After a long week, nothing feels more relaxing than a cup of hot coffee and a captivating book to take you to another world – a world where all your problems cease into non-existence.
Despite being a magical feeling, the habit of reading is becoming less and less common in the past few years.
In fact, as per Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the US, people between the ages of 15 to 44 spend less than 10 minutes per day reading! Another independent study by American Psychological Association revealed that 80 percent of teenagers today don’t read daily as a leisure activity.
These are glaring statistics as they indicate the slow decay of intellect, imagination, and critical thinking. To ensure you and your loved ones are not among these statistics, try to bring back reading into your life. Do so by integrating the habit with the modern world.
Rather than books, you can use apps to access books. Here are the ones that are available for free.
- Amazon Kindle
Let’s begin with the most obvious and classic app for reading – Amazon Kindle! In today’s amazon-centric world, this app is considered ideal for Android users. After all, Amazon started off as a book-selling platform. Hence, you can count on it to offer an eBook app that ticks the right boxes.
This free reading content app allows you to sync your books across different devices. It also allows readers to enjoy features like:
- Customizable font type, text size, text alignment, and orientation.
- Adjustment of background colors for easy reading.
- Real-time looking up of unknown words via the integrated dictionary.
- Instant translation of foreign-language content.
- An indicator that depicts reading progress.
- An audio player for audiobooks.
If you are an Android user, you cannot go wrong with Amazon Kindle!
- Aldiko
If you aren’t satisfied with the reading layout of most apps that you come across, then it means you need an app that you can highly customize according to your taste. One app that you are likely to prefer is Aldiko.
The best thing about Aldiko is that you can customize its reading interface. Additionally, it allows you to read various formats, including PDF, ePub, Adobe DRM, etc. You can also use the app to shop for new books. Readers are also given access to a fair share of free books to read as well.
There is a premium version of the app available that allows you to listen to audiobooks. Such features are ideal for introducing books into the lives of children who are not used to reading. For instance, your child could simultaneously play airG scam free apps like Big Barn World and listen to stories.
- ReadEra – Book Reader
Another excellent free resource for reading books of numerous formats is ReadEra. Using it, you can read books that come in Kindle, Microsoft Word, PDF, EPUB, CHM, ODT, TXT, etc. Additionally, the app organizes books into various categories for easy filtering.
It allows you to create a category of books you wish to read. It also does the same with books you have read. Other filters include collections, authors, series, and formats.
Also, if you are among those who abandon reading for long spells, you will like that this app comes with a Reading Now option that takes you back to the right where you left off.
Whether it be adding bookmarks, switching to dark mode for easy nighttime reading, or using a split-screen to use multiple apps simultaneously, there is a lot that ReadEra gets right.
- Wattpad
We are certain that you must have already heard of Wattpad. It is quite popular and has over 100 million downloads.
Not only is it an app for those looking for stories to read, instead it is for writers who wish to get their writings out there. Certain Wattpad stories (hint: The Kissing Booth) stemmed from the platform.
What makes Wattpad different from others is that it has a very active community. You can comment on books, let the world know what you are reading, and peruse what others say about different stories.
Also, the app automatically notifies readers when new chapters of the books they are reading are added. However, note that here you are likely to get fan fiction or books by budding writers instead of seasoned writers.
- PocketBook Reader
Another colorful and fun reading app is PocketBook Reader. The best thing about this free reading app is that it keeps eBooks organized properly for easy finding and reading.
For starters, you can find a given book based on collections, read rate, Google books, wish list, etc. The app also supports over 19 formats and hence allows you to read virtually any type of book available on the internet.
To avoid making book reading a burden on your device storage, you can use its feature of using cloud storage. This way, all your collections will be saved in Dropbox, Google Books, or Google Drive. Like Amazon Kindle, this app comes with an in-built dictionary and allows you to improve your vocabulary.
Special Mention: Authorama
Authorama has a vast collection of public domain books, ranging from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. Additionally, it is very easy to use. All you have to do is tap on the title you wish to read, and voila, the book will be launched.
However, since this is just a website and not exactly an app, you cannot download the book to your device, nor can you bookmark where you left reading. However, it is still a worthy platform to search for free books.
Begin Reading!
Cultivate a habit of reading in yourself and your little ones. This hobby goes a long way. Not only does it help in improving your vocabulary, but it also helps avoid cognitive decline and alleviates depression!
Use any of the mentioned apps to find books of your choice. Once you dive into the adventure of reading, we are sure there is no going back!
Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on twitter: @michellejoe524
