As a bookworm and an avid reader, I always love to discover new books to read. Besides recommendations from my friends and lists I find in books and sites, I also find visiting websites full of interesting books to read and get suggestions on what to read. So, below are the 7 sites I use for discovering new books to read.
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is one of the oldest and largest book repositories. It offers over 58000 FREE books to discover and read. There, one finds the world’s great literature, with a focus on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired. You can choose between ePub and Kindle book formats. Also, you can download or read books online.
So, if you are looking to read a classic, this is the place for you to go! Log on to Project Gutenberg and enjoy!
Price: Free
GoodReads
Goodreads is one of the best sites to discover books. It’s not just a book repository, it is a social medium for like-minded book lovers. You can register the books you’ve read, books you are currently reading, as well as books you want to read. You can track the progress of your reading, either by typing it yourself or through Kindle.
It is also a community, a social medium. You can make friends, see what they are reading (and get inspired or get ideas on what to read next), write reviews and read your friends’ and others’ reviews, even participate in groups and discuss books with other bibliophiles.
One of the best features is the Reading Challenge. You set the number of books you want to read in a year, and you track your progress. You know if you’re behind schedule, on track or ahead of schedule. I like to set my challenge to 24 books (2 per month). And then try to exceed that
It also has apps for Android and iOS and is also connected to Kindle readers as well as the Kindle app.
Price: Free
Audible
Audible is not about printed books or eBooks. It’s about Audiobooks. Audiobooks are books that are narrated so that you can listen to them while driving, exercising, walking, doing chores, waiting in line or on any occasion you have idle time. Audible is owned by Amazon, so you can access it with your Amazon credentials. The good thing about Audible books is that you can use it in conjunction with Kindle books. You can start reading a book, then listen from where you left off reading and then go back to the book and continue reading where you left off listening. This one is available on selected books only.
Audible books are available on Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited. Audible has Android and iOS apps, and you can also use it on Kindle Oasis and the Basic Kindle, which has Audible support.
Price: 30-day Free trial, 14.95$ monthly afterward.
Blinkist
Blinkist is one of my favorite apps for reading. Blinkist offers summaries of the books to be read in less than 15 minutes. If I’m interested to get the key takeaways of a book, just to have an idea, or if I want to preview before you read it, Blinkist is my go-to service. With Blinkist I can read or listen to the books offline, and I can also send your reads to my Kindle. You I highlight the ideas you like and sync them with Evernote. There are also apps for Android and iOS.
Blinkist has a vast selection of non-fiction books in any category you want. It is really a treasure, and that is why I choose to be a subscriber of this. I can get the key takeaways of a book while I’m waiting for the dentist, or when I have any spare time between appointments or meetings, or while waiting for a friend at the local coffee shop.
Price: 7-day Free trial, 14$ monthly | 84$ yearly
Book Riot
Book Riot is a book review blog and podcast. There, I can read (or listen to) the latest reviews. I can also browse reviews by category. It offers a free version as well as 3 types of BookRiot Insiders membership, which offers exclusive access to some books and the Book Riot bookstore.
These are:
Short Story – $3/month & $29/year
- Monthly Behind the Scenes Newsletter
- Exclusive monthly Book Riot Store deal
Novel – $5/month & $49/year
- Free 2-week trial
- Monthly Behind the Scenes Newsletter
- Exclusive monthly Book Riot Store deal
- Exclusive podcasts, including the Read Harder Challenge
(Listen now) - New Release Index (Try Now)
- Monthly Mailbag Drawing (1 winner each month)
Epic – $10/month & $99/year
- Behind the Scenes Newsletter
- Exclusive monthly Book Riot Store deal
- Exclusive podcasts, including the Read Harder Challenge
(Listen now) - New Release Index (Try Now)
- Insider-only Forum (275 person limit)
- Monthly Mailbag Drawing (1 winner each month)
Pixel of Ink
The Pixel of Ink is a great resource where I can find Free & bargain Kindle books. That’s right, this one is solely for Kindle owners (like me). It features Book of the day, Daily Free &Bargain; Kindle Book Deals, a daily collection of the best books that are either free or discounted. It even has a section for Kindle Unlimited recommendations, something that Kindle Unlimited subscribers will appreciate. For me, as a Kindle owner, and a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, this is a great resource when I’m looking for my next book.
WhichBook
Whichbook allows me to discover new fiction books, based on a number of factors I choose. It is very good for finding new reads, based on the factors which intrigue me. There are many factors, as seen in the picture below, from which you can pick as many as you want. When I pick a book, I get a link to buy or borrow it from the nearest library. The service covers both printed books and ebooks.
Price: Free
Over To You
Which site do you use to discover and download books? Tell us in the comment below!
