I'm sure I'm not alone when I say there's nothing I love more than reading a good book - as much as I adore catching up with my favourite blogs I don't think there's anything better than losing yourself in a new read, a bit of escapism is usually just what the doctor ordered so when the lovely people at Moneysupermarket.com got in touch asking if I'd like to review a Kobo E-Reader* as part of the Inspect A Gadget Blogger Competition I was game. Now I'll level with you guys I've always been a proper book reader - I like to bookmark my page by turning over the top corner and I just like the feel of a real book in my hands. That was until my last holiday when I loaded up my iPad with girly reads and boy was I impressed - no bulked out suitcase and the ability to look up unknowns in the dictionary (although it was a little weighty to hold) so I was excited to see  how the budget Kobo Mini E-Reader would compare.

Vital statistics
Rated 4 out of 5 by the Gadget Show the Kobo Mini is a skinny minnie weighing just 134g - that's a whopping 477g lighten than my iPad 2 and just under half the weight of the iPad mini. Size wise it's tiny at a mere 102x133x10mm which means it's perfect for not just holidays but reading on the go, fitting into pockets and clutch bags without weighing them down. Oh and did I mention the 5 inch no-glare screen which means reading is unaffected in any situation? What a Brucie bonus!

Usability
If you're a bit of a technophobe then the Kobo Mini could be just the ticket, just connect to your computer via the provided USB cable before creating your own account - you can then access a user friendly book store where you can purchase anything from the latest novel (I went for Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn at £3.99) to newspapers and magazines. Haven't a clue what you fancy reading? Don't fear, Kobo helps you out by asking for your reading preferences, it then selects books you might like to read which you can then download.

So how do you navigate the Kobo? Just use your fingertips! Forget fussy buttons, there is however just one switch which locks the Mini putting it into sleep mode. Worried about the battery life? Don't be, I've never known a device quite like it - as an iPhone 5 user I'm used to a poor battery life but even compared to my iPad the Kobo Mini wins easily lasting up to one month from just one charge, no I'm not joking.


The Verdict
At £49.99 I think the Kobo Mini is a fantastic option for someone wanting to give an E-Reader a go without spending too much or maybe even as a gift for Fathers Day - it's fast approaching guys! Not only is the Kobo Mini tiny and incredibly light weight but it's also super easy to use - just connect to your desktop or laptop and you're ready to roll. My only criticism with the Kobo Mini is the size of the text - being the blind bat I am I would love to be able to enlarge the font but sadly this isn't an option with the Mini. If I was to purchase a Kobo E-Reader myself then I'd go for the Touch model, although it's £79.99 I personally think it's worth it for the larger screen and the option to change the text size. 

The Kobo Mini can be bought on-line or in store from WHSmiths and I can confirm it will be coming with us on holiday - it may not be going in my suitcase but it will certainly be going in the boys, his eyesight is spot on.

 Have you ever read books on an E-Reader? Would you take an E-Reader on holiday?

*The Kobo Mini was sent to me by moneysupermarket.com, all opinions are my own.