Bargain Book, Music and Game Roundup

There are two free book from Marie Force on my Squidoo Lens, Today's Free Kindle Books. Pick up the second, which is indie-published, and you'll qualify for the two $1 books by Debra Holland.

For Gamers, there is a special deal on Rockstar Games Downloads through May 28 - Get both 50% off your purchase and a 5 Rockstar Games credit. Which means you could pick up Manhunt for $4.99, then use the credit later to get Manhunt 2 for $2.49 (don't try it the other way, around; the promo credit only works on items priced at $5 or more). There are other games in the sale, including at least one other at $4.99. Watch for this notice in the Special Offers section of the game before buying:

Purchase this product and receive a $5 credit towards other Rockstar Digital Downloads sold by Amazon Digital Video Games. Credit may be used on products priced greater than $5. Credit must be used by 5/28/2014

I also turned up a Jazz sale at Amazon, which includes a number of CDs that are priced in the $3.99-$4.99 range and include the AutoRip MP3 CD dropped into your account immediately. If you are into classical, here are a few bargains from the MP3 store:

• Classics for a Rainy Day ($0.99) from Cobra Entertainment
• Classics for a Rainy Day 2 ($1.09) from Cobra Entertainment
• 100 Must-Have Love Song Classics ($0.99) from Cobra Entertainment (nearly 7 hrs!)
• Piano ($0.99) from Cobra Entertainment
• Classical Music for the Reader 9: Great Masterpieces for the Dedicated Reader ($0.99) from Cobra Entertainment
• 50 Must-Have Travel Classics ($0.99) from Cobra Entertainment
• Big Haydn Box ($1.09) from Vanguard Classics
• 100 Must-Have Russian Masterpieces ($0.99) from Cobra Entertainment
• 100 Must-Have Angel Voices ($0.99) from Cobra Entertainment

The Thief ($2.09 Kindle), by Fuminori Nakamura [Soho Crime]; the companion audiobook is $3.99.

Book Description
A literary crime masterpiece that follows a Japanese pickpocket lost to the machinations of fate. Bleak and oozing existential dread, The Thief is simply unforgettable.

The Thief is a seasoned pickpocket. Anonymous in his tailored suit, he weaves in and out of Tokyo crowds, stealing wallets from strangers so smoothly sometimes he doesn’t even remember the snatch. Most people are just a blur to him, nameless faces from whom he chooses his victims. He has no family, no friends, no connections.... But he does have a past, which finally catches up with him when Ishikawa, his first partner, reappears in his life, and offers him a job he can’t refuse. It’s an easy job: tie up an old rich man, steal the contents of the safe. No one gets hurt. Only the day after the job does he learn that the old man was a prominent politician, and that he was brutally killed after the robbery. And now the Thief is caught in a tangle even he might not be able to escape.

The first four novels in Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim series (Kindle; B&N) are on sale for $1.99 apiece [HarperCollins]; grab them now and you might get them finished by the time the fifth, Kill City Blues, is released in July.

Sandman Slim (companion audiobook $2.99)

Sandman Slim has arrived—a wild and weird, edge-of-your-seat supernatural roller-coaster rider that propels author Richard Kadrey to the forefront of the fantasy, thriller, and a host of other literary genres. This spellbinding, utterly remarkable tale of a vengeful magician/hitman’s return from hell is part H.P. Lovecraft, part Christopher Moore, part Jim Butcher, and totally, unabashedly dark, twisted, and hilarious.

Kill the Dead (companion audiobook $3.99)

Sandman Slim is back from Hell. After wreaking unholy havoc in author Richard Kadrey’s resoundingly acclaimed Sandman Slim, the demon-slaying anti-hero and half-angel fugitive from the underworld returns in a brutally funny, eye-poppingly inventive, and totally addicting follow-up, Kill the Dead. If you’re a fan of Buffy and Jim Butcher, Christopher Moore, Neil Gaiman, and Warren Ellis, or you dig the dark urban fantasy vibe of Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, and Simon Green, you’ll cheer Lucifer’s onetime personal assassin as he signs on as his ex-boss’ Hollywood bodyguard…and takes on the zombie apocalypse almost single-handedly.

Aloha from Hell (companion audiobook $2.99)

All hail Sandman Slim, author Richard Kadrey’s ultra-extreme anti-hero and recent escapee from Lucifer’s overheated Underworld playground. Legendary author William Gibson (Neuromancer) called Kadrey’s first deliciously twisted Slim adventure “an addictively satisfying, deeply amusing, dirty-ass masterpiece,” and in number three, Aloha from Hell, the ruthless avenger, a.k.a. Stark, finds himself trapped in the middle of a war between Heaven and Hell. With God on vacation, the Devil nosing around in Paradise, and an insane serial killer doing serious damage on Earth, Stark/Slim is ready to unleash some more adrenaline-surging, edgy and violent supernatural mayhem—and even pay another visit to Hell if necessary—which is great news for fans of Jim Butcher, Warren Ellis, Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, and Simon R. Green.

Devil Said Bang

Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim—aka James Stark—is, quite simply, one of the most outrageous uber-anti-heroes ever to kick serious butt on this or any other world or dimension.

In his previous three adventures—Sandman Slim, Kill the Dead, and Aloha from Hell—Stark has fled Hell for California, taken on angels, demons, outlaw bikers, zombies, covert government operatives, and all manner of monsters, while saving humankind from total annihilation on numerous occasions. But in Devil Said Bang, he finally assumes the role he was destined for: as the new Lucifer, ruler of the Underworld.

Combining outrageously edgy humor with a dark and truly twisted vision, Richard Kadrey has once again delivered a masterful amalgam of action novel, urban fantasy, and in-your-face horror that will delight a wide range of readers—from Christopher Moore and Warren Ellis fans to the devoted adherents of Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, and Simon Green.

Dead or Alive ($2.99 Kindle; $0.99 B&N), the second novel in the Outlaws and Heroes series by Mallory Rush [ePublishing Works!]; previously published as Pistol in my Pocket.

Book Description
Alaska was a rough and tumble place in the 1800s when outlaw Noble Zhivago was forced to run for his life—only to be buried alive in an avalanche!

Now, a century later, Noble is discovered, frozen in time, by a policeman's young widow.

