best websites of books online

15 Of The Best Places To Find Free Books Online

Nikki VanRy

Nikki VanRy is a proud resident of Arizona, where she gets to indulge her love of tacos, desert storms, and tank tops. She also writes for the Tucson Festival of Books, loves anything sci-fi/fantasy/historical, drinks too much chai, and will spend all day in bed reading thankyouverymuch. Follow her on Instagram @nikki.vanry .

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Want to get your eyes on MILLIONS of free books online?

If you’ve been following along, you already know that you can find free audiobooks online  (woop woop!). We talked about options like LibriVox and MindWebs that are offering readers free audio books and short stories.

Now, we’ve got 15 more sites where you can read free books online when earbuds aren’t an option. You’ll get beyond the classics (though those are cool too), with free YA books, graphic novels, fanfiction, children’s books, and more.

And all together these sites have a lot of great books. A lot. Like, in the millions. Seriously. Your TBR list may be crying, but at least your wallet is happy?

Where can I download free books Online?

We give more details about each one below, but the following sites all offer (or curate a collection with) free books online:

1. Goodreads’ Free Shelves

While many of the books on the following websites are classic books and out of copyright, you can find more contemporary online books for free at Goodreads’ free eBooks shelves (either full or excerpts) or with the “ free-online ” tag.

2. International Children’s Digital Library

If you’re looking for free children’s books online, the ICDL is a nonprofit organization with a mission to: “promote tolerance and a respect for diverse cultures by providing access to the best of children’s literature from around the world.”

You can read freely and anonymously on their site, or create an account to keep an ongoing bookshelf. And there are books from all over the world (you can even search by countries on the globe). Look for great free books online like:

Related: 25 Free Amazon Prime Audiobooks

3. Internet Sacred Text ARchive

Dedicated to religion, mythology, and folklore, the ISTA online collection provides access to hundreds of sacred texts online. It also promotes religious diversity, tolerance, and scholarship baked into its mission (which is pretty rad of course).

You’ll find versions of the  Bible,  as well as the  Talmud ,  Vedas,  and more.

4. ManyBooks

Just as the name implies, ManyBooks has loads and loads of online books for free. Over 30,000 in fact. The majority of their eBooks work for Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and other readers.

You’ll find thousands of books, both classic and contemporary here, such as:

5. Open Culture

Open Culture connected readers with a curated list of free audiobooks, and they’ve created something similar for free eBooks. You’ll find 800 free and downloadable eBooks through their site, ready to download for iPads, iPhones, Kindles, or to read in your browser directly.

Some knockouts include The Stranger  by Albert Camus and poems from Charles Bukowski.

6. Open Library

Open Library offers over 1.7 million free eBooks online to users. It’s part of the Internet Archive, which also allows users to contribute (and correct!) books. They both offer free versions of full books and links to access paid books elsewhere.

Books to read online include  Sherlock Holmes  by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or  Matilda  by Roald Dahl.

7. Overdrive

The Libby App by OverDrive connects you with your local libraries to check out eBooks on your personal devices. You only need a library card and you’ll be able to check out classic and contemporary eBooks for free, anywhere and anytime. They host a catalog of over two million eBooks, as well as audiobooks. And, they’ve recently made it easier to transfer books onto your device.

Of course, since it’s connected to your library, you’ll also see free bestselling YA eBooks and other more recent bestsellers and other classics.

8. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg continues to be a fantastic resource for classic novels and obscure older texts alike that are already in the public domain. The organization is run entirely by volunteers who digitize and then also proofread works. In all, they’ve added over 50,000 free books online.

Whether you’re reading them online or downloading them to your device, you can dig into classic books like:

9. Read Print

Read Print is a user-friendly website that allows users to read classics online. It also has a fancy bookshelf widget where you can track books read and books (so many books) that you want to read.

You’ll find free classic books like:

10. Riveted

Riveted offers YA books for free online, either full books or excerpts on a time-limited basis.

By signing into the site from Simon & Schuster and becoming a member, you’ll be able to read some sweet free books, download them to any device, join in giveaways, and discuss your YA favorites.

If you love all things science fiction and fantasy, check out Tor’s eBook club and weekly newsletters .

The publisher releases weekly original short stories from some of the biggest sci-fi/fantasy authors. And, seriously, receiving a smashingly fantastic short story in my inbox every week has been such a joy and has helped me find great new authors.

They also release the eBook of the Month club where you can get free access to one pick each month.

12. WikiSource

Got a jonesing for some original source material? Even if you’re not in academia, Wikisource is the ultimate place to do a deep dive on a topic. The site hosts almost 400,000 texts in English, with user-generated submissions allowed.

You can find texts from 1846 to 1941, from authors like Rudyard Kipling and Marie de France, on werewolves specifically. Or, discover new worlds with texts from Jules Verne and Philip Dick.

13. World Public Library

The World Public Library’s online Millennium Collection isn’t free, but for less than $10 a year for *ahem* millions of free books in over 300 languages, it’s basically free. They also offer free memberships for physically disabled or special needs members. You’ll find eBooks from all over the world, including:

Some of their knock-outs include  1984  by George Orwell,  Siddhartha  by Hemann Hesse, and  The Mahabharata  translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli.

Seriously, even more Free Books Online

These are mostly websites that share free books online that have at one time been traditionally published and disseminated. But, um, there’s the internet which means there’s more books available out there than you’ll ever have time to read.

Check out WattPad for stories by independent authors, historical fiction, fanfiction, and more. There’s also a huge active community over there to talk about books with. Here’s your beginner’s guide .

FanFiction.net is a hub for short story and novel length spin-offs of your favorite fictional worlds.

Phew, we’re not done yet.  BookRix is also a community of independent authors who publish free eBooks in any of your favorite genres. We’re talking fantasy, romance, sci-fi, children’s and more.

The Library of Congress also has a small collection of classic children’s books.

Finally, also make sure to follow your favorite authors on social media. They’ll often share links to eBook deals, excerpts to upcoming novels, giveaways, or free shorts set in the same universe.

Want To Find Cheap Books?

Other cheaper options ($10 a month or less) include Kindle Unlimited , some of the books on the Google Play store, Unlimited Library , and Scribd .

You can also follow along with Book Riot’s Deals of the Day “ Book Deals ” emails where you’ll get alerts about absurdly cheap eBooks and audiobooks.

Read Next: 50+ Ways to Get Free Books

It makes my heart swell a little bit that there are SO MANY places to find free books online. That’s a lot of literature, all with a simple internet connection.

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Ebook Friendly

12 sites where you can read full books online.

To enjoy reading books, you don’t need a tablet or e-reader. You can read entire books online, completely legally, in an internet browser on your computer. The most popular sites are listed below.

The internet is the ultimate tool for finding answers and items we need. With a vast majority of products available from online stores, you don’t have to leave home to get anything that’s on your wishlist, including books, movies, games or audiobooks.

The best thing is that you don’t have to wait for delivery. Most books are digitized and it means you can start enjoying them in a matter of seconds. It’s just a matter of finding the most convenient – and fully legal – online source of books to read.

World’s most beloved classics are available online for free. They are the so-called public domain books . They are free because their intellectual property rights have expired, and everyone is entitled not only to download and read them but also remix and reshare.

Institutions like Project Gutenberg or Internet Archive digitize public domain books and make them available for free through their online catalogs.

Unless you are determined to create a stunningly large personal collection of ebooks, you don’t have to deal with copying and converting files. You can read books the moment you find them in one of the sites listed below.

But what “read books online” means exactly? It means you won’t need any of these:

• A dedicated device, such as a Kindle e-reader
• A tablet with a book reading app installed
• An ebook reader application on your computer
• An extension for your internet browser

All you need is a computer connected to the internet and the internet browser of your choice, such as Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

When it comes to paid books (and it doesn’t matter whether you want to buy a print or ebook version), free book previews are a standard feature offered by many online bookstores, including Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

The free previews account for approximately 15% of the paid book. It’s long enough to make a decision whether to order a book or not.

The sites listed below are the ones where you can read books online from the first to the last page. In the detailed descriptions, we have included a choice of titles and tips how to improve the reading experience.

One big disadvantage of reading books in the web browser is that you have to be connected to the web. What if you’d like to read books offline? One way is to download web pages to your computer and open them from a downloaded file directly in a browser.

A much better way is to download an ebook file and use an e-reader, such as a Kindle , or one of many book-reading apps available for iPad , iPhone, Android tablets and smartphones, and almost any other mobile devices.

Most of the sites listed below offer an option to download files in several formats. All you have to remember is the correct format. Make sure to download:

• mobi file – if you own a Kindle or Amazon Fire tablet.
• epub file – if you own iPad, iPhone, Kobo, Nook, or Android device.

Would you like to add any site to the list? Let’s contact on social media. We are waiting for you on Twitter and Facebook . Thank you for dropping by. You’re awesome as always!

Read full books online – here are 12 best sites

1. project gutenberg.

Project Gutenberg is a mother of all ebook sites. It started in 1971, when the world’s first ebook was created by Michael S. Hart. It was “Declaration of Independence of the United States of America,” and you can read it right away in a next tab of your internet browser.

Many sites that offer free ebooks from the public domain use the titles created and uploaded to Project Gutenberg.

Currently, there are over 60,000 public domain books in the catalog. If you’re looking for great classic books, Project Gutenberg is the best destination to explore.

To read the book in your browser, simply click “Read this book online: HTML” option on the list of available formats.

The option to read the book online displays all elements of a book. You will be able to see the original cover of the book, as well as illustrations inside. You can also navigate the book easily using the table of content or click on hyperlinks inside the file.

There is one more benefit of a html file opened in a browser. This file is searchable. You can use your browser’s find tool to search for words inside the book.

You can start exploring Project Gutenberg from the list of the most popular ebook downloads . The world’s most loved and adored books are here: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Bram Stoker’s Dracula , Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, works by Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain’s A Tale of Two Cities , Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, or Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre . And it’s just the beginning!

2. Internet Archive

Internet Archive, founded in 1996, is a non-profit organization offering free access to digital or digitized content: books, images, videos, or audio files.

The catalog includes over 25,000,000 fully accessible books and other text files. From here, you can also start browsing a collection of 1.3 million contemporary ebooks that you will be able to borrow for free once you register an account. The ebook section can be reached at:  archive.org/details/texts .

Use the search box in the top right corner to find the book. By default, the list of results shows collection from popular libraries. You can sort the results by relevance, views, title, and the date of adding the item to the catalog.

You can use the tools on the left side to narrow down the list of results by collection, media type, availability (free or to borrow), language, or creator.

To start reading, just click on the arrows in the bottom bar of the image of the opened book. You can enter full screen by clicking on the full-screen toggle in the bottom right.

The online viewer presents the scanned pages of the book, what brings an extra flavor to reading. There are many ways to go through the content of the book, including one-page view, and zooming.

One thing to keep in mind is that the content of the book is fully searchable, let not the scan mislead you. Use the search bar in the top right corner to find a word. All found instances will be marked in the progress bar at the bottom.

One of the most amazing things on Internet Archive is the text-to-speech function. You can turn it on by clicking on the speaker icon in the bottom right corner of the book viewer.

What’s worth highlighting is that the Internet Archive hosts a vast number of foreign-language books. There are over 20 languages with the number of published text works exceeding 1,000 each.

3. Open Library

Open Library is Internet Archive’s separate project, focused on collecting library records. Its goal is to create one web page for every book ever published. On a page of a single book, you’ll find all its documented editions.

Compared to the Internet Archive, with its vast catalog and advanced search features, the Open Library website is simpler and more user-friendly, and you can find the books you need much quicker.

When you go to  Classic Books  section, you will find over 3 million books that are “accessible,” which means they are free to read online or download.

Once you find the book, you will immediately know whether you can read it online or not. Just look for the big blue “Read” button. When you hover open the headphones icon, you will be able to listen to the audio version.

Click on the Read icon and you will be redirected to a full-screen online reader on the Internet Archive website.

In the top right corner of the viewer, you will see an option to download the book, usually in either epub or pdf format.

Open Library is more than just a catalog of free classic books. It also shows contemporary books that are free to read if you decide to borrow them. To do that, you may need to register at Open Library or find the book in your local library using WorldCat or Library Link. Each library book is marked with a “Borrow” button instead of “Read.”

