Memoir Monday... Jenny Lawson back with some more of her on point humor

     

How To Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay by Jenny Lawson... Warm, insightful, and witty, the first book of advice from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson—aka the Bloggess

Jenny Lawson is full of contradictions. She’s a celebrated author but battles self-doubt, paralysis, and anxiety. She’s an award-winning humorist but struggles with treatment-resistant depression. The questions people most often ask her are, “How do you do it? How do you keep going even when it feels impossible? How do you keep creating?” This book is her answer.

In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, Jenny shares more than one hundred humorous, heartfelt, and genuine tools and tricks that she relies on to keep her going even when her brain isn’t working properly due to depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She also offers tips to stay passionate and focused on creative endeavors, especially when everything around you is saying to give up.

Jenny Lawson suffers from severe anxiety and humanizes what she goes thru. She has a large following on different social media platforms and I think that is because of her self deprecating sense of humor, honesty and empathy towards others who also suffer with these issues. Nice to see Jenny Lawson back with another book to bring awareness and help. Her other books were great and I look forward to reading more from her! How To Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay will be published by Penguin Life and out on March 31st! 

The Sunday Salon... and Spring has Sprung, or at Least Great Books are Popping up all Around Us!

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! It's the place where Book Bloggers from around the world share their bookish finds with one another in a virtual place called The Sunday Salon. Thank you to for Deb at ReaderBuzz keeping us all together on Sundays and hosting The Sunday Salon now! I also visited with Kim at The Caffeinated Reader, another Sunday gathering place for us bookish people called The Sunday Post!

This week has been a crazy weather week in South Carolina. From 40 degrees to 80 degrees and rain here and there. I just bought some seed starter soil and plan to make some seed snails the beginning of the week. Have you heard about seed snails? Cut a waterproof feed bag or bubblewrap into 6 inch x 18 inches, lay it out flat and layer that with about an inch of damp seed starting soil. Leave about 4 inches without soil on the end. Roll it up. Then put your seeds on top, cover with a thin bit of soil, cover with a baggie and you're good to go! Put in a waterproof tray and put them somewhere sunny. We'll keep you updated on how that is going. Cross your fingers. It's the first time I'm trying this before actually planting them in the garden or seeding them in the garden. Spring is definitely in the air!

And speaking of the start of Spring, how about all the great books coming out now?!! Let me share my reading week now too...

She Fell Away by Lenore Nash... A State Department diplomat must confront the ghosts of her past as she searches for a missing American woman in New Zealand in this pulse-pounding and unputdownable thriller.

Lake Harlowe may not appear to be your typical State Department diplomat. With the number of skeletons in her closet exceeding the tattoos on her skin, she moves to a new country every few years to keep one step ahead of her personal demons. After two grueling years working in Cambodia, Lake’s desperate for a break and a new posting to sleepy Wellington, New Zealand, seems like a dream come true.

That is, until eighteen-year-old singer-songwriter Bowie Bishop mysteriously vanishes shortly after American NFL player Bruce Walter is found dead in his hotel room. An exchange student from Las Vegas, Bowie was a world away from her possessive, washed-up stage mom who won’t stop calling until Lake finds her superstar daughter.

All at once, Lake finds herself ensnared in a network of deception involving Bowie’s high-profile host family, a shadowy music producer, a casino magnate, and the US ambassador—her boss. Obsessed with finding the truth, Lake soon realizes that to find the missing girl, she must confront her own dark past in this unputdownable thriller that will keep you guessing until the final page.

I just started reading She Fell Away and was hooked right from the start with Lenore Nash's writing. I wasn't sure what to expect with a "State Department diplomat" as the lead character. Will she be on the sidelines and on the phones doing "diplomatic things"? Nope, she is right in the thick of things, currently standing and looking over a dead body. No, this girl definitely isn't just on the phone, although she is the liason between the victims and the families. I'm really looking forward to reading this! Published by Atria Books and coming out this TUESDAY, MARCH 10th!

