I want a Kindle but I feel like I am betraying books

[BuiltForComfort]

I love books but I know a Kindle would be great for holidays. It's like contemplating an affair! I'm thinking, ooh just a flirtation for the holidays, but I wouldn't go the whole way. I'll stick with books the rest of the year ... will I? Or am I going to be making books into a cuckold whilst I run off with a shiny new Kindle into the sunshine? And would it matter if I did? Perhaps I'm thinking this way because there are problems in my relationship with hard copy reading?

What should I do? Should I LTB(ooks)?

[Eyesunderarock]

I have both, my kindle is for travelling and for ephemeral books that I read once. Sometimes if I've taken a 'deal of the day' and it was fantastic, I look out for the hard copy.
It's not Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens, they can co-exist happily.
But LTB? Never.

[mimbleandlittlemy]

I've had a kindle for the best part of two years and I still have lots of books so I think I'm now committed to a totally bigamous relationship. To be honest, as far as I'm concerned it comes down to the following when I'm buying any book:

a) is it cheaper to buy it on kindle or in pb?
b) is it in a series I already have in book form - in which case I continue to buy it in book form
c) is it an enormously thick book so heavy that I'll kill someone if I drop it on their head while strap hanging on the Tube, in which case it goes on kindle (unless it's part of (b))
d) is it a holiday, in which case it's just so much easier to take the kindle (but don't forget a pb for the flights as some airlines won't let you read the kindle for take-off/landing even if you DO turn it to flight mode).

There is something so incredibly enjoyable about being able to lie in bed downloading books and watching them pinging up on your Home screen that means I will continue to be a kindle/book floosie, but then I do love the weight of a book in the hand, until I drop it on my head when I fall asleep reading.

Not sure that helps at all but it is possible to have both in your life.

[PiHigh]

I have the kindle app on my phone and tend to use it for books that I wouldn't buy a hard copy of.

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

I got my first Kindle three years ago when going to the UK for three weeks (I am in US) and did not want to carry books around and on the plane. I had been very resistant to the idea of an e-reader before that. I loved it! In fact, this year I upgraded to the Paperwhite which is one of the best designed-for-the-purpose tools I know of. I still read actual books, but I keep my Kindle with me at all times so I am never without something to read. It is also great for reading in bed at night without disturbing DH.

[plainjaney]

I wouldn't be without mine and I was a huge book hoarder. I even took all my paperbacks to the charity shop the other week. I'm reformed!

Why don't you got for one of the £29 nooks? That way if you don't get on with it you haven't spent a lot of money. I recently sold my Kindle and bought the more expensive Nook Glowlight and I personally prefer it.

[BuiltForComfort]

Thanks very much, looks like my mind is decided then. I'll take a Kindle as a lover to ensure the relationship with books can trundle on as my old faithful companion.

[PuppyMummy]

I also wasn't sure about leaving my books but my OH bought me a kindle a while ago and I love it!

I read a wider selection of authors now, although all 'chick lit!' beacuse you can get some good books for under £2. its been amazing for holidays. I would have taken 2 or 3 books on a weeks holiday and still ended up reading others if I could find them. kindle has solved that!

I haven't got rid of my books yet and still buy 'real' ones of my favourite authors but I love my kindle!

[DuchessofMalfi]

What mimble says :) I wasn't sure about getting a kindle at first either, but now I love it. I still buy paperbacks. It depends which format is selling the book cheapest, for me.

I also have a Kobo mini reader so I can borrow e-books from the library, and also a Kindle Fire (my birthday present this year).

DH has a Kindle Paperwhite, which he loves. It means he can read in bed without disturbing me.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I've got a kindle and I'm coveting a kobo, mainly because I can borrow library books with the kobo and won't be tied to one retailer. Maybe that's being unfaithful to my kindle? Will the kindle mind? Is it outrageous to have books and 2 ereaders on the go at the same time?

