Bookshout App Reviews

I dislike this app intensely. 1.) It incessantly bugs you to review it. 2.) The developers constantly send you useless emails. 3.) It constantly highlights things when I’m merely trying to turn a page. 4.) When you close the app it’s incapable of reopening at the same book and page that you were last reading. 5.) I don’t care what “book bucks” are and I wish the developers would stop pimping them to me. In short, this app is intrusive and seemingly incapable of simply shutting up and being a book reader. Note to the developers: When you incessantly bug someone to review your app should be careful. You might get your wish.

Not easy to use. Of all the books I read only one is marked read. Not easy to decipher reading status. Also, I download books to read when I am traveling, but when I try to read on a plane it tells me I need internet access. Very frustrating.

I’ve been using this app for a few months and it is a serious battery killer! If the app isn’t completely closed, it will drain you battery. The problem: the app will not allow your iPad to shut off. The app stays open and keeps your device open as well. Leaving your device unlocked and insecure while killing your battery. This is a serious security issue. Please fix this.

Why can’t I read on my Apple Watch?

I am only using this because I order a lot of books from Harlequin. I usually buy up to five at a time when I purchase. I like some of the user friendly options of the new app BUT I hate that I can’t tell which books are still new and unread. In my old app that they used it clearly stated at the top of the book that it was “new” which meant unread. This is frustrating.

Frustrating to order from one site, then have to log in and open books in this app, especially when the books then won’t even open. Who to complain to???

I just finished reading this book. It was a quick read. Although I had predicted some of the narrative early on, the suspense and humour in the writing kept me reading... I read several books on e-readers. Usually on Overdrive app (tied to local libraries). I prefer their app because once books are open, can still tell time and notifications of how many pages remain in a chapter....

I am so enjoying BookShout! What an easy way to do what I love, reading on the go! It is so much more convenient to read on the go. Love this app!

I don’t understand why Harlequin switched to this eReader app. I’m beginning to dread when my monthly subscription books get added to my account. I’ve tried to give it a chance, but it is the worst eReader app I’ve used. I read 4-5 books each week. I’ve come to actually dread the beginning of each month when my subscription books are loaded. Issues I have 1. You cannot create shelves in BookShout. 2. You cannot hide archived books from your bookshelf. This makes it difficult to identify the new books that were loaded. 3. You cannot easily identify new books on your bookshelf. (See above.) 4. You cannot download a book without also opening it. 5. The action to turn pages is very touchy. Many times I end up highlighting text instead of turning the page. I don’t know what test market you used to evaluate the app before you switched, but you missed the mark with this one!

EPIC FAIL! In this day and age EVERY app is especially a reading app should work with Apple’s voiceover. The Kindle app is flawless. Turn on voiceover, swipe two fingers down and it reads continuously until you shut it off. BookShout requires you to click on every paragraph... something that’s not only tedious, but rather difficult for the sight impaired. For that reason, this app gets one star. It’s completely unacceptable.

The author writes like this is a technical document. It is about as exciting as watching water boil. Really had to force myself to finish it. BookShout app works most of the time. Sometimes when opening it does not return to the page that you have closed it with. But generally it works ok.

I bought books from Harlequin and they do not show on the site I would advise against using it and Harlequin users from buying books if only choice is BookShout. Very poor I have set 5 emails with no results Have spent money and no downloads on the page and no support either

This app, BookShout, is the single most infuriating reader platform I have ever encountered. It will surely make you SHOUT! My downloaded books don’t show up, navigation is impossible—try finding your way back from footnote hell—and multiple sign-ins are required. Use it only as a last resort; thankfully it isn’t.

No visible page number. Difficult to return to last page read if app crashes unexpectedly (which it does often).

I buy a lot of books on harlequin. This app was to read my books and I love it. I also my books on kindle and iBooks, this app is just as easy to read as my other favorites. I also discovered they pay me to read books, which I love!

This app should not have been released to the public. I find the app to be cumbersome. I struggle with this application on both my MacBook and iPad. The app only marks a book as having been read if: 1) You have read through all the previews of other books that follow the book you’ve read 2) You did not read a page took quickly 3) You did not skip over a page or pages You cannot mark a book as being read, only the app can do that. I have to ask who decides if I have read a book, me the owner of the book or some misguided programmer who thinks they have to make this decision for me as I surely don’t know whether or nor I read a book. My publisher decided I must use this horrific app. They obviously did not test the product before they bought it. On my MacBook, the app does not correctly adjust the font sizes and line spacing when the option to enlarge the text is used. Text in the same sentence can be too large and then change to being too small (but the text was supposed to all be larger). Line spacing changes from none (lines touch) to one and a half (gaps between lines of text). I would not recommend this app to anyone and feel my publisher is holding me hostage to this terrible app.

