What to read and how to choose?

This is always a problem when using the library. If you don't know what to read next, have a look at our path finder bookmarks near the issues desk. We have the following lists :
Dystopian Fiction - books like The hunger games set in a future world where life is often a struggle.
Paranormal romance - books like Twilight. They can have angels, vampires etc and there's a love interst.
Fantasy - books like Harry Potter with magic or fantastical creatures in them.
Chic Lit - books like Jacqueline Wilson with stories for girls that are light although they sometimes deal with issues.
Adventure spy stories - books like Anthony Horowitz "Stormbreaker"
Horror stories
Courage in adversity - books like A Child Called It both fiction and non-fiction.
Supernatural stories - stories with ghosts, but not the romance ones on this list.
Murder mysteries

There are some great websites that you can use too.

http://www.goodreads.com/
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/
http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/
http://www.literature-map.com/
http://bookseer.com/
http://www.insideadog.com.au/

Then there's the school's OPAC which you can access from inside the school and from home. See the site links in the Heretaunga Intranet site. There are reading lists on the OPAC or you can do subject searches. Or you can look at the new items.

Personal recommendations are another really good way of finding good books. Talk to your friends about what they are reading and enjoying. Ask your teachers and the librarian for recommendations.

Then you've finally got a book in your hand, but how can you tell if you're going to like it? We do all have different tastes. So read the blurb. Then read the first page. If you're hooked then that's easy carry on reading. If you're still not sure then give it a few more pages, but if after the first couple of chapters you are really not enjoying it then try another one.

Happy reading everyone