Witch's Dream - Victoria Danann

Witch's Dream is the second novel in the Knights of Black Swan series. This book is $2.99 for the kindle.

The Black Swan Knights elite B Team, known as Bad Company, are almost complete. Elora is member number four and she and Rammel are expecting their first child. Kay is engaged to his childhood sweet heart Katrina. That leaves Storm, who's suffering a broken heart. When an Incubus steals Kay's fiancée for revenge, the B Team wants to help, but the demon took Katrina to a different dimension. A witch and a tracker named Litha, is also a member of the Order of the Black Swan. The only hope is if Litha can find Katrina, but no one is sure how. Will the tension between Litha and Storm be a problem, or a blessing? Another good supernatural story. Highly recommended.

Beauty and the Wolf - Marina Myles

Beauty and the Wolf is $4.61 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. This novel is a werewolf bodice ripper. Unfortunately, it has more bodice ripper than werewolf.

When Lord Draven Winthrop marries Miss Isabella Farrington it's not a match made in heaven. Bella is marrying him for money and Draven is marrying her because his title demands it. There are bigger problems than a loveless marriage. Draven is under a gypsy curse and when the full moon shines he becomes a werewolf. Can Draven and Bella find love and survive his curse? There is more intrigue and sexual tension than werewolves, but the book was good enough to finish. Note, there is some explicit sexual content. Recommended.

Death Inception - Tamara Rose Blodgett

Death Inception is the third novel in the Death Series. This book is free for the kindle. It's more of a novella than a full length novel, but it's the last book in the series that's free.

This story is actually like a prequel to the first two books in the series, but if you hadn't read them first, you'd be lost reading this. Caleb is growing up in this story and Caleb's father's role in the cocktail that unlocks human's latent paranormal abilities is explained further. Clyde was Caleb's first zombie, and Clyde's back story is presented in this book as well. If you've read the first two novels in the series, I highly recommend this one as well.

Death Speaks - Tamara Rose Blodgett

Death Speaks is book two in the Death Series. This novel is free for the kindle. I read the first book, Death Whispers, back in January, and the second and third books are now free. Try to read the series in order or you'll be lost.

Caleb is now a freshman at Kent Paranormal High. He and Jade have been going out for six months and life is good. No zombies all summer. With the new school year that's going to change. Caleb and Tiff are working with the police to find the serial killer who murdered all the kids who's bodies they discovered last year. Between the murders, and the trouble Brett and Carson continue to bring, the gang is going to have an interesting school year. Still a great story. Highly recommended.

Woman King - Evette Davis

Woman King is $1.99 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. Did you know the San Fransisco fog is to cloak the supernatural residents of the city in secrecy?

Olivia Shepherd is a business consultant. She does very well at her job, but lately she's been having some setbacks. Olivia was born an empath, but she has purposely suppressed her talent for her whole life. Now she needs to embrace her abilities to survive an attack by a demon. Once Olivia's eyes are opened to her powers, there is no going back. The story is good and the characters are interesting. I would highly recommend this book to any liberals who still have their heads buried in the sand.

The author portrays tea party politicians as bible thumping totalitarians. The premise of the book is that the world needs to be save from conservatives and embrace progressives in order to survive the apocalypse. Supernaturals have banded together to steer humans in the right (left) direction. The main character is so far to the left she makes Nancy Pelosi sound like Ronald Reagan. I'd love to find out what happens to Olivia and her new friends, but not bad enough to put up with more of the liberal bilge this author is spewing.

The First Night - M.S. Fowle

The First Night is book one in the First series. This book is free for the kindle. This story is yet another take on the vampire versus werewolf conflict, but one with an interesting twist.

Alex is a young women who fights monsters. She's been doing it since she was twelve. When a mysterious man saves Alex's life, and she returns the favor, an unlikely alliance is forged. If this alliance can stand against long held prejudices, it just may allow the final descruction of the monsters known as Chimeras. Very little character development, but little is needed. This tale is mostly violent action. Recommended with that caveat.

Survival - A.M. Hargrove

Survival is the first book in the Guardians of Vesturon series. This novel is free for the kindle. It may be overpriced. This is a supernatural romance for young adults.

