Polarlens.eu.org - Nowadays, reading books online is increasingly appreciated by the public. Especially, in the era of digital media, where you don't have to bring bulky books everywhere.
But, you can also read books online free using a laptop or electronic device, like a smartphone or tablet.
Advantages of Reading Books Online
Reading physical books has its own unique charm and pleasure. However, in certain situations, reading digital books online is more practical.
As quoted from Halifax Public Libraries, there are several advantages of reading books online that are summarized in the points below.
More time
When reading a physical book you don’t have, you need more time before reading it. This is because you need to obtain the book before anything else, either by buying it, borrowing it from a friend, or borrowing it from the library.
With reading an online book, you can save more time because all you need to do is open the cover and start reading the digital book you want.
No More Late Fees
If you've ever borrowed a physical book from a library, you're probably familiar with the pesky late fees that can quickly add up if you forget to return it on time.
However, with the rise of digital lending, borrowing books has become a whole lot easier and more convenient.
When you borrow a digital book from an online library, you no longer have to worry about late fees as the book will be automatically returned once the loan period expires.
Read Your Favorite Books Anytime, Anywhere with Digital Reading
Do you ever want to read your favorite novel, but you have too much to carry, and physical books can be quite heavy? Luckily, with digital books that can be read online, this is no longer a problem.
All you need to do is make sure your device is fully charged and bring a charger so you can keep reading. Moreover, you can also enjoy your favorite characters' adventures without worrying about standing out in public places.
Access Multiple Books on One Device with Digital Reading
As a reader, you may sometimes find it challenging to choose which book to read first or suddenly get bored with the book you're currently reading and want to switch to another.
If you're reading physical books, this can be inconvenient as you have to carry multiple books with you.
This is where digital reading comes in handy. With online digital books, you only need one device that has a reading app, and you can read whatever book you want without worrying about carrying multiple books.
Having access to a vast collection of books on one device is a game-changer for avid readers who want to switch between books without any physical constraints.
It provides the flexibility and convenience to read whatever book you desire, whenever and wherever you want, without the hassle of carrying multiple books around.
Instantly Find Word Meanings with Digital Reading
Have you ever come across difficult words while reading, especially when reading books that have not been translated into your language?
Usually, digital reading apps or libraries provide a direct translation feature that allows you to click or block the word you don't understand to find its meaning instantly.
This way, not only does your reading process go uninterrupted by the need to look up word meanings, but your vocabulary also expands.
Customize Your Reading Experience with Digital Books
Physical books require readers to adjust to the book's layout, whereas digital books read online can be customized according to the reader's preference.
You can adjust the font size, theme, lighting, and even choose a specific highlight color to mark your favorite parts.
Best Online Book Reading Sites or Apps
Do you want to read books online while on the train? Waiting in line? Or while relaxing at home? You can do it! By accessing books online, reading becomes more practical, anytime and anywhere.
So, what are the recommended websites or online book apps? Here's the list!
Goodreads
Goodreads is a popular online platform that offers a diverse collection of books, ranging from classic literature to modern bestsellers.
One of the great advantages of using Goodreads is its vast collection of classic books that are in the public domain, meaning they are free of copyright restrictions.
This means that users can access and read these books for free, without any legal issues. This feature makes Goodreads an excellent choice for anyone looking to expand their literary horizons without having to spend a penny.
In addition to classic books, Goodreads also has a massive collection of modern titles, covering a wide range of genres and topics.
Users can easily search for books they are interested in, add them to their virtual bookshelves, and rate and review them.
Furthermore, Goodreads has a "free online" category that allows users to access a selection of modern books that can be read online for free.
This feature is especially useful for those who prefer to read digitally and do not want to spend money on purchasing books.
Children's Library
If you're looking for free online children's books, the Children's Library website can be an ideal choice.
Imagine how much fun kids can have accessing free online books from a variety of literature and the best books from around the world. Examples of available books include Yukimado, Legends of the Maori, or All We Need Are Dragons.
