Bargain Book Roundup (under $2.00)

I've included a number of bargain books, not all of which are bargains at all of the stores. As usual, the main link will be to the Kindle store, with it's price clearly marked (Amazon is not always the lowest cost on these and some are full price there), along with links to the alternative stores and the price at each. Surprisingly, several of these are cheapest at Fictionwise this week, especially if you use the Summer2010 coupon for 15% off (and then add in the member discount and any rebate). Do note that all of these books have DRM and only those in the Kindle store work on the Kindle; they all can be read on a PC and most of them can be read on one or more alternative ebook readers. The one theme common in all of these? They are filled under Religion & Spirituality or have Christian Fiction assigned as a tag.

The Shape of Mercy ($9.29 Kindle; $0.99 B&N; $0.84 Fictionwise), by Susan Meissner

Book Description
Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with convention and her family’s expectations by choosing a state college over Stanford and earning her own income over accepting her ample monthly allowance. She takes a part-time job from 83-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles, who asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.

Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.

The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?

If I Had You ($1.99 Kindle & Kobo), by Deborah Bedford

Book Description
From bestselling author Deborah Bedford comes the moving tale of an estranged mother and daughter, and the child who forces their old conflicts back into the light.

A Clearing in the Wild ($0.99 Kindle, B&N & Fictionwise; $0.79 Kobo), by Jane Kirkpatrick

Book Description
Young Emma Wagner chafes at the constraints of Bethel colony, an 1850s religious community in Missouri that is determined to remain untainted by the concerns of the world. A passionate and independent thinker, she resents the limitations placed on women, who are expected to serve in quiet submission. In a community where dissent of any form is discouraged, Emma finds it difficult to rein in her tongue–and often doesn’t even try to do so, fueling the animosity between her and the colony’s charismatic and increasingly autocratic leader, Wilhelm Keil.

Eventually Emma and her husband, Christian, are sent along with eight other men to scout out a new location in the northwest where the Bethelites can prepare to await “the last days.” Christian believes they’ve found the ideal situation in Washington territory, but when Keil arrives with the rest of the community, he rejects Christian’s choice in favor of moving to Oregon.

Emma pushes her husband to take this opportunity to break away from the group, but her longed-for influence brings unexpected consequences. As she seeks a refuge for her wounded faith, she learns that her passionate nature can be her greatest strength–if she can harness it effectively.

When the Heart Cries ($1.59 Kindle, B&N & Kobo; $1.99 Fictionwise), by Cindy Woodsmall, is the first in the Sisters of the Quilt series.

Book Description
When Hannah dares to love across the boundaries of tradition, will she lose everything?

Despite being raised in a traditional Old Order Amish family, seventeen-year-old Hannah Lapp desires to break with custom, forgo baptism into the faith, and marry outside the cloistered community. She’s been in love with Mennonite Paul Waddell for three years, and before returning to college for his senior year, Paul asks Hannah to be his wife. Hannah accepts, aware that her marriage will change her relationship with her family forever.

On the evening of their engagement, tragedy strikes and in one unwelcome encounter, all that Hannah has known and believed is destroyed. As she finds herself entangled in questions that the Old Ways of her people cannot answer, Hannah faces the possibility of losing her place in her family, in her community– and in the heart of the man she loves.

The Captain's Bride ($0.99 Kindle, B&N & Fictionwise; $0.79 Kobo), by Lisa T. Bergren, the first of her Northern Lights trilogy, which continues with Deep Harbor ($5.59) and Midnight Sun ($9.99).

Book Description
Elsa Anders's dream of marrying Peder Ramstad is about to come true. But as this independent, strong-willed woman discovers her own creative gifts--a love for travel, painting, and the sea--can she find happiness with a captain who insists upon leaving her safely on shore?

Leaving their home in Norway behind, Elsa and Peder embark on a new life in with their closest friends, including: Kaatje Jansen, a woman seeking a new beginning for the sake of her marriage and for the child growing within her; Elsa's sister Tora, a sly young vixen who knows exactly what she wants--and exactly how to get it; and Karl Martensen, a man torn between his friendship for Peder and a forbidden, secret love for Elsa, a man tormented by emotions that threaten to ruin them all.

From the gentle hills of Bergen, Norway, to the rocky coast of Camden, Maine, and across the crashing, danger-filled waves of the open sea--experience an epic saga of perseverance and passion, faith and fidelity, in the Northern Lights series: the new historical series by Lisa Tawn Bergren.

A Promise for Breanna ($0.99 Kindle, B&N & Fictionwise; $0.79 Kobo), by Al Lacy

Book Description
The Angel of Mercy series follows the adventures of certified medical nurse Breanna Baylor as she seeks to serve her fellow man and restore her relationship with her true love-John Stranger of the Journeys of the Stranger series-in the post-Civil War West. A Promise for Breanna finds the heroine face to face with Frank Miller, the man who once broke her heart and led her to mistrust men, sabotaging her relationship with John Stranger. Suspense, danger, romance, and spiritual truth each play a part in this compelling story that draws readers into the life of an angel of mercy.

Will the World End in 2012? ($1.99), by Raymond C. Hundley , is from Christian publisher Thomas Nelson. I downloaded a sample, to try to see if this was the full book or a shortened version (as there are two paperbacks, one with over 200 pages and the second claims to have less than fifty). I believe it is the full version, as there were a number of chapters and the sample only went part way into the introduction (and covered a number of pages).

Book Description
Raymond Hundley, PhD, gives a Christian evaluation of the ten most prominent apocalypse theories causing 2012 mania.

In the first millennia after the birth of Christ, nestled in the mountains of Central America, the Mayan people gazed at the stars and calculated days, months, years, and even the future. Their calendar, more sophisticated than any the world had known, indicated an abrupt end of time, December 21, 2012. The future they predicted is now upon us.

"There have been 149 apocalypse predictions between AD 44 and 2009," says author Dr. Raymond Hundley. But will it really happen? In this stirring, balanced, and well-researched book, he evaluates the ten most prominent apocalypse theories and gives a surprising answer to the question everyone is asking.

His knowledge and insights lead to compelling conclusions . . . and a heartfelt call for all of humanity to look upon Jesus Christ as it seeks clarity and peace.

Michael Sharp has three books that are under $2 at Fictionwise: The Book of Light ($4.79 Kindle; $1.99 Fictionwise), Dossier of the Ascension ($5.59 Kindle; $1.99 Fictionwise) and The Book of Life ($7.77 Kindle; $1.99 Fictionwise).

