Books: Borrow or Buy

Diving into a book can bring about learning something new or just allowing yourself to escape to a different life for a few hours. Reading has long been a past time I have enjoyed and tried to make time for no matter what else was going on. 

However reading can be an expensive hobby and one that takes up a great amount of space as is evident from the hundreds of books we have at home (some of which have been passed down to my son). In the past several years I have learned the joy of reserving and checking out books from the library. And yes, I am one of those people who still enjoys, and prefers, to have an actual book in my hand and not read on an electronic device.

So in reference to the post title, I think that it depends on the book when it comes to whether it is better to borrow or buy. Like many movies my family enjoys, we like to borrow first and if we really like it and think that we would want to watch it over and over we will end up buying a copy. Books are that way to me. I love to read, but there are definitely some books that I enjoy reading once but know that I will never read again so I am glad to not own them.

After two years of not reading much other than the books assigned to me by professors in my master's program, I decided that I would try to read at least 52 books during 2014. I think that I am off to a good start. Below is a partial list out of 26 books that I have read this year so far:

1.       The book thief by Markus Zusak

2.       The first phone call from heaven by Mitch Albom            

3.       The lady of the rivers by Philippa Gregory

4.       The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

5.       Longbourn by Jo Baker

6.       Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman

7.       Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport

8.       Head in the clouds by Karen Witemeyer

9.       The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

10.   The White Princess by Philippa Gregory

11.   The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

12.   The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

13.   Changeling by Philippa Gregory

14.   Outlander : a novel by Diana Gabaldon

15.   Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

16.   The virgin's lover by Philippa Gregory

17.   Gone girl by Gillian Flynn

18.   In Plain View by Olivia Newport

19.   Taken for English by Olivia Newport        

 I have others at home from the library and am waiting on more as well. (Love being able to reserve books but not make the request active until weeks or months later).

So if you love to read but shudder at the thought of trying to find room for all those books at home, check out your local library. They truly are a treasure.