How to Get Free Ebooks in Your Inbox
The Unknown Reader writes about all things to do with ebooks. In today’s blog she helps you find free books. Over the holidays the Unknown Reader ventured West to San Diego so we took advantage of the opportunity to capture a portrait of her in front of a mosaic in Solana Beach, CA, doing what she does best–reading!
How to Get Free Ebooks in Your Inbox
Are you wondering where to find new, interesting and free ebooks? Well, you’re in luck! Plenty of ebook sites are more than happy to help. My personal favorite is Freebooksy, since my favorite genres show up free in my inbox once a week. Getting those books has a great way to stay up-to-date with the indie ebook market, too.
So let’s get started on filling up your inbox with ebook freebies!
3 Tips for Getting Started
Before you start subscribing to all the ebook email announcements (which, I admit, is hard to not do), consider how manageable your inbox will be afterward. Check out these tips and questions before diving in headfirst 
1. Create a new email address to catch all the incoming ebooks, or use a preexisting that you check periodically (or, as I’ve found simplest, resurrect one that’s fallen into total disuse). If you don’t make a new address, try using your email provider’s filters. I’m most familiar with Gmail, which lets you filter and tag your incoming mail, but most other email providers have similar options (and folders) to explore.
2. Decide how you want to centralize your ebook notifications. Is email the best way for you to get updates about new books? I also have a dedicated corner of my RSS feed (Feedly) for ebooks news and incoming ebooks. Perhaps Facebook, Google+, Twitter or Pinterest are better for you (that is, if the blog or site provide the option).
3. Take advantage of deciding how often you get an email. Is once a week an option for this site? Or do you like the daily update?
10 Places to Subscribe to Free Ebook Emails
To get you started, I’ve created a list of 10 places to simply start easily collecting ebooks. There are many more sites–especially for Kindle readers.
1. Freebooksy (deals from Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble)
What’s great about this email signup is the custom setup. You choose your device, genres, and whether you want a daily or weekly email. Plus you can opt in for discounted ebooks alongside your free ones.
2. Bargain Ebook Hunter (mainly Kindle)
Subscribe to get their blog posts via email. Click on the envelope icon that’s in the right sidebar under “Also Find Us Here.”
3. The Cheap Ebook (for Kindle, Nook, iPad)
Get emails weekly, monthly, or only for special events. Their main website is a great place to browse many genres, too.
4. Ereader News Today (for Kindle)
Daily updates on free and bargain ebooks.
5. BookRix (for Kindle, Nook, iPad)
I found this resource from Europe in my research to find more free Nook listings. BookRix has free books listed for multiple ebook formats. Check out what European indie authors are writing, and join the newsletter when you sign up.
6. Free Ebooks Daily (mainly Kindle)
Enter your email address in the left sidebar to get a daily update, or subscribe on your RSS feed.
7. Kindle Books & Tips (for Kindle)
Enter your email on the right sidebar to get emails the (approx) moment a new post goes live.
8. The Frugal Ereader (for Kindle)
Subscribe by email or RSS here to get ebooks under $9, many under $3, and plenty free.
9. Ebooks Habit (for Kindle)
Twenty to thirty free ebooks in their email, straight to your inbox, every day.
10. Ereader IQ (for Kindle)
This is a toolbox for keeping track of books, delivering updates on your books (when there’s a lower price listed, your favorite author lists a new book, when a book is now available for Kindle) to your inbox.
And a quick note: As many sites remind their subscribers, the books were listed as free when they compiled their list, so always double check that they’re still 100% free before you click “Buy”
Please share
How is your ebook scavenging going? Are you going to dig up that “junk” email account to gather free ebooks? Have you found additional sites (especially ones that roundup non-Kindle ebooks)?
Share your favorites and your critiques of ones that aren’t so great, and we can all learn where to find the top deals!
