Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy discussion

I'm a bit curious where does everyone get there books? Do you buy them at a cozy little local book shop, the rather popular Borders or Barnes & Nobles, online, or a the 2nd hand store.

Me: I usually peruse Amazon & book site like this one for recommendations, then go to frugalreader.com or bookmooch.com (user name: books4me2) (my favorite place for books). If I can't find them there I hit up the a rather large second hand store, then borders, fallowed by my last resort Amazon.

the library! i go at least once a week, friends, barns and noble, and amazon.

off to look at bookmooch

I have a member card at my local B&N and Waldenbooks, so I use email coupons and discounts there to buy 99% of my books. Those local chains also carry my novels and sponsor booksignings for me, so I like to give them some payback (grin). I sometimes shop at Amazon, but mostly use it (almost every day!) to check out new books and series suggested to me by my pnr friends.

http://www.TheWitchesofDixie.blogspot...

I shop at a cozy little book store that has used and 15% off new books. If I have to go to one of big stores I like Border's more than B&N, which is too bad because I only live a couple of blocks from B&N.

I love my Borders and get the weekly e-mail coupons, but I also love Amazon. Most of the titles are buy 3 get 1 free and 4 paperbacks brings you up to free shipping. I also preorder a lot of the books so I don't forget to pick up the new ones when they come out. I also go to used book sales at not only my local library, but other libraries in my area. I've found some great books there for next to nothing. The used book sales are great for the books that you aren't sure you'll like.

My first stop on the book buying trail is my local B&N. I have a member card and use the snail mail coupons to buy 99% of my books. Next is my local Hastings, then it's on-line to Amazon.com. Last is a local used book store called Book Worm. I use them for finding old series that I'm trying to fill out or authors that I'm not too sure of and will try to find a use copy first. But if the series bindings are too badly broken then I usually head on-line to amazon.com.

I love ebooks, so I tend to head to www.fictionwise.com

Great place and books are a lot cheaper if you don't have to pay for paper.

Plus I can always whip out and read a book wherever I am as my mobile is a reader as well.

There's a Border's about a half a block from my office, so that's usually my first stop. Plus they send me email coupons all the time! If I can't find what I'm looking for there, then I head to the Books-a-Million about two miles from my house. Those are the usual suspects....

I use http://www.bookmooch.com as often as I can, and then hit the local used bookstores. I'm a grad student; I've taken a vow of perpetual poverty and have to get my books as cheap as I can. ;) If forced to buy books new, I usually go to Borders or order from Amazon. I like that the Borders Rewards program is free, and I get tons of coupons (again with the cheap, haha).

If it is a new author whose works I haven't read, I try out at least one book first at the library.

If it is one of my auto buys that I don't mind paying for, I'll do either B&N, Borders or Amazon. Whichever one is most convenient. I have discounts at all of them.

If it is an author that I generally like but don't want to pay full price for, I'll do the Amazon used bookstores. I've had the best luck with them. I get some really good quality books almost new books for just the price of shipping and handling in many cases.

I use bookmooch for the same reason. I have to many student loans & I would like to buy a house this year. My library has a pitiful selection of books so if I bought all my books brand new I would spend about 3000 dollars a year. No shit, we have been trying to cut back on our spending & I figured up how much I spent a year on books, the figures came out to be between 3000 & 5000 a year. At least if I'm lucky, if I can't find it on bookmooch my mother-in-law usually gets it for me.

For ebooks you may like http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/ I find a lot of ebooks in bulk there, that's probably the only reason why I buy so many ebooks. There selection is not as big as fictionwise, but I do usually check there first because there prices can be cheaper.

I go to Borders- Have the rewards card, credit card, and you get rewards certificates too- I end up with abouit $50 in free books every 2 months!

Thanks, Shannon, for mentioning "Diesel Ebooks"!! My latest novel "The Witches of Dixie: Book One of the Witchery Series" is available from several ebook sites, including Diesel. I'm thanking you because I think Diesel is a neat site, but have never heard any ebook buyers mention it before. You have made my day (grin)!!

http://www.TheWitchesofDixie.blogspot...

Looks like i will have to give Diesel ebooks a try :)

I get my books from Barnes and Nobles. Sometimes, I get them from half as well. But since I have a memebership at BN and I get 10% off my purchase, I just hit them up. But, I have to check out Dieseal Ebooks. I never heard of that before. :)

I'm reviving this dead thread because I'm so happy with my book purchases today. I'm sure there must be a name for my phobia, but I suffer from the fear of not having enough books on my physical (not virtual) "To Be Read" shelf. What if there was a freak storm and I couldn't get to the book store?!! Oh the horror.

Anyway, today I went to my friendly, neighborhood paperback book exchange store and got 6 books for the same amount of money I spent at Borders on 3 books, including using $5.00 in Borders Bucks and a 20% off coupon!

So now there are 9 new (to me) books on my shelf and I'm feeling much calmer now.

Whew...that was close.

Borders has become my book-buying weakness. I'm a member of Borders Rewards, so they send me coupons. And I can't *not* use a coupon, haha! Add to that their buy 4 get the 5th free deal with romances, and I'm a happy little bookworm.

