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Where can I get free ebooks?

Don’t you just love free things? Keep the clutter down and save some money. Use this list where you can get download free ebooks online.

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I am addicted to books and I’m sure my husband would say I hoard them.   He’s probably right!  I have had a hard time making the switch to reading on a tablet because there is just something about holding a book in your hand and flipping the pages, being able to physically see the progress you are making.  But, they take up so much space!  He had me asking, “Where can I get free ebooks.”

Books are stashed all over the house and we even have a book closet upstairs that’s devoted to children’s books. There are piles of books that don’t even fit in there.  

We have multiple book shelves in other areas of the house and they’re crammed full.   Even so, I just have to have more and more books!

lady in jeans and white sweater sitting in chair and reading on a tablet

Where can I download ebooks for free?

After Christmas, I decided to use some money I received and dive into the world of the Kindle Fire.  I’d gotten a Kobo reader a few years back for my birthday and loved it while it was new, but it became outdated and I started having trouble with the software on the computer.  

It was a huge challenge to get new books unless you were buying them straight from the Kobo website, but people are saying good things about the Kindle Fire so I thought maybe that would be a better match for me.  

I went ahead and got the Fire 7 HDX with the biggest storage capacity in hopes that it wouldn’t be outdated before it even arrived, which I absolutely love and now I’m able to hoard ebooks.

I probably get 1-2 free books a day on my Fire and unfortunately, it hasn’t helped with my collecting actual books.  The bookstore in town just had a sale.  All used books were $1 each and came home with 23 books.  What can I say? It is an addiction.  

Why reading is good for you

Reading is so good for you and has many benefits. Many adults get out of the habit, get busy and just don’t have the time. Here are a couple of reasons you should read more.

  1. Reduces stress- Reading lowers your stress level by making your brain focus on something else! Reduces stress makes us healthier!
  2. Learn something new- Reading biographies and nonfiction are great for learning new things, but even fiction can give you insight into worlds you never knew about that make you want to learn even more.
  3. Mental stimulation- Many times we go through the motions of each day on our phone and watching TV and just getting through our job, but reading will stimulate our mind, which reduces mental disorders as we age.
  4. Improved vocabulary- The best thing about reading on a tablet is that it’s connected to a dictionary app, so you can usually get the definitions of words you don’t know. You don’t know how many times I’ve used this feature, learned a new word and then have heard it on a TV show or read it somewhere else.
  5. FREE- The best part of reading is that its FREE entertainment. I read an article (I can’t remember where), but it says that just going to the library gives you the same endorphins as going shopping and spending money. I believe it because I love leaving the library with a stack of books I want to read.

Here’s the list of places to get free ebooks.

BookBub

Enter your email address and choose the categories you’re interested in reading.  You’ll get a daily email with free and discounted titles in those categories.  I try to limit myself to only getting free titles.

Overdrive

Link your local library card to borrow books free for up to three weeks.  This is limited to libraries that are affiliated with overdrive.  I am glad I have a card from a library that is on the list! You can also get books on different formats and audiobooks.

Freebooksy

Again, you enter your email address and choose the categories that you’d like to have included in your daily or weekly emails. They offer free books everyday in all different formats. It’s easy to signup so make sure you do so you don’t miss the free books that day. You still have an opportunity to get the books but that aren’t free anymore.

Amazon Prime Reading

I know a lot of people already pay for Amazon Prime.  If you do, make sure you take advantage of the free Kindle books they offer because they have some good ones. Just clicked over to see what books are available. They change monthly so make sure to check back often.

Hoopla

This is another site that you can put your library card number into and rent books for free. I think they have a limit of 5 books per month, but there is no wait time. If they have the book you want, then it’s available. I have the app downloaded to my phone and read the books on the Kindle App. Your library can help you if you have problems creating an account.

This is my favorite app to use because there is no wait time. The downside is that you are limited to 5 downloads a month but for many people that may not be an issue.

Project Gutenberg

There are over 60,000 books on the Project Gutenberg site. All the books have US copyrights that have expired so it’s a great place to get the classics. You can read these books on Kindle or epub. Some popular books on here are Alice in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, and Little Women. Just this website alone can keep you busy reading for years and years.

Smashwords

Smashwords is an interesting place where you can find books that people have published themselves. They also have well-known authors. They have over 90,000 free books listed and even more for a small price. It’s worth taking a look around the site. You may find something you’re interested in. You can get books in different formats but since it’s a simpler site it may take a few extra steps to get your book in your desired format.

ReadAnyBook

There are many popular authors on ReadAnyBook like JK Rowling and John Green. You can read straight from your computer without downloading anything, which a lot of people like. They also have free book series which I love. The worst is when you start a book in a series and have to wait for the next one or realize that you have to pay to finish reading it. They lay it out for you and you know you can get every book!

Man reading and holding e-book on digital tablet device

BONUS

Amazon Kindle Unlimited

For a small monthly fee, you get unlimited downloads from many popular authors. There are fiction, nonfiction and even magazine subscriptions books available on the free Kindle app. Remember- You can download the Kindle App on any device. You don’t have to read on a Kindle reader. The first 30 days are free so you should try it out and see how you like it.

Please comment and share if you know of any other good sites or apps to support my habit!

Here’s a great article if you’re in a book slump and want to get back into reading.

Good books that are Easy Reads

Adreanna @ Glamp Laugh Love

Monday 12th of October 2015

Real books ARE better! I'm the highlighting and notes in the margin type... But digital is great for the books you like instead of love! Thanks for the great list Adre

chellie

Monday 12th of October 2015

I also love holding a book in my hands! I do have the kindle fire as well though and it has been convenient for traveling and not have to bring all those books in my suitcase. Saves space! Love free books, thanks for the tips!