Today I Loaded My Kindle With…

Dark fantasy, horror, dystopia and suspense. Why so gloomy? I don’t know. I’m in a pretty good mood. For recipe books, I grabbed some finger food: appetizers and sushi. Nom-nom! Today’s travel selection includes two budget guides to New York City and a journey across America travelogue. Speaking of travel, I’ll be heading for California soon, so I downloaded a couple of card games to play while inflight.

Fiction

Little Deaths by John F.D. Taff
You think you’ve got bad dreams? Consider author John F.D. Taff’s nightmares. How about the one where a guy resurrects his dead girlfriend with a set of the prop neck bolts used on Boris Karloff in the 1932 classic Frankenstein? Or one where the ghost of the author’s dead dog keeps coming back to entice him into death so they can be together? Or the one where a guy loves candy…to death? Taff has the kind of nightmares no one really wants. But it’s nightmares like these that give him plenty of ideas to explore; ideas that he’s turned into the short stories he shares in this new collection Little Deaths.

Lords of Rainbow by Vera Nazarian
In a world devoid of color, the woman warrior Ranhé swears herself to a mysterious nobleman traveling to the exotic city of Tronaelend-Lis, the City of Dreams, where a decadent brother and sister rule as co-regents in the absence of the land’s true ruler. When an evil being representing true Darkness threatens the safety of the colorless world, Ranhé is drawn into a spiritual journey in search of a legendary phenomenon known as Rainbow in an attempt to find a way to defeat the dark. The author of Dreams of the Compass Rose brings to life a unique fantasy world in which lost colors hold the key to salvation.

One by One by Phil Tucker
For Peter, the end of civilization begins quietly with the disappearance of his mother. At the police station he learns that thousands of others have gone mysteriously missing overnight, and that tens of millions more are vanishing daily across the globe. Without explanation humanity finds itself facing its final year on the planet, and it is only then that Peter falls in love. Her name is Sophia, and though both are haunted by loss they find in each other a passion that is as real as it is worth fighting for. As the government buckles and then collapses, as the darkest registers of human nature are sounded and a brutal demagogue rises to lead a reign of terror, they strive to find meaning and purpose in a world that is bereft of all certainties but one: that they too are fated to disappear.

212: A Novel by Alafair Burke
Burke’s third white-knuckle thriller finds NYPD Det. Ellie Hatcher (after Angel’s Tip) and her partner, J.J. Rogan, investigating the murder of NYU student Megan Gunther, who’s the target of threatening posts on a college gossip Web site. The death of bodyguard Robert Robo Mancini, whose bullet-ridden corpse turns up in a swanky new building, the 212, built by Sam Sparks, the high-powered Manhattan real-estate developer Robo worked for, ups the ante. When Sam makes it clear that the police won’t have access to any company records, Ellie’s interest is piqued. As she and J.J. try to piece together Megan’s life, they discover a link between the student and a recently murdered real estate agent. With her usual tenacity, Ellie pursues leads that put both her career and her life at risk.

Recipe Books

Sushi 101: The Fundamental Ingredients, Techniques and Concepts of Sushi by Cooking Penguin
This book is a beginner’s guide to rolling sushi. It is clearly laid out with simple explanations of all of the fundamental recipes and techniques required for making delicious and healthy sushi at home. On your first attempt your will impress yourself and soon you will be impressing friends and family with the amazing food you are able to prepare; three different styles of sushi with many different types, a variety of sauces, and Japanese pizza or Okonomiyaki. These recipes are great as a meal or a snack; serving sushi at your next party is sure to be a hit with your guests.

A Foodie’s Guide to Yummy Appetizer & Snack Recipes by Dante and Jennie Morelli
In Easy Appetizer Recipes Dante & Jennie Morelli share a collection of their favorite, mouthwatering appetizers, dips & salsa and dipping sauces. These are quick and easy recipes that you can prepare for your own family dinners or take to a party. Most of these appetizer recipes are also great as snacks for watching television or home movies.

Travel

New York City Made Easy by Laurie Bain Wilson
A snappy Kindle travel guide to New York City by bestselling author Laurie Bain Wilson. Wilson is also the author of newly-released “New York City With Kids” for Kindle, and is co-author of several “Murder, She Wrote” books including “Manhattans and Murder,” which partly takes place in, yes, Manhattan! Wilson is a NYC expert, having also written dozens of recent articles about the City for outlets like Travel Channel.

Sredni Vashtar’s Dirt Cheap NYC for the 99% by Michel Pravadorsky
Sredni Vashtar’s Dirt Cheap NYC for the 99% features 700+ Free and Cheap Delights in New York City that save you money and time at an incredible price of 99 Cents. This handy e-book is a great companion providing money-saving information on over 370 cheap eats, several museums, scores of entertainment options, concerts, operas, Broadway shows, cheap accommodation, cheap transportation, interesting sights and so much more in the five boroughs of New York City.

The Kindness of Strangers: Penniless Across America by Mike McIntyre
McIntyre decided to confront his fears and the shaky path his life was taking by hitchhiking from San Francisco to Cape Fear, N.C. Along the way, he hoped to find some kindness in the soul of America and vowed to accept no money, only food, shelter and friendship. Rather like William Least-Heat Moon’s Blue Highways or Andrei Codrescu’s Road Scholar, The Kindness of Strangers is the story of those who help and hinder his journey: the vast array of kind souls and weirdoes, as well as Americana at its best and worst. McIntyre writes eloquently and rekindles optimism in America’s character.

Games

Blackjack
Blackjack – one of the most popular casino card games of all time is now available on Kindle. The Kindle version features all of the most common aspects of the game including splits, double down, surrender and insurance, as well as multiple options for customization that allow you to play the style of Blackjack that you want to play. For example, you can configure the game to match specific structures like ‘Dealer must hit soft 17’ – a common rule variation in many Las Vegas casinos.

Video Poker
Play Vegas-style video poker on Kindle anytime, anywhere. Video Poker accurately simulates the Vegas-style video poker machine known as Jacks or Better. After making a bet, you will be dealt five cards. You select which of these five cards to hold, and redraw the rest to try to make the best poker hand possible. A hand with a pair of Jacks or better wins.

Descriptions provided by Amazon

I found these books via Amazon’s Kindle eBooks store. Resources for free Kindle and other format eBooks are listed in my sidebar.

These freebies are limited time offers, so there is no guarantee any of these books will still be free when you click on the links. Grab them sooner rather than later.