# Amazon First Reads -- May 2018



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Amazon First Reads

Absolutely none of these appeal to me in the slightest. I really wish they'd find just a good, decent mystery.  I've gone off 'thrillers' and 'suspense' -- they are often way too graphic and the others just aren't my thing.


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## MissingAlaska (Apr 28, 2014)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Amazon First Reads
> Absolutely none of these appeal to me in the slightest. I really wish they'd find just a good, decent mystery.  I've gone off 'thrillers' and 'suspense' -- they are often way too graphic and the others just aren't my thing.


Hmmm... Having trouble choosing myself. I'd love a good sci-fi novel to make this list now and then -- or even non-fiction/history. They seem to choose the same genres over and over.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Amazon First Reads
> 
> Absolutely none of these appeal to me in the slightest. I really wish they'd find just a good, decent mystery.  I've gone off 'thrillers' and 'suspense' -- they are often way too graphic and the others just aren't my thing.


I agree about mysteries. I like reading mysteries, including historical. But all they seem to have are the woman in peril/brutal/serial killer type thrillers of the depressing psycho stuff.

But its usually literary fiction type stuff they have on offer there each month and those just aren't my thing at all.

Just seems they always seem so dreary.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Agreed. I haven't selected a First Reads' book in months and it doesn't look like that will change this month.  Maybe if I didn't have anything else to read I would be desperate enough to choose one, but when my TBR pile is a couple of hundred books high, I'm not going to get a "not really interested" book just because it's free.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Amazon First Reads
> 
> Absolutely none of these appeal to me in the slightest. I really wish they'd find just a good, decent mystery.  I've gone off 'thrillers' and 'suspense' -- they are often way too graphic and the others just aren't my thing.





Atunah said:


> I agree about mysteries. I like reading mysteries, including historical. But all they seem to have are the woman in peril/brutal/serial killer type thrillers of the depressing psycho stuff.
> 
> But its usually literary fiction type stuff they have on offer there each month and those just aren't my thing at all.
> 
> Just seems they always seem so dreary.


Absolutely agree with you both.

Once again, I'm drawn in by a cover and since it's free, what the heck. _Matchmaking for Beginners_ is my pick for this month. I'll let y'all know after I read it. I sure hope it's not another DNF.



crebel said:


> Agreed. I haven't selected a First Reads' book in months and it doesn't look like that will change this month. Maybe if I didn't have anything else to read I would be desperate enough to choose one, but when my TBR pile is a couple of hundred books high, I'm not going to get a "not really interested" book just because it's free.


I did alright last month (I think) with _Digging In_. Not fabulous but worth reading.

Who picks this list anyway? Not real readers like us, I'm sure.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

As usual for me...


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## Fogeydc (Oct 24, 2017)

crebel said:


> ...but when my TBR pile is a couple of hundred books high, I'm not going to get a "not really interested" book just because it's free.


Only a couple of hundred?
...or are you a bit abashed at admitting how much you really have? 
I don't even want to guestimate my TBR (& my TBL Audibles).

But at least none of it needs dusting, moving, boxing-up...and there's always something for any mood I'm in!

I didn't see anything in this month's list that appeals to me. I haven't gotten many at all over the months, and a couple of those were children's books in case I have any kiddie visitors to entertain (not that likely).


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Fogeydc said:


> Only a couple of hundred?
> ...or are you a bit abashed at admitting how much you really have?
> I don't even want to guestimate my TBR (& my TBL Audibles).


Yep, only (237 right now to be precise)! That's a little over 7 months worth of reading for me. I read oldest to newest, alternating genres (unless it's something I've been waiting for and it goes to the top of the list) and delete to the archives when I'm done so there are thousands of read books in my account, but it's rare to go over 300 waiting to be read.

Thank goodness for Kindles so the TBR pile doesn't topple over and no longer takes over multiple rooms in my house!!


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Fogeydc said:


> Only a couple of hundred?
> ...or are you a bit abashed at admitting how much you really have?
> I don't even want to guestimate my TBR (& my TBL Audibles).
> 
> ...


