Finding Your Next Favorite Book

Photo by Michael D Beckwith on Unsplash

Sometimes, I close a book when I’m finished with it, lie on my back, and stare at the ceiling. This only happens when I’ve read a book that is both wonderful and memorable, when I’ve found a book that stirs something in my heart or my soul. That’s when I know I’ve found my new favorite book, and the feeling of finishing a book like that is completely addicting. Over the years, I’ve developed a sort of strategy that helps me find more “favorite books,” books I fully expect to enjoy, remember, and cherish. I’m hoping that by sharing it with you, you’ll be more likely to find books that stir your heart and soul too.

The first thing I usually do when I finish a book I love is write or talk about it. Go for whichever you think will be more helpful to you. When I write about a book, I usually just fill up a sticky note or a page in my journal with things I loved about—my favorite parts, characters, or phrases. If you prefer to talk about it with someone, that works too. Talking to other people about a book you love can be helpful because the two of you together can draw comparisons between the book you just read and other books you love, or books you’ve heard about it. The point of writing or talking about why you liked the book so much is to figure out what you like about it. Pinpointing what you love makes it easier to find books with similar aspects.

The next thing I usually do is a little more work intensive. You could call it “research,” but I’ve never found it to be the boring kind. Now that you know what you liked about the book you read, you need to figure out what other books or authors have similarities. You can certainly keep talking to people you know about the book, but another way to find new books or authors is by reading book reviews. Book reviews, like movie reviews, will usually draw comparisons between the subject being reviewed and other things like it. Amazon and Goodreads are good places to start reading reviews, but a Google search for a review would probably work just as well. Reading reviews will offer you insights on a book you love, as well as connections to other works or authors you may enjoy.

When all else fails, go to the library. If you really aren’t sure what you want to read next, go where the books are (and where you don’t have to buy them if you’re not completely sure you’ll love them). I like to wander through the sections of libraries that have similar genres to the book I loved. For example, if I just read a fantasy book I enjoyed, I’ll wander through a fantasy section, but also fiction and young adult, since these three genres often overlap in theme or plot. I usually look for titles of books that sound interesting, or are somewhat similar to the book I've just finished. If this doesn’t work for you, try the “new” or “bestseller” sections of the library; they can often surprise you. And never be afraid to ask the librarians; they’re trained to help people find all sorts of books and information in libraries, so it’s likely they’ll have some book advice for you too.

Every time I’ve gone through this process—pinpointing, researching, and wandering—I’ve come up with a book I enjoyed. They haven’t all been “favorite” books, but I’ve rarely read a book after doing this that I didn’t like. I hope it works for you, and that you discover all sorts of new, interesting stories.

~K