There are quite a number of different ways that people manage to make money online, but some things are far more successful than others. A lot of people buy and sell things, especially on auction sites such as eBay. One of the most popular items amongst buyers and sellers is books. An awful lot of people love to read and, because of this, used books will always be bought and sold.

If you are a reader and you have a lot of titles that you do not want anymore, then you could be looking at getting yourself a good price for them. A lot of it will be dependent on what genre they are and the condition that they are in. Like anything else, if things are tatty then this will affect their overall value.

Of course, eBay is not the only place to buy and sell books. There are plenty of websites that are dedicated to trading in both hardbacks and paperbacks. These are also a wonderful place to find any titles that you are looking for. Out of the sites that come up from a search on Google will have a huge selection that is laid out in numerous categories. You have a far greater chance of finding a particular novel on the internet than you have by trudging around endless bookshops. It is also far quicker to read through lists online than it is to go through volumes on shelves.

Some online shops will specialise in a particular genre. Don’t be at all surprised to find websites that deal solely in science fiction or spiritual subjects. Whatever topic it is that you read most of, you can be pretty sure that you will come across an online book shop that deals in exactly that.

Used books are the best place to look for any more unusual titles that you have been trying to lay your hands on. When you pore through the stores online you will see that there are all kinds of literary gems which are just waiting to be found by the right person. You can happily lose yourself for hours on end whilst you are scanning different lists of titles.

There are a lot of people who collect children’s books as well. You do not have to be a parent to enjoy them; as many readers will tell you. Most of the online stores will also have a huge selection of used books for children. If you do have a little one then it is a great way to find some stocking-fillers for Christmas.

The different sections on these sites really are varied. You can pick up some wonderful cookery titles along with books about all kinds of different arts and crafts. If you are trying to find a workshop manual for a certain make and model of car, then you should not have to look for very long. Whatever subject it is that you are interested in you have an extremely good chance of finding exactly what you want.

If you have a taste for a certain type of reading matter then you will be very pleased to hear there are many websites that deal in only one certain type of genre. Some companies will specialise in horror or science fiction novels, whilst others will only stock non-fiction books. Or if you like to read thrillers then it will not take very long for you to find a website that is devoted to nothing but. There is quite literally (excuse the pun) a website for whatever subject you care to imagine.

Non-fiction books can (for some unknown reason) be particularly difficult to track down sometimes, but this is certainly not the case when you are searching for them online. Compared to trawling around bookshops on foot, it is so much easier to locate what it is you are after. Browsing through titles online can actually be a very relaxing and enjoyable way to spend a few hours. It certainly beats looking through countless shelves in stores and still not finding what you wanted. Most readers will enjoy visiting the odd bookshop now and again but it can soon become a chore if there is something in particular you are trying to find.

There are also a lot of websites that deal only in children’s books. This can be a great way to find gifts, especially in the run up to Christmas. You are sure to find all of the classics, both old and modern along with many others that you have never come across before. There are some absolute gems in the world of kid’s stories and they are all just waiting to be discovered. It is not just children who enjoy these books; there are actually a lot of adults who read them as well. Some books for children are very collectable and can be worth an awful lot of money. If you have any old ones lying around then this may be worth checking out.

Online book prices are usually very reasonable indeed, but if you spend a little bit of time shopping around and comparing websites you may save yourself a bit of money as well. Even some of the newly released novels by top selling writers can be picked up for a fraction of the price you would pay in the high street. Non-fiction books and reference volumes are well known for being particularly expensive in shops which is why such a lot of people are now buying them online. Whatever genre it is that you are looking for, you are guaranteed to find them much cheaper on the internet.

And here it is: the top 25 must have books by Chrismas this year! We cover everything from paperbacks to hardbacks, fantasy stories, biographies, suspense, thrillers, fiction, non-fiction, chicklit: you name it and its here.

