Most of y’all know I’m a longtime reviewer for Shelf Awareness (best. gig. ever). That usually means I get a delicious stack of print advance copies to try out every month. But due to the pandemic, my last stack of physical ARCs arrived in mid-March. (Shortly after that, the stay-at-home orders came down, and many publicists and editors – including mine – couldn’t get to their offices to distribute books.)
Since we usually read two to three months ahead (those books I got in March all had pub dates for May, though some of them have been pushed back), we had to shift to e-galleys quickly. I was (am) not a fan of this idea: I love physical books, their heft and feel and smell, and I also don’t want one more reason to scroll on a screen. But my sister has lent me her long-disused Kindle Fire, and after several weeks of denial/procrastinating/avoiding reality, I finally have it set up for digital reading. (I’m requesting books through both Netgalley and Edelweiss, and the experience in both places has been mostly fine.)
It’s not as good as a “real” book, and I’m still reading physical books when I can: either rereading old favorites or working through my long-unread stacks. But the e-reader experience is much better than scrolling through files on my laptop, and it means I can still do the freelance work I love.
Like so much of life under quarantine, it’s not what I would have chosen, but here we are. I am (simultaneously) frustrated, trying to make the best of it, and intensely grateful that these are my problems.
Are you reading digitally in these strange times – or do you normally? Any tips?
cakes, tea and dreams 
I’ve no advice; I’m with you — physical books rule! I haven’t e-read a book nor even listened to an audio book.. but I am running out of books to re-read. I (maybe all of us) will have to bite the e-reader bullet sooner or later. Good luck!
I, too, am a person who prefers a “real” book. Abd I still have several on my shelves that I have not read (yet). I listen to audio books (through Libby) while I sew. But with the libraries closed and resale shops (where I find wonderful books), I succumbed to a reader. My guy surprised me with a Kindle Fire, and I am pleasantly surprised that I am still enjoying my reading. That said, I’ll continue with “real” books as my preferred reading choice. Take Care
I’m glad you’re liking the Kindle. I’m finding it not-all-that-bad, too. But “real” books are the best!
I’ve read a few e-books in the past and they are definitely not my preferred format. With my library closed I did try to give e-books another chance, but after a few pages, I found I just couldn’t do it. I was concerned I would end up disliking a book I would normally enjoy simply because I didn’t like how I was reading the book. I know designated e-readers work great for some people, but I feel content knowing that’s just not the type of reader I am. Maybe that will change some day. For now, I own plenty of physical books that I haven’t read yet, so I’m in no danger of not having great reading options, though sometimes choosing what to read is hard. I will keep using my Libby app for audiobooks which I have really grown to love in the past year (though with teleworking these days, I’m missing some of my dedicated commuting/audiobook time).
I was gifted a Kindle years ago and used it, initially, out of a feeling of obligation. I was happy to find that I really liked it, and that I didn’t feel conflicted–like I was choosing technology over real books. I just felt like I was giving myself more options. The Kindle has been really useful when I’ve traveled. If I started a new book and couldn’t get into it, I could just download a new one or re-read an old favorite. I also like the ability to highlight favorite passages from different books and keep them in a “My Clippings” collection. Those are always great to back and read. I treasure my book collection, but it’s the words–the stories–that mean the most to me, so however I can get to them, I’m happy.