Book Reviews and Bargain reads for the Amazon Kindle, nook, Kobo, Sony and other ereaders, Kindle Fire, nookColor, Kobo Vox, and other tablets, along with some games, music, technology and computers tossed in now and then.
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Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is Howl's Moving Castle ($1.99), by Diana Wynne Jones [HarperCollins].Book Description
Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.
Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up
Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Once a Spy ($1.99), by Keith Thomson [Random House].Book Description
Drummond Clark was once a spy of legendary proportions. Now Alzheimer’s disease has taken its toll and he’s just a confused old man who’s wandered away from home, waiting for his son to fetch him.
When Charlie Clark takes a break from his latest losing streak at the track to bring Drummond back to his Brooklyn home, they find it blown sky high—and then bullets start flying in every direction. At first, Charlie thinks his Russian “creditors” are employing aggressive collection tactics. But once Drummond effortlessly hot-wires a car as their escape vehicle, Charlie begins to suspect there’s much more to his father than meets the eye. He soon discovers that Drummond’s unremarkable career as an appliance salesman was actually a clever cover for an elaborate plan to sell would-be terrorists faulty nuclear detonators. Drummond’s intricate knowledge of the “device” is extremely dangerous information to have rattling around in an Alzheimer’s-addled brain. The CIA wants to “contain” him--and so do some other shady characters who send Charlie and Drummond on a wild chase that gives “father and son quality time” a whole new meaning.
With Once a Spy, Keith Thomson makes his debut on the thriller stage with energy, wit, and style to spare.
Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Beg for Mercy ($0.99), by Jami Alden [Hachette].Book Description
He lurks in the shadows, waiting and watching . . . And once he has you, all you can do is. . .
BEG FOR MERCY
Megan Flynn thought she was falling in love. Cole Williams wasn't just handsome and passionate, he was one of the good guys. Or so she thought, until he arrested her brother-the only family she has left-for a murder she knows he couldn't have possibly committed. Now, with her heart broken and her brother's life hanging in the balance, Megan will risk everything to prove his innocence. Even if that means throwing herself into the path of a sadistic killer with a hauntingly familiar MO.
Seattle Detective Cole Williams had given up on making Megan see reason where her brother is concerned. But when she insinuates herself into the most shockingly brutal case Cole has ever worked, he can't stand idly by. Plunged into a secret world where the city's elite indulge their darkest desires, Cole will do whatever it takes to bring down a madman who has made Megan his most coveted prey.
Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is Stormdancer ($2.99), the first novel in the YA Lotus War Trilogy by Jay Kristoff [Macmillan], with the companion audiobook for $3.99. The story continues in Kinslayer, which is now available for pre-order.Book Description
The first in an epic new fantasy series, introducing an unforgettable new heroine and a stunningly original dystopian steampunk world with a flavor of feudal Japan.
A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.
AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.
A HIDDEN GIFT
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.
But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.
The House that Love Built (Book Description
Brooke has only loved one man, her late husband. Owen’s rebuilding after a painful divorce. Can a mysterious house bring them together for a second chance at love?
In the charming town of Smithville, Texas, Brooke Holloway is raising two young children on her own, supporting them by running the family hardware store. The last thing on her mind is falling in love. But she’s intrigued when a stranger moves to town and buys the old Hadley mansion. She’s always heard that house holds a secret—maybe even a treasure—and she can’t wait to see inside. When she meets the new owner and they spend time together, she can’t deny the attraction. Could God be giving her another chance at happiness? Or is she betraying her late husband’s memory by even thinking that way?
Owen Saunders bought the Hadley place to spite his cheating ex-wife. She’d always wanted to restore an old house in Smithville. Now he’s going to do it without her. But if anything needs restoration, it is Owen’s heart. Then he meets Brooke and her kids and finds himself tempted by love. Can he bring himself to trust a woman again?
Throw an eccentric uncle into the mix, along with the town’s teenage troublemaker, and even a finicky cat—and one thing becomes clear: God is bringing them all together for a reason.
Cooking With Fernet Branca (£0.99 UK), by James Hamilton-Paterson [Faber and Faber Fiction], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for those in the UK (no US edition).Book Description
Gerald Samper, an effete Englishman, lives on a hilltop in Tuscany. He is a ghostwriter for celebrities, and a foodie, whose weird tastes include 'Mussels in Chocolate and Garlic' and 'Fernet Branca Ice Cream'. His idyll is shattered by the arrival of Marta, a vulgar woman from a former Soviet republic now run by gangsters, notably male members of her family. She is a composer in a neo-folk style who claims to be writing a score for a trendy Italian film director. The neighbours' lives disastrously intertwine. The entourages of the rock star and the director come and go; mysterious black helicopters bring news of mayhem in Voynova, Marta's homeland; and along the way the English obsession with Tuscany is satirized mercilessly.
The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance (£0.99 UK), edited by Trisha Telep [Robinson], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for for Romance Fans in the UK (the US edition is $5.99).Book Description
From some of the biggest names in Regency historical romance, 25 wickedly witty, lusciously romantic and sublimely sensual short stories. Stories replete with oversexed aristocrats, posturing courtesans and feuding dukes and duchesses tell of a beautiful lady awakened by a passion more powerful than anything she has ever known, one that could doom or save her; a disgraced rake who, given a final chance to redeem himself, discovers love has rules of its own; and a luscious young beauty fed up with proper tea parties and elegant balls who disguises herself to enjoy a soire of uninhibited pleasure. As the passion mounts, so do the complications...Includes big name contributors such as Anna Campbell, Lorraine Heath, Barbara Metzger, Deborah Raleigh and Elizabeth Boyle.
Only Forever ($0.21 Kindle), by Linda Lael Miller [Harlequin HQN]Book Description
As far as Vanessa Lawrence is concerned, jocks are bad news. Once married to one of baseball's superstars, she's coped with betrayal, divorce and the tabloids. She's worked hard to establish her career, and now her exhusband's tell-all autobiography threatens to destroy everything she's achieved.
When ex-football hero Nick DeAngelo takes to the playing field that was once her heart, Vanessa's not about to let another sports-crazed womanizer ruin her life. But Nick's not prepared to let Vanessa get away. Instead, he tackles her stubborn pride, her obnoxious ex and the gossip columns head-on. Because the day he saw Vanessa, he knew he'd found his destiny….
Look for more captivating titles from #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller! Big Sky River is available now from Harlequin HQN. And don't miss The Man from Stone Creek!
