I keep running into people who don't seem to be aware that you don't need a Kindle to read Kindle books. Amazon puts out a freeware program called Kindle for PC you can download to your desktop and laptop. I use it, and actually prefer it because you can read full screen, or two pages side-by-side.
The link for it is here: Kindle for PC
There's also Nook for PC program from Barnes and Nobles, too. The link is here: Nook for PC
Considering you can now download free or cheap books from these two sites once you install the programs, I wouldn't pass it by.