Madeline Mariah Pearce is a college student. Maddie has lost both parents. She considers herself a loner. When Maddie is almost murdered by a serial killer, she is rescued by Guardians. Her world takes another wrenching turn at that point. This turn is only made worse when she realizes she's in love with one of her rescuers.

This book contains flashbacks that sometimes make it hard to tell when you are in the book. The language is stilted and awkward at times. The author clearly loves their words. So much so that they repeat themselves from time to time. They never describe something with one adjective when they can use half a dozen or more. A reader's digest condensed version of this book would be a novella at best. I read the whole novel because the idea behind the story is interesting. The execution is not. The worst part is the ending. The cliff hanger is blatant and annoying. I'm probably never reading one by this author again. I don't even care if the Maddie dies or not at this point. Not recommended.

The Sea of Storms - Mark Whiteway

The Sea of Storms is book one in the Lodestone series. This novel is free for the kindle. This excellent story is about an alien world with three suns, where a small band try to free their planet from tyranny.

Shann is a orphan. Shann was left without parents when her mother and father were taken as tribute to the prophet. When Shann witnesses a strange man trying to block a Keltar from exacting more tributes, she tries to aid him. The result is Shann running for her life. Shann eventually joins with the man and others to fight back against the prophet's abuse of the Kelanni. They discover that the prophet is more than a tyrant. The prophet plans the destruction of the world as the Kelanni know it. To stop this destruction, Shann and her band must cross the Sea of Storms. This is great story, peopled by aliens of several races, set in a world full of strange alien creatures, and full of danger, deceit, and courage. Very highly recommended.

The Deepest Cut - J.A. Templeton

The Deepest Cut is the first novel in the MacKinnon Curse series. This book is free for the kindle. This is a young adult romance novel with a twist. Can you fall in love with a ghost?

Riley Williams is 16 years old. Riley was in a car accident with her mother, and her mother didn't survive. Ever since then Riley has been able to see ghosts. Riley's father moved the whole family, Riley, Shane her younger brother, and himself, from Portland Oregon to Braemar Scotland. It was ostensibly as a work transfer, but mainly to get get Riley away from bad memories and bad influences. Unfortunately, living in a Scottish inn, that's hundreds of years old, presents problems for a girl who can see ghosts.

There are some spirits who want Riley's help and some who want her dead. Riley has to find a way to break a centuries old curse, and stay alive while doing it. This is an excellent book. I'd recommend it for any young adult readers. There's plenty of suspense and scary to go around, and some spirited romance, if you'll pardon the pun. Very highly recommended.

Dinosauria A Memory of Time - J. Rock

Dinosauria A Memory of Time is free for the kindle. This novel is the first in the Dinosauria series. This is a time travel story with a twist.

Jack Pennywise is a paleontology graduate student. Without knowing it, Jack has become the most important person in the world. Probably multiple worlds. The problem is that Jack is already dead. Or is he. Jack's professor is certain that dinosaurs didn't become extinct from a meteor hit, but from a disease. Going back in time is the only way to prove it. But what if the disease that destroyed dinosaurs could also infect humans? An interesting take on time travel and a romping adventure to boot. The ending is just plain awkward though. Still highly recommended.

Seeker - T. M. Hunter

Seeker is free for the kindle. This is a novella. It's short, only 64 pages, but when you're done you wish it was much longer. It makes a good introduction to the author.

Aston West is a space pirate. When he's boarded entering the Bariana system, Aston isn't carrying any contraband. The problem is there's a Seeker on the assault vessel that stopped his ship, and she can read minds. Aston's mind contains secrets he can't, make that shouldn't, reveal. With the help of his ship's computer Jeanie, who can hack just about anything, Aston is doing his best to survive the Bariana system. At least the Seeker is female and cute. This is a very entertaining story. Short but worth the read. Highly recommended.

My Familiar Stranger - Victoria Danann

My Familiar Stranger is the first novel in the Order of the Black Swan series. This book is free for the kindle. This is an adult book with some very adult scenes. The story makes it worth wading through them though.

Elora Laiken was born a princess in her world. It was too dangerous for her there, so her mentor pushed her through a portal between worlds and changed her life forever. Elora was rescued by the Order of the Black Swan. Their mission is to hunt and kill vampire. Elora is still in danger, but now she's becoming dangerous herself. Her biggest problem is who to give her heart to. Lots of suspense, danger, action, and a large explicit dose of romance. Highly recommended.

