25 ways to get free books

Reading books is one of the greatest hobbies one can have. You can be entertained by fiction, touched by poetry and learn about the world. Sadly, they’re not always cheap, but there are many ways to get free books via paperback, e-book and also audiobook. They may be different mediums, but the enjoyment can be equally fulfilling. This list will give you 25 ways where you can get free books. By free, I’m talking about books where money is not used, so I haven’t counted things like Audible credits, bargain deals like 3 for 2 or 5 for fiver. I also won’t mention piracy sites, but you are free to use them at your own risk.

1. Book swaps in real life

If your friend has a book you want to read on their bookshelf and you have one they want to rea, you could do a book swap. There may be a local club near you that does book swaps, so that will be a good way to get a book and save some money. My friend is borrowing my Harry Potter books whilst I am borrowing some of her Nora Roberts and James Patterson books.

2. Mobile libraries if you have any

Anything can be turned into a library if you out your mind to it. There’s an old telephone booth outside of St. Paul’s Church in Banbury that has been turned into a mobile library. If you see any, have a look. You might even find a good textbook or novel. And if you have a book you don’t want, you can drop them off there.

3. Wishlists

These are easy to make on Amazon and Goodreads. That way people can see what books you actually want and you may end up getting them on a special occasion.

4. Goodreads

Goodreads is a social platform for bookworms and a place to share book reviews. As authors it’s important to remember that reviews are for readers and not for the authors, however I do reply to reviews of my books to say thank you. Goodreads has forums where authors can ask for book reviews and will send their books in exchange for honest reviews. You can follow authors there as well so it can also be a good way to keep an eye out for giveaways, promotions and free books.

5. Entering giveaways

There are giveaways taking place everyday on nearly every social media platform. Some giveaways are as simple as liking and sharing a post whilst others involve taking a survey. This one isn’t always guaranteed to succeed, but it being in a chance to win a free book is always a nice buzz. Keep a look out in magazines and newspapers too, they sometimes have lots of competitions that can involve books as prizes. Because most people will enter the cash prizes, you’ve got a bigger chance to win the book one.

6. Signing up to newsletters and email alerts

Signing up to newsletters that get sent direct to your email has many benefits. Sometimes it includes a free e-book. Sometimes its just a short read, but they can be useful if it’s in a topic you’re interested in.

7. Amazon’s Kindle Market

The Kindle market always has tonnes of free books available for a limited time. There are also books that are permanently free like some of the classic novels and things in the public domain.

8. Smashwords

Anywhere where authors can upload work will have a section for free e-books. Smashwords is no exception. A nice trait Smashwords has which Amazon Kindle dosen’t is coupons that can be used and sometimes the coupon gives you a book for free.

9. Redeeming ACX promo codes for Audible

These ACX codes can be hard to find. Authors and narrators also find them hard to give out. It‘s a shame only US and UK account holders can really enjoy this. Codes that have been publically posted can get redeemed quickly. The best way to get an ACX code is to contact the authors, publishes and narrators directly that are offering them.

10. Bookshelves on train-stations

A lot of train stations I’ve been to have book shelves at thier stations. You can either swap, dinate or even take. There’s one in Oxford that does it to raise money for charity. I love these because they’re sustainable and its helping great causes.

11. Searching on social media

Just a simple search on social media can give you books to download. Keep in mind there are non-legit sites out there. I got several ACX promo codes through Twitter.

12. Regular libraries

This list would feel I complete without the mention of normal libraries. When the pandemic is truly over, it wil, be great to enjoy the libraries again. They are a great wealth of information and an essential part of our education system. Borrowing books from the libraries supports communities, authors and publishers.

13. Wattpad

Although Wattpad has many stories behind a paywall now, there are still many stories availible to read for free. Although Wattpad is famous for its romantic teen fiction, there are also some really great stories I’ve found under nicher genres. There are some downsides like the limited offline reads for free members and the poor search system. It’s greatest feature is the in-line commenting, having private and public reading lists and it’s social platform.

14. Project Gutenberg

One of the oldest digital libraries on the internet, Project Gutenberg is a great place to access free e-books in the public domain. It has works in over 50 languages. You can read books both online and download them in epub or mobi format. It is so well organised. It also seems to have a lot of books I haven’t seen in other ebook markets.

15. Archive of Our Own (AO3)

It may seem strange to add a fan fiction website to this list, but some fan fics are longer than the average book. Archive of Our Own, aka A03 for short, also has a section for original fiction, although it’s small compared to its evergrowing fan fiction database. This site has some of the best search systems I’ve ever seen on a fiction site, although don’t be surprised to see authors abusing this with tags longer than your arm. Every piece of written published on the site is availible to download in a variety of formats.

16. NetGalley

This site is a special place for professional readers and book reviewers to get their works reviewed in exchange of honest reviews.

17. Book Blogging

If you own a book blog, you may be contacted by authors and publisher. They may contact you and send requests for book reviews. This is a good way to get free books in exchange for an honest review.

18. Reddit

Reddit has a forum for pretty much anything. There are special places in these subreddits where authors and publishers offer ACX promo coes and books. I was able to share a few ACX promo codes for Game of Mass Destruction on there.

19. Cafes

Lots of local cafes have bookshelves. You are welcome to help yourself to them. Some customers also donate books on their shelves so there’s always something new there everyday.

20. Pubs

Pubs and bars sound like the last place to get free books, but you will be surprised. Pubs offer friendly environments and some even have bookshelves to add a bit of atmosphere. I’ve taken a few books from the pubs.

21. Freecycle

You can get virtually anything with freecycl, and books are no exception. You could make a post in your local area saying you are looking for some books to fill your book shelf or for an art project. You don’t have to give a reason. There are lots of people who have piles of book they are likely to never read or finish.

22. Become an alpha reader

Alpha readers are people who read your rough manuscript and give advice. If you like the idea of this and have spare time on your hands, you might enjoy being an alpha reader and give advise to writers.

23. Become a beta reader

Beta readers are the next one up from an alpha reader. After the rough manuscript is refined following feedback, you can get beta readers to have a look. If you like being an alpha reader, you may also enjoy being a beta reader too.

24. Become a sensitivity reader

I didn’t know these existed until lately, but they’ve been a great relevance lately. Sensitivity readers are people that read work and made sure things don’t fall under stereotypes or are culturally offensive. They’ve not for everyone though. If you have knowledge or expertise in a certain area, authors and publishers may approach you to make sure things are accurate.

25. Become an editor

If you are confident in your spelling and grammar, you may enjoy being an editor. They are always in demand. There are also many types of editing like copy editing, proofreading, developmental editing and also looking for typos. This one takes a lot of work, but I can also see this being rewarding if you can get regular clients.