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Saturday, January 26, 2013

Today's Deals 1/26

Today's Gold Box at Amazon is The Godfather Collection on Blu-ray for only $17.99.

If you have a Nintendo Wii, Amazon now supports it for Instant Video. If you register it for the first time between January 24, 2013 and February 28, 2013, you'll get a $5 Instant Video Credit towards "purchase or rental of eligible movies or TV episodes. This credit will expire on June 30, 2013."

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book ($1.99), by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch.
Book Description
This version of APE was updated with the most recent content, facts, figures, tools, and resources on Jan 25th, 2013. To see what content has been added since the last update of APE please visit apethebook.com/updates. This is version 1.1 (Austen).

In 2011 the publisher of one of my books, Enchantment, could not fill an order for 500 ebook copies of the book. Because of this experience, I self-published my next book, What the Plus!, and learned first-hand that self-publishing is a complex, confusing, and idiosyncratic process. As Steve Jobs said, "There must be a better way."

With Shawn Welch, a tech wizard, I wrote APE to help people take control of their writing careers. APE's thesis is powerful yet simple: filling the roles of Author, Publisher and Entrepreneur yields results that rival traditional publishing. We call this "artisanal publishing"--that is, when writers who love their craft control the publishing process and produce high-quality books.

APE is 300 pages of step-by-step, tactical advice and practical inspiration. If you want a hype-filled, get-rich-quick book, you should look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you want a comprehensive and realistic guide to self-publishing, APE is the answer.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Lost In Italy ($1.99), by Stacey Joy Netzel, the 2012 WINNER Write Touch Readers' Award in Romantic Suspense.
Book Description
The best laid plans...

Halli Sanders spent two years planning the trip of a lifetime to Italy. Her itinerary did not include being stranded by her siblings, kidnapped by a sexy American movie star, dodging bullets, or fleeing criminals in a car chase around Lake Como. And that's just in the first three hours.

...often go awry.

Trent Tomlin put his movie career on hold to investigate his brother's murder-ruled-suicide at his Italian villa. He's closing in on the suspects when an American tourist unwittingly films the murder of the retired cop helping him. The killers will stop at nothing to get the evidence--including holding Halli's family as collateral.

Life's a little different unscripted.

Thrust into the role of real-life hero, Trent finds himself falling for the Plain Jane whose beauty blossoms with every challenge they face. But how can he keep the evidence from the murderers to get justice for his brother and friend without betraying Halli and her family?

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is The Bone House ($1.99), by Stephen R. Lawhead [publisher: Thomas Nelson].
Book Description
Kit Livingstone met his great-grandfather Cosimo in a rainy alley in London where he discovered the truth about alternate realities.

Now he’s on the run—and on a quest—trying to understand the impossible mission he inherited from Cosimo: to restore a map that charts the hidden dimensions of the multiverse. Survival depends on staying one step ahead of the savage Burley Men.

The key is the Skin Map—but where it leads and what it means, Kit has no idea. The pieces have been scattered throughout this universe and beyond.

Mina, from her outpost in seventeenth-century Prague, is quickly gaining both the experience and the means to succeed in the quest. Yet so are those with evil intent who, from the shadows, are manipulating great minds of history for their own malign purposes.

Those who know how to use the ley lines have left their own world behind to travel across time and space—down avenues of Egyptian sphinxes, to an Etruscan tufa tomb, into a Bohemian coffee shop, and across a Stone Age landscape where universes collide—in this, the second quest to unlock the mystery of The Bone House.

The Bright Empires series—from acclaimed author Stephen R. Lawhead—is a unique blend of epic treasure hunt, ancient history, alternate realities, cutting-edge physics, philosophy, and mystery. The result is a page-turning, adventure like no other.

God's Highlander ($1.57 / £0.99 UK), by E.V. Thompson, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $9.99).
Book Description
Fresh from ministering to a poor parish in the slums of 1830's Glasgow after a brief but distinguished career in a Scots regiment of the British army, young Reverend Wyatt Jamieson takes up the ministry of the Highland village of Eskaig. He is greeted with suspicion and resentment by a community facing the destruction of its way of life by the greed and ambition of its city bred factor, who is ruthlessly determined to clear the fiercely independent Highlanders from the vast lands he controls on behalf of an absent landlord. However, by his support for them Wyatt wins the hearts of the people, whilst losing his own to Mairi, a fiery, barefooted Highland girl.

Tigerheart ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Peter David, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle, where the companion audiobook is $4.95.
Book Description
For all readers who have ever lent an enthusiastic ear to a wonderfully well told tale, or tumbled gladly into pages that could transport them anywhere, now comes novelist Peter David’s enchanting new work of fantasy. Action-packed and suspenseful, heart-tugging and wise, it weaves a spell both hauntingly familiar and utterly irresistible for those who have ever surrendered themselves to flights of fancy, and have whispered in their hearts, “I believe.”

Paul Dear is a good and clever boy, doted on by a father who fills his son’s head with tall tales, thrilling legends, and talk of fairy-folk, and by a mother who indulges these fantastic stories and tempers them with common sense. But Paul is special in ways that even his adoring parents could never have imagined. For by day, in London’s Kensington Gardens, he walks and talks with the pixies and sprites and other magical creatures that dwell among the living–but are unseen by most. And at night in his room, a boy much like himself, yet not, beckons to Paul from the mirror to come adventuring. It’s a happy life for Paul, made all the more so by the birth of his baby sister.

But everything changes when tragedy strikes, and Paul concludes that there’s only one course of action he can take to dispel the darkness and make things right again. And like countless heroes before him, he knows that he must risk everything to save the day.

Thus begins a quest that will lead Paul down the city’s bustling streets, to a curio shop where a magical ally awaits him, and launches him into the starry skies, bound for a realm where anything is possible. Far from home, he will run with fierce Indian warriors, cross swords with fearsome pirates, befriend a magnificent white tiger, and soar beside an extraordinary, ageless boy who reigns in a boundless world of imagination.

Brimming with the sly humor and breathless excitement of a traditional Victorian bedtime story, deftly embroidered with its own unique wisdom and wonder, Tigerheart is a hymn to childhood’s happiness and heartbreak, a meditation on the love, courage, sacrifice, and faith that shape us and define our lives, and a splendidly rendered modern fable–for readers of any age–that brilliantly proves itself a worthy brother to the timeless classic that serve as its inspiration.

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is A Dog's Life ($1.99), by Caroline Sherman.
Book Description
From morning till night, a dog’s life is very busy. He wakes people up. He welcomes visitors. He washes dishes. He keeps humans warm. Without a dog around, how would a family get through the day? This wonderfully endearing text by debut author Caroline Sherman is matched with adorable digital artwork by Donald Wu.

Grade Level: Pre-K and up
This book features Kindle Text Pop-Up for reading text over vivid, full-color images when using Kindle Fire/HD or select Kindle Reading Apps (Kindle Cloud Reader, Kindle for iPad or Kindle for Android); unlike some other Text Popup books, this one won't work on any of the eInk Kindles.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Today's Deals 1/25

Today's Gold Box at Amazon is "Save up to 25% on an RCA 55-Inch or 42-Inch LED HDTV" (you'd think it's nearing that big Game day of the year!).

