Will you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited?

[jbcohen]

Originally Posted by TheRevolutionist

I've switched my account from Amazon UK to Amazon US to try it out with the 30 day trial. Most authors that I follow don't have their books included, so it's not much good going on there in the hope of finding anything specific, but I've been able to find 10 or so books that interest me fairly quickly from browsing the different categories.

The real question for me is whether it can consistently surface new and interesting content. While I don't mind spending an hour or two exploring Kindle Unlimited as a new service, I generally read books that I'm looking for specifically, rather than going on the store to look for something new.

Unless it can become very efficient at recommending books to me (better than the existing "you may like" algorithms) or expand it's range so that enough books that I'm specifically looking for are included, I think I would quickly find looking for the gems on Unlimited a bit too much like hard work.


But overall I think it's an interesting development with lots of potential, and I hope it makes it over to the UK before long.

The answer to your question is in two parts: new content and interesting content. The answer to the first part about new content is a definite yes. Go to Kindle Unlimited and click on any of the catagories then sort the catagory by publication date, then look at the most recently listed and you will see that new content is being added all the time, I think someone here said that as books are published on Amazon's site they automatically are entered into Kindle Unlimited.

The answer to your second question about the interesting content is really a matter of your personal taste. For my personal taste goes, I could really care less who publishes the book the important thing is the quality of the book. From what I have found the quality of the writing in Kindle Unlimited is that it is excellent.

I am going to keep a running total of the cost of books I get from kindle Unlimited so I can determine if the program is working for me. Any time I get a book from Kindle Unlimited I am going to note the cost of that book then keep a running total of the cost of the books that I get from the program. Right now I am up to $23.

[Anthem]

My e-book purchasing habits are way too inconsistent. Sometimes I load out in a week or two with a couple months worth of books on sales. Sometimes I don't purchase a book for ages. I can't commit to a $9.99 recurring fee. Some months it would be a fantastic deal, other months I would just be throwing money into the air.

I usually find something to read in the daily deals and the monthly deals on Amazon, so I rarely spend all that much on my books anyway. Unless I want something specific. And guess what? Those specific titles that I usually want are almost never in the libraries for any of these sub. services.

[DuckieTigger]

Anthem, that is why it is without a yearly commitment. Sign up for it during the sommer or winter and unsubscribe when you have less time to read for pleasure.

For me it will motivate me to read more. I am going to pay for it anyway for my wife's PW, so I can make it even more worthwile.

[SteveK]

I'm still on my trial subscription, but I do plan to keep it - at least for a while. I've enjoyed several audiobooks while driving to/from work, as well as read at least one very enjoyable work of non-fiction. I probably never would have purchased the books I've enjoyed so far, but did have enough interest in them to give them a try on the unlimited plan, and very much enjoyed several of them.

I'm sure there will be months where I don't read (or listen to) $10 worth of books, but I'm sure I will get my money's worth.

SteveK

[booklover6]

I found a "post apocalyptic" category and added a lot of titles to my wish list. So it might be worth it to keep the subscription, depending on the discount they will give to Prime members. (I read somewhere that there will be one). Here's hoping for $5 a month!

[The Old Man]

In browsing the various categories I have found books that I wouldn't buy but that I have enjoyed (or not enjoyed) reading, even if reading only a few chapters. When I joined for the free month I expected I would drop it but now I don't think so. Sure I may quit after a few months but I suspect I will pick it up again in the future.

[jbcohen]

Downloaded my fourth from Kindle Unlimited, The Dancing Bear by Oren Sanderson, haven't gotten that far into the book thus far but its starting out well. Its about a security guard at the Isreali Counsel in Boston who is trying to protect a woman who he does not know and claims to have vital information to Isreal's national security.

This puts me at $26 worth of books I have gotten from the program for $10.

I will put my wife on my subscription if I can manage to convince her to convert to electronic books. Right now she is reading the Sue Grafton letter mysteries.

[The Old Man]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Downloaded my fourth from Kindle Unlimited, The Dancing Bear by Oren Sanderson, haven't gotten that far into the book thus far but its starting out well. Its about a security guard at the Isreali Counsel in Boston who is trying to protect a woman who he does not know and claims to have vital information to Isreal's national security.

