Before we get to today’s picks, here’s a news item of interest for Kindle Fire owners with young children in the home: Amazon is introducing an all-you-can-eat content plan called Kindle Freetime Unlimited, including games, books, and video for kiddies aged 3 to 8. It will cost $4.99 monthly per child or $9.99 per family (plus a discount for Amazon Prime subscribers). Personally, I resist the urge for online subscriptions, but with two youngsters in the house, this offering deserves strong consideration. The one-month free trial is a no-brainer for sure! More info in this writeup in USA Today.

And now, on with today’s freebie feast: Each book listed here has gone FREE within the past 24 hours (except for the “Kindle Daily Deal” at the bottom). Books qualify for “Editor’s Picks” if they have outstanding customer reviews. Warning: Kindle book promotions can end without notice, so before downloading click the link “See Kindle price at Amazon” to verify that the book is still free. (Prices and availability may differ outside USA.)

Drum roll, please!


The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted: A Psychological Thriller

literature & fiction books > mystery, thriller & suspense > psychological thrillers

292 reviews 4.3

Author: Andrew E. Kaufman

The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted: A Psychological Thriller

SHE ONLY STEPPED OUTSIDE FOR A MINUTE…

But a minute was all it took to turn Jean Kingsley’s world upside down–a minute she’d regret for the rest of her life.

STEPPING INTO HER WORST NIGHTMARE…

Because when she returned, she found an open bedroom window and her three-year-old son, Nathan, gone. The boy would never be seen again.

A NIGHTMARE THAT ONLY BECAME WORSE.

A tip leads detectives to the killer, a repeat sex offender, and inside his apartment, a gruesome discovery. A slam-dunk trial sends him off to death row, then several years later, to the electric chair.

CASE CLOSED. JUSTICE SERVED…OR WAS IT?

Now, more than thirty years later, Patrick Bannister unwittingly stumbles across evidence among his dead mother’s belongings–it paints her as the killer and her brother, a wealthy and powerful senator, as the one pulling the strings.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO NATHAN KINGSLEY?

There’s a hole in the case a mile wide, and Patrick is determined to close it. But what he doesn’t know is that the closer he moves toward the truth, the more he’s putting his life on the line, that he’s become the hunted. Someone’s hiding a dark secret and will stop at nothing to keep it that way.

The clock is ticking, the walls are closing, and the stakes are getting higher as he races to find a killer–one who’s hot on his trail. One who’s out for his blood.


Yellow Crocus: A Novel

women’s fiction > domestic life > african american

219 reviews 4.6

Author: Laila Ibrahim

Yellow Crocus: A Novel

In 1837, Lisbeth Wainwright is born to the white mistress of a sprawling Virginia plantation. Seconds later, she is delivered into the arms of her black wet nurse, Mattie. For a field hand like Mattie, her transfer to the big house is supposed to be considered an honor—except that the move tears Mattie away from her beloved grandfather and her infant son, Samuel. But Mattie is a slave, with no say in the matter, and so she devotes herself to her master’s daughter, though she longs to be raising her own child. Growing up under Mattie’s tender care, little Lisbeth adopts the woman’s deep-seated faith in God, her love of music and black-eyed peas, and the tradition of hunting for yellow crocuses in the early days of spring.

As the years pass, Lisbeth is drawn slowly back into her white parents’ world and begins to learn the ins and outs of life for a high-born young lady. Still she retains her connection to Mattie, befriending Samuel and drifting comfortably between the two worlds. She accepts her parents’ assertion that their slaves depend upon them for guidance and protection, yet that notion becomes more and more difficult to believe as she gains awareness of the inequality of life in the big house versus the slave quarters. When, on the threshold of her society wedding to debonair Edward Cunningham, Lisbeth bears witness to a shockingly brutal act, the final vestiges of her naiveté crumble around her. Just twenty-one years old, she is forced to choose between what is socially acceptable and what is right, a decision that will change her life forever.


Out of the Black

fiction > action & adventure

179 reviews 3.8

Author: Lee Doty

Out of the Black

It is the year 2071:  The world is at peace; across the planet mankind has vanquished poverty, embraced technology, the gym, healthy cooking– found balance.

In this world, Anne Kelley sticks out like a… well, like an under-employed, horribly insecure 260 pound woman might stick out in the year 2071.  She grits her teeth a lot; she averts her eyes a lot.

Then one night Anne makes a discovery: it’s the end of the world.  Not the mushroom cloud end, not the machines rise to judge their makers end… the hungry, swarming apocalypse end.  Yeah, that one… well, sort of.

Now five damaged strangers must piece together the mystery and find the courage to stand together against an evil so ancient it predates written history.
Now they must become the heroes the world needs before the darkness falls forever.

Sometimes purpose falls into the most broken lives, like a careless stone fallen out of the clear black sky.


The Sex Club (The Detective Jackson Mystery/Thriller Series)

mystery, thriller & suspense > police procedurals

139 reviews 4

Author: L.J. Sellers

The Sex Club (The Detective Jackson Mystery/Thriller Series)

When a bomb explodes at a birth-control clinic and a young client turns up dead, Detective Jackson is assigned both cases. But are they connected? Kera, the clinic nurse who discovers that the girl’s Bible group is really a sexual free-for-all, thinks they are. But confidentiality keeps her from telling the police, so she digs for the truth on her own and becomes the bomber’s new target. Soon another girl is murdered. Can Jackson uncover the killer’s shocking identity in time to stop the slaughter?


