Top Ten Tuesday: Things That Make Me Pick Up A Book

Hello readers! With so many books out there, and so little time, readers have to make hard choices. Which books will we add to our must-read piles and which ones will we (gulp) abandon forever?

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic asks why we choose the books we do.

If you’d like to create your own list, give it a go. This feature was launched by The Broke and the Bookish and has been hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl since January 2018. To find out more simply visit the host website by clicking here. 

Other Bloggers

Other bloggers are my kryptonite. I start out with good intentions (I know I don’t need more to read) then I go online and it all falls apart.

Before I know it, I’m chatting to other people about their amazing reviews.

The next step is a trip to the library and, one straining bookbag later, I have a dozen more stories.

So, thank you blogging community. You’re the reason I’ve found so many great titles. You may also be the death of me – the to-read pile next to my bed is getting precariously high.

Covers

“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” we’re told. Ha!

I read books with dull covers and books with no covers at all, but the ones most likely to grab my attention have a dust-jacket-deep-beauty.

Will they disappoint me further down the line? Should I have stuck to some worthy, plainer tome? Maybe. But you know what? I’m shallow enough to pick a novel up because it looks wonderful.

Social Media

Joining online platforms is like navigating an ancient map. It’s easy to get lost among the dark forests and angry trolls. Yet, there are also wonderful areas marked ‘here be (book)dragons’.

Whenever an author chats to me on twitter, it makes my day. I’ve also had amazing recommendations from other readers.

Word of Mouth

Sometimes I do things the old-fashioned way. Y’know, actually talk to other human beings instead of sitting behind a screen or a page. On the (rare!) occasions it happens, face-to-face suggestions help me find bookish gems. I’ll always be grateful to the person on a train who told me Wolf Hall was worth a read.

Librarians

The staff at the little, local library where I grew up were wonderful. We were allowed to check out up to twelve books at once and I was happy to abuse the privilege.

They gave me some reading suggestions and even bent the rules a little (yes, some of Terry Pratchett’s books are technically for adults, but I got them on a child’s ticket…).

Series

There’s something unfair about an ongoing series. The writers know I’m too weak willed to resist. Once I’ve started reading about a character, I’m hooked and have to learn what happens next…

Booksellers

Yes, I’m a sucker, a good recommendation from a bookseller means I’m easily parted from my cash. Are staff in my local shops Machiavellian? Perhaps I’m too quick to pick up new books? Either way, for the sake of my bank balance, I try not to enter these stores too often!

Amazing Characters

Who can resist protagonists who live outstanding lives? Readers get to meet people and enjoy events that they’d never experience in real life. I don’t know whether novels really increase empathy and understanding, but it’s worth a go!

Strange New Worlds

OK, I admit it. Learning isn’t my only motivation. I don’t always want a book that makes me think. I might need pure escapism. After a tough week, time travel or an undersea city is uplifting.

You

If you’re reading this blog, you’re one of the people encouraging me to try new books. You might be an author, a reader or someone listening to an audiobook on the bus, but we’re all part of the same word-loving community. Thank you!