Freebies and Deals, for Nook too (24)

As every week, we have Barnes & Nobles Freebie Friday.  There are many great free finds in the comments as well.  Hope you find something you'll enjoy. :)

Hmmm, I've been busy at work this week so not really any deals for you.

I will share with you a few free short reads from the author I interviewed this week.  These short stories are what lead her to the series she wrote.  They are free on her site:
Resa Nelson, Free Short Stories.

Movie Review: Battleship

Battleship

Released:  2012

Rated:  PG-13

Genre:  Action, Science Fiction

Length:  131mins = 2hrs 11mins

Recommendation:  Oh yes.  Even if you think no, do try it.  Loads of action and great humor too.

Synopsis:
Based on the classic Hasbro naval combat game, Battleship is the story of an international fleet of ships who come across an alien armada while on Naval war games exercise.  An intense battle is fought on sea, land and air.  What do the aliens want?

My Thoughts and Summary:
Alex Hopper is a smart man, but lazy at times.  His brother, Stone, decides Alex is joining the Navy with him after breaking into a gas station store to get a chicken burrito for a beautiful woman at the bar.  A woman who happens to be his brothers Admirals' daughter.  We then find ourselves at the Naval games between different countries hosted in Hawaii.  Alex ends up in a fight with Captain Yugi Nagata, after reprimand by Admiral Shane Alex can't work up the courage to ask him for approval of his daughters hand in marriage.  Alex learns after leaving for the exercises that when they return he will be kicked out of the Navy for his disciplinary actions.  Once out at sea Aliens, who have picked up the transmitted signal from a Hawaii station sent to a world that is similar to Earth, land on Earth in the sea.  Our war game ships come across them and some trapped inside the barrier created by the Aliens fight.  While investigating the alien ship, an attack is made and ships go down, including the one Alex's ship leaving Alex as Commanding Officer.  Alex then takes the fight into his own hands with the talents of those with him.

I have to say I wasn't to keen on getting this movie.  I really didn't think it would be one I could get into, even with the alien aspect.  Boy was I wrong!  Really.  I was shocked I enjoyed this movie so much.  Maybe going in with not much hope helped but I really enjoyed it.

There was very good humor.  Alex is fun to watch, even though he does some stupid things, but brings a lightness to the serious situation.  I really liked him from the get go.  The way his personality was played up with the other characters as well.  I was taken by him.

The fights!  Oh wow.  Really great to see battle at sea, not something I see all that often anymore.  Was well done.  And the mention of Art of War was brought up several times, and that no one understands the meaning of 'fight your enemy where they are not.'  But by the end, Alex finds a way to do this.  hee hee.

Now we can't forget the signal station on land.  That is brought into focus with the girlfriend, and what the aliens are trying to do here.  This also brings the battle to land, and air.

One thing I really loved here, the mention of veterans.  Veterans are mentioned and honored in the beginning, and they are brought back in the end.  This was a great aspect to include into the movie.  Wonderful!  Really.  If you watch the movie, you will respect this as well.  And those old guys are kick arse!  LOL!

Really wonderfully done to hold the interest and full of action and blowing up.  My husband really enjoyed this movie just as much as my son.  Both made it a point to say "Very good!" after watching.  Well done to all of us.

Looking Forward To...(110)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

Outpost

Razorland #2
By:  Ann Aguirre

Due Out:  September 4, 2012

Yes, this one has released already.  But I'm still looking forward to it. :) See I ordered it online on release day as it was on sale at Barnes and Nobles online and not in the store.  So, I'm waiting for this lovely package to show up on my doorstep, and the kid to get done with his current book read (for AR reading test) to get to this one.  He read the first one at the same time as I and we reviewed it together.  He really enjoyed it, as did I.  And I enjoyed that time together, for just a few minutes we had something in common to really chat about.  Was very nice.  (now keep in mind he was 12 when we reviewed the book)

Enclave Review

Outpost Description:
Deuce’s whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn’t fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.

Cover Release: Echo Location

I have the first book in this series on my Nook, and SOOOO need to get to reading it and the series.  It sounds like a blast!  A fun Science Fiction read I would really enjoy.

The third book is slated to release fall 2012, so I'm running behind and need to get moving on the first two books. :)

Echo Location

Shift Happens (#3)
By:  Frances Pauli

Due Out:  Fall 2012

Description:

Stevie Roth gave up a chance at inter-dimensional adventure and settled for a life in the ordinary world.  She almost convinced herself she made the right decision too, until Weldon Marks, out-of-this-world goofball and totally delicious dufus, shows up and reminds her exactly what she left behind. When he whisks her off on a job, Stevie couldn’t be happier. Except he vanishes again just as quickly, and his unpleasant parallel pops up to stalk her instead.

