1. We start with a reference interview.

Basically, we ask a lot of questions to determine what someone really likes to read and go from there.

• What was the last book you read?
• What did you like about the book?
• Do you have a favorite author?
• Do you have a favorite genre?

2. We utilize a lot of online resources for readers’ advisory.

When I’m trying to find information related to a series, author, title or similar reads (aka: read-alikes), I typically use the following:

• Novelist (library database)
• Fantastic Fiction
• Goodreads
• What Should I Read Next?
• Whichbook
• Your Next Read

3. We read a lot of book reviews.

To stay current, or on top of what’s popular, it’s really important to read book reviews to see what the experts are recommending. There are so many great go-to resources that it’s often challenging to keep up with them all. Check out these librarian favorites:

• BookPage
• Kirkus Reviews
• Library Journal
• LibraryReads
• New York Times
• NPR
• Publisher’s Weekly

The average person can use some of the same methods as a librarian to find a really good book to read. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What is your favorite book?
• What is the last book you read?
• What did you like about the book(s) you enjoyed (i.e., the characters, pace, setting, storyline, tone, or writing style)?
• Do you gravitate towards certain genres and/or sub-genres?
• Are you in the mood for a particular subject or theme?

By exploring the books you really like and what you like about them, it will be a little easier to find your next great read.

Exploring Appeal

What do you think of when you hear the word appeal? According to Dictionary.com, it means “the power or ability to attract, interest, amuse, or stimulate the mind or emotions.” A signature feature of NoveList is appeal, which basically is like matchmaking between people and books. Appeal factors combine various story elements to help readers find that perfect book based on their preferred style or mood – it’s the “chemistry of readers’ advisory” says Novelist.

Novelist definition:

Appeal is a way of determining why people enjoy the books they read. Some readers already have a good vocabulary for talking about the books they love, while some do better in talking about books they never want to read again – but framing these conversations around appeal is the foundation for helping people find what to read next. NoveList uses appeal terms to augment other data about genre, subject, geographic location and reading level.

Learn More About Appeal Factors:

The Secret Language of Books: A Guide to Appeal (2018 Edition)

Novelist: Finding Books using Appeal

“Less” by Andrew Sean Greer

This book won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018. It received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly.

Notable Elements

• Genre: Humorous fiction, literary fiction and satire
• Characters: Complex
• Storyline: Character-driven
• Tone: Bittersweet and Sardonic
• Writing style: Engaging, lyrical and wordplay-filled
• Synopsis: Receiving an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Arthur, a failed novelist on the eve of his fiftieth birthday, embarks on an international journey that finds him falling in love, risking his life, reinventing himself, and making connections with the past.

If you enjoyed this book, what should you read next?

Using the “readers’ advisory” resources listed above, I found four similar reads (or read-alikes). Keep in mind, with readers’ advisory recommendations you’re taking a leap of faith. Basically, you’re hoping a book you never heard of before will be interesting, compelling, and/or enjoyable to read.