05-03-2010, 10:53 AM | #16 | |
The Dank Side of the Moon
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Location: Denver, CO
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Quote:
No wonder oldsters get so finicky! |
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05-03-2010, 11:13 AM | #17 |
Book 'em Danno
Posts: 156
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Blue Ridge Mtns, NC
Device: Kindle 2
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I only grab the titles that actually have content which I find interesting and know I will probably want to read at some point.
Now that I have a fairly large TBR file consisting of many of the best books of the past 25 years, I'm much less likely to jump on a freebie unless it really seems to offer something of worth. So many of the books being offered of late appear to be a rehashing of the same old thing...vampires, cheesy romance, implausible "thrillers" and detective stories, and pseudo religious tripe that the gems are getting harder to find (for me at least). All that said, I do appreciate the fact that we have the opportunity to choose. Last edited by Bluesman7; 05-03-2010 at 11:18 AM. |
05-03-2010, 11:48 AM | #18 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Device: Pocketbook
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It's not just free e-books, it's all e-books. I don't tend to buy/download free anything without a track record or recommendation from somebody whose recommendations I can vet (i.e. their opinion on something I've already read.)
Therefore, I'll never be on the cultural cutting edge. That's Ok, I don't have to impress anybody.... |
05-03-2010, 12:05 PM | #19 |
Storm Surge'n
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Lobster Capital
Device: S0ny PRS-300/350/505/700/T1
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I just ignore any freebie that has the "C" word in the title or the blurb.
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05-03-2010, 12:29 PM | #20 | |
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Norfolk, England
Device: Kindle Voyage
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Quote:
There is still a need to be selective, though. |
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05-03-2010, 12:41 PM | #21 |
Wizard
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Amazon Kindle 1
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I only download books (free or not) I plan on reading right away or in the near future.
But I'm also a very casual/light reader compared to most on here. Getting through 1-2 books a month at most. |
05-03-2010, 12:44 PM | #22 |
Evangelist
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Device: iPhone
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A book has to have an interesting description for me to consider downloading it.
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05-03-2010, 04:00 PM | #23 |
Karma Kameleon
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Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn
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I created a google docs - doc for my "to be read" list. As I have about 100 books on it, and as that doesn't account for all the books I've already bought or downloaded for free -- I check my list before downloading a free book -- or purchasing a book.
If I can't see a desire to read the book (free or not) before any of the 100 or so others I've already queued up, then I don't bother. Lee |
05-03-2010, 05:09 PM | #24 |
I devour books!
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Device: iPad Air, Kindle 3/Kobo Aura HD, iPhone 6
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Although I do like getting a free ebook, I do look at the summary and if sounds relatively appealing, I download. Given that I like romances, this makes a lot of these freebies a no-brainer for me. However, even under that genre I still use some criteria to determine if it is worth downloading. Glad May is starting off with lots of good ones so far.
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05-03-2010, 06:42 PM | #25 |
Wizard
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Location: Brisbane Australia
Device: Sony PRS-600
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At the beginning I downloaded as many freebies as I could - I even started reading most of them. Now, I have cleaned up my library, deleted those that are boring or I never would read and am more selective.
If the hook doesn't interest me I won't touch it. Free or not, time is too valuable to waste with boring books - even if they are free. |
05-03-2010, 07:06 PM | #26 | |
Groupie
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Location: West Australia
Device: Acer eM250 Netbook, iTouch, iRiver Story, HP TM2 Tablet
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Quote:
I'm actually OLD, so I'm pretty much down to racing through short stories and reading the backs of cereal packets now. The best I can hope for is that Grim's brother - the Cheerful Reaper - is the one who knocks at the door, just after I've finished the last page... When I first got into ebooks I downloaded a heap of supposed classics from Gutenberg. But after dipping into a few, sanity cut back in and I deleted all but the tiny handful that I actually did read. I'm more than happy to pay for things if the quality is there. Can't take it with me..... unless... do they allow e-readers in Limbo or Purgatory? With Eternity at my disposal I might eventually get around to finishing Remembrance of Things Past and Don Quixote..... it's something to ponder... |
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05-03-2010, 11:07 PM | #27 |
PORTAL
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Device: Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (3G), iPhone
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I only buy what I really want to read, free or not.
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05-03-2010, 11:43 PM | #28 |
Guru
Posts: 614
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: WA, USA
Device: Android, Kindle Paperwhite, lots of ancient readers
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I'm with those who have a queue already. I don't download free books unless it is on my list of books to read, by an author who is on that list, or there's a very good reason for putting it there.
I feel a bit bad that I'm leaving out all sorts of great undiscovered authors, but I don't have time to beta test authors. I guess that's what I'm paying the publishers for! |
05-04-2010, 12:39 AM | #29 |
Montreal wins Grey Cup!
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Location: Raleigh, NC
Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite
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I discovered MR with its huge, free and enticing library before I owned an eBook reader. As a result, the offer of a free book from a bookselling website has never gripped me the way free merchandise is supposed to.
One exception: I downloaded a few free things during Read an eBook Week. So far, only one, a short story, has been worthwhile. But that author I plan to buy when his two novels are available as an eBook. So I think that the idea of giving away the first book in the hope that you will buy all the others has merit. |
05-04-2010, 02:00 AM | #30 |
Wizard
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Location: US
Device: Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Glo HD, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle 4
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There were a bunch of free books at the Sony eReader store recently released by a couple of vanity publishers. I downloaded a couple, browsed through them, and decided that I won't bother downloading any more of them unless I get a personal recommendation from someone.
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