4. Google Books

A huge collection of books that Google has scanned and turned into viewable files is available on Google Books.

The homepage of Google Books at books.google.com is actually nothing more than a search box. To start exploring this vast library of digitized books, you have to type in something, for instance a name of your favorite classic author or a title of a book.

Not all books can be fully previewed online, but you can narrow search results to those that are.

To do that, in the upper bar click on “Any view.” From a drop-down list select “Free Google eBooks” to see only the books that can be read online from the very beginning to the very end.

Google Books gives also a chance to preview free samples of books that are not available in the public domain. To see a list of these books, select “Preview available” option from the “Any books” drop-down menu.

The free preview of a copyrighted title included in Google Books doesn’t have to be a first part of the book.

Let’s say a publisher sets a free preview to be 20% of a book. You can select a chapter in the middle and read 20% from now on. Or jump from page to page, if you want.

You’ll be able to preview the book until you reach the limit of free pages set by a publisher.

5. Smashwords

Smashwords is a leading online platform with ebooks from independent authors and publishers. There are currently over 500,000 from over 100,000 self-published authors.

Thousands of books are available for free download and online view. The total number is changing, but usually around 100,000 titles are available for free viewing.

Smashwords authors have an option to set up the length of a free preview. Many writers decide to let readers preview the entire book online.

To see which books are free to read in your internet browser, go to Smashwords’ catalog of free ebooks . Then, change the way entries are being displayed – from stacks to list. Do it by clicking the bullet list icon in the top right.

In the list view, look for “Online Reader” button displayed at the bottom of an entry, next to blue buttons with ebook formats.

There are several customization options to choose from. You can select a size (4 levels to choose from), and font face (Arial, Courier, Times, Verdana, Georgia). You can also personalize colors by setting up your own font and background.

Quite frankly, reading interface offered by Smashwords is not the strongest part of this great site. There is no full-screen view, for example. It would help a lot, as the book content window is very narrow.

6. ManyBooks

ManyBooks offers free books in a clean and friendly interface. The site is ad supported but these ads are displayed usually at the bottom of the browser window and are not too disturbing.

Most books are sourced from Project Gutenberg and sites that offer books with a Creative Commons license.

In total, over 50 thousand books are available, all with nicely designed covers. Plus, each book is available in several file formats, a lot more than what you can find elsewhere.

Most importantly, each title from the ManyBooks catalog can be read in your internet browser.

After you find the book you want to read, go to this book’s details page and click on a large “Read Online” button.

The reading interface is very clean and nicely designed, although it takes some time to load it, especially when it comes with a book cover.

You can change the font size (4 levels), plus the site works well on mobile devices, so you can read books also in a browser on your tablet.

BookRix is a platform that offers books from self-published authors combined with free books from the public domain.

A catalog of free ebooks is an essential part of the website. On the top of a list, you will find the most popular categories, including literary fiction, fantasy, romance, thrillers, and young adult fiction.

When you enter any category, you will see books sorted by the popularity. On the top, you will see free books offered by contemporary authors.

Many classic titles from the public domain are also included in the BookRix directory of free ebooks. You will find them in the Fiction category.

When you find the book you want to read, click on its cover or title to enter the book details page. To open an online viewer, look for the “Read Book” button located next to the cover.

8. Authorama

If you are looking for a site that loads quickly even when you have a slow connection speed, you should visit Authorama.

Created and maintained by Philipp Lenssen, this dead-simple website includes several dozen popular books from Project Gutenberg. You can find here books by Mary Shelley, Francis Bacon, Charles Dickens, Jerome K. Jerome (yes, Three Men in a Boat !), or Robert Louis Stevenson.

The front page is at the same time a simple table of content, sorted by the name of an author.

Clicking on a book title link will open a simple html viewer. The content of each book is divided into several parts to let data load as quickly as possible.

This site can be viewed also in a browser on a mobile phone.

9. Bookboon

Bookboon is an online platform focused on providing free and paid textbooks for students and businesses.

The site offers textbooks written by professors from the world’s top universities. There are over 1,000 books that are free to download, but to do that, you have to sign up. When you visor the site for the first time, choose “Sign up for free eBooks.” You can use your Google, Facebook, Linkedin credentials to quickly access the catalog of books.

You can find on Bookboon several interesting books from the following categories: engineering, IT & programming, economics & finance, career & study advice, marketing, strategy & management, or languages.

Each book can be downloaded in pdf format, but you can also open an online reading interface by clicking “Start Reading” button.

If you are a free member, you will see ads in the content of the books you read. The company claims ads take no more than 15% of the content.

It’s worth highlighting that Bookboon has the nicest online reading interface. It’s clean, very well designed, and uses 100% of the web browser window without switching to full-screen mode.

10. Wattpad

Wattpad is one of the most popular e-reading websites in the world. It connects over 80 million readers-writers who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories published directly on the platform.

The site offers and promotes paid stories, but a vast majority of content is free to enjoy – but only for registered users, so you have to sign up to get access.

Use the “Browse” tab next to the logo on the left to find favorite genres. You can choose from adventure, fan fiction, LGBT+, new adult, romance, short stories, urban, or werewolf.

After you select the book from a list of results and click on its cover, a pop-up window will appear. Click on an orange button saying “Read” to start enjoying the story.

Please note that the site is ad supported and the reading interface also displays ads.

11. Library of Congress

Did you know you can read the world’s beloved children’s classics on the Library of Congress website?

The digital collection Classic Books includes “only” about 60 titles, but they are the ones you can’t find anywhere else.

This catalog looks like a great idea to spend some time with your kids reading together the books in their original look and feel. The books are scanned and digitized beautifully and the interface looks gorgeous!

To start reading, simply click on a link “Read This Book Now” that’s located next to the book’s cover.

What would you like to start with? How about Humpty Dumpty , with extraordinary illustrations by W. W. Denslow? Or the original edition of The Jungle Book ? You can read Peter Rabbit , The Rocket Book by Peter Newell, or one of the best stories from Hans Christian Andersen – The Snow Queen . Enjoy!

12. HathiTrust Library

HathiTrust Library is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from academic and research libraries, aggregating millions of books and texts from Google Books, Internet Archive or Library of Congress.

HathiTrust is like Google Books but much more user friendly. The front page includes a search box with advanced options. Make sure to check “Full-text” and “Full view only” options to see only the books that are ready to be opened in an online reading interface.

A surprisingly enjoyable way of exploring available books is to use Collections (you can choose this option in the top navigation bar).

When you find the book you want to read, simply click on the “Full View” link and the viewer will open immediately. You can dismiss the left sidebar to enter the full-screen mode. If you don’t see the “Full View” link, it means the book is not available for online reading.

Keep exploring. Here are other popular lists for book lovers:

• Free ebooks for Christmas 2023: here are the top 20 downloads Just like a year ago, we are presenting the list of ebooks that were most downloaded from Project Gutenberg in […]
• 12 best personalized gifts for librarians and library supporters These library-themed gifts are extremely easy to personalize. All you have to do is add your own text!
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4 responses to “12 sites where you can read full books online”

[…] have a detailed list of sites where you can read ebooks online – why not exploring it right […]

[…] Before ordering a hard copy, first, try to find an online textbook. You can use various websites or just conduct your research using Google (remember to type a format, like epub, pdf, txt, mobi). You can also find and read the books online. […]

Please check out Century Past Free Online Library. An easy way to find exactly what you want from the free 3.6 million book online library at Internet Archive. Plus we have 500 free magazines.

centurypast.org

[…] Whenever you need to buy a textbook, try to find it online first. You can use various websites or just conduct your research using Google (remember to type a format, like epub, pdf, txt, mobi). You can also use .html or .htm to find and read books online. […]

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The 6 best places to find free books online:

Project gutenberg, open library, digital public library, the 6 best places to find free books online in 2021.

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

• It's great to support authors by directly buying books, but cost shouldn't be a barrier to reading.
• You can read thousands of free books online using everything from Libby to Project Gutenberg .
• You can read more about Insider's Education and Personal Development section here .

It's great to support authors by directly buying their books. But if buying every exciting bestseller isn't realistic for you, many authors are the first to say that cost should never be the reason you miss out on great books.

—Ashley C. Ford (@iSmashFizzle) June 15, 2021

Public libraries have existed to increase accessibility to knowledge and benefit the public since the 18th century (though this last year forced closures across the nation ). Luckily, you can find the same books for free online (and even browse your local library's shelves via apps) if you know where to look.  

Below, you'll find six places where you can read free books online, from Project Gutenberg and thousands of books in the public domain (which tend to be classics) to digitized open libraries where you can borrow and download books for free. 

And if a book sparks a new interest, you can also find free online courses from some of the best universities in the world, too. 

Read for free on Libby

Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and more from your local public library for free. You can download them for offline reading via the app . 

All you need is a library card, which you can potentially sign up for in the app itself , depending on the library. 

What to read:

Note: select your local library to see custom search results

• " Where the Crawdads Sing " by Delia Owens
• " Becoming " by Michelle Obama
• " Educated " by Tara Westover
• " Little Fires Everywhere " by Celeste Ng

Read for free on Project Gutenberg

Choose from reportedly more than 60,000 free ebooks , especially older classics for which US copyright has expired. 

There's no fee or registration required, so you don't need an ID or library card to access these.

• " Pride and Prejudice " by Jane Austen
• " Frankenstein " by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
• " Alice's Adventures in Wonderland " by Lewis Carroll
• " Moby Dick " by Herman Melville

Read for free on Overdrive

Overdrive hosts millions of books and audiobooks online for free (and owns apps Libby and Sora ). You can find everything from "The New York Times" bestsellers to children's books . 

As with Libby and other library apps, you'll need a library card to access the books.

• " The Four Winds " by Kristin Hannah
• " The Rose Code " by Kate Quinn
• " The Sanatorium " by Sarah Pearse
• " Klara and the Sun " by Kazuo Ishiguro
• " A Court of Silver Flames " by Sarah J. Maas

Read for free on Open Library

Open Library's eBook lending library gives you access to millions of books through the Internet Archive , an American digital library and preservation project that has been the subject of some controversy . 

Unlike other sites, you'll be flipping through images of a book that's been digitized rather than downloading a PDF. 

You can register with an email address, and you won't need an ID or library card to use it. 

• " The Four Agreements " by Don Miguel Ruiz
• " Snow Falling on Cedars " by David Guterson
• " The Lord of the Rings " by J.R.R. Tolkien
• " Pale Blue Dot " by Carl Sagan

Listen for free on LibriVox

Listen to free public domain audiobooks read by volunteers from around the world. Audiobooks range from historical fiction to children's action and adventure .

LibriVox's collection is also included in the Internet Archive . 

What to listen to:

• " Anna Karenina " by Leo Tolstoy 
• " Wuthering Heights " by Emily Brontë 
• " Adventures of Huckleberry Finn " by Mark Twain
• ​​" The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes " by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Read for free through the Digital Public Library

Download free ebooks within the public domain without creating an account.

You can search the Digital Public Library site by title, or scroll through collections that range from textbooks , children's books , young adult titles, language-specific books , works most recently added to the public domain, and editor picks .

• " Monah Loves the Market " by Nathalie Aigil
• " Japanese Fairy Tales " by Yei Theodora Ozaki
• " Romeo and Juliet " by William Shakespeare
• " Meditations " by Marcus Aurelius
• " Introductory Statistics " by Senior Contributing Authors

While you'll find the best combination of title choices and helpful or unique features above, you can also find free books through Wikisource (a now inactive catalog of texts ranging from " The Art of War " to " Sherlock Holmes "), and some on Amazon through Kindle's free popular classics.

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• Editor's Choice: Back-to-School Tech Gifts
• Get These 12 Student Discounts!

17 Great Sites to Download Free Books in 2024

Love to read? Open Library, ManyBooks, and Librivox are just a few of the many places to find free books online

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Free books on nearly any subject you can think of are all over the internet, ready to be downloaded, read, and shared. These are our favorite sites with free books covering a wide variety of subjects.

A huge quantity of books previously unavailable to the public was released starting in 2019 thanks to the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998. Because of an amendment to that act, works published between 1923 and 1977 can enter the public domain 95 years after their creation. Many of the sites listed below give access to the tens of thousands of books (plus movies, songs, and cartoons) available under this act. Downloads should be free and without retribution under U.S. copyright law.

