ShuBook SE App Reviews

I love ShuBook SE and use it exclusively for all my document and book reading needs. There are several improvements I could wish for, but mostly I am very happy. However, when this latest version updated my previous version, I lost my whole library of ~300 books and documents, some of which I had not transferred yet (because ShuBook mkes that a little bit awkward and time consuming). Is there a way for me to get them back?

My favorite ebook app, without comparison. This app stepped into the vacancy left by Stanza and in some respects surpassed it. The interface is very intuitive. I love that we can load user fonts! My one request is that the color scheme configuration interface that is available for the “day” colors also be accessible to configure “night” colors. Well done, Ambibma!

Kudos to the developer! The program now exports its bookmarks along with its books. You can save copies of them manually in two ways. Do an iTunes export from within the app-- Settings, iTunes File Sharing, Export books. You will then see the books in iTunes, but also a folder called "Books". Thats the one you can drag and drop to your desktop and that has the bookmarks in it! You can also use a program such as Disk Aid on your desktop to browse the i-device and, inside ShuBook SEs documents folder find the same Books folder. But neither method should be needed as the standard iTunes synching backs it all up now. What this means is that a backup and later restore should return you all your books with their bookmarks. (Of course, if you have lots of bookmarks and highlights, youll want to use the iTunes book folder tip.) This is a functioning, customizable, welcoming app--it is in the league of the venerable Stanza. Ive jumped my rating from 2 back to 4 stars. Now, a much more modern, more fully featured ereaderapp is Marvin, yet it has its own share of issues. While there are features one wishes for--direct tap on a word for a dictionary lookup and not a paragraph (it shares that same problem with Stanza, although Stanza highlighted the word--ShuBook SE requires you to hunt through the paragraph!)--and the interface is convoluted in certain places (all the multiple ways of downloading seem a jumble to the non-programmer), its truly an excellent ereader. Heres my prior review showing you just how bad things had gotten. But the developer put in the legwork and fixed it! ------------------------------------- OLD REVIEW Lost all my books and bookmarks after a restore! iTunes import/export no longer works! This is a wonderful ebook reader; filled with features. However. disaster struck! Cannot believe it! I restored from a backup via iTunes (same iOS) and it lost all my books! There went 3+ months of reading and marking passages! Argh! What a Christmas present! I did some more investigating-- it seems that, unlike most every other app on the planet, ShuBook SE does NOT back up most of its files. Hence, youre likely to lose all your books...As to your bookmarks? Well forget about em! (Even if one uses a backup extractor, all you end up with is the Library folder and no eBooks or bookmarks.) Today (day after Christmas), I discovered that its UNABLE to export its books via iTunes! Nothing shows up. It also refused to permit any books to be loaded via iTunes! I reinstalled 3.4.1 and the iTunes import-export worked again! Then, after I upgraded to 3.5.1 again, the import-export stopped working once more... Somethings gone terribly awry with 3.5.1. Obnoxiously, however, it keeps prompting me to upgrade back to the more recent version. Note: even the old version does NOT synch books or bookmarks--thats really a poor design in what is otherwise a brilliantly crafted ereader app. Im still using the venerable Stanza as my other ebook reader… even though its ancient, unlike ShuBook SE, it preserved virtually all the books and virtually all the bookmarks. You can load up books via iTunes without a hitch-- and, on a restore, virtually all the books are there again! (Do a more technically sophisticated backup extraction and youll discover the same.) Wow! Stanza hasnt been developed or worked on for years; yet it can do this all with aplomb. However, Stanzaa search ability and settings are broken… so, I suppose its time to give Marvin a whirl. In the meantime, Im looking forward to a fix from the Shubook SE developer!

Newest version does NOT remember where you were in the book, you have to manually bookmark, what a pain in the patootie! Previous to this update I loved this app other than the by title sorting not allowing you to jump around the alphabet, which is a pain if you have more than a few books, which I do!

I was afraid there never would be a successor to stanza but this works even better than it. Works with caliber well too. Great work!

Great app until the latest updates made it 17+. If you share your device with your kids and have restrictions turned on, you will no longer be able to use the app.

Very user friendly, and comfortable reading!!

This app is great! The developer is constantly updating and improving the app. Very quick to respond to questions. Highly recommended.

This should be the #1 ebook reading app! I hope it never ever disappears... When I found ShuBook last year, I was delighted (and still am) by its range of customization features. The key for me is the ability to upload your own font files, which makes the reading experience so much more enjoyable than any other app. The only things I would add are: ability to customize the "night mode" colors, and an option to swipe vertically to flip pages.

This is the greatest site for all kinds of books. I hope I never have to be without it.

v3.9.7: This is a good app all-around, with nice customization, direct support for Calibres catalog server, and a good library interface. My on-device library is over 500 MB, and it works great. Importing that 500 MB via iTunes file sharing took awhile, but it worked fine. Im very disappointed that it appears that I have to spend $4 on this apps successor in order to get iPhone 6 screen support, which dropped my rating from 4 to 3 stars.

Thank you for all your help and for resolving my I phone app issue. This is one app that all avid readers should have. Great support team also.