Review - Kobo eReader

I've been looking at e-readers for about a year.  In the beginning, the price was prohibitive.  But now many of them are hovering at around $150, which makes e-book reading a lot more accessible than it used to be.  After a lot of hemming and hawing, I decided to take the plunge.  Kobo has just announced a new wireless version of their eReader, so the original USB-connected version was on sale.  (I prefer to have the non-wireless version.  It helps reign in my purchasing of books.  I'm afraid that if I could wirelessly download books at the touch of a button, I'd bankrupt myself!)

Here's what made me decide to get a Kobo instead of another type of e-reader:

• support for multiple formats, including EPUB -- Unlike the Kindle, the Kobo can read the popular EPUB format (as well as PDFs), which means that you can buy books from places other than the Kobo store (the first e-book I ever bought was actually a PDF that I bought from Dymocks in Australia... and it works fine on my Kobo).
• expandable memory -- The Kobo has a slot for an SD memory card, which means that you can carry lots more books on your reader.
• weight -- This is actually one of the lightest readers on the market right now.  The only other e-reader I've held in my hands is the Sony Pocket Edition... and that felt heavy in comparison.
• simple, intuitive interface -- There's really no instruction manual to speak of with the Kobo, but you don't need one.  There are only 6 buttons on the whole thing, and their function is very straightforward.  Turning pages is done with the big blue button on the front (which is actually a 5-direction keypad).
• easy on the eyes, easy on the hands -- There is little glare on the screen, and the E Ink is nice and clear.  You can also change the size of the text.  The front is uncluttered with buttons, so you don't hit anything by accident.  It also has a nice "quilted" back, which makes the reader easy to hold without slipping.
• great selection of books -- I've actually found books for my Kobo that aren't even available for the Kindle (such as Catching Fire and Mockingjay).
• books are available to those outside the U.S.A. -- Ultimately, this was what swayed me away from the Kindle and toward the Kobo.  There are some instances where, for whatever reason, Amazon will not sell a Kindle book to a non-American... even though they have no problem selling the paper copy outside their borders.

I've been reading a few books on my Kobo, and I like what I see.  The EPUB format, in particular, is great.  You basically page through the e-book as you would a normal book, and even changing the size of your text doesn't screw up the page layout.  PDFs are a little trickier, since the text size and page layouts are set.  To read a PDF comfortably, I had to change the orientation from portrait to landscape (which, luckily, you can do) and use the directional buttons to "scroll" down the page as I read.

I have no idea if I'm going to get near the 8,000 page turns per battery charge that the Kobo claims.  I did my best to wear out the battery when I was reading Catching Fire, flipping back and forth a few times on many of the pages (apparently, the battery only drains when you're doing things like loading books and turning pages).  Even after all that, the battery icon was still at about half when I plugged the device back into my computer to download some more books.  (When you connect the USB cable, the Kobo automatically starts recharging itself, so it's now fully charged again.  I've got enough books on there now that I'm going to let it fully run down next time and see how long it takes... but I think it's going to take a while.)

Another nice feature is that the Kobo puts itself to sleep if it's idle for long enough.  I'm not sure how long this takes (I've never sat there and watched it), but I can put it down, still turned on, when I go to bed, and when I wake up, the Kobo will be asleep.

I've yet to read any of the 100 free e-books that came with the reader, but I think that's a bonus, too.  All of Jane Austen's books are on there, as well as other classics such as Dracula, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Picture of Dorian Gray (which I'd like to read sometime).  You could potentially keep yourself busy with those free classics for months without ever having to buy a new book from the Kobo store.

The only thing that bothers me is the limited features of the Kobo.  You can't use multiple bookmarks, for instance (although the device will remember where you are in each particular book).  There's also no dictionary or word look-up feature, which would have been nice.  But, really, what the Kobo does offer far outweighs what it doesn't.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the Kobo eReader so far.  I haven't had any problems with the unit freezing or not displaying books properly.  There's a good selection of books out there that are compatible with the technology.  And the price really couldn't be beat.  Plus, it's a great option for international customers who might not have access to all the Kindle books.  So I'm going to give the Kobo .

