Book Blogger Hop No. 161: Audio Books vs. Ebooks?

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,

hosted by Billy @

Ramblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer!

For more information, and 

to find out the topic of next week's question, click HERE.

This Week's Question

Audio Books vs. Ebooks? If the

world stopped printing books,

which would you prefer

between the two?

(Submitted  by Angelica  @ 

Paperback Princess)

My Answer

Here's the short, paradoxical answer: Both, and neither! That might sound bewildering, so here's the long answer....

The thing is, I have this LOVE for printed books, that NOTHING and NO ONE will EVER, EVER take away from me. So, asking me to choose between audio books and ebooks is like asking me to choose between the lesser of two evils. Lol.

However, if this HORRIBLE situation were to come about -- and I really don't think it will, not in a hundred years, nor a thousand, nor a million, because the love of printed books is being passed down from one generation to the other, even as I write this -- I would have to go with ebooks, much to my dismay.... But I wouldn't do this to the exclusion of audio books. The thing is, I will only listen to an audio book if I've already enjoyed a book through the printed, or, in this case, digital, word. I guess that's because of something I've suddenly become aware of -- I LOVE the visual aspect of words. However, I also LOVE their sound. And this would probably be true for any language. Words and sentences are a special kind of art form. But they do have these two aspects -- vision and sound. 

So I have to reconsider my answer. I would not have a preference between these two formats. I would go from one to the other. I might decide to enjoy a book first in audio book format, and then as an ebook. Or vice versa. I would not want to consume a book in ONLY one of these two formats. I NEED to SEE text, and if I can't get it through print, then I'll get it through a digital format. 

Having stated all of the above, I think I should start to buy audio books for some of my favorite books, books that I've already read (in the printed format). I do own all of the audio books for The Twilight Saga, and have listened to them all. This is in addition to having read all four books three times each, AND the first volume, Twilight, four times -- three in English, and one in Spanish. That's how much I LOVE and treasure this series!

I also have the first volume of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, as an audio book. Of course, I bought the original hardcover books some time back. I also own the paperback edition that shows a picture of Hogwarts when all the book spines are lined up. It comes in a beautiful box. I have yet to listen to this audio book, though. I REALLY must do so, this year!!

Of course, I also need to get the rest of the HP audio books -- with the exception of Book 6 -- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. That's because a very sad event takes place in that book, and it tore me up when I was reading this book. I have been unable to finish the book. So I definitely would NOT want to listen to the audio version.

Here are some of the books I've already read (in printed format) that I would also love to listen to. If you're interested, click on the titles to access my reviews. They are listed in alphabetical order, by author. 

If you would prefer to check out these books on Goodreads and/or Amazon, they are easily accessible at both sites.

Young Adult Fiction

Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

Waterfall - Lisa T. Bergren

Cascade - Lisa T. Bergren

Abandon - Meg Cabot

Underworld - Meg Cabot

The Nightshade Series

Andrea Cremer

Tempest Rising - Tracy Deebs

Die For Me - Amy Plum

Until I Die - Amy Plum

The Vampire Academy Series

L.J. Smith

Tryst - Elswyth Thane

(This novel was first published in 1939,

and is a paranormal GEM. It should

not only be available in an audio book

version, but in a film version, as well.)

Adult Fiction

Literary, Contemporary,

and Genre Fiction

A Darker Dream - Amanda Ashley

Spock Must Die! - James Blish

(It would be GREAT if the narrator

were able to imitate the voices

of the original Star Trek actors!)

The Little Shop of Found Things

Paula Brackston

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

Angels in the Snow - Melody Carlson

The Angel of Losses - Stephanie Feldman

Magister Ludi - Hermann Hesse

The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow

Rita Leganski

My Name is Asher Lev - Chaim Potok

(I read this book several years ago, and

fell in love with it! This was before I 

had a blog, though, so I would have

to re-read it in order to review it. And then, yes, listen to the audio book!! By clicking

on the title, you will access the GR page.)

The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

Adult Nonfiction

Everyday Enchantments - Maria De Blassie

What are your thoughts on

this topic?

Please leave a comment! 

If you're participating in this meme,

I'll go comment on your 

own BBH post.

If not, I will then comment on one 

of your blog posts!

Thanks for visiting!!! 

Book Blogger Hop No. 159: My Pet Peeves With Authors

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,

hosted by Billy @

Ramblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer!

