# NovelGlide: EPUB Reader — Read eBooks Aloud, Offline

> A customizable ePub reader with OPDS catalog browsing and text-to-speech. (iPhone/iPad app by Cheng-Kai Wu.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelglide-epub-reader/id6748090356 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Cheng-Kai Wu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824246427)
- Category: Books, Utilities
- Price: Free (on sale, was $1.99)
- Rating: 2.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.5 · 122 MB
- Languages: American English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified, China), Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan)
- Released: 2025-07-03
- Data updated: 2026-08-16
- Monetization: ad-supported
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelglide-epub-reader/id6748090356/reviews.md

## What is NovelGlide?

NovelGlide is a clean, privacy-first EPUB reader for your phone and tablet.

Bring your own EPUB books, or discover free public-domain classics from built-in catalogs — then read the way you like: adjustable fonts and themes, dark mode, highlights, and bookmarks.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Read EPUB e-books in a smooth, distraction-free reader
• Listen with read-aloud (text-to-speech) — keep playing with the screen off, and control it from the lock screen
• Read along with a book's own recorded narration, when the EPUB includes it
• Add books straight from other apps with the share sheet
• Vertical writing for Chinese & Japanese, with furigana, Zhuyin (注音), and pinyin ruby
• Tap any Chinese or Japanese word for an instant dictionary lookup
• Save words to a vocab library as you read, review them later, and export to Anki
• Translate a selection in the reader, with offline language packs
• Two-page spread on a tablet or in landscape
• Sync your library across devices with Google Drive
• Find free public-domain books in-app, or connect your own OPDS server (Calibre, Kavita)
• Highlights, bookmarks, in-book search, and collections to organize your library
• Dark mode and adjustable typography for comfortable reading

PRIVATE BY DESIGN
No account required to read your own books. NovelGlide is free — no forced subscription, no ads.

NovelGlide reads EPUB files. Read-aloud uses your device's synthesized voice; recorded narration plays only for EPUBs that include it.

## Key features

- ePUB book support
- OPDS catalog browsing
- Customizable appearance
- Bookmarks and search
- Book management
- Text-to-speech functionality
- Cloud sync

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelglide-epub-reader/id6748090356/reviews.md

### 2/5 — Needs a lot more work

*2025-12-08*

Wanted to give this app a try as it looked promising but there’s quite a few bugs. 1) the sync feature doesn’t 100% work and then 2) when you upload a book it’s visible at first but then when you go to upload another book the first one disappears? But if you try to upload that book again the app will stay it’s still in your library even though you physically can’t search it or see it. Hopefully the next update will fix these issues and I’ll give another try in the future.

**Developer response:** Thanks for the detailed write-up. Both issues you hit are fixed in v1.2.6:

1. Library disappearing after uploading a second book.
2. Cloud sync reliability.

If you give another try, I’d genuinely appreciate hearing whether it holds up for you. Specific bug reports like yours are what move this app forward.

- Kai

## Frequently asked questions about NovelGlide

### What devices does NovelGlide support?

NovelGlide is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It is designed to offer a seamless reading experience across Apple's mobile ecosystem.

### How can I get free books with NovelGlide?

NovelGlide allows you to browse OPDS catalogs, which connect to servers like Calibre and Kavita, enabling discovery of thousands of free books directly within the app.

### Can I listen to my books with NovelGlide?

Yes, NovelGlide features a text-to-speech function. You can listen to any book with configurable voice, speed, and pitch settings for a personalized audio reading experience.

### Does NovelGlide have ads?

Yes, NovelGlide contains advertisements. As a free application, it utilizes ads to support its ongoing development and services.

### How often is NovelGlide updated?

The latest version of NovelGlide is 1.2.6, last updated on March 31, 2026. This indicates relatively frequent updates to improve functionality and user experience.

### What is the age rating for NovelGlide?

NovelGlide has an age rating of 4+. This means it is considered suitable for children aged four and older, with no mature content.

### Can I organize my books in NovelGlide?

Yes, NovelGlide offers robust book management features. You can create collections, customize sorting options, and organize your entire bookshelf for easy access.

### What is the user sentiment for NovelGlide based on ratings?

Based on the provided data, NovelGlide has a rating of 2.0 stars from 1 rating. This suggests a limited number of reviews, with the current sentiment being low.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.2.8 — 2026-08-15

■ Read-aloud — keeps playing with the screen off, with chapter controls on the lock screen and in Control Center
■ Narration — when a book ships its own recorded audio, read-aloud plays that instead of the synthesized voice, highlighting each sentence as it goes
■ Share to add — send an EPUB from any app straight into your library
■ Plus in-place search in Explore, cloud storage warnings, and many reader fixes

### 1.2.7 — 2026-07-08

■ Reading aids — Furigana, Zhuyin, and Pinyin above the text for Japanese and Chinese
■ Tap to look up — instant reading and definition, with downloadable dictionary packs
■ Vocab library — save words as you read, review anytime, and export to Anki
■ In-reader translation — translate selected text with offline language packs
■ Plus two-page spread, cloud-sync conflict resolution, an optional tip jar, ads removed, and many fixes

### 1.2.6 — 2026-03-31

■ Cloud Sync — back up and sync your library across all your devices
■ Reader Engine Selector — switch between WebView and HTML rendering engines
■ Improved OPDS catalog browsing
■ Download progress tracking for cloud books
■ Performance improvements and bug fixes

### 1.2.5 — 2025-09-18

■ Added a new discovery feature
■ Support for accessing open publishing systems
■ Performance improvements

### 1.2.4 — 2025-07-31

■ Japanese language support
■ Performance improvements

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## More apps by Cheng-Kai Wu

- [O vs X Duel](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/o-vs-x-duel/id6748151029)

All apps by Cheng-Kai Wu: https://appshunter.io/developer/1824246427

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-16.*