Kindle \\ How I've Paid for My Kindle Through Free Books

Nearly two years ago, in the first months of 2011, I bought a Kindle. Of course, since that time, at least three new versions of the Kindle have appeared on the scene. Though mine is now "old" and being phased out, it is still in great condition considering how many books I've read on it. (Kind of like how I got an iPod Nano for Christmas one year and now I'm three or four generations behind.)

I was a skeptic in the beginning. Though I was willing to put my hard-earned cash on the table and spent roughly $150 for a Kindle and a leather case, I wasn't entirely sure that I would enjoy the reading experience as much as I did when I held a beloved, weighty book in my hands. I wasn't even sure that I would read that many books on it because paying for books on top of the Kindle price seemed a bit ridiculous.

The first book I downloaded was Lady Susan by Jane Austen. It was free. (Hilariously enough I haven't read it yet.) The second was a free one called After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart, and it was wonderful.  The next book I downloaded was free too, and so was the next one. Out of the 70ish books I have on my Kindle today, I've actually paid for only 5 of them.

The Kindle Store offers plenty of free ebooks that are worthwhile. A lot of new books are free for a short amount of time, and sometimes when a new book by a particular author comes out, another of his or her books is free for a limited time. Almost all classics are free, and though they aren't the kind with endless footnotes and endnotes and explanations, they are the unabridged classics themselves and worth delving into. I also review books for this blog, and many publishers are switching to ebooks for their reviewers. And liking  or following authors and publishers on Facebook and Twitter will lead you straight to announcements about free ebooks.

While this may be coming across as a marketing campaign, my point is hopefully not lost. E-readers don't remove that wonderful reading experience that comes when you curl up on the couch with a book, wrapped in a blanket and with hot chocolate by your side. A curled up cat would be nice too, unless you're allergic. For me, a Kindle has only tweaked the experience. Now I can carry a ton of books with me, and when I decide to read that thick Les Miserables I can put aside my fear that I'll knock myself out with it while reading beneath my covers. 

Certainly you can get enjoy your reading life without an e-reader, but if you decide to get one, don't forget to look for the freebies.

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Free for Kindle

Thicker than Blood by C.J. Darlington.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

The Covenant by Beverly Lewis.

When Calls the Heart by Janette Oke.

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