It was a tough decision. The iPad looked so good, but was far out of reach price-wise. I also have troubles with my eyes and I needed something that wasn't backlit. So, no iPad.
The Nook also sounded good, but we don't have Barnes & Nobles here and I spoke with a couple of people who had troubles with them from outside the US.
So the Kindle it is. And I love it. It was super easy to set up and start using. I uploaded some gift certificates I had, clicked a couple of buttons and downloaded 2 books.
My first book to read is L. Diane Wolfe's Circle of Friends: Heather. It's really interesting to watch Heather grow and develop through the book. I'm not done yet, and I can't wait to see if Heather's going to make the choices I want her to make! Nice work Diane :)
Next up is Terry O'Dell's Nowhere to Hide. Looks like terrific romantic suspense. Can't wait!
Any suggestions for what's next? Who has their book up on Amazon?
157 comments:
Yay! It looks gorgeous. Happy reading!
oh wonderful!!
happy reading!!!!
Thanks Sandy - I'm thrilled :)
Thanks Jennifer - I'm loving it so far!
Karen - I'm mostly using it to buy books my friends have written so far. :) Nothing will ever replace real books!
Yay! I'm still in the wait and see - to see which readers get shuffled out of the market, but I'm thinking I'm going to end up going for the kindle.
My book is available on amazon but as I don't know anyone with a kindle I have no idea what it looks like in that version.
I'm so envious. Enjoy and tell us all the pros and cons.
way to go with the Kindle! Our bookstore is hour away, so I keep thinking how easy it would be to download books. Probably too easy!!
As far as suggestions, I LOVED Dust of 100 Dogs!
Cassandra - I'll have to check it out - see if it's available in Kindle! Fun stuff! :)
Susan - I will! So far I'm loving the non-backlit screen. So much easier on my eyes than the computer. :)
Terry Lynn - it is a little too easy! I'm going to have to watch myself! :)
I'm hoping your book will be available on Kindle once it's out! :)
Look out, Jemi, your excitement is showing.
Don't forget to keep us posted as to pros and cons.
Thanks for the note about back light as I have the same problem.
Giggles and Gunsx
Mary - lol - it sure is!!
I find it easy to read on - the back lit screens are much harder on my eyes.
I'm not ready to take the plunge since I feel like I already spend so much time looking at computer screens. :) However, I sure want to hear you review how you like it over time.
Tricia - I'll be sure to let everyone know how it works out.
So far it's very easy to read and much easier on my eyes than a computer screen. It's more like looking at an actual book.
Congrats! I have Kindle envy. lol
Mary - thanks! I know how you feel - I should be getting to your book this weekend too! :)
Hey Jemi,
I've been thinking of getting one of those for a while. Until then, I set up the kindle app on my droid phone. I love the look of the pages and text. I'm thinking if I enjoy the app this much on my phone that I'm going to buckle down and get the real thing soon.
Sharde
I got the Nook because we have a Barnes and Noble and I could check it out in a person. I kind of wish I'd gotten the Kindle, but Barnes has most of the books, too, and I haven't had any trouble with the Nook.
I still prefer a print book, but I'm getting so I don't mind reading electronically! Hope you enjoy it. And thanks for coming into my blog today.
Ann
I heard Kindles are outselling ipads for ebooks. For many of the reasons you mentioned. It is on my to buy list, and I never thought I'd say that! Uncut Diamonds is on Kindle!! You could add it to your list for only 2.99! Wow, the financial savings and the not having to have another book around the house is incredible. I am rapidly getting converted to the idea although I have yet to read an entire book electronically.
good stuff, jemi :)
ldw is a friend, so i know you'll enjoy her stuff...
fellow canuck, bernita harris, has her ebook out, 'dark and dangerous', charles gramlich self-pubbed 'killer trail' [links in my sidebar], both wonderful writers, and friends of mine as well
oops, forgot... younger daughter won a sony ereader from her avon sales, she has no books to read as yet...
Sharde - I know it's only been about 24 hours, but I love it so far. So easy on the eyes for reading. And 1 click downloads once you have it set up. Very cool.
You're welcome Ann!
The Nook did have some good features, but I didn't want to run into troubles being an international user. We have Amazon here so that made it easier.
Karen - awesome Uncut Diamonds is on the list - I'll get to it on the weekend :)
I have so many books around, it's nice to have several stored within this tiny machine!