Every month I receive an offer from the Wall Street Journal for a free book. When I go to download the book it says it will open in this crappy app. But the app opens and the book is never there. Instead there are free offers for pure garbage. And the book I want is never seen again. Really this app is worse than useless.

Supposed to be able to read books downloaded from wsj. App keeps indicating no books although they have been downloaded. Very frustrating - avoid this app.

This book was a one sitting read. I couldn’t put it down.

This is a very bad app! It is very confusing to use, and it runs you through a series of requests for differing IDs and passwords. One minute it wants a WSJ password, then it wants a password to Dow Jones. In order to view your download it want an Amazon password. When I give it my Amazon password it rejects it. The flow should be very simple - select, purchase, and download. That is not how it works. WSJ should toss the app and start over. Just think of the books they could sell if this thing worked as intended!

I had problems returning to the point I left off if I put it down long enough for it to reset to the home screen. I could not find a simple way to return after I clicked on a footnote.

The reading part is great but the teaser of bucks that you can use to buy books is a ripoff. The screen says they’re available but you can’t put even a penny towards the purchase because it’s “too much.” You can add books to your wishlist but can’t view it in the app. You can’t buy books in the app.

This app is the least friendly I have ever tried to use.

I used to really love this app. Now, half of my books don’t load. App crashes. And now I can’t even get about half the books in their bookstore. Get it together!

This is the worst book app I have ever used. I am forced to use it as long as I keep buying E books from the source that I have used for years. I read both on my iPad and iPhone. Every other app I have used, would know where I was at in the book no matter which device I chose to read from. When asking for help on this matter, I was told to just read on one device. I don’t always have my iPad with me, and when I am waiting for an appointment, I like to read. Also, I don’t like that it doesn’t time out, as all other apps do, when you are not using it. Sometimes I forget to get out of the app, and come back three hours later, and app is still open. I saw this complaint from others.

This is a great app, it only needs 2 improvements. 1) Being able to sort by Author, a 2) being able to spend my reading reward quarters to buy new books.

This app is horrible. Marks a book read only when it wants you cannot do that yourself. Does not allow notifications from other open apps to show or the battery and clock. Uses a lot of battery power and the pages sometimes won't turn and you have to open and close. Strongly wish the company I get books from wouldn't insist we use it. Much preferred Overdrive.

Junk. Tedious, clunky, and unnavigable. I’m only using this because of Harlequins free books. Any other book app is better than this piece of trash.

I started using this app when had no choice through Harlequin ebooks. I have tried on two devices and had problems. Words missing at beginning of chapter; Losing place in book and have to hunt for bookmarks; Getting caught between two pages and have to go out of app and come back in. I have even had to restart device at times. It will not show read books even though I have marked for it to do so. I have to go to Harlequin to search for books as the app search is useless.

I hate this app. I have bought books from a particular source for years and they recently moved to this. The order of books in the app is indecipherable and does not match the sort choices. Searching for a book that you own is a pain and the app shows books you don’t own first. Page turning is wonky. You can’t move around in the book. Ugh.

This work was sewn together by a master storyteller. The many interactions between the characters built the tension extremely well. The more I read the more I had to keep reading. This needs a sequel!!

The app is clunky to navigate and has been broken this week. New books won’t download. Existing books won’t open. I wish I could create shelves/ categories within my books. And I really wish I could search within *my* books. The search option covers all books. A toggle to do an internal search wouldn’t be that hard. I have searched other books I’m interested in, but there was no “download” or “buy” option listed. Make it obvious for me! A “not available yet” button would be helpful. Most of all- I just want it to work.

I feel like I’ve gone back 100 years with this app. Locks up and won’t open books. Randomly marks books as read when archived. That would be nice to have for all books. Tracking and setting reading goals is stupid...what am I in, kindergarten? I read for enjoyment, not competition. Having to uninstall and reinstall app to get it to function is bad. And I’m on an IPad, one of the most utilized platforms in the world!

