Wednesday, April 6, 2011

E is for E-Books and Excitement

There are so many good words that would work for today but I think it's time I gave my thoughts on the e-book revolution that seems to be going on. I've only read two books on an e-reader and am in the middle of two others, but I don't own the device. The one I have used is my sister's Nook. But before I get too into the topic of electronic books, I want to talk about another E word.

Excitement

I am uber excited because this blog has more than 200 followers. It reached 200 yesterday thanks to a super cool twitter pal (@theresabreaux) and it didn't stop there. Last I looked there were 207. This is just amazing for me. When I started this blog, I didn't think I'd have 100 let alone double that.  I still am hoping my second blog catches up by May 1st but even if it doesn't, I'm one happy blogger. Thank you everyone and make sure to enter my epic giveaway so I can give tons of awesome prizes to many different people.
Giveaway Announced


E-Books

Okay. Honestly, I love paperback. Have always had issues with the hard cover ones but I'll try not to get distracted by that topic. I want to one day have a library room where the walls are covered with shelves that are full of books. And e-books just can't fill that dream. When people first started talking about electronic books, I was against the idea. And to be honest, if I ever get published and it goes just e-book then I'm going to ask permission to find a way to get a paperback copy for myself. But I've read a couple of e-books now and they aren't too bad. I can honestly say, even now, I prefer paperback books.

My sister has a Nook and let me borrow it when I was offered a free e-book to review, the first one. And as a reader, she even let me read other books she already had on the device. They haven't been too bad. The screen is easy enough to read off and the text size is enough I don't have to risk ruining my eyesight even more just to read. And it is convenient, though I don't think I want to use one while taking a bath as that might not be wise. lol

However, my issue is that it feels like it takes forever to read one book. The books I have read don't seem like they should be long because the Nook says they have 160-180 pages or so and on Goodreads the paper and hard back types are over 300 pages long. But it takes more than one click on the page turner part in order to get past a single page. So, the pages ends up being 2 or 3 clicks and I feel like I'm going so very slow. I might be able to make the font smaller but then it would be harder to read the font. And I don't get to enjoy the awesome covers of an only e-book because I don't have a physical copy with that super amazing cover on it.

Yet, I may need an e-reader. When I started the review blog, even after WritersBlockNZ and L'Aussie joined me, I never really thought many people would offer copies of their books to review, at least not right away. I saw the numbers on the early reviews and giveaways where I put my name in on LibraryThing and figured I wouldn't win much. Between LibraryThing and the self-publish list my email address found its way on, I have 3 e-books to review and I won 2 e-books in the auction for Japan. And I have a feeling this is just the beginning. Plus, I have seen a number of books friends have read on Goodreads that are only available in e-book and I'm pretty sure my sister doesn't want me to pack her reader full of m/m books. Once I'm not broke or have spare birthday/Christmas money, I am going to consider investing in my own. My sister wants me to get a Nook like hers but we'll have to wait and see.



Do you have an e-reader?
What are your thoughts on e-books?
Which type should I buy?

14 comments:

Susan said...

Excellent post! I'm still partial to paperbacks myself...but things are changing.
:0)

Unknown said...

I love paperbacks and e-books equally. Paperbacks are the perfect bedtime treat, while e-books I can take them anywhere and have many with me when I travel.

I've got an iPad and wouldn't be able to live without it. I love being able to wait at a cafe for someone and whip out a book to read without having to lug around the actual book.

Unknown said...

I got an ereader in December (Kobo). I used it as soon as I got it. I actually liked reading from it even though it seemed like forever when it turned a page. I also liked that I actually couldn't tell if I was near the end of the book so no more "just one more page before I go to bed" stress.

However, I've started going back to real books. I like the feel of them.

Unfortunately, I think 'real' books may actually become the thing of the past just like CDs are almost gone. It's the digital age and so I see these as the next to go.

gigglelaughcry.blogspot.com

Allison said...

