These ebooks are only free for a limited time, so get them now before they expire!

Free eBooks at Amazon and Sony

Sophie’s Secret by Nancy Rue

4.5 stars, 2 reviews

Sophie and her friends launch an ‘archaeological expedition’ and make a disturbing discovery. Sophie keeps digging to uncover a shocking family secret. In light of this new revelation, will she ever be able to trust her parents again?

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Sophie’s World: Book 1 by Nancy Rue

4.5 stars, 3 reviews

In the first fiction book of the Faithgirlz!(tm) series, best-selling author Nancy Rue introduces Sophie LaCroix, a creative soul who’s destined to become a great film director someday.

When her overactive imagination immerses her in the American Revolution after a school field trip, Sophie quickly learns a real-life lesson. “Excellent for Homeschool Use”

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Hostile Intent by Michael Walsh

3 stars, 57 reviews

It starts with the unthinkable–the most horrific act of violence ever committed on American soil.

Only one man can stop them.

Hostile Intent

Code named Devlin, he exists in the blackest shadows of the United States government–operating off the grid as the NSA’s top agent. He’s their most lethal weapon…and their most secret. But someone is trying to draw him out into the open by putting America’s citizens in the crosshairs–and they will continue the slaughter until they get what they want.

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Bake Sale Murder by Leslie Meier

4.5 stars, 11 reviews

Ever since local developer Fred Stanton and his wife, Mimi, built five modular homes next door to Lucy Stone’s farmhouse, life just hasn’t been the same. With Mimi complaining about everything from the state of Lucy’s lawn to another neighbor’s lovable dog, quaint Tinker’s Cove, Maine, is now entangled in cul-de-sac politics and backstabbing. And when Mimi doesn’t show up for her shift at The Hat and Mitten Fund bake sale, the scent of burnt sugar leads Lucy to a shocking discovery: Mimi, face down on her kitchen floor–with a knife in her back.

While the police start their investigation, Lucy gets busy writing up the murder for the local Pennysaver–and following a few leads of her own. Lucy knows the women in her neighborhood didn’t like Mimi, but they certainly didn’t want her dead…right?

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Motorcycles, Sushi & One Strange Book by Nancy Rue

4.5 stars, 11 reviews

In the first book of Nancy Rue’s new Real Life series for teens, fifteen-year-old Jessie Hatcher has ADHD and often uses her bubbly charm to cover up her problems.

But when her biological father appears from nowhere and tells her she’ll be spending time with him in Florida, Jessie finds she’ll need more than charm this time. In fact, a mysterious book might be the answer to her problems.

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More Free eBooks From Sony

Barty the Kid by Jason Thibeault

no rating

Barty Scrivner is a 13-year old Wizard in 1895 Boston. But he’s not an ordinary wizard. No, he has a special talent. He’s the fastest draw in the East and he’s proven it time and again. But Barty wants more. He wants to be the most talked about wizard ever.

One September Morning by Rosalind Noonan

no rating

The moment Abby Fitzgerald sees two soldiers approach her front door, she knows her husband is dead. John Stanton, who gave up his career as a star NFL running back to serve after 9/11, has been killed in Iraq. Suddenly Abby’s kitchen is overflowing with casseroles brought by the army wives’ club to which she has never really belonged.

And her in-laws arrange a lavish funeral at Arlington National Cemetery in spite of Abby’s misgivings. John had grown to hate the war even though he loved his country, and Abby can’t reconcile the complex man she knew with the version being portrayed by self-serving politicians, military, and the media . . .

More Free Sony eBooks: Kaplan Books (Education/Study Guides/Reference)

More Free eBooks From Amazon

Cybill Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd and Aimee Lee Ball

3.5 stars, 71 reviews

‘How I survived beauty pageants, Elvis, sex, Bruce Willis, lies, marriage, motherhood, Hollywood, and the irrepressible urge to say what you think.’

From wholesome beauty queen to saucy cover girl, from heartbreaking movie star (THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, TAXI DRIVER) to one of television’s most loved comediennes (MOONLIGHTING, CYBILL), Cybill Shepherd is renowned as sassy, shocking and sexy. In CYBILL DISOBEDIENCE, she opens her heart with the wit and honesty of a star who’s seen and knows it all.