Amazon's Android Appstore free App today is PetWorld 3D: My Animal Rescue (usually $4).

For those looking for a basic EPUB eInk reader (not compatible with Kindle or Nook books), you might want to check out Kobo's in-store sale on the Kobo Mini for the next couple of weeks:
From January 25th until February 14th pick up a Kobo Mini for $59.99 at top North American retailers. The promotion will be available in the U.S. through select American Bookseller Association independent bookstores and Family Christian bookstores. In Canada the promotion is available at Indigo-Chapters, Future Shop, Best Buy, Staples, Walmart, The Source, and Toys“R”Us. To make this deal even sweeter, customize the Kobo Mini with a complimentary, colourful Kobo SnapBack while supplies last.
Audible's $100 discount on an electronics item (including the Kindle family) with a one-year subscription commitment will be expiring soon (January 31), for those considering taking advantage of that deal this year.

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is The Farwalker's Quest ($1.99), the first novel in the Farwalker Trilogy by Joni Sensel. Be sure to also pick up the third novel in the series, The Skeleton's Knife, while it is on sale for $2.99 (and maybe Book 2 will drop sometime soon).
Book Description
Ariel has always been curious, but when she and her best friend Zeke stumble upon a mysterious old telling dart she feels an unexplained pull toward the dart, and to figuring out what it means. Magically flying great distances and only revealing their messages to the intended recipient, telling darts haven't been used for years, and no one knows how they work. So when two strangers show up looking for the dart, Ariel and Zeke realize that their discovery is not only interesting, but very dangerous. The telling dart, and the strangers, leads them to a journey more perilous and encompassing than either can imagine, and in the process both Zeke and Ariel find their true calling.

Grade Level: 3 and up

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is The Siege of Krishnapur ($2.99), by J.G. Farrell. This Booker Prize-winning book is "widely considered one of the finest British novels of the last fifty years" and the companion audiobook is only $3.99.
Book Description
India, 1857—the year of the Great Mutiny, when Muslim soldiers turned in bloody rebellion on their British overlords. This time of convulsion is the subject of J. G. Farrell's The Siege of Krishnapur, widely considered one of the finest British novels of the last fifty years.

Farrell's story is set in an isolated Victorian outpost on the subcontinent. Rumors of strife filter in from afar, and yet the members of the colonial community remain confident of their military and, above all, moral superiority. But when they find themselves under actual siege, the true character of their dominion—at once brutal, blundering, and wistful—is soon revealed. The Siege of Krishnapur is a companion to Troubles, about the Easter 1916 rebellion in Ireland, and The Singapore Grip, which takes place just before World War II, as the sun begins to set upon the British Empire. Together these three novels offer an unequaled picture of the follies of empire.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is The Birthday Scandal ($1.99), by Leigh Michaels, with the companion audiobook also $1.99.
Book Description
The wealthy Duke of Weybridge knows that everyone loves a good surprise…and a good scandal. He has bounteous amounts of both for the guests—particularly for his nieces and nephew, Emily, Isabel, and Lucien—at his extravagant seventieth birthday ball. They think his promise to improve their lives means a generous stipend. But he’s gotdifferent gifts in mind: finding them the perfect matches. His task won’t be easy, because the Arden siblings have given up on love.

Bachelor Lucien spends more time merrymaking than looking for a proper wife. His sister Emily, broken-hearted when her betrothal ended in disgrace, committed herself to an early spinsterhood. And Isabel’s marriage has been troubled from the moment it began—with a terrible betrayal on her wedding night.

Though witty and strong-willed, the siblings are no match for their uncle’s wily machinations. And as the celebration approaches, his romantic scheming ignites illicit liaisons and irresistible temptations, sparking enough rumors to keep the ton abuzz until his next birthday.

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is The Cowboy and the Vampire: A Darkly Romantic Mystery ($1.99), by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall [Midnight Ink].
Book Description
Reporter Lizzie Vaughan doesn't realize it, but she has 2,000 years of royal Vampiric blood coursing through her veins. Neither she nor Tucker, her cowboy lover, has any idea that Julius, the leader of the undead, has a diabolical plan to reign over darkness for all eternity--with Lizzie at his side. Lizzie battles for her life--and her soul--as she and Tucker find themselves caught up in a vampire war, pursued by hordes of Julius' maniacal, bloodthirsty followers. Who will be left standing when the sun rises?

Vow of Silence ($1.57 / £0.99 UK), by Veronica Black, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (no US edition).
Book Description
When Sister Joan of the Order of the Daughters of Compassion is transfered to the convent in Cornwall she goes wth instructions from the Mother Superior to solve the puzzle in the last letter of a dying nun. On the surface, all is sweetness and light in the convent on the moors, but it does not take Joan long to detect that there are som ugly shadows lurking beneath and some very suspicious circumstances to be explained. There is the novice who vanished, and the statue that doesn't fit, and the accident that might not have been an accident at all. And who is the young man hiding in the bracken? In an atmosphere of silence, prayer and increasing menace, Sister Joan, a natural rebel, tries to discover the truth and set it right without violating the vows she has taken. This mystery novel is the first in a series about a modern young woman who has chosen to live under medieval discipline, and finds that only too frequently her two worlds collide.

Bel Canto ($7.74 $1.99 Kindle, B&N), by Ann Patchett, is the Nook Daily Find. Update: Now price matched on Kindle, where the companion audiobook is $3.95 for those who get the ebook from Amazon.
Book Description
Somewhere in South America, at the home of the country's vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honor of Mr. Hosokawa, a powerful Japanese businessman. Roxanne Coss, opera's most revered soprano, has mesmerized the international guests with her singing. It is a perfect evening—until a band of gun-wielding terrorists breaks in through the air-conditioning vents and takes the entire party hostage. But what begins as a panicked, life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different, as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and people from different countries and continents become compatriots.

Without the demands of the world to shape their days, life on the inside becomes more beautiful than anything they had known before. At once riveting and impassioned, the narrative becomes a moving exploration of how people communicate when music is the only common language. Friendship, compassion, and the chance for great love lead the characters to forget the real danger that has been set in motion and cannot be stopped.

Ann Patchett has written a novel that is as lyrical and profound as it is unforgettable. Bel Canto engenders in the reader the very passion for art and the language of music that its characters discover. As a reader, you find yourself fervently wanting this captivity to continue forever, even though you know that real life waits on the other side of the garden wall. A virtuoso performance by one of our best and most important writers, Bel Canto is a novel to be cherished.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Today's Deals 1/24

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is California Sunset ($0.99), by Casey Dawes.
Book Description
Divorced mother Annie Gerhard meets rugged new bookstore owner John Johnson at the worst possible time in her life. Her high tech company is threatening to lay her off if she doesn’t move from California to New Jersey and her 15-year-old son David is causing trouble. The recession has hit Silicon Valley hard and there are no jobs for a middle manager, even if she hates what she does. And this is no time for romance, no matter how good the man looks in his jeans.