Sacred Texts
Sacred Texts is another recommended place to read books online. This online library offers various categories of books such as folktales, mythology, religion, and more.
Its main mission is to promote tolerance among different religious communities worldwide. In fact, you can even read religious books online here, such as the Bible, Talmud, Veda, and many more.
With its vast collection of books from different cultures and religions, Sacred Texts is an excellent resource for those interested in learning about different belief systems and worldviews.
The site also offers various translations of texts to cater to a diverse audience, making it an inclusive platform for everyone.
Whether you're a student, a researcher, or simply curious, Sacred Texts is a valuable source of knowledge and wisdom accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
ManyBooks
As the name suggests, ManyBooks does indeed have a wide collection of books to offer. There are around 30,000 collections of books consisting of eBooks.
You can read online books with classic or modern themes, such as The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie or The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
ManyBooks also allows you to download books in various formats, such as EPUB, PDF, and Kindle, so you can read them on your device of choice.
Additionally, ManyBooks offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to browse and search for books by author, title, genre, or language.
Project Gutenberg
Founded by Michael Hart in 1971, it's no wonder that the book collection at Project Gutenberg's online library has become a go-to for many readers.
With over 50,000 titles available to read for free online, Project Gutenberg is run by volunteers who digitize and upload the books.
You can legally download or read books online on this site. There are a variety of book categories available, including history, science, literature, and more.
Tor
If you're a fan of reading online books in the sci-fi and fantasy genres, Tor is a paradise for you. Every week, many original short stories with sci-fi and fantasy themes are written and published on this site.
Moreover, all of them can be read for free, and the sci-fi stories are exceptionally brilliant. For those who want to join as members, Tor also offers an eBook of the Month club so that you can access one free selected category per month.
In addition to the short stories, Tor also offers free eBooks and audiobooks of various sci-fi and fantasy novels.
You can browse and download them for free from the site's collection. Additionally, if you're a writer, Tor has an open submission policy, so you can submit your own original work and potentially get published on the site.
Wikisource
Wikisource is a vast online library that provides access to around 400,000 texts in English, which can serve as a reference to delve deeper into a topic.
You can find texts written from 1846 to 1941. Are you looking to read online books by renowned authors like Rudyard Kipling or Marie de France?
They are available here! Or do you want to escape to new worlds with texts written by Jules Verne and Philip Dick? Wikisource is the place to be!
Kobo Books
Kobo Books is a well-known online book reading application among book lovers, partly due to its user-friendly UI. It also comes equipped with a "Reading Life" feature that helps you find communities to discuss the books you enjoy.
This app is available for both Android and iOS users. To read books using Kobo Books, you need to purchase the e-book or audiobook first. After that, you can read it anytime and anywhere, whether online or offline.
Scribd
This online reading app is often referred to as the Netflix for books due to its vast collection of available reading material. In addition, Scribd provides a feature that displays the top bestselling and most talked-about book titles in several genres.
To access Scribd, you can subscribe for a monthly fee of $9.99. After subscribing, you can download books to read online, make annotations, and bookmark the last page you read.
Wattpad
The orange-themed app is quite famous among fiction readers. Although the books published on Wattpad are not yet published and do not have an ISBN, the stories uploaded on the app often become potential books that have a lot of fans, even being adapted into movies.
You don't have to pay to read most of the stories published on this app since the writers are mostly amateurs. However, for certain stories, you can purchase coins to access them.
Ipusnas
Unlike other applications, this one is a digital library released by the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia. To be able to read thousands of book collections with various genres offered, you only need to create an account and borrow the desired books with a five-day loan period.
Reading books online is a very inspiring and useful hobby. Not only does it increase knowledge, but reading books can also be a cheap or even free recreation.
Moreover, for job seekers who love reading books online, you can train your communication skills to impress recruiters during job interviews. People who love reading books generally have broad knowledge and lots of brilliant ideas.