Historical Fictionistas discussion
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How do you choose your next book?
Melissa wrote: "For me it just depends on what I'm feeling at the moment. there are some books I read as soon as I buy then and others sit on my shelf for a while. If there's books I really want to read I usually ..."I totally agree with this post. It just pretty much depends on what I'm in the mood for. I might be reading a certain book, as I'm reading it, it might trigger a mood for something entirely different.
If people are judging books by their covers, we'll have to throw out that old maxim, "Don't judge a book by its cover". :-)But a cover that seems to reflect what we're looking for in a book prompts us to open it and take a look at the text.
With eBooks you can see the full-size cover by clicking on the thumbnail.
However, there's nothing like a shelf of one's old favorite books.
I love print books best, but novels are great on Kindle or iBooks. And like the other reading addicts around here, the e-reader is always with me. There's nothing quite like being able to pull out my iPhone at the doctor's office and read a few pages!
I often find the book sort-of chooses me ;)Currently reading
Robert Low which my sister bought me for my birthday. She then decided I might like to read on so I got 
as a Christmas gift.And in the January sales I couldn't possibly walk past reduced price copies of
Trevor Royle and
Thomas Pakenham without buying.That's my reading sorted for a few weeks :)
By joining Goodreads last year and getting involved with the challenges, it has really helped me with choosing books. I never realized how many good books I was missing, by always choosing from the same (old) genres, that I had read from my entire life. So now when I finish a book I swap from genre to genre.
Jo Ann wrote: "By joining Goodreads last year and getting involved with the challenges, it has really helped me with choosing books. I never realized how many good books I was missing, by always choosing from the same (old) genres, that I had read from my entire life. So now when I finish a book I swap from genre to genre. " Me too!! I had what I thought was a "long" list of maybe 60 books I wanted to read (in addition to the ones on my bookshelf), but once joining Goodreads I am constantly adding to be TBR and now its at over 600 books. Once in a while I sign up for a buddy read so that someone else will pick out a book. That's how I started reading
and now I'm hooked!I am also prone to adding books from the ads here!
Rebecca wrote: "Donna wrote: "I think cover designs are about to change quite a bit, as more readers buy books online and only see cover art in thumbnail form. A lot of cover designs that work in the bookstore won..."I love physical books and am really drawn to distinctive covers but e-reading has become my norm because there are no browsable bookstores near my home now--we lost our B&N and two Borders in the last several years. Now when I browse on Amazon I find a lot of covers difficult to read--and am drawn to designs that probably wouldn't attract me in the bookstore--cleaner and simpler for the most part.
Donna wrote: "I love physical books and am really drawn to distinctive covers but e-reading has become my norm because there are no browsable bookstores near my home now--we lost our B&N and two Borders in the last several years..."So true - there's nothing like going into a good bookstore and feeling the thrill of all the crisp new books! With e-readers, I also miss the ability to flip quickly through the book, or find a passage that I want to reread. I often reread physical books that I really love, but seldom do so for e-books.
It will be interesting to see what happens with cover designs as e-books become the norm. Perhaps titles will become larger and larger for easy reading ;)
Yangsze wrote: "Donna wrote: "I love physical books and am really drawn to distinctive covers but e-reading has become my norm because there are no browsable bookstores near my home now--we lost our B&N and two Bo..."I think a lot will depend on how online retailers display books. If they make the title a prominent part of the thumbnail listing, then it won't necessarily need to be so large on the cover--but if you are often seeing that thumbnail on its own with no caption, then a legible title is pretty important!
Although I have my favorite authors that I'll splurge to purchase their latest and read them immediately no matter what else in 'next in line', recently I've been choosing from the freebie newsletter lists that I get daily. I usually have about 40 or 50 on my Kindle HD so that no matter what mood I'm in when I finish one book and head to the next, something will fit. I am VERY drawn to covers. As a writer too that's something that I'm really serious about. I was very lucky that my publisher was new enough and "indie enough" :) to allow me input on my debut novel (Behind the Grey). The photo on its cover was one that I'd taken at a Civil War reenactment when I was researching. I like to think that other authors are given that same creative license and the covers speak their feelings. (Sadly,I've read some recently that I think the covers just happened to be what was handy on someone's computer).
