I Found a New Way to Pick My Next Read

Let me introduce you to Amazon First Reads, where you can discover recent releases by authors you may have never heard of with minimal effort. I have no idea how popular the service is, but it has been a staple in my reading life for over a year, allowing me enough time to develop a love-hate relationship with the service.

The point of the scheme is to give readers early access to the editor’s picks for new releases every month. Usually, the description is written by an editor who offers a synopsis, a shining review, and their opinion on the book. Most months Prime members will get a Kindle pick for free otherwise you can get 1 book for either 99p on the Kindle or a print version for £3.99. I say most months because recently, two discounted picks were offered instead of one. Crazy, right?

Throughout my time using the service, I’ve encountered both some enjoyable and some questionable books, at least to me. It’s been a great way to discover new books, but not without some drawbacks. So, in this post, I want to discuss the pros and cons of Amazon First Reads.

PROS – Take the thought out of picking your next read:

• The books included are usually set to be released on Kindle that month, so it’s a great way to keep up with current books, especially ones you may not hear much about in other online spaces.
• There are usually around eight books to pick from per month, with a range of genres including (but not limited to) thrillers, historical fiction, romance, and memoirs. It’s a great way to ensure there is an option for a range of readers.
• It might introduce you to an author you’ve never heard of since it’s a different way of discovering new books that you may not be used to. I often rely on authors I’ve read or Instagram to guide me to my next read, but Amazon First Reads offers a new method of discovering books for your TBR.
• It’s a relatively cheap way of reading if you use the Kindle app since, without Amazon Prime, the price of your pick of the month is usually set at 99p as a part of the scheme.

CONS – Avid Readers Beware:

• As with a lot of things in life that should be fun, it can feel as though you’re being pressured to read something you might not have picked up otherwise. A question I find myself asking often with this service is, is this something I want to read, or is it the only option I wasn’t bored by?
• If you have problems with a gigantic TBR like I do, subscribing to Amazon First reads will add an additional 12 books to it, potentially preventing you from reading 12 books you already have, which believe me, is never a good thing.
• It’s by Amazon, a company everyone loves to hate, and for good reason. Need I say more?

There are a lot of positives and negatives to consider, but my favourite thing about Amazon First Reads is that it offers an alternative to using sites like Goodreads or relying on TikTok for new book recommendations. It’s always nice to have more options, to broaden the scope of books you might stumble across and come to enjoy. However, just like any other recommendation, you’re not guaranteed to like a book, even if it does have glowing reviews, so it’s always best to be cautious when choosing.

I think the best way to use the service is to check it out each month and (unlike me) resist feeling obligated to pick something just because you can. Take what you want, leave what you don’t, and you’ll find it’s a great way to find a new book at a low price.