tips, tricks and much more

 

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Mark Sullivan’s Beneath a Scarlet Sky, and the first part of Harry Potter series are top three Kindle bestsellers of 2017.

December is the usual time for end-of-year lists and all kinds of rankings. And, as usual, we are delighted to share with you the list of the most popular Kindle books.

The rankings you will see below are based on sales. The featured books are included in Amazon’s ongoing list of Top 100 Kindle bestsellers.

2017 is a year of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. This dystopian novel occupies top places in many rankings. Its Kindle edition is literally on every bestseller list, including weekly Amazon Charts.

The second best title is Beneath a Scarlet Sky, Mark Sullivan’s novel based on a true story of an Italian who, during the second world war, joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps.

The third place is occupied by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The entire series is available via Kindle Unlimited, and five other parts of J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts saga are also included in the Top 100 ranking.

You can skip the introduction and jump directly to the lists:

As you will see in the Top 100 list, as much as 82 titles are included in Kindle Unlimited. It means they are available to subscribers at no extra cost. It’s a huge jump, compared to 28 Kindle Unlimited eligible books in 2016 ranking.

There are two major reasons for such a growth of popularity of Kindle Unlimited books. The subscription becomes more and more popular among Amazon customers.

The other reason is a favorable method of counting Kindle Unlimited books as sold. The user has to read roughly the length of a free sample to make the ebook enter sales charts.

Most of the books available via Kindle Unlimited are exclusive to Amazon. You won’t find them in bookstores, and their print editions – if they exist – are not equally popular.

10 best Kindle books of 2017

1. The Handmaid’s Tale

Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid’s Tale is a novel of such power that the reader will be unable to forget its images and its forecast.

Set in the near future, the novel describes life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead.

The story is told through the eyes of Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order. In condensed but eloquent prose, by turns cool-eyed, tender, despairing, passionate, and wry, she reveals to us the dark corners behind the establishment’s calm facade, as certain tendencies now in existence are carried to their logical conclusions.

Average rating: 4.1/5, 9,605 reviews

⇢ Kindle

2. Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel

Mark Sullivan

Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, USA Today bestseller Beneath a Scarlet Sky is an epic tale of one young man’s incredible resilience during one of the history’s darkest hours.

Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian teenager—obsessed with music, food, and girls—but his days of innocence are numbered.

When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior.

Average rating: 4.8/5, 12,850 reviews

⇢ Kindle

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle.

Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

An incredible adventure is about to begin!

Average rating: 4.8/5, 58,334 reviews

⇢ Kindle

4. Everything We Keep: A Novel

Kerry Lonsdale

Sous chef Aimee Tierney has the perfect recipe for the perfect life: marry her childhood sweetheart, raise a family, and buy out her parents’ restaurant. But when her fiancé, James Donato, vanishes in a boating accident, her well-baked future is swept out to sea.

A luminous debut with unexpected twists, Everything We Keep explores the devastation of loss, the euphoria of finding love again, and the pulse-racing repercussions of discovering the truth about the ones we hold dear and the lengths they will go to protect us.

Average rating: 4.2/5, 11,471 reviews

⇢ Kindle

5. In Farleigh Field: A Novel of World War II

Rhys Bowen

World War II comes to Farleigh Place, the ancestral home of Lord Westerham and his five daughters when a soldier with a failed parachute falls to his death on the estate.

After his uniform and possessions raise suspicions, MI5 operative and family friend Ben Cresswell is covertly tasked with determining if the man is a German spy.

Inspired by the events and people of World War II, writer Rhys Bowen crafts a sweeping and riveting saga of class, family, love, and betrayal.

Average rating: 4.2/5, 3,511 reviews

⇢ Read more

6. Stillhouse Lake

Rachel Caine

Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children.

But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.

She must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her.

One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

Average rating: 4.5/5, 7,021 reviews

⇢ Kindle

7. When I’m Gone

Emily Bleeker

Luke Richardson has returned home after burying Natalie, his beloved wife, ready to face the hard job of raising their three children alone.

But there’s something he’s not prepared for – a letter written on the first day of Natalie’s cancer treatment a year ago, which turns out to be the first of many.

As his obsession with the letters grows, Luke uncovers long-buried secrets that make him question everything he knew about his wife and their family.

Average rating: 4.3/5, 5,684 reviews

⇢ Kindle

8. Silent Child

Sarah A. Denzil

In the summer of 2006, Emma Price watched helplessly as her six-year-old son’s red coat was fished out of the River Ouse. It was the tragic story of the year – a little boy, Aiden, wandered away from school during a terrible flood, fell into the river, and drowned.

His body was never recovered.

Ten years later, Emma has finally rediscovered the joy in life. She’s married, pregnant, and in control again…

… until Aiden returns.

His body tells the story of his decade-long disappearance. The historic broken bones and injuries cast a mere glimpse into the horrors Aiden has experienced. Aiden never drowned. Aiden was taken.

