In a world dominated by screens and keyboards, the way we read has drastically changed. The days of being a book collector and having shelves on shelves of hardcopy books are on the move. Yes, some readers (including myself and maybe even you reading this) still prefer to have an actual book or buy a newspaper, but many other readers would rather read on a screen and move on, save themselves the hassle of dealing with the dust and clutter.
There are several reading apps you need to check out. They have been designed to make anyone fall in love with reading with various features. These features include free trials, sampling titles, and offline access. Doesn’t matter what kind of literature you are into, many of these apps have a variety and give you a wide range of options.
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Goodreads
For over 15 years, Goodreads has offered and still continues to offer free access to a database of books from all genres like history, romance, biographies, fiction stories, and children’s novels. The platform integrates readers and writers. Bibliophiles get access to lots of books and the writers get a platform to expose their work. The best thing of all is that Goodreads has a good user interface and an intuitive layout that gives users the ability to create shelves of the books they want to read later. Correspondingly, you can see reviews of various books grouped by friends before making a choice. This app is available on Google Play Store and App Store.
Amazon Kindle
Popular among Android users, Amazon’s Kindle offers the biggest selection of eBooks and Audiobooks in Literature & Fiction, Foreign Languages, Religion & Spirituality, Business, Romance, History and so much more. The app lets you download and organize titles and also sample the first chapter of the different books for free. It is user-friendly and also lets you search words or phrases within a book. Books on the platform come with a price however, some classics are free.
Apple Books
Compatible with only Apple devices, Apple Books comes pre-installed on devices and there is no need to download a third-party app. It is user-friendly, has an easy-to-use interface, and grants access to millions of both eBooks and audiobooks. Users can switch between reading and listening to audiobooks. Just like most of the apps that are compatible with the iPhone, you will need to pay for a subscription however with Apple Books, you will have to pay to access a particular book. Needless to say, Apple Books has dedicated sections for special offers and free books, as well as a “Top Free Chart” for books provided on the service at no charge to the user. Depending on the market, Apple also offers some classic titles, including works by Lewis Caroll, Jane Austen, and Shakespeare.
Wattpad
Looking forward to reading something original, Wattpad is a platform that you need to check out. Wattpad is an online social reading platform intended for users to read and write original stories. On Wattpad, you will mostly find ebooks, short stories, and poems from less known writers but with really good interesting stories from all genres. Of course, there are free books however, you will need to go deep into your pockets to access other chapters of the book.
Libby by Overdrive
Libby by Overdrive app is mostly used by IOS users. It also works on Android but in a glitch way. It grants access to millions of eBooks and audiobooks and also has magazines. Cool right? All you have to do is download the App from the Apple store, sign in using your email address or Apple ID and get to reading. Oh Yes! the app is completely free, with no subscription costs, no in-app purchases, and no late fees.
ReadEra
Compatible with Android devices, ReadEra is the reading app to have. The beauty of it is it handles books in various formats including fb2, Mobi, azw3, pdf, MS Word, and much more. It is a readers’ favorite because it has no glitches, is ad-free, and has wonderful recommendations.
Nook by Barnes & Noble
This app is best used on IOS but can also effectively work on Android. It gives users access to over 4 million Barnes and Noble titles. It has up to 75000 free eBooks and audiobooks. You can check out the first chapters before you buy and also lets you sync your reading progress over various devices.
Other reading apps you need to check out include eReaderPrestigio, Scribd, Kobo Books, and Google Play Books