The Dangerous Dimension by L. Ron Hubbard

4 stars, 4 reviews

Dr. Henry Mudge undergoes a striking personality change when he discovers a mathematical formula “Equation C” that defines a mysterious negative dimension. He is instantly transported to any location in the solar system by merely thinking of it–even when he doesn’t want to.

Overcoming Perfectionism: The Key to a Balanced Recovery by Ann W. Smith

5 stars, 4 reviews

Do you have to be perfect to lead a healthy life? Ann Smith discusses how perfectionism may have benefits but is ultimately an obstacle to quality living as it prevents intimacy and lowers self-esteem. This book offers practical hints to letting go of your superhuman syndrome and being imperfect.

The Pearl at the Gate by Anya Richards and Anya Delvay

4 stars, 3 reviews

For her transgression, she will pay-with screams of forbidden pleasure. After a lifetime of hard work, Captain Roake Barbenoir finally has all he has ever wanted. Wealth, social position, and the epitome of an ideal wife, the beautiful and well-born Jenesta. Of all his treasures, she is his favorite-a pearl, perfect and pure-and Roake vows never to tarnish her with the dark sexual knowledge he gleaned from a life at sea.

Yet every breath his sweet wife takes arouses an urge to watch her come apart under the onslaught of his passion. But she must never know of the lust-filled, almost demonic cravings fighting for release in his soul. To make her privy to them would be to lose her warm regard . . .

More Free Kindle eBooks: Kaplan Books (Education/Study Guides/Reference)

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Wondering how the new Kindle 3 handles various types of PDF files? Well, you’re in luck. I just finished up the Kindle 3 PDF review, so take a look.

There’s several huge pictures and a video too. In fact, here’s the Kindle 3 PDF video in case you have trouble loading the review page because of all the large images . . .

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Today Staples announced that they will begin selling Amazon’s line of Kindle ebook readers and Kindle accessories at all of their 1550+ retail locations in the US later this fall.

Staples already sells the Aluratek Libre and they used to sell the Sony Readers, but currently only list Sony Reader accessories now that Sony is getting set to unveil their new line of devices tomorrow.

Staples is the second major retail chain store to sell the Amazon Kindle. Target just started carrying them a few months back, although all the displays that I’ve seen looked pretty shabby, and they only had the 6-inch Kindle and very few accessories.

Briefly, J&R listed the new Kindles on their website, but that only lasted for about 1 week before they disappeared. There was never any official announcement, so who knows if they still have them in retail stores or not.

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I went ahead and did a second Kindle 3 video review because the first one using the Kindle’s text to speech feature as a narrator didn’t turn out as well as I’d hoped. I had to use a second Kindle to read the text document that I had typed and the sound quality didn’t turn out very good on the video and the constant reading speed was hard to keep up with.

If you visit the main Kindle 3 review page you’ll now find the new video. You can still watch the old video with the text to speech narrator on The eBook Reader YouTube channel.

So here’s the new Kindle 3 video review . . .

New Kindle 3 Video Review

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For whatever reason, Amazon doesn’t mention most of these Kindle 3 shortcuts and keyboard hot keys in the Kindle user guide.

The coolest hidden feature is the screenshot. The files get saved to the Kindle in .PNG format. Just plug the Kindle 3 in to your computer with the USB cable and open up the documents folder to find them.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to figure out any shortcuts for the Kindle’s new web browser. It would be cool to be able to open the bookmarks menu and be able to use hot keys for zooming in and out, but so far nothing seems to work.

Please post any other Kindle 3 shortcuts, hot keys, and hidden features that you may happen to find.

Kindle 3 Shortcuts: General

Kindle 3 Hot Keys While Reading

Music Controls

Kindle 3 Image Viewer

Like the earlier Kindles, the Kindle 3 has a hidden image viewer. It really doesn’t serve much purpose and doesn’t work all that great, but here are the steps needed to set up the Image Viewer if you want to try it.

Image Viewer Functions

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Just finished up the first stage of the Kindle 3 review. Here’s the link to the full Kindle WiFi review and video review, but you might want to start with this shorter Kindle 3 review for an overview of all its features and a list of weaknesses.

