Who doesn’t love books? If you don’t, you’re probably lost. Raise your hand if you have more books than you have time to read or space for. I don’t think I could raise mine any higher.
Where do you get your books? Are you a regular at your local library? Do you love walking around bookstores and running your fingers along the books on the shelf until they stop on something interesting? Do you have an online book shopping addiction? I do. Anytime I hear about a story that sounds captivating, I have to check it out, and for me, that means obsessively clicking “Add to Cart.”
I shop on several different websites. Firstly, Amazon is obviously one of the easiest places to shop for books. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping! If you don’t, just spend at least $25 in books and your shipping cost will be slashed. It’s not a very hard thing to do, believe you me.
Another place I like is BookOutlet. This is actually one of the first places I check for books. Most everything listed is used, but in great condition, and the prices are extremely low! You might even spend more in shipping than on the actual book! Occasionally they’ll list books that are scratched or dented, which is not my favorite option if the book is mostly a cover buy (they say don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but who really listens?), but it’s a great option if you simply want to read the story. One of my favorite things they offer is SIGNED books! You have to be on your toes, because the good stuff is gone quickly. I have their Twitter updates sent to my phone because they’ll tell you when exciting stuff comes in.
Have you ever heard of a book subscription service? Many of them look different. Book of the Month club sends 1-5 books a month (duh!) and you can chose which ones to get. This is one of the only that I know of where you can choose the book. Most other book subscription boxes send you a surprise book or two, often new releases, sometimes giving you an option to pick the genre. Many will send book merchandise too, creating a specific theme every month. One of my favorites is Owlcrate. In past boxes, I’ve gotten exciting new releases, signed book plates from the author (like a sticker you can put in your book), jewelry, pencil pouches, hats, candles, and even a bath bomb. You never know what you’re going to get and that’s part of the fun! There are other companies that send signed books, such as Fairyloot.
I also get books for free occasionally! Spencer Hill Press has sent me books because I work with them, but I’ve also gotten ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) from authors to review on my blog. This is a little tricky because I don’t want to encourage people to start book blogging solely to get free books. There should be an excitement to contributing to the book community by helping people know whether or not to buy a book. However, it’s definitely a perk, as well as building relationships with authors!
Now that you have all these options to get books, what do you do with them? Like I said, I have more books than I have room for. I tend to stack them around my room as they wait for their turn to be read or have their picture taken for bookstagram. It’s a little chaotic because I never quite remember where I put the book I need. I also identify with Rory Gilmore from the Gilmore Girl’s TV show as I almost NEVER leave my house without a book. Let’s hope I can read faster than I buy them, but who am I kidding? Good luck defeating your TBR list!
— Rebecca
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