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The Secret You Should Know About Non-Fiction Ebooks

Earlier this year, the price of Stephen Hawking’s groundbreaking book A Brief History of Time was slashed from $13.99 to $2.99 for a limited time.

Previously, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was discounted from $12.99 to $1.99, and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was $1.99. In each case, the discounts were available for ebooks and for a limited time only.

Readers usually pay premium prices for non-fiction books, as they are published less frequently than other genres. However, most people were completely unaware of these significant discounts.

A select group of readers, however, had the inside scoop on these deals and more. They used BookBub: a daily email that alerts readers to free and deeply discounted ebooks available only for a limited time.

More than 10 million subscribers use BookBub’s free service. Readers sign up with just an email address and select their favorite genres. From bestsellers to biographies and business to literary fiction, there are more than 35 categories. The in-house editorial team selects every book to ensure the highest quality. Most books are at least 50% off, and many are free, making it low risk to try new authors and genres.

“It’s the Groupon of books,” Dominique Raccah, the publisher of Sourcebooks, told The New York Times about deal sites like BookBub. “For the consumer, it’s new, it’s interesting. It’s a deal and there isn’t much risk. And it works.”

To see today’s ebook deals, go to www.bookbub.com.

Check out these previous BookBub non-fiction deals that were recommended by top business executives:

Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson: Recommended by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, this bestseller chronicles Franklin’s life not only as a founding father, but an inventor, scientist, and diplomat.

Search Inside Yourself by Chade-Meng Tan: Arianna Huffington credits some of her success and personal growth to this book, which this gives advice on “enhancing mindfulness and emotional intelligence in life and work.”

The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley: By the only author to appear on Mark Zuckerberg’s book club list twice, this New York Times bestseller argues the importance of free markets and the evolution of ideas to improve humankind.

If You Haven’t Tried Ebooks Yet, Now is the Time

The ebook reading experience has never been better than it is right now. If you haven’t tried ebooks yet, now is the best time to give it a shot. Here are the top 4 reasons why:

1) Price, Price, Price

Ebooks are much less expensive than their print counterparts. Not only do they cost less to make and deliver, but many authors are willing to discount them to encourage readers to sample their work. New services have popped up to send price alerts when your favorite authors and titles go on sale. The biggest and best is BookBub, a free service that alerts millions of readers to limited-time free and discounted ebooks.

2) Better Selection

All the major authors and publishers create ebook versions of their print books. And in addition, ebooks have opened up new genres and authors that are not available in print. It can become daunting to figure out what to read with this vast new selection at your fingertips. That’s where BookBub comes in again. Their editorial team selects only the best ebooks to include on their website and in their email. They do the work so you don’t have to.

3) Ease of Use

It’s hard to argue with having thousands of books at your fingertip with a single device. Reading on vacation has never been easier. And the purchasing process couldn’t be simpler. Click, download, and start reading instantaneously.

4) You Can Still Enjoy Print

Some people just love the feel of a book, or the look of a filled bookcase. Just because you read ebooks doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy print as well. Many people find a happy balance between the two. In fact, some retailers, such as Amazon, have introduced programs that give discounts to those who want both the digital and print versions.

Regardless of your reading preference, it appears that ebooks are here to stay. And if you haven’t taken the plunge yet, now is the time to give it a try. Services such as BookBub are making it easier than ever to find great books to read without breaking the bank.

To see today's ebook deals, go to www.bookbub.com.

4 Everyday Things That Drive E-Book Readers Crazy

These days, people love their ereaders — and it’s no wonder! Being able to read books on a screen is the biggest change in how humans read since the invention of the printing press! When else in human history could you find millions of books literally at the touch of your fingertips, and without even having to leave your house? Ereaders are the BEST.

But even the best things in life come with downsides. Here are a few of the things that drive ebook-lovers like us CRAZY.

1. When people ask “Don’t you miss the feel of a printed book?”

Why is everyone always going on about the touch, the feel of paper? Paper is nice, and sometimes books are really pretty! But I’d take convenience of ebooks over paper any day: every book in the world, available right now!

Ebooks are instant gratification!

2. When you’re waiting for the next book by this author

You know how this goes. You hear about a book, you download it immediately, you read it (and everything else by that author) in a few days. Can you say “obsessed”?

And then you get to the end, and all you can do is wait for this author’s next book. (We’re looking at you, George R.R. Martin.)

3. When you don’t know what to read next

This is the problem with infinite choice: there are so many books out there, how do you decide what to read???

4. When you spend all your money on books

We’ve all been there: there are just so many good books, and you want all of them all, and next thing you know you have no money because it all went into your library.

