BOOK COMMUNITEA: OVERCONSUMPTION, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT...AGAIN [CC] 

i remember when i first came across booktube years ago i was like "oh cool! i can see what kind of books are out there to get back into reading!" and i loved watching the book haul videos. the person would have 5 books in the mail and would open them in the video. ok sweet. nowadays youtube will rec me book haul videos where the thumbnail is like "50+ book haul!!!" and then a week later that same booktuber will have a book UNhaul video like "100+ book unhaul!!!" like HUH?! i'd click the video, x2 speed with captions, and 75% of the explanations why they're unhauling a book is "i bought the book when there was hype and then just never got to it" or "i bought the whole 10 book series but ive never gotten around to it" i, jobless and incomeless, cannot FATHOM spending all that money just to end up not even reading the things, to get rid of them, and knowing it's just going to a landfill. like im sure in any other hands those books were still fated to the landfill, but the fact that people are buying stuff in bulk and then dumping them in bulk just worries me. and now you're telling me ereaders are getting the same treatment?? i thought ereaders were suppose to be the helpful alternative of saving space and money😅

I'm 5 hours late to the party and there are no items left on the wishlist! ❤ I love that for her.

Oh my god, you're so right about how the budget for new books seems to be going more to the look of it, rather than the content. I mean, don't get me wrong - there've always been a LOT of crappy books out there, but right now and ESPECIALLY in the romance/fantasy spaces, there is so much garbage that's being touted as being incredible because the novel is lovely. Because the artwork for the books is highly displayable. I can't support that anymore, it's only doing harm to the book industry. As much as I'm delighted that people are reading more, I also feel like most people aren't reading as much as their huge collections would have us think, either. Books you've never read as decor is so pretentious, no matter what genre.

I distinguish between genuine needs (e.g. warm coat in winter) and quality of life improvements (e.g. ordering takeout for dinner after a 12 hour work day, instead of cooking) and I allow myself a certain budget for "gifts to myself" or "my latest obsession" purchases. I feel like, if we are too frugal, just like dieting, it backfires. Regarding e-readers: I have a pocketbook for ages but I couldn't get Japanese to work on it properly, so I ended up splurging on a cheap android tablet that is now solely used for reading Japanese ebooks. I had a specific problem and throwing money at the problem solved it. It wasn't a need but a quality of life improvement. I almost never buy physical books anymore - I rarely ever re-read something and it saves so much money and space.

I find my urge to buy new things is actually a desire for novelty (I'm bored in some way or another) Ive found checking out books from the library, Libby and Hoopla scratches that novelty itch and I dont feel guilty if I don't end up liking the books and decide to return them. And I will go out and buy books if I really enjoy them and want to reread them, reference them, or loan them out to friends looking for a new good read. Also, many libraries have book sales of patron's donated books where the proceeds go to the library.

When I see a book haul with 10 special editions, they just blend together and don't look special anymore. You are right when we had before like 10-year special edition it did have a more special feeling because it's unique, now they are just one more pretty book, oh well, and move on ... I tend to when online shopping put things in the cart and wait a day or two, for most of them I'm not excited anymore to buy when time passes, and just remove them ... a good way to save money and prevent impulse shopping.

I think this is a topic worthy of thought and discussion. I have been evaluating my consumption habits in many areas of my life. Where can I cool my jets? Where am I ready to cool them? Where am I not ready? What am I willing to actually do? And so many more questions pop in my head daily. I think many people are beginning to do this and talk about it. When it comes to books, I did a massive unhaul at the beginning of the year. I have continued to unhaul throughout the year. I have also made book purchases. Probably too many if I am being honest with myself. My goal was to bring in less than I unhaul. So far, I have done that. Taking the win and continuing to evaluate going forward. Making some goals for the next year to do even better. It is baby steps for me. Grandiose goals are always a failure for me because I can be stubborn and defiant - even when I impose on myself. 😂 Great video, Jess! I am attempting a low-spend August so this came a a great time.

Conspicuous consumption isn’t new but what IS wild about it to me is that when people were doing it in the 80s, they had money! We’re all poor now, where is this money coming from?! Admittedly my impoverished ass has skewed perceptions, but it just feels like the 99% of us have about $10 that we’re perpetually passing between ourselves. The beautiful gowns are a gimmick to keep people putting as much money into a physical media as possible in a world with one-click Amazon editions that regularly go on sale for $3 or less. It’s all bad, Jess!! And I don’t really have a solution besides capitalism must be destroyed before it destroys us.

About 320 million books get thrown out every year. Paper is 25% of waste in landfills. There’s a significant amount of stuff that gets donated to charities that go straight in the trash.

Here to say. I got one kindle. I was TEMPTED to get the color kobo but no. My kindle works & we're not getting another. Also 99% of the things I read on my kindle are from the library through libby. The libby + kindle is a GAME changer.