The Book of Light: The Nature of God, the Structure of Consciousness, and the Universe Within You

The Book of Light, shows you the complete truth about God, the universe, and you. Within the grounded and elegant pages of this book, you will find the answers to top level theological/cosmological questions like "What is the nature of God and consciousness?", "What is the nature of the physical universe?", "What is our highest purpose?", "What is our essential nature?" and more. If you ever thought that spiritual enlightenment required sacrifice, strength, or years of effort, if you think that only "the special/the chosen/the few/the evolved" get to be enlightened/saved/go to heaven, if you think ego has anything to do with enlightenment at all, think again.

Remember the simple and glorious truth of your divinity. Read The Book of Light and find the divinity within you.

The Dossier of the Ascension: A Practical Guide to Chakra Activation and Kundalini awakening
The Dossier of the Ascension is the owner's manual for your physical body. Learn about your body as energy system and manifestation device. Learn how to clear the chakra pipes and safely awaken kundalini. Move from disconnected and energetically impotent body to connected and powerful co-creator of your physical world in weeks instead of decades and lifetimes. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Once you experience the lightning flash of enlightenment and the power of your own divinity, you won't ever go back to before.

The Book of Life: Ascension and the Divine World Order This book explains about The Ascension and The Great Awakening, what they are about, and how (and why) the will mean profound (but positive) personal, social, political, and economic changes. Contrary to what some may think, The Ascension and awakening is not just about you, the individual, it is also about this planet (Gaia) and all of creation. The Ascension is a glorious spiritual event of creation level proportions.

In this book learn about starseeds, Indigo and Crystal Children, the nature of energy, the nature of time, the reasons behind The Ascension, our previous attempts to ascend the planet in Lemuria and Atlantis, the final struggle to transform duality and transmute negativity, and the glorious an inevitable conclusion to our thirty thousand year struggle. Its a party and everyone is invited!

If you do not want to get knocked off guard by the increasingly dramatic changes occurring on this planet, or get caught off guard by increases in your personal power, get serious about your personal awakening

Game of the Day - Trine

Amazon's Game Download of the Day is a $9.99 download of Trine. You can also pick up the DVD-ROM version of Trine for only $3.99 (but no free shipping); it has good reviews, except for one that had a problem with the DRM scheme (only on the DVD-ROM, not on the download version) of a copy he purchased from Best Buy. This one doesn't have a free trial version, unfortunately, so you can't try the download first before deciding which version, if any, to purchase.

Game Description (from the DVD version)

• Combines traditional 2D platformer gameplay with stunning full 3D graphics
• Control all three heroes taking advantage of their individual strengths, weapons, and skills as they travel across a brand new fantasy world in this immersive platformer
• Avoid deadly traps while using each character's special abilities to navigate challenging puzzles that all have multiple solutions
• Search for powerful items and weapons that will make your heroes stronger Increase your characters skills and attributes as you gain experience
• 4 difficulty levels from easy to very hard for the expert player. Up to 3 player co-op campaign on the same screen

In a kingdom facing chaos and forbidden magic, three heroes are bound (whether they like it or not) by a powerful artifact called “the Trine”. This unlikely trio are the only ones that can put an end to the reign of the dark sorcerer that rules the kingdom. Pontius the brave, Amadeus the magnificent and Zoya the silent will have come to together and use their different skills in order to face danger and restore peace.

Two Buck Mysteries

Two more of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody mysteries are marked down to $1.99 this month, making six total in this series that have been or are available at bargain prices. You can still pick up last month's titles from Amazon and Kobo (although Kobo hasn't discounted this month's titles, yet):

• Crocodile on the Sandbank ($1.99 Kindle; Kobo), the first in the Amelia Peabody series.
• The Hippopotamus Pool ($1.99 Kindle; Kobo), the eighth in the Amelia Peabody series.

The Last Camel Died at Noon ($1.99 Kindle, B&N and Sony), the sixth in the Amelia Peabody series.

Book Description
This time Amelia Peabody, her dashing husband Emerson, and their son, Ramses, set off for a promising archaeological site in the Sudan, only to be unwillingly drawn into the search for an African explorer and his young bride who went missing twelve years back. They survive the rigours of the desert, the death of their camels, and the perfidy of their guides, only to find themselves taken prisoner in a lost city and civilisation. Amelia and Emerson must bravely continue making archaeological finds while doing their best to rescue the innocent...and themselves.

The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog ($1.99 Kindle, B&N and Sony), the seventh in the Amelia Peabody series.

Book Description
In her previous outing, The Last Camel Died at Noon, Amelia Peabody and her dashing husband, Emerson, discovered a fabulous lost oasis in the Nubian desert. Now, in the seventh mystery in the series, the Emerson-Peabodys are traveling up the Nile once again to encounter their most deadly adversary, the Master Criminal, who is back at his sinister best. Amelia Peabody was unabashedly proud of her newest translation, a fragment of the ancient fairytale "The Doomed Prince". Later, she would wonder why no sense of foreboding struck her as she retold the story of the king's favorite son who had been warned that he would die from the snake, the crocodile, or the dog. Little did she realize, as she and her beloved husband sailed blissfully toward the pyramids of ancient Egypt, that those very beasts (and a cat as well) would be part of a deadly plot. The expedition began so happily....Leaving their delightful, but catastrophically precocious, son, Ramses, back in England, Amelia hoped this romantic trip might rejuvenate her thirteen-year-old marriage and bring back the thrills that she feared were fading. She and her dear Emerson were returning to the remote desert site where they had first fallen in love, Amarna, the holy city of Akhenaton and his beautiful queen, Nefertiti. But their return would threaten not only their marriage, but their very lives with perils as chilling as a mummy'scurse. An old enemy was determined to learn Amelia and Emerson's most closely guarded secret: the location of a legendary long-lost oasis and a race of people bedecked in gold. So cunning was his scheme that Amelia might overlook - until it was too late...

Free Book (EPUB/PDF) - The Last Days of a Rake

The Last Days of a Rake, by Donna Lea Simpson, is free to pre-order at BooksOnBoard and releases on June 14. This appears to be a fairly short selection from the new publisher Carina Press and is a companion piece to Love & Scandal ($4.79 Kindle), which will be released on June 21. So far, I don't see this one available as a pre-order at Amazon or B&N, though, so grab it while it's free at BoB.

