Nathan Barker's Blog, page 12

Google adds Books tab to the Android Market

Google added a Books tab to the Android Market early Thursday (Feb 24th, 2011) morning.  Located at the top of the page at https://market.android.com , the books tab allows Android OS phones and tablets to access Google eBooks readily and quickly.

Google eBooks are also available on PCs, Macs, iPhones & iPads, Nooks, Sony Readers, and more - supporting virtually every reading platform.

In addition to current popular books, Google eBooks added thousands of free public domain titles - spending the last few years involved in the Google Library Project wherein they scanned and converted thousands of public domain titles from large university and public libraries.

Perusing some of these free editions, I find that while the text block itself formats quite well to google's browser-based reader and looks well enough that I would consider reading a book at my computer screen, I find the legacy artifacts from the library notations on various pages to be distracting and annoying.  Yeah, Google preserved thousands of books and saved millions of hours by not re-typesetting them but using OCR and scanning technology instead.. but I find myself preferring a Gutenberg eTexts

For professionally formatted or restored books the Google eBooks format is great - fast, flexible, and attractive to look at on any device.  For scanned books - bleh.. but, in the cases where the book is available no other way, I guess you take what you can get...

Cataloging some great John D. MacDonald today.... All 10% off

John D. MacDonald was a prolific mystery writer and author of one of the most popular detectives in fiction, Travis McGee.  The Travis McGee series ran for 21 novels and won several awards, including the National Book Award in 1980 for The Green Ripper.

Macdonald's novels were mostly detective fiction though he made several forays into science fiction as well.  In short fiction formats, MacDonald wrote stories in virtually every genre, reportedly writing over 500 stories in a four-month period in the 1940s.

Presented here is a small selection of MacDonald's novels, mostly new arrivals that were cataloged this morning:

A Bullet for Cinderella by John D. MacDonald - Her veneer was big city … but one look and you knew that Toni Rassell's instincts were straight out of the river shack she came from. I watched her as she toyed with the man, laughing, her tumbled hair like raw blue-black silk, her brown shoulders bare. Eyes deep-set, a girl with a gypsy look. So this was the girl I had risked my life to find. This was the girl who was going to lead me to a buried fortune in stolen loot.

The Deceivers by John D. MacDonald - Her name was Cindy, and she was his neighbor's wife - the woman next door in the kind of suburbia that didn't make headlines.  No cheap scandals here - no wife-swapping, no key games.  These were real people, nice people like Cindy and Carl who fought with the desperation of the damned to keep from wanting each other.

Had a perfect opportunity not presented itself, perhaps nothing would have happened.  But suddenly, it was the right time, the right place.  And there was no room left for pretense.  In that moment all innocence drained out of their lives.  Two real people, two nice people, became creatures of passion -- and guilt.

Nightmare in Pink by John D. MacDonald - Dark-haired and delicately built, she was a sweetly wanton career girl, living alone in a Manhattan walk-up.  Her name was Nina and -- in addition to companionship -- she offered Travis McGee the first clue, the first loose thread in the whole elaborate fabric of a swindle so gigantic that it took a small army of lawyers and financiers to keep it secret.

McGee, that amiable skeptic, that free-lance knight in slightly tarnished armor, sets out on a wild and tortuous chase that takes him into the decadent world of Cafe Society, the ruthless world of the really big money and the weird and terrifying world of hallucinatory drugs.

The Brass Cupcake by John D. MacDonald - Take a hard-boiled ex-cop named Cliff Bartells.  Take a beautiful girl with the unlikely name of Melody Chance.  Add the death of one Elizabeth Stegman of Boston, MA.  Plus her missing jewels, insured for seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.  What have you got?  Murder for profit, of course.  Cold-blooded, premeditated murder.


