Nook Daily Find 4/7

The Rules of Life, Expanded Edition ($1.99 Kindle, B&N), by Richard Templar, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle. You probably have this in your library, already, as it has been free in both stores, more than once.

Book Description
The first edition of The Rules of Life: A Personal Code for Living a Better, Happier, More Successful Life became a global phenomenon, topping bestseller charts around the world. This revised edition includes nine new rules to take you further, faster. Author Richard Templar brings together 106 practical rules that happy, successful people follow, even if they've never thought about it. These are realistic, commonsense things you can do differently, starting today... small things that make a powerful difference.

BooksonBoard "Temporarily Closed"

BooksonBoard now is showing a closed notice when you try to check out their catalog. They say they'll be back after "re-organizing", but if you have any books in your library there, I'd go make sure you have them all downloaded and backed up, just in case this turns into something more permanent.

I haven't heard any rumors yet on what will happen to the rewards dollars we have them (mine were only around $5, but that could have been a book purchase, if we'd had any notice ahead of time.

Top 1,000 Bestsellers for Half Off - This Weekend Only

B&N is having a 50% off sale this weekend on the 1,000 best-selling Nook Books (excluding Agency published books, of course). The sale price is from the list price, so not everything is marked down (some non-fiction titles, such as cookbooks, may be higher than usual -- or, higher than Amazon's regular price, in any case), but in many other cases, there are bargains to be had and some very new releases are priced at paperback prices, as the only other edition currently out is hardcover (and their list price is fairly high), which means you can grab them now to read, rather than waiting months for the price to drop under $10.

Don't have a Nook or just prefer to read on your Kindle? If you see a book you like on the sale, just check in the Kindle store, as Amazon has been price matching many of these deals (and will probably drop more of them, as the weekend progresses).

The sale has categories listed in the menu bar on the left of the page, so you can narrow the list down to a manageable size and you can also sort it by publication date (to find the newest releases), price (only the best bargains), author, etc. I've already found a couple that I'll be picking up this weekend and have no doubt that there is at least one or two books there that will tempt you, as well.

Today's Deals 4/6

The Bigger Bach Set Event: In celebration of the recently released Bigger Bach Set, this and 11 other great classical music sets are now available for $0.99 cents each, through April 7th.

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Blue Gold ($1.99), the second title in Clive Cussler's NUMA series [Simon and Schuster].

Book Description
From deep within the Venezuelan rain forest emanates the legend of a white goddess and a mysterious tribe with startling technical accomplishments. Few believe the tribe exists -- and even fewer suspect its deity may hold knowledge that can change the course of history.

For National Underwater & Marine Agency crew leader Kurt Austin, an investigation into the sudden deaths of rare whales leads him to the Mexican coast, where someone tries to put him and his mini-sub permanently out of commission. Meanwhile, in South America's lush hills, a specially assigned NUMA crew turns up the white-goddess legend -- and a murderous cadre of bio-pirates intent on stealing medicinal secrets worth millions. Soon Austin and his crew realize they're working the opposite ends of the same grand scheme. A billionaire California tycoon is poised to rise to power by monopolizing the earth's vastly depleted freshwater reserves and ultimately dominate the world.

Austin has a hunch Venezuela's mythical tribal goddess has some real roots in science, and may be the key to locating a secret formula that could turn vast amounts of seawater into fresh. But with each step into the bush, he and his NUMA team feel like fish out of water -- and must fight a deadly, twisting trail of enemies through a dense jungle of treachery, blackmail, and murder.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Big Sky River ($1.99), the third novel in the Parable, Montana series by Linda Lael Miller [Harlequin], with the companion audiobook for $3.49. I haven't read this one yet, but the first two in the series were good reads (there is a reason she had three #1 Bestseller opens in 2011 with her Creed series).

Book Description
Sheriff Boone Taylor has his job, friends, a run-down but decent ranch, two faithful dogs and a good horse. He doesn't want romance—the widowed Montanan has loved and lost enough for a lifetime. But when a city woman buys the spread next door, Boone's peace and quiet are in serious jeopardy.

With a marriage and a career painfully behind her, Tara Kendall is determined to start over in Parable. Reinventing herself and living a girlhood dream is worth the hard work. Sure, she might need help from her handsome, wary neighbor. But life along Big Sky River is full of surprises…like falling for a cowboy-lawman who just might start to believe in second chances.

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is Third Shift - Pact ($0.99), part 8 of the Silo Series by Hugh Howey.

Book Description
The third and final chapter of the Shift saga. This is part 8 of the Silo Series, which began with Wool. All three Shift books will be collected in an Omnibus edition to save the reader a buck or two.

Could It Be I'm Falling in Love (£0.99 UK), by Eleanor Prescott, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (no US edition).

Book Description
This Valentine's Day, Roxy Squires is waiting for the phone to ring …

Roxy is famous. At least, she used to be. She's a good-time TV presenter and, OK, so things haven't been going so well recently, but she knows her big break is just around the corner. What she's really looking for is someone to propel her back to the big time.

Enter Woody, one-time pop star and Roxy's ultimate dream date, now working as her window cleaner. He's the answer to her prayers – but for some reason, he doesn't want to be famous any more.

