Linocut Print By Pamela Leavey

Where to Find Free, Legal Books

If you have access to a public library and/or have college credentials;

Libby - Ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines from your public library. Free, but requires a library card. Materials aren't infinite, so popular titles will often have a several week long waitlist. If you're in the US (or sufficiently crafty) you can sign up for a free card from the Queer Liberation Library.

Hoopla - Another service often bundled with a library card. The selection is smaller than Libby, but you have a limited number of instant borrows per month to cash in.

EBSCOhost Research - Ebooks and research materials, usually offered through a college. Where I do most of my reading lately, TBH.

Worldcat - Browse the world’s libraries from one search box. Easiest way to find out where to go to check out a book if you can't find it at your usual spot.

US residents will likely have a public library near them, but if you cannot go in person and sign up, there are a number of public libraries that don't require anything but a local address to get an Ecard. The libraries that offer this change frequently, so ask around.

Also keep in mind that US public libraries don't typically purchase self published material. If you're looking for your favorite tumblr author's book, you might want to try the links below instead.

If you can't get a library card (or couldn't find what you're looking for)

Open Library - Large collection of ebooks. Some materials may not be available currently due to ongoing legal issues.

Project Gutenburg - Another huge collection of ebooks, probably the most well-known option on this list.

Standard Ebooks - Professionally formatted public domain ebooks (sourced from places like Project Gutenburg but then turned into dynamic epubs)

LibriVox - Public Domain Audiobooks. Extremely limited library, but provides a rare service.

Audible Free Trial - Amazon offers a free trial of their service, with one free title on signup. You need a viable payment method to get access, but you keep the book even after you cancel. Don't give Amazon your money, folks.

I'd also recommend trawling youtube and soundcloud for user-made audiobooks. The quality varies, but I've been surprised at the results.

Other cool resources

StoryGraph - A non-Amazon GoodReads alternative, for those who like to challenge themselves to read more or enjoy writing book reviews.

Banned books list - Around since 1994 and currently still updated weekly, this site showcases books that are either banned or have been attempted to have been banned somewhere in the US. Some are available to read for free on site.

i always wanted someone to make blackout poetry of one of my posts but so far i have only had one blacked out to say egg. i guess you if you can't write the poem yourself you can't choose the poem

Today I read Bonfire Opera by Danusha Laméris, available for free as an ebook through my college's library (if you haven't checked out yours' digital collection, do so now). I had previously seen her work online, and even posted the popular Feeding the Worms, but most of her collection remains firmly bound to print and had thus far evaded my discovery. Boy am I glad to have checked her out. Her descriptions of food, grief, and desire are all mingled into each other in an evocative way that makes me want to cook, cry, and kiss beautiful feminine men.

I've transcribed a handful of my favorites to post here, so keep an eye out. There's plenty of lovely entries I'm not including, so if they catch your eye give it a read.

www.shinozukatomoko.com

Illustrations commissioned by @leapness for @jerichos_kitchen

Oh hey, you just followed me. Which means you're online when you should be working on your novel :) I suggest you the name Edson for some nonconsensual character who dies a funny death in it. Or not. Up to you :)

-a name a day blog

On it, boss! 🫡

I wrote 2k yesterday O_O I didn't even realize

Me: I want to create! But…it’ll be bad.

Voice inside of me: So let it be bad. 

Me: Let it be bad? 

Voice inside of me: Let it be bad. 

Me: Let it be bad!

“There is no ‘chosen one,’ there is no destiny, nobody wakes up one day and finds out they’re amazing at something. There’s just slamming your head into the wall, refusing to take no for an answer. Being relentless, until either the wall or your head breaks. You want to be a hero? You don’t have to make some grand decision. There’s no inspirational music, there’s no montage. You just don’t quit.”

Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits - Jason Pargin

nobody is thinking about princess dick enough these days. have you noticed this