Should I get a Kindle?

[Rottie454]

So I'm a book lover and have always been against kindles as I love the feel of holding a book. However I'm running out of storage now to keep my books and my partner doesn't like it when I read at night with the light on so I am now thinking about getting one. Anyone made the transition and are you glad you did? Also any recommendations for which kindle to go for would be great 

Yes. You will never look back. They are absolutely wonderful.

I flit between my kindle and books so you can have both. Ive got an old one that isn’t backlit (cant read those on the beach).
I spend hours browsing and loading the kindle with any old stuff I might not buy in the shops due to cost.

I still have my original Kindle

I felt a bit of a traitor initially because I do love real books (and I'm uncomfortable with Amazon's treatment of staff) but it's been wonderful, especially for commuting and on holidays. And if you want to read something really trashy Outlander, no one will know

The books are generally a lot cheaper, which again has ethical/moral considerations. I downloaded Celeste Ng's novel (I have forgotten the name) for 99p yesterday.

Yes! Go for it.

I got a kindle about 7 years ago to take on holiday. It’s the old style keyboard style with a cover which has a light. I still use it almost daily now, even though it’s obsolete. I like that I can stockpile books, change the font size and line spacing if I don’t have my glasses and that I don’t lose my page

My Mum has just bought me a paperwhite for my birthday. I’ll get it at the weekend. I asked for the basic one as I don’t need 3G (I fill it up before going away) but I did want the backlit screen so that I don’t need a separate light for it. I won’t get a cover for it as if I’m out, I use my phone - the kindle app and my phone are synced which is like some kind of brilliant witchcraft!

I do still occasionally read books but I find it annoying now in bed when the pages try to close or I can’t find a bookmark. First world problem I know

Love my paper white kindle! I also read both book and use kindle in bed for reading. Or when travelling etc.

Get one. I've read, and loved, books I would have never read before because they were either cheap or free. I've now completely changed my reading preferences.

I got one for Christmas one year, I would never have bought it for myself but I love it. I especially like that you can instantly download a book and start reading straight away. Great if you’re impatient like me

I’ve got one that’s not back lit. As said above, can’t read the back lit ones on the beach (same as you can’t see your phone properly). I love it, much easier to read on my side, lovely and light. I do have a clip on light that only shines on the kindle so I can read at night without disturbing my husband.

YY bungle - dc1 is doing Eng Lit A level so buys books and kindle version so she can annotate the paper copies but has them all on her kindle when out and about.

Get a kobo. You can read the overdrive books via the library.

I was a late adopter but I LOVE my Kindle. I've got the very cheapest one you can get so not backlit or anything but it's very small and lightweight so can take it everywhere.

I find it great when I'm on holiday if I'm not organised to take books with me I can download anything I want when I'm away. It's easy to connect to a new WiFi connection in hotel etc.

I also like that when I finish a book it synchs with Good Reads so I don't need to remember to log it on the app (which I hate!).

Also like the free samples you can get before you commit to buying a book.

Having said that I do still love a real book!

I use a Kindle alongside paper books. It's great for taking on holiday and for times when you're desperate for something to read and your 'to read' pile has run out.

It's generally cheaper for new books - there are often 99p offers. Classics which are out of copyright are free.

I still prefer the reading experience of a paper book, but I am very fond of my Kindle.

Those saying you can’t read the backlit ones on the beach - you’re talking about the Kindle Fire which is a tablet and yes, you can’t see the screen on the sun. However the Paperwhite is an e-reader and is backlit and you can read that on the beach!!

I was in the same boat couple of years ago, huge lover of "real" books, never thought I would accept a kindle. Bought a cheap second hand old model on eBay for a holiday so I could take 15 books without sacrificing suitcase space. Honestly I was so surprised by how much I took to it and I now read about 80% kindle and 20% "real". Agree with previous posters as I too have the ancient style kindle that isn't backlit, isn't touch screen etc. Does all I need and somehow feels more like reading a page than a screen if that makes sense. It's easy to read one handed when tired or lying on side or when ill. I have a little clip on light which means I can read while DH sleeps which is fab. My advice is get on eBay and buy a secondhand one and see how you go! My only downside of the Kindle is that I used to buy a lot of 2nd hand books from charity shops etc which there is no kindle alternative to. However some libraries have a system where you can borrow Kindle books for a period of time and if you link your Amazon account with family members you can lend kindle books.

@ftfoawygtfosm You can use Overdrive (for library books) with Kindle Fire, but not with PaperWhite.

OP, I would definitely get one and I'd use the library to borrow books - it saves a fortune!

I know but I don’t like the kindle fire - the operating system is weird, and it’s heavy and the charge doesn’t last like it does on my kobo. 😀

Also recently when I was reading a paper book I got annoyed when I couldn't click on words I didn't know the meaning of as you can on a Kindle.

Of course you can read backlit ones on the beach (paperwhite and Oasis). And they're brilliant, can read also in dark without needing a reading light and disturbing other people.
I used to be totally snobbish about them, but have never looked back and now only read real books if they don't come in Kindle version.
It's great to go travelling or on holidays without stressing what books to take with you. You can take them all, and buy new ones whenever you fancy.

This thread is perfectly timed for me. I have the best part of 1000 books (I know - I have a spreadsheet list of them all, so if the house burns down, I can replace them - sad, I know), and like the OP, I am always running out of space, so I was thinking about a kindle for Christmas.

Am I right in thinking that I could use the kindle to borrow e-books from the library?

There are quite a lot of books that I buy, read once, and send to the charity shop - it would make much more sense to borrow these as e-books.

Is the paperwhite the best one?

Chessie, didn’t know that. Will add to Christmas list.

Oh - I forgot another question - if you buy a book, do you have to store it on the kindle forever, or does it exist somewhere out there, on a shelf in interwebland so you just download it when you want to read it, and then banish it back to the ether when you’ve finished it?

Very stupid questions, I am sure.

I love mine. I've always been a big reader, but I read far more since I've had a kindle as it's so portable, I can read easily anywhere, don't worry about books getting damaged in my bag etc. I love the fact I have thousands of books at my fingertips.

I have at least 30 'pages' of books on my Kindle.... it has an amazing memory for storage.

You can’t borrow e books On a kindle I don’t think SDTG - that’s why I went for the kobo. You can put kindle books on the kobo and even pdfs and other formats with a handy wee programme called calibre e-book management.

My kobo was second hand and cost me peanuts and I honestly love it.

OMG yes. Also subscribe to kindle unlimited! I wasn't keen at first but now I get thru a book every 2 days.