If so, how do you do it? Do you use Google Play books or use apps like PDF file readers? I’m only 19 and I’m interested to start my reading hobby. Though I can also grab some books on a close bookstore nearby, I am also interested to do it digitally.
I use the Jellyfin app, I get books from Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ and https://www.smashwords.com/
Get a Kobo. They’re awesome for reading. They feel like paper, like you’re reading a real book. And it’s pretty simple to sideload books. Plus you only have to charge them every few weeks, up to a month sometimes.
Get a used kobo. An aura or h2o can be had for $50 or less on eBay and will do all that you need, has a battery you can actually replace, and has an active 3rd party software community if you find the default (perfectly good) software lacking.
Plus one for Kobo, mine is almost 10yo and still going strong. Plenty of storage even for long vacations. My partner uses a Kindle and rages against its limitations 😅
Kobo? I did a google search and it looked interesting. Thanks for the info. I think I might try that app.
I think they meant the physical device
They can be a bit pricy if you’re young and on a budget.
If you’re trying to read on your phone only, I’d recommend these apps:
- Readest: The app is on both mobile and desktop, it’s a nice experience, and it’s free/ open source. I found it to be stable but I’ve seen comments about bugs: https://github.com/readest/readest
- Moon Reader: It’s paid / proprietary, but well known and customizable: https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Moon%2B&hl=en-US
As for sourcing the files
- see if your library does any digital lending
- check out free sources like Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive
Some comments brought up a home server, but you don’t really need that if you’re starting out with the hobby and it’s just for yourself. That’s more for managing large libraries of books and access by many users.
I did indeed mean a physical kobo. they’re great little devices, and pretty much completely repairable.
Free Moon+ Reader haven’t shown me any ads, maybe it’s regional or something. I use it for years.
+1 for Kobo. I love being able to read in the dark without bothering my partner with the light
That’s step 2. - They want to get into reading.
Step 1 is to do it the cheapest way possible. Which means either real books or on a device they already have.
Then if they find they enjoy it they can/should start spending some money on hardware/software to enhance the experience.
But there’s no reason for them to spend any money on tech until they know reading recreationally is for them.
Yes. I’ve got a Kobo reader but mostly use the Kobo phone app to read the books I buy there. For my own files, eg from Project Gutenberg, I use ReadEra Premium, which is superior to the Kobo app. It can handle just about any format, including .mobi, which not even Amazon’s Kindle app does now. I like it a lot.
Finally, there’s Libby, the library app. I use it mainly to read the New Yorker magazine. You need to belong to a library first. Sign up to Libby and you can borrow from the library’s collection. Mine allows you to borrow a book for two weeks, so I mainly stick to magazines.
I’m so used to reading on my phone now that I find print books cumbersome and limiting - I always have half a dozen books on the go and can’t imagine carting around that many books.
I really do not like brightness of the screen. Last year I found out how cool paperbacks are (the smaller ones) as I can put them in my pockets. Been reading more in 2025 than i did in the last decade i feel like.
I like the feeling of actually holding knowledge in your bare hands (given you can read and understand the language). Its so cool!
I prefer to read by reflected light, not emitted light. I used to prefer real books (and I do still throughly enjoy them), but I’ve grown used to the creature comforts like waterproofness, annotations, highlighting, searching, and sheer data density of an ebook reader packed with more books than I could read in a few years. Granted I also highlighted and annotated any books I owned with reckless abandon, but the data hoarder in me loves the other aspects even more. Regarding data density, there is nothing worse than carting along a massive book while traveling only to finish it before you even arrive. If it was a book I didn’t mind leaving behind that might be okay, but now I’ve got to find a new book for the trip home too. I’ve tried to use my phone to read, but it’s uncomfortable given the small size and intense light. Also, reading in full sun on your phone will absolutely cook the internals and drain you battery, not great for something I might rely on for emergencies. So for me I read: new (usually physical) books from Indy authors or graphic heavy books (like baudy poetry from the renn-fest, comic books/graphic novels), previously loved books from thrift stores and used book shops (I absolutely love finding books in which people have left notes in the cover and margins), ebooks read on a cheap e-reader of popular stuff from disreputable sources, and listening to audiobooks from downright shady sources or podcasts on my phone.
Anna’s Archive or libgen for downloading epub, Librera Pro from F-Droid for reading.
PDF sucks, epub let’s you configure everything like font, font size, space between lines and alignment to the left.
I pretty much prefer reading on my phone than physical book.
I also use this method. Very easy, no fuss.
Moon+ reader as an app for reading on your phone. I’ve had it on every device since my Galaxy S. And the app is still maintained, receiving regular updates. Nice to be able to read a couple of pages when standing in line somewhere instead of mindlessly scrolling.
I’ve been using the pro version, Moon+ Reader Pro, for years. It’s great for reading EPUBs, which I either buy DRM-free or, if that’s not possible, in any format and then download a “liberated” copy from Anna’s Archive.
I find reading on my phone to be far easier than on paper due to dyslexia.
I use Libera FD, it’s a combination eBook, PDF, document viewer that can scan your docs and form fit them to your desired font, size, and density.
As for getting books, annas-archive is my new best friend. I grab every weird fiction and horror I can get my hands on.
My partner does and I have no idea how they stand it, for ebooks, my library works with my kobo so it’s either that or epubs. I can do a tablet for ebooks but I find the phone way too small.
Libby is supported by a bunch of library systems on android, used KOReader for ebooks on android too.
Yes.
Project Gutenberg website. They also have files you can download, but I prefer using the website.
Yep.
I use a PDF reader and turn the phone sideways.
I read the entire Dune series on my phone, laying on my belly, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I did it with an app called eBoox, which reads different formats, making it very practical.
No, I read books on paper.
My phone screen is too small. I have a separate, larger, e-ink screen for that.
Moon Reader+ and Calibre. (There are some other suggestions for obtaining material listed that are great). I read 3-4 books a week, sometimes more.
Moon Reader+ has been my epub reader for many years and it’s worth the few bucks to buy. The free version is perfectly adequate if you don’t want to read pdf files. I don’t read on a phone, but prefer a tablet with the larger screen, but have used it on a phone without too much discomfort when my tablet died.
Same here. I’ve used this app for over a decade now. I’m just now realizing it.
I’ve used moon+ reader pro for years. Maybe even since it’s release. (Admittedly I don’t use it as much anymore as I prefer eink devices for reading but am stuck with a kindle for now)
The tons of customization options was my biggest draw. plenty of font/layout and color options to help find what works best for you and your device.
I also love and use calibre, but I’m not sure it’s needed by OP at this time. It doesn’t sound like they’ve got a large collection of books so I think it would just be overkill and depending on their tech level might turn them off.