Now she’s back up to her neck in the insanity, and remembering quite clearly why she left. Weldon is acting cagey, his clone won’t leave her alone, and the invisible man is leading an investigation that

seems hell-bent on spoiling any chance she has at keeping the one idiot she wants in her life for good. 

Her world's turned completely upside down, her favorite snake has gone missing, and Stevie’s pretty sure the beat up box Weldon stashed in her living room hides something seriously illegal. If it does, she’s going to strangle him. If he doesn’t get himself killed first, that is.

Are you curious about the first two books?
(click the cover to follow over to Amazon)

Description:

Chloe came to the Three Lakes area for the peace and quiet. She happily abandoned the world of retail management, suits and promotions to work as a hotel maid catering to the local tourists. Until Andrew Paige showed up--a suit of the worst kind, the kind that makes her knees weak. 
When Andrew offers her a job at his hotel, Chloe is hell bent on resisting, but the Dimensional Shift is no ordinary hotel, and Chloe is immediately tossed into the world of inter-dimensional tourists, their odd accommodations, and a string of thefts that threaten to ruin her chances at romance. 

While learning the ropes, dealing with the Shift's unusual guests, and trying to determine if the boss' interest in her is strictly professional, Chloe uncovers a plot to steal the hotel's dimensional keys. With the help of the town gossip, her alien abductee neighbor, and her new invisible best friend, Chloe confronts an inter-dimensional crime ring and a host of complications that make romancing the boss look like the least of her troubles.

Description:

Chloe Watson is just starting to get used to her inter-dimensionaly career, her covert relationship with the boss and her life as a cross dimensional traveler. Then a last minute promotion, a galaxy wide tournament and an unexpected stow-away manage to throw a wrench in her status quo.

Now she's left to sort out a string of parallel abductions, deal with an infestation of Lemurian bedbugs and get her local pet store associate back home before the woman blows the whistle on everything Chloe had going for her.

Just for fun, her relationship starts looking more than a little rocky, her job is on the line and her boyfriend/boss is keeping secrets that could cost them both a lot more than just their salaries.

What do you think?  Sounds like fun along with a mystery thrown in.

UF Book Chat (30) Schedule

We continue on with a series we have been loving thus far, so now that this book is out it's expected we would continue to dive in.

Our next chat will be on:

Soul Trade
By:  Caitlin Kittridge
The crow-mage Jack Winter returns —to crash a secret gathering of ghost hunters, soul stealers, and other uninvited guests, both dead and alive… Normally, Pete Caldecott stays far away from magical secret societies. But ever since her partner and boyfriend Jack Winter stopped a primordial demon from ripping into our world, every ghost, demon, and mage in London has been wide awake—and hungry.  And the magical society in question needs their help putting things right.

SOUL TRADE

It all begins with an invitation.  Five pale figures surround Pete in the cemetery to “cordially” invite her to a gathering of the Prometheus Club. Pete’s never heard of them, but Jack has—and he’s not thrilled about it. Especially the part that says, “Attend or die.” The Prometheans wouldn’t come to London unless something big’s about to go down. So Pete and Jack decide to play it safe and make nice with the club—even if that means facing down an army of demons in the process.  But now that they’ve joined the group, they’re about to discover that membership comes at a cost…and has apocalyptic consequences.

This book we are doing in 2 weeks instead of 3, as we have a few books we want to get through in the next 2 months.  Ones we've been waiting to be released.

Schedule:
September 13, 2012 ~ Stop at 152pg ~ End of Chapter 14 and Part 1
September 20, 2012 ~ End of Book

Throwback Thursday (81)

I found this picture of Trinity College Library, and thought it would work for this meme with a little play with lighting and adding the words.

Let's talk about those books already on the shelves, yours or the stores.

I have a post for books I'm looking forward to coming out;

Unk

Looking Forward To...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on the shelves.

Whether it be on your shelf waiting to be read or on the shelves in the stores waiting for you to give it a good home.

So, I thought I would share a book a week that is just waiting for me to travel through it's world.

Now... where do I start? Lets go by Published Date on the books...