Book Description
In Love & Scandal, Collette Jardiniere is outraged when notorious roué Charles Jameson appears to take credit for The Last Days of a Rake, a novel she wrote under the pseudonym Colin Jenkins to satisfy Victorian convention.

Can a rake be true to himself, yet remain free from sin?

Edgar Lankin has lived the life of rake, a man who cares for nothing but the pleasures of the flesh. But it is the seduction—and abandonment—of a gentle maiden that turns him from mere gadabout to immoral cad. Too late, Lankin realizes his self-centered ways have left him incapable of finding enjoyment in anything. Now on his deathbed, he relates the shocking tale of his wasted life to John Hamilton, a school chum who chose a different path.

In telling his story, can Lankin find redemption for the trail of ruined lives he leaves behind?

Available in PDF or EPUB formats. Bob claims you will need ADE to download and install (a message displays during checkout), but the publisher has said these are supposed to be DRM free.

Hide for Under a Dollar

Hide ($0.79), by Lisa Gardner, the second volume of her D.D. Warren series, is being deeply discounted in the major ebookstores. All but the B&N listings include the info on the bonus content (but I suspect it contains it, as well). Amazon, though, has beat the bunch of them, by lowering the 99 cent discount price down to 79 cents this evening. Update: Now matched by Kobo.

I do wish the publishers would offer the first book in these series as their specials (or, at least start there, then offer later books at later times). The first book in the series, Alone, is still selling for $6.29 to $7.59 in the same stores).

Book Description
This eBook includes the full text of the novel plus the following bonus content:
• Lisa Gardner on Detective D.D. Warren: Who was the inspiration for D.D. Warren? Find out in this exclusive essay.
• A Sneak Preview from Lisa Gardner’s Live to Tell, on sale July 13, 2010

You have good reason to be afraid. . . .

It was a case that haunts Bobby Dodge to this day—the case that nearly killed him and changed his life forever. Now, in an underground chamber on the grounds of an abandoned Massachusetts mental hospital, the gruesome discovery of six mummified corpses resurrects his worst nightmare: the return of a killer he thought dead and buried. There’s no place to run. . . . Bobby’s only lead is wrapped around a dead woman’s neck. Annabelle Granger has been in hiding for as long as she can remember. Her childhood was a blur of new cities and assumed identities. But what—or who—her family was running from, she never knew. Now a body is unearthed from a grave, wearing a necklace bearing Annabelle’s name, and the danger is too close to escape. This time, she’s not going to run. You know he will find you. . . .

The new threat could be the dead psychopath’s copycat, his protégé—or something far more terrifying. Dodge knows the only way to find him is to solve the mystery of Annabelle Granger, and to do that he must team up with his former lover, partner, and friend D. D. Warren from the Boston P.D. But the trail leads back to a woman from Bobby’s past who may be every bit as dangerous as the new killer—a beautiful survivor-turned-avenger with an eerie link to Annabelle. From its tense opening pages to its shocking climax, Hide is a thriller that delves into our deepest, darkest fears. Where there is no one to trust. Where there is no place left to hide.

Click HERE to get the book from B&N ($0.99)

Click HERE to get the book from Kobo ($0.99$0.79)

Click HERE to get the book from Sony ($0.99)

Free Book & Coffee (nook) - Home Safe

Home Safe ($9.99 Kindle), by Elizabeth Berg, is this week's free in-store ebook from Barnes and Noble. This is her next-to-most-recent novel, preceding The Last Time I Saw You ($9.99 Kindle), which came out this past April.

You'll need to stop by the store to get the coupon (and may or may not have to show an ereader device of some type with the B&N reader installed). While you are there, if your location has a cafe (some don't), show off your ereader app there, with a book showing, and you'll get a free small cup of coffee (which I am drinking as I type this post!).

Book Description
In this new novel, beloved bestselling author Elizabeth Berg weaves a beautifully written and richly resonant story of a mother and daughter in emotional transit. Helen Ames–recently widowed, coping with loss and grief, unable to do the work that has always sustained her–is beginning to depend far too much on her twenty-seven-year-old daughter, Tessa, and is meddling in her life, offering unsolicited and unwelcome advice. Helen’s problems are compounded by her shocking discovery that her mild-mannered and loyal husband was apparently leading a double life. The Ameses had painstakingly saved for a happy retirement, but that money disappeared in several large withdrawals made by Helen’s husband before he died. In order to support herself and garner a measure of much needed independence, Helen takes an unusual job that ends up offering far more than she had anticipated. And then a phone call from a stranger sets Helen on a surprising path of discovery that causes both mother and daughter to reassess what they thought they knew about each other, themselves, and what really makes a home and a family.

Once you have your coupon, log into your account at bn.com (do this first, or you'll have to enter the code twice, at least on an iphone using the Safari browser), then to bn.com/redeem and enter the coupon code to add the book to your account.

Free Game - Super Granny Winter Wonderland

The free game this week at Sandlot Games is Super Granny Winter Wonderland ($6.99 Amazon Game Download). I have to admit, I am addicted to the Super Granny series. This one seems a bit tougher than usual - there are dogs only a few levels in and the floor is too hard to dig any traps; get thru that one and the next one is harder yet (and I haven't managed to get past it, even in easy mode).

Game Description

• Over 90 New Levels.
• Includes Player Created Levels.
• New Easy And Super Granny Modes.
• Hilarious Dialogue.

Super Granny is back and she needs your help! Super Granny's ski resort vacation is cut short when her kitties go missing! Navigate Super Granny through 90+ all-new, action-packed levels, some created by fellow players, as you rescue Granny's precious kitties from the clutches of the nefarious Dr. Meow! Enjoy hilarious action packed fun in Super Granny Winter Wonderland!

Click HERE to sign up for the free download. For step by step purchase and installation instructions, see this post.

Free Book - Boomerang

Repeating a deal from last September, you can pick up Boomerang ($1.99 Kindle), by Alan Hutcheson, for free on Smashwords, today only.

Book Description
Ted Hogwood's beloved Sarah, a jazz guitar, is in the window of Topp Dollar Pawn. The only way he can get the money to rescue her is to accept an assignment from the AABC, a not nearly official branch of the United States intelligence community. He is partnered with Jerry Kwiatkowski, master of the Hammond B-3 organ and chronic flatulence sufferer, to steal a boomerang containing secrets that should have died with J. Edgar Hoover over thirty years ago. It would be a simple job if only they knew what they were doing. And if a crossbow wielding assassin, two unemployed Australian women, The Director of Central Intelligence and a clothing optional former onion festival queen were not also hot on the boomerang's trail.

