Free and Bargain Book Roundup, Part III

First, a few reminders and updates.

• Today is the last day to fulfill the Visa $10 Kindle Book Credit KSO offer.
• Both Monday Night Jihad and A Kiss of Adventure are now free for US Kindle customers and in both EPUB and nook formats.
• If you are voting in the HUGO awards, today is the last day to submit your ballot.
• It's the end of the month, so many of the publisher set prices on bargain books will change at midnight tonight or shortly thereafter.

Grand Sophy ($2.99), by Georgette Heyer; if you missed this price the first time, grab it now as it should change at the first of the month.

Book Description
Sophy sets everything right for her desperate family in one of Georgette Heyer's most popular Regency romances.

When Lady Ombersley agrees to take in her young niece, no one expects Sophy, who sweeps in and immediately takes the ton by storm. Sophy discovers that her aunt's family is in desperate need of her talent for setting everything right: Ceclia is in love with a poet, Charles has tyrannical tendencies that are being aggravated by his grim fiancee, her uncle is of no use at all, and the younger children are in desperate need of some fun and freedom. By the time she's done, Sophy has commandeered Charles's horses, his household, and finally, his heart.

Gotcha! ($0.99) and Divorced, Desperate and Delicious ($0.99), by Christie Craig, are two backlist titles worth looking at.

Gotcha!
Macy Tucker was five years old when her beloved grandfather dropped dead in his spaghetti. At twelve, her father left his family in the dust. At twenty-five, her husband gave his secretary a pre-Christmas bonus in bed, and Macy gave him the boot. To put things lightly, men have been undependable.

That's why dating's off the menu. Macy is focused on putting herself through law school -- which means being the delivery girl for Papa's Pizza. But cheesier than her job is her pie-eyed brother, who just recently escaped from prison to protect his new girlfriend. And hotter than Texas toast is the investigating detective. Proud, sexy...inflexible, he's a man who would kiss her just to shut her up. But Jake Baldwin's a protector as much as a dish. And when he gets his man -- or his woman -- Macy knows it's for life.

Divorced, Desperate and Delicious
Ever since photographer Lacy Maguire caught her ex playing Pin the Secretary to the Elevator Wall, she's been content with her dog Fabio, her three cats, and a vow of chastity. But all of that changes when the reindeer-antlered Fabio drags in a very desperate, on-the-run detective who decides to take refuge in her house -- a house filled with twinkling lights and a decorated tree. (Okay, so it's February, but she has a broken heart to mend, a Christmas-card shoot to do, and a six-times divorced, match-making mother to appease.) For the first time in a looooong while, Lacy reconsiders her vow. Because sexy Chase Kelly, wounded soul that he may be, would be an oh-so-delicious way of breaking her fast. Now, if she can just keep them both alive and him out of jail....

Hunter's Run ($1.99), by Gardner Dozois, George R. R. Martin and Daniel Abraham, was part of the Big Deal Sale on Kindle. It and several other books from that sale are still showing their sale prices (you can click on the link to see them, but sorting by price doesn't work on them very well).

Book Description
Running from poverty and hopelessness, Ramón Espejo boarded one of the great starships of the mysterious, repulsive Enye. But the new life he found on the far-off planet of São Paulo was no better than the one he abandoned. Then one night his rage and too much alcohol get the better of him. Deadly violence ensues, forcing Ramón to flee into the wilderness.

Mercifully, almost happily alone—far from the loud, bustling hive of humanity that he detests with sociopathic fervor—the luckless prospector is finally free to search for the one rich strike that could make him wealthy. But what he stumbles upon instead is an advanced alien race in hiding: desperate fugitives, like him, on a world not their own. Suddenly in possession of a powerful, dangerous secret and caught up in an extraordinary manhunt on a hostile, unpredictable planet, Ramón must first escape . . . and then, somehow, survive.

And his deadliest enemy is himself.

Immortal Monster ($2.99), by Anthony Bruno and Marilyn Bardsley, is one of six titles being sold under the Crimescape banner by RosettaBooks, which is a collection of compelling, short nonfiction by the best true crime authors in the business, many of whom have seen their books made into major motion pictures.

Book Description
Contract killer, lethal scam artist, loving father, abusive husband, abused son, convicted murderer, jailhouse schemer, liar, TV star. The man they called “The Iceman” was all of those. In 1988 he was sentenced to life for four gruesome murders, but this was just the tip of his iceberg. He had a taste for esoteric methods of death─favoring a cyanide solution in a nasal spray bottle─and body disposal─freezing one of his victims to disguise the time of death. At one point he bragged that his personal body count was over 200, seven times the more likely number. Still, he has huge following, and a biopic based on his life is about to start shooting this fall. The Iceman told his story in three extremely popular HBO documentaries, which are still broadcast regularly. Why does the Iceman's story continue to fascinate the public five years after his death and 25 years after his apprehension? And how much of his legend is truth?

Anthony Bruno is an expert on the Iceman after researching and corresponding with him for over two years. His full-length book The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer is the basis for an upcoming feature film set to roll starring James Franco, Benicio Del Toro and Boardwalk Empire’s Michael Shannon as the Iceman. Bruno is currently serving as executive producer for The Iceman feature film.

Anthony Bruno is also the author of The Seekers: A Bounty Hunter’s Story with Joshua Armstrong, which was nominated for an Edgar Award. Bruno has authored over 50 articles for TruTV’s Crime Library and 14 published crime-related books. Bruno also assisted with film adaptation of his novel, Bad Apple, for Turner Network Television. He acted as consultant to the producers and wrote key scenes.

There are three big bargains under the AmazonCrossing label (English translations of foreign works of note): The King of Kahel ($1.24), by Tierno Monénembo and Nicholas Elliott, Doña Luz ($0.99), by Juan Valera and Kenneth Evan Barger, and A Bit of Everything ($0.99), by Juan Valera and Johanna Warren.

The King of Kahel
Tierno Monenembo's The King of Kahel was originally published in France in 2008 and was the winner of the French literary prize, the prix Renaudot, which is awarded to the author of an outstanding original novel. Loosely based on the life of Olivier de Sanderval, a man who journeyed to Guinea to build an empire by conquering the hostile region of Fouta Djallon, the book exposes how Sanderval braves all dangers to build a railway that will bring modern civilization to Africa.