I’m convinced that publishers are dumping their mid-books into these special edition book boxes. It’s like they know it’s not a great book but they’re trying to squeeze every last penny out of us with great marketing. I have two e-readers, but in Canada most serious readers do. I use the Kindle for KU books that Canadian libraries can’t purchase, and Kobo to read ebooks from my library system and/or any .epub book. The new colour ones just came out, but I’m not racing to purchase any. Mine still work great 😊

Sorry long comment but I can relate! I went deeeep into the special edition books thing too. I realized 1) I was starting to care more about the appearance and potential value of a book, 2) I started reading less, 3) reselling books you don't want is exhausting (esp. when you barely have the energy to keep yourself alive lol). It got miserable. Fortunately we have a local library and I rediscovered how much I love "shopping" shelves like we used to in bookstores before obsessing over reviews. No pressure if I don't like a book. Now, I've canceled all my subs. lol The occasional special editions still get me (like I will be buried with my Wraithmarked Sword of Kaigen). But otherwise I'm so much happier and enjoy reading again.

I’m probs definitely an over-consumer, I mean looking at my shelves it’s plain as day. But I feel like I’m a frugal over-consumer or like ??? A medium consumer. When I decided to get a Kindle, I bought it secondhand. When I needed a new laptop - I ended up ordering a refurbished computer but the keyboard was faulty. I couldn’t go without a computer (graduate student) and picked up another, even cheaper refurbished computer while the first was getting repaired. Now I have two computers because I can’t return the second. I’ll be the first one to buy out a shelf of not too expensive candles to either burn in my house or give away as part of various gifts to friends. So like, yes absolutely too many things. But I wear and mend things until I can’t. I don’t buy brand new electronics if I don’t have to. All of my bills are paid so it doesn’t feel like I’m buying up stuff and going broke from it. Now, what my carbon footprint looks like as a single person? Idk but I’d be curious to see what my personal impact on the planet is.

i am so easily influenced that this video influenced me to keep my current kindle and not get a new one LOL

Got your sister a little something. Hope she has a great year! Overconsumption is such a huge issue. I read the most on my phone, but I have been known to read on my iPad. In addition to that, I have a Nook (which you didn’t mention - is it even a thing anymore?), but it’s hard to pick it up when the books in that mode are so much more expensive than in the Kindle. On top of that, I also have Kindle Unlimited. During June, I undertook the task of cataloging my physical library, and I have the space for it. Then I cataloged my ebooks and I was horrified to find that I had over 850 ebooks, most of which I had not read. I bought them and forgot them. Between both mediums, I have close to 1,400 books. It will take years for me to read everything I own, yet I keep looking elsewhere. The environment we live in shoves overconsumption in our faces every minute of our waking day. It’s time to step back and evaluate, adapt, and truly start cherishing what we have.

This topic is always interesting to me because I don’t have an income anymore starting last year, so this year I have only spent money on myself twice from my birthday money. I paid for one physical book this year and have gotten 90 digital books for free as well thanks to my Kindle of 5 years holding it all together (kinda). It gets to the point where wanting to buy things doesn’t even pop into my brain because I know I can’t get it anyway, so I’m always so fascinated by FOMO and overconsumption because I’ve never been able to experience it before.

As an author, I'll say that there has been a definite increase in artwork. There's been so much push to have better and better covers. Cover art is so expensive now. Not just cover art, but now it seems everyone wants character art, which I understand a little because social media promotion is such a big deal and we sort of need artwork to go with our posts. Unfortunately, I've noticed that the content of a lot of books has gone down with the more importance that's put on fancy covers, sprayed edges, and character art. As for e-readers, I have three. The third one wasn't intentional though. Lol! Sorry to intrude on your reader space. I genuinely love your content and thought it'd be okay to respond to this post. I watch your videos all the time since I'm not only an author, but a reader too. Great video. 🙂

I think the bookish consumption looks quite silly to me because i did the whole minimalism thing back when Marie Kondo was big and i realized that looking at my books didnt bring me joy. Reading them does! Going to the library and bringing home big stacks does! I have one copy of some of my favorite ever books. I know the *looking* and *owning* brings some people joy, but the owning actually brings me anxiety now. Just extra stuff getting in my way.

Your sister needs to add more classroom items to her wishlist! The amount of book boxes is just wild at this point and there are so many more starting in 2025 (Fairyloot Epic Fantasy, Illumicrate SciFi, Owlcrate Horror & SciFi, etc). There's no way all of that is sustainable over time. Illumicrate Evernight is the only one I still have at this point and a big reason is that it is quarterly and book only. But I'll probably join some of the quarterly ones coming next year too and then that will become too much again and I'll drop some again, it is all a cycle for me!

I agree with that not all books deserve the special editions tbh, also having different special editions of the same book. Just one or two but that's it.

I started keeping a "wishlist" on my phone where I write things I see and considered buying, then I can go to it when I come in to a bit of extra cash or it's a special occasion and see if I still really want any of that

I'm big on library hauls. My library, we can take out 50 books at a time. My girlfriend and I each have a card. You can bet, we take out a TON of books and rotate like crazy. Our physical book shelf is basically empty of books that we own, but is OVERFLOWING with library books! My girlfriend loves arranging it and rearranging it and making it look "aesthetic" with all the different books we take out. We are BLESSED to have a great local library (our horror and romance books are STACKED!!) so that's a privileged but yup that's out little cuteness. We have an ever rotating, mostly empty shelf that we fill with our 100 library books.