Return from Tomorrow

biographies & memoirs > leaders & notable people > religious

130 reviews 4.5

Author: George G. Ritchie, Elizabeth Sherrill

Return from Tomorrow

At the age of twenty, George Ritchie died in an Army hospital. Nine minutes later, he returned to life. What happened to him during those minutes was so compelling that it changed his life forever. In Return from Tomorrow, Ritchie tells of his transforming encounter with the Son of God, who led him to encounters with other nonphysical beings at the very doorway of eternity.
Ritchie’s extraordinary experience not only altered his view of eternity, but it has also altered the lives of hundreds of thousands of readers. One of the most startling and hopeful descriptions of the realm beyond, this classic will inspire readers from all walks of life. It includes a brand-new preface from Elizabeth Sherrill.


Ten Days of Perfect (November Blue #1)

women’s fiction > contemporary women

115 reviews 4.5

Author: Andrea Randall

Ten Days of Perfect (November Blue #1)

This is the first book in the November Blue series.

Scars from her first love, and the reckless lifestyle of her parents force Ember Harris to chart a new course. She favors practicality over spontaneity, and rules over a broken heart.

An encounter with a musician at a local pub forces Ember into making a decision between letting go or holding on for dear life as passions are unlocked and deceptions revealed.


Friends With Partial Benefits (Friends With… Benefits Series (Book 1))

romance > contemporary > comic fiction

101 reviews 4.3

Author: Luke Young

Friends With Partial Benefits (Friends With... Benefits Series (Book 1))

Jillian Grayson is a disillusioned divorcée and best-selling romance novelist who suddenly can’t write a chapter without her hunky male heartthrob suffering ED, an STD, or even worse. Brian Nash is a tennis-obsessed college senior who’s unlucky in love and the roommate and best friend of Jillian’s son, Rob. When Rob brings Brian home for Spring Break, and Brian meets the surprisingly young and tennis passionate Jillian, their shared interest quickly develops into an intense mutual attraction. After nearly giving in to their feelings, they hatch a plan, while under the influence (of something more than just the perfect Miami night), to be Friends With Partial Benefits, complete with rules to define the boundaries. Will the lonely pair continue with this distinctive relationship, actually explore their desires, or discover all of it is a really bad idea?


Alaskan Fire (Guardians of the First Realm)

romance > science fiction & fantasy

77 reviews 4.5

Author: Sara King, David King

Alaskan Fire (Guardians of the First Realm)

Blaze MacKenzie is a freakishly-tall heiress who just discovered that her ‘parents’ actually found her abandoned as an infant in some bizarre human sacrifice in the woods. Along with that nasty little bit of information came a six hundred thousand dollar check, a strange golden feather, and the ability to move to the Alaska Bush and begin her dream-life living off the Grid.

Unfortunately for Blaze, life in rural Alaska isn’t as peaceful as she expected. Among her many startling discoveries is that her sexy new handyman, Jack Thornton, has already ‘claimed’ the territory that her new lodge is sitting on …

Further complicating matters, Jack makes it clear to Blaze that there are a good many things that go bump in the Alaskan night, and when a pack of werewolves goes rogue and starts killing or turning everyone along the Yentna River, Blaze and Jack find themselves in a fight for survival in this magic-soaked Land of the Midnight Sun.


The Merry-Go-Round

genre fiction > coming of age > family relationships

69 reviews 4.3

Author: Donna Fasano

The Merry-Go-Round

When Lauren divorces her husband, she has one thought on her mind…stepping off the merry-go-round. However, her life quickly turns into a three-ring circus: her hypochondriac father moves in, her ex is using her shower when she’s not home, and her perky assistant is pushing her out into the fearsome dating world. She also has to decide if the dilapidated barn and vintage merry-go-round she was awarded in the divorce settlement is a blessing or a bane. As if Lauren’s personal life isn’t chaotic enough, this slightly jaded attorney is overrun with a cast of quirky characters who can’t stay on the right side of the law. What’s a woman to do? She can allow life to spin her in circles forever. Or she can reach out and grab the brass ring.


Duncan Delaney and the Cadillac of Doom

humor & entertainment > women’s fiction

61 reviews 4.3

Author: A. L. Haskett

Duncan Delaney and the Cadillac of Doom

Bill Fitzhugh, author of Radio Activity, Fender Benders, Pest Control (and others) described Duncan Delaney and the Cadillac of Doom best when he said: As God is my witness, ‘Duncan Delaney and the Cadillac of Doom’ is the first novel I’ve ever read where a frozen Cornish hen is used as a weapon. And that’s not the craziest part of the story. A.L. Haskett opens a can of worms by asking the age-old question: Where does a sensitive cowboy artist go to escape the clutches of his mother’s wealth so he can pursue his art in peace? Well, not Los Angeles, but Duncan Delaney doesn’t know this. Haunted by his father’s unfortunate death, Duncan is spurred to action by love and a lunatic Indian pal. Like so many who come to La La Land searching for a brighter future, Duncan finds himself on the seedy side of Hollywood trying in vain to dodge the Cadillac of Doom. A finely told cautionary tale for anyone fond of strippers, bikers, and art dealers.


She Makes It Look Easy: A Novel

fiction > religion & spirituality

51 reviews 4

Author: Marybeth Whalen

She Makes It Look Easy: A Novel

Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood playdates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable.
Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.