Average rating: 4.3/5, 4,209 reviews

⇢ Kindle

9. Nineteen Eighty-Four

George Orwell

George Orwell’s 1984 takes on new life with extraordinary relevance and renewed popularity.

Lionel Trilling said of Orwell’s masterpiece, “1984 is a profound, terrifying, and wholly fascinating book. It is a fantasy of the political future, and like any such fantasy, serves its author as a magnifying device for an examination of the present.”

Though the year 1984 now exists in the past, Orwell’s novel remains an urgent call for the individual willing to speak truth to power.

Average rating: 4.5/5, 6,071 reviews

⇢ Kindle

10. A Criminal Defense

William L. Myers Jr.

When a young reporter is found dead, and a prominent Philadelphia businessman is accused of her murder, Mick McFarland finds himself involved in the case of his life.

The defendant, David Hanson, was Mick’s close friend in law school, and the victim, a TV news reporter, had reached out to Mick for legal help only hours before her death.

As the trial progresses, he’s disturbed by developments that confirm his deepest fears. This trial, one that already hits too close to home, may jeopardize his firm, his family—everything. Now Mick’s only way out is to mastermind the most brilliant defense he’s ever spun.

Average rating: 4.4/5, 4,124 reviews

⇢ Kindle

Top 100 Kindle books of 2017

Find below a concise list of the 100 most popular Kindle ebooks of 2017, based on sales.

Each book comes with the number of reviews, average rating, and information whether it’s available in Kindle Unlimited ebook subscription.

⇢ Best Kindle Books

• • •

To get more lists like this, please subscribe by RSS or email. We are also waiting for you on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More to explore:

Want even more? Check out all articles in this topic: Lists.

affiliate link

This questionnaire, accompanied by simple tips, will help Amazon users choose which device better fits their needs: a Fire tablet or a Kindle e-reader.

When you are a satisfied Amazon customer, the decision which device to buy seems to be an easy shot.

Is it really? Things are simple only when you are an avid book reader, and need a device that will help you fight distractions and keep your eyes in good health. The only thing to do is to replace the Kindle with the newer generation from time to time.

Things become more complex when you start sharing your Kindle cloud library with other members of your family. Or when you decide to enter one of Amazon’s subscription-based services (naming only Prime).

Take a look at the questionnaire below. You may find it useful. It will help you clear some doubts referring specifically to using devices offered by Amazon and connected to Amazon ecosystem: Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets.

If you believe you still need an advice what kind of the device you need, make sure to check out the questionnaire which will help you choose between a tablet and e-reader.

To start with the Kindle vs. Fire decision, let’s have a quick look at what these two devices from Amazon are about:

Kindle e-reader – Kindle, just like any other e-reader, is dedicated to reading ebooks. Its major benefit is a black-and-white e-ink screen that doesn’t cause eye strain, letting you read books for hours. Besides ebooks, the possibilities the Kindle offers are limited.

Fire tablet – an affordable tablet with a color LCD screen, which lets you read ebooks, watch movies, play games, or listen to music. You can also use it to browse the web, answer emails, take pictures, or check out social media.

Kindle or Fire – which device to choose?

1. What kind of books do I mostly read?

A. Text only (for instance, novels)
B. Text with pictures (for instance, cookbooks or graphic novels)

2. Do I want to read newspapers and magazines?

A. No
B. Yes

3. Do I want to avoid eye fatigue?

A. Yes
B. No

4. Do I need a text-to-speech?

A. No
B. Yes

5. Do I want to listen to audiobooks?

A. No
B. Yes

6. Do I need to read large pdf files?

A. No
B. Yes

7. Will I use this device to read books to my children?

A. No
B. Yes

8. Will the device be used by other members of my family?

A. No
B. Yes

9. Am I a member of Amazon Prime?

A. No
B. Yes

10. Am I a subscribed to comiXology Unlimited?

A. No
B. Yes

Kindle e-reader or Fire tablet – results

If you’ve chosen answer “A” more than 5 times, you will prefer the Kindle. It’s a great device for reading, and are not interested in anything else.

With more than 5 picks for “B,” you should consider getting the Fire. It’s a great, versatile device that can be used by all members of your family, enjoy the digital content of different kinds, and help make the most of your Amazon subscriptions.

Kindle or Fire – tips and rationale

Question 1

Kindle has its limitations. Small 6-inch e-paper display, the lack of audio and color, make it hard or impossible to read any digital publication that includes pictures, graphs, or animated elements.

However, if you’ve checked answer “A,” you will not regret buying the Kindle.

When books you like to read are mostly novels and other publications that contain – besides their covers – only the text, you can be sure you’ll never feel your Kindle doesn’t meet your expectations.

Question 2

Newspapers and magazines are full of colorful pictures. Their digital editions include animations, videos, and interactive elements. The size of every page is too large to entirely fit on the screen and keep the body text readable.

Navigating through pages, zooming in and out, jumping from one article to another – all this is essential to make reading a magazine or newspaper possible and enjoyable. The tablet is much better for this task. You can still do it on the Kindle, but you may find it irritating.

Therefore, if your choice for question 2 is “B,” you should get the Amazon Fire tablet.