Thanks for the recommendation. It sounds like something I may like.
A thread should be started on KU recommendations.
This one is great: Escape from Sobibor. It's also a movie which is also very good.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by The Old Man

Thanks for the recommendation. It sounds like something I may like.
A thread should be started on KU recommendations.
This one is great: Escape from Sobibor. It's also a movie which is also very good.

Done. Recommendations for Kindle Unlimited books

[Anthem]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Anthem, that is why it is without a yearly commitment.

Having to reevaluate the subscriptions worth to me on a monthly basis would quickly become a nightmare. My incompatibility is that I couldn't even make a weekly/monthly commitment, rendering the very idea of a subscription silly.

[tubemonkey]

When considering the subscription, please take into account the following if you're eligible. Prime members get two free books each month and Samsung Galaxy owners get one free book each month.

• Kindle Lending Library -- one free borrow per month for Prime members
• Kindle First -- one free book per month for Prime members
• Kindle for Samsung -- one free book per month for Galaxy owners

Hypothetical Scenario - YMMV

Subscription Month -- no limit

• borrow and read as many books as you can
• borrow one free book from Lending Library - don't read
• download one free book from Kindle First - don't read
• download one free book from Kindle for Samsung - don't read
• download free books - don't read
• download inexpensive books - don't read
• cancel subscription several days before renewal date

First Non-Subscription Month -- up to 6 free books minimum

• read Lending Library book from previous month
• download and read another free book from Lending Library
• read Kindle First book from previous month
• download and read another free book from Kindle First
• read Kindle for Samsung book from previous month
• download and read another free book from Kindle for Samsung
• download free books - don't read
• download inexpensive books - don't read

Subsequent Non-Subscription Months -- up to 3 free books minimum

• download and read another free book from Lending Library
• download and read another free book from Kindle First
• download and read another free book from Kindle for Samsung
• read free books from previous months
• read inexpensive books from previous
• download and read additional free books
• download and read additional inexpensive books

By following the above or similar scenarios, you can keep costs down by only subscribing 3 to 6 times per year (give or take). The savings can be applied toward must reads that aren't available from the above sources. And don't forget your public library, if that's an option for you.
.

[Loosheesh]

This thread is making me seriously reconsider my initial decision to not subscribe to KU. I'm doing the trial right now (I did it mostly for the Audible credit); I've read a few books through there and I love, love the 'with narration' feature. My trial has just one week to go and now I'm torn. How many books will I read through KU to make it worth the monthly fee? It's not really so much the fee as the idea of paying it monthly and barely reading a book a month from there. Right now I'm on vacation so I'm reading lots and it's great, but soon I'll have less time to read, and what then? Plus I already have so much else to read

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

This thread is making me seriously reconsider my initial decision to not subscribe to KU. I'm doing the trial right now (I did it mostly for the Audible credit); I've read a few books through there and I love, love the 'with narration' feature. My trial has just one week to go and now I'm torn. How many books will I read through KU to make it worth the monthly fee? It's not really so much the fee as the idea of paying it monthly and barely reading a book a month from there. Right now I'm on vacation so I'm reading lots and it's great, but soon I'll have less time to read, and what then? Plus I already have so much else to read

My two cents: Stay for two more months, get two more Audible credits--if you get nothing else, the credits are worth the $20 KU membership--then reassess.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

This thread is making me seriously reconsider my initial decision to not subscribe to KU. I'm doing the trial right now (I did it mostly for the Audible credit); I've read a few books through there and I love, love the 'with narration' feature. My trial has just one week to go and now I'm torn. How many books will I read through KU to make it worth the monthly fee? It's not really so much the fee as the idea of paying it monthly and barely reading a book a month from there. Right now I'm on vacation so I'm reading lots and it's great, but soon I'll have less time to read, and what then? Plus I already have so much else to read

Don't subscribe every month. Subscribe every other month or every 3 to 4 months.

[eschwartz]

You're welcome for the thread.

Remember that you can unsubscribe any month you want, if you will no longer be having the time. I think a lot of people will be subscribing only for the summer months or whenever they have vacation and can read a lot more.