I originally wrote a post in 2020 about getting free eBooks. Many of those resources still exist but there are also some updates. Therefore, I decided to rewrite the post with updated information.
I love reading for relaxation. However, more than ever accessing eBooks through the public library results in waitlists that could be over six months (no joke there). If you decide to purchase a book, they can cost $20 and up for new releases. So what's someone to do?
Well, one way to get free books is to sign up with the publishers to get Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of upcoming books. The catch? They expect you to write reviews and publish those reviews on sites like Goodreads and Amazon. Any review would have a disclaimer such as "I received a free ARC from [publisher] in exchange for a honest review."
Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs)
I have been a member of NetGalley for a few years now. It was the first site I learned about back when I was blogging about how to save money. Many of the large publishers will use NetGalley but be aware that I've been declined as many requests as I've been approved for during the time. Some newer authors will be listed as "read now" and don't require a pre-approval. One piece of advice I received at Comic Con was to make sure my profile showed I worked in education. Publishers have a higher approval rate for educators and librarians.
Booktrovert is a newer site from the same people that run NetGalley. While NetGalley is for ARCs, Booktrovert is more a method of advertising. It's a site full of raffles, first come giveaways, and more.
I learned about Booksprout directly from an author's Twitter account. You can search through available ARCs but you can also follow an author you like. I now get notified when that author I enjoy has new books available.
I learned about Reedsy from someone at NYCC. The site has an interesting variety of books but it appears that only one reviewer per book, so it's first come/first serve. You can also see the books that have already been reviewed. The one thing I found strange with Reedsy is that people can leave you tips for your reviews. If you receive a tip, you must connect a Stripe account to withdraw the funds.
Public Libraries
If you're not interested in pre-release books or agreeing to review the books, you can also look into options like your public library and Amazon for free eBooks.
Every area's public library has different resources. Besides checking your home library, also look into other potential options. For example, here in Pennsylvania we have POWER Library which is state-wide.
Libby is the newer name for Overdrive. There are eBooks, audiobooks, and more. The library has a specific number of digital licenses for each book and if all those books are "out" you can add yourself to the waiting list. You can also search for books the library doesn't own or pre-release titles and recommend the library purchases them. When they do, you'll automatically be able to borrow the title or be added to the wait list if it is a popular pre-release.A little trick is to see if you have access to other digital libraries. My Libby profile shows Free Library of Philadelphia, POWER Library, and a few others. Check the rules about getting a library card because some cities will give you access if you work or go to school, even when you don't live in their territory. There are also a few cities that will "sell" non-resident access to their library.
Hoopla is another site that is offered through many public libraries. Hoopla doesn't do waiting lists, but you are limited on how many borrows per month. On Hoopla, you can get eBooks, audiobooks, movies, and more. They even have what is called the Bingepass for Hallmark movies which provides a one-week at a time unlimited access.
Another eBook resource that some public libraries provide. Freading uses a token system that resets weekly. Just like Hoopla, there are no waiting lists and each two week loan is one token. So until you hit the weekly limit, you can borrow any eBook.
Amazon
Random Books priced at $0
Consider doing a search on Amazon for a book genre and then filter prices by low to high. You will see tons of eBooks listed at $0.00. Once you've clicked "buy" these books will remain in your digital library. You don't need to read them right away but grab them when you see them. There are also tons of social media tags where people share these free books. #BookTok on TikTok and #BookSky on BlueSky are two popular hashtags.
Following the concept of searching Amazon for free books, a few times a year independent authors will team up to market a Stuff Your Kindle day. They will lower the price of the first book in a series, or a novella, to introduce their writing to new audiences. Typically Stuff Your Kindle days will have themes such as romance, fantasy, historical, etc.
Amazon has a subscription program where you can get unlimited books. The subscription is currently $11.99 per month but if you read a lot, it may be worth it. They also offer a free trial. When you buy a new Kindle, it'll come with three months of Kindle Unlimited but make sure you cancel before it ends to avoid being billed.
If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can filter ebooks to find titles that are eligible for Prime Reading. These titles can be downloaded for free. The selection is more limited than Kindle Unlimited, but you can often find some decent titles.
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