Hello guys! Happy December! How are you? Are you excited for Christmas? Are you celebrating? What are some of your traditions??! I’m SO curious, tell me in the comments section!
In my little small town located in the east side of France, we do Christmas big. There are lights everywhere in the streets plus massive decorations and…oh god, the food. Like you must know by now, I do not like that time of the year… but if I stop being a grinch for one little second, there are 3 things I do like about that time (two being about food obviously…).
The first one is the Advent calendar. Every day of December, we open a little “window” in our large rectangular paper calendar and boom, here’s a yummy chocolate (or anything really). I love that! Second is the “mannalas“. Those are brioches in the shape of little men (why not women? Is that too hard to bake??!) that we eat during the Saint Nicholas celebration, on the 6th of December. So yummy! And the last one is just being with my family and enjoying our time together. Nothing beats that.
Anyway, sorry for rambling and let’s get started with the real topic of the day! I’m going to talk about printed books versus ebooks. It seems like an endless battle so I decided to account a winner once and for all… But really, there is no winner because even if I do have a preference (like anyone I think), those two formats are complementary and both are totally awesome.
? When, I’m buying a book
? The printed book
Since I live in France, I do not have access to a lot of libraries with English books on the shelves. So, most of the time I order them online and go to pick them up at a collect point. When I’m traveling, I LOVE to spend ages in bookshops. Browsing through the stacks, picking them up and leave happily with a bunch of them. In both scenarios, it’s a whole experience and I LOVE it!
? The ebook
It’s much less exciting… I go online, browse through the titles, see that some of them are as expensive as the printed version (and cry…), give my credit card number and there you go, I’ve got new books! Sure, you have access to THOUSANDS of books and they are instantly available, but in a world where you do not wait anymore and get everything right there right now, I think I really enjoy the wait, the picking up and the unwrapping parts.
➡️ 1 point for the printed book
? When I’m reading a book
? The printed book
The feel of paper, the smell of it…I think I’m in love with books. They are pretty objects to hold on to. I like to read them and hug them. I like to see where I’m at in the story and I like the sound of the pages turning. And there is no need for electricity, that book won’t die down ever! It’s also easier to lend than an ebook, I love that I can share my books with my loved ones.
? The ebook
It’s light (how many times a 700-pages book ended up in my face while reading in bed…damn it, it hurts!), it’s confortable for the eyes (I thought I would have headaches like when you stay too long staring at a computer screen but not at all!!). The build-in dictionary is SO convenient (even more since I’m not reading in my first language). And it can be read in the dark, how awesome is that?
➡️ It’s a tie I guess
? When I’m bringing a book with me
? The printed book
It can be heavy… and I’m always scared of damaging my precious book.
? The ebook
Let’s be honest, it’s more portable than print and it’s perfect for when you’re commuting or traveling.
➡️ A win for the ebook
? When I’m reviewing a book
? The printed book
It’s really not my case but it can be easily scribbled in and marked up. Plus, it’s easier to get to a specific quote in the book.
? The ebook
You can highlight and mark pages… but yeah I just don’t do it so I forget everything I read, haha!
➡️ The printed book is the winner on this one
? When I’m shelving a book
? The printed book
Oh god, the pretty libraries! I put it proudly on my shelves, I can arrange them as I please like by colors. I can have an actual record of what I’ve read and people can check it out. It’s about collecting and decorating my home. How sad it would be… a home without books in it?
? The ebook
Yeah, I admit it… it takes up much less space. With us bookworms, it can get crowded very fast! But…the pretty librairies…
➡️ The printed book, no doubt about it
? And the winner of it all is… the printed book!
What about you? Which one do you enjoy the most, the printed book or the ebook? Why?
What do you think about this endless battle between those two formats? Do you feel like the people reading ebooks are being unfairly judged for not picking up the paper version?
Let’s chat in comments ?
Twitter ☂️ Goodreads ☂️Instagram ☂️Bloglovin’☂️ Support the blog
Amazing post, hun! 😀 I agree with you, printed books definitely are “better”, although I love all of the formats (except audiobooks :O )
Thank you!! ? Yaaay! I can’t do audio books either ? Thank you so much for stopping by ??