Her Restless Heart: Stitches in Time Book 1

religion & spirituality > fiction > romance

50 reviews 4.5

Author: Barbara Cameron

Her Restless Heart: Stitches in Time Book 1

Mary Katherine is caught between the traditions of her faith and the pull of a different life. When Daniel, an Amish man living in Florida, arrives and shares her restlessness, Mary Katherine feels drawn to him and curious about the life he leads away from Lancaster County.

But her longtime friend Jacob has been in love with her for years. He’s discouraged that she’s never viewed him as anything but a friend and despairs that he is about to lose Mary Katherine to this outsider.

Will the conflicted Mary Katherine be lost to the Englisch world, or to Daniel, who might take her away to Florida? Or will she embrace her Amish faith and recognize Jacob as the man she should marry and build a life with?


Threads That Bind (The Havoc Chronicles)

science fiction & fantasy > contemporary

45 reviews 4.7

Author: Brant Williams

Threads That Bind (The Havoc Chronicles)

At 16, Madison has accepted herself for who she is: smart and witty, but overweight with thick glasses and the social life of a Tibetan monk. Everything changes the summer before her junior year of high school when her eyesight inexplicably corrects itself, and she begins to rapidly lose weight. However, her new look comes with an unexpectedly expensive price. Madison’s first kiss with the boy she has had a crush on for years triggers powers she can’t control, almost killing him.

She discovers she is a Berserker, a powerful being chosen to guard the world from the Havocs, ancient creatures brought into our world by magic thousands of years ago. They cause destruction and death, but cannot be killed. Only the Berserkers’ life-blood can bind – and free – the Havocs. One Havoc is free and wants Madison’s blood to free another. Instead of enjoying her new look and popularity at school, Madison must now work with the Berserkers to master her powers and bind the Havoc before it kills her.

Oh, and if that weren’t bad enough, it turns out she is the first female Berserker since, well – ever.


Winter’s Awakening: The Metahumans Emerge (Winter’s Saga #1)

children’s books > action & adventure

45 reviews 4.6

Author: Karen Luellen

Winter's Awakening: The Metahumans Emerge (Winter's Saga #1)

Extraordinary teen Meg Winter and her brothers Alik and Evan are shoved into a new reality when they discover life is not what they thought it was: there is evil hunting them, they are not normal teens, and their mother’s captor wants them back to continue his plans for the perfect race.


A Needful Heart

health, fitness & dieting > relationships > love & romance

44 reviews 4.3

Author: J.M. Madden

A Needful Heart

Not for readers under 18. Contains strong language and adult sexual situations.

Matt Calvin has watched Gina sway up and down the doctor’s office hallway once a month for four long years. It’s time to do something about this fascination he has with her. He knows he’s not relationship material, but he doesn’t expect it to get that far. He just wants to talk to her, and put himself out of his misery once and for all. Things never go as planned, though, and when fantasy crashes and burns into reality, Gina pays the price.
Gina doesn’t blame Matt for her injury, but she is appreciative when he steps into her crazy life to help out. Proximity fires the sudden attraction between them and Gina can’t believe she’s overlooked the sexy carpenter for this long. Tattooed and intimidating, he’s not the type she’s normally drawn to, but something about him tugs at her heartstrings.

When a dire situation develops and they have to save a little boy, Matt loses control of his tightly held emotions. Though his heart aches, Matt walks away, both for Gina’s safety and his own sanity. It’s up to Gina to convince him love can heal any heartache.


Firecracker

science fiction & fantasy > contemporary

29 reviews 4.6

Author: Charles R. Verhey

Firecracker

A team of eccentric psychics who assist local authorities with difficult cases has reluctantly hired Aideen Cassidy, a timid pyrokinetic who has managed to accidentally burn to rubble every building she’s ever worked in. “It takes some real power and talent to melt a slushy machine.” Now, after months of scraping by on the last of her savings and spending every day terrified of her own gifts, she’s being given the chance to prove her worth. To be accepted for who and what she is.

But there’s more happening behind the scenes than anyone realizes, and Aideen soon finds herself caught in a conspiracy of evil monsters and dangerous assassins that dates back over six hundred years.

All she wanted to do was fit in. Now the lives of her new friends depend on her talents for fiery destruction…


Hetaera–Suspense in Ancient Athens (Agathon’s Daughter)

genre fiction > historical

29 reviews 4.4

Author: Suzanne Tyrpak, Tess Gerritsen

Hetaera--Suspense in Ancient Athens (Agathon's Daughter)

Born a bastard and a slave, Hestia has a gift: the power to read people’s hearts. And yet, the secrets of her own heart remain a mystery. Hestia’s keen intellect makes her a match for any man. But even a literate slave has little control over destiny. Sold to a prominent statesman with sadistic tendencies, Hestia becomes his hetaera (consort). As her wealth and fame increase so does her despair. She dreams of freedom, but she faces enemies at every turn. When Hestia is accused of murder, the mystery of her past unravels and fate takes another turn.


The Reverent Surrender: A Memoir

> advice & how-to > health, mind & body > death & grief

27 reviews 5

Author: James W. Finster

The Reverent Surrender: A Memoir

My father chose to end his own life.
That is the elephant in my room…

So begins The Reverent Surrender, James Finster’s deeply touching memoir about his father’s suicide. It’s a brutally honest perspective, but it’s also refreshing, skillfully avoiding an angry, self-pitying position on this painful and often taboo subject.