Lori Morgan can't resist the irrational desire to release the rugged hunk from his icy tomb. Nor can she explain why Noble ignites fiery passions she thought dead.

Then Lori discovers Nobel is a murderer, wanted Dead or Alive.

Imperfect Rebel ($3.99 Kindle; $0.99 B&N), the second novel in The Carolina Magnolia series by Patricia Rice [ePublishing Works!]; previously published as Almost Perfect.

Book Description
Cleo Alyssum has a plan: stay sober, keep her job, and bite her tongue until Social Services relents and returns her little boy.

Then Jared McCloud, a celebrated cartoonist and bull-headed extrovert, shatters Cleo's carefully constructed serenity by demanding that they help their drug-dealing neighbor's neglected children.

Cleo knows Jared is right.

Risking everything they thought they wanted, the pair join forces to save the children and face a new realization: there's more to life and love than either of them ever planned or dreamed.

Zero Separation ($3.99 Kindle), by Philip Donlay [Oceanview Publishing]; the companion audiobook is $3.99.

Book Description
Donovan Nash has a secret he'll do anything to keep. But he's the prime suspect after someone steals a fifty million dollar executive jet, and FBI agent Veronica Montero put him squarely in the crosshairs. As she digs, she discovers Nash's secret -- a revelation that, if made public, would stun the world. Operating on her own agenda, Montero blackmails Nash into helping her hunt down a man she wants dead.Powerless against the information Montero holds, Nash is forced into a situation far deadlier than either of them could ever have imagined. The man they are after isn't the criminal they expect, he's a terrorist with a plan to use the stolen jet to carry out an unthinkable and devastating act that could plunge America into the most heinous conflict since World War II.When Nash and Montero are taken prisoner aboard the stolen jet, they will have only one opportunity to execute a daring midair attempt to stop the attack. Success could cost them their own lives, but failure could cost millions of innocent lives.

Devil in a Blue Dress: Featuring an Original Easy Rawlins Short Story ($3.99 Kindle), by Walter Mosley [Simon and Schuster]; the companion audiobook is $4.49.

Book Description
Los Angeles, 1948: Ezekiel "Easy Rawlins" is a black war veteran just fired from his job. Now he's drinking in a friend's bar, wondering how he'll meet his mortgage.

That's when De Witt Albright , a quietly vicious white man in a white linen suit, walks in and offers Easy good money if he'll just do a little job for him: find Miss Daphne Monet, a blonde beauty known to frequent black jazz clubs.

It seems simple enough, but Easy soon discovers that Albright isn't the only one looking for the lovely Miss Monet - isn't the only one who's ready to kill anyone, including Easy, who might get in the way.

The Smart One ($4.99 Kindle), by Jennifer Close [Random House]

Book Description
With her best-selling debut, Girls in White Dresses (An “irresistible, pitch-perfect first novel” —Marie Claire), Jennifer Close captured friendship in those what-on-earth-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life years of early adulthood. Now, with her sparkling new novel of parenthood and sibling rivalry, Close turns her gimlet eye to the only thing messier than friendship: family.

Weezy Coffey’s parents had always told her she was the smart one, while her sister was the pretty one. “Maureen will marry well,” their mother said, but instead it was Weezy who married well, to a kind man and good father. Weezy often wonders if she did this on purpose—thwarting expectations just to prove her parents wrong.

But now that Weezy’s own children are adults, they haven’t exactly been meeting her expectations either. Her oldest child, Martha, is thirty and living in her childhood bedroom after a spectacular career flameout. Martha now works at J.Crew, folding pants with whales embroidered on them and complaining bitterly about it. Weezy’s middle child, Claire, has broken up with her fiancé, canceled her wedding, and locked herself in her New York apartment—leaving Weezy to deal with the caterer and florist. And her youngest, Max, is dating a college classmate named Cleo, a girl so beautiful and confident she wears her swimsuit to family dinner, leaving other members of the Coffey household blushing and stammering into their plates.

As the Coffey children’s various missteps drive them back to their childhood home, Weezy suddenly finds her empty nest crowded and her children in full-scale regression. Martha is moping like a teenager, Claire is stumbling home drunk in the wee hours, and Max and Cleo are skulking around the basement, guarding a secret of their own. With radiant style and a generous spirit, The Smart One is a story about the ways in which we never really grow up, and the place where we return when things go drastically awry: home.

The Tudors: The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty ($2.99 Kindle), by G.J. Meyer [Random House]

Book Description
BONUS: This edition contains a The Tudors discussion guide.

Acclaimed historian G. J. Meyer provides a fresh look at the fabled Tudor dynasty—and some of the most enigmatic figures ever to rule a country. In 1485, Henry Tudor, whose claim to the English throne was so weak as to be almost laughable, nevertheless sailed from France with a ragtag army to take the crown from the family that had ruled England for almost four centuries. Fifty years later, his son, Henry VIII, aimed to seize even greater powers—ultimately leaving behind a brutal legacy that would blight the lives of his children and the destiny of his country. Edward VI, a fervent believer in reforming the English church, died before realizing his dream. Mary I, the disgraced daughter of Catherine of Aragon, tried and failed to reestablish the Catholic Church and produce an heir, while Elizabeth I sacrificed all chance of personal happiness in order to survive.

The Tudors presents the sinners and saints, the tragedies and triumphs, the high dreams and dark crimes, of this enthralling era.

An Expert in Murder ($1.99 Kindle), the first novel in the Josephine Tey series by Nicola Upson [HarperCollins]; the companion audiobook is $3.99.

Book Description
March 1934. Revered mystery writer Josephine Tey is traveling from Scotland to London for the final week of her play Richard of Bordeaux, the surprise hit of the season, with pacifist themes that resonate in a world still haunted by war. But joy turns to horror when her arrival coincides with the murder of a young woman she had befriended on the train ride—and Tey is plunged into a mystery as puzzling as any in her own works.

Detective Inspector Archie Penrose is convinced that the killing is connected to the play, and that Tey herself is in danger of becoming a victim of her own success. In the aftermath of a second murder, the writer and the policeman must join together to stop a ruthless killer who will apparently stop at nothing.