Project Gutenberg

Over 70,000 titles.

Wide variety of formats.

Top 100 list aids discoverability.

Majority of books are in English only.

Books may not be free outside the U.S.

Project Gutenberg   is one of the largest and oldest sources for free books on the web, with over 70,000 downloadable titles available in a wide variety of formats. The vast majority are released in English, but there are other languages available.

If you already know what you're looking for, search the database by author name, title, language, or subject. You can also check out the top 100 list to see what other people are downloading .

Selection includes more than just classics and Creative Commons books.

Great categorization makes finding what you love easier.

Variety of download formats.

A few areas of the site hardly ever receive updates.

Some books do cost money.

ManyBooks is one of the best resources on the web for free books in a variety of download formats. There are hundreds of titles here in all sorts of interesting genres, and they're completely free. Not all the books are classics, so if you're into other genres, this site is a good alternative to others in this list.

Unlike some sites, this one lets you browse free books by language. You can also search by author and genre. The ManyBooks Articles page is another handy way to browse their collection, with articles such as "Books Like A Match Made in Venice" and reviews.

Downloading books requires a free user account unless there's a link to Amazon, in which case you can grab it with your Amazon account. There are often several download options, like EPUB, PDF, AZW3, and FB2. They're also readable online through the site's built-in book reader.

Open Library

Good alternative if Internet Archive is too confusing.

Multiple formats available.

Just pulls results from Internet Archive.

Some books can only be borrowed.

Open Library is a search tool that pulls data from Internet Archive. You might use it if that site (listed above) isn't helping you find the right book. You can search hundreds of thousands of books here, and most are in multiple formats such as PDF, ePub, and Daisy.

I particularly like the Library Explorer section because it feels like I'm looking through real bookshelves!

You can search for ebooks specifically by checking the Ebooks option after running a search.

Free audiobooks.

Audiobooks are available in multiple languages.

Large collection of children's audiobooks.

Books are read by volunteers, which means performances can be hit or miss.

Many listed authors have zero books available.

If you've been looking for a great place to find free audiobooks , visiting Librivox is a good start. The site has many volunteers who work to release quality recordings of classic books. All the titles here are free, which is good news for those of us who've had to pony up ridiculously high fees for substandard audiobooks.

I like to use the New Releases RSS feed with a feed reader service to stay on top of new additions.

Google Play Books

Saves books in your online account.

Read from the website or the mobile app.

Requires a Google account.

If you like to read ebooks through Google Books, you'll be pleased to know that there's a full page of just free titles.

Google lists the top several dozen free books available on Google Play through the link below. There are history and religious books as well as titles in categories like Fantasy and Health, mind & body .

Books you "download" through this site appear in your Google Play Books account , where they're readable online, through the mobile app, and offline if you decide to export the book to a file.

Internet Archive

Books across a wide variety of interests.

You can sort by view count or popularity.

Several downloading options.

It can be difficult finding exactly what you want from numerous search results.

Site can be slow to respond.

Internet Archive has a digital library full of fiction, popular books, children's books, historical texts, and academic books. The free books on this site span every possible interest.

You can sort these books by view count to see the most popular ones and sort by title or date published. Another way I like to scour the millions of books on this site is through collections such as California Digital Library , Getty Research Institute , and Boston Public Library .

There are usually several download options if you don't want to read the book online, such as PDF, EPUB, and Kindle.

Easily readable format.

You can read right in the browser.

No account necessary.

Bare bones website.

Lacks books in foreign languages (except some German).

Lacks advanced search features.

Authorama offers a good selection of current and classic books from a variety of authors. They're organized alphabetically by the author’s last name and are written in HTML and XHTML, which means they're in an easily readable format. Most books here are featured in English, but there are quite a few German language texts as well.

This site offers a good selection of high-quality, free books you can read in your browser. These are in the public domain, which means they're freely accessible and allowed to be distributed. In other words, you don't need to worry if you're looking at something illegal.

The website is really simple to use, maybe too simple. The search box is basic and the only other way to find books is by scrolling through the author list. But, you don't need a user account to read these titles online, and they're all formatted nicely.

Hundreds of thousands of pieces of content available to read.

Audio available for certain texts.

User-submitted content could vary in quality.

Technically, there are no books on this site.

Wikisource is an online library of user-submitted and maintained content. While you won't technically find books on this site, there are still hundreds of thousands of pieces of content available to read, and some are in ebook form.

Wikisource:Index is a good place to start.

Wikijunior offers books for children 12 and under.

Offers community features like a forum.

Mostly just textbooks.

Small collection.

Not all of the books are completed.

​Wikibooks   is an open collection of mostly textbooks. Subjects range from computer and engineering to science, humanities, languages, and more. Every book has a list of contents and other information to give you a solid idea of what it's about.

The Featured Books and Stacks/Departments pages are good places to start if you're not sure what to browse for.

Free-eBooks.net

Diverse selection.

Also offers audiobooks.

Large number of categories.

You can only download five free books a month.

Free-eBooks.net offers a wonderfully diverse variety of free books, ranging from fiction and non-fiction to textbooks, academic text, classics, and more. Some of the subcategories include advertising, parenting, humor, science, engineering, self-teaching, sci-fi classics, and poems.

You have to register for a free user account to use this site, but only five books are free, so choose wisely.

The Online Books Page

Boasts over three million books.

Dozens of different formats.

Offers partial searches.

Updates often.

Extremely basic site.

Links to downloads on other websites.

The Online Books Page, maintained by the University of Pennsylvania, lists over three million free books available for download in dozens of different formats. The site itself is pretty boring, but the long list of titles might make you a repeat visitor.

You can browse these free book downloads by new listings, author, title, subject, or serial. There's also a search tool where you can find books by running a partial author or title search.

Hundreds of free books.

Download or view online in your browser.

Must go through a "checkout" process even though they're free.

Some books need special software for offline reading.

eBooks.com has a couple of ways to find free books. Use the link below to access a list of a few hundred completely free eBooks that you can read online or download as an ACSM file —those are DRM-protected files that work with Adobe Digital Editions (directions are available on the download page).

The other way is to browse their DRM-free eBooks . Some of these aren't free to download, but the ones that are can be saved and opened like any EPUB file.

You can filter these books by subject, like computers or religion, or by a number of fiction and non-fiction subcategories. There's also a format (PDF or EPUB), release date, and language filter.

International Children's Digital Library

Large collection of international children's books.

Interesting ways to browse the titles.

The books are actually just images of scanned pages.

Some pages are too large to read comfortably.

Browse over 4,000 high-quality free books for children at International Children's Digital Library (ICDL). These are scans of physical books, so each page is a separate image you can scroll through and read.

On the home page are helpful links so you can browse the library by language, character, shape, format, genre, and more.

Offers a wide range of reading materials, including sheet music and magazines.

One of the internet's largest sources of published content.

Mobile app available.

Free only for 30 days.

Costs $11.99/month.

Everand (previously Scribd) offers a fascinating collection of all kinds of reading materials: books, audiobooks, documents, sheet music, magazines, and more. This is one of the web’s largest sources of published content, with literally millions of documents published every month and organized by category.

However, the site is only free for 30 days. Unlike other sites on this list, you have to pay every month after the trial to continue using it. The membership grants you access to the site's entire database.

Free Computer Books

Extensive collection of computer books.

Includes lecture notes.

Dated site design.

Everything on the site is just hyperlinks to other sites.

Lacks file format variety.

Every computer subject and programming language you can think of is represented at Free Computer Books. There are free textbooks, extensive lecture notes, and more.

Some of the genres include computer and programming languages, computer science, data science, computer engineering, Java, and networking and communications. There are also many subgenres, giving you an easy way to find the book you're after.

Buy and sell your books at the best price

20 best places to find free books online.

When you’re as big of a bookworm as we are, you know that reading can quickly become an expensive hobby . Buying a new book every time you’re ready for a new tale is not financially sustainable, especially if you prefer hardbacks. Even second-hand books can become a strain on your wallet and cost you a pretty penny. And it’s absolutely obvious that people strive to find reliable ways to reduce costs at least to certain extent. Some of the great solutions here can become scholarships for books and sites with free books .

Though libraries are a great alternative to buying books, it is too easy to rack up late fees, especially if you like to spend more than a few weeks with a novel. Additionally, many libraries don’t have a very large catalogue of e-books, typically restricted to just the classics or what they already have on their shelves.

What many people don’t know is that there are an innumerable number of resources offering readers free books online . While you may not be able to hold them in your hand, readers are able to have access to hundreds of thousands (or more!) books and stories online, all for the low, low price of free.

These websites offer everything from the classics, comic books, young adult, kit lit, to fanfiction, and everything in between. Check out our list below to see the 20 best places to find free books online .

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is one of the most well-known names in the free, online reading community. Powered exclusively by volunteers who digitize, proofread, and classify each piece, Project Gutenberg offers readers a large library with over 60,000 free ebooks that can be downloaded or read online. The organization focuses on older works that are now in the public domain, meaning that you can find the classics and other older novels with just a click of a button. Project Gutenberg is completely free and requires no registration, but because it is run by volunteers, you are more than welcome to donate to their cause or volunteer yourself.

Overdrive is a website that works hand-in-hand with your local library, allowing you to digitally “borrow” ebooks and audiobooks. When you sign up for Overdrive using your library card , you will have access to all the electronic titles in your library’s digital collection. This isn’t just for public libraries, as many school and university libraries also use Overdrive. Additionally, you can download their Libby app , which makes it easy to download and read while on the go.

Digital Public Library of America

The Digital Public Library of America, or DPLA, lets you read and download ebooks that are within the public domain. They have a large number of titles in nearly every genre, but many of them are older due to the longevity of copyright laws. One interesting thing about the Digital Public Library of America is that they also offer different types of political readings , such as recent impeachment papers and the Mueller report.

International Children’s Digital Library

The International Children’s Digital Library, or ICDL, is a great place to find free children’s literature . The IDCL is a non-profit organization that is more than just a digital library, as the organization’s mission is to “promote tolerance and a respect for diverse cultures by providing access to the best of children’s literature from around the globe.” If you’re looking for high-quality children’s books and stories that can expand a child’s worldview, look no further than the ICDL.

Goodreads Free Shelves

While most of us may know Goodreads as the bookworm’s social media site , the organization also has a great selection of ebooks available to the public for free. They have much more than just the classics, featuring modern titles from a plethora of genres that can be downloaded or read online for free. Unfortunately, not all of their titles are complete, as some of their ebooks only offer a free excerpt, which means you may end up shelling out some cash if you are hooked after a few pages.

Open Library

Falling under the Internet Archive umbrella, Open Library boasts a whopping 1.7 million ebooks available for its users. Their free ebooks can either be read online or borrowed from their eBook lending library, which features more contemporary titles than the ones that can be solely read online. Open Library is a great resource for students, as they also have a large catalogue of textbooks available for free — a huge bonus considering that textbooks are often egregiously expensive (and college students are usually broke).

Open Culture

Open Culture is a huge database with a number of different types of media. In addition to offering 800 free ebooks, the site also features 1,700 free online courses, 1,150 free movies, 1,000 free audiobooks , and more. Most of their ebooks are works that are now in the public domain, so you can expect to read lots of the classics. You don’t just have to read Open Culture’s selection on your browser alone, either, as they are available for download on nearly any device.

Internet Sacred Text Archive

The Internet Sacred Text Archive, or ISTA, is the best place to find free ebooks and other resources about religion, mythology, folkloke, and the esoteric . Their mission is to raise awareness and promote religious tolerance and diversity, and ISTA places an emphasis on scholarship and encourages its visitors to learn more about the world’s religions. ISTA is a must-stop internet destination for any readers who may be interested in theology.

Library of Congress

LibriVox is a heaven sent resource for audiobook fans ! They offer over 16,000 audiobooks , read by volunteers from all across the world. These audiobooks are all works that are in the public domain, but still have a wide range of genres and topics. Additionally, LibriVox’s entire catalogue is a part of the Internet Archive umbrella.

