Welcome to Booking Through Thursday, where we explore bookish topics.
Today’s Exploration:
Do other people influence what you choose to read? When a family member recommends something, or a friend says they hated a book you were planning to read … does it affect your reading choices?
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I am not overly influenced by the reading choices of friends or relatives, since most of them are either non-readers or are drawn to different kinds of books.
Not that I don’t read outside my normal genre. I have spent a lot of time in the past few years doing just that, via various challenges, and by trying out books recommended by others. Those “others,” of course, are other bloggers.
When I see a book that is “hyped” a lot, I am not necessarily drawn to it. I may consider it, but probably won’t jump on the bandwagon. But when a blogger who often enjoys the same books I do recommends one, then I’m willing to give that one a try.
As a result, I’ve discovered some wonderful books over the past few years. Here are a few favorites I discovered from the blogging world:
Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn (click for review)
Mudbound, by Hillary Jordan (I read and loved When She Woke by the same author)
The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (a 2011 favorite)
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, by Beth Hoffman (Another 2011 favorite)
And there are many more….some way out of my comfort zone, like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
In fact I find so many books on blogs these days, that my shelves are overflowing…and my Sparky is on the way to overflowing, too!
These are the tip of the iceberg.
How do you discover the books you read?
my answer http://www.thewritersmind-gigi.blogspot.com
Thanks for stopping by, Regina…
Those shelves are nearly as full as mine.
Ha-ha….and I also have two floor-to-ceiling shelves in the living room, and several in the bedroom, hallway, and the dining room. Thanks for stopping by, Anthony.
I would not have discovered many of the wonderful books and authors I have if it hadn’t been for my blog friends.
2 Kids and Tired Books BTT
My experience has been like that, too, Holly. In fact in my lists of favorites over the past few years, I had read none of those authors before I joined the blogging world. Definitely says something about the influence of bloggers. Thanks for stopping by.
Bloggers are a great influence in books.
http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2013/02/booking-through-thursday.html
For me, too, Tribute Books Mama…thanks for stopping by.
Good answer. I pick up a lot of reading tips from other bloggers too, but also from newspaper reviews, the library, bookstores, friends and family. http://dawntreader-island2.blogspot.se/2013/02/booking-through-thursday-influence.html
Yes, so do I, Dawn…even O magazine has led me to some books I’ve enjoyed. Thanks for stopping by.
Other book bloggers probably have the biggest influence on my TBR list. Also, I’ve seen so much positive response to Gillian Flynn’s books that I had to read about them and now I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of her stuff!
Me, too, Hannah…and after I read and loved Gone Girl, I had to move on to Sharp Objects, one of her other books. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for stopping by. My books are overflowing on my shelves.
I think overflowing shelves is a common occurrence around the blogosphere, Tasha. Thanks for stopping by.
Sweet shelf, lol. My kindle App shelf has so many books I need to read still. And I get your point about friends and family. Most of my family members either a) hate reading b) read Adult or c) read nonfiction, none of which are interesting to me.
Thanks for stopping by!
~Sophia @ Bookwyrming Thoughts
Hmm, interesting. Adult and nonfiction are off limits to you? lol
It is true, however, that we like what we like. Thanks for stopping by, and glad you enjoyed my shelves, Sophi.
I’m more likely to read another blogger’s recommendation over a friend. Usually my friends don’t read the same things I like.
That has been my experience, too, Yvonne…which is why I now spend more time in the virtual world than the real one…lol.
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for sharing your favorites as well. Somehow I seem to read Mudblood instead of Mudbound. I have exactly the same cover of the Girl with the Dragon… but haven’t touched it yet. Maybe I’ll start cracking on it.
Ha-ha….Yes, that is a tricky title, Hazel. I read Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on my Kindle, so the cover wasn’t part of my experience. I’m glad, though, since it’s better to read hefty books on an e-reader, in my experience.
I went to the CeeCee Honeycutt link; was drawn by the cover – my kind of picture. I’ll get back to it after returning all comments yesterday. I think I’m going to love the Language of Flowers as well. You are influencing me!
Oh, good to know, Hazel…and as for CeeCee Honeycutt, the author has a new book coming in the next few months, Looking for Me (in my sidebar here), and it has a beautiful cover, too! Hope you enjoy the books you find here.
Most books are added to my TBR because I’ve seen them or a review on a blog or Goodreads.
I have to say the same thing, Daystarz Books….a reason why my stacks are so huge! lol