The Honour of the Knights - Stephen Sweeney

The Honour of the Knights is the first novel in the Battle for the Solar System series. This book is free for the kindle. If you like epic space battles this is the book for you.

Simon Dodds is a starfighter pilot in the Confederation Stellar Navy, but he's currently on suspension. Simon is called back to duty early to take part in a top secret project to pilot a new generation of starfighter called the ATAF, the Advanced Tactical Assault Fighter. But something isn't right. There is information that Simon, and the White Knights squadron he flies with, are not being told. The survival of the Confederation could be dependent on the ATAF and nobody is explaining why. This story is full of intrigue, suspense, and some awesome space battles. I have to warn that the story is great, but the presentation has some formatting problems and some spelling issues. The spelling is partly because the author is British and they spell things funny. Or we do. Still highly recommended. Books two and three in the series are out there waiting.

Just Another Day in Paradise - Katherine Tomlinson

Just Another Day in Paradise is a collection of truly scary twisted delightful short stories. This book is free for the kindle.

You never know what's going to be next in this collection of 26 short stories. They always leave you creeped out, in a good way. You've got vampires, djinns, necromancers, and your plain Jane psycho killers. There are no stinkers in the list. All these stories will entertain and scare. Highly recommended.

Exodus - Paul Antony Jones

Exodus is book two in the Extinction Point series. This novel is $2.00 for the kindle. This one is just as compelling as the first book Extinction Point.

Emily is surviving, but as the alien takeover of earth continues, Emily has to fight for her life as she and Thor escape New York. As Emily and Thor head for the Arctic Circle, they encounter more survivors along the way. But surviving is tricky. Can Emily and the others make it to the Stockton Islands and join up with the scientists there? This story just keeps piling on the suspense and terror. Plan to lose more sleep. Very highly recommended. And now I have to wait for book three!

Extinction Point - Paul Antony Jones

Extinction Point is $2.00 for the kindle. This is a post-apocalypse that makes you wonder if the human race will even survive. What if you were the only person left alive on earth? What if you were the only animal life left on earth?

Emily Baxter is a newspaper reporter living in New York city. She's happy with her life and happy with her job. Then the red rain comes. Soon Emily has neither her life nor her job. Emily may be the only human alive on earth, but the dead humans are about to become something that's even scarier than being alone. This book was almost impossible to put down. 3:00 AM rolls around and I have to get some sleep. Then I read right through my nap the next day. Scary stuff. There is a sequel. Very highly recommended.

Unfurl - Cidney Swanson

Unfurl is the third and final novel in the Ripple Trilogy. This book is $4.99 for the kindle. However, amazon is having a special where you can get the whole trilogy for 99 cents.

Sam, Will, Mickie, Sir Walter, and Christian must find a way to stop the Geneses plan for a world-wide ethnic cleansing. At the same time they have to dodge attempts to kidnap or kill Sam and her family. This is a great ending to a great trilogy. Very highly recommended.

Chameleon - Cidney Swanson

Chameleon is the second novel in the Ripple Trilogy. This book is $3.99 for the kindle, but amazon still has a special deal going for the entire trilogy for 99 cents.

Samantha, Will, and Will's sister Mickie travel to France as part of a school trip. The goal is to connect with Sir Walter, another rippler Mickie has been corresponding with. Sir Walter seems to have a better understanding of why a mysterious group murdered Sam's mother and is now trying to capture Sam alive. The trio find Sir Walter and learn more about ripplers, but still don't get answers to all their questions. There are plenty of close calls and adventures, and romance begins to bloom at last. You MUST read these books in order. It's worth it. Very highly recommended.

Valkyrie Rising - Ingrid Paulson

Valkyrie Rising is $10.67 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. This book is another teen supernatural coming of age story. A very good one.

Ellie Overholt's definition of herself is her big brother Graham's little sister. Ellie is going to be a Junior in high school next year, but for now it's summer vacation. While visiting her Grandmother in the small fishing village of Skavøpoll Norway, Ellie begins to notice people are acting strange toward her. Ellie is coming into her heritage, and it's a scary one. At least at first. It's even more scary when Ellie discovers her heritage may be the only chance to save her brother. Plenty of adventure, romance, and a healthy dose of teenage angst. Very highly recommended.

