Literary Lures is a new feature here at Wastepaper Prose that will run every Wednesday into the fall. Some awesome bloggers will be stopping by to tell you what hooks them on books and give some recommendations of books they love.
Emily from Emily's Reading Room is here today to talk about why books get her attention. She'll tell you what hooks her, what makes her let a book go, and share some recommendations of books she loves!
Where you can find her...
Website: http://www.emilysreadingroom.com
List the top three things that hook you into buying a book.
The top three things that hook me into buying a book are a great cover, an author I know and love, and a killer synopsis. Covers aren't the end all be all for me, and I will definitely read a book with a lousy cover. But, a good cover will show what is beneath. I'd say that an author whose work I have enjoyed previously is most compelling since I already have a pretty good indication that I'm going to like their future work. And then, if all else fails, a really good synposis with a premise that interests me will get me hooked.
What type of storyline never fails to grab your attention?
The storyline that always turns my head involve a couple things. First, I really love fantasy, and historical fiction related to feudal periods. I also love books that involve some sort of impossible journey by a pair of unlikely characters. I also like books with girls that "do things." My final one is that I really do love any type of retelling of a beloved story.
What kind of love stories do you always fall for? What makes you want to root for those couples?
I will always root for the best friend romance. Or the romance that involves great sacrifice and hardship. Because in my mind, those relationships are going to be the ones that last. And why would I invest in a relationship that hasn't truly been tested?
Some books get released as quickly as you snatched them up. What makes you put down a book and how do you know it’s time?
I will set down a book if I can't connect with a character. This happens on occasion when the stakes are very high, but I find myself not caring if the character makes it out or not. If a character either doesn't have a distinct voice, or makes choices that seem inconsistent with their situation, I'll definitely walk away.
Books that have hooked Emily:
- The Seven Realms Series by Cinda Williams Chima -- This series involves several epic journeys and a romance that is DEFINITELY worth fighting for. The final book in this series releases in October, so now is the perfect time to get into it if you haven't already. Oh, and they have AWESOME covers.
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer -- A great example of a cover that hooked me. I really love that the element of the cyborg foot is included and how that ties into the Cinderella retelling. And, of course, there is the fairy tale retelling element
- The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale -- Shannon Hale's an author that I always trust to tell a good story. Therefore, I pick up everything that she writes.
- Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott -- I hadn't ever read or heard of Marriott's previous works. And the cover wasn't particularly spectacular to me. But, the synopsis absolutely hooked me. I thought the concept of a Japanese Cinderella retelling was magnificent. And, I ended up getting pulled under by the BEAUTIFUL romance.
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Thanks for having me! This was a fun feature.
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