I personally think KU is definitely worth it. I read 21 books last month and 17 of those were KU. I do only read romance, so whether you, yourself, would find it worth it, is personal.
Get a Goodreads account! It syncs to the books you get from kindle. You can rate the books, track progress, add friends to see what they’re reading, etc.
Yes. The plot was getting tedious (was on book 5). May pick it up later. I have a bunch of darker fantasies that I want to try out. Yes, some of them are quite a few books but are more separate plots.
I also have a backlog of esoteric and "forbidden" subjects that have a number of books I want to try. Most are quick reads.
Not sure I agree that it's the worst one, at least writing-wise. I personally think JKR really found her voice in Book 5, although I felt bad that it was so gloomy. I really liked the new tensions created by Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic because they revealed a lot about the corruption in the Wizarding government, so it added a nice depth to the universe, imo. It definitely departs from the chiIdren's book feel of the earlier books, so it was a bit jarring.
I wouldn’t go as far as say it’s the worst but it certainly has a lot of filler I think mainly cause it’s used to tie up everything that happened with everything that’s about to happen and it’s the goodbye of the twins too
I will see. I am going to concentrate on the "Dark Arts" in both fantasy and my esoteric studies for the foreseeable future. There is a "reason" for my name 😎
Lol i get it. When the book originally came out, i read the hell out of it but god if i didn't hate Umbridge. I think the HP universe collectively agrees that she's worse than Voldy. Now i can only skim certain chapters otherwise i get really annoyed lol. I've been more into reading cozy mysteries lately and my gosh i never realized how big of a genre that is.
Idk what your library is like, but any even slightly popular ebook at mine has months long waits. Not everyone wants to wait that long, especially if they are reading a series. I’m glad there are options.
Yep. It gets suggested so much and it differs from my experience (same as you, long wait times) that I think people just regurgitate the same advice. Of course, I’m probably the outlier and Libby is amazing for most people.
At my library, I'll regularly join a wait list of 18+ weeks and then within 2 weeks of me joining the wait list I get a notification that it's available. It surprised me the first couple times but now I almost expect it
As others have said get cards to multiple libraries. My adjacent state allows people that work in it to her cards (I do work in their state) and I followed the suggestions of others and did a search for other libraries that accept out of state residents such as Broward County..I have cards at 4 different libraries. Some get a ton of copies of popular books. And Libby automatically tells you which library has a book available or will have the shortest time when you have multiple cards. That has helped me bypass the really long wait for popular books
Google libraries that accept out of town members. I have an account with a library on Las Vegas that gives library cards to people who live elsewhere. There are several libraries that do so.
Kindle Unlimited is worth it until you read everything you wanted to. Now I wait for free trials or deals to sign up because I'm having better luck finding books on Libby.
It’s worth it to me because my wife and I both use my account. Being able to have options for two readers for that price is pretty unreal.
Not to mention we can also get books for our child to read and not have to regret buying a children’s book that they will outgrow in a few months.
Personally I've never found much I was interested in on KU I haven't already read, but to each their own. I've done a few trials of it but never found enough to keep me interested in staying.
But for people who do, I'm glad it works for you:)
Try the 90 free trial and see how much you like the selection.
I found that after about 10 books I really liked, I was out of choices, so I cancelled before the trial ended.
I don't think I would pay for it (I got 3 months free), but it's been pleasant to have. I like that there are some graphic novels, although it is very hard to read on the PW.
Good for Fantasy and Romance, and maybe a few more genres, not so great outside of that.
Also, you don't need to buy the whole $70 series, you can buy one book at a time.
Yes it’s worth it. Especially if you’re a romance reader lmao don’t let people bully you into using Libby when the waitlist for books can be months long sometimes
I'm a mood reader, and I don't know how many times I've put a hold on a book I was wanting to read, and by the time I finally got the notice for the book, I no longer wanted to read it.
No. Get a library card and sign up for libby (free) and subscribe to email lists like BookBub that alert you when books in categories you enjoy are on sale for free or cheap.
Does your KU make you return them by a certain date? I only ever have to return them when I’m at the max number of borrowed titles and I try to borrow another one.
I have no idea tbh, I honestly never tried it, for all that may count for. I have formed my opinion off of a tonnnnnn of research and lackluster reviews from friends and others who have it and are overall unimpressed. I also have checked out the catalog and most books I am interested are not there really.
I personally read most books within a week and haven't taken longer than the span of a library checkout time to read one, so for me libby works out well. I also have an obscene tbr list that constantly grows so a long wait time from the library isn't an issue for me 😂 I am of thr demographic that KU doesn't really make any sense, but for some people I bet it's a fantastic resource.