Never Say Die - Will Hobbs

Never Say Die is $9.78 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. This book is about two brothers and their trip down the Firth River in the arctic.

Nick Thrasher lives the Inuit life with his mother and grandparents in the Canadian town of Aklavik. Nick is 15 and already responsible for feeding his extended family by hunting on the arctic tundra. Nick is only half Inuit though. His father was an American adventurer who died in a mountain climbing accident before Nick even met him. Nick has a older half brother, Ryan Powers, who he's never met. Ryan is a wildlife photographer working for National Geographic. When Ryan invites Nick to raft the Firth River with him in search of herds of caribou, Nick is reluctant at first. Eventually Nick and Ryan unite for the adventure of a lifetime. There are many ways to die in the arctic, and the two brothers seem to run into most of them. This is a good read, but the preachy liberal environmentalist writing detracts from the adventure of the story. Especially since it's based on lies and misinformation. Still highly recommended.

Rippler - Cidney Swanson

Rippler is the first novel in the Ripple Trilogy. This book is free for the kindle. How would you like to have a super power you couldn't control?

Samantha Ruiz is 15. She runs cross-country in high school. In fact, running is what keeps Sam sane, especially since she's discovered she can become invisible. Sam is a rippler, and when she realizes that Will, from her cross-country team, knows about her, Sam's whole life changes. There's plenty of adventure and suspense, and a big dose of danger in this tale. And of course no young adult novel would be without some romance. This is a great read. Even though I have to pay, I'll be reading the rest of the trilogy. Very highly recommended.

Red Fox - Karina Halle

Red Fox is the second novel in the Experiment in Terror series. This book is 99 cents for the kindle. This time Navajo evil is causing the terror.

Perry and Dex are headed to New Mexico to film a webisode on the troubles a couple are having with what sounds like poltergeists. Turns out the troubles are much worse than simple ghosts. Perry and Dex are fighting for their lives when the real evil makes itself known. Another good adventure. The only problem is the author doesn't seem to know how to end a story. Maybe that's because you're expected to head right into the next tale in the series. Still a good read. Highly recommended.

Darkhouse - Karina Halle

Darkhouse is the first novel in the Experiment in Terror series. This book is free for the kindle. There's a fine line between being a ghost hunter and being haunted.

Perry Palomino is just 22 and she's been through some interesting periods in her life already. Now she's about to find a possible explanation for some of those issues in her past, and maybe a new career. Perry can see and communicate with ghosts. Sometimes in dreams and sometimes when she's wide awake. When Perry runs into Dex, an official ghost hunter, she might have found her match in more way than one. Now if the ghosts will just let her survive to find out. Plenty of action and "can't put the book down" suspense, and just a little bit of romance. Highly recommended. A little warning, there isn't a cliff hanger at the end, but there is a teaser. The good news is, there are already eleven other published novels in this series, and they're all only 99 cents for the kindle.

Ancient Enemy - Mark Lukens

Ancient Enemy is $2.99 for the kindle. This novel was free when I downloaded it. This book is a supernatural thriller where legend becomes reality in a frightening and deadly standoff.

Stella is an archeologist specializing in the Anasazi. This story starts with Stella at an Anasazi dig in New Mexico. She's running for her life from something that is slowly killing everyone at the dig site. David is a nine year old native American boy. David showed up at the dig covered in blood after the troubles started. Stella and David manage to escape New Mexico, only to be highjacked by bank robbers in Colorado. The robbers don't realize it, but they just made the biggest mistake of their lives. Whatever was killing people in New Mexico, has followed Stella and David, and the killing is about to start again.

This is a good story. My criteria is, it keeps my interest and the ending doesn't suck. Some would say I have low standards. Maybe more than some. This novel has almost no character development, hence first names only. It has almost no back story. If you're a plot Nazi, you've been warned. This book has a definite ability to raise your heart rate and fight any urges you have to stop reading. Good enough for me. Highly recommended.

Kingmaking - Helen Hollick

Kingmaking is the first book in the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy. This novel is $9.99 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. Keep your eyes open for this kind of bargain. This is yet another historical novel providing the author's version of the King Arthur legend.

This story starts with Arther crossing the English channel with his father at the age of 15. It ends with a 22 year old Arthur defeating the Saxons and reigning as Supreme King over Greater and Less Britain. This is a long tale, with plenty of battles, intrigue, murder, and romance. Highly recommended.

