Where do you get your books and why?

[chandleroo1 he/him]

Alrighty so this is more of a curiosity to me than anything else. I want to know what medium all the cosmere fans use to read and I'd also love to know where you get the material for that medium. 

For example, I like to read electronically mainly because it is easier and more convenient , however I also love ready a good hard back outside in the park and such. I mainly get my books from the iTunes Store due to the fact that I read on my Mac and my iPhone and using the iTunes Store allows me to download the books on both devices and depending on the circumstance I can read on whichever I want.

Now, I would love to hear what everyone else uses and why their way is better.

[Weltall]

I've got physical copies of everything, mainly because I want to eventually get everything signed (and in the case of Cosmere books, personalized). That said, I also have a large selection of his books in digital/graphic audio form thanks to the Humble Bundle sale from a couple years back, so I can read those on the go and if I know I'm going to be traveling when there's a new book out and expect to have a lot of reading time I'll usually double-dip for a digital edition (Kindle) so I can keep reading and save some room in my suitcase.

But yeah, I love the feel of having a book in my hands (and the look of having it on my shelf) so in most cases I'll always go physical, and not just with Brandon. As for where I get mine, I try to support Borderlands in San Francisco whenever I can (it's where Brandon usually goes if he's on tour near me) but it's not close enough to be my regular bookstore so if I'm not in that area within a week or so of release I'll usually grab his latest books from a local store.

[Karger he/him]

Physical copies or audiobooks are the way to go with anything serious.  Ebooks for less serious stuff.

[Stormgate he/him]

Whatever I can get my hands on. Physical if I can.

[chandleroo1 he/him]

40 minutes ago, Karger said:

Physical copies or audiobooks are the way to go with anything serious.  Ebooks for less serious stuff.

Why do you think that? specific reasons or preferences?

[Jaywalk he/him]

I greatly prefer physical, I can stomach eBooks, and I cannot stand audiobooks.

[chandleroo1 he/him]

Yeahhhh, I'm not a fan of audiobooks either the only one I've ever listened to was in high school when we listened to the odyssey.

[old man moomba he/him]

I have an ebook copy of every single Cosmere book.

I prefer ebooks because their just so storming convenient. I mean, I can highlight, take notes, keep the entire Cosmere in my backpack, go anywhere with them and not have to use a flashlight to read when I'm camping.

[Karger he/him]

1 hour ago, chandleroo1 said:

Why do you think that? specific reasons or preferences?

Its just me no other reason.

[Jaywalk he/him]

1 hour ago, Dr. Dapper said:

I have an ebook copy of every single Cosmere book.

I prefer ebooks because their just so storming convenient. I mean, I can highlight, take notes, keep the entire Cosmere in my backpack, go anywhere with them and not have to use a flashlight to read when I'm camping.

I’d be more into ebooks if I had an ereader. My friend has a Kindle Oasis, and he loves it.

[old man moomba he/him]

13 minutes ago, Jaywalk said:

I’d be more into ebooks if I had an ereader. My friend has a Kindle Oasis, and he loves it.

I've had a Kindle since forever. I also have a small library of ebooks to go along with it.

[WhiteEmporer]

I prefer physical copies of my books. It's just nice to be able to hold a book in my hands and read it, and I haven't found any Cognitive copies of Brandon's books  

[NotarySojac]

I typically prefer physical copies of books. They have the advantage of not running out of battery (my e-reader is pretty old and doesn't have a huge battery life), and because for some reason I abandon books way more frequently when I only have an ebook copy. Also, it's kind of a delicate balance for me with audiobooks and podcasts in terms of having just enough to do with my hands so that I don't get distracted by other things in my environment, while not so much that I get distracted by the thing I'm doing while listening. 

The books I get are a mix of one of the local bookstores near where I go to school and the library, since my book budget isn't huge right now. (Incidentally, I'm pretty sure that if you're near where I live and are having trouble with Firefight and Calamity being available to check out, it's probably my fault since I borrow them frequently to check details for fic projects and stuff like that)

[Wyndlerunner he/him]

Physical books all the way, but I also enjoy audiobooks, particularly if you have talented narrators leading the project. (Brandon's books in particular tend to have stellar narrators)

Most of the time I go physical, because I need to be holding it, it feels right to turn the pages, and also new book smell. (Also carrying around a physical copy of Oatbringer is far more impressive to most people than an e-book copy of Oathbringer)

[chandleroo1 he/him]

2 hours ago, Jaywalk said:

I’d be more into ebooks if I had an ereader. My friend has a Kindle Oasis, and he loves it.

I just use my laptop or if you have an iPhone they are pretty good to for on the go reading.

[chandleroo1 he/him]

I really want one of the leather bound books Brandon is selling and If I had a lot of money to spend I would probably get the whole set that is currently available lolol

 

[+Doomstick he/him]

14 minutes ago, chandleroo1 said:

I really want one of the leather bound books Brandon is selling and If I had a lot of money to spend I would probably get the whole set that is currently available lolol

 

That’s the real reason for holidays

*silently thanks Christmas for an excuse to get my grandparents to get me leatherbounds*

[Pagliacci he/him]

I read physical copies, preferably paperbacks, I find hardbacks uncomfortable to hold.

Reading anything electronically hurts my eyes.
I like the IDEA of audiobooks but I've never come across one I actually enjoyed listening to.

[Wander89 he/him]

I read physical books whenever I can. There is nothing at all like the feeling off a new book held in your hands with that new book smell, sitting in your back garden in the middle of summer reading a big chunk of a Sanderson novel (yes, I did this last year with Stormlight). I use ebooks on the train because its so confined I simply don't have the space to carry anything else. Seeing my Oathbringer, Name of the Wind and Earthsea books all piling up next to each other in hardback is something that I won't ever get rid of.

[Scion of the Mists]

I have almost everything on eBook.  I use the Kindle app and it is fantastic.  I can read on my phone, iPad, and browser.  Plus Amazon frequently offers $1 digital credits for selecting "No-Rush Shipping" (which frequently still arrives in 2-3 days), so I just bank those up and use them to get free Sanderson books (just did this yesterday with Mitosis, actually).  

The eBooks are also nice because they're searchable.  It makes referencing things when posting on the forums so much easier.  (side note: anybody know how to copy-paste from the Kindle Cloud Reader?)

I also have most of the physical books, but I get those for Christmas (my Christmas lists the past few years have been exclusively Sanderson books and board games).  

[Stampede he/him]

I greatly prefer physical and I most order my books from Amazon and sometimes Book Depository since the closest book store is over two hours away.

[Rebecca she/her]

I LOVE physical books, and they are by far my favorite way to read. They feel so nice to hold, they smell good, and just something about the real thing is able to suck me into a story like an audio or ebook can’t. Plus, it feels pretty good to get those weird looks when you’re carrying around a 1,000+ page book. I often buy my books from Amazon, and if not there, then at Barnes and Noble or a thrift store (I love used books).

Ebooks can be very convenient, and I will use them sometimes, but it just feels right to hold a physical book. And like I said, it’s harder to get into the story when I’m reading an ebook. I don’t know why, it just is.

Audio books I will use sometimes as well, again because they’re so convenient. I’ll listen to them while doing laundry, driving, or lying in bed while trying to fall asleep. But if I don’t have something to do while listening (as long as it’s not something too distracting) then I won’t get into the story.

[Jaywalk he/him]

16 hours ago, chandleroo1 said:

I just use my laptop or if you have an iPhone they are pretty good to for on the go reading.

I’ve used my iPhone in the past for reading, but honestly, it’s no replacement for a Kindle. My eyes start hurting after a while.