November Group Read: Second Check-In

[kalloway]

Somehow, November is nearly halfway over. How did that happen? How is everything going? Are you working through your pile/shelf/chosen media?
(It is perfectly fine if the answer is a long silent scream, of course.)

For added optional discussion, if you'd like- Do you have a preference between hardcover, paperback, ebooks, audiobooks, etc.? Or are books good however they get into your brain?

Comments

[kalloway]

I haven't gotten back to this month's "chosen" books, but I did buy and read a couple volumes of The Apothecary Diaries manga, and I've mostly been keeping up on what I'm reading on one manga app.

I am a paperback person, myself, but will take ebooks if they're available. I have absolutely tiny hands and have trouble holding larger paperbacks, like, at all, even though I theoretically do like them. ^^;; And it's been forever since I listened to an audiobook but I get distracted so easily these days it would have to be while I'm not doing anything else or I'd probably miss chunks.

[bearshorty]

Still reading Alan Rickman's diaries.

I get a lot of ebooks from the library. It's very convenient. But I am fine with either paperback or hardcover. As long as they are words. I do have trouble with audiobooks. I need to really concentrate on them to pay attention. Somehow it is ok when I am cooking or walking but I hardly ever listen to audiobooks since I can't focus on them as well.

[vriddy]

I'm the same with audiobooks. I'm more likely to listen to a podcast if I need something to listen to, because it rarely matters as much (or it's not as frustrating!) if I miss a chunk just because I had to cross the road and focus on something else or something.

[cactus_rs]

I was stuck (in a good way) in a book in a foreign language, it was good but obviously slower going than it would be in a language I understand better. Finished it yesterday, cried, now in the limbo of what do I want to read next.

[phantomtomato]

This week, I finished a non-fiction academic work, and now I’ve got to make a decision about what to read next! That’s always fun, having the space to choose. I have a copy of Christopher and His Kind on my nightstand as one option, a few books in the mail, and an epub of The Loom of Youth. All I know is that I’ve got to choose before Friday, because I’m giving an exam then, and so I’ll need something to read for two hours while my students are taking it.

I didn’t think I enjoyed digital books at all until I began flirting with the AO3 download option, which showed me the wonders of the epub format. PDF books are the worst but epubs are incredibly better, which might just be down to the Apple Books app which I use to read them, but I love it! It’s now my preferred method of reading all long fanfic, which I used to consume just through the website using my iPad or laptop. The Books app really facilitates that cozy reading under the covers experience that I get out of a physical book, though a physical book will always win out for the lack of other distractions.

[rfujinami]

The past few months, I've started collecting manga that I've always wanted but somehow never got around to. I started with Rose of Versailles English version. I'm in the middle of reading the first volume. It's a very high quality volume with hard cover and glossy pages, and even extra color pages inside. And the pages are large.

It's amazing, but I fear this is going to spoil me for reading smaller paperback manga.

[autumndaze]

I'm currently reading "Boyfriend Material" by Alexis Hall, which I'm enjoying a lot. I've been trying to focus on National Novel Writing Month, so that's been taking a lot of time away from reading lol But I'm close to finishing it and I'm reading it fast, so that's good.

I've browsed around 1000+ fanfics in my current tag, though still only finished like 6, which is disappointing, but I've been rereading fics, too. And again focusing on writing for NaNo lol And four fanwikis. But browsing the tag is one of my priorities and I'm making good progress on it, so I'm meeting my goals.

I currently prefer ebooks, because they're easier on my hands and eyes, and I can more easily highlight sections to return to, as well as term search for things. I can also transport more of them at once, and have them with me most anywhere I go, whether it's on a train, in my bed, or in an office waiting room. I'm also not at risk for damaging them like I did with so many of my physical books, and when I move, I have less to pack.

When I get books I prefer hardcovers for protection, and because they tend to look nicer, but I'll stick with paperbacks because they're cheaper, lightweight, and I feel less bad packing them. I don't tend to read audiobooks, but I've liked a few over the years.

[vriddy]

Ebooks are certainly convenient when travelling and having to carry a few books around!! After having to move a few times, I'm also a lot less keen on having a large collection of physical books I don't return to. These days, the library's been filling that gap nicely for me.

[autumndaze]

Yeah I used to take like a bundle of books with me whenever I traveled (because I'd read them all), so I like having access to everything when I move.

I also use the library a lot! My library has a decent ebook collection so I check out things from there all the time. I also have access to Kindle Unlimited so I've been reading there, as well. Before the pandemic I checked out more physical books, but I tend to go out less so it's a lot less convenient these days, particularly when I can just check out a lot of things as an ebook.

[starfleetbrat]

hi, Im newish :) So far this month I have read The Nice House on the Lake, Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV, and the first two books in the Nina Guerrera series by Isabella Maldonado. Currently reading a fanfic. I'm pretty pleased actually because I have been in a reading slump, so I feel like I getting back into reading again :D

I'm firmly in the ebook camp these days mostly because a) cheaper, and b) I can borrow them from the library without having to go to the library. It's also easier to just carry my ipad around with a bunch of books on it instead of individual books.

[vriddy]

I had to spend some time on public transport which has been working out great for reading :D I'm halfway through the book and it's halfway through the month, so feeling pretty good about things XD

For whatever is available at my local library, I like to borrow the physical book. For foreign language material that's rarely available locally, I'm immensely grateful for ebooks!! So much available and no exorbitant shipping fee or markup, sign me up. Audiobooks don't work very well for me, I have trouble either sitting down to listen and not daydreaming or focusing on whatever other task I'm doing while listening.