The Long Lavender Look by John D. MacDonald - When Travis McGee swerves to avoid hitting a beautiful girl in the road, he lands in 10 feet of muddy water and 20 feet of trouble, as a guy in a truck takes a pot shot at him with a rifle. When McGee complains to the local authorities, they arrest him for murder. He should never have ventured off his houseboat, "The Busted Flush," where he's the only judge and jury. But in this 12th Travis McGee adventure he's at the mercy of the court.

The Crossroads by John D. MacDonald - A roadside motel, a restless bride, a sadistic chiseler, a musclebound lover-boy, and a quarter of a million bucks in cash within easy reach of grasping fingers.  A perfect set-up for robbery and murder.  And a perfect setting for this expert chiller by John D. MacDonald.

The Beach Girls by John D. MacDonald - Life at the Stebbins' Marina is sunny, warm and sweet. Tanned men and women enjoy the life others dream of. Many boats bring new guests to the party until one man arrives and causes an uneasy effect on everyone. What no one realizes is that the marina will soon be shattered by murder.

The Green Ripper by John D. MacDonald - In his 18th appearance ladykiller Travis McGee, finally loses his heart to a lovely lady named Gretel. But just as he begins to bear his soul, his confidant is gone. Killed by a mysterious illness, they say, but McGee doesn't believe it. Many women have come and gone from his houseboat, "The Busted Flush," but Gretel was special, and McGee won't give up until he learns the truth about her death.

No Deadly Drug - Signed & Inscribed by John D. MacDonald - SIGNED & INSCRIBED by both the author, John D. MacDonald on the half-title page but also SIGNED and inscribed by John Pete Schmidt (to whom Special Acknowledgement is given on the title page).  This is not a pristine copy - it was obviously read many times by its previous owner, Lt. Col. John Graham to whom it is inscribed.  There is an ex-libris sticker on the pastedown, the front hinge is beginning to crack and the boards are threadbare at the extremities.  With No Deadly Drug, MacDonald left mystery writing for a foray into True Crime, detailing the murder trial of Dr. Carl Coppolino.  Facsimile dust jacket in mint condition included.

We have many more of MacDonald's novels in stock and receive more often.  For a complete listing of our currently available stock of John D. MacDonald - click here.

The above titles are all 10% off our regular prices.  If you are using the link for our complete catalog of MacDonald, you'll see the discounted prices noted.  If you click on individual items, the page will show the original price but the discounted price will be displayed in the shopping cart.

Giveaway: The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady Advance Copy

This week we're giving away an advance bound galley of The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady by Elizabeth Stuckey-French.

"This lively, intricately plotted, laugh-out-loud funny, and surprisingly touching family drama combines the wit of Carl Hiaasen with the southern charm of Jill McCorkle.

 Seventy-seven-year-old Marylou Ahearn is going to kill Dr. Wilson Spriggs come hell or high water. In 1953, he gave her a radioactive cocktail without her consent as part of a secret government study that had horrible consequences.

Marylou has been plotting her revenge for fifty years. When she accidentally discovers his whereabouts in Florida, her plans finally snap into action. She high tails it to hot and humid Tallahassee, moves in down the block from where a now senile Spriggs lives with his daughter's family, and begins the tricky work of insinuating herself into their lives. But she has no idea what a nest of yellow jackets she is stum­bling into.

Before the novel is through, someone will be kidnapped, an unlikely couple will get engaged, someone will nearly die from eating a pineapple upside-down cake laced with anti-freeze, and that's not all . . .

Told from the varied perspectives of an incredible cast of endearing oddball characters and written with the flair of a native Floridian, this dark comedy does not disappoint"


To Enter:
"Like" our facebook page OR "follow" this blog
That's it.  We'll be drawing a random winner from all those who "like" our page or follow this blog on Saturday, March 5th, 2011. (Yes, if you do both, your chances would be doubled)

R.I.P. YA Author L. K. Madigan

Lisa Wolfson, AKA L.K. Madigan announced on her blog last month that she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.  She succumbed to the disease yesterday.  Her last post on her livejournal (http://lkmadigan.livejournal.com/) detailed her fight with the disease and she said 'goodbye' in as many words.  Hundreds of friends and fans have responded - offering support and comfort for her and her family.

