I would like to share the method that I have developed to choose books to read and review. I wish I had time to read every book that attracted my attention, but that is not possible. I have developed the following method that works for me and I would like to share it.
Contacts From Authors And PublicistsOver the past several months, I have read and reviewed quite a few books from independent authors and book publicists. Unfortunately, I feel like a kid in a candy store when I get these requests. I accept more than I can read in a reasonable amount of time. I have a terrible case of the guilties each time I look at the books that I have not read yet. I have decided NOT to accept anymore books in the mail. I will accept books from authors if they can send them in PDF or MOBI format so that I can read them on my Kindle
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. My Passions
I have identified the following subjects that I am passionate about. These are subjects that I will base my book selections on in the future.
- Christian Living
- Entrepreneurship
- Social Media Marketing
- Children's Picture Books (especially children's books for the Kindle)
- Self-Help, Psychology, Life Coaching
- Biography and Memoirs
Choosing Books To Read
My husband recently gave me an Amazon Kindle. I am now totally hooked. I no longer borrow books from the library or visit book stores. This is how I choose the books that I want to read and review;
. I am now totally hooked. I no longer borrow books from the library or visit book stores. This is how I choose the books that I want to read and review;- I go to Amazon.Com and seach the Kindle Store for books that have been published in the past 30 days.
- I type in the subjects that I am interested in and then notice the top ten best sellers in that category.
- I check the number of reviews that the book has received and then read both the positive and negative comments.
- Many times the Amazon page will show more books on the same subject. I also check these books out.
- When I decide on one book that I believe I would like to review, I download the free sample that is provided by Amazon. I also do some research on the author to see if this is really the book that I want to invest in.
- When I make the decision to buy a book, I just click the Purchase button and I am happily reading the book on my Kindle 60 seconds later.
Free Books For The Kindle From Amazon
Amazon frequently offers free Kindle books. I have downloaded many free books in the past several months. The key is to be selective and only download books that really interest you. I have read and reviewed several of these free books and they have been excellent quality.
Remember, you do not have to have a Kindle to read these free books. You can download the FREE Kindle for PC Application and read books on your computer.
A Happy Booker
I no longer have a huge stack of unread books on my desk. I have found that it is much better to be highly selective in choosing the books that I read and review. I seldom waste my time reading a "bad" book because of the research that I do before I read it. My book reviews are positive because I make it a point to read good books. 
10 comments:
That's interesting Janette! I didn't know you reviewed books! I'm glad your Kindle makes it easier for you, what a great insight!
@Kristen ~ My Kindle makes it much easier to purchase brand new books. Thank you for your comments!
It's great that you spelled out your criteria for what you enjoy reading and reviewing. My new book will be out soon and it DOES fall in one of those categories. You KNOW I will be sending you the Kindle version! LOL
@Martha ~ I would love to read and review your new book!
Hi Janette,
How interesting that you are a book blogger. I was thinking how neat until you shared the reality of having more books that you can read. I would also feel the guiltiness. Like everything else in life, things need to be in balance and if not it just feels overwhelming.
P.S. I think the Kindle is fantastic when you are on the go but when I am home, I like to hold a physical book :)
@Diana I appreciate your comments, Diana. I am not a speed reader and I don't like to feel rushed when I am reading. I read for enjoyment. It is working much better for me now that I am choosing the books I read instead of accepting books that I know nothing about.
The Kindle is just perfect for my reading needs.
Janet,
I enjoy reading your reviews and glad that you will continue to do so in an ereader format. Seems authors are going to need to consider this when getting a book published.
I have a Nook..wonder if you could read Nook books on your Kindle in case Amazon doesn't have a book you might be interested in. They do free ones as well.
That is very interesting. I review for a number of publishing companies but unless I request a book, I don't get one. If people are sending unsolicated books in the mail, how did you get them to do that?
@Sharon ~ I do not get unsolicited books in the mail. I am on the email list for Bostick Communications and I get alot of requests from authors ~ Sometimes several in a single day. Most of these authors want to send me the book in the mail. I am not saying these are not good books, it is just that I was accepting too many. I will now only accept a book if it is available in Mobi or PDF format.
I will tell you how I read books nowadays....come to your blog...read review..get the book!
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