Stumbling Upon Kindle Books

 I received a Kindle for a Christmas present last year, and I’ve slowly warmed to the device. Before Kindle, I’d been a library addict cruising my locals’ virtual stacks because it’s cheap and returning books is a better option than stacking my old reads to the ceiling. Friends recommend books occasionally, but I often hear about books online, research the author and query the library’s search engine. When the book is available, I see how long the reserve line will delay my reading. Forget reading the latest Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich or other bestsellers out of the library.

But there are many books that are only available in the electronic version, which I must pay to read. The price of Kindle books is a factor for me. Although I appreciate eBooks, innately I don’t value them as much as a real paper book. I’m sure that my prejudice is due to my 20^th century orientation but paying full price for an eBook doesn’t seem right. Unless you trade devices, you can’t lend an eBook. Yes, it’s in your library forever via the Cloud (I guess), but still it’s virtual, which isn’t real.

My favorite price point for eBooks is $3.99 or lower, which means I still use the library to read my favorite authors published by traditional press because the publishers set the price of their eBooks no lower than $7.99, but more frequently $9.99, which is more expensive than a paperback--more in the realm of trade paperback. My guess is that the publishers want their paper books bought and use their price point as a disincentive to download. I wonder if they realize that some of us still won’t buy the book but will read it from the library. 

Readers may search the Kindle stacks by author or title, but then it also has books in the following categories: “Top 100 Paid,” “Kindle Singles,” “100 Kindle Books for $3.99 or Less,” Kindle Owners’ Lending Library,” “NY Times Best Sellers,” "Children’s Picture Books,” “Comic Books,” “New and Noteworthy” and  “Best of the Year So Far.” Of the latter two categories, I’m not sure what their criteria are for a book’s selection. So, you can see why I’ve become enamored by the $3.99 price point. It’s the category that I peruse the most, and I’ve stumbled upon some interesting books. I know that authors have the option of putting their books into Kindle Select, which offers books at a reduced price for a given time period to induce sales and hook readers, so I figure I’m getting bargains and on occasion will run into really good reads.

Here are a few of the books I’ve found and liked using my stumbling search through the Kindle stacks:

The Black Stiletto by Raymond Benson—who has written James Bond 007 serials and Tom Clancy novels under another name, both of which I consider to be “guy” books, which I don’t read. But in this series, his main character is a woman, in the past, and in the present, her son. If you’re attracted to New York City in the 1950s, try this book.

Sleeping Roses by RaShelle Workman—turns on its head. You think you know what you’re reading, but then the premise changes, where fiction turns into real life, but it’s fiction—or maybe not. Decide for yourself.

Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan—The plot explores one dysfunctional family, stemming from the conflicted grandmother. It’s one of those books that I’ve read a million times with the same Catholic guilt theme, and yet I had to keep reading it. I’m not sure I actually liked any of the characters, and yet it was compelling.     

Favorite by Karen McQuestion—I think this may be categorized as YA fiction, but I enjoyed it. The main character is a sixteen-year-old girl whose mother disappeared. She solves that mystery.

War Brides by Helen Bryan—the book taught me nothing new about WWII, but it had a fresh perspective. The book is set in a small town on the Southeastern coast of England. The plot follows the lives of five war brides and their contributions to the war effort. I hadn’t thought about how women relate in the absence of contemporary men, Bryan’s unique perspective.

Our Husband by Stephanie Bond—a fun read about three wives, who are also murder suspects, in the unnatural death of their polygamous husband. It’s a hoot.

Beach Bum Note: The Kindle Fire is NOT good for beach reading. I sit under the umbrella with my sunglasses off squinting to read the screen. Choose another type of Kindle for beach reading.