Wattpad is an amazing resource for both readers and writers, as it serves as a place for aspiring writers to publish their works for an established audience. Though Wattpad may be best known for its fanfiction, there are works from every genre that are available to read for free.

ManyBooks has — just like it sounds — a huge catalogue of books, clocking in at more than 500,000 ebooks available to read online for the low, low price of free. You do not even have to create an account to access these books, and can be downloaded and read on a number of different devices.

Read Print gives its users access to thousands of free books online from their website, but also serves as a community of readers, with recommendations, forums, groups, and online book clubs. Better yet, their interface uses a digital bookshelf you can use to organize books you have read and still want to read.

Like Wikipedia, Wikisource is one of the best websites to fall down an internet rabbit hole. It is a free, online library with over 528,464 English texts (with more being added every day!) that include classic novels, diary entries, historical letters, and more.

Amazon Kindle Store

Amazon’s Kindle Store has used the idea of giving away free ebooks to its customers as a way to boost sales and audience interaction. This is great for readers, because the Kindle Store offers over 80,000 completely free titles available for download, even ranking them by popularity so you don’t have to sift through hundreds of pages of results.

Free Booksy

Just like their name suggests, Free Booksy is a website that is focused on being a resource for 100% free books for its users. Not only does Free Booksy have its own collection, the organization also searches the internet to find free offerings from publishers, letting the readers know which and when ebooks are available.

Reedsy Discovery

Reedsy Discovery is one of the most unique websites on this list, because not only does it allow you to read books for free, but you can also directly support authors . First, you will need to apply to become a Reedsy Discovery reviewer, and when you are selected, authors will provide their books for free in exchange for a review, which can potentially help make the book become more popular.

Harlequin Online Reads

If you (or a mature woman in your life) are a fan of romance novels, you’re likely no stranger to Harlequin, one of the most prominent publishers in the romance genre . In addition to publishing a number of titles featuring depictions of Fabio-esque heartthrobs, Harlequin also has a huge online catalogue of serialized tales from some of their most popular authors throughout the years available to read for free.

Long gone are the days of all too frequent, wallet-draining trips to Barnes & Noble or the walk of shame to the circulation desk at your local library to pay a twenty dollar library fine. Thanks to the internet, book-loving volunteers, and authors and publishers looking to promote their novels, contemporary readers have access to more literature than ever thought possible.  

What are you waiting for? Check out one of the 20 best places to find free books online and get to turning those digital pages!

Julienne Nova

Jules is a published writer with a love of copy editing. She knows how to write polished prose, add pizzazz, and place an Oxford comma. Additionally, she has worked professionally as a writer, social media marketer, and an online content creator.

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The Best Places to Read Free Books Online in 2024

Free books for the masses..

With so many books in the world, reading can be an endlessly expensive hobby. But thanks to the internet and the magic of libraries, there are a ton of ways to read your favorite books for free, from beloved series like A Song of Ice and Fire , The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games , and Dune to new fiction, literary classics, and nonfiction titles.

If one of your goals for 2024 is to read more, or if you’re simply looking to sustain your love of reading in a cost-effective way, we're here to help you navigate the best ways to read books without spending a penny.

This premier library app is available from the Apple App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon Appstore. Millions of books are available for free on Libby, so long as you have a library card. (If you don't have one yet, go sign up now!)

Once you sync your card up to Libby, you'll gain access to your library system's digital catalog. The offerings can vary from county to county and town to town. For example, the Los Angeles Public Library offers a different collection from the Long Beach Public Library, even though both are situated within Los Angeles County.

Savvy users can collect numerous library cards to unlock the full borrowing power of Libby , as copies of digital books are limited. That means you may need to place holds for popular titles like “Spare” by Prince Harry, “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus, and “I'm Glad My Mom Died” by Jeannette McCurdy. Pro tip: You can adjust the length of your borrows in the app, so make sure to check the Libby settings to match the pace of your reading. The app also offers shorter seven-day loans on hot books with no wait.

You're unlikely to find the breadth of any of the library apps on Amazon, but you can still find tons of free books to read on the all-encompassing online marketplace. The most popular genres within the free offerings on Amazon are thrillers and romances, with the former including titles like C.M Sutter's “Run For Your Life,” Tess Stimson's “The New House,” “The Wife” by ML Roberts, and “Her Deadly End” by Tikiri Heath. Though most of these are small-press or self-published titles, some have large followings and often thousands of reviews, so there is evidently a wide range of people enjoying these books via Amazon.

Kindle Unlimited

A different kind of reading and borrowing experience from Libby, Hoopla is another massive collection accessed via your library card. However, content on Hoopla isn't beholden to traditional library issues like limited copies or placing holds. If you see it on Hoopla, you can read it right now — as long as you have the credits, that is. Although copies aren't limited, the amount of borrows you get a month is set by your library system. Some may offer 15, while others might only give you 10. It depends on how generous and well-funded your library is.

Hoopla's selection has a great deal of crossover with Libby, but it tends to change more frequently compared to the fixed digital collection of its competitor. It also differs in its larger media offerings, as Hoopla specializes in comics, movies, audiobooks, and more. But never fear, dear readers! At the time of writing, books like Michael Crichton's “Zero Cool,” Shelby Van Pelt's “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” and Karin Slaughter's “Pretty Girls” are just a click away from borrowing.

Google Books

Google Books has an unbelievable 10 million books free for users to download. But seeing as they're all public-domain or copyright-free works, you'll mostly find classic literature here (which includes some of the best-selling books of all time). Some of the famous authors you can read for free include Poet Laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson, Peter Rabbit creator Beatrix Potter, abolitionist Frederick Douglass, science fiction trailblazer and Frankenstein creator Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, and famed adventure author Robert Louis Stevenson. This is a great resource for students and those who want to dive into the complete works of writers like Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, Charlotte Bronte, H. G. Wells, and many, many more.

If you're looking for a more curated version of what Google Books has to offer, read.gov is a great place to look. As part of the online arm of the Library of Congress, Read.gov has a ton of really interesting books, as well as many out-of-license titles. Some of the featured books include Edgar Rice Burroughs' first John Carter novel “A Princess of Mars," Lewis Carol's “Alice in Wonderland,” Bram Stoker's “Dracula,” “Moby Dick,” and more. One of the coolest parts of its collection is the wide variety of fairytales and fables, from Brothers Grimm to Aesop. There are also a ton of useful autobiographical works, scanned newspaper articles, and curated collections of ephemera that are intriguing to explore.

If you're a fan of fantasy, thrillers, or romance, Kobo will likely have some free books you'll enjoy. The Kobo app encompasses six million books. Only 100 or so titles are free, though many only cost a couple of dollars. Some of their most popular free book offerings include the fantasy epic “Eurydice Otherwise” by J.M. Ney-Grimm, the regency romance “Too Wicked to Kiss” by Erica Ridley, the cozy murder mystery “In for a Penny” by Kelsey Browning, and the thriller “Murder on the Mind” by L.L Bartlett. Though these aren't the biggest authors or instantly recognizable titles, there are a swath of free books that may lead you toward your next favorite author.

Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more. Rosie is a published comics author who has written titles including Godzilla Rivals vs. Battra and The Haunted High-Tops. She co-hosts the weekly Crooked Media pop-culture podcast X-Ray Vision. When she's not writing, you can find her playing Dragon Ball FighterZ or rewatching weird old horror and martial movies in her free time. She loves making comics and zines as well as collecting VHS and reading as much manga as humanly possible. You can find her on social at @rosiemarx.

20 Great Book Websites for Finding What to Read Next

I’m writing this list of the best websites about books for me five years ago. Back then I was deep in the beginning of learning about book world and would have welcomed a list of the great book websites to help me learn what to read next. Getting to know the publishing industry is a lifelong process of book discovery, and the Internet makes the literary community more accessible and inclusive than ever. These 20 book websites (plus a few extra way down at the end) are the places I go to find out about new books being published, to deepen my understanding of literature and reading, to get book recommendations, to grapple with critical book reviews, and more. I hope you’ll find your next favorite book through this list of great book websites to grow as a reader.

20 Best Book Websites for Book Recommendations, Lists, and More

(1) amazon book review.

Love it or hate it, but Amazon is a quality place to go to find out about new books. The Omnivoracious Amazon Book Review is a flagship for good book content, with recommendations from celebrities and other notable readers being a unique feature. I love the author interviews they have on their site, with writers like George R. R. Martin , Holly Black , and Charlie Jane Anders recently stopping by for a chat, often on the podcast. Amazon’s Best Books of the Month list is one I check religiously for new books to add to my TBR. They often surprise me with little-known reads I wouldn’t otherwise have on my radar (even if I think they make YA an afterthought), which is why I rate them highly for “new book discovery,” meaning a place where you can learn about books to read.

Strengths: Author interviews, previews of new releases, lists of recent award winners, podcast, new book discovery

(2) Book Bub

When Book Bub first came on the scene about five years ago, I signed up for their signature daily newsletter with hot deals on eBooks. I scored a lot of great books to load up my Kindle, but I didn’t really follow the site for a few years as I wasn’t reading too much on my eReader. Now they’re everywhere, moving beyond the email list to create original bookish content. It’s now totally expected to have one of their many comprehensive book lists pop up in a search for new books. The only downside that I see is that now you have to have an account to view their book lists or other blog content . I do like how they track book recommendations from authors like Stephen King, Jill Shalvis, and Nora Roberts.

Strengths: Book list articles, book recommendations, eBook deals, new book discovery

(3) Book Marks

One of the sites associated with Literary Hub or “Lit Hub,” which I write up as #12 below, Book Marks is the place to go if you want to find book reviews of the latest big books. Book Marks’ specialty is aggregating adult literary fiction and nonfiction book reviews and then assigning them a score card so you can see how many reviewers gave the book a Rave, Positive, Mixed, or Pan. Without a doubt, if you want to find out the critical consensus on a book before buying it or checking it out of the library, Book Marks should be your first stop. I also like how the site regularly interviews book critics to ask them more about their bookish lives. The site also reprints classic book reviews.

Strengths: Book reviews, coverage of new books, literary criticism, book news, essays

(4) Book Riot

Sure, I might be a little biased to include Book Riot in my list of the best book websites since I write for them , but the fact is, Book Riot is one of the leading destinations on the web for book lovers and certainly one of the top best sites for new books. Book Riot’s got all areas of the reading life covered and does an especially good job at highlighting diverse authors, featuring all genres, and amplifying thoughtful and at times controversial opinions about books, publishing, and reading. The annual Read Harder Challenge pushes readers beyond their comfort zone with categories like “A book by an AOC (Author of Color) set in or about space” and “A novel by a trans or nonbinary author,” and a thriving community of challenge takers trade book recommendations and ideas. Book Riot’s many book podcasts are also must-listens for readers wanting to learn about new books and what to read next.

Strengths: Diversity, essays, book list articles, all-genre coverage, podcasts, book news, reading challenge, new book discovery

(5) Brain Pickings

Looking for engrossing essays about books that will push you emotionally and intellectually? You’ll definitely want to stop by Brain Pickings, the literary love child of Maria Popova, a blogger who decided to create an “inventory of the meaningful life” more than a decade ago and share it with other readers. Popova’s one-woman show is an intensely personal exploration of art and ideas, with coverage of children’s literature alongside philosophy, literary fiction, and creativity. Sign up for her newsletters to get a hit of thought-provoking writing a few times a week, guaranteed to break up your mundane day. Popova is author of two books: Figuring (2019), which highlights the hidden legacy of influential female thinkers, scientists, and creators, and A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader (2018), a book for younger readers that collects essays about reading from leading creative thinkers like Neil Gaiman, Shonda Rhimes, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Elizabeth Gilbert.

Strengths: Literary criticism, essays, backlist coverage, newsletter

(6) Bustle Books

The website Bustle is designed for the modern woman, and the ample literary coverage on their standout Bustle Books channel reflects that. Here readers will find profiles and interviews with female authors, lists that focus on feminism, and personal essays that explore the experience of being a female reader in today’s world. Bustle Books is known for provocative articles challenging the publishing world to be more diverse and more female inclusive. You’ll also find fun articles, too, about books, TV and film adaptations, and books in pop culture.

