TGIF: How to Get Great Free Books

 

If you see the MennoMedia Facebook page, you likely know about Goodreads.

If you read a lot of books anyway, and would like to get more books, you would likely enjoy Goodreads. It’s one of those social media sharing sites for people with specialized interests. Giveaways are popular through social media, but time consuming to manage and administer, so that’s why, with a very small staff, we at MennoMedia and Herald Press use the Goodreads program frequently.

Right now we have three Goodreads giveaways offered:

• For God and Country (in that order): Faith and Service for Ordinary Radicals, by Logan Mehl-Laituri. It runs from now through “Peace Sunday,” September 21 in Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada (and check the links; both denominational groups are offering some helpful resources and issues for awareness for Peace Sunday). Two copies are offered, so you have two chances to win. If you haven’t read this stimulating and insightful book yet, here’s your chance. You’ve got 7 or so days, but don’t wait. To read more about Logan’s thoughtful book, check our earlier blog post.

• Two copies of Bonnet Strings: An Amish Woman’s Ties to Two Worlds are on the giveaway block at Goodreads from now until September 22. Bonnet Strings is a memoir by Saloma Miller Furlong about a woman who grew up Amish and then made the traumatic decision to leave her community as she fell in love with and married her eventual husband. A great book to curl up with this fall and winter … or share with a friend or family member! More info here.

• Five copies of Rebecca, the second of Mary Christner Borntrager’s Ellie’s People series are up for grabs on Goodreads beginning Monday, September 15, and running through October 1. If you know girls between the ages of 8-14, they just might enjoy this book. Read more about the series in our earlier blog post. (And you have to be at least 13 to enter on Goodreads.)

• And here’s a different giveaway over at Valley Living, a Harrisonburg-area magazine for families that I edit in my spare time. On November 1, Valley Living will give away one free copy of Mennonite Girls Can Cook Celebrations in a drawing from all those who complete a word search from the Valley Living website (the magazine is doing this to promote the website too). Here’s where to download the word search, this one on “the skeleton,” which can help kids learn about bones. So if you have kids, grandkids or teach kids the right age, they might enjoy helping do the word search, or even sending it in to win the free book for their mom or grandmother (hint hint). It has to be downloaded to enter it in the giveaway. For more on the beautiful book, check here. Not into a word search? That’s fine—share it with a friend.The deadline to submit the puzzle for the contest is October 29, and the address to send it to is printed on the puzzle.

That’s the point of all these giveaways anyway: sharing information, helping people know about good books available for a wide variety of interests and tastes, and keeping the love of reading and demand for books alive, regardless of whether you prefer ebooks, softbacks or old fashioned hardbacks.

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All of these books and more are always available at our store (or by clicking on the photos above) or by calling 800-245-7894.

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Do you know of other book giveaway sites? What is your favorite? Let us know! And enter any and all of these giveaways for some wonderful books.

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If you’re curious about the “rules” from Goodreads, here are some of the guidelines:

• No purchase necessary. Only one entry is allowed per household. You must be 13 or older and a legal resident of one of the countries this giveaway is listed for.
• The publisher or author, not Goodreads, is responsible for shipment of books to winners. To list a book, the publisher or author has already agreed never to send you anything except the book in question.
• You are not required to review the book if you win a copy. However, we encourage you to do so, as it’s the reason the publishers are giving us free books in the first place. People who review the books are also more likely to win more advance copies in the future.
• By accepting an advance copy and posting a review, you grant Goodreads and the publisher an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, fully paid, worldwide license to use, copy, perform, display, and distribute your review.
• In compliance with FTC guidelines, please disclose in your review that you received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

 

Melodie Davis, managing editor and author