For more information, and 

to find out the topic of next week's question, click HERE.

This Week's Question

Is there anything that drives

you bonkers when you're

reading a book that makes you

want to tell the author

a thing or two?

(Submitted  by C. Lee  @ 

cleemckenziebooks)

My Answer

One of my pet peeves is one I've referred to before in another post, and I noticed that Billy also mentioned it in his own answer to this week's question. Here it is: I just don't understand why an author would kill off a beloved character, one that most readers have overwhelmingly grown to love. This happened with a character in the Harry Potter series, and I don't think I've forgiven -- or will EVER forgive -- J.K. Rowling for this! Because of this tragic event, I have not finished reading the series. I stopped halfway through Book 6....... I would like to finish this book, and then move on to Book 7, but I don't know if I can get past that very sad point.....

I know that writers will often kill off characters because they feel this "literary murder" is necessary to the plot, but it's still hard for a reader who loves said characters to accept this......

Another pet peeve I have is when a writer makes a character act inconsistently. If a writer has already established a character's personality as being a certain way, and then, later on in the novel (or short story) makes this character do or say something that, according to his/her already established personality traits, would be totally inconsistent behavior for this character, I just gnash my teeth.....and don't finish the book.

I had this problem with Sarah J. Maas's series, A Court of Thorns and Roses. I only read, but never finished, the first book. Even though the writing was luscious, and I initially liked the main character, Feyre, I HATED what Maas did with her toward the end of the first book in the series, and then, the second book. I never read the second book, though. I did look up the plot on Wikipedia. Ha, ha!! What I read made my blood boil!! I won't reveal what it is in case whoever reads this post has not read any of the books in this series. It's a very popular series, too -- the first book has nearly 300,000 ratings on Goodreads, and nearly 34,000 reviews! I can't FOR THE LIFE OF ME understand why....

One book I started a couple of years ago, and never finished, either, got me VERY upset at the author, Elyse Douglas (this is actually a husband and wife team of writers using a pen name made up of part of each of their own names). The book is titled The Christmas Bridge. I feel I SHOULD give spoilers for this one.

(WARNING: Spoilers ahead!) 

The story seems very straightforward at first -- a story of second chances, in which a forty-year-old widow is going to reconnect with the college boyfriend she had betrayed and abandoned 20 years before. The problem is that, on the eve of her reunion with the ex-boyfriend, she meets ANOTHER guy, and starts a relationship with HIM. So she actually ends up hurting the poor ex ALL OVER AGAIN. Oh, I was FURIOUS!! I actually donated this book to Goodwill, and gave it ONE star on Goodreads. (Nice, unintentional pun, too -- Goodwill and Goodreads. Lol.)

This book actually should have been split into TWO books -- one would have been the story of the widow reconnecting with her old love, and rekindling their romance, and the other, a story of another widow, still mourning her husband, who meets an exciting new man on a day that she's feeling especially depressed, since the holidays are approaching, and she really misses her husband.

(End of spoilers for this book.)

Once again, I was puzzled by all the five-star reviews of this book on Goodreads, although it doesn't have as many as A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Both of these books -- the Sarah J. Maas books (Numbers 1 and 2) and the one by Elyse Douglas -- also had one thing in common that totally IRRITATED me: I was expecting the plot to go one way, which seemed to be logical and consistent according to what had already been established, only to have the author take it down ANOTHER path that just made NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. 

Yet another pet peeve is when an author lets a villain -- who seems to be a GOOD person -- literally GET AWAY WITH MURDER. 

(WARNING: A LOT of spoilers ahead!) 

This was the problem I had with Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier. One of the main characters, Max De Winter, was a very wealthy man who had married a woman named Rebecca, who was a very manipulative, totally heartless, B---H. She dies in a rather mysterious manner, and he later marries a very young, inexperienced woman who is never named in the novel. Well, it turns out that De Winter actually KILLED Rebecca, whom he loathed. The police are investigating, and are on the verge of discovering the truth. De Winter ends up admitting to the murder. To whom? HIS SECOND WIFE. And guess what? SHE HELPS HIM TO COVER UP THIS MURDER. NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Yes, this is a classic. Yes, the prose style is absolutely BRILLIANT. Yes, the suspense is excellently handled. BUT. MAX DE WINTER GOT AWAY WITH MURDER. End of story. End of my interest in this book!!!