Doña Luz
Doña Luz must abandon her aristocratic life in nineteenth-century Madrid and begin anew in rural Andalusia. What she cannot leave behind is her history: an illegitimate birth that defines who she is and what her future holds. Unwilling to settle for a husband of lesser intellect and sophistication, the lovely Doña Luz announces that she will never marry. As it has for more than a century, the revered style of Spanish writer Juan Valera pulls readers into this novel of love and uncertainty. Does Doña Luz follow the spiritual pull of Father Enrique or the sensual attraction of Don Jaime Pimental? A novel that has been enjoyed since its first publication in 1879, this translation offers readers a compelling view into the conflicts facing a protagonist of more than a century past, conflicts that are still poignantly relevant today.

A Bit of Everything
I see I am soaring too high, so I shall descend and speak more plainly. So writes nineteenth-century Spanish author Juan Valera in "Cordovan Woman," one of a literary sextet found in the translation of his 1883 collection, A Bit of Everything. Whether readers resonate to the apologia of "Spring," in which Valera regrets his inability to express sentiments eloquently, yet delivers those sentiments with unparalleled elegance, or to the warm humor of "Cordovan Woman" as he delivers self-deprecating comments about his writing skills (all delivered in the brilliant prose for which he has long been famous), Valera's work is timeless. He holds us captive with his fascinating views of wealth in "A Bit of Chrematistics" and challenges us to think in "Women Writers in Spain and Praise of Saint Theresa," "On Goethe’s 'Faust'," and "On Shakespeare." Humor, philosophy, a dash of love and sensuality, along with insightful social observation make this book as fresh today as it was a century ago.

Spirit ($2.99), by Graham Masterton

Book Description
Peggy Buchanan was such an adorable little girl, all blond curls and sweetness. Then came the tragic day when her family found Peggy floating in the icy water of their swimming pool, dead, her white dress billowing around her. Her sisters, Laura and Elizabeth, couldn’t imagine life without Peggy. They knew from that day forward their lives would be changed forever. But they couldn’t know the nightmare that waited for them. Peggy may be dead—but she hasn’t left them. As the sisters grow up, a string of inexplicable deaths threatens to shatter their lives. No matter how warm the weather, each corpse shows signs of severe frostbite . . . and each victim’s dying moments are tortured by a merciless little girl in a white dress, whose icy kiss is colder than death.

Come Twilight (St. Germain) ($9.99 Kindle), by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, is $2.99 at B&N. This publisher is under an Agency agreement, so the prices should be the same at all stores - be sure to let Amazon know if this is one you want to buy.

Book Description
Beginning in the 600s, Spain's old blood rituals of animal sacrifice were replaced by the new gods of Christianity and Islam, who demanded no less obedience and allegiance. Saint-Germain becomes trapped in this cauldron of blood, fear, and faith when, he makes a vampire of the beautiful, haughty, tempestuous Csimenae.

Csimenae kills without mercy. She makes vampires without a second thought; and they,

For five hundred years, as waves of war and religion sweep over Spain, Csimenae hunts until her marauding, willful ways expose her vampiric nature. Saint-Germain's centuries of life have taught him that to fall out of step with history is to risk the True Death, a fate Saint-Germain wishes for none of his kind. He must try to save Csimenae-and her clan-but at what price?

Murder on the Eiffel Tower ($9.99 Kindle), the first in the Victor Legris series by Claude Izner, is also $2.99 at B&N.

Book Description
The brand-new, shiny Eiffel Tower is the pride and glory of the 1889 World Exposition. But one sunny afternoon, as visitors are crowding the viewing platforms, a woman collapses and dies on this great Paris landmark. Can a bee sting really be the cause of death? Or is there a more sinister explanation? Enter young bookseller Victor Legris. Present on the tower at the time of the incident, and appalled by the media coverage of the occurrence, he is determined to find out what actually happened. In this dazzling evocation of late nineteenth-century Paris, we follow Victor as his investigation takes him all over the city and he suspects an ever-changing list of possible perpetrators. Could mysterious Kenji Mori, his surrogate father and business partner at the bookstore Legris operates, be involved in the crime? Why are beautiful Russian illustrator Tasha and her colleagues at the newly launched sensationalist newspaper Passepartout always up-to-date in their reporting? And what will Legris do when the deaths begin to multiply and he is caught in a race against time?

Murder on the Eiffel Tower is painstakingly researched, an effortless evocation of the glorious City of Light, and an exciting opening to a promising series of eight books featuring Victor Legris.

if you missed A Gift of Grace, by Amy Clipston, when it was free, now is the time to get it, while it is 99 cents. This is the first in her Kauffman Amish Bakery series, from Christian publisher Zondervan. You can also pick up the third in the series, A Place of Peace, for just $1.99.

A Gift of Grace
Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams ... and secrets. You'll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the 'English' way of life---and the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. Rebecca Kauffman's tranquil Old Order Amish life is transformed when she suddenly has custody of her two teenage nieces after her 'English' sister and brother-in-law are killed in an automobile accident. Instant motherhood, after years of unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child of her own, is both a joy and a heartache. Rebecca struggles to give the teenage girls the guidance they need as well as fulfill her duties to Daniel as an Amish wife.Rebellious Jessica is resistant to Amish ways and constantly in trouble with the community. Younger sister Lindsay is caught in the middle, and the strain between Rebecca and Daniel mounts as Jessica's rebellion escalates. Instead of the beautiful family life she dreamed of creating for her nieces, Rebecca feels as if her world is being torn apart by two different cultures, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community, her marriage, and her faith in God.

A Place of Peace
Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams ... and secrets. You'll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the 'English' way of life---and the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. Miriam Lapp, who left the Amish community of Bird-in-Hand three years ago, is heartbroken when her sister calls to reveal that her mother has died suddenly. Traveling home to Pennsylvania, she is forced to face the heartache from her past, including her rift from her family and the breakup of her engagement with Timothy Kauffman.Her past emotional wounds are reopened when her family rejects her once again and she finds out that Timothy is in a relationship with someone else. Miriam discovers that the rumors that broke them up three years ago were all lies. However, when Timothy proposes to his girlfriend and Miriam's father disowns her, Miriam returns to Indiana with her heart in shambles.When Miriam's father has a stroke, Miriam returns to Pennsylvania, where her world continues to fall apart, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community and her faith in God.

