Readwise has launched Readwise Books, a beta app that combines an ebook store, reading software and a tracker for books read elsewhere. If you already have a Kindle collection, the useful distinction is what importing it means: bringing titles onto a shelf doesn’t turn the purchased files into books for Readwise’s native reader.
That makes this a service you can investigate without assuming you need to replace your whole library. Start by deciding whether you want a different place to track reading, a new place to buy books, or both. Those are separate decisions, even when one app offers them together.
In the Readwise Books launch post, the founders describe automatic tracking of reading sessions alongside shelves, notes and highlighting. They say the company has distribution agreements with all five major US publishers. The app is available on iOS and Android, including Android-based E Ink readers such as BOOX and Daylight Computer. Existing Readwise subscribers get immediate beta access; others need an invitation or can join the waitlist.
Check how your existing books will open
The product FAQ says Kindle-account integration brings a library onto Readwise Books shelves, but opens those titles through Kindle’s Cloud Reader inside the app. It doesn’t import Kindle ebooks into the native Readwise reader. DRM-free EPUBs can be uploaded and read natively.
The app itself doesn’t run on Kindle or Kobo e-readers. Ebook purchases are currently limited to the US, while features such as uploads and tracking can be used elsewhere. Readwise says the app is free, with books purchased separately, and an optional membership is being developed.
For someone trying it, a useful first comparison would be one familiar book. Check where it opens, how navigation works and whether the tracking helps you. Keep that experiment separate from buying another copy of something you already own. A shelf that looks complete isn’t proof that every title will open in the same reader.
It is also worth deciding what you want to measure. Session statistics may be useful if they help you make time for a book; they may add little if you only want a simple record of finished titles. Try the reading experience before treating the numbers as the reason to move.
Check beta access and your country’s purchase options first. Then test an existing title or a DRM-free EPUB before building a new collection around the service.