The Black Company ($2.99 Kindle), the first novel of The Chronicles of The Black Company by Glen Cook [Macmillan], will get you started on a good series, but your best bang for the buck is to get Chronicles of the Black Company omnibus instead, which contains the next two novels as well, with a total price equal to either of the bonus novels, alone. That leaves The Silver Spike as the remaining novel in that series, but there is an omnibus you'll want instead of that one, as well: The Books of the South: Tales of the Black Company, for only $1.30 extra.

At the publisher's request, these titles are being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.

The Black Company (companion audiobook $3.99)

Some feel the Lady, newly risen from centuries in thrall, stands between humankind and evil. Some feel she is evil itself. The hardbitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must, burying their doubts with their dead.

Until the prophesy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more.

There must be a way for the Black Company to find her...

Chronicles of the Black Company

Darkness wars with darkness as the hard-bitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must. They bury their doubts with their dead.

Then comes the prophecy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more…

This omnibus edition comprises The Black Company, Shadows Linger, and The White Rose—the first three novels in Glen Cook's bestselling fantasy series.

The Books of the South: Tales of the Black Company

Marching south after the ghastly battle at the Tower of Charm, the Black Company is hounded by shadowy figures every inch of the way.

The game is on: the Company versus the Shadowmasters, deadly creatures that deal in darkness and sorrow.

When hope dies, there's still survival. And there's still the Black Company.

The Book of the South is the second omnibus of novels from one of the greatest fantasy epics of our age, Glen Cook’s Black Company series—collecting Shadow Games, Dreams of Steel, and The Silver Spike.

The Abundant Community ($2.99 Kindle), by John McKnight and Peter Block [Berrett-Koehler Publishers]

Book Description
We need our neighbors and community to stay healthy, produce jobs, raise our children, and care for those on the margin. Institutions and professional services have reached their limit of their ability to help us.

The consumer society tells us that we are insufficient and that we must purchase what we need from specialists and systems outside the community. We have become consumers and clients, not citizens and neighbors. John McKnight and Peter Block show that we have the capacity to find real and sustainable satisfaction right in our neighborhood and community.

This book reports on voluntary, self-organizing structures that focus on gifts and value hospitality, the welcoming of strangers. It shows how to reweave our social fabric, especially in our neighborhoods. In this way we collectively have enough to create a future that works for all.

About the Authors
For nearly three decades, John McKnight has conducted research on social service delivery systems, health policy, community organizations, neighborhood policy, and institutional racism. He currently directs research projects focused on asset-based neighborhood development and methods of community building by incorporating marginalized people. John serves on the Board of Directors of numerous community organizations including the Gamaliel Foundation and The National Training and Information Center. McKnight is a professor of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University.

Peter Block is an author, consultant. His work is about empowerment, stewardship, chosen accountability, and the reconciliation of community. He’s the author of Flawless Consulting, Stewardship, The Answer to How is Yes, and Community

UK Kindle Daily Deal 5/7

From MTV to Mecca (£0.99 UK), by Kristiane Backer [Arcadia Books], is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $7.19).

Book Description
In the early 1990s Kristiane Backer was one of the very first presenters on MTV (Europe). For some years she lived and breathed the international music scene quickly gaining a cult following amongst viewers and becoming a darling of the European press. As she reached the pinnacle of her success she realised that, despite having all she could have wished for, she was never truly satisfied. Something very important was missing. A fateful meeting with Pakistani cricket hero Imran Khan changed her life. He invited her to his country where she encountered a completely different world to the one she knew, the religion and culture of Islam. In place of pop and rock stars she was meeting men and women whose lives where dominated by the love of God, men and women who cared very little for the brief glories of this world. She began to read the Quran and to study books about the Faith. A few years later (in 1995), after travelling more widely in the Islamic world and knowing that she had discovered her spiritual path, she embraced Islam in a London mosque. And then her real adventures began. In this private memoir Kristiane Backer tells the story of her conversion and explains how faith, despite the many challenges she faced as she turned her life upside down, at last gave her inner peace and the meaning she had sought.

Get $2 Off an MP3 Album (KSO)

This offer for those with a Kindle Fire with Special Offers only.

On your Kindle Fire with Special Offers (2nd Generation or HD), swipe the top menu to the left until you see Offers, then press/click in order to see the current offers. At the bottom, you should see the offer to Get $2 off any digital music album $5.99 or greater. Click on the offer, then on the orange button to add the credit directly to your account. It's nearly instant and the next screen offers to take you to Amazon MP3 store so you can start shopping. You can shop the web site from your PC or or iThing or from the Music App on your Kindle Fire any Android device and the credit will automatically be used on the next qualifying purchase (I prefer to browse on my PC, as you can do a "play all" on the samples).

Offer is good for one album and only one per account (if you have multiple KSO devices, they need to be registered to different accounts when you apply the credit to any of the accounts). The credit must be claimed by May 7 and used by midnight (PT) May 14.

Other than picking out an album that has a price of $5.99 or more, there doesn't seem to be any restriction on which albums you can choose. The credit will also go onto your account as soon as it is claimed, so you will want to shop for your album right away (I've seen multiple promotions active on an account interfere with each other). I would not wait too long to claim it though, as I've had offers disappear from my Kindle Fire before the claim date. Also, if you don't see the offer at all, try turning off parental controls on your Fire (you can turn them on again, after claiming the offer).

Free Bonnaroo MP3s

Over at Noisetrade, you can download a free sampler album of the artists that will be appearing at Bonnaroo 2013 (that little bitty outdoor concert they have just south of here each year).

Sampler contents:
Lord Huron - Time To Run
Glen Hansard - High Hope
Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors - Wine We Drink
Father John Misty - Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
Allen Stone - Celebrate Tonight
Aoife O'Donovan - Briar Rose
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Alabama Pines
Sea Wolf - Old Friend
Trixie Whitley - I Need Your Love
Two Gallants - My Love Won't Wait
Futurebirds - Serial Bowls
Raptar - Houseboat Babies
Bombino - Azamane Tiliade
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - Do To Me

Free Music Sampler - SXSW 2013

Those who follow music know that SXSW is a huge music festival. So large, that NPR's sampler for the event runs to 6-1/2 hours of music! You can listen to the sampler online, or, through April 4, you can download the entire thing in MP3 format. I looked thru the list of included artists and have to admit that I didn't know most of them (although I did recently buy Lone Bellow's album.

