Bargain eBooks #189:

Tree of Life (Part I) by Elita Daniels

Genre: High Fantasy

Price: $0.99

Where to Get It:

Amazon.com (for Kindle)
Author Site (PDF, Mobi, ePub formats)


Wrath, vengeance, hatred, cannot breathe the same atmosphere as love. And so it was that love began to wither and withdraw...

Among the ageless quietude of the elves, Deacon, a mortal, suffers the inescapable awareness of mortality. He lived in what many deemed perfection, but a dark uncertainty plagued him that there lay treachery in it all.

When secrets of his mysterious heritage are revealed, the young mage is thrown into a revolt of confusion, and in an unwholesome vent of misery, travels a path of unforgivable deeds. One of the few left of his kind - a race whose magical energies are vigorously interwoven with their lifeforce - Deacon is drawn into a world that turns into an involution of evil and death.


What they're saying about it:

"If you are looking for a story brimming with romance, mystery and adventure, you must read "The Tree of Life" by Elita Daniels. The rich fantasy tale has a delicious old world charm and the quality of the prose is intricate and designed to be savoured. I especially enjoyed the full descriptions of the main characters and the love, hate and anguish they feel as the tale unwinds. The story explores the multifaceted nature of love and desire: the joy, the burden, the tenderness and pain, the friendships and the enemies. I felt myself being drawn deep into the minds and emotions of the characters until it was as if I was present in the story myself. The author layers her descriptions with the fine touch of a painter, creating shadows and highlights to the plot and characters, painting a memorable, beautiful story."--Amazon Reviewer


"Set in a mythical country, there are elves, and humans, and 'mage'.....those with mystical powers.

The story centers around young Deacon, and his struggle to come to terms with his part human, part mage heritage, while fighting his own internal demons. The authors descriptive prose brought the characters and surroundings to life, and I found myself rooting for, sympathizing with, and wanting to throttle Deacon at different times.

There are highs, and there are lows, and I felt each one. If there is one downside......its the ending. Elita!! How can you leave me hanging like this??? There had best be a part II and soon."--Amazon Reviewer

Bargain eBooks #188:

Show No Mercy by Brian Drake

Genre: Thriller

Price: $0.99

Where to Get It:

Amazon.com (Kindle)
Smashwords (all eBook formats)


Could you kill your father? CIA agent Michael Dodge owes Harry Ames, his surrogate father. But his mentor is accused of murdering a comrade and joining forces with an enemy planning to unleash a lethal biological weapon on the United States. Dodge may have to kill Harry, but can he do it? SHOW NO MERCY by Brian Drake. A heart-stopping international thrill-ride with a twist at every turn.

What they're saying about it:

"Michael and Tracy's globe hopping trying to find Harry is thrilling and there are enough twists and turns thrown into the story, that you will want to know what happens. Will Michael get to the terrorists in time before they blow up an American city? Will he find Harry? And what's with Harry? Is he deep undercover or has he had enough of rules and regulations and joined the terrorists for the chance at a bucket load of money? Read the story and find out!"--Amazon Reviewer

Bargain eBooks #187:

Murder in Ocean Hall by Joe Flood

Genre: Mystery

Price:

Where to Get It:

Amazon.com (Kindle)


When the world's most famous explorer is murdered at the Smithsonian, it's up to a cynical Washington detective to solve the case. Bob Fundwell dies when a giant whale falls from the ceiling of Ocean Hall, killing him instantly. A veteran black investigator, Detective Thomas, searches for the killer. He's witnessed two decades of bloody mayhem on the streets of the nation's capital. The list of suspects is long, for the victim was arrogant and controversial. Fundwell discovered the Gigantic, a legendary ocean liner that sank in the Atlantic. He became rich and famous by falsely claiming the work of his colleagues. As he investigates the case, Thomas is lied to by people at all levels - from housing projects to the Supreme Court. Deceit is the one constant in this dysfunctional city on the eve of the 2008 election. Yet, he presses on, determined to find justice and prove that Washington has changed since the bad old days of Marion Barry.


What they're saying about it:

"Read this book if you think you've been to Washington, DC. The author, Joe Flood, will take you behind the scenes of places you've been and tell you how they function then give you insights into people in power and how they fail to function."--Amazon Reviewer

"If you enjoy all things DC, pick this mystery up! Super enjoyable. This book is a fun, quick read and will transport you to an interesting, fun and twisty scene."--Amazon Reviewer

Bargain eBooks #186:

The Gods of Dream ny Daniel Arenson

Genre: Fantasy

Price: $2.99

Where to Get It:

Amazon.com (Kindle)
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (all eBook formats)


What are dreams? Some think they are figments of our mind. But what if they were wisps of a distant, magical world… a world you could visit?

