Halfskin - Tony Bertauski

Halfskin is science fiction. This novel is about a process that goes beyond modern medicine. A process that has the potential to change mankind forever, if mankind will let it. This book is $2.99 for the kindle. Free for Amazon prime members.

Biomites are artificial stem cells that can be injected into a human body to help heal injuries, even catastrophic injuries. Biomites can also be used to enhance humans, and that scares some people. There are biomite laws that make it illegal for any human to be composed of more than 50% biomites. Since biomites continue to replace normal human cells as time goes on, everyone will eventually reach that level. When someone cross the 50% threshold they become a halfskin. At that point their biomites are deactivated. Of course, what's left of the human dies.

Nix Richards was in an auto accident when he was five. His parents died, but Nix was saved by biomites. Nix was treated so young that at 18 he's fast approaching that 50% threshold.

Nix's sister Cali Richards is a biomite engineer. Cali makes it her personal crusade to find a way to keep Nix alive. She's very good at her job, but is she that good?

This story something that makes it great. It has a villain who you find yourself yelling at, even though it's a book. Marcus Anderson is chief of the Biomite Oversight Committee. He hides behind his religious zeal, as he looks forward to deactivating halfskins. Evil often hides behind the cloak of religion. Marcus is evil. Can Nix and Cali beat Marcus? He has the full weight of the federal government behind him. It will be close.

I loved this book. It's only February, but this is my favorite novel of the year so far. Very highly recommended.

Omega Zero - Ryan Henry

Omega Zero is a post-apocalypse novel, but without zombies for a change. This book is 99 cents for the kindle.

Trent is on the run from the law. A drug deal gone bad has him hiding in the wilderness along the Appalachian Trail. When he decides to come back to civilization, he discovers the whole world is dying. Trent seems to be immune to the disease that is ravaging humanity, but he can't be sure. Eventually he runs into Emily. She seems to be immune too. The truth is much more sinister though. In the end it's not clear if Trent and Emily will be the last two people on earth. This book was very violent. It seemed appropriate to the story though. The only problem I had was the conclusion of the book. The story just kind of drifted off the end. Still, recommended if you like post-apocalypse.

Black Ops The Gate - Bob Mayer

Black Ops The Gate is a thriller with roots back to WWII. This book is $4.99 for the kindle.

Lake is deep undercover, for a government organization nobody knows about but the president. When he's forced to improvise to stay alive, it's clear his current assignment has become more than he thought it was. More important and more dangerous. Throw in some Koreans, some Japanese, and an atomic bomb from WWII, and the action picks up. Can Lake unravel the puzzle in time to avoid a big boom? You have keep turning pages to find out. Highly recommended.

Volcano Watch - Toni Dwiggins

Volcano Watch is the first book in the Forensic Geology Series. This is a stand-alone book though. No cliff hangers. This novel was free when I downloaded it. It's now $2.99 for the kindle. Murder and volcanoes make a volatile mix.

Cassie Oldfield is a forensic geologist. Her hometown of Mammoth Lakes has been coexisting with their volcano since the town was founded. Now the volcano is starting to wake up. People are dying, but not from the volcano. Murder is a more immediate threat. The tension is palpable. This is a book I had a hard time putting down. My favorite quote from the book is with regards to the USGS volcano alert levels: "The Survey alert level WARNING does not do this justice. They need another level. HOLY SHIT." Very highly recommended.

The Weight of Blood - David Dalglish

The Weight of Blood is book one in the Half-Orcs series. To characterize this fantasy as dark is like labeling the grand canyon deep. This book is still free for the kindle.

Harruq and Qurrah Tun are half-orcs. Harruq is the big strong warrior type. His brother Qurrah is smaller and thin, but Qurrah has dark magic that makes up for his size. The two half-orcs are living on the fringes of society by theft and murder. It just gets darker from there. I continued to read this book, hoping for some redemption for the two brothers. I was disappointed. When given the chance to choose between good and evil, the brothers almost always choose evil. The book did a good job of pulling the reader in, and I continued to hope that at least Harruq would choose the right path. If you like dark fantasy consider this one, but be warned, it's very dark. Recommended.

