Sourcebooks Shares FREE eBooks to Celebrate Read an eBook Week!!

This great email just came in from Danielle at Sourcebooks. Feel Free to leave a Thank you comment for me to pass on if you decide to take advantage of this great opportunity!

Do I have a fabulous eBook deal to share with you! This week just so happens to be Read an eBook Week, and Sourcebooks has a great variety of titles available for FREE so you can get a jumpstart on celebrating eBooks. Please share this information on your blog or Facebook page or Twitter to let everyone know about this awesome promotion....

A listing of the ebook deals on the Sourcebooks site can be found here: http://www.sourcebooks.com/store/ebook-specials.html. You can also sign up for our eBook deals newsletter!

Enjoy,

Danielle  

PROMOTION: Read an eBook Week! FREE (03/06/2011 – 03/12/2011)

Title: The Highest Stakes
Digital List Price: $15.99
Category: Fiction
Print ISBN: 9781402236426
PDF ISBN: 9781402236433
EPUB ISBN: 9781402249877

Historical fiction featuring the exciting origins of horse racing in England and the American colonies.

·         Published in time for the Kentucky Derby

·         A strong romantic element makes the story accessible and emotional

·         Horses are a topic of almost universal appeal and horseracing is a sport enjoyed by millions—the origins of the sport are little known and dramatic

Rights

·         World

Available at –
Sourcebooks: http://www.sourcebooks.com/store/ebook-specials.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Highest-Stakes-ebook/dp/B003CTEFIY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1299604509&sr=8-2
BN: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Highest-Stakes/Emery-Lee/e/9781402249877/?itm=1&USRI=highest+stakes
Kobo: http://kobobooks.com/ebook/Highest-Stakes-Hes-Racing-To/book-bDX0dcOhok6qkIc7BI9LoQ/page1.html
BooksonBoard: http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=677658
Apple:
            US: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/highest-stakes/id365823105?ls=1
            CA: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/highest-stakes/id365823105?ls=1
            AU: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/highest-stakes/id365823105?ls=1
            FR: http://itunes.apple.com/fr/book/highest-stakes/id365823105?ls=1
            DE:  http://itunes.apple.com/de/book/highest-stakes/id365823105?ls=1
            UK: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/highest-stakes/id365823105?ls=1
Sony: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/emery-lee/highest-stakes/_/R-400000000000000208754
BooksAMillion: http://www.booksamillion.com/product/Q3151174?id=4952831930797
Google: http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=Yuq8m7NK2qQC&dq=highest+stakes&as_brr=5

Title: The Immigrants
Digital List Price: $15.99
Category: Fiction
Print ISBN: 9781402237911
PDF ISBN: 9781402237966
EPUB ISBN: 9781402247026

“A most wonderful book,” the Los Angeles Times.
“Emotional, exciting and entertaining” the Philadelphia Inquirer

·         A major New York Times bestseller, with over 2.5 million copies in print

·         The Immigrants was widely acclaimed and was turned into a movie

·         A big repackage for widely known, brand-name author Howard Fast

Rights

·         US, CA, MX

Available at –
Sourcebooks: http://www.sourcebooks.com/store/ebook-specials.html
BooksonBoard: http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=150775
Apple:
            US: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/immigrants/id365971934?ls=1
            CA: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/immigrants/id365971934?ls=1
Sony: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/howard-fast/immigrants/_/R-400000000000000313981
BooksAMillion: http://www.booksamillion.com/product/Q6141122?id=4952831930797
**Please note that AMAZON/KINDLE is currently uploading their link to this title, so it might not be listed as free right away. We apologize for the inconvenience!**

Title: The Wild Sight
Digital List Price: $6.99
Category: Romance
Print ISBN: 9781402213946
PDF ISBN: 9781402220906
EPUB ISBN: 9781402236778

Romantic suspense with a paranormal element, set in the mystical Irish countryside.

·         Romantic suspense is the #2 romance subgenre

·         The Ireland location is very popular

Rights

·         World

Available at –
Sourcebooks: http://www.sourcebooks.com/store/ebook-specials.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Sight-ebook/dp/B001P5CM32/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
BN: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Wild-Sight/Loucinda-McGary/e/9781402236778/?itm=1&USRI=wild+sight
Kobo: http://kobobooks.com/ebook/Wild-Sight-An-Irish-Tale/book-qfw2CDroTkmBd8rgCa81jQ/page1.html
BooksonBoard: http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=332387
Apple:
            US: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wild-sight/id371518361?ls=1
            CA: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/wild-sight/id371518361?ls=1
            AU: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/wild-sight/id371518361?ls=1
            FR: http://itunes.apple.com/fr/book/wild-sight/id371518361?ls=1
            DE: http://itunes.apple.com/de/book/wild-sight/id371518361?ls=1
            UK: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/wild-sight/id371518361?ls=1
Sony: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/loucinda-mcgary/wild-sight/_/R-400000000000000098761
BooksAMillion: http://www.booksamillion.com/product/Q3498541?id=4952831930797
Google: http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=am0N2DAgFPMC&dq=wild+sight&as_brr=5