Rum Punch Regrets ($0.99 Kindle), the second in the Abby George series by Anne Kemp [Premier Digital Publishing]Book Description
In just a few short weeks, thirty something Abby George has endured the death of her mother, was dumped by her fiancé, and got laid off from her job.
Stunned and seeking a shoulder to cry on, she turns to her perfect older sister, Leigh. But instead of comfort, Abby receives a surprise: Leigh needs her in the Caribbean to help with some mysterious personal business.
While assisting in the sale and repair of a bed-and-breakfast, Abby uncovers a few huge family secrets as she juggles an unexpected roommate, quirky locals, and nasty centipedes.
Abby's world is further complicated when two potential suitors enter her life. Can Abby get beyond her own psycho drama long enough to open her heart to someone new? Or will she neurotically make her romantic life worse?
Packing nothing but her suitcases and a sense of humor, Abby George travels down an unfamiliar road, but it's all she can do to hang on for the ride...
Or will she wake up with "Rum Punch Regrets?"
Lowcountry Boil ($2.99 Kindle), by Susan M. Boyer [Henery Press]Book Description
Private Investigator Liz Talbot is a modern Southern belle: she blesses hearts and takes names. She carries her Sig 9 in her Kate Spade handbag, and her golden retriever, Rhett, rides shotgun in her hybrid Escape. When her grandmother is murdered, Liz high-tails it back to her South Carolina island home to find the killer.
She’s fit to be tied when her police-chief brother shuts her out of the investigation, so she opens her own. Then her long-dead best friend pops in and things really get complicated. When more folks start turning up dead in this small seaside town, Liz must use more than just her wits and charm to keep her family safe, chase down clues from the hereafter, and catch a psychopath before he catches her.
Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you'll probably like them all! Lowcountry Boil is the first book in the Liz Talbot Southern mystery series. Bonus: Includes book club discussion questions.
Sweet Tea and Secrets ($1.99 Kindle), by Nancy Naigle [Montlake Romance], with the companion audiobook also $1.99.Book Description
This edition of Sweet Tea and Secrets has been revised and includes new scenes.
When beloved town matriarch Pearl Clemmons dies on a warm June afternoon, the folks of Adams Grove, Virginia, can hardly believe it. Sure, Pearl was eighty-five years old, but everyone—particularly her granddaughter Jill—just assumed she would live forever. Now Jill must return home to settle Pearl’s estate, comfort a town in mourning…and face Garrett Malloy, the man who broke her heart years ago.
Making matters worse, a string of break-ins at the Clemmons place has Jill and the rest of the town on edge. She can’t imagine what Pearl possibly could have had that is worth stealing. But when Jill’s safety is threatened, she and Garrett must join forces to unearth Pearl’s secrets before someone else—someone dangerous—gets there first. Garrett may have been the last man Jill wanted to see, but now, she may not want to let him go.
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions ($0.99 Kindle), by Edwin A. Abbott and Rosemary Jann [Oxford University Press]. I read this years ago and it was one of the first ebooks I tracked down when I got a Kindle. It's in the public domain, but this Oxford World's Classics edition contains bonus notes you won't find in the scanned editions. The companion audiobook is $2.99.Book Description
Including hyperlinked explanatory notes within the ebook-optimized text, introductions by leading authorities, and a wealth of other valuable material, Oxford World's Classics ebooks continue the series’ century-long commitment to scholarship across a broad spectrum of literature from around the globe.
Flatland : A Romance of Many Dimensions: How would a creature limited to two dimensions be able to grasp the possibility of a third? In Flatland, A Square's linear world is invaded by a Sphere bringing the gospel of the third dimension. Part geometry lesson, part social satire, the novel enlarges readers' imaginations beyond the limits of our 'respective dimensional prejudices'.
The Wind in the Willows ($0.99 Kindle), by Kenneth Grahame and Peter Hunt (Editor) [Oxford University Press], another Oxford World's Classics edition with bonus materials and a companion audiobook for $2.99.Book Description
Including hyperlinked explanatory notes within the ebook-optimized text, introductions by leading authorities, and a wealth of other valuable material, Oxford World's Classics ebooks continue the series’ century-long commitment to scholarship across a broad spectrum of literature from around the globe.
The Wind in the Willows: An international children's classic, The Wind in the Willows grew from the author's letters to his young son, yet it is concerned almost exclusively with adult themes. This new edition explores a profoundly English book with a world following; a book for adults adopted by children; a timeless masterpiece and a vital portrait of an age.
Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up
Echoes of Empire: The Garden of Stones ($2.99 Kindle), by Mark T. Barnes [47North], with the companion audiobook for $1.99.Book Description
An uneasy peace has existed since the fall of the Awakened Empire centuries ago. Now the hybrid Avān share the land with the people they once conquered: the star-born humans; the spectral, undead Nomads; and what remains of the Elemental Masters.
With the Empress-in-Shadows an estranged ghost, it is the ancient dynasties of the Great Houses and the Hundred Families that rule. But now civil war threatens to draw all of Shrīan into a vicious struggle sparked by one man’s lust for power, and his drive to cheat death.
Visions have foretold that Corajidin, dying ruler of House Erebus, will not only survive, but rise to rule his people. The wily nobleman seeks to make his destiny certain—by plundering the ruins of his civilization’s past for the arcane science needed to ensure his survival, and by mercilessly eliminating his rivals. But mercenary warrior-mage Indris, scion of the rival House Näsarat, stands most powerfully in the usurper’s bloody path. For it is Indris who reluctantly accepts the task of finding a missing man, the only one able to steer the teetering nation towards peace
Two Winters in a Tipi: My Search for the Soul of the Forest ($3.99 Kindle), by Mark Warren [Lyons Press]Book Description
One stormy August night, a lightning bolt struck Mark Warren’s tin-roofed farmhouse and burned everything to the ground. Even his metal tools melted. Friends loaned him a tent, but after just a month it began to break down—which Warren vowed not to do. Instead, he decided to follow a childhood dream and live in a tipi. Excitement stirred in his chest, and so began a two-year adventure of struggle, contemplation, and achievement that brought him even closer to the land that he called home.
More than just the story of one man, Two Winters in a Tipi gives the history and use of the native structure, providing valuable advice, through Warren’s trial and error, about the confrontations that march toward a tipi dweller. It shows, without thumping the drum of environmental doom, how you can go back to the land for two days or two years. The wild plants that Natives harvested for food and medicine still grow nearby. The foods still nourish; the medicines still heal. As Warren beautifully reveals, the wild places of the past still exist in our everyday lives, and living that wilderness is still a possibility. It’s as close as the river running through your city, the woods in your neighborhood, or even the edges of your own backyard.
