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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Today's Deals

Fictionwise has a 50% off code this weekend: 082512 (excludes Samhain, as usual).

Waterstones is running a Top Crime eBooks sale, with selected titles reduced to £1.99 for a limited period. Sales may be limited to those in the UK.

Take 25% OFF your next eBook purchase at Sony with code: (exp Aug 27). It does seem to be limited to selected titles (click the "see all" link for your country, though, and you get most of the store listed) and you must redeem the code before making the purchase.

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is The Keeper of Lost Causes ($2.99), the first title in the Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen.
Book Description
Carl Mørck used to be one of Copenhagen’s best homicide detectives. Then a hail of bullets destroyed the lives of two fellow cops, and Carl—who didn’t draw his weapon—blames himself. So a promotion is the last thing he expects. But Department Q is a department of one, and Carl’s got only a stack of Copenhagen’s coldest cases for company. His colleagues snicker, but Carl may have the last laugh, because one file keeps nagging at him: a liberal politician vanished five years earlier and is presumed dead. But she isn’t dead … yet.

Darkly humorous, propulsive, and atmospheric, The Keeper of Lost Causes introduces American readers to the mega-bestselling series fast becoming an international sensation.

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is 10 Young Adult Novels for $1.99 apiece. Two I already have, one I am definitely getting and a couple of others are intriguing enough that I'll take a look at the samples. What about you?

Tree Shepherd's Daughter (Faire Folk, Book 1), by Gillian Summers
When her mother dies, fifteen-year-old Keelie Heartwood is forced to leave her beloved California to live with her nomadic father at a renaissance festival in Colorado. After arriving, Keelie finds men in tights and women in trailer trash-tight bodices roaming half-drunk, calling each other lady and lord even after closing time! Playacting the Dark Ages is an L.A. girl’s worst nightmare.

Keelie has a plan to ditch this medieval geekland ASAP, but while she plots, strange things start happening—eerie, yet familiar. When Keelie starts seeing fairies and communicating with trees, she uncovers a secret that links her to a community of elves. As Keelie tries to come to grips with her elfin roots, disaster strikes, and Keelie’s identity isn’t the only thing that’s threatened.

One part human determination and one part elfin magic, Keelie Heartwood is a witty new heroine in a world where fantasy and reality mix with extraordinary results.
Poser, by Sue Wyshynski
Tallulah Jones makes a huge splash at her new school when she scores a coveted invitation to go surfing with the popular It Girl.

The only problem? Tallulah can't surf--not at all!

But hey, how hard can it be?

Did anyone mention near-death-experience?

And who knew a girl's nose was hard enough to break a surfboard in half?
Sometimes death is preferable to humiliation--especially when the in-crowd is calling you Poser...

The ever buoyant Tallulah carries on, determined to make amends. But with an archenemy clad in to-die-for designer heels--one who shares the hots for the same guy--only a miracle can save her.
Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars, by Nick James
A devastated Earth's last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers—political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth's stratosphere—and the corrupt Surface government.

Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.

Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn't know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls.
The Jerk Magnet (Life at Kingston High), by Melody Carlson
When Chelsea Martin's future stepmother helps her transform from gawky and geeky into the hottest girl at her new school, Chelsea is pretty sure it's the best thing that ever happened to her. But her hot new look has a downside. She's attracting lots of guys who all have one thing in common: they're jerks. And stealing the attention of all the guys in school doesn't endear her to the girls either.

Chelsea finally finds a true friend in Janelle Parker, and a non-jerk, Nicholas, catches her eye. Janelle keeps telling her to be herself, but Nicholas is the only guy around who doesn't give her a second look. Can Chelsea and Janelle come up with a plan to get his attention? Or will Chelsea's new image ruin everything?

Teen favorite and bestselling author Melody Carlson helps girls uncover the real source of beauty in this true-to-life story of young love, friendship, and being yourself.
Torn, by Erica O'Rourke
Everyone has secrets.

Even best friends.

Swirling black descends like ravens, large enough to block the glow of the streetlights. A dull roar starts like a train on the ‘L', a far-away rumbling that grows louder as it pulls closer, until it's directly overhead and you feel it in your chest, except this doesn't pass you by. Verity, white-faced and eyes blazing, shouts through the din, "Run, Mo!"

Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend's murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo--quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo--will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she'll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys--protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?
But I Love Him, by Amanda Grace
Sometimes at night, I wake up and stare at the heart for hours. I think of how I collected each piece from the beach, how I glued it all together into one big sculpture. I wonder if Connor realizes what it means, that he'll always have a piece of me no matter what happens. Each piece of glass is another piece of myself that I gave to him.

It's too bad I didn't keep any pieces for myself.

At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved - and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything - and everyone - in its path.

This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong.
Sprout, by Dale Peck
When Sprout and his father move from Long Island to Kansas after the death of his mother, he is sure he will find no friends, no love, no beauty. But friends find him, the strangeness of the landscape fascinates him, and when love shows up in an unexpected place, it proves impossible to hold. An incredible, literary story of a boy who knows he's gay, and the town that seems to have no place for him to hide.
Dirty Little Secrets, by C. J. Omololu
Everyone has a secret. But Lucy's is bigger and dirtier than most. It's one she's been hiding for years-that her mom's out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She's managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they'd be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable-and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.

With details that are as fascinating as they are disturbing, C. J. Omololu weaves an hour-by-hour account of Lucy's desperate attempt at normalcy. Her fear and isolation are palpable as readers are pulled down a path from which there is no return, and the impact of hoarding on one teen's life will have readers completely hooked.
Leaving Paradise, by Simone Elkeles
Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.
The Agency: A Spy in the House, by Y. S. Lee
Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is more than surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners - and a most unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls is in fact a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady's companion, she must work against time as she infiltrates a rich merchant's home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But it soon becomes clear that the Thorold household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust - or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets - including those of her own past. First in a riveting detective trilogy!

The Big Questions: Philosophy ($1.72 / £1.09 UK), by Simon Blackburn, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $7.99).
Book Description
The Big Questions series confronts the fundamental problems of science and philosophy that have perplexed enquiring minds throughout history, and provides and explains the answers of our greatest thinkers.