(P.S. This is Lenore Nash's debut thriller, but her romances, under a different name, are wildly popular)

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Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood... An enemies-to-lovers spicy novella set in the world of video gaming from the New York Times bestselling author of Problematic Summer Romance—now in print and ebook!

Viola Bowen has the chance of a lifetime: to design a video game based on her all-time favorite book series. The only problem? Her co-lead is Jesse F-ing Andrews, aka her archnemesis. Jesse has made it abundantly clear over the years that he wants nothing to do with her—and Viola has no idea why.

When their bosses insist a wintery retreat is the perfect team-building exercise, Viola can’t think of anything worse. Being freezing cold in a remote mountain lodge knowing Jesse is right next door? No, thank you.

But as the snow piles on, Viola discovers there’s more to Jesse than she knew, and heat builds in more ways than one.

If you are a big Ali Hazelwood fan, and there a LOT of them, here's her newest book. I have heard so many wonderful things about it, and have seen it EVERYwhere! Now it is my house and ready for me to crack the spine thanks to my local library. I just happen to see that it was just checked in and no wait, which is a rare occurance, but I jumped at the chance. Especially since it is only a little over 200 pages, I should be able to fit this in with my other reading "obligations". I'm expecting a fun read. Published by Berkley.

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In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka...  As a sensational celebrity libel trial unfolds, a young woman at the periphery secretly wields the power to make or break the case. But with her own hidden past, will she dare to speak up?

Everyone is watching. Only one person knows the truth.

The whole country has been riveted by the trial: Beloved TV star and national treasure Anna Finbow, standing in court, accusing her daughter’s therapist Jean Guest of brainwashing her daughter Mary for her own financial gain. Jean insists Mary’s traumatic memories arise from her upbringing and her time studying at a prestigious art school in Rome; wounds only Jean’s therapy can heal. But as the trial unfolds, it’s Augusta “Gus” Bird, Anna’s former employee—a seemingly insignificant bystander, a nobody—who holds the key to unraveling the tangled web of lies and deceit.

What really happened to Mary in Rome? And if her memories can’t be trusted, how will they ever uncover the truth behind her estrangement? Twisty and propulsive, In Her Defense is a compulsively readable debut for fans of Lucy Foley and Laura Dave.

I also was able to grab this at my local library this week. It's been on my radar ever since Reese Witherspoon picked it for her February Book Club selection. I wasn't sure about the whole celebrity trial premise, but I usually enjoy Reese's picks, so it's in the TBR pile for the next 14 days. Published by Scribner.

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Oscar Movie Watch...

I'm still trying to get all those Best Picture Oscar nominated films under my belt. Last night was F1 with Brad Pitt. It's a racing movie, with Brad Pitt being the "Old guy" vs the young up and coming racer and they need to figure out how to work together to accomplish their common goal of winning for the team. I'm not into racing really, but I enjoyed the thrill of the track. And Brad Pitt... he looks like a young Robert Redford now that he's matured a bit. He was very good in the movie. I don't think it outshines Hamnet or Frankenstein (my secret choice before seeing Hamnet). P.S. When did renting a movie start to cost $20?!? I was able to borrow this movie from the library, but hesitate to pay $20 for a rental. Ugh. 

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Weekly Round-up...

Memoir Monday... Adult Braces by Lindy West was our Memoir for the week. Read about it HERE!

Tuesday's New Book Releases... Historical Fiction was the genre of choice for this Tuesday's releases! Check them out HERE!

First Lines Friday... Music gone missing! Or at least the woman behind the music in Wait For Me by Amy Jo Burns. Read about it HERE!

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That about wraps up this week in my reading week! How about you?! What have you been reading or has captured your attention? I hope you found something interesting here today! More books and bookish things next week!

Happy Reading... Suzanne

First Lines Friday... A Musical Coming of Age Story Sprinkled with Mystery and Friendship

"Ever since she was born, Marijohn Shaw could hear the dark sing to her. 

It was an unusual truth, as darkness didn't have a voice. Yet she's always loved the inky pitch of things like nightfall and dreamless sleep--the mystery of it, the privacy, the music. Eighteen years ago, she'd slipped into the world with a swirl of dark hair and even darker thoughts. Her earliest memory wasn't sight but sound--a crooning in the dimness, low and certain, like the whisper of a beloved ghost she'd known forever."                 