(End of spoilers for this book.)

As you can all see (if you read the spoilers), I have some rather strong feelings regarding things that authors have done with their novels. Interestingly, these pet peeves all have something to do with the way characters are portrayed. They also have a lot to do with the way a plot is developed. 

What I find pretty funny, as well as fascinating, and yet, altogether appropriate, is that I've gotten SO MAD at these authors, given the fact that these characters and plots are FICTIONAL. These are not real people, nor real events. Yet, I've been passionately involved with them! This goes to show just how POWERFUL the written word is. Not only do novels and short stories have the power to transport us to different worlds and time periods, they also have the IMMENSE power to move us, to provoke us to actual disappointment and anger, which are really feelings of......yes, I have to say it: BETRAYAL. I have felt betrayed by these authors. 

So these things that "drive me bonkers" tell me that I am totally invested in reading, that books and reading are a PASSION for me, and that, when an author's work clicks with me, I will feel a glorious bliss, whereas, when it doesn't, I will feel.....well, everything I've already described. 

As the saying goes, "A reader lives a thousand lives....." And when one of them just doesn't work for said reader, the book is history! Lol.

There. I'm off my soapbox now!!  :)  

What are your thoughts on

this topic?

Please leave a comment! 

If you're participating in this meme,

I'll go comment on your 

own BBH post.

If not, I will then comment on one 

of your blog posts!

Thanks for visiting!!! 

Book Blogger Hop No. 151: Taking Notes While Reading

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,

hosted by Billy @

Ramblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer!

For more information, and 

to find out the topic of next week's question, click HERE.

This Week's Question

Do you take notes about the book

you are reading as you read?

(Submitted  by Elizabeth  @ 

Silver's Reviews)

My Answer

Thanks for the great question, Elizabeth! :)

It looks like, this time, I will indeed have to give a "short and sweet" answer....lol. And that answer is.... No. But then again.....

Okay, here's the thing. I would never in a zillion years take notes while reading fiction. That's because, of course, I want to be right there in the characters' heads, and in the middle of all the action. When I REALLY get into a book -- which means that the author has succeeded in making me suspend disbelief in their created world, people, and events -- I become totally unable to shift from my right hemisphere into my left. In other words, I can't shift into analytical, verbal mode, and start to notice such things as metaphors, similes, the author's prose style, how this character's personality and decisions have affected other characters, as well as the story itself, etc. I can't possibly stop all the stuff going on in the story to pause to take notes. Nope!

The only way I could EVER do this with fiction would be if I had previously read a novel or short story, and not long after, then decided to analyze it. But that time span would have to be VERY short. If at least six months have elapsed between my reading of the piece of fiction  -- whether a short story or novel -- and my note-taking, then I would get all caught up in the action again, and would not be able to take any notes. Lol.

Now, when it comes to nonfiction, it's a totally different story. If a nonfiction book REALLY resonates with me, I will definitely want to ponder certain passages that I consider important. However, instead of taking notes, I will highlight these passages. I have even been known to write in the margins! This does create a problem for me, though..... I HATE doing this to a book! This is why I don't do it that often. The last time I did both of these things -- highlight AND write in the margins, I was SO upset at myself, that I bought a brand new copy of the same book. I just HAD to own a pristine copy of it. Then I felt MUCH better about marking up the other one. Lol.

I don't want anyone to think that I have multiple copies of books, some that are all marked up, and others that are untouched. Lol. I've only done this type of thing with one or two books. Haha! So this means that I have actually not taken any notes on nonfiction books in quite some time. Doing this would be more useful for my second blog, though, as very few readers of this blog seem to be interested in nonfiction.

What I really should do is to keep a book journal for books I've read that have definitely had a great impact on me. This would be especially helpful with nonfiction books. As for fiction -- whether novels or short stories -- I think this would only be useful if said piece of fiction had some philosophical component to it, or if I wanted to see what plotting techniques I could garner from the author, so as to use them myself, if I ever do decide to buckle down and write a novel..... :)

This question has REALLY got me going! Now I'm going to buy some notebooks that I can use as book journals! 


 

What are your thoughts on

this topic?

Please leave a comment! 

If you're participating in this meme,

I'll go comment on your 

own BBH post.

If not, I will then comment on one 

of your blog posts!

Thanks for visiting!!!