I have wishy-washy opinions on Kindle’s recommendations inside of the app. It’s incredibly biased towards books I “own” (which were usually free downloads) and my most recent reads and I detest that I can’t tell it myself what I love and hate—we’ll get into that in a moment. I do appreciate that it’ll cycle books through that I’ve already got on a saved list on Amazon, though; I appreciate seeing those pop up as reminders.

On March 17, these were the recommendations:

Books you may like

After this, it got into books that I know I’d dislike, so I stopped side-scrolling.

I think this was influenced by the 10 (ten!) free e-books I just downloaded, unfortunately. They were a bit of a grab bag, so these ones also feel like a total grab-bag.

Top Kindle Deals For You

(I don’t know why this title is all capitalized, but I hate the inconsistency.)

These were such bad suggestions that I literally didn’t even scroll on this section. I think they’re based off of a super old Amazon list I have, but consider I’ve never downloaded or read any of those books, you’d think Amazon would have realized I’m not interested anymore?

Similar to books you bought

These are the worst recommendations, without fail. What in the world is Amazon trying to accomplish with these?! First, French Conversation. I bought this book a year ago in physical form because I was taking French. Why in the world would I want the ebook a year later? For Pax, I literally detested the first book in the series, I’m not giving book three a try, it also sounds boring. Sue London’s Athena’s Ordeal is a sequel to a book I never even finished, Kindle knows I never even finished it, and knows I’ve tried twice over a period of, like, four years. I think that says something about my opinion on London’s writing. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the most WTF suggestion ever. I occasionally read Middle Grade, but this isn’t even that—this is a freaking children’s book. I’ve never read a Wimpy Kid book in my life, it came out way after I was too old for it, why in the world would a pulpy-romance-slash-high-fantasy reader was that?? And for some reason after that horrifying suggestion, the first possible recommendation that even applies to me—it’s a “cozy fantasy” knockoff post-Legends & Lattes (though I think the cover does not market it as well as it could to capture that audience) that I do actually have saved to a list on Amazon. However, I have no owned books on Kindle that are at all comparable to this, so I have no idea why it’s on this list in particular.

Continue series you’ve started

This probably my favorite section and definitely the most applicable to me. For the most part, I’m truly interested in these… but also, most of them are not yet published. Freaking Kindle.

However—Scoreless Game is literally my first-read-when-I-get-KU-again, so they nailed that.

Gentlemen Prefer Villains, though, is a sequel to a book I didn’t even finish. Nice job there, Kindle. The Dating Material also isn’t published. Colin is probably one I’ll read eventually, but it’s low-priority because it’s got a father MC. Something Spectacular is a will-definitely-read but I’m rationing my Alexis Hall because I love his works so much. And it’s not yet published. Foolish Puckboy is ALSO NOT YET PUBLISHED, KINDLE. Snuggle Inn would have been one that I read last year, but this year I’m trying to prioritize books that I think I’ll love, not “just something to read” (which is what the prequel was to me). Also it’s not published yet?! And then we get to Cynric Ella which starts the suggestions that aren’t even sequels or I’ve never read the series.

If you’re out of suggestions, Kindle, just stop scrolling. It’s okay. (You look desperate.)

Continue exploring in Comics & Graphic Novels

This section only seems to exist because I have Fence in my shopping cart, because I don’t read graphic novels on my phone. I’ll occasionally read scalations on my computer or webtoons on my phone, but absolutely not graphic novels on my phone.

Anyways, it’s just suggesting Fence, Chef’s Kiss, Love and War, more Fence, something called Sins of the Black Flamingo, and then Superman. Unironically.

I am curious to see if the Comixology Unlimited is part of KU, though. I’m guessing no, but I’ll probably spend some time investigating it regardless.

Continue exploring in Literature & Fiction

Wow. What a genre.

