2015 in Review

Last year I read a grand total of 247 books. My goal this year was simple. Read less! And I’m happy to say that I succeeded in my goal by only reading 162 novels.

Overall, 2015 was a great year for “Romance Novels for the Beach”. Not only did I write my 200th post, but my little blog here also turned 1. Still such a young widdle baby. Below are some of my favorite posts and reviews from this last year. I invite you to click on the title if you want to read more!

1. What Do you Have Against Romance?  Not only was this my most viewed post of the year, it was also my absolute favorite to write. As well as the most difficult. You can’t help but notice that there is a stigma against both romance novels, and the people who read them. For some reason, romance books are often considered to be a lesser genre when compared to others, and those who read them can be seen as sex maniacs, or doomed to be lonely cat people. In this post, I address that you shouldn’t be ashamed if you like reading romance, as you aren’t alone, and there are some awesome books contained within such a vast genre.

2. Why I Could Never Date Christian Grey This post came in 2nd place for my most viewed of the year, but I sort of like to think of it as my funniest work to date. Let’s face it, there are a ton of reviews out there of the 50 Shades books and movie. I’ve featured them myself. But how many people out there will write a post using Grey’s lack of wardrobe color and named pencils as reasons to avoid dating him? That would be me.

3. Stalker Theme: Male vs. Female Apparently you all enjoyed this one, as it was my 3rd most popular post of the year. Interesting, considering it isn’t exactly a very fun subject to discuss. In this post I mention the different kinds of stalking we might see in romance novels. Whereas male stalkers can be presented as either our male hero or villain, for some reason female stalkers are almost always written as psychotic cray crays.

4. E-Reader vs. Physical Book Which do you prefer? Personally, I have a rather unhealthy connection with my Kindle. Believe it or not, it’s actually one of the first things I take into account when I go purse shopping: will it fit my Kindle? It’s one of those things I can never leave the house without. Whether you prefer your e-reader or a physical book, just remember to keep reading!

5. My Favorite Books of the Year The books below weren’t necessarily published in 2015, but they were some of my favorite reads of the year. I’ve reviewed some of them, but for others you’ll just have to stay tuned!

• Until Jax by Aurora Rose Reynolds
• Thankful Hearts by Evelyn Aster
• Talking Dirty with the CEO by Jackie Ashenden
• Slightly Tarnished and Slightly Noble by Lilly Gayle
• Seven Sinners Anthology by multiple authors
• One Night of Sin by Elle Kennedy
• Locked, Loaded & Lying by Sarah Andre
• Damaged by Gina Watson
• Forever with Me by Kristen Proby
• Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren

Well, that’s all for me in 2015. See you again next year!

 

E-reader vs. Physical Book

Ah, yes. The debate of all debates for our generation. I’m telling ya, people are harsh when it comes to their opinion on this topic, going from one extreme to the next! To say you prefer e-readers is almost like you’re admitting you’re a slave to technology, and that you want to hold a book burning in your backyard. On the other hand, saying you like the feel of holding a physical book in your hand can get you an eye-roll for being so last season and behind the times. So where do I stand on this whole debate? Honestly, as long as you’re reading, I don’t really give a flying rat’s behind how you get it done. Why does it necessarily have to be a debate? Just read!

In all actuality…

I have a very intimate and probably unhealthy relationship with my Kindle. I literally bring it with me everywhere. Yes, I do think it’s convenient, and somewhat mind-boggling, that I can carry around thousands of books with me wherever I go, but that doesn’t mean I’ll refuse to ever read a physical book again. It’s kind of funny though, I’ve gotten so use to my e-reader, that when I went to BookExpo America and received so many free paperbacks, I kind of forgot how to read an actual physical book. Should I hold it with one hand or two? Do I need to stop reading every few minutes and do hand exercises to get used to how freakin’ heavy they are? Will putting this hardcover book in my purse cause my shoulder to bruise from the extra weight?

I’ll admit that my main preference for my Kindle is related to convenience, especially when I travel. When I came back from BEA, I literally brought a suitcase full of books back with me, and it kind of sucked that I had to buy another bag just to bring my clothes home with me. I also like that the words on the screen look just like they would on a page. A debate I do feel very strongly about is when it comes to something like an iPad vs. the Kindle. No competition. The iPad is heavier, it doesn’t fit in my purse as nicely, and after a while I have to stop and blink my eyes a few times for moisture.

I don’t have anything against people who prefer physical books, but I do feel that they need to improve their arguments for why actual books are so much better. One of the most common things I hear is that nothing beats the smell of a real book. That’s your main argument? It smells nice? Since when did people become so obsessed with the scent of their books? Sure, it can be pleasant when you first open it, but with the way people insist on this being one of the main benefits of a physical book you’d think they’re sticking their nose right in the crease for a big whiff every time they turn the page. And then there’s the whole argument about how nothing can replace the feel of a book in your hand. Um, are you on acid or something? Why does it feel so good? Do you just sit in a dark corner and stroke your books for hours on end, because that’s sort of the picture you’re painting here. Are paper cuts your equivalent of a decent spanking? The BDSM of the book world perhaps, the perfect combination of pain with pleasure?

And you? Where do you stand in this epic debate? Whether you prefer your e-reader, or your bookshelf full of physical books, just never stop reading!