We all love do read, but do you prefer one format over another?
My preferences have changed hugely over the past six months or so. I used to be a hardcore physical book reader. You couldn't pay me to touch any kind of e-reader. Then I discovered novellas, books that aren't usually released in paperback form. I wound up downloading the Kindle app, "just" for those books I couldn't get in physical form. One thing turned into another (mostly I found out about free ebooks), and I caved and bought a Kindle Paperwhite. Aside from my dogs and my Nikon, it's one of the best purchases I've ever made.
That said, I still read all three!
Paperback
Let's be honest here: there's nothing quite as beautiful as a well stocked bookshelf. The look, feel and smell of real books just can't be beat. I love having shelves on the verge of collapse from just how many books they hold, and a life goal is to have all my favorite books in physical form. "Real books" are extremely satisfying for my more tactile side, and a bookstore is heaven on earth.
But...they're really expensive. You're stuck reading that one book if you happen to leave with it, and it's incredibly frustrating to loose your page if you accidentally drop it...or if you have dogs or kids, and one of them decides it'd be fun to dive-bomb you.
Because of all this, paperbacks have become my least used format. I can't swallow the price of them too often!
Kindle/eBook
Nothing but nothing beats the convince of a Kindle. Having hundreds of books at your fingertips is perfect for pretty much all situations. It lets you easily switch back if you read more than one book at once, and it takes up almost no room in your bag. I love being able to share to Goodreads and Facebook, and to buy books right from the device. Adjusting font type and size fixes the problem of most tiny print paperbacks, or those annoyingly large large print physical copies. Not to mention the lower prices for books! The Paperwhite really is just like reading an actual page.
They're a bit impersonal though, and they do require charging.
They're a bit impersonal though, and they do require charging.
Audiobook
An audiobook with a fantastic narrator is my favorite way to read. A narrator that can bring all the emotion and passion into the story and really bring it to life makes the experience almost movie-like. The narrators for Karen Marie Moning's Dreamfever, Shadowfever, Iced and Burned are a truly fantastic pair. Likewise with the narrators for Jeaniene's Frost Night Huntress series or Daryanda Jones' Charely Davidson.
Not to mention listening frees up your hands and allows you to multitask!
On the other hand...a bad narrator can ruin a great book, and they're pricier than most paperbacks if you don't have Audible or utilize Whispersync!
I'll say that audiobooks and paperbacks are my favorite formats, but Kindle is my most utilized. What about you?
- The Bibliophile Babe
