Unless you have a particular title in mind or you have an author whose work you follow, walking into a bookstore or library can be overwhelming. There are so many books to choose from. How do you pick?
Even though you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, the cover is a big part of its advertising. Pictures, colors, mood all play into whether you think a particular book is for you.
One thing I do is to keep a small notebook with me all the time. I write down books I hear about from friends or reviews or NPR. I write down when books by my favorite authors are coming out so I can look for them when it’s time.
Another way I find good books is that I read several authors blogs. They often talk about books they like which sound good to me. Two blogs I especially follow are by two of my friends and are both specifically to recommend books. One is by author Debbi Michiko Florence called Debtastic Reviews. Since Debbi and I have a similar taste in books, I like seeing what she recommends. Another is Jennifer Recommends written by an agent and bookseller. Jenn recommends adult books as well as middle grade and young adult and makes them all sound so good I have to find them.
Next time you’re looking for a recommendation, check out these two sites!