About the Author
Mark Warren was named Georgia’s Conservation Educator of the Year by the National Wildlife Federation. A national champion in whitewater canoeing and a winner of the World Championship Longbow Tournament, Warren founded and runs the Medicine Bow Wilderness School in the North Georgia mountains.
We, the Drowned ($2.51 Kindle), by Carsten Jensen, translated by Charlotte Barslund and Emma Ryder [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]Book Description
Carsten Jensen’s debut novel has taken the world by storm. Already hailed in Europe as an instant classic, We, the Drowned is the story of the port town of Marstal, whose inhabitants have sailed the world’s oceans aboard freight ships for centuries. Spanning over a hundred years, from the mid-nineteenth century to the end of the Second World War, and from the barren rocks of Newfoundland to the lush plantations of Samoa, from the roughest bars in Tasmania, to the frozen coasts of northern Russia, We, the Drowned spins a magnificent tale of love, war, and adventure, a tale of the men who go to sea and the women they leave behind.
Ships are wrecked at sea and blown up during wars, they are places of terror and violence, yet they continue to lure each generation of Marstal men—fathers and sons—away. Strong, resilient, women raise families alone and sometimes take history into their own hands. There are cannibals here, shrunken heads, prophetic dreams, forbidden passions, cowards, heroes, devastating tragedies, and miraculous survivals—everything that a town like Marstal has actually experienced, and that makes We, the Drowned an unforgettable novel, destined to take its place among the greatest seafaring literature.
The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific ($2.99 Kindle), by Paul Theroux [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]Book Description
In one of his most exotic and breathtaking journeys, the intrepid traveler Paul Theroux ventures to the South Pacific, exploring fifty-one islands by collapsible kayak. Beginning in New Zealand's rain forests and ultimately coming to shore thousands of miles away in Hawaii, Theroux paddles alone over isolated atolls, through dirty harbors and shark-filled waters, and along treacherous coastlines. This exhilarating tropical epic is full of disarming observations and high adventure.
Adrift: Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea ($2.51 Kindle), by Steven Callahan [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]Book Description
Before The Perfect Storm, before In the Heart of the Sea, Steven Callahan’s dramatic tale of survival at sea was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than thirty-six weeks. In some ways the model for the new wave of adventure books, Adrift is an undeniable seafaring classic, a riveting firsthand account by the only man known to have survived more than a month alone at sea, fighting for his life in an inflatable raft after his small sloop capsized only six days out. “Utterly absorbing” (Newsweek), Adrift is a must-have for any adventure library.
Waiter Rant ($1.99 Kindle), by Steve Dublanica [HarperCollins], with the companion audiobook for $3.99.Book Description
According to The Waiter, eighty percent of customers are nice people just looking for something to eat. The remaining twenty percent, however, are socially maladjusted psychopaths. Waiter Rant offers the server's unique point of view, replete with tales of customer stupidity, arrogant misbehavior, and unseen bits of human grace transpiring in the most unlikely places. Through outrageous stories, The Waiter reveals the secrets to getting good service, proper tipping etiquette, and how to keep him from spitting in your food. The Waiter also shares his ongoing struggle, at age thirty-eight, to figure out if he can finally leave the first job at which he's truly thrived.
The Reluctant Matchmaker (Book DescriptionGet 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.
In her thought-provoking, uplifting new novel, Shobhan Bantwal vividly blends the nuances of contemporary Indian-American culture with an unconventional romance. . .
At thirty-one, Meena Shenoy has a fulfilling career at a New Jersey high-tech firm. Not that it impresses her mother and aunts, who make dire predictions about her ticking biological clock. Men are drawn to Meena's dainty looks and she dates regularly, but hasn't met someone who really intrigues her. Someone professional, ambitious, confident, caring. Someone like her new boss, Prajay Nayak.
Just as Meena's thoughts turn to romance, Prajay makes an astonishing request. He wants her to craft a personal ad that will help him find a suitable wife: a statuesque, sophisticated Indian-American woman who will complement his striking height.
Despite her attraction to Prajay and the complications of balancing work and her "marriage consultant" role, Meena can't refuse the generous fee. And as her family is thrown into turmoil by her brother's relationship with a Muslim woman, Meena comes to surprising realizations about love, tradition, and the sacrifices she will--and won't--make for the sake of both.
Townsmen 6 ($1.25 Amazon), by HandyGames, is this week's Free Friday App from Barnes & Noble.App DescriptionGet the free App from Barnes & Noble.
Townsmen 6 is a challenging building and strategy game that takes you to eighteenth-century France where you can play your part in the French Revolution. Aristocratic oppression, massive class inequalities, and beheadings by the thousands frame the scene…but before you can conquer the crown, you have a few things to do back in town.
Reign of Work
You'll need soldiers to defeat government corruption, and soldiers need a place to live. Sound simple? It means constructing buildings, catching fish, harvesting fields, fetching water, gathering various natural resources to establish a solid economic cycle and expand your influence, and a few other things. How will you get it all done? Wake up those sleeping Townies, of course, and put them to work.
Mobilize Your Townies
For Townies and Townettes, the division of labor is traditional; it is the eighteenth century, after all. Townies work hard to provide an economic structure and gather power to fight the king while Townettes devote their attention to the general welfare by getting water from the well and gathering food.
While the Townies and Townettes are on hand for employment, they also need a constant supply of food and water, which means more work. To make matters worse, as your town becomes more stable, the Townies get more picky and demanding about their eats. Townies do work for a healthy economy and the more satisfied they are, the faster they can gather and produce. So it's a good idea to keep them employed, well fed, and happy since you need them to be strong for your campaign against the king.
To see how many Townies and Townettes live in your town, click the Town Info screen. Townies will also help you out by displaying various icons above their heads: snoring zzz's if unemployed, fish or other resources they have gained, and a smiley if they're happy.
Build Your Town
After your Townies have collected and produced the necessary materials, you can start building. Whiz-kid Townies can perform university research to help with upgrading buildings and improving functionality. As you complete phases and sub-phases of research, you unlock new building opportunities.
Meanwhile, keep a lookout for surprise events. At any moment you might face a lack of housing, extreme weather conditions, or a merchant visiting the town for some friendly trading. Merchants stay only for a few days, so you'll want well-stocked supplies when they visit. If you don't, you can always put up a marketplace to trade without a merchant.
