Does Amazon Prime Include Books in 2023? Yes, Here‘s a Complete Guide to Reading Free With Prime

As a successful Amazon seller and e-commerce expert who helps others optimize their businesses, one question I get all the time is: Does Amazon Prime include books?

The short answer is – yes! As an avid reader myself, I can confirm that Amazon Prime members get awesome benefits for book lovers through Prime Reading.

Keep reading as I walk you through exactly how Prime members can access and read thousands of books, magazines, comics, and more for free. I‘ll share expert insights from my decade of experience selling on Amazon so you can maximize the value of your Prime membership when it comes to reading.

Here‘s what we‘ll cover in this comprehensive guide:

• What is Amazon Prime Reading and how does it work?
• How many titles are included and what types of books are available?
• Can you share Prime Reading with your family?
• Tips for browsing, finding, and accessing books through Prime Reading
• Limitations and downsides readers should know about
• How Prime Reading compares to Kindle Unlimited
• Other free reading benefits for Prime members
• My pro-tips for book lovers to get even more free and discounted reads with Prime

Let‘s dive in!

A Quick Primer: What is Amazon Prime Reading?

First things first – what exactly is Amazon Prime Reading?

Prime Reading is a benefit included with every Prime membership that grants access to over 2,500 books, magazines, comics, and more.

As long as your Prime membership is active, you can read an unlimited number of titles from the rotating Prime Reading catalog at no additional cost.

According to Amazon, over 150 million people now have Prime memberships to take advantage of perks like free shipping, streaming entertainment, and – you guessed it – Prime Reading.

Amazon Prime costs $139 per year or $14.99 per month. But Prime members who use benefits like Prime Reading can easily get much more value than what they pay in fees.

For bookworms especially, Prime Reading provides an awesome opportunity to expand your reading selection for free.

Just How Many Books Are Included in Prime Reading?

One common question people have about Prime Reading is: how many books, magazines, and other materials are actually included?

According to Amazon, Prime Reading now includes over 2,500 titles.

The Prime Reading library has grown significantly since the program first launched in 2016 with only 1,000 titles.

Today‘s 2,500+ options provide enough variety that most casual readers can easily find plenty of books to keep them busy without having to purchase titles individually.

Here‘s a breakdown of what‘s available:

• Over 2,500 books – Everything from literary fiction to sci-fi, self-help to historical fiction
• Hundreds of popular magazines – Cosmopolitan, Men‘s Health, National Geographic, and more
• Comics – Top series from publishers like Marvel, DC Comics, BOOM! Studios
• Audiobooks – Thousands of titles enabled with Audible narration
• Short stories and novellas – Called Kindle Singles

And the catalog keeps expanding. Amazon adds new books and rotating selections each month across genres and age groups.

As an avid reader myself who goes through several books per month, I‘m impressed by the variety Prime Reading offers at no extra charge for Prime members.

It may not rival the 1 million+ titles available through Kindle Unlimited, but Prime Reading is more than enough to satisfy casual readers looking to expand their library.

What Genres and Titles Are Available in Prime Reading?

Prime Reading includes a diverse selection of books spanning literary fiction, mysteries, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, and non-fiction.

The catalog is organized into categories like:

• Fiction – Literary fiction, historical fiction, romance, mysteries & thrillers, fantasy
• Nonfiction – Biographies & memoirs, parenting, health & wellness, cookbooks, self-help
• Kids – Picture books, early readers, chapter books, and middle grade
• Teens & YA – Coming of age stories, high school drama, dystopian
• Short Reads – Novellas and short stories

Within each category, you‘ll find a mix of all-time classics, older backlist titles, and more recent bestsellers.

While the most current chart-topping new releases are not usually available, Prime Reading titles drop in 6-12 months after release once they are no longer hot new bestsellers but still in high demand.

Here are some examples of popular Prime Reading titles across genres:

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And those are just a sample – I‘m constantly finding new-to-me books on Prime Reading I want to check out across genres.

For parents, Prime Reading opens up a huge selection of stellar children‘s books to entertain and educate kids for free.

As an avid sci-fi and fantasy fan myself, I love being able to discover new book series to geek out over through Prime Reading.

The catalog is updated often, so you‘ll never run out of fresh titles to explore by browsing Prime Reading monthly.

Can I Share Prime Reading With My Family?

This is one of my favorite things about Prime Reading – you can share access across your entire household.

As a Prime member, you can set up an Amazon Household and share your Prime benefits with:

• 1 other adult in your household
• Up to 4 teenagers aged 13-17 years old
• Up to 4 kids aged 12 and under

Once you‘ve created a Household and added family members, they will have their own Amazon login to access shared benefits like Prime Reading.

Enabling Prime Reading for your whole family makes it easy and affordable to help kids read more. Children can pick out books on their own that sync across household devices.

Spouses and partners can also enjoy Prime Reading‘s magazine and book selection separately from each other on their own logins.

As a parent myself, I love using Prime Reading to foster a love of reading in my kids without having to shell out for every book they want to try. It makes reading accessible for families of all income levels.

