Want to read a book, but unsure of committing to buying? I’ve been there. Some books you can tell are just one and done.
But others, you’re unsure. That’s why libraries are great. You can borrow without having to buy. But sometimes libraries don’t have the book you want. Interlibrary loans are a great resources. Always do it because it lets libraries know they are wanted, and when people use the library they get more funding.
Sometimes interlibrary loans take awhile. Then try hoopla or libby. My library limits me to three reads per month but it’s online, free and you only need a library card. Again, using library resources give libraries data to show to local and federal governments that control their budgets.
But what if that book is out of print? What if that book is from another country? What if it’s too old to be transported or too expensive to buy on ebay?
Here are my favorite sights to use.
Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/
If you’re into classics or in need of old sources for your research paper, this is the best resources.
Internet Archive: https://archive.org/
Nonprofit, and a digital archive, this has thousands of books, shows, and other archive items. I was able to get the entire Princess Diaries series here (Hoopla only books 1-3, 7, and 9. Random choice. Same with The Clique where it only has some of the series but not all of it). The out-of-print Star Power books by Catherine Hapka. Brothers Sinister. Whitman classics. Archie’s Canada Special Double Digest. Some My Australia Story diaries. 2000s media tie-ins like The World of Alex Mack. The entire Galavant tv show!
Seriously I love this archive. You sign up for free and get access to so much. However, the government is constantly trying to scrub it because of copyright.
Yes, that is an ethical conundrum. For me, not so much. The books I usually access here are out-of-print. So if they’re out-of-print the author/publisher isn’t getting money. By reading it on the archive, they’re still not getting money. So status quo.
Now some like Lizzie McGuire books are out-of-print but can be found on ebay. Yes, but I still wouldn’t be paying the author/publisher. I’m paying a random ebay seller. Either way, they’re not getting money so I don’t see why they’re complaining about copyright. The Internet Archive is saving media/books for future generations. Unlike AI eating them up and disposing the real copies.
Support IA, not AI!
Epub: https://www.epub.pub/signin
Another free archive. Has less options than IA, but it’s where I get all my historical romances like Courtney Milan, Rose Lerner, Nicola Yoon, Felicia Grossman, Alyssa Cole, Vanessa Riley, etc. Also features more recent titles like new Harlequin romance titles by Lydia San Andres, Felicia Grossman’s Dearest Beast or Hailey Alcaraz’ Up in Flames. I don’t even have to sign up for it, I just go through my google search and start reading. However, it will only let you look up three authors a day for free. Otherwise you have to sign up.
Read Any Book: https://lib.readanybook.com
This is where I get my indies like JB Lynn’s Hitwoman series, Cantwell’s Barbara Marr series, Courtney Milan again. Also some early 2010 series like Princess for Hire trilogy, and The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. This is more of a mishmash. Yes, there are pop-up ads, but when I read them on my phone, I’m able to exit out of them without viruses.
Finally Read Comics Online has been sadly scrubbed for the internet. So I post it here as a memorium. I got to read Rose and Thorn by Gail Simone here. The entire Disney Villains series. Winx Club translated from Italian. Thundercats (2024) and more. It was a vital archive with thousands of old and new comics. Yes, there were pop-up ads but they didn’t cause viruses and were a willing annoyance for so much comic wealth.
RIP RCO, and I will post an update if a new system comes.
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