If you’re like me, maybe you got a lot of books for Christmas. I know I’ll be kept busy for the next few months – the parents sent me Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible to peruse for new heart-stopping butter-filled recipes, the boyfriend got me The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and his mom got me the entire Hunger Games trilogy. As if that wasn’t enough, my parents got me a subscription to Angry Robot Books, which means I’ll be getting “free” ebooks for the next six months from what is basically my favorite publisher. Awesome.
Maybe you’re not like me, though – maybe you’re like my mom, who got a brand new Kindle Touch for Christmas, and you’re looking for a few things to fill it up with. I am here to help.
I love ebooks, and though I love regular books too, the cool thing about ebooks is that you can just download them instantly and start reading. I’ve actually read way more in this past year than I had the year before, just because I had access to ebooks on Nick’s kindle (and now my tablet.)
So here’s some of my favorites from this year and things I think you should check out if you’ve got a brand new shiny device to fill up with brand new shiny books:
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Shotgun Gravy – Chuck Wendig, $2.99
I just finished this one a few days ago, and I’ll be honest, my head is still ticking about it. Chuck is one of my favorite writers, and this novella seems to be dipping a toe into the Young Adult (YA) genre that I love so very much…only, you know, with a heavy dose of profanity and vulgar language. It tells the story of a teenage girl who we know very little about, except that she’s done something very bad - and how she gets herself into and out of a mess. Highly recommended if you’d like a taste of “YA for Adults,” as it were – thanks to the “novella” style of the story, it’s also a fast read that will leave you ready for more in just a few hours.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan, $8.99
A little “pricey” for an ebook, but worth every cent – Nick and I read this book earlier this year in it’s actual hardcover form and absolutely loved it. An actual YA novel peppered with nerdy jokes, this book tells the story of two very different teenagers from different sides of the same town, both named Will Grayson. At first you aren’t totally sure how the alternating chapters have anything to do with each other – until the book turns, and suddenly everyone is muddled together with one another. Easily one of my favorite books I read this year.
Vegas Knights – Matt Forbeck, $4.79
Remember earlier when I said I loved Angry Robot Books? The folks at their publishing house were kind enough to send me an ARC of this book before it hit shelves (digital or otherwise) and I absolutely could not put it down. Matt tells us a story of two college-age magic users (sound familiar?) who get themselves in a mess larger than they can handle when they head to Las Vegas to try using magic to cheat in the casinos. If you’re a fan of Harry Potter or other “urban fantasy” type settings, you’ll love this one – and as seems to be the case with Matt’s other books (I also highly recommend Amortals) he throws in a twist before you reach the end that you won’t see coming – but will keep you on the edge of your seat til the end.
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins, $4.69
Another book that I read in paperback (and now own the hardcover of, thanks to Christmas) – this book also falls under the YA header, but is absolutely suitable for readers of all ages. Suzanne’s writing is a little difficult to work past at first, but once you get to the core of the brutal story, you won’t be able to put it down. Our leading lady, Katniss Everdeen, has volunteered to take her sister’s place in a gruesome battle that takes place each year in the nation of Panem. Only two contestants are chosen from each district each year, and only one of the children – yes, children - can survive. This book follows Katniss to the end – and you’ll want to follow right along, too.
The Secret Garden - Francis Hodgson Burnett, $0.00
As a kid, I remember watching this movie. I remember being fascinated by the garden, frightened by the epidemic in the beginning, and just incredibly moved by the entire thing. Since this book is a freebie, I downloaded it to read and – uh, wow, okay, I forgot how dark this story was. The epidemic in the beginning? Terrifying. In fact, I’m actually not all the way through this one, but since it’s a freebie there’s no reason you shouldn’t pick it up, right? Go for it!
Beauty Has Her Way - Anthology, $4.99
Last but not least, if you like stories of kickass female protagonists, you’ll want to pick up this anthology. This is another one that I admittedly haven’t finished yet – I like to read short stories one-or-two at a time – but so far the tales within have been wonderful. If you’re a fan of role playing games and things like it, you’ll be pleased to see some stories from folks like Ed Greenwood, Filamena Hill, Chuck Wendig, and so on tucked between these digital pages. Since many of the folks have more kindle books and novels that they wrote on their own, this could be a great sampler for someone looking to discover new authors that publish in the digital format.
So what about you, folks? Have a favorite book you read this year, digital or not? Are you an e-reader person? Share your story suggestions in the comments, say hello, share your love of reading, and so on. Lets get our read on.
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