Bargain Book Roundup, Part III

The bargain book roundup for this month continues....

Worldwar: In the Balance/Tilting the Balance ($6.29), by Harry Turtledove, contains two books in one volume, at pennies above the cost of the first title alone, as well as being the only Kindle choice that contains Tilting the Balance.

Book Description
Harry Turtledove's best-selling alternate-history Worldwar series is now a must-have addition to your eBook library. For a limited time only, take advantage of this exciting opportunity--buy Tilting the Balance and get In the Balance for free!

In the Balance: From Pearl Harbor to panzers rolling through Paris to the Siege of Leningrad and the Battle of Midway, war seethed across the planet as the flames of destruction rose higher and hotter. And then, suddenly, the real enemy came. The invaders seemed unstoppable, their technology far beyond human reach. And never before had men been more divided. For Jew to unite with Nazi, American with Japanese, and Russian with German was unthinkable. But the alternative was even worse. As the fate of the world hung in the balance, slowly, painfully, humankind took up the shocking challenge.

Tilting the Balance: No one could stop them--not Stalin, not Togo, not Churchill, not Roosevelt... The invaders had cut the United States virtually in half at the Mississippi, vaporized Washington, D.C., devastated much of Europe, and held large parts of the Soviet Union under their thumb. But humanity would not give up so easily. The new world allies were ruthless at finding their foe's weaknesses and exploiting them. Whether delivering supplies in tiny biplanes to partisans across the vast steppes of Russia, working furiously to understand the enemy's captured radar in England, or battling house to house on the streets of Chicago, humankind would never give up. Yet no one could say when the hellish inferno of death would stop being a war of conquest and turn into a war of survival--the very survival of the planet...

After the Zap ($4.99), by Michael Armstrong

Book Description
The Zap gives... and the Zap takes away.

Because of the very nature of the Zap -- the big thermonuclear bomb that had scrambled and rearranged the neurons of everyone's brains -- there was no way of telling what it had taken from them all. The past was a jumbled mass of tantalizing glimpses and agonizing blanks. But the Zap's gifts were many and varied.

The "Readers" got the rare and often dangerous ability to make sense of the writings of the past...
The "Memors" got perfect recall -- of everything they'd heard since the Zap...
The "Bush Punks" got a chance to live free and easy -- and die the same way...
The "God Weirders" got religion -- if you could call it that...
The "Blimpers" got a purpose -- a purpose that could save them, or destroy them all.

Now Holmes, a "Reader, " was in the perfect position to tip the scales for or against survival -- if only he could figure out which side was which.

Agviq ($4.99), by Michael Armstrong

Book Description
AGVIQ is the totem of the "Real People," the Inupiaq, who endured the Arctic territories for 7,000 years--until the modern world destroyed the ancient ways. But then the modern world itself was destroyed.Among others, a white archeologist named Claudia has survived. The People need her to teach what has been taken; she needs them--to live. And together, they must face the ice and confront the ancestors' greatest challenge . . .

Killer Cruise ($3.99), by Laura Levine, is the eighth in her Jaine Austen series, following Killing Bridezilla ($4.47). In fact, only one of the first eight in the series is over five bucks (at $5.29) and the very most recent title, Death of a Trophy Wife, is $9.99, but was briefly free last May.

Book Description
Wordsmith Jaine Austen's ship has finally come in. Her new teaching gig on a fancy cruise line nabs her a free vacation--and access to a 24-hour buffet! But sooner than you can say "bon voyage," Jaine's all-expenses-paid trip to the Mexican Riviera seems destined to be a wreck. . .

Things are already off to a rocky start when Jaine discovers a stowaway amidst her luggage--her persnickety cat Prozac. Jaine's sinking sensation grows stronger at dinner, where she meets chatty Emily Pritchard, a wealthy seventy-year-old who's traveling with her two nephews. Jaine can't help noticing the tension among them, especially when the cruise's charming--and sleazy--British dancer, Graham, whisks Emily out onto the dance floor.

Soon Emily is accepting Graham's invitations to every social event on the ship. Two nights later the bubbly couple announces their engagement, but the news is quickly overshadowed the next morning by the discovery of Graham's body with an ice pick protruding from his chest. . .

Between hiding a furry fugitive, flirting with Emily's nephew Robbie, and baiting the hook for a clever murderer, Jaine is about to dive into her most dangerous case yet. . .

The Family Next Door ($1.18), by Barbara McMahon

Book Description
His young daughter has already lost too much. Widower Joe Kincaid doesn't want her forming attachments that will break her heart. So he'd appreciate if his pretty new neighbor didn't charm the girl with hot chocolate, fun stories and big smiles. After all, Gillian Parker is from glittering Las Vegas--she won't last a month in their quiet Maine town. But Gillian isn't what he expected at all. And when her painful past catches up with her, Joe finds himself opening his door--and his heart--wider than he ever dreamed possible.

Operation: Rescue ($0.91), by Anne Woodard

Book Description
From the moment he found himself staring down the end of her gun, Derrick Marx knew Dr. Elizabeth Bradshaw was no wilting flower. A recluse, she'd devoted her life to the island's natural treasures. But only she could help him rescue his brother from jungle terrorists. He couldn't take no for an answer. Elizabeth had ghosts she wasn't yet willing to face. And a sexy security expert, brandishing his machismo as a powerful lure, couldn't force her to do anything. Even if her heart was beginning to tell her otherwise!

Undercover Stranger ($1.03), by Pat White

Book Description
With her girl-next-door looks and quaint doll museum, Ciara O'Malley seemed innocent. But she was secret agent Griffin Black's number one suspect for a terrible crime and he knew how to get close enough to uncover her illicit activities. By seducing the truth right out of her. Then walking away. Except all of Griff's make-believe attraction turned surprisingly real once Ciara became a target herself. Suddenly Griff found himself protecting Ciara rather than using her. And yet, even with all his special training, Griff didn't know which was more frightening--how deep this criminal network ran...or how far one beautiful redhead had worked her way under his skin.

Seducing the Matchmaker ($1.30), by Elaine Overton

Book Description
As the owner of Love Unlimited, a matchmaking firm, Noelle Brown has an enviable track record. When world-renowned and drop-dead gorgeous architect Derrick Brandt graces her doorway, she's incredibly pleased. Hooking him up will raise her agency's profile and give it an incredible public-relations boost. But after a few moments of conversation with the arrogant Derrick, Noelle understands why the tabloids have labeled him the most ineligible bachelor in the city.

