Nine Blogs I Visit For Book Recommendations (For Me)

Last fall, I gave you eight of my favorite blogs to go to for children's book recommendations. But what about when I need a good book for myself? Of course I rely heavily on asking everyone I know the time-honored question of, "So...have you read anything good lately???" but I also look to these nine blogs for new recommendations:

1. Everyday Reading
I have been reading Janssen's blog since about 2009. She is one of the few bloggers I knew in real life before blogging (we were freshmen together at BYU). Janssen is a voracious reader, and although she tends to read more Young Adult than I do, our tastes in nonfiction definitely overlap (it's because of her that I picked up The Happiness Project, and you all know how much I love that book). I love reading all of her reviews, regardless of whether or not I think it's a book I'd actually read. She has a captivating way with words.

2. Modern Mrs. Darcy
In my dreams, I can read as fast as Anne Bogel. She cranks through hundreds of books every year, and her summer reading guide is legend (and she's read everything she recommends). She tends to read a lot of nonfiction, classics, and women's fiction, and while our tastes don't always sync, I love reading her posts because they are intelligent and interesting (and the discussions and recommendations she gets in the comments section are amazing). One of my favorite series on her blog is her literary matchmaking series where she considers three books a reader loved, one book they hated, and one they're currently reading and then gives them new recommendations. Her suggestions are always fresh and unexpected, and it's pretty obvious from them how widely she reads.

3. Maybe Matilda
While not technically a book blog, Rachel shares a roundup post every month of what she's been reading, and I love reading her short but insightful comments on each book. Recently she's also been sharing some of the books she's been reading with her four-year-old son, and of course I love seeing those as well. (Oh, and did I mention that she crochets? A hobby that tends to go very well with audiobooks.)

4. Mel's Thoughts
Melanie reads a lot, and she is not afraid of long, dense, intimidating books. (She has this really impressive goal of reading a biography of every U.S. president, and she's made a lot of headway so far.) For the most part, we have similar reactions to the same books (although she didn't like Better Than Before, and, well, you know I loved it), which helps me know that if she recommends a book, I'll probably really like it. Besides that, she travels a lot and takes beautiful photographs. She recently moved to Utah, and we met each other in person earlier this year. What a treat.

5. Other Women's Stories
Carrie definitely has her preferred genre (nonfiction, especially biography/memoir), but one of the things I really admire about her is that she's constantly pushing herself to branch out and try new genres. Consequently, I hear about a wide variety of books from her. She also keeps her blog very up-to-date on her reading status, so you always know exactly what's she's just finished, what she's currently reading, and what's in the queue.

6. Avid Reader's Musings
Out of all the blogs on this list, this is the one that is easiest to recognize as a traditional book blog. Melissa reviews pretty much everything she reads. Some of the reviews are long, and some of them are grouped into little mini-reviews. But you can be pretty confident that if Melissa's read it, then there's a review of it. She reads a lot of classics, and I appreciate knowing there's somewhere I can go to find a review if I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to delve into a long one. Even with it being a review-heavy blog though, you still get to see a lot of Melissa's personality, and I really like that.

7. Making Room
I haven't been reading Becca's blog for very many months, but enough to know I like her style and I like seeing what she's reading. Like Maybe Matilda, Becca does roundup posts featuring the books she's read during the month. I love it that she usually includes any chapter books she's read to her young daughter. Those totally count! And it gives me ideas for what to read to my kids (in fact, it's because of her high praise of Pippi Longstocking that it's up next for us).

8. Stacey Loscalzo
Stacey is another blogger who combines her love of reading with motherhood. I love seeing how the two intersect in her life and how she always makes time for reading for herself. She has many insightful posts on the value of reading. (And, I know this is supposed to be about how I find recommendations for myself, but she also shares her family's favorite picture books every month, just fyi.) I enjoy her "in this moment" posts,  as well as her mini-reviews of the books she's read.

9. Such Stuff
Suzanne and I often joke about being kindred spirits. We've never met in real life, but if we ever do, we're just sure we'll be great friends. Suzanne is getting her master's in literature (along with being a mom to two little boys), so of course you know she has good taste. Besides doing roundup book posts at the end of every month, Suzanne takes what she's been reading and applies it to real life in thoughtful, intelligent posts (she even applied The Book of Strange New Things to her own marriage). She probably likes fantasy and sci-fi a little more than I do (okay, she definitely does), but our preferences intersect at many other genres.

As you can see, these bloggers represent a wide range of reading tastes and interests. There's young adult, modern fiction, nonfiction, biography, fantasy, and science fiction among them, so it's highly likely that at least one of these blogs (if not more) will appeal to your personal preferences. Happy reading!

