New Blog Posts:

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Free E-books

This is how my headboard looks most of the time. Yes, I do sleep with my books. I haven't really had much time to read lately, but who knows maybe by sleeping next to them they will somehow seep into my brain. I may not have a lot of time to read (not as much as I would like anyway), but I still manage quite a bit of reading in between household chores, the girls and work. I like to read relaxing, stress free novels.

One activity that the girls and I love to do is to browse through bookstores and book sales. We go to the mall even when we're broke and can't shop because we know the book store is free :) We can go and spend hours browsing through books. I love that places like Barnes & Noble make their stores conducive to reading. I take a stack of books and retreat into a corner and be lost for hours. My girls do the same thing.
Then one day some time ago, I ran across e-books during my bloghopping. Then I realized that you can get some of them for free!

So I thought I would share some of these links with you. I have downloaded some already, and have read a couple so far. You may be interested to know that some books especially the classics, are now available. I just finished re-reading Pride and Prejudice, and I am now deciding which one to go for next. I've downloaded several different genres so I guess it will depend on what mood I am in.

I just realized while reading the last book though, that I miss holding paper in my hand. I find reading it on the computer to be troublesome. So I think I may print out the next book.

Here are a few links where you can get some books.

Got this link from the gothic babe: eBookstation. I like this one as most of the books are in PDF format. Much easier for me to read and/or print out and I don't have to download another reader.

Books Download

The Gutenberg Project

Planet PDF

I'm sure there are plenty more sites out there. If you know of other sites, please let me know by leaving a comment.

17 comments:

MrsPartyGirl said...

hi jmom, aren't free ebooks wonderful? hehe. as you know, my family and i have a nomadic lifestyle and i couldn't buy all the books that i want because i'd have a hard time transporting them to our next destination. so i turned to ebooks instead. all the ebooks i have amassed easily takes up about only 15 gigs of my external harddrive. imagine if all of that were in paperback, and how many boxes they would take up in our u-haul! :D plus, since i read about 2-3 books per week, thinking about how much money i must have saved brings a smile to my face! :D but sometimes, like you, i also miss reading real books so once in a while i give in to a purchase.

i hardly read from the pc, though, my back and eyes ache from sitting too long in front of the pc. what i do is i upload the books into my phone (a have a treo) so i can take my book with me in bed or in the car or while waiting at the doctor's - sort of like a real book but with a built-in reading light hehe.

i get my books mostly from mIRC, and if you ever need anything, just give me holler. i have people i exchange ebooks with so i can ask them if they have what you need. :)

dexiejane said...

i haven't had time to read books these days. i actually just bought a new one too. thanks for the reminder.

HiPnCooLMoMMa said...

if only we could do the same here, you know tambay in the bookstore and read for hours...but usually the books here are wrapped in plastic and you only have the front and back to read. I'll share the site with my daughter, baka sakali makatipid kami...she's soooooo into books really

Anonymous said...

We're the same JMom. I also have loads of unread books on my night table. And I just love hanging out in bookstores... Barnes & Noble in the States and Powerbooks in Manila. I haven't tried e-books though. Masubukan nga. Thanks for the links.

vernaloo said...

I do the same thing. I have 3 books in my bed near my pillows. If I lie down I just grab one and then read. Of course I read these 3 books already. I just like to read them over and over again hehe I am of course talking about Harry Potter books and the paperback Memoirs of a Geisha. Anyway since HP is hardbound and situated near my pillow, I usually hit my face in the middle of the night.

vina said...

hmmmm...i still prefer real books. the smell, the paper, the flipping of pages...

Leah said...

I started reading this book done in blog form, it was interesting but I have not managed to finish it yet. The computer screen is a hard to concentrate on after a long time.

I still like the physical book. i discovered a book ring. Its called Bookcrossing, I registered. I will probably blog about it in my book blog.

I will checkout your links later. I am very interested in reading pride and prejudice as well.

JMom said...

mrspartygirl, really? you read 2-3 books a week?!! wow! don't I wish. I would be lucky if I have time to finish that many in a month! I probably average about one book a month, maybe two if I get lucky. I love the e-book idea, but I am still partial to having the actual copies on my shelf. Luckily, I have been reading the e-books on my laptop, in bed. I don't think I could bear sitting up in front of a pc to read.

don't forget the offer, ha. I may just take you up on it. There are several books that we have been hunting for but haven't found on the shelves. Most of them are books to complete a series. That's the only thing with buying books in sales, you don't always get the whole series. And we didn't feel like ordering them from the bookstore and pay full price. It makes our book hunting more exciting :)

JMom said...

hey dexie, that's what happens when you become a mommy ;) I have to remind myself to get reading once is a while.

hi hipncoolmomma, I did notice that when we were there last dec. that all or most of the books were sealed in plastic wrap. Dito, and B & N parang library. Complete with comfy chairs and tables to put your feet up on :) Books ang matinding bisyo din ng mga daugters ko...kaya I have to resort to e-books. Wala ng natira sa budget para sa akin! :(

JMom said...

hi toe, it's actually a great resource, these e-books. I'm enjoying re-reading the classics.

Hi vern, lol! I've done that too, hitting my head on the books. Or in my case since my headboard is almost like a bookcase, having a book fall on my head in the middle of the night! My husband gets so mad when the books hit HIM in the head :) he swears I do it for revenge. hehe!

vina, yes, the real books are still the best syempre. I like just looking at them on the bookcase :)

hi leah, I think I have come across the Bookcrossing while surfing too. Do let us know how you like it.

MrsPartyGirl said...

re the book offer, of course! :D having ebooks available to me and being a sahm with a "low maintenance" kid are mainly the reasons why i can get to read that many books. i'm lucky i have lots of time to spare, i guess. :)

Alternati said...

I am a Project Gutenberg visitor for some time now. I got "The Great Gatsby" there, but I formatted and printed it and had it bound like an actual book before I read it. I can't read for more than an hour staring on a computer screen... Like you, holding the book and reclining is how it should be done. hehehe


That Mr. Darcy is sooo adorable don't you agree?

JMom said...

hi meeyah! thanks, you bet I'll be taking you up on the offer :) you really are lucky to be able to read so much. selos ako. lol!

omg, alternati, how about that mr darcy indeed! I just love the silent slightly surly but powerful types like him. hehe!

sheilamarie said...

thanks for the tip, jmom. being in this place for an unknown period of time means i cannot really endulge in buying too much books to cart back home. i did buy though all the HPotter books here (1-6) and a couple of books that were on sale. will check the links later.

Francesca said...

I , too have full library of books, mama mia. Book work kami ni Lolo, kaya kami click. When in bed, we grab our paper back, lie in bed, with each book (and reading glasses) and sometimes three hours, not speaking with each other, until its time to sleep!lol

we have john grisham, steve martini,jeffrey archer ewan ano pa, kasi nasa next room library ni Lolo!
what book had caught you much these days, pa share ha? let me know in my tagboard please, ty!

JVOX said...

talkin of books, just bought 2 books from amazon two weeks ago, and then bought 2 more books a week ago..havent read any of them til now, but i hope to be able to find time and start reading. Been busy reading blogs and magazines lately!

Gilbert Yap Tan said...

hi jmom,

i know of several sites at mirc. just go to http://www.mirc.com/ to download the program. i recommend "ebooks" and "ebookz" in the undernet channel.

if u have an ipod, u can download audiobooks from "audiobooks" and "audiobookz" also in the undernet chan. u can do chores or relax in the tub while listening to audiobooks. :)