Trust - Tim Mettey

Trust is volume two in The Hero Chronicles. This book is 99 cents for the kindle. No volume three yet, but I'm sure it's coming.

Nicholas seems to have some normal in his life now, in spite of being Thusian. Then his new neighbors turn out to be Thusians too, and inform him that he's not an ordinary Thusian. Nicholas is part of a special group that may be able to end the struggle between the seekers, the council, and the Thusians at large. But Nicholas and the others need to find the final member of their group. The trouble is, who to trust. The results of their search are a huge surprise. A great continuation of Secrets. Very highly recommended.

Secrets - Tim Mettey

Secrets is volume one in The Hero Chronicles. This book is free for the kindle. Volume two is just 99 cents. It's next on my list.

Alex Taylor was just 10 years old when a devastating earthquake hit the New Madrid Fault Line. It destroyed Alex's school, killed his parents, and changed his life forever. Five years later, Alex has become Nicholas Keller, and Nicholas and his aunt Cora have been moving and hiding until it's became second nature for them both. But then Nicholas and Cora move to Winsor Illinois, and everything changes again. Nicholas begins to exhibit some strange new powers and romance catches him completely by surprise. This is a great book for young adults. Mystery, suspense, super powers, and a budding romance. Very highly recommended.

The Rise of the Red Shadow - Joseph Lallo

The Rise of the Red Shadow is a prequel to the Book of Deacon trilogy. This novel is $2.99 for the kindle. The Red Shadow is fully formed when The Book of Deacon starts. Now you can find out how he took on that form.

Some slavers discover the escaped slave they were tracking was killed by a female malthrope. They're disappointed, but the baby malthrope hiding nearby will bring a decent bounty, so they pop him in a sack and bring him along. So starts the life of Shadow, an orphan malthrope who is kept alive solely for the bounty he'll bring when he's grown. Shadow learns what it's like to be a slave, and along the way he learns what it means to have a purpose. Eventually Shadow learns how to live like a malthrope. Finally, Shadow learns how to be an assassin, the most feared in both kingdoms. This is a great story. It can be read on its own, but I recommend reading it either before or after the Book of Deacon trilogy. Very highly recommended.

Trouble in Mudbug - Jana DeLeon

Trouble in Mudbug is the first novel in the Ghost-in-Law Series. This book is free for the kindle. This is a murder mystery with a twist. The victim comes back to help solve her own murder.

Maryse Robicheaux is a botanist working for the state in the small Louisiana town of Mudbug. Maryse's husband has been MIA almost since they were married, and her mother-in-law Helena has made it a miserable two years. But when Helena dies of a respiratory failure, Maryse attends the funeral like a daughter-in-law should. Imagine Maryse's shock when Helena sits up and climbs out of the casket. Especially when Maryse is the only one who can see her. Apparently Maryse and Helena have to solve Helena's murder before Helena can "move on," and hopefully before Maryse is murdered too. This is a hilarious suspenseful murder mystery with a big dose of romance. Highly recommended.

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims - Rush Limbaugh

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims is the first of what promises to be a series of "Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans." This book is $5.99 for the kindle. This story is suitable for young kids. Even if they're so young you have to read it to them. Be aware there are maps and diagrams that didn't translate well on my kindle. The book was still good, but I'd get a physical book for kids so they can explore the images in more detail.

Rush Revere is a substitute teacher who just happens to have a time-traveling horse named Liberty. Rush and Liberty take some of Rush's students time hopping to explore the pilgrims' voyage to America on the Mayflower, the settling of the Plymouth Plantation, and the first Thanksgiving. This is an excellent teaching book that will still be fun for kids. This story provides the true historical events of the pilgrims' voyage and settlement. Not a slanted or watered down version. Highly recommended.

Jade - Joseph Lallo

Jade is 99 cents for the kindle. This is a generations later follow-up story to The Book of Deacon trilogy. You don't have to read the trilogy first, but you'll enjoy this book more if you do.