Twins Cade and Tasha discover Dream, the land dreams come from. It is a realm of misty forests, of verdant mountains, of mysterious gods who send dreams into our sleep. Cade and Tasha seek solace there; they are refugees, scarred and haunted with memories of war. In Dream, they can forget their past, escape the world, and find joy.

Phobetor, the god of Nightmare, was outcast from Dream. Now he seeks to destroy it. He sends his monsters into Dream, and Cade and Tasha find their sanctuary threatened, dying. To save it, the twins must overcome their past, journey into the heart of Nightmare, and face Phobetor himself.

Discover a world of light and darkness, of hope and fear, of dreams and nightmares. Discover The Gods of Dream.

What they're saying about it:

"I'm hooked. It's fantastic. The descriptions of Nightmare will stay with you all day long." --Michael Crane, author of "Lessons (And Other Morbid Drabbles)"

"This book is masterfully crafted and sits in the vein of Tolkien and Lewis. It is a tale of heroism personified. You won't regret reading this book." -- John Fitch V, author of "Turning Back the Clock"

"Incredibly epic tale." -- Jessica Billings, author of "The Girl Born of Smoke"

Bargain eBooks #185:

Hits and Misses by Chinmay Hota

Genre: Humor, Essays

Price: $0.99

Where to Get It:

Amazon.com (Kindle)


The book is a collection of light hearted articles, which have delighted India's numerous newspapers readers. You will find many familiar and ordinary events, presented ingeniously by the popular author, Chinmay Hota.

Life is full of possibilities and pleasant surprises, just you need to have the eye to catch these special moments.

"Hits and Misses" is a book that makes you sit and wonder about the simple things in life. Chinmay has the ability to find magic in even common day-to-day events. The comparison that he makes between ATM and Atman is really thought provoking and I felt that he conveyed a deep message in a very subtle way. Looking forward to his next book now.

What they're saying about it:

"Chinmay Hota's collected articles in his wonderful book 'Hits and Misses' are compiled from "middles," short, humor-ous, and very popular essays he has previously published in his homeland papers such as the Times of India, and The Statesman. Obviously, his "middles," were placed between much larger, perhaps more 'urgent' global issues. But as I read his book, I began to see these "middles" as a welcome respite for his newspaper readers as they told of small happenings in every day India, an engaging way to let readers pause to catch their breath and perhaps get their bearings. For readers of his book, 'Hits and Misses,' his lucid and human way of rendering everyday events and musings is a brilliant way to bring India into our hearts, whether we live in Hawai'i, as I do, or London, or Botswana.

Hota's characters are universal, they are 'Everyman,' struggling to make their living in offices and public vehicles and in the streets. He relates to us the many moods and colors of contemporary India with humor and compassion and above all, gentle wisdom, describing the most ordinary events with a certain genius. He meditates on life's hits and misses, and how so much of it is unknown. But, he suggests, it is the unknown factor that makes this life unique. Nothing is certain, life is a miracle, and we are here to bear it, and to witness it.

I love his sense of adventure, of taking the road less traveled. And his ingenious philosophical departures, such as the impact of a slap as a way to express anger. This was quoted elsewhere , but I am compelled to quote it again. "A slap allows free play to man's innate aggressiveness, it does not harden his emotions into a set of techniques." A slap, Hota feels, is straight from the heart, and brings man face to face with his primordial self, so that he reconsiders the way he reacts to situations and people in his life.

I am an admirer of great contemporary Indian writers: Rohinton Mistry ("A Fine Balance"), Vikram Seth ("A Suitable Boy"), and of course Salman Rushdie ("Midnight's Children"), but sometimes their books have weighed me down with the chronicling of crippling poverty and hunger and disease of its outcasts. Yes, this is one aspect of life, but too much of it in one book becomes heavy-handed, leaving the reader deprived of the beauty and cultural richness of India and of insight into ordinary, every day people - like people everywhere - just trying to survive, hold a job, raise a family.

