Kinworm

Honest and Personal Review of The Kindle Fire HD

2012-12-04T20:27:00.000Z

I've taken my time to do a Review on my new Kindle Fire HD for this blog, partly because I wanted to make sure that I covered all the points which I feel are important to me: and hopefully important to anyone still thinking of getting one.

It's definitely no sugar-coated review that is biased towards how great it is. And I certainly don't believe in just picking out the good points and leaving out the bad. I think the only Kindle device that I've ever raved on about has been the Kindle Keyboard because I loved that thing. But I'm afraid that's taken a back seat since the Fire came along.

The review should be of unique interest to UK readers because it is based on how well I can use the Kindle Fire HD in my native country. But I think there's enough in there to make a good read for anyone who is interested in the device - there should be as it's about 3000 words long.

So, apologies for taking my time with the review. My work schedule has been pretty hectic in the run up to Christmas but should calm down in the New Year I hope.

If you want to leave comments based on the things you like or don't like about the Kindle Fire (any version) then please do. Always interesting to share thoughts.

Here's my review:

Kindle Fire HD Review by Marie

Why the Kindle Keyboard is still a Favorite!

2012-09-12T21:05:00.000+01:00

At one point I really believed that the Kindle Keyboard or Kindle 3 e-ink reader would be discontinued at Amazon because the wifi-only version of this disappeared from sale and then the Keyboard version was never displayed in Amazon e-ink Kindle Ads showing The Kindle Family.

However, I'm delighted that the 3G Kindle Keyboard is still available to buy AND that we now get a new (and decent) update for it too!

In case you want to know which Kindle device I'm referring to (yes it does get tricky these days with all the different Kindles!) there's a photo of my much loved device which I've been happily using since 2010 and here's the links to the product pages:

Despite buying and using other Kindle e-ink devices since the release of the Kindle Keyboard or KK as I fondly refer to it, I just haven't found another Amazon e-ink device that I like better. Note that I haven't tried the new yet-to-be-released Paperwhite devices yet so my opinion could change - although I think it will be unlikely. Be great if Amazon could convince me otherwise!

The Kindle Keyboard is still the premium Amazon e-ink reader for me, and here's why:

1) AUDIO CAPABILITIES: The Kindle Keyboard is now one of the few remaining Kindle e-ink devices that actually has audio output because the new Kindle Paperwhites don't have this and neither does the basic Kindle. So it seems that Amazon are moving away from e-ink being much more than just specialist book readers and encouraging shoppers to instead purchase a Kindle Fire device if they also want audio.

For many people this might not be a big deal. But I happen to like the audio capabilities (limited though they are in function) on my e-ink device. I can load up some .mp3 music to listen to either as backing music to what I'm reading or as a break from reading. More often I use it to listen to audiobooks from audible when my eyes are tired - and handy as I don't need to switch devices. And thirdly, I find the Text-To-Speech capability very handy when I want to carry on with a book but I really need to cook or carry out another task. The speakers are pretty good too - no having to use earphones which irritate my ears. Finding that Amazon have removed audio from the new e-ink Kindles was a pretty big blow.

2) BIGGEST E-INK ON-BOARD STORAGE: I was very surprised (and also disappointed) with the measly 2GB storage on the new Paperwhite Kindles compared with the 4GB KK. Just 2GB! That is so lame! OK so they got rid of the audio functionality but I was expecting at least 4GB for keeping a ton of ebooks and documents on-board. I get that by losing the audio, you don't require space to hold more storage-heavy music and audio files but to go backwards on the storage amount is not good at all. There are some people who want to store all their ebooks on their Kindle, and 2GB just won't cut it for some avid readers.

3) PHYSICAL PAGE TURN BUTTONS: physical page turn buttons are almost a must for me with a dedicated reading device - for lots of reasons. First, my small thumbs are not keen on stretching further over the bezel to navigate a touch-screen when turning pages. Tried that with the Kindle Touch and didn't find it particularly comfortable. Second, why obscure some of what you are reading by having to touch the screen to move backwards and forwards through a book? Third, I sometimes eat while reading so I don't want to be putting dirty digits on a screen - even if any thumbprints are hard to see.

Sorry Amazon but you really lost me there and I'm glad I'm not the only Kindle owner who seems fussy over this point. Reading the forums, I can see that there are a lot of people not delighted at the omission of any physical paging buttons on the new Paperwhite Kindles. You'd have thought Amazon would have taken on this feedback from the awful (IMO) Kindle Touch devices. It would make a lot more sense to spend just a wee bit more to incorporate some paging buttons and keep more hardcore e-ink customers happy. The KK page buttons are almost silent and very easy to press but not so easy that pages get turned accidentally.

4) BEST 3G ON AN E-INK KINDLE: the Kindle Keyboard is the only e-ink Kindle with unrestricted and free 3G. With the other eink Kindles such as the 3G Paperwhite and the 3G Kindle Touch, you're only able to access the Amazon Kindle store and Wikipedia while connected to 3G. Website browsing is unrestricted, however, with WiFi use which most people have at home these days and many hotels and eateries provide for free. I hate that there are some people who abuse the usage of the free 3G on the KK, which is probably why Amazon will never have it unrestricted like this again. It's a case of a minority spoiling things for everyone as usual.

Having the free 3G has been very useful at times when I've been away from a WiFi hotspot and wanted to check my email and also when we've had power cuts and the WiFi's been cut off - once for several days. It is a little awkward using the web browser on the Kindle Keyboard so I'm never tempted to use it for long. But it's been very useful when I've needed to make use of it - so still a handy feature.

5) PHYSICAL KEYBOARD: It adds a little more bulk and length to the Kindle Keyboard but if you make a lot of notes in your books or do a lot of searching then having a physical keyboard is very nice and so easy to use. I know that a lot of people are happy with the touch-screen keyboards on the Kindle Touch but I tend to miss a lot of the characters with that because they are so small and end up typing something completely unintended. The physical keys on the KK are raised so you can feel where they are. Makes for very easy and much more accurate typing.

Those are the main reasons that after 2 years, I'm still very happily using the Keyboard version. It's still a winner for me and made even better now with the new software upgrade it has just received with the update 3.4.

CLEARER FONT: This new update has tweaked the reading font so that it is clearer to read. I tested it side by side after the update with hubby's KK and it definitely is an improvement. The font appears to be crisper and darker.

PARENTAL CONTROLS: You've also now got parental controls which is handy for people who have given a KK to kids but don't want unexpected book purchases! After the update, go to Home / Menu / Settings then page 2 for Parental Controls.

Set passwords to restrict access to the Web Browser, the Kindle Store and your Archived Items or Books. All of these can be set individually as required. So no more accidental purchases of new books via the device itself! You can still buy Kindle books on other devices and send them to your Kindle - it simply locks using the store and buying books from the device itself.

By enabling the parental controls, the user will also be unable to derigister the device or set it back to the factory default. So no nasty surprises in store.

There are other new features too which you can read about on the update pages. You can wait for your KK to update over WiFi in due course. Or you can install the update manually and learn more about it on these pages:

Happy Kindling, Marie

Looking Forward to the Kindle Fire HD

2012-09-07T20:49:00.001+01:00

I said before (at least I think I did!) that I'd still be interested in a Kindle Fire Tablet even though I caved in and bought an iPad earlier this year after getting fed up waiting for the Fire to arrive in the UK.

The iPad is wonderful and carries out the functions that I was looking for well but it is too large to pop in a bag (unless I want to resort back to carrying a big rucksack like I did when I was a student!) and it's also quite hefty which makes my arms tired if I attempt to hold it up for long.

So I was still very interested in a 7 inch tablet. Hubby scoffs at me wanting a Fire - 'why get that when you could get a Google Nexus?' is what he wants to know. Well because I love Amazon and the whole ecosystem they've built up and are still building - music, Kindle books, instant movies in the US and movies on subscription via LoveFilm in the UK plus android games, utility apps and more. That's why. The iPad can't deliver all of the Amazon ecosystem to me - it can do some things like Kindle books with the iPad Kindle app but it can't do everything.

Call me greedy but I want the best of all worlds. That and the fact that I enjoy new gadgets too. I spend a good part of the year saving just so I can make sure I get my gadget fix once in a while.

The new Kindle Fire Range is just part of what Amazon brought out but it's only some of the new Fire tablets that have so far been released in the UK. I'll be touching on the new e-ink devices available in the US at a later date. So far I'm all fired up on the tablet range.

If you need some help deciding which Kindle Fire to buy, I've put together an article which has quite a bit of information on each Fire device. It's by no means complete because Amazon themselves have not yet answered all the questions that people want to know but it is a good overview:

Which Kindle Fire Tablet?

Me, I've pre-ordered the 7" Kindle Fire HD with 16GB. And now I eagerly await the 25th of October when I will hopefully get my hands on it!

Marie

Upcoming Amazon Announcement 6 September 2012

2012-09-06T10:28:00.001+01:00

A New Kindle Touch Device

I've been following what's going on with the Amazon Kindle world with interest. In case you've not already heard, Amazon are set for a press conference today where it's predicted that there will be an announcement on a new line of Kindles. Despite my disappointment with the current Kindle Touch (me and e-ink touch devices clearly aren't a good fit!) I'm very excited about the prospect of a second generation Kindle Fire Tablet which I'm dearly hoping will soon be released outside of America.

I've got a great set of links for you on this page to whet your appetite including videos which show some items from the new Kindle line-up as well as when and where you can view the Amazon announcement details for yourself.

BREAKING UPDATE 7 SEPT 2012:

The Kindle Fire is now in the UK! View all UK Kindle Fire Models

A Whole New Range of Kindle Fires in the US. See all US Kindle Fire Devices

A Fantastic New Selection of e-Ink Readers in the US. See all US Kindle Paperwhite Readers

Amazon TV Ad Showing the new Kindles:

The Verge are showing Amazon's latest TV commercial that distinctly shows a new range of Kindle devices including a very smart and slimline Kindle Touch that appears to be backlit as well as a very slimmed down Kindle Fire Tablet, although we don't know that it will still be called a Kindle Fire - perhaps something else. As well as showing the video itself, The Verge are displaying a gallery of very interesting images or stills from the commercial.

The new e-ink device certainly appears to have a truly gorgeous, high contrast reading screen but has no visible buttons - so sadly that is out for me because I can't get used to an e-ink device where I have to operate it totally from the screen itself. Now if they upgraded the Kindle Keyboard (which is still my favorite Kindle) to having a screen like that - well I'd be happy to pay over the odds to get one!

See the new: Amazon Kindle Commercial and Photo Stills

Also view on YouTube: New Kindle Ad with Commentary

Amazon Android Smartphone:

The Verge have run a report on Amazon producing a smartphone which will be a first for the company. Will this new phone will be announced today at the press conference? Or is it still a long way off? Here's the article on that: Amazon Phone Confirmed

Amazon Press Conference:

Cnet.com are doing a live blog on the Amazon Announcement from 10 am PT (Pacific Time) which equates to 1 pm ET (Eastern Time) and 6 pm GMT for those of us in the UK.

Here's where the link you need for the: CNET Live Blog

Do tell me I'm not the only sad person who gets fired up about new Kindle announcements! I'm just very thankful it's long after I've done the school run and got dinner out of the way so I can enjoy seeing the press conference first hand.

Fingers crossed that there will be some announcement on new European offerings. Please don't leave us out this time Amazon!

Related Blog Posts:

Marie

Why I'm NOT Loving the Kindle Touch

2012-05-30T04:34:00.000+01:00

Well I put off writing this post as long as possible just to be 100% sure on my feelings but when I realized that I was reaching for anything to read on (and by anything I mean my old Kindle Keyboard, my tiny phone screen and even my bulky and heavy iPad) rather than the new Kindle Touch, it became glaringly apparent that I wasn't feeling the love for this new device.

For me, the Kindle Touch is a big fail. But while I'm definitely not loving the Kindle Touch (and I'll tell you why in a moment) there are plenty of people who do seem to love it judging by the reviews. Are they all being completely honest? Or am I just being uber fussy?

I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to new gadgets and if I don't love them, I'm sure not going to write an amazing or glowing review just because I think that's what other people want to hear or to go with a majority opinion. The Kindle Touch may not be a bad product but it's certainly not right for me and here's my personal take on it.

Why I don't Like the Kindle Touch:

1) I Can't Read the Kindle Touch in the Bath

It may seem strange that being able to read in the bath is such a big issue for me but it truly is. For starters, it's the one place I can guarantee getting uninterrupted reading time - it's just me and my book. No phone calls, no demands on my time from family, just complete peace and space for an hour to read. It's not where I do the bulk of my reading but it is the one place where I truly get a good quality reading session.

I've always read in the bath. In the early days, I had the odd mishap with paper books (even a library loan) that got a good dunking in the water. Then I moved on to using my iPod before I got hooked on my Kindle devices. And, unlike paper books, electronic devices and gadgets can easily be read while safely contained in a waterproof case or bag.

My bath session with the Touch was a disaster from start to finish. It hadn't occurred to me that the ultra-sensitive touch screen would play havoc when placed in my standard waterproof bag which has been successfully used lots of times with other touch-screen devices. Well the Touch didn't like having the clear plastic casing over the top and it rebelled from start to finish. I can honestly say that it was the most stressful and aggravating bath/reading session that I've ever had!

It skipped pages erratically and at first I assumed it was my clumsy fingers but it did this without my hands being near the screen. It brought up the menu or options I didn't want to use. And it confused the heck out of me. The experience was so bad that I'd never want to take it in the bath again that's for sure. Back to my trusty old Kindle Keyboard for that.

2) Me and the Touch Screen don't Get Along

I'm no touch-screen novice. I love gadgets and enjoy using other touch screens like the iPod, iPad and my android mobile - all of which are a joy and a breeze to use. The touch screen on the Kindle is not anywhere in this class of touch devices and, even making allowances for the fact that it's a different type of screen, I don't like it.

My KTouch screen is difficult to operate. At times, I find myself literally jabbing at the screen because it isn't registering that I've pressed an option OR, worse, it seems to take on a mind of its own and starts doing things like skipping onto the next page or pulling up a menu if my hands hover just slightly too near. I find it to be unpredictable to use and this is just too distracting when reading.

The whole reason why I was passionate about the Kindle from its early days was the fact that you could enjoy a very easy and pleasant read. Easy to hold, easy to operate, being able to get the font size, spacing and basically reading environment that works for you and just lets you get on with reading.

