Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This week’s topic is things that make me pick up a book! Here are things I look for:
- A gorgeous cover. Let’s face it, I’m a shallow creature. If the cover is pretty enough it doesn’t even need a synopsis.
- Fave genres. If the book is one of my preferred genres, I’m definitely adding it to my TBR list at the very least. High fantasy and sci-fi are my faves, but I’m also super likely to add steampunk, grimdark, dystopian, and Arabian fantasy. Extra extra bonus points if it’s Asian Fantasy!
- Fave authors. Obviously if it’s written by an author I’ve read before and trust to write a masterpiece, I’m going to pick it up. Likely buy it, too! Examples: Jay Kristoff, Julie Kagawa, Karen Marie Moning, Laini Taylor, Pierce Brown.
- Space. I’m such a sucker for space stories. Bonus points if it’s a space horror!
- Dragons. You literally don’t even have to say anything else. Sign me TF up.
- Recommended by a trusted friend. There are a select few friends who can rave about a book and it will make me instantly want to pick a book up. The main example is Christy (@cbookaddiction) because she is literally my book twin and we agree on books 99% of the time!
- Hype, oops. I always fall for it. ALWAYS.
- An explosive beginning. Bonus points if it grabs me right in the first page. A great example of this that I read recently is Stain by A.G. Howard!
- A really unique premise. If it sounds like something I’ve never read before, I’ll definitely be picking it up. Example: Storm Crow: Magical elemental crows and people who ride them. (Sadly it fell flat, but it sure AF sounded unique and intriguing!)
- Retellings. I am such a sucker for retellings, especially if it’s faves like Beauty and the Beast and Mulan!
Do you agree with any of these? What makes YOU pick up a book?
Nice reasons! I fall victim to hype as well, and it’s usually 50/50 if I will like it or not because of said hype. Other times I just gravitated towards hyped book without paying attention to said hype if it was already an author I love! Which tends to be the case for the most part!
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What are your go-to elements for cover buys? I like a pretty dress on the cover with some sort of ominous overall vibe. Example: “The Great Hunt” by Wendy Higgins. So good. I have to read my first Julie Kagawa book series soon so I can catch up. I have tried her books ages ago but I think I may like them more now. I have recently embraced the steampunk life. Gail Carriger is a favorite thus far–I have read only one book by her but it made me so happy. As for retellings, I hope to find a decent Arabian-set fantasy sometime soon. It’s hard to find something that’s creative without being too westernized. Ugh, Mulan is such a good story. Do you have any favorite retellings of that story?
PS: newbie visitor to your blog here. Hi. I am Dina. What a lovely blog you have!
Hi Dina! That’s a great question, actually – I do like pretty dresses on covers but I think I’m a sucker for fantasy looking covers with good art! (i.e. Sorcery of Thorns, Spin the Dawn, Wicked Deep) Bonus if they have dragons on them!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Gail Carriger series from my bookstabestie Katie, I’ve been meaning to read them! As far as Arabian set, I definitely recommend The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh if you haven’t read it already. I loved We Hunt the Flame as well!
I have yet to find a Mulan retelling, but Spin the Dawn is supposed to be one. I read a chapter or two and wasn’t in the mood for it but hope to get back to it soon! It’s not a Mulan retelling but it does have the girl-disguised-as-boy trope – Flame in the Mist (also Ahdieh, I love her stuff!) is Asian fantasy. It’s also Japanese, not Chinese, but I loved that one!