                                                        ...Wait for Me by Amy Jo Burns

This was the March Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club pick and I love the writing in just these first few lines. And I love the sound of the story too...

Young folk singer Elle Harlow reaches the height of her prowess in 1973, with two wildly beloved albums to her name and a hidden history of impossible heartbreak. When she sets foot on the famed Grand Ole Opry stage, a far cry from the mountain that raised her, Elle gives the biggest performance of her life. Then, to the dismay of shocked fans, her producer, and the man who still loves her, she vanishes.

Almost two decades later, eighteen-year-old Marijohn Shaw is spending her summer pumping gas, writing songs on her broken mandolin, and longing for a mother. Her father, Abe, has always sworn he was the last person to see Elle Harlow alive, but when a meteor strikes the woods of their sleepy Pennsylvania town and a piece of Elle’s past emerges from the wreckage, the truth of her disappearance sets fire to everything Marijohn believes about herself, her music, and her ability to love with abandon.

Doesn't it sound like a delicious mystery... it is catergorized as "coming of age" and "small town fiction", but also has reviewers talking about the story of being about friendship, love and forgiveness. It certainly has piqued my interest!  Published by Celadon Books on March 3rd and on my wishlist now!

Three Brand-New Historical Reads to Get Lost In...

Ohhh we have a trio of fresh releases and they are bringing the drama in very different ways. Let’s talk about what just hit shelves:

The Woman and Her Stars by Penny Haw... For fans of Her Hidden Genius and The Engineer's Wife comes the awe-inspiring true story of Caroline Herschel, an 18th century astronomer who lived in the shadow of her brother, but learned to pave her own path among the stars.

1772. Caroline Herschel is beholden to her wildly popular musician brother, William, who rescued her from servitude and brought her to live a comfortable life in Bath. Caroline vows that, because William saved her, she must always remain by his side. When William becomes obsessed with the science of astronomy, Caroline follows suit, and soon, the duo are moving to Windsor to be close to court, so they can advise the king about the stars and become members of the Royal Astronomical Society. Overshadowed by her brother, Caroline quietly studies the stars, attributing her success to the men in her life. But when it becomes clear that Caroline is just as much the astronomer as the men in society, she will have to break free from the life she's lived, and find her own place amongst the stars.

Based on the true story of Caroline Lucretia Herschel (1750-1848), The Woman and Her Stars shines a light on a woman who was raised to believe she was worth nothing more than to serve others, but whose genius and resolve made her one of the world’s leading astronomers. An inspiring story set within the societal boundaries of the Regency era, it is a journey of self-belief, friendship, and triumph. 

I love a story that brings to life a woman who was behind the scenes but finally gives her, her due. I'm thinking about Beryl Markham who was the first person to fly solo, non-stop, across the Atlantic from Britain to North America, and brought to life by Paula McLain in Circling the Sun or Mamah Borthwick Cheney, Frank Lloyd Wright's lover in Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. I can't wait to read about Caroline Lucretia Herschel! 

Published by Sourcebooks Landmark, who graciously sent an ebook for me to read and review! Thank you! So look for that review coming soon...

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Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser... 

Twice-widowed, Lady Etheldreda Verity Isolde Tremaine Bramley is solely responsible for her two children, a priggish stepdaughter, a razor-taloned peregrine falcon, and a crumbling manor. Fierce and determined, Ethel clings to the respectability her deceased husband’s title affords her, hoping it will secure her daughters’ future through marriage.

When a royal ball offers the chance to change everything, Ethel risks her pride in pursuit of an invitation for all three of her daughters—only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. As an engagement to the future king unfolds, Ethel discovers a sordid secret hidden in the depths of the royal family, forcing her to choose between the security she craves and the wellbeing of the stepdaughter who has rebuffed her at every turn.

As if Bridgerton met Circe, and exhilarating to its core, Lady Tremaine reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairy tale. It is a battle cry for a mother’s love for her daughters, and a celebration of women everywhere who make their own fortunes.