In Big Questions: Philosophy, Simon Blackburn tackles 20 questions essential to our understanding of ourselves and the world we live in. Am I free? Is there such a thing as society? What is time? Why is there something and not nothing? What am I? Can we understand each other? What are my rights? Do we need God? What is beauty? Why be good? What do we really know? Can machines think? How can I deceive myself? What fills up space? Why do things keep on keeping on? Are we rational? Is truth relative? What is human nature? Is death to be feared? And what is the meaning of life?

The Penny ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
Jenny Blake has a theory about life: big decisions often don't amount to much, but little decisions sometimes transform everything. Her theory proves true the summer of 1955, when 14-year-old Jenny makes the decision to pick up a penny imbedded in asphalt, and consequently ends up stopping a robbery, getting a job, and meeting a friend who changes her life forever.

Jenny and Miss Shaw form a friendship that dares both of them to confront secrets in their pasts--secrets that threaten to destroy them. Jenny helps Miss Shaw open up to the community around her, while Miss Shaw teaches Jenny to meet even life's most painful challenges with confidence and faith. This unexpected relationship transforms both characters in ways neither could have anticipated, and the ripple effect that begins in the summer of the penny goes on to bring new life to the people around them, showing how God works in the smallest details. Even in something as small as a penny.

The Inner Circle ($3.99 Kindle, B&N), by Brad Meltzer, is the Nook Weekend Deal, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
The best-kept secret of the U.S. Presidency is about to be revealed.

"There are stories no one knows. Hidden stories. I love those stories. And since I work in the National Archives, I find those stories for a living."

Beecher White, a young archivist, spends his days working with the most important documents of the U.S. government. He has always been the keeper of other people's stories, never a part of the story himself . . .

Until now.

When Clementine Kaye, Beecher's first childhood crush, shows up at the National Archives asking for his help tracking down her long-lost father, Beecher tries to impress her by showing her the secret vault where the President of the United States privately reviews classified documents. After they accidentally happen upon a priceless artifact-a two-hundred-year-old dictionary that once belonged to George Washington-hidden underneath a desk chair, Beecher and Clementine find themselves suddenly entangled in a web of deception, conspiracy, and murder.

Soon a man is dead and Beecher is on the run as he races to learn the truth behind this mysterious national treasure. His search will lead him to discover a coded and ingenious puzzle that conceals a disturbing secret from the founding of our nation. It is a secret, Beecher soon discovers, that some believe is worth killing for.

Gripping, fast-paced, and filled with the fascinating historical detail for which he is famous, THE INNER CIRCLE is a thrilling novel that once again proves Brad Meltzer as a brilliant author, writing at the height of his craft.

Curious George Home Run ($3.79 Kindle, $1.99 B&N), by H. A. Rey, is the Nook Daily Find for Families (requires NOOK Color, NOOK Tablet or NOOK Kids for iPad).
Book Description
George is excited to go to his first baseball game to watch his friend Marco play. While Marco concentrates on hitting his first home run, George gets to play scorekeeper. But George doesn't know in which order he should hang the numbers. With help from Marco and the girl at the snack stand, George learns about number sequence and a handy trick for putting double digits in order. During the last inning, George agrees to be a pinch runner for an injured Marco. Will he be able to add another number to the scoreboard? Includes rules of the game and a score-keeping activity.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Bargain Book Roundup

Several of the selections below are from today's Deal of the Day, so the pricing may only last until midnight on the west coast (USA). The first two may be aimed at college kids, but look like they would work for anyone cooking for one and who wants to eat healthy or save a bit of cash (or maybe do both).

30 Days to a More Powerful Memory ($2.49), by Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D.
Book Description
With phones ringing off the hook, constantly changing to-do lists, and increasingly complicated schedules, having a good memory has become more important than ever. Drawing on the latest research from cognitive experts and psychologists, "30 Days to a More Powerful Memory" provides hands-on, practical strategies and exercises that anyone, young or old, can use to sharpen their memory - fast! The book introduces readers to memory-boosting techniques such as mnemonic devices, visualization, chunking and clustering, and mental triggers, and also shows how to: effectively decrease anxiety levels and combat the negative emotions that can affect recall; create powerful backup systems to help trigger associations; exercise both body and mind, and improve overall health to improve memory; get the kind of restful sleep that will increase one's ability to retain information.The book discusses common myths about memory, clarifying what's true and what isn't. Packed with tips and memory-boosting activities, this guide provides readers with the simple but powerful methods they need to increase their mental agility.

Authorbio: Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D.(Oakland, CA) is the founder and director of Changemakers and Creative Communications & Research. She is the author of over 40 books, including "A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses" (0-8144-7298-2), and "A Survival Guide to Working with Humans" (0-8144-7205-2). Frequently sought out by the media, she has been interviewed for "Good Morning America", "Oprah", "Geraldo at Large", "Montel Williams", "The O'Reilly Factor", "The New York Times", "Glamour", and "Cosmopolitan".

The Clutter-Busting Handbook: Clean It Up, Clear It Out, and Keep Your Life Clutter-Free ($1.49), by Rita Emmett
Book Description
The Clutter Busting Handbook is a streamlined guide to uncluttering your life from the best-selling author of The Procrastinator's Handbook.We are the clutter generation, inundated by a seemingly daily or weekly influx of clothes, accessories, gadgets, catalogs, mail, and e-mail. Clutter crowds our lives, is a chief source of stress, contributes to sidetracked dreams and opportunities, and can cause guilt and anxiety. If clutter is a problem in your life, then Rita Emmett-herself a reformed clutterer-can help you tame it.

The Clutter-Busting Handbook is a concise, energizing guide giving readers insight and direction as well as proven tips, methods, and strategies that will change lives for the better.

As entertaining as she is helpful, Emmett offers practical advice on separating what you need or truly want from what you have been hanging onto for the wrong reasons. Her combination of experience and good humor-based on her hundreds of seminars and advice received from people all over the country-will win over the most reluctant convert.

The $5 a Meal College Cookbook: Good Cheap Food for When You Need to Eat ($1.99), by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson and B. E. Horton
Book Description
Say goodbye to the dining hall!

Need a break from the monotony of your meal plan? Can't afford to waste money on lukewarm takeout? Well, now you can ditch the dining hall's soggy excuse for the Monday-night special thanks to this appetite-saving book packed with cheap, easy, and delicious recipes.

