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Saturday, June 15, 2013

UK Kindle Daily Deal 6/15

Multiple Wounds (£0.99 UK), by Alan Russell [Thomas & Mercer], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for those in the UK (the US edition is $4.99).
Book Description
Holly Troy's mind is a complex maze of myth and reality, multiple personalities vying for time in the spotlight. As an artist, she is creative and compelling. As a witness, she is painfully unreliable, unsure of even which person she was the night of the murder. Even Holly can’t be sure of her own innocence. Homicide detective Orson Cheever never thought he would find himself playing psychologist to a Greek goddess in a modern-day murder investigation, but many of Holly's personalities come straight from classical mythology, from Cronos and Pandora to the Fates. As Cheever attempts to unravel truth from myth, he learns that there is even more to Holly than meets the eye. One personality in particular—that of a five-year-old girl—hits a little too close to home, and Cheever is forced to finally pull back the dark curtains of his own past in order to uncover the truth in this psychological thriller.

The Mammoth Book of SF Wars (£0.99 UK), edited by Ian Watson and Ian Whates [Robinson], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for for Science Fiction & Fantasy Fans in the UK (the US edition is $8.39).
Book Description
War is becoming increasingly 'SF-ized' with remotely controlled attack drones and robot warriors already in development and being tested. Over the past 100 years the technology of war has advanced enormously in destructive power, yet also in sophistication so that we no longer seem to live under the constant threat of all-out global thermonuclear cataclysm. So what will future wars be like? And what will start them: religion, politics, resources, refugees, or advanced weaponry itself? Watson and Whates present a gripping anthology of SF stories which explores the gamut of possible future conflicts, including such themes as nuclear war, psychological and cyberwars, enhanced soldiery, mercenaries, terrorism, intelligent robotic war machines, and war with aliens.All the stories in this collection of remarkable quality and diversity reveals humankind pressed to the limits in every conceivable way.It includes 24 stories with highlights such as:The Pyre of the New Day' - Catherine Asaro.The Rhine's World Incident' - Neal Asher. Caught in the Crossfire' - David Drake. Politics' - Elizabeth Moon.The Traitor' - David Weber.And others from:Dan Abnett, Tony Ballantyne, Fredric Brown, Algis Budrys, Simon R. Green, Joe Haldeman, John Kessel, John Lambshead, Paul McAuley, Andy Remic, Laura Resnick, Mike Resnick & Brad R. Torgersen, Fred Saberhagen, Cordwainer Smith, Allen Steele, William Tenn, Walter Jon Williams, Michael Z. Williamson, Gene Wolfe.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Daily Deal - Murder in Steeple Martin

Murder in Steeple Martin ($4.99 $2.99 Kindle), the first novel in the Libby Sarjeant murder mystery series by Lesley Cookman [Accent Press], is today's Deal of the Day at at Diesel E-Books, where it's discounted to $1.40 (8 copies left). At Amazon, the entire series is on sale for $2.99 per title, although long time readers may find they already have this one in their libraries, as it was free last August.
Book Description
Artist and ex-actress Libby Sarjeant is busy directing a play for the opening of a new theatre in her village when one of her cast is found murdered. The play, written by her friend Peter, is based on real events in his family, disturbing and mysterious, which took place in the village during the last war. As the investigation into the murder begins to uncover a tangled web of relationships in the village, it seems that the events dramatised in the play still cast a long shadow, dark enough to inspire murder.

Libby's natural nosiness soon leads her into the thick of the investigation, but is she too close to Peter's family, and in particular his cousin Ben, to be able to recognise the murderer?
Get the book from Diesel; be sure to check the sales price, as the Deal of the Day often sells out. Deals change at 11AM Eastern Time, USA.

Free Nook App - Missile Defender

Missile Defender ($0.99 Amazon), by Epic Pixel LLC, is this week's Free Friday App from Barnes & Noble.
App Description
Defend your city against an enemy bombardment in this touchscreen twist on the classic arcade game. Intercept missiles, upgrade your defenses, and play through limitless levels. See how long you're able to hold out before your physical and psychological defenses crumble.

Hit or Missile
Incoming missiles rain down at night--tap on the screen and use the multi-touch feature to launch interceptors. Repairs and upgrades are available during the day, as you steel yourself for yet another fear-stricken night.

Upgrade your defenses in this Sisyphean struggle against the Fates
Anticipate the path of enemy missiles and pick your targets accurately. Keep an eye on your own missile count and use them strategically. Be constantly vigilant as difficulty increases each nightfall. And keep holding on to the idea that someday it will all end. Someday...

Retro 80s Zeitgeist
Missile Defender is in the style of a classic 80s arcade game. It features clean HD art work, multi-touch controls, upgradable missiles, and endless levels of gameplay--without the oppressive fear of a real-world nuclear brinkmanship. If you've enjoyed those old quarter-guzzlers, Missile Defender is sure to bring back great memories.

Prepare to get nostalgic as you defend civilization from anachronistic existential threats in Missile Defender!
Get the free App from Barnes & Noble.

Kindle Daily Deals 6/14

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Invitation to Die ($1.99), by Helen Smith [Thomas & Mercer].
Book Description
Twenty-six-year-old Emily Castles is out of work… again. So when famous romance author Morgana Blakely offers her a job helping out at a conference in London, Emily accepts. Just as eagerly, American blogger Winnie Kraster accepts an invitation from Morgana to attend as a guest, not realizing she has, in effect, accepted an invitation to die.

As a cast of oddball characters assembles at the conference hotel, grievances, differences, and secrets begin to emerge. When Winnie goes missing, and then is found murdered nearby, Emily begins to suspect that someone involved with the conference is responsible. Could it be one of the organizers, one of the authors, a member of the hotel staff, or even the supplier of the chocolates for the conference gift bags? Emily teams up with guest speaker and eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel to find out.

Offbeat and engaging, this entertaining comic mystery is the first full-length novel featuring amateur British sleuth Emily Castles.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is The Invasion of Falgannon Isle ($0.99), by Deborah MacGillivray [Montlake Romance].
Book Description
213 SINGLE SCOTSMEN

There was something about the Brigadoon-like Falgannon, something that kept most of its male inhabitants unwed. From Michael the Story to Callum the Bicycle--and we mustn't forget The Cat Dudley, the slyest poker-playing moggie in the Outer Hebrides--every male of the Isle had happiness dependent upon that of its Lady. So things had been since Pictish times, and so they would be long after the present day.

Despite her machinations, to this point B.A. Montgomerie had been unable to make her men happy. Her first marriage had been against their advice; her husband had been an Irishman, true, but he had failed to meet other necessary requirements...and things had ended badly. Now, another Irishman had come--and was making the natives restless. Yes, the men of Falgannon could sense Desmond Mershan's conquering Viking spirit and his desire for B.A.--which B.A. could sense herself. And while her men would never let anything happen that she didn't want, this Irishman had come to pillage and loot, and nothing was going to stop him. Staring into his vibrant green eyes, B.A. anticipated the battles to come.