The video review is a bit . . . different. So check it out.

Stay tuned for more Kindle reviews; I’ll be posting a PDF review with another video in the next couple of days.

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One thing that Amazon excels at is delivering their products on time when they say they will, instead of pushing back the release date like some companies do when releasing new products.

In fact, Amazon issued a press release today proclaiming that they started shipping the new Kindles today, 2 days earlier than expected. When the new Graphite Kindle DX was released it also shipped earlier than initially stated—a pleasant surprise when is shows up at the door a day or two early.

The press release is actually more about the new Kindles being the fastest-selling Kindles ever. Amazon says that they’ve sold more Kindles since the Kindle 3 was announced than in the same timeframe following any other Kindle launch. Of course anyone with half a brain could have predicted that. All the previous Kindles, except the Graphite Kindle DX, launched in the US only, whereas the Kindle 3 is available in over 175 countries.

Also according to Amazon, the new Kindle 3 is already the #1 bestselling product overall available on Amazon.com.

“Kindle is the best-selling product on Amazon.com for two years running and our new generation Kindles are continuing that momentum,” said Steven Kessel, senior vice president, Amazon Kindle.

More info from the press release:

Also in the four weeks since their introduction:

• Kindle and Kindle 3G are the most gifted and most wished for products on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk combined.
• Customers in 125 countries on six continents from Austria to Zimbabwe have already placed orders for the new generation Kindles. Some of the most remote shipments will be sent as far away as Mongolia and the Northern Mariana Islands.
• Customers are already ordering books to read on their new Kindles. The most popular are the books in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, “Star Island” by Carl Hiaasen and “The Rembrandt Affair” by Daniel Silva.

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With the official release of Amazon’s new Kindle 3, there’s suddenly a slew of Kindle 3 reviews cropping up from various website’s around the web.

You can find my hands-on Kindle 3 review and video reviews posted on the Kindle 3 review page.

Then take a look below at what some of the other reviewers have said about the new Kindle below.

Kindle 3 Review – What the Reviewers are Saying

CNet

The Kindle 3 review at CNet gets 4 out of 5 stars, noting that the Kindle’s numerous upgrades vaults it to the top of the ebook reader market, but the lack of expansion slots and EPUB support, among other things, keeps it from getting a five star rating. Check out their video below.

The CNet review also mentions the new Kindle 3 cover with a built in reading light that draws a charge from the Kindle and doesn’t require batteries. This is what they say:

At night, however, you have to have a light source to use the Kindle, which is part of the reason why Amazon has designed an optional protective cover (none ships with the unit) that includes a retracting LED light that’s brilliantly designed. The slim light draws power from the Kindle and tucks away into the case (at first glance, you don’t even know it’s there). The only downside is it’s expensive at $59.99, but we have to say, we really liked it.

CNet’s Kindle 3 Video Review

Wired

Wired’s review gives the Kindle 3 a 9 out of 10, saying that “the denser e-ink on the new Kindle is going to make a lot of previous Kindle owners jealous,” and that “Battery life is long enough for space shuttle missions”.

What they don’t like is Amazon’s DRM, the lack of a touchscreen, and they say that the interface for newspapers and magazines could use improving. They also mention that the new button layout makes it hard not to accidentally hit the back and menu buttons when moving the cursor up and down.

Teleread

Stephen Windwalker gives a very positive and extensive review of the new Kindle 3 and lighted cover over on Teleread. A quote:

This Kindle 3 is a Triple Wow. Five Stars. Two Thumbs Up. And, because Amazon stays true to its core vision of catalog, convenience and connectivity for the Kindle, it is by far the best ebook reader ever made. For now, and probably for the rest of 2010, at the least. Naturally, as with any other kind of technology, there will be serious people who want no part of it.

PC Mag

The Kindle 3 review at PC Mag gets a 4 out of 5 stars. They too like the new higher contrast screen and upgraded features, but really have a problem with Amazon’s locked-in format and lack of EPUB support.

PC Mag’s Kindle 3 conclusion:

With its retail support, custom content, wider file support, and color display, the Barnes and Noble Nook remains a tough contender. But overall, with a lower price, a slimmer, lighter design, higher-contrast screen, and other improvements, the Kindle remains our Editors’ Choice for ebook readers.

