It seems like thre are really only a couple of options, and I haven’t found many review or examples that show enough detail to compare them.

Jellyfin has a bookshelf plugin that seems to be able to handle it. Audiobooks look to be accessed through the main client app, and ebooks through a companion app like JellyBook, which also claims to handle audiobooks.

On the other hand, there is Audiobookshelf, which specializes in audiobooks, but also claims to host ebooks. It has a number of client apps, but none that I found mention eBook reading.

I’ve found a couple of other solutions that seem more specialized. Maybe one of those?

I want to be able to read and listen on an Android device, preferably with a native app. I have a few comics, but mostly interested in books and audiobooks. I already have a Jellyfin server setup.

  • hangonasecond@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    I use abs and it’s great. My partner listens to audiobooks, I read ebooks. You just have them side by side in the library, and in the audiobookshelf android app you can choose between stream or read. You also don’t need to store them side by side, the metadata can put them together clientside anyway. I guess this would be the way to go if you thought you might try a diff ebook hosting service later.

    If all you do with your ebooks is read them, I daresay you’ll have no issues because I haven’t. Supports volume controls for page turn and that’s all that I want.

    • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      Thanks, this is really helpful! Do you use the same app for both? Is it the abs client or something else?

      • hangonasecond@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        2 days ago

        I use the Audiobookshelf app from AdvPlyr on the play store. I’ve been meaning to try Lissen since it’s on F-Droid, but I tried this to make sure my partner didn’t have any issues.

        If I’m using it on my PC I just connect to the web UI.

        I connect on all my devices with tailscale. My partner uses the same but has apparently been having issues with her phone not being able to access the tailnet when not on the same LAN. It’s not so bad though, the Audiobookshelf app lets her download her books. This works better anyway, since she travels for work and often has no service anyway.

        • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          2·
          1 day ago

          Re tailscale: not sure if it is a technical issue or not, but my wife found it helpful when I added a toggle to the Quick Settings menu, which shows when it is running and can restart it with one tap.

        • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          2·
          2 days ago

          I ended up spinning up audiobookshelf. It’s fine for audiobooks, and I immediately installed Lissen (alongside ABS) and it is clearly preferable to me.

          Lissen does not recognize ebooks at all, and I also didn’t have success with the comic book I tested on the ABS client, so I may try another service for those. For now audiobooks are the higher priority and I am very happy with those. Thanks for the input - I really appreciate it.