What Makes You Pick a Book Off the Shelf?

With so many great books out, how do you decide what you're going to read next?

I went to Borders a few weeks ago with a $50 gift card and quickly found that it didn't take long to spend it, and then some. My problem was there were so many wonderful books to choose from. I know, it's a great problem to have. I, of course, do most of my shopping in the YA section. I swear, every time I go into Borders the section gets bigger...which is fantastic, but along with abundance comes a more difficult choice -- what to pick?

Btw - I just told my husband my blogging question, "What makes you pick a book off the shelf?" and he said, "My hand, my eyes, coordination." He SO doesn't get it, lol! :)

Okay, back to Borders -- I knew I wanted a few books, such as Delirium, The Hunger Games & Vampire Academy, based on recommendations from my favorite book bloggers and fantastic critique partner. After that, I was like a kid in the candy story. Everything was so sparkly and pretty.

The first thing that attracts me to books is the cover. For example, I scooped up Paranormalcy -- it has a gorgeous cover. I immediately wanted to read it based on the name and the cover alone. After I'm wooed into picking up a book, I read the blurb. There are so many great books that I don't even bother to read the first few pages anymore. Recommendations, the title, cover and blurb are all key factors in what books I choose and which ones I save for a later date. My to-be-read list is VERY long!

What about you? What makes you pick a book off the shelf? Or, for you electronic readers, how do you decide what you're going to read next?

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! :)

Cheers!
T. H. Browning