Alexandria

The digital age bringing about digital books was a foregone conclusion: though some may prefer physical books, the convenience of reading eBooks is not to be ignored. If reading eBooks is something you enjoy, then you’ve got to treat yourself and use something other than your browser to view your EPUB files.

Alexandria is certainly an evocative name for an eBook reader, and the way in which it marries form with function is just as notable. In essence, the app is a minimalist eBook reader that gives its users the usual functions and controls you would expect, all in a lightweight, and I would say sleek, package.

Of course, that’s a goal many such readers seek to attain, but I honestly find the relative ease with which the program handles eBook files to be the highlight overall. You can start populating your digital collection by dropping your books in: EPUB and Kindle extensions are fully supported, but there’s also some limited support for FictionBook and Comic book archive files.

Once added, you’ll be able to see your books in your collection and start perusing them at your leisure. Start new chapters, move from one book to another, the works. Indeed, I found the minimalist interface to lend itself especially well for reading.

Highlighting passages and annotating them is another feature that, while useful, is perhaps nothing new as it’s often present in these kinds of readers. Still, it’s nice to have as it allows you to go back to certain highlighted parts with ease. This is done through the chapter navigator, which also contains your bookmarks.

A dictionary is also available for use, and modifying your fonts and overall look of the interface is another possibility worth taking into account.

Though simple in design, Alexandria is an eBook reader that should be worth your while if you value minimalism, but don’t necessarily want to skimp on functionality.