I have to admit I have 2 Kindles, a paperwhite that lives in my purse/travels with me and a Scribe that stays at home (the scribe was a gift). I prefer to read on my scribe, especially textbooks. but the paperwhite is more portable and I'm less worried about something happening to it. In recent years I've gone minamalist-ish but I still have a problem with craft supplies (because impulse control) and ebooks (because they don't take up physical space) edited to add: I read 99.999% of my books digitally for accessibility reasons

Not me considering buying a Kobo in addition to a Paperwhite. Whomp whomp... As a GENERAL trend, though, I think you're right that influencer culture (and wanna be influencer culture) is a huge component of overconsumption. You have to ALWAYS have new stuff in order to have new content. Shein hauls, anyone? As far as book influencers go I wish there was a bigger emphasis on using the library. I feel like Angela at Literature Science Alliance is very vocal about using her library but it's not super prominent as a whole in bookish spaces. I am a HUGE user of the library but you can't do a pretty thumbnail of a stack of books when they're gray rectangles on your Kindle.

this is one of the realest channels on all of youtube. so so glad i found it.

I've been thinking about this a lot in my life too because I've been trying to organize in general, but because of who I am, a necessarily gigantic part of that is going through my book collection and finding ones to donate/give away. I've already cut down on my consumption recently; my book-buying, for sure, comes in waves where some years I buy more than others but then when I feel it's been a lot, I slow it down again. Unhauling books is a different challenge for me than just saying "Mm, no, I don't need that." Because what's not debatable in my life is that I DO NOT have enough space in my bedroom in my parents' house for all these guys (I've been keeping some in the attic for a long time) (and it's not a problem with my family; the urge I feel to downsize isn't being pressured by them at all). The sentimental value an object, especially something like a book, can have is incalculable. Because even though I *have* a lot of books, I've never spent more of my income on books than I could justify. Most of them are secondhand and those which I got new were almost always something special to me/a gift. And because I don't think of my hobby as a financial drain on my life like some other forms of consumption, because of the emotional reward I DO get from reading and owning books, it is hard to separate which of these should be sentimental objects I keep forever and which ones I can donate to Savers without a second thought, because a lot of books I've liked have been somewhere in the middle of that. It'd be easier if I had more people in my life who would like to take specific books off of my hands and I just know they'd have happy homes. And that's SUCH a silly thought but it is true to my feelings. I've tried to console myself into being a big and brave girl by frequenting the library more lately, LOL. Mainly using the state's inter-library loan program because my local library is extremely small and underfunded (just got a budget decrease this year unfortunately :/). Even if it doesn't make saying goodbye to the old ones any easier, it's suuuuuper helpful for not continuing to buy buy buy just because I can. I'm always going to want to read; but maybe I should let go a little bit of how much I want to 'own'.

I have multiple e-readers. Sure, I don’t need them, but one travels, one stays home, one has a bunch of library books that were due so I’m in airplane mode. We can always justify things to ourselves because we’re in this consumer culture. I don’t get multiple editions of the same book, but plenty do. It’s a good discussion. Reminds me of George Carlin’s “Stuff” bit!

In the run up to buying our house going on 5 years ago I went on a book buying ban and I’m still on it😅….. then I opened my blind date with a book Etsy 3 years ago to cull the books on my shelf that I didn’t want to keep in my collection. Now I purchase inventory for my business, and use my library for 98% of my reading (I have a gifted audible subscription that I don’t pay for but that I use). I also buy approximately 2 books a year to add to my home collection. Generally books that I love and want to own for myself or new children’s books for my kids. Using my library and being an active member of the bookish community without being a consumptive reader is a big part of my identity realizing that owning all the books doesn’t bring me as much joy as reading them, and buying my absolute favorite of the year to have and keep does. Makes it special.

overconsumption of physical books is exactly why I switched to my kindle app, got an amazon fire, and donated all of my physical books. Granted, I have a small space so I logistically just didn't have anywhere to put them anymore, but also, I was collecting them more than I was reading them, and it ruined reading for me for a minute.

The initial zoom out made me giggle 😂 I agree that often the call is coming from inside the house. We need to check ourselves first. I also am a special edition collector but I do find that that something that may have looked gorgeous before is almost…normal now? The market is definitely over saturated :(

I had my first e-reader for 10 years before I finally replaced it last year due to the battery not lasting even one day anymore. I got a new Kindle Paperwhite, and I love it. I chose kindle because I have kindle unlimited, and when I researched different equivalent subscriptions, none came even close in the selection available to me. I don't buy special editions, generally. I think I have maybe twice, but that was for books I absolutely love. I don't keep books after I read them unless I really, really love them and plan to reread, so it doesn't make any sense for me to spend more money on a book I'm most likely not keeping anyway. Having said that, I have more books than I think I can possibly read in my lifetime, and I'm okay with that. I don't have kids, I have a good job, and that's where I choose to spend some of my disposable income because it brings me joy. To each their own. ❤

Regarding ebooks: Our internet takes *tons* of energy to run, and lots of that energy is from oil. Not to mention the huge server farms that we have to build to store streamable/downloadable media; it's a lot of plastic and carbon emissions that make it work. I'm not writing this to guilt anyone, just saying that ebooks and audiobooks are not without a carbon footprint.