Offering up more than 300 hassle-free dishes, this cookbook will not only satisfy your hunger but your meager bank account, too! Whether you need a morning-after greasy breakfast, a cram-session snack, or date-night entree, here you'll find ideas for everything you crave, including: Western Omelet, Asian Lettuce Wraps, Easy Eggplant Parmesan, Simple Pepper Steak and Decadent Apple Crisp.

Saving you from overcooked, overpriced, and dull dishes, if you have to buy a book for college, this is required reading.

The Everything Healthy College Cookbook ($2.49), by Nicole Cormier
Book Description
Forget fast food. Forget the dining hall. In this cookbook, you'll find 300 great-tasting, good-for-you recipes designed to help you eat well in and out of the dorm. Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Wraps; Toasted Cheese and Turkey Sandwiches; Apricot Rice; Asian Chicken Salad; Fresh Tomato with Angel Hair Pasta; Mango Citrus Salsa; Triple Chocolate Cupcakes; and more. Chock full of money-saving tips, cooking techniques, and culinary shortcuts, this all-in-one cookbook is all you need to eat well on a budget. With full nutritional breakdowns as well as a wide range of low-fat, vegetarian, and vegan offerings, this college-proof collection of mouthwatering recipes gives you the tasty nutritional boost you need, even when you're stressed out and sleep deprived. So put down that take-out menu and prepare to eat well--on the cheap!

101 Things To Do With Popcorn ($1.49), by Christina Dymock (I bought this the last time it was on sale).
Book Description
The world’s favorite snack just got tastier! These sweet and savory treats will turn this old-fashioned staple into Snickerdoodle Popcorn, Pumpkin Balls, Caramel Nut Bars, Sleepover Mix, Taco Spice, and A Taste of Asia. And for a popper of a surprise, give CinnaPop Cake, Popcorn Brownies, Rooster Snacks, Chicken Nuggets, and Swedish Meatballs a try.

Christina Dymock has written several Chicken Soup stories; been published in Woman’s World magazine; and wrote the Christmas booklet The Widow’s Mite. She loves spending time creating in the kitchen with her four children.

I also already own Edible Wild Plants (The Wild Food Adventure) ($1.49), by John Kallas Ph.D., which I don't recommend as your only source of identifying wild edibles, but is a good resource on utilizing plants you do know how to identify (or even grow in your garden).
Book Description
Edible wild plants have one or more parts that can be used for food if gathered at the appropriate stage of growth and properly prepared. Edible Wild Plants includes extensive information and recipes on plants from the four categories:

Foundation greens: wild spinach, chickweed, mallow, purslane; tart greens: curly dock, sheep sorrel, wood sorrel; pungent greens: wild mustard, wintercress, garlic mustard, shepherd’s purse; and bitter greens: dandelion, cat’s ear, sow thistle, nipplewort.

The Hippie Handbook: How to Tie-Dye a T-Shirt, Flash a Peace Sign, and Other Essential Skills for the Carefree Life ($1.99), by Chelsea Cain and Lia Miternique
Book Description
Brothers and sisters! Here at last is a light-hearted, free-spirited, groovy guide to the timeless hippie skills and activities that make the world a better place, one macrame belt at a time. In illustrated, easy-to-follow instructions, author Chelsea Cain -- who grew up on an Iowa hippie commune -- provides practical and playful know-how for the hippie and hippie-at-heart. Learn how to milk a goat, build a compost pile, play "Kumbaya" on the guitar, teach a dog how to catch a Frisbee, and get your file from the FBI. Discover the finer points of caring for a fern, choosing a mantra, organizing a protest, naming your hippie baby, and making sand candles as holiday gifts. Including primers on cooking, dressing, driving, telling time, dancing, and celebrating your birthday in classic hippie style, and a righteous appendix of essential hippie books, movies, and slang, The Hippie Handbook knows the score. Right on.

98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive ($1.49), by Cody Lundin and Russ Miller (Illustrator)
Book Description
Cody Lundin, director of the Aboriginal Living Skills School in Prescott, Arizona, shares his own brand of wilderness wisdom in this highly anticipated new book on commonsense, modern survival skills for the backcountry, the backyard, or the highway. This is the ultimate book on how to stay alive-based on the principal of keeping the body's core temperature at a lively 98.6 degrees.

In his entertaining and informative style, Cody stresses that a human can live without food for weeks and without water for about three days or so. But if the body's core temperature dips much below or above the 98.6 degree mark, a person can literally die within hours. It is a concept that many don't take seriously or even consider, but knowing what to do to maintain a safe core temperature when lost in a blizzard or in the desert could save your life. Lundin delivers the message with wit, rebellious humor, and plenty of backcountry expertise.

Watch naturalist Cody Lundin on "Dual Survival" as he uses many of the same skills and techniques taught in his book: 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive.

Cody Lundin and his Aboriginal Living Skills School have been featured in dozens of national and international media sources, including Dateline NBC, CBS News, USA Today, The Donny and Marie Show, and CBC Radio One in Canada, as well as on the cover of Backpacker magazine. When not teaching for his own school, he is an adjunct faculty member at Yavapai College and a faculty member at the Ecosa Institute. Cody is the only person in Arizona licensed to catch fish with his hands, and lives in a passive solar earth home sixty miles from Prescott, Arizona.

On Silver Wings ($0.99), the first novel in Evan Currie's Warrior's Wings military sci-fi/space opera series, is one of five fiction titles hiding out in today's Kindle Daily Deal.
Book Description
Behind enemy lines.

Cut off from reinforcement.

Her only assets; Her rifle, power armour, basic kit... oh, and several hundred civilians looking to take back their home.

Luckily this is just what she was trained for. De Oppresso Liber.

A novel of both ground and space warfare set in the far flung future, On Silver WIngs tells the tale of a colony cut off from Earth's support when an alien assault severs their orbital tether and effectively maroons the colonists on a lush world where neither the flora nor fauna are edible by humans. Faced with frightening ghost-like aliens using technology nearly unfathomable to their knowledge, the colonists are forced to rely on the sole survivor of a military scouting mission as their best and possibly only chance of survival.

The Solar Fleet isn't sitting this one out, however, and back home a massive effort is marshalled to send support and reinforcements to the stricken colony world... but will any of it be in time?