There is a Solution!

Okay, so there’s nothing we can do about the haters or about authors who just won’t hurry up and finish their books, but at the very least there’s a great way to get recommendations and discounts on ebooks. It’s our daily alert service here at BookBub, and millions of people are using it to find great deals on books they’ll love! It’s super simple: you tell us what genres of books you like to read, and we email you when bestsellers in that category are free or on sale: recent sales have included Gone Girl, The DaVinci Code, Game of Thrones, and The Girl on the Train! (Did we mention that all the books are free or on sale?)

To see today’s deals and get reading today, click here.

The Secret You Need to Know About Ebooks

Earlier this year, the price on the blockbuster book, The Girl on the Train, was slashed from $11.99 to $1.99 for one day only.

Previously, Gone Girl was discounted from $9.99 to $2.99, and The Da Vinci Code was given away for free for one week. In all three cases, the discounts were only available for the ebook version.

Most people were completely unaware of these huge deals.

A select group of readers, however, had the inside scoop on all these deals and more. They were using our free service here at BookBub.

Over 7 million people have signed up for BookBub’s free service. Readers sign up with just an email address, and then select their favorite genres. Each day, we send an email with free and discounted bestselling ebooks in the selected genres. Just click, download, and read on any device: Kindle, Nook, iPad, iPhone, Droid, & more.

From romance to mystery, cookbooks to non-fiction, and literary to historical fiction there are more than 20 categories to choose from to customize your email. Each title is hand selected by our editorial team to ensure the highest quality – we do the work for you. In addition, each book is at least 75% off, and many are free, which makes it extremely low risk to try new authors and genres.

Book lovers have now become practically obsessed with this concept. In many cases, they’ve downloaded hundreds of books and saved hundreds of dollars using the service.

“I now have more books than I can read in a lifetime,” said Suzie Miller of Auburn, WA. She said she has downloaded more than 350 free ebooks using the service.

To see today’s ebook deals, go to www.bookbub.com.

Why You Should Always Read the Book Before Seeing the Movie

It's common to walk out of the movie theater and hear book lovers exclaim, "The book was better!" Now, there's new data that proves people prefer books over movies.

We recently surveyed 500 readers to assess their their opinions on the film adaptations of books that have recently hit the bestseller lists. The survey found what we already believed to be true: more than half of readers (56%) "rarely" or "never" consider a movie adaptation as good as the book.

For example, despite spending $150 million at the box office, Divergent fans much preferred the book over the movie—0% thought the movie was better than the book.

Twelve Years a Slave may have earned nine Oscar nominations, but 56% of readers preferred it as a book, rather than a movie, and 0% thought the movie was better than the 1853 memoir it was based on.

Heaven is For Real, The Book Thief, Ender's Game, and Jack Reacher were also liked less than the book.

Check out more in the chart below:

What's a book lover to do? Simple: always read the book before seeing the movie.

Services like BookBub can make it even easier. Our free daily email alerts readers to deals on bestselling ebooks—including those adapted into films. For instance, The Maze Runner by James Dashner is coming to the silver screen in September 2014. To promote the upcoming film, BookBub featured The Maze Runner ebook for just $1.99, originally priced at $9.99.

In addition, we have featured amazing deals on The Da Vinci Code, Labor Day, Mystic River, Sophie’s Choice, I Am Number Four, Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Manchurian Candidate, and many, many more!

But the discounts are only available for a limited-time, with many lasting just 24 hours. The best way to find out about them is to sign up for BookBub’s daily email. Upon sign-up, you’ll be able to choose your favorite genres, as well as which device you read on. Then, you’ll get customized alerts with ebooks deals that match your interests.

It’s easy a pie! Click here to get started with a free account and view your deals.

5 Ways Reading Improves Your Health

Book lovers know there’s no feeling like getting lost in a great book. Page after page seems to fly by as you get more and more entrenched in the plot and character development. It’s almost as if you’re in the scenes and participating in the outcome. What you may not realize, however, is this activity is not only fun, but also great for your health! Check out these five surprising health benefits of reading.

1) Reduced Stress

When you get caught up in a great book and all your thoughts are consumed by the plot and characters, it seems like your everyday worries and stresses disappear. Not only does it seem that way, but it’s actually a proven fact! This 2009 study proves that reading for only six minutes can reduce stress by 68 percent, as well as slow your heart rate and minimize muscle tension. After a stressful day at work, instead of turning on the television, crack open a great book or fire up the Kindle in order to relax.