Question 3

If you are concerned with eye strain from reading on the screen for too long (answer “A”), the obvious choice is to get the Kindle.

One of the biggest, if not the biggest, benefits of the Kindle and other e-readers is their screen. It’s using a different technology from the one have in tablets or smartphones.

The display used in the Kindle – e-ink (electronic ink), called also “e-paper” – doesn’t need a backlight to display the image. And it’s the backlight in LCD displays that causes eye fatigue. It’s the light that’s directed right into your eyes. Such a backlight display is used in Amazon Fire tablets.

No eye strain? Pick up the Kindle.

Question 4

Do you expect the device to speak to you the text of the book via text-to-speech feature, or have a possibility to navigate it via voice?

Currently offered Kindle e-readers don’t have audio, so if you want to have the chance to use text-to-speech and checked answer “B,” a better device for you is the Fire.

You can still consider the Kindle, but you need to buy an extra accessory. It’s called Kindle Audio Adapter and it enables VoiceView for Kindle. The feature lets you navigate your Kindle with text-to-speech and listen to books through connected speakers or headphones.

Question 5

For the same reason – the lack of audio – listening to audiobooks on the Kindle is not possible. Therefore, if answer “B” is what you’ve checked, the Fire tablet is the only choice.

In the Amazon ecosystem, audiobooks are provided by Audible. You can buy and listen audiobooks separately, using an Audible application on your Fire tablet.

You can also add an Audible narration to the Kindle book you already own. The smart feature called Whispersync for Voice will let you switch seamlessly between reading and listening with just one tap.

Question 6

Do you have a large collection of ebooks in pdf format? Are these academic publications or textbooks? When you check answer “B,” think twice before buying the Kindle.

By saying “large pdf files,” I mean two things. First, it’s the format of the single page in the book. Textbooks are larger than novels. Trying to fit the entire page on the 6-inch screen of the Kindle is possible but the text will become unreadable. It’s because most pdf files don’t allow the text to resize.

The second meaning is the how much disc space the pdf file takes. It could be 1 MB for a novel, but it could be 300 MB for a picture-rich academic publication.

An internal memory of the device you own will become a crucial factor when you decide to pack all your pdf ebooks into it.

The Fire tablet is a reasonable choice. You can choose between 7, 8 and 10-inch screens (for the textbooks, the larger screen the better). Most importantly, the Fire is better than the Kindle when it comes to memory – and you can expand it a few times by using a microSD card.

Question 7

For everyone who has checked “B,” a tablet is an obvious choice. It’s not that you can’t use the Kindle to read a book to a child. It’s about how entertaining this book will be.

Children’s books are about color and pictures. What’s more, digital editions of books for kids can have sound, animation, and interactive elements your child could play with. All these features can be used on the Fire, and can’t on the Kindle.

Question 8

The answer is not as clear as in other questions. It depends on which device you already own.

If it’s going to be your first Amazon device, and you are going to share it with other members of the family, a better choice is to pick up the Fire. It’s simply a more versatile device, and others may want to use it differently.

For instance, if you are an avid book reader, you will use the Kindle app. One of your kids will prefer watching videos, the other one will go for enhanced books or games.

If you own the Kindle, and your significant other also likes to read ebooks, you probably share the same Amazon account and the same Kindle cloud library. You may buy the second Kindle (it makes sense when your current one needs a replacement). If you, however, want to get two devices to access all your digital content, a better idea is to have one Kindle and one Fire. Use the e-reader for reading. Use the tablet for reading and everything else.

Question 9

Are you a member of Amazon Prime multi-benefit subscription program, or consider getting it? To make the most of what Prime offers, you should take the Fire.

Prime membership gives unlimited access to Kindle ebooks and other digital content. Yes, you can read on your Kindle e-reader the ebooks from Kindle Owner’s Lending Library.

Have you thought, however, how much you miss, if you can’t use Amazon Prime Reading?

Amazon Prime Reading gives unlimited access to a rotating selection of hot Kindle ebooks, popular magazines, children’s books, or comics. Every month you can read new editions of magazines, new comic books, and newly entered ebook bestsellers. As we already talked, the Kindle is not suitable for magazines, newspapers, comic books, and graphic novels.

Another part of Amazon Prime that can be enjoyed on the Fire, and not on the Kindle, is called Audible Channels. It’s a carefully curated selection of original programs and audio editions from top sources, naming only The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times.

Question 10

The pattern here is the same as with Prime: pick up the device that will let you enjoy your Amazon subscription to the fullest.

If you are the comic book fan and want to read more and more comics in digital format, you should pick up the Fire tablet.

What’s more, when you decide one day to subscribe to comiXology Unlimited that offers an unlimited access to over comics and graphic novels, you will find out your Fire tablet is a perfect device to enjoy them.

• • •

To get more posts like this, please subscribe by RSS or email. Let’s also connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Interested in other posts about Amazon and its products? Keep exploring:

Want even more? Check out all articles in this topic: Amazon.

affiliate link