John has escaped Montana memories of a deceased wife and betraying girlfriend by buying an independent bookstore in California. He’s got bigger problems than falling for a spunky woman with control issues. Keeping a bookstore afloat in a recession and finding a home where he can stable his horse are all he can handle right now.

Unless . . .

John and Annie must both face their pasts in order to greet the future. Can they risk it?

Sensuality Level: Behind Closed Doors

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is the 2012 "Best American" Books for $1.99 apiece. If you read short fiction/non-fiction, then you'll want to pick up at least one or two of these (if not the entire set, especially at this price).
  • The Best American Mystery Stories 2012, edited by Otto Penzler and Robert Crais
    includes Peter S. Beagle, Kathleen Ford, Mary Gaitskill, Lou Manfredo, Thomas McGuane, Gina Paoli, T. Jefferson Parker, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Charles Todd, Daniel Woodrell, and others
  • The Best American Essays 2012, edited by Robert Atwan and David Brooks
    includes Marcia Angell, Miah Arnold, Mark Doty, Joseph Epstein, Jonathan Franzen,
    Malcolm Gladwell, Francine Prose, Lauren Slater, Sandra Tsing Loh, Jose Antonio Vargas, and others
  • The Best American Short Stories 2012, edited by Tom Perrotta and Heidi Pitlor
    includes Nathan Englander, Mary Gaitskill, Roxane Gay, Jennifer Haigh, Steven Millhauser, Alice Munro, Lawrence Osborne, Eric Puchner, George Saunders, Kate Walbert, and others
  • The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2012, edited by Dan Ariely and Tim Folger
    includes JEROME GROOPMAN, SY MONTGOMERY, MICHAEL BEHAR, DEBORAH BLUM, THOMAS GOETZ, DAVID EAGLEMAN, RIVKA GALCHEN, DAVID KIRBY, and others
  • The Best American Travel Writing 2012, edited by Jason Wilson and William T. Vollmann
    includes Bryan Curtis, Lynn Freed, J. Malcolm Garcia, Peter Gwin, Pico Iyer, Mark Jenkins, Dimiter Kenarov, Robin Kirk, Kimberly Meyer, Paul Theroux, and others
  • The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2012, edited by Dave Eggers
    includes Kevin Brockmeier, Judy Budnitz, Junot Díaz, Louise Erdrich, Nora Krug, Julie Otsuka, Eric Puchner, George Saunders, Adrian Tomine, Jess Walter, and others
  • The Best American Sports Writing 2012, edited by Glenn Stout and Michael Wilbon
    includes PAUL SOLOTAROFF JEANNE MARIE LASKAS WELLS TOWER WRIGHT THOMPSON S. L. PRICE DAVE SHEININ JON MOOALLEM and others


Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is Luxuria ($0.99), by Nicci Sefton.
Book Description
Vampires and mortals, love and lust; these things usually don’t make good combinations. Though, in Luxuria, they all come together to make one enthralling and captivating story. Nicci Sefton creates a world between the living and the undead from which a love story unravels. Because Nicci was 17 when she wrote this literary work, she was better able to relate to her characters and draws from her own experiences to make the story more lifelike.

Shakespeare on Toast: Getting a Taste for the Bard ($1.57 / £0.99 UK), by Ben Crystal, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $8.39).
Book Description
Who's afraid of William Shakespeare? Just about everyone. He wrote too much and what he did write is inacessible and elitist. Right? Wrong. Ben Crystal, the 'Jamie Oliver of Shakespeare' (BBD Radio 5), sweeps the cobwebs from the Bard and finds Shakespeare's own voice amid the poetry, revealing both the man and his work to be relevant, accessible and full of beans. 'Ben Crystal's witty and engaging book is a relaxed, user-friendly reminder that enjoying Shakespeare should be as easy as breathing.' Domini Dromgoole, Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe.

The Memory Jar ($8.00 Kindle, $1.99 B&N), by Tricia Goyer, is the Nook Daily Find [Zondervan].
Book Description
Every year, 30-40 young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive 'resident' status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides!

Sarah Shelter has lived in West Kootenai for the last ten years and wonders if she will ever fall in love. Since the tragic death of her best friend, she carries her memories in a jar along with the small items connected to them. For just as long, she's also been carrying around her emotions instead of allowing them to penetrate deep into her heart.
Now she's met a kind and gentle man who may be able to break down the wall. But can Sarah risk her heart to finally achieve her dreams?

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is My Unfair Godmother ($1.99), by Janette Rallison.
Book Description
After her parents' divorce Tansy never really felt like her life got back to normal. And now that her too-busy parents and their respective new spouses don't seem to have time for her, Tansy has been sent to live with her semi-neurotic grandmother. After one incident involving a bad date, a can of spray paint, and the police, Tansy fears she is doomed for life. Enter Chrissy Everstar, Tansy's fairy in shining er... high heels. With three wishes to help set her life right, Tansy is taken along for a ride that includes Robin Hood and his Merry Men, who turn out to be trouble when they steal from the rich in her town. When the police chief's son, Hudson, sees Tansy hanging out with these fairy tale criminals, she'll have some serious explaining to do. That's if Tansy can find a way to stop spinning gold and undo the "help" that Chrissy has bestowed.

Grade Level: 5 and up

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Today's Deals 1/23

Today's Gold Box at Amazon is "Up to 60% Off Select Shun Classic Knife Sets."

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Requiem for a Dream ($1.99), by Hubert Selby Jr. Careful if searching for this one on your Kindle, as the older edition is $10; the one you want is published by Open Road.
Book Description
An evocative, poignant saga of four people trapped—and ultimately destroyed—by their addictions

Sara Goldfarb is devastated by the death of her husband. She spends her days watching game shows and obsessing over appearing on television as a contestant—and her prescription diet pills only accelerate her mania. Her son, Harry, is living in the streets with his friend Tyrone and girlfriend Marion, where they spend their days selling drugs and dreaming of escape. When their heroin supply dries up, all three descend into an abyss of dependence and despair, their lives, like Sara’s, doomed by the destructive power of drugs.

Tragic and captivating, Requiem for a Dream is one of Selby’s most powerful works, and an indelible portrait of the ravages of addiction.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Hubert Selby, Jr., including rare photos from the author’s estate.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Texas Wild ($1.99), the 23rd title in The Westmorelands series by Brenda Jackson.
Book Description
Megan Westmoreland needs answers about her family's past. And Rico Claiborne is the man to find them. But when the truth comes out, Rico offers her a shoulder to lean on…and much, much more. Megan has heard that passions burn hotter in Texas. Now she's ready to find out….