Free and Bargain Book Roundup, Part II

Be sure to also check out Part I of this post, to see all the bargains and coupon codes.

You can read The Wee Free Men ($6.99), the 30th in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, for free online. I tried it and it does work, but you need Adobe Flash (so that likely means only on a PC or Mac, not an ereader browser or an iThing).

Book Description
A nightmarish danger threatens from the other side of reality . . .

Armed with only a frying pan and her common sense, young witch-to-be Tiffany Aching must defend her home against the monsters of Fairyland. Luckily she has some very unusual help: the local Nac Mac Feegle—aka the Wee Free Men—a clan of fierce, sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men.

Together they must face headless horsemen, ferocious grimhounds, terrifying dreams come true, and ultimately the sinister Queen of the Elves herself. . . .

The Last Detective ($3.99), by Robert Crais

Book Description
Elvis Cole is back...

With his acclaimed bestsellers, Hostage (a New York Times Notable Book) and Demolition Angel, Robert Crais drew raves for his unstoppable pacing, edgy characterizations, and cinematic prose. Now, in The Last Detective, Crais returns to his signature character, Los Angeles private investigator Elvis Cole, in a masterful page-turner that probes the meaning of family and the burdens of the past.

Elvis Cole's relationship with attorney Lucy Chenier is strained. When she moved from Louisiana to join Elvis in Los Angeles, she never dreamed that violence would so easily touch her life -- but then the unthinkable happens. While Lucy is away on business and her ten-year-old son, Ben, is staying with Elvis, Ben disappears without a trace. Desperate to believe that the boy has run away, evidence soon mounts to suggest a much darker scenario.

Joining forces with his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike, Elvis frantically searches for Ben with the help of LAPD Detective Carol Starkey, as Lucy's wealthy, oil-industry ex-husband attempts to wrest control of the investigation. Amid the maelstrom of personal conflicts, Elvis and Joe are forced to consider a more troubling lead -- one indicating that Ben's disappearance is connected to a terrible, long-held secret from Elvis Cole's past.

Venturing deep inside a complex psyche, Crais explores Elvis's need for family - the military that embraced him during a troubled adolescence, his rock-solid partnership with Pike, and his floundering relationship with Lucy - as they race the clock in their search for Ben. The Last Detective is Robert Crais' richest, most intense tale of suspense yet.

The Clockwork Rocket ($3.99), is the latest work by Greg Egan, whose Zendegi is still available for free.

Book Description
In Yalda's universe, light has no universal speed and its creation generates energy.On Yalda's world, plants make food by emitting their own light into the dark night sky.

As a child Yalda witnesses one of a series of strange meteors, the Hurtlers, that are entering the planetary system at an immense, unprecedented speed. It becomes apparent that her world is in imminent danger -- and that the task of dealing with the Hurtlers will require knowledge and technology far beyond anything her civilisation has yet achieved.

Only one solution seems tenable: if a spacecraft can be sent on a journey at sufficiently high speed, its trip will last many generations for those on board, but it will return after just a few years have passed at home. The travellers will have a chance to discover the science their planet urgently needs, and bring it back in time to avert disaster.

Red-Headed Stepchild ($1.99), the first title in the Sabina Kane series by Jaye Wells, is a paranormal page-turner, featuring a vamp/mage-born female assassin. The latest in the series, Violet Tendencies ($1.99) is a short story, but there is a full length novel, Silver-Tongued Devil, coming out the first of next year.

Book Description
In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her---until now.

This time, it's personal.

Stolen Innocence ($2.99), by Lisa Pulitzer and Elissa Wall

Book Description
In September 2007, a packed courtroom in St. George, Utah, sat hushed as Elissa Wall, the star witness against polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, gave captivating testimony of how Jeffs forced her to marry her first cousin at age fourteen. This harrowing and vivid account proved to be the most compelling evidence against Jeffs, showing the harsh realities of this closed community and the lengths that Jeffs went to in order to control the women in it. Now, in this courageous memoir, Elissa Wall tells her incredible and inspirational story of her time in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), detailing how she emerged from its confines to help bring one of America's most notorious criminals to justice.

If you were sitting on the fence about the Alex Kava Bundle ($14.58), by Alex Kava, grab it now while it works out to about $2.50/title. This bundle contains A Perfect Evil, Split Second, The Soul Catcher, At the Stroke of Madness, A Necessary Evil, the first five novels in her popular Maggie O'Dell series and One False Move, a stand-alone novel.

The Lady Julia Grey Bundle ($8.83), by Deanna Raybourn, is a big mark-down from the usual price. You can pair it up with Dark Road to Darjeeling , from the $1 Mystery Book KSO offer to get the complete series for under $10.

Book Description
"To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband's dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching on the floor."

Starting with her husband's sudden death, Lady Julia Grey is swept into a world of mystery and deceit. It is also the world of the enigmatic and maddeningly attractive private investigator Nicholas Brisbane...

From the extravagant world of Victorian aristocrats to the wild moors of Yorkshire, experience the intrigue and romance of all three Lady Julia Grey mysteries by RITA Award-winning author Deanna Raybourn, now available in one convenient download. Bundle includes: Silent in the Grave, Silent in the Sanctuary and Silent on the Moor.

Bound by Shadow ($4.99), by Anna Windsor, barely squeaked under the bargain price cutoff, but looks interesting and is over 400 pages in the paper edition.

Book Description
Falling for a demon can be hazardous to your heart.

Riana Dumain is a fully trained Sybil, a warrior priestess battling evil whose practical magic keeps her grounded in earthly science–and desires. She knows that gorgeous NYPD detective Creed Lowell is dangerous, and possibly a foot soldier of the evil Legion cult, using his badge and drop-dead looks to consolidate demonic power.

Creed’s low-profile Occult Crimes Unit pulls Riana and her two sister Sybils into the case of a politician’s son, murdered in a ritualistic sacrifice. Soon, Riana’s instincts prove true. Creed, the hottest half-human she’s ever known, a demon in bed and out, is guarding a trapdoor to hell. And unless Riana can find a way to tame her mystery man’s treacherous inner self (and her heart), all of Manhattan may be enveloped by darkness.

