Kindle Secrets: How I Maximise My E-Reader
Have you planned your holiday reads yet?
Remember the days when you’d stuff a pile of novels into your suitcase, only to bring them back sun-warped, sand-filled, and soaked in suncream?
Now, I know I call myself a techie, but I’m not fully digital—I really struggled with digital notebooks (give me a Moleskine and a cheap biro any day), and I only switched to a digital calendar out of necessity, running an online business and a digital-native family.
But… as an aspiring (and very imperfect) minimalist, I do absolutely love my Kindle. I got my first one in 2011, and I’m currently using a Kindle Paperwhite I bought in 2018. (Does that mean I’m due an upgrade?)
I know lots of people haven’t made the switch to an e-reader—“I love the smell and feel of a real book!”—and I get it. My dream job would be to run a bookshop! But I’m also practical. And honestly, I can’t think of a more efficient, affordable way to consume books than on Kindle.
Yes, I still have a shelf for my “special” books: The Complete Works of Shakespeare, a mostly first-edition set of Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and an early copy of Treasure Island. Not to mention a few coffee table favourites like Atlas of Imagined Places, New York Photography and Life on Svalbard.
Everything else? It’s on my Kindle.
My Favourite Kindle Tips, Hacks and Habits
After more than a decade of reading this way, I’ve picked up a few Kindle tips to help build and manage your digital library. Here are my top tricks—and no affiliate links here, just genuine Kindle love.
1. Free Books on Amazon
If you struggle to justify paying the same for a digital book as a paperback (same!), start with Amazon’s collection of free Kindle books. These are mostly classics, but it’s a great way to dip in and get reading straight away—no Prime account needed.
2. Prime Reading
Yes, a Prime subscription really does unlock the full Kindle experience. It’s annoying, I know—but there’s a huge library of “free” books available with Prime Reading, and plenty to keep you going forever.
Just search Prime Reading in the Kindle Store to see what’s available.
3. Family Sharing
If you live with another Prime member, you must set up Amazon Household. It lets you share all digital content between two adults. That means my husband’s entire Kindle library is available to me—and vice versa.
📍 You can set this up by going to:
Amazon > Your Account > Manage Your Household
4. Amazon Kindle Daily Deals
I get the Kindle Daily Deal email every day—books are usually 99p, and there’s often something I want. If inbox overwhelm is real, just bookmark the Daily Deals page instead.
📆 Pro tip: On the 15th of every month, check the “80 Books for £1” promotion for amazing offers.
5. Amazon Wish List Watching
I keep a dedicated Kindle Books wish list filled with titles I want to read or have been recommended. I check it daily (of course I do), and often find books have dropped to 99p or have been added to Prime Reading or Kindle Unlimited.
⚠️ Works best on a browser—you can’t buy Kindle books in the Amazon app.
📱 Amazon sometimes alerts you to wishlist deals via the app, but I’d still recommend a manual check.
6. Amazon First Reads
Every month, Prime members get early access to one (sometimes two!) new Kindle releases for free. If you’re not a Prime member, it’s just 99p.
Even better: Each household member gets a pick. So my husband and I coordinate and get different books—double the value!
7. Kindle Unlimited Free Trial Hack
Here’s my cheekiest tip—sorry not sorry, Amazon.
Kindle Unlimited gives you access to way more books, but it’s a paid subscription (£9.49/month). However, Amazon often offers a 3-month free trial, especially around Prime Day.
💡 Sign up, then cancel immediately so you won’t get charged when the trial ends—you’ll still have access for the full 3 months.
📚 You can borrow up to 20 books at once. Load your Kindle up, then just before your trial ends:
Return the ones you’ve read.
Borrow up to 20 more.
Turn off WiFi.
Your Kindle will hold onto those 20 books offline until you reconnect.
Result: A year’s worth of reading—totally free.
Want to See What I’m Reading?
Follow me on Goodreads—I don’t write reviews, but I do track what I read and take part in the annual reading challenge.
I’m also slowly making my way through the BBC Big Read list (circa 2003)—currently on book #70-ish.
Have a Kindle trick to share? Or a book recommendation?
I’d love to hear it—though I do currently have 137 unread books on my Kindle. 😬