The 19 Dragons - SM Reine

The 19 Dragons is still free for the kindle. This is a quirky alternate world novel that I really enjoyed. It takes a bit of reading to understand the flow of the story, but once you get it, you just keep reading. This book is only 110 pages, but it's quality, not quantity, that counts.

The 19 dragons have assumed the form of humanity to escape persecution by humans. Now they're all in danger and fighting for their survival. As the dragons fall, so does the world. Can the dragons survive or will they and the world disappear? Highly recommended.

When Women Were Warriors - Catherine M. Wilson

When Women Were Warriors is the first book in the Warrior's Path series. It's still free for the kindle. Get it while you can. It's an amazing book.

Tamras, daughter of Tamnet, just turned 16. It's time for her to be bound to the Lady Merin’s service, and trained as a warrior in her family's tradition. The lessons she learns, the alliances she forms, and the enemies she makes, are all part of this story. Tamras is determined to succeed as a warrior, but on her own terms.

This is a coming of age novel set in another time and place. I truly enjoyed this book and was sad when it ended. It's a great novel. Very highly recommended.

There are some short love scenes in this book, but those scenes don't make the book about sex, anymore than the scenes where people are eating make the book about food. This book is not about lesbians, as some reviewers state. This book is about women who have chosen a warrior's path. Clearly those closed minded reviewers didn't read the whole book. Their loss.

Reversal of Providence - Mark D. Niehus

Reversal of Providence is $2.99 for the kindle. It's free for Amazon prime members. Terrorists, nukes, what more do you need?

Ryan Anderson is ex-army and a security specialist. When his car is hit by a truck, Ryan finds himself in more than a simple exchange of insurance information. Jessica Webb is a part-time bartender and full time lawyer. Ryan and Jessica meet at the bar where she works and decide to spend some time together, but then someone breaks into Ryan's apartment to ambush him and tangles with them both. Ryan and Jessica could be all that stands between our country and terrorists bent on destroying world peace. This book keeps you turning pages, but the fragmented way it starts out is a little confusing. Still highly recommended.

The Last Mailman - Kevin J. Burke

The Last Mailman has some additional title, "Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Zombies. That should give you a clue about this book. This novel was free when I downloaded it. It's now $4.99 for the kindle. If you're a zombie fan, it's worth the price.

Donald Jeremy Haddox (DJ) is the last mailman. His job is to travel the zombie infested wastelands, of what used to be America, to determine what happened to the family and friends of the people who made it to safety. This book is hard to put down. The narrow escapes and death defying adventures are like an Indiana Jones movie with zombies, but in print form. Remember a book is always better. Highly recommended.

Sexy Babe - James L. Conway

Sexy Babe was free when I downloaded it. It's now $2.99 for the kindle. This book is pretty explicit, but it doesn't try to titillate. It just delivers a harsh dose of reality in places. This is a great book.

Grace Taylor is an actress. She's been an actress since her Mom put her in a Christmas pageant when she was nine weeks old. Grace is now 28. When she gets an audition to read for the bit part of "sexy babe," Grace figures she's due for a change. However, murder, mayhem, and running from the law weren't part of her plans. Will Grace live to turn her life around? This is a great action movie in book form, and books are always better. Highly recommended.

Something Witchy - AJ Myers

Something Witchy was free when I downloaded it. It's $4.99 now for the kindle. This book has witches, vampires, and demons in a teen romance with more angst in 300 pages, than Stephenie Meyer crammed into the whole Twilight series.

Ember Blaylock is 18 years old, a senior in high school, and a bandraoi, or blood witch. Of course Ember doesn't know about the witch thing, and that's just part of her problem. Ember is pursued by a demon, and rescued by a vampire who then kidnaps her "for her own good." Ember has to learn about her heritage and her power fast, or her time may be up. This is a good young adult book that I'd recommend to my teenage granddaughters. If it wasn't for the angst I'd really like this book, but then I'm not a teenage girl. Highly recommended.

Death Whispers - Tamara Rose Blodgett

Death Whispers is book one in the Death Series. It's still free for the kindle. Definitely a young adult book, but a good one.