Summer Storm ($2.99), by Kristina Dunker and Margot Bettauer Dembo (Translator).

Book Description
The day begins innocently enough: Annie and her friends are enjoying a leisurely afternoon of sunbathing when an ominous storm approaches. In the scramble to leave, Annie realizes her cousin Gina is missing. After a fruitless search in the rain, the teens call the police. And as the hours tick by, Annie’s fear for Gina’s safety mounts. How could this have happened? Wasn’t anyone watching her? Didn’t anyone see?

The possibilities are too horrific to consider, and Annie turns for support to the friends who were with her and Gina on that fateful afternoon. But as the days pass without a trace of the lost girl, accusations begin to fly between friends, and disturbing information about one of their own comes to light. At first Annie refuses to believe it. But as the evidence begins to mount and the accused does nothing to clarify the situation, Annie realizes the relationships she once held dear are not at all what they seemed. And if a girl can’t trust her best friends…who can she trust?

Sleepaway Girls ($2.99), by Jen Calonita

Book Description
When Sam's best friend gets her first boyfriend, she's not ready to spend the summer listening to the two of them call each other "pookie." Sick of being a third wheel, Sam applies to be a counselor-in-training at Whispering Pines camp in the New York Catskills. But what she doesn't realize is that it's not going to be all Kumbaya sing-alongs and gooey s'mores. If Ashley, the alpha queen of Whispering Pines, doesn't ruin Sam's summer, then her raging crush on the surfer-blond and flirtatious Hunter just might. At least she has playful Cole, who's always teasing her, but is oh-so-comfortable to hang out with, and the singular gang of girls that become fast friends with Sam-they call themselves the Sleepaway Girls.

Solemate: Master the Art of Aloneness and Transform Your Life ($2.99), by Lauren Mackler

Book Description
Many people spend years waiting for an ideal partner--a"soul mate" to make them feel happy and complete. Others settle for unfulfilling relationships out of a deep-seated fear of being alone. In Solemate, Lauren Mackler provides a groundbreaking road map for achieving mastery of your own life so you can experience a sense of wholeness and well-being whether you're on your own or in a relationship. It's about becoming the person you were meant to be, treating yourself well, and shedding the old beliefs and behaviors that limit your ability to realize your greatest potential. It's about becoming your own cherished solemate.

Drawing from her own experiences; those of her clients; and the fields of psychology, physiology, sociology, holistic healing, and strategic business practices, Mackler has developed a unique program for reclaiming your innate wholeness. This gradual, step-by-step process involves understanding where your self-defeating patterns come from and how to move beyond them. She helps you uncover and retrieve your authentic self- who you really are beneath the layers of life conditioning. This program will help you live in a more conscious and deliberate way and align your actions with the results you want in your life.

101 Ways to Jump Start Your Intuition ($0.99), by John Holland

Book Description
Intuition is the language of the soul, and we’re all born with the natural ability of an inner-knowing. As we go through life, we have a inborn tendency to pull away from what was once totally natural to us. In 101 Ways to Jump-Start Your Intuition, psychic medium John Holland guides you through 101 quick and easy lessons to help you understand, develop, and work with your internal sense of intuition. This small yet valuable book will become your companion as you rely more on intuition for direction, insight, clarity, and wisdom on a daily basis. Each of the mini-lessons comes with its own affirmation or inspirational statement to complement and strengthen each of the 101 lessons. This book reinforces the idea that intuition is a reminder of the power of the human spirit, but more important, that when we listen to its advice, it can lead us to a life of unlimited potential.

The Breakthrough Experience ($0.99), by John DeMartini

Book Description
This book is about breaking through the barriers that keep us from experiencing our true nature as light. It presents inspiring science and philosophy in a way that is completely accessible to anyone, to reveal and explore the universal laws and principles that underlie our very existence. Those principles are set forth in extraordinary but true stories of ordinary people having astonishing and moving life experiences, and they make the most profound concepts easily understood. Most important, it is an extremely real and practical manual for understanding why we live the way we do, and how to transform our lives into our highest vision. You will learn a formula to manifest your dreams, discover the secrets of opening your heart beyond anything you have imagined, find out how to increase love and appreciation for every aspect of your life, receive profound insights on how to create more fulfilling and caring relationships, reawaken your birthright as a true genius, transcend the fears and illusions surrounding the myth of death, and reconnect with your true mission and purpose on Earth. That is all true, but mainly, this book will deeply touch and inspire you with respect to your own greatness and potential—and the magnificence of every single human soul. This is not just a book, it is what the title implies—an Experience—and it is impossible to go through it without being moved, challenged, and changed. Welcome to . . . The Breakthrough Experience.

If you missed Lockdown ($2.99), the first in the Escape from Furnace series by Alexander Gordon Smith, when it was on sale last year, you have another chance at it now.

Book Description
Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.

Together with a bunch of inmates—some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers—Alex plans an escape. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that’s hidden from the eyes of the world.

The Warsaw Anagrams ($2.79 Kobo), by Richard Zimler, isn't in either the Kindle or nook ebookstores (although you can get it in hardcover).

Book Description
Warsaw, 1941--an exhausted and elderly psychiatrist named Erik Cohen makes his way home to the Jewish ghetto after being interned in a Nazi labor camp. Yet only one visionary man-Heniek Corben- can see him and hear him. Heniek soon realizes that Cohen has become an ibbur-a spirit. But how and why has he taken this form?

As Cohen recounts his disturbing and moving story, small but telling inconsistencies appear in his narrative. Heniek begins to believe that Cohen is not the secular Jew he claims to be, but may, in fact, be a student of practical Kabbalah-of magic. Why is he lying? And what is the importance of the anagrams he creates for the names of his friends and relatives? Heniek traces his suspicions and comes to an astonishing conclusion-one that has consequences for his own identity and life, and perhaps for the reader's as well.

The Stranger ($2.99), by Simon Clark

Book Description
he small town of Sullivan has barricaded itself against the outside world. It is one of the last enclaves of civilization and the residents are determined that their town remain free from the strange and terrifying plague that is sweeping the land—a plague that transforms ordinary people into murderous, bloodthirsty madmen. But the transformation is only the beginning. With the shocking realization that mankind is evolving into something different, something horrifying, the struggle for survival becomes a battle to save humanity.

