So You Dislike A Book Others Love | 12 Days of Bookmas Day 11

This post is coming very late at night after some major Netflix procrastination. I wasn't inspired to read or blog about reading, so I ended up on the journey that was Camp Takota, but that's beside the point.

Right now, I want to talk about not finishing books, especially those other people are raving about. Maybe a friend has recommended it to you, maybe you purchased it with your own money (or even somebody else gave it to you). Either way, you're probably feeling at least a little bit guilty about it.

But let me let you in on a little secret. It's okay to not finish books. It's okay to dislike books. Even if everybody else is going crazy about it. There are quite a few that I don't like. Sometimes, I even end up deciding just to stay away from an entire genre. That kills me a little, especially when I bought the book, but there's a few reasons why it's okay.

1. We all have our personal tastes.
If someone gave me a peach as a birthday present I'd be a little grossed out. But if someone gave me a tomato for my birthday present, I'd be just fine! It's because I like tomatoes more than peaches and nobody is really going to think I'm crazy. So, if you don't like The Darkest Minds but really enjoy Divergent, that's fine, too. You've heard it before, but it really comes down to this phrase: if we were all the same, life would get pretty boring.

2. Books can help define what you like. 
And this doesn't just extend into your reading life. A book could completely change your opinion on koalas. Maybe it had a fire-breathing, 10-foot-tall koala in the book as the major villain and it killed so many people, you were entirely repulsed by the novel and it almost made you want to throw up. Now, you just can't look at koalas in the same way.

This novel has changed the way you view the world (and fuzzy rodent, bear-like animals). So, why should you finish that book about the koala? It's made you dislike an animal and that has made you sad. Why would you keep reading something that has made you feel something bad (but not in the enjoyable-bad way like when a character gets killed off in the middle of an epic battle, but you just need to keep reading)? Finally, why would you risk your love of sleepy koalas?

3. Nobody is going to kill you. The author won't even spare a thought if you put it down. You know why? Because they have their own tastes, as well. Maybe your best friend will shudder at the thought at you disliking their favorite book, but I highly doubt they will murder you and make it look like an accident. And yeah, there are some major fans of it out there. At the end of the day, though, this is a book.

4. And books were meant to be enjoyed. 
In the end, if someone really love the book, they need to realize that there are people on the other end of the spectrum who just don't. If they don't, it should be their problem, not yours.

E-Book VS Real Book | 12 Days of Bookmas Day 9

The age old question - eBook versus Real Book

Okay, so maybe it's not "age old", but eBooks have been around for a couple years. They've added to the increasing growth of technology and we can see the advantages of them, right from first look. People, though, are still saying they prefer a physical book, a "real" book, over their industrial counterparts. It has become an all-out war and I'm here today to extend that war - to give my own opinion between the eBook and the real book.

Battle 1 - Size

eReaders and physical copies come in all shapes and sizes. Real books (and I hesitate to use that word as it implies that eBooks are real) can be tall or short, thick or thin, just like people. This means a few things. First, holding a book for a longer period of time can actually end up hurting your hands. 

eReaders come in different sizes as well. You could read with a large iPad or with your phone. If your device has an app store, chances are, you'll be able to find the right app! Personally, I have small hands. If I want to read a larger book, I actually need both hands to hold the book! With my Fire 6 (the new, 6 inch version of the Kindle tablet), it fits perfectly to turn a page or highlight - single-handedly! I say eBooks when this battle

eBook - 1

Physical Book - 0

Battle 2 - Price

This battle specifically covers all prices that may be involved.. First, books are typically cheaper when you buy them electronically. There aren't print and shipping costs involved, but you're still supporting the publishing industry. However, newer books may be the same cost you would find in-store.

Buying physical books second hand, however, is about the same price as buying an eBook. Because of this, this battle is a tie - each gets a point.

eBook - 2

Real Book - 1

Battle 3 - Durability

This, of course, all depends on what you're doing with your books/devices. Water damage will be covered in a different battle - stay tuned!

eReaders aren't paper. They're metal and plastic and can't be torn with the mere slip-of-a-hand. Real books, however, can. They can get stained by chocolate-y fingers and ink can smear or fade with time. With that being said, if an eReader gets damaged, you can buy another or just use a different device. If a book gets badly damaged, you would have the option of dealing with it or buying another copy. 

eReaders have more durability for the smaller things - a little spillage, dirty fingers, small scratches, and other blemished, where as the quality and value of a real book can be significantly marred by the tiniest of actions, like turning a page. 

eBook - 3

Real Book - 1

Battle 4 - Reading at night

This one also varies a bit when it comes to what device you actually own. However, because I read on devices that are all back-lit, that's what I'm basing this off of. 

Most eReaders, even less expensive ones, are back-light. Simply put, this is something you will never find with a real book. You'll always have to leave that light on! In terms of convenience, I think eBooks win this round.