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is The Galactic Mage ($1.99), the first book in The Galactic Mage series by John Daulton [indie/Daulton Books]. In the bookstore, I'd buy this one on the strength of the cover alone (come on, admit it - you've done the same), as it has a dragon, a spaceship and a girl with a gun! How can it fail?

The series continues with Rift in the Races and Hostiles, both now available, with a fourth title underway and expected in 2014.
Book Description
Altin Meade is a sorcerer with a curse. Seeking to avoid a looming doom, he sets his magical sights on the stars--a quest that will likely bring about the very consequence he's seeking to escape.

Far across the galaxy, Ensign Orli Pewter of planet Earth has a looming doom of her own--one of loneliness, depression and, worse, a race of genocidal aliens known as "Hostiles" seeking to destroy humanity. Trapped aboard a spaceship she never asked to be upon, Orli is in a fight for both her life and her sanity.

Worlds apart, Altin and Orli share a destiny, but neither knows the other is alive. The Hostiles know. And they have other plans.

Today's Kindle Teen Daily Deal is Revenge of the Cheerleaders ($1.99), by Janette Rallison [Walker Childrens].
Book Description
Chelsea's school year has taken a turn for the worse. After being dumped by her boyfriend and humiliated at the pep assembly by her younger sister's boyfriend, Rick, she's just concentrating on avoiding any other major embarrassments.That's when Rick and his band debut their new album, complete with a whole set of songs bashing cheerleaders. Chelsea's humiliation has reached a whole new level now that everyone is walking down the halls singing the words to "Dangerously Blonde." It's time to make Rick pay. All he wants is to win the High School Idol audition, so he can be on his way to rock star fame and fortune. But with the help of her best friends, Aubrie and Samantha, Chelsea is going to steal his victory right out from under him. The characters from All's Fair in Love, War and High School are back, only this time it's payback.

UK Kindle Daily Deal 6/14

The Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK is six titles in the Agatha Raisin series by MC Beaton for £0.99 each (~80% off) [Robinson].

Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage (Main/UK; US edition $6.83) - Agatha Raisin #5
The morning of Agatha's marriage to James Lacey dawns bright and clear. But her luck runs out in the church when Jimmy, the husband she had believed long dead, turns up large as life and twice as ugly. Agatha has a go at strangling him. James breaks off the engagement. So when Jimmy is found murdered next day, Agatha and James are both the prime suspects. And they'll have to work together in order to clear their names . . .
Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist (Main/UK; US edition $6.83) - Agatha Raisin #6
In this sixth entertaining outing Agatha leaves the sleepy Cotswold village of Carsely to pursue love - and finds a murderer. Spurned at the altar, she follows her fleeing fiancé James Lacey to north Cyprus, where, instead of enjoying the honeymoon they'd planned, they witness the killing of an obnoxious tourist in a disco. Intrigue and a string of murders surround the unlikely couple, in a plot as scorching as the Greek sun!
Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death (Main/UK; US edition $6.83) - Agatha Raisin #7
Agatha Raisin's neighbouring village of Ancombe is usually the epitome of quiet rural charm, but the arrival of a new mineral-water company - which intends to tap into the village spring - sends tempers flaring and divides the parish council into two stubborn camps. When Agatha, who just happens to be handling the PR for the water company, finds the council chairman murdered at the basin of the spring, tongues start wagging. Could one of the council members have polished off the chairman before he could cast the deciding vote? Poor Agatha, still nursing a bruised heart from one of her unsuccessful romantic encounters, must get cracking, investigate the councillors and solve the crime.
Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham (Main/UK; US edition $8.89) - Agatha Raisin #8
The local ladies all deem Mr John a wizard, so when Agatha finds a few grey hairs on her head - and the rinse she tries at home turns her hair purple - she makes a beeline for the handsome Evesham hairdresser. And as well as sorting out her hair it soon becomes clear the charming man also has designs on her heart - but their future together is cut short when Mr John is fatally poisoned in his salon. Once again Agatha finds herself embroiled in a murder case. Was it one of Mr John's many customers, all of whom divulged to him their darkest secrets?
Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam (Main/UK; US edition $7.59) - Agatha Raisin #10
Feeling jilted and cross, Agatha follows a fortune-teller's advice and rents a cottage in the pretty village of Fryfam, where she hopes good fortune and true love will come chasing after her for a change. Unfortunately, her romantic notions are soon dispelled by the strange goings-on in the village. What exactly are those strange lights in Agatha's back garden? Who is stealing paintings and pottery? Where are her beloved cats? And who murdered the local squire…Agatha's nose for trouble leads her into a maelstrom of jealousy, blackmail and dangerous liaisons - and a murderer who plans to keep irrepressible Agatha permanently in Fryfam - as a resident corpse.
Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell (Main/UK; US edition $8.89) - Agatha Raisin #11
Recently married to James Lacey, Agatha quickly finds out that love is not all its cracked up to be - the newly weds are living in separate cottages and accusing each other of infidelity. After a fight down the local pub James vanishes - a bloodstain the only clue to his fate - and Agatha is the prime suspect. Determined to clear her name and find her husband, Agatha begins her investigation - and promptly finds a murdered mistress...

Fireblood (£0.99 UK), by Jeff Wheeler [47North], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for for Science Fiction & Fantasy Fans in the UK (the US edition is $4.99; companion audiobook $1.99).
Book Description
Tyrus of Kenatos has made it his life’s work to banish the plagues that ravage the kingdoms. He believes the answer to ending the devastation lies in the Scourgelands. Yet, Tyrus’s first expedition into the cursed woods failed after being defeated by mysterious minions who stalked and killed most of his band.

Now a prisoner in his own tower, Tyrus has summoned his nephew Annon—a Druidecht possessing innate magic called the fireblood—on the guise of finding a hidden treasure with which to purchase his twin sister Hettie’s freedom. But in reality, Tyrus is using his niece and nephew, and their magic, as an opportunity to escape and resume his desperate mission. And to aid them, he has enlisted the warrior-monk Paedrin—who is almost as green as the siblings when it comes to traveling these troubled lands. The trio is determined, and along the way they grow to trust each other—and new additions to the group—in order to accomplish their missions…whether or not those missions are one and the same.

But the Arch-Rike—ruthless ruler of Kenatos—has learned of these plans, and has sent the fearsome Kishion to destroy all those that oppose him. Now Tyrus and his unwitting allies must face down not only the plague, but this new enemy—and fulfill their quest before a fresh horror is unleashed on the world…

Nook Daily Find 6/14

Confessions of a Murder Suspect ($8.89 Kindle, $2.99 B&N), by James Patterson [Little, Brown and Company/Hachette], is the Nook Daily Find. It should drop in price by late morning on Kindle.
Book Description
James Patterson returns to the genre that made him famous with a thrilling teen detective series about the mysterious and magnificently wealthy Angel family . . . and the dark secrets they're keeping from one another.

