How I Revived an Old Hobby With My Library Card, My Kindle, and One App: All the Books I Read for Free With Libby in 2025

I used to love to read, but for numerous reasons found reading more than a few pages of a book challenging the past few years. Don’t get me wrong, I love physical books — the beautiful and thoughtfully designed covers, the feeling and smell of the pages, and how when borrowed, I feel a connection to whatever strangers read this copy before me. However, I had to be honest with myself — holding one too long cramped my hands, and living with humans and cats that have allergies just didn’t align with having a giant physical book collection.

 In 2020, I purchased a simple Kindle Paperwhite e-reader and I’ve never looked back. I still appreciate reading physical copies of books, but that’s reserved for treasured favorites or books I’d like to read slower, like Philosophy books. Still, even with my Kindle, I experienced a major lull in reading books. 

Life was busy, and I found myself neglecting and forgetting my old love for the written word. Focusing on long-form content also became more challenging to me. When I’d sit down to read, it felt impossible to focus and truly immerse myself in a story. Blame the current age of social media scrolling, constant notifications and interruptions, and what feels like an ever intrusive demand to multi-task.

Then, everything changed. I learned about Libby and Hoopla, applications that offer free ebooks and audio books through thousands of public libraries — including mine! I set out on renewing my library card and installing the applications.

Since that fateful day in Fall of 2025, I’ve read over 25 books for free! For me, Libby has been my app of choice — I love that many titles are available for download on my Kindle.

At first it was difficult to immerse myself fully in a book, but with each one I read, I felt my nervous system relaxing, my ability to focus strengthening, and my love for reading coming back to life. I started to read again just for fun, even swapping out my phone with my Kindle during my lunch breaks and exercise time. I’m proud to say that I’m now able to get “lost in a book” again — and I’ve never felt more free.

Maybe you've encountered something similar, or are just curious to learn more about how to use and enjoy Libby. If so, read on.

How to Use Libby

The process is similar to that of borrowing a book from the library in person, but digital: select a book, place a hold, then download the file when it's available. Many books can be downloaded on the Kindle device itself, but a few can only be downloaded on the Kindle application of a device, such as a cell phone or tablet. 

Loans are usually for two weeks at a time and can often be extended, if needed. You can return books early if you finish the ebook before it's due (this is great for others waiting to borrow the book!), or it should automatically get returned when the loan is up. Then, browse the open library and pick the next book you want to read! 

After I've enjoyed a book, I'll search the app's catalog to find other titles by the same author, or explore a genre of my choice to find my next read. There's bestsellers, nonfiction, romance, fiction, thrillers, and more. Plus, there's audiobooks and magazines too! I prefer to read text than to listen to an audiobook — I feel like I process information easier that way — but it's great that there are a variety of formats.

Note: We’re not associated or sponsored by Libby in any way — I'm just a huge fan and incredibly grateful for how easy it has made reading for me.

Books I Got To Read With Libby in 2025

Re-kindling my reading hobby in Fall, I chose to dive into seasonal reads. I enjoyed some classic horror novels like Psycho, Frankenstein, and Interview With a Vampire, moving on to some cozy fantasy books like Practical Magic, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and Rewitched. After that, I tried something new with some romantic dramas set in the Fall season: People Watching and You, Again. Near the end of 2025 and now, I’m devouring comfort and winter-themed books such as Winter Solstice — but I’ll save most of those for another article.

List of All of the Reads

1. "Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection" by Haemin Sunim
2. "Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing" by Olga Mecking
3. “The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living” by Meik Wiking
4. "The Comfort Book" by Matt Haig
5. "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame
6. "You, Again" by Kate Goldbeck
7. "People Watching" by Hannah Bonam-Young
8. "Winter Solstice" by Rosamunde Pilcher
9. “Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis
10. "Frankenstein" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
11. “Psycho” by Robert Bloch
12. "Interview with the Vampire" by Anne Rice
13. "The Spellshop" by Sarah Beth Durst
14. "The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn" by Valerie Bowman
15. "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches" by Sangu Mandanna
16. "Practical Magic" by Alice Hoffman
17. "Cold Clay" by Juneau Black
18. "Rewitched" by Lucy Jane Wood
19. "Carrie" by Stephen King
20. "So Thirsty" by Rachel Harrison

My Top 3 Reads of 2025

It’s difficult to pick a top three because each book is so different, but I’d say my favorite 3 books were (in no particular order!):

•  "The Spellshop" by Sarah Beth Durst — because talking plants, a magical library, and a jam shop
• "Cold Clay" by Juneau Black — because talking forest animals with names, lots of coffee, and a cozy murder mystery
• "Winter Solstice" by Rosamunde Pilcher — because it felt like a warm hug and tin of cookies

If you’ve ever experienced a reading rut like I did and found your way to the other side, I’d love to hear about it. I’d also love to hear what you’re reading. And if you’re interested in seeing if your local library offers access to Libby, grab your library card and go to their website https://libbyapp.com/.

Happy reading!