How to Get Free Audiobooks & E-books Right Now

April 18, 2020December 5, 2024 - Amy 2 Comments

Updated 4th April 2024

Welcome to a list of everywhere you can get free audiobooks and e-books right now.

Some of the below are general subscription services from big names such as Amazon, whereas others are more niche and indy. Some catalogs can be accessed via apps, others include free downloads. All have at least a 30-day free trial available and a handful are free all the time.

Personally, I’ve used Everand for the past few years, but after researching this list I have my eye on the 3-month deal for Audible and perhaps the paid version of Libro.fm later, as profits support independent bookstores.

Asian Literature: 11 Best Books About Southeast Asia

September 8, 2018December 5, 2024 - Amy 2 Comments

So, I recently made Southeast Asia my home by officially moving to Bangkok! I’ve celebrated in the only way I know how – adding the best books about Southeast Asia to my ever-growing reading wishlist and further expanding on my knowledge of Asian literature.

Here, I’m recommending one novel set in each country in Southeast Asia (available in English) and where possible, by an author from that country too.

17 Best Shakespeare Quotes About Travel to Inspire Adventure

April 21, 2018December 5, 2024 - Amy 1 Comment

It’s Shakespeare’s birthday weekend and I’m celebrating in his birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon (Will, you don’t look a day over 400). So, in the spirit of all things literary and wanderlustful, I have compiled a list of Shakespeare quotes about travel from the bard’s most famous plays; to inspire you to either pick up a pen or get on a plane (or both).

11 Great Japanese Novels in English to Read on Your Trip

April 10, 2018December 5, 2024 - Amy 6 Comments

When I read Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood during a trip to Japan, both the trip and the book sparked a fascination with Japanese novels that has stayed with me ever since. This list was meant to be a top five, but I simply couldn’t choose! So instead, here are 11 great Japanese writers and the their books, available in English, that make great travel buddies for a trip to Japan.

5 Cool Used Bookstores in Los Angeles You Need to Visit

April 6, 2018December 5, 2024 - Amy 4 Comments

Shopping for books may not be the first thing that pops into your head when you think about visiting Los Angeles, but you may be surprised.

Local Angeleno Maggie Torsney-Weir shares her guide to the best quirky bookshops and used bookstores in Los Angeles, from children’s books to travel tomes, to independent bookstores that have become LA literary institutions, such as the iconic The Last Bookstore:

The Best Birmingham Bookshops for New and Secondhand Books

March 17, 2018December 12, 2024 - Amy 5 Comments

Updated May 2024

My passport may be bursting at the seams, but I’m definitely guilty of ignoring what’s in my own back yard. So, since I’ve been back in Birmingham (UK, not US), I’m making it my mission to explore my home city a little more, starting with my favourite places to visit – bookstores! Here’s my list of the best Birmingham bookshops for new and secondhand books, from comic book stores to independent bookshops selling used books; where you can find your next Brummy read:

HK Writers | The 5 Best Books About Hong Kong

February 15, 2018December 5, 2024 - Amy 3 Comments

Living in Hong Kong for five years, I explored the city, the islands and the mountainous New Territories. I also explored the SAR’s history through popular books set in Hong Kong, from romantic novels to informative works of non-fiction. So, I’ve decided to compile a list of the best books about Hong Kong and my favourite HK writers, which I highly recommend you read if you are visiting.

16+ Unique Literary Gifts for Book Lovers Who Travel

November 29, 2017December 5, 2024 - Amy 36 Comments

Updated May 2024

I love receiving candles as gifts. But, as a candle-loving, book-consuming backpacker, books and candles are sadly not the most practical of gifts for readers who explore both real and fictional worlds.

So, to represent the page travellers there, here are the best literary gifts for book lovers who travel, which are practical, cute and – most importantly – kind to your baggage allowance.

(So, basically, this is all one big hint to friends, family and boyfriend about what they can get me for Christmas and birthdays. Hint. Hint hint! HINT HINT HINT!)

The Best Mexico City Bookstores for Books in English

October 21, 2017October 30, 2024 - Amy 27 Comments

I have an addiction. I arrive in a new city and plan to see the sights, but when I stumble across a bookshop en route, I can’t help but pop in “for five minutes”. Several hours later, I leave with my purse much lighter and my backpack significantly heavier. Yet, despite my lack of Spanish, this has not stopped me in Mexico – “Tiene novelas en Ingles?” And through my illness, I have discovered the best Mexico City bookstores (for books in English, that is!)…

My Favourite Quotes from Wild by Cheryl Strayed

September 11, 2017November 22, 2024 - Amy 62 Comments

I’ve been quiet for a few months on this blog. This has been partly an intentional break and partly because I’ve struggled to find the right words to articulate the reasons behind my hiatus. However, if there are any words that can best describe the tumultuous swinging between wanderlust and a craving for home that I’ve been feeling, they can be found in quotes from Wild by Cheryl Strayed.