GETTING TO KNOW US: Book Shopping

I didn't realize how much of a 'process' I had when shopping for books until I sat down to write this. It really shouldn't be so complicated but I realize now that there are many 'steps' to how I select books. I'm going to simplify it, as much as it kills me, because I have a feeling this post will really only interest me. 

In a real life book shopping I consistently do a few things:

• I usually go to the new release section to see if there are things out that I haven't heard about.
• I scour the covers and if something catches me eye, I...
• read the back and then a few paragraphs at the beginning and sometimes
• I'll check out the online reviews before I make a decision.

Then, I'll go wander all over the bookstore--rare books? Yes. Poetry/Plays? Yep. YA/Teens? uh huh. Cookbooks/Landscaping? Absolutely. Children's books? Well, duh. Literary and General fiction? Of course! Romance/Photography? Yes and Yes. Basically nothing is off limits for me and a trip that should take a few minutes can consume an entire day. Bookstores are very dangerous for my bank account and my time management.

When I shop for books online, I generally look at the cover, read the blurb, take the reviews with a grain of salt, and sometimes I research the author. I tend to take more risks with ebooks and if it's not great, I'm not as personally wounded by it as when I don't like a paperback--I'm not sure why that is? Maybe it's the lack of time invested in buying ebooks? Or the price? Not sure, but I will easily walk away from an ebook before I'll walk away from a paperback. 

And that's my simple version of how I shop for books. <3

I too do not go shopping for books that often, because really...I am on a book moratorium from my husband. After we moved over 20 boxes of them...twice...he asked why I can't get more ebooks...to which I replied "Oh, I have at least a thousand more on my kindle. I am first and foremost a collector of books on sale, and books that are free. I cannot miss that opportunity...

In a store...I suppose I am much more drawn to the young adult genre, just because it is more centered on the topics I am interested in...though the front and new release racks draw my interest too...but...the sale and young adults keep my interest, and I could shop for hours. I like funky covers first and foremost. I love the romance section because I started seeing favorites that I loved and we promoted when the authors first self published, and now some of our favorites have made their way into the store and the big time and it is SO EXCITING! I love going to Target too, and just seeing the new ones that I've read have been added. I know it's probably only a tenth of the pride the actual author feels, but I feel SO VERY PROUD OF THEM! 

How do YOU shop?!