A digital magazine presents content items based on user interaction with or preference for content items determined based on how a user flips through different content items of the digital magazine. For example, the user may slow down or pause flipping, flip through content items at an inconsistent pace or change the navigational direction of the flipping, when the user is encountered with content items of interest. By analyzing how a user flips through different content items, content items that the user interacts with can be determined, and content items that the user may interact with or prefer can be determined and presented to the user.