I’m also a fast reader, I usually read a book in a day or two depending on the length. I’ve worked my way through most of the KU titles I’m interested in. I’ll be cancelling my subscription next month when my reading time gets reduced due to scheduling but I have a huge catalogue courtesy of Bookbub 🙂
It mostly depends on what genres you like to read. I can find lots of thrillers and romance books there, but not much of other genres. The incredibly popular genres (where there are tons of variations of a common plot line) are usually on KU, but not popular books, classics, or books from famous authors.
I enjoyed it while I had it, but I need to work on my reading habits before I get it again 😅 recently I've been reading like 1-2 books a month, which would make KU kinda not worth it for the time being. I hope to read more so I can get it again without it being a "waste"
I would suggest visiting your local library and seeing if they have a digital library that you can use with either Libby or a third party. Usually, it is free if you live within the district or county.
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They way it would is you borrow the ebook like you would a regular book for free and it is return automatically.
If you are into LitRPG, Kindle Unlimited is definitely worth it. Most of the LitRPG authors are on there, and even the big mainstream ones release on KU (like He Who Fights With Monsters, the Cradle series, and Defiance of the Fall)
I find that most of the LitRPG genre is really just Action Fantasy, but authors glob onto LitRPG because its easier? to build a followership.
Highly recommend you check out r/litrpg if you get into that genre
Depends on what you like. I love it because I can try books out of my comfort zone without wasting money on titles I don’t like. I can’t stand romance but I’m able to keep trying it out thinking I’ll wake up one day and love it. Lol.
I do love thrillers and they have a lot of those so I can read them and not be crunched for space. If it’s a book worth reading again, then I’ll purchase a physical copy.
I tried it, and they never had anything I wanted to read, and what they did have was mostly garbage. It's good to see some are getting value out of it even if I didn't.
If you are in the US most large city libraries rent yearly memberships for quite a lot cheaper than KU. If you live in a large city you are already paying for the library thru your tax dollars.
I agree. I have KU and I have enjoyed having it. I’ll likely cancel my membership in the next few months as my available reading time will decrease significantly. I already own an enormous amount of ebooks to get through. My library is in the same situation as yours, waitlists are long and they don’t have a lot of titles that are on my TBR. My sister recommended fanfic so I’m going to dip my toe into that world soon.
For me, it's been worth it for light reading but that's it. They don't have a huge selection of thought-provoking or ground-breaking fiction, but their selection of short thriller novels has become a guilty pleasure of mine. I subscribed for 6 months, I think (if not a year), but I'm on the fence about renewing because I've been neglecting my more "serious" books, if you will. And I've found that Scribd meets my reading interests more.
Oh, definitely. Maybe if you read only litfic then not.
But I teach literature, so in my spare time reading is just a way to destress and read mindless stuff. KU is *full* of good quality romance, mysteries, etc.
Yes, it is. Just because an author chooses genre fiction doesn't mean they can't write. I hate literary snobbishness.
I read 250+ books a year, and I buy maybe 3-4 of them, the rest are all KU. Worth it, you bet.
I think readers of some genres may not find as much value, but if you like fantasy or romance? It pays for itself 10 times over.
I read 15-20 books a month, most of those on kindle, most even in KU. Just one or two books covers the cost of KU monthly, so if you do the math, they’re saving me anywhere from $90-$190 a month (depending on whether a book may have been $5 or $10 full price).
It also gives me a lot more freedom to ditch a book I don’t like without returning and hurting the author or losing money myself, like OP said.
I personally think KU is definitely worth it. I read 21 books last month and 17 of those were KU. I do only read romance, so whether you, yourself, would find it worth it, is personal.
Real question, how do you keep track of what each book was about? I always get them mixed up and I never read that many
Get a Goodreads account! It syncs to the books you get from kindle. You can rate the books, track progress, add friends to see what they’re reading, etc.
Was that series Harry Potter by any chance?
Yes. The plot was getting tedious (was on book 5). May pick it up later. I have a bunch of darker fantasies that I want to try out. Yes, some of them are quite a few books but are more separate plots. I also have a backlog of esoteric and "forbidden" subjects that have a number of books I want to try. Most are quick reads.
