Sunday Salon - 2011 into 2012

I started writing this on Christmas Eve here in the UK and am completing it on New Years Eve, where did that week go?

Over the course of the last couple of months I have been laid up with sciatica and feeling pretty miserable about being unable to continue with my normal routine. During that time I have read a few books, not as many as you might think, written a few blog posts and watched a few programmes on the television. I also seriously considered getting a Kindle.

I set about reading posts of those who had blogged about their Kindle, and in the end decided upon the Kindle Keyboard as this allows free 3G access and we are planning a trip to Australia in 2012, this sounded just the ticket. All being well, there is one wrapped and under the tree, or at least there looks to be a Kindle shaped box under the tree. Sadly, I can not bend down to pick up it and have a prod and shake! - update, there was one under the tree and I am delighted with it! Thanks Santa, sorry, I mean hubby!

While I was researching I discovered a few web pages and alike that give access to Kindle books including those that are free, or free for a limited amount of time.

• FreeeBookDeal
• eReaderIQ
• Smashwords

There are just so many wonderful books out there, OK, there are some dreadful ones too, but....the ebook and the free ebook at that, does allow the reader to explore perhaps unknown authors, or for authors to test the water. I truly didn't think that I would become so interested in e-books. I love the feel of books, the smell of old books and looking at bookshelves. E-books can bring us reading at a different level and with ease. It was the obvious solution to the question of how was I going to choose books for a month in Australia? I would have to take books with me that perhaps I could leave there. This is the perfect solution and my Kindle model has the 3G capacity at no extra charge, so I might be able to explore email too!

I have a few book review to post, a few is actually about 10 - two of them are e-books, one is a review book for an organisation and another two are reviews for authors. The rest are my reading over the last few months.  

 A recent, enjoyable and easy read, via e-book, which I read via iPad, was the Book Bloggers Cook Book for 2011. You can read my review HERE

The plan for 2012 is to get the reviews caught up. Plan my trip to Oz and make a serious dent in the mountain of books that I still need to read. I have signed up for a selection of reading challenges. About 6 of them, in the main I have opted for the smallest contribution for each challenge, which is easily manageable and will allow for extra reading and overlap.

I am also planning to complete the 30 day book meme that I started in November, but with my back and Christmas I fell behind, so aim to complete that during January. For those interested the list of prompts is HERE.

For Christmas I did receive some books. Mum is pretty much the only person to buy me books - so this was wonderful. More on that in a later post. 

During the lead up to Christmas I took part in the Virtual Advent Tour hosted by Marg of Intrepid Reader. I loved taking part and am still reading the posts others submitted - with all these great blogs and posts it is a wonder we have time for books! Anyway, I wanted to share with you in particular one of the two posts that I wrote for the event 18th December. The 18th December was selected because it would have been my Grandmother's 99th Birthday. I chose to make the remembrance different using Kiva. I plan to commorate other specific family events using Kiva during 2012.The other post was on 21st December and was written to commemorate my husband's special birthday. 

Well that is is, all that is left to say on this final Sunday Salon for 2011 is Happy New Year! and to share with you a New Year Postcard sent from the Battle Fields of the First World War. This card was sent in 1916. If you are interested in the people behind the card click HERE