I literally have my original nook and it still works. I read my old BN books on it but stopped buying there years ago. LOL I took over my hubby's kindle because he started reading on his iPad. Now that he has a new iPad, I took over his old iPad and use it for eReading. The reason I'm like this is because I don't like change. I want to learn one way and I'm good. If I have to change, I will but I'd rather just stick with what I've got. Now for physical books. There is no limit. I've always been a book hoarder. Always. Don't plan on changing.

I'm lucky to have been raised to be mindful of spending money and saving. I have heard sometimes if you either make an excel spreadsheet list or start just putting stuff on a wishlist sometimes it helps with impulse buying. I think the other issue that I' ve seen companies use is the "scarcity" tactic. "theres only so much stock so better buy now!" It psychologically manipulates you.

super cool for you to promote your sister's amazon wishlist. my mom was teacher so i know the hustle. big ups to her! i remember seeing unboxing videos for the onyx palma or whatever it's called and my shopping brain was like ooo! and then I saw the price and i was ?? because it's effectively just a phone? i don't get it. I get that people say the stuff about it hurting your eyes less, but I think they could've added fewer features to the palma and sold it for cheaper like why do i need to be able to play games on it? I do remember I got one of the very first kindles and had it before a phone and it had whispernet built into it so I had data everywhere and I used it to text my friends from my email hahaha and i thought it was so cool i got this word-based puzzle/mystery game and I thought technology had peaked. it was still kinda considered a book i think which was so epic. idk why i mentioned the kindle thing but it's a fun little tidbit. oh maybe the palma could have added games like that not like games w graphics or whatever.

I have two kindles. I regret nothing about having two. 🤷🏼‍♀️ one goes to work with me, exclusively. The other lives next to my bed.

A Kobo was my first ereader (probably 15 years ago now) and I loved it. I still have one, and my old one was passed on to my sister. Still working after all this time. I can sign out library books in addition to by kobo books. Also, it has since been sold to a Japanese company, but it was a Canadian company once upon a time and as a Canadian it gives me a warm fuzzy to support Canadian businesses. I buy 99% of my books on Kobo but I don’t use Kobo+ - I would rather just buy the book outright.

The impulse to be like “ooh I want a new comforter/shirt/dress” thing is SO REAL. I don’t use much social media but I do go on Pinterest for recipes and crochet patterns, but I also inevitably see house decor or clothing aesthetics that I feel like I *need* to be fulfilled/happy/whatever. I can usually stop myself but this kind of stuff is made to be addictive to keep you buying stuff. It’s so insidious and so frustrating! Because at some point, it’s not *only* an issue of individual willpower but also a systemic issue.

I want a colourful kindle but won't get one until my current kindle is absolutely done. Could be years but thats ok!

"Now onto books." (brief maniacal laugh) 🤣🤣🤣 Gurl, I cackled

I agree about physical media and my personal taste is that I'd rather own a physical book than an ebook or an audiobook but I also buy almost all my books from charity shops. Also I read a lot from the library and if I really love a book or I think I will reread it I might buy it. This reduces the risk that I'll buy a book and hate it and donate it

I do worry that publishing is focusing too much on the aesthetics of books rather than the content, and that's part of why we're getting so much mediocrity lately. However, I think it's strange to harass an author for creating a pretty edition just because it's expensive. You're not obligated to buy these. They're special editions. They're available for those willing to pay. If you feel pressured to get them, that's on you to process and work through your own overconsumption habits. You'll never find me paying over $50 for a book, even an NK Jemisin.

Please hold while I replay this with the volume HIGH. I'm currently playing the "skipping" game with multiple book boxes, and I just need to cancel them. Most of the time the "regular" cover is just as nice and cost less. OH and you get to CHOOSE if you want to read it or not... it's not just force fed to us.

I made a rule for myself that I don’t buy more books if I have 10 on my TBR and that has been working well! I still make wishlists and all, but I don’t actually buy a new book until I have less than 10 on my TBR

I'll admit I had a kindle oasis and a kindle paperwhite. I actually use my extra kindle to lend out to friends for book trade purposes or if I have people around me interested in getting a ereader. I just recently purchased a tiny kobo to use to trade back and forth with friends. I hate the fact we can't lend our own ebooks out to a friend. We used to be able to do that, and now we can't. Anyway, I see what you mean about the overconsumption. People just want to be part of the crowd. Fun fact: you weren't the only one who thought kobo was for Canadians 😅

You make some good points. Another thing I want to add about buying multiple kindles in case anyone else needs to hear this. I only have one kindle but I have dabbled in the idea of having a second one at some point. Logically thinking because I like to read in bed at night but would like to have one prepacked in my purse to take with me to work the next day. I didn’t want to forget to bring it with me. I wanted that little luxury, but in reality I have never forgot to take my kindle from the bed with me to my purse the next morning, & if I did forget that’s okay. I can keep a physical book in my car, read on my phone, or literally do anything else it’s okay to not read for one lunch break. Of course if you have the money & want to I’m not stopping you, but let me put it this way, would you buy the same physical book 3 times just to keep one on your nightstand, your purse, & kitchen table? About the new color e-ink options for ereaders. I am excited, but that’s in due to the fact that I read from different book medias. I read graphic novels & comics that are printed in full color pages. I’m not the one just getting excited for some colored book covers that I’ll hardly ever see anyway since I’m reading more of what’s in the middle of the book. However, I’m still waiting as my black & white kindle works just fine. Plus want to see the full scale of other options as brands come out with different options. My take on this is if you already own an ereader & read mainly novels, getting a colored ereader isn’t needed. If you’re someone who actually reads many different types of books then it’s something more to consider, but again not a high need, because in the end reading is just reading to get through the story or information (if you read nonfiction).