Jade Vera Rinton is six years old when her home catches fire and her family burns to death. Jade is left an orphan. The town elders turn Jade over to a man named Drudder, but Jade was only fostered by Drudder so he could have her land. Now Jade is the only thing standing between Drudder and the ownership of her family's acres. What Drudder doesn't know is that there's a dragon named Halfax lurking in the forest, and the dragon is watching Jade too. This is a great story for young and old. The ending is appropriate for any happy fairy tale. Very highly recommended.

Calamity Jayne - Kathleen Bacus

Calamity Jayne is the first book in the Calamity Jayne Mystery series. This book is 99 cents for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. Murder doesn't make a very funny blonde joke.

Tressa Jayne Turner is 24, blonde, and drifting through life. Tressa has milked being average and blonde for her whole life. She's beginning to get tired of her reputation as a dizzy blonde. Tressa is ready to be taken seriously. Then she finds the first dead body. By the time this story is coming to an end, the bodies are piling up and Tressa is about to be the next one on the pile. A lot of murder, mystery, and laughter, with some romance thrown in. This is a rollicking good tale. Very highly recommended.

Slide - Jill Hathaway

Slide is $7.43 for the kindle. This novel was free when I downloaded it. This story is a murder mystery with a paranormal twist.

Sylvia Bell is almost a normal teenage girl. Everyone thinks Vee has narcolepsy, which can be embarrassing, but when Vee succumbs to her affliction, she's doing more than sleeping. When Vee passes out, she's sliding. When a friend of Vee's sister Mattie commits suicide, Vee knows it was murder because she had slid into the murderer. The trouble is proving it was murder without exposing her ability. This is a great young adult to any age novel. Highly recommended.

Flesh and Bone - Jefferson Bass

Flesh and Bone is a Body Farm novel. This book is currently $6.83 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. If you keep looking you'd be surprised with the books you can find for free. This one is an outstanding murder mystery.

Dr. Bill Brockton is a forensic anthropologist. Bill founded and manages the Body Farm, run by the University of Tennessee. Bill is helping with a murder case that requires a body be posed in the Body Farm to determine when the victim died, and exercises his forensic skills to determine the weapon used. Bill never dreamed that instead of trying to find a murderer he was about to be accused of being one. This is a great mystery. Very highly recommended.

Corpus Callosum - Erika Price

Corpus Callosum is free for the kindle. This is a strange book, but it grows on you. What if dead didn't have to mean dead any longer?

Josephine Porter was a 30 year old firefighter. Joey died while trying to rescue two people from a burning building. The building collapsed on her. But Joey didn't stay dead. Her twin sister Jeanette had her Brightboxed. Was this a blessing or a curse. It's not clear that anyone is sure, even Joey. This story takes a while to get traction, but you can't put it down once it gets going. Highly recommended.

Lifesphere INC: Acquisition - Talitha Kalago

Lifesphere INC: Acquisition is free for the kindle. This story takes place in a severely stratified far future dystopian society. This is a great book for young adults. This novel is the first in a series. The other books are not available yet.

Eli is an orphan who's spent his life scavenging on the rim. His dream is to save enough money to purchase a meka and fight his way to the topside. Eli runs into Squall Owens while trying to find a rumored meka seller. Squall is from the blueline. She's wheelchair bound, but Squall has a real family, and her own meka. Eli will find that having a meka isn't as simple as he'd thought, and that getting one can be even more dangerous than dodging falling garbage on the rim. This is a great young adult science fiction story. Very highly recommended.

The Tank Lords - David Drake

The Tank Lords is free for the kindle. If you like military science fiction you'll love this book. It's a collection of Hammer's Slammer stories in chronological story sequence.

Colonel Alois Hammer heads the mercenary armored force known as Hammer's Slammers. When a planetary government wants to win a war they call on Colonel Hammer. This is a series of stories that include everything from epic battles to small skirmishes. The Slammer's weapons are awesome engines of war, but the people who man them are only human. Very highly recommended.

Unicorn Western - Johnny B. Truant, Sean Platt

Unicorn Western is free for the kindle. It may be overpriced. It depends on how you like your westerns.

Clint Gulliver and his unicorn Edward have settled in the little town of Solace. Clint is a Marshal. Clint and Edward have managed to tame Solace, but Solace is in the Sands, and the magic is leaking out of the Sands. This book makes me think of nothing as much as a Stephen King Gunslinger wanna be. Notice I wrote wanna be. This book is the first in a series, but I won't be pursuing the others. Not my kind of western. Not recommended.

