App Review: Kindle Buffet

As writers, we love to read. And like most creative types, we are often poor. So what better than a smorgasbord of free Kindle ebooks? This is where Kindle Buffet — available on both Google Play and iTunes — comes in handy by providing you with your daily menu of free Kindle books. While you can Google or hunt for free ebooks via a variety of different sources, Kindle Buffet cuts down on the time spent in the act by pulling up the cream of the crop as it were.

I first learned of this app from my frugal friend who has a Kindle and of course had to have it. Fortunately, I was able to download the app for my Android phone, and over the course of using the app, I’ve found several fascinating books from cookbooks and nonfiction to fantasy novels. And the big plus? Well, if you end up not liking something, there is no reason to fret: You are only out the time, not the money.

When you launch the app, you are greet by the Editor’s Choice. This page features approximately eight editor picks, plus a couple of top bargains for the day. These picks often feature a wide variety from romance and thriller to politics, though I’ve notice a tendency to lean more toward the romance. With each book entry on the Editor’s Choice page, you are told the genre of the book, plus provided a summary and a brief bio for the author.

On the same page is the Bargains for Today section, which features ebooks that have had a huge cut in price. For example, “Unbreakable: My Story, My Way” by the late Jenni Rivera normally sells for $9.99 but today is only $1.99 — not bad, right? Of course, both the Bargains of the Today and the Editor’s Choice update daily, so each day there will be something new to discover, which is always nice.

However, if nothing on the Editor’s Choice catches your fancy, that’s alright! Just hit the Fiction Top Sellers tab and select from whatever genre will satisfy your reading needs, or just select the Top Free Fiction titles. Once you select what you are looking for, you will be directed to the Amazon website itself to free eBooks of your chosen genre. You can do the exact same thing with nonfiction titles with genres like: cooking, food and wine; advice & how-to; children’s nonfiction; and so on.

Beyond books, this app also highlights free apps that are available through Amazon. If you have an Android, Kindle Buffet will also highlight general free apps.

Now you might be wondering, how come these books are discounted or free. Well often, the author or publisher choose to do so, more often than not to gain exposure. According to Weber Books, the maker of the app, these giveaways can be used to spark additional sales of an author’s previous books. Of course, they also note: “Kindle freebies are a hotly debated topic among authors. Many believe that the giveaways devalue all books, making it harder for each author to earn a living. They argue that readers will buy far fewer books if the market is flooded with freebies. However, perhaps an equal number of authors — including many highly successful ones — believe that the giveaways provide invaluable exposure, enabling them to broaden their fan base and ultimately sell more books.”

No matter what your viewpoint is on ebooks or freebies, Kindle Buffet is a fun app for the average user and holds the possibility of introducing a reader to a new favorite author or book. So happy reading!