The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme with a prompt featuring a book related question. The hop begins on a Friday and ends on a Thursday and should hopefully give people the opportunity to learn something new about the blogger.
The Book Blogger Hop can be found on Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer and obviously my answers can be found here!
I decided to do a sexy VARK (visual, aural, reading, kinesthetic) questionnaire which tells you the best way you learn. It told me that I have a reading learning preference with my least preferred method of learning being aural.
This doesn’t surprise me at all as I hate noise. I’m not saying that I don’t like listening to music (I love music) but I find myself getting stressed if I try and do something and there’s too much excess external noise.
That something could be trying to sleep, sending an email, curling my hair, writing a blog post or reading a book. Most people go to the gym and listen to music but I actually find it throws my concentration off and I actually forget how to properly walk on a treadmill if earplugs play music in my ears.
I can read a book on the treadmill though. Go figure.
If the background noise is minimal or is white noise designed to help concentration then I can sometimes cope but even then, white noise that is designed for concentration distracts me from certain tasks.
Essentially my brain doesn’t like auditory things if another task is required. Listening to music is one of the most enjoyable things I do but even then I have to spend time listening to it. Often I can’t listen to music unless that’s the sole thing I’m doing.
The lengthy explanation above is the long winded journey to answer the question.
Ebooks.
I’ve never tried an audio book because the very concept makes me feel uncomfortable.
Aren’t people weird?
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious has written a strangely pertinent topic on How to Take & Access Notes in Audible. That’s for all you people that can handle audio books 😉
May @ Forever and Everly has spent a lot of time and effort on her mega post on Discussing the Lack of Blogger Appreciation. It’s such an interesting read and contains graphics. I love graphics.
Briana @ Pages Unbound talks about Miscategorizing Adult Books as YA and raises some interesting points as to how YA books are perceived by the wider community.
Shannon @ The Spellbound Librarian asked Did Anyone Actually Read the Animorph Books? which I loved because she highlights the naff covers which seemed to put almost everyone off.
What’s your preference – audio books or Ebooks? Am I missing out on something awesome by not listening to audio books? Which is the best one you’ve listened to?
Do you think your reading preference and learning style are related? Here’s the link to the VARK questionnaire if you wanted to give it a go. Pop back and let me know how you best absorb the knowledge of the ages.
Until next week where the question is all about how I celebrate my blog’s anniversary.
The BookNook UK 
I love physical books so much and nothing will ever compare, but I’ve become pretty addicted to audiobooks. I love listening to them when I’m cleaning or doing other stuff that doesn’t require a lot of thought. I have to have them on double speed though, or I get super restless and my mind wanders. I can’t just sit and listen to them either, like I just sit and read a book. But as an additional way to consume even more stories in month – I think they’re wonderful 😊
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That’s an interesting take on it actually, the idea that listening to an audio book means you can get more books in while doing the other ‘life’ stuff that needs to be done. I know a few people who listen to audio books while they’re commuting for example. Do you find that you can still retain all the story though? I think that would be my problem!
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Firstly, thank you so much for linking my creepily timely guide!
I think I would prefer ebooks over audiobooks, unfortunately. I am a visual person and honestly can’t focus on audiobooks alone, however much I like them.
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You’re welcome, it fitted in nicely! I should tell you all the upcoming ones 😉
I think its quite common actually that people are preferring the ebooks over audio and its probably because we’re all more visual than auditory people which makes sense because we’re all visual animals. My Psychology dissertation (many, many moons ago) was on the Facial Overshadowing Effect on earwitness testimony which essentially boils down to – images = preferred and audio = distracts us from visuals.
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Oooh, your dissertation sounds super interesting and I am sure that you’re onto something!
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I haven’t even tried Audio books because I know it would be a disaster. I’m not an audio person either when it comes to retaining information but reading while on a stationary bike is my go too. I would much rather physically read then try to pay attention while something is read to me. So don’t worry, you’re not alone!
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I think reading a copy of something (whether its paper book or ebook) seems to be winning out over an audio book. I think a lot of it is because we’re visual animals first and foremost! I may try listening to an audio book but I don’t think I’d like it.
I’ve read a couple of times on the treadmill and haven’t minded it actually. It’s a good way to get some exercise in while doing something you love!
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i prefer ebooks because i can focus on the book more and they’re also quicker. i find myself taking AGES to listen to audiobooks – and sometimes I don’t like the narrator!
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I think the narrator has a huge part to play in whether you connect with an audio book. I think its because the voice that you usually hear when reading is one that you can construct in your own mind and when someone else reads the story it can be really jarring! If you can’t connect with the voice actor/ narrator than I reckon it would be game over!
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i prefer ebooks. I can stay focused better, and remember more. It’s rare that i go on the treadmill but when I do, i read my ebook there 😂
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Oh believe me it’s rare for me to go on the treadmill too! It’s covered in dust and cat hair and the only person that really uses it is the cat… and that’s for naps. I think if I read on the treadmill I can trick my mind into liking the exercise!
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