Kirkus Reviews gave it a Starred Review and called it, ""A bold and beautifully written examination of a mother's love told through the eyes of Cinderella's 'wicked' stepmother."

I am so excited for this book! I love a novel that takes a tale we know and reimagines it. Gives us a different side of the story. 

Published by St. Martin's Press

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A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman...  From the author of the acclaimed bestseller The Light Between Oceans comes a breathtaking and epic novel set in the vast outback of Australia—about tragedy, family secrets, and the enduring power of love.

When we do something that can’t be undone or mended, how do we go on living? How do we find our North Star when there is no right answer? These are the questions at the center of M. L. Stedman’s unforgettable and magisterial new novel, A Far-flung Life. From the author of the beloved and bestselling The Light Between Oceans, this is a sweeping and epic story of a family, a tragedy, and the aftermath that reverberates for decades.

Remote Western Australia, 1958: here, for generations, the MacBrides have lived on a vast sheep station, Meredith Downs. It is a million acres, an ocean of arid land. On an ordinary day, on a lonely road, under the unending blue sky, patriarch Phil MacBride swerves to avoid a kangaroo. In seconds the lives of the entire MacBride family are shattered. And then, tragedy revisits when a twist of consequences claims the life of one sibling, and leads another to give up everything for the sake of an innocent child. Matt, the youngest MacBride, is plunged into a moral and emotional journey for which there is no map, no guide. The secrets at the heart of this gutting and beautiful story force him to choose between love and duty, sacrifice and happiness.

A Far-flung Life is a tale about family and belonging, fate and time. It is about people trying to do their best, and each, for private reasons, seeking shelter from the storm of life.

OMG, a new novel rom M.L. Stedman!?!  I can't wait to read more from the author that brought us The Light Between Oceans!!

Published by Scribner, who also sent along an ebook for me to read and review. Thank you! And look for that review coming soon...

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Three very different journeys. 

All deeply immersive.

So tell me — which one’s going straight to the top of your TBR?

Memoir Monday... Taking a Roadtrip with Lindy West

Adult Braces by Lindy West... In New York Times bestselling author Lindy West’s ambitious memoir, she brings readers along on an uproarious cross-country road trip as she unpacks her last few tumultuous years, rediscovers herself, and reinvents her marriage in the process.

 Through Shrill—the book and then the Hulu series—Lindy West became an inspiration. To this day she is stopped on the street and hailed as a beacon of empowerment by women who felt badly for not conforming to a narrow set of societal norms—thin, straight, compliant. But behind the scenes, Lindy never felt like she was the self-actualized woman fans made her out to be. When she found herself in the throes of a deep depression, with her marriage and sense of self-worth hanging in the balance, she knew she needed to make a change.  

 In Adult Braces, Lindy shares the story of her rock bottom, and of the journey she took to claw her way out of it. With her trademark candor and sense of humor, she examines her post-Shrill emotional implosion, her shifting feelings about traditional marriage, and her search for her long-lost self. She also tracks the highs and lows of her journey, from eye-opening natural wonders and kitschy roadside attractions to lackluster tourist traps and campground epiphanies.

 The result is an engaging and laugh-out-loud narrative of becoming as Lindy transforms from a passenger into the active navigator of her own life.

I didn't know who Lindy West was until I read about this (her) book. BUT any girl who hops in a van and takes a roadtrip alone has got my attention and admiration. Reading the first few chapters and I am all in. Great writing, funny, sad... and I look forward to reading about the whole journey Lindy takes... Look for Adult Braces by Lindy West, published by Grand Central Publishing  and available at your favorite bookstore March 10th!

The Sunday Salon and New Books and Old Posts with a nod to 17 years of Blogging on Chick with Books!

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! It's the place where Book Bloggers from around the world share their bookish finds with one another in a virtual place called The Sunday Salon. Thank you to for Deb at ReaderBuzz keeping us all together on Sundays and hosting The Sunday Salon now! I also visited with Kim at The Caffeinated Reader, another Sunday gathering place for us bookish people called The Sunday Post!

