Today I am going to be discussing things about my reading and book buying habits that have changed since I started book blogging, or just generally lurking in the bookish parts of the internet. These are probably the five biggest things that I have noticed a change in since I really started thinking about it.
1. Where I Buy Books
Before discovering the bookish corner of the internet, I was perfectly content to buy books from the store. Being from a small town in the middle of nowhere, that store was usually Walmart or Target. Walmart generally had a really sad selection of books. And to be honest, the selection at the Target that I was able to frequent wasn't much better. I got to go to a Barnes and Noble like, once a year.
It wasn't until I discovered the bookish corner of the internet that I started to buy a few books here and there online. Now that I live really far out in the boonies and am neck deep in bookish stuff online, I buy most of my books online.
I still buy a book or two everytime I find myself in a bookstore, but there are just some books that need to be gotten RIGHT NOW, not whenever I can make it to B&N.
2. How I Choose What To Read
Nowadays, I know what most of the books that are out/soon to be out are. I only browse the bookstore enough to figure out which books they have in stock that I KNOW I want to buy. I don't even browse when I shop online, I shop with a purpose there.
Before blogging and the book community, I would pick up books that I liked the cover or title of and buy it if the synopsis sounded good. I will admit that I haven't bought as many giant disappointments since I stopped book shopping that way, but sometimes it's fun to just go buy a random book off the shelf.
3. What Format I Buy My Books In
I used to not really care what format I had books in as long as my series all matched. I bought a lot more paperbacks and ebooks. Now I find that I would rather have the hardcover than anything else.
I can probably attribute that to buying so many of my books right after they're released now, but I also just like the way hardcovers look better than paperbacks. And I have just lost most of my interest in ebooks all together since I learned the hard truth that I wasn't actually going to save much money by going digital.
I used to not really care what format I had books in as long as my series all matched. I bought a lot more paperbacks and ebooks. Now I find that I would rather have the hardcover than anything else.
I can probably attribute that to buying so many of my books right after they're released now, but I also just like the way hardcovers look better than paperbacks. And I have just lost most of my interest in ebooks all together since I learned the hard truth that I wasn't actually going to save much money by going digital.
4. Where & When I Stop Reading a Book
Before blogging, I wouldn't let myself put a book down anywhere except at a chapter break. I found it a lot easier to keep track of what was going on and I didn't have to search the page to figure out where I had left off. Now that I spend a lot more time reading, and not solely just for pleasure, I have stopped caring so much and will stop reading mid sentence if I need to get up and do something.
I also just refused to DNF books. It felt like such a waste of money if I stopped reading a book that I paid for. I just pushed on through and hoped that things would turn around. I can think of one book that I DNFed before I started blogging and that was Eat Pray Love.
I haven't DNFed a LOT of books, I probably should do it more than I currently do, but it's a lot easier to do now that a lot of books I'm reading are for review and I don't have to pay for them.
5. Reading a Series
I used to be really particular about reading a series. If I read the first book and liked it, I would go out of my way to get the rest of the books so I could read them all back to back. I have gotten really lax about that.
I have SO many trilogies and duologies on my bookshelves right now that are partially read. I will read the first book, LOVE it, buy the rest of the series, and watch it gather dust on my shelves. I have at least 11 series right now that are started and need to be finished.
This is probably my least favorite change in my reading habits since I started blogging. There's just no time to read a whole series because I am forever behind on my obligation reading.
What are some ways that your bookish habits have changed since you started blogging? Do you have any of the same problems as I do? Let me know in the comments!
Before blogging, I wouldn't let myself put a book down anywhere except at a chapter break. I found it a lot easier to keep track of what was going on and I didn't have to search the page to figure out where I had left off. Now that I spend a lot more time reading, and not solely just for pleasure, I have stopped caring so much and will stop reading mid sentence if I need to get up and do something.
I also just refused to DNF books. It felt like such a waste of money if I stopped reading a book that I paid for. I just pushed on through and hoped that things would turn around. I can think of one book that I DNFed before I started blogging and that was Eat Pray Love.
I haven't DNFed a LOT of books, I probably should do it more than I currently do, but it's a lot easier to do now that a lot of books I'm reading are for review and I don't have to pay for them.
5. Reading a Series
I used to be really particular about reading a series. If I read the first book and liked it, I would go out of my way to get the rest of the books so I could read them all back to back. I have gotten really lax about that.
I have SO many trilogies and duologies on my bookshelves right now that are partially read. I will read the first book, LOVE it, buy the rest of the series, and watch it gather dust on my shelves. I have at least 11 series right now that are started and need to be finished.
This is probably my least favorite change in my reading habits since I started blogging. There's just no time to read a whole series because I am forever behind on my obligation reading.
What are some ways that your bookish habits have changed since you started blogging? Do you have any of the same problems as I do? Let me know in the comments!
Definitely same with choosing what to read! I can't remember the last time I just browsed and bought myself something unexpected. I usually have endless lists of books reserved at the library, so I don't have to spend loads of money on them, and those are picked out without browsing as well. And I have loads of unread series as well - I think our tbrs are just so long, we have to focus on getting so much else read first!
ReplyDeleteI kind of miss the good old days when I just browsed the shelves and picked something that tickled my fancy right then. And I think I liked reading a whole series all at the same time better than how I end up doing things now. But I definitely wouldn't have found a lot of the amazing books I've read if I hadn't gotten into this little community so I guess you win some, you lose some. Haha!
DeleteOH MY GOSH I am so grateful for bookstagram and book blogging for introducing me to the lovely world of online book shoppping and I have saved so much money bless! Lovely post!
ReplyDeletexx Anisha @ Sprinkled Pages
I am thankful for online book shopping too! It's SO cheap! I feel bad buying so much online sometimes, but also I live at least two hours from any decent bookstore so I can't really just jaunt over to the store to pick one up anyway. Haha!
DeleteYesssss it is so hard to keep up with all the series I didn't finish yet, because I keep reading more and more new 1st books, so it feels impossible to catch up. Amazing post :D I can relate to so much of this!
ReplyDeleteBrittany @ Brittany's Book Rambles
It is hard to keep up with series! One of the ones I haven't finished yet is Crooked Kingdom! I need to get on that! Especially since I am going to meet her in September!
DeleteFunnily when I started blogging I had some of these changes (caring about format--or at least that whatever series I get is all hardcover or all paperback) especially with buying books. I used to only buy books I had already read and loved which is a habit I should try to develop again. And don't even get me started on how many books I bought when I was a bookseller. It was terrible! Now, ten years into this blogging thing, I find I care less about format and I keep way fewer books though currently I still have more than I'd prefer (no shelf space).
ReplyDeleteI would never have been able to own any books if I could only buy ones that I read and loved. Never really had access to a library besides in school. And I only ever read Lurlene McDaniels and Karen Kingsbury from there! Haha! I definitely think that I care more about format since I started blogging. I think I probably have a few more books than I did before I started blogging, but I have donated a LOT lately!
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