The Nook Simple Touch

As many of you know, this past holiday season, I came into possession of a wonderful device created just to make the lives of us readers easier, I got a Nook Simple Touch. This device is the third of its kind to be released by Barnes and Noble. Its predecessors, The Nook First Edition was large, bulky and had a difficult touch screen and the Nook Color was more tablet than ereader. And thus, the Nook Simple Touch was born, with the benefit of just reading like the First Edition but more shapely like the Color.

My boyfriends mother got the First Edition for Christmas when it came out, and I will admit I loved the idea of an e-reader. I helped to set it up mostly because I was eager to play around on it, but I was disappointed by it, and it discouraged by wanting to get one. The idea was nice, but the tiny touch screen was difficult and you couldn't even use a stylus to alleviate the difficulty of using your finger to select keys the size of your pinky nail. Then my older sister got the Nook Color as did a friend of mine. Again, I helped my friend set up her Nook because I wanted to play around on it, and I liked how it had a lot of features, but the screen hurt my eyes, I liked the e-ink technology of the First Edition and so the idea of reading a computer screen hurt my eyes. I nevertheless borrowed my sister's Color so that I could see what it was like reading with it-this too failed to suit my needs.

And so I began to feel like Goldylocks waiting to try baby bears porridge. When the Simple Touch came out, and I played with it in stores, I was completely in love. It was small, had an e-ink screen, and it was light, but there was so much more to it than that.

Size
As someone that lugs her books back and forth, its important to have something small that I can use to read. During my time reading 11/22/63, I have come to appreciate my Nook even more. Weighing in at less than 8 pounds, this little baby is smaller than the average size of a paperback. Half the time I carry it with me just because it fits so snug in my purse. The page turning buttons on the side make it super easy to turn the page without needing both hands.

Reading

Side view of the
Nook Simple
Touch

I know that some of my friends don't like to use Nooks or other e-readers because nothing beats turning a page and holding a book, and they're right. I love holding books to and being able to turn the page myself. But how many times in turning that page have your eyes wandered too far ahead because a different typeset caught your eye? With the Nook that doesn't happen, and better yet, when its been awhile and your picking up in the middle of a book after a few months or another book in a series and you can't remember who that person is, you can search the book for that name or term. I did it when I was reading Mockingjay. I couldn't remember who Seneca Crane was and I hit find, and it gave the his name in context which lead to an "ahhh thats who he is" moment.

Another benefit is that you have your library right at your fingertips. Rather than lug 3 books with me on my trip to Pittsburgh, I brought one book and my Nook. When I finished my first book I still had my whole library on my Nook, and it was a good thing too because I finished a second book in the car. I'm not sure what it is about Nook vs. physical books, but I found that I read them a lot faster too.

Adobe EPUB

Library
One of the great benefits about the Nook and most e-readers is that you can get library books on them. While I can't get every single book, you still have access to a lot of e-books. On my library system, you register your library card online, and then you add 10 books that you want to "request" give them your email address and when its your turn with the book, follow the steps, download Adobe EPub (only once), connect your Nook to your computer and you drag the book to the little Nook icon, and then BOOM! You have the book on your Nook.

Cost
The Nook Simple Touch currently costs $99 plus tax depends on where you are, other than the Nook First Generation which you can no longer get from Barnes and Noble. The Nook Color is the second tier of Nook's costing $169 on the website. Lastly there is the Nook Tablet which starts at $199 for the 8GB and $249 for the 16GB. The cost of books then range from free to textbooks for $200 or $64 for a collection of books such as the Sookie Stackhouse books. The last expense is accessories like a cover or matte screen, or even a stylus.

Benefits
I love that I can just lie in bed and hold this over my head and simply use the other hand to swipe. I also love that all of Barnes and Noble's 3 million book library is at my fingertips so long as I have wifi. It was the best to finish Catching Fire and be able to download Mockingjay right then and there. One other great feature is the option to lend books to friends. A good friend of mine got the Nook app on her iPad and so I was able to loan her Mockingjay for her to read. I can also add Nook friends so that I can see what loanable books they have for me to borrow. I also love that I can download library books from my computer and not have to worry about going to the library to get them or return them. If I wanted to I could take notes on my books and change the font size so it would be easier to read. It's also great if you're traveling so I don't have to worry about bringing 12 books with me at once.

Disadvantages
As far as disadvantages go, its not the same as holding a book. I miss being able to judge how far I am in a book by pinching the pages. One of my other biggest problems with my Nook is that you need a light for it, so when I'm going on those early road trips at 5 AM with my dad, I can't read my Nook for a lack of natural light, but thats no different than reading an actual book. If you get a Color or a Tablet then its going to be harder on your eyes, but that's a matter of preference and opinion.

Overall
I like that I have my Nook for occasional use and that I don't need it all the time. I like that it has a long battery life, and that I can read it both indoors and outdoors. I also love that its so small an compact that it fits right in my purse and I don't have to worry about something folding the pages or the cover within my bag. If you're considering an e-reader just for reading, then this bad boy is your Nook, and you can even check out the new Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight out on May 1, 2012!