Very good insight into this side of the war. Writing was difficult to follow at times

Says free where is the free when it says buy this book

This is NOT a user friendly app! The columns are too narrow leaving wide margins when set to two columns. I don’t know how it got so many stars in the ratings! The “Help” is basically is well...basic and not much help. Unfortunately I don’t have an option to use it with Harlequin ebooks! 😢

This app used to be great but it seems like with each update there’s more issues added. It used to save the book to my phone then it stopped doing that so I would have to download the books every time I opened the app. Even if I only had to switch to a different app. Now I can’t even download the books.

Discovered by accident. Free books that are good. A reader that works trouble free. Even the books that aren’t free are very inexpensive.

This short story taught us to believe and our faith will take us where we need to be,

Downloaded, signed up and now it won’t let me sign in. Locked on its intro page with ‘Hi’. Don’t understand Harlequin endorsing this.

It frequently will not open, does not synch well between devices is NOT easy to use and maneuver, and I have no need for “It” to tell me I am meeting goals “It” set for me. That it is free still makes it no bargain!

Signed up for program and downloaded app! Won’t let me sign or login. So how do I get to the program?

Every morning I have to delete the app from my iPad and download it. Every morning! That’s the only way I can read my books and it’s getting old fast.

So it’s still freezing! IM NOT HAPPY! PLEASE FIX TIS,

Why in the world did harlequin change to this app? Drains battery and will not allow the iPad to “ go to sleep” if the app is open. I hate it.

I just downloaded the app and tried to sign in or creat an account. The app stops at the create page and simply returns to the sign-in page. I have now deleted it. I recommend people go with Kindle. I have never had a problem with that app.

Takes way too long to load

Won’t let me create an account. Create an account screen bounces up and down. Have to log in 2 or 3 times from another app to get to the book I want to read. Not much customization to make the screens easier to read. Forced into this because my ebook provider switched over to this platform. It’s like going backwards 20 years in technology. And I’m using an iPad. Not a knockoff!

I was supposed to get a free eBook from a partnership they have with the Wall Street Journal. Every time I tap on the link in my email to start reading the book, the app opens and shows “failed.” Then the app crashes. I’ve gone back into the app and see no book in my library. If you’re redeeming the WSJ+ offer, keep in mind that the app may not work.

Nice app. Keeps track of reading, has a bunch of neat reading features and looks nice.

I’m a huge fan of Spartan, and I’ve completed several races. This look back into the early days was very enjoyable. I appreciate the nutrition advice contained in the book, particularly the common sense approach to nutrition. My alarm clock will never be the same again!

This is the second time that I have started a book on this app and once again I am locked out. I tried logging in, but hitting the log-in button does absolutely nothing.

Does not let me set up account, after multiple tries

Had a login issue and now the app is working. Overall, not bad. Will see how it goes compared to similar apps.

So far it’s ok. Just getting accustomed to it.

Good book and great app to read on

Does not work on my Kindle he. Very upset. Paid 3 months and can’t read on my kindle. Have many old book loved old way

I can’t say enough about their selection of books. They have an awesome selection in every genre - even free books. The app is so easy to use and is packed with features. I love that I can read on all my devices and customize my reading experience by changing the fonts, font size, line spacing, and more. Absolutely the best reader available!

An eye opening book to doing things differently. I yelled a lot with lots of poor excuses. I had mostly stopped yelling by the time I read this book but I love how it relates to all of our relationships- not just the parent-child one. I appreciate a view that starts with the only person I have control over- me. I keep thinking of the people I think should read it and then remember to glean as much from it as I can, share it as I go and keep learning. I am still growing in how I relate to my husband, my youth, and my friends as I get further into the book!

Two problems: it freezes about one out of every third time I use it and I have to delete it and download it again. Also if you inadvertently touch the screen it shows you a definition of the word you touched, which is OK except there is no way to get the definition to go away.

The functionality of the app is pretty good and it does sync between devices silently. The one fault I have with it is that it stays up even when idle for a long time so it will then consume power unnecessarily rather than timing out and allowing the screen to go dark. As far as I can tell, this is not adjustable. Hey developers, fix that and you've got a 5 star app.

Useless when I tried to download a WSJ free book.

This app will not let me establish an account or logon. It keeps giving me error messages with no clues on how to fix a problem.

This is a useless app. It does not support Windows OS so can not use on 90% of computers. Unless you want to read thru browser, which does not allow downloads. It is limited to only a few e-readers, so if you do not have that e-reader, too bad. It also does not allow loading side content. Unfortunately, Harlequin made the bone-headed decision to only allow access of its ebooks thru this app, so goodbye Harlequin.

