Alternatives to Drinkmalk

If you're here, you already know what Drinkmalk was.  But just in case you've stumbled across this page, I'll explain it to you.  Drinkmalk was a third party ebook repository that you could plunk into your Stanza reader (PC, iPhone, iPad, Android) that allowed you to download just about every book imaginable, for free.  It was a godsend to people who like to, ahem, preview books before they buy them.

But now, Drinkmalk has gone away.  The administrator of the site had emailed out to everyone that he will not be bringing the site back.  This is truly sad news, because there isn't really a perfect replacement for Drinkmalk.  However, if you're looking to download ebooks for free, there are a few places that can help you out.

Library.nu is a website that allows you to download PDF documents of ebooks for free. If you're looking for free ebook PDFs, it's a great solution for you. However, you will not find many .epub files. Luckily, Stanza and iBooks can both open up PDF ebooks. The biggest downside is that you will not be able to sync your reading location across multiple devices if you download books from there. You also do need to register a free account, but I have not received any spam as a result of registering.

Note: You can bypass registration on Library.nu by using a Google search. Go to Google and enter: site:library.nu title_of_the_book_you_are_looking_for

This site has a huge selection, including many textbooks that would cost hundreds of dollars. It's one of my favorite places to go if I want to learn about a subject that is totally new to me. I'm always interested in learning new things!

For those who loved the simplicity of having a server location built right within Stanza, Matuck is the best alternative to Drinkmalk. At this point, it doesn't have even close to the massive selection that Drinkmalk had, but it's growing quickly as the author has enabled users to add their own books. Files are in a variety of formats, mostly .epub.

To Add Matuck To Your Stanza

If you want to download free ebooks with Stanza, you need to add Matuck. To do this, do the following:

1. Install Stanza (free app!) on your phone, iPad, or computer
2. Add a catalog using the following source: http://www.matuck.com/catalog
3. Make sure to click on OPDS Catalog while setting up the source, otherwise it will not work correctly.

You are now on your way to getting free ebooks through Stanza, even though Drinkmalk is officially dead.

Found a better site to get free ebooks for your Kindle, iPhone, or e-reader now that Drinkmalk is gone?  Leave comments and let me know, and I'll add them right away! :)