Laughing Wolf - awesome - thanks for the suggestions! I'm hoping to upload a bunch more this weekend - I'll check those ones out! :)
Enjoy it, welcome to the future!
I would have a really tough time reading for any length on the iPad. My eyes are already bad enough!
Let us know what you think as you continue using it! I see lots of people w/these on the metro, and it seems like it might make a lot of sense for commuting.
That's wonderful - I'm so glad you're pleased with your new purchase!
Erinn - thanks!! I love the future so far :)
Sarah - That's what I thought too - terrific for trips and for buying those books that aren't available any other way :)
Thanks Susan! I'm thrilled. It's so easy to use and read - just what I was after :)
I love my Kindle! It's the best for reading in bed. :)
And a lot of the free promotional books are pretty good--I meant to add that. You can kinda tell whether or not you'll like it by the description, but I had some nice surprises. :)
Congrats! on your Kindle. Must be very exciting. And perhaps I'm just a little bit biased, but I heard Stephen Tremp's Breakthrough (available on Kindle) is a totally awesomous maximus book. I'm just telling you what I heard.
Stephen Tremp
Sounds like fun! And it will be soooo easy to take books when you travel!
Very pleased for you,
Have a wonderful week-end.
Yvonne.
Jemi! Congratulations on your new Kindle. I love ebooks. I don't have a Kindle, but I read on a PDA for years, and now I read on my iPod Touch. (It's small and fits in my purse - which is my first consideration over all.)
Since you asked who has books up on Amazon... I DO! I DO!
All are kind of funny light adventures. HAVE GUN, WILL PLAY is an old-fashioned mystery, set in the west, which I'll be following up with more soon. The others are a Juvenile Swashbuckler, and a Women's Fiction/Romantic Adventure.
Congratulations! I love my Kindle and take it everywhere with me. You know, just in case I have a spare moment, I whip it out and delve into the literary world.
Enjoy!
You took to plunge. What's it like to hold it through an entire book?
I'm looking forward to see how you like your new toy. My best friend has one and she loves her's. I guess in time I'm going to have to break down and join the modern world. LOL. BTW, I think you'll enjoy Nowhere To Hide. I haven't had a chance to read Diane's books yet, but they all sound great. Good luck.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Summer - I'll have to check into the promotional ones - free is always good! Thanks for the tip :)
Stephen - I'd heard that too! In fact it's already on my to-buy list - imagine that! :)
Stephanie - I agree - it's so fun. And having it for travel is a HUGE bonus :)
Yvonne - thanks so much :)
Hope weekend is wonderful as well! :)
And you get to keep you books forever and ever and not take up space or collect dust. Congratulations and enjoy!
Daring N - awesome! I'll have to check those out!
So far I'm really enjoying it. My eyes aren't good enough to read off my iPod touch for any length of time. But this is great!
Chary - I love it! It'll be so easy to throw in the purse and have it for those annoying wait times :)
Theresa - it's great. So far I haven't had any troubles. I've got weakened wrists from hears of hymnastics and volleyball, but it's comfortable to hold.
Mason - I think I'll love Nowhere to Hide as well. Can't wait. Diane's book is great too.
I'll keep everyone updated on how I'm enjoying it - the 1 touch shopping is fabulous - and maybe just a bit dangerous :)
Holly - I know! It's so great because I already have books everywhere. These ones aren't taking up any room at all :)
wonderful! You now have a library to go. Hugs!
Katie - yes! It's so exciting. I love that expression 'a library to go' - definitely going to borrow that one! :)
Congrats Jemi! A lot of my books are on kindle. I can send you the pdfs, but I'm not sure how to get it on the kindle....
Ooh, I'm jealous! I'm starting to think the time for getting myself an eReader might be close. I just love the thought of being able to download ANY BOOK YOU WANT whenever. Very cool.
Thanks Aubrie! I don't know any technical details yet - definitely not my strong suit. But I'm willing to try! :)
Natalie - I know! It's so very, very cool. I haven't explored as much as I want yet, but it's a lot of fun :)
Glad you got your eReader! Sorry, my book won't be available until October and I'm sure you'll have a long list by that time. I do recommend Preston & Child if you've not read them.
Alex - I'll definitely pick up CassStar when it's released!
I actually don't know Preston & Child but I remember someone (you??) mentioning them before. I'll check them out - thanks :)
The iPad's not backlit?? CRAP!!!!
Haven't made the switch yet. I know I will but still in paper. I think the tipping point will be a long trip and the thought of how many books I'd need to keep me occupied and the weight limits on plane will put a kindle in my life.
