Amid a global health pandemic when staying indoors is the order of the day to stay safe, what does one do to entertain themselves. Among the numerous activities, you can undertake lies the simple pleasure of reading a book, one that you can find from a vast selection of free books to read online. From the best of horror books to read online for those who like a good old horror story, to a plethora of romantic novels to read online, here’s taking a look at free ebooks that form ideal online books to read.
Table of Contents
Romantic Novels To Read Online
From Jane Austen to Charles Dickens, here the best free ebooks you can find.
Pride and Prejudice
If you have been looking for romance books to read online, you are most likely to come across this Jane Austen novel that has been adapted and reimagined multiple times over the years.
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Sense & Sensibility
Also written by Jane Austen and adapted into an Oscar-winning film in 1995, this story of three young girls is one of the best among the romantic books to read online.
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Also Read: Fantasy Books
The Count Of Monte Cristo
A story of love and revenge written by Alexandre Dumas in 1844, this classic is one that you might have read and would like to revisit again, one of the masterpieces you will find when searching for free online books to read.
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Wuthering Heights
Published under her pseudonym in 1847, this dark classic in the array of books to read online for free is the only finished novel by Emily Bronte, its gothic characters standing out distinctively even today.
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Great Expectations
A story of unrequited love and tragedy, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens remains one of the classics that can be revisited time and again, making it stand out in the online books to read.
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Fantasy Books To Read Online
Looking for that perfect fiction read? We got you covered.
A Game Of Thrones
When it comes to free online books to read, how can we not talk about this one? Before the much talked about TV series came the books and then there was no looking back. Revolving around a number of ‘houses’—royalty, related and otherwise—who are embroiled in a war to gain the throne, the fictional series presents itself as the ideal fantasy books to read online for free.
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Swing Time
Zadie Smith remains one the most prolific writers of our times and in what can only be described as one of the most enthralling free online books to read, she takes us through the story of two friends and their lives, transitioning from childhood to adulthood and the changes that surround it.
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Little Fires Everywhere
It often happens that novels, many of them presented to us as free online books to read first, are turned into movies and series. You might have watched the show that’s all the rage all over the internet but the books play out the plot slightly differently. Charting through the territories of race, class and privilege, Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere is one of the best fiction books to read online.
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Difficult Women
If you are looking for free online books to read but in a short story format, one which you can read without having to commit for a long period of time, Roxane Gay’s fiction short stories are available in the format of free ebooks. Feminist, raw and beautifully depicted, the author’s protagonists will stay with you for a long, long time.
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Circe
Ever thought of a retelling of the greatest hits of Greek mythology? In Madeline Miller’s fictional tale that revolves around characters derived from myths, Circe, the daughter of the Sun, is a nymph with no visible magical powers. Her parents, considering her to be a blemish, allow Zeus to banish her forever to an island in the middle of nowhere. Imagining Circe to be a feminist hero who is as unafraid as fierce, Circe is a one of a kind page-turner in the genre of fantasy books to read online.
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Horror Books To Read Online
Good ol’ horror is back to give you the scares.
Dracula
If you have selected this one out of all the books for free to read online, pull the covers up to your chin and be prepared for the ride that is Bram Stoker’s horror magnum opus.
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Carrie
If you are browsing for books for free to read online and specifically in the horror section, Stephen King’s first novel makes a strong impression, often cited as the top amongst horror books to read online. Maybe don’t look under the bed, after all.
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It
Whether you haven’t seen the movie or have, we still suggest picking this free ebook version if you have been looking for horror books to read online for the longest time.
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Rosemary’s Baby
Not that anyone needs an introduction to this classic horror novel that sold more than 4 million copies. It is unmissable for fans of the genre.
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Tales of Terror From Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was one of the most renowned names in the horror genre and hence, any tale from him is worth clicking on your copy of the free ebook for.
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Mystery Books To Read Online
Ready to delve into the best of thriller?
The Silence Of The Lambs
Dr Hannibal Lecter and his cannibal ways might have kept you up at nights when you watched the eponymous film but it all started here! If you are ready to get spooked yet again, we will lead you straight to the free e-book version up for grabs.
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Snow
Part political thriller, part mystery, Snow by Orhan Pamuk covers conflict and more, the plot making it stand apart and making it one of the best mystery books to read online.
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Alias Grace
Set in the 1840s and loosely based on a true story, Alias Grace is a psychological thriller by Margaret Atwood that keeps the reader intrigued till the end. Also adapted to a miniseries, it sure has a top-notch plotline that will stand out amongst your collection of books to read online.