For the free download, click HERE and use coupon code RM52S (valid until midnight June 9).

Buy One, Get One Free from Jon F. Merz

Buy a copy of one of Jon Merz's novels (listed below) from Amazon.com, send him the receipt (see below) and he will send you another one of his novels (your choice) absolutely free (via email)!

PARALLAX ($2.99)

Book Description
What happens when two professional assassins – one a Mafia hitman and the other a former German terrorist – kill at exactly the same moment in time? For Ernst Stahl and Frank Jolino the result is a psychic bond that slowly blossoms in each man’s mind, enabling them to see into the other’s world. Frank Jolino doesn’t like what he sees, especially when he realizes that Stahl is headed to his home turf of Boston to kill a scientist who may hold the key to solving the world’s deadliest diseases. But for Stahl, there’s no other option. Virtually bankrupt and with his son in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, he’s got little choice but to take the assignment. Jolino has other ideas. On the run from his crime syndicate for refusing to kill his ex-girlfriend-turned-government-informant, Jolino sets a plan in motion that will bring the two men face-to-face and gun-to-gun…with no guarantees either will survive.

VICARIOUS ($2.99)

Book Description
When disgraced ex-FBI agent-turned-Boston-cop Steve Curran finds a corpse with no practical explanation for its death, the nightmares start again. Convinced the serial killer that caused his expulsion from the Bureau is once again haunting him, Curran soon learns his theories are all wrong. When the sister of the latest victim, Lauren Fields, uncovers an old journal detailing the hunt for a creature known only as the Soul Eater, she and Curran must confront the very real prospect that the killer is not of this world at all – and that his motives have little to do with killing, but all to do with something far, far worse.

SHADOW CHASER ($2.99)

Book Description
PURGE: A top secret satellite platform that delivers pinpoint assassinations via biological warfare… Gwynneviere – the beautiful and deadly assassin who wants to sell PURGE on the blackmarket and will stop at nothing to get it…Jonathan Archangel – former Delta Force turned elite Shadow Chaser…it’s his mission to hunt Gwynneviere down before she can complete her deadly assignment. A novel of international intrigue, espionage, and biological warfare played out against the backdrop of Boston and beyond, Shadow Chaser will leave you breathless.

SPECIAL BONUS! If, after reading the novels, you review them on Amazon and elsewhere and send him notification that you’ve done so, he’ll send you his brand new novella FOOL FOR GREEN: A Frank Steel Job set in 1940 Boston and filled with World War II intrigue and the supernatural.

Contact Jon via email with your proof-of-purchase (a copy of your receipt from Amazon, sent to you via email or print off the invoice to a PDF file) and which one of his other novels you'd like to receive absolutely free!

Free Read - The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner ($9.99 Kindle; $7.54 Hardcover ), by Stephenie Meyer, can be read for free on her website, thru midnight (EST) July 5. For a novella, this one is fairly long, at 192 pages, but it's one you should be able to read thru in a couple of days. You can't get a download there though, you can only read while online. The site uses Flash, so I suspect it's doesn't work at all with the iPad (and definitely not with the Kindle). If you really want your own copy, the hardcover at Amazon is priced lower than the ebook; it flirted briefly with $6.99, but is still under $8.

Book Description
Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

Click HERE to start reading.

Free Book (nook) - The Glades

The Glades, by Clifton Campbell, is free in the Barnes & Noble store today. This tie-in to the A&E show doesn't appear to be available at Amazon, in print or ebook form.

Book Description
Jim Longworth is an attractive and brilliant Chicago homicide detective with a reputation for being difficult. When his captain wrongfully accuses him of sleeping with his wife and shoots him, he is exiled and forced to relocate. He lands in the sleepy, middle-of-nowhere town of Palm Glade, outside of Florida’s Everglades, where sunshine and golf are plentiful and crime is seemingly at a minimum. But Longworth soon finds out this town isn’t quite as idyllic as he originally thought, when murders keep piling up. Each case pulls Longworth off the golf course and reluctantly into his element as one of the sharpest homicide detectives to wear a badge.

Free Book (Sony) - Tempted

Tempted ($9.99 Kindle), by Pamela Britton, is free in the Sony ebookstore tonight.

Book Description
Alexander Drumming, the Marquis of Warrick, is no saint. Descended from a long line of rakes, he has vowed to stop dallying with the fairer sex. But now he needs a woman-an extraordinary woman to tame his wildcat of a daughter. Intelligent, spirited Mary Callaghan is the perfect nursemaid for the child, but one look at her bedroom eyes and luscious lips and Alexander is tempted to seduce one last woman. For Mary, masquerading as a nanny and enticing the master of the house is all in a day's work-until stolen kisses and passionate caresses distract her from her perilous game. Soon two people who know the risk of mixing danger and desire find themselves on the brink of a shocking scandal, and Alexander is about to discover what happens when he lets an enemy into his house...and his heart.

Click HERE to start your Sony Reader Library and get the free download.

Free Audiobook - Forgotten God

Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit ($6.49 Kindle), by Francis Chan & Danae Yankoski, narrated by Francis Chan, is free to download at ChristianAudio.

A follow up to the profound message of Crazy Love, Pastor Francis Chan offers a compelling invitation to understand, embrace, and follow the Holy Spirit's direction in our lives. In the name of the Father, the Son, and ... the Holy Spirit. We pray in the name of all three, but how often do we live with an awareness of only the first two? As Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised to send the Holy Spirit--the Helper--so that we could be true and living witnesses for Christ. Unfortunately, today's church has admired the gift but neglected to open it. Breakthrough author Francis Chan rips away paper and bows to get at the true source of the church's power--the Holy Spirit. Chan contends that we've ignored the Spirit for far too long, and we are reaping the disastrous results. Thorough scriptural support and compelling narrative form Chan's invitation to stop and remember the One we've forgotten, the Spirit of the living God.

Get your free audio download HERE; enter the coupon code JUN2010 during checkout. After you finishing your order, you will be asked which format you prefer to download - select MP3 if you want to be able to play the book on your Kindle.

There is a bonus download, as well, A free author interview with Francis Chan & Wayne Shepherd. Add it to your cart in addition to the main audiobook, at no extra charge. Lower down on the order page, you'll find discounted ($4.98) downloads for a few related titles, including Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God ($6.49 Kindle). One item you won't find there, that may be useful to those who want to use this free download as part of a church study group is Remembering the Forgotten God: An Interactive Workbook for Individual and Small Group Study, which is $9.99 on Kindle.

