October means the start of regular cool temps, sweater weather, evenings and weekends curled up with a warm beverage and a good book.

So, you’ve got your coziest hoodie on and made the perfect steaming mug of tea, but now you’re not sure what to read. It can be overwhelming to know where to find good recommendations, or know how to ask for them. Well, don’t be scared! Let me offer you a few readers’ advisory tricks (that are also treats!)
Here are some resources to help pair you with your next great read:

Book Links (on the library website):

Our dedicated and bookish Reference Services team have compiled lists for almost any genre or type of story you want to read, on our site under Book Links. Into Magical Realism, African American fiction, True Crime, or Western Romances? It’s all there to choose from! We’re working on updating these lists, so make sure to keep checking back for new (and new to you) recommendations.

Explore column on the front page of our MORE catalog for what’s new, popular, coming soon, and staff picks from area libraries

NoveList Plus (requires a library card for login)

NoveList Plus features a sidebar of reading lists to browse, broken down by topic or genre. But if you are more specific on what you’re looking for, it also allows advanced searches by date range, theme, reading level, and more.

Book Riot

Articles full of recommended reads by genre, best book covers, top picks; as well as podcasts recommendations and newsletters to sign up for, based on your interests and preferences

Literature Map

Literature Map is great if you have an author you really love, and want to find other writers with similar styles. You type in the name and it gives you a web of other author names – the closer together the names, the more similar their writing style. For example, entering Sarah Gailey gives me Alex E. Harrow as the author most similar. A quick catalog search shows that there are three titles by that author that I could check out and take home today from the Eau Claire library.

Reference Staff

Our Reference Services staff on the second floor is happy to help you find something that may pique your interest, or tell you about whatever we are currently reading!