Let's Talk About... What Makes You Pick Up a Book?

You know those books that you feel like you're going to die if you don't get a copy as soon as possible? Those books that you know you're going to go buy the day it releases, or you preorder as soon as it's up? Every so often, one of those comes up for me. It's not often, and most of the time those books are sequels. It's one thing to be terribly excited for a book by an author you've read or a book in a series you adore, but what about those from debut authors or authors you've never read? Just what is it about that book that makes you so desperate to have it? Is it word of mouth from other bloggers and starred reviews? Is it simply the synopsis or cover (or both together)? Is it a recommendation or blurb from one of your favorite authors?

As for me, it's a variety of things, and for each book I get so excited for that I have to buy a copy immediately, it's a different prevailing reason that I have to have it. For example, the book I most want right now is The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski. I first heard of this book quite a while ago, but I wasn't desperate for a copy until I read the first couple of chapters on Tor's website. Normally, I don't often read excerpts from books before their publication; it's just not something I do, preferring to wait until the book is out to look into the writing. I made an exception, and that changed my opinion completely. From that day on, it's been on the top of my wishlist. Rave reviews from other bloggers and starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly (which aren't a big recommendation to me, just icing on the cake) have only added to my excitement.

Conversely, a book I just became enamored of is The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco. I saw it on Kai's Waiting on Wednesday, but I often read WoW posts that don't interest me or I'm only mildly interested in. I was sold on this one before I finished the first section of the synopsis. In this case, all it took to make me want this book was the synopsis. I didn't need a recommendation or excerpt, nothing. That being said, the few reviews in are rating this very highly, and the cover is pretty gorgeous--none of which hurts.

But, I believe most recommendations I listen to come from other bloggers. There are people whose taste coincide with mine, and I do listen to those reviews, but those are not what make up most of the recommendations I listen to. Generally, it's a whole grouping of reviews that tends to sway me more.

So, what makes you want to read a book? If it's a mix of things, what do you listen to most often? OR, do you just pick what you want, without any consideration for other's opinions?