Hierarchy of choice: how do you decide whether to read a book? cover, blurb, sample, reviews?

[Quantum]

How do you decide whether to read a book?

Do you first get caught by the cover online, get a recommendation from a friend, an ad, from a book email subscription list, a Goodreads group read, a local book club, the bookstore? And then what’s the deciding factor? Cover? Blurb? Sample? Or are you set from the beginning? Like from a recommendation?

( inspired by (it also has a quite elucidating discussion) https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...)

[Ian]

In my case it is mainly the blurb, or a recommendation, or someone asking me for a review. The covers only interest me very slightly, and only if they tell me it is different from much of the rest. Again, the blurb has to tell me it is different from most of the rest, i.e. something has to stand out. Then again, I often end up with some fairly ordinary books but even that are useful for an author because they tell me some things to avoid.

[Scout]

I have a friend whose sister is a great reader. She gives him recommendations that he passes on to me. I also look on the back cover of books I like for authors I'd enjoy. Covers don't matter to me.

[Justin]

Cover, plot and if I'm into the genre or concept overall.