...congrats on the Kindle, and a great choice of reader. From the research I've done, you've picked the winner:)
Someday soon you'll be reading my gibberish on that thing:)
DL - oops - confusion!
The iPad IS backlit and that's the problem for my eyes. They just can't cope with any more screen time. I needed something that wasn't back lit.
Buttercup - exactly - it's the long trips that make it SOOO worthwhile. It's certainly a weight saver :)
Elliott - I do love it!
And I can't wait to read your stuff - gibberish it won't be! :)
That's fantastic - hope you're enjoying your Kindle! If you ever go to Paris and need a guide, I have my travel book '24 Hours Paris' on Kindle (under Marsha Moore). :)
Have a great weekend!
Oh my God!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're reading my latest book! Thank you so much, Jemi. Hope Heather doesn't disappoint you. I really struggled with that character, but I think that made for the strongest book of the series.
Talli - I keep forgetting about your Marsha Moore books! I really, really want to get to Paris one day - I'll definitely keep it in mind :)
Diane - she's a great character. I've enjoyed watching her grow. She's learning so much about herself, Mark and her family. Definitely an intriguing story line. :)
Congratulations! I'm still a paper book gal myself, but I have several friends who love their Kindles (none with iPads yet). I think the backlight thing is a very good selling point, and then there is my secret distrust for anything Apple. I couldn't tell you why, it just don't feel right for me.. (So I will be a Kindler too, if or when I give up paper)
Cruella - lol :)
I haven't given up on paper by any means, but I love my new toy - mostly for travelling. :) It's really easy on the eyes so far!
Great hearing from someone who's actually bought the Kindle. Did you get the latest version?
I don't have an eReader, but husband has the iPad. He loves it.
Straight From Hel
Helen - I think so! :)
My kids ordered it for me for my bday so I don't know all the details, but I love it. It's so easy to read - there are 6 font sizes to choose from depending on how tired my eyes are. :)
I haven't jumped on this bandwagon yet (mostly because of the cost), but it seems like it would be so awesome. I hope you continue to enjoy it!
Sara - thanks. The only reason I jumped on was it was a bday gift - the whole family pitched in :)
Lucky me. It's been tons of fun so far :)
Not only are my two "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" books available on Amazon Kindle, but they are selling for under $3. It's humorous science fiction. See sample chapters at my website.
A third book is due out in weeks.
Walter - awesome! I'm in :)
It'll be interesting to see if the prices hold. Everyone's prices have been $2 more on Amazon when I've checked. I'm using .com (not .ca) so they shouldn't be showing differently.
Well, of course I want you to pick An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw, both of my novels which have been up on Amazon all year.
But you'd better go for The Help, Little Bee, or What is the What.
I'm jealous.
Patti
www.pattilacy.com/blog
Patti - awesome! Thanks for the names - I'll check them out. :)
I'm having fun so far with it!
I LOVE my Kindle. I've had it for 2 years for the reasons you mentioned. And, yes, I have books available on Kindle, since you asked. ;)
Laura - awesome! Another one to check out. My gift certificates are disappearing at a rapid rate, but I'm going to have some great reading material!
Fun!
I'll have to get my kindle version sorted!
Oh! Loook! Shiny playthings that are backlit too. Gotta getta!
Hope you and the Kindle are a match made in heaven. You do both seem very happy together. I'm not jealous *sob.
Al - it is!
Let me know when you do! It shouldn't be too far down the road now that you've got your proof with that gorgeous cover! :)
Elaine - we are happy together! It's been fun so far :)
The Kindles ISN'T backlit - that's why I like it. The backlit screens are just too hard on my eyes.
I don't know. Guess I'm part of that old-fashioned tradional crowd that still loves the actual books with paper pages. After I read the few hundred hard copy books I have here at home maybe I'll go for the electronic versions.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Yay! Happy for you, Jemi! I'm loving my Nook but for me B & N is local. :)
Lee - nothing will ever replace books for me either. But this new toy is great for travelling and for picking up books by some of my bloggy friends that are only available on e-readers.
Beth - that definitely made a difference for me. The Nook is very popular with the people who own it. Sounds like it has some great features.
Yay--congratulations! I've found I'm using mine more often, although I still pick up a "real" book before the Kindle. Enjoy!!
Mary - I'm the same. I'll always have my real books - but this is great for travelling and for having in my purse for those long annoying waits :)
So glad you're getting on well with it. Enjoy.