My only Christmas tradition is eating lots of chocolate and spending lots of money on presents for people. For me, the printed book is the winner. Reading on screens isn’t relaxing for me because it reminds me of work. I’m lucky to live in a place where I have access to used books. A used paperback is usually cheaper than an ebook.
Well, that’s a great tradition ? Yeees, I totally agree with you! Reading on a screen isn’t really relaxing ? That’s great!! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts ?
I love Christmas so much! I think I have 5 Advent Calendars right now, 2 physical ones, 2 online ones and one App…
This is such a cool post and I couldn’t agree more… Ebooks for bringing them with me, but Physical books for shelving, reviewing and buying!
Oh my god, that is quite a lot haha!! I have two, one with chocolates and one with teas ?? Thank you so so much, I’m happy you enjoyed it ?
I love printed books over ebooks. first I can read paperbacks faster, I can scribble a note and look at it later easily. It gives some kind of good and personal feel when you can annotate in paperbacks, they look good on the shelf, it’s kind of my own personal library that I can organize and reread them later, I would forget or lose book among so many ebooks in my kindle.
Yeees, totally! ? Thank you for sharing!! ?
That gif with the Simpson’s is soo me with books ….Printed books are great but ebooks are life savers
Haha, same! ?
Yeah, I gotta agree with that ?
I agree with you completely. There are definitely some benefits to ebooks, but printed books will always by my favourite.
Yeeeees! ??
I love both Nyx. The ebook to carry them easily but as a bookstagrammer, the printed book will always win!
Yeees, totally! ? Thank you for stopping by ??
Hoohoo 🙂
so first, I’m super excited for Christmas. It’s my favourite time of the year haha.
And when it comes to prints and ebooks, I actually like both, but I probably like prints more. You already mentioned pros and cons, and I fully agree with them. Another thing I think is important is the reading feeling. I find it harder to read ebooks. I don’t know why, I just need more time to get into the book. I love the feeling of real pages beneath my fingers, of turning them and of smelling the book. But I wouldn’t want to miss my kindle either, so while I prefer prints, I still love ebooks.
Haha, well…you can be excited for the both of us then ?
Yeees, yees, yeees! The feeling of the pages and the smell ??
Thank you for sharing ?
When it comes to aesthetic pleasure, the printed book takes the cake! When it comes to convenience, however, I have to go with the eBook! ?
I totally agree!! ? Thank you so much for stopping by ??
Hello Nyx!!
I really like this post comparing ebooks with printed books! This topic has recently come to my mind as well. I really really love the feel of reading a print book and turning the pages, however I love the convenience of ebooks. I am a very moody reader so I love being able to buy a book and start reading on the spot (instead of going out to a bookstore or ordering it online and having to wait for it!) Thankfully my library has a big stash of online ebooks so I am also able to access them for free, although sometimes there is a long wait time, which is much more convenient than walking out to the library to borrow a book 🙂
Hi Sophie!! ? Thank you so much! Yeees, I prefer the printed version but for convenience, it’s a win for the ebook no
doubt about it ? Thank you for sharing your thoughts ??
Someone got a bit wild wild in one of my post about this topic haha and gave me some weird arguments
What kind of arguments?! ?
Here, there were a few haha
https://inkishkingdoms.wordpress.com/2019/08/10/best-arguments-on-why-paper-books-are-better-than-ebooks/
Oh, I see! ?
and for me both are winners haha I love them both and I love that I can find stuff faster on a ereader XD I even used it for school and a professor told me I was “cheating” for using the search option haha
Haha, you’re right about that! Thanks again for stopping by ?
My thought is that if you’re reading, then you’re awesome. I don’t really care how you do it – physical book, e-book, audio, buy a copy, go to the library, etc. Personally, I prefer physical books most of the time. I do like e-books for reading at night because I have the Kindle Paperwhite and it lights up, and it’s definitely handy for traveling and having lots of options on hand.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
You’re totally right about that!!
Yeees, that IS quite awesome ? Thank you for sharing ??
