Amazon Kindle discussion
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How to you find what you read?
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I have a number of sources, Amazon being the biggest one. Their recommendations are where I've gotten quite a few ideas. Also, I check out websites that have reviews of books in the genres that I like, for instance book reviews at io9.com, for sci-fi and fantasy books.
I also keep an eye on free promotions when they come up, and most of the time i hear about them on sites like Goodreads.
I also keep an eye on free promotions when they come up, and most of the time i hear about them on sites like Goodreads.
Actually I have been on GR many years now and have found friends who like books similar to those I like. Every day I get an email of those my GR friends are reading or have added. I go through all of these. I also get ideas from GR groups, the NY Times and a site /magazine that caters to libraries. I choose my books by what interests me. RARELY are they free. If the book is not available on Kindle I go to the site www.ereaderiq.com and have them tell me when it is kindlized. I also look at Gutenberg, but unfortunately I am not into classics.
Same as Chrissie for me (except I read a lot of classics). I have been trying out some free Kindle books lately and they've been hit and miss quality wise. If I see one in the future that sounds really good I might try it but I think I'll cut back on that for now and focus on what I know will probably be good (according to reviews, Goodreads buddies, etc). Occasionally I win a book through Goodreads first reads, some are good some not so much. But it's always exciting to see that package by the front door and know you've got a new book to read.
Oh and I always try and check Kirkus reviews. they are the least flattering. Some of the criticisms are so blatant, that they get me laughing. B&N has free Kindle reviews. Choozing books takes time, but then you do not waste time on a whole book you dislike. Anyhow I still make mistakes.Another thing I forgot. I always, if possible, read some of the prose. I love the smapling function on Kindle.
I look for other member's recommendations, group reads, also th recent amazon kindle sale where books were around £1.
The Kindle spring sale was amazing - I bought half a dozen books by authors I hadn't read before. Great opportunity! I flick through the "bestselling freebies" every couple of weeks, as well,I also love the sampling function. But to find out what to sample I rely on friends' recommendations, on- and offline.
Rachel wrote: "The Kindle spring sale was amazing - I bought half a dozen books by authors I hadn't read before. Great opportunity! I flick through the "bestselling freebies" every couple of weeks, as well,I al..."
Kindle Spring sale?? When was this and how did I not hear about it?? ;)
Ashley wrote: "Kindle Spring sale?? When was this and how did I not hear about it?? ;) "Maybe it was just a UK thing - I heard about it through Twitter, it was not at all obvious on the Kindle itself, though there was a separate page on the website.
You all have fabulous suggestions. The only review site's I've ever used as been Amazon and sometimes it is really hard to tell if the story will be good or not. For example, I went through a phase where I was reading Lynn Kurland. The lady has a series of about 20 books which I was lucky enough to borrow from a friend. When I ran out I wanted something else similar so I did an Amazon search and found, Janet Chapman (I think). She had excellent reviews, everyone RAVED about these books. So I ordered one (before kindle). I've never been so disappointed in my life. No plot at all, couldn't determine the time period (characters used a coal stove in the bank BUT drove a huge SUV). Let's just say I wasn't impressed.I LOVE the sample feature although I have to admit that the book I spoke about above I read the sample for. Sometimes no matter what you do, you can get a book you don't like!
Amazing thing about books is it seems there is always someone out there who loves the book and someone who hates it as well.
I want to thank everyone for sharing your suggestions. I'm new to the kindle world and this is great!
I rarely read free books. I also used to follow the same authors, but I'm changing both my reading and buying habits since joining GR last winter. I find a lot of interesting reads in GR group discussions and group reads. And sometimes by just browsing around GR. For example, I was checking out a GR author to see when his next book was coming out, and I took a look at his blog. In it he recommended a book he thought his readers might like. So I read it and liked it. Another time, I checked out one of my favorite books, which is not well known. Then I checked out other people who rated it 5-stars and found another GR author whose review resonated with me. So I looked at that person to see what else she especially liked, and found at least one book I wanted to read. There are all kinds of ways on Goodreads to find books to read. Just play around.
I mostly ignore Amazon's recommendations. They very rarely come up with anything new that intrigues me, and sometimes they are so off it's funny. Just yesterday, because I said I had read Harry Potter, they recommended that I might be interested in a frog shaped candy mold. ????
