January 2025

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You can get thousands of free e-books over the course of 2025 if you know where—and when—to look. All year long, Amazon is offering up free Kindle e-books to readers, with new opportunities popping up every month. This month, Prime members can get two free Kindle e-books from Amazon’s First Reads program in January.

What is Amazon’s First Reads?

Amazon First Reads is a program aimed at Prime members that offers early access to new e-books across many genres, as curated by First Reads editors (one of your many Prime Member benefits). Prime members can choose to download one free e-book every month from a rotating list—though some months that number is bumped up to two—and non-members get them for a discounted price. These e-books can be read on any compatible Kindle device or via the free Kindle app.

Amazon Kindle (16 GB)

Display size: 6⁠″ glare-free, Resolution: 300 ppi, Storage: 16 GB, Battery life: Up to 6 weeks.

$109.99
at Amazon

$109.99
at Amazon

How to get your free Amazon Kindle e-books in January

Go to the First Reads landing page to see the full list of e-books available this month. Once you find a book that seems interesting, click the “Shop Now” button from the First Reads landing page. Make sure you’re not being redirected to the Kindle or Amazon mobile application, because you won’t see the free book option there; instead, use your internet browser on your phone or computer.

Make sure you’re not clicking the ”Pre-order for…” button, as that will direct you to pay; instead, click the “Read for Free” or the “Buy Now with 1-Click” button under the “First Reads” banner on the book’s Amazon page (don’t worry, you won’t be charged). This will send the e-book directly to the Kindle linked to your Amazon account.

You can see what it should look like from the screenshot below.

Screenshot of Amazon page on phone from the web browser showing the "read for free" button.

Credit: Daniel Oropeza

You’ll know you did it right when you see a “Thanks, [your name]!” order summary indicating the e-book is being auto-delivered to the Kindle Cloud Reader.

Free Amazon Kindle e-books available in January 2025

This month, you can choose two from ten new Kindle e-books. Amazon notes the genre for each of the books above the title, offering a quick way to narrow down your options. If you hover over the “See Editor Notes” under the “Shop Now” button, you’ll be able to read a short description from the First Reads editor who picked the book.

Here are your options for January 2025. Choose two of these 10 e-books:

Family Drama by Danielle Prescod (Author), Mindy Kaling (Introduction).

The Rules of Fortune: A Novel

$5.99
at Amazon

Short Story by Lee Child.

Eleven Numbers: A Short Story

$1.99
at Amazon

Domestic Thriller by Tamara L. Miller.

Into the Fall: A Thriller

Historical Fiction by Megan Chance.

Glamorous Notions: A Novel

Women’s Fiction by Angela Brown.

Some Other Time: A Novel

Dark Fantasy by Mallory Pearson.

Voice Like a Hyacinth: A Novel

Crime Thriller by Sherry Rankin.

Romantic Comedy by Sonali Dev.

There’s Something About Mira: A Novel

Historical Fiction by Peter Golden.

Their Shadows Deep: A Novel

Romance by Heidi McLaughlin.

The Art of Starting Over

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If you’ve been eyeing an iPad for work or creative projects, this 13-inch iPad Air (wifi + cellular) is currently on sale for $999.97, down from $1,249—the lowest price it’s ever been, according to price trackers. At 11.04 by 8.46 by 0.24 inches and 1.36 pounds, this is reportedly the heaviest iPad yet, but it still feels portable. Additionally, its aluminum chassis gives it a more premium, sturdy feel—though it lacks an IP rating, so maybe don’t put it to the test near water. For connectivity, the cellular model skips the physical SIM card tray in favor of eSIM-only support.

This iPad impresses with its 2,732 x 2,048 resolution, 600 nits of peak brightness, True Tone for white balance, and LED-backlit IPS LCD with P3 color support. However, creators who value OLED’s deeper blacks and higher contrast might find the LCD screen subpar. That said, the Air’s display handles glare well and resists fingerprints effectively. Audio is another highlight, with its stereo speakers delivering rich bass, especially in landscape mode, enhancing the experience for movies and music. The front camera’s new placement along the long edge is a welcome change, making video calls feel more natural. Speaking of, both the front and rear 12MP cameras of the Air produce sharp, vibrant images, though performance in low-light settings could be better.

