Books, novels, comics, academic books…all summed up as books are a necessity to humans, especially you who are reading right now. It doesn’t matter what genre it is, whether self-published or not, it doesn’t even matter if it’s a bestseller or not. Books are great companions in times of solitude.
To me, nothing beats having a tangible book in my hands even though we’re in an age where one can read across many devices. Do you like paperbacks like me? Read paperbacks or, you just can’t stand the burden of carrying big books that would make you look like a nerd?There are books in PDF formats, epub…blah blah. You might even be the all-powerful mom who manages a family and a business, there are audiobooks just for you. You have to make your choice.
As much as we love our authors, some of us do not have a choice but to be money-prudent. Hey, it’s good to support that author that has added so much value to your life but it’s understandable when you’re in a situation that has you surfing the internet for free versions of the book you’re looking for. Look no further, I’m here to help you.
A. Downloadable book sites
1. PDF Drive
At www.pdfdrive.com, which is a favourite of mine, you get a wide range of free books in whatever format. You even get motivated along the way. who wouldn’t appreciate being reminded that his/her thoughts and actions, unseen or unfelt, are not without effects? There is no download limit, and no annoying ads, but you should not be disappointed when some new books can’t be found on the site.
2. Project Gutenberg
https://www.gutenberg.org/ is unarguably the oldest digital library according to Wikipedia. This site houses many more books than you can think of. Most of the books are books whose copyright have expired. getting wisdom from books aged 60 or even up to 95 years old is truly on another level.
“No fee or registration! Everything from Project Gutenberg is gratis, libre, and completely without cost to readers. If you find Project Gutenberg useful, please consider a small donation to help Project Gutenberg digitize more books, maintain its online presence, and improve Project Gutenberg programs and offerings. Other ways to help include digitizing, proofreading and formatting, or reporting errors.
No special apps needed! Project Gutenberg eBooks require no special apps to read, just the regular Web browsers or eBook readers that are included with computers and mobile devices. There have been reports of sites that charge fees for custom apps, or for the same eBooks that are freely available from Project Gutenberg. Some of the apps might have worthwhile features, but none are required to enjoy Project Gutenberg eBooks.” www.gutenberg.org
3. Free eBooks.net
I just recently found out about this site, and it turns out to be awesome. I like people who are upfront about how they run their things. However, the plus here is the wide range of audiobooks you can download here.
B. In-app reading/Online reading
1. Netgalley
https://www.netgalley.com is an online platform where you have to become a member for free for you to get access to new yet-to-be-published books. it’s free to request and read such books. All you need to do is download the app to read digital copies of such books which are available for 54 days once your request to read them is accepted. Reviewing and giving feedback on the books is seen as very important as it will help promote the book in preparation for getting it published.
2. Google books
I once wanted to read Bathsheba, a Biblical fiction written by Jill Eileen Smith but could find it across the places where I got free digital books. After a long search, I could finally read it on google. Surprise? I found it at https://books.google.com/
The only con is that you have to stay on the browser you’re accessing google from. You can’t download as there is no free eBook form of the books you get via Google books. But, you can always get it on Amazon.
3. World reader
An enormous free digital library at https://read.worldreader.org, courtesy of an organization dedicated to giving children reading opportunities.
“We are a nonprofit organization bringing reading to children in underserved communities.”
https://read.worldreader.org/
Note the quote, it said ‘underserved’ not undeserved. I once craved reading a children’s literature I had read when I was a little girl and was pleasantly surprised to find it there.
You can read the books online or download it for offline reading.
4. Okadabooks
https://okadabooks.com/ was founded in 2013 by someone who had the burden to make self-publishing and bookselling easier for non-traditional authors, especially in Nigeria. Most of the books on this site are at a price while some are free to read.
You’ll find some books here at ridiculous prices. Ever heard of a book sold at 10 Naira? You’ll find some here. You can also self-publish your books on this site.
App suggestions like light-reader: There is no one app that can only do a particular task, they might only do it differently. if you check your play store, you’ll keep seeing app suggestions of apps that can perform similar tasks. For example, if you were to search for the Light reader app, apps like Wattpad, Anybooks, etc will surface as options.
C. Via blogs/websites
Don’t sleep on this. Many sites offer just what you need for free. They offer them as freebies in return for your active email address. Of course, you just happen upon these free books by chance. I don’t think anyone would make ads for free books, right? Therefore, it’s very hard to just search for something like “the conquest free download” when you don’t even know the title of the novel or book.
Bloggers give out a wide range of freebies. It could be on how to publish your book, start a blog, checklists, a full novel, memoirs, etc. I’ve gotten a lot of freebies from De-raconteur, Sarah Titus, Aspiring Bloggers, Ife Grace… you name it. Blogs and websites usually like to be able to get in touch with their readers so you do not have to sweat to get the freebies they offer. They usually promise no spamming and many respectable blog or website owners do just that. Of course, you can’t promise to read, use or digest the freebies after downloading them because you happened to get them for free by chance–that’s one of the disadvantages of freebies. You don’t value things until you need them and that’s why there’s a price on value. But if you got something for free, try your best to cherish it.
Conclusion
There are a lot of sites where you can get free books and I’ve only highlighted the ones I use. I use them and they work. But in the same vein, supporting creatives when I can is something I like to make a habit. of course, there are times we can’t help but need free things at some point in our lives, if not for organizations like Worldreader, some kids in underserved countries would not have equal chances at education like the kids in developed countries.
Free Resources on Hearty Christian Stories
There are a lot of freebies on this site as well. There’s our maiden magazine. Scroll to the bottom of this site to download it for free. Apart from that, subscribing to our newsletter makes it easy to send you some of our free resources.
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