	The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown’The Lost Symbol’ is the follow-up to Dan Brown’s bestselling ‘The Da Vinci Code’. Once again Robert Langdon finds himself in mysterious chambers, tunnels, temples and Masonic secrets. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest by Steig LarssonSalander is plotting her revenge against the man who tried to kill her and against the government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life. After taking a bullet to the head, Salander is under close supervision in intensive care and is set to face trial for three murders. Can she prove her innocence? (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Grow Your Own Drugs by James WongYou’ve got Boots the chemist growing in your back garden but you just don’t know it yet. This book features fantastically easy recipes for natural remedies and beauty treats. (image courtesy of Priceminister)(image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Assegai by Wilbur Smith1913. Leon Courtney is in British East Africa guiding rich and powerful men from America and Europe on safaris in the Masai tribe territories. One of his clients has a company which builds aircraft and vehicles for the Kaiser’s army. He hadn’t bargained on falling in love with Eva, the Count’s mistress.(image courtesy of Priceminister)
	D-Day by Antony BeevorMaking use of overlooked and new material from over 30 archives in half a dozen countries, ‘D-Day’ is a vivid and well-researched account yet of the battle of Normandy. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	The Greatest Show on Earth by Rciahrd DawkinIn ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ Richard Dawkins takes on creationists, including followers of Intelligent Design and all those who question the fact of evolution through natural selection. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Audacity of Hope by Barack ObamaSenator Obama has written a book of transforming power. Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to the Constitution, he says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Pride And Prejudice And Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane AustinFeatures the text of Jane Austen’s novel, “Pride and Prejudice” with scenes of bone crunching zombie action (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Jade: Forever in My Heart by Jade GoodyCovering the final heart-breaking months in the life of TV celebrity Jade Goody, this book describes her brave fight against a terminal disease, her determination to provide for her sons and her desire to leave a legacy which might prevent other young women being torn from their families in the prime of life. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Twenties Girl by Sophie KinsellaLara has always had an overactive imagination. Now she wonders if she is losing her mind. Normal twenty-something girls just don’t get visited by ghosts! But inexplicably, the spirit of Lara’s great aunt Sadie in the form of a bold, demanding Charleston-dancing girl has appeared to make one last request. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	True Blood Omnibus by Charlaine HarrisSookie is an unassuming cocktail waitress in an (outwardly) unremarkable town. Attractive as she is, her hidden ‘talents’ send men running – her mindreading skills are just a bit threatening. When the unreadable Bill appears, he seems to be the man of her dreams. Except he’s not technically human. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	4 Ingredients by Kim McCoskerThis cookbook features over 340 quick, easy and very delicious recipes you can easily whip up to wow your friends and family, and all fith only four or fewer ingredients. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Tea Time For The Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall SmithMma Ramotswe is widely known for many things. Everybody knows about her kindness&her taste for redbush tea&cake. Everybody is familiar, too, with her tiny white van, which is beginning to feel its age. Are its difficulties to be terminal, or will Charlie, the feckless garage apprentice, be able to save the day? (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell(image courtesy of Priceminister)
	The Hairy Bikers’ Food Tour of Britain by Si King and Dave MyersBetter known as The Hairy Bikers – travel the length and breadth of Britain to discover our finest traditional foods. Touring the country on their trusty Harleys, Si and Dave celebrate local recipes and chefs from the villages and towns they explore (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	206 Bones by Kathy ReichsA routine case turns sinister when Dr Temperance Brennan is accused of mishandling the autopsy of a missing heiress. Someone has made an incriminating accusation and before Tempe can get to the one man with information he turns up dead. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly(image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey NiffeneggerThis is a 21st century ghost story about Niffenegger’s familiar themes of love, loss and identity. It is certain to cement her standing as one of the most singular and remarkable novelists of our time. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Time of My Life by Patrick SwayzeIn the public eye for much of the 1980s, Patrick Swayze made his name in movies such as Dirty Dancing and Ghost. This book chronicles Patrick’s career, as well as dealing with his fight against pancreatic cancer. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Caribbean Food Made Easy with Levi Roots by Levi RootsIn the BBC2 programme, ‘Caribbean Food Made Easy’, Levi Roots travels around the UK and the Caribbean and reveals how delicious Caribbean food can be prepared at home with easy-to-prepare, mouth-watering recipes using fresh, healthy and readily-available ingredients. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Saturday Night Peter by Peter Kay’Saturday Night Peter’ charts the hilarious journey as Peter Kay developed and honed his comedy skills by taking to the road and trying out his stand up material in pubs and clubs across the country. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	High Voltage Tattoo by Kate Von DKat Von D is an up and coming name in the world of tattooing and popular culture in general. Star of LA Ink and Miami Ink she has quickly made a name and style for herself. The book will include her story, what inspires her, information about her show and her shop, her sketches, and her personal tattoos (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	A Vintage Affair by Isobel WolffPhoebe Sanders runs her own vintage dress shop. But while she stitches and repairs couture suits and glorious dresses, there is something in Phoebe’s own past that she cannot restore, and which is stopping her searching for love. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	The Cloud Collectors’ Handbook by Gavin Pretor-PinneyThis handbook fits into the pocket, allowing cloudspotters to identify cloud formations anytime and anywhere. All the common cloud types are represented, as are many of the rare ones, each are fully described and illustrated with a range of photographs. (image courtesy of Priceminister)
	Crystal by Katie PriceCrystal is beautiful, talented and ambitious. All her life she has dreamed of making it as a singer and her chance finally comes when her girl band enters a TV reality show contest. But Crystal has a secret; she’s fallen for the wrong man and this one mistake could cost her everything. (image courtesy of Priceminister)