Free and Bargain Book Roundup, Part I

First, just a note to let you know that Lagan Love is also free from Kobo, today. While you are there, you might want to take advantage of their new coupon code, CA20Jul29, which is good for 20% off of one non-Agency title, thru Aug 1. Speaking of coupon codes, Fictionwise has a new one this weekend, also: 072911, good for 55% off your entire order. It expires 7/31, but will probably work thru next Tuesday.

Several of the items below are pre-orders. For those, you must have a credit card on file for Kindle payments, but the amount will come out any gift card balance when the book does ship. If you can't (or won't) do pre-orders, be sure to check out the ones from last month's $2 Pre-Orders post, as all but two of those are still available (two are now missing from the Amazon store, which is the danger in waiting until a release date to order some of these special editions).

Through A Dark Mist, a backlist title from Marsha Canham, was selling for $2.99 (and higher, from her old publisher) on Kindle when I mentioned that it was free on Smashwords. For those of you that don't do Smashwords, it's now free on Kindle. The first in a trilogy, the remaining two titles are only $2.99 each.

Book Description
Book One of the Robin Hood trilogy, Award-winning, Best Historical of the Year from Romantic Times: “A legend is brilliantly brought to life on the pages...it unfolds with all the adventure, rollicking good humor, wildly exciting escapades, cliff-hangers, and, most of all, smoldering sensuality any reader could desire."

Cry Uncle, by Judith Arnold, is also a backlist title, this one previously published by Harlequin. She also has several other titles listed at $2.99.

Book Description
After witnessing a professional hit, Seattle architect Pamela Hayes has testified in court against the hit man. Unfortunately, a mistrial is declared and the hit man is released on bail while awaiting a new trial. He intends to silence the sole witness to murder—Pam—before that new trial begins. She needs to hide, and she runs as far as she can: to steamy Key West., Florida.

Jonas Brenner, a Key West bar owner and easy-going slacker, is about to lose custody of his orphaned five-year-old niece—unless he can convince the courts that he’s a responsible father. What he needs is a prim and proper wife who will create the illusion that Lizard, as his niece likes to be called, is being raised in a stable environment.

What Pam needs is a new identity. Joe offers her a deal: if she marries him and takes his name, no Pacific Northwest hit man is going to find her. In return, she can pose as Joe’s respectable wife, dutifully caring for the rambunctious, feather-wearing Lizard.

Of course, this will be a marriage in name only. No sex. No emotions. No love. Which, once Pam and Joe move in together and the sparks begin to fly, is easier said than done.

Firelight with Bonus Material ($1.99), by Sophie Jordan, is a bargain pre-order in the Barnes and Noble store. So far, it isn't in the Kindle store, but should surface before the release date in August. In the meantime, check out the sample of the full priced edition (just be sure not to one-click). If you do pre-order from B&N, keep in mind that they charge right away and don't have any way to cancel (although you can usually get customer service to do so, it can take a few days). I've already put this one on my list to watch and may just get it from B&N, if it doesn't show up on Kindle soon. No doubt the bonus is an extended excerpt from her upcoming Vanish in the same series.

Book Description
A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Warriors 3-Book Bundle with Bonus Material ($12.99 pre-order), by Erin Hunter, contains: Into the Wild, Fire and Ice, and Forest of Secrets, which are slightly more expensive to buy individually due to the first title being on sale for $1.99, but the set usually runs about $18. This is a series for middle school readers and the description isn't up yet, so I am including them from the individual titles.

Book Description
Into the Wild
Fire alone can save our Clan...

For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by the powerful ancestors. But the warrior code is threatened, and the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger. The sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying -- and some deaths are more mysterious than others.

In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary housecat named Rusty . . . Who may yet turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.

Fire and Ice
Deep in the heart of the forest, four clans of warrior cats coexist in uneasy harmony -- but uncertain times are upon them, and dangers threaten the precarious balance of the forest.

Fireheart is a ThunderClan warrior cat now, but his troubles are far from over. As the chill of winter sets in, the cats of rival RiverClan grow restless, while WindClan is weak and facing threats from all sides.

As tensions build to an explosive climax, Fireheart faces not only imminent battle, but betrayal from within his own Clan.

Forest of Secrets
Allegiances are shifting among the Clans of warrior cats that roam the forest. With tensions so delicately balanced, former friends can become enemies overnight, and some cats are willing to kill to get what they want.

Fireheart is determined to find out the truth about the mysterious death of brave ThunderClan warrior Redtail. But as he searches for answers, he uncovers secrets that some believe would be better left hidden.

My Weird School 4-Book Collection with Bonus Material ($9.99 pre-order), by Dan Gutman, contains the first four books in the My Weird School series for young readers: Miss Daisy Is Crazy!, Mr. Klutz Is Nuts!, Mrs. Roopy Is Loopy! and Ms. Hannah Is Bananas!, plus what is no doubt a promo for the upcoming My Weirder School #3: Mrs. Lilly Is Silly!. Individually, the titles are $4/each, for a savings of about $6 on the bundle.

Book Description
Miss Daisy Is Crazy!
Never before has school been this mixed up—or this much fun!

Miss Daisy, who teaches second grade, doesn't know how to add or subtract. Not only that, she doesn't know how to read or write, either. She is the dumbest teacher in the history of the world!

Mr. Klutz Is Nuts!
Never before has school been this mixed up—or this much fun!

Principal Klutz was hanging upside down from the school flagpole! He kissed a pig on the lips and painted his bald head orange! And now he wants to bungee jump off the roof of the school dressed as Santa Claus!

Mrs. Roopy Is Loopy!
Never before has school been this mixed up—or this much fun!

Could Mrs Roopy, the new librarian, be A.J.'s craziest teacher yet? When the class shows up they find her dressed first as George Washington and then Little Miss Muffet. And Mrs Roopy won't even admit that it's her! Can A.J. and his class help their very troubled librarian before she does something really crazy?

Ms. Hannah Is Bananas!
Ms. Hannah wears dresses made out of potholders and collects garbage instead of throwing it out. Plus she's making A.J. be partners with smelly Andrea. This is the worst art class ever!