Get the free download from NPR. It's a big file (>800 MB), so may take some time to download. Once you get it, unzip it into your MP3 directory on your computer. There are download links below, if you just want one or two songs, but you'll save time and perhaps find a new favorite artist by grabbing the zip file, instead.

Enjoy!

$2 MP3 Credit from Amazon Mom

If you've ever signed up for Amazon Mom, check your email to see if Amazon has sent you a $2 MP3 Code from Amazon Mom. If they have, just click thru the email and apply the credit (cut and paste from the email) and then you can go shopping. If you don't have any other ideas on what to spend it on, there are a few 99 cent albums that look interesting: 100 Must-Have Lullaby Baby Classics (for those with very small ones in the house), Classical Music for the Reader 8: Great Masterpieces for the Dedicated Reader and Big Beethoven Box (no small children required). If you aren't a classical fan, there are always the 2,000 $5 MP3 albums this month, which would be reduced to $3 with the credit.

R&B and Classic Soul Music for $2.99

I was checking out the news that Amazon has FINALLY released a channel for listening to your Cloud Music on Roku (yes, it's true!) and ran into this sale on R&B and Classic Soul Music for $2.99. It ends tonight, so it's only for those that check in the evening or get Twitter or Facebook notices.

Music Deals

Holiday MP3 Album deals (some may be repeats)

• Christmas Piano Masterpieces, by Cobra Entertainment ($0.99)
• Christmas Hymns & Carols, by Christian Faith Singers & Orchestra ($0.99)
• Big Christmas Box, by Vanguard Classics ($0.99; 13+ hours classical)
• The 99 Most Essential Christmas Piano, by X5 Music Group($0.99)
• 99 Must-Have Christmas Meditation Classics, by Cobra Entertainment ($0.99)
• Christmas Pickins: A Banjo Christmas, by Lifestyles Records ($1.29)
• Celtic Christmas, by Celtic Christmas($1.99)
• The 99 Most Essential Christmas Masterpieces (Amazon Exclusive), by Various artists ($1.99)
• Gregorian Christmas, by CantArte Regensburg & Hubert Velten ($1.99)
• Christmas With The Mormon Tabernacle Choir ($2.99)
• 99 Must-Have Christmas Classics, by Cobra Entertainment ($3.99)
• Christmas In The Sand, by Colbie Caillat ($3.99)
• Christmas with Scotty McCreery ($3.99)
• A Blue Collar Christmas, by Slidawg And The Redneck Ramblers ($5.49; as you can guess from the cover, this one is non-traditional)
• 100% Christmas - The Greatest Artists 100 Hits, by Vista Music ($5.99)
• NOW Today's Christmas, by Various artists ($5.99)
• 75 Christmas Songs Remembering Children's Favourites and Junior Choice for Kids of All Ages (Some Weird and Wacky!), by Various artists ($5.99)

And some not-so-holiday bargain albums

• Healing Piano Music for Massage, Meditation, Reiki, 7 Chakras, Relaxation & Better Sleep, by Steven Cravis ($0.99; listen while practicing with today's free book!)
• The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe, by DENON Classics($0.99)
• 50 Must-Have Beethoven Masterpieces, by Cobra Entertainment ($0.99)
• 50 Must-Have Strauss Family Masterpieces, by Cobra Entertainment ($0.99)
• 50 Must-Have Handel Masterpieces, by Cobra Entertainment ($0.99)
• 50 Must-Have Tchaikovsky Masterpieces, by Cobra Entertainment ($0.99)
• 100 Must-Have Waltz & Dance Classics, by Cobra Entertainment ($0.99)
• Orchestral Suites, by Cobra Entertainment ($0.99)
• Brandenburg Concertos, by Berlin Chamber Orchestra & Peter Wohlert ($0.99)
• St. John's Passion, by Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra ($0.99)
• St. Matthew's Passion, by Jeunesses Musicales Chorus ($0.99)
• Thanksgiving - Great Chrisitian Hymns Collection, by Christian Gospel Choir ($0.99)
• 40 Must-Have Favorite Hymns: I Stand Amazed, by Christian Gospel Choir ($0.99)
• A Salute to America, by 101 Strings Orchestra ($1.89)
• 50 Must-Have Violin Concertos, by Cobra Entertainment ($1.99)
• Meditation: Classical Relaxation, by Cobra Entertainment ($1.99)
• Big Gustav Leonhardt Box The Bach Guild Recordings 1952-1955, by Gustav Leonhardt ($2.79; 8+ hrs, 144 selections)
• 100 Must-Have Piano Concertos, by Cobra Entertainment ($2.99)

Be sure to check for any credits, now and then - Amazon is giving away Movie Credits for those with prime that let their items ship slower than 2-day and also MP3 credits with various items, including many Kindle accessories.

Now, if only 100 Christmas Blues - Songs to Get You Through the Cold would drop in price...

Get a Holiday MP3 Album for $1.99

Thru Tuesday, or until they sell out, you can get a Free Voucher to Purchase One Top Holiday Title for $1.99 on Amazon MP3 at AmazonLocal. You do have to go thru a "purchase", which means having a credit card on file, but you aren't charged for the voucher itself. Once your voucher is ready, you open it (at AmazonLocal), apply it to your account, then go shopping for one of the eligible titles in the Amazon MP3 store. Click to buy the MP3 album and you'll only be charged $1.99.

Various rules apply, including that your must be a US customer at Amazon and the voucher expires if not used by Dec 2.

If you wish to give an album as a gift, the credit will be applied; you can see it on the very last page before you finalize the order (unlike with book gifts, any gift balance is used first). I also suggest you first check your credit balance in the MP3 store (you can do this on any song or album, there is a link just under the buy button) and use up any existing credits first, so that they don't try to mix with the voucher. I've had trouble with this in the past and had to get Amazon involved in order to get my credits back.

