Hamsterra
English

Interface language

R5 · Readers

Free books and group giveaways

For readersVoice-over · English subtitles

Get an author's free book, or choose one book from a group giveaway.

Go to written steps

Before you start

  • Have the book or group giveaway link shared by an author.
  • Have access to the email address you’ll use to request your book.

Watch the walkthrough

Play video

Playing loads the video from YouTube (Google), which receives your IP address and may store cookies and other data in your browser. Cookie policy

English voice-over and subtitles; use the player’s captions control to adjust subtitles. The video is embedded from YouTube.

Chapters

  1. Open the free book link the author shared.
  2. Enter your email address.
  3. Choose the optional emails.
  4. Accept the terms and send.
  5. Open the email and select Get your book.
  6. Download your personal copy.Current chapter
  7. Open a group giveaway.
  8. Choose one book.
  9. Fill in the form for that book.
  10. Open the link in the email.
  11. Next: manage your emails and your data.

Transcript

Select a line to jump to that moment in the video.

  1. Authors often give away a free book, alone or together in a group giveaway.
  2. In this video, you'll get one of each. You don't need an account, just your email address.
  3. Authors share the link to their free book, for example in their newsletter.
  4. Enter your email address and, if you like, your first name.
  5. Next come two optional choices. One asks for invitations to the author's future ARC campaigns.
  6. The other adds you to the author's reader list, which gives them your name and email address.
  7. You get the book either way. Tick the box to accept the terms, then select Email me the book.
  8. Hamsterra sends you a private download link.
  9. Open the email and select Get your book.
  10. Opening the link confirms your email address and activates any choices you ticked.
  11. Keep the email: the link keeps working.
  12. Hamsterra makes a personal copy just for you, usually in under a minute.
  13. Select Download EPUB. Your copy has its own Copy ID.
  14. To remove this request, select Delete my data, check what's deleted, then confirm.
  15. A group giveaway brings several authors together on one page.
  16. It shows the dates and the books, in a random order on every visit, so every author gets seen.
  17. Before you choose, note the rule: one book per email address, and once you request a book, your choice is final.
  18. Select Choose this book.
  19. The form works like the free book page. Here, the two optional choices are only for the author of this book.
  20. Want a different one? Go back before you send. Then select Email me the book.
  21. Open the link in your email, just as before.
  22. Requesting the same book again resends its link. If you try a different book, Hamsterra shows your first choice instead.
  23. Enjoy your free books. Next, manage your emails and your data.

Written steps (text version of this video)

This walkthrough shows how to request an author's free book with just your email address, what the optional choices mean, and how to choose your one book from a group giveaway.

  1. Open the free book link the author shared.

    You don't need an account, just your email address.

    0:11

  2. Enter your email address.

    Add your first name if you like. Use the same form if you're already signed in.

    0:22

  3. Choose the optional emails.

    Choose whether to receive ARC invitations or join the author's reader list. Both are optional, and you get the book either way.

    0:34

  4. Accept the terms and send.

    Tick the box to accept the terms, then select Email me the book.

    0:47

  5. Open the email and select Get your book.

    Opening the link confirms your address and activates the choices you ticked. Keep the email: the link keeps working.

    0:57

  6. Download your personal copy.

    To remove the request, select Delete my data, check what's deleted and confirm.

    1:09

  7. Open a group giveaway.

    The page shows the dates and the books, in a random order on every visit.

    1:26

  8. Choose one book.

    One book per email address, and the choice is final. Select Choose this book.

    1:39

  9. Fill in the form for that book.

    The optional choices are only for that book's author. Then select Email me the book.

    1:51

  10. Open the link in the email.

    Download your book. Requesting the same book again resends its link.

    2:10

  11. Next: manage your emails and your data.

    Enjoy your free books.

    2:25

Check you’re done

  • You have opened the private download link from your email.
  • Your personal copy is ready and you have downloaded it.
  • You have kept the email so you can return to your copy.
  • For a group giveaway, your request confirms the book you chose.

Common questions

Do I need an account?

No. Enter your email address and, if you like, your first name. Open the link in the email to confirm your address.

Do I have to accept the optional emails?

No. ARC invitations and the author’s reader list are both optional, and you get the book either way. In a group giveaway, these choices apply only to the author of your chosen book.

Can I choose a different book after requesting one?

A group giveaway allows one book per email address, and the choice is final once requested. Requesting the same book again resends its link; trying another book shows your first choice instead.

R1 · 3:17

Find an ARC and apply

Find an open ARC in the catalogue and apply to read it, with or without an account.

R2 · 2:33

Get your copy

Open your copy page once you are approved and download your personalised ARC.

Still stuck? Report a problem