Six apps to delight book lovers
Find more things to read, in more ways, and more people to discuss them with
Winter usually means more nights at home, and that’s truer than ever this year. Still, for bookworms at least that means even more time for settling down with a good book. Here, we’ve chosen some apps to help you get the most out of your literary habits, from finding new books to discussing them with a like– minded community.
You’ll notice that we haven’t chosen Apple Books or Amazon Kindle here — it seems like a waste of space since these are already the go–to ebook store/reading apps. We’re looking at the less well-known options, giving book lovers new options and ideas for how to engage with one of the oldest and most comforting pastimes.
AUDIBLE: AUDIOBOOKS & PODCASTS $14.95/month Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
Okay, this might not be that less well– known, but if you haven’t tried audiobooks yet, this is arguably the place to start. Pay monthly and you get credit for one audiobook purchase each month, plus extra free books and discounts. Your progress in books is synced across devices, and you can try samples.
LIBBY, BY OVERDRIVE Free Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
Did you know your library can loan you ebooks to read on your own device? Use your library card in this app to unlock access to ebooks, available to download, read, then digitally “return.” You can even use it to send ebooks to a Kindle device. There are also magazines and comics, and tools such as adding notes or bookmarks and searching the text.
GOODREADS: BOOK REVIEWS Free Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
Want to keep a record of what you’ve read and what you thought of it? Goodreads is a book review tool where you can keep a book journal, share your thoughts with others, and see the opinions of others to help you decide what to read next. You can also engage with the community to discuss books and set reading targets with your friends.
EPIC — KIDS’ BOOKS & READING $9.99/month Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV
This all–you–can–read app is perfect for children who love books. It has over 40,000 fiction and non–fiction titles for youngsters, aimed at different ages. The $9.99 monthly fee includes profiles for four children, and the app recommends things for each child based on previously enjoyed books. It will also keep a reading log, and there are audiobooks too!