How to Use Kindle Books in NotebookLM

This guide shows how to export a purchased Kindle Cloud Reader book with BookHalo, then upload the text to Google NotebookLM for summaries, questions, reading notes, and audio overviews.

Short version: use BookHalo to create full_text.txt, then upload that text file to NotebookLM. Use the PDF for visual reference and the TXT file as the AI-friendly source.

What you need

Desktop Google Chrome
A purchased Kindle book that opens in Kindle Cloud Reader / Kindle for Web
BookHalo
Google NotebookLM

BookHalo is a Chrome extension. It works in the browser-based Kindle reader, not in the Kindle desktop or mobile app.

1. Install BookHalo from Chrome Web Store

Install BookHalo from the Chrome Web Store. After installation, pin BookHalo to your Chrome toolbar so it is easy to start while your Kindle book is open.

2. Open your book in Kindle Cloud Reader

Open read.amazon.com or your regional Kindle Cloud Reader / Kindle for Web domain, then open the book you want to use in NotebookLM.

Important: use the browser reader. Kindle samples and preview-only pages are not supported.

3. Export TXT and PDF with BookHalo

With the book open, click the BookHalo icon and start extraction. BookHalo turns pages, captures screenshots, runs OCR, and downloads a ZIP file when processing is complete.

The ZIP usually contains:

full_text.txt: extracted book text
book.pdf: page images compiled into a PDF

4. Upload full_text.txt to NotebookLM

Create a new NotebookLM notebook, unzip the BookHalo result, and upload full_text.txt as a source. Name the notebook with the book title and author so it is easy to find later.

5. Ask better first questions

Instead of asking for a generic summary, ask for a specific output shape.

Explain the three central arguments of this book.
For each one, summarize the supporting evidence from the text.

I want to apply this book at work.
Give me five practical actions I can try this week.

Why TXT is usually better than PDF for NotebookLM

NotebookLM can ingest PDFs, but for OCR output the plain text file is usually the better first source.

It is easier to inspect and quote.
It is easier for AI tools to parse.
It can also be reused in ChatGPT, Claude, and other tools.
The PDF remains useful for checking page layout and visual context.

Regional Kindle stores

BookHalo supports multiple Kindle Cloud Reader / Kindle for Web domains, but Kindle availability can differ by region and account. If your local Kindle for Web domain behaves differently, try the free tier first and contact us with the domain and book type.

Best-fit books

Business books
Technical books
Language-learning books
Novels you want to annotate or discuss
Any book you want to revisit through Q&A

BookHalo is available on the Chrome Web Store. You can turn purchased Kindle books into TXT/PDF files for personal reading notes, study, and research.

Open BookHalo on Chrome Web Store