Reading is a great pastime. It allows you to educate yourself about various issues, get entertained and achieve personal growth. Reading exposes you to many aspects of great writing. Students enrolled in writing and editing programs understand only too well the value that reading adds to their development. The beauty of reading is that you’ll never run out of good books to read. In fact, there’s not enough room in the world to hold all the good books. However, it can be a bit of a challenge identifying good books. Here are 5 tips to help you find good reads, regardless.

Amazon – the categorization of books in Amazon makes it easier for you to identify what may interest you. Whether you’re looking for adventure, biographies, mystery, romance or subject-specific books such as accounts or music, Amazon makes it easy. By checking the Amazon lists regularly, you’ll keep up-to-date with new publications and always find a good read. Amazon also offers personalized recommendations for account holders. It helps if you make a point of rating books you’ve read. The system is able to use this information to improve on its recommendations to you.
Library Shelves – you don’t have to be pursuing a librarian degree to spend quality time in local libraries. Browsing library shelves is an engaging and rewarding experience. There’s nothing quite like the thrill experienced when you stumble upon a good read on library shelves. The good thing about libraries is that they give you the best of both worlds. You can find really old publications as well as latest book releases. Obtaining books from a library need not be a tedious process, especially if you think of it as a treasure-hunting experience. Many libraries allow you to place your requests on the library site for books you’ve identified using online resources and would like to read. In most cases, the librarian will obtain the books and have them ready for you in a couple of days.
Online Resources – for many people with busy schedules, online resources are a convenient way of finding good books easily. You’ll find plenty of book-focused sites on the internet that allow you to keep up-to-date on various publications. Barnes and Nobles Book Club is a great site for readers who need help in finding great books. Goodreads is another excellent site that allows you share book recommendations with your friends, keep track of what friends are reading and make latest book discoveries. You can also check out book blogs for more information on latest releases.
StumbleUpon – finding good books is an adventure, no less with StumbleUpon. The site makes use of search tools that allow you to discover virtually anything, whether its books, electronics, music or travel destinations. You’re sure to discover your next good read on this site.
What Should I Read Next? – for speed and efficiency in identifying what to read next, check out What Should I Read Next? All you have to do is enter the book title, author or ISBN number. The site uses a search mechanism to analyze an extensive database of books, which then offers suggestions for what you may want to read next.