The Battle of the Books (Digital E-Books vs. The Real Deal)
When you are packing your bags for a family trip or winding down on the couch after a busy day, what is your go-to way to escape into a great story?
I have several close friends who are absolute, die-hard, avid readers—and many of them will only read out of an actual, bound paper book. They want to hold the weight in their hands, physically turn the pages, and they even tell me they love the nostalgic smell of paper. For them, it’s a non-negotiable part of the experience.
Personally, I am good with either, but let me tell you—I absolutely love and thrive on my Kindle!
As someone who values staying organized, a digital reader is the ultimate minimalist travel tool. I never have to worry about losing my bookmark, it slips easily into my purse, and I can highlight passages, type up personal notes, or play a quick game on it whenever I want. Plus, it keeps extra paper stacks completely off my clean kitchen counters!
When I dive into fiction, I mainly love to get lost in complex mysteries, historical fiction, a bit of fantasy, and of course, the occasional romance. While I don’t get the opportunity to read nearly as much as I used to or would like to with a busy schedule, I did just finish a fantastic digital download on Kindle Unlimited a couple of weeks ago.
The book was Pretty Girls Dancing by Kylie Brant. It is a gripping mystery centered on a small town called Saxon Falls, where a young girl vanished years ago and was presumed dead, leaving her family completely broken. Now, years later, another teenage girl goes missing, ripping open old wounds and forcing a painful past right back to the forefront.
Every single chapter of this book is written from the perspective of a different character in the story. It absolutely had my heart racing, and I found myself getting genuinely nervous about what was going to happen next. I always judge a book by its emotional output—does it make me cry, laugh out loud, or get completely spooked? That visceral feeling is my gold standard for a great story.
That said, the book I am currently reading right now is completely real-world non-fiction. Sometimes, you just need to put down the stories and read something real that can help change your life for the better.
For me, that book is Forgiving What You Can’t Forget by Lysa TerKeurst. I don’t think there is a single soul among us who hasn’t been deeply hurt by something in their past, or who isn’t standing in the dead center of a painful situation right this second.
What I appreciate most about Lysa’s writing is that she completely validates your complex feelings. She doesn’t flippantly tell you to “just get over it,” but she doesn’t allow you to stay stuck wallowing in it forever, either. I am learning an immense amount about the hard work of letting go, moving forward, and realizing how much power we accidentally hand over to someone else when we choose to live in a state of chronic unforgiveness. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to live a joy-filled, trusting life.
Clear the Clutter Everywhere
Choosing digital options doesn’t just protect your bedroom nightstands from accumulating dusty towers of paper—it works wonders for your household finances, too.
If you love the compact, clutter-free convenience of reading on a screen, you can apply that exact same minimalist strategy to your credit union accounts! By breaking free from traditional paper statement delivery, you can securely access 18 months of historical check balances and transactions right from your phone. Learn how to clear the desk space by checking out our guide: Tame the Paper Towers: Why eStatements Are the Ultimate Minimalist Hack.
