Hi B&N Mom and welcome to MR.
Check out the forum '
which one should I buy' which also has a
comparison matrix in the wiki for a first pre-selection on what reader suits you most.
After that visit the different subforums to get an idea on how users here on MR feel about the readers. Huge choice to make a selection from.
Please feel free to ask questions regarding any of the reader you are including in your selection. And if you want recommendations, please let us know what you are planning on reading, spending (rough $ sufficient) and what exactly you plan on doing with the reader (making notes required? just reading? etc)
For free books, check out the
eBook library from MR. Sooooo many free books, lovingly formatted by MR members. That'll keep you reading for a while.