Kiss an Angel with Bonus Material ($1.99), is a pre-order from Susan Elizabeth Phillips, author of Glitter Baby. You can get a sample from the full-price edition of Kiss an Angel, but be sure to come back here to get the lower cost edition to pre-order. I know that Glitter Baby's special edition disappeared out of the Kindle store quickly, so don't wait too long to grab this one.

Book Description
For a limited time, download this special edition of Kiss an Angel by bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips with three excerpts and Susan's only short story!

How did pretty, flighty Daisy Devreaux find herself in this fix? She can either go to jail or marry the mystery man her father has chosen for her. Alex Markov, however, has no intention of playing the loving bridegroom to a spoiled little featherhead with champagne tastes. As humorless as he is deadly handsome, he drags the irrepressible Daisy away from her uptown life and sets out to tame her.

Except it won't be as easy as he thinks. This man without a soul has met a woman who's nothing but heart. Will vows spoken in haste shatter . . . or offer the promise of love everlasting?

I Love the Earl ($1.99 pre-order), by Caroline Linden, is one of two discounted titles currently available for this author. A View to a Kiss is still 99 cents (but may not be for much longer); she also has some self-published short stories at 99 cents, as well.

Book Description
A single lady in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a suitor

Margaret de Lacey has accepted her unmarried state with dignity, if not delight. She had no suitors when she was young and starry-eyed, though regrettably poor, and it’s unlikely any man will court her now that she’s older, wiser, and still just as penniless. Until, that is, her brother unexpectedly inherits the dukedom of Durham and settles an enormous dowry on her, making her the most eligible heiress in town.

No gentleman in London is more in need of a wealthy bride than Rhys Corwen, Earl of Dowling. He contrives an introduction to Margaret because of her dowry, but she swiftly sets him right: no fortune hunter will win her heart or her hand. Far from put off, Rhys is intrigued. Interested. Entranced. And soon the only thing he needs more than Margaret’s fortune…is her love.

How to Tame a Modern Rogue ($1.99), by Diana Holquist

Book Description
Commitment-phobic Sam Carson has only dated model-gorgeous women. But one stolen kiss from a plain-Jane schoolteacher and he's hell-bent on stripping away her floral dresses and teaching her the art of being bad. If only her good-girl ways didn't make him want to be a better man...

Ally Giordano is at the end of her rope. Her beloved grandmother actually believes that she's living in her favorite romance novel in Regency England and Ally doesn't have the heart to set her straight. But now Granny Donny's last wish is for a retreat to the country and Ally can't refuse her...until she demands that Sam accompany them. And though his smiles turn her knees into jelly, Ally knows better than to trust a playboy...and she definitely knows better than to try to change one. Or does she?

Lord of Scoundrels ($0.99), by Loretta Chase

Book Description
They call him many names, but Angelic isn't one of them . . .

Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain, is big, bad, and dangerous to know. No respectable woman would have anything to do with the "Bane and Blight of the Ballisters"—and he wants nothing to do with respectable women. He's determined to continue doing what he does best—sin and sin again—and all that's going swimmingly, thank you . . . until the day a shop door opens and she walks in.

She's too intelligent to fall for the worst man in the world . . .

Jessica Trent is a determined young woman, and she's going to drag her imbecile brother off the road to ruin, no matter what it takes. If saving him—and with him, her family and future—means taking on the devil himself, she won't back down. The trouble is, the devil in question is so shockingly irresistible, and the person who needs the most saving is—herself!

A Hint of Wicked ($0.99), by Jennifer Haymore, looks like it should be a good read (and a long one, at 432 pages in print).

Book Description
CAUGHT BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE . . .

Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, has finally moved on. After seven years mourning the loss of her husband, Garrett, at Waterloo, she has married his cousin and heir, Tristan. Sophie gives herself to him body and soul. . . until the day Garrett returns from the Continent, demanding his title, his lands-and his wife.

TORN BETWEEN TWO HUSBANDS . . .

Now Sophie must choose between her first love and her new love, knowing that no matter what, her choice will destroy one of the men she adores. Will it be Garrett, her childhood sweetheart, whose loss nearly destroyed her once already? Or will it be Tristan, beloved friend turned lover, who supported her through the last, dark years and introduced her to a passion she had never known? As her two husbands battle for her heart, Sophie finds herself immersed in a dangerous game-where the stakes are not only love . . . but life and death.

The Abduction Of Julia ($1.99), by Karen Hawkins

Book Description
What can a respectable Regency miss do when kidnapped by a nobleman intent on marriage? Why, marry him, of course.

Julia Frant has secretly loved Alec MacLean, the wild Viscount Hunterston from afar. So when he accidentally snatches her instead of her lovely, scheming cousin for an elopement to Gretna Green, Julia leaps at the chance to make her passionate dreams come true.

Alec's in no position to quibble: if he doesn't marry by midnight and live scandal-free for a year, he loses his inheritance. At least marriage with do-gooder Julia will guarantee his fortune. But as his plain brown wren transforms herself into an elegant swan, Alec suddenly can't stay away from his last-minute wife--and when he kisses her, the inheritance is the last thing on his mind. Unfortunately, scandal can occur from the best of intentions...and Julia is never short of good intentions!

The Trouble With Harry ($3.99), a backlist title from Katie MacAlister, has two listings, so be sure not to grab the one from her old publisher (it costs more). It looks like she has several other backlist titles available at reasonable prices, as well.

Book Description
Just What is the Trouble With Harry?

1. He is Plum’s new husband. Not normally a problem, but when you consider that Harry advertised for a wife, and Plum was set to marry his secretary, there was cause for a bit of confusion.

2. He has a title. Plum has spent the last twenty years hiding from the ton, and now Harry wants her to shine in society? Horrors!

3. He doesn’t know about her shocking secret. How is she going to explain about the dead husband who isn’t a husband…and who now seems to be alive again?

4. He’s fallen in love with her. And yet, the maddening man refuses to confide in her. For Plum knows the real trouble with Harry is that he’s stolen her heart.

Any Minute ($2.99), by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford

Book Description
Sarah Harper is driven to achieve success no matter what the cost. She wants to do good and not hurt the people she loves--especially children and her husband, Joe--but her desire to succeed in her career too often leaves little time for family.

One cold, autumn afternoon, all of that changes when Sarah's car plunges off a bridge and into a river. She is presumed dead by those on the "outside," but Sarah's spirit is still very much alive. What she discovers on the other side transforms everything about Sarah's view of life--past, present, and future.