[MerlinFromCamelot]

Love my kindle but don't really like the idea of bring restricted to amazon for books, which is why I have not upgraded to the 'white' one yet. Happy with my touch at the mo. and thinking about getting a Kobo rather than a kindle white so that I have a bit more freedom as to where to buy ebooks.

[Littleballofhate]

Try it..I promise you will go over to the dark side! I keep reminding myself that I'm saving trees by using Kindle (even though nothing beats getting into bed at night with a beloved good book)

[DeepPurple]

I love my kindle. I also love books. It is possible for them to coexist

I find I read even more now as it is so easy to just download a new book! Storage space isn't a problem and you can add books you fancy on to the wish list and just buy them when you want to read them. Sometimes they go down in price before I get to buy them which is always a bonus!

[BOF]

I love my kindle. It is so much easier to hold with my withered arthritic hands . And you can buy new books INSTANTLY. What's not to love?

[OfficialSweetieMonitor]

I have a kindle fire and use it for everything except reading books (mumsnet, playing games, listening to music)

You can even listen to music while reading.

It is useful on holiday and if I need to get a book in a hurry (e.g. book club) but it's so much more than books... downside is I probably waste more time surfing than reading

[Ponders]

I've just become a holiday book bigamist, OP - I always take about 10 books on holiday & the weight has become a bit worrying

I've bought an ipad (not a kindle) so that I can also have music etc freely available on holiday too

(will still stick to paper books at home though)

[BuiltForComfort]

Oh no now I really don't know what to do, I hadn't considered alternatives to a basic kindle - kobo, paperwhite, fire, nook. Such an array of e-reader totty out there. It's like signing up for online dating behind books' back. Am wracked with guilt and yet strangely excited.

[OfficialSweetieMonitor]

Got my kindle fire in October and probably not spent a single day without it - it's so addictive and handy. Instant logon to MN

[chipmonkey]

The books are still books. The thoughts, dreams and emotions of the author are still on every kindle page in the way they are on a paper page.
I am reading the Q'ran at the moment as well as the Game of Thrones series. ( Actually that is quite a juxtaposition!) With the kindle, it all fits into my handbag.
And, I can read the Game of Thrones, and ds2 can read it on his Kindle at the same time, and I've only had to pay once as both Kindles are in my name.
I do still read books at home and I like to have a selection in the spare-room bookcase so other people can read them if they're staying over but ds2 and I love our kindles.
I don't have a Kindle fire but imagine it must be heavy on battery power? I don't usually have to charge the bog-standard kindle for ages.

[Iaintdunnuffink]

You can buy the Kobo Mini for £29 at the moment, if anyone is up interested.

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

I can borrow library books on my Kindle (in the US).

[IndridCold]

Kindles are brilliant for travelling (we take more books on holiday than clothes!) but will never replace books for me.

The price of the books is my main beef, but I have stocked up with some really good titles on the Daily Deal and lots of classics are free.

Kindles are good for reading chunky paperbacks, but I hate not being able to refer back very easily if I want to check something.

I would say it is worth getting one just for holidays and trips.

[Ponders]

tell me about the Daily Deal please, Indrid

(I have just got an ipad & have bought 1 book from the Amazon website but don't know how's best to find things)

[gailforce1]

Please would someone tell me what a Kobo mini is? At £29.00 it sounds a bargain!

[Iaintdunnuffink]

Kobo is one of the rivals to the Kindle. You can buy books via Kobo, W H Smith, epub books, borrow books from some UK libraries.

My husband and me have a Kobo Touch each. The Kobo mini is smaller but my 12 year old get along very well with it, at £29 you can't go far wrong. There's always a display of them at a WH Smith. I would get my 8 year old one but I may hand him down my touch and get myself a kobo Glo.

www.whsmith.co.uk/KoboeReaders.aspx

Like a Kindle, you can buy Kobo apps, so you can read the books you've bought on your phone, tablet etc.

[gailforce1]

Thanks Iaiontdunnuffiink I am off to check it out!