Some Top Ten Tuesday topics are really tough for my aging memory to handle!  Today's is one of them.  We're supposed to list the Top Ten Most Recent Books I've Read Because Someone Recommended Them.  Here's the thing—most of the books I read have been recommended to me by someone somewhere.  Can I remember those details?  No, no I cannot.  I need to be better about recording where recs come from.  After all, there's no better feeling for a book reviewer or a reader in general than knowing someone has enjoyed a book you recommended to them.  In order not to overtax my elderly brain, I'm going to tweak the topic just a little and chat about my top ten go-to places for reading suggestions.

Want to join in the TTT fun?  Of course you do!  Hop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

1.  Book Blogs—No surprise here!  I read tons of book blogs and am always on the lookout for new ones to enjoy.  Book bloggers are the best with reading recs.  With all the blogs on my roll, I'm guaranteed to find a variety of recommended reads.  Hands down, this is my number one source for 

recs.

2.  BookPage—This is a great monthly magazine that my library offers for free.  It has reviews, author interviews, giveaways, and more.  If your library does not provide copies, you can have BookPage delivered to your home for $30 a year.

3.  Bookmarks Magazine—If you like a meatier book magazine, you can't go wrong with this one.  It also features reviews, author interviews, and giveaways—it just offers more of them in a glossier format.  You can buy issues (they come out every two months) at your local Barnes & Noble or subscribe for $34.95/year.

4.  Goodreads—It's no secret that I adore this most popular of bookish sites.  I love that I can keep track of what my friends are reading, see their reviews, and get recommendations straight from them.  Goodreads also has a "Recommendations" feature (under the "Browse" tab) which suggests books you might like based on your shelves.  The more you rate the books you read, the better it works.  When you review a book on Goodreads, there is now an option where you can record who recommended the book to you.  Note to self:  Use this feature!

5.  Book Riot—I don't know about you, but I'm on a lot of bookish mailing lists.  I tend to ignore most of these emails, but I look forward to the ones from Book Riot.  They're fun and informative.  My favorite are their book lists, which have titles like "5 Books Where Women Take Charge" and "Prank Your Significant Other in 7 Fun Romance Books."  Check it out for lists, reviews, book buying deals, and more.

6.  The Library—Because of dang COVID-19, I haven't done any physical browsing of the library shelves for quite some time.  Back in the olden days, however, I enjoyed roaming the aisles to find great new books.  My library always had fun seasonal/themed displays, fliers with themed book lists, recommended books on display, even a short-lived blog.  Although I still browse the library's online catalog, it's just not the same as looking in person!

7.  Bookstores—I visited my local Barnes & Noble last week, which marks the first time since COVID started that I've been inside a physical bookstore.  Whether it's a chain like B&N, a local indie, or just a small section of a larger store like Costco, I dig browsing for books.  I love checking out displays at bookstores, overhearing readers discussing their picks, and even getting recs from random shoppers (which has happened to me numerous times, both at B&N and Changing Hands).  

8.  Family and Friends—My book addiction is no secret.  Maybe it's my READ3R license plate or the book that is always in my hand or the fact that there are more tomes in my home than in a lot of bookstores ... whatever clue gives it away, my bibliophilia is widely known.  Friends and family members are always recommending books to me.

9.  Review Requests—Most book bloggers get tons of queries in their inboxes every day asking them to check out an author/publisher/publicist's latest and greatest.  Although I decline a lot more of these than I used to, this is still a big source of reading recommendations and material for me.

10.  NetGalley and Edelweiss+—Both of these sites, which offer e-ARCs to professional readers, are like literary blackholes.  I can—and often do—spend hours scouring through their many offerings.  My feedback ratio on NetGalley currently sits at a shameful 2% because the site makes me so click-happy that I request a lot more books on there than I actually get read.  Oops.

There you go, ten places I turn to when I'm looking for a new book to read.  How about you?  Who or what are your go-to sources?  Where do you go for awesome reading recs?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.