Struggling To Find Your Next Read?
5 places that can help you out
Have you ever wondered about your next read? Have you ever wanted to pick up a new author or genre and didn’t know where to start? Or have you ever wanted to venture into genres beyond your usual reads and found yourself utterly lost and clueless?
If the answer to one or more of these questions is yes, you have come to the right place.
In this blog, you’ll explore 5 different avenues to help you find your next read or foray into a new genre.
YouTube
Welcome to the world of good old YouTube. Unbeknownst to most, there is a small corner, popularly known as BookTube, where you’ll find fellow bibliophiles.
If you have a question about a book, chances are that there is someone who has made a video about it on YouTube. All you need to do is search.
This book community talks about all things bookish. You’ll find everything here - the correct reading orders of a series, the best book to start a new author with, the best books for newcomers to a genre, and more.
You can watch book reviews and opinions before deciding if a book is for you.
In addition to book recommendations and reviews, the BookTube community organizes many bookish activities. To bring the community together, people host reading sprints, readathons, and reading challenges.
All this can make for an amazing reading experience, where you can not only exchange recommendations but can also form your circle where you express your bookish thoughts and opinions.
Instagram and TikTok
Instagram and TikTok are also great places to look for quick book recommendations. As opposed to YouTube, which hosts long-form content and detailed reviews, Instagram and TikTok are popular for the quick bites that they serve.
If you want a quick overview of what others are reading, head to these platforms for a sneak peek into other readers’ lives.
Although these platforms are notoriously famous for recommending the same books on repeat, you can find some amazing corners if you take the effort to look for them.
I have found countless amazing nonfiction recommendations on Instagram. Thanks to Instagram, I am so glad I picked up these books.
Goodreads and The StoryGraph
Both these platforms allow readers to post their thoughts once they have read a book.
You can find opinions about a book, whether a book is a part of a series, which other books are in the series and what are the different works of an author. Information about new and upcoming releases is also available on these platforms.
Apart from the ability to document your own reading journey, these platforms allow you to plan your next read. Based on your previous reads and preferences, these platforms recommend other similar books, which comes in handy if you want to explore any specific genre.
Before buying a new book, you can swiftly check reviews and ratings of a book, learn if the book is part of a series, if that series has been completed, and all the related shenanigans.
Access to these online platforms makes it easier to curate the books you’d like to read.
Libraries
Libraries are another treasure trove of book recommendations.
Browsing along the shelves can educate you on the options you can choose from. Every time you go to a library, it is guaranteed that you’ll find something that you haven’t come across before.
Libraries also foster reading communities and that can be a great help in finding new books to read.
My local library organizes events where you can walk up to another person, discuss your book preferences and exchange recommendations. Finding another kindred soul in search of books is a feeling second to none. It builds a sense of solidarity amongst all the bibliophiles.
Bookstores
Lastly, one can never forget bookstores. Go to a bookstore and it is a Herculean task to return empty-handed.
Many bookstores display staff recommendations alongside the books, making it easier to choose a book. Talking to the staff at the bookstore is another great way of finding books that might soothe your soul.
Plenty of bookstores share a list of upcoming releases that can keep you prepared for the future. They also host plentiful bookish events like book signings and author meet-ups. These events can help expand your reading sphere.
Sometimes you can find a fellow bookworm in the recesses of a bookstore who can help you find a gem of a book. Once at an airport bookstore, I exchanged amazing recommendations with a stranger.
In reality, many different big and small ways can lead you to your next book.
Along with these major avenues, additional steps like subscribing to newsletters from authors and publishers can give much-needed recommendations. Talking to a book lover in your circle of family and friends can enlarge your awareness about new, old, and yet unfamiliar books and authors.
Did you agree with the avenues listed here for acquiring book recommendations?
What are some of your go-to places to get bookish advice and counsel?
Let’s discuss in the comments!
Note: This article was originally published here. Republishing it on Substack with minor edits.