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is Memoirs of a Gnostic Dwarf ($1.99), by David Madsen (published by Dedalus).
Book Description
Dedalus specialises in fiction that could roughly be classified as gothic or arcane - or indeed gnostic. First published in 1995, this one immediately caught readers' imaginations and has since become something of a contemporary classic. It has a cute frame opening (' It is not necessary for me to relate precisely how these memoirs fell into my hands...' ) and an ugly, if memorable opening proper, reminiscent of the start of Earthly Powers: ' This morning his Holiness summoned me to read from St Augustine, while the physician applied unguents and salves to his suppurating arse...' The rest is freakish couplings, religious sects, torture: a cracking read for all ages, then. Giles Foden in The Guardian

A Winter Book ($1.57 / £0.99 UK), by Tove Jansson, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (no US edition).
Book Description
Translated from the Swedish by Kingsley Hart, Silvester Mazzarella and David McDuff.

INTRODUCED BY ALI SMITH

Following the widely acclaimed and bestselling The Summer Book, here is a Winter Book collection of some of Tove Jansson’s best loved and most famous stories. Drawn from youth and older age, and spanning most of the twentieth century, this newly translated selection provides a thrilling showcase of the great Finnish writer’s prose, scattered with insights and home truths. It has been selected and is introduced by Ali Smith.



The Winter Book features 13 stories from Tove Jansson’s first book for adults, The Sculptor’s Daughter (1968) plus 7 of her most cherished later stories (from 1971 to 1996), translated into English and published here for the first time.

With afterwords by Philip Pullman, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Esther Freud.

Sly Fox ($2.99 $1.99 Kindle, B&N), by Jeanine Pirro, is the Nook Daily Find, not quite now price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
Westchester, New York, 1976--Cocaine abuse is rampant, the county courthouse is a boys' club, and men are still legally permitted to beat their wives. Enter Dani Fox, the feisty, ambitious twenty-five-year-old assistant district attorney tired of feeling like an outsider and hungry to bring abusers to justice.

Dani confronts emotionally challenging crime scenes and uncooperative colleagues, facing threats to her safety--and even the safety of her pet pig, Wilbur--in order to protect society's silent victims. Spearheading the country's first domestic violence unit in a shifting legal landscape, Dani must find allies where she can, especially when she discovers a seemingly simple case has some shocking twists. But who can she trust, and which of her colleagues will she end up battling both in and out of the courtroom?

Drawing from her own past as a dynamic, hard-charging former district attorney, Emmy-winning Judge Jeanine Pirro's debut page-turner is ripped from the headlines, full of gripping details, authentic thrills, and suspenseful realism that can only come from a courtroom litigator who's been in the trenches.

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is Fishtale ($1.99), by Hans Bauer and Catherine Masciola, with the companion audiobook only $1.99.
Book Description
What might have been an ordinary fishing trip becomes an unforgettable adventure when twelve-year-old Sawyer Brown pursues a legendary giant catfish and a stolen ring that may hold the key to his mother’s life.

Sawyer’s family runs a catfish farm in rural Mississippi. When his widowed mom gets sick after a pond “cat” swallows her wedding ring, Sawyer is sure the missing ring is to blame. Strange clues and a local myth convince him that the pond cat has become a meal for a far more challenging catch. He sets out with two friends and his stowaway little sister to solve the secret of the ring.

Journeying deep into a remote bayou, the foursome must rely on their wits and each other to navigate the teeming swamp, outsmart a sneaky poacher, and overcome their differences in pursuit of a colossal catfish. But this is no ordinary fish. This is Ol’ One Eye—the biggest, oldest, smartest, and meanest darn cat that ever swam the Yazoo River! And before long, the adventurers aren’t sure who is chasing who.

This is a fish tale that readers won’t want to miss.

Grade Level: 4th and up

Bargain Romance Roundup

Many of these are from current or former Agency publishers, so you might find matching prices at Kobo or B&N. For non-Agency titles at Kobo, you should still be able to get 40% off using coupon code vouchercodes40. As always, double check that prices haven't changed before one-clicking!

The Promise in a Kiss with Bonus Material ($0.99), by Stephanie Laurens
Book Description
What would you do if you were kissed by the most handsome stranger you'd ever seen? And what if that man was a Cynster?

Every girl—even convent-educated ones—dreams of forbidden kisses. So when a man literally falls at Helena's feet as she's walking through the courtyard one moonlit Christmas Eve, the pretty, young comtesse d'Lisle knows he's up to no good. He's clearly a bit dangerous... and obviously caught in the middle of a clandestine rendezvous. Why else would he have risked his neck and jumped out of a window into the snow?

It's wrong, it's outlandish . . . and it's the most utterly romantic gesture she's ever seen. So when the good sisters rush up, demanding to know if she has seen a man on the grounds, Helena ignores the years of strict upbringing that insist she reveal his presence.

To lie would be a sin, but 'no one can be good all the time.

As a reward for her silence, the stranger takes her in his arms and enticingly, unforgettably kisses her—and then departs, leaving a lingering if unspoken promise of all that might be, should fate decree that they meet again. Although Helena doesn't know it, her wild Englishman is Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives, a nobleman who will prove to be her destiny.

Seven years later, Helena has been transformed from a pretty schoolgirl to an aristocratic beauty. Her sparkling wit has made her sought after by London's hostesses; her considerable dowry has made winning her hand the aim of many a gentleman . . . but she is deafeningly aware of how boring so many of these gentlemen are.

Her manipulative guardian has unexpectedly allowed her to find a husband of her own choosing, and she has no intention of marrying any man who tries to tame her. There must be someone perfect for her . . . someone who can live up to the promise of that long-ago kiss.

Then, at a ball, fate strikes. Once again, it is the Christmas season, and across the crowded room Helena stands transfixed . . . for there is the man whose kiss she has never forgotten, the man of her memory whom no other has ever been able to supplant. Her wild, mysterious Englishman, Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives.

One look, and he's determined to reclaim her . . . .

A Rogue's Proposal with Bonus Material ($0.99), by Stephanie Laurens
Book Description
Demon Cynster has seen love bring his brethren to their knees, and he's vowed that he will not share their fate . . . until he spies Felicity Parteger sneaking about his racing stable. Demon remembers Felicity as a mere chit of a girl, but now she stands before him, all lush curves and sparkling eyes...

Felicity knows Demon was one of the town's most eligible bachelors and a rogue of the worst sort, but he was the only one capable of getting her friend out of trouble. She knows Demon will never yield her the love she desperately seeks, but could a marriage of passion alone be enough?

A Fine Passion with Bonus Material ($0.99), by Stephanie Laurens
Book Description
For a limited time and at a special price, discover #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens's Bastion Club series with A Fine Passion, plus special excerpts from other novels in the series.

In A Fine Passion, the men of the Bastion Club are powerful, loyal, and not averse to overcoming danger if they must. Now, after years of loyal service to the Crown, they each—one by one—must face that greatest danger of all . . . love.

The last of his line, Jack, Baron Warnefleet, has fled London after nearly being compromised into marrying a dreadful female. Turning his back on the entire notion of marriage, he rides home to the estate he has not seen for years, determined to set in motion an alternative course of action.

