eReader review

I have borrowed an eReader to play with and see if I like it. Well, I know I like it, but do I really like it enough to BUY one?

I am around it all day at work. I sell it like it is candy, but for myself - the girl who is secretly sniffing books because the smell of print and paper is fantabulous - can I convert to a machine in order to read my books???

In really spending time playing with it, I have come to find out is that it can be distracting. I don't have time to read because I am too busy doing other things on it, like checking my email and reading blogs. I love the color magazines on it. I would love to have a bunch of magazines, but when I have had the subscriptions, I don't make time to read them. They just end up piled up in some corner, never read. But on the eReader, they seem so much more manageable.

The consistent time I read is before bed. About an hour or two before I go to sleep, I crawl into bed and grab a book. It is there that my body learns to rest and get tired. My mind is also occupied, which usually (crossing my fingers here) tires out the final bits of my awake brain. I like this routine. It really helps when I close at work and don't get home til late and need to get up early the next day. I, then am not up forever. I am able to actually go to bed and routinely, get tired.

Last night, I downloaded Fallen by Lauren Kate.


I just finished reading Falling Home by Karen White and was in between books. I started to read Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand, but I hate to say it - it is out of my normal reading genre so I am struggling to stay focused. I know that while reading, by just pushing a button, I can switch over and read a blog or check the internet. I really want to read Unbroken, but feel I may need the book to really stay focused on this - I mean it is a HISTORY book. It will take all of my focus. I was never really adept at retaining history information and I am sorry now, especially now, because there are so many things I would like to know that I know I should know because I vaguely remember being taught in school. I think I may need to start my eReader experience with a lighter, easier to read book.

I am lucky too because by borrowing the eReader, I can buy anything on work's dime. I can download a million magazines or newspapers or books - whatever I want and I don't have to pay for it. When the time comes, if it does, that I buy an eReader, I will then be responsible for paying for my content. I am also, on the side, busily adding free content to my online eReader account so that, if and when I buy, my eReader will have lots of things in the library to begin with.

Ahem, I completely digress.

So far here is what I have come up with -

PROS -

• the prices of books are drastically less, even with coupons
  
• I won't have to carry around 15 pound books depending on what I am reading
• I can carry as many books as I want and it is still the same size and weight in my bag
  
• I won't have books hidden in the closet, resting on my nightstand, bleeding out into the family room and every other room (including my car)
• I can keep all my books on my eReader and since I rarely reread a book, I can delete any time I want to
• I can lend a book to anyone who has the application (whether they have an eReader or not)
• I can be a total tech snob and I can check my email, read blogs, etc on the eReader
• I can highlight, check the dictionary and bookmark any passage or page I want
• I can read with Saint sleeping next to me and not have a friggin spotlight on the book in order to see clearly
• There isn't a messed up dark crease in the book that I continually can't read due to reading at night, with only a booklight
• I can prop the eReader up by sheets and blankets and not have to hold it open
• I can see all of the page at once and turn with the flick of my finger
• if I lose or break my eReader every book I have ever bought is on the internet account, so my replacement eReader will automatically upload my library
  

Cons -

• I won't feel the weight of a book, the smell of the paper and ink
• I can't resell my books back to the used bookstore
  

So the verdict?

I love the eReader. It did make my eyes feel a little strained and I did develop a slight throb of a headache last night. I am not sure if this is because I am SO TIRED (it's been weeks that I have really had a good sleep) that my body was begging to fall asleep, meanwhile my brain was getting addicted to Fallen and wanted to stay up and read. I am thinking I would like to borrow the original eReader and see if the e-ink screen makes a difference, but I have let my boss know that I would like to keep the eReader for at least a few more days, hopefully giving myself enough time to contemplate the eye strain, if there is any because I woke up this morning having slept a very nice six hours, which as of late, is very good.

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Upon searching for covers, I am a BIG fan of the skins that are so incredibly artistic like this one by DecalGirl and I can't believe they sell covers that stand up like a frame. LOVE IT!!