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I have always been a book worm. When I was eight, I even won an award for “being an avid, spontaneous reader” (my reward was a book — a beautifully illustrated version of “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett).
Growing up, my room was full of shelves upon shelves of paperbacks and hardcovers. I kept a journal to remember all the books I had read. I scorned people who bent the corners of pages instead of using a bookmark, I couldn’t imagine marking up a book with a pen or highlighter, I hated when book spines cracked or covers bent.
When ebooks came on the scene, I thought they were ridiculous. Why would I want to read on a digital device when I could hold a lovely physical book, when I could smell the pages and have the satisfaction of turning real pages? I was, in short, a book fanatic.
It all started when I (accidentally) became a tech reporter and I started to review e-readers. At first, I disliked having to test them and eagerly awaited going back to my paperbacks, but then I started traveling a lot for work and something clicked: Ebooks are good!
Convinced yet? You should be! Now that I’ve got you, here’s some more information on where to buy ebooks, where to get free ebooks, and which e-readers are the best ones.
You can read ebooks with or without an e-reader — all you need is a smartphone or tablet. Here is a list of places where you can buy ebooks:
You can also check out ebook subscription apps like Scribd and Kindle Unlimited, both of which I’ve tried personally and love. Essentially, for a flat rate of about $10 a month, you can read as many ebooks as you want. Scribd also offers magazines and audiobooks.
It’s easy to find free ebooks from a variety of sources. My favorite avenue is the Libby app from Overdrive, which gives me access to all the ebooks I can borrow from my local library. Although I sometimes have to wait for a title to be available, it’s a wonderful resource.
When it comes to classics, you can get many of them free from Amazon or Project Gutenberg. I’ve used both often.
I have strong opinions about e-readers. I personally think the Amazon Kindle Oasis (8GB) is worth its high cost of $280. However, I fully acknowledge that’s not a reasonable price for most people (I just read too much and can’t live without page-turning buttons). Most people will be more than happy with the mid-range Amazon Kindle Paperwhite or the basic Amazon Kindle.
If you prefer to have an e-reader from a company that’s not Amazon, Kobo’s e-readers are excellent. I like the budget-friendly Kobo Clara HD, the waterproof Kobo Libra H2O, and the large-screened Kobo Forma.
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