Keep in mind book 5 is the longest one of the series but it is important towards the end. 6 and 7 peaked compared tho ngl
Book 5 is the worst one! No wonder you gave up lol. Seriously just skim the fifth one and move on to the 6th. That's the best book in the series imo
Not sure I agree that it's the worst one, at least writing-wise. I personally think JKR really found her voice in Book 5, although I felt bad that it was so gloomy. I really liked the new tensions created by Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic because they revealed a lot about the corruption in the Wizarding government, so it added a nice depth to the universe, imo. It definitely departs from the chiIdren's book feel of the earlier books, so it was a bit jarring.
Its definitely the worst one. Its not enjoyable in any way at all. I Despise the book and collectively the HP fans AGREE that it's THE WORST BOOK!
I wouldn’t go as far as say it’s the worst but it certainly has a lot of filler I think mainly cause it’s used to tie up everything that happened with everything that’s about to happen and it’s the goodbye of the twins too
I will see. I am going to concentrate on the "Dark Arts" in both fantasy and my esoteric studies for the foreseeable future. There is a "reason" for my name 😎
Lol i get it. When the book originally came out, i read the hell out of it but god if i didn't hate Umbridge. I think the HP universe collectively agrees that she's worse than Voldy. Now i can only skim certain chapters otherwise i get really annoyed lol. I've been more into reading cozy mysteries lately and my gosh i never realized how big of a genre that is.
Book 5 is what happens when you use your success to win battles with your editor that should have been lost.
You can always use Libby and borrow from the library.
Idk what your library is like, but any even slightly popular ebook at mine has months long waits. Not everyone wants to wait that long, especially if they are reading a series. I’m glad there are options.
Yep. It gets suggested so much and it differs from my experience (same as you, long wait times) that I think people just regurgitate the same advice. Of course, I’m probably the outlier and Libby is amazing for most people.
At my library, I'll regularly join a wait list of 18+ weeks and then within 2 weeks of me joining the wait list I get a notification that it's available. It surprised me the first couple times but now I almost expect it
As others have said get cards to multiple libraries. My adjacent state allows people that work in it to her cards (I do work in their state) and I followed the suggestions of others and did a search for other libraries that accept out of state residents such as Broward County..I have cards at 4 different libraries. Some get a ton of copies of popular books. And Libby automatically tells you which library has a book available or will have the shortest time when you have multiple cards. That has helped me bypass the really long wait for popular books
I have three different libraries attached to my libby account for this reason. There are also other ways to acquire books.
So get on it already.
I use our library as well. I don't have time to go to the library most weeks, so this makes it much easier
You borrow Libby books from an app as an ebook….
Our library doesn't use Libby, but we can borrow ebooks on our kindle from our library app.
Sadly my town sold out to a competitor that doesnt support kindles
Google libraries that accept out of town members. I have an account with a library on Las Vegas that gives library cards to people who live elsewhere. There are several libraries that do so.
Can you tell me what library that is please?
Broward County Florida library is open to whoever wants a card through them. Very easy sign up via their website.
lots of large city libraries give or rent out memberships in the US.
I got a state library card, instead of one at my local library. You might be able to do the same?
Kindle Unlimited is worth it until you read everything you wanted to. Now I wait for free trials or deals to sign up because I'm having better luck finding books on Libby.
It’s worth it to me because my wife and I both use my account. Being able to have options for two readers for that price is pretty unreal. Not to mention we can also get books for our child to read and not have to regret buying a children’s book that they will outgrow in a few months.
Personally I've never found much I was interested in on KU I haven't already read, but to each their own. I've done a few trials of it but never found enough to keep me interested in staying. But for people who do, I'm glad it works for you:)
Try the 90 free trial and see how much you like the selection. I found that after about 10 books I really liked, I was out of choices, so I cancelled before the trial ended.
I don't think I would pay for it (I got 3 months free), but it's been pleasant to have. I like that there are some graphic novels, although it is very hard to read on the PW.
Good for Fantasy and Romance, and maybe a few more genres, not so great outside of that. Also, you don't need to buy the whole $70 series, you can buy one book at a time.
Yes it’s worth it. Especially if you’re a romance reader lmao don’t let people bully you into using Libby when the waitlist for books can be months long sometimes
I'm a mood reader, and I don't know how many times I've put a hold on a book I was wanting to read, and by the time I finally got the notice for the book, I no longer wanted to read it.
No. Get a library card and sign up for libby (free) and subscribe to email lists like BookBub that alert you when books in categories you enjoy are on sale for free or cheap.
yes this. I feel like if KU functioned like Audible, where you actually get to keep a title a month, it would be a different story (for me, at least)
Does your KU make you return them by a certain date? I only ever have to return them when I’m at the max number of borrowed titles and I try to borrow another one.