My TBL pile is long, but definitely not huge. Only 26. In any case, I had to cancel my Audible membership until I catch up. It takes me forever to listen to a full length novel.

But then, they keep sending me their daily deals so it's hard to whittle down the pile.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Snort. Whippersnappers, all of you. 

I have about 1500 plus unread books I already own on my owntbr pile. I also have regular tbr pile of stuff I want to read. I really don't know how many unread books I have, I am just guessing here. Its probably leaning to the higher range though, rather than lower than the 1500.  
Hey, I got a headstart since 2008. Its 10 years of kindle books after all. 

I am not abashed, ashamed or anything other than giddy about it. It means I will live forever. Cause no way I am going to croak before I read all of them. Nuh uh, not gonna happen. I am immortal.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Atunah said:


> Snort. Whippersnappers, all of you.
> 
> I have about 1500 plus unread books I already own on my owntbr pile. I also have regular tbr pile of stuff I want to read. I really don't know how many unread books I have, I am just guessing here. Its probably leaning to the higher range though, rather than lower than the 1500.
> Hey, I got a headstart since 2008. Its 10 years of kindle books after all.
> ...


Good grief. I started in 2008, too. I've got some catching up to do. Remember back then there were only 50K ebooks?


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:



> Good grief. I started in 2008, too. I've got some catching up to do. Remember back then there were only 50K ebooks?


That did not keep me from buying All. Off. Them.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I got my first kindle in July of 2008 . . . . . and my TBR pile (o.k. "list") is longer now than it ever was because of it. Because there's no way I'd have room for the 3200 books I've come across to read since. 

Now, admitedly, some of those I HAVE read. But, according to Amazon that's only about 1000 -- which number may be low because it's based on my properly having 'collected' things as I read them, which I'm not sure happened for all since there were no collections the first few years. And a bunch are library books which wouldn't be staying in my house anyway. That's probably something around 150 -- two of which are actually checked out now and the others have been returned.

Speaking of: I've used my library a WHOLE lot more with Kindle than I did before.  Overall I've been reading a whole lot more, too. It's just so easy to find/get books!  

Anyway, I estimate that, like Atunah, I have at least 1500 books that are currently in my account that I haven't read -- possibly more.

So, yeah . . . . I'm not going to pick up a free book just because it's free. 

That said, I have a Samsung device (two, actually, a phone and a tablet) and if you have such, and use the "Kindle for Samsung" app (which is the same as the regular kindle it's just 'for samsung') you can get a free book from a selection of 4. Many months they are ones that don't appeal but this month there was actually one of the 4 that sounded pretty good. 

Oh! And it's also time to return last month's KOLL book and get a new one -- I have a whole wish list of them so it's never hard to find one through that program. 

All in all, my mood state alternates between:

Contentment and anticipation -- Look at all the Books I have to read   
Panic and confusion -- LOOK at All the books I HAVE to READ!


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

A while ago, I decided I'd read the free books ASAP. That keeps the list down. Sometimes, I can read a chapter or two and throw it in the DNF pile and that cuts down on the list a lot. But, I only started doing this a couple of years ago so there are still a lot out there that are waiting to be read. 

The one I just got here makes six on the free list. I also went back to my habit of reading 3-4 books at a time. I read one on my Kindle, one on each of my tablets and one on my phone. The phone doesn't get used as much as the other three. I read on that one sitting on the patio waiting for my dog (Mikey) to come in from the yard. 

I got my first Kindle 8/29/2008.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I need to go back in time to some of the stuff I picked up in that first heady period of "so many books and so many are free  " and either read or trash some of the ones I got back then. But I have to be in the right mood.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I read far more since I got a Kindle and with much more variety, since free books and sampling makes it easier to take a chance but I've still been pretty good over the years about not getting books just because they're free and when I see a book I want, I only buy it if I think it's on an offer that won't stay or be repeated. Anything else goes onto a wish list and I monitor the prices.