Derrick needs to find himself a wife--a woman who understands his demanding career. He's stunned to find himself captivated by the sexy siren Noelle. As the sparks of passion heat up between them, they both wonder if their relationship is indeed the perfect match....

The Pirate And The Puritan ($2.14), by Mary Clayton

Book Description
1704 -- Dangerous times, when the colonies of the Americas are threatened by Queen Anne's War. It is not the French but a pirate who captures Mercy Penhall, mute Puritan spinster. In fear for her life and virtue yet drawn to the captain in spite of herself, Mercy has unknowingly begun on a course of adventure, heartbreak that will test her courage to the utmost. And in the end the secret she carries in her soul threatens to prevent even the small chance of happiness inherent in an impossible love.

Tall, Dark, and Dangerous Part 1 ($4.69), by Suzanne Brockmann, is marked down from what seems a ridiculous digital list price of $22.65, until you read the description and realize that it contains four novels in one bundle. Two more bundles round out the series of eleven titles: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous Part 2 ($13.59) and Tall, Dark, and Dangerous Part 3 ($9.99).

Book Description
Tall, Dark and Dangerous...they're who you call to get out of a tight spot...or into one. Four sexy Navy SEALS find heartstopping adventure and blistering romance in these captivating stories by New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann. Bundle includes Prince Joe, Forever Blue, Frisco's Kid and Everyday, Average Jones.

If He's Sinful ($3.49), by Hannah Howell

Book Description
Secrecy and intrigue ignite dangerous passions in New York Times bestselling author Hannah Howell's seductive new novel. . .

It is whispered throughout London that the members of the Wherlocke family are possessed of certain unexplainable gifts. But Lord Ashton Radmoor is skeptical--until he finds an innocent beauty lying drugged and helpless in the bedroom of a brothel.

The mystery woman is Penelope Wherlocke, and her special gift of sight is leading her deep into a dangerous world of treachery and betrayal. Ashton knows he should forget her, yet he's drawn deeper into the vortex of her life, determined to keep her safe. But Penelope is no ordinary woman, and she's never met the man strong enough to contend with her unusual abilities.

Until now....

The Big Love ($1.99), by Sarah Dunn, has been marked down to this price at least once before, but this time it's by the publisher.

Book Description
Alison Hopkins isn't just looking for Mr. Right . . . or even Mr. Big. She's holding out for the Big Love.

When 32-year-old Alison's first real boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her - he steps out to buy mustard for a dinner party and never returns - it's time for Alison to reassess her lifelong search for romantic fulfillment. Does true love even exist? Is every romantic involvement with a coworker inevitably doomed? Does sex without commitment always lead to disaster? Is a girl's evangelical Christian upbringing an impediment to her finding true happiness?

Funnier than any "chick-lit," as poised and accomplished as any literary debut this year, The Big Love is a big-hearted, hilariously entertaining novel that readers all across America are falling for.

The Toy ($1.24), by Claire Thompson, is no Three Men and a Maid (free) by PG Wodehouse, but it is a full length novel at just over 200 pages.

Book Description
The Toy is the story of a young woman, Gina, who is kidnapped by two men: one a romantic, the other a sadist. Gordon and Frank use the terrified girl for their pleasure, keeping her prisoner in a room full of mirrors. While Gordon introduces Gina to the whip, the cane and the rope, Frank introduces her to the kiss and a sexual awakening that leaves her hungry for more. Gradually Gina changes from a frightened girl to a fully sexual woman. Boundaries blur between consensual and nonconsensual, between pleasure and pain, between control and love.

Ace of Slaves: A Tale of Enforced Submission ($1.78), by Adrian Hunter, is a little shorter than the last one, at 136 pages.

Book Description
Welcome to the Stratosphere, a surreal world of bondage, blackjack, slavery, slots and sexual torment in the world's tallest casino, created by the winner of SIGNY "Best Bondage Writer" Award. When Interpol agent Sunday Briggs arrives in Las Vegas, she's not supposed to make direct contact with suspect Paul Forte, the shadowy owner who's trying to corner the market on Internet gambling. So she goes undercover, only to find herself captured and cruelly tortured by high rollers with a taste for sadistic entertainment. Sunday will need a lot more than luck to escape the bonds chaining her diminutive body to its fate in the ticking tower. With the deck stacked against her, will she wind up as the ace, or the joker? Ace of Slaves is a gripping BDSM action-adventure from the devious mind of award-winning author Adrian Hunter, a ruthless combination of crime, punishment, suspense and suspension that's guaranteed to keep bondage erotica fans on the edge of their seats, if not strapped to it.

Secret Smile ($4.99), by Nicci French

Book Description
You meet a man - You have an affair - You finish it and you think it's over - You're dead wrong - It's only just beginning....

Miranda's sister, Kerri, has a new boyfriend, a handsome charmer who seems to dote on Kerri. But Brendan isn't the man he says he is. Miranda should know - she broke off her own affair him just a few weeks ago when she found him reading her diary. Rarely do the phrases "page-turning thriller" and "will keep you up all night" truly apply as well as they do to this unpredictable, intelligent, and vastly entertaining tale of one woman's strength and one man's madness.

Crime Minister: Rebound ($4.99), by Ian Barclay, is the third in the series, with Crime Minister: Reckoning ($4.99) and Crime Minister: Retribution ($4.99) also on Kindle (no sign of the first two yet, which are long out of print).

Book Description
It's a mission-dollar job for Richard Dartley, the world's most select assassin-for-hire, the man with many aliases and a thousand ways to kill. For him, the fatal hit should be a simple matter of clear planning and clean execution. But amid the shifting loyalties and tangled intrigue on American's newest and hottest battleground , he knows damn well things are a lot more dangerous than they seem...

Bargain Book Roundup, Part II

The bargain book roundup for this month continues. These change price frequently and drastically, to check the prices at Amazon before one-clicking. Several that were under $2 last week are anywhere from $10 to $15 this week (so didn't make the roundup).

Beautiful Lies ($0.79), by Lisa Unger. Looks like a markdown to get you aquainted with the author, whose Fragile ($9.99) releases Aug 3.