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Life-and-Death Battles, and Other Stuff
Think you're prepared to take on the crown? Start by finding the best way to knock at the gates of Paris and call for the king's head. If your mission succeeds, you'll win action points that can be spent after each level for troop movements, bonus resource changes, and more.
Train your soldiers at military buildings and gather propagandists at coffee houses. Assign soldiers and propagandists to besiege and conquer neutral or royal buildings. But beware the king's wrath: Royal troops will defend their buildings and even attack your institutions, leading to life-and-death battles.
Leave it to Fate
In the Overview Map Mode, you'll toss the coin of fate to see which advantages and disadvantages await you. Depending on how the coin lands, you'll either gain some bonus gold or your opponent gains an additional soldier in an occupied or neutral zone. After the coin toss, you can explore all the different map levels including royal, occupied with hostile soldiers, your own zones, and territories that can be conquered. When you solve a mission, you earn action points that you can spend on distributing soldiers throughout the map, a new fate coin toss, or changing a selected bonus resource.
Join the Revolution
Play Townsmen 6 and enjoy stunning graphics, upbeat music, entertaining sound effects, a map generator that offers infinite replay value, and the option to save your progress and resume play at any time. You can also set various factors such as use of rivers and coasts and the aggressiveness of your war enemy. An extensive tutorial and help functions are also included and Poopsy the pig provides helpful hints along the way. You know your revolutionary spirit wants to join the fray so why wait. The Revolution needs you.
Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Death at La Fenice ($1.99), the first Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery by Donna Leon [Grove Press].Book Description
Beautiful and serene Venice is a city almost devoid of crime. But that is little comfort to Maestro Helmut Wellauer, a world-renowned conductor whose intermission refreshment comes one night with a little something extra in it-cyanide. For Guido Brunetti, vice-commissario of police and detective genius, finding a suspect isn't a problem; narrowing the large and unconventional group of enemies down to one is. As the suave and pithy Brunetti pieces together clues, a shocking picture of depravity and revenge emerges, leaving him torn between what is and what should be right -- and questioning what the law can do, and what needs to be done.
Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is Shot Through the Heart ($0.99), by D'Ann Lindun [Crimson Romance].Book Description
When Laramie Porter’s sister-in-law Julie is beaten so badly by her husband she miscarries her baby, Laramie takes her home from the hospital. But just a few minutes after the women arrive home, Julie’s husband, who also happens to be a drug addict and the local police sheriff, shows up at the house on a murderous rampage.
He kills Julie and attempts to murder Laramie. When he doesn’t succeed, he hauls them into the mountains and throws them off a cliff. Julie’s body lands in a pond, but Laramie hits a ledge, where she perches, terrified.
Derrick Garrison is in the mountains moving his cattle when his dog finds Julie’s body in the pond. Creeped out, Derrick at first doesn’t believe his ears when he hears a girl crying for help. But he finds Laramie and pulls her to safety. Before she can tell him anything, a lightning strike starts a forest fire and they flee to a hidden valley.
Fleeing a drug hazed killer, the fire, and a gun-toting old lady bent on collecting a reward, Laramie and Derrick do their best to evade all three . . . and fall in love along the way.
Sensuality Level: Sensual
Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is PODs ($1.99), a YA dystopian novel by Michelle Pickett [Spencer Hill Press].Book Description
Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, its in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, its a balm for the broken soul.
After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. Thats the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.
Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.
Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is The Curse: Touch of Eternity ($1.99), by Emily Bold and Jeanette Heron (Translator) [Skyscape].Book Description
A centuries-old curse, a mysterious amulet, and a young love reignite a vendetta that had died down long ago…
When seventeen-year-old Samantha goes on a school-exchange trip to Scotland, she takes with her an old pendant that she found amongst her grandmother’s belongings. As soon as she arrives at her host family’s home, she is drawn into the country’s tales and myths. Then she meets the dangerously attractive Payton –a mysterious Highlander who soon conquers Sam’s heart. Caught up in her feelings, she doesn’t realize how much danger she’s in. Payton’s past holds a dark secret. A secret that has bound together both their families’ fates for hundreds of years and is now also endangering Sam’s life.
The Boy from Reactor 4 (£0.99 UK), by Orest Stelmach [Thomas & Mercer], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for those in the UK (the US edition is $4.99; $1.99 companion audiobook).Book Description
Nadia’s memories of her father are not happy ones. An angry, secretive man, he died when she was thirteen, leaving his past shrouded in mystery. When a stranger claims to have known her father during his early years in Eastern Europe, she agrees to meet—only to watch the man shot dead on a city sidewalk. With his last breath, he whispers a cryptic clue, one that will propel Nadia on a high-stakes treasure hunt from New York to her ancestral homeland of Ukraine. There she meets an unlikely ally: Adam, a teenage hockey prodigy who honed his skills on the abandoned cooling ponds of Chernobyl. Physically and emotionally scarred by radiation syndrome, Adam possesses a secret that could change the world—if she can keep him alive long enough to do it. A twisting tale of greed, secrets, and lies, The Boy from Reactor 4 will keep readers guessing until the final heart-stopping page.
Grace Grows (£0.99 UK), by Shelle Sumners [Allen & Unwin], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for for Romance Fans in the UK (the US edition is $8.89).Book Description
A wonderfully upbeat and quirky romance in which a young textbook editor in New York, who takes herself a little too seriously, falls for a singer-songwriter who appears to take nothing at all seriously . . .
Like many young women, Grace Barnum's life is precariously balanced on sensible choices and uncomfortable compromise. She dutifully edits textbooks that she fears may be more harmful than helpful to kids. She is engaged to a patent attorney with whom she has a reliable relationship. She has a cautious relationship with her fascinating father, a renowned New York painter, and she prefers her mother slightly drunk as she's easier to handle that way.
Always organised, always a planner, Grace carries her life around in a handbag - that is, until the responsibility-challenged Tyler Wilkie shows up. Tyler of the warm eyes and a smile that makes Grace drop things. Worst of all, he writes tender, loving, devastating songs - about her. Tyler reaches something in Grace, something she needs, but can't admit to. Something she wants, but won't succumb to. Falling in love with him would ruin everything. And yet . . .
An enchanting story about learning to love and learning to let go.
Prophecy of the Sisters ($7.59 Kindle, $1.99 B&N), the first novel in the Prophecy of the Sisters series by Michelle Zink, is the Nook Daily Find [Hachette].Book Description
An ancient prophecy divides two sisters-
One good...
One evil...
Who will prevail?
Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.
Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.
They just know they can't trust each other.