Gift ($1.49), by Andrea J. Buchanan, says it is an "Open Road E-riginal", looks to be of novel length and includes some extras such as a short graphic novel, a journal and lyrics and links to the music.
Book Description
Daisy has an electrifying secret that could save her life—or kill her

High school sophomore Daisy Jones is just trying to get by unnoticed. It doesn’t help that she’s the new girl at school, lives in a trailer park, and doesn’t even own a cell phone. But there’s a good reason for all that: Daisy has a secret, unpredictable power—one only her best friend, Danielle, knows about.

Despite her “gift” (or is it a curse?), Daisy’s doing a good job of fitting in, and a gorgeous senior named Kevin even seems interested in her! But when Daisy tries to help Vivi, a mysterious classmate in a crisis, she soon discovers that her new friend has a secret of her own. Now Daisy and her friends must deal with chilling dreams and messages from the beyond. Can Daisy channel the power she’s always tried to hide, before it’s too late?

Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. ($1.49), the first in the The Philip Hall Trilogy by Bette Greene, is published by Open Road Young Readers.
Book Description
Beth Lambert has a crush on Philip Hall, who is better than she is at just about everything—or is he?

Philip Hall is the handsomest, smartest, fastest boy in Miss Johnson’s class. He beats Beth Lambert in math, spelling, reading, sports . . . and she adores him. Beth suspects Philip likes her too, only she can’t quite get him to admit it. In fact, he won’t even invite her to his birthday party because he’s afraid the other boys will call him a sissy.

But then Beth begins to wonder: Maybe Philip only wins because she’s letting him. Maybe she could beat him at everything. That would show Philip Hall! Because if being friends with a girl is bad . . . getting beaten by a girl is much, much worse.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Bette Greene including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

The Kid from Tomkinsville ($1.49), by John R. Tunis, is also published by Open Road Young Readers.
Book Description
Rookie pitcher Roy Tucker is full of hope for his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers—and hope might be what the team needs most

Roy Tucker—a small-town kid from Tomkinsville, Connecticut—has quit his job at the drugstore and packed up for Dodgers training camp in Clearwater, Florida, hoping to make the team as a rookie pitcher. He expects the field to be competitive and realizes he might not pass muster, but after just one practice, he discovers just how difficult a goal he has set.

But the Dodgers are an aging team, and owner Jack MacManus is getting tired of the smart remarks from sports reporters and the manager of the rival Giants, Bill Murphy. With a little coaching and encouragement from Dave Leonard, the oldest catcher in the big leagues, this kid from Tomkinsville might be just what the team needs.

Easy ($0.99), a self-published entry by Tammara Webber in today's Kindle Deal sale, has nearly 500 reviews and a near 5-star rating (and is a New York Times Bestseller).
Book Description
A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

Untouchables: Dirty cops, bent justice and racism in Scotland Yard ($1.99), by Michael Gillard and Laurie Flynn
Book Description
With Scotland Yard in the dock, now more than ever the public needs to know why the police cannot be trusted to investigate their own corruption.

Untouchables, a five year investigation which the Yard tried to stop, provides the essential context to the phone hacking and other scandals currently engulfing Britain’s most powerful police force.

Republished after seven years, it was the first book to question the cosy relationship between the Yard and sections of the media, to explain why cops are incapable of investigating themselves and to expose the lack of independence in the new police watchdog.

From the 1983 Brinks Matt robbery, through the murders of Daniel Morgan, David Norris, Stephen Lawrence, Jill Dando and Damilola Taylor to the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, Untouchables reveals the cover ups, double standards and miscarriages of justice during the Yard’s phoney war on corruption.

Sunday Times journalist Michael Gillard and TV producer Laurie Flynn expose how the discredited use of supergrasses in the war on corruption has re-emerged in the new wars on terror and crime, with the same disastrous effects: prosecution misconduct, collapsed trials, huge bills for the taxpayer, victims left without justice and the guilty walking free.

Jeremy Lin: From the End of the Bench to Stardom ($1.49), by Bill Davis
Book Description
This true story is truly “Lin-sane!”

The world is exposed to an individual like Jeremy Lin only once in a generation. His journey has taken him from practicing lay-ups on the court at the local YMCA to hitting last minute game-winners on the grand stage at Madison Square Garden. This book charts Jeremy’s life story, from the streets of Palo Alto to the dormitories of Harvard to the major arenas throughout the country. Through exclusive interviews, play-by-plays, and colorful recollections, we get an intimate look at Jeremy’s story. It is one of unyielding determination, true faith, and unimaginable success.

What the Best College Students Do ($4.49), by Ken Bain (Harvard University Press), might be one you want to gift to any new or upcoming high school grads in your family.
Book Description
The author of the best-selling book What the Best College Teachers Do is back with more humane, doable, and inspiring help, this time for students who want to get the most out of college—and every other educational enterprise, too.

The first thing they should do? Think beyond the transcript. The creative, successful people profiled in this book—college graduates who went on to change the world we live in—aimed higher than straight A’s. They used their four years to cultivate habits of thought that would enable them to grow and adapt throughout their lives.

Combining academic research on learning and motivation with insights drawn from interviews with people who have won Nobel Prizes, Emmys, fame, or the admiration of people in their field, Ken Bain identifies the key attitudes that distinguished the best college students from their peers. These individuals started out with the belief that intelligence and ability are expandable, not fixed. This led them to make connections across disciplines, to develop a “meta-cognitive” understanding of their own ways of thinking, and to find ways to negotiate ill-structured problems rather than simply looking for right answers. Intrinsically motivated by their own sense of purpose, they were not demoralized by failure nor overly impressed with conventional notions of success. These movers and shakers didn’t achieve success by making success their goal. For them, it was a byproduct of following their intellectual curiosity, solving useful problems, and taking risks in order to learn and grow.