Book Description
If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later or had taken the subway instead of waiting for a cab, she would still be living the beautiful lie she used to call her life. She would still be the privileged daughter of a doting father and a loving mother. Her life would still be perfect—with only the tiny cracks of an angry junkie for a brother and a charming drunk with shady underworld connections for an uncle to mar the otherwise flawless whole.

But that’s not what happened. Instead, those inconsequential decisions lead her to perform a good deed that puts her in the right place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that brings a mysterious package to her door—a package which informs her that her entire world is a lie.

Suddenly forced to question everything she knows about herself and her family, Ridley wanders into dark territory she never knew existed, where everyone in her life seems like a stranger. She has no idea who’s on her side and who has something to hide—even, and maybe especially, her new lover, Jake, who appears to have secrets of his own.

Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a true literary thriller with one of the freshest voices and heroines to arrive in years. Lisa Unger takes us on a breathtaking ride in which every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine . .

Beyond Reach ($1.59), by Karin Slaughter, also has a new release this summer, Broken ($9.99).

Book Description
With over 13 million copies of her books sold in twenty-two countries, #1 internationally bestselling author Karin Slaughter delivers “crime fiction at its finest.” Now she returns to Grant county, Georgia where the lightning-fast plot, vivid forensic detail, and heart-stopping suspense will thrust readers into the darkest corners of their own imaginations—and push Slaughter to the top of the national bestseller lists.

Sara Linton—resident medical examiner/pediatrician in Grant County, Georgia,—has plenty of hardship to deal with, including defending herself in a heartbreaking malpractice suit. So when her husband, Police chief Jeffery Tolliver, learns that his friend and coworker detective Lena Adams has been arrested for murder and needs Sara’s help, she is not sure she can handle the pressure of it all. But soon Sara an Jeffery are sitting through evidence, peeling back the layers of a mystery that grows darker by the day—until an intricate web of betrayal and vengeance begins to unravel. And suddenly the lives of Sara, Lena, and Jeffery are hanging by the slenderest of threads.

Barefoot ($1.99), by Elin Hilderbrand, looks to be another author intro pricing, as her The Island ($12.99) released this month.

Book Description
It's summer on Nantucket, and as the season begins, three women arrive at the local airport, observed by Josh, a local boy, home from college. Burdened with small children, unwieldy straw hats, and some obvious emotional issues, the women--two sisters and one friend--make their way to the sisters' tiny cottage, inherited from an aunt. They're all trying to escape from something: Melanie, after seven failed in-vitro attempts, discovered her husband's infidelity and then her own pregnancy; Brenda embarked on a passionate affair with an older student that got her fired from her prestigious job as a professor in New York; and her sister Vickie, mother to two small boys, has been diagnosed with cancer. Soon Josh is part of the chaotic household, acting as babysitter, confidant, and, eventually, something more, while the women confront their pasts and map out their futures.

Where Angels Go ($1.21), by Debbie Macomber. I'm not entirely sure it's more than a novella, from the size, but the linked Hardcover ($1.21) doesn't mention being a story collection. Another of her books was marked down last week and is back to full price now, so if you collect her books, grab this one quick.

Book Description
Christmas is a time for angels Shirley, Goodness and Mercy are back! These three irresistible angels love their assignments on earth. They especially love helping people who send prayer requests to Heaven (even though the Archangel Gabriel, their boss, knows they're going to break his rules)!

This Christmas, Mercy is assigned to bring peace of mind to an elderly man... who discovers an unexpected answer to his prayers.

Goodness is sent to oversee the love life of a young woman afraid to risk commitment for a second time.

And Shirley has the task of granting a little boy's fondest Christmas wish.

Shirley, Goodness and Mercy go wherever they're needed. These three charming angels often find themselves in trouble, but somehow things always work out for the best especially at Christmas.

These Wicked Games ($2.99), by Sherry Ledington, et al, isn't a short story collection, but is more of a fan-lit group written novel.

Book Description
Could that ravishing beauty be his wife? Damien, the handsome and brooding Earl of Coulter, is captivated by the mysterious woman he sees across a ballroom. Yet there is something strangely familiar in her flashing eyes and fascinating smile. Can this tempting woman full of sensual promise possibly be the same cat--obsessed chit he married? Last he knew, she was rusticating in the country with her damned feline. Frustrated that her husband can't even be bothered to remember her name, Patience is ripe for revenge after three long years of countryside boredom. It's time to show her husband exactly what he's been missing. As Damien and Patience match wits, their passion threatens to beat them at their own game. With the help of a feather, a thunderstorm, a tiger, a pot of chocolate and a house full of meddling relatives, Patience and Damien are playing with fire. But who will triumph when true love it at stake? These Wicked Games is the first novella produced by Avon FanLit, an online event for the romance community.

Exit Ghost ($4.73), by Philip Roth, is one of two editions available (the newer one is $10.49)

Book Description
Like Rip Van Winkle returning to his hometown to find that all has changed, Nathan Zuckerman comes back to New York, the city he left eleven years before. Alone on his New England mountain, Zuckerman has been nothing but a writer: no voices, no media, no terrorist threats, no women, no news, no tasks other than his work and the enduring of old age.

Walking the streets like a revenant, he quickly makes three connections that explode his carefully protected solitude. One is with a young couple with whom, in a rash moment, he offers to swap homes. They will flee post-9/11 Manhattan for his country refuge, and he will return to city life. But from the time he meets them, Zuckerman also wants to swap his solitude for the erotic challenge of the young woman, Jamie, whose allure draws him back to all that he thought he had left behind: intimacy, the vibrant play of heart and body.

The second connection is with a figure from Zuckerman's youth, Amy Bellette, companion and muse to Zuckerman's first literary hero, E. I. Lonoff. The once irresistible Amy is now an old woman depleted by illness, guarding the memory of that grandly austere American writer who showed Nathan the solitary path to a writing vocation.

The third connection is with Lonoff's would-be biographer, a young literary hound who will do and say nearly anything to get to Lonoff's "great secret." Suddenly involved, as he never wanted or intended to be involved again, with love, mourning, desire, and animosity, Zuckerman plays out an interior drama of vivid and poignant possibilities.

Haunted by Roth's earlier work The Ghost Writer, Exit Ghost is an amazing leap into yet another phase in this great writer's insatiable commitment to fiction.

