recommendations

I’ve finished; now what?

Linda J

So you’ve just finished reading a fantastic book. Once you have let go of the characters which are probably still spinning around in your head, how do you decide what to read next?

Well, apart from browsing the pile of books you may have on hand, you may like to get a bit of help, so here’s a few ideas:

Inside a Dog is a fabulous site for Australian YA readers, not only for recommendations but also to be involved. Find out about new books, enter competitions, submit your own reviews and even publish your own work. Totally relatable, as much of it is written for teens by teens.

So if you want personal accessible recommendations, definitely start here. You can also follow Inside a Dog on Twitter or Instagram for regular updates!

LibraryThing allows you to add the books you read, and then recommendations and other information come to you. Have a look at our LibraryThing (seen on the sidebar below) – click on a book and check the information available to you about it and other similar titles.

Similarly, you could Join GoodReads. This is a community of readers, which works a bit like NetFlix once you have added some titles to your own profile. Recommendations come up based on what you have read, liked or commented on. You can choose to be as private or public as you want – either using it as your own personal catalogue, or commenting and reviewing the books you read and joining in with the conversations of others, including friends and groups. Easily accessible as an app too.

Sites like WhichBook? are good for making you think about what you like in a book, and for generating some title suggestions also (though maybe short on Australian authors). Work your way through the options which matter the most to you, and recommendations are made.

Happy reading – I hope this gives you some great suggestions – but don’t forget that the Library staff at both school and local libraries are always ready with recommendations for you also, so don’t be afraid to ask!!

Reading: shared in a digital space

Linda J

How do you share what you love (or hate) about a book you have read? What if your family and friends don’t have the same love for the particular genre or author you like to read? How do you get your recommendations?

Of course, you may be lucky to rely on your school librarian, local public librarian or your local bookshop owner, since these people are usually avid readers with lots to share! However, the digital age also presents book-sharing communities that are readily available when these people are not.

These communities include GoodReads and LibraryThing. Both offer the ability to not only track what you read and enjoy, but also the opportunity to connect with other readers who may have the same interests or reading tastes.

You can simply browse for titles (based on authors, titles, genres and more*) or participate by logging what you read, rating books and writing simple (or extended reviews). You can link up with people you know, or follow those who seem to like the same books or have a similar purpose to your own. Once you have logged a few titles, GoodReads and LibraryThing will provide recommendations for your next book.

Checking these recommendations, or reading the varied reviews of others, can also help you decide whether you want to pick up the latest book by Jack Heath or Margaret Atwood, or help you discover someone new. Remember, not everyone likes the same book, so there are sometimes interesting and contrasting discussions to dissect.

Why not give it a try, and maybe encourage a few friends also, to be able to share what you are reading in a safe known group? Then look for other friends or acquaintances with similar tastes to your own. You may even get the chance to ‘Ask the Author’ questions, or participate in a special discussion event – all related to your own specific likes and dislikes. Do it on your laptop, tablet or phone as apps easily available. What have you got to lose?

What other avenues do you use to share and find reading recommendations?

* Other things include reading lists, giveaways, new releases, interviews and GoodReads choice awards.

** You can always browse this LibraryThing, JustNew, which shows how you can list your own bookshelves/reading, and the app offers. (You can change it to look at cover images to browse over 900 titles…) Then, why not setup up your own!

Time to read!

Linda J

tumblr_max9qbu2zS1rebh9to1_500As the holidays get closer, the weather cools and term time winds down, it’s time to start thinking what you would like to read during the winter holidays.

Perhaps you’ve already had time this year to dip into some great books? If so, it would be wonderful if you could share some suggestions to others. While there are many great books reviewed on this blog (check out the list on the List of Reviews page), crowdsourcing recommendations from keen readers is also a wonderful way to find out about both new titles, and those which have been around for some time.

Please enter your recommendations in the form below, so that I can compile a list of recommendations to share.

Of course, you also look into our Library Thing catalogue, which provides access to lots of details about our newest library purchases, along with recommendations for similar titles that you would enjoy. GoodReads is another site that you can join to share your reading experience with friends and other bibliophiles.

RECOMMENDED READING –

[please share your suggestions here]

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Indie awards 2013

Linda J

Each year, the Independent Bookseller Awards pick the best of the best of Australian fiction and non fiction writing. These list include great reads for students and their families, some of which the library has already purchased.

Two shortlists for this year include the following books (those with * are currently available from our library):


DEBUT FICTION SHORTLIST:
The Light Between Oceans* by M.L. Stedman (Random House)
Eleven Seasons by Paul D. Carter (Allen & Unwin)
The Cartographer by Peter Twohig (HarperCollins)
Secrets of the Tides by Hannah Richell (Hachette Little Brown)

CHILDREN’S SHORTLIST:
The Convent* by Maureen McCarthy (Allen & Uwnin)
The 26-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (Macmillan)
Sea Hearts* by Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin)
Unforgotten* by Tohby Riddle (Allen & Unwin)

Source: http://www.indies.com.au/IndieAward.aspx

 

Past winners include:

    • Jasper Jones*, Craig Silvey
    • The Happiest Refugee*, Anh Do
    • and last year’s winner, All That I Am* by Anna Funder

Since the category winners are announced on March 25, there is still time to read some of this selection and decide for yourself which book deserves the honours.

Which ones do you think will take out the main awards this year? Have a look at the Australian Independent Bookseller website for other great recommendations – bestsellers, reading guides and reading news.

GoodReads

Linda J

With lots of time on my hands, I’ve discovered lots of wonderful things on the Internet – including the GoodReads website. So how do you use it? (This is what I did…)

To begin:


1. After a simple signup, I selected some the genres of books I like reading.

2. Then, I added some of the books I have read, both recently and in the past – a reminder of what I have enjoyed reading.

3. I also added some of the books I am currently reading to another list.

4. From this, I have been given recommendations for other books similar to these – which I might like or already have (and I tagged them appropriately).
Then I compiled an ever-increasing ‘to-read’ list, which is good to remind me of the the piles (both physical and virtual) of books I am yet to read.

5. Finally, I sent invites to friends to let them know about GoodReads because it also has a social element to it, in that you can invite other readers you know to create their lists, and share their love of reading too. Just send email invites to friends and colleagues, or simply choose them from your FaceBook or Twitter contacts, and get them started. Of course, it helps if you have something to show them on your lists, so that they get the idea of how thngs work from your example.

This will sit quite well next to LibraryThing, which we already use for new additions to our school library – with the added benefit of a personalised network of people with whom you can share great books.

You can see in the side bar, a list of books I intend to read, or view my GoodReads here.

Why not try compiling your own lists, invite your friends along also – you may be surprised at how much you have read – and how much more is out there!

Reviews for Readers

Linda J

reading-teddy.jpgThere are many places to find reviews on Young Adult literature, so we thought we would share a few with you. If there are any fabulous sites you come across, please pass them on in the comments section.

Inside a Dog? is a great site for current info. on YA fiction. It features reviews, first chapters of new releases, competitions and quizzes and each month or so there is an ‘author in residence’ who writes blog posts about their style of writing. There are also various audio downloads, so check it out some time soon.

YARA Online is dedicated to teenage/young adult readers and features reviews of novels written by Australian and overseas authors. Audio titles are also included and we have a section devoted to verse novels from around the world. You can add your comment or read those of other teen readers.

Fiction Focus provides a blog commenting on new YA fiction, as well as providing a link for YA authors’ websites.

Read Alert is another website dedicated to YA readers, with lots of breaking news items about the world of literature. You will find out about the latest award winners, authors in the news, and visits or workshops planned by authors, at both international and local levels.