Good Deals via Google (and Amazon)

There are several good Black Friday deals in the Google Play store, from music to apps/games to books. Music will work on any device (although it's a bit tricky to download them from Google; they would much rather have you upload your music to them than download and play your tunes somewhere else), but games are limited to devices with access to the Google store, which leaves out (unrooted) Kindle Fires and Nook tablets. Their books are in EPUB format, so can be read on the Fire using an app like Aldiko or side-loaded onto your nook devices. Kindle users, though, will find price matches on many of the items on sale -- I just troll thru the Google sale, then bounce back to Amazon's Appstore, MP3 Store or Kindle store and check for a price match on the ones that are interesting. Below, I've highlighted some of the deals I've found.

In the Google Music store, there are three playlists of free MP3's from Antenna, Stone Records and FILTER Magazine. There is no real equivalent at Amazon, which is a shame, since Google forces you to buy one song at a time (about 4-5 clicks and you must have a credit card on file, even for free songs).

On the Android side, you can go thru the complete list of the apps on sale on Google, but you'll definitely want to check out Quickoffice Pro ($0.99 Amazon, Google) and OfficeSuite Professional 6 ($4.99 Amazon, $6.99 Google), to see if they are compatible with your devices. The Full Version Key for DocumentsToGo is also on sale in both stores ($8.99), if you missed getting this free from Amazon last year (which I don't expect to ever repeat, now that so many more Fire devices have been sold). Be sure that the DocumentsToGo Main App is running on your device first, before buying the key. I definitely give the edge to Amazon on this one, as the app runs on all my devices, including my phone, while Google's is limited to my phone and one tablet.

One of the sale items that Amazon didn't price match is My Diet Coach - Pro ($2.99 Amazon, $0.99 Google), which you might want on your phone, anyway, rather than a Kindle device (although if you get in from Amazon, it will work on both). If free is more your style, be sure to check out Nun Attack (Google only), which looks like it might be fun. There are several Gameloft games discounted to 99 cents (usually $6.99), mostly matched at Amazon (who actually has some on sale that aren't on sale at Google), but be sure to check out which ones work on which devices (some at Google are restricted to my phone, while the Kindle version might only work on the 8.9" Fire HD), although at these prices, you can afford to grab both editions:

• BackStab HD
• The Amazing Spider-Man
• N.O.V.A. 3 - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance
• Gangstar Rio: City of Saints
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard
• The Adventures of Tintin ($4.99 Kindle, 99 cents Google

I'm also grabbing the Roku Remote app ($0.99 on sale from Google; $2.99 Amazon), to run on a Galaxy Tab that I'm setting up as a universal remote (I hope, anyway -- my existing remote won't do bluetooth and my TV doesn't do IR). Since Amazon's isn't on sale, I'll hold off buying it (although it works with all my devices), unless it drops to 99 cents there, too.

You don't want to miss The Icerigger Trilogy: Icerigger, Mission to Moulokin, and The Deluge Drivers ($2.00 Kindle, Google), by Alan Dean Foster (Open Road) while it's marked down this low.

Book Description
Stranded on a frozen and remote planet, Ethan Frome Fortune searches for a way back to civilization

Icy, desolate, and sharply carved by hurricane-force winds, Tran-ky-ky is a terrible place to crash-land. But a botched kidnapping aboard the interstellar transport Antares sends Ethan Frome Fortune and a handful of his fellow travelers tumbling toward the stormy planet. Stranded and cut off from civilization, the castaways struggle to survive.

In this page-turning trilogy, Fortune confronts vicious predators (even the plants want to make a meal of him) and forges an alliance with a native Tran. As he searches for a way off Tran-ky-ky, he helps the Tran gain admission to the Humanx Commonwealth and learns about their troubled history. Just as Fortune accepts that he’ll never escape the harsh planet and acclimates to its relentless winter, he learns that scientists have detected rising temperatures in the atmosphere. This sinister change leads Fortune to a thrilling and unexpected final adventure.

All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and All Things Wise and Wonderful: Three James Herriot Classics ($6.00 Kindle, Google), by James Herriot, is only a penny more than the lowest price I've seen for it, when I grabbed it at the end of November, last year.

Book Description
Timeless stories from a country veterinarian about the animals and people that shape life in a sleepy English town

Perhaps better than any other writer, James Herriot reveals the ties that bind us to the natural world. Collected here are three of his masterpieces—All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and All Things Wise and Wonderful—which have been winning over animal lovers everywhere for almost fifty years. From his night visits to drafty barns during freezing northern England winters, to the beautiful vitality of rural life in the summertime, to the colorful menagerie of animals—and their owners—that pass through his office, Herriot vividly evokes the daily challenges and joys that come with being a veterinarian.

Witty and heartwarming, these classic books also feature an original introduction from the author’s son, Jim Wight, and bonus archival photos courtesy of the Herriot estate.

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh ($3.00 Kindle, Google), by Michael Chabon

Book Description
Chabon’s sensational debut novel: the coming-of-age story of Art Bechstein, a recent graduate whose life is forever changed by one sultry summer

Art Bechstein may be too young to know what he wants to do with his life, but he knows what he doesn’t want: the life of his father, a man who laundered money for the mob. Bechstein spends the summer after his graduation from a Pittsburgh university searching for his future and finding his own sort of trouble with brilliant and seductive new friends—erudite, unscrupulous Arthur Lecomte, mercurial Phlox, and Cleveland, a poetry-reciting biker.

Insightful and energetic, The Mysteries of Pittsburg beautifully renders the hard edges of a blue-collar city and the charm of its local characters.

This ebook features a biography of the author.

Wyoming Fierce ($1.60 Kindle, Google), by Diana Palmer

Book Description
Ranch owner Cane Kirk lost more than his arm in the war. He lost his way, battling his inner demons by challenging any cowboy unfortunate enough to get in his way. No one seems to be able to cool him down, except beautiful Bodie Mays. Bodie doesn't mind saving Cane from himself, even if he is a little too tempting for her own peace of mind.

But soon Bodie's the one who finds herself in need of rescuing—only, she's afraid to tell Cane what's really going on. How can she trust someone as unpredictable as this fierce cowboy? When her silence only ends up getting her into even deeper hot water, it's up to Cane to save the day. And if he does it right, he won't be riding off into the sunset alone.

How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You ($2.00 Kindle, Google), by The Oatmeal

Book Description
Jesus Rollerblading Christ--another helping of TheOatmeal! Mrow, MOAR kitty comics. Mr. Oats delivers a sidesplitting serving of cat comics in his new book, How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You.

