Today's Deals

Today's Kindle Deal of the Day is Life From Scratch ($1.99), by Melissa Ford. It looks like I picked this one up early last year, when it was briefly free on Kindle.

Book Description
Divorced, heartbroken and living in a lonely New York apartment with a tiny kitchen, Rachel Goldman realizes she doesn't even know how to cook the simplest meal for herself. Can learning to fry an egg help her understand where her life went wrong? She dives into the culinary basics. Then she launches a blog to vent her misery about love, life and her goal of an unburnt casserole.

To her amazement, the blog's a hit. She becomes a minor celebrity. Next, a sexy Spaniard enters her life. Will her souffles stop falling? Will she finally forget about the husband she still loves? And how can she explain to her readers that she still hasn't learned how to cook up a happy life from scratch?

Paper Towns ($1.55 / £0.99 UK), by John Green, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $9.99).

Book Description
Who is the real Margo? Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. She has disappeared. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance . . . and they are for him. Trailing Margo's disconnected path across the USA, the closer Q gets, the less sure he is of who he is looking for.

The Other Log of Phileas Fogg (Wold Newton) ($1.59 Kindle, B&N), by Philip Jose Farmer, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle. I think I'd have to buy this one based on the story line, even if it weren't one of my favorite authors (now, to find it a place in the TBR list).

Book Description
In a delicious slice of sci-fi whimsy that sits cleverly alongside Verne's original tale, Phileas Fogg's epic global journey is not the product of a daft wager but, in fact, a covert mission to chase down the elusive Captain Nemo - who is none other than Professor Moriarty.

A secret alien war has raged on Earth for years and is about to culminate in this epic race.

A novel in the Wold Newton universe, in which characters such as Sherlock Holmes, Flash Gordon, Doc Savage, James Bond and Jack the Ripper are all mysteriously connected.

Birdie's Big-Girl Shoes ($11.67 Hardcover; no Kindle edition, $3.99 B&N), by Sujean Rim, is the Nook Daily Find for Families (requires NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet).

Book Description
Birdie carefully slipped her little toes into one shoe,
then slid into the other.

She looked at herself in the mirror...
and gasped.

Birdie can't wait to be just like her mom. She loves wearing jewelry, spritzing perfume bottles, and dressing up in front of the mirror. But more than anything, Birdie fantasizes about her mother's fancy high-heels. She can't wait to try them on and do all the things she likes to do wearing beautiful "big-girl shoes."

Little girls will love walking with Birdie as she spends a day in her mother's shoes, but in the end they may find that, like Birdie, they like their "barefoot shoes" best of all.

With playful watercolors and clever textured cut-paper designs, this precious picture book will speak to every little girl who longs to be a "big-girl".

Amazon Summer Music Deals

I was looking thru the MP3 music at Amazon, trying to decide how to spend my $1 credit and stumbled upon a few good deals. First, today's album deal is Bob Marley's Legend for only $2.99.

Also today only, The Most Spectacular Fireworks Music In The Universe, which features some great classical music, is only 99 cents! Amazon says there are supposed to be two 99 cent albums for today, but they only linked in this one. I looked at the Classical Bestsellers page, where this albums is currently #1, and found several other 99 cent albums, but can't really tell if any of them are the one-day special selection. Not really on sale, but in the Top Hot Releases category are 50 Patriotic Songs Music for the 4th of July ($8.49) and 40 Most Beautiful American Classics ($3.99), which are on theme, as well as Pleasure & Pain - Sexy Classical Music Inspired By Fifty Shades of Grey (which isn't, but is only 99 cents). St. Mark's Philharmonic Orchestra's 4th Of July Celebration and the All-American Patriotic Ensemble's 4th of July - The Essential American Patriotic Music Collection are close, though, at only $1.99 each.

Edit to add: Amazon fixed their links. The Most Relaxing Beethoven In The Universe is the second 99 cent album for today!

If you are planning a summer wedding, be sure to put The 99 Most Essential Wedding Classics on your play list.

This week's $2.99 MP3 Albums theme is Soundtracks and there are 25 albums included in the sale, including a couple guaranteed to set your feet to dancing.

The big promotion they are running though, is the Essential Summer Jams Playlist, featuring 20 of their favorite songs of summer for 25 cents apiece or only $5 for the entire playlist. There were a couple I had been considering already and only a couple that I already had (one from the Legend album above and another from The Very Best Of Otis Redding album, which on sale for $5). Personally, I think they could have included all the songs from David Lee Roth's Crazy From The Heat ($3.22) EP, but that could just be because of the recent heat wave (and the great cover image).

$1.29 MP3 Credit from @Pepsi using #PepsiMusicNow

Follow @PEPSI on Twitter.com and tweet to them using hashtag #PepsiMusicNow and you could get a DM back with an promo code good for a $1.29 MP3 credit at Amazon. They aren't sending the codes to everyone, but should be giving away quite a few today.

If you use Fandango for movie tickets, be sure to take advantage of their deal, too, and get $2 in MP3 credits to go with your tickets. It appears to be one credit per purchase, but it's unclear if you can get multiple credits with additional purchases throughout the month.

It appears that if you buy select Android apps (including at least today's free app), Amazon is automatically adding a $1 MP3 credit to your account. I just checked my account and a new credit was there that wasn't there a day or so ago, when I last checked (you can check it by clicking the redeem button from the link below). If you don't have an Android device, you can use Virtual Box (see this Help Page) to create a virtual Android device that can be used to allow purchase of Android Apps from Amazon.

Once you have your code, click HERE to redeem and you can then purchase online or from your Kindle Fire.

Today's Deals

Today's MP3 is an Exclusive Amazon Sampler titled Relaxation & Meditation which features 60 minutes of relaxing music that you can play in the background while reading.

Cemetary Dance is offering 44% off using promo code 44JULY4TH this week: "Save 44% off everything in our online store this week: Limited Editions, Lettered Editions, Trade Editions, eBooks, magazines, comics, slipcases, DJs, artwork, other items, preorders, in-stock titles, and even forthcoming and in-stock books from other publishers qualify!" (exp July 6, 2012). If using on ebooks, it only applies to those purchased direct from the site, not thru Amazon, Kobo or other stores.

Get 30% off your entire order at Samhain using coupon code 4JULY12 (today only).

Smashwords is having a their "July Summer/Winter Sale Specials for July 1–31", which features books anywhere from 25% to 100% off using coupon codes SSWIN (100% off), SSW75 (75% off), SSW50 (50% off) and SSW25 (25% off) and has some simply free to download. You can select to view the sale by length of work, which coupon works and still pick the genre, to narrow down your selections. Books purchased with coupons will stay in your library, but those that say "free" will need to be backed up at your end, as they won't be accessible later if the author removes them from the store or raises the price.

