The Benefits of Renting Books

by Emily Roberts on March 17, 2013

for-rent-booksImagine having thousands of books and audiobooks at your disposal, whenever you wanted to read or listen to them. Thanks to the internet, and online book rental companies, you can have access to an unlimited number of books, authors and titles. Whether you want to curl up in front of the fireplace on a cold winter’s evening with a page-turning mystery, or you want to listen to the latest romance on your way to work, all you have to do is choose online, and the books will be sent to you immediately. These days, renting books via a membership has many benefits, including convenience, lessening your carbon footprint and saving you both time and money.

Convenience

Think about going to the library to get your favorite book. First, you have to travel there; then, chances are they either won’t have it, or it will have been checked out already.  Having a book rental membership means you can select the books of your choice online and have them delivered right to your front door in a matter of days. You don’t have to leave your home to go to the library, only to be disappointed that they don’t have the book you want. This is especially true in small towns where the inventory of books and magazines are very limited.

Save Time

A membership means that you don’t have to waste time going to your local library, looking through all of the shelves trying to find something interesting. These days, most people simply don’t have the time to do that. When you have a monthly membership to an online book club, making your choices takes only a few minutes. With the click of a mouse, you can make your selections quickly and easily.

Save Money

Aside from the library, you could go to the many bookstores that exist today and buy your favorite best sellers. The downside, of course, is that it can get extremely expensive, especially if you’re buying books that are hot off the presses.  Having a membership means you pay one monthly fee and you can get as many books as you want. This means you won’t break your budget, and you can get caught up on all the latest novels.

Save Space

What do you do with all of those books you buy from the bookstore? You’ll end up having to buy shelves to put them on, creating clutter and chaos in your home. Having a monthly membership means you don’t have to worry about where to store your books. Read them, listen to them, and then send them back. This helps keep your home clear of clutter, and there’s less to dust!

Good for the Environment

Renting books is a great way to lessen your carbon footprint. By renting books and sharing them with others, a significant amount of paper and trees will be saved. It’s a much better choice for the environment and Mother Earth.

Great for Commuters

Sometimes, it’s nice to have something different to listen to, rather than the radio or CDs. An audiobook is another great way to catch up on all the latest best-sellers. You won’t get bored while you’re sitting in traffic and you can choose from over 250,000 titles. For every hardcover and paperback book, there is an audiobook selection as well. There are also motivational and educational titles to choose from. So go ahead – learn something new on the way to work!

Great for Kids

Audiobooks are great for kids who can’t read yet. There are thousands of selections for kids of all ages. Young ones who can’t read yet can still acquire a love of books when they listen to them; they will be kept occupied for hours.  They’ll love the idea of being able to choose the audiobooks they want to listen to. It gives them a sense of independence and control.

Most online rental book clubs have several different membership plans, so you can choose one that’s right for you. Many companies do not charge late fees or shipping, so you can take your time and keep the books as long as you need them. When you’re finished with them, simply put them in the postage-paid envelope and drop into the mailbox. It’s simple, convenient and saves you both time and money. You can choose from the latest bestsellers or you can choose some older classics. Many genres are offered as well, including mysteries, erotica, drama and non-fiction. You could save up to 80% over buying the books the traditional way. It is one of the most economical ways to feed your mind!

Summary of Posts: March 17th 2013

by Emily Roberts on March 17, 2013

For this cycle of BooksFree we discussed the most promising books for 2013, along with our most favorite childhood books. Join us and let us know what your favorite books are.

  • There are many promising books coming out in 2013. For the lowdown on the top 12 books of 2013, read ShortList.com’s article on the subject.
  • Agatha Christie is well known among avid readers. But is she truly the queen of mystery? Read here to find out what one fan thinks.
  • We have a real need for libraries in this country as not everyone can afford to pay the over-inflated prices that authors and publishers charge today. Foz Meadows agrees and rebuts a famous author’s assertion that libraries are helping the public rip off writers.
  • The most borrowed library books of 2012 were varied and ranged from James Patterson suspense novels to children’s books. What were your picks last year?
  • Children’s books are some of the most loved books there are. They are held, loved, and read many times before our children outgrow them. What are some of your most loved books from childhood? Share them with us here.
  • Finally, we discussed some of our own well-loved children’s books. Everyone has their favorites. What are yours?

