Please tell me about kindles

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

I am starting to think I really should get one.
However...
I like trashy thrillers that I pick up in the supermarket for 2 for about £7. I am concerned you won't get that on Kindle and they'll all be super expensive. I'm rarely bothered about having stuff the instant it comes out, but would like to know I can buy a few books a month for under say £15.

Also, assuming I want an e-reader, are Kindles best? Do they come in different sizes or variants.

I currently have an HTC phone which has an e-reader thing on it. Will a kindle be much better than that? I don't expect my phone will last for more than about another 5 years, but then would a kindle?

You will get loads of people moaning in a minute about how you will be putting the little book shops out of business, my nearest wee bookshop is 40 miles away so it's kindle all the way for me. I generally buy books around the 99p mark - usually chick lit. Don't slate me I have 3 kids under 4 it's all my brain can process

I did buy a few pregnancy books around £6, cheaper than the shops, and also (whisper it) 50 shades for £3 per book.

It's a normal kindle I have and I love it for cosying up in bed to read!

Just noticed £15 per month bit, I've spent less than that in 4 months, and I read a few books per month.

There are a few different kindles about, mines isn't touch screen or anything. The kindle fire is out this month, think its a tablet.

Thank you . I know what you mean, but I rarely (maybe twice a year) go into a shop that isn't a supermarket.
So the trashy chart stuff is likely to be cheap (i need to look, don't i?). Can't believe this might actually be Tje end of me and books though. I have read all my life and really enjoyed it. This feels like the end of an era.

I have the most basic Kindle K3 I think.
You can download loads of free books from Amazon all different genres.
Lots of different websites do free books too.
Guttenberg do OLD books that the copyright is up on.

I have had e readers in the past but have killed 3 of them so decided on a Kindle for the name - reliability and guarantee mostly.

A kindle is made to be read. So it is much easier to read on it. Your phone has the wrong lighting and writing as it were.

I have the basic kindle and I love it! I have sooo many books but the kindle gets used most when I'm out. It hasn't stopped me from buying paper books but it does mean that I only buy the books that I collect.

I'm covering the paperwhite version cos I like to read in bed and although I have a lighted cover I like the idea of being able to read without disturbing DH. May have to drop hints for my birthday

Coveting... Bloody iPhone

I have the Kindle app on my phone. I love it. Have had loads of free books from Amazon, and lots of 20p ones.

Not bothered about getting an actual Kindle, as got such a good screen.

But if you do, I'd say its definitely worth it.

The Kindle paperwhite looks good as you don't need to buy a light for it.

Look at the kindle store on Amazon to see which books are available - bet you will find plenty of books to suit your taste free or very cheap.

You can get heaps of trashy fiction for free on the kindle. Sign up to ereaderiq and you'll get a daily email of free books.

I'd buy the cheapest one and use any extra money to buy books to read on kindle. I don't think I'd invest in the top of the line model as there are lots of stories of kindles dying after a year or so. Watch the warranty period you can get, some are up to 3 years, some are only 12 months.

Kindles and books are not mutually exclusive. It won't be the end of any era.

I really want a Kindle Fire. Like, reeeaaaally want one.

I can't read in bed anymore because DS is in there so I can't turn the light on.

If I had a Kindle Fire I could read and MN in bed, I'd never need to get up again!

Kindles are great and you can get really cheap books.

Thanks everyone . Dh is suggesting I get an iPad instead of a kindle - he claims they're about the same size and 'read' in the same way (for other reasons we've been wanting an iPad). Any thoughts?

I have the old kindle with a keyboard and an iPad, both are great and I can read books on both of them. The iPad is more versatile at home, but my old kindle is great when out, as I have a leather cover for it and is much smaller than the iPad.

If you like trashy thrillers, as I do, use the free section and you won't have to buy anything ever again. Most prolific authors like Ken McClure offer freebies as incentives, so you can get 5 of the older books free, then the rest could be 20p, 50p or a few pounds, depending on how recently they were released. The deal of the day is good too, for 99p you get info on loads of different genres, but have to buy that day, otherwise the price goes up.

You can download a sample for most books, or read a sample on Amazon, but books/ samples are easy to delete anyway.

It hasn't stopped me buying 'real' books either. Sometimes it is nice to be able to pass books on and you can't do that with a kindle.

If you want an iPad. Get an iPad mini. A bit smaller than the others and will be out in time for Christmas!

A kindle does not read the same way as an iPad. A kindle is electronic ink and paper. It's like reading a book with off white paper ie most cheap paperbacks. If you spend 6 hours reading on a kindle your eyes will fell just like they do after reading a book. A kindle does not have a back light as its like a book. The new kindle paper white or something in theory works like the older kindles but has an optional light that looks like a back light but isn't really and has a white screen. I think it will have the same effect on your eyes as an old style kindle ie kindle keyboard or touchscreen. A kindle is wonderful for reading books.

If you want to read magazines or other things on colour then a kindle fire is better. If you want to buy a kindle fire then you might as well get an iPad or other tablet. The important thing to realise about an iPad etc is that it is backlit and has a computer screen. If your eyes get tired or sore watching computer screens then you'll have the same problem with a iPad. If you turn the backlight down you might not be able to see the screen. If computers wake you up then reading a book in an iPad etc will wake you up.

I have a kindle and another 6 year old ereader. In my view they are completely different to iPads and have different purposes. An iPad is for surfing the net, playing games, watching movies etc and if desperate reading. A kindle or other ereader that uses electronic ink and paper is for reading books and reducing the amount of space that books take up.

Apologises for above essay

What I like is being able to get newspapers on it, £10 a month, so it's cheaper than buying paper copies if you are a regular reader and it's there delivered to your bedside every morning.

I love my kindle - I just have the basic one and its perfect. Infact i would not up grade it for any of the new flashy ones. The best thing about the original kindle is that you click the pages on from the side rather than having to swipe across the screen this means that once your comfy in bed reading you dont have to move to turn the page - soo lazy but perfect!