When Sarah is revived, she is a changed woman. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.

New Kindle Game - Hidden Expeditions: Amazon

Hidden Expedition: Amazon ($4.99), by Big Fish Games, which was briefly (and mistakenly) free in the Kindle store, has now been officially released and is available to all. Or, at least all in the US, who have a physical Kindle, of the proper version (just like all the Active Content for Kindle). The graphics are like nothing you've seen before with Kindle games and you end up using the five-way controller quite a bit (or, I did), but the game plays well for gray-scale eInk (I've played several hidden object games on full color monitors and the difficulty in finding the objects seems about the same).

Game Description
Hidden Expedition: Amazon is a hidden object game set deep in the jungle.

Featuring a story never before told in the Hidden Expedition franchise, you join the Hidden Expedition Team in search of a professor lost in the Amazon rainforest. You get to explore cities, temples, and ruins while unlocking the secrets of the professor?s groundbreaking research. With a tattered passport as your only clue, embark on an adventure and investigate 19 beautiful levels and 4 brain teasing mini-games.

You can invite up to 3 your friends and family to create their own profiles so they can play without disturbing your own adventure. Take advantage of the dynamic Hint system whenever your search becomes too difficult. Enjoy a scene? Replay any level as many times as you wish with the Chapter Select feature and pursue randomly selected items in that scene.

If you seek adventure, lush landscapes, and a good challenge, journey into the wonderful world of Hidden Expedition: Amazon.

Save $10 on Blu-ray movies and TV shows (KSO)

This offer is only for those with a Kindle with Special Offers:

Save $10 when you spend $25 on select Blu-ray movies and TV shows from Amazon.com

Click on offer, then click on the link on the offer page to sign up and get an email with the promotion code. Sign-up for this offer expires on July 31.

You'll get an email (right away), a link to the Special Offer page and a promotion code to enter at checkout. Once you have the promotional code, you have until August 31 to complete your purchase. Like previous offers, this one requires you to use the full checkout process in order to enter your promotional code. Also, like all Amazon sales that use promotional codes, if you have a gift card balance, you must use it for the payment (if there is not a sufficient balance, then you can pick which credit card or other payment to use).

Once again, this offer can be used more than once per account, so long as you have more than one KSO registered. Just click on the ad on each device to receive the individual promotion codes via email.

There are 323 choices for this promotion, so if you have a Blu-ray player, I don't doubt you'll find at least one or two choices to add to your library. Several of the choices are for the 3D/2D combo editions (sadly, not Avatar, though, as Panasonic has the 3D edition locked up as an exclusive until sometime next year). Some of them also include a free digital rental on Amazon Instant Videos (Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is one example), which means you can watch it right away, while waiting for the Blu-ray to arrive. I do wish there were some way to sort them - it is difficult to find the full season TV shows and I'd prefer to see the movies broken out by genre.

Save 25% on Digital Cameras & Camcorders (KSO)

This offer is only for those with a Kindle with Special Offers:

Save 25% on Select Digital Cameras & Camcorders at Amazon.com

Click on offer, then click on the link on the offer page to sign up and get an email with the promotion code. Sign-up for this offer expires on July 31.

You'll get an email (right away), a link to the Special Offer page and a promotion code to enter at checkout. Once you have the promotional code, you have until August 31 to complete your purchase. Like previous offers, this one requires you to use the full checkout process in order to enter your promotional code. Also, like all Amazon sales that use promotional codes, if you have a gift card balance, you must use it for the payment (if there is not a sufficient balance, then you can pick which credit card or other payment to use).

Once again, this offer can be used more than once per account, so long as you have more than one KSO registered. Just click on the ad on each device to receive the individual promotion codes via email.

There may seem to be a limited list of items to choose from on this promotion, but I found three different waterproof cameras just on the front page that can be used to take HD video. And if you have two of the GoPro HD cameras, then you can use this 3D Mounting Kit to take true 3D 1080P video. From the windshield of your bike or car or your chest while skydiving! To find more choices than are shown on the Offer page, be sure to click the links for Qualifying Digital Cameras and Qualifying Camcorders. There are well over 600 choices between the two..

Free Audiobooks - Ashes, Ashes and Rescue

Audiobook Sync's summer of free audiobooks continues. First, I've linked in the info from Amazon for each title (Amazon has the best reviews), then a link below to get your audio copies free. You can't get any titles that have been missed, but once they are loaded into Overdrive (which you will need to install, if you are not already using it for library books), they are yours to keep (there is no expiration date).

Two new titles each Thursday, so be sure to check back next week.!

Ashes, Ashes ($9.99 Kindle; $19.59/$13.71 Audible), by Jo Treggiari, read by Cassandra Campbell.

Book Description
A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.

Rescue: Stories of Survival from Land and Sea ($16.95 paperback; $17.47/$10.95 Audible), edited by Dorcas S. Miller and Clint Willis, read by Terence Aselford, Colleen Delany, David Elias, Graeme Malcolm and Nick Sampson.

Book Description
Following the successes of Epic, High, and Rough Water, the latest addition to the Adrenaline series presents the most gripping rescue narratives. Rescue includes Doug Scott's account of saving himself by crawling off Pakistan's Ogre with two broken legs, and Spike Walker's story of the race to recover a king crab fisherman from the Bering Sea in midwinter. The book also includes an account of trying to rescue two canoeists battling hypothermia on a storm-tossed lake; Alison Osius's tale of two teenagers lost in the Great Gulf Wilderness of New Hampshire; and a missionary doctor and his dog team being blown out to sea on an iceberg off the coast of Labrador.

With two great selections today, it's no surprise that the Sync site is running quite slow this morning - if you can't get thru, be sure to try again tomorrow.

Click HERE to sign up for an account and get the free downloads. Don't forget, you'll also need to install the Overdrive software (there is a link at Sync). In addition, you end up clicking about three pages, for each book, before the audiobook actually downloads. Don't stop so long as you still see a button that talks about your Sync download (or until you see the Overdrive software open up). Once in Overdrive, you'll need to tell it where to save the files (just click OK to use the default location, since Overdrive will keep track of them for you), then again to actually start the download (by default, all parts of the book are downloaded; I would suggest not changing this in the last dialog box, just click on OK to get the download started).