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Gone Girl
Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned. Also adapted to the big screen, Gillian Flynn’s fiction mystery novel will keep you up till you have finally reached the end. Starting with the disappearance of Amy Dunne who vanishes into thin air, the book’s plot revolves around her husband Nick who is now a prime suspect in her disappearance. It is one of the most popular novels you will find amongst free online books to read.
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The Girl On The Train
Trust us, when you reach the end, you will never see it coming. A real page-turner, this free e-book that you will find amid the books to read online for free is one that you will want to finish in one sitting, and that’s all we are going to say.
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Sci-Fi Books To Read Online Free
Take a look at the best sci-fi picks.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Published in 1985, this dystopian fiction novel by Margaret Atwood narrates the story of a new republic where women have no rights and are only kept alive to function as surrogates, bearing children for the commanders and their families. Brought to the TV screen via an adaptation of the same name, the novel is not for the faint-hearted, but definitely one of the most important pieces in feminist literature.
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The Time Machine
Looking for free online books to read in the sci-fi genre? HG Wells’s The Time Machine is a classic. Written way back in 1895, the novella is one of the most striking science fiction books to read online for free, especially if fiction pertaining to time travel is something that you would enjoy.
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The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
Adapted into multiple formats after it was published, including a TV series, a video game and a feature film, this comic sci-fi book forms an interesting pick from amongst the plethora of books for free to read online.
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Ready Player One
Written by debut novelist Ernest Cline in 2011, the dystopian setting and the plot of the novel are one that will keep you busy reading. One of the gems in science fiction books to read online free.
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The War Of The Worlds
As the name suggests, this HG Wells sci-fi novella narrates a conflict between humans and ‘Martians’. An interesting selection amid the free online books to read.
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Non-Fiction To Read Online Free
Find your pick from the best of free ebooks in non-fiction.
Becoming
Before she became the First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama was a young girl trying to play the piano and figuring out the ‘real-world’ as she grew up in the Southside of Chicago. From then to now, the book talks about her journey, her transitions, facing the world while continuing to learn, in Obama’s own words, making it one of the best selections you can make from an array of free online books to read.
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Jahangir: An Intimate Portrait Of A Great Mughal
While searching for free ebooks, you will most likely have come across this eye-opening historical account that begins well before the Mughal emperor’s birth. If you are looking for books to read online in the category, we suggest taking time out for this account, which will give you insights into the erstwhile life of the royal.
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I Have A Dream
Penned by Martin Luther King Jr, the famous ‘I have a dream’ speech that the activist delivered during the ‘March on Washington’ in August 1963 emphasises on equality and how it ought to exist for everyone in the United States. A short read but nevertheless an important account by the revolutionary, this is a must-read to understand systemic inequality and why it must be fought.
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Kohinoor: The Story Of The World’s Most Infamous Diamond
We have all heard, time and again, about the famous gem that was looted when the East India Company left the shores of India. Co-written by renowned historian William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, the book, available amongst the free ebooks, is one of the best historical books to read online for free.
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The Diary Of A Young Girl
Soon after the diary of Anne Frank was discovered and published, after her demise by her father, it became a classic—a true account of the resilience and strength of a young girl. Not only does it give us insights into the lives of families that were forced to go into hiding when the Nazis occupied Amsterdam, but it also lays bare the atrocities of war and inequality. One of the few surviving accounts from the time period, this free ebook tops the list of books to read online for free if you are looking for something in the genre.
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Comedy Books To Read Online
Here’s all you need for a guaranteed dose of laughter.
The Princess Diaries
If you have happened to read this funny series when younger, and we are betting that you have, you will need no introductions. Also a popular movie series, but you already know that, don’t you!
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Nothing To See Here
Children that burst into flames sound like a serious affair but when heard from the POV of their not-in-control first-timer nanny, it is a rather hilarious take, one of the best among the many free online books to read.
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My Man Jeeves
PG Wodehouse, anyone? All you should expect is rib-tickling humour when you click on your free e-book version.
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A Dog’s Purpose
The 2010 novel chronicles the life of man’s best friend. Injected with humour, this is one of the most fun you can pick from comic books to read online. Select from among your shortlisted free ebooks now.
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So Long And Thanks For All The Fish
A hit in both sci-fi and comedy genres, this Douglas Adams novel is the best you will select from amongst the free online books to read.
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Did you select a free ebook to read yet?
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