Vampire Kisses ($3.99), by Ellen Schreiber, is the first in her Vampire Kisses series (currently up to seven titles), aimed at the teen reader.

Book Description
In her small town, dubbed "Dullsville," sixteen-year-old Raven -- a vampire-crazed goth-girl -- is an outcast. But not for long...

The intriguing and rumored-to-be haunted mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood vacant and boarded-up for years. That is, until its mysteriously strange new occupants move in. Who are these creepy people -- especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander Sterling? Or rather, what are they? Could the town prattle actually ring true? Are they vampires? Raven, who secretly covets a vampire kiss, both at the risk of her own mortality and Alexander's loving trust, is dying to uncover the truth.

Ellen Schreiber's spooky and stirring romance tells the story of two outsiders who fall in love in a town where conformity reigns, and ends with a shocking surprise.

Malice: Includes Bonus Chapter from Betrayed ($1.99), by Robert K. Tanenbaum

Book Description
New York District Attorney Butch Karp, recovering from an assassination attempt that came within a few millimeters of killing him, takes on a shadowy cartel that uses terrorists to further its criminal empire while sliding the United States toward a fascist state that the cartel controls. As Karp struggles to uncover those responsible for planning the terrorist murders of six school-children, he goes to the aid of the younger brother of his college roommate, who has been unfairly suspended from his position as baseball coach at a university in Idaho.

Meanwhile, Marlene Ciampi is in Idaho to help her husband with the investigation, and she befriends a Basque sheepherder who is demanding answers to the disappearance of his daughter -- a pretty college coed he suspects is having an affair with the school's president -- which may be related to Karp's case. And if that wasn't enough, the couple's daughter, Lucy, and her eclectic group of accomplices must uncover a traitor's plot and stop an assassination attempt surreptitiously planned to occur in the heart of Manhattan.

Malice is filled with twists and story lines torn from today's headlines, and once again delivers Tanenbaum's one-of-a-kind courtroom scenes that, by the exciting climax, have been woven into a single, brilliant tapestry of action and suspense.

Hunter Victorious ($4.99), by Rose Estes, is the conclusion of her Hunter trilogy, but the other two are not yet on Kindle (so I just clicked on both to request them; hey, I like to start a series from the beginning!).

Book Description
The long-awaited final entry in Estes' Hunter Trilogy fantasy series. Braldt the Hunter has survived the tortures of a savage people on a distant world, but now he is trapped on Valhalla, a doomed world of shapeshifters and evil science. Braldt must somehow overthrow the vile leaders--or his homeworld will perish.

The Calling ($3.27), by Inger Ash Wolfe, is again one of two editions available (the other is $10 and appears to be in the mobi format, while this one is Topaz).

Book Description
There were thirteen crime-scene pictures. Dead faces set in grimaces and shouts. Faces howling, whistling, moaning, crying, hissing. Hazel pinned them to the wall and stood back. It was a silent opera of ghosts.

Detective Inspector Hazel Micallef has lived all her days in the small town of Port Dundas and is now making her way toward retirement with something less than grace. Hobbled by a bad back and a dependence on painkillers, and feeling blindsided by divorce after nearly four decades of marriage, sixty-one-year-old Hazel has only the constructive criticism of her old goat of a mother and her own sharp tongue to buoy her. But when a terminally ill Port Dundas woman is gruesomely murdered in her own home, Hazel and her understaffed department must spring to life. And as one terminally ill victim after another is found—their bodies drained of blood, their mouths sculpted into strange shapes—Hazel finds herself tracking a truly terrifying serial killer across the country while everything she was barely holding together begins to spin out of control.

Through the cacophony of her bickering staff, her unsupportive superiors, a clamoring press, the town’s rumor mill, and her own nagging doubts, Hazel can sense the dead trying to call out. But what secret do they have to share? And will she hear it before it’s too late?

In The Calling, Inger Ash Wolfe brings a compelling new voice and an irresistible new heroine to the mystery world.

The Shimmer ($4.09), by David Morrell, is one I saw mentioned in the Amazon forums (by a reader that really enjoyed it).

Book Description
When a high-speed chase goes terribly wrong, Santa Fe police officer Dan Page watches in horror as a car and gas tanker explode into flames. Torn with guilt that he may be responsible, Page returns home to discover that his wife, Tori, has disappeared. Frantic, Page follows her trail to Rostov, a remote town in Texas famous for a massive astronomical observatory, a long-abandoned military base, and unexplained nighttime phenomena that draw onlookers from every corner of the globe. Many of these gawkers-Tori among them-are compelled to visit this tiny community to witness the mysterious Rostov Lights. Without warning, a gunman begins firing on the lights, screaming "Go back to hell where you came from," then turns his rifle on the bystanders. A bloodbath ensues, and events quickly spiral out of control, setting the stage for even greater violence and death. Page must solve the mystery of the Rostov Lights to save his wife. In the process, he learns that the decaying military base may not be abandoned at all, and that the government may have known about the lights for decades. Could these phenomena be more dangerous than anyone could have possibly imagined?

Free-Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again ($1.84), by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, a popular yarn/knitting blogger.

Book Description
... reminds us of the joy we felt upon first encountering her hilarious and poignant collection of essays surrounding her favorite topics: knitting, knitters, and what happens when you get those two things anywhere near ordinary people.

For the 60 million knitters in America, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (a.k.a. the Yarn Harlot) shares stories of knitting horrors and triumphs, knitting successes and defeats, but, mostly, stories about the human condition that ring true for everyone--especially if you happen to have a rather large amount of yarn in your house.

Funny, unique, and gleeful in her obsession, Pearl-McPhee speaks to knitters of all skill levels in this delightful celebration of craft and creativity.

Candy Apple Red ($4.48), by Nancy Bush, is the first of her Jane Kelly Mysteries. If you like this one, you can pick up the other two for bargain prices as well: Electric Blue ($4.76) and Ultra Violet ($4.47).

