Which is Better?

I've read several articles and blogs lately about which people generally prefer; paperback copies of books, or eBook copies.


 I have heard arguments for both sides.

There are many benefits to the eBook copies: you can carry hundreds of novels with you at a time, you can easily purchase novels and read them within seconds, without actually having to leave your house (and likely your PJs). There is also the fact that there are many free novels or $1 novels available to readers online, which, let's be honest, is awesome.

E-readers are light, portable, and extremely convenient. That, in addition to the fact that they do not take up space on your bookshelves at home, have seemed to create a highly desirable set of e-reading products.

That being said, there is also the other side of the proverbial argument. Many people prefer the look, feel, and scent of actual books. Some readers have the tendency to skip ahead or peek at the end of the book before they continue to read, others are avid collectors of bookmarks and require some place to put them. There is also the value that paperback book readers place on their novels, particularly those which have been signed by the author, or hold a particular age.


Then there are people like me. I am a 'both' type of person. I have an iPad with Kobo, Kindle, and iBook apps. I have downloaded my favourite novels, free novels, cheap novels, and many in between. Some novels that I truly enjoyed reading in paperback, I downloaded as well, simply because I could. Likewise, I have found a novel on e-format and bought the paperback because I loved it enough to want a copy in my collection.

I also have antique books in my collection, but those have been placed on a separate shelf of honour. My favourite authors' (of which I have a few) novel collections still grace my bookshelves, as I reread them often, some I've read up to 12 times. When I buy new novels by my favourite authors, I always buy them in paperback, so they may join the others on my bookshelves.

So there you have it. I am an in-betweener when it comes to choosing between eBooks and paperback novels.

What about you? Do you prefer eBooks or paperback books? What sort of e-reader do you have? What do you like about it?

For the Love of Reading

I love to read. As a mom, nothing quite rivals that moment of silence when the kids are asleep at the end of a long day, and I can sit down with a cup of tea and a good book.

My first novel.

Of course, when I’m in the middle of writing a novel, I abstain from reading; it gets confusing. But that does not stop me from buying books! When I’m writing a novel, I still browse the Romance isle of a bookstore or look online for the latest releases, and add any good finds to my “to-be-read” pile. When I’m done writing and editing, I will happily read through every single book that I purchased. Oh what a wonderful time that is!

As you may have guessed, I’m a Romance reader (and writer). Historical Romance to be precise. Although it is not all that I’ve read, it is generally what I prefer to read. I enjoy the adventure, the steam, the dictates of society in Regency England, the settings, and the fashion. Quite frankly, I think it is safe to say that there is nothing that I do not like about novels set in the Regency era.

Some of my favorite Historical Romance authors include Sabrina Jeffries, Celeste Bradley, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins, Lisa Kleypas, and Tracy Anne Warren. They are all excellent at writing Historical Romance. In fact, most of these women are part of a blog I follow, called The Goddess Blogs; check it out, it's good fun!

Like I mentioned, Romance is not all I read. I am very much enamored of ‘classic’ novels/writings, such as the work of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Daniel Defoe, and the works of Shakespeare. I also quite enjoyed the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.

So now I ask you: What genre of books do you generally enjoy? Who are your favourite authors? Any tips on books that are a good read?