2) Improved Memory

Ok, maybe this one isn’t too surprising. Just like your muscles, your brain loves a good workout too. Reading regularly exercises your noggin, and all those synapses firing can actually improve your memory. In addition, a recent study showed that elderly people who read regularly are 2.5 times less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease.

3) Younger Brain

Of course we can’t stop the aging process (as much as we’d like to), but reading can help slow it down. This study showed that reading can significantly reduce your rate of cognitive decline. So curl up with a good book each night if you want to keep that brain young and spry.

4) Increased Empathy

Who knew that reading books could make you a nicer person? Apparently getting emotionally absorbed in a book carries over into real life. This study found that people who regularly immerse themselves in fictional stories are more empathetic. Even though the characters are fictional, relating to their situations causes us to be more open to real people in our lives.

5) Increased Tolerance for Uncertainty

Let’s be honest, all of us have struggled with ambiguity or lack of control in personal situations in the past. It can be stressful not knowing the future. Surprisingly, one easy way to cope is to read more. One study showed that reading fiction can cause an increase in tolerance for uncertainty. As people dive deeper and deeper into fictional stories and characters, their minds actually open up, and they become more comfortable with possibilities, options, and uncertainty.

Everyone knows reading is fun, but the benefits outlined above can really improve your health and life. If you’re reading a lot already, good for you! And if you’re not, try to find more time to read if you can. One thing you’ll need for sure is…LOTS OF BOOKS!

The Secret to Getting Bestselling Ebooks for Free

Bestselling ebooks are being given away for free every single day. Acclaimed novels from the most talented authors in the world can be at your fingertips for little to no cost.

How is this possible? It's because publishers and authors are giving ebooks away on purpose. Here are the main reasons why they do it:

1. Hook You on a Series – Just like movie makers, authors and publishers recognize the power of a compelling series, such as The Hunger Games. Publishers and authors know that giving away the first book can get you hooked so that you buy the subsequent books. This is good for everyone. Book lovers get great books for free, and publishers and authors reap the rewards in future book sales.

2. Prime the Pump for a New Release – As part of the promotional plan for a new release, publishers will often re-release an old book by the same author at a large discount to drum up publicity and new readers. For example, in anticipation of Dan Brown’s Inferno, Doubleday Publishing released his wildly successful novel, The Da Vinci Code, for free. A whole new audience was introduced to Dan Brown, and Inferno became a bestseller.

3. Build a Following for a New Author – Many independent authors give away their masterpieces for free to build up a following. It’s difficult to break through in the competitive publishing world, and giving away a book for free can put an author on the map. For this reason, you can often find diamonds in the rough at a low cost (if you know the right places to look).

Now that you know the free ebook secret, how do you go about finding them? There are many websites claiming to have free ebooks. But it’s often difficult to cut through the clutter and find the high quality books perfect for you.

That’s where our service, BookBub, comes into play. We do the work so you don’t have to. We handpick eBook deals across a wide range of devices – Kindle, Nook, iPad, Google Play, Kobo and others - to ensure the highest quality. In fact, we reject over 50 percent of the submissions we get.

4 Money-Saving Tips for Bookworms

As the tablet market continues to boom, it’s now simpler than ever to download eBooks with the push of a button. The simplicity is great, but for book lovers and avid readers, stocking up on books can get pricey. So, where can you find discounted and free eBooks to feed your bookworm appetite? Check out the services below.

Libraries

Many public libraries are keeping up with the trend towards digital, offering ebooks as part of their lending collections. In most cases, all you need is a card to your local library. You can access their ebook lending libraries directly from your computer or tablet, and download ebooks available for you to read for a specified period of time. It’s just like checking out a library book, without actually making a trip to the library.

Author Lists

Book lovers like us all have favorite authors that we know and love. Luckily for us, many of these authors have blogs, email lists, Twitter accounts and Facebook pages for loyal fans to keep up with their latest news and releases. Additionally, many authors offer special giveaways and discounted prices on their works for loyal followers. Check out your favorite authors to receive these newsletters and alerts.

Book Clubs

Many book clubs receive specials on books, allowing members of the group to purchase selections at a discounted group rate. For avid readers, book clubs offer guided discussions on bestselling books, while also giving readers a chance to snag books at a lesser price in exchange for participation in the club.

Ebook Deal Alerts

For the simplest way to get great deals on great books, sign up for a daily alert service. BookBub is the leader in the market with over 5 million subscribers, but there are several players. These companies send you a single daily email, alerting you to flash sales on bestselling ebooks. At sign-up, you choose your favorite genres – from romance to thrillers to cookbooks – and all books featured are free or deeply discounted. The ebooks are usually available on all devices from Kindles to iPads to Android devices. The best part is that most of these services are completely free to join.

