These Are a Few of My Favorite Things – Reading Edition

Raindrops on roses And whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favorite things OK so those are not my favorite things – they happen to be Julie Andrew’s from The Sound of Music. But – there are a few things that I’m in love with lately that I need to tell you about. Since this is the Reading Edition (gettin’ all fancy on you with my reading knowledge and a few affiliate links included to help you shop) it’ll be full of things for book lovers! Are you looking for craftier items? Check here for the craft items I can’t live without.  So what can I not live without when it comes to my reading obsession? 

My Kindle

It’s an addiction. There’s been a few times lately that I’ve had to hide it from myself because it is just so darn handy! When I was younger, before palm sized electronics, I used to travel with a stack of books. There’s still a stack of books on my nightstand at all times but now I can easily toss my Kindle in my purse or overnight bag and know that there’s a ton of great books for me to read, whatever mood I’m in.  But what if you can’t read on an electronic device?!  I get that. I do. It took me a few weeks to get used to reading on the Kindle. Actually my first tablet was a Kindle Fire and I still don’t love it to this day. It’s too brightly colored and different from a book. But once I switched to a black and white only Kindle, I found that it was much easier to read on.  For me, the Kindle has actually become easier to read than a book because I can easily change the font size and type, which is handy when I’m reading at night and I’m tired of wearing my glasses. With the Kindle Paperwhite and Voyager (I have both because I’m obsessed) I can easily change the brightness so I don’t have to stop reading when my husband is ready for bed or because it’s too bright outside to see the pages of the book.  With Kindles you can bookmark sections, take notes, or look up words in the dictionary.  You have two Kindles – What’s the difference?  I have 2 Kindles because I already had the Paperwhite and then someone gave my husband a Voyager. The Paperwhite is the middle of the road Kindle with the Fire being the bottom. The Voyager is the second to top Kindle version that will cost you the most.  Here’s my thoughts on them all: Kindle Fire – Eh. Good for kids.  They’re bright and can function as a regular tablet with apps and games installed. But they’re also great for kids because you can set reading goals and time limits. Watch out getting the really cheap ones on sale because if you read the fine print it will say with ads.  This means that the very first screen you see when you open the Kindle Fire screen will be a full page ad that’s not always kid friendly. You can pay an extra free ($30 I think) to have the ads permanently removed but the cheap ones are not always worth it if you don’t like giant ads for gambling sites and adult only games.  Kindle Paperwhite – Perfectly Perfect in every way. This is my true love. The Paperwhite is purely for reading. It’s not a gaming tablet. The screen is gentle on your eyes and truly has no glare. It doesn’t have frills but if you’re a reading purist, you don’t need them. You can easily flip to the next page by touching the screen.  It holds a ton of books and is easy to read on.  Kindle Voyager – Fancy is her name. The Kindle Voyager has ergonomic style that makes it easier to hold as well as it’s the smallest and lightest Kindle. The size is great for throwing in bags. But apart from the ergonomic style and size, it’s basically a Paperwhite. Yes, there is some fancy page turning aspects that are touted on their website but I can’t figure those out to be honest. Would I buy this again? If it was on sale for the same price as the Paperwhite but I wouldn’t pay full price for it.  Kindle Oasis – Amazon just announced a new version of the Oasis that is waterproof. So if you’re a big time bath tub reader, this might be a good option for you. The Oasis also has bluetooth and a built in audio book reader. It is larger than other Kindles and comes at the highest price point.  600 words on my love for Kindle. Yup, it’s a sickness. 

My Favorite Books Lately –

I read a lot. Sometimes I go onto the Kindle store and just find whatever free books they are offering that day and pick the one with the prettiest cover (hard hitting, I know) but I’ve always been a fan of the classics. (My love for Mr. Darcy is not hidden here on this blog.) Over the past year I’ve read everything from classics, war stories, regency in modern day stories, modern day royal books, and also went through a hefty kick on books about living in Alaska.  But… I’ve fallen in love with books by Katherine Reay.  I just finished Dear Mr. Knightley and to be honest, I’m trying to figure out if I should read it again immediately or wait a few weeks. Lizzy and Jane was also a book that I thought about for a long time after reading it.  She puts a twist on Jane Austen books that I never saw coming. Another author that I tend to favor is Rachel Hauck.  If you like royal type stories, you’ll like her Royal Wedding Series.  What’s On My To-Read List?        

The Best Shirt Ever

I first saw this shirt on Zulily but a search on the internet showed it in a different color way on Amazon so I bought it in the darker shade from Amazon. Sadly that shirt ran small and my husband laughed when he saw me trying to put it on after I washed it for the first time. I was heartbroken. I gave it to my mother-in-law and then when I saw it on Zulily a few weeks later, I snapped it up!  I can’t even tell you how many compliments on get on this shirt every single time I wear it.  My mother-in-law says the same about her shirt. Let’s just admit it now – bookmarks are for quitters.  I’m going to wear this shirt until my husband has to sneak it out the backdoor twenty years from now.  Buy the Bookmarks are for Quitters shirt from Amazon here. 

The Perfect Library Bag

This is an old back-to-school craft from this blog but it’s super easy and such a fun bag for anyone that loves to read! Change out the name of the teacher to a list of the books you want to ready or a quote from your favorite book and you’re ready to go!  Want to make your own easy library bag? Here’s the instructions.    If you’re a reader, this post has been for you! If you’re not a reader that’s OK because we’ll always be united by our love of glue guns and need of aloe vera plants.