Bobbye wrote: "Although I have my favorite authors that I'll splurge to purchase their latest and read them immediately no matter what else in 'next in line', recently I've been choosing from the freebie newslett..."Hi Bobbye, the photo on your cover looks amazing! I'm so impressed that you took it yourself. :)
Lately I find myself grabbing three books from my huge pile of books, reading the first 50 pages in each to see which one grabs me. Right now I am trying to decide between The Winds of War(so far I can't find one character who is at all likable), The Tea Rose, and The Redbreast. No decision yet.
I'm starting to wish there was a button on your Goodreads TBR shelf that said "randomly chose next book". I think it would be pretty cool if GR would randomly pick a book from that shelf (or any other shelf you make) as an option for next read.
Mod
You can use random.org to do this. First you have to make sure that your TBR shelf is setup to be able to prioritize it. This means that each book will have a number assigned to it. Then you use the website to generate a number between 1 and the number on your TBR. Voila -- it give you a number and then you read the corresponding book.
Yangsze wrote: "The photo on your cover looks amazing! I'm so impressed that you took it yourself. :) "Thank you! If you've never been to a really good Civil War (or other era of history) reenactment, make plans to go. It's amazing how it brings stories to life for you.
If I can't decide what to read next, I am getting in the habit of just looking for something else by the last author. I "found" J.R. Rain recently and have been enjoying all of his different genres (the vampires not so much, but still good reading). I'm afraid to go with a random pick...if I wasn't in the right mood I might suffer through something that I'd enjoy at a different time.
I borrow a lot of books from the library. I can't define what it is that attracts me to lift a book from the shelf. I think it must be something about its overall 'look', not just the cover art - and of course, on the shelf all you see is the spine. It must be something to do with some kind of combined message conveyed by the title, the font used and the general demeanour of the book. Of course, I only go 'fishing' in this way after I've checked to see if there's anything by a favourite or recommended author that I haven't yet read.
Dutch wrote: "I just went through a big move, and in the process, threw away or donated half of my things that I'd been lugging around for years, or keeping storage. I find it very difficult to throw/give away books, particularly if I've really liked them. I know that I'll never read most of them again. Even if I wanted to life is too short, at least what's left of mine is, to reread a book when I still have so many unread books to read. But I still can't throw them away. They're part of my household décor, the kind of thing that says something about you.
That's an easy one. Usually someone I trust recommends it. I rarely read a book because of reviews or being a best seller.Maggie Anton
For me it's all about mood. Sometimes I want a light, girly read, other times I want to dive into something dense and literary, or to be swept away to a historical or fantasy world.Yesterday was a sad choose-a-book day for me. It was a federal holiday and for once I had no work, no schoolwork, no obligations. With GREAT anticipation I sat down to order The Sultan's Wife on my kindle. I was completely in the mood to be swept away to another era and by what seems to be a great romance. For some odd reason, the book wasn't available on Kindle!
So then I began reading the first chapters of A Thousand Splendid Suns, which has been on my bookshelf for a year. It was dreary and literary, just not what I was in the mood for at the moment (though I'm sure I will be one of these days).
Finally, I ordered Outlander and settled in to read. At first I was swept away by the voice and neat little character sketches. But at page 25 it started to feel a bit repetitive. At page 45 I began wondering whether anything would ever happen in this book. I got to the time travel part, but I'm just not feeling the urgency. There's no goal for her to accomplish, and it doesn't even seem like she's motivated to get back to her husband in present times since she's all interested in the young hunky, dull Scotsman (sorry, Jamie lovers). Sigh...
Perhaps it wasn't meant to be. I ended up going to my sister's house and helping her fold laundry, oy vey.
Hannah wrote: "Yesterday was a sad choose-a-book day for me. It was a federal holiday and for once I had no work, no schoolwork, no obligations. With GREAT anticipation I sat down to order The Sultan's Wife on my kindle. I was completely in the mood to be swept away to another era and by what seems to be a great romance. For some odd reason, the book wasn't available on Kindle!"Looks like it's it hasn't been released in the US at all. Notice even the paperback is not available from Amazon (US store), only the marketplace. It is available from the UK store though and apparently has been released in Canada. Once it gets released in the US, there will likely be a Kindle version available.