Goodreads has been the most interesting find. Betsy, you are so right. A person can play around on Goodreads and find all the information they need. Of course reviews of books should be taken into careful consideration. What one person likes to read may or may not be what another person likes to read. Thanks so much for the ideas. Keep'em comin'!
I have a list of authors that I love to read and reread, and usually check to see if they have any new books out ... I have a couple set for amazon to send me emails when they publish new books. I've also been introduced to a lot of good, new authors here on goodreads. Several of my groups here do monthly reads and I'll pick up the ones that look like my kind of book.And I check the Kindle Bestsellers pretty consistently on amazon. I'm not likely to buy something just because it's on the best seller list, but I do read through descriptions to see if it's something I might enjoy reading. I'm also a member of netgalley.com, so I get a lot of pre-publication galleys that way, especially mysteries from Poisoned Pen Press (my current favorite publisher).
I'm also on a couple of discussion boards where people occasionally mention their current reads, which has led to me, for example, reading A Game of Thrones and the rest of that series.
I read books that are mostly recommended by friends. I follow a few of my favourite authors, Terry Pratchett and getting into Patricia Cornwell at the moment, but I am very lucky that my blog site has gone really popular, as authors tend to send me lots of book. Also I only just worked out how to put PDF files onto my kindle.
Goodreads has given me lots of titles to add to my To Read list. I also go by the recommendations of friends/family who have similar reading tastes. I'm not adverse to trying books outside of my own 'comfort zone' but tend to only dip my toe in once in a while. Even if such a book were free to download, I'm not sure that I would, just because it's free.
I do a lot of reading challenges here, so most of what I read fits into challenge categories...I normally look at the description, go through my pile of books to see what I have already that might fit, then I start looking at what other people might have listed or take a look at listopia's that people have made for guidance
I am deep into the classics, so the freebies on Amazon are a godsend. I have discovered some great folks as authors also from Amazon Kindle blogs. Some good freebies and great recommendations.
I just joined the group, and I found this discussion thread to be fascinating. I mainly choose books to read based on recommendations from friends (including Goodreads friends), but I found all the different ways others of you use to select books very interesting. Some like the freebies, some don't. Some like the Amazon sample feature or recommendations, some don't. Some read reviews, some don't.
I tend to browse the free book section to see if there is anything interesting. I also have authors I like to read and I'll visit one of their books on Amazon and scroll down to the section where it says other customers who bought this also bought these. Then I'll start book hopping around and adding things to my list. I really like books under $5 on Amazon and that is how I find them. They are hit or miss but I haven't come across anything truly awful.
Thanks everyone for sharing! Like Beth said it is amazing to see how different we are in "how" we choose what we will read.I do a little bit of all of the above. I'm currently reading a 'free' read. I also have a book from an author I love--Ted Dekker, that I'm hoping to read as well. Then of course today I went to Amazon and bought a book that said, "people who bought this book also bought this book"!
I tend to go with recommendations from friends and as I've only been on GR for a short time, I'm still learning my way around, but I can see how I'll get a lot of ideas here. I also find new authors by going to SF/F conventions (I'm a writer and often a panelist at these things) and seeing who's selling what. While I love browsing a bookstore, I've never found the amazon browsing experience much fun, and as much as I love my Kindle (and I LOVE my Kindle), I do not like browsing on it, either. The sampling feature is the best though. I can take a "flyer" on some book I know nothing about and just see if I like it before I buy it. That's the best!
I'm never at a loss for what book to read. I'm over-flowing! I do love GR and all the ideas I get from my "friends" and acquaintances. Couldn't live without you all! I agree with Betsy, that Amazon isn't always that accurate, but I do look at their ratings. I also like Bookreporter.com and their "Word of mouth" section. Bookbrowse also keeps me up-to-date and focused. I often review books for them. I only recently bought my Kindle, but still love having that solid book in my hands. It's going to take me a while to switch over. I'm a newbie to this site and also a retired teacher, so excuse my wordiness!!!
Thank you so much Tricia. Everyone who has commented on this thread has been a wealth of imformation! I'm new to the kindle world as well and although I've been using my kindle, I know I'll still go back to the paperback from time to time. Nothing like the smell or the feel of a new book.