Free Book (DRM) - Winter's Passage

Winter's Passage ($2.39 Kindle), by Julie Kagawa, is free from Barnes and Noble and direct from Harlequin, in multiple formats, but all with DRM and not Kindle compatible. Rumor has it that this will be free in the Kindle store as well, but I've been watching it for several days now and it hasn't dropped, despite being free elsewhere. This is an eBook only release in her Iron Fey series and is targeted at the young adult/older teen market.

Book Description
Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....

Click Winter's Passage for the free download from B&N

Click HERE to purchase one of the formats available direct from Harlequin.

Game of the Day - Westward II

If you missed the free download from Sandlot Games a couple of months back, but want more after completing the free version of Westward that you can get this week, then you' may want to check out Westward II at Amazon today, as it is $2.99 for today only (normally $6.99).

Game Description

• Over 20 unique buildings
• Awards for in-game accomplishments
• All-new Sandbox mode
• Beautiful 3-D graphics

Navigate uncharted territories, build prosperous settlements and bring the dangerously elusive Copperhead Gang to justice in Westward II: Heroes of the Frontier®, an exciting real-time strategy adventure from Sandlot Games! Download Game and Play for Free!

Steer the fortunes of three distinctly different pioneers as they establish Oxbow Bend, a new outpost in the unexplored Wild West, and work to uncover the Mad Russian's base of operations. Gather resources, overcome natural disasters and plot a course through new terrain as you guide your settlers to safety and success.

Customize your towns with over 20 unique buildings, more than 30 luxury items and upgrades, and attempt to deliver justice in this all-new frontier adventure. Stake your claim in Westward II: Heroes of the Frontier today!

Free Book (nook) - Siren of the Waters

Siren of the Waters ($9.99 Kindle), by Michael Genelin, is free to download today at Barnes & Noble.

Book Description
Jana Matinova entered the Czechoslovak police force as a young woman, married an actor, and became a mother. The regime destroyed her husband, their love for one another, and her daughter’s respect for her. But she has never stopped being a seeker of justice.

Now, as a commander in the Slovak police force, she liaises with colleagues across Europe as they track the mastermind of an international criminal operation involved in, among other crimes, human trafficking. Her investigation takes her from Ukraine to Strasbourg, from Vienna to Nice, in a hunt for a ruthless killer and the beautiful young Russian woman he is determined either to capture or destroy.

Michael Genelin, a graduate of UCLA and the UCLA Law School, has served in the LA District Attorney’s Office and the US Department of Justice in Central Europe. He has written for film and has been an adviser to television series. He now lives with his wife and daughter in Paris.

Click HERE for the free download from B&N.

Kindle 2.5 Update has been Updated

Amazon has released an updated version of the 2.5 update, according to the Kindle Software Updates page this morning, although there is still no link for a manual download:

We know Kindle customers are anxious to receive the 2.5 software update, so we wanted to provide you with some details about its status. We've rolled out the 2.5 software release to a set of Kindle customers and have received great feedback from these early customers. Based on this feedback, we are making some small adjustments to improve the experience further. We will be rolling out the 2.5 software update to more users over the coming weeks.

Hmmmm... Does that mean that those of us who received 2.5 earlier have a less than desirable update and need to install this one also? Or is this really a 2.5.1 update? Is more "testing" and tweaking is in store for this update, since there is no download link for those not on Whispernet (releasing that would greatly decrease bandwidth usage, so you would think that Amazon would post it as soon as feasible).

My DX updated itself a couple of weeks ago and I did play with collections quite a bit, sorting a number of books and personal docs into categories to reduce the clutter on my home page. Besides being slow and tedious, one big problem is that I don't have a copy of every one of my books on that Kindle and don't want to download them all there, as it would use up another license (since I read mostly on my original Kindle). What I really want is the ability to update my collections on the My Kindle web page.

Here's a list of the enhancements in this update:

• Collections: Organize your books and documents into one or more collections.
• PDF Pan and Zoom: Zoom into PDFs and pan around to easily view small print and detailed tables or graphics.
• Password Protection: Password protect your Kindle when you're not using it.
• More Fonts & Improved Clarity: Enjoy two new larger font sizes and sharper fonts for an even more comfortable reading experience.
• Facebook & Twitter Posts: Share book passages with friends on Facebook and Twitter directly from your Kindle.
• Popular Highlights: See what the Kindle community thinks are the most interesting passages in the books you're reading.

Of these, I've only played with collections. I'll probably add a password, though (but not one with numbers, as they are too hard to input on the DX: are you listening Amazon? Give us back a dedicated row of number keys!). I also look forward to using the PDF enhancements, but suspect they'll be fairly slow, due to the nature of eInk. It's a nice option, though, for those PDF's with tables or graphics that are too small to read, even in landscape mode on the DX.

The bigger fonts don't interest me much (and I wonder if you get more than a couple of words on a page if you use them on a K2) and neither does the Facebook or Twitter integration (I can see it being slightly useful for bookclubs, though, if you set up a separate account for those). Popular Highlights, are just annoying and I had to turn them off first thing -- too bad they can't be turned off on the web page where you manage your own notes, as I now can't find my own notes for all the noise, rendering the info there practically useless; even worse is the ever-annoying "Daily Refresh" that is now the default landing site when I log in. (Want to make this useful, Amazon? Add the ability to flag a book for inclusion in the Daily Refresh View, so it will remind me of the books I want to be reminded of, not just those that have a note added.)

Free Book (nook) - Shakespeare In an Hour

Shakespeare In an Hour, by Christopher Baker, is free in the Barnes & Noble ebookstore.

Book Description
In 1587, when William Shakespeare was twenty-three, the acting troupe Queen's Men played in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon with one player short. Shakespeare's childhood fascination with theater suddenly found a perfect outlet — he joined the Queen's Men and replaced the missing actor. Shortly thereafter young William traveled to London in pursuit of an acting career. But acting soon gave way to an even more glorious adventure when Shakespeare realized that he might have a talent for writing plays.

Setting the playwright in context to his personal life, social, historical and political events, other writers of influence, and more, you will quickly gain a deep understanding of Shakespeare and the plays he wrote. Read Shakespeare in an Hour and experience his plays like never before. Know the playwright, love the play!

The book features:

• Shakespeare in an Hour, the main essay of the book
• Shakespeare In a Minute, a snapshot chronology
• A complete listing of Shakespeare's work
• A list of Shakespeare's contemporaries in all fields
• Excerpts from Shakespeare's significant works
• An extensive bibliography grouped according to type of reader
• An index of the main essay.

