The Hangman's Daughter ($0.99), by Oliver Pötzsch & Lee Chadeayne (Translator), is currently a pre-order. You can, however, read the first three chapters for free (just remember to permanent delete it on your Manage My Kindle page when done, to avoid cluttering your library).Book Description
Germany, 1660: When a dying boy is pulled from the river with a mark crudely tattooed on his shoulder, hangman Jakob Kuisl is called upon to investigate whether witchcraft is at play in his small Bavarian town. Whispers and dark memories of witch trials and the women burned at the stake just seventy years earlier still haunt the streets of Schongau. When more children disappear and an orphan boy is found dead—marked by the same tattoo—the mounting hysteria threatens to erupt into chaos.
Before the unrest forces him to torture and execute the very woman who aided in the birth of his children, Jakob must unravel the truth. With the help of his clever daughter, Magdelena, and Simon, the university-educated son of the town’s physician, Jakob discovers that a devil is indeed loose in Schongau. But it may be too late to prevent bloodshed.
A brilliantly detailed, fast-paced historical thriller, The Hangman’s Daughter is the first novel from German television screenwriter Oliver Pötzsch, a descendent of the Kuisls, a famous Bavarian executioner clan.
A Glimpse of Darkness ($0.99), by is a collaboration between Lucy A. Snyder, Lara Adrian, Stacia Kane, Harry Connolly & Kelly Meding and their readers, who chose the direction of the story at the end of each chapter. The title at Amazon says it is a short story, but the file size is over 800K and there are six total chapters (at least, according to the Suvudu site, where it used to be available to read freely, as it was being written). I've read two of the author's works before, so it's in my pre-order queue.Book Description
An original collaboration among five of the genre’s brightest authors, A Glimpse of Darkness is urban fantasy as it’s never been done before. Originally featured on Suvudu.com, this is Random House’s first multicontributor chain story in which the readers voted on the outcome—now published here in its entirety as a thrilling eBook.
Munira bint Azhar, the half-human daughter of a djinn, is a skilled Retriever in the city of Port Nightfall. Now the powerful sorcerer Temesis has given Munira a dire ultimatum: steal a magical lantern—the Light of Ta’lab—from the horrific undead kingdom below the city, or watch her father die at Temesis’s hand. Will she be able to retrieve the lantern and save her father’s life, or will they both perish in the process?
With an Afterword featuring the choices readers were given at the end of each chapter.
The Lost Symbol ($3.99), by Dan Brown, you may want to pick up the Special Illustrated Edition ($3.99) as well, just for the photographs. Both editions claim 528 pages, but this new edition is 7MB larger due to inclusion of over 100 images.Book Description
The most explosive bestseller of 2009 . . .
Over 5 million copies sold . . . Now available in a beautifully illustrated gift edition just in time for the holidays!
Dan Brown’s record-breaking novel The Lost Symbol weaves a breathtaking trail through the hidden artwork, chambers, tunnels, and temples of our nation’s capital. Now the fascinating visuals appear right before your eyes, making for a sumptuous reading experience that brings alive Robert Langdon’s heart-stopping race through a little-known Washington, D.C. Revealing a world of ancient mysteries, stunning history, and secret societies, this Special Illustrated Edition unveils a whole new level of intrigue and fascination within The Lost Symbol. Over one hundred full-color images are featured throughout this lavishly illustrated gift edition—an essential companion to the original.
Note: This eBook edition of The Lost Symbol, Special Illustrated Edition, includes photographs that will appear on black-and-white devices but are optimized for devices that support full-color images.
If you want to give it as a gift to someone who doesn't have a Kindle, a Kindle app and won't read on a computer, you can also get the Hardcover for $21, only $2 more than the non-illustrated edition.
Drop Dead, Gorgeous ($4.47), by MaryJanice Davidson Book Description
Fast. Powerful. Deadly. With bitchin' highlights.