Imagine a world where 8th graders are tested for paranormal abilities as part of their standard aptitude testing. Caleb Hart is just a normal 8th grader, until he finds out he's an AFTD. AFTD is short for Affinity for the Dead. Caleb has a rare talent. Think raising zombies. Caleb and his friends have plenty of normal teenager problems, but nothing compared to the problems they're about to have. Highly recommended.

Mr. Smoke - Robert Preston Walker

Mr. Smoke was free when I got it. It's now $9.99 for the kindle. I'm not even sure what kind of novel to call this. The author calls the genre "visionary". Maybe he was having a vision when he wrote it.

Damon Gray's parents and grandparents were killed by terrorists. As a result Damon becomes a terrorist assassin named Mr. Smoke. Damon also has special powers as an enhanced human. This book seems to ramble around, more like a diary or journal than a novel. Parts are really interesting and parts make no sense in the context of a story about a terrorist assassin. At times it was like a middle school boy's dream of sex. I read to the end because I wanted to see how the author was going to tie all the disparate parts together. It wasn't pretty, but it was tied up. Sort of recommended, in a masochistic kind of way.

Infinite Sacrifice - L.E. Waters

Infinite Sacrifice is the first book in the Infinite Series. If you're into past lives you'll love this book. It's still free for the kindle.

Maya has just died. She wonders if she's dreaming, when she meets her spirit guide Zachariah. Zachariah tells her that her soul's name is actually Lazrina. In order for Lazrina to "move on" she has to re-live all her past lives. This book covers four of her lives. Lazrina discovers she was a high priest in ancient Egypt, a mother in the kingdom of Sparta, an Irish boy kidnapped by vikings, and a doctor's wife during the black death in England. As Lazrina discovers her past lives, you can watch her soul evolve. A fascinating take on eternity. Highly recommended.

Black Mountain Affair - Drew Lindsay

Black Mountain Affair is still free for the kindle. If you like murder mysteries, this one takes place in Australia. Plenty of bodies to go around.

Merinda Jerome is something of a sensation in Cooktown. She's part aborigine, very beautiful, and rich. Unfortunately someone has it out for her. When bodies start to pile up around Merinda, her lawyer hires Ben Hood to guard her. Ben takes it personal when the murderer tries to add him to the pile. Plenty of action and great characters. Very highly recommended.

Opening Dante's Gate - Paul William Bear Brewer

Opening Dante's Gate is science fiction with a religious twist. This book is free for the kindle.

This book is about the gates of hell, and how a small group of people discovered a way to control them. It would figure that the gates of hell are located in Newark New Jersey. I enjoyed the book overall, but parts of the story were disjointed and unorganized. I good editor would have been a blessing, especially a good editor willing to cut out the dross. I still like the idea behind the book and enjoyed the ending. I'm a sucker for happy endings. Recommended.

The Prophecy - Jeffrey Poole

The Prophecy is book one in the Bakkian Chronicles series. It's still free for the kindle. What would you do if you were trapped in another world and found out you had magic?

Steve and Sarah Miller just want to see the property Steve inherited from his grandparents. They find out they inherited more than a house and land. They find themselves lost in the kingdom of Lentari with no way home. Magic is the key, but what magic do Steve and Sarah have? I great read. I'm looking forward to the next in the series. Very highly recommended.

Dare to Believe - Dana Marie Bell

Dare to Believe is the first book in the Gray Court series. The book was free for the kindle when I downloaded it. It's now $2.99.

Leo Dunne has finally found his mate. Ruby Halloway isn't aware of Leo's need, because Ruby is mortal and Leo is not. They have to explore each others needs and wants to complete their bond. They do way more exploring than I was comfortable with. There is a good story in this book, but it's tangled up with some heavy breathing, wet and wild, kinky bondage sex. Not my cup of tea. Too bad the rest of the story was splashed with the porn. You decide.

The Pearl Savage - Tamara Rose Blodgett

The Pearl Savage is book one in the Savage Series. This book is free for the kindle. This story describes an interesting alternate future, where a divided humanity is starting to come back together after a disastrous meteor strike.

