Reading Rainbow

So I was thinking about how much I love to read. It has always been one of my favorite things to do, but as life changed and technology became more prevalent, I found that I had drifted away from my first love. My face was always in some type of screen; the computer at work, my laptop at home, television, cell phone, or iPad. Any down time I had was being consumed with things like social media, games, or YouTube. Now, I never completely stopped reading. My online time did include some Kindle app/iBooks and I still preferred actual books where I could write in the margins and dog-ear the pages. I just felt like I needed to reclaim more of my time and replenish some brain cells. So, a couple years ago, I vowed to reduce my screen action and get back to being the avid reader I had been once upon a time. I got a new library card and started checking out new books and revisiting some of my favorites, but I eventually went back to buying the books I wanted. Which brings us to today. I think it's somewhat of an obsession! LOL!! I buy books every time I think about it. I continue to add to the stack of books I have yet to read. The good thing is, I'm not just buying the books to say I have them, but I committed to read at least 24 books this year and so far I've read 20!
I want to share with you all a few of my favorite sites/apps for books. Enjoy!

1. Goodreads - This is a site/app where you can keep track of all the books you've read, want to read, or are currently reading. You can rate books, write/read reviews, and follow your friends or people you're fans of, to see what they're reading and get their recommendations. It has news of book tours and other events involving some of your favorite authors. You're also given book recommendations based on the books you've read or have shown interest in, kinda like Netflix. If you want to purchase any of the books you see, there are links for Kindle and Amazon.
2. Amazon - I love this site/app because you can pretty much find any book you're looking for and it's usually a bit cheaper than other stores/sites. If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can have your books in 2 days, with free shipping. Also, if you have books on your Kindle or Kindle app, and you're at work or the like and can't have your phone or other device out, you can log in to your Amazon account via your computer's browser and read books from your Kindle library on your PC.
3. ThriftBooks - This is my FAVORITE! This site/app carries new titles and other books in various conditions (like new, good, very good, acceptable). The new books are generally comparable in price to places like Amazon or Target, the other sites may even be a little cheaper at times, UNLESS they already have some used copies available. In the case of used books, titles can be found as low as $3.79! They offer deals and even have a Reading Rewards program where, as you spend, you earn points and get free books.

Click here to follow my reading challenge and join me next year. You think I can double my number??