Congrats on your new kindle Jemi :-)
Rosalind - yes! It's lots of fun - new toys are the best :) Thanks.
Thanks Agnes - it's lots of fun so far! :)
Fantastic!!! Congratulations on your new Kindle! I'm still going the old book route, because everything is expensive, lol
Happy Sunday!
Thanks Jen!
It is expensive - my whole family chipped in and they got it for me for my bday. It's fun :)
How exciting! You'll have to let us know how you like it. Enjoy!
How fun! I hope you love it!!
Grats on your new kindle. I would love to get one but many of the features/books/magazine etc don't have the lisencing agreements for Australia so I'm limited.
Kathi - I'll definitely keep everyone updated. So far I'm loving it :)
Thanks Kimberly! I'm heading away for a few days next week and looking forward to having it with me :)
Lynda - you're right. Being in Canada I don't have quite as many options as the States, but it's pretty close - especially with Amazon - the Canadian division is excellent. I imagine it won't be long until the choices are universal.
Jemi, that looks so cool! It's nice to know that you're enjoying it. I've heard good and bad opinions about each of these devices, and I guess it's all just a matter of opinion. I'm still in the dark ages with books, but Christmas is coming...
Enjoy the reader!
Julie - it is!
I actually didn't expect to have one at all for several years, but my family all got together and chipped in for my birthday. They're so sweet! :)
I love my Kindle. I have nearly 200 books downloaded on mine.
Thanks for the kind words on my blog. Tomorrow I have another guest blogger : the ghost of Ernest Hemingway, not my greatest fan. He is in love with Marlene Dietrich who is presently ... ah, keeping company with me.
Have a great week, Roland
Roland - 200!! Wow - I'm feeling good about the 6 I've done :)
You & Marlene? Who knew??? Sounds like fun - I'll be sure to check it out :)
Hooray! You got your present. It's good to know that you like it--and what's your reading.
Cheers, Jemi!
I love paper.... but still... I want one !! I want one!!
enjoy :)
Congratulations! It looks great :)
Can you believe I still haven’t made my mind about buying an e-reader? I just can’t let go of my ‘real books’ but it is difficult to carry around 5 books with you when you’re going away either on vacation or business…
Sigh… I guess I have to just buy one and get it over with. I don’t live in the USA so nook is not an option, but Kindle sounds like a good choice.
I've been fighting my Kindle-lust. I already have an eReader, but the new Kindle looks so nice! Plus after using Kindle-for-PC to read a couple friends' books that were only available from amazon, I got to check out some nifty features.
*sigh* I'm so jealous!
Thanks Jackee - I'm really happy with it. Easy to use and download!
Michelle - I totally agree. I could live forever with my books and nothing can replace them - BUT this is a great toy! :)
Lua - As a Canadian I'm finding the Kindle very easy to use so far. I haven't run into any difficulties. Hoping that continues!! :)
India - lol :)
I certainly didn't expect one for a few years - but my family's great and they got me one for my bday. It's great for travelling :)
Hi Jemi,
My impression is that it'd be great for traveling but on the porch? In bed? On the couch? I can't see it. Plus you don't see page numbers, right? In some books I like to go back and re-read sections and I just can't imagine doing that on a Kindle. I'll have to watch for an update on your Kindle experiences. Hope you're having a great summer!
Yvonne - I mostly got it for 2 reasons - travel and to download books of bloggy friends whose books are only available that way. I can't imagine doing all my reading that way, but it's great for those reasons!
I haven't bitten the bullet on an e-reader (yet). Let me know what you think of it!
I still don't have an e-reader but I was just looking at the Nook over the weekend at B&N. And, I was playing with a friend's iPad on Saturday night...FUN toy! But I'm with ya: the price is just too high for now.
Shannon - I will!
So far, I love the ease of downloading books. I can do it from the kindle itself, or from my Amazon account and send it to the Kindle.
It's fun :)
Nicole - I agree - I had no intentions of buying one for a few years. But I have a lovely, thoughtful daughter who spearheaded the idea. So I have one :) And it's great.
Enjoy, Jemi! I do so much reading on my iPhone these days, I think I can definitely say I'm hooked on ebooks now. :)
Belle - I have an iPod touch (no phone) and can't imagine reading on it for long. My poor eyes aren't the best as is and I think that would stress them out too much. I'm glad it works for you - it's so portable - it would be perfect!
Wow! Enjoy your new Kindle! Keep us posted on whether it continues to deliver, or if you have any issues.