Clara Williamson is the princess of the Kingdom of Ohio. 140 years ago a catastrophe drove parts of humanity into the spheres, a controlled environment where they've flourished since. Clara just turned 17, and she wants to escape to the outside world from the persecution of her mother and her betrothed. Since she's seen a savage from her window, she hopes it's possible.

Bracus Goodman is the captain of the Band of the Ohio Clan. The Band are the protectors of the clan. The clans survived outside of the spheres, and want to reunite with the sphere-dwellers. Bracus is the savage that Clara saw from her window. Their futures are entwined if Clara can survive her cruel mother and the evil prince her mother had chosen for her to marry.

This is science fiction with a big dose of steampunk and post-apocalypse. The dialog drags from time-to-time, but the story is good. It kept me turning pages late into the night. Highly recommended.

Extreme Malice - R E Swirsky, Ray Swirsky

Extreme Malice is a free book. It's about how to commit the perfect murder. The book is far from perfect though.

Jack and Donna Gardner seem to have the perfect marriage. Then Jack's wife Donna is murdered while he's on a business trip. He has to cope with the loss, but is that all he's coping with? The premise of the book is good. The execution, not so much. I read to the last page to find out how it ends, but not because I was excited to do so. I've learned to skip past of the editing problems with self-published books. This story didn't keep my interest enough to ignore the missing words, extra words, and misspellings. Not recommended.

Sweet Shadows - Childs, Tera Lynn

Sweet Shadows is the sequel to Sweet Venom. I paid $7.99, but it was worth it. Now I just have to wait for the next book to come out!

Gretchen, Grace, and Greer are united now in their efforts to live up to their destiny. Breaking the seal and restoring the balance. There are a whole lot of people who want to stop them though, humans and monsters. They'll find some unlikely allies and enemies, but in the end it's up to them. First they have to rescue the people who have the knowledge they need. Very highly recommended.

Sweet Venom - Childs, Tera Lynn

Sweet Venom was free the day I got it. Barnes & Noble had it as a Free Friday nook book, and Amazon made it free for that day too. Can you say good marketing? Now this book is $9.49 for the kindle and nook. It's worth it though.

Grace Whitfield is 16. Her family just moved to San Francisco so she can attend a new school on full scholarship. Grace wants to try and change her life at the same time she changes her address. She's going to get way more than she bargained for.

Gretchen Sharpe is 16 as well. She's a huntress. That means she kills monsters. She's been doing it since she was 12. Now Gretchen's mentor has gone missing and the monster killing business is picking up. She's going to need help.

Greer Morgenthal is also 16. She's the most popular girl in her exclusive all-girls school, and her parents are at the top of the San Francisco social circle. Greer is happy with her life and wants to keep it that way. Too bad for Greer.

This book is great. The pace keeps you turning pages. The main characters are engaging and interesting. The action is top notch. I've been reading free books all year, with the exception of a few that were a couple bucks. I paid full price for the sequel to this book as soon as I finished this one. Some things are worth paying for. Very highly recommended.

Ring of Destiny - Knowles, Eric Quinn

Ring of Destiny is book one in the Reynald Tale series. It feels like it should be book two or later. It is free though. There are just too many things that are unexplained in the beginning. Things that become a little clearer as the book progresses.

Jared Wasson is new in town. He and his father just moved to Reynald, and Jared is having trouble fitting in. Things start to pick up when he gets the courage to ask Sarah out, but that's before he found out she's a vampire. This is a disjointed tale at first, but as it rolls along it begins to make sense. Reynald is an interesting place to live. That is if you can survive. Recommended.

Jane Carver of Waar - Long, Nathan

Jane Carver of Waar is about as much fun as a book can get. Long borrows liberally from Edgar Rice Burroughs, but this is a whole new adventure that will keep you turning pages way into the night. It was a Free Friday nook book when I got it. It's now $8.09 for the nook and $7.99 for the kindle.

Jane Carver is an ex-airborne ranger turned biker chick, and as bad-ass as they come. Jane finds herself running from the police after "accidentally" killing a guy who groped her one too many times. She ends up hiding in a cave that transports her to a whole new world. Jane has to deal with aliens, animals, and court intrigue. She mixes it up with sky pirates, gladiators, and tribes of six legged savages. There's enough fighting, running, and laughing for two or three books. Very highly recommended.