Everyone dies, it’s a truism in this life, yet many choose to go on their own terms. Is there not some form of honor to be found within this selfish act?

When he first set out to write his memoir, Finster’s goal was to help others who’d experienced the same heartbreak, but as the book evolved, he realized that everyone faces death with a different perspective, and each person’s response to suicide–and their grieving process–is unique. Ultimately, this beautifully written book is dedicated to the memory of his father. It encourages the survivors of suicide to reflect on the life lost and embrace their loved one’s memories–while learning to let go of anger or blame and ultimately changing the underlying core of grief to one of acceptance…and healing.

My father’s time on this earth was but mere seconds in the scheme of the world. A small pivotal role played out on a stage for a select few. His life encompassed comedy, romance, satire, and tragedy. All the genres to have made for a beautiful performance. And therefore as my reflection ends and the curtains set on that stage, I shall rise from my seat, applaud vigorously, and shout “encore.”


Dysfunctional Romance!

love & romance books > humor & entertainment

26 reviews 4.6

Author: Derick Hudson

Dysfunctional Romance!

Barry Shaw’s whirlwind journey through life was shaped by the growing demands of a multitude of disorders, which meant he tended to clean things repeatedly and aggressively, before they had the chance to murder him!

Barry thrived on routine. If it hadn’t happened before, it was unlikely to happen ever…until he collided into her that is. On that fateful day, as he walked to work, stepping from the centre of one pavement stone to the next, he crashed into Sandra Wiggins, who had also been discreetly avoiding the dreaded cracks. It was lust at first sight…love would have to wait. Apart, they were just weird, but together, they were pure mental!

This is the bittersweet, hillarious story of two human lovebirds destined to spend their calamitous lives together…until something extraordinary occurs that threatens to decimate what remains of their limited sanity. Welcome to the New World Order created when Barry met his Miss. Match!


Mommy and Daddy are Getting Divorced – Helping Children Cope with Divorce

parenting & relationships > family relationships > divorce

23 reviews 5

Author: Kristine Turner

Mommy and Daddy are Getting Divorced - Helping Children Cope with Divorce

You’ve decided to get a divorce – and you have to tell your children…

How do you explain all the changes that are coming and what it will mean to them?

In this read-along-with-your-children book, all the aspects of divorce are explained in an easy-to-understand way. Children will understand better what impact the divorce will have on their lives and that even though they will be going through many changes, that they will still be loved and cared for – only within the new family structure.


Black Jasmine (Lei Crime Series)

mystery > women sleuths

22 reviews 4.8

Author: Toby Neal

Black Jasmine (Lei Crime Series)

“Toby Neal’s stories have a relentless, charged energy that heats up every page.” Holly Robinson, author of Sleeping Tigers

The island of Maui is turquoise ocean, stunning vistas, and whalesong—but organized crime has a hidden hold, and Detective Lei Texeira tracks evil that hides behind a beautiful face.

Lei and Stevens find a haven on Maui—until their new life as a couple is interrupted by murder. When a nameless teenage girl dies in an apparent vehicular suicide, Lei can’t rest until she finds out what really happened. She blazes through all the wealth and poverty of island society in her quest for justice, rousing a deadly foe—even as she faces the personal demons of commitment and revenge that threaten the only real love she’s ever known.


The Prodigal Prophet

religion & spirituality > christian living

22 reviews 4.5

Author: Dylan Morrison

The Prodigal Prophet

‘The Prodigal Prophet’ is a Forrest Gump-like account of a simple man in search of a pure faith among the Christian sects of Northern Ireland, the British mainland and North America during the latter half of the twentieth century and beyond.

As a satire it is hard to beat. It is spell-binding, head-shakingly absurd, comic, caustic and tragic – a see-saw of hopes raised and hopes dashed.

But it is not a satire. It is what really happened to Dylan Morrison, a fervent, credulous man in search of a Christian integrity worthy of his faith.

It’s lessons stretch far further than the narrow confines of present day Christian observance. They apply to anyone in search of spiritual solutions who hopes to find them at the feet of a guru. A Christian churchman may be the ultimate oxymoron, but the spiritual Spiritualist isn’t far behind.

Dylan finally comes to the conclusion that leaders need followers, and followers need leaders, and in that co-dependency lies the problem. From now on his allegiance is to Spirit alone.


Diary of a Nerd King

books > science fiction & fantasy > comics & graphic novels

22 reviews 4.5

Author: Matt Ballard, Matt Ballard

Diary of a Nerd King

My name is Max Ridgemont. My sister says I’m the Nerd King. I resent that. She says I resemble that. She thinks she’s so smart. Wait til I’m famous from inventing a burping machine.

This is my diary, except it’s not a diary. It’s a journal, or a blog, or a log… just not a diary ’cause diaries are for girls and wimpy kids. There’s also a lot of wicked awesome pictures I drew in here too. Don’t feel bad if you can’t draw as well as I can. Most people can’t.

Oh yeah, my best friend Boogie and I are going to make millions with our new YouTube channel, and our plan is in here too. DON’T try and copy us. You’ll just get upset when you don’t make a million dollars and find out you’re not as awesome as us.