I’ve got so many Christmas traditions: we get our tree the weekend of Thanksgiving, send out cards the first weekend of December, drive/walk through two neighbourhoods in my hometown that have brilliant Christmas lights displays, and more!! I loved hearing about yours 🙂 I definitely prefer physical books, but the original kindle (or any of the “non-screen” ones, idk how to describe that lol) are so convenient & when I was given one from my school for a year, I enjoyed it!
That’s great, it’s so festive! ? Thank you!! ?
Yeees, I agree. Ebooks are SO convient! I think we need both physical books AND ebooks in our lives ?
Thank you for stopping by ??
I do love my kindle but you can’t beat a printed book!
Totally!! ?
Despite all the benefits of a physical book, I have gone completely digital over the last few years. I miss my physical books, but I buy physical books as gifts so that helps a little. I like carrying my entire library with me in my pocket….and I like the versatility of the kindle app so I can read anywhere, any time and the book syncs across my devices. I also share a kindle account with my mom who is elderly and finds it difficult to get to the library….so she and I have the same reading list!
That’s great!! Carrying your entire library in your pocket, I love it ? Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! ?
I always prefer the physical book. I do love my kindle, but my eyes need a break more often than with a physical book. I do like how light they are though.
Yees, same here! It’s not as relaxing! Thank you for sharing ?
You’re welcome. 🙂
I prefer printed books but I find my Kindle and ebooks so handy when I am traveling.
I totally agree with you! ?
We celebrate St. Nicholas too! Except we call it Sinterklaas and all the children get presents on December 5th. 😀
I don’t think I can ever choose between printed books or e-books. I absolutely agree with you, I like the way printed books look on the shelf. I also like how you can see how far along you are in the story.
But e-books are so easy, most of the time cheaper and you can take 12 books with you, without breaking your back. 😉
Great post!
Oooh, that’s awesome! ?
Yeees! It’s such a tough battle!! Both have pros and cons, it’s really hard to choose. I think we need both in our lives ?
Thank you so much ??
I am honestly more fan of printed books. However, what I do is I buy printed books and download an ebook for it. So when I’m out, I don’t have to bring my book w/ me. ?
That’s awesome!! ? Thank you for sharing ??
I enjoy both formats, but I find that I can’t read fantasy or sci-fi on an e-reader. Don’t ask me why.
Oh, that’s weird! Maybe because fantasy and sci-fi books are really long! Well, most of them at least. Thanks you for sharing ?
I have both but as someone who travels a lot, having an e-book is the most convenient. I tried bringing books once and my books ended up being ruin because I spill my food when I’m reading *sad*
Oh nooo ? I totally agree with you, when traveling, ebooks are the best no doubt about it! ?
I do really love December because I love Winter and Christmas!! I don’t think I really have any traditions except have a buffet on Christmas eve and listening to Christmas music when we put the tree up!! And always visiting family too!!
I love advent calendars too and of course visiting family!!
I love how you set this discussion out!! I think printed books would be the winner for me as well because I love putting them on the shelves and looking at how pretty they are! And I love the feel of them and everything!! Plus I seemed to focus more on the book when reading a physical book, I struggle with ebooks to be honest!! But I do think ebooks are great for people as they as easily accessible and readily availble!!
Great discussion Nyx!! <3
Well…you can love winter and christmas for the both of us then ? Those are great traditions ?
Thank you so much!! Yeees, I agree with all of your points! Printed books will always be my favorite but for convience, ebooks are pretty awesome!
Thank you! ??
I loved this little competition! E-books are definitely convenient and have their benefits which you stated, but there’s nothing better than getting a new book and being able to hold it in your hands and flip through it- that’s the amazing part of getting a new book that will never get old! E- books are great, but the traditional handheld books are books that nobody will ever get over, no matter how many there are.
Great post, I loved reading this!!
Thank you! ? Yeeees, I totally agree with you ?? Thank you again for your sweet words!! ?
You’re welcome!! <3 🙂
I agree with you on most of these points and the printed book would win for me as well. I don’t know what exactly it is, but I just love it when I can physically see how many pages are left in a book. Sometimes that really motivates me a lot to finish those final paragraphs, whereas it just doesn’t feel like as much of a success when I get to 98% in an ebook or so. Also, I love to bookmark my books with notes and then return to my favourite quotes. I think you and Marie have a Kobo? I have a kindle and I haven’t figured out how to successfully access all the highlighted passages of a single book yet … it annoys me haha
Yeeees, I totally agree with all of your points! ?