Buuuut, these are actually really intriguing recommendations. The first five are legitimately good suggestions and I’ve opened them all in Goodreads to investigate. Just from first-look, though, I’m guessing The Reanimator’s Heart may be similar to The Night Circus (which I hated, but most in execution). Blaine’s Beast looks like an MM fantasy and I’m intrigued, though I’m not familiar with the author. Iron and Fire is an author I’ve definitely enjoyed before, and I’m pretty sure that I have the first book (Silk and Steel recommended later) on an Amazon list already. The Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel is either a really well-marketed book or a sequel to The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. (Have investigated, it’s the first. I’m a bit sad that it’s not a sequel, but I have read KJ Charles and enjoyed their writing, so I’m still interested! Especially since it’s clearly meant to be confused with the latter, and I liked that book/series a lot! Sad days, though, it’s not yet published…) Coming in First Place is an MM sport romance and I’ve read this author before (and I think I liked them) and I’m also pretty sure it’s on an Amazon list already. Kings Rising is one of my favorite books, I find it humorous that it’s listed here but I love it so much who cares.

And then the recommendations start sucking. Again, Kindle, it’s better to stop than to keep serving up substandard options.

Continue exploring in Romance

WAIT. I’m sorry. Kindle does stop scrolling? These are the only three recommendations in this section, which is crazy, but also the knowledge that Kindle does have an end to its scrolling peeves me almost more! These are the weirdest recommendations of all—a book 6.5, a book 5, and a book 3, all in series I’ve never read or heard of before—despite this being a genre I read a lot from.

That said, I love the A Novel Arrangement cover and title. It’s giving me Alexis Hall vibes. It’s giving me Rainbow Rowell vibes. It’s almost giving me FT Luken vibes. I’m intrigued.

Continue exploring in LGBTQ+ Books

This is such a disappointing suggestion list. Kindle has an absolute hard-on for Sarina Bowen, which is frustrating to me. It really makes it obvious that they promote certain authors more than others despite the reader’s actual reading history. That said, those two were immediately followed up by a monster-lovers (alien-lovers?) book #7, a werewolf book #4, and some contemporary romances with tropes I’ve literally never enjoyed. Of these authors, I’ve read two—Bowen and Hart—and only liked one—Hart, if that wasn’t obvious.

More categories

This absolute kills me because this is where the recommendations get consistently good. The next sections are “Based on your reading” and “Recommended books for you” and “Because you’ve been reading similar books” etc., and each one of them is actually directly, obvious related to something or many-somethings that I’ve read and read recently.

It’s super obvious where these recommendations are coming from and I love them. For example, I can clearly see the MM hockey romances and in between the books I do recognize are books that I’m intrigued by. I can also see the chick lit (I just finished Book Lovers by Emily Henry) recommendations; although I wish I could fine-tune these a bit more, they’re largely books I’m aware of and already vaguely intrigued by. (Also, beautiful covers. Damn them.)

I can see authors that I’ve read multiples from also popping up, even if I haven’t read them recently. And fantasy books with similar vibes to others that I’ve actually read—Kindle, you’re getting it!

It’s also interesting here because it’s a mix of KU and buy-onlys, traditionally published and indie published. These lists feel much less pushed by Amazon. I wish these were at the top and the lists that were promoted more.

If I could tell Kindle:

• I want to tell them what books I liked and disliked. Just because I read it doesn’t mean I want anything like it.
• I’d like to blacklist authors or tropes, too. I greatly disliked the Sarina Bowen book I read. STOP RECOMMENDING HER. I don’t often get Colleen Hoover, thank god, and I’d like to keep that going.
• A section for just Kindle Unlimited would be nice, or a way to toggle for KU-only recommendations.
• I wish they wouldn’t mix upcoming releases into the recommendations because it’s very disappointing to click on them and they’re not available.
• If you’re going to recommend sports romance books, I prefer the MM ones (and you know that!), the het romance ones have all been shockingly boring to me.
• Your book description pages are really unpleasant to scroll through and learn about the books. I understand it’s designed to be a sales front, but it’s not pitching the product very well.

Follow-Up

Just as an interesting wrap-up, of the books listed above:

• Opened 21 books in Goodreads
• Added 4 books to my Amazon KU list
• Added 1 books To-Read on Goodreads
• Added 5 books to Not-Interested on Goodreads
• Noted 1 book on my Upcoming Releases list
• Already had 4 books on an Amazon list