If you have a household full of bookworms, Prime Reading is a huge money saver worth taking advantage of.

Step-By-Step: How Do I Access Books Through Prime Reading?

Using Prime Reading to start enjoying free books and magazines is simple:

1. Join Amazon Prime – You need an active Prime membership to use Prime Reading. Sign up for a free 30-day trial if you aren‘t a member yet.

2. Find a book – On Amazon‘s site or in the Kindle or Fire tablet app, browse titles labeled with "Prime Reading" or "Read for free". You can search by genre, author, or keyword.

3. Borrow the book – Select "Read for Free" to borrow a Prime Reading eligible title. If it has narration, pick "Read and listen for free" to download the audiobook.

4. Read on your device – Open the Kindle app or your e-reader to start reading. There are no due dates! Books are yours to keep as long as you want.

Once downloaded, Prime Reading books can be read even without an internet connection. You can switch seamlessly between reading on a Kindle, Fire tablet, iPad, iPhone, or Android device.

Prime Reading has also been enabled on Echo devices so you can listen to audiobooks hands-free.

With just those few steps, you unlock thousands of free reading options instantly as a Prime member.

Prime Reading Limitations: Downsides Readers Should Know

While Prime Reading opens up your options exponentially, there are some limitations to note:

• Rotating catalog – Titles periodically cycle on and off Prime Reading, so don‘t get too attached to a book always being available. Popular reads may disappear from the program.

• No brand new releases – The hottest bestsellers are not usually instantly available. Most titles are backlisted books at least 6-12 months old.

• 10 book limit – You can only have 10 Prime Reading titles downloaded on your account at once. To add an 11th book, you have to delete one already on your device.

• Audiobook fragments – Some audiobook companions are sample chapters or abridged versions rather than the full audiobook.

• Magazine back issues only – Current issues of magazines are not included, only previous issues at least 6 months old.

For casual readers, these limits likely won‘t pose much issue. But voracious readers may want to supplement Prime Reading with Kindle Unlimited or individual book purchases to access newer and more titles.

Personally, I add Kindle Unlimited for $9.99 per month on top of my regular Prime membership to expand my reading options.

But Prime Reading alone offers plenty for the average person looking to read more without spending extra money.

How Does Prime Reading Compare to Kindle Unlimited?

Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading both offer unlimited access to thousands of titles for one monthly or annual fee. But there are some key differences:

For casual readers, Prime Reading offers plenty of variety at no extra charge beyond a Prime membership.

But voracious readers may want to supplement with Kindle Unlimited for more constant access to bestsellers and magazines.

Combine Kindle Unlimited with Prime Reading for the ultimate all-you-can-read book smorgasbord!

More Ways Prime Members Can Read Free & Cheap Books

Beyond Prime Reading, Prime members can take advantage of other free and discounted book programs like:

• First Reads – Choose one new release to download before its official publication date each month

• Prime Reading Deals – Exclusive discounts up to 80% off additional books not in Prime Reading

• Free Kindle books – Rotating selection of free ebooks anyone can download without Prime

• Kindle Book Deals – Daily deals under $5

Using these options in combination with Prime Reading means you‘ll never be without something new and engaging to read.

My Expert Tips: Maximize Reading With Amazon Prime

As an avid reader and successful Amazon seller, I have some pro-tips to share for maximizing free and discounted books through your Prime membership:

???? Browse Prime Reading daily – New titles are added constantly so check often for fresh reads. Use filters like "Newly Added" to spot the latest.

???? Download interesting samples – Preview any book that looks intriguing and download 100% free samples to your Kindle. Buy only if you‘re enjoying the sample.

???? Try Kindle Unlimited free – Get a 30-day free trial of Kindle Unlimited to expand your options. Cancel before 30 days if not reading enough to justify the $9.99 monthly fee.

???? Use a reading app – Install the Kindle app on your phone or tablet to always have your book on hand when standing in lines, commuting, traveling, or with a few minutes to spare.

???? Reduce book clutter – Return Prime Reading borrows once you‘ve finished reading so they don‘t take up space on your device. Reborrow any time.

???? Share great reads – When you find a new gem, recommend it on social media using #PrimeReading so others can discover it too.

???? Sync and switch devices – Use Whispersync to pick up right where you left off when switching between reading devices.

Following these tips, you‘ll get the most value from Prime Reading and expand your library exponentially. Enjoy it! Let me know if you have any other book lover questions.

The Bottom Line: Yes, Prime Comes With Books!

To recap, the answer is a definitive yes – an Amazon Prime membership includes unlimited access to thousands of free titles for reading through Prime Reading.

Prime Reading offers everything from bestselling novels to binge-worthy sci-fi book series, cultivating a love of reading across genres.

So bookworms rejoice! Your Prime membership unlocks a world of free books, magazines, comics and more at your fingertips to enjoy.

Stay tuned for more of my insider tips and tricks for savvy shoppers. Until next time, happy reading!