MOST EAGERLY ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR!!!
I've been wondering lately about book advertising. I don't know if it's just that I'm more aware or if it's been increasing more, but what is with all the crazy and sometimes overwhelming advertising surrounding new books? I've started to be annoyed with some of the campaigns; they just seem a bit over the top. I think maybe it's a sign I'm getting old and grumpy or something. :)There are so many superlatives (most, best) and adverbs (eagerly, highly) thrown out there describing new releases that they begin to lose meaning. Does using these words/phrases actually make people want to read them? Does this convince us as readers to seek out these books, describe our NEED for them, and otherwise blog about them well in advance of their release date? I know I'm often convinced by the big campaigns, the flashy ads, and the "highly anticipated" description of a book. But sometimes, most often lately, when I see those ads telling me a book is the "most eagerly awaited," I want to avoid it. I almost wanted to avoid seeing the Hunger Games movie because the obnoxious Capitol products and advertising kind of annoyed me. (I saw it, of course. And it was good, of course.)
And what about those author blurbs? If "NY Times Bestselling Author" said this book "made them stay up all night to read" or "made them green with envy over the writing" or was just "plain good," do you care? Do you make you want to read it more or less? What does make us want to get our hands on a book months before it will ever hit shelves?
I admit, I've been swayed by all of those things. Favorite Author said it was "Awesome?" Bring it on. Publicity is saying this is the Next Big [fill in the blank]? I might be a bit more leary, but will keep my eye on it still. Do you find yourself skeptical or eager when you see things like this?
I've discovered books on my TBR, added for whatever reason, that I honestly can't remember why I would have put it there. It might have been some advertising/blogging/blurbing/something that caught my eye. But, what makes a book go from TBR to actually read? What moves things up on that list? For me, I think it is a combination of things - plot, bloggers, and hype. Yes, even the hype. I am, unfortunately, not one of those cool enough to say "I won't read this book, because everyone says it's amazing and I want to swim against the current."
Usually, I'll take the blog raves with a grain of salt, depending on the blogger raving. There are bloggers who I know don't rave unless they find it absolutely necessary, and there are those who will rave about anything and everything, so long as it's popular and in their hands (I'd like to note that I think I'm somewhere in between these two). Also, summaries, even though I don't usually religiously read them, will often be what attracts me. I like a smart concept, sometimes even just a snippet like "future world where chocolate and coffee are banned" and that can move a book right to the top of Mount TBR.
But enough yapping, I want to hear your opinions. What you think of ads touting the "best/most eagerly/exciting/acclaimed/award-winning" book of the year, blogger buzz, author blurbs, summaries, and anything else about books that make you want to pick them up (or throw them across the room)?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