Review - Catching Fire

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)
by Suzanne Collins
Date: 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Reading level: YA
Book type: prose novel
Pages: 391
Format: e-book
Source: bought from Kobo

Katniss Everdeen has somehow managed to survive the Hunger Games, bringing security and plenty to her family and friends. But her survival is viewed as an act of rebellion, and she unwittingly becomes the face of an uprising against the cruel government of the Capitol. Now the Capitol is furious and wants revenge.

Katniss soon finds herself thrust back into the spotlight once more, fighting for her life and the lives of those she loves. The Capitol is doing everything it can to quash the growing discontent in the districts, and Katniss is in their sights. Complicating matters are her feelings for the two important men in her life. Can she survive going head-to-head with the Capitol without hurting those she loves? Or will the Capitol ultimately destroy everything in its path -- including the "girl on fire"?

I read The Hunger Games not long ago, and when I finished, I just couldn't wait to get my hands on this sequel.  I'd heard it was even better than the first.  I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but I still really enjoyed it... and I'm now eagerly awaiting reading Mockingjay.

I found myself a little bored in places, so the pace wasn't quite as good as it was in The Hunger Games.  But I did like some of the new plot elements (which I can't really mention without giving too much away).  I'm also curious to see where this love triangle goes; I like both guys and the storyline events are so unpredictable that it's impossible to guess what will happen in the end.

I read (most of) this book on my new Kobo, and I noticed a few typos (missing line breaks, mostly).  I'm not sure if this is par for the course with e-books or not (I've heard some Kindle editions are also pretty lousy, though).

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Overall: 3.6 out of 5

Book Blogger Hop (5)

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

This week's question comes from:
Suko @ Suko's Notebook

What's your favorite beverage while reading or blogging, if any?  Is it tea, coffee, water, a glass of wine, or something else?

I'm not really one for drinking (or snacking, for that matter) while I'm reading or blogging.  I'll occasionally sip on some juice or herbal tea while I'm at the computer, but I rarely imbibe when I'm actually reading.

Friday Fill-Ins (21)

Friday Fill-Ins:

1. My favorite month is June because I get to celebrate my birthday and my blogoversary.

2. Laundry detergent does not smell like a fresh breeze, no matter what they try to tell you on the ads.

3. I love to sniff forests after (or during) a rainfall.

4. Part of a vegan chocolate brownie is what I like to have as a treat for breakfast (yes, I have actually eaten that for breakfast).

5. The hobby I enjoy most is reading.

6. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading some more of Catching Fire, tomorrow my plans include trying to finish some of the books I'm currently reading and Sunday, I want to take a trip to that newly discovered Earth-like planet and party with the aliens!

Monday's Question of the Day (20)

Monday's Question of the Day is hosted by Eleni at /-LA FEMME READERS-/

Question: When do you call it quits for a book?

My Answer: I used to call it quits a lot sooner.  Back when I used the library more frequently, I used to abandon books with impunity.  But now that I buy all my own books and review them when I'm done, I can't justify quitting after just a few pages.  Since I've had this blog, I've only abandoned one novel (Spellbinder by Helen Stringer), and that was because I felt like I was going to lose it if I had to read one more page.  I really should have done the same thing with some other books, but I wanted to review them properly.

So I guess my answer is that I'll call it quits when I just can't take it anymore!

Fall Into Reading 2010

Essentially, Fall Into Reading 2010 is a fun, low-pressure reading challenge open to anyone and everyone. It will take place September 22nd-December 20th (which, as you may have guessed, is the fall of 2010).

To participate, here’s what you need to do:

• Create a list of some books you’d like to read or finish this fall. This is the only real requirement for participating in the challenge.
• Feel free to set some additional reading goals (such as reading to your kids two hours per week, getting through your pile of magazines, etc.). However, this is not required; setting additional goals is completely optional.
• Write a blog post that includes the list of books you want to read (and any additional goals you’ve set), and get ready to post it on your blog on September 22nd.
• Visit Callapidder Days on September 22nd to sign up for the challenge. I’ll have an official launch post up that morning, complete with an area for you to submit a link to your personal Fall Into Reading post, where it will be added to the master list of participants.
• Read! Work on your goals throughout Fall 2010.
• Report your results. Write another blog post in December to let everyone know how you did. (I’ll post an official wrap-up to the challenge on December 21st, where you’ll be able to share your results.)
• Have fun! Visit other participants to see what they’re reading. Write reviews if you’re so inclined. But most of all, enjoy your fall reading!