My Ride With Gus

literature & fiction > women’s fiction > single women

21 reviews 4.6

Author: Charlie Carillo, Tony Carillo

My Ride With Gus

First published in 1996

New Year’s Eve, 1995. Rising young architect Jimmy Gambar is on top of the world, ready to pop the question to the girl of his dreams at a fancy restaurant. Ten minutes later he snaps and storms out, leaving behind the girlfriend, her ridiculous gift of a hot pink necktie and the precise way of life he’s known for so long.

Later that night, big trouble – a sleazy downtown bar, a shady lady with a switchblade in his SoHo loft, an accidental fall against a metal lamp. Now Jimmy has a dead woman’s body lying on his rug, and only one person to turn to – a man he hasn’t seen in twenty years.
His big brother Gus (“The Ghost”) Gambuzza.


Lola The Mermaid and The Splish Splash Olympics. A Beautiful Kid’s Picture Book. (Fun Rhyming Children’s Books)

> children’s books > animals > marine life

21 reviews 4.6

Author: Lily Lexington

Lola The Mermaid and The Splish Splash Olympics. A Beautiful Kid's Picture Book. (Fun Rhyming Children's Books)

Follow Lola the Mermaid with beautiful illustrations in her quest to win the gold medal for diving in the Splish Splash Olympics. Will she win the gold medal?

Discover what happens in this fun tale.

The story ends with a great lesson about practising that all parents will resonate with.
– Beautiful, color illustrations that will captivate your young child.
– Rhyming lines help engage your child and sustain interest


The Book of Love: Relationships and Dating

health, fitness & dieting > relationships > love & romance

20 reviews 4.7

Author: Jennifer O’Neill

The Book of Love: Relationships and Dating

Why is it that so many relationships nowadays seem so complicated? The reason is actually very simple: it comes down to different levels of commitment.

Years ago, when people dated, they dated to find a person they would like to marry. Dating was not taken lightly. When you were on a date, you were seeing if the other person was a good fit for you as a potential future husband or wife. Everyone was really more on the same page when it came to dating, because there were only a couple of pages. Now there is a whole book, and it’s hard to figure out what page your date is on. Here are the different levels of commitment in no particular order:

The problem with this is that men and women are almost always in different chapters. I see a lot of women in chapter seven dating men who are in and around chapter four to chapter six.


GOD INSIDE THE FIRE: An Amazing True Story

spirituality > inspirational

19 reviews 4.8

Author: Greg Stelley

GOD INSIDE THE FIRE: An Amazing True Story

Joni is no stranger to miracles. Her prayers and even her dreams have a habit of coming true. Her husband is regularly amazed by her strong faith and her premonitions: “I had a dream, Greg. There’s going to be a fire. I saw Kathy and Frank in the middle of it.”
Frank Scalari is a physicist. Frank, his wife Kathy, and their four children, along with their horses, goats and chickens, have just moved onto their new five acre ranch high in the Cuyamaca Mountains, 60 miles northeast of San Diego.

On October 25th, 2003, the ravenous Cedar Fire sweeps down into San Diego on strong Santa Ana winds. Two days later the monstrous thirty-mile-long firestorm reverses course and heads back to the Cuyamaca Mountains. Joni assures Kathy, her ever-skeptical best friend, that she is praying for her property and that: “Nothing is too hard for God! Not even this terrible firestorm!” But neither Kathy nor Frank believe in the supernatural.


My Name Is Joe

health, fitness & dieting > death & grief

19 reviews 4.8

Author: Stefan Bourque

My Name Is Joe

When Joe’s doctor advises him to get his affairs in order, he faces two choices: leave this world full of regrets, or seek forgiveness for a life unlived.

An unexpected thing happens on Joe’s path to redemption. He meets Rebecca, a young, single mother struggling with guilt over the death of her own mother. They soon come to realize that the other may hold the key to forgiveness and salvation — if they can find the courage to trust one another.


Planned

literature & fiction books > romance

19 reviews 4.6

Author: Gabrielle Moon

Planned

Claire Ellingsworth is young, tall, and beautiful. She’s also a successful writer and speaker who advices her female audience to stay away from marriage and children. A career woman such as herself has no time for love, beer bellies, and poopy diapers. Watching her housewife mother and her sister (a mother of four) she is convinced that the only way to live life to the fullest, is to stay single… with the occasional affair.

When she meets Sam, Claire has to learn, that not all men follow her rules, and despite his tousled hair, washed out jeans, and his “unacceptable behavior” he wins over her heart. For the first time in her life Claire is truly in love, and she realizes just how much she has missed out on in the past. Ignorance is bliss, becomes her motto, as she is forced to balance her career as a feminist writer with her private life of love and happiness.

A positive pregnancy test turns Claire’s world upside down. She has no intention of becoming a mother, and when she tells Sam that she will have an abortion, he leaves with a broken heart.

Claire, lost and confused, has to make the most important decision of her life. But is it too late for a happy ending with Sam?


Holiday Recipes: 150 Easy Recipes and Gifts From Your Kitchen

cookbooks, food & wine > special occasions

18 reviews 4.7

Author: Bonnie Scott

Holiday Recipes: 150 Easy Recipes and Gifts From Your Kitchen

Give a gift of love this holiday season with homemade favorites from your kitchen. Everyone leads such busy lives, and gifts from your kitchen are thoughtful and much appreciated tokens of affection for family, friends and co-workers.

This 150 holiday recipe collection includes strategies to make your preparations easier, as well as tips to make your finished products tastier and more attractive. We also include loads of unique ideas to package your creations for gifts that are memorable and maybe even photo worthy.

