading tastes. It's getting their, and joining groups like these really help! I believe in time things will be much easier for me. I am going to be monitoring what other are reading who have similar tastes, as you note, and going off their say-sos. And yes, agreed, Mark Lawrence, and a couple of other authors in the genre seem virtually flop-proof, so I can see why you pay full pop for his stuff.
Beth wrote: "Nothing too revolutionary, below. Reading through it again, it doesn't talk about fantasy. There are some motifs that are appealing to me by default, that wouldn't motivate someone else:- Goodrea..."
Thanks so much for in the input Beth, it's very helpful! To be honest, I think I will be one of those who picks up about half to 75 per cent of the group reads, but some of the stuff I know would not be up my alley.
I'd like to believe I am fairly open-minded, and can be adventurous, willing to entertain - periodically - new books outside my nominal comfort zone. Still, I agree with what many who have posted here, that it sucks to spend money / time on a book that provides no enjoyment, when you take those risks. For example, with the current two offerings, one I absolutely very keen on and interested in, the other, not so much. I looked back through some past selections, and I think that result will be likely in the future, considering with my reading tastes.
I think there will definitely be rounds like that for me, where I'd pick up one book selected, but not the other.
Allison wrote: "It's been hugely helpful for me. Half the price of Audible, and about 6x as much audio plus more or less unlimited ebooks each month. And, I like that it's not "just" the big 5 publishers--in fact ..."I like that too! I often wonder, Allision, if there will be big New York/London houses in 50 years, or if everything will just be self-published. But that is for another conversation, lol.
Not only is Mark one of the only authors I will pay full price for ($32 for a new release paperback as we don’t get hardcovers here in Australia very often now except as special orders on first release) he is part of my Tribe. If Mark recommends it I usually love it.
full price for Patrick Rothfuss's next book in his trilogy
George R.R. Martin's next GoT book
The other books I can wait on going down in price. I'm part of the generations who remember when a book came out in HB, you either checked it out of the library (if they carried it) which took a long wait or who waited until it came out in PB (usually a year later) and bought the book.
Makes me more patient
Oh wow. Authors I'd spend full price on? That's a different subject than PL's but I definitely have a couple. :)
Beth wrote: "Oh wow. Authors I'd spend full price on? That's a different subject than PL's but I definitely have a couple. :)"Start a new thread!
Is it cliche to say great reviews?! Thats what compels me 90% of the time. Other times it boils down to author recommendations and groups on facebook or goodreads that get me to try a new author or something out of my realm of comfort reads.
Emily wrote: "Is it cliche to say great reviews?! Thats what compels me 90% of the time. Other times it boils down to author recommendations and groups on facebook or goodreads that get me to try a new author or..."Emily I don't think it's cliche at all! It puts a lot of stock in the reviewer, but if we trust the reviewer (s) then it's one of the best ways to make informed decisions. You won't strike gold every single time (that's unrealistic) but I think it's a very sensible practice.
Emily wrote: "Is it cliche to say great reviews?! Thats what compels me 90% of the time. Other times it boils down to author recommendations and groups on facebook or goodreads that get me to try a new author or..."I've found reviewers on Goodreads really help me decide if I will like something. I have followed several that I agree with, and along with my friends here, I am usually able to tell if I will like a book based on who says what about it. On the other hand I have some friends or people I follow that have different tastes than me, and I actually really appreciate their reviews too, because it lets me tell if something has things I don't typically enjoy as much as they do. There have been multiple times where someone has said they didn't like book X because of Y reason, and their reason for disliking it didn't turn me off, so I ended up liking the book.
Reviews from (some) people I know steer me towards a book, reading the first page and a few random pages further in make the decision.Reviews from people I don't know don't influence me, though.
Sometimes friends recommended a book. I completely understand why they enjoyed a book, but they don't have a clue what I like.
Joseph wrote: "Reviews from (some) people I know steer me towards a book, reading the first page and a few random pages further in make the decision.Reviews from people I don't know don't influence me, though.
S..."
Thanks for this Joseph! I must admit, sometimes reviews from strangers can truly influence me, if the review is thoughtful, articulate, etc. even if it seems to be a book I would not normally try. I especially look for those reviews that indicate "not normally my type of book but glad I gave it a whirl". Those reviews can potentially tip the scales for me, if I am thinking the same thing - that the book is not normally my taste - but this unknown person who writes good reviews, thought the same thing, took the chance, and was not disappointed (I'm thinking anything by Tamsyn Muir right now, lol, as I keep reading the rave reviews by intelligent people, including people known to me, but I still balk slightly, though still believing I will try her books out).
PL wrote: "Joseph wrote: "Reviews from (some) people I know steer me towards a book, reading the first page and a few random pages further in make the decision.Reviews from people I don't know don't influenc..."
And thanks to you. Yes, a thoughtful review from someone I don't know will steer me towards a book. Perhaps because so many readers make the "Not what I'd normally read but glad I did" type of comment on my books.
But as you note, it's got to be a well written review.
(your comment, for example, has set me on a search for Tamsyn Muir...name's familiar...ah, to the library I must go. Thanks...)
Joseph wrote: "...Sometimes friends recommended a book. I completely understand why they enjoyed a book, but they don't have a clue what I like..."Isn't that frustrating? I can predict which books to recommend to my husband, but he can't for me. And I read much more broadly, too.
I'll have to check out Muir, too, thanks to you ppl who are not (yet) friends of mine! ;)I hope it's ok to mention my group More than Just a Rating here. It's usually pretty quiet, but sometimes we have fun with particular topics. One thread that some of you might like to join is https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... Some reasons we 'like' reviews. There are lots of other threads, too.
I tend to avoid the ones in the bookstore which have the cover facing outwards as I have always been disappointed by them. A title which is interesting or intriguing will usually be the one that I take a look at (especially if it is something different and not a 'trope' title). After that it comes down to the blurb and whether or not it grabs my attention. A good cover helps make the final call on whether i buy a hardcopy version or kindle (or both as in the case of the new Terry Brooks one - that cover just hits the spot for me).
Craig wrote: "I tend to avoid the ones in the bookstore which have the cover facing outwards as I have always been disappointed by them. A title which is interesting or intriguing will usually be the one that I ..."Hi Craig! Thanks for this! That's one I have never heard of, actually, and I really enjoy the physical bookstore experience! I have also been a sucker for seeing the bright shiny new toy put front and centre in the bookstore, cover outward in all its glory, and been let down at times. So you actually ignore the ones put out on display as "should buy". Interesting...
There is something incredible about having a hard copy book with an awesome cover in your hand, and later on your bookshelf.
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