
We’re excited to partner up with Barnes & Nobleย for our latest Gimme Some Reads giveaway: not just one, but two B&N NOOKs!
Barnes & Noble is giving away the latest version of the NOOK GlowLight, as well as a NOOK HD — so, two of our readers get to enjoy their very own free e-reader. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!
What is Included in the Giveaway?
One lucky winner will receive:
And, another lucky winner will receive:
- 1 NOOK HD
How to Enter the NOOK Giveaway:
Note: The giveaway will be going on through December 13th.
I’ve never owned an e-reader, but got to test drive these two NOOKs for a few weeks so I could offer a more personal review. As someone who loves the feel and character of a book with paper pages, but who has occasionally borrowed an e-version from the library to read on my phone, it was definitely interesting to see why so many people love their e-readers.
NOOK GlowLight
This is B&N’s latest version (released October 30th) of their tried-and-true e-reader: the no-frills-I-just-want-to-read-my-book e-reader, the shhhh-I’m-in-the-library e-reader. You get the picture. But, don’t be fooled by its black-and-white simplicity — it has a lot to offer.
Besides the typical choose-your-own-font-type-and-size-reading-adventure, here are just a few highlights of the NOOK GlowLight:
- GlowLight feature lets you read even in pitch black settings — and you can increase or decrease the brightness as desired, so that you can read in bed without disturbing your partner.
- Regular (non GlowLit) display is easily readable even in bright, sunny conditions.
- Super lightweight and comfortable feel. I have an iPhone, which weighs 4.9 oz and this weighs just 6.1 oz — so, whether you’re carting it around in your purse or backpack, or holding it to read for several hours, it’s about the same as carrying around your phone, or a small paperback book.
- Not only can you check the definition of a word while you’re reading, but once you’ve opened the dictionary, you can check other words, as well.
- And, two of the bonuses of being no-frills: the battery lasts forever and the price is cheaper.
NOOK HD
Sometimes all-in-one products can be a bit overwhelming, but the NOOK HD is surprisingly easy to navigate and has been crafted with an eye for detail. This is the tablet you want on long road trips — to help you navigate, entertain you, and keep the peace amongst the passengers. As well as, the perfect e-reader to introduce your child to the joy of reading.
To be fair, I will point out two HD negatives, which the GlowLight handles better: because of all its capabilities, the HD battery doesn’t last as long; and, the HD’s glossy display screen isn’t as easy to read in sunny conditions.
But, you have to weigh that with the highlights of theย NOOK HD:
- You can watch movies and TV shows in vivid colour and stereo sound. And, if you have a Hulu+ membership, you can watch shows through that, as well.
- Customizable profiles and homescreens: you can create multiple profiles, so you can share with family members or roommates without messing with each others’ content — this is also helpful for parents who want to limit their kids’ access to certain apps or features. And, just like a laptop, you can set your wallpaper and decide which icons are on your homescreen.
- With the web browser and apps, you can access email, calendar, maps, blogs, Google, and more.
- For graphic novel aficionados: you can choose between zoom view or comic view. Zoom view lets you see each frame full screen and move through them like pages, while comic view shows you the whole page as is.
- For scrapbookers: there’s a built in feature within the magazine viewer that lets you save a page to a digital scrapbook. So, you can easily create your own scrapbooks, like Pinterest boards, while you browse your favourite magazines.
- For kids: there are great interactive books that will not only read aloud the story as you flip through the book, but also offer the option for you to record your own reading of the story. Can you imagine how great it could be if your kid had recordings of different friends and relatives reading stories? Or — even your kid’s own recording!
Whether you prefer your reading straightforward and simple,ย or you’re looking for an e-reader that has something for everyone in vivid colour, there is a B&N NOOK for you.
ยปย To learn more about the tech specs of the NOOKs and find out which one is best for you, check out Barnes & Noble’sย Compare NOOKsย page.




The last ebook I read was the Game of Thrones.
I prefer an e-reader, but I’m not opposed to a tablet.
The last ebook I read I just finished this afternoon, on Amazon’s cloud reader – How to Know if your Cat is Plotting to Kill You by Matthew Innman. I finished another yesterday, a Harry Dresden novel by Jim Butcher.
I prefer to just have a reader that does reading. I don’t like reading with a backlight like on a tablet… and I get distracted by games and that annoys me.
I have a nook color but I’ve seen what Bet means about it being hard to read in bright light. It would be fun to try the reader to compare.
i like the sounds of this glow light, but might take a little getting used to…
Great giveaway for the holidays! Thanks for your review! :)
Currently reading Shantaram.
I prefer something more like a tablet.