The Hunger Games: The Movie

So I've expressed how much of a book nerd I am to all of you. I told you about my books, how much I intend to read and that I love to go to the midnight release parties for books as well as for the movies. What makes you think Hunger Games was any different? Not only did I go to the midnight viewing, but I went with my mother, my best friend (who was jet lagged from having landed from a trip to London not 24 hours earlier), and my boyfriend (who I forced to read the book, but admits he enjoyed it). I know this is a little late, but I still had things to add to it.

We got there at 9:30 to find that there was already a line out the door. We hit Target for snacks, Barnes and Noble for coffee and then we went to the theater where they told us they had already let in about 200 people so we could head on in if we wanted to. We found four seats easily, and then settled down to wait for two hours. I had a book with me and so did my best friend, but the boy had to venture down four stories, back to his car to get his. And there we sat reading while the younger children around us screamed in excitement. (I was going a little deaf when they started to hand out posters to whoever was the loudest.) Side note to the posters: My mother marched down to the employees and demanded a poster, who told her they were only for the kids, she proceeded to remind the worker that she was in here talking to him months earlier about the movie, and then he gladly handed one to her. Mom -1, Little kids - 0.

There was lots of screaming when it came to the movie starting and the theater getting darker- but how could there not be? We had all been sitting for TWO HOURS waiting-just waiting. Thats when it started. I spent the entire movie squeezing my boyfriends hand because it was the most stressful movie I have ever seen.

On to my review. Which contains spoilers about the movie.

Amy's Review of Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

Author: Suzanne Collins
Goodreads Rating: 4.09
My Rating: 3.5
Pages: 390
Reviewed by: Amy

Note from Nicole: Even though you already had a review from me on Mockingjay, I wanted to get Amy's take on the book. We're both very different people and I thought it would only be fair to you to provide her side of things.  


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains - except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost. 

Review: 

The Hunger Games Party

So if you've ben paying any attention to my blog, you will know that my mother works for a Barnes and Noble and I love the Hunger Games. With the movie release being on March 23, Barnes and Noble has decided to host parties the night before and the night of the Movie release. (Basically there is a party on March 21 and March 22, and the movie is out on March 23)

If your local Barnes and Noble is near a movie theater (like in the same shopping center as a movie theater, chances are the party will be on Thursday night and then you can walk over to the theater for a midnight viewing of the movie.) If you aren't sure, your best bet is to call your local Barnes and Noble by clicking here. I'm not sure if other local bookstores will be hosting parties as well, but you can always find out.

I couldn't find a picture of my
from the release party, but this
one shows my fandom in high school.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good"

I think going to the parties are the best because (at least the way my mom does it) its a lot of fun especially when people get dressed up and go all out for it. I have a Mockingjay necklace, and pin that I'm going to wear and I'm even getting my hair done to be dressed like the capitol. It's mean to be a good time where we can let out inner geek out. I remember getting dressed up for when Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out (If I can find the pictures I will share them with you). There was the time that I convinced my mother to host a party for Breaking Dawn also, (I met a really great friend that night.

So call your Barnes and Noble or local bookstores to get in on the action, because tomorrow night is bound to be a good time, and if you're lucky enough to have two Barnes and Noble's near you, like myself, then go to both of them! (I have one in a mall with a theater and one that isn't, so I'm going to hit up both!) I know at my mom's store there is going to be trivia and giveaways and all sorts of fun!

Top 5 Series

I have read a lot of books in my short 20 years without including every book that I've read, my Goodreads.com total of read books is 488. Of course, that includes children's books, but still book's that I've read. Some of them have made a huge impact on me and they're counted among my favorite books. Since its been a while since I've read some of them a while a go, I won't include a full blog post about them, but here are some of my top books. I've also decided that I'm going to do a separate post for individual books because series and individual books are so different.


The list after the jump!

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

Author: Suzanne Collins
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.08/5
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Pages: 390


With the newfangled technology that is the Nook, I was able to buy Mockingjay as soon as I finished Catching Fire. On one hand I was super excited to jump right into the series, on the other hand, I wish I had more time to digest Catching Fire and enjoy the series more. A lot of comment about this book was that it wasn't nearly as good as the other books, but it was still an amazing book.


Synopses from Goodreads.com:


Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.


My review after the jump!

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)

Author: Suzanne Collins
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.39/5
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pages: 391




I started reading this series over the summer and since I knew that I was going to be getting a Nook for Christmas, I decided to wait to keep reading the series because they were still in hardcover, and I don't like hardcovers. I knew that I was missing out by waiting, but patience is a virtue. I flew through this book in less than a week. Needless to say, I am not waiting to read the next book.


Synopses from Goodreads.com:


Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster children for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol...


My Review after the jump!

The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins
Average Rating: 4.54/5
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.


I decided to do a review of a book that I read over the summer. This past summer I did my bed to read as much as I could. I read about 35 books this summer and The Hunger Games was one of them. I chose to write about this particular book because of all of the hype surrounding the moving coming out in three short months. I am going to warn you now that this review will contain spoilers after the jump and if You haven't read this book yet, I would do so.


Synopses from Goodreads.com:


Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.


My review after the jump.