Hello and Happy WILW! If you are new, Wednesdays are when I tell you about things I love that I think you should know about. Totally random items/hacks that are making my life better. This week we have a theme!!! A few weeks back I was dealing with some bad anxiety and Nate asked me what I had been reading. Outside of my Bible, the answer was NOTHING. I said, “I am a mom with young kids, who has any time to read?!” Well, let me tell you who does. Nate. He devours books of all kinds and suggested I read a novel. Not a how-to/get better/wash my face/any of the other buzz words going on. Instead, a true story.  And so began a rekindling of my love of stories. I have been devouring both books and audiobooks and wanted to tell you the few tools I use to do so. Some are pricey (hello, airpods), and others are FREE! Let me break it down for you.

FOR READING BOOKS:

Kindle Paperwhite: I asked for this for my birthday after JR was born so that I could read in the dark while nursing. I. LOVE. THIS. THING!! It glows but since it’s a paperwhite the glow is nothing like blue light. There is zero glare. You can read easily on the beach. The battery lasts forever. I also love that I can change the font size so it’s easier for me to read without glasses. I also love that I can keep multiple books with me and it weighs less than a pound! It makes it easy to choose this over my phone when I want to look at something.

Now, while the kindle itself might cost a but more than a book, here is how it can save you big!

ENTER: The Libby App (or Overdrive): these are two apps that let you rent books from the library for FREE. The best part? You can rent the e-book version and it will automatically download to your kindle! You get the book for about 2 weeks then it gets checked back in to the library automatically. (*sneaky tip: if you haven’t finished the book, put your kindle into airplane mode to buy yourself a few days to finish). All you need for these apps is a library card from a library the app supports. If you are from a small town, perhaps contact a friend or relative if they live near a larger library.

Books Deals on Amazon: often, e-books will go on a lightening sale on Amazon for one or two dollars! I quickly purchase to read.

When you highlight something on the kindle, be it in a book you own or are renting, you can get all the highlights emailed to you. It is such a great feature if you’re reading something and you want to keep the notes to read again later.

FOR AUDIOBOOKS:

My apple airpods: oh my word these things have been a GAME. CHANGER. I got them for Christmas and I love them. Yes, they stay in my ears. Yes, they keep their charge for a long time. They have helped me listen to a lot more books. I love that I can walk around and get stuff done while listening to a great story or podcast. I also love that you can just have one in. Sometimes I have one in while I make dinner or bathe the kids. **Walmart has them for a cheaper price. Amazon shows them as currently being out of stock.

The Hoopla App (or sometimes Libby): these two apps are so great for renting audiobooks! They contain different books so I suggest downloading both (or whatever alternative app your local area uses). I love the Hoopla app because there is no wait time and you can download multiple books a month. The Libby app allows you to put a hold on a book if it’s being listened to by someone else and will notify you when it’s available.

PAM JENOFF NOVELS

Thus far I have listened to two of her books in the last month and I have loved them! Both set during WWII. I started with The Orphans Tale and soon after downloaded The Lost Girls of Paris. It was all I could do to parent while listening to these amazing books! I actually laid in bed in the dark on a friday night for three hours just to hear the end of The Orphans Tale! A friend (also named Pam, ha!) told me I would probably like Kristin Hannah’s books, so I just downloaded The Nightingale. I know, you’ve probably all read it by now but better late than never.

That’s all I have got for this week. Thought these things could be good as we head into summer and need all the summertime reads! Long story short, I have two pricier products (kindle and airpods), but since I have started using the Libby, Overdrive and Hoopla apps I haven’t bought a single book! I also listen to a ton of podcasts, but that’s another post for another day 🙂

Above are my favorite products that I have and use often. Some of these products are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I get a commission if you click through and make a purchase. So if you do happen to purchase an item, thank you in advance!

Other posts you may like:

WILW: feta cheese, face sunscreen, a cup, and a picture hanging hack WILW: fresh summer kitchen tools WILW: 3 organization helpers WILW: summer part 2