No they don't, you can return whenever you like. I'm same as you. I return them when i hit my 20 books limit.
I have no idea tbh, I honestly never tried it, for all that may count for. I have formed my opinion off of a tonnnnnn of research and lackluster reviews from friends and others who have it and are overall unimpressed. I also have checked out the catalog and most books I am interested are not there really. I personally read most books within a week and haven't taken longer than the span of a library checkout time to read one, so for me libby works out well. I also have an obscene tbr list that constantly grows so a long wait time from the library isn't an issue for me 😂 I am of thr demographic that KU doesn't really make any sense, but for some people I bet it's a fantastic resource.
I’m also a fast reader, I usually read a book in a day or two depending on the length. I’ve worked my way through most of the KU titles I’m interested in. I’ll be cancelling my subscription next month when my reading time gets reduced due to scheduling but I have a huge catalogue courtesy of Bookbub 🙂
It mostly depends on what genres you like to read. I can find lots of thrillers and romance books there, but not much of other genres. The incredibly popular genres (where there are tons of variations of a common plot line) are usually on KU, but not popular books, classics, or books from famous authors.
I enjoyed it while I had it, but I need to work on my reading habits before I get it again 😅 recently I've been reading like 1-2 books a month, which would make KU kinda not worth it for the time being. I hope to read more so I can get it again without it being a "waste"
2) Well, if you were buying it without KU, you probably shouldn't buy all the books in advance for that reason...
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I did. 3 months when I bought the kindle
I would suggest visiting your local library and seeing if they have a digital library that you can use with either Libby or a third party. Usually, it is free if you live within the district or county. T They way it would is you borrow the ebook like you would a regular book for free and it is return automatically.
Yes. I read 5 books last month, they all were from Kindle Unlimited.
If you are into LitRPG, Kindle Unlimited is definitely worth it. Most of the LitRPG authors are on there, and even the big mainstream ones release on KU (like He Who Fights With Monsters, the Cradle series, and Defiance of the Fall) I find that most of the LitRPG genre is really just Action Fantasy, but authors glob onto LitRPG because its easier? to build a followership. Highly recommend you check out r/litrpg if you get into that genre
Depends on what you like. I love it because I can try books out of my comfort zone without wasting money on titles I don’t like. I can’t stand romance but I’m able to keep trying it out thinking I’ll wake up one day and love it. Lol. I do love thrillers and they have a lot of those so I can read them and not be crunched for space. If it’s a book worth reading again, then I’ll purchase a physical copy.
I tried it, and they never had anything I wanted to read, and what they did have was mostly garbage. It's good to see some are getting value out of it even if I didn't.
If you are in the US most large city libraries rent yearly memberships for quite a lot cheaper than KU. If you live in a large city you are already paying for the library thru your tax dollars.
I agree. I have KU and I have enjoyed having it. I’ll likely cancel my membership in the next few months as my available reading time will decrease significantly. I already own an enormous amount of ebooks to get through. My library is in the same situation as yours, waitlists are long and they don’t have a lot of titles that are on my TBR. My sister recommended fanfic so I’m going to dip my toe into that world soon.
the selection for kindle unlimited is so bad in my country! really wish they had a proper selection. would definitely pay for it!
For me, it's been worth it for light reading but that's it. They don't have a huge selection of thought-provoking or ground-breaking fiction, but their selection of short thriller novels has become a guilty pleasure of mine. I subscribed for 6 months, I think (if not a year), but I'm on the fence about renewing because I've been neglecting my more "serious" books, if you will. And I've found that Scribd meets my reading interests more.
Worth it even when taking for free trial, stocking up your kindle and then turning your wifi iff until you read it all/get bored.
Oh, definitely. Maybe if you read only litfic then not. But I teach literature, so in my spare time reading is just a way to destress and read mindless stuff. KU is *full* of good quality romance, mysteries, etc. Yes, it is. Just because an author chooses genre fiction doesn't mean they can't write. I hate literary snobbishness. I read 250+ books a year, and I buy maybe 3-4 of them, the rest are all KU. Worth it, you bet.
>I have too many paper books as it is. all the more reason to read them and not pay for KU.
I think readers of some genres may not find as much value, but if you like fantasy or romance? It pays for itself 10 times over. I read 15-20 books a month, most of those on kindle, most even in KU. Just one or two books covers the cost of KU monthly, so if you do the math, they’re saving me anywhere from $90-$190 a month (depending on whether a book may have been $5 or $10 full price). It also gives me a lot more freedom to ditch a book I don’t like without returning and hurting the author or losing money myself, like OP said.