Title: The Best Little Stories from the Civil War
Digital List Price: $18.99
Category: History
Print ISBN: 9781402239106
PDF ISBN: 9781402239168
EPUB ISBN: 9781402247101

A collection of more than 100 true stories from the men and women of the blue and gray, this truly unique approach will capture the attention of history enthusiasts and civil war buffs alike.

·         Now revised and updated, featuring new packaging

·         First edition sold over 16,500 units

·         Civil War is a strong category on the history shelf and human interest angle is a unique hook for the category

·         PR opportunities centered around major battles

Rights

·         World

Available at –
Sourcebooks: http://www.sourcebooks.com/store/ebook-specials.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Best-Little-Stories-Civil-ebook/dp/B004DCB2SA/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1299604610&sr=8-9
Kobo: http://kobobooks.com/ebook/Best-Little-Stories-From-The/book-0srVfaaGeEy6iP5DiXBaBg/page1.html
BooksonBoard: http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=669730
Apple:
            US: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/best-little-stories-from-civil/id424888529?ls=1
            CA: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/best-little-stories-from-civil/id424888529?ls=1
            AU: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/best-little-stories-from-civil/id424888529?ls=1
            FR: http://itunes.apple.com/fr/book/best-little-stories-from-civil/id424888529?ls=1
            DE: http://itunes.apple.com/de/book/best-little-stories-from-civil/id424888529?ls=1
            UK: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/best-little-stories-from-civil/id424888529?ls=1

Sony: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/c-brian-kelly/best-little-stories-from-the-civil-war/_/R-400000000000000313471
BooksAMillion: http://www.booksamillion.com/product/Q1191042?id=4952831930797

Q&A INTERVIEW with Robert G. Pielke, Author of A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor

Please join me to enjoy this fun Interview with author Robert G. Pielke.

Q1. I'm always interested to discover the story behind the story. Where did the inspiration for A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor come from?

• As is usually the case, the story “tells itself to me” – I “listen” and take it from there. Yup, I’m sort of saying that stories have a life of their own, and I’m not really sure where they come from or where they’re born.
• It’s not a cop-out. It’s just that there’s no one thing or event I can think of that prompts them. That goes especially for this one – A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor. Some people have called it “the most bizarre thing I’ve ever read,” so that might suggest something bizarre gave rise to it. Nope. It’s obviously comprised of a variety of characters, issues and situations, and they resemble things in my life-history, but what pulled them all together in one story???
• Beats me!

Q2.  Apparently you have chosen to present this story in a series or trilogy. Did you have each book plotted out before you started the first one or did the subsequent books flow from the first book?

• I had only the beginning…what is now the first few pages. Once the story had told this to me and I had fully digested it, it told me some more. I’m almost finished the second book in the trilogy as of today, and I kind of know that general “lay of the land” for this and the third book, but there are a lot of little things that always pop up and want to be included.

Q3.  Do your characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?

• The story does – not so much the characters. When talking with my daughter, for example, who is the first editor for all that I write, I often say “I am my book,” because it always seems to be on my mind.

Q4.  What type of research goes into creating one of your novels?  Was there anything special or hands on?

• A lot!!!
• I write alternate histories in one way or another, and to be credible at it, the actual history has to be absolutely as accurate as humanly possible. I’m asking my readers to go along with me on a speculative undertaking – a “what if” journey as it were – and if the actual events are not “spot on,” they won’t go with me.

Q5. Do you have any rituals that help you get in the mood to sit down and write?

• Oh yes! I always start with a couple of games of Solitaire – I’m seeing how many points I can compile. [I’m up to 42,210 so far.] But that doesn’t “get me in the mood” – it’s just ritual.

Q6.  Which do you find is most important to you as a writer, voice or story? Why?

• The story is everything. IT determines the “voice” as well as the characters, the issues, the plot points.

Q7.  Can you tell us a little about the next book in the series?

• Very little! Ha ha ha ha
• It’s subtitled “the Translator” for a reason. There are some people [linguists and philosophers among them] who believe that communication with aliens would be literally impossible and undesirable as well.
• Book two challenges this idea.

Q8.  What do you hope your readers get out of your books?

• Enjoyment! [however they might understand it]
• Anything else they might get out of it is a bonus.

Q9: What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?