Holiday Recipes not only has 150 recipes for your holiday table, but has all kinds of ideas for gifts from your kitchen, including an internet address for free printables – Christmas cookie pouches, bag toppers and hang tags for your baked goods. Give your homemade gifts in style this year.


The Glimpsing

genre fiction > horror > ghosts

18 reviews 4.5

Author: James L. Black, Mary Byrnes

The Glimpsing

Unrelentingly suspenseful, The Glimpsing is the haunting tale of Portia Childress, a former model who discovers that her playboy ex-boyfriend Jack is having an affair with her best friend Gabrielle. Enraged to the point of murder, she offers Jack the painting of a woman in a brilliant red dress. Soon a mysterious woman begins to haunt his bedroom, determined to lead him and his lover deep into a paranormal world of vengeance and murder.

The Glimpsing is both eerie and unsettling, a crafty supernatural thriller that adds one layer of mystery to another until it culminates in a finale so explosive it becomes impossible to put down.


Logan And The Magic Fish

children’s books > science fiction & fantasy > fantasy & magic

18 reviews 4.4

Author: Otto Scamfer

Logan And The Magic Fish

Join Logan on an exciting fishing expedition in the Pacific Northwest on the cool waters of Blue Lake. Logan’s trip becomes strange and wondrous when he catches a large orange fish who claims to be magic. The creature grants Logan three wishes if the boy will let him go. Logan gladly agrees, but all is not what it seems. Is the fish truly a magic fish? Logan begins to have his doubts. You can help him decide!


F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire (The Realm Series)

science fiction & fantasy

18 reviews 4.4

Author: M. C. Pearson, M. C. Pearson

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire (The Realm Series)

Unwittingly chosen to join an army of fairies, who fight for the Light of the One, a teenaged girl learns about spiritual warfare as she attends a military academy with fantastical beings.


Couples Money – What Every Couple Should Know About Money and Relationships

> personal finance > budgeting & money management

17 reviews 5

Author: Chris Felton, Marlow Felton

Couples Money - What Every Couple Should Know About Money and Relationships

Written by a married couple in the financial serives industry, Marlow and Chris Felton. They share their personal story of financial transformation and insights they have gained from thousands of couples they have worked with over the last 12 plus years. Couples Money is an introspective look at a leading cause of divorce; money. Most couples think they are alone in their financial struggles and they have the stories to prove they are NOT! Marlow and Chris help couples get on the same page with easy to follow concepts and action steps they have personally seen work. They believe they have the cure for “financial cancer” that plagues many couples and share their stories to help save millions of relationships. Couples Money is for any couple that wants to improve their financial situation and the quality of their relationship.


THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS (HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH)

children’s books

15 reviews 4.9

Author: Suzy Liebermann, Suzy Liebermann

THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS (HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH)

Happiness Begins With Sharing

Hugo is a little starfish. He finds his life dull. Tired of feeling sad, one day he sets off to find happiness. After much searching, he discovers something that makes his heart do a somersault! Sharing with others is the only thing that makes him truly happy.

Adults strive to teach children to share with their communities. Encouraging children to give teaches them empathy, as well as a sense of social responsibility. Children can feel empowered by giving and sharing with others.

This book is a great way to teach EMPATHY and the CALENDAR.


The Constant Outsider: Memoirs of a South Boston Mechanic

biographies & memoirs > ethnic & national > irish

15 reviews 4.8

Author: Thomas M. Cirignano

The Constant Outsider: Memoirs of a South Boston Mechanic

Growing up in Dorchester presented real challenges, but once the author took over his father’s auto repair shop in South Boston, life became intense. Mob-enforcers, drug dealers, and killers became his friends and clients. Each moment in Southie was unpredictable. This was an era of unbridled illegal activity, courtesy of Whitey Bulger’s Irish Mob. Tom had to walk a fine line between good and evil just to co-exist. His was a life lived on the edge.
Out at the gas pumps in front of the shop, Whitey Bulger threatened Tom with a gun. On other occasions, a man was shot several times while at the pumps, a boy was beaten unconscious, and a black man was brutally attacked by a gang of raging youths wielding hockey sticks. At a home on the same street as Tom’s shop, Whitey Bulger was killing people and burying them in the cellar. One day, the author confronted another would-be killer at the garage. That man later returned and shot Tom’s friend eleven times. On the lighter side, a local drug dealer often tossed free samples from his car window while driving past the pumps. It was his gesture of good will. There was never a dull moment in Southie during the 1970’s & 80’s.

genre fiction > action & adventure

15 reviews 4.1

Author: Nick Apuzzo

Connected.

Raised in the Bronx, Eddie Ferrara has his first encounter with organized crime as a teenager and it eventually leads to the death of one of his closest friends. The events that follow rapidly lead him into ‘the life’. Eddie’s story spans twenty years and takes us from a mob ‘social club’ to a Silicon Valley startup, from the Brooklyn waterfront piers to a bordello in the Bronx, and from Lincoln Center to the neighborhood coffee shops and restaurants of New York City.

Lately Eddie has entertained the notion of marriage and of leaving ‘the life’, only to realize he is a victim of his own success. Although he is not a fully made member of the family, odds are his leaving would be handled as if he were, that is he’d be ‘retired’ with two bullets to the back of his head. Eddie uses guile and intelligence to outclass his rivals, but will he risk everything in an attempt to get out alive, or is he destined to remain…connected.