Book Description
Jane Kelly is through with following men anywhere. Last time she did, she left Southern California for the dubious charms of Lake Chinook, Oregon, where she's traded in bartending for the much more glamorous trade of process serving. (Well, she can tell herself it's glamorous, anyway.) And the boyfriend, of course, is long gone. She's not making any lifetime commitments, but when Portland divorce attorney Marta Cornell calls with a P.I. job, the money involved sounds like the answer to her dwindling bank account - until she learns Tess Bradbury wants her to investigate the disappearance of Bobby Reynolds. Four years ago, without warning, Bobby murdered his young family and promptly vanished. No one disputed that he'd slaughtered his own flesh and blood except Tim Murphy, his best friend - and Jane's ex, the one guy she's never quite gotten over. The murders had driven a wedge between him and Jane, and finally drove him right out of town. Now he's on his way back, to attend a Lake Chinook Historical Society benefit that Cotton Reynolds, Bobby's father, is hosting. It looks like Jane's going to be following men around again - this time with a tape recorder and a camera.

Getting Rid of Matthew ($2.04), by Jane Fallon

Book Description
Virginia desperately wants to get away from her "preposterously protective parents," but when an unusual confluence of events sends her whole town sailing away leaving her behind, she finds herself beginning to shrink.

Happy Snak ($3.92), by Nicole Kimberling, might be worth buying on the strength of the content warning, alone.

Book Description
A little uncivil disobedience is good for the soul-

Gaia Jones is on A-Ki space station for one reason, and it's not to ogle the hermaphroditic aliens. She's out to make a name for herself and her line of intoxicating human snacks. Not easy in A-Ki's tightly controlled society. Her task gets even more delicate when she rushes to the aid of a dying alien-and finds herself the unwilling guardian of a shunned alien ghost named Kenjan. And the new owner of his slave.

The danger mounts when Kenjan's grieving lover, the powerful leader of the Kishocha, offers her a dream and a nightmare rolled into one: a new store all her own with a strange double purpose-half snack bar, half shrine. The catch? She must spend the rest of her life there, tending Kenjan the Heretic's ghost. Or the entire station will be destroyed.

There's only one way to gain both her freedom and justice for Kenjan-teach both the powerful government elite and the Kishocha theocracy a lesson in uncivil disobedience-

Warning: This book contains excessive consumption of clams and clam-based snacks. Also, gratuitous abuse of orange dye, as well as summary decapitation, forbidden love, alien sex and one beloved hamster named Microbe.

The Dirty Parts of the Bible ($0.99), by Sam Torode, is the full length version of one of the titles being considered for Amazon's Breakthrough Awards (amongst 500 others that had free excerpts posted). I'm not sure why more of the other authors haven't posted their novels (and some who have seem to want to overprice them).

Book Description
THE DIRTY PARTS OF THE BIBLE is the prose equivalent of a Johnny Cash album--a tale of love and liquor, preachers and prostitutes, trains and treasure.

It's 1936 and 19-year-old Tobias Henry is stuck in the frozen hinterlands of Michigan. Tobias is obsessed with two things: God and girls. Mostly girls. But being a Baptist preacher's son, he can't escape God. When his father is blinded in a bizarre accident, Tobias rides the rails to Texas in search of a lost fortune. Along the way, he is initiated into the hobo brotherhood by Craw, a ribald yet wise vagabond. Obstacles arise in the form of a saucy prostitute, a giant catfish, and a flaming boxcar. But when he meets Sarah, a tough farm girl under a dark curse, he finds out that the greatest challenge of all is love.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY says: "This rich and soulful novel is actually a rather well-done bildungsroman steeped in wanderlust and whimsy that at times recalls The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and at others a tamer On the Road. The story begins in 1936 as 20-year-old Tobias is thumbing his way from Remus, Mich., to his uncle’s farm in Glen Rose, Tex., to find a hidden bag of money, after his father, a Baptist pastor, drunkenly slams his car into the church and is removed from the parsonage. The author does an excellent job in making well-charted territory (riding the rails; scavenged campfire meals under the stars) seem vibrant and new. Snippets of scripture, Southern spirituals, and folk ballads lend context and flavor to the text. Most impressive are the jangly dialogue and the characters’ distinctive voices, which are authentic and earthy but not remotely hoary. When Tobias finally arrives at his uncle’s, the surprises that await him are more than enough to keep his--and readers’--interests piqued."

Starting Out in the Evening ($2.27), by Brian Morton

Book Description
Leonard Schiller is a writer in his seventies. All of his books are out of print; he's left no mark in literary history; a lifetime of dedicated labor has brought him few rewards. Heather Wolfe is a graduate student in her twenties. She read Schiller's novels when she was growing up, and they changed her life. She decides to write her master's thesis about Schiller's work, and she sets out to meet him.

Starting Out in the Evening is a novel about the unexpected consequences of that meeting--and the unexpected consequences of art. Heather blows into Schiller's life like a whirlwind and overturns everything in it. After years of obscurity, he finds himself dreaming of literary immortality; after a lifetime of restraint, he finds himself infatuated with a woman "so young she seemed like an emissary from the future."

For Heather, meeting Schiller has even more complicated results. Finding it hard to believe that this cautious, habit-bound man wrote the books that taught her so much about the beauty of taking risks, she begins to suspect that her idol has failed to understand the deepest lessons of his own art.

In the course of the novel, we also come to know Schiller's daughter, Ariel, a spirited and tender-hearted former dancer, and her lover, Casey, a restlessly self-questioning black intellectual. Though deeply committed to each other, they are pursuing irreconcilable dreams, and together they are facing the fear that their conflicts will prove greater than their love. When Schiller's fortunes change dramatically, Ariel and Casey are put to a test that neither of them could have prepared for.

With a startling sureness of touch, Morton illuminates the inner lives of a varied cast of characters--male and female, young and old, black and white--all of whom are striving to live out their ideals in a world that seems to have little room for idealism. And in Leonard Schiller, Morton has given us one of the most remarkable characters to appear in recent American fiction--an unforgettable portrait of an artist as an old man.

Written with breathtaking insight and loving humor, Starting Out in the Evening is an exhilaratingly intelligent and powerful novel--an extraordinary triumph of the novelist's art.

Free Audiobooks - Hunger Games and The Lottery

Audiobook Sync's free giveaway continues this week, with one very popular title that, although aimed at young adults, is widely read by all ages, and one that is limited to distribution in the US and Canada.

The Hunger Games ($9.00 Kindle), by Suzanne Collins, is available to download by all.

Book Description
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival(continued) and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the New York Times bestselling The Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.

