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There's a lot to enjoy with an Amazon Prime membership: a plentiful streaming service full of acclaimed originals, same-day shipping, and Grubhub+. But that's just a sampling of the extensive benefits for members. Prime members who also happen to be bookworms can maximize their monthly reading with the Amazon First Reads program.

Similar to Book of the Month, every month, Amazon First Reads drops a new collection of discounted titles. However, unlike Book of the Month, these books are totally free for Prime Members. Here's everything you need to know about Amazon First Reads.

What is Amazon First Reads?

Amazon First Reads is a monthly program in which eight editor-selected books are offered free to Prime members. Members are allowed to choose one book per month, which is then added to their library. Non-Prime members can still join in on the fun, but they have to pay $1.99 per book.

Some months, like Prime Day's July and Black Friday's November, offer two free books. And in others, you can select a free short story with your one free e-book.

To select your book, visit the Amazon First Reads home page to browse the options. As a Prime Member, you'll see the option to "read now for free " when you go to purchase the titles. Once you make your selection, it'll automatically be added to your Kindle library.

Which books are featured in Amazon First Reads?

Among the eight books selected each month, the book editors at Amazon provide a variety of genres for every reader. The books are typically new or soon-to-be-released books — many of the books are published under one of Amazon's publishing imprints, so they're exclusive to Amazon's shelves.

In addition to the eight full-length books offered each month, there's typically a short story available, too, exclusive to read through the Kindle Store. You'll find familiar names in the First Reads collections. Past authors include Abby Jimenez, Rebecca Yarros, Lee Child, Fredrik Backman, Alice Hoffman, and Dean Koontz.

Kindle Unlimited members are able to read most of the previous First Reads picks for free, so if there are multiple each month that you want to add to your digital bookshelf, consider a Kindle Unlimited membership.

May 2026 Amazon First Reads books

May's First Reads lineup features eight novels and one short read. This month's short read, The Replacement, comes from New York Times bestselling author Liv Constantine. The suspenseful short story details the twisted relationship between a Hollywood icon struggling for relevancy and a newcomer with her own agenda. But in addition to this month's short read, there are eight novels featured, including the latest from Mindy's Book Studio, Two Lives with You.

Here are all of the First Reads picks for May 2026:

• The Replacement by Liv Constantine

• Two Lives with You by Lauren Ho

• Murder by Design by Lee Goldberg

• The Promise of Wonder by Katherine Webb

• The Confession Artist by Christine Carbo

• The Magic of Us by Beth Merlin and Danielle Modafferi

• The Girl in the Lake by Lauren Oliver

• Westerly by Susan Donovan Bernhard

• The Quitters Club by Jessica Strawser

Do you need a Kindle for Amazon First Reads?

All of the books selected are technically purchased through the Kindle Store. But does that mean you need a Kindle to read them?

Nope! No Kindle e-reader is necessary to read books collected through First Reads. All books purchased through the Kindle Store are available in the Kindle app, which can be read on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

However, if you're asking if you should get a Kindle, that's a different question. While a Kindle is not required to enjoy the bounty of the Kindle store, it is our favorite e-reader brand if you're in the market.