Robin wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Yesterday was a sad choose-a-book day for me. It was a federal holiday and for once I had no work, no schoolwork, no obligations. With GREAT anticipation I sat down to order The Sult..."What a shame! I have no idea where I even heard of it now, but it sounds right up my alley. Thanks for looking into it.
The Sultan's Wife. This looks very good Hannah; I am sorry for your sad book day, but I am glad you told us about this book. Hope your book days are better now.This is a perfect example of one of the ways I choose my next book(s). I see a post here or a blog post, and then I do the fun part-- research it, the story line, reviews, etc.
Laura K wrote: "The Sultan's Wife. This looks very good Hannah; I am sorry for your sad book day, but I am glad you told us about this book. Hope your book days are better now.This is a perfect example of one of ..."
Yeah, I'm excited about getting more reading ideas from this discussion group.
Hannah, while you are waiting for The Sultan's Wife, you might like The Aviary Gate. I thought it was very good.
My next book is chosen for me based upon author friends who are counting on me to read and review their books. Since there's no genre I really dislike, I'll happily read just about anything. But I will place a highly recommended historical novel above all!
Jackie wrote: "Yangsze wrote: " I think I'm addicted to reading -- have you ever experienced a panicky feeling of not having enough books to read? I have, particularly on a long flight or trip! Pre-Kindle days, I..."Honestly, I thought I was the only one who felt that way! My biggest fear in life is being caught on a long flight with nothing to read. AGONY! Then I got my Nook and that fear was replaced with the fear that my Nook would run out of power before the flight was over and I could recharge. Then I got a little power box which gives me several hours worth of power so now I can totally relax and read the whole way.
Martin wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Yangsze wrote: " I think I'm addicted to reading -- have you ever experienced a panicky feeling of not having enough books to read? I have, particularly on a long flight or trip! Pre..."Pardon my ignorance, Martin, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to technological advances, but you mentioned that you have a power box for your Nook. What does that mean? Is it like having an extra battery? Do you charge it and it adds a boost to your Nook's power when your battery is running low? Where can I get one? How big are they? Are they expensive? Last question--sorry to bombard you--LOL: Do you know if they make them for the IPad?
There are external battery chargers that work with most any device as long as you have the right lead. They will charge your device's battery just as it would if it was plugged into the wall or computer via USB. So once it's charged, you can disconnect. Mine is about the same size as my iPhone. You can get them from most stores that sell gadgets. I usually go to Amazon for stuff like that.
This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kensington-Ba... - it's kind of old, which is why it's out of stock, but still does the trick. It works with anything that will charge by USB - iPhone, iPad, Kindle, etc. Like I say, I just need to be sure I have a USB lead for my specific devices and the battery will work with it.
Lisa wrote: "Martin wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Yangsze wrote: " I think I'm addicted to reading -- have you ever experienced a panicky feeling of not having enough books to read? I have, particularly on a long flig..."Lisa, "power box" was my term for it coz I didn't really know what they call it. It's made by iSound and they're called a "Portable Power Max Travel Pack" They make various types so hunt around. Here's one
http://amzn.to/10KiKRx
They're a GODSEND!!!
I definitely need to get one of those! I have the 1st edition Nook, and since it is so old the battery life is terrible. I've had really bad luck trying to simply replace the battery, so a power box would be amazing.
Thanks for posting about about the charger, Martin! Every time I travel far I carry my nook adapter because like you I'm always afraid of not having enough battery power to read.
C.P. wrote: "Hannah, while you are waiting for The Sultan's Wife, you might like The Aviary Gate. I thought it was very good."Ooo, sounds tantalizing. I've added it to my list. Thanks!
Martin wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Martin wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Yangsze wrote: " I think I'm addicted to reading -- have you ever experienced a panicky feeling of not having enough books to read? I have, particularly o..."Thanks for your guidance, Martin! I'm off to check it out.
