Ebook Buying Addicts' Support Thread

[Apache]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I usually read one book at a time, and I almost always finish the book, unless it's really awful or not to my taste.

This.
Apache

[DrNefario]

My big downfall this year has actually been paperbacks. Particularly second-hand crime paperbacks.

Crime is not one of my main genres - I've always dabbled in it a bit, but I'm mainly an SF&F reader, I'd say - so I'm not so bothered about getting good quality books to keep, and I don't want to pay a lot, but lately I've been consumed with enthusiasm to read some of the classics, particularly from the Golden Age, and I've also set myself a challenge to read a detective beginning with every letter of the alphabet. I also like to get out of the office at lunchtime, and a visit to a charity shop or second-hand bookshop is as good an excuse as any. (Agatha Christie is great for this - the tiniest charity shop is still reasonably likely to have at least one book by her.) Just yesterday I bought two omnibuses containing five new novels (and two duplicates). I'm miles ahead of where I need to be, and for some reason I seem to prefer to buy several books in each series instead of just one.

On the plus side, I have also been getting rid of paper books. Charity shops are quite good for that, too.

[Grace Elliot]

Just the two downloads today...or was it three?

[benham]

I bought a book for my Kindle app yesterday that was $2.99. In paperback, that same book is over $14!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by benham

I bought a book for my Kindle app yesterday that was $2.99. In paperback, that same book is over $14!

One of the reasons I like ebooks. But mainly it's the convenience. (Buying, carrying, reading, storing)

[CRussel]

For me it's the convenience. And the ease of always having the same, manageable-sized book. The way some genres have gone lately, the books were getting too big to comfortably read. Plus if I don't have my contact in, I just increase the font size and can still read. Plus the books are (usually) cheaper. And, finally, the Amazon Kindle instant gratification. (Which has caused some of the issues that keep me on this thread!)

[Soldim]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I usually read one book at a time,

I tend to read several books at a time, but mostly of different genres. I tend to have a history book going most of the time, maybe a cooking/food related book and one or two other non-fiction ones. Often I have a fiction book or two on going as well (but not at the moment ).

and I almost always finish the book, unless it's really awful or not to my taste. This year so far I've only abandoned 8 out of 127 (& that's higher than usual for me).

I also tend to finish most of the books I start. This year I dropped one out of the 50 or so book I started.

[dreams]

Originally Posted by jersysman

Well I did get 12 new Georgette Heyer books this month (I do miss BoB!!!)

I was hoping to fill out my collection on a good sale, but now I'll have to get the rest of them piecemeal during sales and coupons here and there.

I had done so well last year in resisting the lure of buying all of them during the sale because I just knew the sale would be great again in 2013. I was so proud of myself and keeping to my goals.

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by dreams

Georgette Heyer Birthday Week Sale!
*fingers firmly in my ears*

Coupons! , DRM-free, but a little more!
*fingers _still_ firmly in my ears*

Well, OK, I admit it would be much better to have a blindfold over my eyes, but I ... I .. just can't resist at least _seeing_ all the deals.

I am going to try to resist...
*well, only because I read many of them years ago, already have a few in ebook, and have saved some in pbook.*

But, but, still... the urge is great to just BUY!

Originally Posted by dreams

Geesh. Why did I think that my weakening resolve would be strengthened?

As it is, I have this urge to go searching and checking how much .... oops, there I go again.

I will hold out.... I will hold out ... I will hold out.
*besides, there will probably be a sale next year and I can look forward to that. *

I thought that by now there would be a great sale again, even without BoB. I have a GC at Amazon and Sony all ready to be used.
Now, I really wish I wasn't so good last year.

Oh well, I have already read most of them anyway.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by dreams

I thought that by now there would be a great sale again, even without BoB.

That's one thing I've learned - if you know you want it, and it's a solid deal, pounce on it. You may not get the chance later. During the last Kobo contest, I picked up some books at good prices even though I knew the retail prices would drop in about a year...because the deals were good enough to make the earlier purchase worthwhile.

By the same token, though, I've got a few DVDs on my "watch for the Thanksgiving deals" list. True Blood, for instance; I've watched the first two seasons and own the first four. I know season five is out, but I got all of the first four at $10 each as Thanksgiving deals, so I'll hold off a bit...

[dreams]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

That's one thing I've learned - if you know you want it, and it's a solid deal, pounce on it. You may not get the chance later. During the last Kobo contest, I picked up some books at good prices even though I knew the retail prices would drop in about a year...because the deals were good enough to make the earlier purchase worthwhile.

I was given the same advice about not passing up the sale last year, but did I listen? No. {sigh}
I have now learned my lesson.

By the same token, though, I've got a few DVDs on my "watch for the Thanksgiving deals" list. True Blood, for instance; I've watched the first two seasons and own the first four. I know season five is out, but I got all of the first four at $10 each as Thanksgiving deals, so I'll hold off a bit...

I do the same thing for DVDs. I already have my wishlist set up and all ready for the sales.

I've read a few of The Sookie Stackhouse novels, but haven't ever seen the True Blood series. How does it compare to the novels? I may put those on my wish list also.

[pdurrant]

It is hard deciding when to jump and when not.

I must admit that I bought as many of the Heyers as I could in the last sale. But then, I haven't read them before.

[DrNefario]

It is quite annoying when something on your wish list suddenly jumps upwards in price, but I'm not sure that means you should buy everything now. it's just happened to me again today, but the book in question was actually the 6th in a series of which I haven't even read the first, yet, so does it really matter that I've missed it? I might still have saved the value of the lower price, instead of lost the difference.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by dreams

I had done so well last year in resisting the lure of buying all of them during the sale because I just knew the sale would be great again in 2013. I was so proud of myself and keeping to my goals.

Spoiler:

I thought that by now there would be a great sale again, even without BoB. I have a GC at Amazon and Sony all ready to be used.
Now, I really wish I wasn't so good last year.

Oh well, I have already read most of them anyway.

I hear ya. At the last BoB sale, I bought several Evelyn Waugh novels at a fantastic discount (they're not discounted at all elsewhere) and was tempted to buy the entire oeuvre, but thought I'd wait for the next sale. For no good reason! It wasn't as if they were likely to get cheaper, but I just felt greedy, I suppose. We all know how that worked out.

Oh, well, as you say, I've read them already....

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I have to report that I've failed in my attempt this year to restrict my ebook buys to less than 120. So far this year I've bought 108 ebooks, and I'll certainly be buying more than 12 ebooks over the rest of the year.

I think I shall quote the mutual fund companies in saying "past performance is not indicative of future performance."

You can do better, you just need to tell yourself one of the mantra's a little more often: there will always be another sale.

[BelleZora]

Originally Posted by dreams

I've read a few of The Sookie Stackhouse novels, but haven't ever seen the True Blood series. How does it compare to the novels? I may put those on my wish list also.

I read all the Sookie Stackhouse books and enjoyed them. The first season of True Blood was enjoyable for me and the cast seemed perfect. Hated the second season. You couldn't pay me to watch any further seasons. Several of my friends felt the same, although those who hadn't read the books weren't quite as disenchanted. Probably you should try the series one season at a time.