I Got My Dream Job and So Can You: 7 Steps to Creating Your Ideal Career After College ($1.99), by Pete Leibman
Book Description
Recent graduates looking to enter the workforce face a discouraging job market and stiff competition for even the most entry-level positions. Yet with the right attitude and strategies, they can break into any organization in any industry and start climbing the ladder to success. When he was only 21 years old, Pete Leibman landed his "dream job," working in the front office of the NBA's Washington Wizards. He went on to be their #1 salesperson for three straight seasons and was promoted to management in under two years. In "I Got My Dream Job and So Can You", Leibman shares his proven and simple system for career success. He shows readers how to: think big and identify what they want from their career; network their way past corporate gatekeepers; impress highly influential people in any field; land interviews for "hidden" jobs; and sell themselves on paper, online, and in person. Get hired faster and with less effort than they thought possible. Career hopefuls will also find inspiring stories of other young professionals, creative strategies for leveraging social media in the job-search process, and the 5 secrets that will skyrocket their earning potential once they are hired. In short, all the information they need to land the job of their dreams-in any economy.

Click Millionaires: Work Less, Live More with an Internet Business You Love ($1.99), by Scott Fox (I've only read the sample, but this looks pretty good; I definitely would not object to having my office in the same place as the cover image).
Book Description
The rules have changed. The American Dream is no longer the corner office.It's a successful business you can run from your home office, the beach, or wherever you desire. It's work you love that still allows you the freedom and income to live the life you truly want. Sound like a tall order? Well, thanks to the Internet, anyone can launch a business with little or no start-up capital or technical expertise. And in Click Millionaires, e-commerce expert Scott Fox teaches weary corporate warriors and aspiring entrepreneurs how to trade the 9û5 job they hate for an online business they love. The book explains how to combine outsourcing, software, and automated online marketing to build recurring revenues, all while working less and making fewer of the lifestyle compromises that corporate success requires.

Readers will learn how to: Find a lucrative niche on the Internet that matches their interests and skills; Choose an online businessmodel: fromblogs, noozles, and audience communities to digital delivery, online services, affiliate marketing - even physical products; Position themselves as a experts Build their audience; Design the lifestyle they want; Balance passion and profits to realize their personal definition of success.

Featuring stories of dozens of regular folks who have reinvented themselves as Click Millionaires, this inspiring and practical guide shows readers how to stop dreaming of a better life and start living it!

Just reading the synopsis on Leading at The Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition ($2.99), by Dennis N. T Perkins, Margaret P. Holtman, Jillian B. Murphy and Margaret P. Holtman, puts a little perspective on the bad business trips I've been. Getting stuck on runways for 12+ hours, routed thru deserted & closed terminals (to get a replacement plane) in states we aren't even supposed to be flying over or dumped into the Detroit airport and left for a 24 hour delay (they did relent and bring out some free water and soft drinks after about 8 hours) all pale in comparison to a 2 year layover in the Antartic sea.
Book Description
Stranded in the frozen Antarctic sea for nearly two years, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team of 27 polar explorers endured extreme temperatures, hazardous ice, dwindling food, and complete isolation. Despite these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the group remained cohesive, congenial, and mercifully alive-a fact that speaks not just to luck but to an unparalleled feat of leadership. Drawing on this amazing story, "Leading at The Edge" demonstrates the importance of a strong leader in times of adversity, uncertainty, and change. The book reveals 10 timeless leadership lessons that show readers how to: instill optimism while staying grounded in reality; have the courage to step up to risks worth taking; consistently reinforce the team message; set a personal example; find something to celebrate and something to laugh about; and, never give up. Part adventure tale, part leadership guide, the second edition features additional lessons, new case studies of the strategies in action, tools to uncover and resolve conflicts, and expanded resources. An updated epilogue compares the leadership styles of the famous polar explorers Shackleton, Amundsen, and Scott. Today's leaders have much to learn from this gripping account of survival against all odds. "Leading at The Edge" will help them bring order to chaos-and achieve success in the face of adversity.

The Vow: The True Events that Inspired the Movie ($1.99), by Krickitt Carpenter and Kim Carpenter
Book Description
Life as Kim and Krickitt Carpenter knew it was shattered beyond recognition on November 24, 1993. Two months after their marriage, a devastating car wreck left Krickitt with a massive head injury and in a coma for weeks.

When she finally awoke, she had no idea who Kim was. With no recollection of their relationship and while Krickitt experienced personality changes common to those who suffer head injuries, Kim realized the woman he had married essentially died in the accident.

And yet, against all odds, but through the common faith in Christ that sustained them, Kim and Krickitt fell in love all over again. Even though Kim stood by Krickitt through the darkest times a husband can ever imagine, he insists, “I’m no hero. I made a vow.”

The Fate of Your Date: Divination for Dating, Mating, and Relating ($1.99), by Stefanie Iris Weiss, Sherene Schostak and IRMA
Book Description
Dating can be a bewildering business. Sometimes we all need a little help, a little divine intervention, if you will. Enter The Fate of Your Date. Using the time-tested arts of astrology, spell craft, tarot, and more, this handy guide shows you how to divine whether he's a loser or a keeper. It's easy. Before the date, work some numerology on his phone number; during the date, perform a little palmistry as you hold his hand; and after the date, cast a bit of white magic to get exactly what you want. Covering all the essential arts and organized into a date timeline (before the date, during, and after), The Fate of Your Date makes it a cinch to divine and conquer!

The Alps ($1.49), by Ronald Clark
Book Description
The unrivalled scenery of the Alps attracts increasing numbers of visitors every year, while for those who seek the more active and dangerous pursuits of climbing and skiing, the region offers unique opportunities. Ronald Clark, a distinguished historian of mountaineering, who knows the Alps fromend to end, describes the history of the mountains and their most famous peaks. The heroic story of their exploration, first by scientists, then by such early mountaineers as Whymper, Coolidge, Miss Brevoort and their guides, is related with extensive quotations from letters, diaries and contemporary records. With the mountaineers came the pioneer photographers whose cumbersome but fragile equipment had to be manhandled up ice-slopes and across glaciers to enable them to take their photographs, a procedure which necessitated hours of intricate manoeuvring, in freezing weather, to obtain one successful shot. Other chapters discuss the development of the Alps as a mountain health centre, the coming of roads and railways and the growth of the winter sports industry and Mr Clark warns that the mountains, like a Highland deer forest, can carry only a certain number of living creatures without facing disaster.

What's the Economy For, Anyway?: Why It's Time to Stop Chasing Growth and Start Pursuing Happiness ($2.49), by John de Graaf and David K Batker
Book Description
In this funny, readable, and thought-provoking book based on the popular film of the same name, activists John de Graaf (coauthor of the bestselling Affluenza) and David Batker tackle thirteen economic issues, challenging the reader to consider the point of our economy. Emphasizing powerful American ideals, including teamwork, pragmatism, and equality, de Graaf and Batker set forth a simple goal for any economic system: The greatest good for the greatest number over the longest run. Drawing from history and current enterprises, we see how the good life is achieved when people and markets work together with an active government to create a more perfect economy-one that works for everyone.

