Why I Don't Read Blurbs

The back-of-book blurb is a necessary tool. It gives you the genre, the characters and the premise of the book. Its goal is to raise enough interest that a potential reader will give the book a try. It is invaluable and important, but for the most part, as a reader, I avoid them. 

Why?

Mostly, it's a personal quirk. I hate spoilers and the book blurb often tells you what's going to happen in the first three chapters of the novel. Even if they try to be coy, there is usually a hint of what the twist will be (for example I am very glad I didn't read the blurb for Consumed by J.R. Ward). I prefer to have the story be revealed to me as I read. And if the writer doesn't have enough skill to hook me on the front page, then its often a sign that no matter how great the premise the book is going to be only mediocre.

I always read the blurb when I was younger. I chose what book to read next based on genre and if the plot sounded interesting. I think this is how the vast majority of readers choose a book. Blurbs, for the most part, work. I still use blurbs to try out the work of authors I've never read before. But what works even better (for me) is choosing a book by author.

Again, as I young reader, I didn't pay that much attention to authors. But once I started writing myself it began more important to me. And I discovered that the most reliable marker of whether or not I was going to love (not like, but love) a book had nothing to do with the plot and everything  to do with the author. I vividly remember reading two Harlequins as a teen that had essentially an identical plot involving the heroine being unjustly convicted of a crime and deciding to get revenge on the prosecuting lawyer years later and yet one of them was a tense read and one was meh. 

When I buy an Ilona Andrews book, I really don't care that much whether it's in their Hidden Legacy series or the Kate Daniels World or an Innkeeper book or something entirely new. I know that it's going to be a great book and all I have to do is buckle in for the ride. 

Blurbs will always be important for finding new authors to read, but if I trust an author because they've consistently delivered a great story, I don't need the blurb. Do you have a favourite author? Try not reading the blurb to their next book.