I know, I know—what’s the big deal? Most of us who love books already have one within arm’s reach, buried under blankets or tucked into a bag like a quiet little secret.
But here’s the thing.
There was a time when I was devouring nearly 300 books a year. Stories were constant. Necessary. I read for curiosity, for escape, for mood—sometimes all at once. And then… I became a writer. Everything shifted.
Time bent in new ways. Priorities rearranged themselves without asking. Reading—once effortless—became something I had to fight for. And when I do carve out the space for it now, I’m careful. Deliberate. I avoid the genres I’m actively writing in because I don’t want outside voices seeping into mine—not in the good ways, not in the bad. Just… not at all.
Which leaves me in this strange in-between. A reader with very little she allows herself to read.
And then, an opening arrived.
My husband, in his quiet, grounding wisdom, decided it was time. A family vacation. Away from screens. Away from work. Away from the invisible claws that latch onto us in our day-to-day lives and refuse to let go.
He’s right, of course. *grumbles*
Because even when I tell myself I’ll slow down—publish less, breathe more—it’s hard to step away from something that lives inside you. The need to create doesn’t clock out. The stories don’t wait politely. They press. They whisper. They demand to be seen.
So I had to be honest with myself. If I brought only my phone to read, I’d lose. Notifications would slip in like uninvited guests. One glance, one tap—and suddenly I’m back in work mode without meaning to be.
I needed separation. I needed a new e-reader.
I do have two old Kindles somewhere—relics of a different reading era—but over the years I’ve felt this quiet pull away from the Amazon ecosystem. Yes, my books still exist there (and probably always will in some capacity), but it shouldn’t be the only door. If I want my readers to explore other platforms, to buy direct, to branch out, I have to live that too.
So I did the research. Weeks of it. Comparisons. Specs. Rabbit holes. Second-guessing. It came down to two: the Boox Go 7 and the Bigme 6. And in the end, the Boox Go 7 won—but not the color version everyone raves about. I chose black and white. Something closer to that old Kindle feel. Familiar. Focused. The reviews said it was crisper than the colored version. I was sold.
My husband didn’t hesitate. The moment it hit the cart, it was done.
It arrived days before our trip and just… sat there. Still wrapped. Waiting. While I tried to outrun my to-do list like I always do before allowing myself to rest.
And today, I finally opened it. Oh my heavens. It’s adorable.
Smaller than I expected (and I already have small hands), but somehow… perfect. And the weight? Practically nothing. It startled me, honestly—like holding something that could disappear if I wasn’t careful. (Don’t worry, a case and strap are already on the way.)
The texture on the back caught me off guard too. Not smooth like the Kindles but textured. Intentional. I liked that.
Setting it up was… a process. It runs on Android, and I’ve been deep in the iOS world for years, so there was a moment of what did I just do? But between a few TikToks, a couple of YouTube tutorials, and sheer stubbornness, I figured it out. And then I fell a little in love with it. I also joined a Boox Facebook Group just in case I needed more assistance.
The screen warmth adjustment? Immediate yes. I’ve always used sepia on my phone to soften the glare, and being able to replicate that here felt like a small, thoughtful luxury. Though honestly, e-ink is already so gentle on the eyes that I’ve only kept the warmth low.
But the real magic? Freedom.
Because it’s Android-based, I downloaded everything—reading apps, webtoons, manga, even Goodreads. All in one place. No walls. No limitations.
I even finally signed up for a library card so I could use Libby. And the fact that I could do it entirely online, without leaving my house, still amazes me.
There was a hiccup, of course. Syncing took forever. I had to troubleshoot, retry, reboot—patiently poking at the problem until something finally clicked. And when it did? I whooped. Loud enough to startle my husband.
But all my books loaded. Every single one.
Worth it.
[Yume & Oryx from my book Stitched. Art by Albert]
[The Ancient Magus Bride Manga, used as my powered off screen]
Now that I’ve held it, used it, settled into it—I get it. What felt small at first is actually the ideal size. It fits in my hand perfectly, whether I’m holding it vertically or horizontally. It feels… right.
Even my son wandered over, curious, smiling at whatever it was I was so invested in. And that alone made it feel like a good decision.
I can already picture it on the plane. Me, telling myself I’ll read for hours… and inevitably passing out halfway through a chapter.
But still.
This feels like a return. Not to who I was—but to a part of me I’ve been missing. Man, I missed reading with no worries. The Boox Go 7 also utilizes a normal C charging cable which is nice. You can also increase storage with an SD card, which is extra nice.
So tell me—what’s your favorite e-reader? Have you tried the Boox? The Bigme? I’ve heard things, but I want real opinions.
And if you’ve used the Bigme… talk to me. I’m not saying I need a second e-reader, but I’m also not not saying it.
-YD
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