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My Favorite Books

books stacked around a door illustrating an article about the best books this writer has read.The best books are the ones you remember.

I read a lot, sometimes four books a week and so there are many I don’t really remember all that well.

I don’t have a particular favourite genre and like to challenge myself now and again by reading something different.

As a writer, I feel it’s important to stimulate the mind by trying something new or exploring a genre I never usually read.

Some books, the good ones, leave something in your mind, something to mull over, leave you with questions, or maybe even answer a question you didn’t know you had.

Others are entertaining and enjoyable but ultimately forgettable and there’s nothing wrong with being entertained – you can’t beat losing yourself in a story at times of stress.

WHEN YOU READ A LOT

Reading a lot can cost a lot, so I don’t just buy books from bookshops, but I also browse in second-hand shops and jumble sales – you never know what you’ll find when you keep your eyes book-open.

Again because I read a lot I find myself downloading more and more books on my kindle.

I know a lot of people prefer to hold, smell a book etc.

But, for me, the pure convenience of being able to download samples of books and try them out for free beats the hell out of any romantic notions about the look/smell/feel of books.

eBooks are a lot cheaper as well so that makes me more inclined to take a risk. The lower price allows me to read a lot more than I used to.

Other benefits of reading from a Kindle or tablet are: reading at night – without a torch and being able to adjust the brightness and text size, as well as being able to access additional information easily.

If you like to take risks in your reading and read a great deal you would save money from joining Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans so you can choose to read whatever you want from over a million titles.

LISTENING TO BOOKS

I also listen to a lot of Audiobooks using earphones via my Kindle, or phone.

Listening to a book brings a whole new dimension to the experience. A great narrator can really bring a book to life and it’s great to be able to listen to a book as you drive or do some other task.

I love listening to audiobook last thing at night and I find they help me sleep. Although it is a complete pain in the neck when I fall asleep reading and can’t find my place the next day!

HOW I CHOOSE BOOKS

I have three methods of selecting the books I want to read. The first method is quite deliberate.

I go through the best books reviews in my favourite newspapers at the weekend and then download samples of the ones that interest me on to my kindle. 

By the end of each weekend, I usually find I have downloaded quite a few samples.

BEING RUTHLESS

old drawing of a woman reading illustrating an article about the best books to readBecause of the sheer volume of samples I download, I am quite ruthless when it comes to deciding which of those to buy.

If I am absolutely dying to read the rest of the book then I will buy it. If not, I will move on and read the next sample.

Another way I buy books is on a recommendation from a friend.

I don’t take all recommendations but if what the friend tells me about the book interests me enough I will download a sample and try it.

CURIOSITY

old painting of a woman writing illustrating an article called best booksI also sometimes buy books by people I have met on social media, but only if I have found what they say interesting enough to make me curious about their writing.

I’m keeping my favourite book pages simple, informal and chatty with just a brief synopsis of why it made it on to my list.

Click the links below to read what I think, and remember – it’s just one opinion. You might think differently and that’s the joy of reading.

Best wishes

Grace


The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls


Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult


Just Friends by Elizabeth Grey


The Woman Who Walked Into Doors By Roddy Doyle


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