Ah, weddings--every single woman's reminder that she'll probably die alone, covered in cat hair and dressed in unflattering sweatpants. And as far as bad wedding experiences go, my friend Stacy's could take the cake. 1) I'm dateless 2) I'm a bridesmaid, and 3) Someone just attempted to whack the groom in the middle of the ceremony. Whoa. . .hang on. Anyone who tries to ruin a girlfriend's big day by bumping off her true love will have to go through me first.
So now I, assistant hairdresser Jenny Branch, am helping to hunt down a real-life bad guy, and the prime suspect is Kevin Stone, who claims to be working undercover for a group called Covert Ops Protection. Riiiight. All of this is hard to believe--especially the way this unbelievably sexy villain/double agent/whatever Kevin is makes every (and I mean every) nerve-ending tingle the second he comes into view. . .
Bloated Goat ($0.99), by Manley Peterson, is an indie-published title aimed at tweens. It's short (90K), but not illustrated, so it's all text.Book Description
When Granny Hammy finds Bloated Goat face down in her front yard's drainage ditch, her grandson Cocky Doodle thinks nothing of it. In fact, he says that’s just another normal day for his best friend. But when they discover that Bloated Goat has little black Xs for eyes and is even more bloated than normal, they realize it is much more serious.
Come join the humorous adventure filled with jewel thieves, a despondent wolf, an alligator gangster, a kingdom of hungry mushrooms, a shocking skunk wedding, and a mysteriously powerful chameleon known as Crazy Ned.
Johnny One-Eye: A Tale of the American Revolution ($1.40), by Jerome CharynBook Description
Johnny One-Eye is bringing about the rediscovery of one of the most "singular and remarkable [careers] in American literature" (Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World).
In this picaresque tour de force that reanimates Revolutionary Manhattan through the story of double agent John Stocking, the bastard son of a whorehouse madam and possibly George Washington, Jerome Charyn has given us one of the most memorable historical novels in years. As Johnny seeks to unlock the mystery of his birth and grapples with his allegiances, he falls in love with Clara, a gorgeous, green-eyed octoroon, the most coveted harlot of Gertrude's house. The wild parade of characters he encounters includes Benedict Arnold, the Howe brothers, "Sir Billy" and "Black Dick," and a manipulative Alexander Hamilton.
Not since John Barth's The Sotweed Factor and Gore Vidal's Burr has a novel so dramatically re-created America's historical beginnings. Reading group guide included.
The Rosy Crucifixion: Sexus, Plexus, Nexus ($9.95), by Henry Miller, is a 3-in-1 volume, with roughly 625 pages in print.Book Description
Henry Miller's Rosy Crucifixion, his second major trilogy, took more than 10 years for the author to complete. Beginning in 1949 with Sexus, a work so controversial all of Paris was abuzz with L'Affaire Miller, (and publisher Maurice Girodias saw himself threatened with jail), following in 1952 with Plexus, and finally concluding with 1959's Nexus, the three works are a dazzling array of scenes, sexual encounters and ideas, covering Miller's final days in NY, his relationship with June Miller and her lover, his take on the arts, his favorite writers, his thoughts, his insights, his days and his nights, finally ending with a glorious farewell to the life he'd known and an anticipation of the life he would lead.
The War Behind Me ($1.57), by Deborah NelsonBook Description
In 2005, Deborah Nelson joined forces with military historian Nick Turse to investigate an extraordinary archive: the largest compilation of records on Vietnam-era war crimes ever to surface. The declassified Army papers were erroneously released and have since been pulled from public circulation. Few civilians have seen the documents. The files contain reports of more than 300 confirmed atrocities, and 500 other cases the Army either couldn't prove or didn't investigate. The archive has letters of complaint to generals and congressmen, as well as reports of Army interviews with hundreds of men who served. Far from being limited to a few bad actors or rogue units, atrocities occurred in every Army division that saw combat in Vietnam. Torture of detainees was routine; so was the random killing of farmers in fields and women and children in villages. Punishment for these acts was either nonexistent or absurdly light. In most cases, no one was prosecuted at all. In The War Behind Me Deborah Nelson goes beyond the documents and talks with many of those who were involved, both accusers and accused, to uncover their stories and learn how they deal with one of the most awful secrets of the Vietnam War.
