Reading recommendations

I still haven’t got a kindle. Don’t feel sorry for me, as I am more than adequately techied up. I do have the kindle app which means I can read on my iPhone or my iPad so I’m not missing out. Here are a few e-book recommendations.

It must be so interesting being a crime writer. I was sitting in Starbucks the other day reading this crime thriller and I had to google 'can you get DNA from vomit?' Imagine your days filled with questions like that. My friend and former Novel Racer, Mel has just published her first book, Taunting the Dead, featuring DS Allie Shenton. I love a novel with had a strong sense of place – in Stoke on Trent – I loved all the references to the pottery industry.) It was gritty and a brilliant page-turner. I recommend it to anyone who likes to get into a gory crime.

My second recommendation is an anthology, Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After.  A collection of twenty-six short stories written by a group of women who have had hundreds of stories published in women’s magazines. They’ve written novels, had stories win prizes in competition and there’s something here for everyone. I love a short story in between my first love – novels.

Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After includes stories by Cally Taylor, Bernadette James, Tamsyn Murrary, Jill Steeples, Jenny Maltby, Deborah Carr, Karen Clarke, Sally Quilford, Kathleen McGurl, Sarah Dunnakey, Helen Kara, Helen M Hunt and Leigh Forbes.

My third recommendation is Five Stop Story: Short Stories to Read in 5 Stops on Your Commute. Five Stop Story is an electronic publisher specializing in short stories by new writers that you can read in five stops on the underground – or indeed, the BTS. Since their inception they’ve had over 1,000 entries to their competitions and this ebook features 30 of the best stories from those entries. 

And, look at the cover! Isn’t it just beautiful?

The slippery slope

I like electronic gadgets but I like books more. If I had to choose (who would be so cruel? I luurve my iPhone/mac) I'd choose books; you know the things, the paper, ink, binding, gorgeous front cover, bit of blurb on the back to entice me in…

I've watched the growth of the e-reader with interest. I haven't been so rash as to declare 'they'll never catch on' but I have felt a certain smugness that there will always be books with pages you can turn, whose spines crease as you work your way through the story. There are too many others like me who love real books.

But will there?

On 1 December this year I was part of Talli Roland's blog splash. Her debut novel The Hating Game was released in Kindle format and wanting to help push the book up the Amazon Kindle ranks I purchased a copy. I don't have any e-reader so I downloaded the Kindle app for my iPhone and bought an electronic copy of The Hating Game.

OMG. I LOVED it. I loved having something entertaining to read wherever I was. As I raced around Bangkok dropping and picking up Daughter who's been rehearsing for three different shows simultaneously I always had something to read without the weight of a book. E-readers are not exclusive; I can like books at the same time as reading on my iPhone.

I knew immediately I finished The Hating Game that I had to have another book on my iPhone for those out and about moments... Think of the reading time you can snatch: waiting in a queue, in a taxi/bus/train. Back at Amazon I realized I will always need real flesh and blood books (To Kill a Mockingbird); those volumes you treasure but there can also be books for your e-reader.

There I've said it. There's room for both. I just hope it isn't the slippery slope. 

So in the meantime what would be your must have, flesh and blood, actual book?