Lola’s Ramblings: Why do you want to read a Book?

Posted June 11, 2015 by Lola in Lola's Ramblings / 22 Comments

LolaRamblings

Lola’s Rambings is a feature on Lola’s Review where I talk about me. Usually these posts are everything that doesn’t fall under any standard header, like blog tours, book blitzes, cover reveals or reviews. Lola’s Ramblings posts are are personal discussions of a certain topic. Sometimes about book related topics and sometimes about non-book related topics. This feature was previously known as About Me. The banner for this feature is designed by Michelle from Limabean Design.

There are lot of different reasons why a book appeals to me and why I decide to add to to my to-read list. So today I will be examining the different reasons why I want to read a book and add it to my to-read list. And yes I love delving deep into my reasons for doing things, so that’s why so many of my posts are about my reasons or explanation for doing things. Often it’s a combination of reasons, but I still like outlining and making lists of multiple reasons. I love making lists.

Reasons why I want to read a book

  • in for a pennyBlurb. One of the main reasons why I want to read a book is probably because of the blurb. I like to think that a blurb gives me a feel for where the book is about and if the blurb get’s my attention there’s a good chance that it get’s added to ym to-read list.
    A book I added to my to-read list for this reason: Removed (Nogiku series #1) by SJ Pajonas. When I first came across Removed I had never heard of the author before or heard about the book. The blurb made such a big impression on me that I knew I had to read it. I was completely sold by the blurb and bought the book the same day.
  • Cover. We all heard the saying don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but most of us do. And while the contents are more important, I often do see a nice cover and decide to give a book a try or in some rare cases add a book to my to-read list just because the cover is so pretty. It can also be the deciding factor on for example netgalley, I am just scrolling until a great cover catches my attention. So yeah the cover can definitely play a role in whether I want to read a book or not, it might even be the deciding factor in some cases. Often it’s the cover which get’s my attention and if the blurb sounds interesting as well it get’s added to my to-read list.
    A book I added to my to-read list for this reason: In for a Penny (In for a Penny #1) by Rose Lerner. My goal for this year was to read more historical romances and when I saw this pretty cover on netgalley I just had to have it and it sounded good as well.
  • It’s part of a series I already started. If I read the first book in a series and liked it I might want to continue a series, although it depends on the series whether I want to continue the series or not. Often if I gave the last book a 4 or 5 star I wil continue the series, with 3 stars it depends on whether I liked it enough to continue or not. But if I decide to continue the series I add the next book to my to-read list.
    A book I added to my to-read list for this reason: Beyond Reach (True Calling #2) by Siobhan Davis. I enjoyed the first book in this series and decided to continue the series as the first book was good and I really wanted to know what would happen next. By now I have read this book and have added the third book to my to-read list and can’t wait to read it.
  • cold burn of magicAuthor. Ofcourse who has written the book also plays a role in my descision of whether to read a book or not. Books by my favourite authors often get added to my to-read list without even reading the blurb. I love these author their boks so much I know I have to get my hands on their next book and I hardly care where it’s about as I am pretty sure I’ll enjoy it anyway. So in general if I enjoyed previous books by an author there’s a higher chance I want to read other books by them. On the other hand if I didn’t enjopy a book by an author or even DNF’d one of their books I am more hesistant to try future books by them even if I do like the sound of the blurb.
    A book I added to my to-read list for this reason: Cold Burn of Magic (Black Blade #1) by Jennifer Estep. I love Jennifer Estesp her Mythos series, whcih I recently finished and her Elemental Assassin series. So when I learned Jennifer Estep was writing a new Young Adult series, I immediately added it to my to-read list.
  • Heard good things about/ read good reviews. Sometimes I read a review on a blog or hear multiple bloggers talking about how much they liked a book and then I check out the book and maybe even add it to my to-read list. Sometimes one good review can convince me to read a book, sometimes it takes multiple reviews. Although ofcourse the blurb and other factors still play a role as well. But I also give some books a chance simply because I heard good things about it.
    A book I added to my to-read list for this reason: Hardcore: Volume One (Hardcore #1) by Staci Hart. Michelle from Because Reading is Better Then Real Life is a big fan of this author and her great review of Hardcore made me decide to add it to my to-read list. I eventually grabbed my copy when it was free.
  • It’s free/ cheap. Sometimes my reason for reading a book is simply because it was free. There are books I never heard of that I grab simply because they are free. Or books that I read just because they where free or cheap. Often these are books I already wanted to read, but quite often a freebie also convinves me I want to read a book even if I never did before learning it was free and probably wouldn’t have had it to my to-read list if I hadn’t gotten my copy for free.
    A book I added to my to-read list for this reason: Strange Magic: Part One by Michelle Mankin. I heard good things about this one and it was free, so I grabbed it and gave it a try.

How do I decide whether I want to read a book?