Well the KTouch is a big fail in this department. It doesn't just let me get on with reading. It does nuisance things like skipping pages because my thumb hovered a little too near and I find I'm spending way too much time on trying to get the device to co-operate, rather than on the reading itself. That's not good at all. The device should NEVER detract from the reading.

Highlighting text works pretty nicely as well as tapping words to activate the dictionary which both take more time with the Kindle Keyboard. But trying to type out notes on the Touch is a joke. I thought I had slim and small fingers but they feel like fat fingers when using the Kindle Touch on-screen keyboard. I miss keys or press the wrong one frequently and end up with notes on my books that make very little sense at all.

The worst thing about the screen I guess is the unpredictability of it all. I can't guarantee how it's going to act. Some reading sessions are OK (note I said OK and not great) with not too many mishaps. But then I get terrible reading sessions where I only have to look at the screen and it starts misbehaving. I don't want an unpredictable device (even if it has some nice updated features) I want one I can trust and rely on.

3) I Get Nostalgic for the Page Turn Buttons on my Kindle Keyboard

Every time I use the Touch (admittedly I don't actually use now!) I have a nostalgia for the physical page turn buttons on the Keyboard device. Why oh why couldn't Amazon have given both options on the Touch so you aren't forced to go anywhere near that crazy touch screen just to read a book?

Admittedly the worry of the screen fingerprints is not such a big issue that I thought it might be. The matte screen of the Kindle Touch does an admirable job of masking any prints from my fingers - unlike other glossy touch screens I'm used to.

But I don't like putting my fingers on the screen to turn pages while reading a book because I don't know and can't predict how the device is going to act. My issues with the touch screen are annoying while I read and I've lost count of how many times I've lost my place in a book (previously unheard of with a Kindle device!) and how many times the menu has come up or I've accidentally gone back to the home screen.

Having physical page turn buttons would have helped me enormously. At least I'd have been able to navigate the pages of a book with no problems. Big mistake on Amazon's part I feel to get rid of the page turn buttons on what's supposed to be it's numero uno Kindle device.

Is that it? No, Unfortunately There's More!

Sorry for the lengthy post and I know I'm pretty much ignoring some of the good points (yes there are some and I may be inspired to write about them at a later date!) of the Kindle Touch but it's very liberating to get my annoyances out in the open and I'm hoping that Amazon will take note on some of these negative reviews to improve the next e-ink Kindle model.

Other issues I have but perhaps not such biggies are:

4) Screen Ghosting. There seems to be more screen ghosting on the Touch than on my Kindle Keyboard despite me choosing to refresh the page after every page turn in the settings. Having a faint image of the previous screen showing up on the next page you read is distracting and I find it down-right annoying. It definitely compromises on the quality of reading for me.

5) Having to Remember to Activate the Screensaver. If I don't put the screensaver on before putting the Touch down after reading or just while on a break, I can almost guarantee that I will find myself somewhere else when returning to the device. I might be somewhere else in the book, back to the home screen or on a menu screen but the odds are high that I won't be where I want to be! Again, it's a nuisance and just makes the Touch a pain for me to use instead of a pleasure.

6) It Can't Keep Up with My Reading Speed. Page turns are noticeably slower for me on this device. I'd class myself as a pretty quick reader and I find the Touch much more sluggish. Even though page turns are silent on the Kindle Touch, I'd rather have the little clicking of the page buttons on the Keyboard which is faster.

Is it ALL Doom and Gloom?

Well I see from the Kindle Touch Reviews and also (Kindle Touch Reviews UK) that many people love this new Kindle and that I'm probably in a minority. But while my new Kindle Touch sits gathering dust now in my cupboard, it's my old but trusty and reliable Kindle Keyboard that takes pride of place by my bed. And the fact that I'd actually choose to use an older device than a newer model (unheard of!) says it all.

That's it from me for now. Thanks for reading, Marie

Eagerly Awaiting my New Kindle Touch!

2012-04-21T09:35:00.000+01:00

Today I'm eagerly awaiting the delivery of my new Kindle Touch device. While lucky customers in the USA have been able to order the Kindle Touch since November last year, here in the UK Amazon store (and other European stores) it has been mysteriously unavailable for purchase.

Well now, a whole week earlier than the original estimated date, the Kindle Touch is finally in stock and ready to purchase for UK customers and in other European countries too. Hurrah!

I can't tell you how excited I am to finally get to put this new device through its paces and compare it with my Kindle Keyboard which I'm still very happy with by the way.

Just yesterday, I published a pretty detailed 20 FAQs on the Kindle Touch Lighted Cover. Although I haven't yet made my mind up on what cover or case to purchase for the touch (I might want to just read it naked, minus a cover that is) I decided not to let the extensive research I'd done on the lighted cover for this device go to waste.

I have the lighted cover for the Kindle Keyboard (and love it) but the Touch cover with light is not the same either in its styling or in how it operates. So, if you're thinking about a cover or case for your new Touch device, that's a useful resource page.

You can rest assured that I will be doing further articles on the Touch device in future.

Related Kindle Pages and Further Reading:

Marie

UK Kindlers Can Now Pre-Order Kindle Touch

2012-03-27T22:37:00.003+01:00

Finally some great news for Kindle fans and prospective owners here in the UK. The Kindle Touch device is now available ~~for pre-order~~ from Amazon.co.uk with a release date of April 27th 2012. Actually released early on the 20th!

The pre-order pages are as follows:

I've ordered the Kindle Touch wifi only model because I don't personally think it's worth paying an extra £60 to get a 3G model.

If you're buying the reading device for yourself or as a gift for someone who doesn't have a wifi Internet connection then you really need the 3G model so books can be bought and downloaded from the device itself.

For anyone who has a wifi connection (and most people do) then the 3G model adds in the convenience of being able to purchase new Kindle books and download any existing books from Amazon pretty much anywhere you go which is great if you travel around a lot and are not always in the vicinity of a wifi hotspot that you can use.

The 3G connectivity is definitely not an essential feature for the majority of people but if you're an impatient sort or if an extra £60 is no big deal then it's kind of a nice little extra feature.

Kia Zi Shiru, author of Black Sheep helpfully added in the comments: "the 3G on the touch model is different from the 3G on the keyboard model... On the touch you can't actually browse the web while on 3G, only the amazon website and wikipedia." Yes, she's right. If you've had a Kindle Keyboard 3G model and enjoyed being able to browse the web via 3G, you might be disappointed on the restrictions that Amazon have placed on the new 3G Kindle Touch model.

Me - I'll just stick to making sure I download plenty of reading material to my Kindle before I travel and put the extra money towards a case instead to protect the screen!

You can see Amazon's selection of Kindle Touch Cases here:

Kindle Touch Cases

Luckily I've already started exploring different covers with a Kindle Touch Article on Wizzley which outlines a few of my picks available on the Amazon UK site already. Although I'm going to take a while longer making a choice on a cover than whether to get a wifi or 3G version of the device.

Thank you Amazon - I'm finally looking forward to getting a next gen Kindle device!

Related Kindle Reading:

Marie

Gave Up Waiting on a Kindle Fire

2012-03-16T20:46:00.001Z

I gave up waiting for a Kindle Fire to officially appear here in the UK and went and bought an iPad instead! Not the latest 3rd gen iPad I might add. I took advantage of the price drop of the iPad 2 (UK iPad 2) and decided that would be more than good enough to meet my needs which were essentially internet, movies, Kindle app, games and music.

Really, I'm done on speculating on when Amazon will release the Fire in the UK and there's no sign of any Kindle device coming out over here which makes me want to upgrade from my trusty Kindle Keyboard. So I started to look at other options and the iPad almost fit the bill for me, especially with the nice little price decrease.

The iPad's not meant to replace my Kindle Keyboard although I do intend to read Kindle books on the colour tablet with the Kindle app. Only time will tell which device I end up using more. So far, I've spent most of my time using the new tablet for watching movies, shows on the iPlayer app, videos on YouTube and browsing the internet.

Here's my iPad pros and cons after just a few days:

Initial iPad 2 Pros:

1) The Screen - the colour screen on this tablet is amazing. Just awesome. I can't compare it with any other tablet but I was blown away at the detail on watching videos. 10 inches is a very nice size for watching movies in your lap or from a short distance.

2) Choice of Apps - there's so many apps to choose from and all my favourite apps (iPlayer, Evernote, Dropbox, Kindle, Amazon Store, eBay) are free too.

3) Brilliant Internet Browsing - the Internet is very easy to use on a 10 inch iPad screen. I can use full versions of websites instead of mobile ones with no problem at all.

4) Good Note-Taking - I was surprised at how easily you can take notes with the iPad. The letters on the touchscreen keyboard are nice and big and I can type pretty fast on it.

5) Good Battery Life - it's got about 10 hours approx of battery life which is more than the Kindle Fire at around 7.5. Mine seemed to exceed this because I got through 2 days of really full-on usage before the iPad needed to be recharged.

Initial iPad 2 Cons:

1) The Size and Weight - ugh. Although a 10 inch screen is glorious for personal movie watching, it doesn't fit in my bag! And it's a lot heavier than a Kindle Fire is so I won't be holding this one handed. I just plonk it in my lap instead.

2) The Touchscreen - it's super responsive and works brilliantly but I really hate those fingerprints smeared over the screen. You can up the screen brightness which does make you notice the fingerprints less but I know they're there! That's where touchscreens don't work for me but this would be just the same for the Kindle Fire so I guess a stylus is in order to keep the iPad screen clean.

3) The Price - an iPad, even at the reduced iPad 2 reduced price, is still so much more costly than a Kindle Fire. Now I have the iPad, I totally think the cost is justified because it truly is a quality tablet and works to perfection but I'll still be a little annoyed if the Fire hits the UK shores anytime soon!

Struggling to think of any major negatives with the iPad so far. I'm really loving it. Does this mean I won't bother getting a Kindle Fire when it comes to the UK? It's too early to tell with that. If Amazon announced it shortly then it would have to be a 'no' as I've blown my budget now - but maybe if it wasn't released until nearer Christmas ...

I'm not suggesting that you should opt for an iPad instead of a Kindle Fire. Just worked for me that's all. That's it - off to watch Merlin on iPlayer now :)

Marie

Related Reading:

Which Kindle Touch Cover?

2012-03-01T10:48:00.000Z

Planning ahead for when (and if) we do finally get the Kindle Touch in the UK, I've been busy looking at and daydreaming about a cover for it. Black is out of the question since I had a gorgeous black flip cover for my Kindle 2 and a black leather case for my Sony PRS-600 which I never really got on with. But since Hubby has caught on to the Kindle, he's opted for the black Amazon Leather case without a light and I don't want my new device getting mixed up with his old one!

### Update to post 27 March 2012 - you can now Order the Kindle Touch from Amazon UK!

I'm a romantic and I love Jane Austen novels, so I was delighted when I saw this amazing Pride and Prejudice Cover for the Kindle Touch by Kate Spade. Sadly, it's not available in the UK via Amazon and it can only be shipped within the U.S. so I'm not likely to get hold of one unless I'm lucky to get one via eBay.

I definitely think that would make a gorgeous gift for a Kindle Touch owner who loves her classic literature.

If you're looking for a Kindle Touch cover (US or UK) take a look at my article which looks at available covers and what I like about each one:

Kindle Touch Covers

Where a UK version is available, I've added the link to it at the bottom of the write-up for each cover. The reason why it is possible to purchase some Kindle Touch covers on Amazon UK despite having no Kindle Touch device is because many of these also fit the 4th Gen 'Kindle' - currently £89 on the UK site.

For people who are importing Kindle Touch devices or snapping them up on eBay, it's good news that covers are available here too. The most notable UK Kindle Touch Covers I can currently find are:

UK Kindle Touch Covers Round-Up

If you're interested in buying a Kindle Touch from the UK, check out this useful thread over at the KUForum: How to Buy a Kindle Touch from the UK

Or are you going to sit it out and wait for one to be officially offered here like me?

Related Reading:

Is this the Cheapest Kindle Stand?

2012-02-13T21:21:00.000Z

Is this the cheapest Kindle Stand you can purchase? I picked up a great little stand from a £1 shop store in the UK - in case you don't know, everything they sell is priced at £1. £1 currently translates to around $1.5.

Actually it's not a Kindle stand at all but an iPad folding stand which is made from 3 sections of metal, back and two sides which can be moved into shape. It's definitely sturdier than I expected it to be.

I really bought it with the Kindle Fire in mind. I figured it would be a really neat way to prop up the Fire in the kitchen to watch movies while I get through ironing a mountain of clothes.

The stand folds out to 7 inches in length which means it will just neatly hold the Fire in landscape orientation which is 7.5 inches. As it is, I can currently use it with my Kindle Keyboard with the cover open as shown - not to read but to display recipes or play music because the speaker on the Kindle is a lot louder than that on my iPod.

Just need to get hold of a Kindle Fire now!

You can see all Kindle Fire stands in the US (Kindle Fire Stand) although I don't see one nearly as cheap as what I've just purchased.

If I look up iPad stand in the UK then I also see nothing at this price range although there are some stands there which look like they could work with the Fire. You just need to be aware of the size difference as the Fire's a wee bit smaller than the iPad.

I'm hoping the Fire does get officially released in the UK this year. I could get one imported from the US (I've definitely been tempted, believe me I've toyed with the idea) but, even if I did, I still wouldn't be able to stream movies on it which is what I particularly want the Fire (or another 7 inch tablet) for.

Nope. I'm holding out for the day when I can buy digital movies on Amazon and get rid of my over-flowing DVD collection. The idea of having all my movies stored online to watch whenever I want really appeals to me. It will definitely make ironing more fun!

Here's the packaging of the iPad (come Kindle Fire) stand in case you want to look for one yourself. It does what I want so I'm happy with that.

Regular readers might have noticed that I've been busy tidying up the KinWorm website - updating categories and going back to update and improve previous posts where possible which is a never-ending job when you have hundreds of posts to go back through.

If you're in the UK and keen on getting hold of a Kindle Fire before the official launch date here, I found some great info over at the KUForum:

Kindle Fire at KUF

As I said, I don't think that rushing ahead to get one would really benefit me very much for what I want the device for but if you are wondering whether this would be right for you then take a look.

For now, I'll just carry on watching DVDs on my portable DVD player - and going through the tediousness of trying to find the movie I want to watch first!

Related Pages:

Marie

Is the Kindle Touch Imminent in the UK?

2012-02-05T20:36:00.000Z

Looks like the Kindle Touch device might be winging its way to the UK (and other countries) very soon!