And it turns out that they're not the only celebs in the village. Roxy's living amongst a motley crew of former stars and fame survivors, who meet weekly to discuss their new lives. Is this the reality check Roxy needs? Or maybe it's a chance to do the unthinkable and fall in love …?

The Wedding Dress ($8.79 Kindle, $2.99 B&N), by Rachel Hauck, is the Nook Daily Find. Not yet price matched on Kindle, where the companion audiobook is $3.99.

Book Description
Four brides. One Dress.

A tale of faith, redemption, and timeless love.

Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique. Dressing brides for their big day is her gift . . . and her passion. But with her own wedding day approaching, why can’t she find the perfect dress…or feel certain she should marry Tim?

Then Charlotte discovers a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale. It looks brand-new—shimmering with pearls and satin, hand-stitched and timeless in its design. But where did it come from? Who wore it? Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet? Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl? And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress had been “redeemed.”

Charlotte’s search for the gown’s history—and its new bride—begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress. Emily from 1912. Mary Grace from 1939. Hillary from 1968. Each with her own story of promise, pain, and destiny. And each with something unique to share. For woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte’s heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the timeless beauty of finding true love.

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is Up Above and Down Below ($0.99), by Sue Redding.

Book Description
Ants march on a picnic and turn it upside down, returning with treats for friends underground.

Up above, the ants are taking over a picnic. But down below is another story. Look closely and you'll find very different worlds living side by side, at a picnic, in the ocean, in the blazing desert, even inside the same two-story home. Sue Redding's bold, wonderfully detailed illustrations hide lots of fun and mischiefkeep an eye out for the red ant and green worm who have snuck into every picture! Plus, this is a fixed-format version of the book, which looks nearly identical to the print version.

Grade Level: PreSchool-K

This book requires Kindle Fire/HD or the Kindle for Android app.

Bargain Book Roundup

Serving Up the Harvest: Celebrating the Goodness of Fresh Vegetables: 175 Simple Recipes ($2.51 Kindle, $2.99 B&N, Kobo), by Andrea Chesman

Book Description
When height-of-the-season farmers' market offerings are irresistible; when backyard gardens are exploding with what appear to be hundreds of perfect tomatoes; or when the same old methods for cooking green beans or corn don't offer enough flavor, Andrea Chesman is ready with a bounty of creative recipes that bring out the best in fresh produce.

Chesman knows what it's like to be facing pounds of perishable vegetables, and as she developed 175 recipes that place garden freshness center stage, she followed these guidelines: Simple. Delicious. Harmonized with the growing seasons.

The vegetables are organized by crop-readiness, with many recipes following the wisdom that vegetables that ripen together taste good together. Popular techniques such as roasting and grilling bring out the flavor in recipes such as Grilled Chicken and Asparagus Salad, Roasted Leek Tart, Soy-Sesame Grilled Eggplant, and Maple Roasted Carrots. Main-dish and side salads abound: Beet and New Potato Salad, Warm Mushroom Salad, Spinach Salad with Feta and Pecans, Everyday Tomato-Cucumber Salad. And the deep flavors of autumn are celebrated in Braised Belgian Endives, Holiday Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries, and Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake.

Serving Up the Harvest is an inspirational collection for everyone who wants to enjoy fresh, local, seasonal vegetables with every meal.

S.C. Stephens' Thoughtless series [Simon and Schuster] is on sale at B&N and the first two have been price matched at Amazon (feel free to report the third and it may drop as well).

Thoughtless ($3.99 Kindle, B&N)

For almost two years now, Kiera’s boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she’s ever wanted: loving, tender, and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together—Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university—everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he’s purely a friend she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes . . . and none of them will ever be the same.

Effortless ($3.99 Kindle, B&N)

After being caught in the middle of a love triangle which led to a devastating betrayal, Kiera pledged to learn from the mistakes she’d made. She was determined to never again inflict that kind of pain on anyone, especially the soulful, talented man who held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera’s love is put to the ultimate test, will it survive? Love is easy . . . trust is hard.

Reckless ($7.36 Kindle, $3.99 B&N)

Can love survive when life gets Reckless?

When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other withstand the constant pressures of superstardom? The friendships they’ve formed, the new family they’ve found, and the history they’ve forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band’s exploding popularity. A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together. Fame comes with a price—but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?

On Par: The Everyday Golfer's Survival Guide ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Bill Pennington [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]; it's selling for $16-$23 elsewhere and looks like a good gift pickup for those who don't golf themselves (program delivery for Father's Day at Amazon).

Book Description
Bill Pennington, author of the beloved and widely read “On Par” golf column for the New York Times, knows how to interpret the experts and pros for the rest of us. For years, he has traveled the globe in search of golf’s essentials—those basic principles, those elusive truths (and who are we kidding, any trick or quick fix he can pick up along the way) that will improve anyone’s game. He has consulted the world’s leading golf instructors as well as countless caddies, groundskeepers, parking lot attendants, and bartenders. He has played rounds with Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, and Justin Timberlake. He has sought the advice of psychiatrists, physicists, economists, zen masters. And on a particularly bad golf outing, he has even discussed the fickleness of golf with a quite helpful raccoon.

