It's been awhile since I've done my Thoughtful Thursday posts. In between this summer's re-landscaping job with our back yard, our family vacation and all the back to school activities I feel like I've lost touch a bit with my blog and with everyone. Not that it's a bad thing, as I had a fabulous a summer, and I hope many of you did as well, but I have missed talking with everyone and keeping up with what everyone is doing. Now that school is getting ready to start I'm looking forward to devoting a bit more time to reading and some news things on the blog.
Today's post is titled, To Buy or Not To Buy. There's so many factors that go into purchasing a book and I'm totally curious about what motivates you to pick up a book. What are some of the factors that make you purchase a book? Do you buy based on recommendations from other bloggers/authors, do you purchase a book based on it's cover, the synopsis, or do you pick up a book because of the author? Here are my top 3 motivators for purchasing a book:
Blogger Recommendations/Author recs
Regardless of what some people have recently said, Book Bloggers SELL BOOKS! All of my recommendations for books come from my fellow book bloggers, and occasionally from a few publicists and author friends. They recommend books to me more than anyone else. In fact, I wish I had bloggers around when I was a teen, as maybe I would have picked up books more than I did. I didn't have a great source of teachers or librarians when I was in high school recommend books to me. I love that now it doesn't just have to be teachers and librarians who recommend books, but BOOK LOVERS who recommend books. We can log on to the internet and search for a book and find reviews for a book, something I never had as a teen.
Blogger wise, my recommendations come from blogger reviews, books featured in their WOW, the various mail box memes, or they come from ones my friends have personally told me about. If it's from one of my trusted book blogger friends that I often turn to for recommendations it goes on my list for books to purchase. Now, I will say that many of my blogger friends have no idea they're on my trusted list. Not like it's private or anything, but they're the blogs that I often stalk for book ideas, and are ones I have come to rely on and have a similar book taste with. Some recs even come from friends I talk often with about books. I also love stumbling across a new blog when I'm looking for reviews for a book, and have purchased books based on reviews written by people I don't even know. The bottom line is: BOOK BLOGGERS ROCK! You never know when you're review is going to influence someone to pick up a book.
Blogger wise, my recommendations come from blogger reviews, books featured in their WOW, the various mail box memes, or they come from ones my friends have personally told me about. If it's from one of my trusted book blogger friends that I often turn to for recommendations it goes on my list for books to purchase. Now, I will say that many of my blogger friends have no idea they're on my trusted list. Not like it's private or anything, but they're the blogs that I often stalk for book ideas, and are ones I have come to rely on and have a similar book taste with. Some recs even come from friends I talk often with about books. I also love stumbling across a new blog when I'm looking for reviews for a book, and have purchased books based on reviews written by people I don't even know. The bottom line is: BOOK BLOGGERS ROCK! You never know when you're review is going to influence someone to pick up a book.
Author Love
We all have those favorite authors whom we know that regardless of what they write about (like Cassandra Clare), we're going to love their book, because we love their writing and their writing style. I like to refer to them as my "go to" authors. No matter what they write about I'll automatically pick up as soon as they're out, because I totally love their writing style. Sophie and I just recently talked about this when we were talking about writing styles and good writing vs bad writing (which was brought up based on a horrid book which shall not be named). Collectively both of us will pick up anything Ally Carter, Stephanie Perkins and Shannon Hale write. We have a much longer list of "go to" authors, but Ally and Stephanie are two of our favorite authors whose writing style really connects with us. Honestly, if I listed all of my favorite authors, this post would be much longer than it is now.
Cover Love
Okay, I've said in the past I don't judge a book by it's cover, but I've realized I've come to eat my words, because WOW! There are some seriously amazing covers this year that have totally drawn me in and have either made me purchase the book based on the cover alone or make me want to go purchase the book when it's out. I swear this year's MG and YA book releases have some absolutely stunning covers. Like the kind of covers that make want to purchase book stands just so I can display the book on my bookcases and see the covers often. Yes, recently I picked up a MG book based on it's cover alone. I just hope it's a good read. lol Here are two examples of covers from this year that I love:
See what I mean? AWESOME covers. In all honesty if I hadn't already read these, I would solely pick them up based on their covers alone. There, I admitted it, covers do sell books.
