I picked this prompt from the Support Book Bloggers Challenge because my reading is very influenced by other bloggers — probably at least half the books I read are due to this. The reason can range from individual reviews, to a blogger’s love for a particular author, to specific reading events, and even personal recommendations. I don’t always remember where I got interested in a book, even if I know it was due to a book blog, but in some cases I can identify the influencer, and I’d love to take this opportunity to say thank you. Here are ten that I was able to pick out without even trying very hard, on a trawl back through a couple of years of my Read list on Goodreads.
- The Heiress – Girl with Her Head in a Book was planning to review this for Austen in August, and since she said “I liked it a lot,” I picked it up right away. I liked it too.
- The Game of Kings – I’ve been seeing raves about Dorothy Dunnett for quite some time at She Reads Novels (among others) and finally read my first. So glad I did.
- What My Bones Know – What’s Nonfiction is always adding to my nonfiction TBR. This was one that really blew me away this year.
- Putting the Rabbit in the Hat – AnnaBookBel reviewed a memoir by a favorite actor of hers, Brian Cox, and even though I didn’t know his TV work I thought it sounded interesting. It was.
- The Luckiest Girl – Constance of Staircase Wit is fond of the teenage novels by Beverly Cleary, so I wanted to give one a try. This was especially fascinating to read alongside Cleary’s memoirs, which include darker versions of some of the same experiences.
- Inheritance – This was a direct recommendation from The Book Stop, which was offering a book recommendation service. It was a perfect choice for me!
- A Little Princess – I read Laurie’s review at Relevant Obscurity and it made me want to revisit one of my favorite books.
- The Corner That Held Them – Sylvia Townsend Warner Reading Week at A Gallimaufry inspired me to read this most unusual historical novel.
- The Meursault Investigation – Words and Peace recommended this to read alongside L’étranger by Albert Camus — and it was an intriguing pair indeed.
- Tao te Ching – Roof Beam Reader listed this as the first in a year-long world religions reading project. I wanted to sign up for the whole year, but this was the only one I managed … I’m glad I did.
What books have you read because of other bloggers?
I’m reading Robertson Davies bit by bit because of, ahem, a certain book blogger gave me no choice… Racing through A Mixture of Frailties at the moment, hopefully ready for a review on 28th August, and it’s entirely fitting that I’m currently reading it while holidaying in North Wales, the land of Davies’s fathers.
Also I’m hoping to start Zen Cho’s Black Water Sister soon because of SFF fans like Bookforager and others; but at a rough guess I suppose a third of my reads is influenced by blog reviews and reading prompts, a third from impulse buys, and the rest from books already on my shelves from eons ago.
Of the 46 books finished this year, 17 are recommendations, 13 are impulse buys or borrowed from the library, and 16 ones I already had (though there are some slight overlaps in these categories). So, yay for recommenders!
Chris, I could have made up a whole list of books that you’ve inspired me to read or reread! Coming up soon is Black Water Sister, I have to acquire a copy soon for our Witch Week readalong. Looking forward to that.
I recently reviewed Zorrie by Laird Hunt, and that’s a book that I read about on other blogs and decided to read, so there’s that!
I think there is a lot of this going on for sure.
The book I reviewed today, This Time Tomorrow, was one I read because another blogger recommended it.
And your review interested me in reading it too, so the influence carries on!
Ah, I read so many books recommended by other bloggers! The first ones that come to my mind are:
– Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
– The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton (there’s also a sequel – House of Fortune – loved it as well)
– The Foundling by Stacey Halls
… and many more 🙂
I don’t know of the Kawaguchi but I’ve heard great things about the other two (from bloggers, of course) … hope I’ll get to them eventually.
I don’t know any of these but like you I am very much influenced by other bloggers recommendations. It’s seldom now that I see books reviewed in newspapers that I want to read
I used to enjoy the NYT Book Review, but honestly I like blogs better now. They are more fun and not so pretentious, while still intelligent.
I’m glad you decided to read The Game of Kings. I’ve just finished The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper which you, among other bloggers, had recommended. You’ll be pleased to hear that I loved it!
I’m so very glad to hear that. And the sequel is coming soon!
I’ve read so many books I’ve found on book blogs! I always try to link to the review that alerted me to the book. (To remember I add the book to Goodreads and put the link in the “review” and then change it to my real review when I’m done reading)
I really need to do something like that to keep better track.
What a lovely idea. I will have to think about it but the first book that comes to mind is one of my favourite books ever. I found it more through an online book club but that was before blogging was even a thing. So, I believe it counts. Do you?
Stroyar, J.N. “The Children’s War” –
Online book clubs are similar enough to blogging in my book. I would be missing many of my favorite books of the last several years if not for online book news.
I found a lot of books that were suggested to me by other bloggers in the end. But you are right, it’s about the same.
But thanks to this, I had a good twist for my TTT this week.
A lovely thing to do! I have so many books I’ve picked up because of other bloggers, but I am such a grasshopper mind that I can never remember who… 😳
These are just the ones I remembered … lots more where I can’t recall where I heard about the book. I’m still grateful for those too, anonymously.
I get so many recs from other bloggers, or reassurance a trendy book is good. I try to keep the blog post or note where I found things but I’m sure a lot get away!
I need a better system. Probably making a note in Goodreads is the best but I have to get into the habit.
There are a lot of great book bloggers out there saying good things about books and helping each other with book recs. We are a hidden source which gets overlooked by so many authors.
Indeed — it’s my main source of reading influence for sure.
Lovely idea! I tend to buy books because of other bloggers, but don’t always read them 😀
Hopefully you’ll get to them eventually!
Thank you for the shout out! The Classics Club has certainly been important to me, too. I read Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie because Adam at Roof Beam Reader mentioned it quite a few times. It became a favorite of mine as well.
I have not read that, I need to check it out.