My E-readers

The Wonderful World of E-readers. 

It was completely by chance that I entered it.

One blistering summer afternoon, having returned from my exhausting retail job, I flopped on my couch and decided to unwind with simple pleasures: playing Minecraft on my Nintendo Switch and listening to a Youtube video in the background. 

(Yes, I know how Gen Z that sounds. You'll have to forgive me for that 😉) 

I don't know what favourable wind found me that day, but I was recommended a video unlike what I usually watch. It was from a channel called 'whatmichaelareads' and was on the topic of e-readers. Specifically, the ever-present debate on whether a Kobo is better than a Kindle. Watch it here! It's very enlightening and, honestly, an all around good time. 

At this point, I didn't know what a Kobo was. My Kindle, most used at age 12, had long been gathering dust somewhere. I clicked on that video, for fun, since I thought it could be interesting background noise. Then... it did something unexpected. It caught my attention. No, it peaked my attention. Perhaps far too much for someone who had read a total of ~2 books that year.

I couldn't help it! 

The promise of an e-reader with an open system and Libby integration was an enticing one. Free books, a distraction free experience, and the ability to customise to my heart's content? Yes please! 

After abandoning my Switch in favour of taking to Google, however, I quickly discovered that there was a single, massive problem.

E-readers are a bit expensive. 

The Kobo Libra Colour, the peak of current Kobo e-readers, was £239.99. I couldn't justify spending that much of my hard-earned money on a device I didn't know if I would use! 

Sadly, I put down Google, and picked back up my Switch.   

It was too late, though. The curiosity had taken hold. I began researching, with fervour, everything I could find on Kobo e-readers. Every Youtube video I could find , I watched. Every reddit page that popped up, I devoured. I took to the second hand markets to see how well their market value held up. Surprisingly, since Kobo devices occupy a small part of the e-reader market, it held up very well. I watched, with sullen fascination, as a Kobo Libra Colour on Ebay sold for £150 within an hour of it being listed. 

I continued watching. I waited. And, like anyone familiar with the tides of Vinted, they eventually turned in my favour. I found a Kobo Libra Colour for £105 that included screen protectors, the original box, and a Kobo stylus. 

I bought it. My entry into the world of E-readers had begun.  

Fast-forward until now and here is my well-loved, well-read Kobo Libra Colour. 

 

That was only the beginning, too! Months later, I found another second-hand treasure. A discontinued Kobo Mini for £20 on Ebay. It came out in 2012, many years ago in the world of technology, but it's still kicking! At 5'', it is my go-to chuck in a bag Kobo. It's portability is unmatched. 

 *Sigh* Aren't they just gorgeous?

Now, this blog is for all things bookish. I do have physical books and I promise I don't just pose my e-readers on them. But here, I thought I'd start at the beginning and show you my prized possessions. 

~

If you read all the way to the end, thank you for sticking around! Make sure you stay tuned if you are interested in finding out all my tips and tricks on deciding the best e-reader for you!