E-book fun

I'm not sure how many people use e-readers, but I am obsessed with my Kindle. I've always been deemed a speed reader, and go through books really fast. Buying real paperbound books was getting expensive, my bookshelves both at my father's house and my apartment were full, and frequent trips to the library were not always feasible for me. And while I do still purchase real books much to my boyfriend's chagrin (seriously, he gives me some are you kidding me looks quite frequently when I come home with more books) I'm more likely to get books for my kindle than anything else now.


Advantages to e-books:

• I can highlight and add notes without the inner teacher relative voice in my head telling me to stop scribbling in books
• There are frequently free books from some of my favorite authors available on Amazon
• Space for storing books is all on one device
• All of my highlights for my kindle are saved on a website I can access easily and view by book
• Money!

Disadvantages:

• I miss the smell of books
• I miss holding books
• The pretty covers of books are lost

If you don't own an e-reader, but you have a smartphone or a tablet you can download the applications for the readers on there for free! Nook, Kindle, and iBooks are all available. 

Now for some tips on easily getting e-books cheaper! This post has been in the works for a while, but after talking to Annica of Life Modifier on instagram I thought I should put more information out there. I am a deal hunter and a book lover, so I've done some legwork here. 

First up, your local library! It is far more than just a home to physical books. Most of them also use OverDrive, or another setup, for the ability to lend e-books directly to your e-reader or audio device. The time limit is usually 14-21 days, and you can have 5-10 books out at a time with the ability to be on hold like you would a traditional book. You can also borrow audiobooks that you can put on your device, or listen to via a special application. 

There are several sites where you can sign up to receive book deals that are priced cheaper than normal and on most, you can choose the categories you want sent to you. Below I've listed a few I use and have found useful.

Pixel of Ink  is the newest one I've come across but my favorite at the moment. You can receive daily emails with book deals, free and deeply discounted, or search for deals on their site.

Book Bub

eBookSoda 

Also, when you go to Amazon and go to the Kindle Book store, select Bestsellers and you can organize the categories by Top 100 paid, and Top 100 free, and narrow down even further for more results on the categories. I've spent way too much time on it and the deals do change occasionally. Here a couple of links to my favorite categories:

Classics-Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina, A Tale of Two Cities. If you love classics, this will be your friend.

Religion & Spirituality

Bios & Memoirs


Also, can't forget Project Gutenberg! The original online home for e-books and the first I had ever heard of. I used it before e-readers were even popular and it's great!

Make sure you follow your favorite authors on social media. If their books go on sale anywhere, they are usually the first to announce it! 
Please note: books on these deal sites do not always last at their low or free price for very long. Some will stay for weeks and some jump up in a matter of hours. Any books I have listed are subject to change in price. These are all my own personal opinion on how much I enjoy using these sites.