As you can see, it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to stock up on great reading material. All of the above options can do the trick, so check out your library’s offering, follow your favorite authors on Twitter and Facebook, and join a book club.

To learn more about ebook deal alerts from BookBub, go to

Guide to Maximizing Your Ereader

Congrats! You are the proud new owner of an eReader, and now you’re looking to make the most of it. Or perhaps, you’ve had your eReader for quite a while, and it needs some updating. As self-proclaimed bookworms, we love our eReaders, carry them with us everywhere we go, and are always on the lookout for ways to improve our eReading experience.

Below, you’ll find suggestions on the coolest cases, most useful apps, and most importantly, the best way to stock your eReader with free books.

Cases

Let’s start with the outside. eReaders are expensive, and in order to protect your equipment and ensure it stays in top shape, you’ll need a case. eReader cases are not only utilitarian, they can also reflect your personality. From cases you can take to the beach to cases that resemble hardcover book covers to cases made from recycled materials, there are a variety of fun and creative eReader covers out there for you to choose from and let your personality shine. For more, check out these picks from CaseLogic as well!

Apps

While not available on all devices, some eReaders allow users to download third-party applications that add extra features to your device. First, if available, download other reading apps, such as Kindle, Nook and Kobo, to ensure you can read books from a variety of retailers. Additionally, you can download magazine and newspaper apps to read your favorite periodicals directly from your eReader. Or, when you need a break from reading, download word and puzzle games to play directly from your device. Check out BestAppSite.com for reviews and insights on the best apps to download right now.

Books

Of course, the main reason for owning an eReader is to read eBooks. While retailers make it easier than ever to download books directly to your device from the Internet, stocking up on full-priced books can quickly get expensive.

To save money, we suggest signing up for BookBub, our daily service that alerts you to flash sales on eBooks in genres you like. All the books featured on BookBub are free or deeply-discounted, and are hand-selected for quality by our expert editorial team.

Additionally, you can further customize the deals you receive by choosing your favorite genres – from romance to thrillers to cookbooks – and the service works with all devices/retailers such as Kindle, Nook, iPad, Google Play, Kobo and more. The result is a uniquely curated email, tailored specifically for you and your eReader.

Conclusion

With a sparkling new case, a bevy of apps, and thousands of discounted eBooks, follow the above tips to make the most of your eReader, and you’ll be heading into reading nirvana in no time.

The 9 Most Mischievous Literary Pranksters

If you’re looking for April Fools’ inspiration, the Internet is a treasure trove of ideas, with digital pranksters constantly one-upping each other to win viral fame. However, this year for April Fools’ Day, we decided to take it offline, cracking open our favorite books to find the most captivatingly clever jokesters. You may not call these characters role models, but if you need to commit some tomfoolery, these are the original pros.

From ferocious fireworks to feces-filled pies, we examined the pranks of nine literary characters, then ranked them by ingenuity and hilarity. Check out the list below, and be sure to proceed with caution when replicating their mischievous tricks!

The Cat in the Hat, The Cat in the Hat

"My tricks are not bad," the Cat assured Sally and her brother upon arrival. But the siblings had every right to be skeptical because the Cat proceeded to unleash two little Things that destroyed the kids’ house. The Cat’s pranks were more messy than they were funny, and perhaps his best trick was disappearing without a word.

Cleverness: 2

Hilariousness: 3

Overall prankster score: 5

Loki Liesmith, American Gods

Certainly not the most lovable of pranksters, Loki wins points for his deceitful cons. But the pranks are far from silly — in fact, Loki uses his power to orchestrate births, deaths and colossal, destructive battles between the Gods.

Cleverness: 8

Hilariousness: 1

Overall prankster score: 9

Eloise, Eloise

As a kid, we didn’t envy anyone as much as we did Eloise. Using The Plaza as her personal playground, Eloise effortlessly tricked both the staff and guests to get the most out of her suite life, from snagging free candy to crashing weddings. However, as an adult, you realize she needed just a tad bit more supervision.

Cleverness: 6

Hilariousness: 6

Overall prankster score: 12

Matilda Wormwood, Matilda

Even though we don’t have telekinetic powers, Roald Dahl’s Matilda truly spoke to the bookworm in all of us. We loved her more and more each time she played a prank on her exceedingly evil parents — our favorite was when she superglued her father’s hat to his head!