Amazon have yet to make an official announcement but, if you go onto the Amazon.com website, there is currently a little header above the Kindle Touch Page which reads:

'Live outside the U.S.? Kindle Touch is available to ship outside of the U.S. from this page.'

### Update to post 27 March 2012 - you can now Order the Kindle Touch from Amazon UK!

I checked and unfortunately Amazon are not shipping the Touch device to the UK from Amazon.com. Instead, you're directed to the bog-standard Kindle page on Amazon.co.uk. The Kindle Touch does now ship from Amazon.com to many countries such as Canada, Australia, Ireland and Japan. You can check if you can now purchase the Kindle Touch directly from Amazon.com by clicking on the header on the Kindle Touch USA Page.

Interestingly, European countries like the UK, France and Germany who all have their own Amazon stores are not included in the list of countries that Amazon.com will ship to. This suggests one thing to me - these countries aren't included because the Kindle Touch must be coming to those stores very soon. It would be very strange indeed for these countries not to get the Touch e-ink version.

I'm definitely wondering if I will wake up tomorrow and see an official announcement from Amazon on the UK site!

If the Kindle Fire is announced at the same time, then it's a no-brainer for me because I want the multimedia set-up that the Fire offers. But if the Kindle Touch is announced first, I might just be tempted to order one to see how it compares to my Kindle Keyboard which I admit that I'm still extremely happy with.

Still no inkling of when the Fire tablet will be released to non-US countries. It still says US-only on the product page. I must admit to getting very tempted by the super low price of the 7" UK Blackberry Playbook Tablet (Blackberry Playbook US) right now which has excellent customer reviews on Amazon.

Do you need a Stylus for the Kindle Fire?

2012-02-01T11:03:00.000Z

The Fire isn't shipped with a stylus and many people wonder if you really need a Kindle Fire Stylus for the tablet device in order to get the best out of it.

My latest Kindle article over on Wizzley gives you 7 good reasons why a stylus would come in handy for the color tablet:

Kindle Fire Stylus: 7 Reasons to Get One

Obviously Amazon don't think you need a stylus or it would be included in the box. There are just so many touchscreen devices now and adults are expected to revert to the childlike behavior of using fingers to do everything.

I get that we were born with 10 very useful digits on our hands - but right from the very beginning of human life, we used and created handy tools which just made life easier. Fact is, most adults aren't used to using fingers especially to sketch, draw and jot down quick notes - the very action seems absurd.

What if you have large hands and fingers? Long fingernails? Or perhaps a medical condition like Raynaud's? Touchscreens can be difficult in all these cases when you're trying to click on a small menu option or when using the touchscreen keyboard. Using a stylus can definitely improve usability and accuracy on the Kindle Fire and other touchscreen devices.

There are lots of other reasons too why a stylus becomes a necessity rather than just another useless accessory. Luckily stylus pens don't cost too much and would make a very thoughtful gift if you knew someone who was having 'click issues' with their new Kindle Fire. A simple and cheap stylus could completely turn things around.

Most of the stylus pens come with a plug or connector so they can clip into the earphone jack of the Kindle Fire. So you don't need to carry the pen around separately and risk losing it. Some of them also have clips so you can clip them like an ordinary pen to your pocket or into a case.

Unfortunately you can't use any old stylus or the blunt end of a pencil. A Kindle Fire has a capacitive screen which doesn't respond to pressure like the old screens which worked on resistance technology. A capacitive screen works with the electrical signals from your fingers which is why you cannot wear gloves with fingers to operate them. A special capacitive stylus emulates your fingers to make that special connection with your Kindle Fire screen. It's the same technology that works on the vastly more expensive iPad.

So, unfortunately the rumors of a Kindle Fire in the UK by January weren't true! It did seem a bit soon. But fingers crossed for it making it's way over here this year.

Related Reading:

Marie

Image shared with a CC License by Bio_Teq on Flickr

Will a New Kindle Fire Me Up?

2012-01-17T11:58:00.000Z

I still love my Kindle. But lately my enthusiasm for the device has dropped and I've been trying to figure out why.

After all, I use the Kindle daily and reading on it is something I look forward to - especially at the end of a long and tiring day.

When something is shiny and new, it's easy to get fired up about it. But the Kindle Keyboard is like old news now and perhaps that is at least part of the reason why my enthusiasm has been taking a bit of a nosedive.

I was decidedly disappointed when Amazon released the new Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire in the US but not elsewhere. Here in the UK, they released what is now just called 'Kindle' but unless I specifically wanted a e-ink reading device which is smaller and lighter (I don't) then why would I trade in my trusty Kindle Keyboard for a device with less features?

The bog standard Kindle model (Kindle UK / Kindle US) is harder to take notes on (which is something I love to do when I'm reading) and has no audio capability which means no adding your own mp3 music files and no text-to-speech - both features which I do make use of. So, for me, it would be like getting a cut-down model of what I already have. For someone who's never had a Kindle, then it's great and a fantastic price too.

Another source of disappointment is with the content. Kindle books - great. I have enough Kindle books to seriously keep me in decent reading material for another 10 years. Some people moan about lack of books and while there are some books that aren't currently available for the Kindle that I'd love to own, I'm not losing any sleep over them because I have so many others to read first.

No, the content disappointment is with the lack of the Kindle Active Content which has been active on Amazon.com for well over a year now but not emerged elsewhere. That means not being able to take advantage of some simple utilities like the Kindle Notepad app, word games and also the amazing Fighting Fantasy game books.

So, yes, perhaps I have a little of the post-Christmas and winter blues. But I also think that Amazon will have to step up its game regarding the Kindle in other countries to keep the K-love fest strong. If the rumours on a Kindle Fire coming to the UK this year are true, then I hope it will be enough to get a good deal of my Kindle mojo back.

Merry Christmas Kindle Newbies

2011-12-24T15:54:00.001Z

I thought I'd put together a handy little resource guide to help you out with your new Kindle whether you've just received a new Color Kindle Fire OR a traditional e-ink Kindle, Kindle Touch or Kindle Keyboard device this Christmas.

Christmas Kindle Newbies will find links to help videos for setting up and using your new Kindle as well as where to get ebooks, lots and lots of free ones, where to go and chat or to ask for help on your new Kindle and other useful articles to get you started.

Best of all, have lots of fun with your new Kindle gadget! You will discover most of what you need to know simply by trying things out for yourself. And that way you're more likely to remember it too. Happy Holidays, I'm off to enjoy mine now, Marie

Image Credit: Shared with a CC license by UCFFool on Flickr

New to Kindle Fire?

Color Kindle Fire Tablet Help Videos >> Kindle Fire Help Videos

See how to:
Register your Kindle Fire
Connect to Wi-Fi with your Kindle Fire
Set up your Kindle payment method
Navigate your Kindle Fire
Use your Kindle Fire
Use the web browser on the Kindle Fire
Get started with the Kindle Fire

Then see what apps to get for your Fire >> 10 Best Fire Apps

New to Kindle, Kindle Touch or Kindle Keyboard?

e-Ink Kindle Support Videos >> Kindle Help Videos
see Amazon.co.uk for Kindle and Kindle Keyboard Videos >> Kindle UK Help Videos

See how to:
Register your Kindle
Connect to Wi-Fi with your Kindle
Set up your Kindle payment method
Transfer Kindle content via USB
Use your Kindle cover

Ebooks for your Kindle

Amazon.com Bestselling Freebies >> Free eBooks for Kindle from Amazon.com

UK Customers see Bestselling Freebies >> Free eBooks for Kindle from Amazon.co.uk

Lots of other free and low cost books on these sites:

Popular Kindle Chat Forums

Where should you go to chat or ask questions and get help with your new Kindle? These are the very best forums around where you'll discover everything you need to know about your new device.

Other useful Kindle Pages

I hope this is enough to get you on your way to enjoying your new Kindle device,

I'm taking a short break to spend some quality time with my family and will be back, ready to roll in the New Year. So Happy Holidays everyone, Marie

Which Apps for your Kindle Fire?

2011-12-08T19:40:00.001Z

Just a quick tip post today.

If you've recently got or are getting a color Kindle Fire tablet (sorry US customers only at this point) then you may be wondering what applications to get for it.

For a start, you should visit the Amazon Appstore where there is a paid app for free every day >> Free App of the Day

You can also pay a visit to my new article on the >> Kindle Fire Top 10 Apps

And these should give you a great starting point.

Hope you get some great apps,

Marie

Amazon Kindle - Free Ebooks 30 November 2011

2011-11-30T14:19:00.000Z

Image: Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How did you get on with the Amazon Black Friday Sales? I know the general vibe here in the UK seemed to be one of disappointment because they didn't have the massive deals that they had last year. I know I wasn't fervently checking the deals as much this year but we still came away with some great items which we wanted anyway - some were listed on hubby's wishlist so he got lucky!

Our poor little miss has had a lot of bad luck over the past 3 weeks with coughs, colds and then a very nasty sore ear which turned out to be glue ear when we took her to see the doctor. We're both getting over colds as well. Tis the season for sneezing, coughing and sore throats. We've stocked up massively on lemsips and my brother-in-law made me a really good Hot Toddy with whisky which well and truly hit the spot! I really recommend that drink if you're suffering with a sore throat.

Enjoy this week's freebies!

Please note: at the time of writing this post, I checked that the following books were free in both the US and UK stores. Make sure you grab the free books while you can!

US READERS: Here's a link to check which Kindle books are currently free for you. It's not fool-proof as sometimes you get the odd book showing up which isn't free so always check the book says $0.00 before you grab it: >> US Listed Freebies

UK READERS: as above, a link so you can check the current freebies yourself: >> UK Listed Freebies

1) Lie Down in Green Pastures by Debbie Viguie

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Green Pastures

US Version, free when added: Green Pastures

From the product description on Amazon:

"Even though they work right next door to each other, Cindy and Jeremiah come from two different worlds. Cindy is a church secretary; Jeremiah is a Reformed rabbi with a mysterious past full of danger and excitement."

2) The Fence My Father Built by Linda S. Clare

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Fence My Father Built

US Version, free when added: Fence My Father Built

From the product description on Amazon:

"In The Fence My Father Built, when legally separated Muri Pond, a librarian, hauls her kids, teenage Nova and eleven year-old Truman, out to the tiny town of Murkee, Oregon, where her father, Joe Pond lived and died, she’s confronted by a neighbor’s haras."

3) Eye of the God by Ariel Allison

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Eye of the God

US Version, free when added: Eye of the God

From the product description on Amazon:

"Eye of the god takes the fascinating history surrounding the Hope Diamond and weaves it together with a present-day plot to steal the jewel from the Smithsonian Institute.We follow Alex and Isaac Weld, the most lucrative jewel thieves in the world.

4) Guardian Cats and the Lost Books of Alexandria by Rahma Krambo

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Guardian Cats

US Version, free when added: Guardian Cats

From the product description on Amazon:

"In the wrong hands, some books can be dangerous—and some libraries can be positively deadly.

Until now, Marco has been perfectly happy as a small town library cat and newly appointed Guardian of an ancient mystical book. But when otherworldly creatures begin roaming the stacks after hours, and his mentor, the elder Guardian, is killed, Marco’s innocent world is shattered.

The young tabby cat is on his own, ill-prepared for the daunting task of safekeeping the magical book of power—and the very heart and soul of the library.

Time and space are no barriers for Marco’s shape shifting friends and enemies as he learns that the library is the most dangerous place worth saving."

5) The Son of Man by Charles W. Johnson

UK Amazon Kindle Version: The Son of Man

US Version, free when added: The Son of Man

From the product description on Amazon:

"Imagine they set out to clone the Son of God... Imagine they succeed..."

6) The Day the Flowers Died by Ami Blackwelder and Belle Magnolia

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Flowers Died

US Version, free when added: Flowers Died

From the product description on Amazon:

"An historical fiction set in Munich, Germany in the early 1930’s before the outbreak of War World II. Eli Levin and Rebecca Baum fall passionately in love and while their differences should have separated them, they instead forged a passionate bond that would change their lives forever.

While religious and social differences weigh heavily on their families in an increasingly tense Germany, the lovers remain unadulterated in spite of the prejudices. After overcoming family issues and social pressures, the two must sustain under a growing violent governmental regime. When the Nazi party heightens in popularity and the party’s ideas influence law, they must face the harsh reality of life and death."

7) Make More, Worry Less: Secrets from 18 Extraordinary People Who Created a Bigger Income and a Better Life by Wes Moss

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Make More, Worry Less

US Version, free when added: Make More, Worry Less

From the product description on Amazon:

"Make More. Worry Less. Everyone wants to do that–but how? And how can you do it within the organization, where most people will spend their entire working lives? This book has the answers. No academic theory here: Make More, Worry Less brings together 18 riveting stories from people who’ve achieved both of these goals, gaining surprising wealth and real peace of mind along the way.

These aren’t superheroes. They’re ordinary people who’ve done the extraordinary: from fast-food worker Linda Robb, now earning a six-figure income at Aflac, to once lowly telemarketer Steve Hudson, now running business development at one of the most promising start-up companies in the nation. Author and radio host Wes Moss reveals the powerful lessons these individuals have learned. Better yet, he shows how you can use those lessons to take ownership of your life and career, earning more money than you ever thought possible."

8) Curious Folks Ask 2: Our Fellow Creatures, Our Planet, and Beyond by Sherry Seethaler

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Curious Folks Ask 2

US Version, free when added: Curious Folks Ask 2

From the product description on Amazon:

"This is the eBook version of the printed book.
Why do lizards do pushups? What if the Earth’s magnetic field reverses? How do stars die? In her follow-up to Curious Folks Ask, Sherry Seethaler answers 188 new science questions from real people. Drawn from her San Diego Union-Tribune column, these Q&As reveal breakthroughs… demolish myths… present mysteries… rekindle your sense of wonder!"

9) Dragon's Pupils - The Sword Guest by Martin Chu Shui

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Dragon's Pupils

US Version, free when added: Dragon's Pupils

From the product description on Amazon:

"When East and West combine…

Half-Chinese, half-Australian, Liz is not interested in her father’s ancient Tao wisdom, or his cryptic tales. She is more concerned with environmental issues—particularly the plan to mine one of Australia’s great landmarks, Wave Rock. Her father’s latest gift, a Chinese calligraphy pen, seems set to take its place in her bottom drawer forever.

