I
am a fan of books in all form. Real
books, audio books, and e-books. While I
use my apps (Hoopla, Libby) linked to my local library a LOT for audiobooks, I
don’t use them much for e-books. There’s
a reason for that. In the past, I read
e-books on my iPad. Have you ever read a
book on your iPad? Maybe it’s different
for people who don’t stare at a computer screen for 8+ hours a day. But it is incredibly hard to stare at a
glaring iPad screen to read a book. It’s
hard on the eyes. It’s easy to get
distracted.
But
there are SO MANY advantages to reading e-books. First, you can get LOADS of them free from
your library. It’s so easy! And if you are an Amazon Prime member, there
are loads of free e-books as well (I believe you can have 10 free books at a
time….there’s no time limit, but you can only have 10 free ones at once). And….buying e-books is so much cheaper than
buying real books. I subscribe to 3
websites (Goodreads, Book Bub, Book Riot) that send out an email every day that
list the best e-book deals that day (they change daily). Most of the books they post are newer and/or
best-sellers and they are usually $2.99 or less. Most are $1.99.
You
can also buy brand new e-books on the date of their release. A brand new hardcover new-release book at a
bookstore will be $27.00. That same book
in e-book format will be HALF that cost.
Or less!
But
I haven’t been taking advantage of these deals until recently, because I do not
like reading from my iPad. But I got a
Kindle Paperwhite! What is the
difference between a Kindle and a tablet?
1. The screen. The iPad uses a touch screen LCD display (the same as laptops and other PCs). However, the Kindle uses e-ink technology that looks like paper. While the iPad is all color, the Kindle is different shades of grey. And most importantly: because of the e-ink, you have ZERO eye-strain from reading on a Kindle. There is also no glare.
2. You can only do like 3
things on the Kindle: read books,
download books, and look at Goodreads.
That’s it. No apps, no web
surfing, etc. It is great because you
can’t get distracted!
3. The battery. The Kindle only needs to be charged like every 2 weeks. Amazing! I’ve had mine
for 13 days and it still has ½ of the battery life left.
4. The size. The Kindle is much smaller (about the size of
a Mass-Market Paperback). It is super
lightweight, even if you have a case on it (which I would highly recommend
getting a case for it).
5. You can highlight any passage from any book and it will save them for you in the ‘My Clippings’
section in your library (that's an ad at the bottom).
Here are a few
of my highlighted passages:
The Light of the Fireflies:
“There’s no creature more amazing than one that can make it’s own light”
The Bell Jar:
“I thought I would swim out until I was too tired to swim back. As I paddled on, my heartbeat boomed like a
dull motor in my ears. I am I am I am.” Note: I Am I Am I Am is also the title of Maggie O’Farrell’s
memoir (taken from this passage in The Bell Jar)
“Wherever I sat, on the deck of a ship or at a street café in Paris or
Bangkok, I would be sitting under the same glass bell jar, stewing in my own
sour air.” (talking about depression)
“If I was going to fall, I would hang on to my small comforts, at least,
as long as I possibly could.”
“I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.”
The Bookshop on the Corner:
“Because every day with a book is slightly better than one without, and
I wish you nothing but the happiest of days.”
“Some people buried their fears in food, some in booze, some in
planning elaborate engagements and weddings and other life events that took up
every spare moment of their time in case unpleasant thoughts intruded. But for Nina, whenever reality, or the
grimmer side of reality threatened to invade, she always turned to a book. Books had been her solace when she was sad,
her friends when she was lonely. They
had mended her heart when it was broken, and encouraged her to hope when she
was down.”
You
can also make your own notes on what you highlight.
There
are so many other great things about it….you can travel with literally hundreds
(thousands) of books. I wish I would have
had mine in Iceland. I loaded up my iPad
with books and then didn’t read any of them because it is just so hard to read
on an iPad. Such a strain on the eyes.
I’ve
been reading on my Kindle every night. I’ve
pretty much completely stopped watching TV.
The only time I watch is if I’m folding laundry. Or meal prepping (I’ll have my iPad on the
counter with something on). But at
night? I’m either reading in the man
cave or outside, and when I go to bed I’m reading. You can read in the dark on the Kindle
too. The screen adjusts to the light in
the room. It is wonderful! I’m a fan.