Okay... so I guess this is my post!  I really need something to help get me through some of my other challenges, as well as start to tackle this TBR pile (which is not so much a pile anymore as a self-replicating book creature that's starting to spread all over my bedroom).

This list is subject to change. A ladybug () will sit next to the title when I've finished a book.  I know it's a bit late to be starting, but here are the books I want to get through in the next three months:

1. Draw the Dark by Ilsa J. Bick
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
4. Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
5. The Puzzle Ring by Kate Forsyth
6. The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
7. 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson

Total progress:

7 / 7 books. 100% done!

In My Mailbox (21)

Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark.  But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules.  Katniss and Peeta should be happy.  After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty.  But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion.  The Capitol is angry.  The Capitol wants revenge.

The Dresskeeper
by Mary Naylus

When 13-year-old Picky's Mum forces her to look after Gran, who has dementia, she is accidentally locked in Gran's dusty old attic. There she finds a chest full of old clothes, and tomboy Picky is forced to don what appears to be a ball-gown when the freezing night temperatures hit. As soon as the dress is pinned together, Picky is transported back to the year 1700, where a man who appears to know her as Amelia is trying to kill her. Managing to get the dress off just in time, Picky returns to the present with the dress covered in blood. Did the man kill the girl called Amelia? Will wearing the other dresses in the chest take her back in time too? And will she be in danger again should she try it?

Little (Grrl) Lost
by Charles de Lint

When fourteen-year-old TJ and her family are forced to move from their farm to the suburbs, she has to give up her beloved horse, Red — but she makes a surprising new friend.  Elizabeth is a "Little," a six-inch-high punked-out teen with an attitude, who has run away from home to make her way in the world.  TJ and Elizabeth — the Big and the Little — soon become friends, but each quickly finds herself in a truly life-threatening situation, and they are unable to help each other.  Little (Grrl) Lost  is a delightful combination of realism, magic, humor, and hope, and is sure to win Charles de Lint many new teen and adult fans.

The Magic Thief
by Sarah Prineas

In a city that runs on a dwindling supply of magic, a young boy is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure.  Conn should have dropped dead the day he picked Nevery's pocket and touched the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells.  But for some reason he did not.  Nevery finds that interesting, and he takes Conn as his apprentice on the provision that the boy find a locus stone of his own.  But Conn has little time to search for his stone between wizard lessons and helping Nevery discover who — or what — is stealing the city of Wellmet's magic.

The Revolution of Sabine
by Beth Levine Ain

In 1776 Paris, a feisty teenager defies her mother, her closest friend, and the aristocracy that rules her life in a compelling romantic novel of social intrigue.

Sixteen-year-old Sabine Durand, daughter of aristocrats, thinks of nothing but donning exquisite ball gowns and being seen at all the right parties in Paris.  When she secretly rekindles a forbidden friendship with Michel, he spirits her away to her first salon and she meets the revolutionary Ben Franklin.  Fueled by ideas of change, Sabine is determined to take control of her life as it spins toward an arranged marriage to a salacious aristocrat.  But how can she break free of her social-climbing mother's cruel grasp?  Perhaps the secret lies in her portrait, recently painted by Fragonard, and her new understanding of love.

I really do need to stay away from the bargain book rack. But Charles de Lint! One of my favourite authors! I actually squealed when I found that one.

I guess I should also mention that I got a Kobo this week!  Catching Fire, The Dresskeeper, and The Magic Thief are all e-books, and there will probably be many more e-books in my mailbox in the weeks and months to come.



What was in your "mailbox" this week?



In My Mailbox was started by Kristi of The Story Siren.