Then Wave Rock is blasted open by something more than a mining operation, and Liz finds that she must battle monsters from ancient times as well as creatures from other worlds, all intent on destroying Earth. She must call on all her powers, from both her Eastern heritage and her Western upbringing, to save her world. Her pen becomes her way into a new and magical world, and Liz discovers she has powers—and allies—that she never could have guessed.

An exciting, fast-paced tale that combines the wisdom of ancient tradition with the pace of a Kung Fu movie and brings them to life in contemporary Australia, this exciting tale takes the best of two cultures and blends them to open up a new world of adventure and mystery."

10) Aprovecho: A Mexican-American Border Cookbook by Teresa Cordero-Cordell and Robert Cordell

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Aprovecho

US Version, free when added: Aprovecho

From the product description on Amazon:

"In addition to more than 250 recipes, Aprovecho includes special sections that relate popular legends such as "La Llorona and the Chupacabra," explain how tequila is made, and provide instructions for making your own festive piñatas. Also included are a glossary of chiles and cooking terms, and a Mexican pantry list so you'll always be prepared for a fiesta!

Aprovecho is a celebration of the food and culture found along the U.S.-Mexico border, a unique blend of two cuisines. This comprehensive book contains traditional border fare including enchiladas, quesadillas, and margaritas, along with more exotic delights, such as Cactus Salad, Lobster and Tequila, and Watermelon Sorbet. The recipes included feature a tantalizing array of ingredients from both sides of the border. Easy-to-follow instructions will have you creating Border delicacies in no time! Complete with b/w photographs."

11) Fine Filipino Food by Karen Hulene Bartell

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Fine Filipino Food

US Version, free when added: Fine Filipino Food

From the product description on Amazon:

"Created from recipes collected during the author’s travels to this country at the crossroads of the Pacific Ocean and the South China and Sulu seas, FINE FILIPINO FOOD is a testament to a rich mix of cultures. Chinese traders introduced stir-frying and deep-frying cooking techniques, as well as noodles and soy products; Malaysian spice traders brought seasonings from the Spice Islands and introduced that delectable appetizer, satay; Spanish colonization brought Spanish cuisine: Adobo (a pickling sauce made from olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, paprika, thyme, bay leaf, and salt), arguably the best-known Filipino dish, is a by-product of both Spanish and Chinese influence. Finally, the American influence left the legacies of speed and convenience.

Enjoy this blend of cuisines with its 19 cooking methods, such as stir-frying, deep-frying, grilling on skewers, sautéing in coconut milk, marinating in vinegar and spices, broiling over live charcoal, wrapping in banana leaves, and steaming. Fine Filipino Food features 205 recipes, a glossary of ingredients, a guide to ingredient substitutions, and an extensive resource guide, which allow all home cooks to perfectly recreate these tantalizing dishes.

12) Taste of Romania: Its Cookery and Glimpses of Its History, Folklore, Art, Literature, and Poetry by Nicolae Klepper

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Taste of Romania

US Version, free when added: Taste of Romania

From the product description on Amazon:

"Over 150 recipes, including the specialty dishes of Romania's top chefs, are intermingled with fables, poetry, photos and charming illustrations, making this book a genuine treasury of both Romanian cuisine and culture. Also includes an appendix of Romanian wines and an index in Romanian and English."

13) Healthy South Indian Cooking by Alamelu Vairavan and Patricia Marquardt

UK Amazon Kindle Version: South Indian Cooking

US Version, free when added: South Indian Cooking

From the product description on Amazon:

"With the addition of fifty new easy-to-prepare dishes, "Healthy South Indian Cooking" is back, now totalling 250 recipes. In the famous Chettinad Healthy cooking tradition of Southern India, these foods evoke South Indian forgotten by Chicken Tikka Masala enthusiasts. Mostly vegetarian, these recipes allow home cooks to create such esoteric: dishes as Potato-flled Dosas with Coconut Chutney; Pearl Onion and Tomato Sambhar; Chickpea and Bell Pepper per Poriyal; and Eggplant Masala Curry. Rasams, breads, legumes and payasams are all featured here, as is the exceptional Chettinad Chicken Kolambu, South lndia's version of the popular vindaloo. Each of these low-fat, low-caloric recipes come with a complete nutritional analysis. Also included are sample menus and innovative suggestions for integrating South Indian dishes into traditioilal Western meals. A section on the varieties and methods of preparation for dals (a lentil dish that is a staple of this cuisine), a multilingual glossary of spices and ingredients, and 16 pages of colour photographs make this book a clear and concise introduction to the healthy, delicious cooking of South India."

14) Give Me - A Tale of Wyrd and Fae by LK Rigel

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Give Me

US Version, free when added: Give Me

From the product description on Amazon:

"Lilith Evergreen lives in the California desert, an ordinary woman until her fiancé returns from London with a ring he bought from a street vendor. When Lilith puts it on she dreams of a green land that's anything but desert, a tree at cliff's edge, a ruined castle, and a handsome prince.

Then she discovers that it's all real.

When Lilith visits the ruins of Tintagos Castle, she discovers a world of magic and love - and its dark side when she's entangled in the remnants of an ancient spell gone bad. From the moment Lilith sees Cade Bausiney, she's overwhelmed with desire for him. Cade is drawn to Lilith too - but their feelings might only be sparked by dark and dangerous magic."

15) The Black God's War by Moses Siregar III

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Black God's War

US Version, free when added: Black God's War

From the product description on Amazon:

"King Vieri is losing his war against the lands of Pawelon. Feeling abandoned by his god, he forces his son Caio, the kingdom's holy savior, to lead his army. Victory ought to come soon.

To counter Caio's powers, Pawelon's prince enters the conflict. Rao is a gifted sage, a master of spiritual laws. He joins the rajah to defend their citadel against the invaders. But Rao's ideals soon clash with his army's general.

The Black One tortures Lucia nightly with visions promising another ten years of bloodshed. She can no longer tell the difference between the waking world and her nightmares. Lucia knows the black god too well. He entered her bed and dreams when she was ten.

The Black One watches, waiting to see Lucia confront an impossible decision over the fates of two men--and two lands."

16) Expressions of Freedom by Gareth Lewis

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Expressions of Freedom

US Version, free when added: Expressions of Freedom

From the product description on Amazon:

"So you're minding your own business, doing your job, making influential people uncomfortable under your journalistic gaze, and what happens? Shadowy informants tell you the democratic system is compromised, the people behind it lean on your publisher to kill the story before you've even got it, and your life could be ruined if you carry on. But at least they’re not trying to kill you."

17) Flash Gold (a steampunk novella set in the Yukon) by Lindsay Buroker

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Flash Gold

US Version, free when added: Flash Gold

From the product description on Amazon:

"Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered "dogless sled" in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father's alchemical masterpiece.

With her modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn't normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won't assist her--they're too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.

When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she's sure he has ulterior motives, but he's the only one interested in helping her. The question is...why?"

18) Dark Horse (Jim Knighthorse Series #1) by J.R. Rain

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Dark Horse

US Version, free when added: Dark Horse

From the product description on Amazon:

"When high school student Derrick Booker, the only black student at a posh Orange County high school, is accused of killing his white girlfriend, ex-college football hero and detective Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper into the murder. It doesn't take long for Knighthorse to realize that not all is as it seems at tranquil Huntington High, from a band director who preys on the innocent to a vice-principal with a secret agenda of her own. Not to mention someone's hired a professional killer to keep Knighthorse permanently off the case.

As the investigation continues, Knighthorse's personal life is shattered by the discovery of new evidence relating to his mother's unsolved murder, a murder dating back twenty years. Reeling from the discovery, a determined Jim Knighthorse sets out to bring two killers to justice."

Amazon Kindle Bestselling eBooks:

UK Amazon Kindle - Click here for the 100 Bestselling free eBooks

US Amazon Kindle - Click here for the 100 Bestselling free eBooks

The Black Friday Madness is Back!

2011-11-21T09:46:00.000Z

Love it or loathe it, Black Friday deals week on Amazon is back! You can reach the Black Friday deals pages here:

Black Friday UK

Black Friday USA

Last year, which was the first year that Black Friday deals were introduced to Amazon.co.uk, our Internet connection decided to pack up for a few days! I would have missed some fabulous deals on Amazon had it not been for my Kindle.

True story, I was able to log into Amazon with the clunky experimental web browser on my trusty Kindle Keyboard device and I managed to get hold of some of the Black Friday deals using this unwieldy method.

So when people say that you need fast fingers, a speedy Internet connection or a decent web browser to bag a Black Friday Amazon deal, I absolutely know this is not the case because I managed it with a slow old e-ink Kindle!

Perhaps that's part of why I do love my Kindle so much because of the little things like this which stick in my mind.

By the way, I noticed that there are some Kindle Lighted Leather Covers coming up in the Black Friday deals later today on the UK site - so check those out if you'd like one.

If you want to know more about Lighted Kindle Covers, check out my article on Squidoo as that's much more up-to-date:

Lighted Covers for your Kindle

If you're going for any of the Black Friday deals then I wish you loads of luck. Me, I'm sitting in bed nursing a cold and sore throat so I've got plenty of time to look for any bargains!

Marie

Amazon Kindle - Free Ebooks 17 November 2011

2011-11-17T13:19:00.000Z

Image: Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We've had an onslaught of colds here and my poor little lass has been off school with a nasty cough - there's nothing we can do except let her immune system deal with it in its own time. So if I write anything odd, just put it down to total lack of sleep for a week!

There seem to be some great reviews on the new Kindle Fire - if you've got one then I hope you're enjoying it. Most reviews seem to indicate that first impressions are pretty good. I'm sorry I can't personally review one for you but there's no sense in me purchasing one, not even from ebay, because we don't have the Amazon Content system set up in the UK for it. When I get one, it will be because it's been officially released over here - here's hoping!

Here's your free books coming up:

Please note: at the time of writing, the following books are free in the UK Amazon Kindle Store. This doesn't necessarily mean that they are also free in the US Amazon Kindle Store although often they are. Grab the free books while you can!

US READERS: Here's a link to check which Kindle books are currently free for you. It's not fool-proof as sometimes you get the odd book showing up which isn't free so always check the book says $0.00 before you grab it: >> US Listed Freebies

UK READERS: as above, a link so you can check the current freebies yourself: >> UK Listed Freebies

1) Child of the Ghosts by Jonathan Moeller

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Child of the Ghosts

US Version, free when listed: Child of the Ghosts

From the product description on Amazon:

"For fans of Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Sword & Sorceress", Tamora Pierce, Robin McKinley, and Jennifer Roberson, here is a new story of a woman's fight against an ancient evil.

When her life is torn apart by sorcery and murder, young Caina Amalas joins the mysterious Ghosts, the legendary spies and assassins of the Emperor of Nighmar. She learns the secrets of disguise and stealth, of assassination and infiltration.

But even that might not be enough to save her.

For the evil that destroyed her family seeks to devour the entire world..."

2) Maddy's Oasis by Lizzy Ford

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Maddy's Oasis

US Version, free when listed: Maddy's Oasis

From the product description on Amazon:

"With an ill mother in need of expensive surgery, Madeleine flies from NYC to the west Texas desert to take on the doomed Desert Oasis resort project in hopes of earning the bonus attached to finishing it on schedule. She soon finds there's only one thing hotter than the desert sun: Jake, the infuriating Texan whose dislike of the fast-paced city puts them at odds at everything from her high-heels to her to-do lists. When the Oasis reveals its dark secret, Maddy finds she must choose between money and those she cares about."

3) Grant Wins the War: Decision at Vicksburg by James R. Arnold

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Grant Wins the War

US Version, free when listed: Grant Wins the War

From the product description on Amazon:

"Vicksburg is the key. . . . Let us get Vicksburg, and all that country is ours.--President Abraham Lincoln, 1862

In a brilliantly constructed and powerfully rendered new account, James R. Arnold offers a penetrating analysis of Grant's strategies and actions leading to the Union victory at Vicksburg. Approaching these epic events from a unique and well-rounded perspective, and based on careful research, Grant Wins the War is fascinating reading for all Civil War and military history buffs."

4) Hollowland (The Hollows, #1) by Amanda Hocking

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Hollowland

US Version, free when listed: Hollowland

From the product description on Amazon:

"Hollowland - the first book in the young adult dystopian series The Hollows..

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies."

5) Jenny Pox (The Paranormals, Book 1) by JL Bryan

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Jenny Pox

US Version, free when listed: Jenny Pox

From the product description on Amazon:

"Jenny's touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague. She can't control her power, so she devotes her life to avoiding contact with other people in her small Southern town. Her senior year of high school, she meets the one boy she can touch...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the "Jenny pox" inside her to survive his devious, manipulative girlfriend, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all."

6) The Halloween Collection from the Indie Eclective, multiple authors

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Halloween Collection

US Version, free when listed: Halloween Collection

From the product description on Amazon:

"The Indie Eclective: What is it, who are they, and why can they spell neither “eclectic” nor “collective” correctly? The Indie Eclective is an ensemble of authors operating under the assumption that Readers like Good Books. The Halloween Collection showcases spooky reads from nine very different authors. Whether you enjoy light or dark paranormal, YA or adult-themed genres, there’s bound to be a story to suit your tastes. Thanks for reading!"

7) On Sparrow Hill by Maureen Lang

UK Amazon Kindle Version: On Sparrow Hill

US Version, free when listed: On Sparrow Hill

From the product description on Amazon:

"Two time periods—Victorian Ireland and contemporary England—are again woven together in this sequel to The Oak Leaves. Rebecca Seabrooke is a commercial manager for Quentin Hollinworth's family manor and is focused on two things: running the best historical home in the country and forgetting about the childhood crush she's had on Quentin ever since her father worked as the valet for his family. They don't, after all, run in the same social circles. When Quentin's distant cousin Dana Martin Walker comes to visit the Hollinworth estate, Rebecca realizes she must confront some of her preconceived ideas about herself . . . and about Quentin. Dana wants to learn more about her ancestors—especially about Berrie Hamilton, who in 1852 decided to fulfill her sister-in-law's dream of opening a school for the mentally challenged. Dana also discovers that, despite their precautions, she and her husband are expecting, and their unborn child may turn out to be like many of Berrie's students. It will take reading Berrie's letters—written a century ago—for Dana and Rebecca to learn the importance of serving others and to realize that ultimately, even our best-laid plans are not always God's plans."