I find your thoughts on the special editions refreshing. Its being put out there that we should have like five covers per book and I'm just not doing that lol.

I've been contemplating canceling one of my subscriptions because I'm just not reading them as often as I should. I've been telling myself that the box cost on average like $35-45 after shipping and hard covers these days are $30. So I kept justififying it because I also like the items usually. Anyway, this made me finally decide to cancel on of them!

People have got to much time on their hands that they need four different kindles like why😮 I'll never understand.

With special editions I feel like the problem is once *everything* is special, nothing is special

Just has been feeling like products and books in general are trending towards style over actual substance.

One thing I've noticed on the publishing side is how many new books are getting quote unquote special editions. Books that barely anyone has read/enjoyed yet and that have not whatsover stood the test of time. I think there is a difference between putting out a beautiful illustrated edition of a novel that's been relevant and loved for decades and putting one out for a book that's been out six months and getting traction on social media. I also feel that for a lot of these new releases the special editions all kind of look the same. Like they'll all have the same design and just slightly altered colors on the cover or the book just has sprayed edges but the same binding quality, cover design and content. And like yes they're pretty but do we really need 20 editions of a book that came out six months ago, especially when there is a really high chance people won't care about it in two years.

(I'm still watching but just finished the part on ereaders) I am also suprised when I see ppl with multiple e-readers -- especially Amazon ones! I could maybe see a Kindle and a Nook (the Barnes and Noble eReader) bc you can't read one company's books on another's device but if it's all the same books... not for me. I've had the same paperwhite kindle that I got as a gift in 2015 and I'll probably continue to use it until they stop letting me send pdfs and ebooks to the device

I look at folks trading out books and buying new ones for an updated cover, size, etc. I like the look of a used book. Oh good- the Amazon wish list for teachers- great idea.

I can totally agree with this. It took about 6 months of Fairyloot disappointments before canceling. I used to be so excited about new special editions, but now, I can only think about if the story was going to be a hot mess. The issue about companies like FL doing 3 monthly picks is that they're picking books that are super new or not even published. Unfortunately, most of them were pure garbage and books like those end up in landfills

Thankfully, I seem to be more susceptible to preorder bonus offers than special editions and I usually only hear about those through authors I follow on SM. I've definitely fallen for pretty covers though. (I really don't expect I'm ever going to read the last two Dune books, but I loved the covers.)

i love that you keep calling the boox palma a book phone LOL i actually want multiple ereaders for different reasons but also i do have a consumption probably and i like owning things, i dont really have responsibilities and i grew up poor so now that i can buy whatever i want, i just do

Honestly, yeah agree with all of this, especially if 90+% of the special edition books are just by white authors, and the same big authors/books (like more than one book of the month company coming out with the same special edition as another in the same yeaar???). And then, like so many black and other bipoc authors can barely get their books published/marketed for a regular edition or even a nice hardback. I think I prefer the kickstarter method cause more likely it'll go more to the authors and their artists, and it's not blind lootboxes. I also know the Pandemic was a HUGE factor that got me into book community (yay) and back to reading again (double yay) but def turned my frivolous spending (with books and stationary) into 200% more than I'd ever spent before, haha... boo. I'm pretty much content using my phone to read when I don't have a physical copy or not on the computer. I used to have one of the first Sony ereaders back in the day that I loved and then the battery completely died like a decade ago, haha. I have been thinking of maybe getting an ereader as I am older and maybe shouldn't strain my eyes as much with a tiny phone, but we'll see. It just so easy to upload efiles to dropbox and then download on phone when I'm in the mood.

Yes! So true. I havent gotten into the special edition book collecting yet, I'm kind of scared haha. I will say, I've been thankful with the book hobby that it is possible to be in this hobby cheaply. As an adhd-er I'm always hopping hobbies and buying way too much shit and some of these hobbies are so damn expensive. Im so grateful for libraries and used book stores! Also, when in getting influenced I add everything to an amazon wishlist, and then for birthday/holidays I ask for books. I love it cause I get the dopamine hit of adding to my "cart" and also books are very affordable gifts so I'm glad my loved ones don't have to splurge. I love that we're talking about this but I hope those of us getting influenced aren't too hard on ourselves ❤️

You've hit the nail on the head when it comes to special editions. I always think if I love a book then maybe I will in the future buy it in a special edition but now the emphasis seems to be on pre ordering the special edition

Overconsumption is absolutely a problem. I overbought books to a ridiculous degree as a teen. Now that I’m no longer in college (and not reading 14 books a semester for school) I’m reading through a Stock Pile of books I bought as a teenager. Like over 50. And so many of them I have Zero interest in now. An entire bookshelf is filled with books waiting to be read. I’m trying to strike a balance between buying too many new books and allowing myself to pick up books I’m really interested in and will read soon.