Inherited Danger - Rathbone, Brian

Inherited Danger is book two in the Godsland Series. It's also free. I'd like to continue the series, but you have to start paying after book two.

Catrin Volker makes it to Greatland and begins her search for knowledge on the power she wields. The Zjhon are still after her and that make her presence a danger to all who offer her shelter. Catrin travels through the lands of her Mother, on a journey to destroy a weapon of great power that threatens the whole world. She finds that she's inherited responsibility in addition to her Mother's looks. A really frustrating cliff hanger waits at the end of the book. Still, highly recommended.

Pets in a Pickle - Welshman, Malcolm D.

Pets in a Pickle was a Free Friday nook book. It's now $7.69 for the kindle and $8.19 for the nook. If you like animals this is the book for you. It takes a while to get used to the British colloquialisms, but the book is worth the effort.

Paul Mitchell is right out of vet school and looking for a job. He interviews at the Prospect House veterinary hospital in Westcott-on-Sea and falls in love. This is a humorous telling of Paul's adventures with interesting animals and their equally interesting owners as he settles into being an English veterinarian. Highly recommended.

Empire - Hicks, Michael R.

Empire is part of the In Her Name group of books, and book one in the Redemption series. If that's confusing, you're not the lone ranger. Check out Hicks' website for more. This story is some awesome science fiction, so take advantage of this free book.

This book follows the life of Reza Gard. Reza was a young boy living on the plant of New Constantinople when the Kreelans destroy his planet and killed his parents. His first encounter with the Kreelan priestess Tesh-Dar became a turning point in his young life. Reza's fate is entwined with the Kreelan in a way no other human's has ever been. This is an amazing story of Reza's coming of age. I had a hard time putting my kindle down. Very highly recommended.

Fatal Affair - Force, Marie

Fatal Affair is book one of the Fatal Series. It's free, and there's no onerous cliff hanger. Just a nice murder mystery with more good parts than I prefer. When I was younger I looked forward to the good parts. Now I just skip through them :)

Nick Cappuano is the chief of staff to senator John O'Connor. When Nick finds the senator dead, with a knife through his neck, he calls the police and Sam Holland is the detective assigned to the case. That's Samantha Holland. Sam and Nick had a fling six years ago that neither have ever gotten over. Sam and Nick juggle finding the senator's killer, a budding romance, and someone who's trying to kill them, in a story that is non-stop. Very highly recommended.

Call of the Herald - Rathbone, Brian

Call of the Herald is book one in the Godsland Series. This book will leave you wanting to read the whole series. Books one and two free, but the rest are $2.99.

Catrin is a young woman who helps her father around the farm while she's still in school. She doesn't realize her destiny is about to change her whole world. The Zjhon empire is about to come hunting for her while laying siege to her homeland, and Catrin will have to defeat them if she can. A great adventure with plenty of action and magic. The ending begs you to keep reading. There are four more books to keep you happy. Highly recommended.

Never Buried - Claire, Edie

Never Buried is the first book in the Leigh Koslow Mystery Series, but a nice stand-alone with nothing left dangling. This book is free and a bargain at 10 times that price.

Leigh Koslow is an advertising copywriter who has just lost her job. She's staying with her cousin Cara because moving home at her age is unthinkable. Her cousin can use the help since she very pregnant. When Leigh finds a body in the back yard the police investigate, but that's just the beginning of mystery that spans decades and could put Leigh and Cara's lives in danger. Lots of twists and turns. Highly recommended.

The Fourth World - Moroney, Laurence

The Fourth World is the first book in the Legend of the Locust series. It's free. This book is definitely for young adults. Unfortunately it's almost preachy in a PC way. I almost gave up on it a couple of times when I got disgusted with the political direction it was going. This story had so much potential too.