It's been a busy week on the blog. February 18th was my 17 year anniversary for Chick with Books and I decided to look back a little this week on some of the fun posts I had written way back when. I finished a great YA Fantasy/Romance book that I'll be sharing today and I got some great eBooks from publishers this week. I feel a bit scatter brain right now. Where to start? Well, let's talk about the books I bought for my TBR pile this week...

And Now, Back To You by B.K. Borison... "Two competing meteorologists are forced to find common ground in this opposites attract, When Harry Met Sally inspired romance, from #1 New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison.

Jackson Clark and Delilah Stewart have had their fair share of run-ins over the years, often ending in disaster. While Jackson thrives on routine and organization from the comfort of his radio booth, Delilah loves the spontaneity and adventure out in the field. When they’re partnered against their will to cover a historic snowstorm, they find themselves scrambling to figure out how to work together.

Eager to be taken seriously as a journalist, Delilah offers Jackson a deal: If he can help her ace this assignment, she’ll help him rediscover his long-lost fun side. With unexplored chemistry burning beneath their clashes, the unlikely partnership quickly tumbles into an easy and surprising friendship.

But when other feelings start to enter the equation, can Jackson and Delilah withstand the storm? Or does what happens in the mountains stay in the mountains?"

I bought this book this week because it is the March 2026 Indie Next Pick. Are you familiar with the Indie Next Pick? Each month independent booksellers choose 25 upcoming book releases they are excited about. From that list the #1 pick of the month is chosen. I always look to see what's on the list and always make a mental note of what the #1 pick was. I was a bit surprised at And Now, Back To You being the #1 pick. I just thought it was basically a light rom-com, not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just I usually see more literary fiction as #1 picks. This book looked like so much fun... and after cracking the spine, it is perfect! After reading some more heavier books this week, I wanted fun and I started it right out of the mailbox and am really enjoying it. Bright, fun, well written. Recently published this February 24th by Berkley Publishing, you can pick up a copy at your favorite bookstore now. And I would definitely put this on your TBR list.

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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir... "Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?

An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian—while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.

In anticipation of the movie coming out the end of this month, I thought I would read the book first. Andy Weir seems to be the king of desolate space movies and I'm hoping it will be as good as all the buzz behind it! Did you read or watch The Martian? I did enjoy that movie. Published by Ballantine Books way back in May of 2021, you can pick up a copy with either the movie cover with Ryan Gosling or the original cover. Personally I HATE movie covers, but Ryan Gosling is kinda cute.

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The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins... "A Life-Changing Tool Millions of People Can’t Stop Talking About. What if the key to happiness, success, and love was as simple as two words? If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are, the problem isn't you. The problem is the power you give to other people. Two simple words—Let Them—will set you free. Free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. Free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands—and this book will show you exactly how to do it.

In her latest groundbreaking book, The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins—New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's most respected experts on motivation, confidence, and mindset—teaches you how to stop wasting energy on what you can't control and start focusing on what truly matters: YOU. Your happiness. Your goals. Your life.

Using the same no-nonsense, science-backed approach that's made The Mel Robbins Podcast a global sensation, Robbins explains why The Let Them Theory is already loved by millions and how you can apply it in eight key areas of your life to make the biggest impact. Within a few pages, you'll realize how much energy and time you've been wasting trying to control the wrong things—at work, in relationships, and in pursuing your goals—and how this is keeping you from the happiness and success you deserve.

Written as an easy-to-understand guide, Robbins shares relatable stories from her own life, highlights key takeaways, relevant research and introduces you to world-renowned experts in psychology, neuroscience, relationships, happiness, and ancient wisdom who champion The Let Them Theory every step of the way.

The Let Them Theory will forever change the way you think about relationships, control, and personal power. Whether you want to advance your career, motivate others to change, take creative risks, find deeper connections, build better habits, start a new chapter, or simply create more happiness in your life and relationships, this book gives you the mindset and tools to unlock your full potential."