Playwrights in an Hour is a series devoted to the most produced and studied playwrights in the English language, from the Greek masters to contemporary writers, and written by leading authorities in the field. Each short book places the playwright and his or her work in historical, social, and literary context.

HERE for the free download.

Buy a nook, Get $50 in Free Books

Barnes and Noble has issued a preemptive strike against Amazon in the eReader wars this month. Both the nook and the Kindle are priced at $259 and on June 6, Target will be selling the Kindle in all of it's physical stores, following their successful test last month in selected markets. Both stores have a number of free books available to download, with most of the titles overlapping, but a few unique ones in each. B&N is going one step farther, though, and will give every new nook purchaser a free $50 gift card to use in the bookstore (and there does not appear to be any requirement to use it only on ebooks). This offer is valid both for store purchases and those direct from B&N and expires either at the end of the month or when they meet some (super-secret) number of units sold. If you've bought a nook within the last two weeks, you should be able to get a gift certificate, as well, according to reports from those who have contacted B&N (although there is nothing in the written details to confirm, so your mileage may vary).

Free Book (ADE-DRM) - Freaks Talk Back

Freaks Talk Back: Tabloid Talk Shows and Sexual Nonconformity ($30.00 paperback), by Joshua Gamson, is free this month from the University of Chicago Press.

Book Description
Using extensive interviews, hundreds of transcripts, focus-group discussions with viewers, and his own experiences as an audience member, Joshua Gamson argues that talk shows give much-needed, high-impact public visibility to sexual nonconformists while also exacerbating all sorts of political tensions among those becoming visible. With wit and passion, Freaks Talk Back illuminates the joys, dilemmas, and practicalities of media visibility.

Click HERE to sign up for the free book. You'll need to give them an email address and then check for their message to get the download link. The book is a DRM'd PDF and will requires Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) to download and read.

Video Game Magazines, One Year for Five Bucks

For this week only, expiring Saturday at 11:59pm, the magazines you see below have all been discounted to $5.00 for a one-year subscription! Use this offer to start a new subscription, or renew an existing one.

Official Xbox Magazine [with DVD] (1-year) List Price: $119.88 Price: $5.00 You Save: $114.88 (96%)		PlayStation: The Official Magazine (1-year) List Price: $71.88 Price: $5.00 You Save: $66.88 (93%)		Nintendo Power List Price: $59.88 Price: $5.00 You Save: $54.88 (92%)		PC Gamer (1-year) List Price: $107.88 Price: $5.00 You Save: $102.88 (95%)

Click HERE for more details or to get the auto-renewal versions of the magazines.

Free Game - Westward

The free game this week at Sandlot Games is Westward ($3.49 Amazon Game Download). They've previously had Westward II as a free game, so this one gives you a chance to play the one that started the series.

Game Description

• Buy, Sell & Trade To Build Your Fortune.
• Engaging Storyline.
• More Than 10 Playable Main Characters.
• Ever-Changing Scenarios.

Enter the rough and tumble world of Westward, where gold is there for the taking and bandits lurk around every turn. Control the fortunes of three vastly different towns as they rise from the dust of the frontier and grow into thriving boomtowns. Brave the dangers of the West and explore uncharted plains, dense forests and rocky canyons as you guide your settlers to safety and success. Stake your claim with a cast of hundreds, stunningly original graphics, hilarious dialogue and endless possibilities!

Click HERE to sign up for the free download. For step by step purchase and installation instructions, see this post.

Free Book (Contest) - The Second Coming

If you missed getting a copy of The Second Coming, by David H. Burton, last month, you have a chance to get it free today. The first 10 commenters (and there are already a couple) on this blog post get it free (not here, click the link!).

Book Description
Five hundred years have passed since the Earth shifted on its axis - a catastrophic event that wiped out civilization and released the powers of the dead back to Earth. With technology long abandoned, a dark age has shrouded our world once more. Travel to a future of blood sacrifice, demons, witchcraft, and an immoral God that has returned to reclaim his former dominion.

The Second Coming is the first novel in the Words of the Prophecy series.

Free Book (nook) - If I Were You

If I Were You, by L. Ron Hubbard

Book Description
Circus midget Little Tom Little is the king of midgets, loved by crowds and carnival folk alike. Only he doesn't just want to be a bigger circus star, he wants to be just like the circus' tall and imposing leader.

Trouble begins the moment that a set of ancient books containing the secret of switching bodies finds its way into Tom Little's tiny hands. When he magically trades his small frame with that of the circus chief, he finds himself in a giant-sized heap of trouble - his craving for height has landed him smack in the center ring surrounded by forty savage cats!

Free Book (nook) - One Shot

One Shot ($6.39 Kindle), by Lee Child, the ninth book in his Jack Reacher series, is available free this week using a coupon you pick up in a physical Barnes and Noble store. Be sure to stop by early, as some people who have stopped by on a Sunday were reporting that their stores had run out.

Once you have your coupon, log onto bn.com/redeem and enter the coupon code to add the book to your account. I don't know how you'll do this with a nook (and didn't try with my Kindle, as the book doesn't work there, anyway), but on the iPhone, I used the free internet service and Safari to enter the code, then opened the B&N reader and started reading the book within about a minute or so.

Book Description
Six shots. Five dead. One heartland city thrown into a state of terror. But within hours the cops have it solved: a slam-dunk case. Except for one thing. The accused man says: You got the wrong guy. Then he says: Get Reacher for me. And sure enough, from the world he lives in—no phone, no address, no commitments–ex–military investigator Jack Reacher is coming. In Lee Child’s astonishing new thriller, Reacher’s arrival will change everything—about a case that isn’t what it seems, about lives tangled in baffling ways, about a killer who missed one shot–and by doing so give Jack Reacher one shot at the truth.…

The gunman worked from a parking structure just thirty yards away–point-blank range for a trained military sniper like James Barr. His victims were in the wrong place at the wrong time. But why does Barr want Reacher at his side? There are good reasons why Reacher is the last person Barr would want to see. But when Reacher hears Barr’s own words, he understands. And a slam-dunk case explodes. Soon Reacher is teamed with a young defense lawyer who is working against her D.A. father and dueling with a prosecution team that has an explosive secret of its own. Like most things Reacher has known in life, this case is a complex battlefield. But, as always, in battle, Reacher is at his best.

