Decisions, decisions

What makes you choose a particular book?

I have been thinking about books a lot lately, nothing new there! I have been thinking about what it is that makes me choose a book. I guess it is a combination of things generally but there is usually a pattern when I choose books and I was wondering how you all chose the books you buy, download or borrow.

Genre - this is my starting point. I must confess on the whole, fiction is my favourite genre; with a penchant for legal thrillers or crime. I do venture away from this genre sometimes and this is when my second criteria for choosing my next read or purchase (they often need to be bought and saved and added to my ever increasing to be read pile, I am sure you know what I am talking about) comes in.

Book Cover - I know, I know 'Never judge a book by it's cover' but let us be honest who doesn't, at least a little bit. Would I read it if it had a hideous cover, yes if other criteria was met? Yes but a good cover certainly helps me look at a book in the first place.

Synopsis/Write up - The right up on the back cover has to grab my attention and be of a subject that draws me in and makes me want to read it. It drives me mad when publisher put just reviews on the back and no synopsis, this marketing doesn't work for me.

Reviews - I find reviews interesting whether on the cover by another author, a journalist or on a website. I enjoy reading the reviews from my online kindred spirits in the Facebook groups I am a member of, I also use Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter and I love seeing the recommendations from my kindred spirits. I love the saying "No two persons ever read the same book" Edmund Wilson and I find the varying reviews fascinating.

Recommendations - I love recommendations from friends, family and my fellow readers in reading groups. It has opened me up to so many undiscovered books and I also love recommending books too.

Hype - This is probably the last thing that makes me buy a book. I am not saying that I do not buy books that have been hyped for example 'The Millennium Trilogy' but it would not make me read a specific book, if it wasn't accompanied by a recommendation from someone I knew and the above criteria wasn't met.

Price - I tend to only buy paperback books. If I have been waiting for a book for sometime, the price really does not matter to me, I really want the book. I do however like to search for a bargain particularly when trying out new authors.

Whatever you choose, however you choose your next read or your new book to be added to your to be read pile; happy reading.

What makes you choose a book?