Reading

Reading, like almost everything else, is subjective.   My brother, who will rarely pick up a book, reads everything by Dean Koontz while I won’t touch one.   Sister #2 buys every book by James Patterson while I’ve tried to read various titles with no success.  I always put them down and never end up finishing them.  Sister #1 scoffs at anything romance/women’s fiction related, while I enjoy books by a number of authors who write in this genre.  (It’s also a genre I write in myself.)   Sister #3 likes urban fantasy or anything about vampires, fairies, werewolves, etc.

I usually choose books by authors I’ve read before whose books I enjoyed or from recommendations from friends and family.  I have a subscription to RT Book Reviews magazine which reviews an average of 250 books per month in a wide variety of genres from mainstream, to romance, to science fiction, to inspirational, as well as erotica to name just a few.  It’s a great resource for finding out who has a new book coming out especially if you’re trying to follow a series as well as finding new authors. They also have an informative website for both readers and writers. (www.rtbookreviews.com)  I also buy and read as many books as I can by fellow authors that I know personally.  Of course, with my own novel coming out next month, I’m hoping they will support me in the same manner, but I also buy them because I enjoy the stories themselves, not just to support a friend’s career. 

How do you choose the books you read?  Do you have specific authors that you read all of their work?  I’d be interested to hear how and why you choose to read the authors you do.