Bookish Apps & Recaps!

Holy Afternoon my lovelies!

Ok so a quick recap before I plunge into today’s lunch break post (but for real that’s what this is :/). I must apologize yet again (i’m very sorry for this on-going trend) that I’ve been MIA in posting up reviews. I’m starting a new full-time job next week, so I’ve been busy getting ready for that new epic journey on top of finishing things up with my current job. The emotions have been ALL OVER the place right now and I’ve barley had time to pick up my current reads!! I’ve basically been reading the same stories for the past three weeks with barley any progress and it has nothing to do with the storylines and everything to do with my lack of free time. 🙁 So, I’m hoping by the end of next week to be fully settled into the swing of things and back posting up some lovely (or not-so-lovely) reads with you all!

Phew that’s over with! Now on to my lunchtime topic: Some of my favorite Bookish Apps!

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MY FAVORITE BOOKISH APPS 

I’m not sure about you, but I’ve found myself glued to my cell phone ever since I got an iPhone during my senior year of college (yes, I did say COLLEGE). Having in-hand and instant (for the most part) access to my email, Twitter, Facebook and my new favorite social media obsession Instagram was amazing! Not only could I perform better at my internship, but I could distract myself when needed and feel “plugged-in” to what was happening in the world and my social circles 24/7.

When I decided to start blogging about one of my loves, I naturally started snooping to see what apps could help me not only blog better, but also fuel my bookish obsession! And while I’m always on the look out for new apps (post your recommendations below please!!) to help me out, these are a few that I’ve really fallen in love with!

1. The GoodReads App

I have to admit, I was a late bloomer to the GoodReads movement. I didn’t join the site until 2011. However, I quickly adapted to the site and began using it constantly. When I learned the site had an app, I downloaded it right away. GoodReads is such a constant tool in my blogging toolbox that having instant access to it helps me so much. I love being able to look up reviews on a book, see what number a book is in a series, and load up my progress in a book right away. I actually really love using this app when I’m shopping. It helps me either purchase a book or remember a book by adding it to my “Want to Read” shelf if I didn’t want to purchase it then. This app is definitely an essential for me!

2. The Overdrive App

When my library started posting info flyers about being able to borrow e-books and audio books through the online site, Overdrive, I was beyond excited. I had just recently gotten the Kindle Fire as a gift and was excited that this was even an option! However, it wasn’t until recently that I downloaded the Overdrive App for my iPhone. For one thing, I was embarrassingly unaware of its existence and the other reason being that I had never listened to an audio book before. I never really had a cause to since I just read a book or ebook everywhere. Then I gained a daily commute of driving 40 minutes to an hour each day back and forth to work. Gone were the days of 15 minutes to my part-time or a nice public transportation commute where a physical book was very feasible. So my response to this new endeavor was an audio book. I could still immerse myself (albeit a little dangerously since I was driving) into a story to pass the time of my commute and get a little more “reading” done. Hence my search and download of the Overdrive App. This quickly became a favorite as I borrowed audio books from my local library and listened to them via my commute. A great use of my time to add an extra book here or there for review on this site 🙂

3. The Kindle App

Much like Overdrive, I was unaware of the Kindle App for iPhone. However as soon as I became aware, this became #2 in my toolbox for blogging! Being able to pick up where I left off in a book I was JUST reading on my Kindle Fire anywhere I currently am has been so convenient! I’ll find myself stuck in a somewhat boring situation and just pull out my phone to continue reading. From 15 minute car rides with my family to lunch breaks on days I forget my book, I’ve used this app so much! Having it sync up with my Kindle Fire is so helpful. I know that when I bookmark or highlight in the car, it’ll show up on my Fire when I get home. Although this has altered my previous reading habits, it’s also helped me make deadlines on some reviews. As I’ve gotten older, I’m more on the go with less time (or even less space) to carry around my Kindle Fire or even (*gasp*) a real book. That isn’t to say, that I don’t have one in my purse most days. It just means that when I’m hitting up the bar with friends or running an errand with my mom to Target, I can secretly read a few chapters!

4. Book Crawler App 

Up until now, I’ve listed all free apps. This one, while it has a free option, is so worth it to purchase! I found this app earlier this summer when I was searching for a catalog app. I’m a major nerd and like to keep lists or records of what I own so that I don’t either re-purchase or forget what I have. Since I have WAY MORE books than the free Book Crawler App can hold, I didn’t have any hesitance in shelling out the $1.99 for the full app. This app has been such a go-to for me! I am absolutely in love 🙂 The Book Crawler app allows you to scan in (via barcode), search (by ISBN, author etc.) or manually enter in books. You can include if you’ve read them (and when), if you own them, create collections (much like GoodReads’ shelves), add tags and rate the books. It does have a community aspect to it as well, but I haven’t used this feature and don’t know much about it. Instead I use this app for my use only. It allows me to have a complete list of books that I own at hand whenever I’m shopping, when others ask me questions, or when others are shopping for me 😉 I’ve used it a lot while shopping at used book stores or to look up the last book in a series that I own (yes, sometimes I forget what number I’m up to lol #booknerdproblems). It also helps because I have a picture of the cover available in case I’m collecting multiple covers or for when I’m completing Instagram challenges ;). Overall, I just feel soooo much better knowing I have a list somewhere that has all the info I need on the books I own. I’m just a nerd like that 🙂

5. Twitter & Instagram 

Okay, so I know these two are not really Bookish Apps, but I do use them for a lot of bookish things. Instagram and Twitter are the two main social media outlets that I use for my blog and also for finding out about books. I follow a lot of awesome bookish people and bloggers on Twitter and Instagram. Checking this daily on my iPhone let’s me not only interact with these awesome human beings, but it also let’s me check out what new books are traveling through the book world. I love seeing books I haven’t read on Instagram and being like “I so need to read that now!” or catching up on some reviews via Twitter posts! These two apps seriously help my blogging life and enrich my book life 🙂

So what are your thoughts on my favorite bookish apps? Do you have any favorites that I didn’t mention? Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear your thoughts and recommendations 🙂 

Thanks for stopping by!

Later Booknerds!

xo,

NicoleLynn