This is The Sunday Salon meme; dedicated to chatting about your literary ventures of the week. This week I am going to discuss – ebook readers. Yes, ebook readers.

Ebook Readers get a lot of flack in the book blogging circuit. I admit, I was one to not really understand the whole concept of reading on an electronic device until recently. My husband gave me the iPad2 for my birthday/Valentine’s day combo present this year.  The screen is about the size of a hardback book so you’re not reading on a tiny screen. You can explore a variety of E-readers and accesories at Best Buy and find what gadget fits your lifestyle.

The iPad has quite a few different apps that you can use so you can download various book formats. You can get the Kindle app from Amazon or you can get the Nook app from Barnes and Noble. My preferred app, however, is Stanza. It pretty much allows you to read any format from any ebook reader. This helps a lot if you can’t find a book you want in a format you need.

Now, here are 5 reasons I like my ebook reader over the real deal.

1. I can download books from the store within minutes. You can find your books in your pajamas. You can wear nothing at all, if you should wish. You simply use your device to shop for an ebook of your choosing and purchase. The book is yours, forever.

2. Ebooks are cheaper. Have you tried getting a new bestseller when all they have is hardcover form? I’ve seen hardcovers average at around $17 while the ebooks, I have seen anywhere from 7.99 to 11.99. Plus think of all the money you are saving on gas and we know gas is not exactly cheap now a days. The bookstore is around the corner from me and timing on a gas gauge, it costs about $5 just to drive too and from the bookstore. Save it, and buy your book online.

3. Save valuable space within your home. (Your spouse will thank you) My husband is not a reader; not like I am.  So therefore he doesn’t get the appeal of a thousand books displayed proudly all over the home. Forrest’s taste are simple and clean and he tends to see my books as clutter — and they are, as I have so many of them. When you have an ebook reader, you can still have thousands of books and yet have more room for things that are important to the important people in your life; even if it is just empty space.

4. No waiting “until you get home” to start another book. When I am reading, I am often out and about. I do a lot of reading in my car as Forrest drives the family from point A to point B on errands or various activities.  But what happens if you finish one paperback book and aren’t due to be home for hours? With an ebook reader you can simply start another book that interests you. I love not having to wait!

5. Reading in the dark. Oh you can’t beat this. Sometimes because of Forrest’s hours, he goes to bed early. But when I am in the middle of a good book, I really don’t want to go to bed, yet he can’t sleep without me. He hates the light on — so how exactly can I read a book? The iPad makes it very easy. I can adjust the brightness of my screen. Then stanza has a night time setting where the background is black and text is white. Then when you tap the screen in a downward motion, it dims the screen even more. With an ebook reader, I can read in the dark.

So.. aren’t you just a LITTLE curious about ebook readers, now?