Reading Materials

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Self-portrait in a Hammock {From Author’s Personal Collection}

It’s Summer Time! Many are going on vacation or are simply having “staycations”. For me, this means my leisure reading increases.  To keep up with my literary needs, I’ve tried two different websites. I’ve been using both for the last couple of months. I thought I would share my finds with EAD readers.

{Disclaimer: I am in not affiliated with either of these sites and I am not receiving any reimbursement for endorsement of either of these sites.}

Paper Back Swap - www.paperbackswap.com

Books I’ve received through Paperback Swap
{From Author’s Personal Collection}

From their website:

How the Club Works
* You have books in good condition that you do not want to keep.
* After you have Posted the first 10 books to your bookshelf, you get 2 “startup” credits from PBS to get you started swapping.  After that, you earn credits by sending out books to others. Only the first account for a household receives startup credits.
* You may order any available book for 1 credit each (paperback/hardcover). audio books cost 2 credits each.
* If you want a book that is not currently available, you can place it on your Wish List and we will notify you by email when it is available for you to order.  You can even have it sent to you automatically when it becomes available, with no email necessary.
* When a book is requested from you, we notify you by email, provide the address for you to send it out, and even provide a wrapper!
* wrap and mail your book.
* When the requestor receives it, you earn 1 credit (2 if it is an audio book). Yes, you pay the postage to send out your books, but when you request a book, the sender ships it to you free of charge!
* The books you receive from PBS are yours. We hope that you will repost them to share with other members when you have read them, but you can certainly keep them, or give them away. Similarly, the books you send out to others belong to their new owners.

Pros
* If you have books that you’ve already read and are not fond of, you can easy swap them for books you may be more interested in.
* They have a very large selection. Paperback swap is actually not limited to paperbacks. They also have hardcover books. You may even find books that are no longer in print.
* It’s a great way to recycle old books.

Cons
* It is difficult to find New Releases or Popular books. If the book is new to a bestseller list or has been released in the last 6 months, chances are they aren’t available on Paperback Swap. For newer books, I suggest the EAD Amazon store.
* It does take some time to receive your swap books. To keep cost low, most books are sent using Media Mail or First Class Mail. If you’re in a rush, your local bookstore or Amazon.com are still a better option.

MAGHOUND - www.maghound.com

Magazines I’ve received through Maghound
{From Author’s Personal Collection}
From their website:

MAGHOUND is an exciting new online membership service that allows you to choose, change, and manage all the magazines delivered to your home for one low monthly fee.

Choose From Hundreds of Magazines. You’ll find hundreds of popular magazines to choose from. Search by category or look for magazine titles by name. (Some higher-priced magazines require a small additional charge per month.The charge is variable based on the magazine.)

Select a tier package of
3, 5, or 7 magazines — with the option to add even more.

Manage Your Account Online:
Replace, cancel, or add new magazines anytime.

Pros
* It’s like netflix for magazines. You can switch your magazines from month to month. For example, I select Fashion magazines for the month of March to see all the new trends. Then, I switch back to home and cooking magazines for the following months.
* It’s fairly affordable. For the cost of one magazine at a retailer, I receive 3 magazines through this service.
* If a magazine I select is bimonthly, they will send me an alternate from my list.

Cons
* It takes a bit of time to start receiving magazines. I setup my account, but didn’t receive my first magazine for a full month. They do give you a listing of when you’ll receive your first issues. So, I wasn’t that surprised.
* Their selection is still fairly limited. They only carry what you’d find in your grocery’s checkout line. Magazines for more specialized topics are best found elsewhere.

I hope you enjoy these websites. If you have any thoughts or additional recommendations, please feel free to share.