Thanks to the advent of e-readers, it’s easier than ever to get ahold of free books without leaving the comfort of your home. Of course, not everything available online will be amazing or safe. There are dozens of sites where you can download free books. However, these sites may not be entirely secure, so you should try a trusted Virtual Private Network service to keep your information safe from hackers. If you’re really cautious, you might just want to stick to Amazon and trusted organizations such as the Gutenburg Project.
If you want to avoid downloading lemons, we’ve compiled a helpful list on some of the best free e-books you can get now. Be forewarned, though, many of these are part of a series. Even if the first few books are free, you’ll have to pay for the rest of the books.
The Vanishing Wife by Barry Finlay
On the morning of his 20th wedding anniversary, Mason Seaforth wakes up to find his wife, Sami, missing. After reporting her disappearance to the police, he soon receives a threatening call. Worried about her safety, Seaforth enlists the help of his fiend Marcie to unravel the clues to his wife’s whereabouts before it’s too late.
The Vanishing Wife is a fast-paced crime thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters and their actions are all very realistic. And while much of the action serves to drive the plot forward, there’s also a good amount of character development throughout. The camaraderie between Marcie and Mason keeps the story refreshing and interesting as they grate on each other’s nerves.
Year of the Monsoon by Caren Werlinger
Leisa Yates seems to have a good life. She has a loving family, a great relationship with her partner and a job she enjoys. Everything seems to be perfect. Within a span of a few weeks, it all unravels when she reveals a web of lies surrounding her adoption and the past life of her partner Nan. It seems like everything she holds dear is falling apart and she finds herself floundering to stay afloat. The story follows Leisa and Nan as they struggle through a difficult year of truth and deception.
The book focuses on the life of Leisa and her partner Nan as they navigate through the low point in their relationship. It offers an excellent view into a struggling relationship and how both partners deal with unexpected fallouts on all sides. There’s a lot of depth to both characters and you can’t help but relate to what these women are experiencing. In a relatively short amount of time, Year of the Monsoon manages to touch upon themes such as family, identity and relationships.
Dying to Read (The Cate Kinkaid Files Book #1) by Lorena MacCourtney
Cate is a young woman just trying to find her place in the world. She just can’t seem to get a break, though. One day her uncle takes pity on her and offers her a temporary position as his assistant at his private detective agency. It all seems to be going smoothly until she stumbles upon what looks like the murder of Amelia Robinson. While the police are more than happy to shrug it off as accidental overdose of sleeping pills, Cate feels compelled to dig a little deeper. She does this not only to solve the murder but, to prove she’s not a failure.
Dying to Read is a Christian-laced light hearted murder mystery. Cate is perfectly adorable as a main character who’s down on her luck. While it can get a bit preachy, overall it doesn’t dwell too much on the Christian aspect of the book and focuses instead on driving the plot forward. There are plenty of plot twists and tense moments to keep you interested and guessing as to the mystery.
The Girl in Between by Laekan Zea Kemp
Bryn Reyes knows Sleeping Beauty isn’t just a fairy tale. She suffers from a rare disease called Klein-Levin syndrome where she suffers episodes of prolonged sleep that last weeks. Sometimes these spells can even last months. Unlike others who experience this, Bryn isn’t in a catatonic state. She lives in her past. One day, a mysterious boy she’s never met appears with no recollection of who he is. Soon after, Bryn’s health starts failing and in order to find the cure she must find out the identity of the mystery boy before it’s too late.
While catered to the young adult crowd, The Girl in Between is great for any age. Despite her odd condition, it’s hard not to empathize with Bryn and her desire to lead a normal life. That being said, she doesn’t want to lose the ability to literally walk through her memories and experience them once again. The book might start off light and breezy, but it offers three dimensional characters and a very original premise for a paranormal story.
Bundle of Trouble (A Maternal Instincts Mystery Book 1) by Diana Orgain
As a brand new mom Kate Connolly has enough on her plate to deal with. The last things she wants to deal with are police and private investigators. Yet that’s exactly what happens when the body of her husband’s estranged brother turns up in the bay. With the police pressing them for information they don’t have, Kate takes it upon herself to find the truth all while taking care of diapers and feeding her child.
A Bundle of Trouble never allows the plot to lag too long. Not only will you be piecing together the clues with Kate, you’ll also be laughing and empathizing with her as a new mother. Although it is somewhat predictable, the characters and funny quips more than make up for the lack of suspense. It’s a fresh take on the mystery and new mother genre. Who knew the two would mix so well?
What free e-books do you recommend? Have you read any of those listed above? Tell us in the comments below.
About the Author: Cassie is a freelance entertainment and technology writer. Both her physical and virtual bookshelves are practically overflowing with her favorite books. Connect with Cassie on Twitter at @cassie_culture