Grade 7 Up
Why Gettysburg Mattered: 150 Years Later (Bonus Material: The Gettysburg Address), by Allen C. Guelzo, narrated by Mark Boyett and Kevin Pariseau, is free in the Audible store.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Audible.
The Battle of Gettysburg - the turning point of the American Civil War - would, in the words of one staff officer, stand "like Waterloo, conspicuous in the history of all ages." In this stirring production, adapted from the New York Times' award-winning online journal and Audible audiobook Disunion, we revisit the meaning and importance of the battle that forever changed US history. Timed to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the battle which took place over several days starting July 1st, 1863, Why Gettysburg Mattered concludes with an inspiring performance of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
Start off with Carter Finally Gets It ($7.39 Kindle; $17.95 Audible or $3.49 as a companion edition), by Brent Crawford, narrated by Nick Podehl.Book Description
Meet Will Carter, but feel free to call him Carter. (Yes, he knows it's a lazy nickname, but he didn't have much say in the matter.) Here are five things you should know about him:
1. He has a stuttering problem, particularly around boobs and belly buttons.
2. He battles Attention Deficit Disorder every minute of every day...unless he gets distracted.
3. He's a virgin, mostly because he's no good at talking to girls (see number 1).
4. He's about to start high school.
5. He's totally not ready.
Join Carter for his freshman year, where he'll search for sex, love, and acceptance anywhere he can find it. In the process, he'll almost kill a trombone player, face off with his greatest nemesis, suffer a lot of blood loss, narrowly escape death, run from the cops (not once, but twice), get caught up in a messy love triangle, meet his match in the form of a curvy drill teamer, and surprise the hell out of everyone, including himself.
She Stoops to Conquer ($5.95 Audible), by Oliver Goldsmith, narrated by Rosalind Ayres and the L.A. Theatre Works cast, is the second selection for this week. As with most classics, there are many editions to choose from on Kindle; you can spend anything from nothing to a few dollars and probably get an edition that will work for reading along while listening.Book DescriptionClick 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).
Starring James Marsters, this classic comedy of manners from 1773 is still widely performed and studied. Love, lies, and dysfunctional families. Sound like your last family gathering? Try this one on for laughs. Two randy young gents, Charles and George, set out to woo the alluring and upper-crust Kate and Constance. But inexperienced Charles is shy and clumsy around upper-class ladies, so it's the barmaid who catches his eye. But is she really who she seems? Bawdy high-jinx, popped pretensions, and good dirty fun are the hallmarks of this romping frolic that's kept audiences laughing for over two centuries.
An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring (in alphabetical order): Rosalind Ayres as Mrs. Hardcastle; Adam Godley as Tony Lumpkin; Julian Holloway as Elder Marlow/Stingo; James Marsters as Charles Marlow; Christopher Neame as Roger; Paula Jane Newman as Bet Bouncer/Pimple; Ian Ogilvy as Mr. Hardcastle; Moira Quirk as Constance Neville; Darren Richardson as Diggory/Jeremy; Joanne Whalley as Kate Hardcastle; and Matthew Wolf as George Hastings. Directed by Martin Jarvis. Recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, in June 2010.
Get a free audiobook download of The Good Earth ($17.95 Audible or $3.99 companion priced with this Kindle edition at $8.54), by Pearl S. Buck, narrated by Anthony Heald, from Downpour (Blackstone Audio's retail site) this month.Book DescriptionGet the free audiobook from Downpour. Use Promo code earthfree 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).
Pearl S. Buck’s timeless masterpiece, the Pulitzer Prize–winning story of a farmer’s journey through China in the 1920s
The Good Earth is Buck’s classic story of Wang Lung, a Chinese peasant farmer, and his wife, O-lan, a former slave. With luck and hard work, the couple’s fortunes improve over the years: They are blessed with sons, and save steadily until one day they can afford to buy property in the House of Wang—the very house in which O-lan used to work. But success brings with it a new set of problems. Wang soon finds himself the target of jealousy, and as good harvests come and go, so does the social order. Will Wang’s family cherish the estate after he’s gone? And can his material success, the bedrock of his life, guarantee anything about his soul?
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the William Dean Howells Award, The Good Earth was an Oprah’s Book Club choice in 2004. A readers’ favorite for generations, this powerful and beautifully written fable resonates with universal themes of hope and family unity.
Living Single (Book DescriptionGet 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.
From Holly Chamberlin, author of Tuscan Holiday and Summer Friends, comes a witty, insightful novel chronicling a year in one woman's quest to find love, joy--and herself. . .
At twenty, singlehood is a lifestyle choice. At thirty-two, it starts to feel like an affliction. Erin Weston has a rewarding PR career, loyal friends, and a wonderful Boston condo. But in between weekend brunches, farmers' market forays, and dinners in Cambridge and the South End, Erin can't shake the sense that something's missing. The traditional ideal--husband, house, clothing-coordinated children--once seemed too obvious, and pride in her accomplishments doesn't keep the loneliness at bay. Now, ready to venture into uncharted territory, Erin is going to claim the life she thinks she wants. And in the process, she might just figure out exactly what--and who--she really needs. . .
Slow Fire ($2.99 Kindle), by Lampe Ray, Anderson Famous Dave, Beisch Leigh and Leigh Beisch [Chronicle Books]. It's not too late to run down and pick up enough supplies to make Bacon and Blue Cheese Coleslaw for your picnic today.Book Description
Great barbecue is as simple as meat, fire, smoke, and time. This ode to authentic meaty goodness gives barbecue beginners an essential guide to the tools, techniques, and recipes needed to make smoky, mouthwatering, fall-off-the-bone meats. And seasoned smokers will learn a thing or two, too! Ray Lampe, a.k.a. Dr. BBQ, brings decades of expertise as a barbecue master, providing indispensable wisdom alongside 68 of the best recipes he has encountered in his long and wide-ranging career, from tantalizing mains such as Competition-Style Beef Brisket to lip-smacking sides such as Bacon and Blue Cheese Coleslaw. For both stove-top smokers and regular backyard grills, Slow Fire makes it easy to cook irresistible slow-cooked barbecue right at home.