On the night Malcolm and Maud Angel are murdered, Tandy Angel knows just three things: 1) She was the last person to see her parents alive. 2) The police have no suspects besides Tandy and her three siblings. 3) She can't trust anyone--maybe not even herself. Having grown up under Malcolm and Maud's intense perfectionist demands, no child comes away undamaged. Tandy decides that she will have to clear the family name, but digging deeper into her powerful parents' affairs is a dangerous-and revealing-game. Who knows what the Angels are truly capable of?

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Free Audiobook - Riders of the Purple Sage

Get a free audiobook download of Riders of the Purple Sage: The Restored Edition ($19.95 Audible or $0.99 companion priced with this Kindle edition at $3.82), by Zane Grey, narrated by Mark Bramhall, from Downpour (Blackstone Audio's retail site), as part of their June is Audiobook Month celebration (but, only thru June 19) and AudioFile Magazine's Western Adventures promotion.
Book Description
Now, for the first time in a century, Zane Grey's best-known novel is presented in its original form exactly as he wrote it.

When in the early 1900s Zane Grey took his manuscript to two publishing companies, they rejected it because of the theme of Mormon polygamy, fearing it would offend their readers and subscribers. Then Grey made a special plea to Frederick Duneka, who was vice-president of Harper & Bros. and who had been Mark Twain's editor at that company. Duneka and his wife read the novel and liked it but feared it would offend some readers. Harper & Bros. agreed to publish a changed version of the novel and purchased both the book and magazine-serial rights. Given the task of executing the necessary editorial changes, a senior editor of the company made changes in tone, diction, and style as well as content. The novel first appeared in nineteen installments in the monthly magazine Field & Stream from January 1912 to July 1913.

Blackstone Audio here presents the original, uncensored, unabridged novel Riders of the Purple Sage, obtained through the Golden West Literary Agency with the cooperation of Zane Grey's son, Loren Grey, and the Ohio State Historical Society.

In Cottonwoods, Utah, in 1871, a woman stands accused and a man is sentenced to whipping. Into this travesty of small-town justice rides the one man whom the town elders fear. His name is Lassiter, and he is a notorious gunman who's come to avenge his sister's death. It doesn't take Lassiter long to see that this once peaceful Mormon community is controlled by the corrupt Deacon Tull, a powerful elder who's trying to take the woman's land by forcing her to marry him, branding her foreman as a dangerous 'outsider'. Lassiter vows to help them. But when the ranch is attacked by horse thieves, cattle rustlers, and a mysterious masked rider, he realizes that they're up against something bigger, and more brutal, than the land itself.
Get the free audiobook from Downpour. Use Promo code FREERIDERS during checkout (and make sure you see a $0.00 total before continuing). If you are a member there, be sure to log in first - otherwise, the code gets stripped during checkout and you may end up using one of your credits (if you do, contact support and they'll put the credit back on your acct).

Daily Deal - Beyond the Doors of Death

Beyond the Doors of Death, by Robert Silverberg and Damien Broderick [Phoenix Pick], is on sale, today only, for $0.99 on Kindle (regularly $7.99). I've been waiting several days for the price to drop (and, needless today, pounced on it when it did). For those without a Kindle, this is DRM-Free, so download and convert to the format of your choice.
Book Description
Born With the Dead (the novella) was nominated for every major science fiction award when it was originally published in 1974, winning the Nebula and Locus awards.

The author now revisits the classic story with Australian author Damien Broderick. Broderick uses Robert Silverberg s original novella as a starting point for a brilliant leap into the far future, widening the scope and tenor of the original story by revisiting some of the subtler implications of the original story.

Get $5 of $10 Purchase (KSO)

This offer is only for those with a Kindle Fire with Special Offers (KFSO).

From the home page of your KFSO, swipe the top menu to the left until you see Offers, then press/click in order to see the current offers. At the bottom, you should see the offer for Get $5 off a $10 purchase. Click on the offer then click to change your 1-click Settings (yes, this is required for this offer).

The big catch on this deal is that you must have a valid Discover card on file, change your 1-click settings, then use the Discover card on a $10 or more physical purchase (no gift cards or digital items) by Oct 7, the items have to be "sold by and fulfilled by Amazon.com" and your card must remain valid until you do. Still, it's up to half-off your purchase and you can change your settings after you fulfill the requirements.

If you don't have a Discover Card on your account, you may not see the offer at all (you can try adding it and see if it shows up by the sign-up deadline of Sept 7); if it's already your one-click card of choice, try changing to another card and you may get the offer to show (I doubt those who already default to Discover will see this bribe to switch). It also appears that you need to make sure that your card is up-to-date on it's expiration date, etc, before you sign up. Finally, you have to do the change to Discover from the Kindle Fire registered to your account.

Although I used my PC to check that my card was up-to-date first and followed all the procedures on the offer page, I only received an error msg when I tried to sign up for this deal. It turns out, all that meant was that I needed to go back to the Offers page on the Kindle Fire and try again - the second time around I saw the "Apply Credit" choice, rather than the "Change 1-Click Settings" button!

Daily Deal - Tainted Night, Tainted Blood (E)

Tainted Night, Tainted Blood ($6.99 $5.38 Kindle), the second novel in the Kat Redding series by E. S. Moore [Kensington], is today's Deal of the Day at at Diesel E-Books, where it's discounted to $1.40 (8 copies left).
Book Description
In the darkness, it's easy to lose your way. . .
Kat Redding is a vampire with a job to do--wiping out the vamps and werewolves who prey on Pureblood humans. Someone has to do it. . .as long as that someone is her. But suddenly Kat, also known as Lady Death, has competition, and it's causing problems. Vampire houses and werewolf clans alike are blaming her for a spate of gruesome murders, and Kat needs to figure out who's really responsible before she becomes the next target. . .

On the hunt, she forms an uneasy alliance with both the Luna Cult and a powerful rogue werewolf. But the truths Kat's uncovering--about her enemies and her few remaining confidantes--are far from comforting. And when the chance comes to leave her life of vengeance behind, Kat must decide whether her real motive lies in protecting the innocent, or sating her own fierce hungers. . .
Get the book from Diesel; be sure to check the sales price, as the Deal of the Day often sells out. Deals change at 11AM Eastern Time, USA.

Two Free Audiobooks - The Raven Boys & Bless Me, Ultima

It's time for this week's free audiobooks from Sync. I've linked in the info from the ebook or audiobook version of each title (Amazon has the best reviews), followed by the link to get your copies free, with directions to ensure you get the complete download.

Start off with The Raven Boys ($9.50 Kindle; $23.95 Audible or $3.99 companion edition), by Maggie Stiefvater, narrated by Will Patton [Scholastic]. This is going to the top of my listening list.
Book Description
"There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve," Neeve said. "Either you're his true love . . . or you killed him."

