Why You Should Not Participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day 2025
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This will be the eleventh year of Stuff Your Kindle Day! The rise of digital reading formats seems inevitable and sort of acceptable. This article will explain exactly what it is and why it isn’t as awesome as it seems.
By Jayne Turner – Staff Writer
What is stuff your Kindle day?
Stuff Your Kindle Day is a 24-hour event where thousands of eBooks become free to download on your Kindle. The event lasts just 24 hours, and readers are free to download as many books as they want!
In 2014, romance writer Zoe York (Love in a Sandstorm, Fall Back, Fierce at Heart) started this event to offer readers free romance novels. She hoped to create community among romance readers.
Since then, it has blown into a genre-spanning event. It now occurs multiple days a year, hosted by different authors and groups. Not only that, but it spans multiple digital formats, not just Kindles.
Looking to find a new great read? Check out Books That Changed My Life.
So… what’s the problem?
I’ll tell you what the problem isn’t. It isn’t the author visibility or the free handouts. It’s the digital format. Digital formats reduce books and steal the reading experience.
Books have aesthetic and emotional value. Physical books are not just for reading – they are decorative, sentimental, and unique. Why would they release special edition covers of beloved novels if the digital format was superior?
Reading a physical book reduces distractions. Hyperlinks, notifications, and blue light, oh my. When reading digitally, it becomes impossible to escape the 21st century.
Additionally, narrative retention is significantly lower when reading digitally. If you really care about the content you are engaging with, a physical book is the way to go.
Here is more information on the difference between reading a book vs reading on a Kindle.
Do this instead
Go to the library. If tons of free media sounds enticing, the library is the place for you. Your local library has tons of options, spanning genre and time period, for you to explore. Make a day of it and stuff your tote bag full of books, not your Kindle.
Libraries are also a great option for those who do not have the space to own hundreds of books. Just borrow and return. And if you want to reread them, borrow them again!
Check out used bookstores. If you prefer to own books but can’t justify spending $40 on a hardcover book, used bookstores often sell books for pennies. These books have character. The previous owner wore the book for you, so that the spine is flexible and the pages are soft.
This is also a great option if you’re like me and feel bad wearing in a book. But books are meant to be read, bent, and loved. When a previous owner has broken it in for you, it’s easier to throw the book in your bag or accidentally spill coffee on it.
Free Little Library is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to build community, encourage reading, and expand book access. These little libraries are often in neighborhoods. Stop by and contribute to the library by donating an old book and grab a new one. Since these rely on the community to stock them, the content can be a toss-up, but you may just find a gem.
If you are passionate about reading, you can be the one in your community to start a free little library! The official website offers information on how to build your own.
You may be interested in reading more about books in 2025. Check out this article on AI written books.
You cannot turn the page on a Kindle. You can’t dog-ear a page or underline a sentence. Books allow you to feel the weight of your book. 600 pages feels more impactful in your hands than embedded in your Kindle. Don’t fall for the digital media craze and don’t participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day 2025.
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Author: Jayne Turner is a freelance writer from Orange, California. She has a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with an emphasis on language and cognition. She has ten years of musical theatre experience and a lifelong love of reading. Utterly excited by the brain, she brings a fresh Gen Z perspective to the topics that intrigue us most.