Usually there are three different ways I can come across a new book, either I receive a review request/ see the book netgalley, hear about a new book due to following the author or I see a book on someone’s blog and decide to check it out. So how then do I decide whether I want to read the book or not? Usually I read the blurb of the book and read some reviews of other bloggers to see what they thought of it. If I hear about a book through an author I already know the chances are higher I will add it to my to-read list after just taking a look at the blurb. For review requests and netgalley I usually check out some reviews as well or even read the first few pages of the amazon excerpt to see if I like the writing style. Often I try to discourage myself from adding a book to my to-read list, so I will read the negative reviews as well and try to find a reason to not add the book to my to-read list rather then find reasons to add it. I already have a lot of books on my to-read list and I try to only add books I really want to read, so a book really has to make an impression on me. Covers often are something that pull my attention to a book, but if the blurb and reviews aren’t good I probably won’t add it to my to-read list.

What are your reasons for wanting to read a book? How do you decide whether you want to read a book?

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22 responses to “Lola’s Ramblings: Why do you want to read a Book?

  1. A series or an author I follow, a good review by someone whose tastes are similar to mine, the blurb, the price. The price is important, I’ve seen e-books more expensive than a paperback ! The cover isn’t usually part of my reasons to choose a book, yet a very pretty cover can attract my attention to a catchy blurb. If the blurb isn’t catchy, or if the reviews are bad, I’ll give up. I also like to look up “bad” reviews, to see why the readers hated it – if I see any mention of a stupid heroin or lack of communication, I’ll flee !

    • When the e-copy is more expensive than a paperback, I usually just buy the paperback, although I do wonder why they would price the e-copy so pricey. Often the cover serves more to catch my attention, sometimes it can help me decide to get a book, especially when the book is cheap or free. If the blurb and reviews are bad I probably won’t buy a book either. The blurb is very important for me and has to catch my attention and give me a feel where the book is about. I also try to avoid the books where reviewers mention miscommunication or bad world building. That’s what I like about review,s you can see if the book has any of the thigns you like or dislike.

  2. While I don’t think to initiate an analysis of something like why I choose a book, I do like to think about it once someone else starts the discussion. Hence, I appreciate that you start these discussions, Lola!

    Blurbs are the biggest hook for me on a book I find on my own or am offered for review, but like you reviews, sales or freebies can do it for me too. Rarely does a cover tip me toward a purchase b/c I’m like Iza. I’m looking for key words or in some cases, a lack of key words to influence me. I’ve been duped by a pretty cover once to often to trust it.
    Sophia Rose recently posted…The Undercover Scoundrel by Jessica Peterson #ReviewMy Profile

    • Thanks Sophia! I sometimes feel like I am just weird thinking too deeply about these topics, but I quess that’s just how my mind works. And I am happy you are enjoying these discussions πŸ™‚

      I agree that blurbs are the biggest hook for me too, but those other factors certainly can play a role. I don’t really trust covers, but they can certainly play a part, especially when the book is free, cheap or on netgalley. I don’t buy a book for the cover only, the blurb has to catch my attention as well. A prety cover can disapoint, but I also have been pleasantly surprised, like with the historical romance.
      Lola recently posted…Lola’s Ramblings: Why do you want to read a Book?My Profile

  3. Lololol. I do THE SAME THING with regards to reading the bad reviews to decide if I *really* want to add a book to my to-read list. I look for signs of a bad book (to me) and if the 1-star reviews mention them, then I don’t add it to my list. But this is only if I’m wavering on a book.
    S. J. Pajonas recently posted…Taking A Wee Break…My Profile

    • I often am wavering whether I want to read a book or not and try to discourage myself by reading the bad reviews. I also look for signs of things I don’t like in books or the other way around, look for thigns I like in books in positive reviews. I always find that reviews can tell you a lot about a book.
      Lola recently posted…Lola’s Ramblings: Why do you want to read a Book?My Profile

  4. I do all the things you mention. I’ll also add, that as a big audiobook listener, narrators can get me to listen to a book. That was how I found Charley Davidson. She has the same narrator as Mercy Thompson. I also found Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta narrated by Robert Petkoff (Audie award winning book this year in suspense). He also does Kresley Cole’s IAD series.

    Great topic.
    Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted…FANTASY AUDIO TRIVIA! Compete for Free Year of #Audiobooks #AudiobookMonthMy Profile

  5. I mainly read books because I want to escape in their stories. I want to immerse myself in the different adventures and the different lives of the heroes and heroines, and that’s why the blurb is so important to me. Is it an intriguing premise? Is it something that challenges the imagination, challenges the beliefs, and makes me want to experience it for myself? Covers are usually second to the blurb… I’ve read amazing books with lackluster covers before. But also, reviews are important, too (except for ARCs)… if people say it is good, I’m more inclined to want to read it even more. This girl has no time for bad books!
    Faye M. recently posted…Review + Poll: Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker + What Magic User Are You?My Profile

    • I agree the blurb is usually the most important thing for me as well, but the cover can really influence my decision at times, although ofcourse if a book has a bad blurb I still won’t read it even if it has a good cover. Reviews can really help as that way I cans ee if a book has things I like or don’t like.