Fintan Reilly is an Iris boy who's school days are spent trying to avoid bullies. Then he's recruited to a special school. The school is top secret and located beneath the Area 51 secret American military installation in Nevada. Fintan is joined at school by an American boy Zach Adams, a Japanese girl Ayako Katsuragi, and a Navajo girl Nizhoni Benally. The four make a team that works to solve the mysteries of their school. The story is interesting but overshadowed at times by the political leanings of the author. The writing is also clearly targeted at kids rather than adults. At least I hope so. I won't be reading any more in this series, even though there is a major cliff hanger at the end. Not recommended.

The Cloud Roads - Wells, Martha

The Cloud Roads is the first novel in the Books of the Raksura series. It's a stand-alone tale with no frustrating cliff hangers. I gladly paid $1.99 for this book. I look forward to reading more in the series.

Moon is an orphan. He doesn't know what he is, except that he's a shape shifter. Moon looks normal for a groundling in one phase, or as normal as anyone in the Three Worlds, but Moon can fly in his other phase, and he has to hide that shape in order to fit in. He'll be killed if he's mistaken for a Fell.

Moon is rescued by another shape shifter and discovers he's a Raksura. Can Moon fit in with his true people, and can he save his new colony from destruction by the Fell? An amazing story with a myriad of characters on a world full of surprises. Absolutely recommended.

Heller - JD Nixon

Heller is free. It's the first in the Heller series, but it's a great stand-alone novel. This author is going on my must read list.

Tilly Chalmers (please don't call her Matilda) is a down and out actor. She got canned from her last gig as a slice of watermelon. Now she's got a new job with a security firm and it's all she hoped and a lot more. It's more complicated, more dangerous, and more fun.

Heller (first name unknown) is Tilly's new boss. He's tall, blonde, gorgeous, and scary. Heller and his family of misfits do their best to make Tilly fit in, but she's the first woman Heller has ever hired and there's some serious adjusting to do.

This isn't a murder mystery, although there's a murder, or two. This isn't a romance, although the sexual tension is palpable. This isn't a mystery, unless you count Heller himself. It's a fun romp through tricky and sometimes dangerous assignments with a cast of characters that's a pleasure to know. Very highly recommended.

80AD Books 3-5 - Aiki Flinthart

80AD - The Tekhen of Anuket is book three in the 80AD series. I'm also including book four, 80AD - The Sudarshana, and book five, 80AD - The Yu Dragon, in this review. All the books in this series are free. They're a real bargain. I didn't want to stop reading to write a review until I was done with them all.

In book three Phoenix, Jade, Marcus, and Brynn fight their way through Egypt on a quest to free the goddess Anuket and restore balance to the region. Without Anuket the Nile River can't flood and Egypt is in the grip of a devastating famine. Warriors who die and come back to life are just one of the challenges they face.

In book four the four heroes are in India trying to restore balance. In order to do so they must return the Sudarshana given to Jade to the statue of Vishnu. The four find themselves in a full scale war with a snake goddess on the other side. Another gamer is introduced into the mix. The question is whether he's an ally or an enemy.

In book five Jade, Phoenix, Marcus, and Brynn find themselves in China to directly confront the evil Feng Zhudai. He must be defeated to bring balance to the world of the game and the real world from which Jade and Phoenix were pulled in. Feng Zhudai's power is their biggest obstacle. Will they defeat him and make it back to their world, or be stuck in the game forever? A great fantasy series. Very highly recommended.

Secrets - Schulte, Liz

Secrets is the first book in the Guardian Trilogy. It's free. I'll warn you though, it's got a major cliff hanger. You'll be itching to read the next book in the trilogy.

Olivia Martin is a photographer. She's something of a loner, except for her best friend Juliet. Juliet is the outgoing vivacious one. Olivia is the reserved quiet one of the pair. Olivia starts to notice, and be noticed by, mysterious men. At least they seem like men. When one man in particular, Holden, begins to invade her dreams, she realizes her whole life is changing. Not necessarily for the better. The cliff hanger is like hitting a wall. Excellent book though. Highly recommended.

Heartless - Stengl, Anne Elisabeth

Heartless is book one in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series. It's a completely stand-alone book though. There are no cliff hangers to leave you wanting. And the book is free. It's a great fantasy read.