I am SO the same way with the coupons! I totally look online at my Border's inventory and plan what I'm going to get with my coupon. Sometimes I go two or three days in a row with my little coupons (since you can only use one a day). I have way too many books on my shelf to be read, but I just can't let that coupon go to waste. It seems there are still so many books out there to get. BTW, Amazon.com has most of their mass market paperbacks by 3 get 1 free. If you spend $25 or more, shipping is free. Four books at 6.99 brings you over the $25 and then they take off 6.99 for the 4th book and it's basically getting each book at 25% off. Only the very new releases aren't eligible. Sometimes this is the only way to get what I'm looking for.

I would have taken advantage of their romance deal now but the Southern Vampire series is considered SciFi! Isn't it strange how they can either be in the sciFi/fantasy, romance or horror section?

I did join an online opinion site that lets you earn rewards points for each survey you take. I just got $15.00 in Borders Bucks for next month that way. I think you can only redeem the points for the bucks once a year so next year I'll let my points accrue more to get more bucks. It's a cool way to get coupons and stuff though.

Lori, I'm signed up with an opinion site too, and it takes a while to accrue enough points, but it's a free giftcard, how can I complain, lol. But I know what you mean. I like to have options when I'm reading. If I decide to put down one, I like to have another on hand.

I tend to hit up B&N since I'm a member and I love their cafe.

Of course, if I can find the books at my local Goodwill or consignment shop for less expensive, then I'm all about it.

Lately, to feed my book addiction, I'll also pick up a book whenever I'm at another store picking something up. It allows me an opportunity to sneak yet another book in the house. :-) Example: A new paperback with groceries, a quick pick up with a run in to Target, a glance through the reads at Wal-Mart on my way to pick up photos, etc.

I am a member of a few swapping sites. Basically free books all you have to do is pay for postage so that works fine for me. If I have to buy I go to Mrz. B's b/c she lets you swap for store credit and you only pay like 25 cents, per book, for tax. If I can't find a book anywhere else I use B and N b/c I am a member or amazon.com.

The sites I swap at are paperbackswap.com and bookmooch.com Plus you can swap on here! So click YES to swapping whenever you write a review so you can pass along the joy =),
Kenjii

I usually get most of my books from Borders. I go there atleast four days out of the week just to browse. I finally learned discipline when it came to book shoppin at Borders. When I'm bored I check out the local used book stores. I have found quite a few good books and the fact they're $0.50 each makes it so much better for me. Usually I walk out of there with five books and in my head I'm thinking, "Wow! I just scored!".

I get my books from Books Free and Atlantic Books( they just opened one up here in philly) Also I'm in three booksclubs at the moment so I get my books from there as well.

I get them used or new, at the bookstore or online, and on bookmooch. Sometimes at libraries. Depends on whether I think/know I will keep the book or not.

My username on bookmooch: fairnymph (NOT fairYnymph - only one Y)

People on BM tend to be very cliquey and reserve PNRs that are highly coveted for their friends so I'd love to make some friends from here over there!

I prefer having a copy of the book for myself. So I usually buy a lot from the school stationary/ book shop...and once a year I go to the book fair with my dad...and try to buy a year supply of books ^^

Julia: I am Daalmonette over on BM and PBS. I'll add you as a friend over there ok?
=)
Kenjii

Hey all... new member here so I thought I would join in on the discussion...

Since I have spent SO much money on books from B&N, abebooks as well as amazon (more the first two than the last), I am trying to make a conscious effort to save my money and only purchase the book if I can see myself reading the book again in near future. As a result, I am relying on my local public library more and more. I would love to find a good used bookstore in the city but I am not aware of good ones in Manhattan (If any of you know of any place where I can purchase books on the cheap here in the city, let me know).

And what is this I hear about Bookmooch? I am beginning to sense more and more about bookswap sites. Is it better than PaperBackSwap?

I use Barnes and Nob le, Creatures and Crooks BookShoppe and Fountain Bookstore (these last two are local indie booksellers in town), plus Amazon, a big used bookstore we have in town and get used ones from my local library that they sell in book sales and all year in library. Money for library ones goes to the library, so that is good.

Aisha: Comarably I like PBS better b/c the system is bettered featured. They have forums (were you can sign up for specials and games to get MORE free books) and they have chat rooms and other features BM doesn't. The reason to have multiple swap sites, for me anyway, is b/c my WL (wishlist) books aren't always listed right away on one or the other. I think you have to have at least 10 books to start on PBS. The Box o Books features works well if you plan on swapping lots of books at once. And don't forget the vacation hold feature or you'll get swamped with orders all the time. If you sign up and need help just post here or + me to your buddy list: Daalmonette
=),
Kenjii
other swap sites switchplanet, swaptree

I love Powell's. I can sell books back and get cash or store credit. I usually scope out the used books as they are a few dollars cheaper. Once I'm done I try to sell them back. It saves me a few dollars and I get to spend more time in my favorite place with a coffee shop and tons of books!

Main spot: Coles, right here in town. If I have to order: Chapters. If I can't get it in Canada, Amazon.com. Sometimes a second-hand store if I can't find it brand new.

After a bad experience with the library, were I went at least twice to three times a weeks as a teen. Not like they didn't know me. However, I'd received a call about a book that hadn't been returned and I was livid. Seems all the books I brought back where checked back in except for that one. I fought with them, especially when one of the ladies saw me drop them off on the counter, they still expected me to pay for the book. As a young adult, still in school, no job, how was I supposed to do that? I refused to pay it ~ wasn't my fault they lost it. But they didn't see it that way. I immediately brought the books I had with me back and haven't been to the library since.