Nook Color Review

     It's been 3 months since I became a Nook Color owner and the results are in. I love it! I'm also a Kindle owner so I have something I can compare the NC to. I'm sure you're asking the question, "why buy another e-reader when you already own one?" Reason A- I'm a gadget nerd. Reason B- color and a touch screen. Reason C-magazines in full color.

The shopping experience on the Kindle left something to be desired. I usually did the shopping for new books on my laptop and sent the book to my Kindle. You could barley see the covers, no color to entice me, and constantly having to hit the back button to get back to the list of books. Shopping on the Nook Color is a joy:-) Colorful covers, ease of reading reviews and book details, and navigating the store is just a better experience. Recently my local library started loaning e-books and now I can check out books to download to my NC (something I am unable to do on the Kindle). PDF files, Microsoft Word files, and photos are all easily viewed on the NC and there's even an SD card slot to store more stuff. I like it that I can read the NC in the dark without having to attach an external night light. The brightness of the screen can be turned up or down.
   
      Wait! There's more! Coming this April, NC will be receiving a software update that will turn the NC into a more tablet-like gadget:-) Barnes and Noble will be adding an app store and it's rumored they will have an Angry Birds app (for those who like that kind of thing). To me, the apps are like icing on the cake. I purchased  the NC color because I'm an avid reader and I wanted a gadget that was tailored to the reading experience. If I had wanted a tablet I would have bought an iPad.
    
     With all the above said...I think the Kindle is a good e-reader too. I recommend it to people who experience eyestrain from a backlit screen. The Kindle is much more portable as it is very light (especially the latest Kindle 3). The battery life is far better than the NC ...my number one complaint. Barnes and Noble claim 8 hours on the NC but I disagree.
    
     I'm hoping with the NC software update some improvements will be made. I would very much like the ability to delete books and samples directly from the device. I would like the ability to password protect certain shelves in the library. I would also like to see "book picks" from someone new once in awhile instead of Sessalee month after month. Those of you who already own a NC know what I mean:-)

Countdown to The Dark and Hollow Places

I don't know whether to be happy or sad that the final book in Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth series is due out March 22nd. This series has been hands down my favorite in zombie literature. I wish it didn't have to end but have heard through the grapevine that one more short story will be released and it will be set in the time after "The Return." The short story collection is entitled Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions and is due out in September. For now, I have The Dark and Hollow Places pre-ordered on my Nook Color and can't wait to see it on my Nook homepage Wednesday morning!

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Published March 22, 2011
ya, hardcover 384 pages

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.
But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

From Goodreads

2011 YA Reading Challenge

I didn't do too well with my 2010 reading Challenges but I met and exceeded the YA Reading Challenge so I decided to do this one again! Here are the rules:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.  Create a post about the challenge and link your challenge post up in the linky below.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. There are four levels:

--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

--The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.

--The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.

--The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

3. Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. The Challenge starts on January 1, 2011 and goes until December 31, 2011.


I'm doing the Fun Size...20 ya books!


If you would like to participate, head over to For the Love of YA and join in the fun!