But then in the lane before his gate, Jack rescues a startlingly beautiful lady from a menacing, unmanageable horse. However, while he begins by taking command, the lady continues by taking it back. Lady Clarice Altwood is no meek and mild miss. She is the very antithesis of the woolly-headed young ladies Jack has rejected as not for him. Clarice is delectably attractive, beyond eligible, undeniably capable, and completely unforgettable. Why on earth is she rusticating in the country?

That enigma is compounded by mystery, and it's quickly clear that Clarice is in danger. Jack must use every ounce of his cunning and wit to protect this highly independent and richly passionate woman . . . who has so quickly stolen his heart.

Royal Bridesmaids: An Original Anthology ($1.99), by Stephanie Laurens, Gaelen Foley and Loretta Chase; you may also want to pick up The Wedding Planner, a novella by Stephanie Laurens that originally appeared in another anthology.
Book Description
Thanks to Pippa Middleton, we are more fascinated than ever by bridesmaids . . . especially the ones in Royal Weddings.

Now, in this original anthology, New York Times bestselling authors Stephanie Laurens, Gaelen Foley, and Loretta Chase tell us what it really takes to get the bride to the royal altar. They need to do more than "smile, wave, and look delighted"!

Stephanie Laurens: A Return Engagement
Lady Nell Daughtry has her hands full getting her reluctant bride sister safely married to the Prince of Lautenberg. Then she learns she's paired with Robert Knightley . . . the fiancÉ who walked away.

Gaelen Foley: The Imposter Bride
Lady Minerva must ensure her country's princess is wed to handsome Prince Tor. Then the bride bolts, and bridesmaid becomes—bride!

Loretta Chase: Lord Lovedon's Duel
When Chloe Sharp hears the handsome Earl of Lovedon say her sister's royal marriage is a match made in money, she challenges him to a duel—for love and honor.

The Clayborne Brides ($0.99), by Julie Garwood; check your libraries on this one, as I have an older edition in mine.
Book Description
First introduced in Julie Garwood's magnificent New York Times bestseller For the Roses, the Clayborne brothers of Blue Belle, Montana, have been embraced by millions more through this trio of #1 bestselling novels. Now collected in one volume for the first time, these stories tell of three spirited brothers -- once a mismatched gang of street urchins -- who learn that love flourishes in the most unexpected places....

One Pink Rose
Headstrong Travis takes a journey that opens his eyes to the splendor of his beloved West -- and his heart to Bostonian Emily Finnegan.

One White Rose
Steady, quiet Douglas will do anything to protect a creature in need -- and that includes the strong-willed Isabel Grant.

One Red Rose
Thoughtful Adam learns a powerful secret from the irrepressible Genevieve Delacroix -- that true freedom only comes when you trust your heart.

All three titles in Sabrina Jeffries' Lord Trilogy are on sale for $1.99 each.

The Pirate Lord
A Splendid Opportunity
A shipload of women -- theirs for the taking! Pirate captain Gideon Horn couldn't be more delighted. His men are tired of wandering the high seas and want to settle down with wives on the uncharted island paradise they've discovered. And the women are bound to be grateful to be rescued from the life of drudgery awaiting them in New South Wales . . .

Lord, he's so clever!

A Splendid Passion
Married? To pirates? Sara Willis couldn't be more appalled. First she demands proper courting—at least a month. The darkly handsome pirate lord gives them two weeks. Then Sara insists the men vacate their huts for the women—Gideon demands her kisses in return. As the demands heat up, so do their passions—and soon Sara can't remember just why she's fighting the devilishly seductive captain so hard. . .
The Forbidden Lord
Jordan Willis, the Earl of Blackmore, has played with the heart of many a society belle—yet one stolen kiss impulsively planted on the soft, irresistible lips of the preacher's daughter proves his undoing. The prim and proper Emily Fairchild's innocent response sends desire surging through the notorious rake, and he can't forget her. Now, meeting Lady Emma Campbell, an outrageously flirtatious debutante, leaves the earl more shaken than ever—for the brazen beauty is an uncanny double of the sweet Emily!Emily cannot reveal the reason for her scandalous masquerade—not even to the earl whose heated embrace awakens a sizzling passion. Her very life depends on convincing society that she is Lady Campbell, yet no disguise can hide her dangerous attraction to the earl. But does "Cinderella' dare risk losing her handsome "prince" by revealing that she is just a country girl?
The Dangerous Lord
He was a dangerous man to love—and the last man she thought she'd marry.

He was a dangerous man to love—and the last man she thought she'd marry.

To prevent a dear friend from wedding the notorious Ian Lennard, Viscount St. Clair, Felicity Taylor set out to expose him for the scoundrel he is—never anticipating the consequences. Because now the dashing, dangerous lord is short a bride, in desperate need of an heir . . . and has set his sights on Felicity!

Ian is indeed looking for a wife to secure his fortune, but this saucy, stubborn beauty might be more than he can handle. Never one to shy from a challenge—and enchanted by a face and form that could bring the most indifferent husband to his knees—suddenly Ian is about to discover the one thing more perilous than wedding vows: actually falling in love with his bride!

More from Sabrina Jeffries, this time her entire Swanlea Spinsters series for $1.99 apiece.

A Dangerous Love
He was playing a dangerous masquerade...Griff Knighton′s found the perfect way to avoid being trapped into marriage with one of the Earl of Swanlea′s daughters: he′ll swap identities with his man of affairs during their next visit to Swan Park, and be free to pursue his own desires! After all, he′s not about to marry some homely spinster just to claim his rightful title. But Griff didn′t reckon on the brazen, voluptuous Rosalind, who could tempt even a saint into sinning, and Griff is no saint. She was determined to unmask him...
A Notorious Love
Helena Laverick is at her wits end! The only man who can help find her eloping young sister is that scoundrel Daniel Brennan—the man who played with her emotions last year and then left. And he used to be a smuggler! Although Mrs. Nunley's Guide to Etiquette for Young Ladies would never approve, Helena forced to go after the runaway in Daniel's company. But something about being with him feels oddly freeing—and a delicious tingle warns Helena that more than her reputation may be in danger . . .

Daniel finds most of the prim and proper lovely's rules ridiculous—but when she insists on masquerading as his wife for the sake of appearances, he immediately envisions the delights of sharing a bedchamber. The unexpected smouldering beneath her straitlaced exterior ignites his desire, and die vulnerability hidden beneath her cool control makes him want her even more. Yet Helena's a lady, and he's the son of a highwayman. How can he ever ask her to share his world?
After the Abduction
After two London seasons—and a score of resoundingly dull society suitors—Juliet Laverick finds herself longing for one man: Morgan Pryce, the dashing scoundrel who kidnapped her two years ago. But her determination to bring the rogue to justice hasn't waned—until Morgan's twin brother, Sebastian, arrives with some shocking news: Juliet's mysterious paramour has disappeared.

Sebastian, Lord Templemore, dares not tell Juliet the truth: he is the man she seeks—it is his kiss she yearns for. Confessing to the abduction would bring devastating scandal upon them both. But how can he persuade her to forsake her dedicated pursuit of her dream lover, when all he dreams of is holding her in his arms again?
Dance of Seduction
She won't let a thief steal her heart . . .

