Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First, a story: I am one of *those* that jumped right on the e-reader bandwagon when Barnes and Noble came out with their revolutionary Nook. However, times have changed since I debated the benefits of a tiny 1"x3" touch screen of the Nook against the physical keyboard of the Kindle with my cousin. Having made the initial dive into the Nook world, I stuck there, and learned the benefits of having an e-reader when books were released and I was living an hour away from the nearest bookstore. My library grew, and I dug my heels in harder and harder for the Nook. Eventually, I bought an iPad to replace my failing Nook. Its versatility and general presence were imposing, and I still had access to my library. Cool beans, right? Mostly right. Near-constant use in my free time (most reading, some apps) paired with almost constant use of a laptop for school compounded eye-strain, causing awful headaches, and my already poor eyesight became worse. (I'm not an optometrist, and have no idea if they're correlated, but they happened at the same time.) It became clear that something needed to change. After some debate, I purchased a Nook Glowlight. My Nook library had become massive, and the ability to side-load B&N content to Kindle had been (nearly? I don't remember) eradicated. It was going to hurt my wallet to switch over. These past 3 years, however, I have become a frequent Amazon user, and began to see a great number of benefits to switching to a Kindle. Prime lending library came. Then Kindle Unlimited. I believe Kindle Unlimited was the tipping point for me. Though I have a hard time finding books that I enjoy, there is a huge selection in the Kindle Unlimited Library, so I'm optimistic I'll find many. Since Oyster shut down, it is also the best option for me, aside form lending through my local library via Overdrive. However, the question remains of my massive Nook library. I suppose I'll keep the Glowlight until a new option presents itself. Now for the review: I LOVE MY KINDLE. I love the case that came with it (I got purple!). The adapter that comes in the bundle is one of those things that I, like many others, would prefer to have included with the device with or without the bundle; however, I understand that a majority of purchasers do NOT need the adapter and are happier without having to deal with it or feel guilty for tossing it. The Kindle Paperwhite with special offers, a purple leather smart case, and the Amazon power adapter bundle was purchased for me as a Birthday/Christmas present by my amazing husband, who is also sick of the amount of physical books I have precariously stacked on every formerly bare surface in our house. The practicality of having one small thing to manage and the amount of money we could save by purchasing Kindle Books or Unlimited access dwarfed the argument I had been clinging to when holding my faithfulness to Nook. Finally, I acquiesced that purchasing an ebook for the same price as a physical book is not a good financial choice and expressed my desire for a better-looking device. The Kindle is sleek. It's sexy. It has clear lines and definitive edges. I can't literally pull it apart, like I can the Nook Glowlight (NOT the 2015 model). Its buttons aren't conveniently placed for accidental pressing or a toddler's curious fingers. In fact, my kiddo doesn't even know where a button is! She sits in my lap and lets me read (with enthusiastic page turns. Swiping is no mystery to her). The Kindle cleans easily with a damp cloth or paper towel (again, unlike my Nook Glowlight, which has permanent yellowing and obvious wear where my fingers were when I held it), as does the fantastic leather case. Not so slick that it's extremely droppable, but not so rough that it's uncomfortable, the auto-sleep/wake case is a supertool that I don't see myself living without. It fully encompasses the Kindle without blocking the power button or charging port. Touching the screen of the Kindle is reminiscent of a paperback book. It has just enough texture to trigger a memory and often makes me expect the smell of a book. When it lights up (automatically on opening of the case, might I add!), it returns to the setting it was previously on and is an evenly dispersed, comfortable, page-like color. The Glowlight, on the other hand, must have its light turned on each time you wish to use it and has a blue-ish glow emanating from some easily-pointed-out sources, leaving shadows in the corners; there are what I can only identify as almost-bubbles on the plasticky-feeling screen. The battery life of the Kindle is a described, or near enough to. I received this item two weeks before Christmas, charged it fully that day, and didn't need another charge until yesterday (4 JAN). I read daily and sometimes for hours at a time! The light was always on, though at varying levels (that's part of the fun!), but I brought the device EVERYWHERE in my purse. That means disconnecting and reconnecting to Wi-Fi anywhere I opened it, a general battery-killer for any device. I was charging the Nook weekly. Not necessarily a horrible inconvenience, but WOW, Amazon! Did I mention being social yet? No? Maybe because I'm bad at it. I don't like talking to people. However, I strive to share my love of reading with as many as I can, and the hookup Kindle provides to Facebook and GoodReads allows be to be as social as I can comfortably be. It also allows me to talk about books without being interrupted. These connections could also help me find new books! Granted, this hasn't quite been fruitful yet, as I'm still working out how to use GoodReads. Undoubtedly, Amazon's partnership will benefit both readers and reviewers. Overall, I couldn't be happier with an e-reader. The Kindle has access to every book I know I want, has completely eliminated my headaches from eye-strain (because it's a normal color and the light shines on the words, not in my eyes!), is aesthetically and texturally pleasing, is easy to clean (soup/tea/coffee/sandwich/cheese splashes and smudges all!), the special offers aren't so bad, the battery life is amazing, and I can be as social as I'm comfortable with at the moment! I'm incredibly happy with the case, too! This is the first time I've not wished I bought a different first-case for a device. The fit is perfect, the case is perfect, the color is a perfect shade of royal purple - I can go on and on about its perfection. If you haven't decided already, BUY THIS. NOW. Nook faithful, CONVERT! I solemnly swear I am up to *some* good.