Powered by the M2 chip and running on iPadOS, the Air feels snappy (even with its 60Hz refresh rate)—multitasking is smooth, and tasks like editing in iMovie or using GarageBand are nearly as fast as on the Pro, notes this PCMag review. And, with 512GB of storage and 8GB RAM, it’s more than capable of handling app switching, media streaming, and general use with ease. Battery life is standard Apple fare (about 7 hours in real-world use) and charging caps at 20W. As for accessories, the Air is compatible with the Magic Keyboard ($319, down from $349) and Apple Pencil Pro ($114.99, down from $129), adding flexibility for work and/or creativity.

Disinfecting is more important than just cleaning

Right now you don’t just need to clean, you have to disinfect. Viruses that cause sickness can stay on surfaces after normal cleaning, so you need to take extra steps to kill them. Look for products that have the word “disinfectant” front and center, or make your own disinfectant using diluted bleach. You can also consider using an EPA-certified disinfectant. Don’t spend too much effort on this step, however: Lysol is an effective disinfectant, and you can get two cans for under $14.

Start by cleaning your surfaces with soapy water as normal (this is perfectly fine place to stop if no one in the house is sick). During flu season or after someone’s fallen ill, the next step is disinfecting. Spray your surfaces with disinfectant or diluted bleach, then let it sit for 10 minutes before wiping it off.

Which surfaces to prioritize when there’s sickness in the house

Work smarter, not harder, when you’re cleaning up during and after a bout of sickness, and focus on the surfaces and areas that matter most. These are high-touch, high-use spots like the following:

The bathroom, including the toilet, the faucets, and all hard surfaces

The kitchen, including dishes and cups that were touched by the sick person, as well as drawer and refrigerator handles, shelves, keypads on appliances, and all hard surfaces

All the door handles in the home

Any fabrics touched by the sick person, including clothes, robes, towels, stuffed animals, and bedding (which should be washed on the hottest setting in your machine)

All the hard surfaces, including light switches, tables, remotes, and especially anything in the area the sick person tends to stay

Electronics, like phones and tablets

The garbage cans around the house

Keys, wallets, and anything that is regularly grabbed, touched, or toted around

All of these items should all be cleaned and disinfected. Some viruses can linger on surfaces for days or even weeks, so disinfect regularly for at least two weeks after you think the sickness has passed.

Other steps to consider:

Toss out the family toothbrushes and replace them with new ones. The same goes for sponges in the kitchen, or any other disposable cleaning products you only use for a short time.

When cleaning each room, use different cloths, sponges, or cleaning tools to avoid bringing germs from one location into another.

Change pillowcases daily, especially for the sick person(s), and leave the final bedding cleaning until the sickness is over. As mentioned, you need to wash all linens on the hottest setting in your washing machine. Wash them by themselves and use a disinfecting detergent for good measure.

How soon do you need to clean when you’re sick?

Clean during the sickness to the best of your ability. Take garbage out daily and disinfect the cans. Wipe down surfaces and try to keep a supply of clean laundry on hand. The quicker you rid your home of the germs that are clinging to your stuff, the better—even if the most you can manage in your time of illness is spraying everything down with the Lysol, it’s a good start.

Unfortunately, viruses can have some longevity on different types of surfaces, so it’s important to start the disinfecting routine as soon as the first person gets sick.

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Amazon Prime Members Can Get Two Free E-Books in January

What is Amazon’s First Reads?

How to get your free Amazon Kindle e-books in January

Free Amazon Kindle e-books available in January 2025

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What You Should Clean in Your Home After Someone Gets Sick

Disinfecting is more important than just cleaning

Which surfaces to prioritize when there’s sickness in the house

How soon do you need to clean when you’re sick?