I'm going to start including a recent release at the top of my Bargain Book Roundups, at least now and then. This won't necessarily be discounted, but is a novel from an author or series that I read or that is one I think you might be interested in. My first choice for this is
Gunmetal Magic (
$7.99), by Ilona Andrews, a novel set in the world of her
Kate Daniels series; it also includes a free bonus: a
Kate Daniels novella, "Magic Gifts", in case you missed it when it was free on the author's website.. If you haven't read the series and enjoy Urban Fantasy, you should put this on the top of your TBR list. There are no discounts on the series from Penguin, which charges full paperback pricing on their ebooks, although the first title,
Magic Bites, was discounted for as short time in February. You can probably find the first three in your local library, while some seem to have all five; none that I checked had this one, though, and probably won't anytime soon.
Book Description
The New York Times bestselling Kate Daniels novels have been hailed as “top-notch urban fantasy” (Monsters and Critics). Now, Ilona Andrews delves deeper into Kate’s world, and reveals its untold stories…
After being kicked out of the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea’s whole existence is in shambles. She tries to put herself back together by working for Cutting Edge, a small investigative firm owned by her best friend. When several shapeshifters working for Raphael Medrano—the male alpha of the Clan Bouda, and Andrea’s former lover—die unexpectedly at a dig site, Andrea is assigned to investigate. Now she must work with Raphael as her search for the killer leads into the secret underbelly of supernatural Atlanta. And dealing with her feelings for him might have to take a back seat to saving the world…
Shadow's Edge (
$3.99), the first title in the
Night Prowler series by J.T. Geissinger (Montlake Romance).
Book Description
Deep within the primeval forests of southern England, a race of beautiful, savage shape-shifters lives hidden from the everyday world. Bound together by ancient bloodlines and a ruthless code of secrecy that punishes traitors with death, the Ikati send their leader Leander on a mission to capture one raised outside the tribe before she can expose their secret. When Leander tracks the unsuspecting outsider to Southern California, the hardened warrior is prepared for a fight—but not for the effect the sensual young beauty has on his heart.
Jenna spent her childhood in hiding, on the run from someone—or something—her parents refused to discuss. She trusts no one, not since her father’s mysterious disappearance, not since her mother’s sudden death, and definitely not since she began exhibiting strange, superhuman abilities. When handsome, enigmatic Leander appears, promising answers to the mysteries that shroud her past, she knows she shouldn’t trust him either. But their connection is undeniable, and as powerful as the enemy hell-bent on destroying every one of their kind…
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow (
$1.99), by Jessica Day George (Bloomsbury USA Childrens)
Book Description
Blessed-or cursed-with an ability to understand animals, the Lass (as she’s known to her family) has always been an oddball. And when an isbjorn (polar bear) seeks her out, and promises that her family will become rich if only the Lass will accompany him to his castle, she doesn’t hesitate. But the bear is not what he seems, nor is his castle, which is made of ice and inhabited by a silent staff of servants. Only a grueling journey on the backs of the four winds will reveal the truth: the bear is really a prince who’s been enchanted by a troll queen, and the Lass must come up with a way to free him before he’s forced to marry a troll princess.
Grade Level: 7 and up
Solo (
$1.99), by Jack Higgins (Open Road)
Book Description
A father’s quest for vengeance draws him into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a veteran assassin...
Piano virtuoso John Mikali’s flair as a musician is matched only by his skill as an assassin. The trail of bodies he’s left in his wake is proof. But when he kills a young woman while fleeing from a murder scene, the woman’s father, a special forces soldier in the British military, vows to avenge his daughter’s death.
Now, both men are locked in a deadly game, playing for the ultimate stakes.
Enclave (
$2.99), by Ann Aguirre (Macmillan). I bought this at the end of last month, as the price dropped, and hope to get it read before
Outpost is released next month.
Book Description
New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20's. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters—or Freaks—who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight, in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs. As the two are guided by Fade’s long-ago memories, they face dangers, and feelings, unlike any they’ve ever known.