PC World

The Kindle 3 review at PC World is titled “Amazon Kindle 3: The Best Kindle Yet”. While that much would be expected with a next generation device, the reviewer points out that the new trimmed-down design is extremely comfortable to hold for long periods of time and that the new Kindle 3 delivers a more pleasing reading experience than earlier models.

The main drawbacks this review mentions is there’s no re-flow mode for PDFs and the bookstore speed was slow in loading book covers and refreshing pages—perhaps a poor 3G connection.

Len Edgerly’s Kindle 3 Video Review

Kindle 3 Reviews Conclusion

From reading all the reviews so far, the Kindle 3 appears to be a hit. All the reviewers like the new added features and the general consensus seems to place the Kindle 3 at the top of the ebook reader list (for now), despite its lack of EPUB support, etc.

The biggest selling point seems to be the new low price. You can get a Kindle 3 with free 3G for $189, which is $110 cheaper than the Kindle 2 when it first launched last year, or a Kindle WiFi for $139.

Or you can do what I did and get an additional $30 off by signing up for and charging the purchase to an Amazon.com credit card. Here’s the blog post explaining it. I ended up getting a Kindle WiFi for just $109 total.

Filed under: Kindle, Reviews | Tags: kindle 3, kindle 3 review | 2 Comments »

These ebooks are only free for a limited time, so get them now before they expire!

Valley Forge Free Preview: George Washington and the Crucible of Victory by Albert S. Hanser, Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen

no rating

Valley Forge picks up the narrative a year after Washington’s triumphant surprise attack on Trenton, and much has changed since then.

It’s the winter of 1777, and Washington’s battered, demoralized army retreats from Philadelphia. Arriving at Valley Forge, they discover that their repeated requests for a stockpile of food, winter clothing, and building tools have been ignored by Congress. With no other options available, the men settle down for a season of agony. For weeks the dwindling army freezes under tents in the bitter cold. Food runs out. Disease festers. The men are on the point of collapse, while in Philadelphia the British, joined by Allen van Dorn, the Loyalist brother of the dead patriot, Jonathan van Dorn, live in luxury.

In spite of the suffering and deceit, Washington endures all, joined at last by a volunteer from Germany, Baron Friederich von Steuben. With precious few supplies and even less time, von Steuben begins the hard task of recasting the army as a professional fighting force capable of facing the British head-on—something it has never accomplished before—and in the process he changing the course of history.

And Thereby Hangs a Tale Free Short Story by Jeffrey Archer

5 stars, 1 review

Bestseller Archer assembles 15 more of the clever stories for which he is known. They are split between tales of trickery, as with “Stuck on You,” where an eager young man is played by a diamond thief, and decidedly sentimental stories, such as “Members Only,” about a man who wants nothing more than to join a private country club. Archer marks with an asterisk stories that are based on true incidents (10 in this collection), and whether it is the weight of credibility these stories’ genesis lends or if the author works better with some starting material, the entirely imagined stories are also the weakest.

“Politically Correct” never gets out of the shallows in its attempt to be provocative, and “Better the Devil You Know,” with its evil executive making a deal with the devil (aka Mr. De Ath), is silly even for this author, who usually writes with a winningly light touch. Still, Archer’s writing exudes a certain charm and is mostly satisfying. His trademark twists–sometimes a surprise to the reader, sometimes not–and genial tone will endear these mostly cozy stories to his many fans.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bury Your Dead Free Preview: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny

no rating

It is Winter Carnival in Quebec City, bitterly cold and surpassingly beautiful. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté de Quebec has come not to celebrate but to recover from a harrowing investigation gone wrong that left one of his team members dead. But murder seems to follow Gamache everywhere, even to the seemingly peaceful Literary and Historical Society, one of the last bastions of English culture in Quebec, where a man in found dead in the basement. And not any man–but the famous Augustin Roy, who had carried his obsessive search for the long-lost body of the founder of Quebec, Samuel de Champlain, all the way to the Society library. Badly injured himself and desperately in need of a rest, Gamache cannot resist the appeals of the police and the Society board alike to negotiate the treacherous ground between the English and the French in the old walled city.

