From Melville to Rowling to Kaling — you’ve read it all. Your home is filled with book-inspired decor, your wedding was totally book lover-approved and you find yourself daydreaming of the perfect indie bookstore roadtrip. If this sounds like you, odds are you are proud to call yourself a book nerd. It’s not always easy being bookish in an on-the-go world (how many times have you spilled coffee on your current read because of a transit catastrophe?) but you make it look flawless nonetheless. For anyone who’s bold, bookish and busy, here are 11 apps to make reading in the 21st century a little easier.
1. Companion: Reading while walking is a hazard. Fortunately for the friends and family of a book-walking enthusiast, this new app allows you to periodically check in with your book walker to make sure that he or she is safe while walking home. Just set your route and select your emergency contacts and the app will check in with you throughout your walk home and contact your emergency contacts if you don’t respond.
DL it: Free on Android and iOS
2. Slice: Get a handle on your late-night book ordering purchases with this automatically syncing package tracking app. Just connect your email and Slice will identify tracking numbers and product orders. They’ll even notify you of a price drop so you can return your order and get it for a lower price.
DL it: Free on Android and iOS
3. Goodreads: After this popular reading hub went mobile in late 2013, readers all over the world have been connecting with each other on the go. With so many features packed into one app (you can write book reviews, browse for new reads with personalized suggestions, track all the books you’ve read this year and add new books to your to-read list with their barcode scanner), it’s a modern-day book lover’s lifeline.
DL it: Free on Android and iOS
4. Blinkist: How many times have you gotten on a 15-minute bus ride just to arrive at your stop in the middle of the best part? With more than 1,000 non-fiction book summaries to peruse in 15 minutes or less, this app is a must-download for transit and will always give you something to talk about with your coworkers.
DL it: Free on Android and iOS
5. Bookling: Is your New Year’s Resolution to read more? Although this is a paid app, the dollar price tag is totally worth it. Set up yearly reading goals and track your progress using their built-in tracking functions like bookmarking and reading speed measuring tools. Turn on your notifications for periodic reminders to reach your 2016 reading goal.
DL it: $0.99 on iOS
6. Wattpad: This popular reading app has been named a Top 5 Book App for three years running. Search thousands of free stories and books from published authors and connect with other readers through the commenting and private message function. Feel like writing the next Great American Novel? Jot it down and share it with the Wattpad community for free!
DL it: Free on Android and iOS
7. Audiobooks from Audible: True book nerds aren’t dissuaded by places where reading a physical book is impractical. With Audiobooks from Audible, you have access to over 180,000 titles in the palm of your hand, from bestsellers to classics. In their most recent update, Audible added a cool new feature, Whispersync for Voice, where you can switch between reading and listening to an audiobook easily with a compatible Kindle device or app.
DL it: Free on Android and iOS
8. Scribd: There are tons of sources for audiobooks and ebooks. What makes this subscription reading service different is that it offers comic books and sheet music downloads too. With reading material in 80 languages and across nearly every country, you’re sure to find your next great reading romance here.
Epic! Unlimited Books For Kids
For anyone with a young reader at home, this critically acclaimed app is a must-download. Free for educators and subscription-based for parents after a month-long free trial, this app comes with over 10,000 books and series, from The Chronicles of Narnia to Berenstain Bears, all curated to your child’s age and interests.
DL it: Free trial on Android and iOS
10. Oxford Dictionaries Quick Search: Every true book lover knows that a good dictionary is a must. Find everything you’d ever want to know about a word on this free app. You can even switch between British English and American English with a simple swipe.
The List App
Launching in October 2015, this app has quickly grown in popularity across the globe. Search through hundreds of celebrity and user-generated lists on just about anything: favorite book dedications, top ten best books of 2015 according to the New York Times… you name it.
Back in January, we introduced you to a feel-good cause to inspire your New Year's resolution: a walking challenge to help raise funds for the amazing cancer fighters at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I took part in the challenge with the Brit + Co team and ended up walking 105+ miles in January — it was awesome.
This spring, there's a new challenge on the horizon, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Big Climb. The ask: On May 15, 2021, you can step up to take cancer down by committing to climb 1,311 steps, walking 3.2 miles, or doing 440 chair step-ups at home as part of the Big Climb. If you need some motivation to bring movement back into your daily routine — look no further!
As always, it's free to sign up, but climbers are encouraged to set a fundraising goal to help beat cancer. We'll be organizing another Brit + Co team to step up, and I hope you'll join us too! Keep scrolling for a peek at where I'll be completing the challenge in my Los Angeles neighborhood around the hidden Silver Lake Stairs. Happy climbing!
Never underestimate the power of an accountability buddy! I asked my in-laws, my partner, and a few friends to join me so we can keep each other motivated and accountable in completing the challenge — virtual high-fives all around! Also, my dog Fox is a great climber, too.
An aesthetically pleasing backdrop is a huge motivator for me! I'm fortunate to have all sorts of painted steps around my neighborhood to keep the challenge interesting, but you can also keep cool inside with at-home chair step-ups.
Don't forget to share your progress on social — #BigClimb!
Feel free to break the challenge up if you need to by tackling half the distance in the AM and half at sunset. Here's me 1,311 steps later and ready for a break — but, think I earned this one!
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