Sara Edmonds | The World of E-readers: Sony Readers

If you read my previous post, you saw that I examined the qualities of Barnes & Nobles nook that you might prefer over the Kindle or Sony e-readers. This time, I take a look at the Sony e-reader's best qualities.

Like Barnes & Noble's nook, Sony also has a touch screen but they take it a bit further. You can also turn the pages with a touch of your finger, a move to give you still a better feel for reading an actual book. Again, this takes away that extra space of the Kindle's keyboard, by putting its menu and keyboard in a touch menu. Sony does not however, have their menu in color or give you the chance to look at book covers in color.

You can also highlight passages in your book and take notes, either with stylus pen or keyboard. The note feature is also included in the Kindle, but with Kindle you have to use the keyboard.

The Sony Reader also supports other formats on its reader, so you can read other PDFs and Word Docs.

The biggest drawback to the standard Sony Reader- it is not wireless. But before you take this option off the market completely, Sony has (like Kindle) a bigger Daily Edition that is wireless and includes a bigger 7inch touch screen. You do pay for this improvement however, with a price of $399- a price that is still cheaper than the new improved Kindle2. The standard reader is $299. And if that is still not in your budget, Sony makes a pocket version of the reader at $199. You only give up an inch of screen display from the standard version.

The one great feature the Sony has the no one else does--the ability to check out books from the library and read them on your Sony e-reader. You can not however, share books with friends.

Sony's e-reader is the featured partnership of Borders, so like Barnes & Noble's nook you still have a chance to have the book from your favorite bookstore at your finger tips. Sony does not compete against Barnes & Noble and Kindle by having every bestseller priced at $9.99, but a lot of them are. Shopping for e-books on Borders.com is no easy task. Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com make this process much easier. New e-reader additions and upgrades will have to also come from Sony and not Borders, which could be a draw-back as Barnes & Noble and Amazon can make new versions of their e-readers based on customer feedback quickly.

These are the best features of Sony's e-reader. Next time I take a look at the Kindle. In the meantime, if you have a Sony e-reader, let me know what you love (or dislike) about your e-reader.

Sara Edmonds


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SARA EDMONDS | A FEW OF MY FAVORITES OF 2009

Towards the end of the year, I inevitably look through the books I have read and remember my favorites. These are only a few that impressed me this year.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips had another good hit with What I Did For Love. In case you missed this one Susan tells the story of Georgie and Bram- Georgie needs an image boost after her husband leaves her for a do-gooder actress and Bram needs any image at all. So they come together and pretend to be the perfect Hollywood married couple to help both their careers. Susan always does a great job of putting a twist on what could have been a cheesy story. Susan's character's always have layers to them that make you keep turning the pages. And of course you will laugh the whole way through.

To read more of A FEW OF MY FAVORITES OF 2009 please click here.

Sara Edmonds | Taking An Inexpensive Vacation To An Exotic Locale

With winter here, I have often wished to be in a nice tropical locale for a few weeks. I realized though that while I was reading TWENTIES GIRL by Sophie Kinsella, that the best vacation is right in my own books.

As some of you may have read, I very rarely notice or need a lot of location in the books I read. The one thing I do notice though, are the locations that if I hit the lotto today, I would be on a jet plane in a minute.

I have always loved the way that Nora Roberts intertwines her characters and makes them one with the places they are. Her favorite far off locale is Ireland. TEARS OF THE MOON was one such book that after reading, made me want to go and spend some time in Ireland.


Susan Elizabeth Phillips' novel, BREATHING ROOM, has my favorite all time location--Italy. Of course, being half Italian, I am always partial to anyone who can place the background setting of Italy into the story in such a way as I look forward to the next destination. Katie MacAlister sets her Aisling Grey series on the streets of London, with some nice traveling to other locations nearby. These are the types of vacations I like to take- great travel rates, distance is not a concern, and I never end up with jet lag. Always a good deal.

What are some of the favorite locales of your favorite authors. Do tell-

Sara Edmonds

DFW Tea Readers Group

Sara Edmonds | When It Comes To Location How Much Detail Do You Need?

I was reading Janet Evanovich's Finger Lickin' Fifteen- and after the gut retching laughter- I realized that even though I have never been to New Jersey, Janet's descriptions make me feel like it is a place I have been to many times before. It also made me reflect on how much detail I need when it comes to location in the book I am reading.

I am not normally cognizant of the locations- or even the background description in general- when I am reading a book I really enjoy. When the author does a really good job of pulling me into the story, my mind tends to fill in any detail that isn't readily there, such a location, or even the general skin and eye description of the main characters. Those things I tend to pull from experience and fill in automatically. And I realize that for most authors there is not enough time, or money, to go to every place a book is set. But I realize that for some readers not having this information may be frustrating.

To read more of Sara's blog about location details please click here.

Sara Edmonds | Watching My Favorite Authors Grow...

I was reading the latest by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, WHAT I DID FOR LOVE, last month and as I finished I was so pleasantly surprised at how much she has grown as a writer and how much I have enjoyed reading (and watching) it evolve. The way that she weaves two stories into a single arc, and the way she can develop a character as been a joy to read.

I have the same feeling with Nora Roberts, who I have read for a very long time now. VISIONS IN WHITE starts a new quartet by Nora, which is a step up as the norm is triplets. From way back when with DANCE UPON THE AIR, the strength of her characters and plot lines only gets better each year.

There are a lot more on my list of must haves (Madeline Hunter, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Karen Marie Moning to name a few), but listing them would make this a very long blog.

Click here to read the rest and learn how to win a bundle of books from Fresh Fiction

Sara Edmonds | You Might Call Them Quirks But I Call Them Reading Rituals

I have always had a reading ritual- a couple actually. And I prefer to think of them as rituals and not quirks, although some would debate me on that.

When I am in the "reading mode" so to speak, I gather everything together- I get a pillow, light blanket and gather some snacks so that I don't have to get up for a break. I then open the dog door so I don’t have to get up, get in my favorite chair and turn on some background noise (yes I am one of those people who can read with the tv on). I then settle down for a good few hours of uninterrupted reading time. And it goes without saying, the better the book the more I resent interruptions. Excuses are abound during a good reading session- dishes can wait until tomorrow and I don't need to do laundry. Then there is my favorite thing to say to all who interrupt me-"you can get it yourself." If only my lotto train could come in, I could even blow off actual work to read. I know I have a good book, when I deeply resent real life getting in they way of finishing a chapter. Even after I have procrastinated a day or two, I feel no guilt after, and that is the ultimate sign of a great book. Sometime the ritual varies slightly- I might stay in bed instead of sitting in my favorite chair, or I may only get in an hour or two of reading time if work gets in the way. But I always have the ritual, and I always look forward to it.

To read more about Sara's quirks...no rituals and to comment for a chance to win our weekend prize please click here.

Sara Edmonds | My Favorite Hero--The Bad Boy

I have been spending a lot of time re-reading some of my favorite authors. And while I was re-reading and book swapping with friends, I came across an old Tami Hoag I had not read. After I got over the shock, and started reading, the heroine Genna made a great point. Why do women always go for the bad boy?

In The Trouble With J.J., Genna doesn’t want to be attracted to Jared because she thinks he is. . . well. . . crazy. He is brash, wears weird clothes, has an earring, plays football for a living, and somehow has a love of plastic flamingos. What Genna wants is a stable, normal- corn flakes for breakfast, come home every day at five o’clock- kind of guy. Well this was a Bantam romance by Tami, so we know she goes for a walk on the wild side and takes a chance after all. But it got me thinking- what is up with my love affair of the bad boy.

To read more about Sara's fascination with the bad boy here click here.