8) Medical Error by Richard Mabry

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Medical Error

US Version, free when listed: Medical Error

From the product description on Amazon:

"Dr. Anna McIntyre’s life was going along just fine until someone else started living it. Her patient died because of an identity mix-up; her medical career is in jeopardy because of forged prescriptions; and her credit is in ruins."

9) Griselda Takes Flight by Joyce Magnin

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Griselda Takes Flight

US Version, free when listed: Griselda Takes Flight

From the product description on Amazon:

"Now that her morbidly obese sister, Agnes Sparrow, is comfortably dieting at the Greenbrier Nursing Home, Griselda learns to fly—literally—after a pilot makes an emergency landing and creates quite a ruckus in the otherwise sleepy town of Bright’s Pond."

10) A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Amish Christmas

US Version, free when listed: Amish Christmas

From the product description on Amazon:

"Annie Weaver always planned to return home, but the 20-year old RN has lived in Philadelphia for three years now. As her time of rumschpringe is about to come to an abrupt end, bringing for Annie an overwhelming sense of loneliness."

11) One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Imperfect Christmas

US Version, free when listed: Imperfect Christmas

From the product description on Amazon:

"Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened."

12) Now You're Thinking!: Change Your Thinking...Revolutionize Your Career...Transform Your Life, Multiple Authors

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Now You're Thinking

US Version, free when listed: Now You're Thinking

From the product description on Amazon:

"If you can change the way you think, you can change the world. That’s the theme of Now You’re Thinking! as it tells the story of how a 2-year old Iraqi girl’s life was saved through determination, courage, and critical thinking. The book begins with the heroic story of how a Marine battalion beat the odds to save this little girl, and ends with a model of critical thinking that will help you STOP and THINK to recognize your emotions, evaluate arguments, and draw conclusions to make better life decisions. This book also provides the opportunity for you to take the My Thinking Styles assessment for free to learn your natural thinking preferences, strengths, and biases. This short read will give you a real-life example of great thinking plus tons of resources to guide your further interest in effective thinking."

13) The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing by Natalie Canavor and Claire Meirowitz

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Business Writing

US Version, free when listed: Business Writing

From the product description on Amazon:

"Business writing that packs a punch: Make the most of your message to get what you want!

The truth about supercharging your business writing

The truth about writing directly, clearly, and convincingly

The truth about writing in today’s varied business formats

This book reveals 52 proven, bite-size, easy-to-use business writing techniques that work."

14) Your Brain and Business: The Neuroscience of Great Leaders by Srinivasan S. Pillay

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Your Brain and Business

US Version, free when listed: Your Brain and Business

From the product description on Amazon:

"In Your Brain and Business, Harvard psychiatrist Srinivasan S. Pillay reveals how the latest research in neuroscience can help you lead, communicate, and collaborate more effectively… drive change more successfully… move more rapidly from idea to execution… coach colleagues or clients to unprecedented success! Your brain is your #1 asset: Optimize it to win!"

15) Hire Me, Hollywood!: Your Behind-the-Scenes Guide to the Most Exciting - and Unexpected - Jobs in Show Business by Mark Scherzer

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Hire Me, Hollywood!

US Version, free when listed: Hire Me, Hollywood!

From the product description on Amazon:

"The secret to Stan Lee's writing process. The story behind Elmo's giggle. What's for lunch on the set of The Walking Dead. Squirrel training with Johnny Depp. Think you know what it takes to get your favorite TV show on the air every week? (You'd be surprised.) Or what all those people whose names in the credits of the latest blockbuster actually do? (Including the Supervising Digital Colorist?) What better way to find out than from the who's who of Hire Me, Hollywood! Entertainment insiders Mark Scherzer and Keith Fenimore are here to give you a crash course in all things Hollywood through thirty sometimes funny, occasionally racy, and always revealing interviews with such industry experts as:- Ryan Randall, Hair Stylist/Makeup Artist (American Idol)- Sam Trammell, Actor (Sam Merlotte on HBO's True Blood)- Paula Davis, Senior Talent Executive (Conan O'Brien)- Mark Steines, Cohost (Entertainment Tonight)- Sara Holden, Stunt Woman (House, All My Children, How I Met Your Mother, Iron Man 2)- Cecilia Cardwell, On-Set Tutor (Titanic, Little Miss Sunshine, No Ordinary Family)- Michael Gelman, Executive Producer (Live! with Regis and Kelly) Whether you've always dreamed of yelling "Action" on a major movie set or you'd be thrilled just to get George Clooney his morning coffee, this book will give you inside scoop from craft service to the director's chair--and every take in between.

16) Jigsaw, Novella by Douglas Smith

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Jigsaw

US Version, free when listed: Jigsaw

From the product description on Amazon:

"Humans are just beginning to explore the outer reaches of our solar system when the wormships are discovered outside the orbit of Pluto.

Abandoned? Lost?

Or left to be found? Found with charted wormholes in Sol System. Found with incredibly ancient yet perfectly functioning Wormer technology.

Five years later, humanity is exploring the stars.

But now something has gone wrong with the perfect Wormer technology. The orbit of the wormship, The Johannes Kepler, is decaying, and Cassie Morant, ship geologist, has less than twenty-four hours to solve a planet-sized, eons-old puzzle--or the entire crew will die. Cassie's good at puzzles, but this one has a piece missing. A big piece.

Now Cassie has one last chance to save the ship and the man she loves. But time's running out..."

17) The Shadowing: Hunted: Shadowing Series, Book 1 by Adam Slater

UK Amazon Kindle Version: The Shadowing

US Version, free when listed: The Shadowing

From the product description on Amazon:

"Its head was a mass of wet, gleaming veins and cartilage, muscle and teeth - a face without skin or form. The creature held Callum's gaze with its unblinking eyes. And then the hideous face changed. Every hundred years the gateway opens between their world and ours. The hunt is on. No one is safe. The Shadowing is coming . . ."

18) Know What You Don't Know: How Great Leaders Prevent Problems Before They Happen by Michael A. Roberto

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Know What You Don't Know

US Version, free when listed: Know What You Don't Know

From the product description on Amazon:

"In Know What You Don’t Know, best-selling author Michael Roberto shows leaders how to go beyond mere “problem solving” to uncover and address emerging problems while they’re still manageable–before they mushroom into disaster! Roberto first identifies the diverse, sometimes surprising reasons why problems typically fester in the shadows, ignored and unaddressed. Next, he systematically introduces seven powerful solutions. You’ll discover how to become a business “anthropologist,” observing how your employees, customers, and suppliers actually behave, not just how they’re “supposed” to behave. Roberto shows how and when to circumvent your gatekeepers to see crucial raw data...how to “connect the dots” among issues that seem unrelated, but are really signs of a deeper pattern...how to promote candor among front-line employees...encourage “useful” mistakes, and more. Along the way, Roberto offers powerful insights for overcoming the “isolation trap” so many senior executives face: the trap that can keep you assuming everything is fine, while your company’s problems are spiraling out of control!"

Amazon Kindle Bestselling eBooks:

UK Amazon Kindle - Click here for the 100 Bestselling free eBooks

US Amazon Kindle - Click here for the 100 Bestselling free eBooks

7 Reasons why USA Kindles are Better

2011-11-07T13:39:00.000Z

I admit to feeling just a little bit irked at realising how much extra value U.S. owners get with their Kindles compared with other countries. This annoyance is with all the extras provided by Amazon, by the way, and not with Kindle owners. If I was a U.S. blogger than perhaps this imbalance wouldn't have even occured to me.

I have picked out 7 (there may be more) reasons why you're getting a better deal with a U.S. Kindle if you live in the U.S. and can shop at the Amazon U.S. store. Come take a look at the differences and see which ones matter to you.

1) Bigger and better choice of Kindles. The USA now have 7 different Kindle devices. 6 traditional e-ink screen Kindles (Kindle, Kindle Touch Wifi, Kindle Touch 3G, Kindle Keyboard Wifi, Kindle Keyboard 3G and the larger Kindle DX) plus the new, full colour Kindle Fire tablet. That number doesn't take into account that some of those Kindles can be purchased in white casing as well as the standard graphite. Here in the UK we have a choice of just 3 devices, Kindle, Kindle Keyboard Wifi & Kindle Keyboard 3G - and no colour choice on casing.

### Update to post 27 March 2012 - you can now Order the Kindle Touch from Amazon UK!

There is the bonus that with fewer devices there should be less confusion over which to get! But I'm still truly disappointed that only the USA have the latest Kindle Touch and Kindle Fire devices. I understand that the framework for the Kindle Fire isn't yet in place for other countries to make use of it (ie no digital movies, TV shows or Cloud Storage Drive) but there is no reason (except perhaps a manufacturing one) for why other countries could not get the new Kindle Touch devices.

Here's a comparison of the Kindle devices >> Kindle Comparison Charts

2) Kindle Games and Active Content. USA members have now had Kindle Active Content for well over a year. I believe Kindle Active Content became available back in August, 2010. That means access to games which run on the traditional e-ink Kindle devices, Fighting Fantasy and other gamebooks (I'm so jealous!) and also some useful applications like fully functional notepads, calendars and more.

I was hoping that other countries would also gain access to the Active Content within a year of it becoming available but there is still no mention of when we'll get it. I'm mostly peeved on the Kindle Notepad front because I do make lots of notes using my Kindle Keyboard. I don't always want to make notes in a specific book. I'd rather have a separate app. Also there's the debate of whether I add to my 'primitive' paper collection of Fighting Fantasy books or wait it out and hope that we do get Active Content here soon.

3) Movies and TV Shows for Kindle Fire. If you own a Kindle plus have Amazon's Prime membership scheme, then you have access to thousands of free movies and TV shows which you can stream and watch on your Kindle Fire tablet. I don't watch much in the way of TV but I do love movies so that sounds fab.

Prime membership in the U.S. is currently $79 per year and includes free 2-day shipping and other benefits including the Kindle Lending Library below. In the UK, Prime membership is simple unlimited free 1-day delivery and reduced rate express and evening delivery depending on your location. I am hoping that Amazon don't forget loyal Prime members in other countries and that we also get some other added benefits in the near future.

Learn more on a Prime subscription here >> Amazon Prime

4) Kindle Owners' Lending Library. There's another new benefit of being part of the U.S. Prime membership plus having a Kindle - now you get to pick up to 1 free book from thousands every month and there is no due date on when you need to return the book. This is in addition, I might add, to the digital libraries across the USA which now loan Kindle books.

I have read varied comments on this new scheme. I appreciate that the lending library isn't open to all books and that you just get 1 book a month. For my husband (who is a very slow reader) that would be a fantastic deal. He'd just be able to get pretty much his whole year's worth of reading included free in his Prime membership! So, for some people, this is a great deal.

Discover more on the Lending Library >> Kindle Lending Library

5) Kindle Cloud Reader. This allows you to read your books on an Internet Web Browser and is available worldwide (see comments) ~~on the U.S. Amazon~~ - it currently only supports Google Chrome 11+, Safari 5+ and Safari for iPad.

I don't think Amazon have done a great job of letting Kindle users know that this is for everybody because they link to it on the sidebar of Amazon.com but certainly not on the co.uk site at the time of writing, nor on the page which mentions all the free Kindle reading apps but, again, they do on the .com site. So how is the average UK Kindle user supposed to know about it!

Login Screen for the Kindle Cloud Reader >> Cloud Reader

It's a really useful concept to be able to read any of your Kindle library on a web browser. Most of the time I wouldn't need or want to do this. And certainly for long lengths of time I prefer reading on my e-ink Kindle which is easy on my eyes. But there are times where being able to access your Kindle books online could be useful: at work perhaps in your lunch break, on someone else's computer, on a library or internet cafe computer for example. It's just one more way to access your books and I'm all for that. If you use Kindle for PC, it pretty much works in the same way as that application.

6) Kindle Library Books. Public lending libraries and also schools in the U.S. are now able to loan out Kindle books to their users with libraries that use the Overdrive system. I love the idea of borrowing Kindle books to read and, even better than with a physical library, there are no late fees because the books just expire automatically at the end of the borrowing period. Pretty nifty but Kindle books are for U.S. libraries only.

7) Special Offer Kindles. U.S. customers get a choice with the traditional e-ink Kindles to buy one that includes special offers and sponsored screensavers at a reduced price. The special offers are displayed on the Kindle's screensaver instead of the normal (and sometimes ugly) Kindle screensavers that cannot be altered anyway without hacking your Kindle. The adverts also show up on the bottom of the home screen - so NOT whilst you are reading.

Some people don't like the idea of having any ads on their Kindle but others are happy to pay a lower price to have this slight intrusion. Some of the ad offerings are actually good and could be useful to you if you do a lot of shopping via Amazon anyway.

See Kindles that have Special Offers >> Kindles with Special Offers

I've thought of 7 extra reasons why USA Kindles are better. There may well be some other points that I've overlooked but these are the ones which stand out for me. There are so many benefits to being a U.S. Kindle owner that it seems made if you love reading not to at least try one out. My husband resisted the lure of the Kindle for years despite me raving about it all the time - now he's got one, he loves it. Same with my brother. At least give it a go before you decide it isn't for you.

Here in the UK (it's hard for me to comment on other Countries) we don't get such a terrific deal or such added value with using a Kindle. However, the device is so good that I wouldn't want to stop using it. But I strongly hope that Amazon do extend some of the added benefits that US customers get with a Kindle to other countries.

Here's a quick link so you can view All U.S. Kindles / All U.K Kindles

Amazon Kindle - Free Ebooks 24 October 2011

2011-10-24T20:14:00.001+01:00

Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Well the weather is definitely turning now and we are still waiting to get some heating back in our little house. We're managing with a single plug in oil-filled radiator now which at least heats 1 room! So hopefully now the plastering work is done, we can get our radiators installed later this week - here's hoping.

I did actually buy a long pair of fingerless gloves so I could type on the computer because my hands were getting so cold. I must look very strange when the postman comes to the door :)

Here's some book links ...

Please note: at the time of writing, the following books are free in the UK Amazon Kindle Store. This doesn't necessarily mean that they are also free in the US Amazon Kindle Store although often they are. Grab the free books while you can!

US READERS: Here's a link to check which Kindle books are currently free for you. It's not fool-proof as sometimes you get the odd book showing up which isn't free so always check the book says $0.00 before you grab it: >> US Listed Freebies

UK READERS: as above, a link so you can check the current freebies yourself: >> UK Listed Freebies

1) Hollowland (The Hollows, #1) by Amanda Hocking

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Hollowland

US Version, might not be free: Hollowland

From the product description on Amazon:

"Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

This is a young adult title with some language, violence, and mild sexual situations recommended for ages sixteen and up."