If your cat is kneading you, that's not a sign of affection. Your cat is actually checking your internal organs for weakness. If your cat brings you a dead animal, this isn't a gift. It's a warning. How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You is a hilarious, brilliant offering of cat comics, facts, and instructional guides from the creative wonderland at TheOatmeal.com.

How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You presents fan favorites, such as "Cat vs. Internet," "How to Pet a Kitty," and "The Bobcats," plus 17 brand-new, never-before-seen cat jokes. This Oatmeal collection is a must-have from Mr. Oats!

See Google's full list of book deals up to 80% off.

No guarantee on how long the sale will last, but I don't expect it to survive past Monday (if then; Google might bring out a new sale for CyberMonday).

Free & 99 Cent MP3 Albums

In addition to today's free MP3 (a Christmas album, the Green Hill Christmas Music Sampler by Beegie Adair), you can pick up Veterans Day Honor, by The Bands and Ensembles of the US Armed Forces, for free today at Amazon; this has been free for previous Veterans Days and will likely go back up in price at midnight (Seattle time).

Some 99 cent albums you may want to check out:

• Classical Music for the Reader 3, from Cobra Entertainment
• Classical Music for the Reader 4, from Cobra Entertainment
• Classical Music for the Reader 5, from Cobra Entertainment
• Classical Music for the Reader 6, from Cobra Entertainment
• Classical Music for the Reader 7, from Cobra Entertainment
• Music for the Reader: Masterpieces for the Dedicated Reader - Ocean Suites, by Marco Lashbrook
• Classical Music for Relaxation, from Cobra Entertainment
• 100 Must-Have Waltz & Dance Classics, from Cobra Entertainment
• Celtic Christmas, from Cobra Entertainment
• Celtic Memories Sampler, from Madacy Entertainment
• 50 Must-Have Mystic Gregorian Pop Remixes, from Cobra Entertainment
• Gregorian Christmas, from Cobra Entertainment
• Christmas Hymns & Carols, by Christian Faith Singers & Orchestra
• 40 Must-Have Favorite Hymns: I Stand Amazed, by Christian Gospel Choir
• Best Of Meditation With Music & Natur, by Dave Miller

If you don't mind spending a bit more, these are on sale for $3.99:

• The Greatest Video Game Music 2, by London Philharmonic Orchestra and Andrew Skeet
• 99 Must-Have Thanksgiving Classics, from Cobra Entertainment
• 99 Must-Have Christmas Meditation Classics, from Cobra Entertainment
• 99 Must-Have Christmas Classics, from Cobra Entertainment

Last, this one is $5.99, but still a great bargain: 100% Christmas - The Greatest Artists 100 Hits, from Vista Music

Get $4 off an MP3 Album (KSO)

This offer for those with a Kindle Fire with Special Offers only.

On your Kindle Fire with Special Offers (2nd Generation or HD), swipe the top menu to the left until you see Offers, then press/click in order to see the current offers. At the bottom, you should see the offer to Get $4 off any digital music album. Click on the offer, then on the orange button to add the credit directly to your account. It's nearly instant and the next screen offers to take you to Amazon MP3 store so you can start shopping. You can also shop from your PC or the Music App on any Android device and the credit will automatically be used on the next qualifying purchase (I prefer to browse on my PC, as you can do a "play all" on the samples).

Offer is good for one album and only one per account (if you have multiple KSO devices, they need to be registered to different accounts when you apply the credit to any of the accounts). The credit must be claimed by November 12 and used by midnight (PT) November 19.

Other than picking out an album that has a price of $7.99 or more, there doesn't seem to be any restriction on which albums you can choose. The credit will also go onto your account as soon as it is claimed, so you will want to shop for your album right away. I would not wait too long to claim it though, as I've had offers disappear before the claim date. Also, if you don't see the offer at all, try turning off parental controls on your Fire (you can turn them on again, after claiming the offer).

Get an MP3 Album for $5 (KSO)

This offer is only for those with a Kindle with Special Offers (including any that opts in to Special Offers, but not the Kindle Fire with Special Offers):

Get a select music album for $5

To take advantage of this offer:

1. First, turn on your Kindle with Special Offers, click Menu, then View Special Offers.
2. Find the offer: Get a select music album for $5. Click on it, then on the link to Email Me This Offer. You must claim your gift code by Midnight PT, November 4, 2012.
3. You will get an email from Amazon with your promotional code, right away.
4. Once you have the promotion code (and have selected your album; see below), click this link, then on the button labeled Enter Your Code, at any time up to the expiration date of 11:59 p.m. (PT) November 11, 2012.
5. Enter your code and follow the directions.
6. Choose any MP3 album under $10 and you'll only be charged $5
(up to the expiration date of Midnight, Nov 11).

You'll have a promotion code on your account that will apply to the FIRST album you buy after that (even if it usually costs less than $5). You should save the code and not enter it until you are ready to buy an album (I find this also helps me remember if I've used a code - when I go to apply it, if it isn't accepted, I know I've used that offer).

This promo can't be combined with any others, but you can shop from your Kindle Fire Music App after you've entered the code (although I greatly prefer doing so from my desktop -- in fact, if you buy it as a gift and send it to yourself, you'll see that the promo has been applied when you get the the final confirmation page). I had a lot of problems with the last MP3 promo that Amazon had (the $3 album on the Kindle Fire) and it was because I already had some MP3 credit on my account (from Coinstar). As a result, the fixed-price album promo combined with that credit (which it isn't supposed to do) and I was overcharged for the album (using nearly $8 in credit for a "$3 album"). So, first make sure you use up any MP3 credits (don't worry about a gift card balance; that won't cause an issue), then enter your promo code and buy your $5 album.

Get an MP3 Album for $3 (KSO)

This offer for those with a Kindle Fire with Special Offers only.

On your Kindle Fire with Special Offers (2nd Generation or HD), swipe the top menu to the left until you see Offers, then press/click in order to see the current offers. At the bottom, you should see the offer to Get a Select Music Album for $3. Click on the offer, then on the orange button to add the credit directly to your account. It's nearly instant and the next screen offers to take you to Amazon MP3 store so you can start shopping. You can also shop the Amazon MP3 store from your PC or other Android device and the credit will automatically be used on the next qualifying purchase (I prefer to browse on my PC, as you can do a "play all" on the samples).