Cleverness: 6

Hilariousness: 7

Overall prankster score: 13

Viola, Twelfth Night

A female character dressing as a male may be an overdone trope, but William Shakespeare knew how to rock it. Viola disguises herself as a man, fooling everyone around her. But the love story gets complicated when—GASP!—her identical twin brother shows up. (Unfortunately, the story wasn’t as funny 400 years later when reincarnated as the Amanda Bynes’ film “She’s The Man.”)

Cleverness: 6

Hilariousness: 8

Overall prankster score: 14

Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer is perhaps the most infamous literary prankster out there. He’s mischievous and, at times, annoying, but you have to respect him for the thoroughness of his tricks. For a case in point, we look at the moment Tom convinced his dim-witted pals that whitewashing a fence is incredibly fun.

Cleverness: 9

Hilariousness: 6

Overall prankster score: 15

Fred and George Weasley, Harry Potter series

In a world where people travel using fireplaces and magic powder, it’s amazing that any sort of prank can surprise them. Yet, Fred and George Weasley, the mischievous, red-headed twins of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, had no trouble fooling residents of Hogwarts with their practical jokes—from snacks that trick teachers into dismissing a student from class to enchanted (and at times, terrifying) fireworks!

Cleverness: 7

Hilariousness: 8

Overall prankster score: 15

Puck, A Midsummer’s Night Dream

Even Shakespeare knew the theater could be a snooze, and that’s why he created Puck, a.k.a. Robin Goodfellow. The absurdly mischievous elf pulls prank after prank, adding levity to Shakespeare’s five-act saga. Centuries later, Puck transforming Bottom into an ass still has audiences roaring in their seats. Take a bow, Puck.

Cleverness: 8

Hilariousness: 8

Overall prankster score: 16

Minny Jackson, The Help

A fireball from the start, Minny Jackson revealed to readers that she has a prankster side, too. After getting fired by her employer, the obnoxious Hilly Holbrook, Minny takes revenge by pulling an over-the-top prank: she bakes her feces into a chocolate pie and then serves it to an unknowing Miss Hilly. Yum.

Cleverness: 9

Hilariousness: 10 (Well, if you’re not Hilly).

Overall prankster score: 19

Happy April Fools’ Day!

19 Quotes That Will Make You Fall in Love With Books Again

Bust out those ereaders, dust off your bookshelves, or head to your local library ― beach reading season is in full swing!

To motivate you, we’ve rounded up the best quotes about reading. These 19 quotes express the undeniably unique power books possess to entertain us, comfort us, challenge us, and inspire us. Reading is truly amazing, and while it’s always in the back of our minds, sometimes life’s distractions get in the way of hunkering down on the sand with a really great book. Let these quotes serve as your reminder!

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go." ― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

"A book is a device to ignite the imagination." ― Alan Bennett, The Uncommon Reader

"The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; and, after an era of darkness, new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again, and yet live on, still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men’s hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead." ― Clarence Shepard Day

"Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home." ― Anna Quindlen, How Reading Changed My Life

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers." ― Charles William Eliot

"All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you; the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was." ― Ernest Hemingway

"I read my eyes out and can’t read half enough… The more one reads the more one sees we have to read." ― John Adams

"Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body. As by the one, health is preserved, strengthened, and invigorated: by the other, virtue (which is the health of the mind) is kept alive, cherished, and confirmed." ― Joseph Addison

"A book, too, can be a star, ‘explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,’ a living ﬁre to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe." ― Madeleine L’Engle

"If the crowns of all the kingdoms of Europe were laid down at my feet in exchange for my books and my love of reading, I would spurn them all." ― François Fénelon

"A book is a friend whose face is constantly changing. If you read it when you are recovering from an illness, and return to it years after, it is changed surely, with the change in yourself." ― Andrew Lang

"The love of books is a love which requires neither justification, apology, nor defense." ― J.A. Langford

"The first time I read an excellent book, it is to me just as if I had gained a new friend. When I read over a book I have perused before, it resembles the meeting with an old one." ― Oliver Goldsmith

"No matter what his rank or position may be, the lover of books is the richest and the happiest of the children of men." ― J.A. Langford

"The habit of reading is the only enjoyment I know in which there is no alloy. It lasts when all other pleasures fade. It will be there to support you when all other resources are gone. It will be present to you when the energies of your body have fallen away from you. It will last you until your death. It will make your hours pleasant to you as long as you live." ― Anthony Trollope

"A first book has some of the sweetness of a first love." ― Robert Aris Willmott

"Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book." ― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

"No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting." ― Lady M. W. Montagu

"Of all the things which man can do or make here below, by far the most momentous, wonderful, and worthy are the things we call books." ―Thomas Carlyle

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