Moving in the shadows, picking his spots, Reacher gets closer and closer to the unseen enemy who is pulling the strings. And for Reacher, the only way to take him down is to know his ruthlessness and respect his cunning–and then match him shot for shot….

Free Book (Sony) - Bulls Island

Sony has a free version of Bulls Island ($7.99 Kindle), by Dorothea Benton Frank, which includes an an excerpt from her upcoming Lowcountry Summer ($12.99 pre-order).

Book Description
A satisfying tale of honor, chance, and star-crossed love infused with Southern wit, grace, and charm from the New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank

After twenty years, Elizabeth "Betts" McGee has finally managed to put her past behind her. She hasn't been home to beautiful South Carolina and untouched Bulls Island since the tragic night that ended her engagement to Charleston's golden boy, J. D. Langley.

And why is that? Really, this is the story of two old Southern families. The Langley family has more money than the Morgan Stanley Bank. And they think they have more class. The Barrett family made their nineteenth-century fortune in a less distinguished manner—corner grocery stores and liquor stores. It's no surprise that when J.D. and Betts fall in love and decide to marry their parents are none too pleased. And when the love affair comes to an end, everyone is ready to place blame.

Now twenty years have gone by and Betts, a top investment bank executive, must leave her comfortable life in New York City to return to the home she thought she'd left behind forever. But spearheading the most important project of her career puts her back in contact with everything she's tried so hard to forget: her estranged sister, her father, J.D., and her past.

Once she's home, can Betts keep the secret that threatens all she holds dear? Or will her fear of the past wreck her future happiness? And what about that crazy gator? All will be revealed on Bulls Island.

Click HERE to launch the Sony Library software and get the book.

End of Month Indie Specials

I know it's late, but for those looking for a late night read, here are some last minute deals from indie writers. Some of the deals expire at the end of the month, while a few others will continue for a bit. A lot of indie writers are talking about increasing their prices to $2.99 or higher on June 1, due to the new payment schedules at Amazon (a few are required to do so, as there will now be minimum pricing based on file sizes).

The Second Coming ($2.99), by David H. Burton, the first in the Words of the Prophecy series. An updated version is free at Smashwords using coupon code NQ83R.

Book Description
Travel to a future of blood sacrifice, demons, witchcraft, and an immoral God that has returned to reclaim his former dominion.

Firefly Island ($0.99), by Daniel Arenson, also 99 cents on Smashwords using coupon code GE47Y.

Book Description
Want to escape to a magical land? Discover a world at the edge of imagination. Visit Firefly Island. In Firefly Island, you'll meet Aeolia, a girl enslaved to an ogre on a faraway farm. With the magic of fireflies, she must escape the ogre, then journey to find her long-lost brother. Join Aeolia as she explores Firefly Island, a strange land of firefly magic. Her quest takes her from hills swarming with ogres, to jungles full of fierce tree warriors, to castles brimming with knights in armor, to an underworld of outlaws on dark city streets, to twisting dungeons, and into landscapes of flame and war.

Mighty Hammer Down ($0.99), by David J. Guyton, is free on Smashwords using coupon code MM75Y.

Book Description
A longstanding peace is about to be shattered by villains in the shadows of Medora. They conspire with distant nations to cripple the western Empire and spread their venom eastward. In their secretive attempt, they stumble across the power to slay Arius, the god of war, and replace him with a human puppet. That mission fails however, and they not only pave the path for the seven gods to walk the earth, but create a god of war who is bent on their destruction. He clumsily learns to use his powers and hones them into a powerful weapon to wield against the Mages and their twisted vision of society. In the chaos, a great war ignites and threatens all nations and cultures.

Rommus has no idea that he has become the new god of war. He also has no idea that his companion Alana is responsible for the assassination attempt on his father, the General of the Medoran army. While the Medoran Legions head east to aid the Vindyri in their battle against the oppressive Bhoors, Rommus follows the visions he sees in his dreams, pulling him north towards the Land of the Gods. Along the way they meet a strange man named Vohl who claims to be immortal, and the three of them end up before the golden throne of the great god Oderion. But Rommus refuses to be like the uncaring gods, and quickly makes six very powerful enemies.

In all of this mayhem, the small flames of the old magic roar to mighty infernos; burning some and lighting the way for others. Great beasts now walk the earth again, and the gods themselves have come down to influence the world of man once more. But the new god of war is not interested in their agenda, and instead joins the battle on the Vindyri planes. He fights with all his might for the freedom of mankind, struggling to bring light to the coming darkness.

The Losing Role ($0.99), by Steve Anderson, is free on Smashwords using coupon code CJ27G.

Book Description
At the end of WWII a failed German actor, Max Kaspar, is forced to join an absurdly desperate secret mission in which he must impersonate an enemy American officer. So Max cooks up his own fanatical plan — he'll use his false identity to escape tyranny and war and flee to the America he'd once abandoned.

Max the performer is hardly a soldier let alone a double-crossing commando, yet in the deadly Battle of the Bulge he has to fool battle-shocked American GIs as well as dodge discovery by his reckless German comrades. Belgium's Ardennes forest becomes a snowbound hell and the magical America he'd loved is lost to him, replaced by a somber invading juggernaut. In the end, Max's gambles will lead him to a grim but honest payoff.

Part espionage thriller, part expatriate noir and the first in a series, The Losing Role is based on an actual German false flag operation that's been made infamous in legend but in reality was a doomed farce. In all the tragic details and with some dark humor, this is the story of an aspiring talent who got in over his head and tried to break free.

Dead Forever: Awakening ($2.99), by William Campbell, is 99 cents on Smashwords. A sequel is due out June 14.

Book Description
Imagine a world where death is merely an inconvenience. A new body awaits, and we resume living, fully aware of the past. Every talent, love and distaste is retained, from one life to the next. But this immortal paradise has a price--eternal life as slaves, oppressed by masters who forbid individuality, creative expression, and free thinking. A band of rebels refuses to surrender their freedom, and these misfits have no place in a world that enforces social harmony. But for a population that reincarnates, the conformist rulers are powerless to eliminate insurgents. Putting them to death is useless. The rebels will return, again and again. The final solution is devised--perpetual amnesia. Kill all memory of past lives. Identity erased, origin unknown, and destiny uncertain, the rebels are banished to a lonely corner of the galaxy and left for dead, forever. Having suffered the enemy's amnesia by design, a reluctant hero awakens under a bridge, and without a past, he regards himself as insignificant. But he is not the loser he imagines, as he learns when agents in black come to collect him. His decision to flee begins a journey of rediscovery, but some of it he would rather leave buried. He must face his past, and take charge of the future, or the rest of his immortal kind are destined to share his fate--Dead Forever

The Scrubs ($0.99), by Simon Wood / Simon Janus (marked down from $1.99, apparently by Amazon).

