Whether you’re looking for something to take the edge off your book hangover, or simply want to try something new, finding good books isn’t as complicated as you may think.

As long as you have a general idea of what you’re interested in, there are many resources that can point you in the right direction, from friends and family to your local librarian.

How to Find a Good Book

Wondering what to read next? Use these tips to find books you’ll love.

1. Talk to your librarian or local bookshop staff.

Libraries are great because 1) everything is free, and 2) you get to take a test drive before making a decision. Head over to the areas of your favorite genres and start browsing, or feel free to talk to a librarian. Most likely they have plenty of ideas that will suit your taste, and they can point you in the right direction.

Once you find a few options that might work, you can sit down and start reading for a preview (with no sales pressure!).

You can also hit up your local bookstores, which usually have successful titles on prominent displays around the store. Check these books out, but also browse the shelves that aren’t front and center. You might find some hidden gems, or older titles that you never got around to reading.

Again, don’t be afraid to ask the staff for guidance. In most cases, they’re book people too, and should be able to point you toward books you’ll like based on your interests.

2. Ask friends or family.

Ask your close friends or family what their favorite books are, or what they’ve enjoyed reading lately. This isn’t a foolproof method, since being even the best of friends with someone doesn’t guarantee that you’ll share the same taste in literature.

But, chances are there’s someone in your life who likes reading, and they can probably tell you about the must-read titles of the moment. And they might even lend you some of their favorites for free!

3. Consult teachers or professors.

If you’re wondering what to read next, try consulting your teachers or professors (ideally the ones who teach your favorite subjects).

Teachers and professors are people who read a lot of books, usually in both fiction and nonfiction. Don’t assume that you can only ask your Lit professor for book recommendations—if you’re a history buff, ask your history teacher what their favorite books on history are (and do the same for any subject you’re especially interested in).

4. Join a book club.

Book clubs are fun ways to meet new people, discuss books, and of course, discover great new reads! Most book clubs meet about once every month to talk about what they read last, and agree on the book they will all read next.

Depending on the type of book club you join, your group will probably focus on specific genres (such as self-help, religion, women’s fiction, etc.), but in general, the books selected are of good quality and ideal for starting discussions.

Join or start your own book club to uncover new books and connect with like-minded readers with a passion for literature.

5. Read and follow book blogs.

There’s a blog out there for pretty much every genre and subgenre you can imagine, and most of them offer their top picks and suggestions for books.

Or, more general blogs dedicated to books and book lovers tend to offer plenty of suggestions as well, including TCK’s own blog, which features lists of book suggestions for every genre.

6. Search on WhichBook.

Don’t feel like heading out to the library or bookstore? No problem! Because you can WhichBook everything you would tell a librarian about your interests, and the online tool will generate a selection of titles that most closely meet your needs.

WhichBook can accommodate millions of combinations of factors and then suggest books that most closely match your needs. For example, you can indicate on a scale how gentle or violent you want the book to be, or how romantic, sad, challenging, etc.

You can also search for books based on their characters and plot by choosing the characters’ race, age, sexuality, and gender, and how much conflict or success you want the plot to contain.

7. Check out online communities for readers.

Millions of books are rated and reviewed on Goodreads, where a community of millions of readers from around the world come together to discuss all things books.

This means you can get plenty of opinions on what’s hot in the literature world, browse the top-rated books by genre and niche, and connect with other like-minded readers. All you need to do to get started is create a free account.

Another excellent option is BookTalk, an online community that’s been around for 18 years. Here, readers can engage in fun and informative discussions, share their thoughts on books, and recommend great new titles.

You can also ask around on social media. Try posting a simple question, such as “Have you read any good books lately?” or “What’s the last book you read?” to your Facebook timeline and see what your friends and family share.

8. Find related books.

If you use Amazon to browse and buy books, you’ve probably encountered a helpful little feature near the bottom of product pages that says “Customers who bought this item also bought…” or “Products related to this item.”

This will show you related books that people with similar taste also found interest in. So if you’ve recently read a book you loved, be sure to search it on Amazon and check out this section.

9. Start with the classics.

If you’ve resolved to start reading more but aren’t quite sure what you’re into the classics are a great place to start.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll love all these titles, but they are considered “classics” for a good reason, so whether you love or hate the authors’ styles, you’re at least promised an objectively good quality of writing and storytelling.

Getting your feet wet with the classics will help you understand the types of themes, styles, and niches you enjoy, and you can use those insights to guide your search for more great books.

10. Attend book fairs.

So you’ll probably attend book fairs if you’re already a devout book lover, but these events offer great opportunities for newbies and literature experts alike to discover new reads and connect with fellow readers.

You can find events at both the local and national level, where you can meet authors, get free goodies, and be the first to hear about hot new releases.

How Do You Decide What Book to Read?

The most important thing to consider when choosing your next book is what you enjoy. Sure, there will be times when you’re required to read something you may not like, but other than those exceptions, life is too short to waste time reading books you don’t enjoy.

So, the first step is to discover which genres and niches you like. Of course, you should still challenge yourself to try new things and step outside of your comfort zone, because that’s how you’ll find those delightful surprises that you otherwise wouldn’t have known about.

The bottom line, though, is that you shouldn’t have to suffer through a book just because that’s what your friends are reading, or because you think it will make you look smarter. If you find your self a third of the way into a book but just aren’t feeling it, you shouldn’t feel bad about putting it down and reaching for one you know you’ll love.