Sora, by OverDrive Education

I really like sora! So much, in fact, I have it both on my computer at school, and my phone at home. When I went to school today I found I couldn’t check out the audiobook I wanted, so I tried to log out the in again, but it still didn’t work. Then I tried to check out a regular ebook. And this worked, but I didn’t want the ebook, I wanted an audiobook because ebooks can make my eyes hurt. I came home, hoping to check out a book here, then read it at school. I tried and it wouldn’t even let me download a regular ebook. At this point I’m really annoyed so I log out then in again, it STILL doesn’t work. I DELETE THE APP, RE- DOWNLOAD IT, LOG IN, SHUT DOWN MY PHONE, COMPLETELY REBOOT, AND IT STILL DOESNT WORK. I rely on sora for reading and this has me REALLY mad. Thank you, A loyal/concerned user

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I only recently got this app and I’m hoping to be proven wrong but right off the bat I see some issues. For one, even though they have access to your clever account, which I believe has your grade and lexile score, I was recommended books for 3rd graders despite being in 7th grade. And even the books that were “on level” had lexile less than a thousand and-age counts not reaching 200. My lexile score for the record was 1413. This is the thing I have the most trouble with on kids websites. They seem to assume all of us are below average and group 5th graders in with kindergarteners in reading level. The next thing is the “fantasy” section. I have read many a book in this genre written in the last decade. So why are all the books on the websites not? I know old books can be good, but by now the writing pales in comparison to modern books that actually engage the reader. I can name hundreds of modern fantasy books yet they don’t have a single decent one. I’m not sure how this works, and if it’s a problem with the rights and copyright and stuff that’s fine, but please make your system see what grade and lexile score your on. No dignified 7th grader is going to be caught dead reading “Spongebob: Surfs Up!”

I love how there is a timer and it stops after 30 minutes! One thing on the downside, it needs to rate books like tv shows. I got the book 13 reasons why not realizing it was a little mature. I start reading it and it just didn't seem like it should have been for me. And I didn't know at all! If there could be something to help this please let me know :) but besides that I love the app! It's useful right now since my school is not currently going. I also love how it shows you how many books and how many minutes you have listened to or read. Thank you for reading my ted talk. Get the dang app.

I used to use the online version of this app before deciding to try the actual app and boy I’m I glad I sucked it up and downloaded this. I love that I can read without WiFi and that I don’t have up sign in every time I want to read. Ever since stuff has been closing I’ve been having to buy books online but with Sora I am able to get them for free and read anytime. It’s really nice and convenient little library in your pocket. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone and everyone. Thank you for your time. I hope you enjoyed my fricken Ted talk.

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This app is similar to Libby, but Libby is far superior. The main problem is that when you put a book on hold and it becomes available, the app does not let you know. The only way to discover that your hold is ready to borrow, is to open it each day to check. If you forget to open and check on the day the book becomes available, you lose your hold and have to go to the back of the line again. If you’re waiting several weeks for your hole to become available, sometimes you forget to open the app on a given day to check. Libby will notify you by email and phone notifications when your hold is available to check out. Until this app is updated with this feature, it only earns one star.