Beginning by shattering our fetish for GDP, What's the Economy For, Anyway? offers a fresh perspective on quality of life, health, security, work-life balance, leisure, social justice, and perhaps most important, sustainability. This sparkling, message-driven book is exactly what those lost in the doldrums of partisan sniping and a sluggish economy need: a guide to what really matters, and a map to using America's resources to make the world a better place.

ESV Student Study Bible ($3.49), by Crossway
Book Description
The ESV Student Study Bible is ideally suited for students who are serious about God’s Word—who want to learn more about what the Bible teaches and how the Bible applies to all of life.

With 12,000 clear, concise study notes, the ESV Student Study Bible provides numerous new features—including nearly 900 “Did You Know?” facts, 120 new Bible character profiles, and 15 new topical articles. It also features a new glossary of key terms, more than 80 full-color maps and illustrations, an extensive concordance, and 80,000 cross-references. These and many other features make it the most comprehensive, colorful, and content-rich student Bible available today. Suited to high school and college students, the ESV Student Study Bible is also a versatile resource for anyone engaged in serious study of God’s Word.

Created by an outstanding team of more than 100 evangelical Christian scholars, teachers, and pastors, the ESV Student Study Bible is adapted from the highly acclaimed and best-selling ESV Study Bible. With numerous new features, the ESV Student Study Bible is an invaluable resource. For high school and college students, but equally for all students of the Bible—for everyone who loves to read and learn more about God’s Word.

From Merriam-Webster, be sure to check out Book of Word Histories ($2.49), Guide to Punctuation and Style ($2.49), Intermediate Dictionary ($2.99), Vocabulary Builder ($2.49), Collegiate Thesaurus, Second Edition ($2.99), Dictionary of Law ($2.99), Dictionary and Thesaurus ($2.49) and Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition ($4.99). The latter two can be used as your Kindle dictionary, instead of the default New Oxford American Dictionary.
Book Description
Since 1937. Merriam-Webster is America's foremost publisher of language-related reference works. The company publishes a diverse array of print and electronic products, including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Eleventh Edition – America's best-selling desk dictionary – and Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster can be considered the direct lexicographical heir of Noah Webster. In 1843, the company bought the rights to the 1841 edition of Webster's magnum opus, An American Dictionary of the English Language, Corrected and Enlarged. At the same time, they secured the rights to create revised editions of the work. Since that time, Merriam-Webster editors have carried forward Noah Webster's work, creating some of the most widely used and respected dictionaries and reference books in the world.

Water: Asia's New Battleground ($4.99), by Brahma Chellaney
Book Description
The battles of yesterday were fought over land. Those of today are over energy. But the battles of tomorrow may be over water. Nowhere is that danger greater than in water-distressed Asia.

Water stress is set to become Asia's defining crisis of the twenty-first century, creating obstacles to continued rapid economic growth, stoking interstate tensions over shared resources, exacerbating long-time territorial disputes, and imposing further hardships on the poor. Asia is home to many of the world's great rivers and lakes, but its huge population and exploding economic and agricultural demand for water make it the most water-scarce continent on a per capita basis. Many of Asia's water sources cross national boundaries, and as less and less water is available, international tensions will rise. The potential for conflict is further underscored by China's unrivaled global status as the source of transboundary river flows to the largest number of countries, ranging from India and Vietnam to Russia and Kazakhstan; yet a fast-rising China has declined to enter into water-sharing or cooperative treaties with these states, even as it taps the resources of international rivers.

Water: Asia's New Battleground is a pioneering study of Asia's murky water politics and the relationships between freshwater, peace, and security. In this unique and highly readable book, Brahma Chellaney expertly paints a larger picture of water across Asia, highlights the security implications of resource-linked territorial disputes, and proposes real strategies to avoid conflict and more equitably share Asia's water resources.

The Everything Guide to Study Skills: Strategies, tips, and tools you need to succeed in school! ($1.99), by Cynthia C. Muchnick
Book Description
Here's something worth learning: Studying doesn't have to be a chore! This fun and accessible resource provides the tools you need to develop better study habits, boost your grades, and position yourself for academic success.

Educational consultant Cynthia Clumeck Muchnick uses a wide range of ideas taken from hundreds of students to help you find a unique, effective method suited for your individual learning style. You'll improve transcripts for college applications, ace standardized tests, and become a better student at any level of education.

This indispensable guide shows you how to: Get the most out of class time; Use the best strategies for note-taking and memorizing; Improve writing skills; Prepare completely for tests; Safely and effectively conduct online research and Use Skype, iChat, or social media to form study groups.

With this guide in your backpack, you'll be able to balance school and activities, avoid pre-test panic, and achieve consistently better results.

Writer's Digest Grammar Desk Reference: The Definitive Source for Clear and Concise Writing ($2.49), by Gary Lutz
Book Description
The Writer's Digest Grammar Desk Reference is the comprehensive resource on grammar and usage, a necessity for every writer's desk. It presents balanced instruction and real-world examples that will ensure professional and flawless work on every occasion.

The 5-Minute Clinical Consult 2012 ($20.49), by Frank J Domino MD, may be a bit above my usual bargain cutoff, but it is priced at not much more than the co-pay for most doctor visits. Some of the images are a bit difficult to read on Kindle, but you should be able to get those on the website (or view on a larger screen). If you were lucky enough to snag a $10 off $20 textbook credit from AmazonLocal (no longer available), you get it for almost half off the current sale price (if you apply the promo code first). The intended audience is medical students, but might be worth picking up just for the health maintenance guidelines for kids and others.
Book Description
The 5-Minute Clinical Consult continues to provide our users with instant, up-to-date answers, at the point of need in print, online, or remotely on mobile. The 2012 edition has had every topic reviewed and updated, new topics have been added and updated with ICD-9 and Snomed codes, and more evidence-based medicine ratings have been added to references. Purchasers of the book will receive access to Clinical Consult topics on the website 5minuteconsult.com (both those in print and those only published online) where they can also view hundreds of new clinical and radiologic (x-rays, CTs, etc.) images. Also on the standard website: New procedure and physical therapy videos; patient education handouts from the AAFP in English and Spanish; new and revised diagnostic and treatment algorithms (also in the book); and updated drugs from the A – Z Drug Guide from Facts and Comparisons. Plus, all the content is accessible from your web-enabled mobile device and is updated regularly.

