Readwise Books launches: what ADHD readers should know

What launched

Readwise, known for its read-it-later app and highlight syncing, released Readwise Books, which it describes as a cross between Kindle and Goodreads: one place to buy, read and track books. According to TechCrunch, the store offers millions of ebooks, initially in the US, and also sells print books through Bookshop.org's distributor and some audiobooks.

The app is free, with some AI features expected to move behind a paywall later. It is currently in beta and requires an invite unless you are already a Readwise subscriber.

The parts that matter for ADHD readers

• Session tracking: it measures reading sessions, pace and words read, and the founders pitch it as a "Strava for reading". Their claim is that seeing the reading you do makes it easier to keep going without streaks or goals. That is their claim, not a study.
• Print progress by photo: you can snap a photo of a physical book to mark your progress, so paper readers are not left out of tracking.
• Text-to-speech: the app can read ebooks aloud, useful if listening holds you better than the page.
• DRM-free EPUB uploads and Kindle Cloud Reader session tracking, so it is not limited to its own store.
• AI session recaps and location-aware questions: only for books whose publishers opt in. TechCrunch reports that so far only HarperCollins has.

How it compares with recap tools

What session tracking can and cannot do

Seeing your reading sessions can help if you tend to underestimate how much you read, or if a visible log motivates you. It can also turn into one more dashboard to feel bad about. If you try it, look at the numbers once a week rather than after every session, and ignore pace comparisons between books: a dense history book and a light thriller will never read at the same speed.

Tracking also does not solve the restart problem by itself. It tells you that you stopped at 43 percent; it does not tell you who was in the room at 43 percent. For that you still need notes, a cast list, or a recap that stops at your place.

Should you try it?

If you mostly read ebooks and the idea of seeing your sessions appeals, request an invite and try it for a couple of weeks. If what you need is to get back into a book you stopped, the tracker will tell you your page but not what happened on it, unless your book's publisher has opted into the AI features. For that job, see how to get back into a book you stopped reading and the book recap shortlist.

The launch is part of a wider rush of new trackers; TechCrunch also notes that Kindle Unlimited is now called Kindle+. For trackers compared side by side, bestbooktrackerapps.com covers the category. We will card Readwise Books on the reading shelf once it leaves beta and we can check it properly.