Strengths: Feminism, diversity, essays, book list articles, all-genre coverage, new book discovery

(7) CrimeReads

Like Book Marks, CrimeReads is a branch of Literary Hub (discussed in #12 below). This book website has a niche focus on “crime” in literature: through true crime, mysteries, thrillers, fiction about crimes in general. On CrimeReads, you’ll find essays about writing and reading crime fiction, appreciation of and interviews with crime fiction authors both well known and underrated, reading lists for crime fiction and nonfiction, and coverage of crime in TV, movies, and other media. CrimeReads also has essays and original reporting on true crime. If you’re a mystery and thriller lover, appreciate a good courtroom novel, or just love reading about true crimes stories, you’ll definitely want to head over to CrimeReads and marathon read their quality content.

Strengths: Mystery/thriller/suspense, true crime, nonfiction, the writing life, book list articles, essays, literary criticism, new book discovery

(8) Electric Literature

With its signature tagline of “Reading Into Everything,” Electric Literature hosts an eclectic mix of bookish coverage, ranging from highbrow literary criticism to horoscopes for writers and everything in between. A hallmark of Electric Literature is a focus on reading more diversely, and a regular feature called Read More Women asks writers to recommend books by women (a response to male authors who only recommend books by fellow male authors). One thing I love about Electric Literature is how often they touch on writing and the life of being a storyteller. (I’m a bit biased because I’ve written for Electric Literature and consider it one of my proudest accomplishments to have my writing on there.) Electric Literature also publishes original fiction in its literary magazine , so keep your eyes peeled for some of today’s best authors and new and emerging voices alike converging there.

Strengths: Literary criticism, diversity, essays, author interviews, the writing life, all-genre coverage, book news, book list articles, new book discovery

(9) Epic Reads

Oh, Epic Reads: what started as an arm of HarperCollins publishing house has turned into the go-to destination for YA book fans. Readers of young adult literature love Epic Reads for the humorous tone, creative article ideas (bookish horoscopes, fan reactions to plot twists, book title or song lyric? challenges, etc.), addictive quizzes, and, of course, the many TBR-exploding lists. You’ll also find book trailers, cover reveals, and details on the latest books and tour dates for YA authors. Even though Epic Reads is part of HarperCollins, they don’t only put the spotlight on books through their publishing house. Epic Reads is simply and purely about celebrating YA literature, no matter whose imprint is stamped on the book jacket. So often YA can be a heavy genre, with books tackling serious themes, but Epic Reads always reminds me that reading ( and YA) can and should be fun, too.

Strengths: Young Adult (YA) books, quizzes, book list articles, new book discovery

(10) Five Books

Five Books has a niche formula and does it well: a list of five great book recommendations. This powerhouse book website solicits a fascinating mix of today’s most interesting, creative, and thoughtful “Experts” —like Mary Beard , Madhur Jaffrey , Mia Farrow , and Jo Nesbø —to offer five book recommendations on a specific topic, such as “The Best Prose Poetry,” “Congress,” and “Zombies.” An additional nice feature of Five Books is the ability to make your own lists and share your expertise. The site lives up to its tagline of “The Best Books on Everything” as you’ll find as wide a variety of book lists and book coverage as anywhere on the web.

Strengths: Book list articles, book recommendations, new book discovery

(11) Goodreads

In the 9 years that I’ve been a member of Goodreads, I’ve seen the site change a lot—for the better. Goodreads is perhaps the most essential website for readers as it allows you to track the books you’ve read, want to read, and are reading and add custom shelves to sort books. Connect with other readers in groups and follow authors for updates and exclusive information. The Goodreads lists are a rabbit hole to tumble down and find out more about books. I’ve found that the user-generated reviews have also improved over the last few years, going from one-line snarky hot takes to more thoughtful reviews. Plus they are home of the popular Goodreads Reading Challenge, an annual self-challenge to set a goal of how many books you want to read that year. (I’ve been known to argue against the challenge on this blog and offer alternatives to the Goodreads challenge , yet what can I say… I do it almost every year.) Even the Goodreads blog is getting better at publishing creative articles about the bookish life.

Strengths: Community, reading data tool, book list articles, user-generated reviews, reading challenge

(12) Largehearted Boy

Largehearted Boy is a book and music blog established in 2002 by David Gutowski and an essential corner of the literary internet. Obsessed with best-books-of-the-year lists? Make sure you bookmark Largehearted Boy, which compiles an index of the best-of lists you can peruse till your heart’s desire. Check out last year’s “Online ‘Best Books of 2018’ Book Lists” for a TBR-buckling example. (Full disclosure: I’ve submitted my best-of lists from this blog before and been included.) Also great for book discovery is the weekly “Books of the Week” that Montreal bookstore Drawn & Quarterly hosts on Largehearted Boy. What I love about Largehearted Boy is the thoughtful and honest book reviews, the blending of music and literature with the “Book Notes,” where an author matches a mix tape to their new book. Like Brainpickings, Largehearted Boy traces a very personal experience of inquiry into being a reader, writer, listener, and human being to provoke our own consideration. It’s an honor to share in it.

Strengths: Book list articles, author interviews, essays, book reviews, new book discovery

(13) Literary Hub (a.k.a. “LitHub”)

The parent site of the aforementioned Book Marks and CrimeReads, Literary Hub pumps out new book content for readers on the daily. I also suggest signing up for the LitHub newsletters as they come out each day with a summary of new posts not just on LitHub but elsewhere on the Internet. The weekly edition is a must-read, too, and it’s where I get many of the interesting bookish links I post on the Facebook page for this blog . On LitHub, you’ll find an endless stream of great writing about books, including essays on writing and reading, author interviews, highbrow intellectual literary criticism, book lists, and new fiction. Browsing LitHub is like reading a digital version of a literary magazine (like The New York Review of Books ) that you actually want to read. Unquestionably LitHub’s specialty is literary fiction, though they do also cover various genres, too. However, you likely won’t find much YA and children’s literature coverage on LitHub, excluding when they come up in personal essays about reading or writing kidlit.

Strengths: Literary criticism, literary fiction, nonfiction, essays, book list articles, author interviews, new book discovery, book news

(14) The Millions

Established in 2003, The Millions is one of the oldest book websites around, and over the past 15 plus years it has built up a reputation for being a gathering point for intellectually curious readers. Head over to The Millions if you want to check out the latest buzzy literary releases, hear more from authors about how they conceptualized and wrote their new book, discover the most anticipated books published in the month ahead, and find out what books were nominated for awards. The strength of The Millions is definitely literary fiction and nonfiction. Two of the best recurring features on The Millions are the annual Year in Reading , in which notable creatives and thinkers share a little about their year in reading, and The Millions’ Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half Year 20XX Preview, a TBR-toppling list of the most anticipated books of the year. This list comes out in two parts: January for the First-Half and July for the Second-Half. (Example: here’s the First-Half of 2018 Preview and Second-Half .) You’ll want to comb through these articles with your TBR ready, and you can find all The Millions lists on Goodreads for easy record keeping. I look forward to them every year as traditions, almost holidays, on the bookish calendar.

Strengths: Literary criticism, literary fiction, nonfiction, essays, author interviews, book list articles, previews of new releases, book news

(15) The New Yorker ‘s Books Section

Arguably the best literary magazine in America, The New Yorker is also a flourishing website with tons of great book content, most of it found on The Page-Turner blog . On The New Yorker ‘s Books channel, book reviews, publishing news, essays and articles from the magazine about writing and literature, and New Yorker staff book recommendations. Note that you’ll need a subscription to view more than a few articles a month. I admit I’m a proud subscriber of the magazine; I never recycle the issues, and they take over every corner of the house like an invasive species, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Strengths: Literary criticism, essays, literary fiction, nonfiction, author interviews, book reviews, book recommendations, book news

(16) The New York Times Book Review Online

It would hardly be a list of the best book websites without including The New York Times ‘ Book section. After all, The New York Times Book Review is one of the most prestigious and influential periodicals in publishing, and landing a coveted spot on its bestseller lists is just about every writer’s dream. Fortunately, the Review ‘s virtual presence is a worthy digital companion to the supplement you’ll find in Saturday’s paper. Online, you’ll get the same great book reviews, essays, and humor sketches, plus some podcasts going inside the Book Review and publishing that week that are seriously worth checking out. Every week I look for the New & Noteworthy feature, which highlights new releases you should put on your radar, and the Editors’ Choice: New Books We Recommend This Week, a weekly list that includes extracts from the critics’ reviews that’ll make you want to read these fresh books. One of my favorite recurring series in the Book Review is the By the Book interviews with writers, thinkers, and creatives, which discuss the bookish life and always includes interesting books to add to your TBR. You can find all of these digitized and uploaded weekly .

Strengths: Book reviews, book recommendations, author interviews, literary criticism, book news, podcasts, previews of new releases, new book discovery

(17) NPR Books

National Public Radio (NPR) has always been ear candy for readers, but now you can get all their great book programming online in one spot. The NPR Books site collects all the author interviews, book reviews, and stories about the reading life that you’ll get on the radio. If you’ve ever had the experience I have where you’ve gotta turn off the car in the middle of a story and you don’t have a pen or paper ready to record a book title or author name, they’ve got you covered. Beyond audio programming, NPR Books has a solid stream of book reviews and feature articles about writing and reading with a focus on diverse authors. Breadth and depth of coverage is a signature of NPR, which is why you’ll find articles about children’s books alongside graphic novels and comics and highbrow literary fiction. NPR Books is known for one more thing: the annual end-of-the-year book concierge . This behemoth of a book recommendation machine is a slick book discovery tool to find more than 300 of the best books of the year. Yes, I said 300. I’ve found so many great books this way, ones that were otherwise overlooked in best-of-the-year lists, and the methods to sort by what you’re in the mood for make this giant list manageable, with some seriously high-quality UX. Oh, yeah: you’ll be working through that list for the rest of the upcoming year.

Strengths: Book reviews, diversity, book list articles, author interviews, book news, all-genre coverage, new book discovery

(18) Publishers Weekly

If it’s publishing industry news you want, Publishers Weekly should be your first stop. Publishers Weekly (PW) is packed with insider-y gossip-y content about what’s hitting the shelves now and soon. Writers will want to check out PW’s articles to get an idea of what agents are buying and what trends are moving through books. I also sometimes mine the announcements that publishers make of new and upcoming books to get ready for upcoming releases and add them to my calendar.

Strengths: Book news, publishing industry information, book list articles, previews of new releases, new book discovery

(19) Read Brightly

Kid lit fans, this one is for you. Read Brightly is an online children’s literature website that’s part of Penguin Random House. Read Brightly is an excellent resource for readers of children’s literature and the adults who help children learn to love reading. One great feature of this website is the way each article is broken down by reading levels, a key distinction that takes the guessing game out of trying to connect children to the most age and reading level appropriate books. A flurry of articles celebrate kid lit, with creative and diverse book lists around categories like “Move Over, Rover: 10 Picture Books That Feature Unusual Pets.” Each month, Read Brightly hosts a reading challenge for kids designed to help them stretch themselves and discover new books. Like Epic Reads, this book website is hosted by a publishing house but features books from all parts of the children’s literature publishing world. Read Brightly truly lives up to its motto “Raise Kids Who Love to Read” as that passion for literacy and raising bookworms comes through in every story they write.

Strengths: Children’s literature, Young Adult (YA) literature, book list articles, previews of new releases, reading challenges, all-genre coverage, book discovery

Last but definitely not least, Tor is the go-to destination for science fiction and fantasy readers on the literary web. Tor has long published books, but their online presence takes their mission to highlight great voices in speculative fiction and pushes it further, creating a space for a community of SFF fans to grow and thrive. On Tor, you’ll read honest book reviews that are fair and critical of the books and authors in question, original fiction, lists of books, personal essays, eBook deals, SFF industry news, and coverage of SFF-related media, like Game of Thrones . What I like about this site is the freedom that Tor gives its bloggers and staff writers to really speak their minds about books. You might find articles about super-super niche sub-sub-sub genres you didn’t even know were a thing, but you definitely won’t find BS here. This makes Tor a leading place to go for readers who want to dig into the issues behind books.

Strengths: Science fiction, fantasy, SFF related TV shows and movies, book news, book reviews, essays, book list articles, book discovery

More great book websites

Here are a few other book websites you’ll definitely want to check out but didn’t make the full list (because I ran out of time!): Atlas Obscura’s Books Section , Catapult , The New York Review of Books , and Vox.com’s Books Section .