Much-Loved Children’s Books

by Emily Roberts on March 16, 2013

Reading Daniel Donahoo’s article “Why I Love Dirty Children’s Books” was a joy and got me to thinking about all of the children’s books I loved as a child, and the ones that my children love now. There are many loved childrens books to choose from, so the sky is the limit on what you can choose to read.

From Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham to Goodnight Moon, some of these books are timeless and will be passed down from generation to generation. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a book that comes to mind when you discuss best-loved children’s books.

My son has outgrown many of these and is in the Magic Treehouse and Bailey Kids phase. Fast on their heels is Harry Potter, another classic in the making. But he will still settle down quickly with a Dr. Seuss book from the varied collection of Dr. Seuss books that populate his three bookshelves. Dr. Seuss is timeless, and it doesn’t matter what age you are, you can’t help but get drawn into the world of Sam I Am and other imaginary characters.

Some books aren’t as popular as others, and some hit the stores and just take off with the whole world loving them. The point is that there are tons of children’s books out there sitting on shelves just waiting for a child to come along and love them. What are some of your favorite books from childhood and your children’s as well? We would love to know.

For the Love of Dirty Children’s Books

by Emily Roberts on March 15, 2013

Books are a treasure not to be put on a shelf and forgotten, but to be read over and over again. They need to be held by little hands and loved like nothing else. Dirty children’s books in my opinion are the most-loved books there are. Daniel Donahoo tends to agree in his article for Wired. What are your kids favorite books, and are they well-worn and loved or brand new and abandoned?

Source: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2013/02/kids-books/

Most Borrowed Library Books – 2012

by Emily Roberts on March 14, 2013

The results are in, and the most borrowed library books of 2012 is a varied list, with many of the top ten being children’s books, and at least 15 books belonging to none other than author James Patterson. I guess thriller/suspense is still big and probably will be in 2013 as well. John Dugdale reports on the most borrowed books of 2012 for The Guardian. What books did you prefer last year?

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/feb/09/most-borrowed-library-books-2012

The Need for Libraries

by Emily Roberts on March 13, 2013

Recently we discussed a blog post by an author who thought that libraries should be shut down as people shouldn’t be getting books for free. Foz Meadows rebuts Terry Deary’s argument with some compelling reasons why we need libraries, just as we always have. In his article, Foz Meadows shows Terry Deary up for the greedy, non-fan-loving author that he is, and proves that libraries are indeed important.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/foz-meadows/why-terry-deary-is-wrong-_b_2695825.html?utm_hp_ref=books

Agatha Christie: A Mystery Icon

by Emily Roberts on March 12, 2013

Agatha Christie is the all-time queen of the crime/mystery genre. I think that anyone who has ever read an Agatha Christie book can’t help but agree. Writer Sophie Hannah recently wrote a blog post for The Guardian detailing how Agatha is her hero and how she became addicted to mysteries after reading one of the famous author’s books at the age of 12. Who are your favorite mystery writers, and can they compare to this legendary one?

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/feb/15/my-hero-sophie-hannah-agatha-christie

12 Must-Read Books of 2013

by Emily Roberts on March 11, 2013

2013 holds a lot of promise, and that includes everything from the economy to the books that are coming out. We are waiting with bated breath to be able to read at least 12 of the new ones. From The Universe Versus Alex Woods to Doctor Sleep, there will be plenty to keep us entertained, and in some cases up all night, this year. ShortList.com reports on the most exciting picks for 2013.

