A 3 days ago, I had an idea: What if books could talk back? What if instead of passively reading, you could have a real conversation with themโasking questions, getting insights, and applying lessons in real life?
Thatโs how this journey started. But what followed was a rollercoaster ride of building, breaking, and learning.
The Initial Vision
I wanted to create an app where users could:
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Ask any book questions and get AI-generated answers.
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Get 5-minute summaries to quickly grasp key ideas.
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Receive actionable lessons they could apply immediately.
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Explore similar books based on their interests.
The goal was simple: Make self-improvement books more interactive, engaging, and accessible.
The Challenges & Setbacks
๐ก Monetization Woes: Initially, I planned a subscription model with Stripe. But guess what? Stripe doesnโt support India. Then, I tried PayPalโsame issue. I went through multiple payment providers, but none worked seamlessly. After weeks of struggle, I made a big decision: Make the app completely free. ๐
๐ป Tech Challenges: From integrating the Gemini AI model with Vercel AI SDK to handling authentication and database structuring, it was a deep dive into scaling AI applications efficiently. Managing Firestore, handling API limits, and ensuring smooth conversations took a lot of iteration.
๐ Late Nights & Doubts: There were moments when I felt this was just another side project that wouldnโt launch. But I kept pushing because I knew this idea had potential.
The Launch & Whatโs Next?
Now, after all these challenges, the app is LIVE & FREE for everyone! ๐
Iโd love for you to try it out, ask questions to books, and share your feedback. This is just V1, and I have a ton of ideas for improvements.
Would love to hear from you: What features should I add next? ๐ค