What are some of your favorite book websites? What did I miss? Leave a comment!

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Sarah S. Davis is the founder of Broke by Books, a blog about her journey as a schizoaffective disorder bipolar type writer and reader. Sarah's writing about books has appeared on Book Riot, Electric Literature, Kirkus Reviews, BookRags, PsychCentral, and more. She has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Library and Information Science from Clarion University, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

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15 of the Best Places To Find Free E-Books

Whether you enjoy romances, thrillers, mysteries or something else entirely, you can find a great selection of free e-books online.

In this article, I’ll take a close look at 15 of the best websites and resources for finding free e-books online. I’ve visited each of the websites listed below and flipped through a few e-books from each to see what the process for each site is like and what’s available for free. 

Where To Find Free E-Books Online

When you start looking for free e-books online, it won’t be long before you start coming across less-than-reputable websites. Some may actually require you to enter payment information while others provide access to pirated content. Still, there are several websites and apps that you can use to download/read e-books legally and free. Among them are Project Gutenberg, Open Library, HooplaDigital and even Amazon. 

If you’re looking for a full list of ways to find free e-books that you’d normally have to pay for, you probably won’t find it on this list. Instead, I’ve compiled 15 completely legal and free ways to find free e-books online. 

Below, you’ll find detailed information on 15 different sites where you can legally read free e-books.  We also have a list of places you can get free audiobooks online .

This article was updated in November 2023 and I review it every 12 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here. 

Loyal Books

Major Genres: Kids, fiction, fantasy, mystery Best For: Classic titles, kids’ books Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), computer (online/download), e-readers (files)

Loyal Books is a great resource for finding both free e-books and free audiobooks . On the website, you can download the file format of your choice (text, EPUB, Kindle and more) or read the e-book directly in your browser. You can also download the Loyal Books app for iOS or Android . It has a rating of 4.4 on the App Store and 4.2 on Google Play. 

When I checked out Loyal Books, I visited the website from my computer. Along the left-hand side of the screen, I was able to browse by popular genres (which includes a Top 100 list), other genres and languages. You can also search by title, author or keyword at the top of the screen. 

After you find a title you’re interested in, you can click on it for more information. You’ll see the original author, a summary of the text, related links, a streaming widget, e-book downloads and audiobook options if available. From there, you can download the e-book text file to your computer, download the appropriate e-reader file or begin reading the book instantly in your browser. 

• You don’t have to create an account to access free content.
• A variety of file formats are available for download.
• You can read reviews from other readers.
• Audiobooks are also available.
• Some e-books aren’t free, but those for sale are separated into their own category.

Project Gutenberg

Major Genres: Classic literature, educational resources Best For: Public domain titles, multiple formats Platforms: App ( Android ), computer (online/download), e-readers (files)

Project Gutenberg was founded in 1971, making it the oldest digital library. The website relies mostly on volunteers to upload digital files including e-books and audiobooks. At the time of writing, there were more than 70,000 free titles available. You don’t even have to create an account to access them. 

When I checked out Project Gutenberg, I visited the website on my computer. You can also download the app on your Android device but there is no displayed app rating at the time of update. Unfortunately, there isn’t a version available for iOS. 

You can search for a specific title using the “quick search” bar at the top of the page. You can also browse available titles by scrolling over “search and browse.” The frequently downloaded section has several top 100 lists, and the bookshelf category is a great way to browse by subject. Once you’ve found a title that interests you, you can click on it to see the available files or read the e-book online.

• Books are available in multiple formats including EPUB files, Kindle files and even audiobooks.
• There isn’t an app for iOS devices.
• The website can be a little intimidating to navigate.

Major Genres: Classic titles, science fiction, short stories Best For: Public domain titles Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), computer (download), e-readers (files)

Feedbooks is a digital library that focuses on both public domain texts and original work. While not all of the titles are available for free, you can click on “Public Domain Books” under “Catalog” to narrow your selection.

The partner app, Aldiko, is available for iOS and Android devices. It has a 3.3 rating on the App Store and a 3.6 rating on Google Play . When I visited the website, I thought it was fairly easy to use despite a couple of misdirected links.

When you find a title that you’re interested in, you can click on it for more information. Or you can just click the “Download” button below the book’s cover on the search page to save the file. All of the books that I downloaded saved as EPUB files, and I wasn’t able to make another format choice. But you can download an EPUB reader app for free. 

• There are thousands of free public domain texts and original titles.
• All of the books download with high-quality typesetting.
• You don’t have to create an account in order to access free content.
• Not all of the e-books are available for free.
• All the books download as EPUB files.
• You can’t read the book in your computer’s browser.

Open Library

Major Genres: Classic books, romance, thrillers, textbooks Best For: Variety, a large collection Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), computer (online/download), e-readers (files)

Open Library is a project hosted by Internet Archive. Its goal is to make all published works available to everyone by collaborating with authors, librarians and people on the web. Open Library works like Wikipedia in the sense that you can edit the records yourself and add files/links to free books and e-books that aren’t listed, which means you’ll find an impressive collection. 

You can visit Open Library online or download the app for your iOS or Android device. Unfortunately, the app has relatively low ratings: 1.4 on the App Store and 3.1 on Google Play. Despite those ratings, I thought the website was relatively easy to use. 

Some books are available to “sponsor” (purchase), but the vast majority of books have a button beneath them that says “read,” “borrow” or “check availability.” Books that have the “read” button can be accessed immediately in your web browser. To access other books, you’ll need to create a free Open Library account. Once you’ve opened the book in the online reader, you can click the download button in the top-right corner to save the PDF or EPUB file to your computer. 

• Books are available to read online, as a PDF or as an EPUB file on an e-reader.
• Users can edit the catalog which keeps information and links up-to-date.
• Several books are available for free without an account.
• You’ll have to create an account to borrow most books.
• These e-books are scanned copies of print books, not typed versions of the text.
• The app versions of Open Library both have low ratings.

Major Genres: Romance, mystery & thriller, science fiction, biographies, action & adventure Best For: Best-selling modern and classic books Platforms: Computer (online/download), e-readers (files)

Manybooks is another great resource for finding free e-books online. While there isn’t currently an app available for iOS or Android devices, the website is really easy to use. Plus, there are a variety of file formats available to download including PDF and e-reader files. 

When you first visit Manybooks, you’ll see a selection of popular genres available to browse. Or you can use the search bar at the top of the screen to look for a specific author, title or keyword. If you aren’t sure what you want to read, I recommend checking out Manybooks’ ultimate guide to the most popular free e-books . There, you’ll find a top-five list for several genres including romance, mystery, science fiction and more. 

Once you’ve found a title you’d like to read, you can click on it for more information including a description, excerpt, publication history and ratings/reviews from other readers. You’ll also see the option to download a free file or to read the book online. No matter which method you choose, you shouldn’t need to create an account.

• You can access free content without having to create an account.
• Books are available in a number of formats including EPUB, PDF, MOBI and more.
• You can read reviews and comments from other readers.
• There isn’t currently an app available for iOS or Android.

Digitalbook

Major Genres: Fiction, classics, history Best For: Finding something new Platforms: Computer (online/download), e-readers (files)

Digitalbook.io is a great resource for finding free e-books, audiobooks and podcasts. While there isn’t currently an available app for either iOS or Android devices, the website is extremely easy to navigate. You can search for a title directly from the homepage, scroll down to see top-rated and trending books or browse by genre. 

When I visited the website, I clicked on the fiction genre to begin exploring. Along the top of the screen, I was able to narrow my search results by format (e-book or audiobook), author, sub-genre and more. 

Once you find a book you’d like to read, you can click on the title or the “Free eBook” button on the right-hand side of the screen. From there, you’ll see the download options (Kindle, EPUB, Text, etc.) as well as the “Read Now” button that will open the text in your browser. Note that some files are available only from third-party providers (like Gutenberg or LibriVox), but you’ll still be able to download them on Digitalbook.io.

• You don’t have to create an account.
• You can read e-books online or download a variety of files for your computer/e-reader.
• It’s easy to narrow your search results to find what you need.
• Some titles may be available only as audiobooks.

Major Genres: Romance, Fantasy Best For: Discounted books, variety Platforms: App ( iOS ), computer (online/download), e-readers (files)

BookBub is a little different from other resources on this list because it simply compiles links to e-books that are free for only a limited time period. You’ll see free e-books from Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple Books, Google Play and Kobo. 

If you visit BookBub.com , you’ll be prompted to create an account to access the website. However, you can visit BookBub’s free e-book page to bypass this step. From here, you can access links to hundreds of free e-books. Once you’ve found a title you’re interested in, simply click one of the links below the book’s price to download it to your computer or device. Some retailers also let you open the e-book directly in your browser. 

The BookBub app for iOS devices has a 4.8 rating on the App Store, and there isn’t currently an app available on Google Play. When I checked out BookBub, I accessed the website online and found that it was really easy to use once I bypassed creating an account.

• You can find free e-books from several retailers.
• You’re able to see books that are free only for a limited time.
• There isn’t currently an app for Android.
• Not all e-books are available for free.
• You’ll be directed to a third-party site for reading/downloading.

Major Genres: Adventure, science fiction, romance Best For: Self-published e-books Platforms: Computer (online/download), e-readers (files)

Smashwords is a website that allows authors to self-publish e-books. While some authors choose to sell their e-books, others are available for free. There isn’t currently an app available for Smashwords, but the website is convenient and easy to navigate. When you first visit the website, you can use the price filter at the top of the page to narrow your results so that you’re seeing only free e-books. 

To access most of the content on Smashwords, you’ll have to create a free account using your name and email address. Once you’re logged in, you can instantly read and/or download free e-books. Once you’ve found a title you’re interested in, click it to see more information and available formats. You can click a specific file type to begin the download or click “online reader” to see if the book is available to read in your browser without having to download it. 

Keep in mind that you most likely won’t find popular titles or public domain texts on Smashwords. Instead, you’ll find a collection of self-published books, essays, plays, poetry and screenplays. If you want to publish your own e-book, you can do that by clicking the “publish” tab. 

• You can narrow your search by price, genre and/or length.
• In addition to books, you’ll also find original essays, plays, poetry and screenplays.
• Additional file formats are available for select titles.
• You have to create an account in order to access most content.
• Not all titles are available for free.
• There isn’t an app available for iOS or Android.

Major Genres: Biography, young adult, fiction, literature Best For: Library titles, new titles, multiple formats Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), computer (online/download), e-readers (varies by library)

OverDrive provides access to free e-books and audiobooks through your local public library or school. That means you’ll need to enter your library card number or school/work email address in order to access free titles. Once you’ve signed in, you’ll need to save information about your local libraries so that you can see the entire selection available to you. 

You can access OverDrive on your computer or as an app on your iOS or Android device. In addition to the OverDrive app (which has a 3.9 rating on the App Store and a 4.7 rating on Google Play) you can also check out the Libby app for iOS or Android . It’s owned by the same company, provides access to the same titles and also has high ratings (4.8 on Google Play and 4.8 on the App Store). According to the website , the Libby app is the easiest way to get started, but if you have a device that’s not compatible with Libby, you can use the OverDrive app for a similar experience.  Additionally, OverDrive recently launched the Sora app specifically for students.

Once you’ve found a title that interests you, you can click it to see additional information. You’ll initially see information for the print copy at your nearest library, but if it’s available as an e-book or audiobook, you’ll see that noted as well. From there, you can click on the link to your library’s website to borrow the title, request a digital version or get on a waiting list for the book if it’s not currently available.

• Powered by your local library or school
• Free access to newer books
• You can browse the selection available at your library or school from home,
• Three highly-rated apps to choose from
• You have to log in to access content.
• Not all titles are available as e-books.
• Popular titles may not be available right away.

HooplaDigital

Major Genres: Modern classics, fiction, children’s Best For: Library titles, new releases and variety Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), computer (online/download), e-readers (varies by library)

Hoopla is the digital service of Midwest Tape , which is a leading provider of entertainment and media to public libraries across North America. You’ll find free e-books, audiobooks, movies, TV shows and more available from more than 1,500 libraries. You can visit the website or download the app the get started. At the time of writing, the app had a 4.8 rating on the App Store and a 4.7 rating on Google Play . When I checked out the service, I used the desktop version from my laptop. 

