What is 'Stuff Your Kindle' Day? Book Lovers Can Stock Up During Event
Thursday and Friday are known as "Stuff Your Kindle" Days, when e-book enthusiasts have the chance to load up on a huge selection of free books—but there's a little catch involved.
People are always searching for great bargains, and readers are no exception. Amazon, which began as a website for selling books online, remains a leading force in the e-book industry.
In its 2025 assessment of e-readers, PC Magazine highlighted the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, an upgraded version of the original Kindle series, as the top choice overall and the best option for kids. Additionally, other Kindle models took the lead in the "budget" and "color display" categories.
However, these sales aren't limited to Kindle devices, even though the name and pattern suggest otherwise.
On Thursday evening, Newsweek sent an email to Amazon seeking their response.
"Stuff Your Kindle" Day is essentially just another sale. Customers can simply visit Amazon.com, enter "stuff your kindle" into the search bar, and a variety of options will appear. However, a quick look reveals that, as of Thursday, almost all the e-books available are from the romance category. This is expected to shift on Friday when the focus will switch to "Dark Fiction" titles.
The "Stuff Your Kindle" sale isn't actually organized by Amazon. Instead, it's two separate promotions that support independent authors in certain subgenres. The first sale is managed by romance author Zoe York, who curates lists of romance books for the event. She started this initiative in 2014, so this year marks its 10th anniversary.
The sale is open to readers using the Kindle app as well as other e-readers, including the Barnes & Noble Nook and Kobo devices.
Romance novels remain incredibly popular and sell well across different genres. A prime example is the widely acclaimed fantasy series "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas, which has achieved massive sales. In 2021, Hulu secured the rights to turn this series into a show, bringing on Ronald D. Moore, known for his work on "Outlander," to lead the adaptation.
A majority of the books featured in the Kindle event are authored by independent writers. As a result, the sales are designed to support these authors and showcase their creations. According to the FAQ on RomanceBookworms.com, York initiated the event after exhausting her options for promotion.
York searched through Amazon to find authors willing to join in and created a list for enthusiastic readers. The event on Thursday featured 35 other authors, each contributing two books for the promotion.
On Friday, Dark Mode Books will host the "Stuff Your Kindle" Day to highlight "dark fiction." This term refers to a category of books that blend various genres and feature more intense themes and thought-provoking elements.
According to the Dark Mode Books website, the sale includes a variety of genres, from Grimdark Fantasy and Splatterpunk to works that contain no romance and those that are erotic.
Unlike the romance-themed "Stuff Your Kindle" event, Dark Mode Books has its sale every six months, scheduling the second day of its event to coincide with the romance sale.
Jinapher J. Hoffman, the writer known for her sweeping dark romantic fantasy tales, kicked off the event.
Although it's uncertain whether she drew inspiration from the "Stuff Your Kindle" event, the videos and website suggest that 2024 could be the inaugural year for the dark fiction edition.
The website stuffyourkindle.org, claiming to be owned and copyrighted by York, has been promoting the dark fiction event.
What Everyone Is Saying
RomanceBookworms.com states: "Every book featured in our lists comes from independent authors who help support this community event. It's a passionate effort, a tribute to the joy of reading, and a fantastic chance to discover a new author who will continue to offer free stories for years ahead."
The "Stuff Your Kindle" sale featuring romance novels wraps up at midnight on December 26 and won't happen again until December 26, 2025. As for the next "Stuff Your Kindle" sale for Dark Mode Books, it’s scheduled for the summer, probably around June, following the patterns of the 2024 summer event.
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Peter Aitken serves as a Politics Editor for Newsweek and is located in New York. While he specializes in political matters within the United States, he also covers...