Star Soldiers - Andre Norton

Star Soldiers is free for the kindle. This download is actually two novels packaged together, Star Guard and Star Rangers. The two stories are separated by 4,000 years of galactic history, but compliment each other perfectly.

In Star Guard, Arch Swordsman Third Class Kana Karr is a Terran. Terrans have been forced into the role of mercenaries by Galactic Central Control. Kana is about to find that being forced into service as a soldier is not all Terrans have to worry about. Maybe it's time for Central Control to learn what Terrans are really capable of.

In Star Rangers, Ranger Sergeant Kartr is the ranking ranger who survived the crash of Patrol Scout Starfire. The ship came down on a planet that's not on any starmaps, located in a distant arm of the galaxy. The remaining crew must fend for themselves and find a way to live on a plant that, at first glance, seems to be primitive and uninhabited. In the end, Kartr and the others will have to fight for a home on this planet, and discover just how serendipitous the galaxy can be.

This is some amazing classic science fiction by one of the masters of the art. Very highly recommended.

Way Out West - Blanche Marriott

Way Out West is free for the kindle. This book is a western of sorts, but it's mostly a romance novel. Oh well.

Callie Sumner has been drifting for the last few years. At 25, Callie is ready to settle down, but first she has to get away from her latest boyfriend. Callie figures hiding out with a job at the Way Out West fantasy park should do it. Then Callie meets Rand. While Callie is working at Way Out West as a saloon girl, Rand is a guest playing the part of a gambler. Who is Rand and is he really the kind of man Callie could fall for? It's a romance novel so take a guess. I did enjoy the book. There's some wild west action to keep it interesting, and a villain to put the damsel in distress. There's also plenty of the romance stuff. Highly recommended.

1632 (Ring of Fire) - Eric Flint

1632 (Ring of Fire) is historical science fiction that's free for the kindle. That's amazing, because this is one of the best books I've ever read, free or not. This is literally an alternate universe novel. Imagine a six mile circle of modern West Virginia plunked down in the middle of 17th century Germany. Someone already did.

Mike Stearn is head of the local union in Grantville, West Virginia. It's the summer of 2000, and Mike's sister just got married. The whole town has collected in the local high school for the wedding reception, when there's a blinding flash of light. So begins an American town's adventure in the year of 1632. Modern technology and ideas clash with 17th century European politics and religion. Or do they? This is a great story that combines history and science fiction with an alternate universe that will not be anything like the universe it split off from. Whether that will be good or bad is in the telling of the tale. There are great characters, great battles, and great courage to spare. There is also plenty of humor to bind them together into a story I couldn't put down. Very highly recommended.

Brilliance - Marcus Sakey

Brilliance is $4.99 for the kindle, but Amazon prime members can borrow it for free. How would you feel, as a norm, if you had to compete with supermen, supermen called brilliants?

Nick Cooper works for Equitable Services. A secretive branch of the Department of Analysis and Response (DAR). DAR was formed to try and keep a handle on brilliants, and Equitable Services is the sting on the wasp. The thing is, Nick is a brilliant. Actually, one percent of the population are now born brilliant and there is a war brewing. Who's behind this war? Nick is about to find out. I couldn't put this book down. This novel combines a great story with great characters and plenty of action. Very highly recommended. This is a great stand-alone book, but of course there's a sequel.

Toward a New Beginning - R. William Rogers

Toward a New Beginning is the first novel in the Arkansas Valley series. This book is free for the kindle. This western falls into the category of Christian fiction.

In the late 1880s, Sam Bartlett and his wife Jay decided to head west with their son Tom. They had a good life in Independence Missouri, but Sam was hankering for something more, and as a family they decided to make the trip. They joined a wagon train and headed for the Arkansas Valley. Indians and Mexican bandits combined with swollen rivers, dry plains and stormy weather to make the trip hard and dangerous. The Bartlett's and the other families in the wagon train used their courage, brains, and a strong Christian faith to keep heading west. Highly recommended.

The Long Midnight Of Barney Thomson - Douglas Lindsay

The Long Midnight Of Barney Thomson is the first book in the Barney Thomson series. This novel is free for the kindle. This is a serial killer mystery with a bizarre twist.