Southern Living Around the Southern Table: Coming home to comforting meals and treasured memories ($2.99 Kindle), by Rebecca Lang and the Editors of Southern Living Magazine [Oxmoor House]. I've grabbed a sample and if it isn't all bread, biscuits and cakes, I'll probably get this; I always read Southern Living Magazine and enjoyed skimming thru the recipes, back when it was a huge monthly magazine. It's a lot smaller than it used to be, but you can also now read a lot of the recipes online (and they have some nice Fourth of July articles, free for everyone to read).Book Description
Sharing a meal around the table is the perfect expression of all things Southern: hospitality, grace, humor, and a devotion to great food. Author Rebecca Lang--a professionally trained chef and lifelong Southerner--makes the reader feel right at home, with pre-meal sips on the porch, indulgent dinners laced with bacon, decadent desserts, and messy morning-after breakfasts with biscuit crumbs and homemade jelly. These are the recipes that fill our memories of family and home, pull readers into the kitchen, and leave them fulfilled at the table.
Essays from well-known and much-loved Southerners--like Chick-Fil-A founder Truett S. Cathy and novelist Cassandra King--pepper the chapters with wisdom, humor, and insights gained from time spent at their own dining tables. Better yet, Around the Southern Table is filled with recipes for dishes that Southerners crave and cherish for everyday as well as special occasions. From mouthwatering main dishes like Shrimp and Grits or Stuffed Meatloaf to classic desserts like Lemon Pie or Pound Cake and Peach Ice Cream, every recipe tells a story, and, more importantly, is absolutely delicious. Each and every recipe is 100% homemade from-scratch and 100% Southern.
This book invites you to pull up a chair at your favorite table and make great food and unforgettable memories of your own.
The Complete Chile Pepper Book: A Gardener's Guide to Choosing, Growing, Preserving, and Cooking (Book Description
Chile peppers are hot — in every sense of the word. They add culinary fire to thousands of dishes from a variety of cuisines and inspire near-fanatical devotion in those who have succumbed to their incendiary charms. In this comprehensive book, world chile experts Dave DeWitt and Paul W. Bosland have assembled all the information that anyone with an interest in chile peppers could ever hope to find.
Detailed profiles of the 100 most popular chile varieties include information on how to grow chiles; how to diagnose and remedy problems, pests, and diseases; and post-harvest processing and preservation.
The book culminates in 85 mouth-watering recipes that make brilliant use of both the characteristic heat of chile peppers and of their more subtle flavor qualities.
Want to know what the hottest chile pepper in the world is? You'll find it in the fascinating story of 'Bhut Jolokia', acknowledged by Guinness World Records as the fieriest chile on earth. Confused about the identity of those chile peppers you bought? The authors' clear photographs and precise descriptions will clear up the mystery. The Complete Chile Pepper Book is the only guide to chiles you'll ever need. It's a scorcher.
Hot Sauce!: Techniques for Making Signature Hot Sauces, with 32 Recipes to Get You Started; Includes 60 Recipes for Using Your Hot Sauces ($2.51 Kindle), by Jennifer Trainer Thompson [Storey Publishing]Book Description
Here are 32 recipes for making your own signature hot sauces, ranging from mild to blisteringly hot, as well as 60 recipes that use homemade or commercial hot sauces in everything from barbeque and Buffalo wings to bouillabaisse and black-bean soup. Try making chowders, tacos, ribs, salads, seafood, and more. There are even recipes for scorching cocktails, like Daiquiri Diablo and Slow-Burn Martinis! Author Jennifer Trainer Thompson, recognized as a leader in the spicy foods movement for her cookbooks and four hot sauce posters, has talked about hot sauce on hundreds of talk shows, including Live with Regis and Good Morning America. She has traveled her own personal "Trail of Flame," speaking at conventions and in the media about hot foods, and serving as guest chef at Hot Nights at restaurants in Boston, Philadelphia, and the Berkshires.
The Oxford Companion to Beer ($3.79 Kindle), by Garrett Oliver and Tom Colicchio [Oxford University Press], has a list price of $35 (and is $65 in print!).Book Description
1st Place Winner of the 2012 Gourmand Award for Best in the World in the Beer category.
For millennia, beer has been a favorite beverage in cultures across the globe. After water and tea, it is the most popular drink in the world, and it is at the center of a $450 billion industry.
The first major reference work to investigate the history and vast scope of beer, The Oxford Companion to Beer features more than 1,100 A-Z entries written by 166 of the world's most prominent beer experts. Attractively illustrated with over 140 images, the book covers everything from the agricultural makeup of various beers to the technical elements of the brewing process, local effects of brewing on regions around the world, and the social and political implications of sharing a beer. Entries not only define terms such as "dry hopping" and "cask conditioning" but give fascinating details about how these and other techniques affect a beer's taste, texture, and popularity. Cultural entries shed light on such topics as pub games, food pairings and the development of beer styles. Readers will enjoy vivid accounts of how our drinking traditions have changed throughout history, and how these traditions vary in different parts of the world, from Japan to Mexico, New Zealand, and Brazil, among many other countries. The pioneers of beer-making are the subjects of biographical entries, and the legacies these pioneers have left behind, in the form of the world's most popular beers and breweries, are recurrent themes throughout the book.
Packed with information, this comprehensive resource also includes thorough appendices (covering beer festivals, beer magazines, and more), conversion tables, and an index. Featuring a foreword by Tom Colicchio, this book is the perfect shelf-mate to Oxford's renowned Companion to Wine and an absolutely indispensable volume for everyone who loves beer as well as all beverage professionals, including home brewers, restaurateurs, journalists, cooking school instructors, beer importers, distributors, and retailers, and a host of others.
Adrenaline ($0.99 Kindle), the first Sam Capra novel by Jeff Abbott [Grand Central Publishing]. Although it's not the same series, you can pre-order Trust Me ($2.99), a stand-alone novel that is finally making to ebook.Sam Capra is living the life of his dreams.Trust Me
He's a brilliant young CIA agent, stationed in London. His wife Lucy is seven months pregnant with their first child. They have a wonderful home, and are deeply in love.
They have everything they could hope for...until they lose it all in one horrifying moment.
On a bright, sunny day, Sam receives a call from Lucy while he's at work. She tells him to leave the building immediately. He does...just before it explodes, killing everyone inside. Lucy vanishes, and Sam wakes up in a prison cell. As the lone survivor of the attack, he is branded by the CIA as a murderer and a traitor.
Escaping from the agency, Sam launches into a desperate hunt to save his kidnapped wife and child, and to reveal the unknown enemy who has set him up and stolen his family. But the destruction of Sam's life was only step on in an extraordinary plot-and now Sam must become a new kind of hero.
Luke Dantry finds the bad guys. . .before they're bad guys. He works for a Washington, D.C. think tank as a minor academic who studies the online venting of would-be extremists, trying to identify those who will move from threatening words to deadly action. Anonymously typing from his computer as he monitors a loose collection of enraged loners, Luke thinks his identity is safe--but he is wrong.