Other than picking out an album that has a price of $10 or less, there doesn't seem to be any restriction on which albums you can choose.

Offer is good for one album and only one per account (if you have multiple KSO devices, they need to be registered to different accounts when you apply the credit to any of the accounts). The credit must be claimed by Oct 2 and used by midnight (PT) October 10.

Bargain Books and Music Roundup

If you stopped using your Amazon Wish Lists when the 'Zon (rather stupidly) stopped displaying prices, then you need to check them out again. They've added prices back, including the ability to sort by price. With ebooks, you can see who is the seller (for Agency books and HarperCollins, who is still listed as the seller, but no longer as the one who sets the prices). With the compact view, you lose sight of your notes (which is where I always entered the price at the time I added it to a wish list), but you can see an mark a large number of items at once (to delete, move to a new list, etc). I'm glad Amazon woke up to the fact that not every wish list is a Wedding Registry, where price is no object; instead, you can now go back to using wish lists as they originally functioned, keeping track of things you might want to buy either as you get funds or when they go on sale. Several of the titles below are from my wish lists, as I trolled thru them today, looking for bargains.

Veronica Roth's Divergent ($9.99 $7.29) and Insurgent ($11.99 $7.29) haven't quite made it down to "bargain" pricing yet, but are amongst the early titles to get a good price drop after the end of Agency Pricing for Harper. If I didn't have both already, that would be enough of a drop to entice me to buy and seems reasonable for hot releases that are only a few months to a year old (and are over 500 pages in print).

Divergent

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Grade Level: 9 and up

Insurgent

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Grade Level: 8 and up

Partials ($2.99), by Dan Wells, has been on my wish list for a while; at this price, I've snapped it up. The next in the series, Fragments, is available to pre-order and it's at that magic $9.99 I remember from Kindle's early days.

Book Description
The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

Grade Level: 9 and up

I voted for Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky ($2.99) when B&N was having their summer weekend deals; it lost, but this price is a dollar less anyway; also nabbed. If you have auditory listeners on your account, the (companion audiobook is $8.99 (half price).

Book Description
Since she’d been on the outside, she’d survived an Aether storm, she’d had a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

In her enthralling debut, Veronica Rossi sends readers on an unforgettable adventure set in a world brimming with harshness and beauty.

Grade Level: 9 and up

The Old Man and the Wasteland ($0.99), by Nick Cole; great price drop on this one!

Book Description
Forty years after the destruction of civilization . . . Man is reduced to salvaging the ruins of a broken world. One man's most prized possession is Hemingway's classic The Old Man and the Sea. With the words of the novel echoing across the wasteland, a survivor of the Nuclear Holocaust journeys into the unknown to break a curse. What follows is an incredible tale of survival and endurance. One man must survive the desert wilderness and mankind gone savage to discover the truth of Hemingway's classic tale of man versus nature.

Abandon the Night ($4.49), the third title in Envy Chronicles by Joss Ware (Colleen Gleason), was the only one I was missing from this series. Other titles in the series are $3.99 to $4.49 now and you have until February to get caught up, when the sixth title, Night Resurrected, will be released.

Book Description
A brilliantly dark, unique paranormal world.... From the raging fires, five men emerge with extraordinary new powers. They are humankind's last hope . . . but they cannot survive this dark, ravaged world alone . . .

Quentin Fielding had everything. Money. Power. Women. But now that civilization is all but annihilated, Quent wants only one thing: revenge. Harnessing a strange new "gift," he embarks on a deadly mission to find the man responsible for the chaos and destruction, the man he should have killed years ago: his father. Only one thing stands in his way--a mysterious, arrow-wielding beauty . . .

ZoË Kapoor is on her own quest for vengeance, searching for the monstrous fiends who murdered her family. Soon she and Quent join together, journeying through the ruins of the world they once knew as a desperate desire builds between them. Drawing closer to an enemy they never imagined, ZoË and Quent must abandon all fear, abandon all regret, abandon the night . . .

One Grave at a Time ($4.99), is the sixth and latest novel in Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series; I would have grabbed this one for the cover alone, if browing in the bookstore. Luckily, I have the first five in the series, but if you don't they are now priced in the $4.99-$5.49 range. You also get a great deal on the companion audiobook for this one, at $4.99.

Book Description
Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving-leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit.

The Dog Walker ($1.99), by Corwyn Alvarez, I picked up last May from Bell Bridge Books.

Book Description
Life is not as simple as he seems.

If there are guardian angels among us, surely Benny is one of them. Gently challenged and benignly observant, he lives with his long-suffering mother in the quirky and charming town of Mayfield. Benny is qualified for only one job: walking dogs. At that task, he is without peer. But Benny is more than a simple friend to the town's canines; he brings the same guileless compassion to the people around him. Sweet and honest, offering poignant loyalty, he changes their lives.

Hidden and Chilled ($2.99 each), by Kendra Elliot, are the first two titles in the Bone Secrets saga from Montlake Romance. both have companion audiobooks that are currently $4.99

Hidden (companion audiobook)

Eleven years ago, the Co-ed Slayer murdered nine female students on the Oregon State University campus. Lacey Campbell barely escaped his attack, but lost her best friend whose remains were never found. As the sole surviving victim, Lacey helped send the sadistic serial killer to prison for life.

Now a forensic odontologist examining teeth and bones for the state Medical Examiner, Lacey is devastated when she arrives at a crime scene and identifies the skeletal remains as her college friend’s.

The remains are discovered on the land of ex-cop Jack Harper. Sparks fly between him and Lacey, even as they realize that the prosecution’s witnesses from a decade ago are now being murdered one by one. All the evidence points to the Co-ed Slayer as the culprit—only, he’s long since dead. So who’s the new killer? And is Lacey next in line to die?

Golden Heart finalist Kendra Elliot combines chilling suspense and steamy romance in a gripping tale, uniting in-depth forensic knowledge with a passion for thrillers. Set in the snowy winter of Oregon, Hidden creates spine-tingling chills.