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them--not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He has it all--family money, good looks, devoted friends--but he's looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we've never been before.

Bless Me, Ultima ($5.69 Kindle; $17.95 Audible), by Rudolfo Anaya, narrated by Robert Ramirez, is the second selection for this week. There's only one ebook edition of this still-in-copyright classic [Grand Central Publishing/Hachette].
Book Description
Stories filled with wonder and the haunting beauty of his culture have helped make Rudolfo Anaya the father of Chicano literature in English, and his tales fairly shimmer with the lyric richness of his prose. Acclaimed in both Spanish and English, Anaya is perhaps best loved for his classic bestseller ... Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her wise wing, Tony will test the bonds that tie him to his people, and discover himself in the pagan past, in his father's wisdom, and in his mother's Catholicism. And at each life turn there is Ultima, who delivered Tony into the world-and will nurture the birth of his soul.
Click HERE to get the free downloads (you'll need to enter your name and an email address. You'll end up clicking about three pages (for each book), before the audiobook actually downloads. Don't stop so long as you still see a button that talks about your Sync download (or until you see the Overdrive software open up; there is a link at Sync, if you don't already have Overdrive installed).

Once in Overdrive, you'll need to tell it where to save the files (just click OK to use the default location, since Overdrive will keep track of them for you), then again to actually start the download (by default, all parts of the book are downloaded; I would suggest not changing this in the last dialog box, just click on OK to get the download started). Make sure your audiobook is fully downloaded before the end of the week, as once the promo period is over, you won't be able to get them free.

You can't get any titles that have been missed, but once they are loaded into Overdrive (which you will need to install, if you are not already using it for library books), they are yours to keep (there is no expiration date).

Kindle Daily Deals 6/13

Today on Amazon's Gold Box save up to 62% on "Star Trek: The Complete Original Series" on Blu-ray and Seasons 1, 2 and 3 of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" on Blu-ray; while supplies last. In the Lightning Deals today are more gifts for Dads, including a solar recharging kit from Goal Zero later this afternoon.

Today's Free MP3 album is Ain't No Trip to Cleveland: Vol. 1 (Live) by Dispatch, which I thought was quite good. It's that blend of folk, rock, bluegrass and country that you often find categorized as Americana.

Today's Kindle Teen Daily Deal is Between the Lines ($1.99), by New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult and her teenage daughter Samantha van Leer [Simon and Schuster], with the companion audiobook for $3.49.
Book Description
What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Up the Down Staircase ($1.99), by Bel Kaufman [Open Road].
Book Description
Bel Kaufman’s bestselling classic, about a young teacher’s efforts to reach her students and the odd, amusing, and poignant ways that the students respond

When Miss Barrett arrives at Calvin Coolidge High, fresh from earning literature degrees at Hunter College, she can hardly wait to shape young minds. Instead, she encounters broken windows, no supplies, students who would rather be anyplace else, and a stifling bureaucracy that makes her job more difficult at every turn.

Narrated through hilarious inter-office memos, students’ notes, and other scraps drawn from the waste basket, Up the Down Staircase stands as the seminal novel of the American public school system, a beleaguered institution perpetually redeemed by teachers who love to teach and students who long to be recognized.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Bel Kaufman including photos from the author’s personal collection.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is The Wheel of Fortune ($1.99), by Susan Howatch [Open Road].
Book Description
Welsh heir Robert Godwin knows everything about his powerful family’s interests, but what does he know of his own heart?

Tucked in the hills of South Wales is Oxmoon, the ancestral estate of the Godwin family. In the summers before 1914, music streams through the family home as the Godwins, at the height of their prosperity, dance in the ballroom with their guests. But despite the remarkable talents of heir-apparent Robert Godwin, the fates have a rough, tough ride planned for him and those he loves. Fortunes shift during two world wars, disastrous love affairs leave the family battered, and finally jealousy threatens to destroy Oxmoon and all it symbolizes. Based on a true story that has been updated to modern times, The Wheel of Fortune is a timeless tale of love, hatred, revenge, redemption, and forgiveness.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Susan Howatch including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is The Skin Map ($1.99), the first novel in acclaimed author Stephen R. Lawhead's Bright Empires series [Thomas Nelson], with the companion audiobook for $3.49. The fourth in the series, The Shadow Lamp, can now be pre-ordered.
Book Description
It is the ultimate quest for the ultimate treasure. Chasing a map tattooed on human skin. Across an omniverse of intersecting realities. To unravel the future of the future.

Kit Livingstone’s great-grandfather appears to him in a deserted alley during a tumultuous storm. He reveals an unbelievable story: that the ley lines throughout Britain are not merely the stuff of legend or the weekend hobby of deluded cranks, but pathways to other worlds. To those who know how to use them, they grant the ability to travel the multi-layered universe of which we ordinarily inhabit only a tiny part.

One explorer knew more than most. Braving every danger, he toured both time and space on voyages of heroic discovery. Ever on his guard and fearful of becoming lost in the cosmos, he developed an intricate code—a roadmap of symbols—that he tattooed onto his own body. This Skin Map has since been lost in time. Now the race is on to recover all the pieces and discover its secrets.

But the Skin Map itself is not the ultimate goal. It is merely the beginning of a vast and marvelous quest for a prize beyond imagining.

The Bright Empires series 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.

Nook Daily Find 6/13

Unlocked ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Karen Kingsbury [Zondervan], is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
Before You Take a Stand ... You Got to Take a Chance. Holden Harris is an eighteen-year-old locked in a prison of autism. Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden is very happy and socially normal---on the inside, in a private world all his own. In reality, he is bullied at school by kids who only see that he is very different. Ella Reynolds is part of the 'in' crowd. A cheerleader and star of the high school drama production, her life seems perfect. When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him ... the way he is drawn to the music. Then, Ella makes a dramatic discovery---she and Holden were best friends as children. Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied, and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school. Including her boyfriend, Jake. Ella believes miracles can happen in the unlikeliest places, and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines. But will Holden's praying mother and the efforts of Ella and a cast of theater kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden? This time, friendship, faith, and the power of a song must be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.

UK Kindle Daily Deal 6/13

The End of Your Life Book Club (£0.99 UK), by Will Schwalbe [Two Roads], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for those in the UK (the US edition is $11.99), an Amazon Best Books of the Month, October 2012.
Book Description
“What are you reading?”

That’s the question Will Schwalbe asks his mother, Mary Anne, as they sit in the waiting room of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In 2007, Mary Anne returned from a humanitarian trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan suffering from what her doctors believed was a rare type of hepatitis. Months later she was diagnosed with a form of advanced pancreatic cancer, which is almost always fatal, often in six months or less.

