8 Ways to Maximize Free Book Reading

Reading can be an expensive hobby. New hardcover editions cost nearly $30, with paperbacks ranging from $10 to $20 depending on the title. Since I read close to 100 books each year, here’s how I’ve learned to maximize my free reading across all media.

1 Local library cards

The biggest resource I use is my local library. My library has a large catalog of physical, audio and e-books across platforms such as Libby and Hoopla. I use all of these formats for reading, so it’s a great system to have a steady stream of books available.

While there can be huge wait times for popular e-book and audiobook titles, physical books are usually in great supply. A trending book might have 100 people on Libby, but I could get a physical book the same day with a quick trip to the library. I saved almost $600 this year just by checking out books from my local library!

2 Book newsletter

Another great resource is to sign up for free ebook newsletters. I currently subscribe to Freebooksy, which sends emails every day with free ebooks available on Kindle, Kobo, Google Play, and Nook. These books tend to lean heavily toward self-published authors and cozy mysteries, but I’ve found some amazing reads as I scroll through the newsletter each morning.

There are other book newsletter websites like The Fussy Librarian.

3 NetGalley

If I want to read a book before the official release date, I turn to NetGalley. This website and app offers free access to upcoming eBooks and audiobooks. With a free account, you can request access to new titles.

However, you are not always guaranteed a copy. You also have to check the titles within the specified time. Otherwise, you are less likely to receive review copies in the future. I try to stick to these deadlines so I’m not very active on NetGalley, but there are some titles that are always available if you’re in a bit of a slump and want to try something new!

4 Fill your Kindle days

Amazon often hosts Stuff Your Kindle/E-Reader Days, where authors make ebook and/or audiobook versions of their books available for free. These days are held every few months and are usually organized by genre. There are always romance days, fantasy days, and more genre-focused days.

One upcoming day later this year will feature horror books available for free. Best to do a quick Google search to find out when/what kind of Stuff Your Kindle Day is happening. BookBub usually has a great overview of what’s happening in the next few months with Stuff Your Kindle Days. They usually last from 24 hours to a week depending on the event. It’s a great way to support indie authors and find new books to read.

5 Fable Classics

The book tracker Fable offers free ebook versions of classic books right in the app if you’re part of a book club. The app also has features for highlighting in multiple colors and adding comments on certain paragraphs.

The only downside is that you have to use an app to read the books instead of transferring the e-book version to your Kindle Paperwhite or similar device. I don’t use this feature often because I can’t read on my phone screen for long periods of time, but it’s nice if I’ve left my Kindle at home or don’t have a copy of a classic from the library yet. I recently left Goodreads for Fable and prefer the extra features!

6 Little Free Libraries

One of my favorite things to do is visit the local Little Free Libraries in my area and trade in my old books for new ones. Little Free Library is a program that allows people to build their own little library outside their home or business.

People can visit the library and take a book, leave a book or just look at the collection. The Little Free Library app has a map that shows the closest Little Free Libraries to your location. I found a lot of new hardcover books for free at these libraries. I always make sure to donate the books I’m done with to other Little Free Libraries as well.

7 Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is a website that hosts over 70,000 ebooks for free. His catalog is mostly classic literature, but there are some audio and music files interspersed here. I used Project Gutenberg in college to read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for free.

You can either read books directly in your web browser or send e-book files to your Kindle, Nook, Kobo and more. There are also books in over 20 languages ​​if you want to start over or brush up on your language learning.

8 Free trial for book subscriptions

I also try to use free reading subscriptions when I can. I signed up for occasional free trials of Audible, Kindle Unlimited, and Scribd. However, once these free trials are over, I rarely renew my subscription because I find that the monthly costs really add up. I recently tried all of Amazon’s reading subscriptions and found that while the trial period was great, I’m better off without the reading subscription.

Over the past decade, I’ve discovered ways to continue reading even if I don’t want to drag an arm and a leg out of a book at Barnes & Noble every few months. Through a combination of checking Amazon, using my local library, subscribing to book newsletters, and more, I am able to stave off my reading slumps for good!