#reading – Blue Pen Strokes

Wanted: The Perfect e-Reader

The Kindle brand name is so deeply imprinted in the minds of book aficionados that we rarely seek options. However, various Kindle e-readers models have the limitation of being tied to the Amazon ecosystem and not supporting all file formats. The Kindle platform doesn’t support EPUB books, which is one of the usual formats for e-books.

Features lacking in Kindles occur on other e-readers. Yet there is no single device that can cover it all. I see this as a sizeable gap in the market of e-readers. As a regular reader, I have used a tablet that allows multiple reading apps, however; it comes with all the trappings of a mobile phone and harsh lighting. An e-reader is a significant device for a pleasant reading experience, in various lighting scenarios, and most importantly, distraction-free engagement.

This article by Hooked to Books brings forth some alternatives to Kindles. NOOK Glowlight Plus drew my attention as it allows Android apps to be installed to read different formats. The Onyx BOOX Max3 is an interesting device with a stylus experience. A stylus-based writing pad can change the whole reading landscape by allowing for handwritten notes. Audiobooks, read-aloud features, and voice-controls should be a part of the e-reader package.

The ideal e-reader will combine features of all. A consumer seeking a holistic experience will not mind the cost tag. The technology is out there. We just need someone to put it all together. Are the techies listening? Here is an article that I read later that talks about additional features for the perfect Kindle.

Dear readers, have you found the perfect e-reader? Do share in the comments.

Bookworm Joys – 2021

In the year of the pandemic, reading has helped me stay focused, and most importantly stay home. Reading and creative writing as hobbies have given me much succor and the required mental boost. I have provided guidance to a few new authors, who reached out to me and at each step, it has been a learning experience and a cherished fellowship.

Reedsy Discovery Book Reviewer Leaderboard

One of the best things that happened to me as a reader was when I started writing book reviews for Reedsy Discovery. I have read so many amazing new authors and indie writers in different genres, learned so much, and contributed in my way to spread the word about some brilliant self-publications. I have been on a reading spree in 2021 and am often featured as the Reedsy Discovery top reviewer. Read this blog post on how my Reedsy journey began in April 2021.

In the year of the pandemic, reading has helped me stay focused, and most importantly, stay home. Reading and creative writing as hobbies have given me much succor, and the required mental boost. I have provided guidance to a few new authors, who reached out to me and at each step, it has been a learning experience and a cherished fellowship.

By the end of the year, I will have read 30 books on the UK-based Reedsy Discovery platform. Apart from this I have also read and reviewed complimentary copies from the Himalayan Book Club for Indian writers. These badges from Reedsy Discovery Leaderboard inspire me. You can read the book reviews here: https://reedsy.com/discovery/user/aneeshashewani/reviews

Books, Paper, and Pens

Books were bought with care and cherished; not hoarded into digital spaces because someone recommended the next best-seller. Reading was not competition; it was relaxation.

I have a Rumi Pocketbook in my desk, since more than two decades, and once upon a time it gave me much succour. That was before the age of the madness of devices. It moved around with me one house to another, packed in boxes. Then, it lay quietly in a drawer, waiting, holding words of wisdom in it’s bosom, until my 11-year old son retrieved it and asked if it was age-appropriate for him to read! My heart overflowed with joy!

It is important to have books in the house – hardcovers, paperbacks; diaries, 📒 notebooks and stationery – little treasures, waiting to be discovered. Let your children unearth the bounty, find solace and refuge in the power of the written word. My son writes in his little Harry Potter themed journal or blogs only after jotting down ideas in a notebook. He loves glitter pens and gel pens, and no batch of bookmarks🔖 or post-it notes are ever enough. We share our love for stationery and to his credit I have introduced him to the indulgence. I blogged about this earlier also.

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