Meanwhile, Gamache receives a letter each day from the little town of Three Pines, where the beloved Bistro owner Olivier was found guilty of murdering a mysterious hermit in THE BRUTAL TELLING. “Why would Olivier move the body?” Olivier’s partner Gabri writes every time. “It doesn’t make sense. He didn’t do it, you know.” Even though the evidence against Olivier seemed overwhelming at the time, Gamache sends his deputy, Inspector Beauvoir, back to Three Pines to be sure that nothing was overlooked….

Through it all, as he and Beauvoir search for the truth about present and past murders, Gamache must relive the terrible events that killed one of his men before he can begin to bury his dead.

OUTTA THE BAG: A Prequel Story to ME, MYSELF AND WHY? by MaryJanice Davidson

no rating

From New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson, comes OUTTA THE BAG the hilarious prequel story to her upcoming novel ME, MYSELF AND WHY, the first in a brand new series. In OUTTA THE BAG, Clive Better—the better-than-best plumber in town—attends a speed dating event where—instead of attempting to score phone numbers—he recounts his recent run-in with a freaked-out cat and a sexy-but-psychotic woman that has left him confused, scratched up, and rather aroused.

Wicked Appetite Free Preview by Janet Evanovich

no rating

Number one bestselling author Janet Evanovich has created a brand-new heroine in Elizabeth Tucker: Marblehead resident, bakery worker, unlucky in love…and descendant of witches. Life has had a pleasant predictability to it for Lizzy. That is until a tall, black-haired, dark eyed man shows up in a black sports car, touches her hand and leaves a burn mark.

His name is Gerwulf Grimoire, also known as Wulf. And he wants what Lizzy has: knowledge. Almost simultaneously comes another man, a different man, but this one just as dangerous in his own way. His name is Diesel. And he wants several things Lizzy has, only one of them being knowledge. Unbeknownst to Lizzy, she has the ability to find “empowered objects.” Turns out, a collection of stones that represent the seven deadly sins have made their way to Marblehead.

Nothing bad can happen if the stones are all separated. But if they are grouped together, they have the power to unleash hell on earth. Wulf wants them. Diesel wants to stop him. And Lizzy is the key to all of it. Can Lizzy stay one step ahead of two men who both want her…both body and soul? Can she juggle her job at Dazzle’s bakery and still get the muffins out in time every morning? Can she stop the end of the world from occurring? For Elizabeth Tucker, cupcakes, 4 a.m. alarm clock settings, and Armageddon are all in a day’s work….

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

4.5 stars, 36 reviews

This classic selection brings together twelve of the original stories serialized in the Strand Magazine in the early 1890s. Thrilling adventures such as “A Scandal in Bohemia” catapulted the keen-witted Holmes to fame and continues to make him the most beloved sleuth of all time.

I. A Scandal in Bohemia
II. The Red-headed League
III. A Case of Identity
IV. The Boscombe Valley Mystery
V. The Five Orange Pips
VI. The Man with the Twisted Lip
VII. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
VIII. The Adventure of the Speckled Band
IX. The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb
X. The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
XI. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
XII. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

4.5 stars, 26 reviews

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, which Franklin himself called his Memoirs, is the unfinished record of his life written between 1771 and 1790. It has become one of the most well-known and influential autobiographies in history, and has been praised both as a historical document and a piece of literature in its own right. William Dean Howells declared that “Franklin’s is one of the greatest autobiographies in literature, and towers over other autobiographies as Franklin towered over other men.”

Profiles of Remarkable Businesses (Collection) by FT Press Delivers

4 stars, 1 review

A brand new collection of essential insights for your business and career from world-renowned experts-now in a convenient e-format, at a great price!

Actionable lessons from a century of extraordinary businesses-from Ford to NetFlix, Wal-Mart to Zappos

What you can learn from the world’s greatest businesses: from legendary startups to extraordinary turnarounds! Crucial takeaways from the experiences of McDonald’s, Home Depot, Zappos, Wal-Mart, Oprah (Harpo), Ford, NetFlix, UPS, Lego, Intuit, and many others.

From world-renowned business profilers New Word City and Nancy F. Koehn.

The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing by Claire Meirowitz and Natalie Canavor

4.5 stars, 44 reviews

Business writing that packs a punch: Make the most of your message to get what you want!

