I’ve had my Kindle Paperwhite for almost a year now, so I thought it was about time to do a Kindle Paperwhite Review. As an avid reader, I don’t know what took me this long to get a Kindle! While I do not exclusively read on the Kindle, they definitely have their time and place. I have been asked by a few people whether or not the kindle was worth it. In this Kindle Paperwhite review, I am covering what I like about the Kindle, what I don’t like, whether or not I read more with it, and if I think the kindle is worth it!
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An Honest Kindle Paperwhite Review
Let’s start this Kindle Paperwhite Review off on a good note!
What I Love About the Kindle Paperwhite
Portable
The main reason I wanted the Kindle is because I like to read, but didn’t want to have to lug books around everywhere. This was especially helpful when I went backpacking and wanted to take something to read, but didn’t want to carry all the extra weight of a book. The Kindle does its job well in this aspect. They are fairly lightweight and are thin even with a case. It is convenient to carry and is my preferred method of reading when I am traveling or on the go.
If your goal is to read more, the kindle can help with this. It’s easy to carry on you and pull out whenever you have time like on your commute or lunch break.
Easy to Keep Notes
I love that if there is something I want to refer back to, I can highlight parts of the book or take notes. It’s easy to find again by going to the highlighted notes portion of your kindle so you’re not scouring the book again for that one page. The Kindle will also show you specific sentences or paragraphs that are frequently highlighted which is kind of cool to see what resonated with other people. I have noticed so many popular highlighted portions in Colleen Hoover’s books.
Connects to Goodreads
I love using Goodreads to track my yearly reading goals. If you also use Goodreads, you can connect your account. Books you begin reading will automatically populate with the percentage you have read, the date started, and the date finished.
Stats
When you are reading a book, the Kindle automatically tells you what page you’re on and the percentage through the book you are. The Kindle also tracks the speed that you are reading to calculate and display how much longer it will take you to finish the rest of the book.
Backlight
A second big reason that I got the Kindle is so that I could read in minimal lighting. The backlight is a huge advantage over regular books, especially if you find yourself wanting to read at times when you don’t have a lot of light. The lighting is warm-toned and you can adjust the brightness to your liking.
You Can Save Money
One thing I love having is KindleUnlimited. The first few months were free, but after it’s $10/month. With Kindle Unlimited I get access to a library of free books. They range from small Indie Books to more popular ones like The 7 1/2 Lives of Evelyn Hugo and Ninth House. If you can read even one book a month with Kindle Unlimited that you would have otherwise read, it’s worth the money.
If you don’t go with KindleUnlimited, ebooks are generally cheaper than hardbacks or paperbacks anyway. This is nice if the library isn’t going to have a book that you’re wanting to read for a while and you don’t want to buy a physical copy for one reason.
Other Fun Features
There are just so many little features that make having a Kindle useful. There is a built-in dictionary for when you come across a word you don’t know. The screen looks like a book would and doesn’t have a glare. You can adjust the text size. The battery is long-lasting. There are just a lot of little things that make the Kindle worth it!
What I Don’t Love About the Kindle
Physical Books are More Enjoyable
A Kindle won’t ever replace reading physical books for me. I find it more enjoyable to read from an actual book. If I am just reading at home and have good lighting, I will generally not reach for the Kindle. It definitely has its time and place.
You Can’t Collect a Book
Sometimes I will read a book on the Kindle and enjoy it so much that I wish I would’ve bought it. I like having a collection of books that I can see, and rearrange on a shelf. If you’re someone who doesn’t want a lot of books because they can ‘clutter’ the Kindle is definitely for you. However, if you are someone the likes to buy books just to have or to lend in the future then you may not like the Kindle as much.
No Color and Eye Strain
Right now the Kindle is only in black and white. This is fine for when you’re reading. However, on your homepage, all the covers are also in black and white. I think this helps with eye strain, and I have never really had any problems with this on the Kindle. Since it’s electronic though, I do think it can affect some peoples eyes, especially if you’re more sensitive to looking at screens (and from such a short distance away).
Ads
You do have to pay $20 more if you want the Kindle Paperwhite without ads. It’s so weird to me that there is even an option to buy it with ads, but buying it without is a good investment. Nothing is more annoying than ads popping up while you’re trying to read a book
Cost
There are a few different models of the Kindle with different price points. If you can, I recommend waiting until Prime Day or Cyber Monday to buy the Kindle. On these two days, all the models are 50% off! It’s such a good deal. Otherwise, it will run you about $160 for the basic version of the Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB, no wireless charging, adjustable light, no ads). For the upgraded model, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, you can get 32 GB of storage, wireless charging, and an auto-adjusting light for $190. If you’re buying a Kindle for a kid, there is also a specific Kindle made just for kids that is waterproof and has a 2-year warranty for any accidents. The Kindle for kids will run you $160 and comes with a year-long subscription to Amazon Kids+.
Overall Thoughts on the Kindle Paperwhite
I think that the Kindle Paperwhite is a great investment if you like to read or want to read more. You can make your money back with the money you save on physical books since ebooks are cheaper if you are an avid reader. Otherwise, it’s worth it for the convenience, portability, backlight, and other handy features. I’m not sure what took me so long to get one, but I’m glad I have one now! Even if you don’t exclusively read on the Kindle, I think that you can benefit from having one if you read.
Want more reading-related posts? Check out some of my previous posts below!
- 10 Books to Read this Fall
- 9 Books that Should be on Your 2022 TBR
- 9 Bookstagrams to Follow for Book Recommendations
I hope you found this Kindle Paperwhite Review helpful! To be alerted of all future posts, you can like my Facebook page here, follow my Instagram here, or join my email list down below!