2) Summon Your Dragons by Roger Parkinson

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Summon Your Dragons

US Version, might not be free: Summon Your Dragons

From the product description on Amazon:

"Is Azkun an ancient hero returned to save them all or just a madman with absurd ideas about dragons? The King of Anthor has no time for ancient heroes and even less time for dragons. Old crimes are coming back to haunt him and old enemies are stirring on his borders. His last hopes may lie with Azkun, whoever he is.

This is a gritty fantasy with no elves anywhere."

3) The End of the World by Andrew Biss

UK Amazon Kindle Version: End of the World

US Version, might not be free: End of the World

From the product description on Amazon:

"Are you prepared for what comes next?

Accustomed to a life of cosseted seclusion at home with his parents, Valentine is suddenly faced with making his own way in the world. His new life is quickly upended, however, when he's mugged at gunpoint. Finding shelter at a mysterious inn run by the dour Mrs. Anna, he soon encounters a Bosnian woman with a hole where her stomach used to be, an American entrepreneur with a scheme to implant televisions into people's foreheads, and a Catholic priest who attempts to lure him down inside a kitchen sink. Then things start getting strange ..."

4) Sweet Ophelia (A Romantic Comedy) by Kenneth Rosenberg

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Sweet Ophelia

US Version, might not be free: Sweet Ophelia

From the product description on Amazon:

"Warren August is down and out in Hollywood, flat broke and living on the streets. When he stumbles onto a movie set in search of food, he sets in motion a chain of events that could finally turn his life around. He might even have a chance to win back his beloved Ophelia. Sweet, sweet Ophelia, who broke his heart three years before. But can he hold it together long enough to redeem himself? And will she ever take him back?

This novel is a clean romantic comedy about discovering what true love really means."

5) Moments in Time (Chronicles of Eternity) by J. A. Gordon

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Moments in Time

US Version, might not be free: Moments in Time

From the product description on Amazon:

"A hypnosis session in a candlelit room opens the door to the long lost world of Nero’s Empire in the first century A.D. where the young Auxiliary Centurion, Graecus, and his men struggle to uphold the honourable principles of their General and to survive the vicious politics of a corrupt age. Through the opening of this portal into ancient times the day to day life of the soldiers - the dangers they faced, the food they ate, their deep comradeship, laughter and victories - is revealed and how, amid the perils of a turbulent world, a love was found which would echo across the coming centuries."

6) Tall, Dark, and Lonesome: (Loveswept) by Debra Dixon

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Tall, Dark, and Lonesome

US Version, might not be free: Tall, Dark, and Lonesome

From the product description on Amazon:

"Newspaper columnist Niki Devlin isn't thrilled about following a bunch of city slickers on their holiday cattle drive, and even less so when she discovers that this job will take her back to the homeland she's tried so hard to forget: Wyoming, USA. All that stands between finishing her assignment and getting back to New York is a pair of sexy grey eyes flashing from under the brim of a cowboy hat. The lean, rugged form of trail boss Zach Weston makes Niki want everything she doesn't want: Wyoming, a good man, and love.

Zach likes being just a cowboy to Niki. His name, his political ambitions, and his ranching empire are all but forgotten as he rides alongside this beautiful, gutsy woman who makes him realize what he's been missing. Once, tragedy and bitterness drove her away from this place he will always call home. Is the passion they awaken under starry skies enough to convince her that wherever this journey leads them, they belong together?"

7) The Golden Acorn: The Adventures of Jack Brenin by Catherine Cooper

UK Amazon Kindle Version: The Golden Acorn

US Version, might not be free: The Golden Acorn

From the product description on Amazon:

"When Jack Brenin finds a golden acorn lying in the grass, little does he know that it is the beginning of a thrilling and magical adventure. Just an ordinary boy, Jack has been chosen for a hugely important task, and enters a world he believed only existed in legend. Full of twists and turns, talking ravens and mischievous Spriggans, 'The Golden Acorn' is a hugely entertaining and exciting tale from a very talented new author. Your kids will love it, and so will you! This brilliant story deservedly won the Brit Writers' Awards 2010 for unpublished writers. Jack’s adventures continue in 'Glasruhen Gate' and 'Silver Hill'."

8) Kisses for Lula: Lula Series, Book 1 by Samantha Mackintosh

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Kisses for Lula

US Version, might not be free: Kisses for Lula

From the product description on Amazon:

"Lula Bird is gorgeous, funny and dreading her birthday because you can't turn 16 if you've never been kissed . . . so why does every boy in Hambledon run a mile the second she bats her eyelids? The fact is, they fear for their lives. Rumour has it Lula's been jinxed! And it's not as if that's her only problem: Lula thinks she has a stalker, her dad keeps sneaking out at night with a lady's handbag, and a mysterious theft is threatening to bring the town to its knees. . . . With only 5 days to go till her birthday, can Lula get the guy, solve the crime and jilt the jinx for good?"

9) Fire and Ice (Liam Campbell #1) by Dana Stabenow

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Fire and Ice

US Version, might not be free: Fire and Ice

From the product description on Amazon:

"Alaska State Trooper Liam Campbell, demoted and reassigned to the remote bush town of Newenham, literally steps off the plane into a murder scene. Dealing with death is never simple, but when the woman leaning over the body proves to be Liam's old flame, it’s evident that his new job is about to become much more complicated.

From Newenham’s cast of eccentric—and sometimes hair-trigger—residents, to the intricate ballet of fishing boats rushing against time to catch their limit, Stabenow captures the contagious spirit of melancholy madness that pervades America’s last frontier. Of course, small town tensions tend to simmer just beneath the surface, and murder, once done, has a tendency to happen again ..."

10) Until Again: Prequel Novella to BLUE by Lou Aronica

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Until Again

US Version, might not be free: Until Again

From the product description on Amazon:

"UNTIL AGAIN tells of a decidedly real-world event: the final weekend in the breakup of a marriage. For Chris Astor, the divorce is not something he wants, primarily because of the distance it will put between his ten-year-old daughter Becky and himself. Juxtaposed against this is a critical event in Tamarisk, the bedtime-story fantasy world that Chris and Becky created when Becky was much younger. Miea, the university-age princess of Tamarisk fears that her world has become a terribly dangerous place...but she could not possibly have imagined where that danger will lead her and the people she loves. These parallel stories converge, in a most unusual way, in a tale of change and new tomorrows. A powerful revelation for those who have read BLUE, and an emotionally charged introduction to these deeply relatable characters for those who haven’t, UNTIL AGAIN is a warm, engaging, and bittersweet work that promises to speak to your heart."

11) Jenny Pox (The Paranormals, Book 1) by JL Bryan

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Jenny Pox

US Version, might not be free: Jenny Pox

From the product description on Amazon:

"Jenny's touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague. She can't control her power, so she devotes her life to avoiding contact with other people in her small Southern town. Her senior year of high school, she meets the one boy she can touch...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the "Jenny pox" inside her to survive his devious, manipulative girlfriend, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all."

12) The Honour of the Knights (The Battle for the Solar System) by Stephen Sweeney

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Honour of the Knights

US Version, might not be free: Honour of the Knights

From the product description on Amazon:

"When starfighter pilot Simon Dodds is enrolled in a top secret military project, he and his wingmates begin to suspect that there is a lot more to the theft of a legendary battleship and an Imperial nation's civil war than either the Confederation Stellar Navy or the government are willing to let on.

Within weeks of being reassigned to the Confederate border system of Temper, the five would begin to untangle a web of lies and a cover-up that seemed to span the length of the entire galaxy. And it would not be long before they themselves would come face to face with that which destroyed an empire: an unforgiving, unstoppable, and totally unrelenting foe.

There seemed to exist only one glimmer of hope of driving back the darkness: The ATAF Project - a secretly developed set of starfighters that may well just harbour some terrible secrets of their own."

13) Kiera's Moon by Lizzy Ford

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Kiera's Moon

US Version, might not be free: Kiera's Moon

From the product description on Amazon:

"When starving artist Kiera wakes up on board a spaceship, she panics. Her best friend has dragged her across the universe to help her find a man and a life, only the man she ends up unwittingly hooking up with is a battle-hardened warrior prince living in exile.

Calculating, cautious A'Ran wants nothing more than to reclaim his planet. He needs Kiera as his lifemate to heal his planet and his war weary people. He's not prepared to be a lifemate himself, and discovers almost too late what he risks losing if he can't learn to be more than a warrior."

14) Zombie Sun: The Zombie in the Oval Office [Short Story] by Steven Mohan Jr.

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Zombie Sun

US Version, might not be free: Zombie Sun

From the product description on Amazon:

"Any spec ops mission is bound to be a dangerous and nasty affair—but this one is RIDICULOUS. Not only does the President of the United States send Commander Achilles Black’s ghost team to a dying world, but he forces Black to take along a senior political advisor. But that’s only the beginning of Black’s problems.

Because something is killing off his troops.

And the revelation that he’s up against ZOMBIES won’t be the worst surprise that Black encounters.

This short story also includes a FREE excerpt of the first four chapters of the exciting short novel, ZOMBIE SUN: THE DARKNESS BETWEEN WORLDS."

15) A Cold Day for Murder (Kate Shugak #1) by Dana Stabenow

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Cold Day for Murder

US Version, might not be free: Cold Day for Murder

From the product description on Amazon:

"Somewhere in the hinterlands of Alaska, among the millions of sprawling acres that comprise “The Park,” a young National Park Ranger has gone missing. When the detective sent after him also vanishes, the Anchorage DA’s department must turn to their reluctant former investigator, Kate Shugak. Shugak knows The Park because she’s of The Park, an Aleut who left her home village of Niniltna to pursue education, a career, and the righting of wrongs. Kate’s search for the missing men will take her from self-imposed exile back to a life she’d left behind, and face-to-face with people and problems she'd hoped never to confront again."

16) Guardian of the Dawn (Short Story) by William King

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Guardian of the Dawn

US Version, might not be free: Guardian of the Dawn

From the product description on Amazon:

"To the world at large, he is a mercenary and assassin, a brutal killer with a deadly blade. In reality Kormak is a Guardian, one of a dying order sworn to protect humanity from the servants of the gathering darkness.

In this chilling tale, Kormak seeks refuge for the night in an isolated peasant home only to find himself thrown into a terrifying confrontation with an ancient evil.

A thrilling sword and sorcery short story in the proud tradition of Robert E Howard from the bestselling creator of Gotrek and Felix."

17) The Crew by Dougie Brimson

UK Amazon Kindle Version: The Crew

US Version, might not be free: The Crew

From the product description on Amazon:

"APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEPTIVE - as Paul Jarvis of the National Football Intelligence Unit is only too well aware. He knows that Billy Evans is no ordinary East End lad made good. He's also a thug, a villain and a cop killer. Jarvis just hasn't been able to prove it... Yet.

So when Jarvis discovers that Evans is putting together a hooligan 'Super Crew' to follow England to Italy, he feels sure he can finally put Evans behind bars - if only someone can infiltrate the Crew and get him the proof he needs.

But nothing is ever that simple. The Crew believe Evans is just out for a full-on riot. Jarvis thinks he's trafficking drugs. But Billy Evans is always one step ahead. He has another plan. And it will be catastrophic for everyone concerned.

EXCEPT HIM."

18) While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin

UK Amazon Kindle Version: While We're Far Apart

US Version, might not be free: While We're Far Apart

From the product description on Amazon:

"In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother. Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war. And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary. But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse. Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love...even when He is silent."

Amazon Kindle Bestselling eBooks:

UK Amazon Kindle - Click here for the 100 Bestselling free eBooks

US Amazon Kindle - Click here for the 100 Bestselling free eBooks

Amazon Kindle - Free Ebooks 12 October 2011

2011-10-12T13:20:00.001+01:00

Image: federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We were away in Norwich over the weekend and our daughter was keen on going to the beach - we were about as cold as the man looks in the photo above. Except for the little one who decided to roll up her trousers and paddle in the sea. Fun but freezing. Best bit were the hot chips dunked in vinegar afterwards because we were all so hungry from the walk.

Been doing a lot of research for articles on popular Tolkien books recently and this is where the Kindle and all the Kindle reading apps are a godsend. Because you can easily highlight passages in your Amazon books and they they are available on any other 'Kindle' device you have - whether that's Kindle on the PC, iPhone, Android phone, Mac or just a plain old Kindle device. Super useful for searching too; I was doing an article on Bilbo's Sword and found out everything I wanted to know about it by doing a search through the books for the relevant keywords - that would have taken an age with paper versions.

Here's the freebies coming right up.

Please note: at the time of writing, the following books are free in the UK Amazon Kindle Store. This doesn't necessarily mean that they are also free in the US Amazon Kindle Store although often they are. Grab the free books while you can!

US READERS: Here's a link to check which Kindle books are currently free for you. It's not fool-proof as sometimes you get the odd book showing up which isn't free so always check the book says $0.00 before you grab it: >> US Listed Freebies

UK READERS: as above, a link so you can check the current freebies yourself: >> UK Listed Freebies

1) Something by Ted Stetson

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Something

US Version, might not be free: Something

Product description:

"A short story. Quick but charming read. Joanne's car breaks down and this event leads to her getting a second chance at love. Great romance to read at the start of your day to put a smile on your face."

2) Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Rain Song

US Version, might not be free: Rain Song

From the product description on Amazon:

"Nicole Michelin avoids airplanes, motorcycles, and most of all, Japan, where her parents once were missionaries. Something happened in Japan. Something that sent Nicole and her father back to America alone. Something of which Nicole knows only bits and pieces. But she is content with life in little Mount Olive, North Carolina, with her quirky relatives, tank of lively fish, and plenty of homemade pineapple chutney.

Through her online column for the Pretty Fishy website, Nicole meets Harrison Michaels, who, much to her dismay, lives in Japan. She attempts to avoid him, but his e-mails tug at her heart.

Then Harrison reveals that he knew her as a child in Japan. In fact, he knows more about her childhood than she does! Will Nicole face her fears in order to discover her past and take a chance on love?"

3) The Fashion Police by Sibel Hodge

UK Amazon Kindle Version: The Fashion Police

US Version, might not be free: The Fashion Police

From the product description on Amazon:

"Amber Fox has been making too many mistakes lately and something's got to give...

For starters, Amber accidentally shoots Chief Inspector Janice Skipper and gets thrown off the police force. The only one who knows the truth about the incident is Amber, but no one will believe her.