EBook - 4

Real Book - 1

Battle 5 - Reading in or near water

I shudder at that mere thought of being caught in a monsoon with either of these options. In this case, though, physical books have a real advantage.

Real books aren't dependent on things like batteries and motherboards and speakers and what else (yeah, I know, I don't the insides of eReaders), and so water is something less to be feared. You can read in the bathtub and, if you're feeling super adventurous, in the shower. If you're reading outside, and it starts to storm, you don't have to worry about a physical book dying on you. 

Yes, real books can get all-but destroyed by water. But the key term is "all-but", meaning that they don't get destroyed. Yes, the pages get wavy and the ink may smear, but it's still in tact. It's still readable, and you don't have to worry about paying money to replace it.

eBook - 4

Real Book - 2

Battle 6 - Traveling  - eReaders can be transferred to many devices

Travelling with books is something many people do - and it's one of the main reasons some buy eReaders.

There's a reason for this - hundreds and thousands of novels can fit into one small little device, that can fit in a bag, a suitcase, or purse. Imagine tossing one hundred novels in your suitcase for summer vacation to Jamaica! The only thing you'd need to read one hundred books with an eReader is the charger and time. 

eBook - 5

Real Book - 2

Battle 7 - Sharing 

You have that favorite book - that very special, well-paced, and developed novel that your best friend needs to read. Of course, why would you make her buy the books? You could just lend it to her.

However, eBooks don't make this a possibility (or at least, as far as I know). This is where real books have a real advantage, and the win this round!

eBook - 5

Real Book - 3

Battle 8 - Browsing and purchasing

I believe browsing a brick-and-mortar store is much more enjoyable - it's like going on an adventure. However, online book stores make it much easier to buy a book. There's not much arguing going on in this battle - they each have their own merits. However, both can be bought online, on a store with a great mass of selection. This battle is a draw!

eBook - 6

Real Book - 4

Battle 9 - Aesthetic Appeal 

Real books have greater aesthetic values, with no argument. Buying a collector's edition of the text doesn't compare to buying the collector's edition in physical form. Real books can be felt, smelled, and if you would like, tasted. You can create designs and rainbows on your bookshelves if you want. Physical books win this final round.

Total Scores:

eBook - 6

Real Book - 5

In the very end, though, it really does matter to the specific reader whether eBooks outweigh physical books, or real books outweigh eBooks. Some people may not read in the bath tub, while some people have bigger hands (and can handle holding a large volume for extended periods of time). Some may not have the money to afford a device they can read books on, so they buy the occasional physical book, while some people may just prefer the physical copy for its aesthetics. Just like taste in music and food belong to the individual, so does the technology they choose to read their novels. 

Reader Problems Tag | 12 Days of Bookmas Day 6

So, okay, I wasn't tagged to do this. I saw it on YouTube by Katytastic and thought it looked fun! Here we go!

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?
I do have a TBR Jar. I got the idea from Little Book Owl to take one book out each month and be committed to read it. Other than that, I just go by feeling. Why would I read a book I don't want to at the moment?

2. You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?
I am a quitter. But, I'm always willing to try again. I'm a big believer in "the right book, the right time". 

3. The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?
Umm... see my second Twelve Days of Bookmas post! I'm a fighter. I may resort to children's novels, but I. AM. A. FIGHTER!

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?
It really depends on how different they are and how attached I am to one cover or the other. For instance, The Inheritance Cycle. I am completely in love with the elegant simplicity of the covers - the dragons framed with a corresponding color, etc. But recently, they changed the covers - they zoomed up on the dragons' faces and now the cover is all glossy and such and I really hate it. So, I hunted and hunted for the rest of the covers and bought some used - but they do all match. It just really depends on the book. 

5. Every one and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?
Um... my... no. I don't share. I care too much about the people I love to trash a book they love. Haha! I keep it bottled up inside. My blog is my place for venting!

6. You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?
Bathroom. We call them "restrooms" for a reason. They're for resting your poor little heart after it has been ripped out of your body and torn to shreds by a book. Cry in the bathroom.

No bathroom? Let it out. Let everybody see. If they ask why, just hand them the book. You don't need it anymore.

7. A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book?
Actually, I don't re-read the book. I think it's just because I'm lazy, but now that I think about it... I really should start.

8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?
I would probably just tell them that I'm not a library and to get their own *darn* books. Haha, nope. I'd just say that I had a few people already lined up to read it and it'd be quicker to find it from another friend or even the library.

9. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?
Harry Potter all the way. That's the only way out.

10. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?
All the books. Period.

11. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?
Quite some time if it's the very beginning or end of a semester. Things start looking up towards the middle and recently, I've been able to pump them out pretty quick. But I've got books sitting on my shelf unread anywhere from 4 years to 1 week.