The Lottery and Other Stories (not available in US or Canada on Kindle; $3.30 Paperback), by Shirley Jackson, is available in the US and Canada only.

Book Description
The Lottery', one of the most terrifying stories written in the twentieth century, created a sensation when it was published in 1948. Today it is considered a classic work of short fiction, remarkable for its combination of subtle suspense and pitch-perfect descriptions of both the chilling and the mundane. This collection, the only one to appear during Shirley Jackson's lifetime, unites 'The Lottery' with twenty-four equally unusual stories. Together they demonstrate Jackson's remarkable range – encompassing the hilarious and the horrible, the unsettling and the ominous – as well as her power as a storyteller. The Lottery', one of the most terrifying stories written in the twentieth century, created a sensation when it was published in 1948. Today it is considered a classic work of short fiction, remarkable for its combination of subtle suspense and pitch-perfect descriptions of both the chilling and the mundane. This collection, the only one to appear during Shirley Jackson's lifetime, unites 'The Lottery' with twenty-four equally unusual stories. Together they demonstrate Jackson's remarkable range – encompassing the hilarious and the horrible, the unsettling and the ominous – as well as her power as a storyteller.

Click HERE to get the free downloads.

For those who are just finding out about Audiobook Sync, there are two new ones each week, so you have to keep checking back. You can't get any titles that have been missed, but once they are loaded into, they are yours to keep (there is no expiration date). Get today's titles quickly, as there will be two new ones up each Thursday. You'll have to sign up for an account and install Overdrive (if you are not already using it for library books). In addition, you end up clicking about three pages, for each book, before the audiobook actually downloads. Don't stop so long as you still see a button that talks about your Sync download (or until you see the Overdrive software open up). Once in Overdrive, you'll need to tell it where to save the files (just click OK to use the default location, since Overdrive will keep track of them for you), then again to actually start the download (by default, all parts of the book are downloaded; I would suggest not changing this in the last dialog box, just click on OK to get the download started).

All New Kindles - Place Your Orders Now!

The Kindle 2 has been replaced by a new model that can be purchased in Black (graphite) or White, the Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6, which is also priced at $189. It's new baby brother has also been announced, the Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6 is a graphite body, wi-fi only version, priced at $139 (take that nook! looks like Kindle will always be $10 less). One feature that sounds great - battery life of a MONTH with wifi/wireless off. What I'm not thrilled about? The keyboard looks worse than ever, having lost the row of number keys (the DX has this same disability and it is truly annoying as I use numbers every time I want to write a note about when I finished a book). Unlike the DX, however, there are page turning keys on both sides (yes, you can now go to the previous page with either hand!). There is twice as much memory as before, an improved PDF reader and an experimental Wi-Fi based browser (which will mean that it works worldwide and will offload the cell traffic that no doubt Amazon has seen from people who use it fairly often).

The weight has gone down again (not that it needed to) and the form factor is less, so you'll need a new cover. Amazon's new Kindle Covers are ready to pre-order, in several colors and now come with a light for reading in the dark at $59.99 or without a light for $34.99. No doubt third party covers will follow soon. One really cool feature? There are no batteries for the reading light. Instead, it draws power from the Kindle itself. That will mean a reduced reading time, but there will only be one device to recharge and no expensive one-use batteries to dispose of.

Orders for both are now being taken, so for those that want one right away, you'll want to get in line quickly. When the Kindle 2 was first announced, some waited a couple of weeks for theirs to be shipped, even if they ordered fairly early in December (remember, they were out of stock for two months last time). The official release date is August 27th and if Amazon follows their earlier plan, those who order with next day and second day deliver will get the earliest units, while those who choose Super Saver shipping may wait up to a week for a truck to be filled and sent out (for that matter, when stock is short, they hold those orders in order to fill the higher priority shipping ones). I know that for the small difference in price, it's worth it to me to having something like this shipped via UPS or Fedex, with a package tracking, rather than hoping it makes it thru the postal service (and is still at the mailbox when I get there).

Here are some highlights from the product page:

Kindle is our #1 bestselling item for two years running. It’s also the most-wished-for, most-gifted, and has the most 5-star reviews of any product on Amazon. Now it's even better.

• All-New, High-Contrast E-Ink Screen – 50% better contrast than any other e-reader
• Read in Bright Sunlight – No glare
• New and Improved Fonts – New crisper, darker fonts
• New Sleek Design – 21% smaller body while keeping the same 6" size reading area
• 17% Lighter – Only 8.5 ounces, weighs less than a paperback
• Battery Life of Up to One Month – A single charge lasts up to one month with wireless off
• Double the Storage – Up to 3,500 Books
• Built-In Wi-Fi – Shop and download books in less than 60 seconds; transfer personal documents using a Wi-Fi connection for free at any time.
• 20% Faster Page Turns – Seamless reading
• Enhanced PDF Reader – With dictionary lookup, notes, and highlights
• New WebKit-Based Browser – Browse the web over Wi-Fi (experimental) 
• Quieter Page Turn Buttons – Quieter page turning means you won't disturb your partner when you want to read all night.

Voice Guide
With Text-to-Speech, Kindle can read out loud to you. New Text-to-Speech enabled menus allow customers to navigate Kindle without having to read menu options. In addition to listening to books aloud, users now have the option of listening to content listings on the home screen, item descriptions, and all menu options.

New, Built-In Wi-Fi
Kindle automatically detects nearby Wi-Fi networks at school, home, or your favorite café. At a hotel or café that requires a password? Simply enter the password and connect to the network. Once you have added a Wi-Fi network, Kindle will automatically connect to that network the next time you’re near the hotspot. Kindle does not currently connect to enterprise or peer-to-peer networks.

Free Access at AT&T Hotspots
Enjoy free Wi-Fi access at AT&T hotspots across the U.S. for shopping and downloading Kindle content — no AT&T registration, sign-in, or password required.

Support for New Characters
Kindle can now display Cyrillic (such as Russian), Japanese, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), and Korean characters in addition to Latin and Greek scripts.

Precise 5-Way Controller
Kindle has an easy-to-use 5-way controller, enabling precise on-screen navigation for selecting text to highlight or looking up words. No on-screen fingerprints.

