Firstly, thanks to all my new followers, and to everyone who's just stopping by to have a look. I'm blown away by the sheer numbers of people involved with the challenge, and I'm probably being a bit lax with keeping up with all my visiting duties! If you've followed me and I haven't followed back, please leave a comment - it's just an oversight! And now, here's today's post...
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| Link to the Goodreads entry |
It can be quite a difficult decision, choosing books. I'm now on Goodreads, which is helping me enormously, but before that I'd see good reviews and interviews, decide to buy that book - and then totally forget which book it was when I was standing in a bookshop.
So I rely on other methods, such as the cover, the title and the last line. Oh yes, I always read the last page, usually instead of the first page... and I'm not the only one, so an extra bit of advice is: always make your last line really strong!
This story, luckily, was just as good as its cover. Robert Girardi has a great voice, and a wonderful way of envoking the sights and sounds of New Orleans. It was a book I read almost in one go - it has such an easy, fluid style, and you really want to find out how the different threads of the story come together at the end.
But that's not why I'm inspired by this book - it's purely the cover....
You read the last line? Really? Doesn't that spoil things for you?
ReplyDeleteI need to know where my emotions are being taken. I can't watch a film unless I know its genre. I hate the idea I'll be laughing when I actually end up crying... This isn't normal, is it?
DeleteLol, I echo Gwen! I could never read the last line first!
ReplyDeleteThe cover of that book is very cool, I can understand why you picked it up!
You'll have to check my reply to Gwen - I can't confess the same thing twice!
DeleteIO only read the last line if I'm partway through a book and wonder whether it's worth continuing. I envy you the ability to browse in an actual bookshop rather than a virtual one!
ReplyDeletehehe...I do this, especially if my attention is starting to falter or the book seems to be taking too much time to wade through!
DeleteI can't imagine a world without bookshops, Lizy. I hope it doesn't happen for a very long time.
DeleteThere was actually something on the news today saying without bookshops the slow-burner authors will die out because it'll be all about the great new thing that pops out at you on Amazon.
I think that's such a sad thing.
I haven't done the 'last line' scan of a book, but it sounds like a good idea. A little harder to do it on ereaders before you buy it though.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter Annalisa!
Yes, I ereaders need a last-line option! Happy Easter to you too Marta.
Delete90% of the books I read are recommendations from friends. Other than that, I have no idea how I choose books. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of friends I listen to, but actually a lot of my friends aren't great readers.
DeleteThe cover is what catches my attention. After that the blurb needs to pull me in, but I wouldn't even read that if the cover wasn't good.
ReplyDeleteDo I have a good last line? I really hope so now!
The bright pink ones send me running in the opposite direction. With the rise of 'chick lit' publishers seemed to think neon pink was essential at one stage.
DeleteNo! You can't read the last line first! That spoils all the fun. :) LOL!
ReplyDeleteIn the past I loved looking at covers, but I never bought a book solely because of the cover. But if a cover catches my eye I definitely will pick it up and have a look at the jacket blurb.
Now, however, I rely more on blurbs and recommendations thank covers because I do most of my reading on my Kindle.
Nice post!
Michelle :)
www.michelle-pickett.com/blog
Thanks Michelle. At the moment I'm only buying ebooks written by blogger friends when there's no print alternative. I'll be dragged kicking and screaming away from books.
DeleteThe cover is the first thing that attracts me. I've found some really horrible reads that way, glad it turned out better for you.
ReplyDeleteI've never found a book I hated that way, maybe one or two I read once and decided to give away, but I've always finished them.
DeleteIt does have a pretty cover.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you can read the last page first though!
It's a gift and a curse, Rebecca lol
DeleteI've never read it before but it sounds great. Guess it's another book to add to my ever growing list.
ReplyDeleteIt is. Writing this list is proving to me how eclectic my tastes are though, so hopefully every who's listening to my recommendations are the same!
DeleteThat's a beautiful cover. I could see how you got sucked in. I do read the blurb and a few pages too.
ReplyDeleteI do read the blurb sometimes, but some of my favourites I've just been drawn to.
Delete'Have you ever walked into a bookshop, scanned the shelves and bought a book based on the cover and nothing else?'
ReplyDeleteI adore a good cover but have never purchased a book based on that alone.
Happy Easter to you and yours, Annalisa!
It's like a lucky dip -some are bad, but some are really really good.
DeleteHappy Easter!
I'm loving the title, I would prob buy it for that, and the cover! I often buy a book because of the way it feels when I hold it. Sounds silly but some books feel different and I like that :)
ReplyDeleteUniversal Gibberish
I'm picturing us both in a bookshop - I'm staring at the covers and you're feeling the weight :-)
DeleteI always love a good read. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
DeleteThat is a beautiful cover! And I'm sorta partial to the name, too, even if it's spelled differently. :)
ReplyDeleteI could never read the last line first even though I know a number of people who do.
I know I'm not the only one who reads the last line, but we're definitely in the minority!
DeleteShopping for books on Goodreads has changed the way I choose which books to read. I used to depend heavily on the cover design & premise, but now I lean more towards a writing sample. Another example of how the e-world is evolving! :)
ReplyDeleteI'll miss the day when I can't feel a book in my hands to decide if I want to buy it.
DeleteI've never even heard of this book. I must go and look it up.
ReplyDeleteAnd the list gets longer... :-)
DeleteFellow A-Zer. I agree, the cover is very helpful in picking books. I don't read the last page, just the first. If I'm hooked, I'll buy it.
ReplyDeleteHi Tim, thanks for stopping by.
DeleteAnnalisa, I read your book during our layover in Dallas - I loved it. It really kept me wondering and thinking all the way through. When all this challenge stuff is over, I'll do a review on my blog. xo
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Melissa! :-)
DeleteThe cover is the first thing I use to decide. Then I move to the blurb on the back. I like your idea of reading the last line though. Interesting! I think I need to add that to my list (besides goodreads, of course!)
ReplyDeleteA lot of the time it doesn't ruin the story, because the plot has already been tied up.
DeleteYes! I admit to focusing my shopping on the the books that are displayed, as opposed to reading titles sideways on a shelf. Visiting froma-z
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea. Thanks for stopping by. I only look on the shelves if I'm searching for a particular author, otherwise it's the tables and displays every time.
DeleteThat cover IS intriguing!
ReplyDelete---Damyanti, Co-host A to Z Challenge April 2012
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge
I had the hardest time getting the lighting right for that photo - I've been taking my own for the books I own.
DeleteI read the last two pages, earlier, when I used to frequent bookshops that allowed you to browse, the entire last chapter. My choices for 'unknown to me authors' are based on recos by extended family and friends now bloggers(all book eaters), the blurb, the last page or two, even if the cover is bad, something missing in ebooks which only give a sample of the initial chapters ...I had learned the hard way that a good cover can often hide a poorly written book.
ReplyDeleteYes, the cover technique doesn't always work, but it's a great way of discovering new authors.
DeleteHarry Potter? Great stuff but why do my friends insist on saying "You could be the next JKRowling."?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! You don't want to be the next J.K. Rowling, you want to be the FIRST Lizy-Expat-Writer!!
DeleteI can't imagine reading the last page first! Part of what keeps me reading is trying to figure out where the story is going. If I read the last page, I don't have that same suspense.
ReplyDeleteI can't decide if you're brave or crazy. LOL
You're not the first person to wonder that... :-)
Delete