Dark Legacy ($2.89), by Anna DeStefano Book Description
Maddie Temple finds her life spiraling out of control as the mental link she shares with her twin sister pushes her closer and closer toward madness and her only hope for redemption lies with a psychiatrist who could end her career.
Overnight Socialite ($2.96), by Bridie ClarkBook Description
Lucy Ellis moved to the Big Apple to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a fashion designer, but the native Midwesterner has just about had it with the city. A mousy, self-conscious girl trapped in a job at a designer sweatshop, Lucy has been mistreated, road-blocked, and otherwise insulted since her arrival. Overwhelmed by city life, Lucy is about to pack it all in and return home to Minnesota. Then she meets Wyatt.
Succubus Blues ($4.99), by Richelle Mead, author of Thorn Queen, which was free in July of last year. This is the first in her Georgina Kincaid series (I've got the next one, Succubus On Top, in paperback).Book Description
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?
But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore—free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.
But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny…
Love ($3.09), by Toni MorrisonBook Description
Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison’s spellbinding new novel is a Faulknerian symphony of passion and hatred, power and perversity, color and class that spans three generations of black women in a fading beach town.
In life, Bill Cosey enjoyed the affections of many women, who would do almost anything to gain his favor. In death his hold on them may be even stronger. Wife, daughter, granddaughter, employee, mistress: As Morrison’s protagonists stake their furious claim on Cosey’s memory and estate, using everything from intrigue to outright violence, she creates a work that is shrewd, funny, erotic, and heartwrenching.
From the Inside Flap
May, Christine, Heed, Junior, Vida?even L: all women obsessed with Bill Cosey. The wealthy owner of the famous Cosey?s Hotel and Resort, he shapes their yearnings for father, husband, lover, guardian, and friend, yearnings that dominate the lives of these women long after his death. Yet while he is either the void in, or the center of, their stories, he himself is driven by secret forces?a troubled past and a spellbinding woman named Celestial.
This audacious exploration into the nature of love?its appetite, its sublime possession, its dread?is rich in characters, striking scenes, and a profound understanding of how alive the past can be.
The Van Alen Legacy ($4.89), by Melissa de la CruzBook Description
With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged. Young, fanged, and fabulous, Melissa de la Cruz's vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the Blue Bloods series.
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced ($2.69), by Nujood Ali & Delphine Minoui Book Description
Nujood Ali, a ten-year old Yemeni girl forced into marriage with a repulsive older man, refuses to put up with the injustice of the terrible abuse she suffers daily at his hands. Against tremendous odds, she will not back down until she gets what she wants: a divorce.
Najood tells her own amazing story with the help of co-author Delphine Minoui. This inspiring book, which comes out out in February 2010, has already been translated into 16 languages. The eleven chapters, plus epilogue, alternate between her determined legal battle beginning at the court house in the capital city of Sana'a, and the idealic early childhood in a remote village, leading up to her the disasterous union with her abuser.
Bucking the forces of age-old customs, family disapproval, and the tabu of quot;bringing shame to her familyquot;, Nujood's bravery and determination never flicker nor flag. She is completely sure of the justice of her cause, of her own self worth, and her faith in God. Really, Nujood is just an regular kid, like any other; she likes to play, to draw pictures and learn to read, and she loves her familynot so different really than millions of other girls who live in this mostly impoverished society, where men have the final word, no questions asked. But she has an internal strength to never question herself, and the simple belief that right will win out.
I think that, although Nujood's world may seem impossibly remote to our own, her book has universal appeal. It's the story of courage, of human rights, of passion and of compasssion. Little Nujood manages to find powerful allies within the justice system, including a remarkable attorney named Shada, and international support from women's and human right's groups, such as Oxfam. Her success has already inspired a few other young girls in similar situations to obtain justice. And it can inspire people like me, who, by comparison, live blessed lives, to believe in, and stand up for ourselves.
