Howdy,
I have to admit, I was skeptical when I first heard about Libby, the app that lets you check out ebooks, and, more importantly to me, audiobooks from your local library. It seemed like a step backward. Place books on hold? Have a limited time to read them? Give me a break, give me Audible. Waiting is such a drag in our entitled world of give it to me now. Of course, the pandemic has put a wee bit of a dent in that entitlement. After all, I now have to wait in line to get into Trader Joe's. I'm not complaining. I'm just saying that waiting for a good thing isn't that bad.
One of the most wonderful things about Libby is how liberating it is. I have read and enjoyed books I would more than likely not have purchased as a paperback and never would've considered buying from Audible. I no longer need to worry about using my precious credits on books that I might not like. If I don't like something, I can simply return it early unfinished. Of these books, the ones I've enjoyed the most are the Mortal Engine novels by Philip Reeve. Honestly, I never knew steampunk could be so much fun. But that's just one series – there's more. I don't know if I would've ever read the Witcher series without Libby. Sure, I would've watched the show on Netflix, read the books…sad to say, maybe not. Another favorite author of mine is now V.E. Schwab. I probably never would've picked up one of her books if it wasn't for Libby. Now, I can finally say I finished The Wheel of Time after too many years to count.
Right now, I'm reading the fantastic Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield. Like the books of Philip Reeve, I checked the first book out on a whim just because it was available. It was a serendipitous choice.
Now, you sometimes have to wait for a particular book, but there are tons of other books to read in the meantime. Also, waiting for a book brings back for me a feeling I haven't felt for a long time...anticipation. Anticipation like I haven't felt since I had to wait a week between Battlestar Galactica episodes. It's kind of nice, especially when I can plow through one, two, maybe even three great books while waiting on that very special one.