Suddenly kidnapped and left for dead in an isolated cabin, Luke soon realizes that the people he's been watching and studying are more organized and dangerous than he ever imagined. And they aren't the only ones who've kept an eye on him. Now with his former targets-and the federal government--tracking every move he makes, Luke must decipher a murderous web of connections that reaches into his own broken past. Only Luke can stop a looming threat that may kill countless people--including himself.
Deadly Sting ($1.99 Kindle) is the just released eighth novel in the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep [Simon and Schuster], with the companion audiobook for $3.49. A good series and a good author, I definitely didn't expect to see this one on sale so soon after release. I'd grab this one even if you're behind in the series, so that it's waiting for you when you get caught up.Book Description
Red is definitely my color. Good thing, because in my line of work, I end up wearing it a lot.
Most people shy away from blood, but for an assassin like me— Gin Blanco, aka the Spider—it’s just part of the job. Still, it would be nice to get a night off, especially when I’m attending the biggest gala event of the summer at Briartop, Ashland’s fanciest art museum. But it’s just not meant to be. For this exhibition of my late nemesis’s priceless possessions is not only the place to be seen, but the place to be robbed and taken hostage at gunpoint as well. No sooner did I get my champagne than a bunch of the unluckiest thieves ever burst into the museum and started looting the place.
Unlucky why? Because I brought along a couple of knives in addition to my killer dress. Add these to my Ice and Stone magic, and nothing makes me happier than showing the bad guys why red really is my color.
For fans of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series, be sure to check out the many titles on sale for $3.99, including a number of the Kindle with Audio/Video Editions that include a different piece of video footage from Eoin Colfer's one man stage show, Fairies, Fiends, & Flatulence in each title and some with companion audiobook editions (I've linked the one under $5). The A/V editions can be read on any Kindles, but the added content is available only on iThings.Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and dangerous. Artemis thinks he has them right where he wants them…but then they stop playing by the rules.The Arctic Incident #2
Artemis Fowl receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. In it is a plea from a man who has been kidnapped by the Russian Mafiya: his father. As Artemis rushes to his rescue, he is stopped by a familiar nemesis, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. Now, instead of battling the fairies, Artemis must join forces with them if he wants to save one of the few people in the world he loves.The Eternity Code #3 (A/V Edition)
Artemis Fowl is going straight. As soon as he pulls off the most brilliant criminal feat of his career. At least, that's the plan when he attempts to sell his C Cube, a supercomputer built from stolen fairy technology. When his efforts to broker a deal for the Cube with a powerful businessman go terribly wrong, his loyal bodyguard and friend Butler is mortally injured. The only thing that will save him is fairy magic, so once again he must contact his old rival, Holly Short. It's going to take a miracle to save Butler, and Artemis's luck may have just run out.The Opal Deception #4 (A/V Edition)
The evil pixie Opal Koboi has spent the last year in a self-induced coma, plotting her revenge on all those who foiled her attempt to destroy the LEPrecon fairy police. And Artemis Fowl is at the top of her list. After his last run-in with the fairies, Artemis had his mind wiped of his memories of the world belowground. But they have not forgotten about him. Once again, he must stop the human and fairy worlds from colliding – only this time, Artemis faces an enemy who may have finally outsmarted him.The Lost Colony #5 (A/V Edition)
Demons are beginning to materialize without warning on Earth. If humans were to capture one, all fairies would be exposed. In order to protect themselves, the fairies must decipher complicated equations to determine where the next demon will appear. Not even the brilliant Foaly can make heads or tails of the formulas – but he knows someone who can: Artemis Fowl. When a very confused demon imp appears in a Sicilian theater, Artemis is there to meet him. But he is not alone. Someone else has unlocked the secrets of the fairy world…and she is only twelve years old. Now, in a race against time, a newly-reformed Artemis Fowl will have to dip into his bag of dirty tricks if he is to save his fairy friends from his latest nemesis, not to mention a power hungry demon warlord who is poised to invade our dimension with his savage army.The Time Paradox #6 ($3.99 A/V Edition)
"When Artemis Fowl’s mother contracts a life-threatening illness, his world is turned upside down. The only hope for a cure lies in the brain fluid of the silky sifaka lemur. Unfortunately, the animal is extinct due to a heartless bargain Artemis himself made as a younger boy.The Artemis Fowl Files ($3.49)
Though the odds are stacked against him, Artemis is not willing to give up. With the help of his fairy friends, the young genius travels back in time to save the lemur and bring it back to the present. But to do so, Artemis will have to defeat a maniacal poacher, who has set his sights on new prey: Holly Short.
The rules of time travel are far from simple, but to save his mother, Artemis will have to break them all…and outsmart his most cunning adversary yet: Artemis Fowl, age ten.
The Artemis Fowl Files is comprised of two original stories: “LEPrecon”: the story of Fairy Police Captain Holly Short’s move from Traffic to Recon following her initiation into the Fairy Police; and “The Seventh Dwarf”, featuring Mulch, Butler, and Artemis himself.
EXTRAS INCLUDE:
• “Behind-the-scenes” interviews with major characters including: Artemis, Holly, Foaly, Mulch, and Eoin
Colfer himself
• Coded section from the Fairy Book for kids to translate
• A section for Fairy Spotters including the different categories of Fairy and their physical characteristics
and personality traits, including: Elves, Trolls, Sprites, Pixies Goblins, Dwarves and Centaurs
• Technical diagrams of Foaly’s inventions
Not To Us ($3.99 Kindle), by Katherine Owen.Book Description
If you get a second chance, do you take a different path?
There are all kinds of ways for a relationship to be tested, even broken, some, irrevocably; it's the endings we're unprepared for.
Ellie's perfect world unravels.
A best friend's betrayal ends her marriage.
An alarming diagnosis threatens her life.
Yet.
It all leads to Michael...
But, fate soon tests their perfect union.
And, begs the question: if you get a second chance, do you take a different path?
The beach house is a peaceful haven, a place to escape everyday problems. Here, three families find their feelings intensified and their lives transformed each summer.Another Summer
When thirty-year-old Julia, mourning the death of her husband, decides to sell the Santa Cruz beach house they owned together, she sets in motion a final summer that will change the lives of all the families who rent it year after year. Teenaged Chris discovers the bittersweet joy of first love. Maggie and Joe, married sixty-five years, courageously face a separation that even their devotion cannot prevent. The married woman Peter yearns for suddenly comes within his reach. And Julia ultimately finds the strength to rebuild her life—something she once thought impossible.