It's difficult enough for Lady Clara Stanbourne to run her London home for reformed young pickpockets without having to contend with a criminal in business right next door! The mysterious Morgan Pryce is obviously dealing in stolen property, and she will never allow the handsome scoundrel to lead the children astray! Pryce is very much mistaken if he believes her a delicate rose he can wilt with soft words and passionate, unspoken promises. Now if only Clara could douse the fiery yearning the charming cad ignites inside her . . .

This bold, beautiful temptress is indeed a distraction—and Morgan wishes he could tell the exquisite Clara the truth: that he is working undercover to break up a notorious crime ring. His mind should be on his duty—not wondering how it would feel to hold Clara in his arms and taste the sweetness of her luscious lips. But now that she has entered into his most dangerous game, Morgan knows he must have her, despite the very real peril to his secret mission ... and to his heart!
Married to the Viscount
Abigail Mercer was breathless with anticipation at being reunited with Spencer Law, whom she met once and later married by proxy. But now the dashing Viscount Ravenswood denies all knowledge of their union! Far too many witnesses have made it impossible for the secretive Spencer to reject his "bride" without causing a scandal. So he has proposed a marriage in-name-only until they can locate his mysteriously absent younger brother—who is responsible for everything!—and untangle this messy affair.

Abigail is incensed, irate . . . and irresistibly attracted to this handsome, infuriating man who hides his smoldering passion behind a proper exterior. So the lady will agree to his terms on one condition: Spencer must seal their bargain with a kiss. But he finds that one deep, lingering, unforgettable kiss isn't nearly enough. And keeping his hands off his pretty wife is going to be much harder than he thought . . .

The Duke Is Mine ($1.99), by Eloisa James
Book Description
He is a duke in search of a perfect bride.
She is a lady—but a long way from perfect.

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can't he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper, albeit intoxicating, flirtation makes her unsuitability all the more clear.

Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion…Until, in his darkest hour, Quin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love.

To win Olivia's hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul

Unless it's already too late.

Don't miss a new version of The Princess & the Pea, asking an age-old question: What is a perfect princess?

All three novels in Caroline Linden's The Truth About the Duke series is on sale:

One Night in London ($2.99)
A bargain that was all business . . . and pure passion.

Neither wealth nor beauty will help Lady Francesca Gordon win custody of her young niece Georgina, saving the girl from a cruel stepmother; she needs London’s top solicitor for that. But when Edward de Lacey, son of the powerful Duke of Durham, hires away the one man who can do the job, Francesca decides Edward himself must champion her case . . . if only she can melt the dashing lord’s stony heart.

Edward has reason to be guarded, though. London’s tabloids have just exposed a secret that could ruin his entire family. When Francesca offers a unique chance to undo the damage, Edward is forced to agree to a partnership . . . and now, each moment together feeds the flames of his scandalous longing for the passionate widow. But when Georgina disappears, fate will test them both . . . and leave their love hanging in the balance.
Blame It on Bath ($2.99)
A marriage of convenience . . . or of destiny?

Gerard de Lacey is determined to find the man who is blackmailing his family, but with his inheritance and status at risk, a hasty marriage to a wealthy bride also seems in order—just in case things take a turn for the worse. Charismatic and capable, Gerard knows he can win the hand of any lady he chooses. Still, he's not expecting a rich widow to find him and propose the very thing he wants: a marriage of convenience.

Katherine Howe's first marriage was one of dreary duty. Now that she's being pressured to marry her late husband's heir, she's desperate for a better option. Gerard de Lacey, with his sinful good looks, charming manner, and looming scandal, fits her needs perfectly. The fact that she's nursed a secret affection for him only makes it better—and worse. Because Gerard will likely marry her for her fortune—but can he love her for herself, as she loves him?
The Way to a Duke's Heart ($1.99)
Charles de Lacey, Lord Gresham, is running out of time, running from his responsibilities, and running from love.

Destined to be a duke, Charles de Lacey has led a life of decadent pleasure, free of any care for propriety or responsibility. It comes as a terrible shock to learn that he might be stripped of everything, thanks to his father's scandalous past. He has no choice but to find the blackmailer who would ruin him—and his only link to the villain is a woman who may be part of the plot…

To save his fortune and title, he vows he'll stop at nothing—in fact, he's all too eager to unravel the beautiful, tart-tongued Tessa Neville. She intrigues him and tempts him like no other lady ever has. With only his heart to guide him, and keenly aware that his entire future is at stake, Charles must decide: is she the woman of his dreams, or an enemy in disguise?

What a Duke Wants ($1.99), by Lavinia Kent
Book Description
What woman would refuse a Duke’s kiss?

Running from a dark secret past, Isabella Masters craves peace and stability, a life far from the prying eyes of society.

She does not dream of landing a lord.

But in the arms of a stranger with magnificent eyes, she loses herself in one breath-stealing kiss— only to discover she has been misled by a reluctant Duke.

Angered but enthralled, she dares not submit . . . though her passionate heart begs her to. He cannot wed her . . . but he must not lose her.

Only one possibility remains— one too scandalous to consider . . . yet too tempting to resist.

The Art of Duke Hunting ($1.99), by Sophia Nash
Book Description
Six Regency heroes — One royal hangover

Last night was a blur.

This morning is a shock.

Tonight will be a secret. . .

The Duke of Norwich has two rules: never marry and never go to sea. So on the morning after the most extravagant royal bachelor party of the century, he is stunned to find himself aboard a storm-tossed ship and locked in the arms of a proper lady.

The Countess of Derby has two rules as well: never give away your heart and never let anyone get in the way of your life's deepest passions. But Esme cannot resist Roman when all seems lost at sea. Yet when their ship returns to London, everything will be forgotten . . . as long as they can keep their secret from the Prince Regent. For if the future king commands them to marry, all their fondest dreams will be ruined. But where love is concerned, some rules are made to be broken . . .

She Tempts the Duke ($1.99), by Lorraine Heath
Book Description
Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright.

Sebastian Easton always vowed he would avenge his stolen youth and title. Now back in London, the rightful Duke of Keswick—returning from battle a wounded, hardened, changed man—cannot forget the brave girl who once rescued him and his brothers from certain death.

Lady Mary Wynne-Jones paid dearly for helping the imprisoned young Lords of Pembrook, and she remembers well the promise she made to Sebastian all those years ago: to meet him once more in the abbey ruins where they shared a bold, forbidden kiss. While Mary is now betrothed to another, a friendship forged with dark secrets cannot be ignored. Unexpected passion soon burns dangerously between them, tempting Sebastian to abandon his quest for retribution and fight for a love that could once again set him free.

How to Deceive a Duke ($1.99), by Lecia Cornwall
Book Description
When deception leads to desire . . .

When her stubborn sister runs off the night before her arranged marriage, Meg Lynton
hardly hesitates before donning the wedding veil and walking down the aisle herself. It's the only way to save her family from sure destitution. By the time her wealthy groom discovers he has married the wrong sister, it will be too late to annul their vows. And too late for Meg to escape her wifely duty to a man reputed to be a devil in battle and the bedroom . . .

