Kindle, meet Alexa!

Did you know that two of your Amazon services can join forces to read your books aloud to you?! … 

Owners of Kindle books can use their Amazon Echo devices to utilise a lovely accessibility feature to do this. Whilst Audiobooks would offer a more expressive and intentional audio for the book (as set out by the Author or publisher), I think that this feature offers great flexibility when an audiobook isn’t an option - buying the same book twice is typically rather frustrating … 

From your Alexa App head to:More > Settings > Accessibility > Kindle Assistive Reader (toggle ‘on’)

And now you’re ready to go! Simply ask ‘Alexa, read my kindle book’ to resume where you’re up to in your most recent book. 

Fancy a new book, maybe some JRR Tolkien? Ask ‘Alexa, read ‘The Hobbit’ on Kindle’ (just make sure you own it first!)

You can adjust the reading speed by asking ‘Alexa, read slower’ or ‘Alexa, read at normal speed’, and even jump ahead or back asking ‘Alexa, skip 2 chapters’ or ‘Alexa, read from the start’.

As an Audiobook lover, I would say that it isn’t quite the same experience as having the author or voice actors read your book aloud, and it can sound a little robotic coming from Alexa if you’re used to the former. That being said, it’s a great feature to explore that allows so many more users to enjoy reading!