This is the inspiring true story of a son and his mother, who start a “book club” that brings them together as her life comes to a close. Over the next two years, Will and Mary Anne carry on conversations that are both wide-ranging and deeply personal, prompted by an eclectic array of books and a shared passion for reading. Their list jumps from classic to popular, from poetry to mysteries, from fantastic to spiritual. The issues they discuss include questions of faith and courage as well as everyday topics such as expressing gratitude and learning to listen. Throughout, they are constantly reminded of the power of books to comfort us, astonish us, teach us, and tell us what we need to do with our lives and in the world. Reading isn’t the opposite of doing; it’s the opposite of dying.

Will and Mary Anne share their hopes and concerns with each other—and rediscover their lives—through their favorite books. When they read, they aren’t a sick person and a well person, but a mother and a son taking a journey together. The result is a profoundly moving tale of loss that is also a joyful, and often humorous, celebration of life: Will’s love letter to his mother, and theirs to the printed page.

The Kindle Deal of the Day for for Science Fiction & Fantasy Fans in the UK is five Ben Bova novels for £0.99 each [RosettaBooks].

Mars (£0.99 UK; US edition $6.83, companion audiobook $3.49), the first title in Ben Bova's Grand Tour of the Universe series
Jamie Waterman is a young Navaho geologist who is picked for the ground team of the first manned expedition to Mars. He will be joining an international team of astronauts and scientists. But once the crew land on Mars, they soon discover they must battle not only the alien land on which they have invaded but earthbound bureaucrats as well. When they come face to face with a chasm ten times as deep and large as the Grand Canyon, all twenty-five astronauts must face the most shocking discovery of all...
Return to Mars (£0.99 UK; US edition $6.83, companion audiobook $3.49), the third title in Ben Bova's Grand Tour of the Universe series
Jamie Waterman is returning to the Red Planet, this time in charge of an expedition in which he hopes to demonstrate that one can study Martian life not only for the sake of the pursuit but more, that it can be profitable. Waterman also hopes to revisit a part of the canyon where he thought he spied a primitive cliff dwelling during the first Martian mission.

But this second voyage to Mars brings trouble right away as Waterman clashes with Dex Trumball, the son of a billionaire who is backing the expedition. Dex wants to turn the planet into a tourist attraction, while Waterman wants to preserve the planet solely for scientific research.

To further complicate matters, both men are attracted to the expedition's beautiful psychologist, Vijay Shektar, who can't seem to decide which of the two men she prefers. On top of all of this confusion, it seems that another member of the team may be trying to sabotage the mission while the elder Trumball is pulling strings in order to force Waterman to step down as the expedition's leader.
Star Brothers (£0.99 UK; US edition $6.83, companion audiobook $3.49), the third title in Voyagers series
Jo Camerata, the ambitious young student who fell in love with Keith Stoner, is now head of Vanguard Industries which has recovered an alien ship. As a result, Jo's company now controls the incredible wealth of technology aboard the ship as well as the fortune it reaps in - not to mention control of Keith Stoner.

What Camerata does not know, however, is that someone else has been awake, someone who dwells deep within the recesses of Stoner's mind. The alienate presence that has kept Stoner alive for so long is now free and fully intends to explore our world and will let nothing stand in its way.
Moonrise (£0.99 UK; US edition $6.15), the first title in Moonrise series
In the 21st century, the world is on the brink of a scientific renaissance, about to birth a future where space has become privatized and the moon transforms into a fertile commercial ground. As former astronaut Paul Stavenger works to turn a handful of abandoned government moon shelters into a full-fledged moonbase, powerful corporate lobbies align against him. Against the neo-Luddites is Masterson Aerospace, a company funding and creating major scientific breakthroughs.

But Masterson is nearly crippled when its CEO commits suicide and his wife, Joanna, backs her lover Paul Stavenger, the former astronaut, over her mentally unbalanced son Greg in the board election that follows her husband's death. So begins a power struggle that leads to murder and the ultimate conflict over Moonbase.
Moonwar (£0.99 UK; US edition $6.99, companion audiobook $3.49), the second title in Moonrise series
Moonwar, the sequel to Moonrise, is a fast-paced high-tech adventure that tells the story of the fledgling lunar colony--Moonbase--and how it is now in jeopardy as political forces seek to control or destroy it. This book is the continuation of the story of Douglas Stavenger, the Kennedy-esque scion of Moonbase's founding dynasty.

While Moonbase has been flourishing under Stavenger's management, it's existence, and even Stavenger's life, both depend on nanotechnology which have been outlawed on Earth in response to a wave of luddite fear and violence. Soon, United Nations peacekeepers arrive on the moon to enforce the anti-nanotech laws, bringing with them intrepid news reporter Edith Elgin, who soon falls for Doug. Meanwhile, Doug's mother Joanna has chosen to return to Earth, but upon arrival she is held hostage by the secretary general of the UN who wants Doug to surrender his forces and more, to be killed.

Slick politicians, beautiful television anchors, and calculating corporate barons provide complex and engaging scenery: imagine Washington in the space age, with nonstop action and cool technology.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Bargain Book Trio

Just a quick list today, guys.

Obsession ($0.99 Kindle; $2.99 Kobo), by Jennifer Armentrout [Entangled / Covet / Macmillan], is on sale TODAY ONLY!. Unlike many of her bestselling novels, this one is definitely not aimed at teens/young adults.
Book Description
He's arrogant, domineering, and... To. Die. For.

Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something...unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life...or is it Hunter?

Independence ($3.03 Kindle), by John Ferling [Bloomsbury Press]; this is a good price on a good book (perhaps a good Father's Day gift?) for those that missed it on sale last year. Grab it while you can - it's over $20 in other stores.
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.

Just Desserts ($0.99 Kindle, Kobo), the first novel in the Bed-And-Breakfast series by Mary Daheim [HarperCollins]
Book Description
When the garishly grotesque clan of wealthy carpet-sweeper magnate Otto Broadie sweeps down upon Judith McMonigle's Hillside Manor Inn, it looks like there'll be a wild night of drinking, dining, and fortune-telling in the offing. But when their soothsayer-for-hire Madame Gushenka drops dead after someone douses her tea leaves with bug killer, harried hostess Judith and her irrepressible cousin Renie are left to clean up the mess. One of the Brodie bunch would dearly love to sweep the Madame's murder under the rug, however, and that might mean eliminating the nosy Ms. McMonigle as well. But with the help of her one-time beau, policeman Joe Flynn, Judith is determined to rattle the dust off some closeted family skeletons, in order to coax a killer out of hiding before coffee is served.

Daily Deal - Murder at the Manor

Murder at the Manor ($4.99 $2.99 Kindle), the ninth novel in the Libby Sarjeant murder mystery series by Lesley Cookman [Accent Press], is today's Deal of the Day at at Diesel E-Books, where it's discounted to $2.00 (9 copies left). The deal on this one isn't quite as good at Amazon, but they make up for it by having the entire series on sale for $2.99 per title.
Book Description
New edition; includes a map, cast of characters and a bonus chapter of the next title in the series.