Diane Duane and Peter Morwood have brought back their 60% off sale for books purchased direct from their store, using coupon code JUNEJULY. It's tricky to shop there (you enter the code AFTER you set up payment, explained on this help page), but it's a great way to pick up the 9-volume Young Wizards International Edition complete set for $16 (the individual titles at amazon are $5-$6). Their books are DRM-free and you might as well pick the EPUB/MOBI bundle, so you'll have both formats on hand, in case you change ereaders in the future. Amongst the high fantasy selections, you'll also discover a St. Patrick's Day cookbook, which claims to have been "tested in real Irish kitchens on real Irish neighbors", which is $4.99 at Amazon (no reviews yet, but you can get a sample to preview).

Today's Kindle Deal of the Day is Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free ($1.99), by John Ferling. This looks like it should be required reading for every US politician, if not for every American (and those to want to become one).

Book Description
No event in American history was more pivotal-or more furiously contested-than Congress's decision to declare independence in July 1776. Even months after American blood had been shed at Lexington and Concord, many colonists remained loyal to Britain. John Adams, a leader of the revolutionary effort, said bringing the fractious colonies together was like getting "thirteen clocks to strike at once."

Other books have been written about the Declaration, but no author has traced the political journey from protest to Revolution with the narrative scope and flair of John Ferling. Independence takes readers from the cobblestones of Philadelphia into the halls of Parliament, where many sympathized with the Americans and furious debate erupted over how to deal with the rebellion. Independence is not only the story of how freedom was won, but how an empire was lost.

At this remarkable moment in history, high-stakes politics was intertwined with a profound debate about democracy, governance, and justice. John Ferling, drawing on a lifetime of scholarship, brings this passionate struggle to life as no other historian could. Independence will be hailed as the finest work yet from the author Michael Beschloss calls "a national resource."

Inflight Science: A Guide to the World from Your Airplane Window ($1.55 / £0.99 UK), by Brian Clegg, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $8.39).

Book Description
There are few times that science is so immediate as when you're in a plane. Acclaimed science writer Brian Clegg shows how you stay up there – but that’s only the beginning. Inflight Science explains the ever-changing view, whether it’s crop circles or clouds, mountains or river deltas, and describes easy-to-do experiments, from showing how a wing provides lift to calculating the population of the towns you fly over. You’ll learn why the coastline is infinite in length, the cause of thunderstorms and the true impact of volcanic ash on aircraft engines. Fascinating facts to discover include:

• The jet stream winds are so fast that a plane traveling west to east within them can fly beyond the speed of sound.
• The wingspan of a 747 is around twice the distance flown by the Wright Flyer on its maiden flight.
• With good visibility and total darkness, the human eye is so sensitive that you could see a single candle from the cruising height of a plane.

Packed full of amazing insights from physics, chemistry, engineering, geography and more, Inflight Science is a voyage of scientific discovery perfect for any journey – even if it’s just in your armchair.

Revolution: A Manifesto ($9.99 Kindle, $2.99 B&N), by Ron Paul, is the Nook Daily Find. Now priced matched on Kindle! Apparently they are having a pricing revolution there, as this is an Agency published book, which is supposed to guarantee the same price everywhere, but it hasn't dropped at Amazon. I don't know if this one will drop today, but you can get The Case for Gold , which features a preface by Ron Paul, for just a penny in the Kindle store.

Book Description
This Much Is True:
You Have Been Lied To.
The government is expanding.
Taxes are increasing.
More senseless wars are being planned.
Inflation is ballooning.
Our basic freedoms are disappearing.

The Founding Fathers didn't want any of this. In fact, they said so quite clearly in the Constitution of the United States of America. Unfortunately, that beautiful, ingenious, and revolutionary document is being ignored more and more in Washington. If we are to enjoy peace, freedom, and prosperity once again, we absolutely must return to the principles upon which America was founded. But finally, there is hope...

In THE REVOLUTION, Texas congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul has exposed the core truths behind everything threatening America, from the real reasons behind the collapse of the dollar and the looming financial crisis, to terrorism and the loss of our precious civil liberties. In this book, Ron Paul provides answers to questions that few even dare to ask.

The 1943 Newbery Medal Winner Johnny Tremain ($1.99 Kindle, B&N), by Esther Hoskins Forbes, is the Nook Daily Find for Families, price matched on Kindle. It's too bad that her adult novel, Paul Revere and the World He lived In, which won the Pulitzer Prize for history in 1942, isn't available as an ebook, but this is title is an excellent start in making her work more available.

Book Description
Johnny Tremain is one of the finest historical novels ever written for children. As compelling today as it was fifty years ago, to read this riveting novel is to live through the defining events leading up to the American Revolutionary War. Fourteen-year old Johnny Tremain, an apprentice silversmith with a bright future ahead of him, injures his hand in a tragic accident, forcing him to look for other work. In his new job as a horse-boy, riding for the patriotic newspaper, the Boston Observer, and as a messenger for the Sons of Liberty, he encounters John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Dr. Joseph Warren. Soon Johnny is involved in the pivotal events shaping the American Revolution from the Boston Tea Party to the first shots fired at Lexington. Powerful illustrations by American artist Michael McCurdy, bring to life Esther Forbes' quintessential novel of the American Revolution.

Grade Level: 4 and up

£0.20 Books from Sony and Amazon UK

There are a number of books on sale in the UK Sony ebookstore and Amazon has matched the prices for UK customers in both the Main and UK bookstores. There are a few others included on the sale page that have either not dropped in price (which I'll ignore), have dropped, but not to £0.20 (and which are cheaper on Kindle) and a few not listed that are discounted under £1, which I've included at the end.

An Idiot Abroad: The Travel Diaries of Karl Pilkington (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Karl Pilkington, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant

Book Description
Presenting the Travel Diaries of Karl Pilkington: Adventurer. Philosopher. Knob head. Karl Pilkington isn’t keen on travelling. Given the choice, he’ll go on holiday to Devon or Wales or, at a push, eat English food on a package holiday in Majorca. Which isn’t exactly Michael Palin, is it? So what happened when he was convinced by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant to go on an epic adventure to see the Seven Wonders of the World? Travel broadens the mind, right? You’d think so...

50 Economics Ideas You Really Need to Know: your really need to know (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Edmund Conway

Book Description
What exactly is a credit crunch? Why do footballers earn so much more than the rest of us? Which country is likely to be the world's leading economy in 10 years' time? And how does economics affect each one of us, every day? In the seventh volume of the successful 50 Ideas series, Daily Telegraph economics editor Edmund Conway introduces and explains the central ideas of economics in a series of 50 clear and concise essays. Beginning with an exploration of the basic theories, such as Adam Smith's ‘invisible hand', and concluding with the latest research into the links between wealth and happiness, he sheds light on all the essential topics needed to understand booms and busts, bulls and bears, and the way the world really works. Packed with real-life examples and quotations from key thinkers, 50 Economics Ideas provides a fascinating overview of how economics influences every aspect of our lives, from buying a house to what we had for breakfast this morning.

