Books Magazine

Top Ten Tuesday–Reader/Reviewer Tools

By Megan Love Literature Art & Reason @meganm922
toptentuesday2   hosted by The Broke and the Bookish   Top Ten Things That Make Your Life As A Reader/Book Blogger Easier   1. Goodreads.com   I wouldn’t even be doing what I do if it wasn’t for Goodreads. I use the challenge to push me more each year to read. I rate books, keep track of what I’ve read and want to read. And by reviewing books on there, I decided to eventually start up a blog and share my thoughts here, too. Goodreads is the most important tool for me and the first site I go to for anything book related. I love the way it is a laid out. The recommendation algorithm is a million times better than any bookseller website suggestions. I don’t understand why people don’t use Goodreads. Some people say there’s too much drama, but I think Goodreads is a valuable tool and you can avoid any author/reviewer drama quite easily. Sure, there are people who review without reading, but that happens anywhere on the internet where everyone gets their say… people aren’t always smart.   2. eBooks and Readers   I have so much access to books, especially Indie books, through reading digitally. It’s the most common form of review books I receive. Without access to eBooks, I wouldn’t get to read as much, or be able to afford to buy as many books!   3. NetGalley   Being able to read books in digital format from publishers is amazing and gives me an opportunity to review the hot titles my followers are hearing buzz about. It’s rare that I get paperback ARCs of popular upcoming titles unless I’m fortunate enough to receive one from the publisher or be a part of a blog tour, so NetGalley really lets me get out there and read these books and be able to contribute more. . 4. Amazon   Kindle books are quick to download and the recommendations let me know what I might want to read next. Amazon is the second site I go to for book related things.   5. Barnes and Noble   I love eBooks now that I finally read them, but I can’t give up the old brick and mortar stores or physical books. The store itself is amazing, but the suggestions on the bottom of my receipt are so helpful! I know exactly what kind of books to add. Their displays in the store group lots of similar books together and highlight particular books. Barnes and Noble is my favorite bookstore.   6. Social Networking   Buzz gets me to buy books. Between other bloggers, friends, authors, publishers, and other readers, I know what to read next because I’m hearing thoughts and feelings and excitement.   7. Other Blogs   The reviews are the most helpful, but the giveaways and promotional posts lead me in different directions and introduce me to new books. I learn a lot about blogging, reviewing, and books in general by following other book blogs.   8. Other readers   Being able to talk about books with people, whether it’s online or in person, really makes me want to read more and helps me suggest books to others and get suggestions in return. Feeling like I’m part of a community is amazing.   9. Google   This sounds vague, but I went from knowing nothing about blogging to feeling like I know what I’m doing. I didn’t know how to post, what picture license laws were, how to create a blog button, how to use any HTML, or how to basically do anything. By googling things I wanted to know how to do, I’ve been able to learn as I go. Now, I’ve got a header that I made, a button, series banners, amazon widgets, and an entire comment system I went and searched for. I love being able to make improvements and it gives me a sense of pride.   10. The Goodreads App   I’ve already gushed about how much I like Goodreads, but it’s awesome on the go, too. For example, I was at a used bookstore and I found the first two books of a series I’ve heard about. I used my phone app to look up the series and browse the reviews from my friends and other people. I was able to decide on the books because of it. Also, if my memory fails me, I can look up that book from that author that I can’t think of while I’m standing in front of a bookshelf!   What are some things that help you as a reader or blogger?

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