I am a bit fed-up with the special edition trend - there are so many now that the editions aren't really special anymore. And the scarcity aspect has a lot of people buying outside their budget. I usually go somewhere like the Folio Society if I want a really nice edition of a book because they do beautiful editions that are also well made, and quite a few of the special edition companies seem to forget that last part! I have one kindle and I think it's the most basic one 😂

the one way I think a kindle that's in color would be good-- if you read a lot of graphic novels I always read them in Libby instead of sending to my ereader, because the ereader is black and white and that's not the full experience

Omg I also thought Kobo was a Canadian thing! Partly because I worked at Best Buy for years, and they never stocked Kobos. I had no clue they were being sold in the US. Libby also works with Kindle in the US and it is listed by name so like, the marketing for kindle over kobo is right there. I do have too many devices. I have a boox palma. I love it! It's worth it for me. 😂 I took it on a trip and it is so small it made packing a lot easier.

Special content shouldnt be exclusive to special editions. Maybe yes in print, but let people read the extra content online too.

That's the problem with the world....everything is an overconsuption

I buy the majority of my books used. The cheaper the better!

The best example that comes to mind is Fourth Wing like are all of those necessary? In the end the book serves the same purpose. And I risk being a hypocrite because I collect different editions of The Phantom of the Opera and Pride and Prejudice but like, those are classics. Things like Fourth Wing, Acotar, idk, Shatter Me, ARE NOT. The bonus content is nice as long as it doesn’t force the reader to buy all different editions to get the full context that will be relevant for the next book.

I'm someone with multiple ereaders. I have a scribe and an oasis. I had the oasis for over 2 years and upgraded to the scribe after tying a friend's. It's amazing for reading manga and I use to to write to do lists at work and just general couch reading. I kept my oasis for travel. At this point the only thing that would make be buy another one would be if they came out with a scribe with color eink to read comics. And then I'd probably give my husband my current scribe and still keep my oasis for travel.

threads is just twitter junior

I blame scholastic book fair for my over consumption of books. I would bring envelopes of change to buy books.

Yes I live in the Caribbean and can't access/use kobo devices. My household currently has 5 fire tablets for reading and games and 4 kindles. We are a family of 6. The physical books, i realised, were too expensive and took up too much room for the amount of books we consume. We read a lot. So this is the compromise.

A little behind the scenes on the book boxes. Part of the issue is the founders are trying to balance having all the big books from the big authors and giving debuts a life-changing chance to reach readers (and readers to find something new). Before, that was easier because of timelines. The teams could read final, polished books and make decisions based on that. Now, the slots fill up so fats that basically the moment a book sells, it has to be pitched and picked up by a box or that slot fills up. Sometimes the books are picked up because of all the hype vs. reading the full, polished thing. I'm not sure there is a good answer here other than to slow down (which doesn't make sense necessarily for a booming business), but that's at least part of the why of it. Personally, I know some stuff on the 2025 docket for some of these that I know are really good and I'm excited for the beautiful editions. I think this might be why they are expanding into different, specialized boxes, too. To give more time to consider and more space to discover new voices!

I have an old kindle that I never use anymore because it's too heavy. Now i just read ebooks on the Kindle app on my phone.

I agree about the special editions. And through watching booktube I found myself wanting purchase more of them. I’ve now started saying, if I really enjoy the book/series, then I will consider purchasing special editions. Also I do believe that on Etsy there are folks that can do sprayed edges, designs, etc on your existing books so I may explore that.

As someone who has over 1000 physical books and three e-readers and other devices, I've been certainly influenced particularly when it comes to book hype. I used to have four bookish subscriptions and was getting multiple editions of certain books. While I do still get excited for special editions of certain books and do have two subscriptions that I actively subscribe to, I realized that with my income, it just wasn't feasible to be a part of so many plus it was overwhelming knowing that there wasn't a way for me to possibly keep up with the various book read alongs. I think that if someone has the means and the time to be able to keep up with subscriptions and buying lots of books, that's awesome. But if the thought of trying to juggle all of that is stressful, then I think it's important to take a step back and figure out if it's something you really want. I also agree that there doesn't need to be special chapters only available with certain book retailers as that can also get to be expensive. Will I continue to buy books and get into the hype? I certainly will, but also with trying to tone it back if I'm having financial struggles and/or the thought of trying to keep up with it all is too much.

Great to see this topic in regards to books. I'm pro- if you have one ereader or copy of a book it should be enough. People can use their money however they want but this is just me personally. I'm broke. I can barely afford a single copy of an anticipated book. Gratitude & recognition of your consumption is important.

A few thoughts. tldr incoming... Want vs need: being mindful about what you're spending is awesome! But unless you really are worried about putting food on the table or filling the car, forever denying yourself the pleasure of something nice isn't cool either. Always a balance! Monthly crate: it isn't up to any individual to keep a single business afloat. If their model grows stale, or the market of eyeballs and pockets dries up, they'll either have to recalibrate or vanish. FOMO: while I'm not a fan of romantasy, manga is the category that really gets me. There aren't as many fancy editions-- thank goodness--but they go out of print relatively quickly, and resellers have learned to capitalize on that and jack up their prices (no, I will never pay 3 figures for a single manga volume. instead I'll cry and do without). Makes it all too easy to get antsy about checking release schedules and making sure I don't miss anything. It's a problem for sure, since that naturally leads to buying more.

