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Have you ever read through a particularly expletive-laden passage in a book and felt the language was a bit too rich for your tastes?

If so, you might be interested in Clean Reader which censors swear words from ebooks - and allows children to enjoy works of literature that contain profanity.

The app replaces certain words that might be deemed R-rated with more friendly alternatives, but one author has derided it as encouraging 'suppression'.

An Idaho-based couple has released a censoring app for iOS and Android. Called Clean Reader it deletes certain swear words from books (excerpt from Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl shown). Alternatives are then suggested when the user taps on the deleted word

The app is available now for free on both iOS and Android devices and was developed by couple Jared and Kirsten Maughan from Twin Falls in Idaho.

After downloading the app, users are able to browse a variety of books in the app's store.

When a book is opened, readers can switch between 'clean', 'cleaner' or 'squeaky clean' settings.

The lowest setting only blocks 'major swear words,' according to Clean Reader, which includes 'the F-word'.

The 'cleaner' setting blocks slightly more words, while the highest setting 'is the most restrictive setting and will block the most profanity from a book including some hurtful racial terms.'

In the books, deleted words are covered up with a grey box, removing them from view.

If users click a green dot in the middle of the box, the app will suggest alternative words that the can be used instead.

For example, in an excerpt from best-selling novel Gone Girl, a censored sentence reads: 'The girl is one step ahead of me in everything, even [crappy] luck.'

The app works by scanning through a book and blocking out offensive words, letting readers of all ages enjoy books that might otherwise be deemed not suitable for them. 

Users can pick between 'clean', 'cleaner' and 'squeaky clean'. The lowest setting blocks 'major' swear words, and the highest blocks all profanity. Alternatives for the deleted words are suggested when reading. But one author condemned the app, saying it encourages 'suppression'

The app works by scanning through a book and blocking out offensive words (examples shown in these images) letting readers of all ages enjoy books that might otherwise be deemed not suitable for them

After downloading the app, users are able to browse a variety of books in the app's store which have been scanned to replace or remove profanity with other words

'One day our oldest child came home from school and she was a little sad,' explained the creators of the app.

'We asked her what was wrong and she said she had been reading a book during library time and it had a few swear words in it.

'Eventually we decided we would do all we could to bring Clean Reader to the world.'

The creators note that the app doesn't violate copyright law as it doesn't make actual changes to the book.

'All Clean Reader does is change the way the content is displayed on the screen,' they note.

The app has come under criticism, though, for censoring works by authors - and changing the meaning of the book as originally intended.

'To tamper with what is written - however much we may dislike certain words and phrases - is to embrace censorship,' said author of Chocolat Joanne Harris in her blog.

'We've been down this road before. We should know where it leads by now. It starts with blanking out a few words. It goes on to drape table legs and stick fig leaves onto statues.'