Barney Thomson is a barber. Barney is old school. He's been cutting hair for 20 years, but he doesn't get as many clients as the other barbers in the shop where he works. His accidental solution to this problem could very well be his undoing. This is a hilarious tongue-in-cheek murder mystery with characters that almost can't be believed. You never know what's going to happen next, but it never fails to be good. This novel takes place in Scotland, so some references may be obscure, but it's worth sussing them out. Highly recommended.

An Untamed Land - Lauraine Snelling

An Untamed Land is the first novel in the Red River of the North series. This book is free for the kindle. When people these days think of the challenge required to move out of their parent's home, or move to a new state for work or school, it would do them good to reflect on the sacrifice immigrants made to come to this country from across the ocean. This book explores that kind of courage.

Ingeborg Bjorklund is the main character in this novel. Ingeborg was an immigrant from Norway. In 1880 Ingeborg, her step-son Thorliff, her husband Roald, his brother Carl, Carl's wife Kaaren, and Kaaren's newborn daughter Gunny, all arrived at New York city on their trip to the Dakota territory. Their journey across the ocean was grueling. Their trip across America to their new home on the prairie was long and tedious. Life on the prairie was hard and dangerous. In the 1880s people didn't come to America to get things for free. They came here to carve out things for themselves with their hard work and courage. This story is an inspiration to anyone who's ancestors sacrificed to immigrate to America for the freedom it provided then, and still provides today. Very highly recommended.

The Big Blind - Nicolette Pierce

The Big Blind is the first novel in the Nadia Wolf series. This book is free for the kindle. This story has poker, mystery, murder, and lots of unrequited lust.

Nadia Wolf is a poker player. Nadia lives in an apartment over a Las Vegas wedding chapel. She helps with weddings in the evenings and plays poker during the day. Nadia's goal in life is to win the world series of poker. Her goal keeps getting sidetracked by men and murder. Hopefully not hers, although someone is working on that. A great tongue in cheek murder mystery. Highly recommended. Warning: there is a cliff hanger of sorts. The next book beckons.

Dance With A Gunfighter - Joanne Pence

Dance With A Gunfighter is $4.99 for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. This is another classic western set in the post-civil war era.

Gabriella Devere was a young girl of 16 when she first met the gunslinger Jess McLowry. Gabe danced with Jess at the second annual Jackson City Arizona founding day dance. That was in 1876. They next met in 1880 when Jess stopped Gabe from shooting one of the outlaws who murdered her father and brothers. The adventures that Gabe and Jess share throughout this story cover gunfights, outlaws, Apaches, and more. This book has plenty of action and clearly more than a touch of romance. This is a great western. Very highly recommended.

Florida Heat - Rainy Kirkland, Robyn Maize

Florida Heat is the first novel in the Florida Heat Murder Mystery Series. This book is free for the kindle. Murder, kidnapping, and bird smuggling make an interesting mystery mix.

Jo Cazimer is a probation officer. When one of her clients misses his appointment, she discovers she can skip the warrant because he's dead. Jo's best friend, Kate Snow, is a police detective assigned to the case. Jo and Kate get pulled into a series of crimes that don't appear to be related, but eventually will threaten their lives and converge on one master criminal. Beware, there is a cliff hanger at the end. Some murders are still to be solved, so a killer is still on the loose. Highly recommended.

Sagebrush - William Wayne Dicksion

Sagebrush is free for the kindle. This book is a classic western from start to finish.

Michael McBain was 12 years old when the wagon train his family was traveling with was attacked by Comanches and both his parents were killed. Michael survived because he was trapped under their overturned wagon. Michael was able to escape the Comanches and lived alone on the prairie for years. Michael vowed to avenge is parents death. Eventually Michael joined with some mountain men he rescued from the Comanches, and with their help he began to carryout a promise his father had made to a dying ranch owner. Plenty of adventure and some romance. The writing seems a little stilted, but the story comes through just fine. Highly recommended.

Deadly Blessings - Julie Hyzy

Deadly Blessings is the first book in the Alex St. James Mystery series. This novel is free for the kindle. This story would be good at any price.

Alex St. James is a researcher for the Chicago based Midwest Focus Television News Magazine. Alex is working a story that could be an award winner, but it could also get her killed. If she's not careful, this may be the last story she ever researches. Great suspense, great characters, and a healthy dose of unrequited romance. Very highly recommended.