After accepting a job as an insurance investigator from her ex-fiancé, Brad Beckett, it turns out that Brad thinks they've still got unfinished business and the job description includes sexual favours that come with a price.

When fashion designer, Umberto Fandango, goes missing, Amber becomes embroiled in a complicated case. But Amber's arch-enemy, Chief Inspector Skipper, is also investigating his disappearance, and it's a race against time for Amber to solve the mystery before Skipper does and get her old job back. And just when Amber thinks things can't get any worse, she's being stalked by some crazy mobsters.

Who is Umberto Fandango? Is he dead? And can Amber stay one step ahead and stay alive?"

4) The Thorn (The Chronicles of Gan) by Daron Fraley

UK Amazon Kindle Version: The Thorn

US Version, might not be free: The Thorn

From the product description on Amazon:

"Three tribes are at war on the planet Gan, unaware that the sign of Christ’s birth on an unknown world - Earth - is about to appear in the heavens. During a bloody skirmish with Gideonite troops, Jonathan of Daniel spares Pekah, a young enemy soldier, gaining his trust forever. These two distant brothers from estranged tribes covenant with each other to end the war being waged by a self-proclaimed emperor, and soon discover the intentions of a far more dangerous foe named Rezon – a sinister general bent on ruling those he can bring into subjection and destroying all others. In the end, Pekah’s selfless bravery is the means by which all the tribes are united. But there are dissenters, and Rezon escapes a well-deserved fate. When the promised heavenly signs appear, will there be peace at last, or will the malefactors once again threaten the safety of them all?"

5) The Book of Deacon by Joseph Lallo

UK Amazon Kindle Version: The Book of Deacon

US Version, might not be free: The Book of Deacon

From the product description on Amazon:

"Myranda is a young woman more interested in staying alive than being a hero. Orphaned by a continent-spanning war that has gone on for decades too long and shunned for failing to support it, she has been on the move since she was only a child. One can hardly blame her when she thinks that the chance discovery of a fallen soldier's priceless cargo is the moment that will change her life. No one could predict just how great that change would be. It will lead her through an adventure of rebels and generals, of wizards and warriors, and of beasts both noble and monstrous. Each step of the way will take her closer to the truth of her potential, of the war, and of the fate of her world."

6) Out From Edom: Book I of the Irredente Chronicles by J. Patrick Sutton

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Out From Edom

US Version, might not be free: Out From Edom

From the product description on Amazon:

"Newly Revised Edition. In a far-future galaxy ruled by an anti-technology, theocratic regime, a young boy rescued from a backwater, working-class 'outlier' world embodies a genetic errancy that might save mankind from its luddism and hypocrisy -- if the regime doesn't first seize him and consign him to the dreaded planet Lindenau, the repository of genetic misfits known as 'nonconforms.'

The Irredente regime has for too long dithered in the face of alien incursions into its hegemony space. Strange infestations of bug-like creatures known as 'armadillia' presage massive alien attacks upon planets and ships, obliterating the technology-hobbled Irredente forces who would defend them. Unknown to the Irredente, Henryk, a genetically-errant orphan, has the ability to communicate with the armadillia, the last vestige of an alien race from far beyond Irredente space. If he can escape the governing-class 'conforming' humans who would consign him to oblivion, Henryk holds the key to transforming and saving humanity by discovering the nature and identity of the aliens stalking it."

7) The Days and Months We Were First Born - The Unraveling by Christopher Hunter

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Days and Months

US Version, might not be free: Days and Months

From the product description on Amazon:

"In the summer of 2068, New Yorker Martin Jacob had a sweet life ahead of him. He had recently graduated from NYU. He spent most of his time with his artist girlfriend, who had a wonderful apartment in Harlem. And in September, he was to begin his career as a History teacher for a private school in Connecticut. An easy life was laid out before him. Then a man-made virus came along, and it turned his world upside down.

Martin wakes to find a disheveled President addressing the nation. His girlfriend is driven mad with grief, right before his very eyes. His parents call to inform him that they are going to die. And he steps outside to find Martial Law on the streets."

8) Thanksgiving Cookbook by Gooseberry Patch

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Thanksgiving Cookbook

US Version, might not be free: Thanksgiving Cookbook

From the product description on Amazon:

"Get a taste of Gooseberry Patch in this collection of over 20 favorite Thanksgiving recipes! Thanksgiving celebrates the feast of all feasts with roast turkey & gravy, vanilla-glazed sweet potatoes, harvest apple cheese cake and more."

9) The Roman and the Runaway by A. J. Braithwaite

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Roman and the Runaway

US Version, might not be free: Roman and the Runaway

From the product description on Amazon:

"Having a good family friend as your headmaster might sound ideal, but Luke Brownlow soon finds that it just makes life even more complicated.

In with the wrong crowd at school, Luke is falling behind in his work. His parents take drastic action: banning him from seeing his friends and making him change schools. Luke falls out with his family completely and escapes from them by forming a friendship with their neighbour, Ned Kelly.

Luke's plans to get expelled from his new school have to be reassessed when he discovers that his new headmaster is the neighbour he has been getting to know over the summer. The actions of an antagonistic fellow student and the arrival of a runaway teenage girl make it harder to avoid confrontations with Ned than Luke had hoped. By the end of the school year he is in imminent danger of expulsion and is sure that he has lost the respect of the man he most admires."

10) Penumbra by Carolyn Haines

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Penumbra

US Version, might not be free: Penumbra

From the product description on Amazon:

"Far from Haines's fluffy Southern cozies in tone, if not geography, this thriller from the author of Crossed Bones aims at a noirish literary quality it only partly achieves. On the plus side are powerful scenes of suspense and a moody evocation of time and place. Eschewing anything so obvious as naming an actual date, Haines makes it clear through subtle clues that the action is happening just after the end of WWII. The entrenched racial structure of a small Mississippi town of that era is similarly well done. Chief among the novel's shortcomings is the heavy-handed rendering of the love story between a mixed-race beauty, Jade Dupree, and all-white deputy Frank Kimble. Other interracial relationships are integral to the story, but the tantalizing possibility of a strong unifying theme is lost in banality and cliché. After society queen Marlena Bramlett, Jade's white half-sister, is brutally raped and Marlena's young daughter kidnapped, the plot thickens like cold grits. Haines loses control as her story builds to a discordant conclusion, which could be setting up a sequel but otherwise fails to satisfy."

11) The Life and Death of Bayou Billy by C.L. Bevill

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Bayou Billy

US Version, might not be free: Bayou Billy

From the product description on Amazon:

"William ‘Bayou Billy’ McCall is an infamous outlaw who dies ignominiously with his hand on his pecker. He leaves behind a mixed history of anti-heroism and unethical immorality in the form of legends and tall tales. The two towns in which Bayou Billy simultaneously lived, Sawdust City, Texas, and Albie, Louisiana, immediately begin to bicker over which one will get to bury the notorious criminal and thus achieve the prominence that goes with the burial. Pascal Waterford, the mayor of Sawdust City and a die-hard drunk, is cheered by Bayou Billy’s death. He knows that Billy has previously promised his body to Sawdust City in exchange for free utilities. The gain of a tourism attraction in the form of a famous felon’s gravesite will save Sawdust City from economic ruin and salve Pascal’s scruples. Ophelia Rector, a prominent citizen of Albie and owner of the local mortuary, knows of Billy’s similar promise to the mayor of Albie for cessation of taxes and complimentary utilities. Her loving pet project is the restoration of Albie’s cemetery and the promotion of the same into a grand memorial park. Her need for control over Bayou Billy’s cadaver is obsession personified. Both Pascal and Ophelia will fight to the bitter end and discover how low each can sink in their efforts to obtain the rotting corpse of a dislikeable man whose fame was more prestigious than the man himself."

12) Crime in the Community by Cecilia Peartree

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Crime in the Community

US Version, might not be free: Crime in the Community

From the product description on Amazon:

"Christopher thinks he has his life under control until the mysterious Amaryllis arrives in the little town, spreading chaos and confusion in her wake.

Suddenly he isn't sure about anything any more. Will he learn to relax and go with the flow or will he try desperately to remain in charge even in the face of domestic upsets and strange things happening all around him?"

13) You Can Do This! Surviving Breast Cancer by Elisha Daniels

UK Amazon Kindle Version: You Can Do This

US Version, might not be free: You Can Do This

From the product description on Amazon:

"Breast cancer survivors Kelley Tuthill and Elisha Daniels are redefining what it means to be a cancer patient. More than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year, but that diagnosis does not mean sitting on the sidelines while life passes you by. Both Tuthill and Daniels worked throughout their extensive cancer treatments and continued to enjoy their family, friends, and high-profile careers while fighting the fight of their lives. You Can Do This! shares with you the strategies that worked, what didn't, and what they wish they'd have known at the time of diagnosis."

14) The Penal Colony by Richard Herley

UK Amazon Kindle Version: The Penal Colony

US Version, might not be free: The Penal Colony

From the product description on Amazon:

"The future.

The British government now runs island prison colonies to take dangerous offenders from its overcrowded mainland jails.

Among all these colonies, Sert, 25 miles off the north Cornish coast, has the worst reputation. There are no warders. Satellite technology is used to keep the convicts under watch. New arrivals are dumped by helicopter and must learn to survive as best they can. To Sert, one afternoon in July, is brought Anthony John Routledge, sentenced for a sex-murder he did not commit. Routledge knows he is here for ever. And he knows he must quickly forget the rules of civilized life. But not all the islanders are savages. Under the charismatic leadership of one man a community has evolved. A community with harsh and unyielding rules, peopled by resourceful men for whom the hopeless dream of escape may not be so hopeless after all ..."

15) Terror by Night by Terry Caffey

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Terror by Night

US Version, might not be free: Terror by Night

From the product description on Amazon:

"At 3:00 a.m. on March 1, 2008, Terry Caffey awoke to find his daughter’s boyfriend standing in his bedroom with a gun. An instant later the teen opened fire, killing Terry’s wife, his two sons, and wounding him 12 times, before setting the house ablaze.

Terry fell into deep depression and planned to kill himself, but God intervened. Upon visiting his burned-out property, Terry noticed a scorched scrap of paper from one of his wife’s books leaning against a tree trunk. The page read: “[God,] I couldn’t understand why You would take my family and leave me behind to struggle along without them. And I guess I still don’t totally understand that part of it. But I do believe that You’re sovereign; You’re in control.” That page was like a direct message from God, and it turned Terry’s life around.

Now, one year later, Terry is remarried, the adoptive father of two young sons, and working to rebuild his relationship with his 17-year-old daughter, who is currently serving two life sentences in a Texas state penitentiary for her involvement in the crimes.

Terror by Night tells the compelling story of how Terry Caffey found peace after his wife and sons were brutally murdered and his teenage daughter implicated in the crime. Sharing never-before-told details about the night of the crime and subsequent murder trial, it explains how Terry was able to forgive the men who murdered his family, and how he even interceded with the prosecutors on their behalf. A powerful example of how the power of forgiveness can bring healing after tragedy and great loss, it shows how God can bring good out of even the darkest tragedies."

16) Sold to the Highest Bidder by Donna Alward

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Highest Bidder

US Version, might not be free: Highest Bidder

From the product description on Amazon:

"All she wants is his name on the dotted line. He’s got other ideas ...

For Ella, marrying Devin had seemed like a good idea at the time. Friends since childhood and in love with him for as long as she could remember, marriage had been the next logical step. Then the real world called, and Ella’s feet had itched to get out of Backwards Gulch, Colorado.

Now, with a new opportunity on the East Coast beckoning, it’s time to put her past behind her once and for all. When she sees Devin standing on a charity auction block, she decides it’s the perfect opportunity to finally get his signature on the divorce papers he never signed.

Devin’s certain about one thing when he sees Ella for the first time in twelve years—she’s not the girl he married. The way she left him still stings, and if she wants him to sign on the dotted line he’s going to make her work for it…for the full forty-eight hours she paid for.

When the old attraction flares between them, the years apart disappear and resolve melts faster than high-country snow in summer. But when Ella awakens with the same determination to get back to Denver, divorce papers in hand, she has a problem … Devin still hasn’t signed them."

17) My Man Pendleton by Elizabeth Bevarly

UK Amazon Kindle Version: My Man Pendleton

US Version, might not be free: My Man Pendleton

From the product description on Amazon:

"Marry the boss’s daughter?

Pendleton can’t believe his ears. He took this new job hoping to make money, not marry into it. But if runaway heiress Kit McClellan doesn’t agree to enter into wedded bliss soon, the entire family fortune could be willed to the homeless pets of Louisville. Someone has to find Kit and bring her back as his fiancée–and his boss is telling Pendleton he’s just the man for the job.

Trouble is, Kit doesn’t give two hoots about her fortune–she’s looking for love…the sweep-you-off-your-feet kind of passion she’s never had before. When Pendleton comes striding into her life–sexy, attractive, and oh-so-handsome in his business suit–her heart tells her she’s finally found Mr. Right. But what if her heart is steering her wrong?"

18) The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade

UK Amazon Kindle Version: Hunchback Assignments

US Version, might not be free: Hunchback Assignments

From the product description on Amazon:

"A book for fans of James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, and Charles Dickens...

This fast-paced adventure is set in the heart of Victorian London. When Mr. Socrates, a member of the shadowy Permanent Association, hears of a hunchbacked infant with the ability to transform his appearance, he decides to take him in. Naming him Modo, he raises the boy in isolation, training him to become a secret agent.

When Modo turns fourteen, his education is complete. He must first survive in London on his own, then, with the help of beautiful Octavia, he uncovers a sinister plot being carried out in the very sewers beneath London.

Will they be able to stop the mad scientist Dr. Hyde and his even more terrifying associates before they unleash their monstrous plans upon unsuspecting Londoners?"

Amazon Kindle Bestselling eBooks:

UK Amazon Kindle - Click here for the 100 Bestselling free eBooks

US Amazon Kindle - Click here for the 100 Bestselling free eBooks

Kindle Comparison

2011-10-04T20:23:00.000+01:00

For this Kindle Comparison post, we're comparing the 6 mainstream US Kindle devices (3 in the UK) which are now being offered from Amazon: Kindle, Kindle Touch WiFi, Kindle Touch 3G, Kindle Keyboard WiFi, Kindle Keyboard 3G and the Kindle Fire tablet.