Playground (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by 50 Cent

Book Description
Thirteen-year-old Butterball doesn't have that much going for him. He's teased about his weight. He hates the suburb his mum moved them to so she could go to nursing school and start her life over. He wishes he still lived with his dad in New York City - where there's always something happening, even if his dad doesn't have much time for him.

Still that's not why he beat up Maurice in the playground. Now his school is forcing him to talk to some out-of-touch lady therapist, as though she could ever fix him - as though she could ever figure out the truth. No, Butterball's lips are sealed about what happened that day. But some tales can't help being told. And this is one of them.

My Daughter, My Mother (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Annie Murray

Book Description
In 1984 two young mothers meet at a toddler group in Birmingham. As their friendship grows, they share with each other the difficulties and secrets in their lives: Joanne, a sweet, shy girl, is increasingly afraid of her husband. The lively, promising man she married has become hostile and violent and she is too ashamed to tell anyone. When her mother, Margaret is suddenly rushed into hospital, the bewildered family find that there are things about their mother of which they had no idea. Margaret was evacuated from Birmingham as a child and has spent years avoiding the pain of her childhood – but finds that you can’t run from the past forever. Sooky, kind and good-natured, has already been through one disastrous marriage and is back at home living with her parents. But being ‘disgraced’ is not easy. Her mother, Meena, refuses to speak to Sooky. At first her silence seems like a punishment, but Sooky gradually realizes it contains emotions which are far more complicated and that her mother may need her help. Meena has spent 20 years trying to fit in with life in Birmingham, and to deal with the conflicts within her between east and west, old ways and new. This is the story of two young women discovering the heartbreak of their mothers’ lives, and of how mothers create daughters – and learn from them.

Unsuitable Man (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Pippa Wright

Book Description
After eleven years of coupled-up domesticity, Rory Carmichael is single for the first time in her adult life. Even she would admit that her ex-boyfriend Martin wasn’t the most exciting man in the world – let’s face it, his idea of a rocking night was one spent discussing pension plans in a Harvester restaurant – but Rory could rely on him and, having watched her mother rack up four turbulent marriages, that’s what matters. But when she discovers that her supposedly reliable Mr Right is a distinctly unreliable cheater, she’s forced to consider the possibility that everything she knows about relationships is wrong. In an effort to reinvigorate both her love life and her lacklustre career at posh magazine Country House, she sets herself a mission to date as many unsuitable men as possible. Toyboys. Sugar daddies. Fauxmosexuals. Maybe the bad boys she’s never dated can show her what she’s been missing in life. But if Mr Right can turn out to be so wrong, maybe one of her Mr Wrongs will turn out to be just right...

Pretty Twisted (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Gina Blaxill

Book Description
Ros has a secret crush on Jonathan. Jonathan is massively hung up on Freya (even after she dumps him). And Freya? Well, Freya is a beautiful enigma. Even more so when she goes missing without a trace . . . PRETTY TWISTED is narrated in alternating chapters by Jonathan (16) and Ros (14) who meet online at a time when things are going sour for Jonathan. His stunning girlfriend, Freya, is away at college and they are growing apart - consequently, he is struggling with his own sense of identity. Ros is also experiencing some problems - one of her friends is dating an older man whose strange behaviour gives Ros cause for concern. Meanwhile, the local news has been reporting some kidnappings of teenage girls. So when Freya dumps Jonathan, then seems to disappear off the face of the earth, he enlists Ros' (somewhat reluctant) help in tracking down the girl he still loves. With danger lurking around every corner, their stories become inextricably linked in a way nobody could have predicted . . .

Monday to Friday Man (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Alice Peterson

Book Description
What do you do if you're 34, single and recovering from being jilted two weeks before your wedding day? This is the dilemma Gilly Brown finds herself in. While friends are marrying, having children and moving into the depths of the countryside, Gilly finds herself alone in London and holding on to her fractured family with their tragic past. It's time to meet new people.

So, she decides to get a Monday to Friday lodger, and after a succession of alarming interviews finally finds the perfect one in the shape of handsome reality television producer Jack Baker. Gilly falls for Jack's charm and is transported into an exciting social whirlwind of parties, dining out and glamour. When Jack is introduced to Gilly's family and friends, it's only the attractive and eccentric Guy, the newest recruit to her dog-walking group, who isn't quite so convinced about Jack's intentions. As Guy watches them grow closer, his suspicions of Jack and his feelings for Gilly deepen. Is Jack so perfect after all... and what exactly does he get up to at the weekends?

Perfect People (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Peter James

Book Description
John and Naomi are grieving the death of their four-year-old son from a rare genetic disorder. They desperately want another child, but they realize the odds of their next child contracting the same disease are high.

Then they hear about geneticist Dr Leo Dettore. He has methods that can spare them the heartache of ever losing another child to any disease.

At his clinic is where their nightmare begins.

They should have realized something was wrong when they saw the list. Choices of eye colour, hair, sporting abilities. They can literally design their child. Now it's too late to turn back. Naomi is pregnant and already something is badly wrong . . .

Torn: Trylle Trilogy Book 2 (Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Amanda Hocking

Book Description
Acknowledging that she was different from everyone else wasn't difficult for Wendy Everly – she'd always felt like an outsider. But a new world and new family is a little hard for any girl to accept easily.Leaving behind the mysterious country of her birth, she is determined to fit back into normal life. But the world she's left behind won't let her go that easily . . .Kidnapped and imprisoned by her true family's enemies, Wendy soon learns that the lines between good and evil aren't as defined as she thought. And those things she'd taken for granted may have been lies all along. With the help of the dangerously attractive Loki, she escapes back to the safety of Förening – only to be confronted by a new threat.It's time to make a choice – can she put aside her personal feelings for the sake of her country? Torn between duty and love she must make a choice that could destroy her one chance at true happiness . . .

Switched: Trylle Trilogy Book 1 (£0.69 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Amanda Hocking

Book Description
Wendy Everly knew she was different the day her mother tried to kill her and accused her of having been switched at birth. Although certain she’s not the monster her mother claimed she is – she does feel that she doesn’t quite fit in . . . The new girl in High School, she’s bored and frustrated by her small town life – and then there’s the secret that she can’t tell anyone. Her mysterious ability – she can influence people’s decisions, without knowing how, or why . . . When the intense and darkly handsome newcomer Finn suddenly turns up at her bedroom window one night – her world is turned upside down. He holds the key to her past, the answers to her strange powers and is the doorway to a place she never imagined could exist. Förening, the home of the Trylle. Everything begins to make sense to Wendy. Among the Trylle, she is not just different, but special. But what marks her out as chosen for greatness in this world also places her in grave danger. With everything around her changing, Finn is the only person she can trust. But dark forces are conspiring – not only to separate them, but to see the downfall everything that Wendy cares about. The fate of Förening rests in Wendy’s hands, and the decisions she and Finn make could change all their lives forever . . .

