Last week, I attended a conference. The conference was here in D.C., so I didn’t have to travel far (just a ride on the metro). But the schedule provided 1.5 hours for lunch. So what does any good booknerd do with that much free time?

Read. (Of course. Did you even have to guess?)

And I typically carry two books with me at all times. Especially when I’m at least 50% through one.

It’s like the Boy Scouts for booknerd’s. Always be prepared (to read). (Or for you booknerds, it’s like HHGTTG—always know where your towel (book) is.)

On Thursday, I failed to be prepared.

I was about 60% through Snared by Jennifer Estep. (I was devouring it, as Snared the newest book in her elemental assassin series. If you like urban fantasy, I recommend this series.) I had even told myself that morning that I needed to pack another book. And then for some dumb reason I didn’t despite the humongous pile of to-be-read books sitting on the chair, my desk, the floor…

I don’t know why I didn’t grab a second book. I might have been thinking about keeping my bag light (it got a bit too heavy by the end of the first day of the conference.) I might have been going through my schedule for the day. Maybe I was distracted by my pets. Or maybe I just wasn’t thinking.

Whatever the reason, I failed to pack a second book. And of course, the inevitable happened. I finished Snared and still had over an hour left before the next session.

What’s a booknerd to do when she finds herself with time to spare but no book?

This is where e-books come in handy.

E-books may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I admit, I will pick a physical book over an e-book every time (the tactile experience, the smell, the sight of printed words). But I am not a book snob. I don’t scoff at e-readers or turn my nose up at e-books. I think books in any form are great as long as you read.

And so when I finish my paperback and found myself without a second book, e-books save the day. (I don’t have a separate e-reader or tablet, but I do use the Kindle app on my iPhone.) Luckily, I keep my Kindle App loaded with books (mostly classics, because those are typically free on Amazon). So when I finished Snared and still had an hour to go, I was able to pop over to my Kindle App and happily keep reading.

And this is why I will never condemn e-books because the Kindle App has saved the day more than once.

Happy reading!

Do you prefer e-books or a physical books? Let me know in the comments below.