Right before our trip to Thailand I purchased a Kindle Paperwhite. I have been resisting the purchase of an e-reader for a long time because of my preconceived notions about them. I love the feel, smell and sound of paper bound together. Books have a special place in my heart and home, as my husband would attest to, and I was worried that e-readers would take over the world of books as we know it. However, despite my apocalyptic bookish fears, the convenience factor of an e-reader for travelling won me over. With an e-reader I could have a whole heap of books at my disposal while traveling without packing a whole heap of books!
What I quickly came to discover as I traveled through Thailand with my e-reader was that it is a wonderful little gadget. The Kindle Paperwhite is light and easy to read from. It has several apps built in which are handy like the dictionary and X-ray. My only complaint is about an e-reader is that it isn’t as easy to quickly skim and skip through pages. The other thing I had to get use to was not having my bookmark as a testament of how far I’ve made it through a book. Yes, the Kindle gives you a percentage marker for you reading progress but I like being able to look at the location of my book mark and congratulating myself accordingly. Regardless of the few disadvantages I have been really enjoying my Kindle and have been using it to read a variety of books.
Outlander by Diana Galbadon
I am little behind with discovering the popular Outlander series. Outlander, the first book of the series begins its story in post-WWII and follows a woman, Claire Beaumond, as she travels to Scotland with her husband Frank. While visiting Scotland she finds herself drawn to a circle of standing stones which somehow transports her two hundred years into the past. What follows next is a gripping story of her adventures in the Scottish Highlands. I finished Outlander rather quickly and found it to be an exciting read, one that I would recommend. One small warning, however, is that the book has its fair share of sexual encounters, one of which is rather disturbing. There is also an television series currently being released based on the first book.
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Galbadon
After being swallowed up by the thrills of the Scottish highlands I moved on to the second book of the Outlander series, Dragonfly in Amber. I will admit that this book has not hooked me in as much as the first. I am only a third of the way through and have put it aside for days at a time. The beginning surprised me, then what followed was somewhat interesting. After a while, dare I say it, it got slow and boring. I haven’t given up on the book just yet though as I have heard that it does pick up at some point.
10% Happier by Dan Harris
Dan Harris, Nightline news-anchor, exposes his own struggles with anxiety and the unexpected journey that brings him to acknowledge the benefits of meditation. An interesting and entertaining read, and one that I recommend if you struggle with anxiety.
The Monogram Murders: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery by Sophie Hannah
I am fan of Agatha Christie and enjoy a good murder mystery, so I was thrilled to discover this new Piorot-esque book. The book itself was entertaining. It wasn’t an authentic portrayal of Poirot or books written by Agatha Christie, but if you approach the book without any expectations it is a pleasant read.
The Value of Simple: A Practical Guide to Taking the Complexity out of Investing by John Robertson
If you know very little about investing and feel intimidated by the investing world, this Canadian book is a good place to start. It strikes a good balance between being neither simplistic nor overly complex. It provides enough information to get you starting with investing without bogging you down with every tiny detail. It sheds some light on the benefits and challenges of RRSPs, TFSAs, RESPs etc. and provides some easy to follow DIY investing ideas.
The Last Days of Jesus by Bill O’Reilly
Bill O’Reilly offers a historical overview of Jesus. Unsure of what to expect, I found that this book was both interesting and incomplete. I read the book it its entirety and was captivated by the historical details but my Catholic background left me feeling that so much was missing from this book.
Camping British Columbia and Yukon by Jayne Seagrave
A great book, that contains detailed descriptions of hundreds of campgrounds throughout British Columbia and the Yukon. I have been slowly making my way through this book, marking off the places I want to visit in the near future.