I agree with Stuart. There's nothing quite like browsing in a bookshop. Browsing electronically is not quite the same. And browsing on Kindle (even though I love the thing) is the worst option of all.
If I was going to browse ebook offerings it would be on the amazon website. Using the kindle for this option is too complicated and frustrating.
As someone who just published his books on the Kindle it is an interesting question. I read a lot. I use Locus for Science Fiction reviews & Mystery Scene for mystery.Otherwise favorite authors, goodreads, and friends.
Thanks for sharing C.S. I don't know about Locus or Mystery Scene but I've noticed a lot of the avenues mentioned here for finding books are sites that authors pay for. Not that they paid to be listed but they pay to have their book reviewed.In the end, word of mouth is the best place to find something to read. Do you agree or disagree?
Caitlen, thanks for sharing!I love hearing how everyone finds what they read. Right now I'm reading some books I borrowed from a friend. She allowed me to borrow her Lynn Kurland series and when I finished all those novels, she was kind enough to let me borrow another series!
Friends are a great resource for reading material.
I don't have a lot of reader friends so I've been using http://bargainereader.com and http://bargainebookhunter.com. They both have a nice mix of books by known, lesser-known and indie authors. For example, Kurt Vonnegut is on Bargain eReader today and while he's a known, I've never read anything by him but I've been meaning to and I would've forgotten if I hadn't seen his book there.
I lurk on a couple of forums, being a new Kindle author, and as my book is a fantasy book , that being my fave genre, I kind of pick up suggestions while I'm lurking. I check out the cover; the blurb; the price and the reviews, and then if they all look good I read the sample and probably buy or not from that. I browse books in bookshops or on Amazon but increasingly often on here as well, and though an intriguing cover might pique my interest, I tend to go by reviews.Since I got my Kindle I've discovered a whole load of indies - free or not - and though there are some stinkers out there, if you check all those criteria before you buy you can find some absolutely fantastic books - I know I have!
Here's a thing though - for indies it's very difficult to tell the good ones from the bad ones. I'm putting the high quality ones that have been edited and proofed etc in lists on Amazon and (when I get round to it) on here and my other forums as well, to make it easier for other readers to find them.
If you read a good indie book and you enjoyed it, please consider listing or reviewing them - it makes a great difference to the author and you'll be helping other readers to find the books that are worth finding.
I hope this doesn't come across as self-promo or anything, but a lot of readers don't seem to know just what a difference they themselves as an individual can make; if you do it right, it can be huge.
JAC
Felicia wrote: "Caitlen, thanks for sharing!I love hearing how everyone finds what they read. Right now I'm reading some books I borrowed from a friend. She allowed me to borrow her Lynn Kurland series and wh..."
I lend books to strangers when I'm through. I let my nurse take 20 books to one of her other people the other day. it feels good sometimes. I get books from friends, the library, or if people leave them in the community room of my complex.
J.A. wrote: "I lurk on a couple of forums, being a new Kindle author, and as my book is a fantasy book , that being my fave genre, I kind of pick up suggestions while I'm lurking. I check out the cover; the blu..."Thanks for the thoughts. I agree, a reader can make all the difference. I recently finished a blog hop where I asked the question, what is one book you want to read this summer? I looked up every answer and found some books I might add to my own pile.
I have to say, I also looked at the reviews for these listings as well. Amazon is a wealth of information. I tend to ignore the reviews of people who say the book was too short or costs to much. I'm looking more for a content critic. This is were the reader becomes extremely valuable.
Thanks J.A. for sharing.
Sonya wrote: "Felicia wrote: "Caitlen, thanks for sharing!I love hearing how everyone finds what they read. Right now I'm reading some books I borrowed from a friend. She allowed me to borrow her Lynn Kurland..."
Sonya, I think it's wonderful you're sharing. I've received so many good books this way which has led me to purchasing more books by the same author.
Canary wrote: "I tend to go with free books when I can, and use libraries heavily. Ever since my local library implemented an online digital library option for ebooks and audiobooks, I've been happy as a clam.W..."
