Like many, my family of avid readers has recently succumbed to the lure of the Kindle ereader, and we now enjoy nothing more than trawling the Amazon site for 99p books and special offers to load up at the click of a button.  In fact, our Kindle actually belongs to my ten-year-old son, but he’s come round to the idea of me borrowing it from time to time, in return for a few new books every now and then …

Here are just a few of the recent bargains I’ve spotted – either books we already had our sights on, or ones I’ve recently read and highly recommend (prices correct at time of blog):

Drowning Rose by Marika Cobbold

£1.29 (£11.49)

I had the great pleasure of chatting with Marika Cobbold at the Ilkley Literature Festival about her book Drowning Rose – a book I enjoyed enormously.  Beautifully written, and a wonderful, compelling story.  Update – now £5.10.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

£0.99 (£7.99)

I’ve heard a lot of good things about this writer and this book, so I’ve downloaded it, both for me and for my teenage daughter.  Can’t wait to start reading it!

The Outcast by Sadie Jones

£2.49 (£7.99)

I loved this debut, about a boy called Lewis.  It’s a captivating story of childhood and adolescence – one I’ve found stayed with me long after reading.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

£0.86 (£0.86)

I was prompted to download this one after watching the first part of the new BBC adaptation last night.  I’ve read it many times, and find something new in it every time.  I’m sure you can find free versions too, but print/layout quality can vary.

The Island by Victoria Hislop

£1.99 (£7.99)

I’ve been meaning to read this since it first came out, and seeing it listed in the Kindle special offers helpfully reminded me!

Mr Stink by David Walliams

£1.99 (£6.99)

My son’s a fan of David Walliam’s writing (he loved Billionaire Boy and he’s hoping to get his hands on Gangsta Granny before long) – so this was high on his wish-list.

Are We Nearly There Yet by Ben Hatch

£0.99 (£8.99)

I love a good laugh, and this book has lots of promising endorsements from the likes of John Cleese and Terry Wogan, which can’t be a bad sign …  My next read.

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

£0.99 (£6.99)

This was on my son’s Christmas list, but Father Christmas obviously didn’t have it in stock …  So we’ve made up for it now, and loaded it onto the Kindle!

Glasshopper by Isabel Ashdown

£0.99 (£7.99)

And of course, it would be remiss of me to neglect my own books … Glasshopper was named amongst the best books of 2009 in the London Evening Standard and the Observer: “A wonderful debut – intelligent, understated and sensitive.”

Hurry Up and Wait by Isabel Ashdown

£0.99 (£7.99)

“With strong characters, a cleverly constructed story and masses of period detail, this vivid evocation of life in 1985 is a fine second book from a writer who first won The Mail On Sunday novel competition.” – Daily Mail

Wishing you all a very Happy 2012, with many great and varied reading pleasures ahead!