Chat Between Chapters: multiple copies of books with new covers

Posted December 13, 2015 by Julie S. in Chat Between Chapters, Featured Posts / 17 Comments

chatbetweenchapters2

 Do you end up purchasing multiple copies of books with new covers? So, if a book cover for a series changes (like all the Harry Potter changes, and the movie tie-in editions to all those YA books lately), do you end up buying the books again with the new covers?

Julie Review Avatar Julie:

Nope. I’m more of a buy once and be done kind of gal. I don’t like having more than one physical copy of a book or series, though I do sometimes end up with a physical and electronic copy of some books. It kind of cracks me up when people complain that a series got new covers and now they have to go out and buy a whole new set. Why? How much shelf space can someone possibly have to justify displaying several copies of the same series? I get collecting, but having 5 different types of Harry Potter books is a bit much in my opinion (an example that would upset someone in one of the book clubs I’m in for sure).

I do have books with mismatched covers on my library shelves and it does not bother me in the slightest. Some of my books are shorter than others, and some others are in paperback while others are in hardback – that still doesn’t bother me too much. I like to have the series together, but if the books themselves ended up varying over time depending on what the covers looked like when I got them, well, that’s part of collecting.

 

LynnpicLynn:

I agree with Julie on this topic. I have been known to buy a book more than once, but more due to the hey this looks good factor, to only get home and realize of course it’s good. I already read it. This happened much more frequently before Goodreads.

I read this interesting article recently that did point out: 

Every generation is a new generation that has not read Shakespeare.

New book covers, I think, are more to entice new readers. I don’t know if I could justify buying a whole new set of books simply because of the new covers. At least not until I’ve won the lottery and have unlimited funds and space. 



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Posted December 13, 2015 by Julie S. in Chat Between Chapters, Featured Posts / 17 Comments

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17 responses to “Chat Between Chapters: multiple copies of books with new covers

  1. I read too much to buy books, if that makes sense. It’s only in the past year as a reading teacher that I’ve given myself permission to buy books, and since a lot of the 600 books in my classroom library came out of my own funds, my priorites are 1)will kids read it and 2) how can I get it cheaply? So NO, I wouldn’t normally buy repeats because of different covers.

    That being said…I am a huge fan of the Chaos Walking series. I have the paperbacks in my classroom library. bought at Goodwill. I recently had a chance to get some books signed by the author, so I bought the new editions and had him sign them to ME, not my students. While I actually prefer the older covers, the newer paperbacks include short stories he added later, so that’s kind of cool too.

    • Julie

      Definitely with limited funds there’s no need for multiple copies of the same book. That’s so awesome that you’re providing books for your classroom so your kids can pick out books to read.

  2. Holly Letson

    It doesn’t really bother me, when book covers don’t match or when some of my series is in PB and some is in PB. I just like to have the entire series, so I can binge-read it altogether at once.

    What I have always thought is weird is that some bloggers have to have an ARC, a HB, and a PB of lots of popular books. Personally, I would never have the space needed for all that. And, I doubt they’re reading all 3 copies.

    • Julie

      Agreed – no space for 3 different copies of the same book, and it isn’t like we’re going to read each one anyway!

  3. I would never re-buy books because the covers don’t match, but I HAVE waited to buy one so I can get something that matches. For instance, I have the first three Lunar Chronicles books in paperback, so I really don’t want to get the others until they come out in paperback too.

    (Oh, but I DID just buy the new illustrated Harry Potter because I think it might convince my daughter to read the books – even at eleven, she still loves pictures!)
    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…Top Ten Books I Read in 2015

    • Julie

      I’ve done that too, waited for a book to come out in paperback. I hope your daughter enjoys the illustrated HP!!!

    • That’s funny, Nicole, I just finished wrapping that up for my nine year old’s Christmas present, with the same hope! I even wrote in it, like my parents used to when they gave me books. “May you continue to be smart like Hermione, funny like Ron, kind like Neville, true to yourself like Luna, and brave like Harry.” If she doesn’t appreciate it, I’m appropriating it!
      Wendy recently posted…Looking Towards 2016

  4. Oh no, I have a limited supply of money for books anyway and I don’t understand people who have several copies of the SAME book just for the cover. Now I will sometimes buy a physical copy of a book that I already have on my Kindle. But I only do that for my absolute favorite books. I just want to make sure I have some favorite books to read in the event there is an apocalypse and I can’t read my Kindle. 🙂
    Cynthia @ Bingeing On Books recently posted…Bookish Gifts for Book Lovers That Aren’t Actually Books!

    • Julie

      I’m so there with you. If I have extra money to spend on books, it surely wouldn’t be spent on the same books I already own just because of a different cover. Good call on the apocalypse, you’re right that we might need actual books too 🙂

  5. I agree with you two! I couldn’t justify it. Even if I had the money (which I don’t xD) I would still feel wasteful spending it on books I already have. gah. UNLESS I got rid of the old ones…then maybe. If I won the lottery. hehe. I do have some multiple editions of books but that’s because I’ve been given them while already owning a different edition. Like I have the movie tie-in of the Maze Runner AND the boxset. *shrugs* I hope to give one away one day!! 😛
    Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
    Cait @ Paper Fury recently posted…The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer // Real or not real? With a side-dish of screaming.

    • Julie

      I agree, it does feel wasteful. I mean there are SOO many new books that can be bought and stared at.

  6. I’m pretty much to the point that I don’t buy physical books any more. I prefer to read on my Kindle because I can read in bed without all the lights on and when I go to write my reviews, I can search and highlight stuff. I also listen to a bunch of audios, so I don’t have physical copies there either.

    I did have a series where I had originally bought the paperbacks, but I decided that I wanted to have the complete series in hardback, but I stalked the Half Priced Bookstore to find them and sold the paperbacks as I got the hardbacks.
    Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted…Wolf Trouble Audiobook by Paige Tyler (REVIEW)

    • Julie

      That’s actually really cool that you sold the paperbacks when you got the hardbacks. That helps with space issues and paying yourself back for buying new books!