What's your go-to blog(s) for book recommendations?

Where to Find a Good Children's Book

A couple of years ago, I wrote a post about where I went for book recommendations. I thought about that post recently and realized that, while some of it is still current (I still rely heavily on the library catalog, award lists, and book lists for new ideas), the blog section is woefully out of date.

The only two from that list that I still check with any sort of regularity are No Time For Flashcards (where I usually head when I'm planning out a preschool lesson and want a book to match a specific theme) and Everyday Reading (a blog I obsessively follow--Janssen's recent Summer Unplugged series was chock-full of new ideas for books we'd never read).

So yes, I thought it was high time to update my list and spill all of my book-finding secrets.

But first, I just have to say that the book lists that often get the most attention on Pinterest and the web are usually not the most helpful for new ideas. In my experience, those lists of 101 Best Books of All Time are usually a) made up of the same 101 classics that have been praised and mentioned for the past 25 years (classics? yes, read them; new ideas? not so much) or b) recommended without ever having been read by the person recommending them.

If you feel like you keep running into the same recommendations, I would definitely start following some of these blogs. You won't be disappointed.

1. What Do We Do All Day
I've lost count of how many times I've mentioned Erica's blog (but hint: it's a lot), but this list would be incomplete without her blog on it. If you're a fan of the list format, Erica's the book blogger for you. She has lists on Books to Inspire Artistic Creativity, Science Fiction Picture Books, and almost any other subject you can imagine. She also highlights her favorite new books from the current year (usually in quarterly installments) and (one of my favorite things) she features lesser known books from decades past. But the best thing of all? She only recommends books she has already read and loved with her two boys, so you know they're going to be good.

2. This Picture Book Life
Danielle's blog is eye candy for picture book lovers. Seriously. Go ahead, click over, and you'll see what I mean. She does a regular book pairing series (basically a list of books on a certain subject) as well as talks about the life and work of  various picture book authors. She knows how to present picture books as their own art form, and I always find good ideas when I scroll through her posts.

3. Growing Book by Book
Jodie's blog is a great resource, not only for finding new picture books, but also for book extension activities and crafts. (Also, her facebook page is a wealth of current literacy ideas of all kinds.)

4. The Picture Book Review
I used to look at this blog all the time, and then there was a period of several months without any new posts. But, I'm happy to say, since the spring of this year, Tiffa's been posting regularly once more. Her reviews follow a very structured format, which makes them really easy to read and glean the essential bits from. Plus, she always links to other reviews of the book, and I love being able to find them all in one easy spot. (Also, check out her list of favorite Halloween books for a timely read.)

5. Read-Aloud Revival
I was not a podcast listener until a couple of months ago. But when I found the Read Aloud Revival podcast, I was instantly hooked. Sarah McKenzie talks to educators, parents, and authors about the benefits of reading aloud and how to build your family's culture around books. (Basically, she's a kindred spirit from afar). I can't listen to an episode without feeling rejuvenated and inspired (which can be a bad thing if I'm listening at 10:30 pm--it makes it REALLY difficult to fall asleep.) Sarah is well-spoken and engaging and relatable, and I always get fantastic ideas for new books to read. My favorite two episodes so far are with Ken Ludwig and Alice Ozma.  

6. A Fuse #8 Production
Betsy Bird is the New York Public Library’s Youth Materials Collections Specialist. She regularly reviews picture books (usually new ones), has written her own picture book, and is a great source for interesting book news. Her writing is engaging and witty, and I'm dying for the day when I can go to New York and hear her speak.

7. J House Vlogs
My good friend, Kendra, recently started a daily vlog with her family. As part of that, she has, what I think is going to be, a regular feature showcasing their favorite finds at the library. There are only two library episodes so far, but this is definitely one I'll be keeping my eye on. Kendra has excellent taste in books, and I trust her recommendations completely. (Plus, she has four kids--almost all the same ages as mine--so we are at a similar place where kid's lit is concerned.)

8. Jen Robinson's Book Page
Jen is a voracious reader (seriously, I don't know how she gets through so many books), and her thoughts are both insightful and honest. Another perk is that she's not limited to just picture books but explores a wide range of levels and genres.

Of course, I haven't even mentioned where I go for middle grade and adult recommendations (I have many sources for those too!), nor did I talk about any of my favorite blogs in general (because, believe it or not, on occasion I do read about things not related to books). I'll save those for another day.

And now it's your turn! Where do YOU go for tried and true book recommendations?