Magic Book Recommendation Tool
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In a reading slump? Just finished an amazing book and don’t know what to read next to cure your literary hangover? That’s what we’re here for! We’ve figured out the perfect questions to ask to determine the next book that you’ll give 5 stars. Don’t believe us? Try it for yourself!
How to Choose What Books to Read
Choosing a book can be a wonderful adventure! Bookworms have tons of different strategies for how to decide what to read next, and we’ll explain some of the most popular options below.
Description: Readers who know what they like often choose books based on what they’re about, and the best way to figure that out is to read the description. Whether online or on the back cover or book jacket, the description provides clues about what to expect.
Title or Cover: They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but some readers absolutely do. Whether they’re drawn to the title, the art, the color, or even the design (sprayed edges, anyone??), they’ll pick a book based on what it looks like, regardless of the genre, author, or description.
Mood: Many readers choose books based on their own mood or the mood of the book. For example, if they need a pick-me-up, they might choose a rom-com, or if it’s a stormy fall night, they might go for a thriller.
Genre: Some readers have a favorite genre, or even a few genres, that they love. They’ll choose books within those genres, and don’t tend to stray into new ones. Lots of folks love romance novels, for instance, while others are tried-and-true crime mystery junkies.
Author: If a reader has an author or authors they love, they’ll often want to read everything that author has written. They may also read books by authors who have a similar writing style to an author whose work they enjoy.
Recommendations or reviews: Many people will select a book based on what other readers have to say about it. Whether that’s from the New York Times Best Seller list, a Pulitzer prize-winner, a platform like Goodreads or StoryGraph, or even retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, there are tons of places to find reviews and awards. Some readers also use recommendations from their friends, family, or other readers, especially with the rise of BookTok and book influencers on social media.
Challenge-based: Some readers complete reading challenges and choose books to fit those challenges. For example, they might read books in a variety of genres, books that take place in locations across the world, books with titles that start with every letter of the alphabet, and so on.