Chilled (companion audiobook)

As a forensic nurse on a search and rescue team, Brynn Nealey braves a dangerous blizzard to find the survivors of a plane crash in the Cascade Mountains. Joining her is Alex Kinton, a former US marshal with self-destructive tendencies. Alex lies his way onto Brynn’s team to find the man who killed his brother—and then administer his own brand of vigilante justice. But once the team members reach the plane’s wreckage, they discover everyone aboard has perished…except for the man Alex is hunting. Alex will do whatever it takes to track his target through the vast, snowy wilderness.

As the temperatures drop, however, so do Alex’s defenses. His contact with the sharp, kindhearted Brynn makes his lust for vengeance difficult to reconcile with his growing feelings for a woman who risks her life to help others. What will happen to Alex’s savage instincts when he finally has the opportunity to confront his brother’s killer?

Thicker Than Water ($1.99), G.M. Ford's latest Leo Waterman mystery is published by Amazon's Thomas & Mercer imprint; companion audiobook $4.99 (if you only wanted the audiobook, buy the ebook first and the combined cost is less than the one alone).

Book Description
Hard living collects its fair share of casualties, but somehow Leo Waterman avoided becoming one of them. Destined for a trust fund that was taking too damn long to kick in, he spent years eking out a living in Seattle as a private investigator. Along the way he managed to survive countless run-ins with murderers, drug dealers, and jealous wives. But when Rebecca, the love of his life, dumped him to marry someone else…that was a different story. Still, he took it like a man, eventually collecting his family money and slipping into semi-retirement—until the day an unwelcome visitor brings him the worst possible news. Rebecca has vanished and no one, not even her manipulative, overprotective mother, can find a trace of her. Together with his band of informers and sidekicks (in truth a rather motley crew of homeless drunks and reprobates), Leo wades back into the game, determined to save Rebecca once and for all. But her trail is a twisted one, thick with deception and depravity that winds from the rain-swept streets of Seattle to the murky depths of the great North Woods. The stink of it all seems to emanate from none other than Rebecca’s new husband, Brett Ward, whose tangle of lies will cast Leo into the path of a ruthless gang that will stop at nothing—not even murder—to protect what’s theirs.

Angelfall ($2.99), Penryn & the End of Days series by Susan Ee, is published by Amazon Children's Publishing, another new imprint; companion audiobook $4.99.

Book Description
It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with Raffe, an injured enemy angel. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco, where Penryn will risk everything to rescue her sister and Raffe will put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Grade Level: 8th and up

Ricky Sides has released Despair ($2.99), the 11th novel in his The Peacekeepers series. I've been reading this series for a while and the later books in the series are much more polished than the earlier titles. Still, even the early efforts stand head and shoulders above many of the bestsellers I've read in this genre (Apocalyptic SciFi). You won't find long lists of survival items or a recitation of every model number of every weapon ever used by some military or militia group and you don't get bashed over the head with religious beliefs, (the lack of which) all of which contribute towards a more enjoyable read. I bought the first few books in the series, then started conversing with Ricky in some of the forums and now he sends me a review copy when the new ones come out (yay, me!). I just looked thru the Amazon listings and the individual titles are $2.99 (except the first, which is 99 cents) but the best savings come from getting some of the omnibus editions (1-3, 4 - 6 and 7 - 9), which take you thru all but the latest two novels.

Book Description
Two peacekeeper ships are dispatched to New York City to organize the evacuation and resettlement of the survivors. The peacekeepers soon find themselves facing a myriad of problems. Wild animals roam the streets of the city, and the tunnels beneath it are home to millions of starving rodents. The underground is also home to cannibals who prey on other humans as a means of survival. Compounding matters is the hatred and mistrust the above-grounders have for the people who live beneath the city streets. The peacekeepers must somehow prevent the different factions from fighting long enough to arrange their mass departure from the city. Complicating matters even further is a group of men who have been sent to target the two crews. Their mission is simple. Prevent the peacekeepers from succeeding in their mission by harassing them at every opportunity, and kill a peacekeeper captain, if they can.

The captains of the Athens and the Bleakman expected to find despair in the hearts of the residents of New York City, but they didn’t expect their crews to find themselves face to face with that emotion on a personal level.

To close out today's post, I found a few good bargains in the MP3 store, since that $5 MP3 credit from the Kindle Fire SO and a $3 credit from buying a Kindle accessory were burning a hole in my pocket.

• Big Baroque Box, by Vanguard Classics ($1.29); 14+ hours of classical music and $292.74 less than buying the individual selections
• Tempest, by Bob Dylan ($5); this is his recent release, which is $9.99 over at Google Play
• Chimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years Of Amnesty International, by Amnesty International artists ($18.06); it's a bit pricey, but spans 4 discs on CD ($15.99), with 5-1/2 hours of great music
• Rattle Them Bones, by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy ($5); jazz
• Born and Raised, by John Mayer ($5)
• Deluxe: Greatest Hits, by Patsy Cline ($3.99); 25 selections and just over an hours of music, since radio play forced short cuts when these were written
• California 37, by Train ($5)
• 50 Best Relaxing Classical, by The Greatest Classical Music Ever! ($0.99); this is just one of 14 "Best" classical albums you can pick up for 99 cents, each of which contains several hours of music

Remember, thru Sept 23, Coinstar is giving a $5 Mp3 bonus with every $20+ Amazon.com Gift Card; the only limit is "per transaction", so can more than one bonus to a single account. You must use the credit by October 31, 2012, but that will be easy with the monthly $5 MP3 Album Deals Amazon has.

Free Audiobook - The Story of Classical Music

The audiobook edition of The Story of Classical Music, by Darren Henley, narrated by Marin Alsop, is free in the Audible store.

Book Description
The lives and music of the great composers of classical music unfold in this entertaining account, introduced by the conductor and musical personality Marin Alsop. In 1200 years, classical music grew from the chanting of medieval monks through the symphonies of Beethoven and the grand operas of Wagner to the huge orchestral sound-world of the 21st century, with its electronics and its film music. In her easy-going style, Marin Alsop paints vivid portraits of over 90 composers, each one illustrated with some of his, or her, most famous music.

Get the free audiobook from Audible (some geographic restrictions may apply)