Video Deal of the Day - The BBC Natural History Collection

Amazon's Gold Box deal today is a real winner for those that don't yet have Planet Earth on Blu-ray (and not bad for those who do, since you could always re-gift the standalone product to someone else or take it to your local used video store as a trade-in). The BBC High Definition Natural History Collection [Blu-ray] is marked down (today only) to $69.99 and contains all of these titles (individual prices shown for comparison: Planet Earth ($49.99), Wild China ($24.99), Galapagos ($16.99), Ganges ($16.99). All are the original and complete BBC versions, with David Attenborough narrating Planet Earth. There are eight blu-ray disks included, with a total run time of 1,150 minutes (needless to say, you won't watch it all in one night!).

Also, if you have not taken advantage of the promotion already, this DVD set (amongst many other items) will also get you $4 worth of eligible movies and TV shows from Amazon Video On Demand after you order your item (limited to one promotional credit per customer).

Product Description

• Planet Earth (Original U.K. broadcast version narrated by David Attenborough, including 90 minutes not shown on the Discovery Channel)
• Wild China
• Galapagos
• Ganges (Behind the scenes, deleted scenes, English, Hindi and Bengali narration)
  

Psssst .... Wanna Buy A Kindle?

While theft of Kindles continue, as does the sale of Kindles that are stolen or reported as such well after the sale, despite Amazon's recently more aggressive treatment (they now essentially brick the Kindle, something long asked for by those having them stolen, but which is now making victims of those buying these units off Craigslist and other used venues, even if they first check with Amazon to ensure the serial number hasn't been reported as stolen), risking those used markets may be the only way to find a new, unused 6" Kindle soon. Currently, you can still get a refurbished Kindle (Global/AT&T) ($169.99), but all other 6" versions are out of stock, both new and refurbished. The Graphite Kindle DX and White Kindle DX are both in stock, though, are are the refurbished Kindle DX (U.S.) ($249.99) and refurbished Kindle DX (Global) ($299.99).

The last time Amazon let the Kindle go out of stock for any length of time (in fact, the only time it's happened other than the shortage after the launch of the original Kindle), Amazon brought the item back as a new version instead. All the early purchasers of what has been referred to as the latest generation Kindle until the last month or so, were the ones who ordered the original Kindle while it was out of stock over Christmas and received the newer Kindle instead. If Amazon keeps up with that same tradition, then those who order what is now called the Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G, 6" Display, White, 3G Works Globally - Latest Generation may find themselves amongst the first to possess either a newer version Kindle. I suspect the next one to release will be a 6" graphite version of the Kindle, with the higher contrast screen now seen on the Graphite Kindle DX and that few other changes will occur on the Kindle that rumors have been pegging at a release date of August. As for when it will release: my prediction is 31 days after the last price drop seen on the Kindle (so as to trigger as few returns as possible), just a happened with the current Kindle, which released on Feb 9, 2009, just after the return period ended for Christmas orders (and which followed the original Kindle being mostly out of stock for two months).

Of course, this time, Amazon can't afford to be out of Kindles for two months. Especially not when there are so many other choices available and when sales growth is taking off. Of course, that tripling in sales growth no doubt contributed to the shortage (as does the sales of other readers, since there is only one source of screens for all the eInk readers). So, what do you think? Wiil you take a gamble on getting a newer Kindle (after all, you can always send it back, if you get the current Kindle) before anyone else?

Free Book (Sony) - Finding Nouf

Finding Nouf ($7.67 Kindle), by Zoe Ferraris, is free in the Sony bookstore.

Book Description
When sixteen-year-old Nouf goes missing, her prominent family calls on Nayir al-Sharqi, a pious desert guide, to lead the search party. Ten days later, just as Nayir is about to give up in frustration, her body is discovered by anonymous desert travelers. But when the coroner's office determines that Nouf died not of dehydration but from drowning, and her family seems suspiciously uninterested in getting at the truth, Nayir takes it upon himself to find out what really happened.

He quickly realizes that if he wants to gain access to the hidden world of women, he will have to join forces with Katya Hijazi, a lab worker at the coroner's office who is bold enough to bare her face and to work in public. Their partnership challenges Nayir, as he confronts his desire for female companionship and the limitations imposed by his beliefs. Fast-paced and utterly transporting, Finding Nouf is a riveting literary mystery that offers an unprecedented window into Saudi Arabia and the lives of men and women there.

Click HERE for the free download (will open the Sony Library software).

Free Audiobooks - The Looking Glass Wars and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Audiobook Sync is giving away audiobooks aimed at young adults this summer. There are two new ones each week, so you have to keep checking back. You can't get any titles that have been missed, but once they are loaded into Overdrive (which you will need to install, if you are not already using it for library books), they are yours to keep (there is no expiration date). Get today's titles quickly, as there will be two new ones up on Thursday.


First up this week is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , by Lewis Carroll, read by Michael York, which many of you have already downloaded when Blackstone Audio gave it away last March.

Book Description
Alice chases the White Rabbit down a rabbit hole and encounters a world of delightfully eccentric characters like the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Cheshire Cat, the Mock Turtle, and the Queen of Hearts. This enduring and evocative tale can be read on many levels and enjoyed by adults and children alike.

The second free audiobook this week is The Looking Glass Wars ($7.99 Kindle), by Frank Beddor, the first in the series of the same name.

Book Description
The Myth: Alice was an ordinary girl who stepped through the looking glass and entered a fairy-tale world invented by Lewis Carroll in his famous storybook. The Truth: Wonderland is real. Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne, until her murderous aunt Redd steals the crown and kills Alyss- parents. To escape Redd, Alyss and her bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, must flee to our world through the Pool of Tears. But in the pool Alyss and Hatter are separated. Lost and alone in Victorian London, Alyss is befriended by an aspiring author to whom she tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Yet he gets the story all wrong. Hatter Madigan knows the truth only too well, and he is searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland so she may battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.

Click HERE to sign up for an account and get the free downloads. Don't forget, you'll also need to install the Overdrive software (there is a link at Sync). In addition, you end up clicking about three pages, for each book, before the audiobook actually downloads. Don't stop so long as you still see a button that talks about your Sync download (or until you see the Overdrive software open up). Once in Overdrive, you'll need to tell it where to save the files (just click OK to use the default location, since Overdrive will keep track of them for you), then again to actually start the download (by default, all parts of the book are downloaded; I would suggest not changing this in the last dialog box, just click on OK to get the download started).