Lisa is survived by her husband and son and leaves a legacy of two wonderful YA novels behind her as well. Requiescat in Pace, Lisa.

PW Examines File Size/Pricing Policies for Kindle and Nook

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/46244-kindle-we-have-a-problem-amazon-s-pricing-policies-affect-publishers-.html

An excellent and in-depth article on pricing strategies and file size issues with the Nook and Kindle ebook formats

2010 Nebula Award Nominees Announced

Novel
The Native Star, M.K. Hobson (Spectra) The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit UK; Orbit US) Shades of Milk and Honey, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor) Echo, Jack McDevitt (Ace) Who Fears Death, Nnedi Okorafor (DAW) Blackout/All Clear, Connie Willis (Spectra) 
Short Story
''Arvies'', Adam-Troy Castro (Lightspeed Magazine 8/10) ''How Interesting: A Tiny Man'', Harlan Ellison® (Realms of Fantasy 2/10) ''Ponies'', Kij Johnson (Tor.com 1/17/10) ''I'm Alive, I Love You, I'll See You in Reno'', Vylar Kaftan (Lightspeed Magazine 6/10) ''The Green Book'', Amal El-Mohtar (Apex Magazine 11/1/10) ''Ghosts of New York'', Jennifer Pelland (Dark Faith) ''Conditional Love'', Felicity Shoulders (Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine1/10) 
Novelette
''Map of Seventeen'', Christopher Barzak (The Beastly Bride) ''The Jaguar House, in Shadow'', Aliette de Bodard Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine 7/10) ''The Fortuitous Meeting of Gerard van Oost and Oludara'', Christopher Kastensmidt (Realms of Fantasy 4/10) "Plus or Minus'', James Patrick Kelly (Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine12/10) ''Pishaach'', Shweta Narayan (The Beastly Bride) ''That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made'', Eric James Stone (Analog Science Fiction and Fact 9/10) ''Stone Wall Truth'', Caroline M. Yoachim (Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine 2/10) 
Novella
The Alchemist, Paolo Bacigalupi (Audible; Subterranean) ''Iron Shoes'', J. Kathleen Cheney (Alembical 2) The Lifecycle of Software Objects, Ted Chiang (Subterranean) ''The Sultan of the Clouds'', Geoffrey A. Landis (Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine 9/10) ''Ghosts Doing the Orange Dance'', Paul Park (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction 1-2/10) ''The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers beneath the Queen's Window'', Rachel Swirsky (Subterranean Magazine Summer '10)
The Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation
Despicable Me, Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud (directors), Ken Daurio & Cinco Paul (screenplay), Sergio Pablos (story) (Illumination Entertainment) Doctor Who: ''Vincent and the Doctor'', Richard Curtis (writer), Jonny Campbell (director) How to Train Your Dragon, Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders (directors), William Davies, Dean DeBlois, & Chris Sanders (screenplay) (DreamWorks Animation) Inception, Christopher Nolan (director), Christopher Nolan (screenplay) (Warner) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Edgar Wright (director), Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright (screenplay) (Universal) Toy Story 3, Lee Unkrich (director), Michael Arndt (screenplay), John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, & Lee Unkrich (story) (Pixar/Disney) 
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy
Ship Breaker, Paolo Bacigalupi (Little, Brown) White Cat, Holly Black (McElderry) Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press; Scholastic UK) Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, Barry Deutsch (Amulet) The Boy from Ilysies, Pearl North (Tor Teen) I Shall Wear Midnight, Terry Pratchett (Gollancz; Harper) A Conspiracy of Kings, Megan Whalen Turner (Greenwillow) Behemoth, Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse; Simon & Schuster UK)

2/22/11 - New Releases in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal & more..