On Par captures it all: From equipment and instruction, to the rules and language of golf, to camaraderie and psychology, to the short game/long game debate, Pennington informs and entertains as he gets to the essence of this mercurial game, including golf’s holy grail, the hole in one.

Part instruction, part education, part therapy, and shot through with Pennington’s trademark wit, this is a book for everyone who has ever felt the game’s distinct pull—and slice.

The Black Marble ($2.99 Kindle), by Joseph Wambaugh [Open Road], with the companion audiobook $3.99.

Book Description
He is a damned good cop -- a burned-out homicide detective wrapped around a Smith & Wesson .38 and a vodka bottle. She is his partner -- twice divorced, nursing a grudge against men, obsessed by the awful temptation of love.

About the author
Joseph Wambaugh - The tough ex-cop who writes the hard-hitting best sellers -- a master storyteller whose characters are as powerful and as passionate as his plots.

Once Upon a Winter's Eve ($0.99 Kindle, B&N, Kobo; $0.90 BooksonBoard), a Spindle Cove novella by Tessa Dare

Book Description
Some wallflowers bloom at night...

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren't beating down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He's wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he's not what he seems.

She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable... Love.

Warning: The heroine packs a pistol, the hero curses in multiple languages, and together they steam up a cold winter’s night.

The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance ($1.99 Kindle, B&N, Kobo; $1.65 BooksonBoard), by Delilah S. Dawson [Simon and Schuster]

Book Description
A lady with a penchant for pets meets a sexy fireman in this magical and saucy steampunk eNovella from the author of Wicked as They Come.

In a world ruled by blood, live pets are rare and kindness rarer still. London pet shop owner Frannie Pleasance has a mysterious way with animals and keeps her charges (and heart) locked in a veritable Eden. She thinks Casper Sterling is just another stray...until she takes in the troublesome lodger (and unwelcome suitor) and becomes the victim of a series of strange and dangerous occurrences.

When an unexplained fire threatens to destroy Frannie's carefully guarded world, firefighter Thom Maccallan is there to extinguish the blaze and help gather the lost creatures. The heat between Frannie and Thom begins to burn,but someone's still after the lady. Could it be Casper himself, or is Frannie’s new lodger just another victim of fate? Will they be able to figure out who's pursuing Frannie—and stop them—before she loses everything?

The Man in the High Castle ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Philip K. Dick [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt], winner of a Hugo Award, with the companion audiobook $2.99.

Book Description
“The single most resonant and carefully imagined book of Dick’s career.” – New York Times

It's America in 1962. Slavery is legal once again. The few Jews who still survive hide under assumed names. In San Francisco, the I Ching is as common as the Yellow Pages. All because some twenty years earlier the United States lost a war—and is now occupied by Nazi Germany and Japan.

This harrowing, Hugo Award-winning novel is the work that established Philip K. Dick as an innovator in science fiction while breaking the barrier between science fiction and the serious novel of ideas. In it Dick offers a haunting vision of history as a nightmare from which it may just be possible to wake.

Troublemaker ($3.99 Kindle), the graphical novel by Alex Evanovich & Janet Evanovich [Dark Horse Comics], is still in the $10 range elsewhere.

Book Description
Barney and Hooker are together again and fighting crime, leaving a trail of chaos, panic, and disorder in their wake. Some would say they're drawn toward trouble like a moth to a flame. Others would claim their friends, Rosa and Felicia, dump trouble in Barney’s and Hooker’s laps. Either way, they are in over their heads when Rosa is kidnapped, and her disappearance is linked to a dangerous voodoo priest and his search for a mystery-drenched stolen statue.

Written by Janet and Alex Evanovich, and illustrated by Joëlle Jones (Dr. Horrible, Token), Troublemaker brings ultimate adventure set in sun-filled Miami!

• Janet Evanovich, the New York Times number-one best-selling author, brings her hit Barnaby series to Dark Horse Comics!
• The entire Troublemaker story collected into one affordable volume!

The Space Between ($0.99 Kindle, B&N, Kobo), by Kristie Cook [indie]

Book Description
Bestselling author Kristie Cook, with over 200,000 books sold, brings you another New Adult paranormal series, The Book of Phoenix

******

After a month-long dance tour through Italy, 20-year-old Leni Drago returns to Georgia to care for her great-uncle, only to find him gone, the home they shared empty and any evidence he ever existed wiped out. All that’s left is a journal she can’t open.

Jeric Winters has been searching for a piece of his past for over a year, only to reach a dead-end in Georgia. When an urgent and magnetic pull draws him out of his hotel room, he comes face-to-face with the beautiful dancer who’s been haunting his dreams day and night.

Jeric’s one to stay away from—a bad-boy, hit-it-and-quit-it type—but Leni can’t escape the fervent feelings between them. As their own existences begin to crumble around them and shadowy forms that are more monsters than men attack, they realize there’s more to the connection between them than physical fascination.

To solve the riddle their lives have become, they must embark on a journey that requires them to face their pasts and release their true souls. And they must do it fast—dark ones from another world are closing in, intent on killing them. Permanently.