Steeple Martin sleuth Libby Sarjeant and her partner Ben are hosting a writers’ weekend reunion at Ben’s family home, The Manor, when a body is discovered in the grounds.

Even though Scotland Yard are on the case, Libby feels impelled to investigate a murder on her home patch. Their enquiries take Libby and her psychic investigator friend Fran Castle to historic Dorset, where they uncover a complex web of writers’ jealousies that has further tragic consequences before Libby uses all her wiles to get at the truth.
Get the book from Diesel; be sure to check the sales price, as the Deal of the Day often sells out. Deals change at 11AM Eastern Time, USA.

Kindle Daily Deals 6/12

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is In Broad Daylight ($1.99), by Seth Harwood [Thomas & Mercer].
Book Description
From the author of the acclaimed thriller novels Jack Wakes Up and Young Junius comes In Broad Daylight, a taut psychological whodunnit with Stieg Larsson's intrigue and Karin Slaughter's raw insights on strange communities.

FBI agent Jess Harding treks back to Anchorage to hunt down a sadistic killer who's reemerged from a five-year hiatus--a killer who has already slipped her grasp once before. The endless days of an Alaskan summer can't thwart the fiend's plans as he slashes his way through the rural community, where everyone knows your name and always distrusts the outside. With the help of Oscar Linstrom, an old colleague who wants to be more than friends, Jess attempts to immerse herself in the area's culture, leading her to a strange rural village inhabited by Russian Old Believers hell-bent on protecting their way of life. Even the locals are outsiders to the Old Believers, and Jess needs a safehaven in the glare of daylight because a blood-stained message left at the scene of the most recent murder says Jess is no longer the hunter--but the hunted.

Seth Harwood, named a Best of 2010 author by George Pelecanos, returns with this terrifying daydream of an expansive Great North that offers no place to hide.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Misfortune Cookie ($1.99), the first in the series by Michele Gorman [indie].
Book Description
Would you move 6,000 miles to be with the love of your life?

Hannah did. Unfortunately her plan isn't going terribly well. What was supposed to be a move to Hong Kong to start a wonderful new life with Sam is turning into a move to Hong Kong to spend occasional weekends with Sam, when he can get away from an unanticipated work assignment on the opposite side of the South China Sea. Still, she's optimistic, if woefully unprepared for the intricacies of Hong Kong. Stumbling through the alien city, which she loves, she starts to build a life for herself. Things definitely look up when she finds a great boss to work for, and her best friend Stacy moves to the city too. But alarm bells ring as Sam seems to be getting a bit too cozy with his boss. And when things start going wrong at work, Hannah can't help but wonder if she's made the biggest mistake of her life.

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is Crater ($1.99), a Helium-3 novel by Homer Hickam [Thomas Nelson], with the companion audiobook for $3.49.
Book Description
A MINING COLONY ON THE MOON. A DEADLY MISSION. AND A SECRET BIGGER THAN TWO WORLDS.

It’s the 22nd Century. A tough, pioneering people mine the moon for Helium-3 to produce energy for a desperate, war-torn Earth.

Sixteen-year-old Crater Trueblood loves his job as a Helium-3 miner. But when he saves a fellow miner, his life changes forever. Impressed by his heroism, the owner of the mine orders Crater to undertake a dangerous mission. Crater doubts himself, but has no choice. He must go.

With the help of Maria, the mine owner’s frustrating but gorgeous granddaughter, and his gillie—a sentient and sometimes insubordinate clump of slime mold cells—Crater must fight both human and subhuman enemies. He’ll battle his way across a thousand miles of deadly lunar terrain and face genetically altered super warriors in his quest to recover an astonishing object that will alter the lives of everyone on the moon.

Today's Kindle Teen Daily Deal is Two Girls of Gettysburg ($1.99), by Lisa M. Klein [Bloomsbury USA Childrens].
Book Description
Lizzie and Rosanna are cousins. But when the Civil War breaks out, Lizzie finds herself committed to the cause of the Union, while Rosie is swept up in the passions of the old south. Torn in their alliances, each girl finds herself grappling with the brutality of war, and the elusive promise of love, until the battle at Gettysburg brings them together once again.

Grade 6–9

Nook Daily Find 6/12

Dollars and Sex ($9.99 Kindle, $1.99 B&N), by Marina Adshade [Chronicle Books], is the Nook Daily Find.
Book Description
Like Freakonomics, Dollars and Sex takes economics and converts it into a sexy science by applying the principles of supply and demand, and other market forces, to matters of love, courtship, sex, and marriage. As she does in her hugely popular blog, author Marina Adshade explores the marketplace for sex and love using research, economic analysis, and humor to reveal just how central the interplay of libido, gender, love, power, and economic forces is to the most important choices we make in our lives. Call it "Sexonomics."

UK Kindle Daily Deal 6/12

The Dog Stars (£0.99 UK), by Peter Heller [Review], an Amazon Best Books of the Month, August 2012, is the Kindle Deal of the Day for for Science Fiction & Fantasy Fans in the UK (the US edition is $11.99). Shorlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2013.
Book Description
THE ROAD - but with hope.

Hig, bereaved and traumatised after global disaster, has three things to live for - his dog Jasper, his aggressive but helpful neighbour, and his Cessna aeroplane. He's just about surviving, so long as he only takes his beloved plane for short journeys, and saves his remaining fuel.

But, just once, he picks up a message from another pilot, and eventually the temptation to find out who else is still alive becomes irresistible. So he takes his plane over the horizon, knowing that he won't have enough fuel to get back. What follows is scarier and more life-affirming than he could have imagined. And his story, THE DOG STARS, is a book unlike any you have ever read.

A Spy by Nature (£0.99 UK), by Charles Cumming [Harper], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for those in the UK (the US edition is $8.89).
Book Description
For all fans of TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY comes this masterclass in suspense about a spy caught up in his own web of deception…

Alec Milius is young, smart and ambitious – with a talent for deception. When a chance encounter opens the door to a career with MI6, he is desperate to make his mark.

But life as a spy begins to take a terrible toll on himself and those around him, and soon Alec is chasing not just success but survival. Forced to work alone, he spins a web of deceit that traps him centre stage in a game of global espionage.

In this new job, the difference between truth and a lie can be a matter of life and death. And for Alec, it’s getting harder to tell them apart…

A Spy By Nature is the bestselling novel with which Charles Cumming announced his arrival as heir apparent to masters like John le Carré and Len Deighton; compellingly told, utterly authentic and heart-racingly intense, it will grip you till the very last page.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Daily Deal - Who's on Top?

Who's on Top? ($4.50 $3.91 Kindle), the first novel in the Man-Handlers series by Karen Kendall [Harlequin Blaze], is today's Deal of the Day at at Diesel E-Books, where it's discounted to $0.80 (8 copies left).
Book Description
In the battle of the sexes, who will win this round? Jane O'Toole is determined to come out ahead, even though Dominic Sayers is a formidable--and hot--competitor. She's been hired to assess his ability to be a team player, but the sparks between them are tempting her to test his other abilities.

