How do YOU "shop" for your next Kindle read?

[carld]

I do searches on keywords that interest me, then download a bunch of samples. I'll usually find at least one or two that seem to be worth reading. I don't much follow best seller lists or anything like that.

[SensualPoet]

One of the best things about Amazon is the recommendation engine based on things I have bought or rated. Next is the "people who bought this also bought that ..." recommendations at Amazon. Then there is random browsing based on the above and reading the customer reviews -- good and bad.

And then there are blurbs like this one:

"A smashing debut, with everything you could want in a legal thriller." —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times–bestselling author

Wow. That's worth it's weight in gold ... and at the current price low enough risk to give the title a try. Which I just did.

Mobileread also has some very lively discussions at Reading Recommendations, including threads on crime fiction, cosy mystery, recent literary fiction and several others with postings from many passionate articulate folk.

[Nyssa]

As I stated in the Those of us that do not read NY Times Bestsellers thread:

"I find my reads by word of mouth, Amazon's free offers, and this site. I am a member at GoodReads, but right now I use it more for tracking my own reads than for finding new ones."

I don't mind keeping a list of other possible sources, however.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

One of the best things about Amazon is the recommendation engine based on things I have bought or rated. Next is the "people who bought this also bought that ..." recommendations at Amazon. Then there is random browsing based on the above and reading the customer reviews -- good and bad.

This is pretty much how my wishlist keeps growing and growing (~500 ebooks on it right now). If an ebook looks good, and is under $4, I will generally buy it. If not, I put it on my wishlist, and on ereaderiq.com so I can track the price, and that's it. I generally don't buy a book that is more than $4 unless I get a swagbucks $5 Amazon gift certificate, and then I'll pick a book from my massive wishlist to purchase.

[tlrowley]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

And then there are blurbs like this one:

"A smashing debut, with everything you could want in a legal thriller." —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times–bestselling author

Don't keep it to yourself, please. I like Tess Gerritsen's books, so I'll have a look at one she recommends.

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

One of the best things about Amazon is the recommendation engine based on things I have bought or rated. Next is the "people who bought this also bought that ..." recommendations at Amazon. Then there is random browsing based on the above and reading the customer reviews -- good and bad.

And then there are blurbs like this one:

"A smashing debut, with everything you could want in a legal thriller." —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times–bestselling author

Wow. That's worth it's weight in gold ... and at the current price low enough risk to give the title a try. Which I just did.

Mobileread also has some very lively discussions at Reading Recommendations, including threads on crime fiction, cosy mystery, recent literary fiction and several others with postings from many passionate articulate folk.

I pretty much follow the same process and by reading book reviews from places like NPR, the NYTimes, Kindle Daily and recommendations from the folks in Amazon's Kindle Community--especially helpful to spot indie writers.

I never search for books on the Kindle. I search on my computer where I can see other reader's thoughts and jump to Wikipedia if I need to, but I download them from the Kindle after I buy them. I also get suggestions in email from Amazon and occasionally a reference I find in another book or from a post by an author I respect like George RR Martin or Steven King. Most authors don't post book recommendations though, at least, not that I can find.

[SensualPoet]

Originally Posted by tlrowley

Don't keep it to yourself, please. I like Tess Gerritsen's books, so I'll have a look at one she recommends.

That particular reco was for an e-book by a guy name Ken Isaacson ...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by KenIsaacson

How do you shop for your next Kindle read? Do you already know what you're going to buy when you arrive at the Kindle Shop?

Do you ever browse what's available? From your device, you can browse the bestseller, and you can narrow the browse by category and sub-category. I'm curious how many people actually take advantage of that feature.

Thoughts? Comments?

Thanks.

Ken Isaacson

Belongs in the Amazon forum.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Belongs in the Amazon forum.

No it doesn't. Its perfectly fine where it is. Not everything with "Kindle" in the title has to be moved there. Most people are smart enough to replace "Kindle" with the e-reader of their choice. Its like everyone calling facial tissue "Kleenex", or soda "Coke".

[jersysman]

I do not have a Kindle. I could browse through my Nook if I needed to.

I do most of the leg work by going to Goodreads and paying attention to what people are reading here on this forum. One thing that I do not do is browse any of the bestseller lists. I find that, for the most part, books on any of those lists are not books I would like to read.

[chamekke]

My e-books tend to be:

• Repurchases of my favourite DPBs (the ones I enjoy rereading)
• Purchases of books I've already investigated via the library, usually based on book reviews from newspapers and blogs
• Free classics from Project Gutenberg, this site's e-book upload library, etc.

Sometimes I'll browse the Amazon Kindle store using keyword searches, followed by a sample download if a result looks promising ... but in general I don't do that unless I'm looking for something on a very specific subject. Their search tool is far too blunt an instrument to use for casual browsing. If they ever get to the point where it's possible to execute (and save) detailed boolean searches, I'll probably use it more often.

Sadly, most of my "hunts" on Amazon are semi-futile, Is-It-Available-Yet unicorn quests. I've got a loooong list of books that are (1) not yet available in e-book format at all (e.g. John Crowley's Little, Big), or (2) not available to people in my corner of the world (e.g. the omnibus editions of P.G. Wodehouse or Douglas Adams [available to Americans], or almost everything by Val McDermid [available to Brits]). Occasionally I get a pleasant surprise, but most of my Desert Island Top 25 are simply not available yet.

[tlrowley]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

That particular reco was for an e-book by a guy name Ken Isaacson ...

Thanks, it does look good.

[Deja Moo]

How do I "shop" for ebooks? Nightly I check the latest on Project Gutenberg; then manybooks; then here. I haven't bought any ebook yet; I must be a sad disappointment to Amazon. I did buy Notepad and Easy Calc (big whoop, 99 cents each).

[hedwig]

Shelfari and Goodreads, recommendations from friends. My TBR shelf is big enough as it is though.

[Tome Keeper]

At the moment I'm spending most of my money on buying e-book versions of books I've previously read and loved.

Otherwise I generally buy books from author's I regularly read or search reviews by genre on other sites and then look for books I like the sound of on Amazon. It's very rare I browse the Kindle Store, if I do it's usually through the "Others who brought this also brought..." and then if it looks interesting and is under about £2.99 I'll buy it, if not I put it on price watch.