A bride is the last thing Nicholas Hartley, Duke of Temberlay, wants. Then he sees Meg and realizes that his wedding night will be a great pleasure indeed. But aside from the agreeable business of begetting an heir, Temberlay will never change his wicked ways for a wedding vow—until he discovers Meg's deception, and decides to teach the scheming beauty how to be a proper duchess, kiss by devastating kiss . . .

Along Came a Duke: Rhymes With Love ($1.99), by Elizabeth Boyle
Book Description
“A young lady with a fortune is subject to all sorts of untoward attentions by the worst sort of vagrants.” Aunt Allegra

A lesson Tabitha Timmons, a penniless spinster, has never needed to heed. That is, until she is left a vast fortune payable only upon her marriage to the very respectable Mr. Barkworth—a match that offers little chance of discovering exactly what her aunt means by "untoward attentions."

But the same can't be said when the Duke of Preston happens along Tabitha's path. He spies a rebellious streak in her that matches his own and he makes it his mission to save her from such a passionless match, interfering in her life at every turn. All too soon, Preston—whose very name spells ruin—has Tabitha caught between the good fortune that guarantees her security, and his kiss, which promises an entirely different kind of happily-ever-after.

The Tattooed Duke ($1.99), by Maya Rodale
Book Description
Maya Rodale’s wonderfully witty Writing Girls series is a winner! Her third delectable love story to feature a plucky Regency heroine with a pen, The Tattooed Duke follows a scandal sheet reporter posing as a common housemaid in order to uncover whatever nasty little skeletons an adventure-seeking Duke may be hiding in his closets—only to fall in passionate love with the nobleman whose secrets she’s been exposing to the world! The Tattooed Duke is deliciously fun historical romance fiction in the vein of Laura Lee Guhrke and Suzanne Enoch, and no true romance fan will want to write it off!

To Pleasure a Duke ($1.79), by Sara Bennett
Book Description
It has taken Eugenie Belmont but a moment to decide whom to marry . . .

Unfortunately the gentleman in question, the Duke of Somerton, hasn’t yet offered—a mere formality for a confirmed member of the Husband Hunters Club of Miss Debenham’s Finishing School. Like her friends, Eugenie is unwilling to wait demurely until the perfect mate happens by. And, despite the handsome duke’s imposing reputation, she can feel his heated glances in her direction are charged with desire . . . and possibilities.

Saddled with a dukedom, a haughty dowager, and an irresponsible younger sister, Sinclair St. John is far too occupied with important matters to indulge in romantic whims. But for the first time in his life, a brazen temptress has him utterly distracted. He could—and he should—dismiss her and court someone more befitting his station. But he is irresistibly drawn to this bewitching woman . . . and must match her game of seduction, move for passionate move.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Today's Deals 1/22

Today's Gold Box at Amazon is for "Far Cry 3" and the Lightning Deals all day long appear to be video games, as well.

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Red Flags ($1.99), by Juris Jurjevics.
Book Description
Army cop Erik Rider prefers to fight his war in the saloons and streets of Saigon. When he is sent to disrupt a Vietcong opium operation deep in the jungle, he could not be less interested. But when Rider lands in Cheo Reo, things get complicated. The American outpost is home to battle-hardened soldiers, intelligence operatives, and profiteers of all stripes. Meanwhile, Vietcong battalions are massing in the hills, and sixty thousand Montagnard tribespeople are advancing with the goal of reclaiming their mountain homeland.

With a bounty on his head, Rider must hunt for the opium smugglers, avoid enemy patrols, and defend the undermanned U.S. base. As he closes in on the smuggling operation, he discovers that someone inside the base has a stake in it, and is willing to kill to protect that stake.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Smitten ($1.99), an anthology by Kristin Billerbeck, Colleen Coble, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter, with the companion audiobook $3.99.
Book Description
Welcome to Smitten, Vermont.

With the help of four friends, it’s about to become the most romantic town in America.

The proposed closing of the lumber mill comes as unwelcome news for the citizens of Smitten. How will the town survive without its main employer? A close-knit group of women think they’ve got just the plan to save Smitten. They’ll capitalize on its name and turn it into a tourist destination for lovers—complete with sweet shops, a high-end spa, romantic music on the square, and cabins outfitted with fireplaces and hot tubs.

But is this manly town ready for an influx of romantically-minded guests?

Country music sensation Sawyer Smitten, the town’s hometown hero, wants to help by holding his own wedding there on Valentine’s Day. And little Mia’s lavender wreaths hang all over town as a reminder that faith can work miracles. Along the way, four women spearheading the town’s transformation—energetic Natalie, sophisticated Julia, graceful Shelby, and athletic Reese—get in the spirit by reviving their own love lives.

Join best-selling inspirational romance authors (and real-life BFFs) Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter for an inspiring stay at the (soon-to-be) most romantic town on the eastern seaboard.

One visit . . . and you’ll be smitten too.

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is The Way of Wyrd ($1.99), by Brian Bates.
Book Description
The compelling cult classic, now reissued in a brand new edition with a new introduction by Brian Bates. This bestselling fictionalized account of an Anglo-Saxon sorcerer and mystic is based on years of research by psychologist and university professor Brian Bates. An authentic and deeply compelling insight into the spiritual world of the Anglo-Saxons, it has inspired thousands of people to learn more about the ancient northern spiritual tradition. A spiritual classic!

The Lying Year ($1.57 / £0.99 UK), by Andrei Gelasimov and Marian Schwartz, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $4.99).
Book Description
Could have been the blown business deal with the Italians. Could have been the unauthorized office party, which ended with the cops—and then an arrest. No matter what finally got him fired, Mikhail never expected to find himself at Red Star Industries’ office again.

So down-and-out Mikhail is surprised to be called in by old boss Pavel Petrovich, who offers Mikhail easy money and the Land Rover of his dreams to teach his son, Sergei, how to “be a man”—and to spy on him.

Of course, Sergei’s not the Internet-obsessed recluse his father believes. He’s hiding a relationship with the beautiful Marina, who Mikhail himself can’t help but fall for as well. To keep it all together, Mikhail finds himself lying to Petrovich about his son’s activities, lying to Marina about Sergei’s intentions, and lying to Sergei about his love for Marina. So when Sergei’s father invites them all to Italy, the web of lies holding their world together begins to fall apart, and about the time Mikhail finds himself held hostage at gunpoint, he realizes he’s gotten in way over his head…

Fear Not ($8.54 Kindle, $2.99 B&N), by Carter Conlon, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
In these uncertain times, will we either be gripped by fear or understand how to truly live in the freedom of God’s command to “Fear not”? Pastor Carter Conlon exposes the tactics of Satan who attempts to wield his weapon of fear, as well as the destructive outcomes of a life led by fear. Then, through biblical and practical examples, Pastor Conlon reveals that God offers His people a different spirit—one of power, love, and a sound mind. This is fully realized as we choose to follow God, face our enemies in His power, and allow God’s love for us to be manifested in a love for one another. It is this perfect love that will cast out all fear.