Robin wrote: "There are external battery chargers that work with most any device as long as you have the right lead. They will charge your device's battery just as it would if it was plugged into the wall or com..."Thanks also for you intelligence on this, Robin! Off to check out your device too.
Yangsze wrote: I think I'm addicted to reading -- have you ever experienced a panicky feeling of not having enough books to read? I have, particularly on a long flight or trip! Pre-Kindle days, I..."I'm far more likely to feel panicky that I don't have time to read all the amazing books available out there. When I was in undergrad this was a serious concern that made me feel so depressed - until someone pointed out how silly I was being!
I'm with ya, Hannah....I'm currently panicking at the size of my "to-read" shelf which grows by leaps and bounds every day--LOL!
Hard to say what draws me to read a book. Covers, descriptions, recommendations, all work. Sometimes, I simply trip over something. I do like to read series. I loved "The Outlander" series, though I think after a time the author begins to lose something. Same with "Game of Thrones" and no I never have seen the HBO show of that. I devoured Patrick O'Brian and Alexander Kent (Douglas Reeman), but then I have always like Naval Historical Fiction. CS Forester, O'Brian and Kent set the bar for that genre. Sorry I didn't answer the question. Add random to list. I just know I prefer to read than to watch. If not for visiting kids (grown), I'd unsub from the cable company. My TV is never on.
Since signing up for Bookbub email notices I have found so many books I will never get through them all! I like a lot of genres. I just decide what I'm in the mood for and pick one on my kindle list.
Hi! This may be redundant, because I'm a relative newbie here, but I found this "Historical Fiction" site to be very helpful in researching new reads.http://www.historicalnovels.info/inde...
It has a lot of good info on books of many historical genres. Hope it helps.
I have added heaps of books to my to-read list, ones from the most popular HF lists. To choose a new book, I sort by highest rated, and read that regardless of what it is, as I believe you can learn something from every book, even if it's that you don't like a particular author!
You are welcome, Kathy. Love your Avatar. :)
Thanks for that link, Kathy. I've had a look and it seems to be a great site both for readers and writers of HF.
Not very original, but I usually rely on NY Times...not just the book reviews, but also the interviews with various authors. I find it interesting when writers volunteer their favorite books or what they're currently reading, along with their reasons.I've found quite a number of books I would have otherwise have never heard of.
I have authors I read, and I try to choose one new one a month based on recommendations. Unfortunately for me, I'm a very picky reader. I can't stand lazy research or authors who just don't care.
Most of the books I read nowadays are on Kindle, and I love the feature at the end of the book that recommends other books based on the one you've just read. If I've enjoyed the book I'll usually add one or two of those to my wishlist. Of course, it isn't a flawless method, but it's served me pretty well so far. It also encourages me to try books that I wouldn't usually pick.
Richard wrote: "Most of the books I read nowadays are on Kindle, and I love the feature at the end of the book that recommends other books based on the one you've just read. If I've enjoyed the book I'll usually a..."I love that feature. I also love the one that will take me to the next book in the series.
I usually pick books at random and in any genre, based on the blurb and opening. If I'm not hooked in the first few paragraphs or at least by the end of the first page - I don't read on.
This year I am trying to do the BA in history challenge so I choose books that will fit the categories.I am hooked on WWII at the moment. Since joining Goodreads,my horizons have been broadened and I have too many choices!
Richard wrote: "Most of the books I read nowadays are on Kindle, and I love the feature at the end of the book that recommends other books based on the one you've just read. If I've enjoyed the book I'll usually a..."I think those are the same recommendations you can find by just looking at the book's page on Amazon where it says "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought". It lists even more books there.
Or you can check out your recommendation's page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/yourstore/recs/ - if you use the "improve your recommendations" option too, it works pretty well.
Historical Fictionistas
Books mentioned in this topic
1984 (other topics)1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (other topics)
The Aviary Gate (other topics)
The Sultan's Wife (other topics)
The Sultan's Wife (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Peter Boxall (other topics)C. S. Harris (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Iona Whishaw (other topics)
Elizabeth Peters (other topics)
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JoLene, as Anne of Green Gables would have said, "you are a kindred spirit"!