One of my favorite purchases ever was Amazon‘s first edition Kindle many moons ago – a purchase prompted by Oprah’s Favorite Things excitement. Since then, I have collected an additional 4? 5? 6? Kindles and Kindle Fires through self purchases, gifts, and even 12 Days of Giveaways winnings from the Ellen show (another post in and of itself).
The Kindle was the first mass market reading tablet made available, allowing users to quickly download any books desired from the Amazon’s massive library for their reading pleasure. I purchased my first Kindle after a long flight to Beijing, when I decided that I was sick of carrying around 5-10 paperbacks to read on the plane and while on vacation. So I strategically made the switch before another long flight to Bali, and was instantly hooked. No more wasted backpack space! No more picking out only the “best” books for the trip! Instead, I could download as many books as I wanted to enjoy.
Since then, the Kindle has made many strides and has now become a full multimedia device. Amazon Prime members can maximize their experience with unlimited streaming of included movies and television shows, unlimited streaming of over a million songs, and the ability to borrow one free Kindle book a month (without due dates). All of this in addition to regular tablet functionality such as email, browsing, etc. makes the Kindle an easy purchase.
Which Kindle to Purchase?
If you are in the market for an e-reader, the Kindle is by far my favorite. There are many options available in the Kindle family depending on what you’re looking for. If you’re planning to use it for exclusive reading, go with either the base Kindle, the Kindle Paperwhite, or the Kindle Voyage. All of these are designed specifically for heavy readers with emphasis on a long-lasting battery (weeks long), easy page turning technology, and – best of all – a display that is similar to an actual book (no eye strain as with other tablets!)
If you prefer more functionality, or plan to use the device to also browse the web, stream video or music, and perform other typical tablet functions, opt instead for a product from the Kindle Fire line. There are a variety of options available depending on desired screen size, display type, and capability. There is even a Kindle Fire Kids Edition which has an incredible 2-year guarantee – if your kids break it, Amazon will replace it – no hassle.
Personally, I recommend starting with the Kindle Fire 7″ Display. It has all functionality needed for the average user, including streaming, and is available for a great price – averaging between $34.99 and $49.99 depending on sales. This is the model Kindle that I use most.
Don’t Have a Kindle?
You don’t need one! You can download the free Kindle app from pretty much any channel you can think of: iOS, Android, PC, and MAC. I use this app often when I don’t have my Kindle on me. A great benefit is that the app auto-synchronizes across all your devices, meaning that wherever you left off on your mobile phone, you will automatically pick up on your computer. If you have any interest in reading, I strongly recommend the Kindle app. It’s free and provides you access to an extensive library of free content.
Free Kindle Books
An often overlooked benefit of the Kindle and the Kindle app is the plethora of FREE e-books available. I’ve literally gone years without spending a dime on new books simply by taking advantage of free e-books of interest. So I’ve decided to post a round-up of 30 currently free Kindle books that you may be interested in. Please note – while all of these books are free as of the time of posting, some remain free for only a limited period of time. Please confirm pricing before purchase.
Check out this list of 30 #FREE @AmazonKindle #books in #cooking, #parenting, & more! Share on X
Free Cookbooks
Free Parenting Books
Free Pregnancy Books
Free Kids Books
Free Inspirational Books
The Motivation Switch: 77 Ways to Get Motivated, Avoid Procrastination, and Achieve Success
Okay Faye, you actually have me thinking about buying a Kindle. I read a lot, but I still love holding a paperback in my hands. But, you make a great case for using a Kindle on long trips. I also love how you included the list of free books! Thanks so much for sharing!
I love the feel (and smell) of a book as well, but I’ve never regretted the Kindle. It just makes everything so much easier. I’m guilty of going to the bookstore, picking out books I want, and then buying them on the Kindle right then and there!
Did you know you can also get kindle books free from the library? You can borrow ebooks just like regular books! (bestsellers.. anything!) I wrote about it on my blog a few times! 🙂
Yes! I love it and take advantage of that as well!
One of the of the books was not free if you do not have a Kindle Unlimited account, and three others are no longer free (but were like $0.99) so not to bad. Thanks a lot for sharing I downloaded a few and I am looking forward to reading them. (Love that you put ages next to the children’s books kept me from having to look.)
Thanks Iman. I know that pricing changes quickly, and I’m sorry to hear that some of the books now cost. I will take a look at the one that was for Kindle Unlimited – at the time of writing, none of them were, but I know that things change fast! Appreciate the heads up.
I love my kindle app!! I would buy a kindle but it’s complicated here in Mexico. I love being able to read when being stuck in my daughters bedroom waiting for her to fall asleep. You can turn the screen to nightview so the light won’t keep her awake, and I am entertained for the minutes, (sometimes hours) it takes her to fall asleep.
Ah yes it’s more complex in other countries for sure. But I agree with you – I love the Kindle and how easy it is (almost too easy to purchase books – which is why I get excited about free eBooks!)
This is a fantastic list, I need a few of those!
Eleventh & Sixteenth
Thanks! I am downloading them myself!
I love free kindle books! Thanks for this great list!
Oh good I’m glad – Enjoy!
I have a kindle app on my iphone, I wonder if these would still be free and work, I will have to try it out. Thanks for the suggestions!
Yes, it should!
I love that there is something for everyone in this post. Babies, baby Momma’s, etc. 🙂 Great post!
Thanks Rebecca!
I love my Kindle and use it everyday! Thank you for the free ebooks list. There are some that definitely caught my eye.
Glad to hear it! I’m stocking up as well. 🙂
Oh, I love my Kindle! I cannot leave my house without it when travelling (and I travel a lot). Every year, I look forward to going to see family in Paris, because I can read in the endless public transport trips.
I like your tips for free books!
It’s the best! Paris sounds awesome every year!
I love my Kindle too, it was one of the best gifts I ever got. I thought that I would miss the feel and smell of paperback, but I found myself getting used to it very quickly.
It’s nice especially when I read before going to sleep – it’s a little bit more comfortable to hold than a regular book.
Thank you for the free ebook list! I’ll definitely look into some of the books you mentioned.
Me too! It has made reading on the go so easy (sometimes it’s almost TOO easy to purchase a book). Thanks for stopping by!
Never realised there were so many good e-books available for free. I am especially interested in the self-help ones and the recipe ones, maybe it is time to buy a Kindle.