• The truth about supercharging your business writing
• The truth about writing directly, clearly, and convincingly
• The truth about writing in today-s varied business formats

Germs, Genes, and Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped who we are Today by David P Clark

3.5 stars, 18 reviews

The Stunning Hidden Interconnections Between Microbes and Humanity.

AD 452: Attila the Hun stands ready to sack Rome. No one can stop him–but he walks away. A miracle? No…dysentery. Microbes saved the Roman Empire. Nearly a millennium later, the microbes of the Black Death ended the Middle Ages, making possible the Renaissance, western democracy, and the scientific revolution. Soon after, microbes ravaged the Americas, paving the way for their European conquest.

Again and again, microbes have shaped our health, our genetics, our history, our culture, our politics, even our religion and ethics. This book reveals much that scientists and cultural historians have learned about the pervasive interconnections between infectious microbes and humans. It also considers what our ongoing fundamental relationship with infectious microbes might mean for the future of the human species.

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Flowers For Elvis by Schuster, Julia

4.5 stars, 9 reviews

Flowers For Elvis is quirky Southern fiction with a literary edge, surprising humor and an uplifting spirit. In 1956, Olivia and her twin sister are born to a nun an old auto parts store turned convent in rural Mississippi. Little Olivia doesn’t survive the day, but her spunky spirit hangs around and takes on the role of ethereal watchdog over her twin. When the Reverend Mother-and holy guilt-convince the nun’s sister (a young pregnant newlywed) to secretly raise the baby as the twin of her own soon-to-be-born child, Olivia realizes the urgency of her presence and support.

Not only is her aunt a fanatical Elvis fan, she’s a renegade Southern belle, bent on self-indulgence and desperate to safeguard her multitude of sins. Without revealing which girl is her twin until the end, Olivia takes the reader on a flower strewn tour of misguided love and maternal betrayal which culminates at Elvis’ funeral, where they finally discover the truth of their parentage and unravel the generations of secrets that shadowed their lives.

Premiere by Carlson, Melody

4 stars, 7 reviews

Paige and Erin Forrester have been given the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to host their own fashion reality show on television. Unfortunately, Erin would rather be behind the camera than appearing on it. Luckily, her beautiful sister is a natural, at both fashion and at hosting. This gives Erin the opportunity to work on the crew and act as a chaperon/moral compass to Paige.

A guest spot on a catty teen reality series provides a chance for the sisters to launch their show, but it does not go as planned and leaves the future of the show in jeopardy. Erin has other issues to deal with, too, including an ex-boyfriend who is trying to get back in the picture as well as her own struggles with how her faith fits into a Hollywood lifestyle. Teen girls who enjoy fashion, reality television, and are looking for something less edgy than the Gossip Girl series will be rewarded with this title, which looks to be the first in a series.

Gone to Green by Christie, Judy

4.5 stars, 12 reviews

In Gone to Green, Lois goes from being a corporate journalist at a large paper in the Midwest to the owner of The Green News-Item, a small twice-weekly newspaper in rural North Louisiana. The paper was an unexpected inheritance from a close colleague, and Lois must keep it for at least a year, bringing a host of challenges, lessons, and blessings into her life.

When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people. She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2, she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named Kevin . . .

A Little Death In Dixie by Lisa Turner

5 stars, 12 reviews

The Blues were born out of need, anger and pride. Murder comes from those same dark places. Memphis has both. One of Memphis’ most seductive and notorious socialites has vanished. Either she’s off on another drunken escapade or the disappearance is something much more frightening.

What begins as an ordinary day’s work for Detective Billy Able quickly grows into a complex spider’s web of tragedy, mystery, suspicion, and sordid secrets including a few of Billy’s own. With the help of Mercy Snow, the estranged sister of the missing socialite, Billy follows a twisted trail of human frailty and corruption to disturbing truths that undermine everything he thought he knew about himself and the people he loves.

From a Distance (Timber Ridge Reflections, Book 1) by Alexander, Tamera

4.5 stars, 33 reviews

What happens when the realization of a dream isn’t what you imagined… and the secret you’ve spent a lifetime guarding is finally laid bare?

