November has been National Novel Writing Month, a month for aspiring authors (or seasoned authors) to find community and motivation to set milestones and finish writing a novel by the end of the month. However, let’s face it – most of us don’t have enough time or creativity to manage that! Many of us, myself included, prefer to curl up with a good book as a reader rather than hunker down at the keyboard as a writer. In my previous job as a public librarian, I managed the fiction collection, and selecting novels to order was one of my favorite parts of the job! When I left the public library, I actually worried a little bit (only a little) about how I would find new books for my own personal reading without access to the insider publication lists that librarians at public libraries get. I quickly discovered many ways that anyone can get the insider scoop on upcoming, highly reviewed, and popular books. Since this has been a stressful month for many people, we thought we’d share some of our favorite places to find a great new book to curl up with. Here are a few of my favorites:
Goodreads was founded in 2007 as a social networking site for readers to connect over books. It allows you to make different reading lists (called shelves) based on any criteria: want to read, already read, loved, hated, etc. You can review books, share your current reading, and discover new books. What makes it “social” is that you can allow it to connect with your Facebook account, and you’ll be automatically connected with all your Facebook friends who use Goodreads. Amazon purchased Goodreads in 2013, and if you allow it access to your Kindle account, it will show what you’re currently reading on your Kindle and your progress through the book. (Personally, I don’t like that feature, so I turned it off in the Goodreads settings.) My favorite feature in Goodreads is the Discover section, which has personalized recommendations based on what you’ve already enjoyed and lists of the most popular books in different genres. You can sign up for email newsletters to ensure you don’t miss anything.
If you’re an avid ebook reader, you know there are thousands of free or very low-priced ebooks out there, and it just takes a little digging to find them. What’s great about Bookbub is that it takes the digging out of the equation! When you make an account, it’ll ask you about your reading genre preferences, and then you’ll get daily emails with links to low-priced ebooks in those categories. If you already have a substantial to-read list, it’ll grow even more with Bookbub! It’ll increase your level of tsundoku.
The appealing book-cover visuals of the NPR Books We Love guide will draw you in, and then their extensive, genre-oriented book recommendations will keep you clicking! Their recommendations are organized by year, and for each year, they have a comprehensive list of fiction and non-fiction genres. What’s even cooler is that you can select different genre filters, much like in the library databases. You can combine filters to find recommendations for anything from “dark romance” to “humorous biographies.” It might even help you with your holiday gift list! When you select a book, it will have a brief description and links to find it for purchase online, on loan at your closest library, or on Goodreads.
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times is one of the country’s most well-respected newspapers, but did you know they also have book reviews and lists? Their book review section is so extensive that it appears as its own publication in the library! They review all kinds of books, from fiction to non-fiction to children’s, and rank bestsellers in their famous lists. Earning a coveted spot on those lists is just about any author’s dream. The hardcover fiction list under the Fiction drop-down menu is where you’ll find the current most popular adult fiction.
Your local public library
Last but certainly not least, visit your local public library! They will almost certainly have an ebook app like Libby or Hoopla and will feature their newest books in a prominent area for browsing. Trust me – librarians are thrilled when books they spend time selecting for their community are checked out, and increased checkouts help them make the case for an increased collection budget! In other words, more checkouts will lead to more books, and you can help make that happen by using your local public library. It’s also a great place to try a book in a new genre you aren’t sure you will like. Don’t know if you like science fiction, but you’re curious? Check out a science fiction book at your local public library!
We hope these tips help you find a few moments to unwind during the busy upcoming holiday season! What are some of your favorite books or fiction genres? Let us know in the comments!
Julia Reed is the systems librarian and focuses on technology development and maintenance. She's into graphic design, photography, and spending time outdoors in her free time.