This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Book Buying Habits

I saw this post on BookerTalk a few weeks ago and knew that I was going to steal it for my own.    Check out her blog for some more great posts!

 If you love to read, and like many of us book bloggers have an over abundance of books, whether they are virtual or physical, you may also be wondering how your book hoarding got out of control. Lol. These questions struck a chord and while answering, I learned a lot about myself.  I bet they’ll strike a chord with you too. I’d love to hear your answers!

Here we go!
     Where Do You Buy Your Books?

I buy my books several ways. The one click option on Amazon is a dangerous, dangerous thing. Luckily you can return books pretty easily if you have buyers remorse, but I usually don’t. Locally, here in Nashville we have a great local bookstore called Parnassus books. I’ve been known to spend an hour or so perusing their selection. I’ve also ordered directly from an author’s website a time or two.

     Do you ever order books, if so do you do it in store or online?

I order books online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble, but if I truly love a book and want it for my library I’ll order it from my local bookstore. It’s really important to me to support local stores. Buy local!!

     On average, how many books do you buy in a month?

Does Kindle Unlimited count? If so, probably 4 to 5 a month. Then if I read a series that I must have for my library that number can go up. My most recent series purchase was Anne Bishops Others series. So. Awesome.

     Do You Use Your Local Library?


Recently in one of my Sunday Commentary posts I actually explored my local library. The big branch in downtown Nashville was so gorgeous.  I hadn’t been there before, but I do have a library card and use it a LOT. Through the app Overdrive you can read ebooks that you get directly from your library. Audio books and movies too! When I discovered the Overdrive app it really cut down on my spending.  I have been wondering though how an Author gets paid for those library ebooks. If you know, pls comment below!

Want to read that post about my own local library? Click HERE!

      If so, how many books do you/can you get at a time?

I don’t know about physical books, but I can check out 10 at a time on my Overdrive app. I am always hovering around 10.

      What is your opinion on Library books?

I like them, obviously! Total money saver.

      How do you feel about charity shop, second hand books?

We have a store that accepts used books, or buys them back and gives you store credit. It’s called McKay’s Books. I always have a bag to take in. I do usually give the credit to someone in my family though. I like the idea that my books are going to be read by someone else and I have somewhere to take them. I don’t ever want to throw a book in the trash.

     Do you keep your read and TBR pile together/on the same book shelf or not?

My books are scattered. My sister and I share a few bookshelves in our living room where all of the unread books are shelved. We have a system where we put a post it note in the front cover with our initials on it so we know the other person has read that book. I usually move the books she has read to my own shelf in my room. Then I have the pile next to my bed that I tell myself I’m going to read next. Yeah, that doesn’t always happen because a new book comes out or something my sister reads was GREAT and I have to read it soon, etc. those piles are a constant work in progress.

      Do you plan to read all the books you own?

My first instinct is to scream YES! But, I would need an alternate universe or two, with multiple Deborah’s in each one to possibly read every book in my TBR. 

      What do you do with books that you own and that you feel you’ll never read/felt you didn’t enjoy?

I am putting up a Little Free Library in our front yard and I hope to pass along a lot of my books that are neighborhood friendly to random readers. However, there are certain genres that are probably not going to be acceptable to the neighbors. LOL. Those I will pass on to friends or give to McKays as a trade in. 

      Have you ever been on a book buying ban?

Nope. Though after writing this and thinking about all of the books I need to read I probably should.

      Do you feel that you buy too many books?

Maybe? I buy less than I used to so it’s a step in the right direction!
I hope you all have enjoyed reading about my book buying, borrowing and lending habits! I’d love to hear what you think of my responses or even to hear what your own answers would be!

Have a great weekend and Read On!

Deb

4 thoughts on “This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Book Buying Habits

  1. This is wonderful! do you mind if I borrow it as a blog post idea?

    I mostly buy books at the local indie bookstores in my town, luckily there are two really good new/used indie bookstores right here in my city, and about a half hour south is a gigantic (srsly! I get lost in there!) used bookstore. The only time I’ve been on a book buying ban is when I’ve been unemployed. Books are something for when I have income, you know?

    My book blog was born through the local public libraries. I couldn’t afford to buy hardcovers of all the new books I wanted to read, but the library had them all! The New Books section at the library was also a wonderful way to broaden my horizons of what I was reading.

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    1. My family has always traded books around. When we lived n different states we’d ship books to each other and that definitely helped with my book budget. Since discovering the Overdrive app we now talk about books we like and share in a different way. It’s nice to buy the books I love knowing how good they are and because I want to re-read them. Other books may also be good but,I always felt bad if I didn’t want them on my shelf. It can only hold so many!

      Feel free to answer these questions on your own blog! Let me know when you post it, I’d love to read it!

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  2. Excellent post! Thank you for sharing! I use my local library more for the quiet, air-conditioned environment (super hot here in L.A.!) than actually checking out any of the books. I love collecting books and making my shelf at home pretty. As soon as I receive my weekly paycheck its straight to the bookstore for me! That adds up to several new novels every week. Result? A flat brimming with books and little space to house my pretty new finds!

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  3. I do love a pretty bookshelf! Sometimes U find myself buying books in reverse order. If I love it and think I’ll read it again I buy it for my shelf. Lol. Although if I’m in a bookstore I get sucked in and can’t walk out without buying one!

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