If you know anything about me, it’s probably that I’m a huge reader. I’ve always been one. My mom can recall me being entranced by books when I was a baby and trying to read as soon as I was able. Books draw me in, and I’ve invested a LOT of time (and money) into reading over the years.
I go through phases, flipping between whether I prefer hardcovers or paperbacks, but only recently have I indulged in the more technological side of reading, namely my Kindle (and some audiobooks, but that’s for another article). I received my Kindle as a gift a few years ago, the Christmas before I moved to college, to be precise. I had a goal of efficiency; a Kindle would allow me to keep my load light when traveling to school and back.
Shocker, it took me a while to get used to it. The reading experience is different. There’s nothing tangible, no paper for your tears to fall on, no pages to tab, and no beautiful cover to display on your shelf after the fact. But the more I read on my Kindle, the more I found myself flying through stories, clicking on titles I wouldn’t have considered purchasing physical copies of.
If you’re on the fence and unsure about whether to invest in a Kindle, here are some of the main reasons I love it!
It’s perfect for traveling
No more packing three heavy books in your suitcase for a weeklong trip. You can just throw your Kindle in your purse and carry your entire library with you wherever you’re going. Mood reader? No problem! You have all your books easily accessible to avoid a reading slump. It’s convenient, sleek, and can accommodate any reading speed when going on vacation. It’s also wonderful for people who are living in smaller apartments, commuting between home and college, or moving often. Traveling constantly with your book collection would be taxing, expensive, and stressful. Having a Kindle is a great way to keep reading easy.
You can keep things hush hush
Now listen, I don’t judge. Read whatever brings you joy. However, one thing I’ve enjoyed about my Kindle is the ability to read whatever I want, wherever I want, without prying eyes deciphering the cover or attempting to read over my shoulder. I’m usually happy to chat about my current read, but something about the Kindle is more intimate, more private. If you’re someone who prefers to keep to themselves, the Kindle is perfect for those antisocial tendencies.
You save money in the long run
This is perhaps an obvious one, but often, the eBook version of a novel is significantly less expensive than the physical copy. It’s great for reading on a budget, especially when hardcovers can run upwards of $30 for a book you may only read once or even end up disliking. I promise that, over time, it makes up for the upfront cost of the Kindle itself.
There are also so many free books you can access on Kindle. Amazon Prime members get two free books a month with the Amazon First Reads program, and you can also purchase Kindle Unlimited to obtain access to over 4 million eBooks for download. This is all in addition to the millions of books that are already available for next to nothing. If you’re sneaky about it, you can also tie other eBook sites to download books onto your Kindle. Throughout the year, there’s also “Stuff Your Kindle Days,” in which thousands of popular eBooks are free to download!
*Another great perk for college students: you can often buy required readings or textbooks on your Kindle, too! If you download the Kindle app to your phone and laptop, you can access it in all three places, so you never have to worry about losing your textbooks.*
Even if you don’t have any extra subscriptions, the average eBook cost will be way smaller than a physical copy, so you can try more books for less!
The sheer amount of options
Whereas traditional hardcover and paperback publishing might only release certain titles, authors, or genres for distribution in bookstores, your Kindle grants you access to books by self-published or non-traditional authors. Plenty of incredible seasoned and debut writers have wonderful books available on Kindle and not in physical copies. You’d be missing out on so many great stories if you only read physical books! This is also a great way to support smaller names in the industry. Plus, if you have a very niche set of interests, you can find a wider range of books that suit your exact desires with the touch of a button.
Decorating your kindle
Part of the fun of owning a Kindle is personalizing it. Getting a cute case, covering it with stickers, adding a pop socket, and so much more help make your reading experience even more exciting! It’s an adorable addiction.
Kindle reading features & Accessibility
Have horrible eyesight and want to increase the font? Done. Don’t know what that word means? Just tap it, and the definition appears. Curious as to what other readers thought during this chapter? Check out the popular highlights. Want to bookmark a page without damage or highlight a favorite quote? Easy. Reading in the dark? Well, thankfully, you can adjust the brightness of your Kindle’s screen. It’s perfectly customizable and is great if any of these accessibility features solve common challenges you encounter when reading physical books.
Overall
Of course, I will never totally abandon my physical books. I love them too much! My shelves would feel empty without them. However, I equally love my Kindle and the reading experiences I’ve had with it over the past few years. If you’re thinking about investing in one, I highly recommend it! It’s cute, convenient, and a great way to explore new books and save money while making reading more accessible!