I have been seeing this book EVERYwhere. I actually follow Mel Robbins on Facebook for her wisdom and funny posts. I read the first chapter after I got this yesterday and found it to be pretty interesting... The very first thing she talks about in the book is her 5 second rule... this is for when you are unmotivated to do something or afraid to do something. She will begin a countdown (she likens it to a NASA launch countdown) at 5-4-3-2-1 and then move... get up, make that phone call, feed the cat... whatever it is, when you hit that 1, it's time to change directions. I will be trying this next time I need to. Supposedly millions of people use this technique now. She first talked about it during a TED talk. I'm looking forward to the rest of the "lessons". Published by Hay House back in December of 2024! 

Weekly Wrap-up!

Monday... Memoir Monday with a little bit of Hannibal Lecter?! You'll have to read it to believe it!

Tuesday... Book Release Tuesday! 3 New books released on Tuesday that you are going to want to put on your TBR list! Click the link and read about them on tuesdays post!

Wednesday... Bye, Bye, mass market paperbacks... read about the demise of the cute little books you can fit in your purse!

Thursday... 17 years of Chick with Books this February! Time sure flies when you're having fun! And we sure did have fun the past 17 YEARS! Read about it on thursdays post!

Friday... Book Review of Immortal Game by Allison Saft. I didn't know chess could be so much fun. But Shea Fury and her other fellow chess players weren't having much of it in Immortal Game. A fantasy with Fae, mysteries, some magic. Read my review and put this on your TBR list too! 

First Lines Friday... An oldie but goodie where generations come alive. Follow the link and read what book I'm talking about on First Lines Friday!

On Friday and Saturday I posted some of my favorite posts from the years before. Follow the links to read the posts. It's fun to look back, but they're still relevant today... especially the shrimp Remoulade!

    Is Romance Just for Women (February 2009)

    Review of Dracula in Love by Karen Essex (July 2009)

    Review of Down South Cookbook by Donald Link (August 2014) *recipe too!

    Review of Delirium by Lauren Oliver (January 2011)

    A Farewell to my Reading Buddy, BJ (March 2012)

    Are eReaders Taking Over the World? (September 2010)

Whew, that was a lot to read! Hope you had a great week too! And how about any new books you've found?! Please share them!! Come back next week for more great books and bookish talk!

Happy Reading... Suzanne

17th Anniversary Look Back... Are eReaders taking over the World? Here's my post from May 12th... All about those new digital reader things

Wow, it seems like eReaders have been around forever, but 16 years ago on Sept 5th, 2010 I took a look at all the eReaders available to us. Fun to look back and see how far eReaders have come...

Sunday, September 5, 2010

The Sunday Salon... Are eReaders Taking Over the World?

Imagine someday that "dead tree" books are the rarity, and that the "now" generation has grown up never having to turn a page.. at least not one made of paper. It may not be so far fetched... at least to an extent. I remember going to a show in NYC where a mentalist was performing. The mentalist asked for audience members to shout out numbers one at a time so he could write them down on this huge gridded board. He then asked a boy to come up on stage and help him with the next part of the trick. The boy was 8 or 9 years old. The next part of the trick involved the boy to hold onto a special cassette tape. The mentalist then went back to the board, added up all the numbers and turned to the boy. He told the boy that he could now put the cassette tape into the player, turn it on and we could all listen to what the mentalist had already predicted all those random numbers to add up to-- except the boy had never seen a cassette player before. The boy wasn't embarrassed, acted like the cassette player was an antique from the 16th century, the audience laughed and all of us who knew what a cassette player was felt very old... Could the "dead tree" book go the way of the cassette player? Only time will tell...

It's Sunday! The week has passed like a flash, and I'm reeling from a busy week. It seems that my week has been filled with reading on my Kindle, and hearing other eReader news. So I thought I would devote this Sunday's Salon to take a look at the new pricing of eReaders and some new offerings that will surely make a choice of an electronic reader even more difficult. But choice is good, right?! As even more eReaders and Tablets flood the market, prices are coming down... at least for the eReaders themselves...

