To Kindle or not to Kindle

A Kindle is a wonderful thing to have, an absolute joy.
I do prefer real books, but my Kindle has been amazing during the lockdown when libraries are closed.
Also they are so useful to take on holiday as books are too heavy in the suuitcase.

I have a Kindle Paper white and find its brilliant for reading in bed as it has back light. I download books from Amazon when they are 99p, several a month but cheaper than buying books. However I do miss holding a book and being able to flick back easily to remind myself about the plot or who people are. I also agree that its useful to have a cover that opens like a book. If I receive proper books as a gift its a lovely change though.

Another Kindle plus I forgot, when you’re lying in bed (or relaxing on the sofa) and suddenly think, ‘Ooh, I’d love to read such and such a book,’ - then within a minute or so the entire thing of 100,000+ words will have whooshed out of the ether into that little device in your hand.
Can be a bit lethal, though - like Amazon’s One Click!

I have one of the early Kindles so it has no backlight. But I use a small torch if I want to read in the night. I wondered how I would like it being an avid book reader but after a few pages I really forgot it was any different. Not long after I got it I realised I was looking for my bookmark as I finished reading! It has been a real boon since our library has been closed for so long. At the moment my daughter and I have swapped Kindles and are reading each other’s choices.

Notagranny44 if a book is available as an ebook you will be able to borrow it from your library, all you will need is your Kindle email address ( on your Amazon account).

Love my kindle. Ideal for holidays as I can take as many books as I want and not worry about luggage allowance. If I finish a book I can buy a new one straight away. One of my best buys.

You'd already made your decision fivegee before I could add my praise for my Kindle, but now that you have decided, I'd thoroughly recommend the Kindle Paperwhite. I'm on my fifth Kindle, and have recently given up my Fire Tablet/Kindle (I didn't like the Amazon browser).

I can read the paperwhite outside, whereas with all my previous Kindles, the light reflected on the screen so much, it was impossible to read, or in the case of the Fire, see anything else I was trying to do.

To get that feel of holding a book in your hands, look for a cover that opens out so you can hold it in two hands. I only ever use mine one handed (great for easy reading in bed whilst lying on my side ) but my friend likes to hold hers open like a book.

The only downside for me, having a rubbish memory, is not being easily able to flip back a few pages or paragraphs, to remind me of something that happened, or the relationship between two of the characters. I'm sure there's an easy way of doing this, but I've yet to find it

This is an Amazon Fire (7)! Not too big and not too small!

Hate my kindle its languishing in a drawer. I can see they have limited usefulness especially at the moment. fivegee you can always donate your books to a charity or your local library. I read four books a week at least and can always find someone to pass them on to.

At the start of lockdown last year, I bought an Amazon Fire for about £40. I get books through my library card on Libby and Overdrive, free books from various websites and Amazon has Kindle Unlimited which means more free reading. I used to go to the library two or three times a month and never thought I’d get used to ereading but I’ve read over 100 books since this time last year. I have an IPad but due to arthritis I find it cumbersome to use in bed. I usually charge it every couple of days whilst I’m asleep. The Amazon Fire is half the thickness of a regular paperback with its cover on. Easy to carry, usual changes to light and font can be made. I added a memory card to store books on so that I could move them to other devices. Thoroughly recommend!

I have been using a Kindle for several years now. I have rheumatoid arthritis and pre-Kindle had to use a bookstand to hold my book, as it was so painful to hold one for any length of time. It was cumbersome and I couldn't use it in bed, although I could with a hospital bed-table. I use a cheap little stand for my Kindle or, if reading in bed, I prop it on one of those beanbag neck supports that are so cheap. It means I can read lying down, all cosy and comfortable, and not disturb anyone else. It is perfect for "waiting" too as it fits easily into my handbag (pre-covid) and is very light. Only disadvantages are not having the variety of free books afforded by the library and not easily being able to share books (although I can with my partner, but he's not really into my kind of books). It has made such a difference to me! I can also pick up my book on my phone if I need to.

