Do you have a love of reading, but not the budget to back up just how much so? You are not alone. So many now read books online for free. Do you know how? If not, I’m going to tell you.

Almost everyone I talk to or see discussing this subject online, say the same things – “I can’t afford all the books I want to read.”

And I get it. I truly do. I’m one of those persons, as well. Today, times are tough. At least in my country, the majority of families don’t make enough money to “splurge” on books, especially since there are more books than ever before. And who doesn’t want ALL THE BOOKS?

 

But, pirating is not the answer

You still with me so far? Don’t get me wrong, though. It is incredibly expensive to write and publish books, and it is only right (and really should go without saying) that authors be paid for their hard work – blood, sweat, and tears are shed for these stories you love so much. No one likes to work for free, so why should authors be any different?

Even more important, if writers cannot make a living by providing you stories, then guess what? They’ll be forced to stop. And then no more books. See how crucial it is to support your favorite authors?

Writers truly do pour everything they have into their stories, so please don’t take advantage by downloading illegal, pirated copies of books. Instead, there are other ways to get free books.

How to read online for FREE

There are many, many ways to do this. It all depends on how you want to go about it.

First, there are thousands of books that are completely free for you to read and is 100% legal to do so. Have you checked just how many your favorite online retailer(s) has for free? That’s right – Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo….every bookstore online has a whole section dedicated to these free ebooks. I know, you’re probably thinking: “Yeah, duh, Bailey. Everyone knows this. But how can you tell which is a good free book and a bad free book?”

I suppose…you can’t. I can promise you, though, that there ARE a ton of amazing books out there – especially in the free section. This is because many fabulous writers choose to not go with a traditional publisher, and so in order to entice you to give their work a try, they offer a free book – usually the first one in a series, or maybe a standalone of their earlier works – so that you’ll give them a chance. It could take some weeding through what’s out there, but I promise you. It’ll be worth it. Here’s a couple of my favorite free books:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – Yes, many of you have probably read this classic, but if not, I highly recommend it. It’s one of my all-time favorites. The way the creature is portrayed in Hollywood movies is not at all who and how he really is in the book. So give it a try, and you might be surprised just how much of an emotional read this one is.

Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher – I haven’t actually read this one yet, but it’s high on my TBR list. It has over 1,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.5 stars. And it’s free. Why not give it a shot? I’m willing to bet you’ll become life-long fans of these two authors if you do.

Cornerstone by Misty Provencher – Excellent writer, amazing person. Her books are a must-read, so definitely give them a try.

Sweet Oblivion by Bailey Ardisone – Nari gets intertwined with a dark, mysterious guy. She thought he was the devil, or maybe an angel. But she was wrong. He’s something completely different. —Okay, fine, this one is mine. Just in case you didn’t know it was free, I couldn’t NOT include it, could I? This is the first book in a series of four.

If you’re not interested in those, then take a look at Amazon’s TOP 100 FREE Books. You never know, you might find your next favorite read in there.

Libraries

I know, libraries don’t always have the books you want. They’re extremely limited. But did you know that there are THOUSANDS of incredible authors with exceptional books that are available to libraries despite them not being on the shelves? It’s true. All of my books, for instance, can be rented through your local library. All you have to do is ask.

The same is true for many authors, so next time you go perusing through those dusty shelves and come up empty-handed, try giving their online search a try, or talk to the friendly staff for recommendations. Anything you don’t see physically there, they can get it for you, or you most likely can read it online for FREE, just like any of their hard copies.

Speaking of hard copies, have you seen those adorable – completely free – tiny libraries around your town? They’re called Little Free Library, and I adore them. I wonder what gems could be awaiting you in there….

Kindle Unlimited

This isn’t technically free, as it does cost a low monthly subscription fee, however, this is probably your BEST option if you want to read as many books as you want for a nominal price. Think about it…do you enjoy Netflix and Hulu? Then you’d love Amazon Kindle Unlimited.

I’m sure you’ve heard of it before, and if you already are a subscriber, then fantastic!

My entire series – all four books – are on there in a box set bundle. With these four books alone, you’d already make back the subscription fee, plus more! It’d cost you $12 to own all four of my books individually, but with Kindle Unlimited, you’d only pay $9.99 for the whole month, opening up an entire world of books to read with no limit to it. Just think of how much money you’d save! Honestly, this is the best value for your money if you want to read ALL THE BOOKS but can’t afford to. And, even better, you can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial to test out how you like it! How awesome is that? Join Amazon Kindle Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial

Here’s just SOME of the books available to you on Kindle Unlimited:

The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson – An absolute MUST-READ. Rachel is not only a friend of mine, but my FAVORITE (modern day) author EVER. If you’re looking for an emotional, heart-gripping read, look no further with this one.

Slow Dance in Purgatory by Amy Harmon – New York Times Bestselling author, this is a great way to introduce yourself to this fabulous writer’s work.

Under Different Stars by Amy Bartol – With over 1,000 reviews online and an average rating of 4.6 stars, I highly recommend giving this a try if you haven’t already.

Always Forever by Mary Smith – This woman does it all. Get acquainted with her work, because if you like hot, steamy guys, then this author is for you.

The Sweet Series by Bailey Ardisone – Of course, I had to include my own series. I HAD TO!!! I’m sorry.

In order to see all the books available in Kindle Unlimited, you must have a subscription. It’s totally worth it, and I truly do hope you consider how much money you’d save + how much awesomeness would be available to you. Give the risk-free, 30-day trial a chance, and you might wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Already a Kindle Unlimited subscriber? Already a free-ebook guru? Please, comment below with your top favorite books to read for free! I’d love to see what you’ve got!