Musing Mondays Returns: New Format

Looks like while I was busy not blogging, Should Be Reading's blog changed the format on Musing Mondays, which will actually make it easier to write for.  See below.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

So for today's (which is a wee bit late, sorry) - I'll discuss one of my reading habits.

Normally, I like to read just before I go to sleep, unless I've taken something to help me sleep or I'm exhausted.  Reading helps to relax me and slow my brain down.

Unfortunately, not all books help with that.  The Hunger Games series was one of those that I just couldn't put down.  Each chapter end was suspenseful and I had to turn the next page.  My husband is finding it to be the same way.  Most of the time I can stop just about anywhere (though I prefer to wait till the end of the chapter) and pick up again the following day or when I have a chance.

I have also been reading more on my Nook Simple Touch than my paperbacks lately.

How bout you?  What are your reading habits?

WWW Wednesdays - March 7, 2012 Edition

Here's the answers to this week meme's from Should Be Reading's blog. Feel free to leave your comments with the answers to these questions and be sure to check out their blog as well for other's answers.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions in the comment section or in your own blog then link it from the comments.

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

This is a two-for.  On my Nook Simple Touch I have been reading A Game of Thrones to get ready for the April 1 launch of Season 2 of the series.  I really loved season one which spurred me to actually read all of the books that I could purchase in paperback and read them voraciously.  I have the books in paperback as well, but have been enjoying them on epub too when I just don't want a big book to carry around  I read this when I have my Nook with me at appointments, at lunch and other times.  Oh...and my cover is the cover with Ned on the throne, not the picture I've got here.

As I just went to the library I picked up Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison, the first in the Rachel Morgan/Hollows series.  Seeing as I started in the middle of the series and was able to pick up the first three books at the library this weekend, I figured I'd start reading that as well.

What did you recently finish reading?
Pale Demon by Kim Harrison.  Currently the last available book in the Rachel Morgan series, but you can tell there will be more to come.















What do you think you'll read next?
Chances are I'll read A Clash of Kings again next as well as the second book in Kim Harrison's series, The Good, The Bad and The Undead.  Then I have a book to read to review, titled Redemption by Laura Kuehike, as well as a few other books I checked out from the library.

What books are you reading or do you think you'll read next?

Book Review: Rabbit in the Road

I generally don't preface my reviews with an introduction of any sort, but this time, I am going to.  Why?  Because I know the author.

September or October of 2010, Oliver had told me he was leaving EOGamer to work on a book he was writing.  Oliver was one of our main contributors for video game reviews on our site and I had seen him grow with each review, learning from mistakes as I made edits and soon, most of his stuff didn't require much, if any editing.  I wished him well on his endeavor of writing a fiction book.  Lord knows I would like to find time to sit down and write and have the loving support he has had to do so, yet I haven't found the time or the support to write the many novels I have started and left to the wayside.

Unlike most authors I know, Oliver and Danika did what most writers only dream of doing.  They finished their book, published it on the e-book market and when people started requesting hard copies of the book the looked into it and made it happen.  That's dedication.  That's living the writer's dream and I know it isn't easy.

Which brings me to reviewing the book.  Oliver had told me I was on the list for a free copy.  I told him, at the time, not to send it to me till I was able to read it.  Unfortunately, it was several months before I would have time or an e-book reader to read it.  I finally got a Nook after Christmas and Rabbit in the Road was the first book I read and finished on it. (He doesn't know that till he reads this.)  However, in accordance with the FCC, I do have to disclose that I was given a copy of the book in epub format for reading and review purposes.

The book immediately introduces you to Beverly, a record store clerk with a love of singing, who is enjoying her life and her time with her boyfriend in a small town in the 1960s. Until things go awry.  Enter the antagonist Ray.

In less than a day her world turns upside down.  The people she knew, the people she loved, she had to run away from to keep them safe. She'd move cities, change her name, change her appearance, but Ray catches up.

The book is fast paced with well developed characters full of grit and emotion.  It tells the story in the only way it can be told: from a strong woman's perspective who is doing everything she can to fit in and survive no matter what.  The descriptions put you in the scene and you turn the page eager to know what happens next in each encounter.

And the ending will surprise you (but I won't spoil it).

As the debut novel for Danika Potts and Oliver Campbell, this 192 page novel is a definite must read.  Available in ebook and paperback format, be sure to purchase it...because it won't be their last.  Click the links below to take you to purchase them.

Nook E-book
Amazon E-book
Amazon Paperback

Proud Owner of a Nook

So for a while I had been debating what system I wanted to get for my e-reader.  I broke it down to wanting something that was definitely e-ink and no backlighting which made the decision much easier.  On Thursday, Jan. 5, I became the proud owner of a Nook Simple Touch.  The picture, to the left, was taken because Oliver said, in true gamer fashion "Pics or it didn't happen."  So pics happened.

It took me a while to figure out how it all worked (no, I didn't read the instruction manual.  It's still in the box sheesh).  But by the time we left for Lexington, Neb., for a weekend of basketball tournaments, I had the thing all figured out and books loaded on it, including Rabbit in the Road, which I did finish reading this weekend.

That being said, once you get past the setup, if your tech savvy, the Nook is easy to figure out and upload epub books to as well as PDF files.  It has some nice social features, including linking your book to Twitter and Facebook so you can share where you are in the book or share quotes/segments from the book with others. The other cool thing is that it came with a 32 gig SD card that contained 300 classic books.  Pretty sweet deal that just made the purchase better.

I do have to say that I was, originally, skeptical about how good books would appear on the e-reader.  That was quickly alleviated when I started playing around with font size, fonts, and everything else.  The reader is easily adjustable no matter what font size your tired, or not so tired, eyes need.

There is no glare from the screen either, which makes it great for reading in the car, on a plane or outside.

I haven't tried the purchasing options yet.  I'm not too keen about tying credit cards into a device like this.  I plan to just order ebooks through the main B&N site through my computer and sync from there.  Makes it a lot easier.

As I get more ebooks to read, I look forward to reading them on my Nook.  At least I no longer have to turn away books to review because they only give e-copies.