Princess Una of Parumvir just turned 18. Una wonders where all the suitors are who should be asking for her hand in marriage. She wants romance and flowers and moonlight serenades. She finds that giving her heart is more than she bargained for. Her life and her father's kingdom may be part of the bargain. What would a dragon want with her heart? A marvelous story. Very highly recommended.

Draykon - English, Charlotte E.

Draykon is the first book in the Draykon series and it's free. Fantasy at it's best.

Llandry Sanfaer is a shy Glinnish girl. The Glinnish have wings and their realm is in perpetual daylight. Llandry makes jewelry, and when she discovers a cave with some beautiful gems, she uses them in her work. But what are those gems really, and what is their power?

Lady Evastany Glostrum is from Glour. The realm of Glour is perpetually dark and the inhabitants are not winged. Eva is the High Summoner. When her best friend is murdered for the jewelry she purchased from Llandry, Eva is compelled to help the investigation using her powers.

This is one series I will pursue, even if I have to pay for the rest of the books. Very highly recommended.

80AD - The Hammer of Thor - Flinthart, Aiki

80AD - The Hammer of Thor is book two in the 80AD series. It's free.

Phoenix and Jade continue their adventures in the 80AD computer game. The object of this level in the game is to obtain the hammer of Thor. How many times they die and what monsters they have to defeat is the question. Again, a good fantasy adventure. Highly recommended.

80AD - The Jewel of Asgard - Flinthart, Aiki

80AD - The Jewel of Asgard is the first of five books in the 80AD series. All five books are free. This series is based on the five levels of a fictional computer game called 80AD.

Phoenix is 13. He's trying to adjust to a new step-father and having a hard time. One way he escapes is through computer games. His Mom just got him the new game 80AD and he can't wait to play it.

Jade is 13. She's the seventh of seven sisters and feels like an outcast. When she gets stranded at home alone, she's excited that her Dad gave her permission to play a new computer game called 80AD.

Phoenix and Jade are linked in ways they don't even understand, but when they encounter each other in the game 80AD they find themselves transported to the real first century Britain. In this real life adventure they're fighting for their lives against monsters, magic, and the Roman empire. If they don't win the game, their lives and the world they grew up in will be lost forever. This book is a good fantasy adventure with some interesting characters. The best part is the whole series is free. Highly recommended.

First Contact - Hicks, Michael R.

First Contact is hard core alien battle fleet science fiction. This book is the first in The Last War series. It's book five in the larger In Her Name series, but the author recommends reading 4-6 first and then 1-3. Star Wars it reminds me of, and in more ways than one. This book is free for the kindle and an astounding bargain.

Midshipman Ichiro Sato is the youngest member of the crew, and is only on the survey ship Aurora as part of his Terran Naval Academy advanced training. Little does he know he's about to become one of the most famous humans in history. When the Aurora comes out of hyperspace she's jumped into a system with not one, but two planets that are in the habitable zone. The problem is they're both already inhabited, and the inhabitants are nothing the human race has ever imagined. I haven't enjoyed a hard science fiction this much in years. Very highly recommended.

Read Free!

I've read over 90 books so far this year, but I've only paid for about a handful. The rest were free. There were some stinkers in there, but most were great books, and did I mention they were free?

You don't have to have a dedicated ereader to read free books. You can read books for the kindle or nook on your PC, your laptop, your phone, or your tablet. The apps to read these books are free too. You may have to open an account with the ebook store, but if the books you want are free you don't have to pay anything.

There are other sources for free books. A lot of public libraries can lend ebooks now, and you don't have to drive to the library to borrow them. Check with your local library to see if they have ebooks available.

Project Gutenberg has over 40,000 free ebooks. The Open Library boasts over 1 million free ebooks. ManyBooks.net has more than 29,000 titles available for free. Google gets into the game with Google Play Books. Google has lots of free books, but some are just samples so look before you download.

I wrote a post about this back in January, but I just wanted to remind people that reading is so much easier these days, and free. I can start a book on my tablet or one of my PCs, switch to my kindle or nook, and continue to read on my phone if I want to endure the small screen.

I know there are purists who still want their books made of trees, but I prefer the electronic kind. The paper kind are are only free from the library, and I live 20 miles from the library. Did I mention I like free?