Hoopla works just like a public library, which means you can instantly borrow free e-books at any time using your library card. If you don’t already have a Hoopla account, you can create one for free online. You will need to log in to be able to “borrow” anything. 

Once you’re logged in, you can scroll over “browse” and click on “e-books” to see the entire available selection. When I checked out Hoopla, there were more than 137,000 e-book titles available. You can sort the titles or narrow your search results by format, user rating, date, language and more. Once you’ve found a title you’re interested in, you can click on it for more information. Below the cover image, you’ll see the “borrow” button that you can click to read and/or download the title instantly.

• You can browse the available public library selection at home.
• Select e-books are available for both downloading and reading online.
• Hoopla also offers movies, music, audiobooks and more.
• You do have to log in with your library card to access free content.
• Titles can be borrowed for only a limited time period.
• You may have a limitation on how many titles you can check out at a time/per month based on your library’s policy.

Major Genres: Adventure, romance, self-published Best For: Kindle owners, mobile experience Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), e-readers (Kindle)

Amazon offers a selection of free e-books that are available for anyone to download. The catch is that these e-books are free only on Kindle. But you don’t have to have this specific e-reader in order to access the titles. Instead, you can download the Kindle app. 

The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. At the time of writing, it had a rating of 4.3 on the App Store and 4.7 on Google Play . To add e-books to your Kindle library, you can visit Amazon’s website and search “free e-books.”

I recommend sorting your search results by price: low to high. This will rank the free e-books at the top. Note that some books are free only with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Still, if you want to access these titles, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial.

• Constantly rotating selection of free e-books
• Some titles are also available as audiobooks for free .
• You can see ratings and reviews from other readers.
• Not all books are truly free: Some require a 30-day Kindle Unlimited membership.
• You need a Kindle or the Kindle app to read the e-book files.

Barnes & Noble

Major Genres: Historical fiction, romance, mystery, young adults Best For: Kids’ books, free magazines Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), e-readers (Nook)

Like Amazon, Barnes & Noble offers a selection of free e-books for its e-reader: the Nook. Fortunately, you can download the Nook app on your iOS or Android device instead of having to pay for the e-reader itself. The app has a 4.7 rating on the App Store and a 4.2 rating on Google Play . 

To find free e-books, you can visit Barnes & Noble’s website and navigate to the free e-books page. There, you’ll find a featured free e-book, top free e-books and additional categories. There are thousands of free e-books for kids as well as staff picks, classics and even magazines. 

Once you’ve found a title you’d like to read, you can click on it for more information. From there, you can see a quick overview, publication details and reviews/ratings from other readers. You can also add it to your shopping cart and check out for free. You will have to create a free account to “purchase” and read the free titles. 

• You don’t need an account to browse the available titles.
• Thousands of e-books and magazines are available for free.
• The iOS and Android apps are both highly rated.
• You need a Nook or the Nook app to read free e-books.
• You’ll have to create an account to access free titles.

Major Genres: Romance, mystery & thriller, fantasy, horror, science fiction Best For: Kobo owners, young adult books Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), e-readers (Kobo)

Kobo is a company that sells e-books, audiobooks, e-readers and tablets. Still, there’s an impressive collection of free e-books that you can access online or from your mobile device. 

Similar to Amazon and Barnes & Noble, you’ll need a Kobo e-reader or the Kobo app to read e-books from this resource. The app is free for iOS and Android devices. At the time of writing, it had a 4.5 rating on the App Store and a 4.1 rating on Google Play . To add free e-books to your Kobo library, you can visit the website online.

Once you’ve found the free e-books page , you can begin browsing titles by top picks, first in series, editor picks or genre. When you click on a title, you’ll see a brief overview, how many pages and words the book contains and an estimation of how long it’ll take to read. Additionally, you can read reviews/ratings from other readers. 

• In addition to e-books, Kobo also offers audiobooks.
• The iOS and Android apps are both highly rated .
• You need a Kobo e-reader or the Kobo app to read free e-books.

Google Play

Major Genres: Romance, personal development, textbooks, young adult Best For: First books in a series Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), computer (online)

Google Play Books is another resource worth checking out if you’re looking for free e-books. While not all of the titles are available for free, there is a selection of titles that you can read at no cost. Among these titles, you’ll find self-help books, mysteries, thrillers, romance novels, young adult fiction and more. Many of these free e-books are the first in a series. 

Once you’ve found a title you’re interested in, you can click on it for additional information. You’ll see a brief overview of the book as well as ratings and reviews from other readers. From there, you can click “Free Ebook” to add the title to your library. Of course, you’ll have to create a free account if you aren’t already logged in. 

Once you’ve signed in and added books to your library, you can select them and click the “read” button to open them instantly in your browser. Of course, you can also read them on your mobile device using the Google Play Books app. At the time of writing, the app had a 4.5 rating in the App Store and a 4.7 rating on Google Play .

• You can read books in your browser online or in the highly-rated apps for iOS or Android devices.
• The online reader allows you to make notes, bookmarks and more.
• Not all of the titles on Google Play Books are free.
• There’s a limited selection of titles.
• You’ll have to create an account to access free e-books.

Major Genres: Business, history, computers, religion, health, science Best For: Educational ebooks Platforms: App ( iOS and Android ), computer (online/download) , e-readers

eBooks.com was founded in 2000. The company sells e-books directly to consumers, but a large selection is available for free. You can read the free e-books online or download them to your device with the appropriate e-book reader app .

According to the website, popular subjects include business, history, computers, religion, health and fitness, science and mind/body/spirit. While many of the books on eBooks.com are non-fiction, you’ll also find a selection of fiction titles including children’s books, fantasy, romance, thrillers and more. 

To find free e-books, visit this page of the website . There, you’ll find 400 of the most popular classics available to read free of charge. Once you find a title you’re interested in, you can add it to your shopping cart (even if it’s free) and create an account to “checkout.” You can also checkout as a guest and simply enter your email address. Then, you can click on “My eBooks” and select your recent “purchase.” There, you can click “Read now” to open your book in the browser or click “download” to save it.

• 400 classics are available for free, plus a variety of fiction and non-fiction.
• Books are available to read directly in your browser, on an e-reader or with an Android/iOS device.
• You’ll have to create an account or enter your email address to access free content.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, any of these websites/apps are worth checking out if you’re looking for free e-books. 

To see what’s available at your local public library, be sure to check out HooplaDigital and OverDrive. For general public domain titles, try Project Gutenberg or Feedbooks. Loyal Books and Manybooks also offer a great selection of classic titles. If you’re looking for non-fiction or educational titles, eBooks.com is the website to visit.

For a bigger variety, check out Open Library or BookBub. Digitalbook is another great resource that provides access to a large collection of free e-books, and the website is set up to help you find something new that you’ll love. If you’re more interested in self-published titles, Smashwords is the website for you. 

Finally, you’ll find a collection of free e-books available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo. While each of these e-books are available only on the retailers’ e-readers, you can download the corresponding free app to access these titles too. If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, there’s a small selection of free e-books on Google Play Books worth checking out that you can read online or in the app. 

No matter where you decide to hunt for free e-books, just make sure you’re visiting safe and legal websites . You shouldn’t have to download any software or enter any payment information in order to read e-books that are truly free. 

What are your favorite websites/apps for reading free e-books? Let us know in the Clark.com Community !

• November 27, 2023: Updated app ratings, Hoopla current ebook count and inserted a new Project Gutenberg app link.

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Z-Library Project - Search & Download Free Books | ZLibrary

Z-library is a free online library containing over 100 million books. Anyone can download e-books from our website without registration and in many formats.

Welcome to ZLibrary, a comprehensive digital library platform designed to provide free access to a vast collection of e-books and articles spanning various genres and topics. In this ultimate guide, we'll explore the benefits of using ZLibrary over traditional libraries and other online sources, helping you discover, download, and maximize your digital reading experience.

What is Z Library?

Z Library is a digital library that allows users to download books for free. The website has many books covering various genres, including fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, and research papers. Users can search for books by author, title, or ISBN, and the website also provides recommendations based on the user's search history.

Exploring ZLibrary's Collection

Variety of content.

No registration or fees are required, and the books are available in ePub, Kindle, HTML, and plain text formats. Browse our 10 million+ titles or use a powerful search to find exactly what you're looking for.

User-friendly Search Options

Navigating ZLibrary's vast collection is a breeze, thanks to its user-friendly search options. You can conduct a simple keyword search or use advanced search filters to refine your query by language, publication year, or file format.

Content Sources

ZLibrary's impressive selection comes from collaborations with libraries and publishers, and user uploads, ensuring a continually growing and diverse collection of materials for you to explore.

Benefits of Using Z-Library

One of the significant advantages of using Z-Library is the cost-saving aspect. Books can be expensive, and even borrowing from the library can incur fees. With Z-Library, users can access a vast selection of books for free. The website also provides the convenience of accessing books online, making it easy to read on the go or from the comfort of your home.

In addition to cost-saving and convenience, Z-Library also provides a vast selection of books. With over 6 million books available, there is something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a classic novel, a textbook for school, or a research paper for work, Z-Library has you covered.

How to Use ZLibrary.to?

To use ZLibrary, users need to create an account. Creating an account is easy and free, allowing users to save their search history and bookmark books for future reference. Once users have created an account, they can search for books by author, title, or ISBN. The website will then provide a list of books that match the search criteria. Users can then download the book in the format of their choice, including PDF, EPUB, and MOBI.

ZLibrary also provides some helpful tools and features for users. For example, users can filter their search results by language, year of publication, and category. The website also has a rating system, allowing users to see the top-rated books in each category.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 . Is it legal to download books from Z Library?

ZLibrary operates under the concept of fair use, which allows users to access copyrighted material for educational purposes. However, we recommend checking your local laws before downloading any material.

2 . What formats are available for book downloads?

Z-Library offers books in various formats, including PDF, EPUB, and MOBI.

3 . Is it safe to download books from Z-Library?

ZLibrary takes user safety seriously and ensures that all books are virus-free.

4 . Can I upload content to ZLibrary?

Yes, users can contribute to ZLibrary's collection by uploading content. However, it's crucial to respect copyright and intellectual property rights.

5 . How can I support ZLibrary?

You can support ZLibrary through donations, sharing the platform with others, or providing feedback to help improve the user experience. You should place the backlink to our website when sharing the content from Zlibrary.to.

6 . What are the download limits, and can they be increased?

ZLibrary imposes download limits to maintain resources for all users. Creating an account and logging in can grant you access to

7 . How often is Z Library updated with new books?

Z-Library is updated regularly with new books. However, the frequency of updates may vary depending on various factors, such as the availability of new books and the website's policies.

8 . Can I access Z Library from my mobile device?

Yes, ZLib is mobile-friendly and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

9 . What if I can't find the book I'm looking for on ZLibrary?

If you can't find the book you're looking for on ZLibrary, you can request the book from ZLibrary:hope , and the contributors may add it to their collection if it's available.

Z Library is a fantastic resource for book lovers looking to expand their reading collection without breaking the bank. With a vast selection of books, cost-saving benefits, and convenient online access, it's no wonder why ZLibrary.to is so popular. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for a free account and start downloading books today!

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The 20 best places to find cheap books online.

Visiting a local library is a great way for avid readers to save money. But when you’re after a copy for your own library the internet is your best bet. Finding cheap books online is quick and easy when you know where to look; lucky for you, we’ve done the research to bring you 20 of the best online bookstores. Some will help you pin down a specific title, while others are great fun to browse. On some you’ll find second-hand books for as little as $1, and on others you’ll find brand new copies of the latest releases for a competitive price. Whatever you’re after, the best site for your needs is listed below!

1. AbeBooks 

🌟 for click-worthy curated lists !

2. Better World Books

As well as being good for the soul, shopping at Better World Books is good for your pocket. Despite being in good condition, most of their used books cost less than $4. Plus, they offer free worldwide shipping on all orders, and pay for carbon offsets to minimize the eco-footprint of all those books traveling around the globe. Really want to treat the environment? Opt for eDelivery and have your book scanned and sent to you digitally in as little as two hours.

🌟 for cheap classics that’ll help you complete our list of books to read in a lifetime !

