I never thought I’d be an e-reader person. I own plenty of books, I visit the library all the time. What need would I have for a Kindle?
But as I prepared for my trip to California, I looked at my carryon and thought there’s no way I can fit enough books in here. I’m not an over-packer, but the thought of shoving three paperbacks into a small bag full of essentials seemed like too much. And in retrospect, bringing a milk crate full of books up north every year for my marathon read was too much. So after much deliberation, I dove in and bought a Kindle.
And I love it. Sometimes I surprise myself.
What I ordered
After exhausting all my friends and coworkers, I decided to opt for the Kindle Paperwhite (the ad-free version). The $150 price tag gave me some serious pause, but some Amazon Rewards and $50 in lottery winnings (thanks, Aunt Debby!) made clicking “buy now” a bit easier. At the end of the day, I only had to kick in about $40.
The Paperwhite is the Kindle with the nice backlit screen for reading in low or no light. I opted for the ad-free version – even though it was $20 more – because I didn’t want to be distracted.
Initial thoughts
I’ll admit, I opened up the box telling myself if it’s not for you, you can just return it. When took it out of the package I was honestly shocked at how small it was – about 6½ x 4½”. It was also surprisingly thin and lightweight.
Once I booted it up and connected it to the internet, I downloaded my first book with the credit Amazon provided. I pulled it up, and my first thought was oh wow, the pages seem so small. And they are compared to a normal hardcover book, but really they aren’t that much different than a paperback. After a few pages, I was used to the quicker page turning and was loving the lightness!
After poking around for another 20 minutes, I downloaded a handful of books from the library and connected my Goodreads account (my new favorite thing!).
Really getting into it
I, of course, downloaded even more library books – gotta have options – and wrapped up my new toy in a case. I tossed my Kindle in my purse and headed to the airport. On my 5:30AM flight to Chicago, I fired it up with the backlight. The folks around me got to sleep without the annoying overhead light and I got to enjoy the second novel from Paula Hawkins – win-win!
I kept up the momentum on my layover and next flight, too. But what I really loved was being able to stash it in my bag and walk around San Francisco with it. It weighs almost nothing, so there wasn’t that bookbag shoulder strain. Instead, I got to carry a nice, little purse while also being ready to read whenever I found a café with a decent bakery selection.
The verdict
I think you know this one: I love it. Having the ability to bring dozens of books anywhere is a big deal to me! It saves space at home and on the go. And I can still rent plenty of books, too!
Also, I notice that it’s changed my reading habits a bit. I’m reading more often. Sure, this could be the novelty – I mean, who doesn’t love a new toy – but I think just being able to carry it anywhere means that books are just more available at any given moment.
So, to all you e-reader skeptics out there, I say definitely give one a try. You might surprise yourself!
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