Free Book (Sony) - Counterfeit Son

Counterfeit Son ($5.59 Kindle), a young-adult title from Elaine Marie Alphin, is free in the Sony bookstore.

Book Description
Cameron Miller is pretending to be someone he isn't. When he began presenting himself as Neil Lacey, it was the only way he could think of to distance himself from what Pop had done, to finally climb out of his nightmarish existence. He thought it would be easy--playing the rich kid, sailing his boat--but he didn't count on Cougar. Now Cougar, his father's old accomplice, has tracked Cameron down and presented an ultimatum: Share the wealth or be exposed. Will Cameron give up his new identity to protect Neil's family? Or will he let his search for a new life destroy those around him?

Click HERE to open the Sony Reader software and get the free book.

Free Book (nook) - I Thought It Was You

I Thought It Was You ($0.99 Kindle), by Shiloh Walker, is free in the Barnes and Noble store. This is a Samhain title (so check the warning) and is a short story that fits between the second and third books in her Grimm's Circle series. You'll notice that the description says it is free, so the price in the Kindle store is likely to change.

Book Description
The events of this free short story take place between the events of No Prince Charming and Ren's story, Crazed Hearts. It turns out both Ren and Elle had some loose ends they needed to tie up-and that's what this story is about. It's not Ren's happy ever after. That's in Crazed Hearts.

Warning: the following story contains some unfinished business, some unrequited love and a whole lot of action between 3 somewhat debauched guardian angels.

Click HERE for the free download.

Free Book (ADE/EPUB) - Nightmare's Edge

Nightmare's Edge ($9.99 Kindle), by Bryan Davis, is free on Kobo courtesy of Christian publisher Zondervan, for those who have an EPUB capable ereader or can read on their PC (requires ADE) or iPhone (Kobo reader app). This is the third part of his Echoes from the Edge SciFi trilogy, the first two of which are free on Kindle and others (see this post).

Book Description
In the final installment in the Echoes from the Edge series, the three Earths are headed towards imminent destruction, and only Nathan's father knows the secret to saving billions of people from the celestial collision. But he is trapped in a dream world where nightmares are reality and the collapse of the cosmos is at hand. When Kelly sacrifices herself on Nathan's behalf during a rescue mission gone bad, Nathan is faced with two formidable tasks: save Kelly, and repair the cosmic fabric before the three dimensions collide. With the fate of the universe hanging in the balance, and the murderous stalker Mictar dogging his steps, Nathan must save the three Earths ... or risk everything trying.

Click HERE to get the free download. Don't forget to also add it to your library (don't JUST download the Epub), in case you might want to redownload it later.

Free Book (ADE/EPUB) - Premiere (On the Runway)

Premiere (On the Runway) ($7.99 Kindle), by Melody Carlson, is free on Kobo courtesy of Christian publisher Zondervan, for those who have an EPUB capable ereader or can read on their PC (requires ADE) or iPhone (Kobo reader app).

Book Description
A recipe for success or a design for disaster?Although they're sisters, Paige and Erin Forrester are like oil and water, night and day, denim and silk. Paige is an outgoing fashionista who loves to be the center of attention, while Erin is more comfortable sporting vintage garb and recording the action around her. When a near disaster turns into the opportunity of a lifetime, these two very-different sisters are given the chance to star in their own fashion-TV show. A guest spot on a hot teen-reality series and their first big red-carpet assignment give this unlikely partnership plenty of room for success---and even more for failure.

Click HERE to get the free download. Don't forget to also add it to your library (don't JUST download the Epub), in case you might want to redownload it later.

Games of the Day - Memory Clinic

Today's game download pick is Memory Clinic, which Amazon has marked down to $2.99 for today only.

Game Description
Join Dr. Summerland at her private Memory Clinic to improve your memory through a variety of hidden object based challenges. The game provides familiar hidden object content to the player with added memory-training aspect. Each hidden object scene will be based around a “brain training” activity. The goal is to provide high re-playability value by offering wide range of brain training mechanics. As player progresses through the game, puzzles will get tougher. Dr. Summerland will monitor player's performance and adjust the level of difficulty of the puzzles through the game until the player reaches the top rank.

• The first hidden object game created to improve your skills and memory!
• Train in attention, speed, memory, and problem solving.
• Time Attack Mode! For true experts only.
• Over 60 levels of hidden object gameplay
• 9 variations of hidden object gameplay

Free Book (Sony) - Rapture of the Deep

Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy ($11.56 Hardcover), by L. A. Meyer, is free in the Sony ebookstore today. This children's book, the seventh in the Bloody Jack Adventure series, is about $10 in the Kindle, B&N and Kobo stores, and not available from Borders. At least in the Kindle store, it appears to be limited to US customers only, as well.

Book Description
On the very day that Jacky Faber is to wed her true love, she is kidnapped by British Naval Intelligence and forced to embark on yet another daring mission—this time to search for sunken Spanish gold. But when Jacky is involved, things don't always go as planned.

Jacky has survived battles on the high seas, the stifling propriety of a Boston finishing school, and even confinement in a dank French prison. But no adventure has quite matched her opportunistic street-urchin desires—until now.

Click HERE to get the free book (will open the Sony Library software).

Free Classics from B&N (nook)

Barnes and Noble has changed up their Free Fridays this summer and is offering a new set of free classics each week. These editions are not exactly the same as you would find at Gutenberg; Barnes and Noble Classic Series editions generally have been more carefully proofread and have introductions and scholarly notes inserted in the beginning to aid in understanding the text. If you are building a summer reading list for a student, stocking up for lit classes in college or just want to revisit the classics, these are a great (free) resource.These are DRM'd epubs, though, so will only be readable on a nook or one of the B&N reader apps.

Each Friday, you can find a new set of classics in the B&N Free Library. This week, it's:

1. Beowulf by Anonymous, John McNamara
2. Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, Peter Connor
3. Emma by Jane Austen, Steven Marcus
4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Radhika Jones
5. Ivanhoe by Walter Scott, Gillen D'Arcy Wood
6. Pygmalion and Three Other Plays by George Bernard Shaw, John A. Bertolini
7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, Isabel Roche
8. Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper, Stephen Railton  (previously offered free)
9. Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, Isabel Roche
10. Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, Barbara T. Cooper
11. War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, Alfred Mac Adam
12. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen