I get e-mails from Barnes & Nobel and Borders that sometimes give me good ideas. That's how I discovered "THe Reluctant Fundamentalist" and others. I also get suggestions from the Web sites of authors that I enjoy. When I'm in a bookstore, I look to see what authors have written blurbs for a book, too.

I read the Sunday book review section in our local paper, which occasionally has some good suggestions. I also visit Amazon regularly, and they, too, send me e-mails and suggestions based on previous purchases.

Last but not least, I always check the books at CostCo when I'm there. Lately the choices have been pretty bleak, however.

I buy second hand books based on interesting titles and blurbs. Because they are very cheap, it doesn't matter if there are one or two stinkers in among the readable ones.

I learn about new and interesting books from this forum and from reviews in newspapers and on a handful of literary blogs I read, and put them on my "buy or borrow" list.

Very occasionally I found an interesting book through Amazon recommendations, but it has been a long time since it has come up with anything sensible.

Most of my reading suggestions come from RP, but I also subscribe to "Bookmarks" magazine (recommended by someone here) which has loads of new book reviews. I also have a couple friends who are in FTF book groups and get recommendations from them, as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bookmarks Magazine

I use many of the ways listed here - all good suggestions.

Sometimes I go to the library, stand in front of the shelves and pick a book that looks interesting - a habit from my childhood. If it is no good, it gets dropped into the return bin the next time I pass the library: quick, painless and free.

sheriz - what are FTF book groups?

FTF-face to face?

Since my first love is old mysteries-preferably written between the WWs, I use the internet to find authors, then Stop You're Killing Me to get titles in order-then I hunt them using used book sites and shops.

I also receive an emailed newsletter from SYKM as well as checking in with Bookmarks, Goodreads and other reader-written sites.

And since I volunteer in our town library once a week, I get to see a lot of books come across the counter...I'm a very slow shelver because I read so many book blurbs. Those, however, I take with a grain of salt. Often the "author plaudits" on the back cover are solicited or are done in house-and they "love" the book because both authors are with the same publisher.

But a library book is easy to test drive, as thyrkas says.

My FTF bookclub is a great resource as well.

Occasionally, I read the NY Times Book Review section. Also, I have a friend in a FTF book club, and she gives me their reading lists and her recommendations. I'm a great browser at used book stores and library book sales. But I get most of my recommendations from this forum.

My favorite method is to go to a book store when I'm not in hurry and just browse. I read the titles, descriptions etc and decide if it sounds interesting or not. Also, recommendations from friends and from here as well. Since I am an avid history fan many of my reading selections are chosen from watching a documentary or such and then I want to learn more so I look for a book on the same topic.

While I buy many books online, I buy a good amount of my fiction by browsing shelves in bricks-and-mortar bookstores. Recommendations, experience, and impulse all guide my choices.

Rosefolly

Lists--I have lists! I have so many authors whose works I want to read that it keeps me pretty busy just staying current with them. I also use this forum, the Stop, You're Killing Me website, and the public library. Since I've found out I can request books via the internet (including interlibrary loan), there's no end to it. I do still love to go to the "big" library downtown and browse in addition to searching out gems from my lists, which I will never live to be old enough to complete. I also go to bookstores occasionally, but since the demise of my favorite privately owned store, it isn't nearly as much fun. How many Norah Roberts and James Patterson books can they stock?

Everywhere!

Book sites
RP has been a HUGE source
Bookmarks Magazine (I was the one who recommended it and I LOVE IT)
Friends
Library browsing
Bookshops
Publishers websites
Book Clubs
newspapers and magazines
And I just ask people that I see reading what book they are reading and how they like it. I do this ALL of the time.
Then I make lists out of all of this stuff. I have pages in my TBR notebook entitled "Bookmarks July issue" and "RP July Thread" and so on and on and on. Lists EVERYWHERE.

PAM

My dear sister keeps me busy with books..as she reads non-stop and I always like the books she recommends. Also my book club pals and this forum is great for ideas. Just found out about "Stop Your Killing Me website" and I love it.

Too funny Pam. Instead of handwritten lists I keep on bookmarking books so that I have a computer file chocked full of potential books. I have to go to a bookstore solo as I can simply get lost there for hours browsing. sheriz6, thanks for the link to the bookmarks magazine - I wasn't familiar with it and it has some reviews on their website. wig

Besides RP, I browse shelves at the libraries I go to. They have a monthly magazine that I think is called Bookpage that is free to library patrons.I look for it each month at the check out counter. I find some recommendations in that. I also browse through the new books (and remainders) at the local Barnes & Noble. Rosefolly will occasionally tell me about something she thinks I will like. I also listen to NPR and now and then will hear about a book/author that sounds interesting.

I have recently subscribed to an RSS feed called "Blogging For a Good Book" which offers a book suggestion every weekday. This is a service of the Williamsburg, Virginia Library. Five days a week, a book is presented with a summary and comment by one of the librarians. The books are from various genres and the comments are well written - it is a pretty nifty service, IMO.
In my youth I went to the library and stood in front of the shelved books; in adulthood, the library can now come to my home via the internet. Pretty neat.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blogging for a Good Book

My favorite web site for recommendations and reviews is called 'Curled Up With a Good Book' (link below). They offer an RSS feed of their newly posted reviews (average 15-20 per week). The good thing about this site is they are not all newly released books, so I get recommendations on books I can find at a used book store.

Here is a link that might be useful: Curled Up With a Good Book

How could I have forgotten "Bookpage"? It's free at my public library and has excellent reviews, broken down by various categories.

I use recommendations from sites like this, go the websites suggested that look interesting to me, I go to Amazon and use my wish list to help keep track of mostly everything there. I have a lot of friends and coworkers that read and we trade books back and forth quite a bit.