Determined to become one of the country’s premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett is a man shackled by his Confederate past, and he’ll do anything to protect his land, and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He’s a man of his word, but repaying that debt could reveal secrets from his past he would prefer remain buried.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth’s lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met from a distance.

From a Distance (Timber Ridge Reflections, Book 1) by Alexander, Tamera

no rating

No description available.

Trading from Your Gut: How to Use Right Brain Instinct & Left Brain Smarts to Become a Master Trader by Curtis Faith

3.5 stars, 49 reviews

Legendary traders like Jesse Livermore, George Soros, Richard Dennis, and Steven Cohen use their full range of powers that encompass both instinct and analysis. That’s how they made their fortunes–and that’s how you can, too.

In Trading from Your Gut, Curtis Faith, renowned trader and author of the global bestseller Way of the Turtle, reveals why human intuition is an amazingly powerful trading tool, capable of processing thousands of inputs almost instantaneously. Faith teaches you how to harness, sharpen, train, and trust your instincts and to trade smarter with your whole mind . . .

Leading at a Higher Level, Revised and Expanded Edition: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations by Ken Blanchard

2.5 stars, 7 reviews

From The One Minute Manager® to Raving Fans, Ken Blanchard’s books have helped millions of people unleash their power and the potential of everyone around them. The Ken Blanchard Companies has helped thousands of organizations become more people oriented, customer centered, and performance driven.

Now, in this fully updated edition of Leading at a Higher Level, Blanchard and his colleagues bring together all they’ve learned about world-class leadership. You’ll discover how to create targets and visions based on the “triple bottom line” and make sure people know who you are, where you’re going, and the values that will guide your journey . . .

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Earlier today, Amazon officially announced the opening of the new Kindle UK ebook store, “with the biggest selection and lowest prices of any e-bookstore in the UK”.

A quick comparison of ebook prices reveals that they weren’t just blowing smoke with that quoted statement above. Comparing prices with other UK ebook retailers reveals that Amazon is selling ebooks in the UK for a lot less than the other sites, not to mention Amazon has over 400,000 ebooks in the UK store, a lot more than the others.

And we aren’t talking just a little cheaper; many are significantly cheaper and I’m not so sure this is such a good thing. Sure, lower prices are always better, but the last thing we need is for Amazon to completely dominate and blowout all the other UK competition that are selling the more open EPUB version of the ebooks that can be read on a multitude of devices, not just a Kindle or Kindle app.

Directly from the press release, here’s a look at Amazon.co.uk’s current bestsellers. I added the prices in parentheses; these are the prices of the UK site WHSmith, whom generally had lower prices than the other UK site I checked, Waterstones:

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest Stieg Larsson £2.70 – (£5.19)
The Help Kathryn Stockett £2.79 – (£6.52)
One Day David Nicholls £2.79 – (£5.19)
The Lost Symbol Dan Brown £3.41 – (£5.31)
The Legacy Katherine Webb £3.35 – (£6.55)
Eclipse Stephenie Meyer £3.14 – (£5.19)
I Shall Wear Midnight Terry Pratchett £8.54 – (not listed)
Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex Eoin Colfer £5.84 – (not listed)
Eat, Pray, Love Elizabeth Gilbert £3.58 – (£7.70)
The Third Man Peter Mandelson £11.25 – (£15.28)

Not only are the Kindle UK ebook prices a lot lower than other UK stores, but the prices are lower than the US Kindle ebook store in many cases too. Take the first three on the list above. In order, the prices in the US are $9.99, $12.99, and $8.22. Even considering currency conversion, the UK prices are about half the US price, almost one third the cost for The Help. And the real kicker is, only UK customers can download ebooks from the UK store, not even other European countries are granted that privilege thus far.

Aside from ebooks, Amazon UK has over 170 UK and international newspapers and magazines, including The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail, The Economist, The Independent, The Financial Times, and The Evening Standard. Additionally, there are over 9,000 blogs. And all subscriptions start with a free 14-day trial, the same as the US site.