Great new stuff this week from Kim Harrison, Anton Stout, Amber Benson, Richelle Mead, and more...

Dead Waters by Anton Strout - Simon Canderous, of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, is used to fighting vampires and zombies. But the strange murder of a professor has everyone stumped. And it's making some people crazy. Literally.

Serpent's Storm by Amber Benson - Calliope just wants to make it big in the Big Apple like any other working girl. But Callie is also Death's Daughter, no matter how much she tries to stay out of the family business. And now her older sister has made a deal with the Devil himself to engage in a hostile takeover of both Death Inc. and Heaven-once they get Callie out of the way.

Coyote Destiny by Allen M. Steele - "The best space colonization saga to come along in decades" (Rocky Mountain News) continues. The unexpected arrival of a ship from Earth after their long isolation from their home world leaves the inhabitants of Coyote both hopeful and wary. The lone passenger brings news-both good and bad. The good news is that there was a survivor of the long-ago explosion of the Robert E. Lee and he is living still on Earth, in the ruined city called Boston. The bad news is that the person responsible for that act of terrorism is also still alive-and somewhere on Coyote...

Directive 51 by John Barnes - The first book in a new post-apocalyptic trilogy from "a master of the genre" Heather O'Grainne is the Assistant Secretary in the Office of Future Threat Assessment, investigating rumors surrounding something called "Daybreak." The group is diverse and radical, and its members have only one thing in common-their hatred for the "Big System" and their desire to take it down. Now, seemingly random events simultaneously occurring around the world are in fact connected as part of Daybreak's plan to destroy modern civilization-a plan that will eliminate America's top government personnel, leaving the nation no choice but to implement its emergency contingency program...Directive 51.

Griffin's Way by K. J. Taylor - After promising his allegiance to the Night God, Arenadd Taranisaii escapes death for the second time and vows to free his people. With the dark griffin Skandar by his side, Arenadd begins to gather an army and prepare for war using the power gifted to him by the Night God to move through the shadows. But even as Arenadd's strength grows his nemesis sets out for the Island of the Sun, seeking the one weapon that can truly kill Arenadd, the man without a heart.

Xombies: Apocalypso by Walter Greatshell - A group of women have been discovered who are immune to the Agent X plague. The secret of their immunity can provide a cure for human and inhuman alike-unless the Xombies find them first.

A Dark Matter by Peter Straub - The charismatic and cunning Spenser Mallon is a campus guru in the 1960s, attracting the devotion and demanding sexual favors of his young acolytes. After he invites his most fervent followers to attend a secret ritual in a local meadow, the only thing that remains is a gruesomely dismembered body-and the shattered souls of all who were present. Years later, one man attempts to understand what happened to his wife and to his friends by writing a book about this horrible night, and it's through this process that they begin to examine the unspeakable events that have bound them in ways they cannot fathom, but that have haunted every one of them through their lives. As each of the old friends tries to come to grips with the darkness of the past, they find themselves face-to-face with the evil...

Alaska Republik by Stoney Compton - Alaska, 1989. In a world where Alaska was still a Russian possession, and North America contains nine separate nations, revolution has broken out in Alaska. The Russian yoke has been thrown off for the moment, but the Czar is not going to surrender his valuable possession without a fight. In an exciting alternate history novel filled with military action, Captain Grigorivich Plesnett and his allies must continue his fight to birth a new nation - and fight off an old tyranny, in battles ranging from the Southeastern Inside Passage to the frozen Yukon.

Grantville Gazette V edited by Eric Flint - The most popular alternate history series of all continues. When an inexplicable cosmic disturbance hurls your town from twentieth century West Virginia back to seventeenth century Europe—and into the middle of the Thirty Years War—you'd better be adaptable to survive. And the natives of that time period, faced with American technology and politics, need to be equally adaptable.

Here's a generous helping of more stories of Grantville, the American town lost in time, and its impact on the people and societies of a tumultuous age.