Ascend: Trylle Trilogy Book 3 (£0.69 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Amanda Hocking

Book Description
Wendy Everly can barely remember what it was like to feel like a normal girl. She'd wished for her life to be different but everything is so much more complicated than she'd expected. And she certainly hadn't dreamt she'd be getting married at eighteen to a man she didn't love - all for the sake of duty.As the big day approaches, Wendy can't stop thinking about two different men - and neither of them are her husband-to-be. Finn - quiet, strong and determined to do what's right, and Loki - dark and seductive, a sworn enemy who once saved her life. With all-out war just days away, Wendy needs to act quickly if she is to save her friends and family. But while her loyalties and duties are to her people, deeper passions are leading her elsewhere.And as her worlds collide, Wendy must sacrifice everything she loves to save them. But will it be enough?

Jamrach's Menagerie (£2.86 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/£5.59 Sony), by Carol Birch

Book Description
Jaffy Brown is running along a street in London’s East End when he comes face to face with an escaped circus animal. Plucked from the jaws of death by Mr Jamrach – explorer, entrepreneur and collector of the world’s strangest creatures – the two strike up a friendship.Before he knows it, Jaffy finds himself on board a ship bound for the Dutch East Indies, on an unusual commission for Mr Jamrach. His journey – if he survives it – will push faith, love and friendship to their utmost limits.

The King's Speech (£1.19 Kindle Main/Kindle UK£5.88/Sony), by Mark and Conradi Logue

Book Description
Lionel Logue was a self-taught and almost unknown Australian speech therapist. Yet it was this outgoing, amiable man who almost single-handedly turned the nervous, tongue-tied Duke of York into one of Britain's greatest kings after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936 over his love for Mrs Simpson.

The King's Speech is the previously untold story of the remarkable relationship between Logue and the haunted future King George VI, written with Logue's grandson and drawing exclusively from his grandfather Lionel's diaries and archive. This is an astonishing insight into the House of Windsor at the time of its greatest crisis. Never before has there been such a portrait of the British monarchy seen through the eyes of an Australian commoner who was proud to serve, and save, his King.

Eye of the Needle (£0.69 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Ken Follett

Book Description
His weapon is the stiletto, his codename: The Needle. He is Henry Faber, a coldly professional killer and Germany's most feared deep-cover agent in Britain. His task: to discover the Allies' plans for D-Day, and get them to Germany at all costs. It's a task he undertakes with customary relish and ruthlessness - until he encounters Storm Island, and a woman called Lucy . . .

Jackdaws (£1.00 Kindle Main/Kindle UK), by Ken Follett

Book Description
Two weeks before D-Day, the French Resistance attacks a chateau containing a telephone exchange vital to German communications – but the building is heavily guarded and the attack fails disastrously. Flick Clairet, a young British secret agent, proposes a daring new plan: she will parachute into France with an all-woman team known as the ‘Jackdaws’ and they will penetrate the chateau in disguise. But, unknown to Flick, Rommel has assigned a brilliant, ruthless Intelligence colonel, Dieter Franck, to crush the Resistance. And Dieter is on Flick’s trail... From the master storyteller and best-selling author of Eye of the Needle and Code to Zero comes the new thriller, set against the menacing backdrop of the Second World War and crackling with suspense and action. Jackdaws is an irresistible novel of the Resistance and of love, courage and revenge.

Hornet Flight (£0.69 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by Ken Follett

Book Description
From the master storyteller, a startling new thriller set amidst the Danish Resistance. It is June 1941 and Denmark is under German occupation. On the rocky coast of Denmark, two brothers, Harald and Arne Olufsen are straining against the rigid confines imposed by their elderly parents. Meanwhile, a network of MI6 spies is attempting to decipher an encrypted Luftwaffe radio signal which mentions the new Freya-Ger¿t - a rudimentary form of German radar equipment. Arne's relationship with Hermia Mount, an MI6 analyst draws him into underground politics, putting him under surveillance by the Danish security forces - and by one man in particular who has a personal motive to see Arne fall. It is only a matter of time before the brothers' paths converge in a united effortto overcome the Nazis. A disused Hornet Moth biplane is their only means of getting a vital message to the British . . .

The Stranger's Child (£2.84 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/£6.20 Sony), by Alan Hollinghurst

Book Description
The Sunday Times Novel of the Year ‘With The Stranger’s Child, an already remarkable talent unfurls into something spectacular’ Sunday Times In the late summer of 1913, George Sawle brings his Cambridge friend Cecil Valance, a charismatic young poet, to visit his family home. Filled with intimacies and confusions, the weekend will link the families for ever, having the most lasting impact on George’s sixteen-year-old sister Daphne. As the decades pass, Daphne and those around her endure startling changes in fortune and circumstance, reputations rise and fall, secrets are revealed and hidden and the events of that long-ago summer become part of a legendary story, told and interpreted in different ways by successive generations. Powerful, absorbing and richly comic, The Stranger’s Child is a masterly exploration of English culture, taste and attitudes over a century of change.

Fluke (£0.69 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by James Herbert

Book Description
He was a stringy mongrel, wandering the streets of the city, driven by a ravenous hunger and hunting a quarry he could not define. But he was something more. Somewhere in the depths of his consciousness was a memory clawing its way to the surface, tormenting him, refusing to let him rest. The memory of what he had once been. A man...

Moon (£0.69 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by James Herbert

Book Description
The nightmare begins before you sleep.... He had fled from the terrors of his past, finding refuge in the quietness of the island. And for a time he lived in peace. Until the 'sightings' began, visions of horror seeping into his mind like poisonous tendrils, violent acts that were hideously macabre, the thoughts becoming intense. He witnessed the grotesque acts of another thing, a thing that glorified in murder and mutilation, a monster that soon became aware of the observer within its own mind. And relished contact. A creature that would eventually come to the island to seek him out....

Sepulchre (£0.69 Kindle Main/Kindle UK/Sony), by James Herbert

Book Description
A conflict of evils

There is a house called Neath that holds a dark and terrible secret.

In that house there is a psychic called Kline who is part of its secret.

The Keeper is guardian of the house, of the psychic, and of the secret.But now an outsider must protect them from a terrible danger.

Halloran will combat men who thrive on physical corruption; he will find love of a perverse nature; he will confront his soul's own darkness.