While it seems inevitable that they're going to end up tangled in the sheets, she's not giving in quietly. For every one of his naughty suggestions, she'll counter with two of her own. And when their seductive games are done, the only challenge will be to see who's the most satisfied.
Get the book from Diesel; be sure to check the sales price, as the Deal of the Day often sells out. Deals change at 11AM Eastern Time, USA.

Kindle Daily Deals 6/11

Today on Amazon's Gold Box save 66% on "Smallville: The Complete Series."

Today's Free MP3 download is Green Hill Music - Latin Music Sampler and it's definitely worth picking up.

The $20 off a Kindle Fire HD promotion has been extended until June 15.

Today is the last day to take advantage of this AmazonLocal deal:

Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is Reach for Tomorrow ($1.99), by Arthur C. Clarke [RosettaBooks]. It appears that this is one of the volumes that was skipped in the last big sale on his titles.
Book Description
This collection of short stories brings numerous lesser-known works from the world’s foremost master of science fiction together for the first time. Reach for Tomorrow includes twelve highly memorable stories. Included is “Rescue Party,” a short story that may have served as an origin story for the renowned Rama series.

As a cross-section of Clarke’s work, Reach For Tomorrow is astonishingly diverse. Readers will find tales ranging in scope from the time of the dinosaurs to the unimaginably distant future; locations as far-flung as distant galaxies and as close as London; and voyages to the center of the earth and beyond the stars. It’s a fun and fascinating read for any fan of Clarke or science fiction in general.

Today's Kindle Daily Deal is three exciting Rachel Scott Adventure novels by Traci Hohenstein that delve into the mysteries and suspense of missing-person investigations for $0.99 apiece [Thomas & Mercer]. Although I received a review copy of Cut & Run, at this price I'll pick up a permanent copy for my library (and grab the first two, as well).

Asylum Harbor
Amber Knowles, a beautiful high school senior and Florida governor John Knowles’s daughter, has everything going for her until she disappears during a cruise to the Bahamas. After an extensive search of the ship SeaStar, it’s clear that Amber has vanished without a trace. When Governor Knowles receives the distressing news, he asks for Rachel Scott’s help.

The teenager’s disappearance represents every parent’s worst fear, and Rachel, founder of Florida Omni Search, knows only too well what losing a daughter feels like. Her three-year-old, Mallory, went missing five years ago. As she works with FBI special agent, Drake Reynolds, Rachel discovers an organized crime ring linked to the cruise line. The last person known to see Amber aboard the ship was an incognito DEA agent, who also has vanished. Where is he? And where is Amber? Finally, where is Mallory?

Traci Hohenstein’s Asylum Harbor draws inspiration from the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in 2005 and delves deeply into the mysteries and suspense of missing-person investigations and organized crime detection. The first in a series, Asylum Harbor introduces Rachel Scott and her team and compels readers to follow Florida Omni Search and all their investigations.
Burn Out
The week before she is to testify at her estranged husband’s trial on drug charges, firefighter Lieutenant Samantha Collins vanishes while combating a warehouse fire, leaving only her helmet behind.

With Sam missing, her mother seeks the help of Florida Omni Search, a nonprofit organization founded by Rachel Scott, whose own daughter, Mallory, disappeared when only three years old. Rachel has worked with law enforcement agencies all over the United States, but she can’t possibly anticipate how terrifying the Sam Collins case will be. Rachel learns of Sam’s husband’s drug operation, and as she digs deeper, not only does the investigator expose Sam’s surprising past, she also uncovers clues that could reveal what happened to her own daughter.

The second book in the Rachel Scott series, Burn Out is a Traci Hohenstein original, an emotionally charged mystery-thriller that takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of plot twists, turns, and startling surprises.
Cut & Run (companion audiobook $1.99)
When Matt O’Malley turns up at a truck stop with a nasty concussion and no recollection of what happened to him or his family, investigator Rachel Scott knows she and the Florida Omni Search team have to act fast. Whoever attacked him still has his wife and children, and a gruesome piece of evidence points to deadly possibilities.

While Matt sweats under the scrutiny of the FBI, his shattered memory slowly pieces together disturbing details. Afraid to trust even his brother with this new information, he turns to Rachel, who scours southern Louisiana for clues. Along with retired police detective Red Cooper, Rachel searches everywhere from a voodoo parlor to an eerie Houma swamp, unearthing troubling secrets about the O’Malleys…and a shocking truth behind the disappearance of Rachel’s own daughter.

Traci Hohenstein picks up her suspenseful Rachel Scott series with its third entry, Cut and Run—a gripping thriller that captures the haunting spirit and intoxicating mystery of New Orleans.

Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Incandescent ($0.99), by M. V. Freeman [Crimson Romance].
Book Description
Some gifts are unwanted, and Laurie Hudson’s affinity for fire is one she hates. It has destroyed her relationship with her family and she has few friends. She’s fought hard to keep the fire inside suppressed, living a low key life as a bartender, until a brutal and charming man blows into her life.

Around Mikhail Petrov, her careful control disintegrates. She is at once drawn to his urbane, cool demeanor and irritated by his overbearing manner. Her options are taken away when he kidnaps her, forcing her into a fight she wants nothing to do with. As she learns to survive, Laurie faces the hardest choice of all, her freedom or the destruction of the frustrating man she’s come to care for.

A formidable Tri-elemental, Mikhail Petrov commands earth, air, and water. He will use anyone or anything to free himself from the oppressive rule of the Mages, including the untrained fire element he discovers, Laurie. Most of his family has been wiped out in an effort to manipulate him. He thinks he has nothing left to lose. To him, Laurie is a tool, a rare and powerful elemental that is his to use. He fights his feelings for the fire elemental because with caring comes weakness, another opening for destruction. Rarely are emotions as easy to control as his elements.

As he trains Laurie to work with him, he doesn’t expect his growing attachment to her. With the Mages closing in, Mikhail faces a choice: destroy the fledgling relationship with Laurie to gain his coveted freedom, or sacrifice himself for hers.

Sensuality Level: Behind Closed Doors

Today's Kindle Teen Daily Deal is Who I Kissed ($1.99), by Janet Gurtler [Sourcebooks Fire].
Book Description
Janet Gurtler’s books have been hailed as "just right for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jodi Picoult" (Booklist) and "reminiscent of Judy Blume" (RT Book Reviews). Her latest contemporary YA novel is by turns gripping, heart-wrenching, and joyous as one teen girl has to find the courage to carry on after a devastating tragedy.

She never thought a kiss could kill...

As the new girl in town, Samantha just wants to fit in. Being invited to a party by her fellow swim team members is her big chance...especially since Zee will be there. He hasn’t made a secret of checking her out at the pool. Sam didn’t figure on Alex being there too. She barely even knows him. And she certainly didn’t plan to kiss him. It just kind of happened.