Defender: Intrepid 1

genre fiction > action & adventure

14 reviews 5

Author: Chris Allen

Defender: Intrepid 1

When an intelligence agent is brutally murdered and the president of a small African country is put in danger, Morgan is sent in on his first solo mission.

His cover is to evacuate a group of aid workers, with the help of the beautiful but distant Arena Halls, before the country is swept by civil war. But his true mission is much darker. A spy has gone rogue – and there’s more at stake than the guy’s career in the Secret Intelligence Service.

A heart-pounding, no-holds-barred chase from the dark heart of Africa to the crystalline waters of Sydney culminates in a fight to the death to stop a vicious renegade intelligence officer and uncover the shadowy conspiracy behind him.

Can Morgan stay alive long enough to save the girl, save himself and bring them all to justice?


Mark of Promise (Revenge)

thrillers > suspense > romance

14 reviews 4.9

Author: Kiahana

Mark of Promise (Revenge)

Lexi Gunn is out for revenge of her parents murderer, Tony. After completing all her training and putting her plans into action, she finds herself in one unplanned event after the other.
Charlie, Lexi’s best friend, gets kidnapped and she does everything in her power to bring her back safely to her family, while trying to keep her priorities straight. It’s becoming harder every day she spends with her newly assigned partner, Agent Payne. With his good looks and persistent personality, she can’t seem to focus on her goal.
One way or another, she won’t stop until Tony’s brought in. Or killed. Either possibility appeals to her.


On My Daddy’s Shoulders

kindle ebooks > nonfiction

14 reviews 4.8

Author: Peter Lawson, Peter Lawson

On My Daddy's Shoulders

Every child loves a shoulder ride. One little boy has his imagination brought to life by riding on his Daddy’s shoulders. Each of his adventures is inspired by the excitement of the shoulder ride and the bond of love and trust between father and son.


Delicious Cake Mix Cookie Recipes! (Delicious Cake Mix Desserts!)

cookbooks, food & wine > baking > cookies

14 reviews 4.6

Author: Kathy Wilson

Delicious Cake Mix Cookie Recipes! (Delicious Cake Mix Desserts!)

Do you need some impressive cookies for a bake sale or fundraiser?  Is it your turn to bring treats to your company meeting?  Or maybe you’d simply like to offer your family a delicious homemade dessert after dinner tonight?

This collection of 13 homemade cookie recipes by Amazon best-selling author Kathy Wilson will walk you though the process of making all of your favorite cookies – starting each recipe with a regular box of cake mix!

These recipes are so easy to make that even your kids will be able to make great-tasting cookies of their own, without needing to measure flour, sugar, salt, or baking soda. (Yep, these ingredients are already pre-measured and ready to go in a box of cake mix)!


Screwing Up Time (The Screwing Up Time Series, Book 1)

books > action & adventure

13 reviews 4.9

Author: C. M. Keller

Screwing Up Time (The Screwing Up Time Series, Book 1)

Mark Montgomery is a slacker content with his life. He’s a senior at New Haven Prep, has a great friend, and after graduation he’ll get a brand new sports car from his parents, assuming he stays out of trouble. Then, she comes into his life–Miranda with her I-just-escaped-from-a-Renaissance-Fair clothing. Only, she hasn’t. She has come from Bodiam Castle in the Middle Ages and demands a secret ingredient and a book of recipes for traveling through the treacherous colors of time. Although Mark has never even heard of either before, he must find them, or Miranda will die. To save her, Mark must break into a psych hospital to visit his grandfather who once tried to kill him, pass through the colors of time, take on a medieval alchemist, prevent Miranda’s marriage to a two-timing baron, and keep it all hidden from his parents. The sports car is definitely in trouble.


After the Sky Fell Down

women’s fiction > contemporary women

13 reviews 4.9

Author: Megan Nugen Isbell

After the Sky Fell Down

Kathryn Lane thinks she has life figured out: finish college, get a great job, marry her high school sweetheart, Ben, and have a family. But when tragedy strikes, she is left to pick up the pieces of her now shattered life. As she tries to make sense of her new reality, life takes another startling turn, leading her down a path she never imagined. Through it all she finds comfort in a surprising companion who becomes her best friend and rock as she tries to rebuild her life. But when she unexpectedly meets someone, whose kindness and understanding offers her a chance at a fresh start, she struggles to move forward, afraid to leave her past behind. Will she be able to move on and find peace with her past in order to discover her future or will she let her past condemn her to a life of loneliness, unable to let go of a life that can never be?


Surprise in the Kitchen (a mia book)

children’s books > social situations > sleep

12 reviews 4.8

Author: Mary Lee

Surprise in the Kitchen (a mia book)

Mia is a sweet little girl with a big imagination. While she loves adventure, cooking is not her thing. To show her mom just how much she loves her, she’ll try anything and the results are hilarious.