What are some deciding factors that make you pick up / purchase a book?
Posts
When I was a teen, I didn't have a source of recommendations either. I'd just browse the library shelves one by one. Nowadays though, I agree that book bloggers play a huge role in whether or not I pick up a book in addition to author. I'll read anything by my favorite authors! :)
ReplyDeleteI find that if I browse book store shelves, I buy more books than I intended to purchase. LOL I agree, I love reading anything about my favorite authors.
DeleteBook bloggers are a big part of my decision making on whether I buy a book or not. I loved reading as a child but when I got into middle grade and high school I hated it because of book reports! I also had a lack of enthusiasm about books from my teachers and librarian. One reason why I actually purchase books is because I want to show my 2 girls that no matter what your age there are some amazing reads out there. I think I missed out on some great books because no one took the time to show me what amazing things you could find between the cover of a book. I will always buy books from my favorite authors and I am guilty of also purchasing a book because of its cover alone, but I have also had some duds in my time so I do really try to look into the book more before I purchase. And I love Harper Collins Browse Inside! I just wish all the publishers did that.
ReplyDeleteThat was me! When I got into HS between working and being required to read so often and writing reports I didn't love it as much, though I did develop a love for the classics that we had to read.
DeleteWhat a great point about missing out on books. I agree with you. If I had someone who took the time to talk more about books with me that interested me, I would have most likely read for enjoyment vs required reading in HS. I fear I missed out on a lot of good books then too.
I love that your purchase books for your kids. I have a room full of books of all ages as I want my kids to grow up reading and know that reading is power.
I LOVE HC browse inside. That is the best thing ever! Hopefully more publishers will start to do that.
Book bloggers and my mates on twitter (authors and bloggers) are the enablers. My wishlists are huge and my bookshelves are cracked. Bloggers sell books, as does twitter and off-hand comments made by others online. I also blog book reviews and I know librarians pick up the MG and YA titles we look at as we always try and give them something fresh to consider.
ReplyDeleteYES to all you said!! THANK YOu for your comments, because I totally agree with all you said.
DeleteYES to all of these reasons.
ReplyDeleteI buy books based on the reviews of my trusted blogger friends constantly. I also purchase based on cover. Then also if it is an author I love (John Green, Sarah Dessen, Kristin Cashore, etc).
Another reason I will buy a book is if an author is doing an event, I buy a few to A) support the publisher B) support the author and C) support the book store so they have more events. I do that for authors I haven't even read if the event sounds good.
Love this post!! <3
Thank you April! :)
DeleteSo true about purchasing books during an author event. I swear I stock up on my book buying during events like that. It's so hard not to buy one or two books, especially if it's a big book event.
AHHHHH that's my book! In such an awesome post! On such an awesome blog. THAT IS TOO MUCH AWESOME FOR WORDS!!!!
ReplyDeleteAlso: I totally buy books because of bloggers--and I have bought several because of YOU. I've been a MM fan for a looooooong time!
*scrolls up to stare at her cover*
YAY for YOUR BOOK! *huggles your book* I seriously love this book. Your writing rocks! That cover is made of awesome! Aw, thank you for being a fan of MM's! That means a lot to me coming from you! I'm totally joining you in staring at your cover. ;)
DeleteYES!! There are quite a few books I never would have picked up if a blogger hadn't posted about it on their blog or mentioned it on Twitter. I seriously love blogger's word of mouth sell books.
ReplyDeleteStrolling down book stroll aisles always get me in trouble. I always buy way more books than I should that way. LOL
I so want to out the AwfulBookThatShallNotBeNamed. Most of you know it. And yes, Katie, I am eternally bad. ;)
ReplyDelete