Cardinal Richelieu, France's insidious master plotter and power behind the throne, learns of his prominent role in Dumas' not-yet-written novel The Three Musketeers (not to mention the several movie versions), and starts a search for the "real" D'Artagnan.Grantville is selling crystal radio sets so that Europeans can tune in to the Voice of America broadcasts, but the technicians from the future are at wit's end, trying to reproduce "primitive" early twentieth century broadcasting equipment by trial and error—until a trained library researcher shows up in town.The Dalai Lama of the seventeenth century receives a strange gift: an image of the Buddha which glows by a strange mystical force called "electricity."
And much more, including stories by the New York Times best-selling writers Eric Flint and Virginia DeMarce, in the latest installment of this best-selling alternate history series.

Rise of the Terran Empire (The Technic Civilization Saga) by Poul Anderson - Nicholas van Rijn, the most flamboyant member of the Polesotechnic League of star traders, could see dark times ahead. Fellow league members were using tactics verging on outright piracy, and others were all too eager to sell starships and high-tech weapons to alien barbarians. A planet not previously known for interstellar commerce suddenly revealed a secret fleet of armed starships, and started building an empire. Even if Van Rijn and his right-hand man David Falkayn could find a way to stop this blatant aggression, the glory days of the League were over. Hereafter, for its own protection against well-armed alien marauders the Earth must maintain a strong military fleet, and one charismatic man would found an empire that would learn nothing of the lessons history taught about the fates of other empires as it began annexing other star systems, whether they wanted to join the Terran Empire or not . . .

This is the third volume in the first complete edition of Poul Anderson's Technic Civilization saga, and it includes a classic novella which appears here in book form for the first time. And the next volume begins the adventures of Poul Anderson's other legendary character, Captain Sir Dominic Flandry.

Warhammer: Broken Honour by Robert Earl - The armies of Hochland are at breaking point. Beset on all sides by the feral beastmen, the safety and prosperity of the province is shattered. These are desperate times. Mercenary Captain Eriksson looks to capitalise on the conflict, buying the freedom of a group of prisoners to form a new free company. The criminals are delighted to be released, but this comes at a terrible price – to fight and die in the upcoming conflict. Eriksson must lead his makeshift company into one bloody conflict after another, putting his faith in those who gave up on honour long ago. On the battlefields of Hochland, either damnation or redemption awaits them.

Blood Gorgons (Bastion Wars) by Henry Zou - The Blood Gorgons Chaos Space Marines are called to one of their recruiting worlds as the populace is struck down by a plague of mutation. But the expeditionary force is decimated by a mysterious foe, and Sargaul is one of few survivors. The polluted world has become even more nightmarish than before, and Sargaul faces insurmountable odds if he is to save the savage planet. Facing a hostile environment, shadowy xenos enemies and treachery from within his own forces, Sargaul must dig deep into his hatred and determination to leave Haute Bassiq alive.

Savage Scars (Warhammer 40,000) by Andy Hoare - Dal'yth. The forces of the Greater Good have established a strangehold on the planet, and the time has come for the Imperium to move against them. The White Scars lead the ground assault against the tau, launching into combat with speed and fury, shedding blood as they gain ground against their enemies. Meanwhile, the members of the Crusade Council are determined to pursue their own agendas, and their politicking and back-stabbing will place the entire war effort in jeopardy. But little do they know that Inquisitor Grand has more extreme measures in mind, and the White Scars must achieve victory quickly or the cost to Dal'yth will be devastating.

Pale Demon (The Hollows #9) by Kim Harrison - Condemned and shunned for black magic, Rachel Morgan has three days to get to the annual witches' conference and clear her name, or be trapped in the demonic ever-after . . . forever after.

But a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car going across the country? Talk about a recipe for certain disaster, even without being the targets for assassination.

For after centuries of torment, a fearsome demon walks in the sunlight—freed at last to slay the innocent and devour their souls. But his ultimate goal is Rachel Morgan, and in the fight for survival that follows, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.

Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake has been asked to raise the dead-but the results aren't going to make everybody happy...

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Backlash by Aaron Allston - Locked in a war of wills and weapons, the Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance must come to terms—before the Sith's army of darkness enacts revenge.

Repercussions from the dark side's fatal seduction of Jacen Solo and the mysterious plague of madness afflicting young Jedi continue to wreak galaxywide havoc. Luke and Ben Skywalker are in pursuit of the now Masterless Sith apprentice—a chase that leads to the forbidding planet Dathomir, where the Skywalkers will be forced into combat for their quarry and their lives. Meanwhile, Han and Leia have completed their own desperate mission, shuttling madness-stricken Jedi to safe haven beyond the grasp of Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala. Yet no greater threat exists than Abeloth, a being of ravenous dark-side energy who calls out to Jedi and Sith alike. For some it may be the ultimate source of answers for survival. For others it could be the ultimate weapon of conquest. But for all, it is a game-changing encounter of untold magnitude with unimaginable consequences.

Rogue Oracle by Alayna Williams -  Tara Sheridan is the best criminal profiler around—and the most unconventional. Trained as a forensic psychologist, Tara also specializes in Tarot card reading. But she doesn't need her divination skills to realize that the new assignment from her friend and sometime lover, Agent Harry Li, is a dangerous proposition in every way.

Former Cold War operatives, all linked to a top-secret operation tracking the disposal of nuclear weapons in Russia, are disappearing. There are no bodies, and no clues to their whereabouts. Harry suspects a conspiracy to sell arms to the highest bidder. The cards—and Tara's increasingly ominous dreams—suggest something darker. Even as Tara sorts through her feelings for Harry and her fractured relationship with the mysterious order known as Delphi's Daughters, a killer is growing more ruthless by the day. And a nightmare that began decades ago in Chernobyl will reach a terrifying endgame that not even Tara could have foreseen. . . .

Etched in Bone by Adrian Phoenix - More beautiful and powerful than any creature the world has ever seen, Dante Baptiste has become the supreme target of the three worlds that spawned him. The mortal agents of the Shadow Branch have tried to control his mind through psychological torture. The vampire elders who guide nightkind society have plotted to use him in their bloodthirsty bid for power. And the Fallen have waited for millennia for Dante to claim his birthright as their Maker. But Dante belongs to no one—except the woman he loves. . . .

Determined to face the Fallen and the world on his own terms, Dante hopes to piece together his shattered past and claim his future, with FBI agent Heather Wallace at his side. But in Heather's human family awaits an unexpected enemy. One who could rip Heather from Dante's heart and fill the holes with bullets. One who could force Dante to choose his darkest destiny—as the Great Destroyer. . . .

Cloneworld by Andy Remic - Junks, an evil alien scourge, are flooding Quad-Gal with terror and Combat K are sent on a mission to find an elusive alien retrovirus which can be used against the enemy. SLAM-dropped to Cloneworld - a planet ravaged by violent civil war - not only are Combat K hunted by elite junk assassins, but they get caught in a global conflict between augmented mechanised war machines and genetically modified humans who have the ability to clone themselves. Combat K must fight their way to victory to save the Four Galaxies. But how can they possibly succeed, when their main foe are their own elite and deadly clones?

Raven Queen by Jules Watson - She was born to be a pawn, used to secure her father's royal hold on his land. She was forced to advance his will through marriage—her own desires always thwarted. But free-spirited Maeve will no longer endure the schemes of her latest husband, Conor, the cunning ruler of Ulster. And when her father's death puts her homeland at the mercy of its greedy lords and Conor's forces, Maeve knows she must at last come into her own power to save it.

