B&N Dropping out of Tablet Market

I think we all saw the writing on the wall when B&N started with the massive discounts on the Nook HD and HD+, but now it is official: they will continue selling existing inventory "at amazing prices through the holiday" (or until they run out) and will then concentrate on their eInk readers (the Simple Touch and Glow) and Apps (which leaves those on computers prior to Windows 8 out in the cold, as well; if you read on your PC, be sure to save your install file for the Nook or Nookstudy application, somewhere). Here's the press release (which also talks about how much they've lost in hardware business). If you've been wanting a tablet, the Nook HD/HD+ isn't a bad choice, especially at the prices they have been charging recently.

Those with Nook libraries should be fine for now and B&N says they will be coming out with new eInk readers in the future, as well as continuing their reader Apps on various platforms. If you own stock in the company, that's taken a big hit today and I suspect the resale value of the nook tablets may take a bit of hit, as well (it isn't that high on most electronics, anyway, though). B&N says they will continue to create Nook Apps, as well, but I don't see the point (unless they allow them to run on any tablet that can access the Google Play store, which would free the apps I have at B&N, now).

I just hope that they continue with their read-in-store program (which was broken, yet again, when I went to the store Sunday, after a 2 week lapse; yet, I was told my time for the day was up as soon as I arrived and given the usual lame (and incorrect) advice that maybe I'd been there the night before or perhaps a particular book had a time limit ... yet the several books I tried all refused to work), although I suspect it may eventually disappear as well (it stopped working entirely on the original nook, long before I decided to just sell it, along with the nook Color I replaced).

Daily Deal - Murder in Bloom

Murder in Bloom ($4.99 $2.99 Kindle), the seventh novel in the Libby Sarjeant murder mystery series by Lesley Cookman [Accent Press], is today's Deal of the Day at at Diesel E-Books, where it's discounted to $1.40 (8 copies left). At Amazon, the entire series is on sale for $2.99 per title, but I'm starting to think you'll be able to pick up the entire series at Diesel, with a little patience.

Book Description
New edition of this bestselling murder mystery series that includes a map of Steeple Martin, cast of characters and a bonus chapter of the next book in the series.

Middle-aged artist-come-investigator Libby Sarjeant’s son Adam has uncovered a body with his rotovator in Creekmarsh Place, where he is working as a gardener for TV personality Lewis Osbourne-Walker.

The police seem to think there is no connection with the current owner but Libby, naturally, can’t just leave it at that. With her psychic friend Fran’s mind on other things, Libby has to go it alone.

A murder in London inspires the police to dig deeper and Libby, determined to help her new friend Lewis, stirs up more mud than Adam’s rotovator.

Get the book from Diesel; be sure to check the sales price, as the Deal of the Day often sells out. Deals change at 11AM Eastern Time, USA.

Kindle Daily Deals 6/25

Today on Amazon's Gold Box save $50 PlayStation 3 320 GB Uncharted 3; Drake's Deception bundle and it's Video Game Day on the Lightning Deals.

Amazon's Android Free App of the Day is a "Rube Goldberg" style puzzle game called Crazy Machines - Golden Gears HD

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Quicksilver ($1.99), the first Baroque Cycle novel by Neal Stephenson [HarperCollins], with the companion audiobook for $3.49. This is an excellent selection (one I picked up long ago, when Fictionwise was still around) and will appeal both to his fans and any fan of historical fiction, as he tells the story of the birth of the scientific revolution.

Book Description
Quicksilver is the story of Daniel Waterhouse, fearless thinker and conflicted Puritan, pursuing knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of Baroque-era Europe, in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight.

It is a chronicle of the breathtaking exploits of "Half-Cocked Jack" Shaftoe -- London street urchin turned swashbuckling adventurer and legendary King of the Vagabonds -- risking life and limb for fortune and love while slowly maddening from the pox.

And it is the tale of Eliza, rescued by Jack from a Turkish harem to become spy, confidante, and pawn of royals in order to reinvent Europe through the newborn power of finance.

A gloriously rich, entertaining, and endlessly inventive novel that brings a remarkable age and its momentous events to vivid life, Quicksilver is an extraordinary achievement from one of the most original and important literary talents of our time.

And it's just the beginning ...

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is The Replacement Wife ($1.99), by Eileen Goudge [Open Road].

Book Description
From New York Times bestselling author Eileen Goudge comes a poignant new novel that asks the question, “What would you do if you were told you had only six months to live?” For one professional matchmaker the answer is heart-wrenching: She must find her husband’s next wife.

Camille Hart, one of Manhattan’s most sought-after matchmakers, has survived more than her fair share of hardships. Her mother died when she was a young girl, leaving her and her sister with an absentee father. Now in her forties, she has already survived cancer once, though the battle revealed just how ill-equipped her husband Edward is to be a single parent. So when doctors tell Camille that her cancer is back—and this time it’s terminal—she decides to put her matchmaking expertise to the test for one final job. Seeking stability for her children and happiness for her husband, Camille sets out to find the perfect woman to replace her when she’s gone.

But what happens when a dying wish becomes a case of “be careful what you wish for”? For Edward and Camille, the stunning conclusion arrives with one last twist of fate that no one saw coming.

At once deeply felt and witty, The Replacement Wife is an unforgettable story of love and family, and a refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings.

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is Fade to Black ($1.99), the first novel in the Rojan Dizon series by Francis Knight [Orbit/Hachette]. The second in the series, Before the Fall, was just released last week, with Last to Rise scheduled for release in November.