• Cooking shows on TV
• Movies
• Skiing
• Swimming
• Rock and Roll [as well as those other two things that usually precede this]  ;-)

Q10.  What are five fun facts about you or this book/series, that readers would find interesting?

• Hmmmm….I’ll have to think for a minute or two
• Here goes….

1.     All of the characters in the first two books [except for the main protagonist and the “others” that are from “afar”] are actual historical figures.

2.     There were around three Chinese soldiers who fought for the Union at Gettysburg. I use one in the book, but you wouldn’t know it from his name.

3.     Another well-known figure in the history of the American West is in the book but the name we know him by today is not the name that he used during the time period of the book.

4.     The main protagonist is related to one of the chief villains in American history, and that same villain has actual decedents who are major figures in world politics today.

5.     One of my relatives is mentioned in Book One…which not even this person recognized, although his name is used.

THANK YOU!
If you didn't already check out the book I hope you take a look at my review. 

Winners: A New Birth of Freedom; Big Show Stopper & Help Me Pick March Read

Sorry these posts are late - I appreciate patience while I have been going to bed early to help get healthy again. And any winners from last week I will be get caught up on mailing or sending paypal/gc by the end of this week.
Thank you to all who entered these contests. 

CONGRATULATIONS

to the Winner of

A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor

 by Robert G. Pielke

 

mamabunny13

***********

CONGRATULATIONS

to the Winner of

The Big Show Stopper

by Ken Dalton

Vicki

***********

CONGRATULATIONS

to the Winners of

Help me Pick March Next Read

Based on the votes my first read was Taste Me; the second was Late Harvest

then The Linen Queen; now a couple of scheduled books for next week.

US/Canadian winner is Heidi

International winner is Llehn

I may not get to email anyone until tomorrow so if you see your name here please feel free to email me at mesreadsATgmail.com with your info for mailing. 

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: Taste Me by Tamara Hogan

This story has great chemistry in the fast pace setting of a paranormal rock and roll world.

Taste Me by Tamara Hogan

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (March 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402246013
• ISBN-13: 978-1402246012

Genre: Paranormal Romance
My Rating:  4.25 of 5.0

Product Description:
He wants her so badly he can taste it…
Ever since their tempestuous fling years ago, incubus Lukas Sebastiani has known that siren Scarlett Fontaine was meant to be his. But when you’re a sex demon with an insatiable desire, relationships are…complicated.

Her siren song brings men to their knees…
Rock star Scarlett Fontaine desperately needs a break after a grueling tour. But with murder and mayhem surrounding her band, and Lukas guarding her body, life is going to be anything but peaceful.

Every encounter between them creates more turmoil—and heat—until Scarlett pushes Lukas to the boiling point, and unleashes forces that go way beyond anything she can hope to control…

Review: If you like a fast, hot beat - this is just your drum beat! (Well I tried to tie it in to music.)

Lukas is an incubus who is big, tough and swamped with multi responsibilities.  He is head of the security firm whose duties include protecting the Counsel who governs the group of unacknowledged beings on earth: incubi, Sirens, vampires, Valkyrie, and Werewolves. Lukas has special skills with his incubus nature - he can taste the emotions of others so he helps the police by tracking scents at a crime scene.  That skill includes waking him joltingly at night when he tastes lust, fear and other emotions, and a lingering taste of ashes.  Now he just has to wait for the police to call him in for his help to find a killer.

Scarlett is a petite, red-headed Siren. Her mother is on the Counsel and dating Lukas’s father, the head of the Counsel.  Scarlett is gorgeous but it is her voice that sings men into adoration.  She is a hugely successful rock star even though she doesn’t always sing the emotional songs she wrote herself. Those songs make her hurt too much as they remind her of her first love.

Lukas and Scarlett had one explosive night of love but Lukas walked away the next morning with no explanation; no goodbye.  Scarlett has worked herself to exhaustion trying to forget him.  Lukas wants her but is scared he will hurt her again so he thinks he is protecting her from himself.

When a daughter of one of the Counsel members is brutally attacked, Lukas is called upon to be the personal bodyguard for Scarlett.  He wants to protect her but this really puts him in a tense spot. Their attraction may be too much to resist.

The police and Lukas have no clue to the identity of the killer who succeeds in completely fooling them with the second attack.  Will the killer slip back to kill the first victim in the hospital and can he be stopped before Lukas has to taste the death of another victim?

The sexual tension is high and the chemistry is hot. Needless to say the book is full of sexual relationships considering it is full of vampires, incubus, sirens, weres and Valkryies.  It is expected in this story and I did not find it offensive under the circumstances. I enjoyed the heavy romance as well as the murder mystery.  I did wonder that there was so little forensic evidence to help find the killer but it helped build the tension.

