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After finishing a book that made your heart race and your mind soar, it seems only natural to pick up another book. But if your TBR (To Be Read) stack has a grand total of zero, it’s time to venture out and find some new books.
But where to start ?
ask friends
If you have reading friends, ask them which books they liked. So try some of these books for yourself.
To broaden your literary horizons, talk to people with all kinds of reading tastes. This will allow you to discover books you might never have heard of otherwise, and perhaps find your new favorite book in an unexpected genre.
Good reads
Goodreads is a social media platform specifically for readers. Personally, I love all the different features it has, including an annual reading challenge, user-curated book lists, and recommendations based on how you rate different books.
They also allow you to connect with other readers and your favorite authors. (I’m actually friends with one of my favorite authors, Ruta Sepetys, on Goodreads.)
There’s so much to love about this community, so if you enjoy reading, I highly recommend creating an account.
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Book clubs
Joining a good book club is already a great idea if you like to talk about books, because you can hang out with other readers and share recommendations among yourselves.
Try to find one with people who encourage you to read and enjoy reading all kinds of books.
Have a blind date with a book
Some libraries and bookstores have a special “blind date with a book” section where you get a surprise book. Usually they will have a special display of books wrapped in paper so you can’t see what they are. There may also be a clue or two on the book that is written on the wrapping paper.
Once you have chosen your book, buy it or consult it. You’re supposed to wait until you get home to open it, but if you just can’t wait, you can cheat and open your package in the parking lot. Enjoy your new book.
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Talk to your librarian
A love of reading is one of the main requirements to become a librarian. As a result, librarians are natural resources when it comes to finding new books.
Just ask your librarian if there are any books they would recommend. Often, they’ll ask you a few simple questions to make sure they’re recommending the right books. Then they will help you find books that they think will suit your tastes. Once, I even asked a librarian to give me a handwritten list of about 30 books she thought I would enjoy.
I asked another librarian to pull a book out of storage just because she thought it sounded like something I might enjoy.
by GIPHY
BookTube
Booktube is the section of YouTube dedicated to talking about books. It’s full of readers who like to talk about all types of books, so there’s something for everyone. Plus, they often have other book-related content that includes everything from trivia to “tags” where they talk about different aspects of the books.
I found several amazing books looking at Booktubers and their reviews.
Some of my favorite Booktubers include:
- The Book Leo (A Dutch Booktuber that has some really cool content.)
- Merphy Napier (She’s the first Booktuber I subscribed to, and she’s still one of my favorites.)
- Alexandra Roselyn (This channel is fairly new to me, but I like what I’ve seen so far.)
Join reading groups on Facebook
Another great way to discover new books is through Facebook groups dedicated entirely to all things book.
The group I’m in lets you ask for recommendations, post about new books, book memes, and just generally share your love of books. I’ve found some really amazing books by reading other people’s comments on Facebook. It’s almost like being in an online book club.
There are many great groups out there, so try a few and find what you like.
Browse the second-hand bookstore
If all else fails, take a stroll through your local second-hand bookstore. As you walk around, try to choose several different books that seem interesting, keeping your budget in mind.
If you’re particularly cash-strapped, you can even shop mostly in the clearance section. (Half-priced books usually have a large clearance wedge.)
When you bring them home, organize your books according to which seem the most interesting. (If you can’t decide, re-read the synopses and see which ones grab your attention the most.) Then start with one of these books.
Being a reader means you live in fantasy worlds and need them all the time. I hope you’ll always have a good supply of worlds to visit and stories to fill your heart with.