Thanks Lydia!
I'm heading out for a few days next week, so we'll see how it copes with the travel. I'm curious to see how long the battery charge lasts.
I knew you would love it! I loved mine from the word GO:)
Happy reading!
Tamika - you were so right! I do love it! Thanks :)
Awesome Jemi! I'm sure you'll love it. I know Chapters just came out with their own version of the Kindle too. And I've been thinking about the Ipad. Thanks for the back lighting info. I have a few bills to pay, and a new lens to buy otherwise I would have one too! And Diane's book is on my to-read list too. It's so great to read the books from bloggy friends.
WOW!! I hope you enjoy it! I haven't crossed over into the Kindle world yet but they look so beautiful!!
Thanks Lynn!
I think that's the part that excites me the most. When someone asks what I'm reading, I'll say, "A book a friend of mine published..." So COOL!
Saumya - they are so much fun. I love how quickly I can choose a book and have it in my hands!
Although that's probably the dangerous part too!
Eureka! :)
Layinda - AWESOME!!!! :) I'm so glad it finally worked!
my book is NOT up yet, but it should be an ebook as soon as it launches! I'm very excited about this for all you ebook readers.
Tamara - awesome! I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled for it! :)
Oh, I envy you, Jemi! I love my real books, but I want a Kindle for traveling. I'm glad you love it! :-)
Shannon - exactly! It's going to be great for being in the car. :)
I'm still clinging to my paper books but I imagine eventually, I'll cave and get one. They are practical.
Terry - They are so practical - especially for people who do travel a lot. I don't travel a ton but I'm loving it anymore.
Congrats on your Kindle! Great to hear that you're happy with it. I don't have an e-reader, but I'm keeping a mental note of who likes what, so when the time comes, I can make a good decision. Hope you continue to enjoy it!
Shelley - that's what I did - then I begged for help on a post. Everyone came through :) As usual!
I keep debating whether to get one of these myself! All my friends who have one love it. In a pinch though, I read books on my iPhone's reader (not nearly as nice!).
A friend of ours has both the kindle and the ipad. They said that you can get the classic books for FREE with your kindle software! I'm wondering if you can download the kindle software to your computer??? or iphone?
Just stopping here.
Congrats for the kindle.
Have a great wednesday.
nensa
Guinevere - If not for the family, it would have been a few more years before I got one :) Great family!
I don't think my eyes could handle the small screen for long!
Sharon - I know - the classics are all there! I haven't done much digging yet, but there are quite a few free options it seems.
I think you can get downloads for both of those - I THINK they're free but I'm not sure. I needed to go to a nonbacklit screen so I haven't looked into that.
Nensa - thanks! I'm enjoying it :)
Thanks for dropping by - hope you Wednesday is a great one too!
Testing one, two, three.
I'm attempting a comment for the fourteenth time--no lie. So hopefully it will go through.
I love my Kindle and I'm so thankful you posted this. Now I have a bunch of new books to download!
Cat - wow! Layinda was having a lot of difficulty too. I wonder what's going on. I'll see if I can change up the format and somehow make it easier. If I can figure it out...
I'm enjoying my Kindle too - LOVE how quickly the books download :)
Congrats on your new toy!!!
Very, very cool!
Thanks Kristi - I'm sure having fun with it :)
Jemi - hope you enjoy Nowhere to Hide! I'm toying with a new e-reader, much as I love some of the features on my eBookwise that the others don't have, it's becoming outdated and harder to get the books I want. And if you want a quicker read, I have my short story, "Coping Mechanisms" for the Kindle as well.
Terry - I'm on a road trip next week, so I'm going to read it then - can't wait!
I'll definitely look for Coping Mechanisms as well - thanks :)
Congrats, Jemi! The Kindle sounds wonderful. What do you do with the books after you read them? Do they stay in the Kindle in case you want to refer to them later or do you delete them? I have a terrible time getting rid of traditional books, not sure how I'd deal with an e-reader.
Thanks VR - so far it is!
That's a good question. I don't know how to delete them yet :) There's probably a way. But, it apparently holds 1500 books, so I have a while to go before I have to worry about it :)
Congratulations!!!
I go through my Goodreads wish list for what I should buy next. I'd say a good chunk of my wish list has the Kindle edition.
Medeia - thanks! :)
I haven't joined Goodreads yet - it seems like such a great idea - but right now I don't have a clue when I'd fit it in :)
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