After finishing off a book that made your heart pound and your spirit soar, it seems only natural to pick up another book. But if your TBR (To Be Read) pile has a grand total of zero, it's time to venture out and find some new books.
But where can you even start?
Ask Friends
If you have reader friends, ask them what books they've loved. Then try some of those books out for yourself.
To widen your bookish horizons, talk to people with all kinds of reading tastes. This will allow you to discover books that you may never have heard about otherwise, and maybe find your new favorite book in an unexpected genre.
Goodreads
Goodreads is a social media platform specifically for readers. I personally love all the different features it has, including a yearly reading challenge, book lists curated by users, 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 is so much to love about this community, so if you love to read, I would highly recommend that you make an account.
Book Clubs
Joining a good book club is already a great idea if you love sitting around talking about books, because you get to spend time with other readers and share recommendations with each other.
Try to find one with people that encourage you to read and that embrace 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 hint or two about what book it is written on the wrapping paper.
Talk To Your Librarian
One of the biggest requirements for becoming a librarian is a love of reading. Because of this fact, librarians are natural resources when it comes to finding new books.
Simply ask your librarian if there are any books they would recommend. Often, they will ask you a few simple questions to make sure that they recommend the right books for you. Then they will help you find books that they think will suit your taste. Once, I even had a librarian give me a hand-written list of about 30 books that she thought I would enjoy.
I had another librarian pull a book out of storage just because she thought it sounded like something I might enjoy.
BookTube
Booktube is the section of YouTube dedicated to talking about books. It is full of readers that love to talk about all different kinds of books, so there's something for everybody. Plus, they often have other book-related content that includes everything from trivia to "tags" where they talk about different aspects of books.
I have found several amazing books by watching 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 is the first Booktuber I ever subscribed to, and she's still one of my favorites.)
- Alexandra Roselyn (This channel is fairly new to me, but I love what I've seen so far.)
Join Book Groups On Facebook
Another great way to discover new books is through Facebook groups dedicated entirely to all things books.
The group that I'm in allows you to ask for recommendations, post about new books, book memes, and generally just share your love of books. I have found some really amazing books from reading others' comments on Facebook. It's almost like being in an online book club.
There are a lot of wonderful groups out there, so try out a few and find what you like.
Browse The Used Bookstore
If all else fails, take a stroll around your local used bookstore. As you walk around, try to pick out several different books that sound interesting, keeping in mind your budget.
If you're particularly strapped for cash, you could even stick shopping mostly in the clearance section. (Half Price Books usually has a great clearance corner.)
When you get them home, organize your books by which ones sound the most interesting. (If you can't decide, re-read the synopsises and see which ones gets your attention the most.)Then start on one of those books.
Being a reader means that you live make-believe worlds and need a constant supply of them. I hope that you will always have a good supply of worlds to visit and stories to fill your heart.