The Kindle 3 from Amazon, the latest generation of Kindle has been arriving in homes steadily since the end of August. It's lighter, smaller, has redesigned controls and the all new wonderful e-ink Pearl display. Feels great in my hands. I can read any PDF documents I send to it easily, I can navigate easier with the new navigation square, and it's just so nice. The screen is beautiful, sharp with more contrast. Kindle offers the ability for multiple family members under the same account to share books, and even read them at the same time. In fact most Kindle ebooks can be loaded on up to 6 devices, such as iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC. After using this latest Kindle offering, my Kindle 2 feels big and heavy! Pricing on the new, latest generation Kindle's:

• Kindle 3G & WiFi... $189 (choice of white or graphite)
• Kindle WiFionly ... $139 (graphite color only)
• Kindle DX with 3G, and BIG 9.7" display... $379 (graphite color only)

The Kobo eReader from Borders was really on the right track... Originally wanting a smaller, thinner eReader for ePub books made me look at the Kobo. The design of it is so nice- it's thin, simple controls, feels nice to hold with a rubbery like quilted back and could fit easily in one hand. The Kobo ebook store was easy to navigate, and I could read my Kobo ebooks from multiple platforms. Although customer service was a bit lacking at first. Kobo was really a separate company from Borders, so when I was having a software issue right out of the box, I had to navigate between Borders customer service and Kobo customer service in Canada. Very frustrating, but it eventually worked out. I was looking for a bare bones, nothing fancy ePub reader and I thought that this was the answer, BUT the text was not sharp on the screen. Or maybe just not sharp enough for my liking... Prices have slowly come down for the Kobo. And they needed to because for the price of the bare bones Kobo, you could just about buy yourself either a WiFi only Kindle or Nook. And WiFi is a nice feature. Price for the Kobo...

• Kobo ... $129.00

The Nook from Barnes & Noble has really come a long way. I had tried a Nook when they first came out and was having problems accessing my library, and it was slow navigating. I now chock that up to growing pains. I really wanted to love that Kobo, but after my DH got a Nook for reading ePub books I had to admit that the Nook's screen display was just so much nicer than the Kobo. I liked the design of the Kobo, but it all really comes down to the screen and being able to read, so back went the Kobo and the Nook became the eReader of choice for ePub books. The screen is so nice, with e-ink technology, sharp and variable font size. The design itself is nice and very comfortable to hold while reading. I am getting use to using the touch screen on the bottom to navigate, which at first seemed a bit awkward, but is slowly becoming second nature. It is also SO EASY to download ebooks from my library using Adobe Digital Editions! We opted for the WiFi only and it's perfect since we have WiFi at home. Barnes & Noble has also been running a promo for free B&N classics for the Nook this past month. A nice way to add some great ebooks to your Nook for free. And a great way to promote the Nook! Prices on the Nook...

• Nook with WiFi only... $149
• Nook with WiFi & 3G... $199

Sony has always seemed to be the third wheel after the Kindle & Nook exploded on the scene. My first eReader was a Sony Pocket Reader and I loved it. I still like it. It's small, the screen is sharp, enough contrast, and easy to navigate controls. There is no WiFi or 3G, but it's very easy to plug it into the computer, access your Sony library and buy and download your books. At the time it was a novelty, there wasn't much of a selection of ebooks, and libraries hadn't really jumped on the ebook lending band wagon. Things have changed... Sony just announced the Sony Reader Pocket edition and the Sony Reader Touch edition are getting a revamp. A updated design, and some great new features. First they've stream lined both readers. They are thinner, the controls have been updated, no more wheel

on the bottom for navigation or buttons on the front side, now you have can turn your pages with forward/backward controls on the bottom OR swipe your finger across the page! E-Ink is still the technology of choice for these screens as well. Sony has also added the ability to highlight and scribble notes right on the screen with the help of a stylus! And you are suppose to be able to export those notes too! Adjustable font sizes and styles, along with the ability to read both ePub files and PDF's puts Sony back in the running. I do prefer the page turning forward/backward to be at the sides of the readers, but with touch technology, I'd probably be swiping anyway. Also, the screen on the Sony Pocket Edition is 5 inches, just slightly smaller than the other eReaders, but still a nice size to read and this also makes it one of the smallest eReaders. BUT the Sony Reader Touch Edition has the full 6 inch screen size found on the other eReaders. Sony has this great video on their site promoting their new readers, just make sure you're looking at under "overview" and click on the play button. Now pricing is a bit steep, but Sony has a great reputation, and products, and this might keep them in the game. Prices may drop too, and you can still get the previous generation Sony Pocket Reader at a great reduced price. The new Sony Readers will start shipping 9/16. Prices on the Sony Readers...

