Signal Spring 2019 Newsletter

www.alliancecom.net 5 How to Build a Better Book Club One of the best things about reading books is talking about them with others. Book clubs can be a great place to do so, but it takes a bit of effort to create a good one and keep it going. Visit these sites for ideas and inspiration: ReadingGroupGuides ( readinggroupguides.com) This site is a complete book club resource with reading guides for specific books, discussion questions for when no guide is available, and tips for starting and running a successful book club. BookBrowse ( bookbrowse.com/bookclubs) Another great resource for reading guides, this site also enables visitors to discuss books online. Read interviews with members of real-life book clubs and get recommendations for your club’s next book. Bookclubz (bookclubz.com ) Here you’ll find a start-to-finish book club organizer. Create your club on the site, then use it to develop meeting invites, track books and members, and connect with other clubs. We GiveThese Review Sites Five Stars Page-Turner ( newyorker.com/books/page-turner ) Brought to you by The New Yorker , this site offers “criticism, contentions, and conversation inspired by books and the writing life.” Articles include reflections on the lives of late writers, reviews of new books, and commentary on finalists for writing contests. If you love books and the people who write them, this is the site for you. Kirkus (kirkusreviews.com ) Started by Virginia Kirkus in the 1930s, Kirkus Reviews has a long-standing reputation for previewing books prior to publication. Here you’ll find reviews, blogs, a podcast, contests, and an entire section devoted to books that feature diverse characters. Sign up for the news- letter to get all the latest in your inbox. Omnivoracious (amazonbookreview.com ) It may come as no surprise that Amazon has a book review site. Check out the Best Books section for instant recommen- dations or go to your favorite genre area for more specific suggestions. You can also go behind the pages with in-depth author interviews and find out what celebrities are reading in Celebrity Picks. Publishers Weekly (publishersweekly.com/pw/reviews/ index.html) This straightforward review site offers opinions on several genres including fic- tion, nonfiction, children’s, religion, and comics. Check out the Review of the Week or the Best Books section for works you may not have otherwise considered. Subscribe to the site for additional access. While finishing a book is satisfying, it leaves you with the question of what to read next. There are many strategies for finding great books including asking friends or browsing a bookstore. Another is checking out reviews online. These sites offer insights to help you make your next reading decision. QUICK TIP: Check out NPR’s Book Concierge (apps.npr.org/ best-books-2017) for a quick list of last year’s favorites among the NPR staff.