Today's Kindle Teen Daily Deal is The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight ($1.99), by Jennifer E. Smith.
Book Description
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Free Audiobook - The 7th Month

Get the audiobook edition of The 7th Month: A Detective D. D. Warren Story ($1.99 Kindle), by Lisa Gardner, free from Audible. The next novel in the series, Catch Me, has a companion audiobook for only $4.49, but right now subscribers can pick it up for $6.95 without first purchasing the Kindle edition, as the Audible Wishes Granted Sale has been extended yet another day (ends tonight at midnight).
Book Description
In Lisa Gardner’s first-ever short story following thirteen bestselling novels, The 7th Month takes readers between the books and into a day in the life of Boston Detective D. D. Warren.

In her seventh month of pregnancy, D.D. should be taking it easy. Instead, she accepts a small consulting role on the set of a serial killer film shooting in Boston. D.D. figures she’ll be useful to someone for at least one night, serving as a police expert and making a little extra money in the bargain.

It seems like a simple task—until the previous film consultant, a former Boston cop, is found beaten to death. Suddenly D.D.’s date with Hollywood gets serious. Extremely pregnant, on the trail of a killer, and surrounded by a hundred and four murder suspects in the middle of a graveyard, D.D. must quickly unravel a tangled web of lies. As another cast member is attacked, D.D. realizes that like it or not, her priorities have changed—and her last desperate hope is that she can catch a killer before she and her unborn baby face mortal danger.

Packed with the suspenseful storytelling that has turned Gardner’s novels into New York Times bestsellers, The 7th Month reveals new insights into a beloved series heroine.
Get the free audiobook from Audible, narrated by Kirsten Potter.

Today's Deals 1/21

Today's Gold Box at Amazon is with "Save Over 50% on Select Sony Memory and Storage Products" and the first Lightning Deal of the Day is a neat looking holder that lets you use your tablet, whether a Kindle Fire, iPad or other 7-10" Android device) in the kitchen, while keeping it off the counter.

For those that picked up yesterday's free Android App, iMediaShare, I played around with it on the original Kindle fire and it looks like it has potential, but is mainly geared towards streaming content (which does not work well here, most of the time) and has a big hole in it's support for "video" as it doesn't support streamed or downloaded Amazon Videos, that I can tell. It's too bad, as it easily found our TV and started trying to stream (I played with Youtube videos, but could only get sound, due to lack of speed on our system) and would have been perfect to view downloaded content from the Kindle Fire that doesn't have an HDMI output port.

Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is A Drowned Maiden's Hair ($1.99), by Laura Amy Schlitz.
Book Description
Maud Flynn is known at the orphanage for her impertinence. So when the charming Miss Hyacinth chooses her to take home, the girl is pleased but baffled, until she learns of her new role: helping to stage elaborate séances for bereaved patrons. As Maud is drawn deeper into the deception, playing the "secret child," she is torn between her need to please and her growing conscience. It takes a shocking betrayal to make clear just how heartless her so-called guardians are. Filled with fascinating details of turn-of-the-century spiritualism and page-turning suspense, this novel from Newbery Medalist Laura Amy Schlitz features a feisty heroine whom readers will not soon forget.

Grade Level: 5 and up

Today's Kindle Daily Deal celebrate MLK Day with Carolyn Maull McKinstry's While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement ($1.99). Co-written with Denise George, many of you will have it in your libraries already, as it was free last September in most of the ebookstores.
Book Description
On September 15, 1963, a Klan-planted bomb went off in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Fourteen-year-old Carolyn Maull was just a few feet away when the bomb exploded, killing four of her friends in the girl’s rest room she had just exited. It was one of the seminal moments in the Civil Rights movement, a sad day in American history . . . and the turning point in a young girl’s life.

While the World Watched is a poignant and gripping eyewitness account of life in the Jim Crow South—from the bombings, riots and assassinations to the historic marches and triumphs that characterized the Civil Rights movement.

A uniquely moving exploration of how racial relations have evolved over the past 5 decades, While the World Watched is an incredible testament to how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Numbers Never Lie ($0.99), by Shelley K. Wall.
Book Description
Sophie Henderson, manager of a software-development team, starts what appears to be a routine project at work. She ends up hiding from her staff, her friends, and the person who is trying to stop her from delving further into discrepancies in the accounting system.

Trevan Prater (AKA Trevor Adams) has been assigned to delve into an embezzlement scheme at a large government contractor. As an FBI investigator, he’s used to working such cases. A chance encounter lands him front and center with Sophie, one of the lead suspects. Now he’s not only investigating her, but also pretending to be the consultant from whom she needs help.

The more his team digs into the data she gives him, the guiltier she appears. Unfortunately, the longer he’s with her, the more attracted he becomes.

Sensuality Level: Behind Closed Doors

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is Finnikin of the Rock ($1.99), the first novel in Melina Marchetta's young adult Lumatere Chronicles series. This was a Nook Daily Find last June, but I don't believe it was price matched on Kindle (I ended up buying it from B&N).
Book Description
Finnikin was only a child during the five days of the unspeakable, when the royal family of Lumatere were brutally murdered, and an imposter seized the throne. Now a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere’s walls, and those who escaped roam the surrounding lands as exiles, persecuted and despairing, dying by the thousands in fever camps. In a narrative crackling with the tension of an imminent storm, Finnikin, now on the cusp on manhood, is compelled to join forces with an arrogant and enigmatic young novice named Evanjalin, who claims that her dark dreams will lead the exiles to a surviving royal child and a way to pierce the cursed barrier and regain the land of Lumatere. But Evanjalin’s unpredictable behavior suggests that she is not what she seems—and the startling truth will test Finnikin’s faith not only in her, but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destin

Bride Flight ($1.57 / £0.99 UK), by Marieke Van Der Pol and Colleen Higgins (Translator), is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $8.90).
Book Description
It is 1953, and the last great transcontinental air race from London to Christchurch is about to begin, but even before the KLM plane has left the runway, it has already become famous as the 'bride flight'. Of its sixty emigrating passengers, many are brides-to-be flying out to join their fiancés on the other side of the world. Among them are Ada, Marjorie and Esther, each of them with their own reasons for wanting to leave behind the hardships of post-war life at home, and their own pasts. During the trip they meet Frank, a charismatic bachelor, who will come to have a dramatic influence on their lives, and who exerts a continued hold over each of the women as they follow their very different paths in New Zealand. It is only when they meet again, years later, at Frank's funeral, that the three women - now 'brides in black' - get to hear each other's stories for the first time and realize just how closely their lives have been bound together by what happened on the bride flight.

The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), edited by Clayborne Carson, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
First-person account of the extraordinary life of America's greatest civil rights leader. It begins with his boyhood as the son of a preacher, his education as a minister, his ascendancy as a leader of civil rights, & his complex relationships with leading political & social figures of the day.