I understand. Everyone has such varying tastes. When I read Twilight (which I loved, by the way) I asked a friend if she'd read anything similiar. She allowed me to borrow a couple of books she felt had a similiar feel. One group of books was, the Vampire Academy. And I have to say, I just couldn't get into these. Then she let me borrow The Immortals series, which I got into a little more. I think I'm caught up to the newest book on this series.
Thanks Canary for sharing your method of finding books. What is your favorite genre? Perhaps someone here can mention a few books you would enjoy as well. :)
I have to say I love the "free" books to find new authors esp. if it's the first book in a set, that allows me to see if it's worth purchasing more and unfortantly for my wallet 8/10 times I ended up hooked and buy the rest from the series. I am also in a book club that is not set to ONE genre of books in fact we all take turns picking out books so that we broaden our reading. I have read several books this way that I would have NEVER done on my own and loved..(Water for Elphants, and newest series I am in love with Soulless are a few examples).
I also read lots of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Hope that helps :)
Thanks Amber for the info.As a reader and a person on a budget, I understand going with the "free" reads first. This is a great way to discover Indie authors.
The book club is a fabulous idea. Especially sharing all genres. Do you read the book then have a discussion?
I have to admit I have so little time to read for pleasure that reading these ways to find material makes me jealous! :) I'm stuck editing my own manuscripts at least 75% of the time. :)
Thanks so much to all of you for posting the ways you find your reading material. Keep it coming!
I recently started finding material through ereaderiq.com. my new kindle should arrive this week or next.
Felicia wrote: "Thanks Amber for the info.As a reader and a person on a budget, I understand going with the "free" reads first. This is a great way to discover Indie authors.
The book club is a fabulous ..."
Felicia we do meet after the book we do about every 6 weeks we meet at different homes or restaurants depending on the book we try to make the theme of the meeting fit to make it more fun it's all girls so after a bit about the book it's on to girl time :)~
You might be jealous of the pleasure reading I am jealous of the writing ability I have NONE :)
Girls I understand where both of you are. I have been retired for a little over a year now and to have the time and the freedom to read for pleasure,not just what I need to read for work is a dream come true. On the other hand, I am a tiny tiny bit jealous that my daughter has written a book at 23, when as a teen, my dream was to be a writer. I have no regrets about my career, but I am happy that I am where I am now. Now I just pray my eyesight holds up. (and of course the comprehension) *LOL* I think goodreads giveaways also help with the genre thing. I take a chance when I click on a book and I click on many. I read a book of poetry the other night and it was wonderful. What wasn't so wonderful was reviewing poetry!Felicia, I may have missed this, what are you writing?
Thanks Amber. Sometimes I wonder about the writing ability. :) People have such varying opinions. One minute you have someone raving over what you've written and the next you have someone saying that didn't like it. Just kind of have to roll with the punches I guess. :)Karen, I've written two contemporary romances, "sweet" heat level and one YA Paranormal (although I've been told it is more Fantasy) romance. I also have a historical suspense coming out in Fall of 2011 and a Chick Lit book coming out at the end of the year. I'm also working on a sequel to the YA and a sequel to the historical. So always writing, editing, and re-editing!
Congratulations to your daughter on her book! And just to let you know it is never to late to write a book and to publish. You still have time to make that dream come true.
And if your eyesight fails there are always audio books! :)
Giveaways is a great way to find new reading material. I don't know how many great authors I've found this way.
Thanks so much for sharing guys. I can't wait to hear more.
These are all really great ideas. I have a facebook account for inspiring writers http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elle-La...
and I love to ask them what they are reading. I figure if they are all writers like me, then they have some great ideas.
Amazon Kindle
Books mentioned in this topic
The Holiday Truce (other topics)The Key (other topics)
The Perfect Rose (other topics)
A Game of Thrones (other topics)
How many of the books you read are free books? How many do you purchase? How do you find the authors you read?
Personally I tend to stick with a few favorites. Lately, (I've entered the publishing world) I've been introduced to new authors by winning their books. This has been a pleasant experience. I've found some author's I want to read more of and others that I could take or leave.
So how about it? How do you find the author's you read? All free books? Word of mouth? Googling? Going to Amazon and reading reviews? Groups here at Goodreads? What is your greatest resources for finding authors and new items to read?