With equal measures of heartbreak and happiness, bestselling author Georgia Bockoven's unforgettable novel tells of the beauty of life and the power of love, and speaks to every woman who has ever clung to a child or loved a man.
Georgia Bockoven’s enthralling Another Summer—the sequel to her phenomenal bestseller The Beach House—is a must for fans of Jodi Picoult and Marian Keyes. It is the moving and powerful story of four families, the conflicts that tear them apart…and the house that brings them together. Bestselling author Kristin Hannah says, “It will appeal to anyone who believes in the healing power of love,” and Mary Jo Putney advises you to, “Read Another Summer on a day when you want to laugh and cry and feel better about the world.” If you’re looking for the very best in heartbreaking, heart-soaring, uplifting fiction…come in.
Disguised Blessing ($0.99 Kindle), by Georgia Bockoven [HarperCollins]Book Description
After years of being alone, Catherine Miller thinks she's finally found happiness. Engaged to an adoring, successful executive, she lives in a luxurious house, and her beautiful fifteen-year-old daughter, Linda, is on the brink of college and adulthood. Then, Catherine's rose-colored world is shattered. Her daughter is burned terribly in a freak accident, and just when Catherine needs him most, her fiancé abandons her. Now Catherine must call on every ounce of courage and strength she has to help her beloved daughter recover. Fortunately, she's got help in fire captain Rick Sawyer, an expert burn counselor. Ruggedly handsome, appealingly down-to-earth, Rick is like no man Catherine has ever met. But Catherine made the wrong choice before. How can she trust her emotions--especially when it's not just her heart at stake but her daughter's life, too?
In the tradition of Barbara Delinsky comes this poignant, moving story of the bonds of family, the strength of love, and the courage to dare.
Dust ($5.99 Kindle), by Hugh Howey, is now available for pre-order and I have it in my queue! I expect to be up late one or two nights in a row finishing it, as I did with Wool and Shift.Book Description
WOOL introduced the silo and its inhabitants.
SHIFT told the story of their making.
DUST will chronicle their undoing.
Welcome to the underground.
Today's Kindle Daily Deal is Infinite Jest ($1.99), by David Foster Wallace [Hachette].Book Description
A gargantuan, mind-altering comedy about the Pursuit of Happiness in America set in an addicts' halfway house and a tennis academy, and featuring the most endearingly screwed-up family to come along in recent fiction, Infinite Jest explores essential questions about what entertainment is and why it has come to so dominate our lives; about how our desire for entertainment affects our need to connect with other people; and about what the pleasures we choose say about who we are. Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, Infinite Jest bends every rule of fiction without sacrificing for a moment its own entertainment value. It is an exuberant, uniquely American exploration of the passions that make us human - and one of those rare books that renew the idea of what a novel can do.
Today's Kindle Romance Daily Deal is two romantic and exciting stories about the settling of the American West by Reid Lance Rosenthal for $1.99 each.The July 2013 reprint of the #1 bestselling Threads West--multiple award winning first book and namesake of the sweeping Threads West, An American Saga multi-era series compared by reviewers and authors to Lonesome Dove, Centennial, Louie L'Amour ("with steam") and called by some "The Gone With The Wind of the West" The tale bursts with the adventure, romance and promise of historical America and the West wrapped in a silver bolo of the American spirit.Maps of Fate
You will recognize the characters who live in these pages. They are your friends, neighbors, your co-workers, and your family. They are you. They are us.
This is not only their story. It is our story.
It is Threads West, An American Saga.
The epic saga of Threads West begins in 1854 with the first of five, richly textured, complex generations of unforgettable, multicultural characters. The separate lives of these driven men and independent woman are drawn to a common destiny that beckons seductively from the wild and remote flanks of the American West. Swept into the dangerous currents of the far-distant frontier by the mysterious rivers of fate, the power of the land and the American spirit, their journeys are turbulent quests intertwined with romance and adversity, passions and pathos, despair and triumph.
Fifteen hundred miles to the west of St. Louis lies the lawless untamed spine of the continent, the Rocky Mountains. Their energy draws this vanguard of generations to love and struggle in the beautifully vibrant but unforgiving landscape of the West. The personal conflicts inherent to these brave, passion-filled characters are exacerbated by a nation in transition, the budding enmity between North and South, the broken treaties with Native Americans and the accelerating melting pot of diverse cultures that marks this magical moment in American history.
Set in 1855, Book Two, continues the page turning tale of four richly-textured, complex generations of unforgettable personalities. Suspense builds as they hurtle towards unknown destinies, propelled by one adventure, danger, romantic twist and encounter to the next.
Forged in the crucible of history, shaped on the dangerous anvil of the land, the threads of their lives and torrid loves interweave with the evolution of the West. Indian conflicts, the rancor of slavery, and the discovery of gold, all create lethal surprises when the characters are forced to defend their lands, their loved ones, and their honor. The tragic end of the First Nations begins to unfold. New characters with dark hearts, lost souls, and hopeful innocence, color the tapestry of this epic saga. Others, in search of place rightful freedom, and catapult into the story.
Today's Kindle SciFi/Fantasy Daily Deal is The Songs of Distant Earth ($1.99), by Arthur C. Clarke [RosettaBooks].Book Description
More than two thousand years in the future, a small human colony thrives on the ocean paradise of Thalassa—sent there centuries ago to continue the human race before the Earth’s destruction.
Thalassa’s resources are vast—and the human colony has lived a bucolic life there. But their existence is threatened when the spaceship Magellan arrives on their world—carrying one million refugees from Earth, fleeing the dying planet.
Reputed to be Arthur C. Clarke’s favorite novel, Songs of Distant Earth addresses several fascinating scientific questions unresolved in their time—including the question of why so few neutrinos from the sun have been measured on Earth. In addition, Clarke presents an inventive depiction of the use of vacuum energy to power spacecraft—and the technical logistics of space travel near the speed of light.
Today's Kindle Kids Daily Deal is What the Dog Said ($2.99), by Randi Reisfeldl.Book Description
Ever since her police officer father was killed a few months ago, Grace Abernathy hasn't wanted to do much of anything. She's pulled away from her friends, her grades are plummeting . . . it's a problem. The last thing Grace wants is to be dragged into her older sister Regan's plan to train a shelter dog as a service dog. But Grace has no idea how involved she'll get-especially when a mangy mutt named Rex starts talking to her. Has Grace gone off the deep end? Or might this dog be something really special-an angel? A spirit? Either way, he is exactly the therapy that Grace needs.
Age Level: 10 and up