My Favorite Avid Reader Tools
Rekindling my love for reading and becoming a voracious story explorer in a variety of paperback escapes once again has been a wonderful counterbalance to all my digitally-based hobbies and work. But HOW do I possibly fit in an average of 30 books a year, let alone up to three a month with MY schedule? Good news - I’m gonna tell you all the tools I use to make it easier than ever to fit in all those fantastic books, manga, and yes I still have time for fanfiction.
First Tool: Audiobooks!
Audiobooks ARE reading. Audiobooks ARE consumption. Purists be damned, they provide a certain level of entertainment, character work, and flexibility to consume books on the go. Don’t have enough elbow room on a bus - pop in an audiobook. Want to hop on a treadmill and zen out a bit to fantasy adventures or spicy encounters - pop in an audiobook. So now, let’s make it accessible and affordable (and not just giving money to Bezos).
Libby
My absolute go-to app every time is Libby! This is your local library in your pocket where you can access regular e-books, audiobooks, and download them to your device of choice. They have a straightforward system of loans, holds, and tags to keep track of all your books within the system. And just like your library, the services are free! This is one of the best apps out there to read all the books you want on the best budget for any hobby. I absolutely recommend this and see what your library has to offer. On the homepage, there are even librarian recommendations for books and monthly themed selections (i.e. AAPI, Indigenous Authors, BLM, and Women’s Month selections).
Downside: It depends on your library’s offerings and accessible options to populate what you see within the app. I am on the Chicago Public Library system, which is luckily jam-packed with tons of great options coming in every month. If your library is not hooked up or actively managing a subscription to the service - it may not be available or very extensive in your area.
A snapshot of how your Shelf looks in Libby when you have a loan ready to go.
An image representing the hold system showing you how long of a wait you have, how to manage it, when you placed it, and where you are in the line waiting for your turn.
Libro.FM
A great alternative to Audible and Kindle Unlimited is Libro.FM. Libro.FM serves up audiobook selections that support your local bookstores! At $14.99 a month or on an a la carte basis, you can get credits for many audiobooks in their selection. Quality is great and if you want a service disconnected from big box stores - this is a great alternative option. Boost your library today!
Pros: Anything you purchase is available even without keeping your subscription active.
Cons: There are some titles that are not accessible because it is Kindle Unlimited or Audible exclusive or simply not carried outside of other carriers.
Keep an eye out on Spotify too when Aubiobooks become available on the platform. It has been rolled out in the UK and Australia - and will be making landfall this year in the US!
Second Tool: Sales, Memberships, and Supporting Indie Bookstores from Anywhere
BookBub
One of the BEST discount book services ever! BookBub can send you daily, weekly, or special timeframe roundups of titles on sale. And I’m talking MEGA sales - like e-book collections of 10 for four bucks sometimes. And even options for free! This has been a fun way to build up my library with stories that I wouldn’t otherwise consider, while also providing a gateway to genres I didn’t know existed (like a wonderful, cozy mystery series, hello!)
Pros: The sales are always a great deal. You can really stretch your book budget with this as an alternative when you’re wanting a new book right now.
Cons: You really have to be open to the types of books that come through there. They aren’t always going to be titles you have heard of or the hottest releases. Go in with an open mind and read all the descriptions - a lot of them have been fun three-star reads for me!
Bookshop.org
Much like Libro.FM, this is another opportunity to support local or your favorite independent bookstores while ordering books online! Through Bookshop.org - you can order online and pick an independent bookstore to support. Some of them don’t have online services, which provide a great user experience when you want those new books but don’t have the time to make the pilgrimage to the store.
I even created my own Bookshop storefront with some of the titles that I recommend based on what I have read in my WLW book club and Mangas to start! I have a growing section for the actual smut recommendations, but I want to take the time to include some of the TW so folks know what they’re picking up. Just because I’m comfortable with dark fantasy/romantasy does not mean everyone else is.
Pros: Support local businesses while staying in an online environment.
Cons: The UI can get a little tiresome and you have to be really clear about what versions, editions, and languages you want. Sometimes the offerings are TOO big without proper curation.
A screencap of supporting the 826CHI Charity bookshop through Bookshop.org
VIZ & ShonenJump Apps
Want to read all the hottest manga but don’t want to cram volumes in your already cramped book space? Well, you’re in luck! Get official scans and translations through the Viz and Shonen Jump apps on your tablet and phone. The subscription is just for a few dollars a month and you get access to TONS of current and completed manga series.
For anyone who doesn’t know, VIZ is in charge of distribution in North America of translated Japanese titles. Shonen Jump is the weekly serialized magazine of select titles (One Piece, MHA, Boruto, Dragon Ball, etc.), while VIZ Manga is a wider selection outside of the shonen genre (Inuyasha, NANA, Zom 100, and MANY more). They pride themselves on being able to release alongside the Japanese debut of new chapters, please support the official publishing of manga as it helps with the support of the medium.
Android or iOS App downloads for both options
Pros: Library of 100s of titles that are in various stages of publication. You can never run out of something to reach, just chapters until they’re finally up!
Cons: There are instances of items not being for free and are digital exclusives that you have to purchase separately from the subscription. Please keep that in mind when scrolling through the apps.
Third Tool: Trackers & Social Platforms
If you don’t want to watch 500 BookTok recommendation videos and want some in-real-time reviews of books to reach for next - might I recommend these two reading list trackers? Friend your friends, follow your favorite creators, and make your reading lists to help keep track of your literary wants and needs.
Storygraph - for a GoodReads alternative which has lots of data points you can aggregate, analyze, and keep track of. There is even a “mood” tracker and they create curated reading lists you can browse.
GoodReads - while I greatly dislike giving Amazon too many compliments, it is a very useable and widely accessible platform to share and track your reading lists. The curating can go as deep as you want with custom bookshelves and the business of it becoming a book blog is very prevalent with very in-depth reviews available.
Those are some good places to start if you are looking to rekindle your love for reading! Just remember, not every hobby has to be shared or a competition. You are allowed to go at your own pace and do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you just want to do this for YOU, go for it! Be empowered by the multitude of tools out there to get a fresh start and enjoy your journey. <3
Thank you for reading!