  6. Cool post. Hmm, the cover is the first thing that starts to sway me towards a book then it’s the blurb. After those two things are outta the way, I check out the reviews and see if my friends liked it. Most importantly for me is what genre does it fall in and what type of characters am I dealing with. Sometimes what profession or “species” of character matters to be, while other times it doesn’t. πŸ˜‰
    Lanie recently posted…Review:The Pack Rules: Complete Boxed Set (The Shadow Pack Rules #1 – 5) by Michele BardsleyMy Profile

    • The cover is often the first thing I see about a book and it can really get my attention, but the blurb might be even more important in deciding whether I want to read it. I am usually pretty open to genres, although when I am in a certain mood specific genres might appeal to me more. And ofcourse reviews by fellow readers and bloggers can really help me decide whether I want to read a book or not.

  7. I usually pick up a read based on the blurb, good reviews, and the cover though. I think the saying don’t judge by a cover can be true sometimes, but most of the time I don’t have the time to read every single blurb of every book I see, the covers and titles are what catchy my eye the most. If it has really good reviews, then I purchase it. Great discussion post Lola!
    Benish recently posted…Wow..β™₯ Broken Skies by Theresa Kay ReviewMy Profile

    • I think there is some truth to that statement, but I still think a cover is very important. Ofcourse a book that I end up disliking can still have a great cover and vice versa. Although a cover does determine how likely I am to pick up a book, if a book has an ugly cover, people are less likely to pick it up. And for example with my to-read list meme lots of people vote for the book with the prettiest cover. And indeed they are what catches your eye first and it takes less time to check out a cover than read the blurb, so I certainly think covers are important when deciding what which book you want to read.
      Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies RecipeMy Profile

  8. All of these reasons are my reasons as well, Lola. I think I very often choose to buy a book based on the author – if I have enjoyed other books by an author very much, they pretty much become auto-buy for me πŸ™‚
    The summary also has to be enticing, and of course, reviews from my fellow bloggers also help me choose my books. I have to add that a review doesn’t necessarily have to be positive to make me want to read a book! If it is explained why a reviewer didn’t like a book, those reasons my be things I actually enjoy, and so I’ve found a gem that was not a gem for them πŸ™‚
    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews recently posted…Review: Can’t Always Get What You Want – Chelsey KrauseMy Profile

    • I have quite a few auto-buy authors as well, most of my favourite authors their books are auto-buys for me.
      I also agree that a review doesn’t have to be necessarily positive, although often it are the 4 or 5 star reviews that sway me to add a book to my to-read list. Sometimes there are negative reviews who complain of things I don’t mind or even like then that can still lead me to add a book to my to-read list.

  9. Whenever I decide to read a book it’s mainly because it sounds like something I would enjoy even of it has low ratings or plenty of negative reviews. And yes, I (sometimes? haha) succumb to the power of beautiful covers. Oh, and definitely if it’s cheap. Doesn’t matter that I can’t remember what the is about. I heard this person talking about it or saw that person give it a high rating and it’s in hardcover and it’s cheap. I’m buying it. LOL.
    Haraiah recently posted…Underrated Genre: SteampunkMy Profile

    • Sometimes to just have to succumb to the power of beautifull covers, they always don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but a good cover can really make a difference. Price can also play a big influence, if it’s cheap or free I am more likely to get, it’s hard to resist a god bargain.

  10. Great post Lola! I think cover has the biggest influence for me – I make sure the blurb interests me and I check blogger reviews, but I often Don’t even get to that point if I hate the cover. Except if it’s an author I already love – then their covers don’t matter to me anymore.
    Berls recently posted…‘Til Death Volume 2 by Bella JewelMy Profile

    • I agree a cover can be very important if the cover doesn’t catches my attention I am not likely to check out the book. Everyone says don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but I think a good cover is part of what sells a book. And indeed when I already know the author I don’t care too much about the cover.

  11. *haha* Great post, Lola. I have to admit that if it’s a book I’ve never heard of, the cover is the first thing to draw my eye. Yes, I’m one of those readers. πŸ˜‰ But the blurb needs to hook me as well. If it’s a book that I’ve read reviews of – like The Selection πŸ˜‰ – then I’m going to choose to read it based on my blogging friends’ love of it. Of course, if it’s an author that I know and love, that’s a no-brainer. As for choosing what to read when I need a new book – it’s mostly mood based. Unless, of course, I *need* to read it for a blog tour.
    Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Berk Reviews ~ The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet ~ Erin DionneMy Profile

    • Me too, a cover can really draw me eye to a book. The first thing you see about a book is often the cover, so I think it’s very important authors make sure their book has a good cover. Sometimes if I read a lot of good reviews about a book that can make me want to read a book as well or sometimes even one good review is enough to convince me. Books by my favourite authors are added to my to-read list as soon as I hear about them and it often hardly matters what the cover or blurb is, although those can make me even more excited for a book.

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