The Reading Challenge Group discussion

I have only recently begun reading books on my iPad and while I love the convenience, I would still prefer a physical book. Of the many differences between the two formats, I'm finding the most disturbing to be a gap between reading time. I find that it takes me much longer to read a book on my iPad than it does to read a similar length and style physical book. I haven't been able to figure out the reasoning yet, but it's becoming an issue for me. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me?

I read mostly on my kindle. I still read paper books too. It is different but I think it just takes time to get use to it. I read at the same pace for both but I have been reading on a kindle for almost 7 years now.

It takes me longer to read on my kindle on the computer, too. I don't know why.

on the computer I find it very difficult to read.

I have a tablet and an ebook reader, and I greatly prefer reading on the ebook. The backlight on the tablet hurts my eyes, and I have to keep stopping.

I am equally slow reading from a book as compared to the ebook. :P

I'm slower when I read ebooks....

I've only read a few books on my Kindle as opposed to reading my physical books and I can't say as I've noticed any difference in reading speed. What affects me is the story. If I can get into it I'll whizz through it whatever format it is in. Last year I reread Mystic River, which has over 500 pages, paperback, in one day (eight hours in total. It was just so interesting I couldn't put it down. Yet Specter of the Past, 350 pages, hardback, took me a week to get through. I just couldn't get into it.

I think with ebooks, if anyone is finding them slower to read it might be a combination of how easy or hard the ereader is on the eyes, and how the ebook has been formatted (the way the text is rendered on the screen).

I am also slower on e-books. My guess is being able to see the remaining pages left in a physical book makes one more likely to say, "It is just a little bit left. I just read 1 more page ..."

What I do find with my kindle is that I pick up the next book almost immediately after I finish the one I am reading. It is just so wonderful not to have to go to the library or the book store to pick out the next book. I love that.

I think the 'tone' or 'voice' of a book determines the speed at which we read. A story with a fast moving plot 'reads' faster than a story which is a bit melancholy.
If I need to refer back to something I have read earlier in the book I know that (for example) it is on a right hand page and near the bottom and am therefore able to access it quickly. With Kindle books I do not have this ability.
I also love the smell of books so no contest for me!

Hmm...never thought of it. My kindle reader is definitely easier to handle than paperbacks or hard bounds especially when reading lying down or during commute. So that could speed up my reading once I started the book. But it solely depends on the book, it's pace and how much I am enjoying it. However the nothing beats the pleasure of having a physical copy in hand. Who cares how long it takes as long as you are reading it.

I agree with Irene, the voice of a book changes my speed. I have learned to bookmarks and highlight on my kindle and I am ok with going back to something I previously read.

It actually depends because I only do an hour for reading with my bible reading then my general reading with a regular book or on my tablet.

that stinks. I can highlight my digital library books and they tell me that if I were to take it out again my highlights will still be there. I have never taken the same book out twice so I cant say for sure that it works.

my library has different options I take out kindle books so maybe it is because of amazon I get that. I cant tell the difference between the ones I have bought and the ones I borrow. I have never borrowed any of the other choices so I don't know what the formatting is like.

I have the option to use the overdrive media console but I never have. When I take a book out on the library website it pulls me directly into amazon's website and I login.

everytime I take a book out I ask myself the same thing.

I'm pretty different to everyone else, I find that I read much quicker on my e-reader. I have no idea why, I like both formats equally as much although I prefer paperback to hardback. I tend to read stand alones on my kobo and series in paperback. Also the ebooks being cheaper draws me to them too

I'm not sure Jessica, that could be a factor. I don't seem to have a load time on my iPad, so that's not an issue for me, but it could be for others. For me personally, I think it's because I use a computer all day and my eyes get tired so when I use my iPad, my eyes are lagging. Whereas with a book, it's a total break from what my eyes see for most of the day and they can devour it!

I am a lot slower with an e reader than with a book. I put it done to this for years I have always had two bookmarks in every book. One from where I am in the story and the other at the end of a chapter. With an e reader I cant say only a couple more pages i'll just finish this chapter.

I also have an habit of pressing the reader wrong so it goes ahead to many pages so I have to spend time finding where I was.

Only good things about an ereader to me is I can carry around thousands of books but its still light. Also I love that I can just press on a word to find the definition wheich as helped a lot this year as I am going to read at least 1 classic every month.

About the same time for me. I set my Kindle to tell me how long left in a book rather than pages. It helps me not stay up too late

Aaaaarrrggghhhh! It never occurred to me that I wouldn't know whereabouts in the book I am on an e reader etc - that ensures I don't buy one, which I was considering. It's such an integral part of reading a book to be able to see 'where' you are in the book.

If I was still studying or travelled a lot (I have to take an extra suitcase just for books! I'm a book a day gal) I think I'd find a reader brilliant - but I prefer real life books.