Source: http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/the-12-books-you-need-to-read-in-2013

Renting vs. Buying Books: Which Comes out on Top?

by Emily Roberts on March 10, 2013

booksIt’s become obvious lately that the cost of reading books by your favorite authors is beginning to cost not only an arm but a leg as well. Books that two years ago would cost you $4.99 are now costing upward of $7 and above. If you love to read but aren’t able to pay these huge prices, the library is not the only place you can get books anymore. In recent years there have been a few places that have opened up where you can rent books instead of buying them. But what are the pros and cons of renting vs. buying, and which comes out on top?

Pros of Buying Books

If you are a collector of books, then buying books is the way to go for you. If you have a favorite author and you own every single title they have ever written, then you will probably want to continue buying their books so that you have them.

Another pro to buying books is that you can read them again and again if you choose to. Many avid readers like to reread their favorite books, and you can’t do that if you rent and return them. Of course, you can rent them again, but who really wants to do that?

If you are buying textbooks as well, then you know how expensive they can be. However, if you buy them, you can sell them back to the bookstore, or in some cases you’re able to list them on the Internet and sell them to other students. On top of that, you can keep them to reference as you get further into school or even when you have started your career.

Pros of Renting Books

Rental places for books, and textbooks, have been around for a few years now. Think of it as a Netflix for books. On these rent-a-book sites you simply pay a monthly fee and can have a certain number of books out at one time, according to which plan you choose. There are over 20,000 books to choose from on a rental site, and you never run out of books to choose from.

One of the biggest pros to renting your novels is the selection; another is the fact that you can read them and mail them back. If you’re like me, you used to have boxes of books in the closet, living room, bedroom, attic, and about anywhere else a box would fit. Renting books means you read them, pop them in an envelope, and send them back. No more clutter!

If you are an avid reader like I am, and read more than a few books a month, it can get pretty expensive. With prices ranging from $7 to $20 a book, that’s a lot of greenbacks to dish out to read. With a rental program you can read as much as you want for a monthly fee.

If you are buying textbooks, which are going for hundreds of dollars at the moment, then renting them is a great option for you. You don’t have to worry about what you’re going to do with them at the end of the semester. You just pack the textbook up and send it on its way.

Cons of Buying Books

There are a few cons to both renting and buying books. If you don’t have anything to do with your books when you are done reading them, then they can become a bit of a problem. If you’re like me, you can’t bring yourself to throw them away, so they end up sitting in your house taking up space and collecting dust.

In the case of textbooks, if you buy them, you run the chance of them becoming outdated and also run a chance of not being able to sell them once the semester is over.

Cons of Renting Books

Renting books can have its own set of cons, though. If you are someone who reads your books more than once, renting may not be the way for you to go. If you only read a couple of books a month, then buying your books may be the best thing you can do. It all comes down to which way saves you the most money.

As far as textbooks are concerned, you never know when you may need to reference a book that you used in the past. So on that front the choice is yours as to whether you want them to be there or not.

In Conclusion

Whether you decide to rent or buy your books, the fact that you, and your children, are reading is the most important thing, so read on!

Summary of Posts: March 10th 2013

by Emily Roberts on March 10, 2013

For this cycle of BooksFree we discussed everything from the 50 key moments in English literature to the fact that a book cannot make your child misbehave. Join us and tell us what you think. Oh, and don’t forget to bring your book.

  • The Guardian gave us a look into what they consider to be the top 50 key moments in English literature. Let us know if you agree.
  • Is it possible that misbehaving children in children’s books can make our own kids misbehave? Hard to believe that it might be true. Read here to find out why.
  • Should language that is considered racist to some be removed from classic children’s books? Read Felicity Capon’s article for The Telegraph to find out what the controversy is all about.
  • Have you ever heard of Goodreads.com? If you haven’t, you should check it out. It’s a social media site with over 15 million members that promotes a love of reading and sharing about what you have read.
  • Libraries are not important is basically what a British author said recently and added that people should not be able to read for free. What do you think of his comments and the reaction he got?
  • Finally, we discussed our opinion of a book making a child misbehave. The discussion was a little sarcastic, but come on, we have control of our kids, not a character in a book. What do you think?

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