To Read eBooks Or Not To Read eBooks?

I've been a reader since I can remember. A book has always been glued to my hands. There was a drought I went through where I was always out and living life than reading, but since having my my babies, I've returned to my long lost love for reading. Also, I've managed to instill the love of reading into my kids, so that's a huge bonus.

Any reader will tell you there's nothing like the feel of a physical book. The thickness of it, the smoothness of the cover or the smell of the pages. There's no comparison. That's why to me, this age-old debate of "what's better" between eBooks or physical copies is pointless. Personally, it's a matter of convenience, and to some, it can also be a financial matter. I'm a parent and in raising a family, a lot of sacrifices have to be made. I don't have the luxury of reading whenever I want to. No, instead, I fit in reading when I get a chance, which is more often than not, during the night while my kids are sleeping. Which is why I believe the Kindle is my saving grace. Instead of turning on the light and disturbing my kids' sleep, I can use my Kindle PaperWhite with a back light to read. I don't have to cut my reading time to only during the day, which is nearly impossible on most days.

Don't get me wrong, I still purchase physical books. I go to my local bookstores and will splurge on a few books every once in a while when I have some extra cash to spend. I may need new shoes, but instead, I head to Barnes & Noble for their clearance section or with my coupon and get some books. Cash for lunch? Nah. Let me purchase a book from Amazon instead. Sure, I need a jacket because it's been cold lately, but I live in California, "real" cold weather doesn't exist here so let me get a book with that cash instead. My point being, books are my top priority. Of course, my kids' needs above anything else, but books are a close second! As much as I love to support my favorite authors and even new, up and coming authors, I'm often strapped for cash and head to my local used book store. They're as low $1 so I can get a little crazy in there. I've come across a few hidden gems, too, so it's not too bad.

I don't care for either hardcover or paperback. I love both. I even have a few copies of the same book just because the cover is so gorgeous. I can't do that anymore, though. And because eBooks are so much more cheaper (Amazon is THE best), lately I've been purchasing more eBooks than before. My Kindle has been my best friend this entire year. I think I've only read ONE physical book so far. I've owned multiple tablets/eReaders, but I prefer my Kindle because the brightness of the tablet hurts my eyes after a short while, and the e-ink on the eReader is great. I carry around my Kindle everywhere with me in my purse. It's so much more lighter!

This debate has got to stop. Books are here to stay, and unless my worst nightmare of George Orwell's Fahrenheit 451 comes true, we shouldn't worry about a book's existence because I truly believe it's here to stay for a long time to come.

HAPPY READING, ALL! :)