### Update to post 27 March 2012 - you can now Order the Kindle Touch from Amazon UK!

The first Kindle comparison chart I devised (lots more to follow) above, gives you just the basic specs on each device. Apart from the Kindle Fire which is a full colour/color 7" screen multimedia tablet, the rest of the devices compared have a 6 inch greyscale e-ink screen which is perfect for reading.

The Kindle Fire sits alone on having a low battery life at up to 8 hours, but that's very much in line with the fact that it's a multimedia, color tablet aimed at people who don't just want to use it for reading but also want to play movies, videos, music and games etc. I see the Kindle Fire as a gadget for someone who's only a casual reader OR a gadget which you'd have in addition to having an e-ink Kindle.

You can get many of the basic stats in a comparison chart at Amazon - but to make the other comparison charts (storage, audio info, data entry, connectivity and content) which are featured below, I had to do a lot more digging ...

Storage on the Kindle

None of the Kindle devices have memory card storage and some people will argue that 2-8GB of internal storage is not great unless you just have book content and nothing else.

However, all the digital Kindle content which you purchase from Amazon is backed up in Amazon's online cloud storage facility. This means that all your Kindle books can be downloaded and read over an Internet connection - so there is no need to store every single book you buy on the device itself when you can download and read a book at will.

With the multimedia Kindle Fire, any Amazon digital books, movies, music and apps are saved in the Amazon Cloud storage for you and can be downloaded whenever you like over a WiFi Internet connection.

Audio on the Kindle

Please be aware that the very cheapest Kindle (just called Kindle) does not have any audio capability - that means you can't use it to listen to music or audiobooks and it also does not feature the Text to Speech feature available in other Kindle devices.

All Kindles, apart from the 'budget' Kindle mentioned, have the capability to play MP3 files and Audible AA or AAX audiobook files.

Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard and Kindle Fire versions all have a standard jack for headphones and also speakers (top loaded ones on the Kindle Fire) which means that you can listen without the need for any earphones.

Oddly, there are microphones in just the Kindle Keyboard devices but they don't do anything. So that's a mystery as to why they were ever put there.

The Kindle Fire tablet does not have a microphone and neither does it have a camera - so Skype or Video chats are not going to be possible!

Data Entry on the Kindle

If you like to take a lot of notes when reading books or you need to search the dictionary or wikipedia extensively, you may need to think hard about whether a Kindle Keyboard would be better for you or if you're happy typing on a touchscreen.

The basic 'budget' Kindle isn't something I'd recommend for doing a lot of data entry. With this you have to input each character with a 5-way controller button which is going to greatly increase the length of time it would take you to write anything.

I have the Kindle Keyboard US (Kindle Keyboard UK) and I do like using this for making notes. But I'm also used to using a touchscreen keyboard on the iPhone so I know I'd be perfectly fine using a touchscreen to make notes as well.

Connectivity on the Kindle

Lots of people get stumped with whether to buy the 3G version of a Kindle. You can opt for the Kindle Touch 3G or the Kindle Keyboard 3G at an extra cost.

>> Kindle 3G Versions USA

>> Kindle 3G Version UK

If you don't have WiFi at all then clearly it will be a lot more convenient to purchase a 3G Kindle - simply because you will be able to buy and download Kindle books on your device without any need for a computer or your own Internet Connection.

It can still be useful to have a 3G Kindle even if you do have your own Internet Connection. If you travel a lot and visit places which don't have WiFi hotspots, then the 3G is handy just for the convenience of being able to get hold of reading material instantly. Great for the impatient among us!

The 3G on the older Kindle Keyboard is a better deal than the 3G on the new Kindle Touch - and here's why. Many countries can use the free 3G on the Kindle Keyboard to get full access to any website that will work with the rather clunky and slow but useful Kindle web browser - great for checking and making webmail emails whilst away from home! 3G web browsing on the new Kindle Touch is limited to Wikipedia only which is a pretty big restriction.

GO FOR A 3G KINDLE: If you don't mind the extra price of a 3G Kindle AND you really like the added convenience of being able to buy and download Kindle books almost wherever you are. And almost definitely get the 3G version if you have no WiFi connection which you can easily use or have access to.

GET A WIFI-ONLY KINDLE: If you aren't the impatient sort and you can wait until you're at a WiFi connection to download or buy books from your device. Or wait until you're at a computer where you can transfer reading material onto the device with the USB lead.

Content on the Kindle

The Kindle Fire being a multimedia tablet supports the biggest range of content - and is the only device capable of viewing movies, TV shows and full-blown game apps. It's also the only current colour/color Kindle device. If you love the idea of having a multimedia tablet then the Kindle Fire is a great option at a fantastically low price.

At the other end of the spectrum is the basic or 'budget' Kindle which supports all the text and document formats that the other e-ink Kindles do but is not capable of playing music or audiobooks or using the Text-to-Speech option. If you just want a basic e-reading device to (well) read on, then that's going to do the job really well.

There is no difference between the supported content on the Kindle Touch or Kindle Keyboard versions. The main difference is how you access that content - with a touchscreen on the Kindle Touch OR a keyboard and button combo on the Kindle Keyboard.

If you need more help with making a Kindle choice, please refer to Kindle support on Amazon:

>> Kindle Support USA

>> Kindle Support UK

I hope my Kindle Comparison charts have helped to make it clearer which Kindle would be better for you. And if the image charts are not too clear, you may need to click on each one to see a larger version.

Marie

Related Kindle Pages:

Amazon Release 4 New Kindles: Fire Tablet, 2 Touch and Basic Kindle

2011-09-28T19:48:00.000+01:00

Well I don't think anybody predicted that Amazon would release 4 new Kindle products on the same day. I'm still reeling - the press conference was pretty exciting to follow I can tell you.

So, what have we got? Here's a basic run-down. I'll go into more detail in future posts.

1) Kindle - 6" Budget Kindle e-ink:

Kindle Basic Model USA (from $79 priced at 28 Sept 2011)

>> Kindle Basic Model UK (£89 priced at 28 Sept 2011)

Almost anyone can now afford to own a dedicated special 'easy on the eyes' e-ink reading device at these amazingly low prices. Also great for Christmas gifts and when you need to purchase more than 1 Kindle in a family.

What you get is the same size 6 inch e-ink screen as the previous model BUT no physical keyboard. There is an on-screen keyboard but you have to manipulate the buttons to input each character - ideal if you don't want to take many notes on your Kindle books and really just want to read.

This model has wifi-only which is perfectly fine for the majority of people. If you don't have a wifi Internet connection OR if you do a lot of travelling where there won't be wifi hotspots then a 3G version might suit you better.

2) Kindle Touch WiFi Only e-ink:

>> Kindle Touch WiFi Model USA (from $99 priced at 28 Sept 2011)

~~No UK version announced yet.~~

### Update to post 27 March 2012 - you can now Order the Kindle Touch from Amazon UK!

What can I say! This looks so good and I'm gutted that we haven't got these available in the UK - yet anyway!

A sleek 6 inch, high contrast, touchscreen e-ink Kindle. There are no physical buttons at all, you control everything via the special touch screen. You simply tap on the screen to turn pages (this would be easy with the side of your thumb while holding the Kindle one-handed) or to select items or write notes with the on-screen keyboard.

Again, this touch model has wifi-only which is perfectly fine for the majority of people. If you don't have a wifi Internet connection OR if you do a lot of travelling where there won't be wifi hotspots then a 3G version might suit you better.

3) Kindle Touch WiFi PLUS 3G e-ink:

>> Kindle Touch Wifi PLUS 3G Model (from $149 priced at 28 Sept 2011)

No UK version announced yet.

This is exactly the same as the model outlined in number 2 above EXCEPT it is 0.3 ounces heavier and has FREE 3G wireless so you can download books anywhere - no need to find a wifi hotspot. This is a great option if you don't have a wifi internet connection at home OR you travel a lot and there is no wifi available to you.

4) Kindle Fire Colour/Color Tablet:

>> Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Tablet ($199 priced at 28 Sept 2011)

No UK version announced yet.

Quite simply, this looks amazing for the price. If you already have a e-ink Kindle but you're looking for a multimedia gadget OR if you're a more casual reader who doesn't need a dedicated reading device then the Kindle Fire is just the thing.

An ultra-sleek touchscreen 7 inch color tablet which displays 16 million colors for a high definition, amazing experience for watching movies or TV shows, reading digital magazines, playing apps, games music and books from Amazon.

I love this device already and I really hope we do get it in the UK at some point. Anyway, judging by the comments around the web, the Kindle Fire is going to sell like mad. Please pre-order it (there's a link above) if you want to ensure you get one when it comes out in November.

Will You be Watching Amazon's Kindle 'Fire' Tablet?

2011-09-28T10:02:00.000+01:00

So today's the day we discover what Amazon have up their sleeves in terms of a new product. Amazon are holding a press conference today on the 28th Sept. 2011 @ 10am EST / 4pm GMT if you're in the UK like me!

I'm hoping that Amazon are going to announce a basic 7" Colour Tablet which is exactly what I'm after. If you're concerned that Amazon are going to dump the current Kindle with a multimedia colour tablet, don't be. From everything I've read, Amazon are committed to continuing to provide a dedicated e-ink device for which the main purpose is reading. This rumoured tablet is more about movies, music, games and Internet and might appeal to a whole new spectrum of Amazon customers. Naturally it would have a Kindle reading app on it - which gets me excited thinking about my cookery books!

There are rumours flying around that suggest that Amazon may also be announcing a 4th generation of e-ink Kindle devices.

I'm a little less excited about new Kindle ereaders because I really can't imagine any e-ink device that I'll like better than the current Kindle 3. Unless Amazon have magically found a way to get the same special e-ink that's easy on the eyes, perfect for reading in the sun and comes with an ultra-long battery life to work just as clearly and quickly in full colour.

I'd also have a dilemma on my hands if Amazon do decide to release a tablet PLUS a new Kindle device because there is no way I could stretch to buying both this side of Christmas. So I'd have a real choice to make.

I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that these products are going to be available here in the UK!

If you want to hear about the news as it happens, Len Edgerly from The Kindle Chronicles is at the event and will be providing all the info here for us:

http://bit.ly/LEN-LIVE-FROM-NY-ON-KTAB

I also wanted to tell you that I'm on Google Plus. I've never really been into Twitter (posts are too short) and Facebook is something I only use for people that I know in person. I do have lots of virtual 'friends' on G+ though so feel free to add me.

I don't just talk 'Kindle' there because my life is about more than that! If you want to add me on there, please do. Let me know with a post or by contacting me if you're only interested in my Kindle related posts and I can add you just into my Kindle circle group.

You can find me on Google PLUS+ >> Marie on G+

Looking forward to the news from Amazon later!

Marie

Q & A # 24 Is a Kindle Too Expensive for Me?

2011-09-26T20:08:00.000+01:00

Image: Maggie Smith / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Q: Is a Kindle eReading Device Too Expensive?

A: Lots of people have embraced dedicated ebook reading technology but there are still plenty who are sitting on the fence and partly so because of the price. My husband was unsure for a long time despite the fact that I'd been using ereading devices for years. And it was only recently that he finally made his mind up and went and ordered a Kindle for himself.

Is a Kindle too big of an investment for you OR is it a sound buy? Here's my thoughts.

Is a Kindle too Expensive?

Currently the cheapest brand new Kindle UK (2011 pricing) is £111 and a Kindle US is $114. So it's still a bit of an investment to make. And the less you currently read, the more of a significant investment it is.

Back when I bought my first dedicated ereading device, they were a whole lot pricier. My goodness have they come down in cost in recent years.

I read around 100 books a year, give or take a few. And, before ereaders came along, I would purchase paperbacks from Amazon at £5-£8 ($7-$13) a time. To keep costs down, I used the library. But they didn't have everything I wanted to read and I was spending around £350 / $543 per year on books.

My spending on books since I got a dedicated ereading device has dropped dramatically. And here's why:

1) I read quite a few of the old classics which you have to pay for if you buy them in paper format but come free as electronic books because they are in the public domain. You can get thousands of free public domain books for your Kindle on Amazon or from places like feedbooks.com

2) A number of newly published ebooks (often by lesser-well-known authors) are available free, for a limited period, at the Amazon Kindle Store. I know the US market get tons of freebies and we don't do so badly here in the UK either. You can find these by browsing in the Amazon Kindle store OR by checking the Kindle forums and I also list some here for our UK readers. There are good freebies and bad ones - just the same as with books you pay for. Difference is, if I don't enjoy a free book then I'm not annoyed at wasting money on it.

3) You get to read samples of books - a bit like try before you buy. So if you're unsure on a book then do read a sample first. Some samples are not very informative but many will give you enough reading material to decide whether you would like to actually buy the book or not. This saves wasting money on books you definitely won't like.

4) You aren't restricted to just reading books on your Kindle. My husband likes to load his up with .pdf files he's got online (note that pdf's can be a bit hit and miss on a small screened device like the Kindle) and you can also download free fanfiction as well as RSS news and blog feeds.

5) I've set myself a price boundary for purchasing ebooks and, it doesn't matter who the author is or how good the book is supposed to be, I won't spend over that amount. There are so many fantastic books available for reasonable prices that I just won't budge on my budget! I've already got enough ebooks to keep me going for the next 3 years so I'm not going to pay over the odds for anything. So if you see ebooks at ridiculously high prices (ie a lot higher than the paperback version) please don't buy them. The publishers will soon start to get the message.

6) Amazon gift cards are great, I ask for them for Christmas and my birthday and spend them on books throughout the year.

7) If I lived in the USA (sometimes I really wish I did) then I would now be able to take advantage of the new public library ebook service available to more than 11,000 libraries. How awesome is that! I really hope it's available in more countries in the near future. To find out more >> Library Books for Kindle US

So although the device itself was an investment, over the long-term it's saving me money with all the free and low-cost books. Could it be saving you money too?

If you're not a huge reader OR if the purchase of a Kindle is still daunting, you can still take advantage of all the Kindle books in the Amazon store.

Take a look at Amazon's free Kindle reading apps which you can get for the PC, Mac, Android Phone, iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad and Windows Phone 7:

Free Kindle Reading Apps UK

Free Kindle Reading Apps USA

You can use the reading apps to take advantage of any of the books in Amazon's Kindle Store. I use the free reading apps as well as my Kindle and I love how I can stop reading on one device and then pick up right where I left off on another device later on. You might discover that you're happy enough with those and you don't want a Kindle OR you might use the apps as a stop-gap until you're in a position to get a Kindle.

I don't think avid book readers like me have ever had it so good!

Kinworm

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