Today's Deals

Get $5 off your order when you spend $10 or more on any Carina Press titles with coupon code SP10SAV50812 at Checkout! Also, SP15SV50812 good for $5 off $15, if you are really stocking up.

Additional formats on free books:

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is 400+ Books for College Students at up to 70% off. I won't be listing them all, as I'm going to look thru them for a few finds for myself. Categories include Dictionaries & General Reference, Study Guides, Science, Medical, Legal, Computing, Business and Finance. Some of the pricier textbooks, such as Atlas of Anatomy, still end up being over $10 (then again, it's usually closer to $80), but many of the selections, such as The Everything College Survival Book, are in the $1-$2 range.


Triple Play: A Nathan Heller Casebook ($1.55 / £0.99 UK), by Max Allan Collins, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $7.99/KLL Eligible).
Book Description
Since his introduction in 1983’s True Detective, Chicago-based private eye Nathan Heller has handily earned his spot alongside American crime-fiction greats Phillip Marlowe, Archie Goodwin, and Mike Hammer. Now the classic gumshoe is back in this collection of three novellas, all based on real cases of the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s. In Dying in the Post-War World, Heller returns from combat to find his marriage a shambles and himself square in the middle of the notorious Lipstick Killer case of 1946. Kisses of Death follows the PI into the 1950s, when he is hired to guard Marilyn Monroe. The famous starlet’s intellectual pursuits eventually take Heller to Greenwich Village and a grisly murder. And in Strike Zone, Heller is hired by zany baseball manager Bill Veeck to investigate the 1961 murder of a famous pinch hitter, whose private life will suck Nate into a dangerous new world of little people and big sins. With Triple Play, New York Times-bestselling author Max Allan Collins has pried back the lid of history to reveal the ugly, entertaining truth behind three of the twentieth century’s most shocking crimes.

Torch ($8.51 $1.99 Kindle, B&N), by Cheryl Strayed, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
"Work hard. Do good. Be incredible!” That’s the advice Teresa Rae Wood gives the listeners of her popular local radio show, Modern Pioneers, and she has taken it to heart in her own life. She fled a bad marriage, escaping to Midden, Minnesota (pop. 408), where she fell in love with a carpenter who became a loving stepfather to her children, Claire and Joshua. Now Claire is away at college, Joshua is laboring through his senior year of high school, and Teresa and Bruce are working to make ends meet. Despite their struggles, their love for each other binds them as a family. Then they receive the devastating news that Teresa has cancer and at thirty-eight may have less than one year to live. Those she will leave behind face something previously unimaginable -- a future without her.

In Torch, the award-winning writer Cheryl Strayed creates from one family's shattering experience a novel infused with tenderness, compassion, and beauty.

The Kissing Hand ($7.99 Kindle, $3.99 B&N), by Audrey Penn, Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak is the Nook Daily Find for Families.
Book Description
Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school--he wants to stay home with his mother. She assures him that he'll love school--with its promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special secret that's been in the family for years--the Kissing Hand. This secret, she tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son's hand, spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm--smack dab in the middle: "Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." Whenever he feels lonely at school, all he has to do is press his hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of his mother's kiss. Chester is so pleased with his Kissing Hand that he--in a genuinely touching moment--gives his mom a Kissing Hand, too, to comfort her when he is away. Audrey Penn's The Kissing Hand, published by the Child Welfare League of America, is just the right book for any child taking that fledgling plunge into preschool--or for any youngster who is temporarily separated from home or loved ones. The rough but endearing raccoon illustrations are as satisfying and soothing for anxious children as the simple story.

Grade Level: P and up

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is three "The Worst-Case Scenario" series, choose-your-own adventure novels for $1.99 apiece. Definitely the type of book I'd have liked to read when I was a kid.

The Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure Novel: Amazon: You Decide How to Survive!
A new thrill ride begins in the Amazon rainforest with the latest novel in the Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure series! Join an expedition of students exploring the Amazon jungle and face real dangers and decisions. Your choices will determine your fate. Will you survive your encounters with piranhas, tarantulas, mosquitoes, monkeys, and jaguars? Or will you be forced to return home early? Only you can decide how to survive. There are twenty-two possible endings to this adventure, but only ONE leads to ultimate success!

With eye-catching comic book style illustrations and real-life facts about the Amazon, young readers can choose how to survive and jump to the next section in this interactive ebook.
The Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure Novel: Everest: You Decide How to Survive!
On this epic climb up Mount Everest, readers are part of the youngest team ever to climb the world's tallest peak. Only YOU can make the right choice about your own survival and then experience the consequences of those choices. Will you summit Mount Everest and return to base camp safely? Will you be forced to turn back early—or worse? Only you can determine your own fate!

With eye-catching comic book style illustrations and real-life facts about mountain climbing, Mount Everest, and Himalayan culture, young readers can choose how to survive and jump to the next section in this interactive ebook.
The Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure Novel: Mars
Join the youngest crew of astronauts ever to make the trip to Mars! Faced with fearsome dangers and difficult decisions, your choices will determine your fate on the Red Planet. Will you achieve the mission and return home to Earth safely, successfully earning the title of the youngest astronaut ever to make it to Mars? Or will you be forced to turn back early? This thrilling adventure offers twenty-two possible endings, but only ONE leads to the ultimate success!

With eye-catching comic book style illustrations and real-life facts about Mars and space exploration, young readers can choose how to survive and jump to the next section in this interactive ebook.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Today's Deals

There's another 25% off select titlesicon coupon at Kobo: aug2425ab

Midnight on Julia Street ($1.99 Kindle, B&N), by Ciji Ware, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
Scandal transcends time in the Big Easy

Feisty reporter Corlis McCullough isn't afraid to push boundaries in the name of journalistic integrity. When passion for the truth lands her in New Orleans in need of a job, an assignment at a TV station pits her against her old college nemesis, King Duvallon.

