How do you know what books to read?

I have a look at Goodreads, I'm in a couple of FB groups one for crime books and one for general everything. I've used the threads on here too for diverse interests. The Sunday supplements also recommend books so depending if you get a newspaper and what you purchase, there are often a good range of recommendations there. I also find, depending on who's in the supplements, as in who's being interviewed can be really interesting for book recommendations when they give their perspective on a book they have read or reading. Go and have a coffee or tea in Waterstones and they will be happy to recommend books and authors too. Hope this helps xx

Browse in bookshops, read book reviews in weekend papers, browse the books threads on MN, talk to friends about what they're reading/what they enjoyed, Goodreads, talking to members of my book group.

Glance through the weekend paper reviews and take a photo on phone or add to Amazon wish list if anything jumps out and then buy from an independent book seller (thehive) helps with this.

Book reviews in newspapers and periodicals, browsing in good bookshops, keeping an eye on certain small publishers who publish things I tend to like, friends who review or read long,it’s for literary prizes, plus I generally tend to know if my favourite contemporary authors have a book coming out.

Also, Mumsnet

Book/reading related accounts on Instagram
Goodreads
Bookbub
Facebook reading group

I go on recommendations or what's recommended in the local book shop.

Sometimes if I get a Sunday supplement with a book section I'll try some of their books.

New and popular books don't appeal to me much because I don't find many of them that appealing.

I will browse the book aisles in supermarkets and take photos of ones that look interesting. Then will check reviews on Amazon once I’m home. If they’re any good I will put them on my want list.

I also borrow e-books from the library and they have a good recommended and ‘if you liked…’ section.

A lot of the time I stick to authors I know .

The book threads on here. Book reviews in papers.

I get most of my books from charity shops and for certain types of books I'll go for shortlisted/ winner of the booker or Costa.

One other source I forgot to mention before is Book Break, which is the YouTube channel for Pan Macmillan publishers. It's run by another BookTuber I watch, who also has her own channel, Drinking By My Shelf. Her reading taste is quite similar to mine too, so often puck up recommendations from her.

Actually can anyone recommend a podcast with a few entertaining prolific readers being totally honest about the books they read?

I need one where they are not being polite or hoping to get any authors on, and where they only read what they want to read, and can say "This was shite! I didn't finish it." and say why.

When I think why the ones I've listened to don't work, it is because they're too respectful and bland.

I feel very leaden-footed reading about people’s podcast habits, etc!

I imagine, YewandOak, that the OP is asking about the route people take to arrive at the point of reading the blurb on the back of a book.

I rely on friends with similar taste to mine. If they recommend a book to me, it will be worth a shot.

I'm going to try some of the things recommended above too - I've not had much success to date with book podcasts etc.

I have no idea what books are new or popular. I'm not one to read a book just because it's popular

I prefer to read the blurb on the back of a book and maybe a few pages if the blurb looks interesting.

Browsing the shelves at Waterstones or the second hand book shop.

I read book reviews from major periodicals to help me decide.

However, I generally don't read anything new, nor because it's popular. I can't imagine reading something because I see total strangers reading it. But if that's the way you like to choose, just keep an eye on bestseller lists.

I look at the Waterstones charts online!

@GoodMorrowFairMaiden

I have signed up to the Waterstones newsletter.

There is a magazine called Book Time, which is available online:

www.booksellers.org.uk/Member-Services/Saving-Time-and-Money/Booktime

I follow the 50 books/25 books in a year threads on here.

Whenever I walk past a charity or second-hand shop, if I've got time I'll go in to browse the books.

I get tonnes of recommendations pop up on my Facebook feed - some are my taste, others not so much.

I am a member of a book group, so we'll often recommend books to each other.

Though talking to people online about books - several different places and it's changed over the years. It used to be more focused on crime fiction, now I use the website LibraryThing and chat to particular people on there. I also use Goodreads but I prefer the conversation on Librarything and also while both sites are started in the US and dominated by American users, it's easier to record what I've bought, borrowed, read etc on Librarything so my book info looks how I want i to!

My sister started a FB group for friends and family members (including friends' mothers or friends of an older generation - one of her best friends used to live next door to her when we were all kids, and that friend and her mum are both on the group.

I have old favourites, series that I like to read though in some cases I'm very behind and in other cases, for example, I've really enjoyed the first two in the series but not (yet) got much further! But I'm also always on the lookout for new ideas.

I also borrow lots of books from the library, huge Kindle wishlists etc and scour all the daily monthly and other details and keep an eye on prices of books I'm interested in and buy from charity shops and secondhand.

In short, my problem is not being short of ideas on what to read, it's being spoiled for choice.

Good luck finding some good books to read though.

@GoodMorrowFairMaiden I watch Jen Campbell, LaurenAndTheBooks, GettingHyggeWithIt, Savidge Reads, Read A Book Gem, All D Books. I've had some good book recommendations from them.