So I only have about 120 unread books I actually already own plus a wish list of books to buy of about another 40. BUT I also bought a KU subscription cheaply last year and that has another year to run - I think I have about 75 books on that wish list. Then there's the library, not sure how many books on that wish list.  I wish I had Atunah's faith that I would be able to read them all before I shuffle off this mortal coil  but the wish lists never get any smaller, I add books at least as fast as I read them.

That said the UK Kindle First list this month has a couple of different books to the US, one in particular has caught my eye and that is _The King's Justice_, an historical mystery set in 12th century England. I think I'm going to get that one.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Linjeakel said:


> I wish I had Atunah's faith that I would be able to read them all before I shuffle off this mortal coil  but the wish lists never get any smaller, I add books at least as fast as I read them


It's the Immortality Clause/Philosophy we have adopted. You _CAN'T_ die with unread books in the TBR pile.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> A while ago, I decided I'd read the free books ASAP. That keeps the list down. Sometimes, I can read a chapter or two and throw it in the DNF pile and that cuts down on the list a lot. But, I only started doing this a couple of years ago so there are still a lot out there that are waiting to be read.
> 
> The one I just got here makes six on the free list. I also went back to my habit of reading 3-4 books at a time. I read one on my Kindle, one on each of my tablets and one on my phone. The phone doesn't get used as much as the other three. I read on that one sitting on the patio waiting for my dog (Mikey) to come in from the yard.
> 
> I got my first Kindle 8/29/2008.


We've discussed this a few times over the years. Whether free books get continually shuffled to the bottom of the TBR pile in favor of paid books. It's why I read mostly in order from oldest to newest waiting to be read books on my Kindle. By the time they make it to the top, I know longer have any clue whether I spent money on it or got it for free. I vet free books as vigorously as I do paid books; if I bought it for zero cost, I want to read it as much as I want to read one I paid $14.99 for.

I do get library books whenever I can, but my library doesn't have the greatest selection in my preferred genres. I have/continue to find enough to read anyway that I haven't bothered to spend money for an out-of-state library card for a system that has a bigger selection.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Linjeakel said:


> off this mortal coil  but the wish lists never get any smaller, I add books at least as fast as I read them.
> 
> That said the UK Kindle First list this month has a couple of different books to the US, one in particular has caught my eye and that is _The King's Justice_, an historical mystery set in 12th century England. I think I'm going to get that one.


It IS available in the US Kindle store*: 

Let us know what you think, Linda; I might have to try it even at $4.99 

And THIS is why the TBR list never gets shorter!   

*looks like it comes out on June 1 -- which . . . duh . . . kindle FIRST. So WHY didn't they include it as one of the US options.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> It IS available in the US Kindle store*:
> 
> Let us know what you think, Linda; I might have to try it even at $4.99
> 
> ...


I refuse to apologise for my enabling.


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

Have no clue what my TBR list is like (scared to try to find out). I have stopped using those book services that give you a daily list of books that are either free or very low cost. I'm not getting through what I've got already.

And I see nothing in this month's First Reads that attracts me either.


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## Paperbackstash (Dec 15, 2017)

I think 'The Lies that Bind' looks interesting.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Really weak month. I went with *Matchmaking for Beginners*, as the premise sounds somewhat unique.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

CS said:


> Really weak month. I went with *Matchmaking for Beginners*, as the premise sounds somewhat unique.


I enjoyed the read. It was very different and unexpected in places.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I enjoyed the read. It was very different and unexpected in places.


Thanks, Gertie! I'm glad to hear my instincts steered me well.


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

You both convinced me - I'll give it a try ...



CS said:


> Thanks, Gertie! I'm glad to hear my instincts steered me well.





Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I enjoyed the read. It was very different and unexpected in places.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

CegAbq said:


> You both convinced me - I'll give it a try ...


Please don't throw rotten tomatoes if you both don't like it.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)




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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Atunah said:


>


Uh-oh! [duckingbehindjamie]


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