What draws you to a book? This question was asked of me recently and I have been thinking about it a lot? What draws me to a book? Is it the cover? The author? The blurb on the back?
For some books I have to say that yes it is the author. I have authors that are automatic buys for me regardless of whether or not I read the book when I buy it or in a year from now. I know that I have the books when I do decide to pick them up and read them.
Sometimes it is the cover of the book that draws me in. There is just something about some of the covers of these books that makes my heart race. Though I do admit that I recently got a book because the cover drove my son nuts. My other son asked me if I wanted his dad to look like the guys on the cover of these books (you all know which covers I am talking about :0) and I told him that in my eyes his dad looks just like these guys.
Other times it is the blurb on the back that makes me pick up a book. The blurb is so well written that I have to know more about these characters and the their story. Or an excerpt that I read somewhere and I have to read more.
The other day I was given a book that I would normally not have picked up but I was bored and none of the books on my shelves appealed to me. I wasn’t feeling well and going into the other room to get one of the books that I normally read when I am sick to way to much effort. So I picked this book up of my nightstand and began to read. The book completely sucked me in and I read it in almost one sitting.
The characters and their struggles were so well written that I didn’t notice the passing of time and that I had finished.
I have noticed since then that I have started looking at books that I would normally not read because of this book.
So how about you guys, what draws you to a book? Have you ever picked up a book that you would normally not read because of a mood, a cover, a blurb?
I follow quite a few blogs, and if the review is something I like, I want to try the book myself. Ofcouse I also have dozens of autobuy authors in many genres, and it is difficult enough to keep with all the books they write. If I discover a new author, I often want to have and read all of their books.
But I do also depend heavily on the blurb. If the cover is very ugly, or scary or plain boring, I don’t pick up the book, so never read the blurb. The answer to your question would be: a bit of all of the above.
Covers are everything…and nothing. LOL. A good cover will get me to read the blurb. A good blurb will get me to read a sample and that will get me to buy or put it back on the self. But ultimately price is a huge factor for me. Case in point: Jaci Burton’s Perfect Play. Droolworthy cover. I didn’t even have to read the blurb for that to make my TBR. Cover + football + Jaci Burton = auto buy. Then I saw the price. Ummm…for that price I could get several books at ARe or Samhain or Smashwords. Did I buy Perfect Play? Nope. I might buy it if I see it in a ‘bargain bin’. And talking about covers…don’t get me started on the Psy/Changeling series. LOL.