Book Description
James Jeter, the notorious serial killer with a sixth sense, holds court inside London's Wormwood Scrubs Prison. He's the focus of the "North Wing Project." Under the influence of a hallucinogen, Jeter can create an alternative world known as "The Rift" containing the souls of his victims. Pardons are on offer to inmates who'll enter The Rift. Michael Keeler has nothing to lose and little to live for. He's sent into The Rift to learn the identity of Jeter's last victim.

It's a mission where the guilty can be redeemed, but at a price...

Simon Janus is the horror identity for the award winning thriller writer, Simon Wood. The Scrubs was first published in hardback and paperback in 2008.

The Quest For The Chalice ($0.99), by John Fitch V, the first book in The Obloeron Trilogy, which can be picked up for $4.99 (for right now, that's essentially the same prices as all three titles separately). He also has One Hero, A Savior currently at 99 cents (a Christian Fantasy).

Book Description
Radamuck Rosar, 24th King of the Labergator dwarves, is on a quest to find the Chalice of Obloeron, the most magical object in all the realms. Going along with him on this quest is his nephew, Idan Rosar, as well as his trusted halfling advisor, Yanos Kingsfoil. After coming across a defeated village, Radamuck has Yanos go off and scout the enemy's stronghold, located deep within Mount Bastine.

Once there, Yanos is captured by Hedli Givaronian, a Bastine elf. The halfling is taken to Dumathon, where Lord Baeron, lord of the elves, tells Yanos that he is an old friend of Radamuck's and that the elves would join the fight with the dwarves. After the battle, the dwarves leave Bastine and continue their search.

After a vision beheld by Hedli, Radamuck orders the dwarves to head toward Kayiko, a township located in the mountains. The township had been overrun by orcs and other minions of the evil wiard Viktaar Dramin. It is there that Radamuck is introduced to Grumpet T. Paddymeyer, the heir of Krampel Paddymeyer, who fought in the Great Imperial Wars with Radamuck 50 years prior. Grumpet now owns Flad-rul, the Sword of the South, and a legacy unknown to him.

Together, Grumpet and Radamuck go up against Dramin in his domain determined to end tyranny and oppression in the northlands.

New Zealand With a Hobbit Botherer ($16.86 paperback), by John Gisby and Annette Gisby, is half price on Smashwords, using coupon code PU67C ($2.99 instead of $5.99).

Book Description
What should you do if your spouse becomes addicted to the Lord of the Rings movies and swoons at the very mention of Orlando Bloom's name? (Thud. Quick, fetch the smelling salts.)

How about taking the advice of a strange apparition that reveals itself in a dream? An apparition that looks remarkably like the director of the movies, Peter Jackson, but not quite remarkably enough to prompt legal action.

An apparition that recommends touring New Zealand in an effort to prove that its sheep pastures aren't really filled by frolicking Hobbits. Just sheep and the occasional zorbing local.

This is the hilarious tale of such a tour, featuring snow capped mountains and turquoise lakes, flightless birds and flying cattle, bungy jumping grannies and the carrot mafia, strange yellow eyes peering up from a road map and hotel receptionists always desperate to know win you are living.

Free Book (nook) - God Don't Like Ugly

God Don't Like Ugly ($4.47 Kindle), by Mary Monroe, is free in the Barnes & Noble store. This is the second today from Kensington books (see this earlier post for Home To Italy, by Peter Pezzelli, which is free for the Kindle and the nook).

Book Description
In this richly drawn novel set on the streets, porches and in the parlors of 1960s Ohio, Mary Monroe brings to life the bond between two girls from opposite sides of the tracks--and the shattering event that changes their lives forever.

At the heart of the story is Annette Goode, a shy, awkward girl who keeps a terrible secret. Mr. Boatwright, the boarder her hardworking mother has taken in, abuses her daily. Frightened and ashamed, Annette withdraws into a world of books and food.

But the summer Annette turns thirteen, something incredible happens: Rhoda Nelson chooses her as a friend. Rhoda, who is everything Annette is not--gorgeous, slim, and worldly--welcomes Annette into the heart of her eccentric family, which includes her handsome and dignified father; her lovely, fragile, "Muh'Dear;" her brooding, dangerous brother Jock; and her colorful white relatives--half-crazy Uncle Johnny; sultry Aunt Lola; and scary, surly Granny Goose.

With Rhoda's help, Annette survives adolescence and blossoms into a woman. But after her beautiful best friend makes a stunning confession about a horrific childhood crime, Annette's world will never be the same.

Get the free download at B&N, HERE.

Game of the Day - Burger Shop

Amazon's Game Download of the Day is a $3.49 download of Burger Shop, currently the #1 game download in the Action and Simulation categories.

Note: This game qualifies to get a $5.00 credit on MP3 downloads from Amazon MP3, if you have not already received this on their current promotion. Essentially, pay $3.49 for the game and get $5 to spend on MP3's.

Game Description

• Burger Making Fun For Everyone.
• More Than 60 Upgrade Items.
• 96 Trophies To Collect.
• Play Story, Relaxed Or Challenge Mode.

After receiving a set of strange blueprints in the mail, you build an extraordinary food-making contraption and open a restaurant! Your goal? Make food and satisfy customers until you discover the truth behind the mysterious blueprints and the BurgerTron 2000! With several game play modes, more than 60 upgrades and 96 trophies to collect, there's never a dull moment as your kitchen sizzles with excitement! If you fry it, they will come...to your Burger Shop!

Free Book (limited time) - Live Forever

Live Forever ($4.95 Kindle), by Jacob Drake, is temporarily free to download at Smashwords, no coupon required. No reviews (or even a synopsis) at Amazon, but has a handful of five-star reviews on Smashwords. Originally planned to be a one-hour sale, the author was persuaded first to do two one-hour segments (to accommodate international readers) and now has simply set it up for free for the rest of Saturday (pacific time).

Book Description
When a family man finds his less-than-perfect life turned completely upside down by his becoming a vampire everything he knows and values is called into question, especially when other vampires expect him to assist them in staging a coup that will result in the ravaging and enslavement of all humans. He must then decide what it means for him to live forever.

Click HERE for the free download (while it lasts).