Book threads and choosing books..

[american_mama]

How do you choose the books you read? I do it the old-fashioned and cheap way way: I read what my book club reads, what catches my eye at the library, and occasionally a big-buzz book that lots of people are talking about (like Eat Pray Love). I don't use e- readers, shop at bookstores, and severely limit my involvement in GoodReads.com. I choose books very similar to how I did it 20 years ago.

But I am wondering if most other people use a lot more technology to find out about books (online book club lists, "also recommended" or "also viewed" books on amazon, various e-reader sites pushing different books.)

There seems to be a lot of overlap in what people read. I just looked up "Cutting for Stone" on amazon based on someone mentioning it in the other thread, and the first 14 books in the Also Viewed lists included two books mentioned in that same thread, three books mentioned in previous threads, and two books from my bookclub.

[egoldber]

I don't like anything too heavy right now, so I focus on series fiction books. I find a series and then work my way through them. Then after I finish a series, I do use the "people who read this book also read that book" feature on Amazon. But I get almost all my books from the library, both electronic and paper.

I also browse the free bestsellers on Amazon for my Kindle. And I have downloaded many (free) classics as well.

[KrisM]

Before my kindle, I would browse the library used book sale and get most of my books there. If I found an author I liked, I'd work through those books. Now, I browse the best sellers on Amazon, read the threads here, etc if I need something new. I've never been in a book club.

[Corie]

I write down all the suggestions that are listed in the BBB threads
or suggestions from my friends.

Then I look them up on Amazon and read the book's description to
see if it interests me.

Last, I'll check the reviews on Amazon.

(I've never been in a book club.)

[AngB]

I go by recs from friends who like the same kind of books I do (smutty). :) I used to be an English teacher and have had enough of the classics, enough of depressing books, and enough of books that make me think very much. I usually go from author to author, I have enough "favorite" authors now that there is generally enough new to me stuff out there for the limited time I have to read so I don't have to search very hard.

[lizzywednesday]

I pick books based on my mood, the season and whether or not my BFF has read it (and I want to talk about it with her.)

I've been trying to get out of my comfort zone (sci-fi/fantasy, historical fiction, YA, classics) and into other genres, like smut/romance, mystery, nonfiction, history, etc., because it's fun exploring the other parts of the bookstore!

Sometimes I'll read an awesome review; other times I'll ask about a book based on what I've already read.

And, honestly, sometimes I just don't want to think too much, so I'll ask for rec's for breezy.

[hellbennt]

I write down all the suggestions that are listed in the BBB threads or suggestions from my friends.

Then I look them up on Amazon and read the book's description to
see if it interests me...(I've never been in a book club.)

:yeahthat: I've found a lot of great books based on what's been posted here! Some didn't grab my attention, when I read the summary/description, on Amazon - for example I have the note: Eh? by The Forgotton Garden...

I then get the books that I'm interested in from the public library:)

[fivi2]

I browse threads here, threads on other boards, lists that I find various places.

I do tend to buy a lot from the Amazon "if you like this, then try this" prompts.

I also browse at the library. And my sister's bookshelf (she has a problem with buying too many books.) I haven't been in a brick and mortar bookstore in ages, though. I have too many piled up (physical and digital)!

I pick between my piles based on mood and I frequently have several going at once (like a YA, a romance, a horror, a mystery, a non-fiction) and read depending on my mood.

Going back to work has actually helped my reading, because I now spend my whole lunch hour reading at my desk or outside. And with my kindle I can have a variety of choices (and I have some paperbacks in my desk drawers!)

eta: and I flunked out of my book club ;)

I still think we need a bbb group on goodreads or shelfari or one of those book sites. Not a discussion group, but a place to recommend books and list what we've read since many of us have similar tastes.

[kcimato]

Here is a site I use at times

www.whatshouldireadnext.com

You put in a book you've read or liked and it will come up with suggestions for other books. I find that I have read many of them.

If there is a book I'm interested in , I download a sample to my nook. That way I can see if I am interested.

[vonfirmath]

I get many of my books out of recommended free for Kindle lists.

Some are things that catch my eye at the library.