All booklovers know that there’s nothing better than snuggling up with a cup of tea and a good book. You crack open the cover or switch on the tablet and are instantly transported to another universe entirely. No longer are you stuck inside on a rainy day, instead you are whisked off into whatever alternate universe lives within the pages.
There’s just one problem with a fiction addiction… paying for books! If you’re constantly draining your bank account to pay for your latest read, check out this list of 7 ways to get free books in Ireland!
These tips don’t include going to your local library as we thought that one was obvious enough 😉
1. Read It Swap It (www.readitswapit.co.uk)
Read It Swap It is a website designed for book-enthusiasts everywhere to get the most out of their old and unwanted tomes. How does it work? You simply make an account and browse through their selection of books. If you see something you like, you can suggest a swap from your collection of give-away titles. The other person can either accept or deny your proposal. If you each are interested in the other’s book, you’ll match and get access to their address so you can send your book along.
You may be asking yourself, well what if they don’t send me the book? Never fear, justice will be served. It all works on a rating system. Once you get your book, you rate your swap partner. The higher your rating, the more books you can swap! If someone is consistently ranked poorly and is cheating other members, that person will be unable to participate.
2. Book Mooch (bookmooch.co.uk)
Keen on a book but don’t want to deal with figuring out a mutual swap? Book Mooch has you covered. This website operates on a point system to keep everyone honest. You can add books to the site and as you send them off and prove your reliability, you accrue points. Each book costs one point, unless it’s being shipped from another country, in which case it’ll cost you three. However, Ireland itself has 644 books online as of now, so browse to your heart’s content!
The titles on Book Mooch are varied, with everything from the Da Vinci Code to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There’s something for every reader!
3. Kobo (www.kobo.com)
Kobo is the go-to site for free eBooks. Making an account costs nothing and they have tons of titles online that you can get without paying a cent. Don’t recognize any of the books being offered for free? Kobo has a handy feature where they show the Editor’s Pick for each genre, giving you an idea of where to start when searching through the different options.
Want to download some of the better-known titles but don’t want to pay a fee? If you refer a friend to the site and that friend make a minimum purchase of €5,01, you get a €10,00 credit added to your account to spend as you please.
4. Goodreads (www.goodreads.com)
Goodreads is another website that specializes in eBooks. Here you’ll find a list of different titles, some of which are full downloads, others just excerpts. If you’re on the fence about getting a book, checking Goodreads for a excerpt download can give you a better idea of whether or not your latest book-crush is actually worth the read.
They have classics like Animal Farm and Jane Eyre available for full download, along with some newer hits like The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.
5. Kindle (www.amazon.co.uk)
While most everyone has heard of the Amazon Kindle, many people don’t know that you can download the app on most electronic devices including Apple and Android. Once you have the app and an account, there are a number of free classics and more recent titles available for download. All without you having to spend money on buying the Kindle itself. Sometimes authors will even post new books for free for a limited period of time to increase readership!
Some of the more notable titles you can get for free include Oliver Twist and Ulysses. However, they have reads from every genre available for immediate download and enjoyment.
6. Open Culture (www.openculture.com/freeaudiobooks)
If you enjoy listening to a good audiobook on your way to work, during your workout or while you run errands, you’ll love Open Culture. Online they have a list of 900 free audiobooks ready for download, which are organized alphabetically by author name to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
Have a scroll down and you’ll see many familiar names such as Arthur Conan Doyle, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce and many more.
7. Facebook (www.facebook.com)
If you’re on Facebook, why not try your own network of friends as a way to get a free book or two? Who knows, someone may be looking to clear some shelf space or dying to talk to someone about his or her new favourite read! Post a status and watch as friends you haven’t seen in ages, extended family members and random people you added on a night out answer the call with offers of give-away books!