Thank you all so much for your very helpful comments, which have made me decide to opt for buying a Kindle. It seems that a lot of you balance both that and actual books and I think that would be a good solution for me. I read so many that I just can't keep piling up the paperbacks!

I love my Kindle. Easy to use and easy to download onto. That said it doesn't have the lovely smell or feel of a real book. Sometimes I go into book shops just too get a fix of the book smell then back to my Kindle

No, call me old fashioned but you can’t beat a good old paper book! Same for magazines and newspapers.

I’ve had a kindle for years now. I was very dubious at first but wouldn’t be without it now. It’s particularly great on holiday. I’ve bought 3 over the years, 2 of which now belong to mum and daughter. We can all share books as they are all in my name. I do spend much more on books though!!
If there’s a negative it’s that I can’t share books with friends any more. Get a paper white if you get one. So easy on the eyes.

I have a kindle, but the novelty has worn off. To begin with, I downloaded hundreds of books.
Upside: Great for travelling and books to hand on my phone at any time.
The print can be made larger which makes classics like Middlemarch easier to read (still not easy for that one!) and feel modern.
Extensive library without taking up space.
Downside: a physical book gives a more solid reading experience, particularly if you are a bookworm and love everything about a book. I’m fussy now about the cover.
I never remember the books I read on my kindle as they don’t tie in with associated things like the cover and the size.
I never know exactly where I am in the book, even though I am told?
I can’t pass on a ebook to a friend. (Maybe I can, but I wouldn’t)
An ebook isn’t the pal my physical books have been through lockdown. They are as comforting as a hot water bottle.
Ideally, it’s best to move between the two as the situation merits.

I also read on my I pad using the Libby app, but prefer a proper book.

The Libby app was a godsend, (suggested via GN) in the first lockdown, but since then my library does click and collect, which works really well, reserving and picking up books.

I do read ‘proper’ books too, but I love my Kindle. First had one when going away with a friend for a week - hand baggage only - so it was a godsend since I’d normally need at least 4 normal length books for a week’s holiday.,

2nd big bonus, you can read in bed without disturbing anyone else.

3rd bonus to me at first - so many classics to download for peanuts.

4th - could read all the really big fat books I’d shunned because they were too heavy to read in bed. Most recent was A Suitable Boy.

5th - you can adjust the font. Now and then I pick up a book in shop or library that looks promising - only to find that the font is too small for comfort.

My first Kindle packed up after a couple of years, but my Paperwhite has been going strong for eight years now. My main complaint about it is that it needs frequent re-charging. A good reason for having a Kindle is that I can change the font to a larger size. Some paper and hard-back books have print that challenges my eyesight. It has been a boon on many holidays and long-haul flights.

If you have a tablet why not use your library to download books rather than paying for Kindle books?

I love my kindle for all the advantages listed above. Definitely give it a try. I can pretty much guarantee you will love it.

I prefer reading a real book to Kindle. If I want to have a quick cheating look at the end or flick forwards to remember who characters are I can. Dd bought me a kindle for our trip to NZ so I didn’t have to carry lots of books. Now in lockdown it is an absolute godsend. There are loads of cheap books on Amazon and some classics are free - I’ve just downloaded the complete works of Thomas Hardy. Kindle books are cheaper than hard copies of any book as well.

I use The Libby ap from the library and the Kindle ap on my iPad mini and on the phone in the car for audiobooks.

As the Libby ap is free why not give it a go if you have a suitable device ? My kindle is gathering dust somewhere ...

I still buy paper books for the ones that I want to keep.

I have the kindle app on phone and iPad and download books from my library. It means I have my book with me wherever I am. My old kindle is in a drawer somewhere.

I get through so many books I couldn't afford to buy the physical ones! The Kindle has been a boon and, as others have said, is ideal for reading when you don't want to put the light on. DH and I both use them in the motorcaravan, reading when we go to bed, so that we can put the lights off.

I still prefer a proper book in my hand, though.