To Be Read: There’s an App for That
Hooray, it's here! The TBR, an iPhone app for the romance reader looking for the latest reviews, content, and free romance reads.
The app is a first for romance readers and romance bloggers, and is a joint venture of Smart Bitches Trashy Books and Dear Author. The app features the most recent reviews from both sites, as well as a feed of the full content.
Best of all, it includes free reads from some of the best writers in romance fiction. We'll be kicking off our free reads section with a full length Harlequin novel from Jill Shalvis, which we'll serialize and release chapter-by-chapter.
You'll have reviews, essays and free romance to read – whoever you are. You can download the app for your iPhone or iTouch. Or app is currently not optimized for the iPad.
We are so excited about this project, it's hard to believe launch date is actually here. We started working on this app months ago, and we have big plans for the future as well – which is where our sponsor comes in. Our bi weekly sponsor will help us eventually provide a more fully featured mobile app. But the ad isn't just an ad, either: if you tap the ad space, you'll get an excerpt, links to buy, and options to spread the word about the featured book.
If you're interested in advertising, or being featured in the free reads section, please email me at janeATdearauthorDOTcom with The TBR in the subject line.
We have some amazing things planned for the app in the future, but we cannot wait to share it with you. All our projects are showcased at The TBR.com, including the DABWAHA and Save the Contemporary. We have more features planned that will highlight romance fiction. We want to allow the conversation that is part of romance reading and reviewing to grow and become portable – so you and we can grow our TBR piles even higher than they are now.
I just read Sherry Thomas’ story. Thank you for the free reads. This is such a fun and useful app! Nicely done ladies!
I have downloaded it, sounds a good app, I’ll let you know.
@Vi: I just added the first chapter of our serial (Jill Shalvis’ Aftershocks). I hope you enjoy it.
@JIm B: Thanks Jim. It has a slim feature set but there is a lot of content.
That is amazing! Congratulations!
This is REALLY cool. Congrats! Looking forward to the free content.
Great, I’m signing on. I’m going to be on the road next week with limited netbook access– as observed about hotels, the more one pays for a room, the less chance of free wifi. This will give me a chance to try it out.
Lovin’ you and the Smart Bitches more than words can say…got the app just now!
@Keishon Thanks Keishon. Sarah tells me she already has free read offers so hopefully we’ll be able to provide a lot of free fiction. We were thrilled when Harlequin and Jill Shalvis offered us the free book to serialize.
@Heather Massey Thank you Heather! We are pretty excited.
Jane,
Is there a way of seeing comments made on the DA and SB posts? Right now I can see the post but not the comments.
The app looks great, can’t wait to use it!
@Melissa – not yet, but I think we can add that. It would be a function of adding comments to the end of a RSS feed. I’ll ask around to see if that can be changed.
Thanks for the input.
@Melissa – Not yet, but I would think that would be an easy fix. I’ll ask around.
Thanks Jane! The graphics look great on the app, I like seeing all the covers by the book review.
Congratulations! This looks very cool. I’m going to have a play with it tomorrow.
Thank you for making it available outside the US. :)
@Jane: Yes but I like what I see, one more way to relate to the authors I read.
I’m very happy you’ve done this! I’ll explore the app this evening.
The romance community is such a generous place : )
Congrats on the app! As I don’t have an iPhone of my own, a certain boyfriend will be getting a request to download it for me :)
Cool news! Now I definitely need an iPhone.
This is really cool! I’m about to buy myself an iPod Touch, and this will be one of the first apps I get.
I’m going to show my app ignorance and ask, will I be able to access older app content or only content from the time I download on?
Downloaded, installed, IN LOVE! :D So glad the content is downloaded to the phone, so I don’t have to connect to WiFi to read something I was already reading.
I love apps for my iTouch!
Thanks!
Cool! But will you build one for the Android too? That’s what we have in my house, and I’d love to be able to use your app.
Waahhh! BlackBerry here!
Love this app! So Fun. Thanks girls.
Dammit Jane. You guys will tempt me into purchasing an iPhone one of these days.
Any thought to doing this for Android as well?
It sounds great. It I ever get an iPhone it will be fun. But, in the meantime, I’ll have to settle for browsing on my PC or my Samsung Jet.
The free reads is a great idea – I think it’s pretty smart for an author (esp. one with a large backlist) to release a freebie – afterwards comes the glom!
An Android app is definitely on our wishlist.
Very cool! I downloaded the app to my ipod touch and I’ve been exploring it. I really like the free stories, and the easy access to the reviews.
I don’t know if this is possible, but is there a way to bookmark certain reviews?
@Dana: Unfortunately not yet. We hope to add that in future builds (the ability to “favorite” an item)
Niiiiiice! Thanks!