And eventually he will discover the horrific and awesome secret of the Sepulchre...REMEMBER WITH FEAR

Others (£0.99 Kindle Main/Kindle UK), by James Herbert

Book Description
It sounded easy. Find a missing kid. Eighteen years old. Only he was dead. Died at birth. So why was his mother so sure he was still alive? Alive and calling for help. The assignment took me to Hell. And that's where I'd come from, only I didn't know it at the time. Matter of fact, there were a lot of things I didn't know about myself. I just thought I was different, not the kind you'd expect to be a private investigator. But I was wrong. Like I'd been wrong for most of my uncharmed life. Because I was more than that. And the answers were coming, coming fast and they scared me shitless. Murder, mutilation, depravity and horrors that almost OTHERS at Perfect Rest and every thought I had about life itself changed. It's a story you might hate. Because it's too close to the real truth. And it might frighten you so badly you will never sleep in an unlit room again. But it'll make you think. I promise you that. I only hope it won't make you think too much. Because that's when the nightmares will begin. Yeah, that's when everything will change. Your choice.

Today's Deals

Updated with a few deals, here at the top.

New coupon code at Kobo, good for 25% off select eBooks, good thru Fourth of July: 4825USoffz

If you go to Google's Music store in the US, today's free song (about half way down the page) is Don McLean's American Pie. You do have to have a credit card on file to get it, but you won't be charged (Google's free music sometimes requires a card on file, sometimes not, but I haven't been charged for any of the free ones I've grabbed over the last few months). There are several free Indie Rock cuts reachable from the sliding menu at top and a a few free Metal cuts reached from the graphic at the bottom of the page.

Now free on Kindle:

• Red, Green, or Murder (K/DF)
• Heartshot (K/DF)

Today's Kindle Deal of the Day is The Minotaur ($1.99), the third title in the Jake Grafton series by New York Times bestselling author Stephen Coonts. Another Open Road re-issue, this would be a must-buy for me, but it's already in my library.

Book Description
At the height of the Cold War, Captain Jake Grafton becomes entangled in the hunt for a spy selling high-tech military secrets to the Soviet Union

Naval pilot Jake Grafton flies fighter jets with ice water in his veins. But when he’s assigned a desk job in the Pentagon as the head of a top-secret stealth bomber program, his nerve is tested as never before. Colleagues start dying mysteriously, test flights are sabotaged, and the program is threatened at every level. If Grafton can’t infiltrate a web of espionage and counter-espionage centered round the deadly traitor, code-named the Minotaur, he stands to lose much more than just his career.

The Minotaur is an exhilarating thriller and fascinating procedural, revealing the complexities of military technology R&D.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Stephen Coonts, including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.

The UK Daily deal is Three Teen/Young Adult Books for £0.99 (1.55) apiece and one of the titles is also a great bargain for those in the US!

Witch Child (Main/UK), the first in the series by Celia Rees (no US edition)

When Mary sees her grandmother accused of witchcraft and hanged for the crime, she is silently hurried to safety by an unknown woman. The woman gives her tools to keep the record of her days - paper and ink. Mary is taken to a boat in Plymouth and from there sails to the New World where she hopes to make a new life among the pilgrims. But old superstitions die hard and soon Mary finds that she, like her grandmother, is the victim of ignorance and stupidity, and once more she faces important choices to ensure her survival. With a vividly evoked environment and characters skilfully and patiently drawn, this is a powerful literary achievement by Celia Rees that is utterly engrossing from start to finish.

Bleeding Hearts: True love bites... (Main/UK), the third title in the Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey (US edition $6.39)

Lucy's cousin Christabel has come to live in Violet Hill, and adjusting to the difference between life in a small mountain town and her home in the city is difficult. The strict curfew that Lucy's parents enforce is hard to respect. Surely something really dangerous couldn't possibly happen in this tiny town.

But Christabel starts to notice some mysterious happenings, and it seems like Lucy, her boyfriend Nicholas and his brother Connor are all in on a secret that Christabel doesn't understand - one that seems deadly serious. Although she won't admit it, Christabel would love to be in on any secret with Connor Drake. When Christabel is kidnapped by the ruthless Hel-Blar vampires, Lucy and Connor finally fill her in on all the undead drama. Together, they must find a way to stamp out the Hel-Blar for good.

Magyk (Main/UK), the first title in Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series (US edition $1.99). Check your libraries on this one, as there was a bonus edition free on most platforms in January of last year and it was marked down to £0.74 for those in the UK at that time. If you didn't manage to get a copy then, this is an excellent price in both countries, today, for an excellent series for those with middle-grade children.

Enter the world of Septimus Heap, Wizard Apprentice. Magyk is his destiny.

A powerful necromancer plans to seize control of all things Magykal. He has killed the Queen and locked up the Extraordinary Wizard. Now with Darke Magyk he will create a world filled with Darke creatures. But the Necromancer made one mistake. A vital detail he has overlooked means there is a boy who can stop him - the only problem is, the boy doesn’t know it yet.

For the Heap family, life as they know is about to change, and the most fantastically fast-paced adventure of confused identities, magyk and mayhem, begin.

Grade Level: 4 and up

Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll ($3.99 Kindle, B&N), by M. G. Lord, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.

Book Description
Since Barbie's introduction in 1959, her impact on baby boomers has been revolutionary. Far from being a toy designed by men to enslave women, she was a toy invented by women to teach women what-- for better or worse-- was expected of them. In telling Barbie's fascinating story, cultural critic and investigative journalist M. G. Lord, herself a first-generation Barbie owner, has written a provocative, zany, occasionally shocking book that will change how you look at the doll and the world.

The Pox Party ($8.35 Kindle, $1.99 B&N), the first title in The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation series by M. T. Anderson and winner of the National Book Award, is the Nook Daily Find for Families.

Book Description
This deeply provocative novel reimagines the past as an eerie place that has startling resonance for readers today.

Young Octavian is being raised by a group of rational philosophers known only by numbers — but it is only after he opens a forbidden door that learns the hideous nature of their experiments, and his own chilling role them. Set in Revolutionary Boston, M. T. Anderson’s mesmerizing novel takes place at a time when Patriots battled to win liberty while African slaves were entreated to risk their lives for a freedom they would never claim. The first of two parts, this deeply provocative novel reimagines past as an eerie place that has startling resonance for readers today.

Grade Level: 9 and up

Today's Deals

Just quick reminder - it's the first of the month and there is a new group of 100 Kindle books for $3.99 or less available. For Prime members, the start of a new month means you can get a new book from the Kindle Lending Library (provided you return the one you have, of course). The new month also means lots of new free books, so prepare for a deluge of posts during the day, today.

Today's Kindle Deal of the Day is The Days of Summer ($1.99), by Jill Barnett. Looks like a good price for those who didn't get it when it was free last summer.

