“Hey, what are you reading these days?” Ugh. Hate the question. These days, I can never seem to find a great book, one that will keep me hooked, and I’ve all but given up. Is it just me? Or with so many options to choose from, are we all just too exhausted to sift through them for one that resonates? Somehow it just feels easier to surf Netflix.
Sadly, too, my book club days are long gone. It’s hard enough to carve out time to read let alone get together to review. When I’m craving a great new read, here’s the process I’ve defaulted to. It’s not working well.
- I put out a call for recommendations online —or better yet, in our Brazen Insiders Facebook group—and I wait.
- I feel a thrill every time a new title appears until I realize I’d better record them somewhere before they disappear in my feed.
- I spend way too long recording them one by one in my phone list, which is now so long, it makes me dizzy.
- I spend way too long googling titles and dividing them into yes, no, maybe.
- I get out to a real live bookstore, only to come up frustratingly empty, feeling like I just wasted two hours of my life.
- I get into bed and click on Netflix instead.
What if there was one place where you find out exactly what people are reading—and loving? There is! Say hello to Amazon Charts.
What is Amazon Charts?
This weekly bestseller list is like a book club for busy people like me. It’s an online destination where you can go to find out what’s hot, to check out the most popular books before you add one to your nightstand. How does it work? Amazon Charts shares the deets on what’s most read and sold across Canada on Amazon.ca and Audible.ca. Whether bought, borrowed, listened to or read, you’ll find everything you need to know in one place: which books readers are enjoying each week by looking at reading engagement and sales.
Through Amazon Charts, you can:
- Discover the Top 20 Most Read
- Separated into 2 lists—fiction and non-fiction—books are ranked by looking at the average number of daily Kindle readers and Audible.ca listeners.
- Check out the Top 20 Most Sold
- Also separated into 2 lists—fiction and non-fiction—books are ranked by number of copies sold and pre-ordered on Amazon.ca and Audible.ca and books borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.
- Decide If It’s For You
- Read reviews, skim a book sample, listen to an audiobook sample
- Click to Buy Right Now
- Buy straight to your Kindle, or if you’re ready for an upgrade, the brand new Kindle Oasis. Pssst…this device is waterproof! Hallelujah, no more sticking your arm out of the bath to read. Plus, it has double the storage so you can load it up.
- Share With Your Friends
- Post automatically on social media
Why We Love Amazon Charts
Oh so many reasons. Here are just a few:
1. While I’ll never stop swapping book reccos with friends (check out our Fall Reads!), the fact is, books are highly subjective. Just because you love fantasy or horror or mystery doesn’t mean I will. You’re “inspiring” may well me my “cheesy”. Here, there’s an objective tally of what the majority of people love—and why. It’s fast, convenient and smart.
2. Using Amazon Charts eliminates the need to run around a bookstore looking for a copy just so you can read a passage (or feeling guilty because you have no more time for all that running around, much as you may love reading). Now you click on the book sample and you know right away if it resonates—or not—right from the comfort of your own home.
3. You can quickly see how many star ratings there are for each book and spend your time reading reviews instead of looking them up one by one or going on blind faith.
4. If you’ve ever wondered if you may enjoy an audiobook, now’s your chance. Amazon Charts makes transitioning to audiobooks easy. If you’ve never tried listening, now there’s nothing holding you back. A sample is right there for you at your fingertips.
5. You will feel like a generous and knowledgeable friend because you can easily share your favourite reads by email, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. It’s almost you’re back in the book club.
6. You can buy fast, directly to your Kindle, and start reading/listening right now! No excuses!