The New Deputy in Town - Daniels, B.J.

The New Deputy in Town is a murder mystery romance. This book is free for the kindle.

Laney Cavanaugh and her sister Laci come back to Whitehorse Montana every year to visit their grandparents. This year their cousin Maddie is engaged to be married, but Laney senses some problems. Nick Rogers is the new deputy sheriff in town. When people start to get beaten up on Saturday nights, and someone is murdered at Maddie's engagement party, Nick and Laney square off. It turns out Nick has an even bigger problem than the troubles in Whitehorse, and it could catch up with both he and Laney. This book has lots of twists and turns, and plenty of characters. It's good solid entertainment. Recommended.

Stewards of the Flame - Engdahl, Sylvia

Stewards of the Flame is science fiction and it's free. This would be a great book if the author didn't suffer from logorrhea. This is a fairly long book. I suspect the Reader's Digest condensed version would be the length of a short story. The book contains too much useless dialog and introspection, and is preachy to extremes on the perils of modern medicine. Lack of a good editor is one of the dangers of self-publishing.

Jesse Sanders was the captain of the star ship Eureka. Then Jesse had the misfortune to get drunk on the colony planet Undine. The government of Undine was the planet's medical establishment. Alcoholism was a disease and the Meds couldn't let it go untreated. Jesse was arrested and missed his ship's departure window. Now he's been stranded on Undine, but a group called the Stewards of the Flame recruit him in a bid to defeat the control of the Meds. The potential exists for this to be a great book. It's not achieved. I read the whole thing to see how it developed, and even the ending left a lot to be desired. Not recommended.

The Island Parts 2-5 - Stark, Michael

The Island Parts 2-5 make up the rest of The Island. Parts 1-3 are free and parts 4 and 5 are 99 cents. I read through the last four books like I was starving for words. Now I just have to wait for the next collection of books in the series.

William Hill has made it to the island. He and the other people there are stranded now, because the country has imposed martial law to try and stop the spread of the fever. The problem is, martial law does nothing to stop the spread of the strange creatures that accompany the fever. They're monsters from legend who feed on people's bodies and minds. William has a special connection to these monsters that he'll eventually understand. That is if he can believe the word of a talking nightmare. Plenty of action and plenty of scary. An amazing book. Very highly recommended.

The Island - Stark, Michael

The Island promises to be an amazing post-apocalypse story. This is the first of five books in the Fallen Earth series. The first three are free. The last two are 99 cents. I'm reading book two now.

The Fever is spreading fast. As it spreads to every continent and gains momentum William Hill decides he wants to die somewhere of his choosing. He heads to the island, the island his father took him to years ago. He's got a boat and provisions. What he doesn't realize is he's going to have company. This is a beautiful book. It has great characters and just enough scary to give it an edge. Highly recommended.

Dark Halo - Kokoski, Christopher

Dark Halo is free to Amazon Prime members and $2.99 for others. This is a book I can't get excited about. I had to finish to find out how it ended, but it was a book with more words than substance. A good editor who wasn't afraid to cut the crap would have been helpful.

Landon Paddock threw away his wife and child after his parents were killed in an auto accident. He's the central figure in this book and not likable. He ends up fighting for his daughter and wife, and the rest of the town's people, when the town is invaded by demons. The religious aspects are secondary to the story. If the story line had been done by King or Koontz this could have been a winner. Not recommended.

The Promise - Sorensen, Jessica

The Promise is book four in the Fallen Star series. It's still 99 cents. This is the last book. No cliff hanger!

Gemma changed the future, but chaos was the result. Witches, vampires, foreseers, and fey are all being given the mark of Malefiscus, and running wild. Gemma and her friends have to solve this while still trying to find that one loop hole that will allow Gemma and Alex to survive stopping the end of the world. Ignore some editing errors that are cropping up. Highly recommended.

The Vision - Sorensen, Jessica

The Vision is book three in the Fallen Star series. It's only 99 cents. You can't stop this series once you start.

Gemma is discovering new powers and new problems. Loop holes could be her salvation, but can she find the right ones. I'm doing my best to avoid spoilers. Book three is highly recommended too.