Love Company: L Company, 399th Infantry Regiment, of the 100th Infantry Division during World War II and Beyond

military > united states > veterans

11 reviews 4.8

Author: John Khoury, Aaron Elson

Love Company: L Company, 399th Infantry Regiment, of the 100th Infantry Division during World War II and Beyond

A dogface’s view of World War II. John M. Khoury was a 19-year-old college sophomore when he was called to active duty in the U.S. Army. He served as a rifleman in L Company, 399th Infantry Regiment. From 1 November 1944 until 8 May 1945 he served in combat with his unit except for about seven weeks spent in an army hospital for trench foot. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster for valor, the Presidential Distinguished Unit Badge, Good Conduct Medal, European Theater Medal with three Battle Stars, American Theater Medal, Army of Occupation Medal-Germany, and Victory Medal. His view of war comes from the subterranean level of a foxhole where all human senses are on full alert but the mind has atrophied. Technicalities and strategies of warfare are left to others while he has concentrated on the lives of the “infants” of the infantry.


Charlatan: A Novel

parenting & relationships

10 reviews 4.9

Author: Loda Pizzato, KV Taylor, Amanda Donaho

Charlatan: A Novel

All teenagers think their family’s the worst. Mom’s embarrassing community service work, awkward holidays split between parents’ homes, school and siblings and a small town where nobody gets you. The only thing more confusing is the early twenties. Fumbling through college and into a half-baked career, looking for love with the emotionally unavailable, even the legally unavailable–as in married.

But these early potholes and pitfalls can’t prepare Keli for what comes next: her mother’s bout with cancer. With a gripping voice full of candor, humor, and heartbreaking sincerity, Charlatan tells the story of one woman shaking off the false life she thought she needed and realizing what’s really important. Love, like the love her mother lived.


The Cornbread Bible: A Recipe Storybook

cookbooks, food & wine > regional & international > u.s.

10 reviews 5

Author: Jennifer Shambrook

The Cornbread Bible: A Recipe Storybook

In The Cornbread Bible: A Recipe Storybook, Dr. Jennifer Shambrook not only shares recipes for some great, low-cost, Southern cooking, but also shares the stories behind the recipes. The people who created the recipes and the people for whom the recipes were created populate this recipe storybook.

Dr. Shambrook is a comfortable storyteller and you will find yourself relating these stories as your family or guests eat the down home recipes from this book. With this book, you will find it very easy to be a good cook. You will also find these recipes to be very easy on your food budget. Shambrook cooks with an eye to saving time, effort, and expense.

Included in the book are a variety of breads, including many gluten free options. Also included are side dishes (greens with cornmeal dumplings), main dishes (pot roast pie), and a delicious recipe for gluten-free corndogs. There are recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.


The Dad Connection

parenting & relationships

9 reviews 4.9

Author: Scott Hanley

The Dad Connection

Scott Hanley’s journey as a single parent raising two boys is a wellspring of experience, advice and know-how. Using his own deeply personal notes on the process of raising his children, recorded as their lives unfolded, he determined that love and respect would be the simple base upon which he would build relationships. The Dad Connection: A Bridge to your Child is Scott’s understanding of the love, respect, patience, energy, care, perspective, service and trust needed to build strong and deeply loving parent-child relationships. It is a life-altering lens through which to see, understand and love the relationship you have been blessed to receive.


Sharks: Amazing Photos & Fun Facts on Animals in Nature (Our Amazing World Series)

children’s books > animals > fish

9 reviews 4.7

Author: Kay de Silva

Sharks: Amazing Photos & Fun Facts on Animals in Nature (Our Amazing World Series)

Bestselling children’s author Kay de Silva presents “Sharks”. The book uses captivating illustrations and carefully chosen words to teach children about “the fierce warrior of the sea”.

This series is known as one of the most beautiful on the kindle. The pictures look great even in black and white and are excellent on the full color kindle. The description in the large text beneath is simple enough for early readers or for a parent to guide a child through.

There are also picture captions that provide more information to talk about with your child. Alternatively, a child of any age (even the child in you) can just look at the images and appreciate its beauty.


Have You Ever Seen An Alligator In Your Backyard?

children’s books > animals > alligators & crocodiles

8 reviews 4.8

Author: Kristie Chiles, Chris Plymale, Zofia Khan

Have You Ever Seen An Alligator In Your Backyard?

Have You Ever Seen An Alligator In Your Backyard is a rhyming book that your child will love reading time and time again. Based on the true story of a family in South Georgia who lived on a marshy pond who awoke one morning to an alligator in their backyard! Brilliantly and beautifully illustrated, this ebook will charm your child into an alligator adventure as quick as a wink!


Noah, and His Wonderful Day with Bob

> children’s books > social situations > sleep

8 reviews 4.5

Author: Richard Gomez, Adam Taylor

Noah, and His Wonderful Day with Bob

Noah finds a new friend! This is a story that reminds us that imagination and friendship go hand in hand, Noah and His Wonderful Day with Bob is great for children between 3 and 7 years old.

Black Diamond (Michael Knight) by John F. DobbynKindle Daily Deal: Black Diamond

Attorneys Michael Knight and Lex Devlin agree to defend a jockey accused of murdering a fellow jockey while racing at Boston’s Suffolk Downs. Their fast-paced investigation uncovers deception after deception as the pair digs into the seamier side of horse racing, an effort that makes them targets for Boston’s Irish mafia.

Today’s Price: $1.99 (87% off)
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Stanley Goes for a Drive by Craig FrazierKindle Kids Daily Deal: Stanley Goes for a Drive

Stanley sets out for a drive with little on his mind. The road is dusty, the pond dry, the cows hot and tired. It’s a usual summer day, or is it? In his first book for children, renowned graphic designer Craig Frazier’s dynamic illustrations and simple story celebrate the imagination.

Today’s Price: $1.99 (85% off)
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