I have to confess to having a kindle and a kobo….but…I’m in the uk and we can’t get Libby books on kindle there so I use kindle for kindle unlimited and kobo for the library. Some folks books hauls make me 😮

Great vid. I think with books, its nice to share. I do buy new books sometimes, but generally I only buy 2 or 3 new books a year. Im lucky that mostly mine are secondhand from my mum who reads even more than me or I bought secondhand or use the library. I also donate books a lot - did you know you can donate them to your library? Ive only thrown (recycled) away one book and thats only because it was a major misprint, so much so that the end was literally missing so it wasnt fair to pass it on. I think if people shared books more by either book swapping or buying secondhand it would be a lot better. Especially for books which are not new releases. I have way too many books though, so im concentrating on reading books I already have for a while (but ill never pass up on borrowing/recieving a book from someone else) I do have multiple e readers though: one kindle (for my already bought kindle books and KU) and one Kobo (to read Libby books on). Tbh its actually quite nice not to be locked into one ecosystem. I Do not understand people who have more than one from the same company though

Thank you for bringing this up, I have been thinking about how special editions exploded recently, we didn't have this years ago and books just had reprints or released with a different cover. I am wondering how readers keep up with so many special editions coming up every month - book box, book store, book convention etc. On the other hand, it is really nice to see artist impressions of characters and bonus content

Man, I agree SO much... I'm not going to pretend not to be part of it (I too have a Kindle+Kobo, but only Kobos work for library ebooks in Canada), but the way social media drives the need to not just own books, but own beautiful editions of books they've never even read, is disconcerting. Would people care as much if they couldn't post about it online? I suppose it's a better version of "keeping up with the Joneses" because at least its something that we are actually passionate about and can theoretically read again and again (unlike something like skincare or makeup that have a shelf life). But it still feels like it's all complicit manipulation. I myself spend an average of $100 a month on books, but I am strict with myself on reading them promptly, and it's also budgeted for. I too have this deep, nosy desire to look at the finances of all the folks swimming in special editions... I want to support authors, but when does it cross the line into fueling corporate greed and influencing others into unhealthy purchasing habits? How many people are in debt, or unable to save for long term goals, because of FOMO? I really don't blame anyone, though. It's a system. Companies push advertising through influencers because it's effective, and if the don't, they are liable to their shareholders. Influencers are just trying to make a living. And the average people are only human. Its just that top 1% that are really the worst. Eat the rich! Lol

I do have a Kindle and a Nook. I get the Nook years ago, so long that that version is now obsolete and they sent me a coupon for a new one. I did get a new because I did not want to loose my Nook books (I know I can read them on my phone, but I don't want to). I also recently decided that I wanted a kindle because my kindle collection was growing and I don't really enjoy reading on my phone anymore. I did think about it for several months, and actually used gift cards to pay for part of the kindle and the new nook was a birthday present. I have also slowed down my book buying and trying to only buy books that I love and am going to want to reread. I am also trying to cut down on spending in general, I mean this economy is awful and we don't get paid enough.

I've been getting into the habit of tracking the prices for the things I feel that I should buy over the last year. It has definitely helped with budgeting but also helped me reevaluate whether or not I need the item.

I've had my Kobo for more than 10 years now. Sure I want the new one, but mine works fine. I could see myself replacing it if it was on sale and I would definitely give my old one to someone who can use it (one of my sisters probably). My Kobo is worth more than its weight in gold for me and it's the really basic model. The new ones are almost too fancy!

We'll see if I still feel the same when I've been on Booktube a few years, but I never keep most of the books I read after I read them. If I absolutely love a book, then and only then would I even consider buying an expensive special copy. Unfortunately most of my top 10 favorite books of all time are highly unlikely to get special sprayed-edge editions. (The Glass Bead Game, by Hermann Hesse, for example). For now I am very poor, so buying books means buying very cheap used books, and I use the library a lot. If I come across pretty special editions in little free libraries, or other super-cheap/free sources, I'm happy to adopt them and read them, but unless I really love the actual text of the book, it's still moving on to a free shelf or little free library after I've read it. It is definitely not the way most booktubers seem to manage their book collections, but I'm hoping being a booktuber won't lure me too far from my current bookish habits.

I got a galaxy tablet because... hello, all my reading apps in one place.

I have kobo, had it since spring 2019. Sometimes it has issues with actually being able to read on it. It's not yet been a long term problem though. When the time comes, my main thing to look for in the next e-reader will be that I can put my audiobooks on it and listen to them as well. No clue how long that's gonna take though. My trusty Kobo Clara HD could live for more than 10 more years (one of my friends has an old Kobo from the early to mid 2000s and it still works, it's at least 15 years old by now). but I started with the Kindle and Kobo app on my phone. I don't like reading on a phone though. On the special editions: I only have special editions of the Green Bone Saga that I got after reading book 1 and 2 when book 3 released. I also read Jade City basically at or pretty close to release because I got it in a book box. And then book was out for a while and people were loving it. So I got nice Illumicrate editions of the series. But I also don't get the desire for decorated edges. I'm fine with ebooks and audiobooks. Did you know Kobo also lets you keep books you buy even if they don't sell them anymore. I have a couple of those.