Book Description
In 1957, the Banning family leads a life of privilege, wealth and domestic unhappiness. At the head of this California dynasty is oil magnate Victor Banning, a man of great power and even greater obsessions, who is determined to teach his son and grandsons to be predators in his dog-eat-dog world.Jimmy Peyton is a rising star in the music business, a young man with a bright future and no connection to the Bannings, until the fateful night their cars collide on a Los Angeles street, changing the lives and future of two innocent families.Laurel Peyton, Jimmy's daughter, has lived her entire life in the shadow of grief. Though her mother, Kathryn, struggled to keep her daughter safe and secluded after the terrible accident that ruined their family, she cannot guard against the one danger she never expected: Love.In 1970, Victor's grandsons, Jud and Cale, meet the beautiful and spirited Laurel, and these two families cross paths once again, this time on a passionate course that pits brother against brother and mother against daughter--a clash of wills that gradually draws them all closer to the truth of their tragic connection.

A Dangerous Talent (An Alix London Mystery) ($1.55 / £0.99 UK), a standalone novel by Aaron Elkins (Gideon Oliver series) and Charlotte Elkins (Lee Ofsted series), is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $4.99/KLL Eligible).

Book Description
Alix London has a promising career as an art consultant, a sumptuous condo in Seattle’s toniest neighborhood, a gorgeous figure, and a presence that exudes Ivy League breeding and old money. She has it all…or does she? Only Alix knows that the image she presents to the world is a carefully constructed mirage that veils an embarrassing truth. A brilliant, once-promising art student, the daughter of a prominent New York art conservator, her world was left in ruins when her father went to prison for art forgery. Now a Harvard dropout with an emptied bank account, she is languishing in a career that has produced little more than a lucky house-sitting gig. But all of that changes when Alix meets Christine Lemay, a novice art collector with money to burn and a hot tip on a recently discovered painting by American master Georgia O’Keeffe. Chris hires Alix to perform the authentication, an assignment that finally could launch Alix into the big leagues. But soon after her arrival in Santa Fe, she finds herself tangled up in a web of forgery, deceit—and murder. Anxious to avoid becoming the next victim, she teams up with FBI Special Agent Ted Ellesworth—and gets a little unlikely help from her roguish father—to uncover the truth behind the painting and those who would kill to have it. Sharp, witty, and devilishly fun, A Dangerous Talent offers an insider’s look into the surprisingly treacherous contemporary art world.

SEAL of My Dreams ($1.99 Kindle, B&N), an anthology with short stories by Cindy Gerard, Stephanie Bond, Elle Kennedy, Helen Brenna and Kylie Brantis (et al) is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle. If you read romance or just want to support a great cause, you should pick up a copy of this book today, while it is on sale.

Book Description
Honor, duty, courage, passion . . . the men of the Navy SEALs are a special breed of hero, and in these novellas by eighteen top romance authors the SEALs are celebrated not only as symbols of devoted service to their country but as the kind of men every woman wants to love. They’ll rescue a damsel in distress and her lap dog, too. They’ll battle hometown dramas and international bad guys. When it comes to giving away their hearts, they’ll risk everything.

All proceeds from sales of SEAL of My Dreams go to the Veterans Research Corporation, a non-profit fundraiser for veterans’ medical research.

Between them, the authors of SEAL of My Dreams have won dozens of writing awards including multiple RITAs from Romance Writers of America. Their nearly 600 published novels have sold at least 35 million copies worldwide. The SEAL of My Dreams roster includes many of the best-known authors in modern romance fiction. In addition, many have strong family connections to the servicemen and women of our nation’s military, and many specialize in novels featuring heroes and heroines from all branches of service.

The Arctic Incident ($1.99 Kindle, B&N), the second title in Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series, is the Nook Daily Find for Families, price matched on Kindle. Be careful if searching on either device, as there are multiple editions and only the one linked here is on sale today. As a bonus, at Amazon you get the Audio/Video enhanced edition at this price; you can read it on any Kindle device or app, but on the iPad/iPhone, you get additional content. I'm tempted to get this edition, even though I already have the plain text version, just to see the enhanced content. At B&N, you also are getting an enhanced edition, but this one will ONLY be viewable/readable on either the NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet, so if you want to read it on an eInk nook or your phone/PC/iPad, you'll have to buy the full price edition, instead.

Book Description
Artemis Fowl receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. In it is a plea from a man who has been kidnapped by the Russian Mafiya: his father. As Artemis rushes to his rescue, he is stopped by a familiar nemesis, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. Now, instead of battling the fairies, Artemis must join forces with them if he wants to save one of the few people in the world he loves.

When a twelve-year-old evil genius tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding a ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology, and a particularly nasty troll.

Kindle Edition: Includes video footage from Eoin Colfer's one man stage show, Fairies, Fiends, & Flatulence. See different selections from the show in every Artemis Fowl eBooks 1-7.

Grade Level: 5 and up

Free Science Fiction from Asimov's Magazine

This year, Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine once again has several nominees for both the Nebula and the Hugo Awards in various short fiction categories. They have made DRM-free PDF copies available to download (the podcast nominees can be listened to online), including Nancy Kress' Act One, which was also free on Kindle recently.

Get the free downloads from The Hugo Awards nominees.
Get the free downloads from Nebula Award Nominees.

With both, you'll have to use Right Click and Save As to get them downloaded, as just clicking the link often displays an error (looks like a coding error at their end, as the browser thinks it is opening a directory, rather than downloading a file). I generally buy this and Analog SF magazine at Fictionwise, but both are also available on the Kindle.

If you are interested in getting a copy of all the Hugo Award nominee's works, you can still join Chicon as a supporting member (it costs $50/year) and get copies of the nominated novels, novellas, novelettes and many "related works" as seen on this page (scroll about half way down). Of course, you are expected to then read them and vote by July 31st (done online), in at least one category, if not all of them.

Today's Deals

Kobo has a few of new coupons this weekend, the first couple of which are for Canada Day and all of which expire at midnight July 2, 2012: dandm30 for 30% off (selected list only), canadaday20 for 20% off, PanMac30Jun29 for 30% off select MacMillan titles (UK only?), ac3auto35 for 35% off, and ac4auto45 for 45% off.

This weekend's Fictionwise coupon is 062912 for 35% off.

Sony has one of their rare coupons this weekend, good for 30% off. In the US, use 4THOFJULY30, and in Canada, CANADADAY30. Add the coupon to the account first; it should be good thru July 4th.

At DecalGirl, save 25% on all skins, until July 4th, using code FIREWORKS.

Today's Kindle Deal of the Day is The Vegas Knockout ($1.99), by Tom Schreck.

Book Description
Duffy Dombrowski just accepted a dream job: chief sparring partner for Russian heavyweight contender Boris Rusakov in Vegas. His obstinate basset hound, Al, and a few friends join Duffy for the ride—but before Duffy knows it, his trip turns into a nightmare. Someone’s killing local Mexican workers, friends and relatives of Duffy’s gym buddies. And to make matters worse, Duffy’s got Boris’s Russian mobster pals chasing him with murder on their minds.