Thankfully, Nujood is recovering from the trauma of her ordeals. Hopefully, she will still enjoy being a child for a while longer. Gratefully, she has been able to return to school and sate her thirst for learning. Wonderfully, she has found a great reservoir of compassion for others who suffer. Inspiringly, she has set her sights on higher education and tireless work in the cause of justice, as an attorney or, possibly a journalist. You go, Nujood, the world is watching!
High Heels Mysteries Boxed Set ($9.99), by Gemma Halliday, might be a bit mis-named for a Kindle edition, but is a great bargain at (just) under $2 each for this five-volume set. The individual titles in the High Heels Mysteries
series are also currently marked down to $3.99 each, but even though I already have the first in this series, I'd be better off getting the full set (especially since the one I have is in Adobe ADE, not on Kindle).Book Description
Boxed set of all five High Heels Mystery novels featuring fashion designer turned amateur sleuth, Maddie Springer, including:
SPYING IN HIGH HEELS
L.A. shoe designer, Maddie Springer, lives her life by three rules: Fashion. Fashion. Fashion. But when she stumbles upon the work of a brutal killer, her life takes an unexpected turn from Manolos to murder.
KILLER IN HIGH HEELS
Maddie straps on her stilettos and, along with her trigger-happy best friend, makes tracks for Sin City in search of her MIA dad.
Maddie finds not only her dad, but also a handful of aging drag queens, an organized crime ring smuggling fake Prada pumps, and one relentless killer. Plus, it seems the LAPD's sexiest cop is doing a little Vegas moonlighting of his own. In a town where odds are everything, Maddie bets it all on her ability to out-step a vicious murderer.
UNDERCOVER IN HIGH HEELS
Secret affairs, hunky gardeners, and housewives desperate enough to bare it all... welcome to Magnolia Lane, TV's hottest new prime time show... where a rising young starlet is found dead on the show's set. Now it's up to Maddie to sift through a leading lady with a secret, an actor on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a sexy cyber scandal, and one tabloid reporter who'll stop at nothing to get the story of the century. Not to mention Maddie's hot-cold relationship with the case's familiar lead detective, Jack Ramirez. In a world where secrets, lies, and deception can earn you an Oscar, Maddie plays the role of a lifetime to catch Hollywood's hottest killer. But if she doesn't watch her step, Maddie's fifteen minutes of fame just may be her last.
ALIBI IN HIGH HEELS
Baguettes, bodies, and haute couture galore! Shoe designer turned amateur sleuth, Maddie Springer, is at it again, this time in fabulously fashionable Paris. When Europe's designer de jour, Jean Luc LeCroix, invites Maddie to show her creations at Paris Fashion Week, Maddie's sure she's died and gone to heaven. That is until Jean Luc's top model is found dead on the runway, stabbed with a familiar stiletto heel. Sure someone is trying to frame her, Maddie enlists the help of her friends, including the sexy Detective Jack Ramirez, to uncover a daring jewel heist, a devious blackmailer, and even a few skeletons lurking in the closets of those closest to her. But as the evidence mounts, Maddie becomes the prime suspect and Ramirez is stuck between a badge and a cute blonde with a tendency for trouble. Will he stand by her as she attempts to track down an international killer, or will this be the case that finally comes between them? One thing's for sure, if Maddie doesn't uncover the real killer soon, she may be saying her final adieu.
MAYHEM IN HIGH HEELS
Maddie Springer is finally walking down the aisle with the man of her dreams. And she's got the perfect wedding planner to pull it all off in style. Well, perfect, that is, until the woman winds up dead - murdered in buttercream icing. With the help of her fellow fashionista friends, Maddie vows to unveil the cold-blooded killer, but as the wedding day grows closer, tempers flare, old flames return, and Maddie's race to the altar turns into a race against time.