Its such a personal issue. It's really hard for me to hear a lot of the criticism of overconsumption that is saying you dont need this many of anything. I don't really ever see any nuance to it. I wonder if this is gender criticism because it's usually a topic I only see around "women's" hobbies (clothes, books, makeup, etc). Are we more critical because we don't see the value of it? I wonder if this stems from financial backgrounds. If you grew up not having a lot and wanting is really over consumption or are you finally catching up on having things. I again think this is a very personal conversation to have. Ask if this is bringing you joy, can you afford this, is spending effecting you negatively overall, is this going to overwhelm you, and what possible impact it might have on the environment

Why are E books so expensive now? Some cost more then a paperback,like why?

I’ve definitely seen a push for more E Readers, and it’s bonkers to me. No hate to anyone but I just don’t get that personally, like how many screens do you really need? I was gifted a green kindle paper white for Christmas about three years ago and I love it, but until it crashes, I can’t imagine getting another one.

My book reading is about 70% library, 20% thrifted, and 10% purchased ebooks. I only buy new editions when I'm trying to support an author for their new release and can't find it at the library.

re: special editions - I want to say the main onus is on publishers. I'm pretty sure there existed a time where there was no concept of special editions as we understand them now, and I only saw things like Penguin classics or B&N clothbound classics. and I feel like everyone was fine with that? nobody was expecting there to be special editions because they were fine with a book being published in hardcover, then paperback, then maybe mass market paperback. and that was it: 2-3 options existed in the world (or per country - not sure how it works outside the US). it kind of reminds me of influencers creating merch with a fair amount of confidence that it'll be worthwhile investment because their audience will snatch up anything that influencer creates, in a parasocial way. (not knocking on small creators who do this as a community effort, more mostly large creators who know their audience is parasocial.) so it feels like publishers are kind of capitalizing on the parasocial relationships that readers have with books/authors, like "if we build it, they will come" except it's "if we spray it, they will buy". they're creating and perpetuating a demand that XX years ago didn't exist (to my knowledge). edit: I think book influencers aren't necessarily part of the 'problem', but there's an opportunity for them to be a part of the solution. I often have no idea a special edition exists until a booktuber shows it in a video, and THEN I feel like I want it. it's an undeniable 'risk' that book influencers also have parasocial followers who will see their collection of 5 shiny copies of a single book and want to emulate that behavior or something. but it's also not fair to expect or demand that book influencers *not* display their special editions if they truly love it. basically: this is all a confusing mess lol.

People buying so many e-readers should read Cobalt Red on each one of them.

Girl, I had never heard of Kobo before your video and am an avid reader. Feel like we don’t hear about it a lot in the U.S., for sure! We are (almost) all broke and society is eating up that we are making videos and posting hauls further promoting overconsumption. We all get FOMO and buy in.

I think this a topic that can always be revisited. It's something I've been thinking about a lot because it is very nunaced. I also had a book subscription, but cancelled it because I really don't "need" it and while I love books it has gotten to the point that I don't like the idea of bringing a random book in to my home. There is another conversation to be had there about how book subscriptions work with publishers. I don't know the process but would be interested to know how it works. I agree that special editions don't feel special anymore although beautiful and I'm actually happy about that because that need I once had to own them is gone. I've cancelled a lot of pre-orders because of rising costs, but also excerpts of books aren't always available before the release like they once were. That is requirement I have put on myself-read an excerpt (not teasers) before purchasing with the exception of series I've started. Anytime I get the urge to buy something I have a notion page that I add it to with the price and the reason why I want it. If I can't articulate a real reason why then I should't buy it. It's eye-opening seeing everything I want to get-books, tech, etc.-listed together. One thing in the bookish world that I really hope doesn't become the norm is revised author's editions-the next iteration of special editions? There can be exceptions like an author releasing the version they wanted, but couldn't at the beginning of their career due to pressure, e.g. turning the book in to YA at the time it really dominating the market. Thanks for another great video. 😀

I have more physical books, board games and craft supplies than I need. I'm going to have to go back to university to retrain for a new career since I developed a chronic illness last year, so I won't be buying much going forward. I'm a little glad past me was able to be a little impulsive and build me a backlog, I still want to read, play and use them all and occasionally gaze at them longingly. But also, I *am* the local library for a lot of my social circle, most of my books have been lent out 2-5 times, and damaged/lost books mean I don't really need to cull.

In one of my classes for my masters, I did a sustainability study for reading paper books versus e-readers. It really comes down to how much usage.

It’s funny, because I have a (very tiny, low key) Bookstagram, and probably 3/4 of the books I read are from Libby. I only really buy books if I’ve read them before and know I want a hard copy to reread and annotate or if I’m at a used bookstore and they’re super cheap. I am a huge fan of owning physical copies of books I love and will reread over and over, but I’m not spending $20 on a book that I don’t know I’ll like. I’m still annoyed that I spent money on a book recently that was the last book in a trilogy that I have enjoyed the first book for only for the second to not live up to that first book.😅

I have 2 paperwhites bc I lost mine and asked for another for my bday. I was so happy to receive it but then soon after found the kindle I lost. Note I’m pretty happy to have both and switch back and forth often. I buy some authors that I love but mostly use KU and Libby