With October being the month of Halloween, it seems appropriate that this month’s genre summary should be horror!  So, what is it about some books that makes them known as horror?

The genre of horror fiction is the third of the commonly recognised forms of speculative fiction; acknowledged for around half a century as being works with a gruesome, suspenseful or frightening theme, specifically designed to scare or disturb the reader.  This is commonly achieved by introducing a supernatural or distressing element into a situation to which the reader can relate – everyday life, school trips or family holidays, for example.

Popular plot devices used throughout the horror genre include haunting by ghosts, invasions by zombies and attacks by homicidal humans.  For this reason, there is often a strong theme of violence within horror fiction, although this is definitely not always the case.  By playing to the power of the unknown, some of the best works of horror make intensely disturbing scenes few and far between; using suggestion and implication to coax the reader’s imagination and further build suspense.

One of the most famous works of horror every written is Stephen King’s The Shining; a book I shall review in my next post.

Science fiction is a genre of speculative fiction that is generally based around entertaining but rational alternate realities or possibilities. Despite the crossover with fantasy, science fiction is most different in that the imagined elements are largely held to be possible in accordance with the laws of science – unlike magical and mystic elements of fantasy. Oftentimes a large part of the appeal of science fiction is found in the literary investigation of the effect and consequences of differences or advancements in scientific principles.

Science fiction books are fiction books that are often set in alternative times and worlds, whether it be a distant planet or on Earth in the future or the unknown past. The storylines are frequently based around, or make use of, scientific principles or practises that differ from those in reality – time travel, space travel and radically advanced technology, for example.

Although hard sci-fi normally focuses the story around differences or advancements in the quantitative sciences, soft sci-fi novels are often based around the social sciences; in which key differences between fiction and reality come in the form of alternative psychologies, economics and political sciences. To this extent, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four could be considered a work of soft science fiction – albeit of the dystopian subgenre.

Despite the commonly perceived overlap with science fiction, what sets fantasy aside from other subgenres of speculative fiction is its use of magic and/or some other form of the supernatural as a primary theme, setting or plot.  Although the fantastic elements included are often impossible in reality, they are coherent within the created world and, to this extent, could be considered to make fantasy a more flexible genre than science fiction.  Where the primary focus of science fiction is normally (and unsurprisingly) a scientific one, upon which emphasis is often placed on a plausible, if sometimes complicated, explanation for the goings-on; the fantasy genre tends to appeal to mystical elements that require little or no justification in reality.

There is a popular association between fantasy and medievalism, possibly because the lack of technology allows for a greater influence of the supernatural – as The Lord of the Rings demonstrates.  However, many other popular fantasy books are set in worlds less medieval and far more fantastical than Middle Earth; Oz and Wonderland for example, far predate Tolkien’s Middle Earth, yet are considered fantasy classics.

The common influences of mythology, legend and folklore within the fantasy genre are obvious; the focus on heroes and monsters echoes Beowulf, while the epic adventures and great battles are tribute to the works of Homer.  Although fantasy is a genre that allows for maximum creativity, one cannot miss the impact of ancient literature on characters, places, races, beasts, weapons, language, values, philosophies and even fantasy storylines themselves.

Mystical, flexible and fundamentally magical, fantasy fiction books can take you to a whole new world, or put a twist on this world to make it infinitely more exciting.