With secret skill and daring, Maeve proves herself the equal of any warrior on the battlefield. With intelligence and stealth, she learns the strategies—and sacrifices—of ruling a kingdom through treacherous alliances. And to draw on the dangerous magic of her country's oldest gods, Maeve seeks out the wandering druid Ruan, whose unexpected passion and strange connection to the worlds of spirit imperil everything Maeve thought true about herself—and put her at war with both her duty and her fate.

Grail by Elizabeth Bear - At last the generation ship Jacob's Ladder has arrived at its destination: the planet they have come to call Grail. But this habitable jewel just happens to be populated already: by humans who call their home Fortune. And they are wary of sharing Fortune—especially with people who have genetically engineered themselves to such an extent that it is a matter of debate whether they are even human anymore. To make matters worse, a shocking murder aboard the Jacob's Ladder has alerted Captain Perceval and the angel Nova that formidable enemies remain hidden somewhere among the crew.

On Grail—or Fortune, rather—Premier Danilaw views the approach of the Jacob's Ladder with dread. Behind the diplomatic niceties of first-contact protocol, he knows that the deadly game being played is likely to erupt into full-blown war—even civil war. For as he strives to chart a peaceful and prosperous path forward for his people, internal threats emerge to take control by any means necessary.

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge - In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.

Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead - After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's–and to her best friend, Lissa. It is at long last graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him . . . forever.

Iron Crowned (Dark Swan #3) by Richelle Mead - Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land's queen, she's fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear. . .

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown's ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation--one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril. .

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton - Ari can't help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can't be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.
Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it's impossible to protect herself when she doesn't know what she's running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won't stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

Iron Fey Prize Package Giveaway - And the Winner is...

Lizzie T. of Morristown, NY won the Iron Fey prize package including a huge Iron Fey promo poster, bookmarks, and an Iron Queen Button.

Giveaway: My Bookish Ways Interview w/ Allison Pang + Giveaway!

Kristin over at My Bookish Ways interviewed Allison Pang yesterday about her new book - A Brush of Darkness.

In addition to a great interview, Kristin and Allison are giving away a signed copy of A Brush of Darkness to one lucky winner.  Read the interview and enter the giveaway here.

Website improvements, Goodreads integration & more..

It may be slow news day for the bookselling/publishing world (aside from Borders fallout,) but I've been hard at work on the website this week as well as some other fruitful endeavors.

First and foremost, this blog is now integrated both into the Notes section of my personal facebook page and into the newly-added blog section of the bookstore website.

We've also added facebook recommendation functionality to Kayleighbug.com so that if you see a book you like or want to recommend purchasing something from us, you can easily post the link to your facebook page - simply by clicking the "recommend" button above the description for any book on the website.

So, please, dear readers, recommend your favorites to your heart's delight.

On Goodreads.com, we've added purchase link integration as well - SO.. follow along here.. this is a bit complicated.. If you are a Goodreads user and want to help support Kayleighbug Books, you can integrate our purchasing links to your goodreads pages with a few simple clicks.


Log in to your account on Goodreads.  In the dropdown menu under your name, select "My Account." Select the tab that says "Book Links"In the Right Column, sort links "alphabetically" You'll find "Kayleighbug Books" on page 3 or so of the list.Click Add to the right of itSort your links over on the left by your preferenceNow, if you are looking at a book that someone recommended or that you are interested in and you click "more" under Buy a Copy, the Kayleighbug Books search link will appear in the upper right hand column allowing you to easily search our new and used inventory for a copy of that book - either by title or ISBN.

We appreciate any and all social networking support we can get, so please, recommend books on our site, use our Goodreads integration, "share" our facebook page with your friends, link or share our blog posts if you find them interesting - enter our contests, browse our site, buy our books :)

Shopping from Kayleighbug doesn't just support a small local bookseller, it can save you money.  Our shipping rates are generally lower than the "big box" sites, we have a great selection, we accurately describe the individual flaws of used books so you know exactly what you are going to get, you can call us anytime with a question (or to order) as our phone number is prominently displayed on the website, and we don't route calls to an overseas call center.