Grade Level: 7 and up
Desert Solitaire (
$2.99), by Edward Abbey (RosettaBooks; Edward Abbey Series)
Book Description
First published in 1968, Desert Solitaire is one of Edward Abbey's most critically acclaimed works and marks his first foray into the world of nonfiction writing. Written while Abbey was working as a ranger at Arches National Park outside of Moab, Utah, Desert Solitaire is a rare view of one man's quest to experience nature in its purest form.
Through prose that is by turns passionate and poetic, Abbey reflects on the condition of our remaining wilderness and the future of a civilization that cannot reconcile itself to living in the natural world as well as his own internal struggle with morality. As the world continues its rapid development, Abbey's cry to maintain the natural beauty of the West remains just as relevant today as when this book was written.
Hidden (
$2.99), the first Bone Secrets novel by Kendra Elliot (Montlake Romance).
Book Description
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 (
$2.99), the second Bone Secrets novel by Kendra Elliot (Montlake Romance).
Book Description
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 return the favor. 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?
In Chilled, the next thrilling tale in the Bone Secrets saga, Golden Heart finalist Kendra Elliot weaves an icy tale of cold nights, cold hearts, and cold-blooded killers.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier (
$3.99) is an Audio/Video Enhanced cookbook by popular blogger Ree Drummond (HarperCollins). The cookbook can be used with any Kindle or app, but the enhanced content only works on an iPad or iPhone (not the Kindle fire). This is a blogger that I sometimes read, just to enjoy the photos (not necessarily of food), so I expect the photography in the book to be outstanding. I'll probably get this one to view on my iPad, but hope that Amazon manages to figure out how to fix their Android app (which is also what is used on the Kindle Fire, essentially), so that the music and videos will work on their own devices. When they do, I expect to see even more of these video enhanced cookbooks, such as
Asian Dumplings (Enhanced Edition): Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More, which has several videos in each of the first six chapters, so you can see the techniques that you probably didn't learn growing up. Another popular food blogger has a new book being released soon,
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, by Deb Perelman, but I'm going to wait for it to come down (a lot) in price before giving it a more serious look.
Book Description
The enhanced e-book edition of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier gives you behind-the-scenes access to Ree at home on her ranch. In it you'll find videos of Ree cooking a bunch of her favorite recipes, six recipes not found in the book, and Ree’s list of her favorite movies and songs to cook to.
I'm Pioneer Woman.
And I love to cook.
Once upon a time, I fell in love with a cowboy. A strapping, rugged, chaps-wearing cowboy. Then I married him, moved to his ranch, had his babies . . . and wound up loving it. Except the manure. Living in the country for more than fifteen years has taught me a handful of eternal truths: every new day is a blessing, every drop of rain is a gift . . . and nothing tastes more delicious than food you cook yourself.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier is a mouthwatering collection of the simple-but-scrumptious recipes that rotate through my kitchen on a regular basis, including Cowgirl Quiche, Sloppy Joes, Italian Meatball Soup, White Chicken Enchiladas, and a spicy Carnitas Pizza that'll win you over for life. There are also some elegant offerings for more special occasions at your house: Osso Buco, Honey-Plum-Soy Chicken, and Rib-Eye Steak with an irresistible Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce. And the decadent assortment of desserts, including Blackberry Chip Ice Cream, Apple Dumplings, and Coffee Cream Cake, will make your heart go pitter-pat in the most wonderful way.
In addition to detailed step-by-step photographs, all the recipes in this book have one other important quality in common: They're guaranteed to make your kids, sweetheart, dinner guests, in-laws, friends, cousins, or resident cowboys smile, sigh, and beg for seconds. (And hug you and kiss you and be devoted to you for life.)
I hope you enjoy, devour, and love this book.
I sure did love making it for you.
Something Witchy This Way Comes (
$3.99), the fifth novel in the
Jolie Wilkins series by H. P. Mallory, who also has
two titles free on Kindle tonight (including the first in this series), and several self-published titles in the $3 range. This one, though, is published by Random House and is likely to go up in price when it is closer to the release date (if you pre-order, you lock in the lower price). The third in the series,
Witchful Thinking, is also being discounted by Random House, currently $2.99.
