how do u pick ur books

i have been wondering how people pick their books for me i go for my faves but when picking a new author i have got two ways to do this 1. go for the cover if it draws me in and then read whats it about, but other the other way 2. is getting recommedations from amazon and the cool guys in my online book groups where i got introdused to sookie, harry dresden, anita blake :)