Free App (Android) - Jamie's 20 Minute Meals

Jamie's 20 Minute Meals, by Zolmo, usually sells for $7.99, but is free, today only, in the Amazon Android App store. If you have any type of Android tablet or phone (or can persuade a friend to let you use theirs, just long enough to register it to your account), I'd recommend you pick this one up. There are some reports of a problem with the DRM causing the app to close, on some devices (mostly phones), a few seconds after opening -- but that should eventually get fixed, as it generally does on most apps. When it does, you'll get the update, if you already have the app in your library.

Book Description
Who can help but be charmed by England's Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef? Jamie is well known as chef, restaurateur, and an advocate for improving unhealthy diets, especially championing healthy school lunches for children.

Watch an introductory video from Jamie and get right to the recipes. Search for a recipe or peruse 10 categories such as Delicious soups, Tasty stir-fries, and Simple risottos. Each recipe includes a summary with a picture of the dish, an ingredient and equipment list, detailed instructions, and relevant videos on tasks like garlic preparation or onion chopping. Double-touch the screen in landscape mode to see pictures of each step.

Add ingredients to your list and then use the general shopping list to view by recipe or by aisle. Use the menu to quickly access any video or learn about what Jamie feels are kitchen essentials -- both ingredients and equipment. Jamie promises that this app will "arm you with the confidence" to have tasty meals in 20 minutes!

• 80 MB of additional media - the download works best over Wifi or in smaller parts as needed in the app.
• Access 60 of Jamie Oliver's quick and delicious recipes
• Watch videos guiding you through common cooking procedures
• See color photos of each recipe, including photos for each step
• Learn what ingredients and equipment Jamie recommends you keep handy

Free Kindle Game - Every Word: Crossings

Every Word: Crossings, by Amazon Digital Services, a new game in the Kindle store, is currently available to download for free.

Book Description
Every Word: Crossings is a word game in which you try to unscramble letters to fill in as many words as you can on a crossword style grid.

You are given five to seven scrambled letters with the goal of finding as many words as you can. When you find a word it gets added to the crossword style grid, which gives you clues about the words that intersect with the word you just found. You score points by filling out the words in each empty spot on the crossword grid. When you find a word that uses all available letters, you can move on to the next level, or keep at it until time runs out or until you fill up the board. The more words you make, the higher your score!

Every Word: Crossings has 10 levels of difficulty and as you progress through them the puzzles become more and more complex. Level 1 gives you 5 letters to work with and a relatively small grid with about a dozen words to fill in. Level 10 gives you 7 letters to work with and more than 30 words to find.

There are thousands of unique puzzles to play -- if you like word games, you'll love Every Word: Crossings.

Please note: Every Word: Crossings may contain content inappropriate for children.

New Kindle Game - KenKen Vol. 1

KenKen Vol. 1 Presented by Will Shortz ($1.99), by Gameblend Studios, is a new logic puzzle game in the Kindle store. It looks quite similar to Sudoku, but with the added challenge of mathematical operations, and you get 50 levels to play.

Game Description
KenKen is a puzzle in which you combine simple math and logic to fill in a grid of numbers.

Presented by New York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz, KenKen is a challenging follow-up to Sudoku. As in Sudoku, KenKen requires that you fill in a grid with numbers without repeating a number in any row or column. In KenKen, you are also shown heavily outlined sets of squares called cages, each of which has a target number and a mathematic operator (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division). The numbers in each cage must combine to produce the target number in the cage using the mathematical operation indicated. Easy cages are made up of one or two squares and are in just one column or row. More difficult cages can cross multiple columns and rows and are made up of many squares, requiring creative thought as you figure out how many different ways you can create the target number with one operator!

KenKen Volume 1 contains 50 puzzles ranging from Easy to Expert, with grid sizes between 3x3 and 9x9. You can use the inline notes feature to help you jot down potential solutions, and if you get stuck, you can always get a hint.

Give your brain a workout and have fun with KenKen!

Amazon Video Game Deal Day

If you are a gamer, you may want to keep an eye on the Gold Box and Deal of the Day page at Amazon. The first main deal of the day and the first Lightning Deal are first person shooters for the XBOX/PS3 and it looks like there will be different games all day, mostly action/shooters this morning (including a Marine sniper and Star Wars sequel game), then some type of exercise game in the afternoon (Pacific time), along with what is surely a Raving Rabbid, from the hints given.

Brink is today's Gold Box deal, marked down to $19.99 (from $59.99 retail).

Game Description
Brink is an immersive first-person shooter that blends single-player, co-op, and multiplayer gameplay into one seamless experience, allowing you to develop your character whether playing alone, with your friends, or against others online. You decide the combat role you want to assume in the world of Brink as you fight to save yourself and mankind’s last refuge. Brink offers a compelling mix of dynamic battlefields, extensive customization options, and an innovative control system that will keep you coming back for more.

STORY:
Brink takes place on the Ark, a man-made floating city that is on the brink of all-out civil war. Originally built as an experimental, self-sufficient and 100% “green” habitat, the reported rapid rise of the Earth’s oceans has forced the Ark to become home to not only the original founders and their descendants but also to thousands of refugees. With tensions between the two groups growing, Security and Resistance forces are locked in a heated battle for control of the Ark. Which side will you choose?

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is the first of the lightning deals today and is marked down to $39.99 (you only see that price on the Lightning Deals page).

Game Description
Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a third-person action game that ups the ante in the series' ongoing battle between Autobot and Decepticon. Designed as a companion game to the major motion picture of the same name, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is intended as a prequel to the events of the movie and contains a variety of game features such as: the new Stealth Force hybrid, a form that combines the weapons and firepower of robot mode with the agility and maneuverability of vehicle mode; the ultimate Decepticon assassin, Shockwave; the ability to play as either Autobot or Decepticon Transformers; three distinct character class chassis and more.

It has been three years since Megatron and the Decepticons last threatened the world. Earth's leaders believe that Megatron has fled the planet in defeat - but Optimus Prime knows better. An alien transmission is intercepted, exposing Megatron's plan to spread chaos and fear among the humans, and unleash the ultimate Decepticon assassin: Shockwave. The Autobots must hunt Megatron, neutralize Shockwave, and save their new home from total destruction at the hands of the Decepticons.