Free Books, Ethically
Because pirating hurts indie authors, but reading shouldn’t cost you your rent.

Book pirating is a real and growing issue, especially for indie authors who rely on every sale to keep creating. I'm not diving deep into the ethics debate today (we've all seen the takes), but I believe in access and in protecting the folks who make the stories we love.

So, I built this page to share legit, ethical ways to get free or deeply discounted books. If you’ve got more resources, drop them in the comments—I’d love to keep this list growing!

Ethical Free Book Resources

• Simon Teen Free Reads
  Monthly free YA ebooks from the publisher.
  → rivetedlit.com – Free Reads

• Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned (Teens 13–21)
  Free nationwide eCards for full digital access.
  → Email: BooksUnbanned@bklynlibrary.org
  → Instagram: @bklynfuture

• Tor’s Newsletters & Book Club
  Free short fiction + free book of the month (sci-fi/fantasy).
  → Tor Newsletter
  → Tor eBook Club

• Open Road Media Hidden Deals
  → openroadmedia.com

• Early Bird Books
  Free ebook with signup, plus referral bonuses.
  → earlybirdbooks.com

• Amazon Free Kindle Books
  Sort by “Price: Low to High.” No Kindle Unlimited required. Some indie authors only have access to publishing through KU, so if you've divested from Amazon EXCEPT for KU, it's ok. There's no ethical consumption in capitalism, and you can feel good about supporting marginalized authors, even if it's on the zon.
  → Browse Free Kindle Titles

• Libby & Hoopla
  Free library-connected apps for ebooks and audiobooks.
  → You just need a library card. If you don't have a library card and have no way to physically get to the library to get one, call them. Librarians are basically magicians, and they will find a way!

• Libraries With Non-Resident Access
  Some allow online sign-up even if you don’t live nearby.
  → List of Libraries

• Little Free Libraries
  Borrow books near you or start your own.
  → LFL Map

• Internet Archive & Open Library
  Thousands of free digital books, classic and contemporary.
  → archive.org
  → openlibrary.org

• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
  Free books mailed to children under 5.
  → imaginationlibrary.com

• Free Audiobooks
  A bit rarer, but I’ve got a separate post just for them. Stay tuned.

• ARC for Review
  Message publishers or authors and offer an honest review. Reviews = sales.
  → Especially great if you’re active in book circles on social media, or run a book club.

• NetGalley etc
  Advance reader copies before release. Score improves with consistent reviews.
  → netgalley.com

  → Another good site for reviewers is https://reedsy.com/

• Book Swaps & BST Groups
  Search for Buy/Sell/Trade groups on Facebook—tons of friendly swappers.

• YouTube Read-Alongs
  Some libraries read books chapter-by-chapter on YouTube—free and public.

• Goodreads Free eBook Shelves
  Sort by genre and find contemporary free reads.
  → Just search “free ebooks” on Goodreads

• Fan Platforms
  WattPad, FanFiction.net, AO3 and BookRix are treasure troves of free fiction.

Reading should be accessible.
And protecting authors is part of that. Let’s build a world where stories are accessible, not stolen to survive.

Got more free and ethical book resources? Drop them below and help this list grow.