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When you click on an item, there will usually be a number of buying options. If Amazon itself is selling a Prime-eligible title, the price will be competitive. But if you’re looking to purchase a second-hand copy from an independent seller, there should be some cheap used options, too — just watch out for shipping costs!

Finally, though you and Amazon may go way back, you might not have made the acquaintance of their Kindle Daily Deals and Bargain Books . If so, we’re delighted to introduce you! These pages are updated daily with ebooks and books at rock-bottom prices — so keep an eye out for titles on your TBR!

🌟 for super speedy shipping times!

Alibris was established in 1998 to bring the power of e-commerce to independent booksellers and collectors. So if you simply have to have that signed copy, first edition, or out of print hardback, this is the place to look for it. That’s not to say you won’t find recent bestsellers, famous classics , and popular fiction on this site, too: they house a pretty good balance of old and new for young and old. And you won’t struggle to find cheap books either among all those more expensive collector’s items. Just head to the “Bargains” tab and browse by genre, or select the “Used” filter when browsing their book categories. 

🌟 for additional coupons when you join their mailing list, starting with $5 off!

5. Book Mooch

For something a little different, look to Book Mooch and forget the arduous hunt for cheap books online — this site is practically free! Once you sign up, you just enter in a list of books you own and would like to get rid of, as well as a list of books that you’d like to own but don’t currently have. When someone requests one of your old books, you simply ship it to them (this is the only cost involved) and earn yourself a point. That point can then be used to request a book from someone else on Book Mooch! This system won’t work if you’re looking to build a large collection of books. But on the other hand, if you do just want to clear out your shelves, you can choose to donate the points you earn to charity. 

🌟 for stocking plenty of non-English language books, as well as popular fiction!

6. Half Price Books

The founders of Half Price Books opened their first used bookstore way back in 1972, in an old laundromat in Dallas, Texas. Now they operate more than 172 stores in 17 states, but their mission remains the same: to “promote literacy and be kind to the environment” by collecting, donating, and passing on gently used books. 

Unless you’re a non-profit organization or a local school, you’ll have to get your hands on their inventory of cheap books online. Their marketplace features more than 20,000 individual sellers, so if you’re searching for a particular title, just pop it in the search bar and you’re pretty much guaranteed to find a copy. Or, for their best bargains, head to their “Superbuys” category, where you’ll find discounted books starting at less than $2!

🌟 for frequent coupons to save you even more money!

Biblio sells itself as a unique online bookstore for bibliophiles. They specialize in carefully curated collections from independent booksellers around the world — many of which tailor to booklovers with niche interests, and those looking for rare, antiquarian books. But don’t worry: if you’re not into collectibles, you can also find a great selection of cheap second-hand titles by browsing the “Discount Books” section under the “Specials” tab. 

Purchasing from Biblio will also do some good in the world! The site uses its profits to help build libraries in rural communities in South America. 

🌟 for offsetting all shipping with carbon credits!

8. Book Outlet

While you won’t find this year’s New York Times bestsellers at BookOutlet.com , you will find ridiculously cheap books that are just as worthy of your time. How so cheap? Most of the books sold on this site are what they call Bargain Books: excess inventory or store returns from publishers. So while they haven’t been read by anyone else, they might have a little bit of wear and tear from being shipped around or out on the shop floor. 

Book Outlet isn't our first recommendation if you’re looking to find a specific book cheaply. But if you’re happy to just browse, then their featured lists — including staff picks and books in clearance — make it easy to find great deals on great titles. 

🌟 for keeping unwanted books out of the trash!

Whether you’re looking for a cookbook, a textbook, a collectible, or the latest fiction, always check eBay before buying from anywhere else. We can’t guarantee you’ll find it for pennies, or even that you’ll find it at all! But the magic thing about eBay is that absolutely anyone can become a seller — so the listings are unpredictable both in terms of what books are sold and how much they cost. You never know when you’ll come across a rare book for the cheapest price you’ve seen. The shipping cost and the condition of the book can also be a little unpredictable, but sellers have to be upfront about both, so always check the description and you should avoid any surprises. 

🌟 for the excitement of bidding!

If you’re browsing for cheap books online from a homestead across the pond, then this UK company, Hive , is one worth checking out. Its staff has set out to keep the high-street shopping experience alive, while providing all the convenience (and competitive prices) of online browsing. From finding local bookshops to meeting passionate staff, the social side of book-buying hasn’t disappeared from this retailer. And to support independent bookstores (so they don’t disappear either), Hive asks you to choose a bookshop to receive a percentage of your money after every purchase. If you like, you can even collect your order from a bookstore near you — or have it delivered to your door. Both delivery options are completely free for customers in the UK!

🌟 for championing new authors with their Rising Writers featured list!

11. Awesome Books

To get the most out of Awesome Books , you’ll need to head to the “Bargain Bin” tab: this is where they keep all the books that’ll make discount-seekers happy. Though the chances that you’ll find a specific title are pretty slim, if you’re happy to browse, then you can stumble across some great titles at great prices. What’s more, the cost of shipping isn’t going to hike up the price: for shoppers in the UK, shipping is free, and in most other countries your books will ship for a flat £2.99! 

Awesome Book’s real selling point, however, is that every time you make a purchase on their site, they donate a book to a child in need. They hope to improve literacy where access and opportunities are limited, and help children who otherwise might not own a book to perform well in school. 

🌟 for 20% off your first order!

12. Magers and Quinn

If you’re a nonfiction fanatic, then head to MagersAndQuinn.com for deeply discounted new and used titles. They have some great books on a huge range of topics, from architecture to business, fashion to gardening, middle eastern history to media studies. And if you haven’t yet found your nonfiction niche, then their “staff picks” are a great way to discover interesting new books — and maybe even a brand new hobby!

🌟 for housing some of the best books on writing in their “ Loft Bookshelf ”!

13. Paperback Swap

Like Book Mooch, Paperback Swap is all about ditching your old books to make money (and room) for new ones. The system works the same way: you list what you’ve got, ship it off when it’s requested, and earn a credit. You can then make a list of the books you’d like, and when someone’s selling a copy, you can use your credit to request it. You can also use your credits to buy brand new books for a discounted price. Once you’ve read a book, it’s yours to keep — or you can swap it again in an endless chain of book love! 

🌟 for two free credits when you sign up!

14. Thrift Books

Thrift Books has a huge collection of cheap, new and used books online. By using the search bar, or browsing their “Categories” and “Featured” tabs, you’ll be able to find pretty much any book you could want — including comic books, graphic novels , and manga. Then, you choose the condition: the books still looking good as new are the most expensive, while you can snag some excellent deals on books that have been well-loved. 

Used books will always have a decent chunk of money knocked off, but most recent bestsellers cost over $20 on this site. People who rehome pre-loved books are great friends to the environment, so we always encourage used book-buying wherever possible. But sometimes only new will do — we get it. To find cheap new books browse the bestsellers page filtered for books under $5 — and always keep your eyes peeled for extra money-saving deals!

🌟 for free US shipping on orders over $10!

15. Wordery

UK-based Wordery is out to rival Amazon by providing an alternative haven for book-shopping, where you can find the books you love, at low prices, and have them delivered to you for free — wherever you’re located. The “alternative” aspect is all about enjoyment. Wordery’s founders think retailers like Amazon have sucked the soul out of book-buying — so their site recaptures the friendly, helpful spirit of a traditional bookstore, with all the convenience of shopping online: great value, round-the-clock access, and over 10 million books to choose from!

🌟 for working with charities to improve literacy among young people!

16. Daedalus Books

Daedalus Books prides itself on selling quality new books for incredibly cheap prices — cheaper even than Amazon (though the selection is quite a bit smaller). Most of their books have been remaindered by publishers: this means they’re new books that have gone unsold. While some of the titles that end up in this sticky situation admittedly aren’t very good, the staff at Daedalus Books know what they’re looking for. They do a great job of curating a collection that includes classic books as well as last year’s best sellers. The best deals live under the “Last Chance” tab, and are available for less than $3. But watch out for shipping costs: the standard rate is $8.95!

🌟for 10% off when you sign up to their mailing list!

17. Powell’s

Powell’s began as a Portland-based bookstore back in 1971, but you can now browse a huge selection of their cheap books online — we’re talking more than three million! While they stock a variety of new books, you’ll find the best bargains under the “Used” tab. There you can filter your results by price, award, and award year — so expect to find some recent titles you’ve been dying to read! Though discounted, the books on Powell’s aren’t dirt-cheap. But it’s still better than paying full price, and they’re very picky about the quality of the used books they stock. Plus orders of $50 and up ship for free, while everything else ships for a flat $3.99. 

🌟 for excellent staff picks to broaden your literary horizons!

18. The Strand

Though it’s not quite the same as browsing through the stacks of this NYC bookshop in real life, shopping online at StrandBooks.com comes pretty close. And you’ll have access to all of their 18 miles of books, including rare out-of-print books and pre-orders that arrive hot off the press. Old or new, used or unused, every book on this site is sold at a discounted price and is in excellent condition. As well as being picky about the pre-loved books they buy, the staff at The Strand are real New York literati, so the “ Staff Picks Table ” on the “First Floor” is well worth a look. (And how great is it that they organise their site like a bookshop?!)

🌟 for recommended reading lists from your favorite authors!

19. Books A Million

The online arm of the huge US retail chain Books A Million , this is the site to shop for new copies of popular titles at a good price. You can also get your hands on slightly discounted pre-orders — so you can have the hottest new read in your hands the moment it comes out. Since BAM doesn’t stock many used books, the average price certainly isn’t the lowest on this list. However, under the “Bargain Books” tab, you’ll find all their best deals, including classics starting at less than $5 — many of which we consider to be the best books of all time . 

🌟 for being generous with coupon codes!

20. Book Depository

Amazon-owned Book Depository doesn’t sell used books for next-to-nothing prices like some of the other sites on this list, but it does knock a small percentage off every book it stocks — which means you’re likely to find the cheapest prices for the newest titles right here. Their “Bargain Shop” also helps you find the best bargains in every genre, including books by Jacqueline Wilson, Ann Cleeves, and Zadie Smith. But the best bit about Book Depository is that it offers something every shopper loves to see: free worldwide shipping!

🌟 for stocking all the bestsellers that have been sitting on your TBR!

For books that are completely free (once you have an eReader), check out our post on public domain books and where to find them. Or head to our list of the 25 best places to find free ebooks . 

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Longtime readers of The New York Times may recognize the name Margalit Fox from the byline of some of our most memorable obituaries . But Fox (who worked at the Book Review before she started reporting on dead people, and who retired from The Times in 2018) has also written five books, on topics ranging from linguistics to true crime ; her latest, “The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum,” explains how a 19th-century Jewish immigrant worked her way up from street peddler to mastermind of a vast criminal enterprise that made her one of America’s first mob bosses. That’s one of our recommended books this week. Maybe read it with Dan Slater’s “The Incorruptibles,” which takes the story of Jewish organized crime in New York into the 20th century?

Also up: a surprisingly fascinating look at the science of keeping things cold, and new novels from Lev Grossman, Claire Lombardo and Liz Moore. Happy reading. — Gregory Cowles

FROSTBITE: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves Nicola Twilley

In this absorbing exploration of the vast network of refrigerated trucks, rail cars and shipping containers that bring us bananas and avocados all year round, Twilley illuminates the impact on our food as well as the colorful characters who keep the system going.

“Engrossing. … Combines lucid history, science and a thoughtful consideration of how daily life today is both dependent on and deformed by this matrix of artificial cold.”

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THE BRIGHT SWORD: A Novel of King Arthur Lev Grossman

Grossman’s latest is a winning dive into the world of King Arthur. The novel follows a knight who dreams of joining the Round Table, but when he arrives, the king is dead. Disappointed but not defeated, he embarks on a quest with the remaining knights to figure out the future of Camelot.

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Best website for buying Shinkansen tickets online?

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I just need a reliable (not third party) website to purchase tickets before I'm in Japan

Please advise

3 replies to this topic

Also, I don't want to be advised to just go to the trains station to purchase n the day of travel- I need to do it before to get the exact train times we will need

From where to where? And when?

Different train companies ( official websites) for different Shinkansen routes.

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