As someone who owns both physical books and a kindle, there are reasons to love and reasons to dislike specific features of both. After reading physical books my whole life and receiving a kindle for Christmas, I have had time to compare and contrast attributes of both the kindle and physical books. Understanding the features of both can help you to decide which format is to your liking overall or which you may enjoy for a specific book.
Physical books are classic. They have hundreds of pages with a unique story written in them and come in many different shapes and sizes with beautiful covers and spines that you can display on your shelf.
Another feature that everyone loves is simply holding the book and flipping the pages, which is irreplaceable to some and may be a dealbreaker when thinking about switching to a kindle. Unlike the kindle, a physical book does not have a battery life and will not break down.
The amazon kindle has many advantages. First off, it is a cheaper option if you adore and read books constantly as the books are less expensive when purchased digitally. A kindle paperwhite can start at $99.99 on amazon. While this may seem like a large number, it is considerably less than other modern-day devices and will become a good investment in the long run if you are a determined reader. Another benefit is it can hold thousands of books ranging from 2,000 books to tens of thousands of books on higher-end models.
Kindle unlimited is another advantage for those who read books rapidly. Kindle unlimited is $11.99 a month and gives you access to a wide variety of genres and stories. Something to keep in mind before purchasing kindle unlimited is you can only have 20 books in your library at once. Books you purchase separately do not apply to this.
If you are like me, you bring 3 to 6 books on vacation and it takes up a large portion of your bag. With a kindle, you can have unlimited options at the tips of your fingers when traveling or simply sitting somewhere quiet in your home town.
Ultimately, your answer depends on preference. If you simply cannot bring yourself to switch to e-books and are a hardcore physical book lover, the kindle may not be your best option. If you read vigorously and have hundreds of books lying around your house, however, it may be a good idea to try a kindle and see if it is a good fit for your reading needs and preferences.