Book Description
From the depths of a valley rises the city of Mahala

It's a city built upwards, not across - where streets are built upon streets, buildings upon buildings. A city that the Ministry rules from the sunlit summit, and where the forsaken lurk in the darkness of Under.

Rojan Dizon doesn't mind staying in the shadows, because he's got things to hide. Things like being a pain-mage, with the forbidden power to draw magic from pain. But he can't hide for ever.

Because when Rojan stumbles upon the secrets lurking in the depths of the Pit, the fate of Mahala will depend on him using his magic. And unlucky for Rojan - this is going to hurt.

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is The Dragleon ($1.99), by Guy Waddilove [Peach Publishing].

Book Description
A magical creature is born, curled up inside a flower. With no parents around to name or teach her, she must work out what she is, all by herself. She soon learns that she can blend in perfectly with any plants around her.

When she huffs and puffs only the sweet scent of flowers wafts over her victims, sending them to sleep or making them think happy thoughts. Grasses spring up in her wake, or flowers, if she’s feeling really happy, while thorns tend to shoot up beside her if something makes her cross.

She soon grows very large indeed, so all the other animals fear her and her strange powers and flee at the very sight of her. But she is all alone in the world, with only mute little chameleons for company, for they think nothing of her changing colour and can’t run away from anything much.

An absolutely charming and magical story that brings sheer delight to the reader who can’t but conjure up beautiful flowers and fruits as Dragleon happily weaves her magic. Yet beneath the colour and wonder are the age-old prejudices of colour, race and disability and how the friendship between a young girl and a strange creature develops because they have focused on their similarities rather than their differences and finally overcome the adversities of life.

This book is suitable for children between the ages of 6–10.

UK Kindle Daily Deal 6/25

A Madness of Angels: Or The Resurrection of Matthew Swift (£0.99 UK), by Kate Griffin [Orbit], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for those in the UK (the US edition is $6.64).

Book Description
When a man is tired of London he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford - Samuel Johnson

In fact, Dr Johnson was only half right. There is in London much more than life - there is power. It ebbs and flows with the rhythms of the city, makes runes from the alignments of ancient streets and hums with the rattle of trains and buses; it waxes and wanes with the patterns of the business day. It is a new kind of magic: urban magic.

Enter a London where magicians ride the Last Train, implore favours of The Beggar King and interpret the insane wisdom of The Bag Lady. Enter a London where beings of power soar with the pigeons and scrabble with the rats, and seek insight in the half-whispered madness of the blue electric angels. Enter the London of Matthew Swift, where rival sorcerers, hidden in plain sight, do battle for the very soul of the city . . .

The Kindle Romance Deal of the day for those in the UK is three Mills & Boon novels by Penny Jordan for £0.99 each (~80% off).

Desert Nights (Main/UK) (no US edition)

Exotic escapes & the ultimate desert fantasy Falcon’s Prey Penny Jordan’s first Mills & Boon book!

When ordinary English girl Felicia agreed to accompany her fiancé, Faisal, to his homeland, there was just one problem – Faisal’s uncle, Sheikh Raschid. Now Felicia’s realising that she might be engaged to the wrong man…

The Sheikh’s Virgin Bride
Petra is betrothed to a rich, eligible sheikh but she plans to ruin her reputation so he won’t want her. Sexy windsurfer Blaize agrees to be her pretend lover – though soon it’s the truth! Then Petra makes a shocking discovery…

One Night With the Sheikh
When a storm left Mariella stranded at Sheikh Xavier’s desert home, passion took over. It was an unforgettable night! Then, having always yearned for a child, Mariella wanted just one more night with him – to conceive a baby…

Now or Never (Main/UK) (no US edition)

Even in friendships as close as theirs there are always secrets… For four women, their close bonds of friendship have helped them survive life’s emotional ups and downs. Together they’ve shared tears of happiness and sorrow as they’ve tumbled into love, married life, having children and, for some, searching for love again.

Nothing can shake their support of each other – until one fateful night out. Maggie Rockford’s explosive revelation ricochets across her friends’ lives and threatens to divide the group. With everything changing, suddenly it’s time to take stock. Long ago these women had dreams; hopes that were smothered as life got in the way. Now is it possible for the strength of their friendship survive? And will they find their way back to make their dreams come true? Four women, four friends – standing on the brink of now…or never.

Pride (Main/UK) (no US edition)

Dark family secrets

A missing heir

The scandal is about to break… Even the most powerful are touched by tragedy. Reeling from the death of their wastrel, playboy half-brother, the Leopardi family must find his illegitimate child. Rocco believes that Julie Simmonds is merely a gold-digger until he sees how truly she cares for his tiny nephew. But then it’s proved that the child is not the missing heir…

Alessandro doesn’t employ women. So when he finds Leonora piloting his private jet, he’s furious. And soon she’s distracting him from his duty to find the missing Leopardi. When Falcon finally tracks down his late half-brother’s child, he’s appalled by the circumstances of his conception. Falcon will do anything to protect Annie, his nephew’s mother. Even marry her…

Nook Daily Find 6/25

Wake ($2.69 Kindle, $2.99 B&N), the first novel in Amanda Hocking's Watersong series [St. Martin's Griffin/Macmillan], is the Nook Daily Find, (better than) price matched on Kindle.

Book Description
Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong.

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.