And then Alex dies—right in her arms...

Consumed by guilt and grief, Sam has no idea what to do or where to turn when everyone at school blames her. What follows is Sam’s honest, raw, and unforgettable journey to forgive herself and find balance—maybe even love—in a life that suddenly seems to be spinning out of control.

Nook Daily Find 6/11

The Silver Boat ($12.99 Kindle, $2.99 B&N), by Luanne Rice [Penguin], is the Nook Daily Find; the price should drop on Kindle sometime later this morning, since this is an Agency pricing publisher.
Book Description
From New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice, a moving family story that "will strike a chord in every mother, daughter, or sister" (Marie Claire)

In The Silver Boat, New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice has written a heart-wrenching yet heartwarming portrait of a family in all its flawed complexity. The McCarthy sisters have come to Martha's Vineyard to say good-bye to their family's beach house—the place they were happiest together. Each has her own complicated issues and is struggling with the difficult process of letting go, but when a cache of old letters spurs them to visit Ireland, each woman comes to see herself in a new light. True-to-life sisters, the beach, laughter, and passionate love—The Silver Boat is Luanne Rice at her very best.

UK Kindle Daily Deal 6/11

Snow Crash (£0.99 UK), by Neal Stephenson [Penguin], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for for Science Fiction & Fantasy Fans in the UK (the US edition is $9.99).
Book Description
The only relief from the sea of logos is within the well-guarded borders of the Burbclaves. Is it any wonder that most sane folks have forsaken the real world and chosen to live in the computer-generated universe of virtual reality? In a major city, the size of a dozen Manhattans, is a domain of pleasures limited only by the imagination. But now a strange new computer virus called Snow Crash is striking down hackers everywhere, leaving an unlikely young man as humankind's last best hope.

The Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK is eight books to help you get ahead for £2.29 each (~70% off).

The Presentation Coach: Bare Knuckle Brilliance For Every Presenter (£2.29 UK; US edition $13.17), by Graham G. Davies
You probably hate giving presentations. You probably hate listening to them too. Why? Because most business presentations are too long, too detailed, too boring...and submerged under a blizzard of PowerPoint.

But the single most important presentational tool known to man isn't a slideshow. It's you.

Whether you're speaking to one person across a table, 20 people in a boardroom or 1,000 people in a ballroom, it's all about the words you say and how you say them.
Body Language: It's What You Don't Say That Matters (£2.29 UK; US edition $14.99), by Robert Phipps
Body language matters. From getting a job to getting a pay rise, and from closing a deal to managing the people around you, it makes a big difference. Robert Phipps, one of the world's leading body language experts shows you how to make it work for you. Busting some of the biggest body language myths, Phipps shows how to read other people's body language and to use yours to succeed in business and life.

Loaded with practical tips, this book covers everything you ever need to know about body language, in a variety of business situations.
How to Be Great at The Stuff You Hate: The Straight-Talking Guide to Networking, Persuading and Selling (£2.29 UK; US edition $16.99), by Nick Davies
You have to do it… you might as well enjoy it

No one likes a pushy, smarmy salesman – no one wants to be that guy…but most of us need to sell to some extent. How else can we get any business? We all have to do it now, whether we’re lawyers, accountants or start-ups. But don’t despair – there’s no need to go on some cringey sales training day. How to be Great at the Stuff You Hate shows you how to develop all the skills you need to sell yourself, your business and your ideas. So ditch the dread, forget the fear and start enjoying yourself! Selling isn’t something you ‘do’ to people, it's not some dark art practised by pushy and manipulative people – it’s a process, it’s a relationship…it’s fun! All you need to do is cut the crap, be yourself and win some business.
How To Shine: Insights into unlocking your potential from proven winners (£2.29 UK; US edition $9.99), by Simon Hartley
FIX YOUR MINDSET AND UNLEASH YOUR TALENT

Simon Hartley spent many years working with world class athletes and helping them to new levels of achievement. Then he got wondering: What is it that enables some people to develop their talent in a more impactful way than others? What differentiates the winners from those who almost made it? And how can we be world class in our chosen fields?

How To Shine is more than just a window into the world of winning. It’s the distillation of all Simon has learned from talking to and coaching some of the world’s top success stories, from Premiership footballers and Olympiads to champions of business. It’s a practical, step by step guide to honing skills which are as vital in the office as they are on the athletics track and truly shining in your field.
Straight to Yes: Asking with Confidence and Getting What You Want (£2.29 UK; US edition $9.99), by Haider Imam
MAKE YOURSELF A “YES” MAGNET

You’ve finally plucked up the courage to ask for something. The afternoon off. A pay rise. Then comes that crucial moment where you wait with baited breath for the response. It’s tense, but it doesn’t have to be. You just need to master the art of ‘the ask’.

Taking a direct, light-hearted, wholly practical approach, Haider Imam zooms straight in on that moment of truth providing a set of proven tools and techniques for getting to ‘yes,’ every time. He instils readers with the confidence to ask bigger, more often and even ask for the impossible – and to get it.
Get Productive!: Boosting Your Productivity And Getting Things Done (£2.29 UK; US edition $9.99), by Magdalena Bak-Maier
Rewire your brain and overcome the 20 key time drains that diminish productivity

For anyone who's felt valuable time frittered away in checking emails or answering wrong phone numbers, or listening to a coworker giving you a minute-by-minute account of their previous night's date, help is finally here. Your time is, indeed, your own. And this handy guide, written by a leading executive coach, shows you how to retool your brain, reclaim your schedule, become a master of each minute, and make yourself more productive.

Using a method that is intuitive, easy to remember, and simple to use, this book will help you transform how you think, what you focus on, and what you do so that you can begin to create tangible results.
How to Persuade and Influence People (£2.29 UK; US edition $14.99), by Philip Hesketh
Wouldn't it be great if you could always get people to see things your way? Now you can.

You won't go far in business if you can't bring people round to your way of thinking. Some people find it easy; the rest of us just need a little help. How to Persuade and Influence People reveals some of the most powerful influencing and persuasion techniques known to man. This enhanced second edition contains new tools, new research, new case studies and plenty of practical exercises to help you.
Yes, I Can!: Using Visualization To Achieve Your Goals (£2.29 UK; US edition $9.99), by Robin Nixon
Yes I Can! is for anyone who ever said, "I wish I could be like that person." Deep down we know that we all have the potential to be "that person", but achieving it seems impossible in practice. Well it's not impossible because you have the power to dramatically change your life. You can become more confident and motivated and find greater focus and direction in your life. You can become a better leader or manager and fill yourself with positive energy. You can lead the fulfilling life you have always dreamed of, and much more.

And it can all start today by following the simple five-minute exercises in this book. Once you get used to the techniques provided and have seen the real results you can achieve, you'll understand how you can adapt the exercises directly to your own specific life and circumstances, to achieve much more specific goals.