Book Description
A witch’s work is never done, and in bestselling author H. P. Mallory’s mesmerizing new novel, Jolie Wilkins finds that the real magic is only just beginning.
For smart and sexy witch Jolie Wilkins, being Queen of the Underworld is a royal pain. Back from a round of time travel, Jolie must now protect her realm from the sinister Lurkers—a powerful breed of half-humans bent on conquering the undead. And if there’s one thing she knows, it’s that the supernatural never go down without a fight.
At least Jolie has her soul mate (and finally official boyfriend), warlock Rand Balfour, by her side. Honorable, brave, and unbelievably handsome, Rand is everything Jolie wants in a man. So why can’t she forget the dangerously alluring vampire, Sinjin Sinclair? With her private life heating up and a battle boiling over, Jolie sets out to prove that in matters of love and war, the fairer hex has its own set of charms.
Blood Valley (
$4.79 pre-order), by William W. Johnstone (Pinnacle Books)
Book Description
Lawmen don't last long in the town of Doubtful, Wyoming Territory. The last one quit, another ended up in a hangman's noose, and one more was backshot by the hired guns at the Circle L Ranch.
But the town of Doubtful has never seen the likes of the man who's known only as Cotton, who aims to take the badge for $125 a month, save himself a nice chunk of money over the next year, and be on his way. At least, that's his plan.
Problem is, Cotton has just stuck his nose in the biggest hornet's nest in the territory. Some of the new homesteaders are stringing wire, and the three large spreads in the area don't like it much. Before Cotton can say "range war!" a passel of hardcases are filling the air with gunsmoke and hot lead.
But Cotton won't be scared off. He'll see to it that law and order come to Doubtful--because Cotton isn't afraid of dying. And he's not afraid of killing.
for my final pick tonight,
Fix, Freeze, Feast: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family (
$2.51), by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik, is currently being discounted by Amazon even lower than the promotion price in the
100 Books for $3.99 or Less Deal (which means it will probably go back up a few cents before the end of the month, then return to full price). There's no enhanced content in this one, so I've sent a sample to my Kindle Fire.
Book Description
Buy groceries in bulk, prepare family-friendly dishes, package in meal-sized freezer bags, then stock the freezer with ready-to-defrost-and-serve tasty homemade meals. This is the winning system of Fix, Freeze, Feast, a cookbook that has already attracted an enthusiastic following among busy families.
Millions of shoppers save money by buying groceries in bulk - trays of boneless chicken breasts, pairs of flank steaks, flats of ripe tomatoes. But savings can quickly turn to losses if those bulk quantities spoil in the refrigerator or lie forgotten - unlabeled and unrecognizable under lays of ice crystals - in the back of the freezer.
In the new ... edition of Fix, Freeze, Feast, authors Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik offer a complete system for taking full advantage of bulk purchasing and advance preparation to ensure no food is ever wasted. They show how easy it is to get organized, prepare ahead, and be ready to put healthful, satisfying meals on the dinner table (or breakfast table, or even brunch table!) at a moment's notice. Theirs is a cookbook price-conscious shoppers will love and warehouse club members shouldn't be without.
Cooks will find 125 delicious, healthful recipes to choose from Each one includes directions for dividing, preparing, and storing raw ingredients; a second set of simple direction is included for thawing, cooking, and enjoying the food. Designed for the way people cook today, Fix, Freeze, Feast meals are lighter and fresher than traditional bulk-cooking recipes, with a focus on simple stews and stir-fries, quick grilled or broiled main courses, and popular ethnic meals such as Beef Fajitas and Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry. Fix, Freeze, Feast, also includes ready-to-bake cookie doughs, soups, side dishes, smoothies, and snacks. With these innovative techniques and recipes, dinner is always in the freezer!
Scoundrel for Hire ($4.99 Kindle, $1.99 B&N), the first novel in the Velvet Lies series by Adrienne deWolfe [ePublishing Works!], is the Nook Daily Find.
