Black Friday is upon us, yet again. It's the biggest shopping day of the year, for those who will brave traffic, tramplings, and brawls to get the best deals on the year's hottest items. But chances are pretty good that, if you aren't out in the thick of it yet, you won't be going out at all.
For the last few years, retailers have offered Cyber Monday deals as a Black Friday alternative. On the Monday following Thanksgiving weekend, Internet shoppers can buy their holiday bounty with just a few clicks and keystrokes, and have all the presents delivered right to their doors. Given that I do 99 percent of my shopping online anyway, I've been on Team Cyber Monday for as long as it's been around. Because seriously, I can shop in my pyjamas and have the presents come to me. Who doesn't want that?
This year, a lot of online sellers have combined their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals into one big, extended holiday shopping clickfest. Even booksellers are getting in on the action, which means that — you guessed it — this year, you can #GiveaBook to every member of your family, and you don't have to search any shelves in order to do it. While I encourage you to support your local indie booksellers as much as you possibly can, I realize that some of these deals are just too good to pass up, especially if you're strapped for cash this holiday season.
Here are my top 10 picks for the best Black Friday book deals of 2015.
1. HarperCollins Remainders for Under $5
If you aren't sure what remainders are, click the link for Joe Konrath's excellent rundown. Carthage is just one of the titles HarperCollins has available right now. Other books include Justin Halpern's I Suck at Girls and Elisa Ludwig's Pretty Crooked. (Carthage, Joyce Carol Oates, $4.99, HarperCollins)
2. SALT Publishing Gives 25 Percent Off with Code
Right now, you can get a 25 percent discount on your SALT Publishing purchases by using the promo code "blackfriday2015" at checkout. (The Book Collector, Alice Thompson, £8.49, SALT Publishing)
3. Humble Bundle Has a Huge X-Files Comics Bundle
Available through December 2, the current Humble Comics Bundle is all about Mulder and Scully. You can pay whatever you like, but $15 or more gets you 21 volumes of X-Files comics, a $193 value. (X-Files Classics vol. 1, Humble Bundle, IDW Publishing)
4. Deep Discounts on Kindles
If someone you know is in the market for a new e-reader, here's how you can make their holiday brighter. Amazon has a Black Friday discount of up to $30 on most Kindle models and bundles. Pick up an original Kindle for $49.99, a Kindle for Kids Bundle for $69.99, or the all-new Kindle Paperwhite for just south of $100. (Kindle Paperwhite, $99.99, Amazon)
5. Get 30 Percent Off the Purchase of Any Print Book on Amazon
Use the code "HOLIDAY30" at checkout to snag a cool 30 percent off the purchase of the most expensive book in your cart. This discount has a maximum value of $10. (Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates, $14.40, Amazon, Spiegel & Grau)
6. Up to 50 Percent Off Select Books on Amazon
Amazon has a lot of great book deals going on today, and this is one of their best. You could probably buy a book for everyone on your list just by shopping their 50 percent off section, but where's the fun in that? (Gilead, Marilynne Robinson, $6.93, Amazon, Picador)
6. The Book People Has Book Bundles on the Cheap
This is my favorite deal by far. The Book People has a number of excellent, handpicked bundles up for grabs this Black Friday. You can get all six titles from the Man Booker shortlist for a measly £25. Or, snag 10 books from Emily Brightwell's Mrs Jeffries mystery series for only £8. Be sure to use the promo code "Friday10" to get an extra 10 percent off your purchase. (Mrs Jeffries Collection, Emily Brightwell, £8, The Book People, Orion)
7. Barnes & Noble Offers 30 Percent Off One Item
Barnes & Noble's promo code, "30BFRIDAY," will work on everything that isn't Nook or LEGO, so aim high. Using this code on the Harry Potter Paperback Boxed Set will get you all seven books for under $40. (Harry Potter Paperback Boxed Set, J.K. Rowling, $54.33, Barnes & Noble, Scholastic)
8. BOGO on Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions
Barnes & Noble is also offering deals on their signature collection of omnibuses. Buy a Collectible Edition like the one above and get another for 50 percent off. (The Star Wars Trilogy, George Lucas, $25, Barnes & Noble)
9. BOGO on Holiday Picture Books from Books a Million
Got kids on your list? Check out Books a Million, where you'll buy one picture book and get a second at half-price. The retailer also has tiered discounts available, and those promo codes are listed on its home page. (Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Storybook, Kim Smith, $10.99, Books a Million, Quirk Books)
10. Scholastic Offers Deep Discounts Plus an Extra 20 Percent Off
Last, but certainly not least, here's Scholastic's Black Friday deal. They've got basically everything on sale, including this Diary of a Wimpy Kid Collection for 40 percent off. Use promo code "THKGVG20" to knock an extra 20 percent off your purchase total. (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Collection, Jeff Kinney, $83.70, Scholastic)
Image: Garry Knight/flickr
