I read very little and wanted to start with something that would really grab me, but there's so much stuff on Skoob that I get lost. My friends are always recommending different books and I don't even know what genre I actually like. Does anyone have tips on how to figure out my style?
Think about movies or series that really stuck with you, like the ones that kept you up late or that you'd watch again. From there it's easier to search for books in the same style - if you liked a psychological thriller on screen, you'll probably like it on the page too. Then it's just about trying things out, no stress in dropping a book that doesn't grip you, life's too short to waste time on boring stories.
The idea of "discovering your style" before you start is what complicates everything. Actually, you discover it by reading, not by thinking about it. The best strategy is to start with recommendations from people whose taste you respect, but don't take it too seriously if the first book doesn't grab you. Read a chapter or two and if you get a "meh" feeling, forget about it. Nobody's obligated to finish a bad book, especially when you're just starting out and want to develop a taste for reading.
What I'd do: grab a book that a friend recommended with genuine enthusiasm (not just generic "oh, it's good"), go with your gut and give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, move on. Try another one. After reading like half a dozen different things - whether they're thrillers, romance, sci-fi, whatever - you start to notice patterns. Like, maybe you realize you like stories with well-developed characters and less plot full of plot twists, or the other way around. On Skoob, when you find a book that caught your attention, also check out the reviews from readers who describe what they thought (not just the star rating).
A practical tip: start with something accessible, don't try an epic thousand-page book right away. Shorter books or ones that seem like a quick read take the pressure off forcing yourself too much. And ignore the hype a bit if it's not clicking for you - just because everyone read a book doesn't mean it's the right one to start with now.
I disagree a bit with the previous answer - discovering your taste by reading is true, but you don't need to start completely in the dark. Try thinking about movies, shows, or even stories you've liked in your life: that already tells you a lot about what kind of narrative works for you. Then just go on Skoob, filter by similar genre, and pick something with plenty of positive ratings and comments that actually make sense to you, not just the star count. And that's it, start from there - if it doesn't grab you, stop and try another one, no guilt about it. Finding your taste is definitely something you learn by doing, but with a smart starting point you save time trying things at random.
Don't fall into the trap of looking for the "perfect" book in Skoob reviews - yeah, some of what the others said makes sense, but the problem is you get stuck reading synopses. Just grab a book that sounds interesting, read the first few chapters, and if it doesn't hook you in 50 pages, toss it and try another one. You really discover what you like by trying things out, not by overthinking it beforehand.
People are right about that, but here's what nobody mentioned: don't just go buy a 400-page book out of the blue. Start with short stories or novellas from the same author or genre that interests you, that way you test things out without spending a lot of money or time on something that might not click with you.
The problem is that everyone's pressuring you to "figure it out" before you even start, when the truth is much simpler: just grab a book that someone you trust personally recommended, and if it doesn't hook you by page 50, drop it without feeling guilty. The trap nobody mentioned is getting stuck on "I should finish because I paid for it" - that kills any desire to read. What I'd do is ask those friends of yours not just for the title, but the specific reason they liked it; then it's way easier to see which of them has taste close to yours.
Pick up a book with fewer than 300 pages to start with - the shorter it is, the less afraid you are of "wasting time" if you don't like it, and you'll quickly figure out what grabs you without spending months reading something boring. Once you finish one you actually enjoyed, use that book as a reference on Skoob to find similar ones (there's a tab there that says "readers who liked this also read...").
The trick is to start with something really short - like a short story collection or a novella, nothing with 500 pages. You read it, see if you can keep up with the story's pace, if the writing style appeals to you, if it's actually grabbing your interest. A lot of people want to jump straight into a 700-page classic because they think "it has to be that way" and they give up on page 50. Start small, no guilt about it, and expand as you develop a taste for it.
One thing nobody mentioned: instead of relying only on generic reviews on Skoob, look for booktokkers or booktubers who have a way of talking similar to yours. If you see someone talking about a book and think "this person has my sense of humor," you'll probably like what they recommend. It's like having a friend who actually gets your taste. And when you find a book you genuinely LOVE, pay attention to what made you like it - the humor, the mystery, the characters, the fast pace, the poetic writing, whatever - because then you can actually search for similar stuff with more confidence.
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