While the reading is good there isn’t enough information on using the App. And it would be helpful to get more information on pages read and position in the book. I feel the number of words isn’t enough.

I love being able to read books using the Spritz method. I've improved my reading speed from 130 wpm to 400 wpm. That said, I'm struggling with the latest version of Bookshout. I tend to switch back and forth between Spritz mode and normal reading mode. In the previous version I could do this with one click. Now I have to click the ellipsis symbol, click on Display Settings, choose a reading mode, and finally click the back arrow, losing some of the time saved by reading faster to time spent navigating the app.

Really happy with the new look and feel since the latest update! Easy to navigate and use!

This app could be good. But, since it’s not accessible with VoiceOver. It’s not good. I can’t recommend it to my Blind friends.

Where is the search function and what is wrong with navigation? I am trying to search my own book and can’t get to the correct page. It’s awful!!!

Why is the app not opening? Maybe you need to update.

This app is VERY frustrating! Often, when I’m traveling, I find the app doesn’t work. I can’t log on and get to my stored books. It is infuriating when this is one’s only source of material. Also, they give you s bit of coin for reading x amount of words-which is nice-but where do you go to see how much you’ve got in total? I’ve been on their website and all you can see are the charges for any book you might buy but nothing to tell you what credits you’ve got in the bank!

This app does not work. Avoid.

The app won’t let me open my book at all.

Looks really nice, but somehow jumped to the end of the book and I don't see a way to navigate to where I was short of just flipping through all the pages as bringing up the TOC causes it to crash after about 6 seconds. But sure, it w** a lovely app for about 3 pages.

As a client who has travelled with A&K numerous times, it was fascinating to read about its history. Kudos to Geoffrey Kent for always persevering and believing in the true spirit of those who long for the life changing adventure of a lifetime. I’m traveling with A&K in August - return safari to Kenya & Tanzania—-cannot express how excited I am.

Not only are the books here flawlessly presented and your bookshelves easy to organize, there is a speed reading function that is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and I’ve tried them all. Not only was I able to increase my reading speed, my retention went through the roof and the most relevant information of the book stayed with me long after the book was finished. It was also hard to miss the main points of the book with this feature. There are other goodies in this app that help keep the reader on track. This is the app I’ll most likely use for all my future non-fiction reading. Love it, stunned by it, appreciative of its development.

I was forced to use this app thanks to Harlequin. Now all my books are out of order and it’s such a pain to navigate. Their search features are limited and look awful. I’m not sure if they ever designed the app with a true reader in mind. I hope you all downloaded your books before the switch happened so you will never be forced to use this app.

I’ve tried many ebook competitors and none have compared to the flexibility that BookShout offers. I am extremely dyslexic but with the OpenDyslexic font option I’ve increased my reading spending from 145 to 170. I couldn’t recommend it enough!

I downloaded this in order to take advantage of a offer through which I could get a free book. I found that whatever books I download are essentially locked within the app, so that I can't save a copy of the book to put on my other e-book reader. There's no way I would spend money to buy a book on BookShout, if I can't save a copy. I also don't much care for all the statistics and time-tracking either (for one thing, they're distracting), but there is no option that I can find to shut them off. I just want to read for enjoyment and relaxation and I don't want to make a contest out of it. (edit) To make a long story short, I'll look elsewhere for e-books, not BookShout.

For some reason the pages will start running backwards and it is difficult to control the movement. When it is stopped, a listing in the dictionary appears. I enlarge the page and then the word “done” appears in the upper right corner. I press the “done” and the it returns to a page in the book I then return to the page I was last reading.

I’m tired of being interrupted when I reading to give a review. So here is my review. It’s too bad I have to be interrupted while reading For a review or yellow stars coming up when I read so much. I’m the type when I read I want to pay attention to what I’m reading and not be bothered by junk.......I’m a big girl and don’t need to be given praise for reading.

Love this app, except when I leave the book open on the screen, iPad does not enter sleep mode, but keeps the book open on the screen for hours, draining battery. (I have my iPod set to enter sleep mode after a few minute of no use.)

This is an unwieldy app. I sign in with the WSJ to get my monthly book. Bookshout on one of my iPads will not allow me to sign out and will not connect to any of my books. I have tried to delete the app and then download it again to no avail. Also this app is very annoying in sending me my so called reading speed and amount I have read each day without apparently understanding that it is likely that I am also reading on other apps and other material.