• Sony Reader Pocket Edition (prs-350/new model) available in silver or pink... $179.99
• Sony Reader Touch Edition (pre-650/new model w/ 6"screen) available in black or red... $229.99
• Sony Reader Pocket Edition(prs-300/old model) available in silver, rose or blue... $116.99

And another choice...

• Aluratek's eLibre Pro sold by Borders... ePub & PDF reader w/ 5i nch screen. Even though this does not have e-Ink technology, I've heard that the screen is very just as nice, with good contrast and sharp fonts. NORMALLY priced at $119.99, it is ON SALE until 9/14 for $99.99! Hey, it also comes with a built in mp3 player!

We haven't even touched on Tablet Readers! Which included The Cruz Tablet at $199, the Pandigital Novel (looks like a tablet) at $249, the iPad starting at $499!

So what do you think about the future of "real" books? Brian Palmer wrote a post for Slate Magazine entitled Should You Ditch Your Books for an E-Reader? pointing out some of the environmental issues of Paper vs. Plastic reading, including you'll need to read 23 new books to break even environmentally with your Kindle. Of course, borrowing books from the library and sharing your own books is also great for the environment!

Next Sunday, back to Books with Buzz! And a sneak peek at this coming week.. Historical fiction fans be on the lookout for a giveaway of Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel! Details on tuesday! And in the meantime, let me know what eReader you just love and why!

Happy Reading, digital or paper... Suzanne 

17th Anniversary Look Back... A Fond Farewell to My Reading Buddy, March 25, 2012

 

Sunday, March 25, 2012

A Fond Farewell to My Reading Buddy

There's a saying that "Every DogHas It's Day". BJ was my best friend, my constant companion and yes, reading buddy and he had many such days. His personality was infectious, his smile broad, and you just couldn't help but want to be near him. I was the lucky one though, because he shared all of that with me. We ran agility courses, until an ACL surgery prevented that; we swam together, until he fell in one day and got spooked; we went hiking, until a laryngectomy last year made it harder for him to breathe when he exerted himself. He lead a quiet life the last year...

Life has been crazy for me the last many months too. Trying to get through a divorce, figuring out where life was going to take me next at that grand ole age of 50, and spending some time down South with some new friends and planning an eventual move down there. Having BJ near me helped me get through a lot of that. Days and nights, where I was cleaning and packing had BJ lying down near me. He was happy just to be near me, while I had to do all this other "stuff", and I felt comforted by his presence even though I had so much else to do.

The last month saw BJ struggling to get up and down the stairs; needing to get up in the middle of the night to go out, sometimes more than once; Sometimes he couldn't hold it at all... Sometimes it was frustrating for both of us, but we loved each other unconditionally. He was the bread and I was the butter...

This past weekend was the worst of all... With a high fever and sudden weakness, and very sick, we found out he had a mass on his spleen... I lost my best friend and my constant companion of 13 years. At a few months old, when he walked into the house for the very first time, not only did he take over the run of the place, but he stole my heart too. He held onto my heart for a very long time and with a few gentle licks of my face he placed it back where he found it and gave me his to keep.

Give your furry best friend a hug from us today. Read to them, not because they can understand the words, but because they will enjoy the warmth of your voice and the time you spend with them. Be thankful for the time you have with them because it really is shorter than you think.

Get to know BJ a little better by visiting BookHounds, where BJ was interviewed in 2009! He had a blast answering those questions!

And he had a great life and made my life great too!

Happy reading... Suzanne

P.S. As you can see BJ was an avid reader himself!

BJ was a special little guy. I still miss him to this day, 14 years later.