More information from the press release reveals these Kindle UK ebook exclusives:

The selection includes exclusives to the Kindle Store such as contemporary classics from the Wylie Agency’s new Odyssey Editions imprint including Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children,” John Cheever’s “The Stories of John Cheever,” Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita,” Norman Mailer’s “The Naked and the Dead,” and Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man.” The Kindle Store also features a host of top titles not available at other leading e-bookstore stores such as BBC Samuel Johnson Prize winner “Nothing to Envy” by Barbara Demick, “Family Ties” from Danielle Steel and “Broken” by Karin Slaughter, and over 1 million free titles are available to download and read on Kindle.

When it comes to ebooks, Amazon really knows what they are doing. Releasing the Kindle 3 from the UK store for less than most other ereaders and then selling the ebooks for a fraction of the price is a good way to bring in a whole new user base. Let’s just hope that the competition can keep up.

Filed under: Kindle, News, eBooks | Tags: kindle ebooks, kindle uk, uk ebook readers | 1 Comment »

Now that Amazon has introduced the Kindle WiFi to compete with the Barnes and Noble Nook WiFi, let’s take a look at Kindle WiFi vs Nook WiFi to determine which is the best ebook reader to choose.

The good news is that you can’t go wrong with either, they’re two of the best ereaders on the market, and choosing one just depends on a few different factors. They both cost about the same price, the Kindle is $139 and the Nook is $149. And if you need an ereader with 3G wireless, then consider the fact that Amazon and B&N also offer both of these ereaders with free 3G wireless from AT&T for $50 more each.

The Advantages and Disadvantages are directly comparing Kindle WiFi vs Nook WiFi, meaning that the advantages for the Kindle are features that the Nook doesn’t have and vice versa.

Kindle WiFi vs Nook WiFi: Kindle Advantages

Kindle WiFi

• New Pearl screen has 50% higher contrast than the Vizplex screen used on the Nook.
• Amazon has more content: Over 630,000 total ebooks available in the Kindle ebook store.
• Almost 200 newspaper and magazine subscriptions available, compared to B&N’s 35.
• Now supports collections (folders) for organizing ebooks.
• Better PDF handling and more features for PDFs.
• More memory: 4GB compared to the Nook’s 2GB.
• Available to over 170 countries.
• The Kindle’s battery life is much better at 10-30 days, compared to the Nook’s 4-10.
• Several exclusive free ebooks added monthly.
• 30-day return policy vs Nook’s 14 (unless you buy the Nook from Best Buy, which has a longer return policy of 30 days).
• Text-to-speech (if approved by publisher).
• Audio Guide reads menus aloud for the vision impaired.
• Compatible with audiobooks from Audible.com.
• Keyboard more functional for typing and adding notes.

Kindle Disadvantages

• Amazon’s proprietary ebook DRM isn’t compatible with other ebook readers.
• Doesn’t support EPUB without conversion and doesn’t support PDB format like the Nook does.
• Not compatible with free ebooks from libraries.
• No memory card slots.
• The Kindle Store has limited sorting options.
• No images of book-covers on home menu’s book list.
• No in-store promotions.

Kindle WiFi vs Nook WiFi: Nook Advantages

Barnes & Noble Nook

• Supports Adobe EPUB and PDF DRM, meaning ebooks can be purchased from many websites other than B&N.
• Compatible with Overdrive.com for free ebooks through local libraries. How to »
• Color LCD touchscreen pane for navigation, typing, etc.
• Lend a purchased ebook one time for 14 days (if approved by publisher).
• Can view book covers and browse by book covers.
• B&N’s ebook store is easier to browse through and there are more sorting options.
• No large keyboard; uses a virtual keyboard instead.
• Micro SD card slot.
• In store ebook promotions for free ebooks.
• User replaceable battery.
• Personalize screensavers.
• Games: Play Chess and Sudoku.
• Android operating system is hackable.
• Android has more versatility and potential for future apps and improvements.

Nook Disadvantages

• Not available internationally.
• Limited ebook organization options, no customizable folders.
• Notes, highlighting not very functional.
• Misleading ebook selection saying they have over 1 million; subtracting the free ebooks, B&N has 166,119.
• No text-to-speech.
• Poor PDF support.
• Battery life is less because of color screen.
• Heavier.
• No landscape mode.

Filed under: Kindle, Nook | Tags: kindle wifi, nook wifi | 3 Comments »