Readers’ Advisory Websites
You’ve just finished a great book, and you want to read another book just like it. What do you do? You can ask a librarian for suggestions, but if she or he isn’t around, the Internet is a great resource. The websites listed here are volunteer efforts by people who may or may not be librarians; many contributors are people who just love to read a certain genre (and some may be authors trying to sell you their books). The sites that feature a majority of content from librarians are noted.
Question: How do I find another book like the one I just read?
Lists all types and genres of fiction/nonfiction by plot, main character, setting, style
Detailed book search takes many plot features into consideration (violence, medical mysteries, tone of story)
Look here for action/mysteries/thrillers, romance, history, biography, and literature
Often folksy and funny
Disadvantage: don’t count on finding new titles listed here
Disadvantage: does allow authors to list their own books (not impartial)
The Fiction_L mailing list compiles booklists of fiction by genre, subject matter, setting, author, audience, and other factors. Includes juvenile fiction.
Newer booklists are on the page listed above; click on “archives” to search for older booklists
This grew out of a librarians’ mailing list for readers’ advisory questions. If you search the archive, you may find answers to your own questions about fiction.
The Romance Writers of America offer definitions of different types of romances, as well as award-winning selections in each sub-genre.
Disadvantage: the only romances represented are from RWA writers
Question: How do I find the first novel this author ever wrote? How do I find the first book in a series?
Find fantasy and science fiction series in chronological order by searching under the author’s name
Also includes short stories published in collections
Search for mysteries by author, in order of publication.
Search for characters’ names if you can’t remember the title or author (this list is not comprehensive)
www.kdl.org/libcat/whatsnext.asp (adult series fiction)
Search for adult series fiction in order of publication
Includes mysteries
Disadvantage: you must remember to type the author’s name in a certain format (last name, first name) to get results
Question: How can I get a suggestion for my book group?
Browse for reading group suggestions by subject, title or author
The entry for each title contains discussion questions
Disadvantage: titles listed are all well-known or high-demand books that may not always be readily available at your library
written 1/2004
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