There were lots of interesting characters and I enjoyed this fast, intense and rocking read.  I wouldn't be surprised if there are sequels for other characters.

xxx

Thank you to Sourcebooks for this book to read and review.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

1. Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you found there.
Please leave your e-mail!

2.  For fun and an extra entry - tell me which being you would pick to be of those in this story:
incubus/succubus, Siren, Valkyrie, vampire, were or human?  I think I'd love to be a Siren cause I sure wish I could sing better than I can... of course attracting men wouldn't be bad either. LOL

3. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

4. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

(Five total entries possible.)
It is not necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* This contest is open to US and Canada only.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on March 25, 2011. The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: House Divided by Raul Ramos y Sanchez

 I highly recommend this thought provoking, action packed read.
House Divided (America Libre Trilogy) by Raul Ramos y Sanchez

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Original edition (January 28, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446507768
• ISBN-13: 978-0446507769

     Genre: ?  Political Thriller  ?
     My Rating:  4.75

Time: the not-too-distant future
In a Los Angeles barrio torn by years of ethnic war, decorated U.S. Army veteran Manolo Suarez is now a rebel leader struggling to sustain a faltering insurgency—and keep his family together and alive. His deeply-religious wife opposes the fighting. His teenage son has joined an extremist group bent on attacking innocent civilians. Now Mano must battle both a U.S. government dominated by demagogues and the terrorists in his own ranks—without betraying his son or losing his wife.

Review: This is a tense action drama. I did not realize until the end that it is the middle book of a trilogy so you might want to start with the first book, America Libre.

Somehow in the first book the Hispanic people of the United States rebelled or raised enough of a threat that they have been separated into camps and communities. Legislation has been passed which prohibits their freedoms and rights.  There is some explanation of the problem but it wasn't completely clear to me. This brings to mind the internment of the Japanese in California during World War II.  Only this battle is all within the US.

The title could refer to two divisions. One is the split of the country as in the times of the Civil War with former friends and family against each other.  The other division is in the family that is the main focus of the story as the son chooses a different side from his father.

The rebel leader in the Los Angeles region is a former US Army Veteran, Manolo Suarez.  He understands battle strategies, the need for supplies and a chain of command.  His initial attacks were targets of supplies with minimal injury to innocent people.  Now he has his followers in a holding pattern waiting for more supplies.  Mano reports to Ramon who is the head of the Hispanic Republic of North America (HRNA) who is in Geneva attempting to get voting rights in the United Nations. Ramon’s co-leader is Octavio who doesn’t have the patience of Ramon and Manolo.  Bit by bit Octavio is splitting off to lead a terrorist group, the Latino Liberation Front to make any attacks they can including killing and kidnapping innocents.  In the LA barrio the LLF is headed by Angel who is breaking away from Mano’s leadership because he wants to fight now.  Mano’s teenage son, Pedro gets caught up in the fervor, rebelling against his parents and joining the militant Angel.

As the terrorists push the temper buttons of the authorities, there is corruption in the government ranks and manipulation of the facts for political purposes.  The violence creates a vicious cycle as tempers escalate and hatred of the public is further incited. Meanwhile, on a smaller but more intimate and just as important scope,  the family is torn by their differing positions.

The author does a wonderful job of making the characters real so that you care about what happens to them.  There is apparently a revenge factor that flows from the first book although it is not clearly explained here. There is nonstop action and intrigue that moves this along quickly.

This story makes you think of the prejudices that lump all people of a race in the same category as those who are true terrorists.  It is disturbing to think this scenario could happen and I think that is why I am not sure my emotions are keen to read the first book although I definitely want to read the third book to find out how the conflict is resolved. If you enjoy a full action drama that raises some thought provoking political questions you will want to read this book and probably the full series.

xxx

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing division of Hachette for this book to read and review.
ADDED COMMENTS 3/8:  I wrote my review while my brain was still befuddled with the cold. Now that my head is a little clearer I wanted to add a couple of comments without going back to rewrite the review...even if it could use it.  The book reminded me a bit of the book White Lotus by John Hersey. I haven't read that since high school/college days and need to find a copy and read it again.  That story is an alternate history story where an American girl is sold into slavery in China after they won the "great war." The story follows her escape to a white community that is under the oppression of the ruling oriental class.
It gives us a better perspective of people if we see the world through other's eyes once in a while.
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

1.Mandatory entry: Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you find there. 
Please leave your e-mail!

2. For an extra entry: look at the reading guide found on the Hachette book page (you have to download the document) and tell me a question you liked.

3. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

4. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

(Five total entries possible.)
It is not necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* This contest is open to US and Canada only. (So sorry this can't be international. The book is available at Book Depository though.)
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on March 25, 2011.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.