My wish would be that Chinmay Hota might give us a larger book next time, even a full-blooded novel or memoir, filled with the same quietly brilliant musings on his fellow countrymen. Till then we have the great gift of his book 'Hits and Misses,' a rich and varied spectacle told in flowing prose, showing the quirkiness and resilience of the human spirit. It is a wonderful book of familiar, ordinary things through which Hota illuminates India and its people."- By Kiana Davenport, author, HOUSE OF SKIN PRIZE-WINNING STORIES (Kindle)


"Hota's delightfully refreshing and humorous book will challenge you to reconsider the way you react to the situations and people in your life. The quote that comes to mind when I think about Chimnay Hota and his book, "Hits and Misses" is "carpe diem!" --Kathleen Stemke, Author

Bargain eBooks #184:

Encrypted by Lindsay Buroker

Genre: Fantasy

Price: $2.99

Where To Get It:

Amazon.com (Kindle)
Barnes and Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (all eBook formats)


Professor Tikaya Komitopis isn’t a great beauty, a fearless warrior, or even someone who can walk and chew chicle at the same time, but her cryptography skills earn her wartime notoriety. When enemy marines show up at her family’s plantation, she expects the worst. But they’re not there to kill her. They need her to decode mysterious runes, and they ask for help in the manner typical of a conquering empire: they kidnap her, threaten her family, and throw her in the brig of their fastest steamship.

Her only ally is a fellow prisoner who charms her with a passion for academics as great as her own. Together, they must decipher mind-altering alchemical artifacts, deadly poison rockets, and malevolent technological constructs, all while dodging assassination attempts from a rival power determined the expedition should fail. As if Tikaya didn’t have troubles enough, her new ally turns out to be exiled fleet admiral, Federias Starcrest, the man who recommended taking over her nation. To trust him could be a mistake; to fall in love with him would be a betrayal to her people, her family, and the fiancé she lost in the war. Those runes cloak more than mysteries, however, and he may be the only one who can help her unravel them before their secrets destroy the world.

What they're saying about it:

"Encrypted (A+) is a fun romp, an adventure in the Lois Bujold Barrayar spirit, with a clear ending though ample scope for more and which I highly recommend if you like your sff fast, page turning with action, mysteries and a dash of romance."--The Fantasy Book Critic

"This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill, cookie-cutter fantasy--there are a few unique steampunk and sci-fi elements thrown in as well. The characters were fun (my #1 requirement in a book), and the action moved right along--fans of speculative fiction should not be disappointed! I'll be reading Emperor's Edge, the next book set in this world, for sure, and am looking forward to more from Ms. Buroker."--Smashwords Reviewer

Bargain eBooks #183:

Luminous and Ominous by Noah K. Mullette-Gillman

Genre: Horror, Science Fiction Novel

Price: $2.99

Where to Get It:

Amazon.com (Kindle)
Barnes and Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (all eBook formats)


If you had three days’ warning of the end of civilization and a safe place to hide:

What would you take with you? Who would you save?

And who would you leave behind?

Henry Willingham and his friends have three days to make the most terrifying decisions of their lives. The world has been infected by an inescapable living nightmare of alien vegetation that will replace all life on Earth. They must get everyone they love safely underground into a fallout shelter. There's not enough time. There’s not enough room for everyone. Who will they save? Who will they leave behind?

How will they live with the consequences?

After hiding underground for a year, the last three survivors must brave the otherworldly infestation and travel through what used to be upstate New York struggling for their lives and their humanity.


What they're saying about it:

"I enjoyed Luminous and Ominous. The questions it poses are fantastic; who would you take and who would you leave behind in the last days of our invaded planet? When is it time to resist and when is it time to except those things one cannot change? The main character Henry wrestles with these very questions. We follow his journey through the days of the invasion of Earth by the beautifully described Cornucopia Blue. With subtle influences from H G Wells War of the Worlds it puts a modern slant on the fears that this type of invasion could conjure and expresses the emotional turmoil felt by the variety of characters. With beautifully descriptive prose and gently moving situations, we follow Henry and those he chooses to take with him through a well conceived journey through uncertain times. I live in anticipation of the next book which will hopefully round off Henry and Earth's journey to a satisfactory conclusion."--Pippa Boreham of Indie Fantasy Review

"The alien "invaders" of this unique science fictionish novel are exactly what the title tells us, Luminous and Ominous, a ravenous plant species with a mesmerizing beauty and a will to live as strong-or perhaps stronger-than any human survivor. And therein lies the problem for our protagonists: not just surviving in a new world, but preserving their very sense of what it means to be alive, and be human.
I'm a bigger fan of Noah K. Mullette-Gillman's second novel than I was of the first (and I'm a pretty big fan). The writing is as mesmerizing as the beautiful alien Cornucopia Blue it describes, and the characters' thoughts and struggles pull readers along with them just as surely."--Isabela Morales of The Scattering