Quirky characters, rapid-fire dialogue, and nonstop action propel The Vegas Knockout into the sphere of gritty thrillers that hit with astonishing power.

Inside Job ($2.09 / £1.29 UK), by Charles Ferguson, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (no US edition).

Book Description
The definitive big picture on the financial crisis, from the man behind the Oscar-winning documentary that exposed the workings of the new economic elite.

Based on explosive interviews conducted personally by award-winning filmmaker Charles Ferguson, as well as newly released court documents and information buried in archives, Inside Job traces in gripping detail how the financial industry and its enablers went rogue. Ferguson shows how three decades of deregulation created a “predator nation” and invited the crisis, particularly as key players cycled through positions of power in government, “independent” academia, and big-ticket finance. With clarity, toughness, and stunning freshness, he delivers an unrivaled accounting of how the new economic oligarchy have wrested control of our politics – and our prospects for eventual recovery.

So, You Want to Be Canadian: All About the Most Fascinating People in the World and the Magical Place They Call Home ($0.99 Kindle, B&N), by Kerry Colburn and Rob Sorenson, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.

Book Description
So, you want to be Canadian? Who doesn't these days? Canucks are enjoying a major renaissance in attention, from their enlightened social policies to their wild and wooly pop culture. This playful, trivia-packed book is a long-overdue celebration of all things Canadian, from the mysteries of "eh?" to the difference between an Ogo Pogo and a Windingo to how to prepare moose stroganoff (mmm!). Featuring a dreamy list of Canadian hotties, a toe-tapping roundup of Canadian smash hit songs, a handy Canadian-American translator, and pointers on how to eat, dress, and apologize like a Canadian if you weren't lucky enough to be born a Canuck, So, You Want to Be Canadian demonstrates once and for all why Canada is so cool (formerly just cold).

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane ($5.24 Kindle, $1.99 B&N), the second title in the Underland Chronicles series by Suzanne Collins, is the Nook Daily Find for Families.

Book Description
The action and adventure continue for Gregor in this stunning fantasy from a rising literary star.Gregor learns of his role in another Underland prophecy, yet he swears he will never return to that place. But his vow crumbles when his little sister, Boots, is snatched. Gregor knows it is a ploy to lure him to the subterranean world, but he gives in and heads back underground, where he is reunited with his bat, Ares, the princess Luxa, and new allies. Together, they descend into the deadly Waterway in search of an ominous rat known as Bane. But Gregor must face the possibility of his greatest loss yet, and make life and death choices that will determine the future of the Underland.

Managing My Kindle Libraries

This is a good time to mention my new strategy with my Kindle Library, which (as most of you know) is so large it causes all the Kindle 3's on the account to constantly reboot, if wireless is left on (apparently only in WiFi areas, from my experimentation). I have set up second account (some of you may want more than one) and I am "repurchasing" all the zero cost books there, as they pop back up as repeats, and deleting them from my main account. You might even want one for "free - indie author" and "free - commercial publisher", although I don't think I'll go that far. Those with kids may want to set up a separate account just for their books, as that is the best parental control method I've seen for Kindle - only have kids books in that account (paid or free, since there aren't that many free books in this category, from what I've seen).

It'll take a while to fix my main account, to be sure (it appears I need to get to around 3,000 books or less to fix both the rebooting issue and the inability to access the full archive from my Kindle). Another thing I'm doing to get there faster is that I've backed up all my Kindles to my hard drive, then imported all the AZW books into Calibre (using a new, labeled Library for this purpose). I then set it to convert to MOBI - those with DRM will fail, those without will succeed; I then deleted (from Calibre only) those that ended up without MOBI editions - what's left is all DRM-free books, which I'm removing, a few at a time, from my main Kindle account (to make it go faster, open up several tabs on your library - delete a book, switch to another tab while it refreshes).

Amazon lets you move your Kindle freely between accounts - you first deregister from the account it is on, then register to the new account. Make sure you do this with a wireless connection on - you Kindle must see that it has been deregistered or it won't properly register to the new account. It is often easiest to do this from the Kindle itself (at least, with a K3 or the Touch). Nothing gets wiped from the Kindle when you do this (unlike the nook tablets, which must be wiped clean to change accounts), so you can move your Kindle, grab a book or two, then move back to the "default" account. While you have no physical Kindles attached to an account, purchases just go to the CloudReader, so you don't even have to worry about this process when buying from the web. To make it easier for me to remember which account I'm buying in, I use two different browsers, with my default browser on my main account and a second browser (Chrome, in my case) logged into my "free books" account and that account has no payment methods, so it can't buy something by mistake (the only downside is that I can't add free pre-orders on this account, until they actually release).

You can also register your Kindle to the account from the web page - this is handy if you just want to download a book to your computer and transfer via USB (emailing might work, since it will have that Kindle's serial number in the DRM, but I haven't tested this yet). You do still have to deregister from the first account to start (it won't let a Kindle be registered to two accounts at once), but you can cut/paste the serial number from the first Manage Your Kindle Page and the entire process of de-register/register to 2nd account/send book/deregister/register to 1st account only takes about 1-2 minutes, with two browsers and a bit of practice. Amazon remembers all your settings for email and Kindle name on the first account and I haven't seen that this even impacts subscriptions (although all I have are a few blogs).

Today's Deals

Today's Kindle Deal of the Day is Five CJ Lyons Romantic Thrillers for $0.99 each. I checked my library and I found three of her books that I've picked up for free in the last year, starting with Snake Skin (Lucy Guardino FBI Thrillers, Book #1), which was free last July; now might be a good time to pick up a few more and say "thank you" with a paid purchase.

If you love sensual, suspense-filled reads, CJ Lyons will not disappoint. A pediatric ER doctor turned best-selling author, Lyons expertly writes what she knows and consistently creates riveting, fast-paced stories filled with engaging characters. Today only, these five novels are up to 80% off yesterday's price.

Chasing Shadows: Shadow Ops Book #1
New York Times Bestseller CJ Lyons has been praised as a "Master of the Genre" (Pittsburgh Magazine) for her romantic thrillers.Join CJ as she starts a sexy, fun-filled, adrenalin rush of a new series: Shadow Ops.

Following a group of covert operatives, men and women who risk their lives to protect our country--but are they ready to risk their hearts?

Going undercover, playing the part of a disgraced former Marine, is easy for Chase Westin--until a Christmas Eve mission takes him back to his hometown and face to face with his estranged brother.

When KC, an undercover FBI agent, flies into Chase's life with her Doc Martens, purple, punk-rock hair, and Hollywood-hype leather and chains, Chase realizes that falling in love is more dangerous than catching bullets.

Lost in Shadows: Shadow Ops, Book #2
A West Virginia mountain, the middle of a blizzard, killers on his trail...no place for a city boy like Lucky Cavanaugh, an ATF explosives specialist. Out-manned, out-gunned and shot, he takes Forest Service Wildlife Biologist Vinnie Ryan hostage until he convinces her that he's one of the good guys.

