Here's the start of what I hope to be an occasional feature -- App Love, where I share some of my favorite apps in different subjects. I will try not to overdo it, and of course there will be apps that you'll see that I've left off. These are only ones that I have tried myself. If you have any you'd like to add, please comment below! As a perfect start to my App Love, I'm going to share some great apps for book nerds.
- GoodReads - This app is a lifesaver. When I'm looking at books in the store, or at the library, I can scan the ISBN and I can instantly access all the information about the book on GoodReads, including reviews. Additionally, I can see all of my own books, mark books that I want to read, see books I've previously read (along with their ratings and reviews), and a lot more. This is my all time favorite book app out there, and the website to boot. What did I do before GoodReads made this so easy? If you're interested in the social media aspect, you can also connect with other readers, see what they are reading, and (my favorite feature), compare your books with a beautiful Venn diagram! Huzzah!
- Overdrive - If you like free books, then head to your local library and see if they have Overdrive. Overdrive lets you can check out free library e-books and audiobooks with a library card with participating libraries. Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (mine!) does it, and it's so easy. I can easily download an audiobook to listen to at the gym while I'm doing my warm-up. And if you don't think it's easy, then just ask your trusty neighborhood librarian to help you, and you shouldn't have any problems. Best part is, these library items can never be late -- because they return themselves when they expire!
- Readar - If you travel a lot and like hitting up libraries, bookstores, and bookish events anywhere you go, then this is the app for you! By LibraryThing.com (where you can catalog your own home library collection), this app will locate bookstores, libraries, and book events so you always know where you can get your next fix.
Some of the standards:
- Kindle App for iPad and iPhone - If you already have a Kindle account, you'll find that the Kindle app makes it easy to read Kindle books on other devices. It's easy to use and is pretty. Which counts a lot in the world of apps.
- iBooks - This was great for me when I had to read lots of PDFs. Of course, I hated printing them out, but I also hate reading on a computer screen. Reading on an iPad is a step up, and I loved it, and got to save some trees while I was at it.