I love paperbacks best, too. I've never liked hardbacks because I have to admit, I'm a little rough with my books, and it makes me feel extra guilty to harm a hardback. That being said, I got a Nook as a gift and love it! I buy books I want to read the day they come out on it, so I don't have to go to a store. Also, through B&N.com you get a free book every Friday, so I think that's an awesome deal.

I've actually bought hard copies of books I've read and loved on the Nook though, and have 5+ bookshelves full, so I don't have to worry about never having bookish decorations!

- allison writes

Myne said...

Congrats on your 200+ followers, that's cool.

On eBooks, I got a kindle for Christmas last year and I've been using it more with time. But I'll go for a paperback anyday. And yeah, I don't like hardcovers too, they're just so cumbersome to read.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Dawn .. congratulations on 209 now! I don't have an ereader .. but I do refer to my books all the time - I guess I'll catch up in due time ..

Cheers and nice to meet you .. Hilary

M.J. Fifield said...

I'm a bibliophile who has recently decided to get a Kindle because I have a growing number of books I want to read that are only available in ebook form.

Still won't stop me from buying physical books though. Must to the dismay of my significant other...


M.J. Fifield
My Pet Blog

Dawn Embers said...

Thanks everyone.

Susan May James - Indeed, things are changing but I still hold to my paperback dreams for now.

Cheree - The e-books do have an advantage for travel and If I did that more I'd probably want one for that reason too.

Giggle, Laugh, Cry - I kind of like being able to see how far till the next chapter, but I do still find the e-reader not bad to read on. CDs are almost gone? Sad. I need money so I can buy some too, cause I have an ipod but love CDs.

allison - Good point. I don't like that the fun image is on the cover flap thing and not the actual book cause if I get annoyed by it then I remove it and no longer have the awesome cover image. And they can be a little pricey, while I can buy more than one paperback at a time.

Myne Whitman - :-D Why, thank you. It would be easier if someone gave it to me as a gift but we'll see. Glad to know I'm not the only one who is a bit anti-hardcover.

Karen Walker - Thanks. I planned to do a giveaway to get 200 followers and for the 2 years of blogging but the A to Z challenge happened to fall during the time I needed for it. Lucky me.

Hilary Melton-Butcher - Hi. Thanks. It is nice to meet you as well.

M.J. Fifield - I may become a bibliophile (if I wasn't close to being on already). Having certain books only offered in e-book format does cause problems for us who don't have the devices yet. Hate missing out on great books/authors.

Denise Covey said...

I think they'll continue to make ebooks easier on the eye. I still can't cuddle up with an ebook as I just have a free kindle on my computer so it's like work! If I could only decide which ereader was best for me!

Congrats on your 200+ followers Dawn. I'll have to check out your giveaway.

Denise<3

Smart girl choosing Eire. What have you chosen for F again?

N. R. Williams said...

My daughter just bought a kindle and I will get to use it one of these days. As for ebooks only, I think the smart author will use CreateSpace or some other publisher to provide a paper copy just in case someone wants that over the ebook or for the fan that loves you. Another idea in your library. Create a section to hold all the e-readers you will eventually own.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium.

Claire Goverts said...

I like being able to hold an actual book for the most part, but e-books are nice to. The portability of e-books is great.

I don't have an actual e-reader yet, I have the Google books app on my Android phone. I'm looking at a Nook (non-color) at some point. Before my phone I used to read e-books on my Palm via the pdf reader.

Sommer Leigh said...

I didn't think I'd be able to like an e-reader, but I've completely fallen in love with my Kindle. I love reading on my Kindle more than I love reading real physical books.

Dawn Embers said...

L'Aussie - Thanks. I could read books on my laptop, I've got a couple of them in PDF format. lol.. I don't think it counts as smart since I didn't know it was a country I already knew. I think for F I chose Federation of Malaysia but all of them are great options.

N.R. Williams - That is a good idea. I hope some of them do that because there is already a book I really wish I had a paperback copy of that was an e-book.

Claire Goverts - Interesting. I don't know if I could read on my phone. It seems too little for that, but nice that the option is available.

Dawn Embers said...

Sommer Leigh - *gasps* lol. I know a few people who now prefer e-books. So far I'm not a convert but we will see what the future holds.