The sultry streets of the French Quarter, the glamorous Garden District, derelict riverfront cotton warehouses, and gritty back alleys come alive as the reporter's story inexplicably slips between the nineteenth century and today. A long-forgotten drama of blackmail, swindles, and a love affair that is still changing lives leaves Corlis and King wondering if their burgeoning, unholy attraction will render them pawns in a matrix of mystery and deceit.

It's the first anniversary of the Kindle Daily Deal and today's deal is 25 most popular Daily Deals from the past year for $1.99 each. The list is overwhelmingly populated with mystery/thrillers and non-fiction titles, with only a few romances in the mix (no fantasy or SciFi, oddly enough). If you missed one of the better Daily Deals in the last year, now is your chance to grab it.
  1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey
  2. Elizabeth Street, by Laurie Fabiano
  3. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, by Eric Metaxas
  4. High Heels Mysteries Boxed Set (Books 1-5), by Gemma Halliday
  5. Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain
  6. Brain Rules, by John Medina
  7. Austenland: A Novel, by Shannon Hale
  8. All She Ever Wanted, by Barbara Freethy
  9. The Detachment (John Rain Thrillers), by Barry Eisler
  10. Breakfast of Champions (Kurt Vonnegut Series), by Kurt Vonnegut
  11. A History of the World in 6 Glasses, by Tom Standage
  12. The Misremembered Man, by Christina McKenna
  13. Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero, by Michael Hingson
  14. Dead and Berried (Gray Whale Inn Mysteries, No. 2) (Gray Whale Inn Mystery), by Karen MacInerney
  15. Slim to None, by Jenny Gardiner
  16. The Fifth Woman: A Kurt Wallander Mystery (Kurt Wallander Mysteries), by Henning Mankell
  17. Pearl of China: A Novel, by Anchee Min
  18. Death and the Lit Chick (A St. Just Mystery), by G.M. Malliet
  19. The Phoenix Apostles (A Seneca Hunt Mystery), by Lynn Sholes
  20. Alison Wonderland, by Helen Smith
  21. The Unquiet Bones, by Mel Starr
  22. Deeply Devoted: A Novel (The Blue Willow Brides), by Maggie Brendan
  23. When Parents Text: So Much Said...So Little Understood, by Sophia Fraioli
  24. The Grail Conspiracy (A Cotten Stone Mystery), by Lynn Sholes
  25. Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini (A Ghost of Granny Apples Mystery), by Sue Ann Jaffarian

2008 Pulitzer Prize winner The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao ($1.55 / £0.99 UK), by Junot Diaz, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $12.99).
Book Description
Things have never been easy for Oscar. A ghetto nerd living with his Dominican family in New Jersey, he's sweet but disastrously overweight. He dreams of becoming the next J.R.R. Tolkien and he keeps falling hopelessly in love. Poor Oscar may never get what he wants, thanks to the Fukú - the curse that has haunted his family for generations. With dazzling energy and insight Díaz immerses us in the tumultuous lives of Oscar; his runaway sister Lola; their beautiful mother Belicia; and in the family's uproarious journey from the Dominican Republic to the US and back. Rendered with uncommon warmth and humour, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a literary triumph, that confirms Junot Díaz as one of the most exciting writers of our time.

Absolutely Normal Chaos ($1.99 Kindle, B&N), by Sharon Creech, is the Nook Daily Find for Families, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
Mary Lou Finney is less than excited about her assignment to keep a journal over the summer. Boring! Then cousin Carl Ray comes to stay with her family, and what starts out as the dull dog days of summer quickly turns into the wildest roller coaster ride of all time.

How was Mary Lou suppose to know what would happen with Carl Ray and the ring? Or with her boy-crazy best friend Beth Ann? Or with (sigh) the permanently pink Alex Cheevey? Suddenly a boring school project becomes a record of the most exciting, incredible, unbelievable summer of Mary Lou's life.

But what if her teacher actually does read her journal?

Grade Level: 4 and up

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is Stepping on the Cracks ($1.99), by Mary Downing Hahn.
Book Description
One of Mary Dowing Hahn’s most gripping and personal stories. Culled from her memories of growing up under the shadows of WWII, this story has touched young readers for more than fifteen years.

Margaret and Elizabeth support everything about the war: the troops, the reasons for going to war, even the food rations. After all, this is the good war and the Americans are the good guys.

But when the girls stumble upon a classmate’s secret, their feelings about the war begin to change. Is it really a good war? Is there ever such a thing?

Grade Level: 7 and up

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Two Free Audiobooks - The Whale Rider & The Call of the Wild

This is the final week of free audiobooks from Sync. They've had an issue getting one of the titles linked up and ready to go, but seem to have that under control now. I've linked in the info from the ebook or audiobook version of each title (Amazon has the best reviews), followed by the link to get your copies free, with directions to ensure you get the complete download.

Start off with The Whale Rider ($17.95 Audible), a stand-alone title by Witi Ihimaera, narrated by Jay Laga'aia.
Book Description
The classic book that inspired the award-winning, internationally released film Whale Rider, winner of Best Film at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and 2004 Academy Awards Best Actress nomination for Keisha Castle-Hughes. Eight-year-old Kahu craves her great-grandfather's love and attention. But he's focused in his duties as Chief, in a tribe that claims decent from the legendary "whale rider". A male has always inherited the title of Chief, but now there is no male heir. There's only Kahu, and her great-grandfather sees no use for a girl. Kahu will not be ignored. And in her struggle she has a unique ally: the whale rider himself.

The Call of the Wild ($9.95 Audible), by Jack London, narrated by William Roberts, is the second selection for this week. As with most classics, there are many editions to choose from on Kindle; you can spend anything from nothing to a few dollars and probably get an edition that will work for reading along while listening.
Book Description
Written in 1903, this classic brought Jack London to the world’s attention. It is the story of Buck, part St. Bernard and part Scotch shepherd dog, who shows the strengths of both breeds when he is stolen and sold off as a sled dog in the Yukon during the gold rush. A heartfelt story that appeals to both children and adults.
Click HERE to get the free downloads (you'll need to enter your name and an email address. You'll 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; there is a link at Sync, if you don't already have Overdrive installed).

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). Make sure your audiobook is fully downloaded before the end of the week, as once the promo period is over, you won't be able to get them 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).