Me on Kobo (1)

Me on Kobo is a new thing here at Me on Books. Every Thursday (or every other Thursday, I'm trying to work out a schedule) a new post will go up as I discuss the bits I've discovered about the new Kobo Aura HD, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The Kobo Aura HD releases on April 25th.

Week 1: The Basics

I'll be going through the setup and the general look of the Kobo Aura HD this first week. Later on, I imagine I'll be getting into the features, the readability of different kinds of e-books (PDF and ePDF, etc.), and all the extras.

(Disclaimer: I received a free sample of the Kobo Aura HD from Kobo in exchange for an honest opinion and evaluation of the product.)

First, the setup.

The setup was quick and easy. I've already been through a Kobo setup previously (I was given a Kobo Wi-Fi as a present a couple of years ago), but this was far simpler and ran much faster (same computer for both setups). The booklet (pictured above to the right of the device) is quick-forward and simple, but one recommendation for anyone going through the setup for the first time (with any type/version of Kobo): download and install Kobo Desktop and set up an account FIRST before plugging in the device. It's possible that, after the initial download and install of the desktop app, you'll need to reboot your computer. Of course, this is a personal choice thing. In the end, it's up to you. For this, I opened the desktop app first in case there was an update (and there was, but no reboot was needed) and then plugged the Kobo into my laptop.

It's all basic setup instructions. Pick a language, wait for it to sync with the desktop app. Then you're pretty much free to go nuts adding books (to a point, you will need to add a credit card to your Kobo account to be able to purchase books, but there are a number of free books available to download immediately.)

Second, the looks.

As you can see, this one is black. It looks rather sleek. It also comes in white and dark brown. For comparison purposes, I have set it next to the Kobo Wi-Fi version. (NOTE: the Kobo Aura HD also has Wi-Fi. The selling point of my previous Kobo was it was just like its predecessor, only it had Wi-Fi so you didn't need to plug it into your computer to add books to it.) There isn't much of a size difference between the two, slight variations in height and width, similar thickness. The Kobo Aura HD is a bit heavier and the screen is bigger (I've left the protective film on to protect the touch screen).

The back is rather interesting. The Kobo Aura HD claims to have an "iconic and ergonomic design" in order to fit in your hand "just like a physical book." As I use it, I'll have more to say on that feature.

At the top edge is the sliding power button (far right) and the ComfortLight button (right but closer to the middle). The bright red of the power button bothers me. On such a slim, sleek device, a red button just doesn't work for me. Perhaps small icons to show which button does which, or perhaps the light button could also light up when turned on. For a device that is all black with some dark grey text, the red just doesn't work.

So far, after the initial setup and first glance, it looks nice. It has the look of a regular tablet and not just an e-reader. It looks crisp and clean and, in black, very professional.

Next time, I'll go deeper into the device, perhaps look at the different features like the light, the altering of fonts, and how enhanced the readability really is. Of course, you are welcome to suggest topics. :)

Me on Invisibility

Title: Invisibility
Authors: Andrea Cremer & David Levithan
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Philomel (Penguin imprint)

Stephen is used to invisibility. He was born that way. Invisible. Cursed. Elizabeth sometimes wishes for invisibility. When you're invisible, no one can hurt you. So when her mother decides to move the family to New York City, Elizabeth is thrilled. It's easy to blend in there. Then Stephen and Elizabeth meet. To Stephen's amazement, she can see him. And to Elizabeth's amazement, she wants him to be able to see her. All of her. But as the two become closer, an invisible world gets in their way-a world of grudges and misfortunes, spells and curses. And once they're thrust into this world, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how deep they're going to go-because the answer could mean the difference between love and death.

Invisibility is a haunting, mysterious, and complex tale of two very different and very complicated young voices. One wants to be seen, one wants to hide, and when the two meet an invisible world is revealed and the truth threatens them both. Amid the curses, the spells, the danger, and the unflinching truth is the simple act of seeing, of being seen, and the heart-wrenching loneliness of invisibility.

Both narrators stood out in different ways, told different sides of the same story. Stephen's voice was elusive, hesitant, complex, all evident of a life of being invisible, of little to no contact with others. How are you supposed to communicate with the world when the world doesn't know you're there? His is the voice of someone who sees the world differently, who sees the world from a different angle, perhaps as something wondrous but also a kind of prison. As wide and wonderful as the world is, he inhabits it without ever being seen wandering along its paths.

Elizabeth's voice, by contrast, is slightly more open. She's caring, expressive, creative. The move to New York City means she can start over, start a happier life than the one she left. She wants to create a new version of herself for the world to see. She knows the world can see her, but it sure would be interesting to not be seen. Hers is a voice that's sweet and happy but has been through heartache. Above all else she's outrageously protective of those she cares about, about her brother Laurie, her mother, and, after she meets him, Stephen. As wide and wonderful as the world is, there must be a place for her, either to be seen or to be invisible.

At the start, the book is reminiscent of a daydream. Stephen's sudden encounter with someone who can see him, who can finally see him, and all the new sensations that stem from it. Elizabeth is thrilled to meet someone new, someone nice, someone she might really care about. The connection between the two of them is there, weaving them together until they share pieces of themselves. It's the pure enjoyment of finding someone who listens, who sees, who cares, but then reality takes hold. Then the truth comes out, and the search into the darkness begins.