Vinnie heals not only his injuries but also his broken heart. But when they uncover a terrorist plot, Lucky is forced to choose between duty and passion, risking the life of the woman he loves in order to save the lives of thousands.

Nerves of Steel (Hart and Drake #1)
Cassie's Pittsburgh ER has been deluged by young patients who have overdosed on a new drug, FX. After Cassie discovers that the source of the FX on the streets is her own hospital, her best friend is killed, and Cassie's life is threatened. She is forced to place her trust in Detective Mickey Drake.

Drake's irascible charm eventually penetrates the barriers Cassie has built around herself, and their relationship progresses from professional to passionate. After Cassie discovers the truth behind the thefts, she and Drake must confront a killer. In the end, their only weapons are their new-found love and the courage it gives them.

Written by a pediatric ER physician, NERVES OF STEEL combines gritty realism with the adrenalin rush of the ER. New York Times Bestseller CJ Lyons uses her insider's knowledge of life behind the scenes to reveal the hidden truth of the medical world: No one is immune to danger.

Sleight of Hand (Hart and Drake #2)
Two months ago Dr. Cassandra Hart was forced to kill a man. The man who murdered her best friend, almost killed Drake and seriously wounded her. Now she's back at work in her Pittsburgh ER, but nothing seems the same.

When she fears that a young boy is being abused by his "perfect" mother, her friends and colleagues worry that she's returned to work too soon, imagining dangers that don't exist. Others accuse her of trying to cover up her own alleged mistakes in the boy's treatment by making a false report of abuse.

Drake's facing problems of his own, trying to cope with the aftermath of the night two months ago when his passion for Cassie led to a confrontation with a killer. He's on desk duty, reviewing cold cases, and delves into the homicide case that killed his father seven years ago. But after so long, what good can he do, a cop without a gun?

The stakes escalate when Cassie is almost killed and Drake finds evidence that the killer his father was tracking might be planning to strike again--this time targeting a young boy.

With the lives of two children at stake, how can they walk away?

Face to Face (Hart and Drake #3)
In the second book, SLEIGHT OF HAND, you saw Hart and Drake risk everything to save a child and you knew they were meant to be together.

Now, see what happens when they lose it all...

Drake hunts a stalker with deadly intentions. Hart fights for justice for one special victim while also fending off her ex and his family as they try to destroy everything she holds dear.

Neither realizes the real danger lies with an old enemy whose fury has grown and will not be satisfied with anything less than Hart and Drake's blood.

Meltwater ($1.54 / £0.99 UK), the third and most recent title in the Fire and Ice series by Michael Ridpath, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (no US edition; this series is just starting to be released in the US, at >$10 each). In fact, if you've missed the series (Main/UK) so far, it's the perfect time to grab the entire thing, as all titles, including the short story (Edge of Nowhere), are on sale in the £1 range.

Book Description
Operation Meltwater: FreeFlow, a group of internet activists committed to the freedom of information have video evidence of a military atrocity in the Middle East and have chosen Iceland as their HQ while they prepare to unleash their greatest coup on the world's media. On the glacial rim of erupting volcano Eyjafjallajokull, they christen their endeavour Operation Meltwater. Minutes later, in the steam and mist, one of them is murdered. The list of people Freeflow has antagonized is long - the Chinese government, Israeli military, a German Bank, Italian politicians, even American College Fraternities. Magnus Jonson has a long list of suspects but he's getting precious little help from FreeFlow - for an organization dedicated to the transparency of information, they're a secretive bunch.

But they are not the only ones with secrets. Asta, a newly qualified priest, has contacted FreeFlow with information about a scandal in the church. Her involvement with FreeFlow will cost her dear.

And with the return of Magnus's brother Ollie to Iceland, the feud that has haunted their family for three generations is about to reignite.

The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily ($1.24 Kindle, $3.99 B&N), by Nancy Goldstone, is the Nook Daily Find, much better than price matched on Kindle, as it's down in the impulse buy range (and looks to be a must buy for those who love period fiction and non-fiction, including authors who write in the same time period).

Book Description
On March 15, 1348, Joanna I, the queen of Naples, stood trial for her life before the Pope and his court in Avignon. She was 20, and accused of murdering her cousin and husband, Hungarian prince Andrew. That she won her acquittal--arguing her own case in Latin--was remarkable in its own right; that she would go on to rule over one of Europe's most glittering courts for more than 30 years was extraordinary.

For the first time, Nancy Goldstone tells the full story of one of the most courageous and accomplished women in history, who challenged the powers of her time, and whose life highlights the dynastic rivalries and alliances across Europe in the dramatic 14th century. She was the only woman in her time to rule in her own name. Dedicated to the welfare of her subjects and realm, Joanna reduced crime, built hospitals and churches, encouraged the licensing of women physicians, and lured some of the most important writers and artists of the century to her glamorous, elegant court, which rivaled that of Elizabeth I of England in power and scope. Around her also swirled war, plague, and the intrigue and treachery that would ultimately be her downfall. As Nancy Goldstone reveals, in Joanna's legacy are found the seeds of both the Renaissance and the Reformation. For anyone who has enjoyed the works of Alison Weir, Amanda Foreman, and Antonia Fraser, The Lady Queen will be must reading.

The Journey ($4.61 Kindle, $1.99 B&N), the second title in Kathryn Lasky's Guardians of Ga'Hoole series, is the Nook Daily Find for Families. Although this title isn't price matched on Kindle, both Amazon and B&N have the first title, The Capture (Kindle, B&N), marked at $1.99.

Book Description
The second book in the GUARDIANS OF GA'HOOLE series continues this classic hero mythology about the battle between good and evil. This book chronicles Soren's quest for nobility.In the second book in the GUARDIANS OF GA'HOOLE series, Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger travel to the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, a mythical place where an order of owls rises each night to perform noble deeds. Soren and his group are seeking help to fight the evil they discovered in the owl world (in GUARDIANS #1). After a harrowing journey, they arrive at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree and learn they will need to stay to receive training from the Ga'Hoolian elders. During his time at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, Soren finds (and then loses) a great mentor and he is reunited with his beloved sister.

Grade Level: 4 and up

Free Audiobook - A Hunger for the Infinite

A Hunger for the Infinite, by Gregory Benford and Robin Sachs, is free to download from Audible. This is a novella in Benford's Galactic Center series, which originally appeared in Robert Silverberg's Far Horizons anthology.

Book Description
A Hunger for the Infinite details a galactic war between mechanical and biological life. Here, the pilots had made it to True Center in order to destroy something, anything, important to the Mechs, but Paris had something else on his mind. A story of the Mantis, and the decline of humans beginning in 3600 AD.

Get the free audiobook from Audible.