This app is great when it works but around 50% of the time it doesn’t open and doesn’t respond when I put my finger on login button. Very frustrating as then I can’t read my book. Mysteriously the next day opens right to where I left off. Major bug and I don’t recommend versus apple or kindle readers.

Worked for 2 days but now doesn’t. Half way through my book and I have to go buy it from iBooks.

No Apple Watch support.

When I read on kindle for ipad, it will turn itself off after a period of activity. This app does not seem to offer that setting, so my battery runs down if i fall asleep reading.

I can’t get to my books. I get ads and sent to publisher sites. I just want to open my saved book and read.

I am not sure why someone would want to write such an evil novel.

Except you can’t. And h* way to find or change password. Brilliant

Nice books but there are no instructions. Impossible to navigate around the app. Very frustrating. I deleted it.

While I was able to read a book, switching between my iPhone and iPad was annoying. I could not pick up from where I left off on the other device. If the iPad is home and I’m out somewhere,I have to flip through pages until I recognise where I last read. I also hate to keep logging in when starting the app. I found that if I k*** the app and start it again it would not ask for my credentials.

I’ve tried for three months to access a free book using WSJ+. Book never downloads.

I like that it sends you a reminder to read and an email that tells you how much you read the day before but it is very twitchy when flipping the pages. It seems to not count a page if it appears you’re reading faster than it thinks you should be able to read. I actually read faster than it says and have ha to go back a page or two to get it counted. Also, maybe not an email everyday with totals. I like to read but I don’t want to be reminded each morning that life happens. Also, while book. Shout bucks are great there are so any books you can’t use then on which kind of negates earning them.

So many bugs I can’t even sign up for an account.

I struggled with syncing my reading across a couple devices. The app doesn’t always take you to the last spot read on your previous device. Because of the issue I have maintained all my reading on one device. It’s a big inconvenience when you are used to Kindle, for example.

Why bother providing an App where it doesn’t work?

Have one book in my account and every time I go to read it, it crashes before I can even see the first page. What a worthless app

Latest update took away the ability to tell how many words you have read - it only indicates when you have reached the daily goal. I liked that it told you how many words because I always read way beyond the goal, but now I can’t see how much I have read. It was already frustrating because at the end of each chapter it seemed to lose some of your total words, and the only way to get them back was to go back to the end of the previous chapter long enough to read it again before proceeding. PLEASE FIX!

Excellent book I was presently impressed by the author of this book

Their books are sometimes frustrating to order. You pick a book for your cart, and when you go to pay the cart is empty. So you have to repeat sometimes 3-4 times before you can get the book. Also, they may have the same book as BookBub at the same price. But then they add taxes. A few cents here and there adds up. Sometimes I get so frustrated trying to order that I just go to BookBub and save a few cents with no order frustration. Also, they do not display the time like BookBub does. So you have to back out of the application to check the time. Same thing to check battery charge. Annoying. I do like seeing how much I’ve read and seeing my ranking compared to others. That’s why I use BookShout. It compensates for some of the annoyance.

Great app ,with an amazing supply of Books.

Had to sign up to download any book from their website. Poor collection of books. The reader doesn't work on Apple Watch. Just says coming soon.

Really love the fact that this app pushes me to read every day. Definitely, recommend to anyone who wants to push themselves to read and beat out your friend's score. Also, love the fact they girl you money for actually reading. Which you could use to buy books with.

I downloaded this in order to take advantage of a offer through which I could get a free book. I found that whatever books I download are essentially locked within the app, so that I can't save a copy of the book to put on my other e-book reader. There's no way I would spend money to buy a book on BookShout, if I can't save a copy. I also don't much care for all the statistics and time-tracking either (for one thing, they're distracting), but there is no option that I can find to shut them off. I just want to read for enjoyment and relaxation and I don't want to make a contest out of it. (edit) I guess what really bothers me is the vague feeling that my reading is in some way being monitored. To make a long story short, I'll look elsewhere for e-books, not BookShout.

This app is incredibly and frustratingly buggy. Examples: - Books often open to a random location, sometimes the beginning of the chapter you were on, rarely where you left off - When clicking on a footnote, it often leaps to a random footnote from chapter 1 rather than the footnote you wanted - There is bizarre highlighting behavior that seems to happen almost anytime you want to turn the page and turns the screen into an unreadable jumbled mess. Will not be buying a second book on this app.

I read the book after seeing the movie. It was great. I want to see the movie again.