A good book contains...

[fajrdrako]

30 Day Book Meme: – Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!

Words?

Aside from that, there's no such item.

Or I could say: "books that make me laugh, or make me cry, or both," but since I don't know what will make me do that in advance, it doesn't work. I don't know what good writing is till I read it. I don't know whether I will fall in love with a character, or be riveted with suspense, or be given new insights, or... whatever.

There are things I look for, though. And though I don't read all books with these attributes, they will incline me to pick them up and give them a try:

1. First person narrative, especially with mysteries
   
2. Recommendations from my friends
   
3. A good first paragraph
   
4. An interesting historical setting
   
5. Something that makes it look unusual or unique
   
6. An author I already love and trust
   
7. Something that reminds me of an author I already love and trust