What is it like to truly be invisible? What is it like to go through like with no one ever laying a single eye upon you? The loneliness would be staggering, a sorrowful and bitter taste. But what if one day, one day after a lifetime of never being seen, someone's eyes land on you? What if their voice reaches out to you? What would happen next?

I find this to be an exploration of what it is to see, of what it is to be seen and to be invisible, of what the world sees when they look at us and of what we want the world to see. It's an exploration of connections, of desires and wishes, of the dark truth that circles without anyone knowing, and of the hope that, one day, someone will see the real you that you've been waiting to show the world for the longest time.

(I acquired an advance copy of this title at ALA Midwinter.)

Me on Waiting on Wednesday (125)

Waiting on Wednesday is a bunch of weekly fun hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. :)

Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: Dutton (Penguin imprint)

From Goodreads:

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

This is one of the few contemporary YA series that's grabbed hold and entertained me so much over the past few years. The characters are flawed and funny and quirky and the stories have consequences and laughs and crying. I just want to read this book as soon as possible, and I hope it'll be as fun as the previous two. I don't think this is the full description, but it's all we have so far.

Me on Icons

Title: Icons
Author: Margaret Stohl
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group imprint)

Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered and the power stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn't know it was fighting. Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside, safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid. She's different, and she survived. Why? When Dol and best friend Ro are captured and taken to the Embassy, they only find more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a conspiracy. Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions, which they've always thought to be their greatest weaknesses, may actually be their greatest strengths.

Icons is intriguing, dangerous, secretive, and important. Mixed with self-discovery and self-realization is a mission to take back what was stolen. The world is, essentially, held captive, but there are those willing to rebel against these alien leaders, and there are those who possess the skills needed to save the rest of the human population.

Dol is afraid. So afraid. Not just of the Icons, or the Lords, but of herself. Of why she survived the Day when her entire family died around her. She's afraid of the reason she survived. She's different and she knows it, she can feel it. But why is she different?

And it's not just her. It's also her life-long friend Ro, the ambassador's son Lucas, and the newly-met Tima. They're all different, they're all marked, but they don't know why. Why were they brought together? Who is really pulling the strings? They're wanted for a reason, that much is clear, but what for?

When world-building is done well and the world feels believable, it makes the book that much more realistic. There is an aging of the current world, advancements in technology and the like, but there's also a de-evolving of sorts. No electricity in outlying areas, simple encampments and hideouts, lack of schools, new customs and currency and food and stories and songs and groups. There seem to be two sides, the hidden staying out of trouble side and the privileged and technologically-advanced side that serve the Icons and the Lords.

If aliens do come to Earth, what's to say that their intentions will be peaceful? These aliens came, and they killed, and they took, and now humanity has crumbled. But what was their true agenda?

Love and loss, the two go hand in hand. Dol constantly mourns the loss of her family, but she still has Ro. She has Ro whom she's cared for for years, Ro and his fiery personality and power, but she can't help but be drawn to Lucas and his innate charisma. In the end, it might very well come down to who she trusts the most, her most trusted friend or the son of the woman who does what the Lords command her to do.

Dol is pushed to make some extremely difficult decisions. Who to trust, what to believe, where to go. The biggest will be whether or not she chooses to put aside her fear of herself, of the things that make her different from everyone else, and if she'll embrace it to save herself and those she cares about. If she doesn't, they could all end up dead. A very intriguing start to a series with many questions left unanswered and more than a few possibilities opened up for the next book.

(I received an advance copy of this book to review from Hachette Book Group Canada.)

Me on This Week's Book Week (48)

This Week's Book Week is like Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews only there are no shelves or any mentions of stacking. ;)

So... this was an odd week.

The PICC line for my antibiotics went in on Monday. Then on Tuesday I woke up all dizzy and nauseous, but after some water I felt better, then after lunch I felt better, then I felt weird again and napped, and then I felt better for the rest of the week. Kind of goes so show that I'll need to take it easy for the next little while. My sister and I went through the home training for my antibiotics, so instead of going to the clinic every day it's only once a week for a check-up and some blood work. Yay. :)

During the week I got an e-mail from someone at Kobo in Toronto asking if I was interested in testing out the new Kobo Aura HD before it comes out on the 25th. And I said yes. And it arrived on Friday. Now, you guys know how I'm still not that interested in reading by e-book, that I resist often and cave as a last resort, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Compared to my plain Kobo with Wi-Fi, it's a nice upgrade. There's a lot I don't like about my old Kobo, so we'll see how this new one goes. I might do weekly updates on how I'm doing with it, maybe on Thursdays. Let me know what you guys think. (My sister asked if I'd have to give it back after a while but I said I wasn't sure, it's a valid question.) (My sister was also interested in playing the games it has.)

It's a three review week next week. Reviews will go up on Icons by Margaret Stohl (Monday), Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan (Wednesday), and The Originals by Cat Patrick (Friday). :)

Received:
The Uprising by Lisa M. Stasse (to review from Simon & Schuster Canada)
The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch (to review from Random House Canada through NetGalley) (Amy's a debut Canadian author, even though she lives in the UK. :) Her book comes out at the beginning of June.)
Kobo Aura HD (as discussed above)

Purchased:
What Really Happened in Peru by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan (e-book)
Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels by Hélène Boudreau (e-book)