I'm Reading More After Letting Go of Physical Books

I've been reading for as long as I can remember. Physical books were always part of that. Picking one at a railway station before a journey, grabbing something at the airport, or finding a random paperback at a bus stop, all added to my collection.

But somewhere along the line, I was hitting practical limits. Buying physical books became a luxury choice... subject to careful considerations.

My shelves were filling up

I loved physical books. That wasn’t the issue. I still do, honestly. The weight of a good hardcover, the smell of fresh ink, just the touch of paper... I love it all.

But the books started piling up faster than I could find space for them. After all, buying books while travelling was only a part of the obsession. Being the organised freak I’m, I like books to be kept in their designated spaces, in my cupboard. And it was running out of room for more books.

I couldn't stop buying books. Right? A reader would never dare to. My love for books needed space to bloom. There was (and still is) so much out there to explore.

Switched to reading on my phone

So, one day, I started looking for e-book apps to read on my phone. I found some good ones on the Play Store. (and some of them were illegal, yes.)

Reading on phone was convenient. I could read while commuting, waiting in queues, lying in bed without needing to turn on a lamp. And I kept looking for more ways to download bytes after bytes of books for offline, anywhere, anytime reading. No need to worry about space.

Somewhere down the line, I also came across the Kindle app. And I started buying books there. Books became more accessible. Reading became more accessible.

Started considering buying a Kindle

At some point, I started noticing Kindles... the reading devices. Didn’t pay any heed though. Wasn’t interested in carrying one more device around. My phone seemed perfectly fine for reading, and it fit well in pockets.

The Kindle did feel like something I might want to try, but not something I needed right now. There was no urgency. I checked about it online from time to time. I thought about it in passing but never seriously enough to actually buy one.

It felt pricey. The same as a good, working Android phone that I could do more with. And it was a bit large to fit in my pockets. And If i couldn’t carry it 24/7, it kind of defeated the purpose for me.

Kept waiting, kept waiting

I was reading voraciously, and I was looking at a dedicated reading device. But I kept putting the decision off. Looking at the features occasionally but never really buying.

Part of the reason I kept waiting was wariness about the Kindle's weight. People said it was light. But I didn’t shake the feeling that it’s light enough for me to hold in one hand like my phone. Would my delicate, slender wrist hurt when holding for long stretches?

The size bothered me too. Of course, it wasn’t large like a tablet, but also not small enough to slip into a pocket like my phone. Didn’t want to buy something that I might not use because it’s in my room somewhere I couldn’t dig around at the time of need.

I just wasn't convinced it was worth it. The Kindle app worked fine on my phone. I had my books. What would actually change if I bought the device? I didn’t know the answer.

Then, I noticed a deal during one of those year-end sales. In 2021. A decent discount. And I had a gift card I'd been sitting on for months.

Made the Kindle affordable enough to take a chance on it.

And I bought a Kindle

I went with the Kindle Basic. The most affordable option, and the lightest one. After all, the weight was one of my concerns. The Basic model had everything I needed to read. If it turned out to be a mistake, at least it wouldn't be an expensive one.

Kindle Basic worked out for me... for you, Kindle Paperwhite might be better. Explore your options before getting one. You can check some Kindle alternatives as well if you're considering buying a dedicated e-reader.

I decided to go bold with my device. No cover, no case. Just the bare Kindle, as light as it could possibly be. Didn't want to add extra weight to something I was already unsure about.

Found it to be oddly comfortable

To my surprise, the Kindle felt lighter than I expected. Comfortable, even. I could hold it in one hand without any stress. Even with my thin, bony fingers. A few months later, I (reluctantly) had to add a cover. The device was fragile. Actually, I’m more careless. The cover made it safer.

Now, I could be reading while lying down. Holding it with one hand while eating. Leaving it open without losing my page or needing a bookmark.

Plus, the e-ink screen was soothing. I could read for hours without noticing any fatigue. Then, the battery? It lasted weeks. That was another pleasant surprise. Reading on Kindle was making my reading experience better already.

Read more in a year than I had in years combined

For years, my reading hovered around 20 books annually. After getting the Kindle, that moved to be around 40-50 books. No, I wasn’t setting any goals. I was reading... just reading.

The Kindle had become part of my daily routine. Always within reach, making it easier to pick up a book whenever I felt like it.

Then 2025 happened.

I read 90+ books. Nearly double what I'd been reading since getting the Kindle. And way more than I'd ever managed before that. Just like that.

It was the year I started reading indie books consciously. The year also brought me more review copies... and I started choosing ebooks almost by default. Just because I (unknowingly) felt more comfortable reading them. Physical books still had their place, but ebooks became my preference.

Read 90 Books in 2025 (and Reviewed 81 of Them)

Loving Kindle ebooks more than ever

I still have unread books on my shelf. Quite a few of them, actually. I still buy physical books when something pulls me in. I still love the feel of a musky paperback in my hands.

But when reading a physical book now, I often find myself thinking it should have been a Kindle book instead. The weight, the awkwardness of holding it open, and the inability to find a meaning with a long-tap... now feel like small inconveniences.

And hardcovers? Well, I rarely buy them anymore. Only if they aren’t tome-thick, and I really, really like that cover. Otherwise, the Kindle has become my default.

I'm not trying to convince you of anything. This is just what changed my reading habit.

PS... If you’re sitting on the decision to buy an e-reader, consider this moment to be your signal to buy your very own Kindle.

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