Yeah, we do have a Kobo and I have no idea how to even highlight passages, haha ?
Thank you so much for sharing ??
With the kindle, you just press on a word for longer and then you can adjust the highlighted word/phrases like you would on a smartphone. But it’s not always working the way I want it to.
Oh, thanks!! ??
And we have a winner!! I agree that I like both print books and ebooks have pros and cons. In fact, sometimes I like to read both. Like, right now I’m reading Chosen by Kiersten White and I got both a physical ARC and a digital ARC from the publisher—and I’m reading BOTH! I started out with the print book, but then switched to the ebook while we were driving and then stuck with the ebook last night in bed since I didn’t want to turn on the light—but there’s a good chance I’ll switch back to the print book at some point. 🙂
That’s a pretty great strategy, haha! ?Thank you so much for sharing ??
Gosh this is HARD because I pretty much agree with you about all of these (except I do use the highlighting feature on my Kindle and then email the notes to myself so I do kinda think that is easier for reviewing) and in the end Idk if I can pick a winner! Like okay I LOVE having practically my own library, and the feel of print books, and just looking at all the pretty! BUT I can read ebooks at work, and even better now that I have the waterproof Paperwhite, the BUBBLE BATH and it has changed my life. So for me, I think it’s probably a draw? I am always reading one of each at all times- an ebook at work or waiting for stuff (and the aforementioned bubble bath) and physical books at night before bed, and I genuinely don’t know if I could manage without either! Love this topic!
Oh, I don’t use the highlighting feature but that does sound really easy for reviewing!
I agree, it’s really really hard to choose between the two! We need both in our lives ??
Thank you so so much! ?
I thought back home, Christmas was already a big thing, but it’s nothing compared to the Germans! They do love Christmas! There are like four or five Christmas markets in the city I’m staying in, and I’ve been also been to two other cities mostly because of their Christmas markets and decorations. There are trees and lights everywhere, and everyone’s in a good mood! I do like the Christmas spirit – more than the Christmas days I’d say, that’s just a family mess – but here it’s AMPLIFIED! I haven’t had an Advent Calendar for years because my mom only buys one – my brother and I are supposed to share it, but he eats all the chocolates – so I got one for myself this year and it’s crazy how I’m looking forward to eating my tiny chocolate every morning! hahaha I also got to experience the st Nicholas celebration for the first time ever, which was super fun, because we don’t do it in Portugal.
ANYWAY, because I’m also going off-topic hahaha I LOVE physical books, I love having them in my hands, carrying them (makes me look smart lol), taking pictures of them and putting them neatly on my shelves. But they’re also really hard to pack and heavy and I can just have e-books on my phone, which is so much more practical (I’d rather just take my phone out of my pocket than a book out of my bag when I’m waiting for a couple of minutes, let’s say maybe in the doctor’s office or the bus line …). Unfortunately, though, because I don’t have an e-reader (I’m already searching for one, but I’ll probably wait a few more months) reading on my phone also causes me a lot of headaches. Basically, I can’t decide, so both win 😛
Oh, yees the Germans also do Christmas big! I live right next to it so I guess we have that christmas markets tradition in common! Advent calendar is really the best, I love it ?
Haha, makes you look smart! So true ??
Well…hopefully you’ll get a e-reader soon and bye bye headaches ?
Both of them have pros and cons, I guess we really need both in our lives ?
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts ??
Funny! Since I am not what you call a reader, unless I have to of course, I discovered the ebook audio. I seemed to have gotten through 25 of them so far. Maybe because I can cook, clean and relax while doing so.
I just came back online from starting a blog from feb 2019 but never published (newbie) Now here it is 1/2020. That was exactly what I discussed for starters. Printed & ebooks (but audio). But I didn’t mind ebooks on my tablet. It made reading interesting for me. That’s how I went to audio.
That’s great! I admit it’s really practical, it allows you to do something else while reading ? Thank you for sharing! ?