Week Three Prompt

Answer the following questions using Novelist (or another RA site) as much as you can - just to familiarize yourself with it if you aren't already using it.  Explain why you chose the books you did.

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!

The Lunatic Café is the fourth book in the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton.

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

I would recommend Anthill by Edward O. Wilson or Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Both of these novels have strong links to nature and the environment and feature lyrical prose in ways that are similar to Prodigal Summer. These titles are listed as read-alikes for Kingsolver’s novel on NoveList.

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

I would recommend Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. It’s a historical fiction novel, set in Korea and Japan in the early 1900s, so it’s not modern. I chose this novel because it has five stars on NoveList and is recognized as an award-winning, notable book by the American Library Association and The New York Times.

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

I would recommend A Great Deliverance and Payment in Blood by Elizabeth George. These are the first two books of the Thomas Lynley Mysteries series. I chose these books because the reader enjoyed Well-Schooled in Murder, which is the third book in the Thomas Lynley Mysteries series, so it’s likely that the reader will also enjoy the first two books.

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

I would suggest Blackout by Mira Grant. It’s another novel about a zombie apocalypse. It’s action-packed like The Walking Dead and World War Z. I also chose it because it was a New York Times Bestseller.

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

I used Goodreads to find lists of books that have been adapted into movies. I narrowed my search by adding a certain year—in this case, 2019. Some literary fiction books which had film adaptations in 2019-2021 were Native Son by Richard Wright, The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn, and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.

I used NoveList to look for Christian thrillers because the reader is looking for a fast-paced, suspenseful novel with minimal sex and foul language. I came across The Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell. The plot seems very interesting and suspenseful and the novel seems like a good choice for this reader. It also received a starred review from Library Journal.

How I Find New Books to Read

Right now, my favorite way to find new books to read is through Goodreads. However, I’ve used several other sites and tools as well. A few years ago, I started an Instagram page (@julianareads) to share my love of books and track my reading progress. I follow several other readers, librarians, libraries, book publishers, and authors on Instagram, so my feed is always filled with new and exciting books.

Recently, I began doing some collection development at the library where I work. I now use Kirkus, Booklist, Library Journal, and Baker & Taylor—the site where we order books—on a regular basis. One of the best things about my job is that I get to learn about new books every single day. I also sometimes use a site called TasteDive which is an easy and fun way to get personalized recommendations for books, TV shows, movies, and music.

Another site I love to use is NPR Concierge, which is updated annually with the best books that are published each year. The books are chosen by editors and producers at NPR Books. I love the interactive design of this site which allows you to mix and match specific filters to get recommendations of over 2,000 books. If you’re looking for your next favorite book, this is the place to go!