This Week:

Oooh, some of you can curse me now.  I need to get to this one, and have heard the second book is amazing as well.  Dang I'm at war with time!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cassel comes from a family of Curse Workers - people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn't got magic, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail - he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Cassel has carefully built up a facade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his facade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Interview with Resa Nelson

I have a great guest with us today.  One that writes a dragon fantasy series I've started and enjoyed.  (Review of first book is posted, go check it out.)  Resa is celebrating the release of the third book in the series and soon the fourth book will be released as well.  So I've got some catching up to do to be ready for the fourth on release day.  And I plan on being ready!

Please give the blogger warm welcome to Resa.

M:  Welcome Resa!  Thank you for stopping by the blog on your tour! It is an honor to have you by. 

RN:  Thank you so much for hosting my tour, Melissa! I’m honored that you were willing to take a chance on me and my work. 

M:  You are currently celebrating the release of book 3, The Stone of Darkness, in the Dragonslayer series. Congratulations! I’ve read the first book, The Dragonslayer’s Sword, and fell in love with the creation you have here. (I’ve got the second, The Iron Maiden, and third book here ready to go.) Would you like to share a little of what the series is about for my followers as they are new to the series as well? 

RN:  The series is all about Astrid. She’s a blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers, which is ironic because she’s a pacifist. She loves her work but struggles with the idea that what she creates is used to kill. The world she lives in is one where ghosts are real and many people (including Astrid) are shapeshifters. But shapeshifting is all about perception, so it’s controlled by how you feel and see other people as well as yourself. We first meet her when she’s a little girl and is covered from head to toe in scars because she’s been chewed up and spit out by a dragon. 

M:  There are a few elements in the book that were surprises and very interesting to learn. They are all related but rather interesting to learn throughout reading. The shifting. The dragons (and real dragons). And Dragonslayers. Did any of these pieces come first or all together? 

RN:  That’s a great question, Melissa – thanks so much for asking it! The shapeshifting came first. This series began as a short story that was published in Science Fiction Age magazine many years ago. I wrote it after I’d been propositioned by a co-worker – a married man with two young children! But he had a lot of power at work, and I had none. Based on my experience with the company, I knew the odds were good that I’d get fired if I reported him because I suspected he’d lie and they’d believe him, not me. So I decided to put my experience in a fantasy world modeled on the Middle Ages where a female blacksmith would be propositioned by the dragonslayer responsible for protecting everyone she loves and cares about. I used shapeshifting as a way to illustrate how his actions were having an impact on her. So that’s how everything started. Most of the details about the dragons and dragonslayers didn’t happen until I wrote Book 1, which came about 10 years after I wrote the short story. 

M:  Astrid is a damaged character as we start, and even later in the book we see her falter in that feeling again. For me the book had a strong feeling of Astrid finding herself and where she belonged. Was this the underlining feeling as you wrote the story? 

RN:  This was my intent for the book and actually for the entire series. I think there are many people in the world who don’t realize they have the power to take control of their lives, and that ‘s what I wanted to write about. I know what that feels like. The world can be an overwhelming place, especially if there are any people in your life who want to control you for their own benefit. I think our culture is one that supports judgment, and being judged by others can make it very difficult to live the life you believe is right for you. In my opinion, the bottom line is that you are the only person who has ever lived inside your skin, and for that reason you are the only person who knows what’s right for you. Astrid’s journey is about getting to a place where she can understand that concept and then figure out who she wants to be. 

M:  Do you have any inspirational places to bring you into the fantasy world? Or spark ideas in the fantasy world? 

RN:  No, I’m lucky in that it’s all internal. So I can be sitting in my dentist’s waiting room or on an airplane or standing in line to get my driver’s license renewed and go into my fantasy worlds whenever I want. When I do that, the “real” world literally disappears. It’s kind of like being inside a movie. 

M:  Resa, that sounds like a great ability!  You can go anywhere at anytime.

M:  Resa, I have to ask and you mentioned in your acknowledgements, there was a lot of work that went into the metal working to be able to write so detailed in this arena. This is what Astrid does, and it’s her life work-love. Could you please share just a taste of what you did to understand the process of metal forging to write it?

RN:  Absolutely! I read several books, including one book that explains the technique Astrid uses to make swords. But I’m a big believer in “physical” research, meaning, if there’s anything I can do that my characters would do, I want to at least get a taste of it. So to get a better idea of what Astrid’s life is like, I took a 10-week course in blacksmithing, which was a fantastic experience. There was only one class each week, but each class was 4 hours at an anvil hammering iron or steel. By the end of the course, my forearms were as hard and solid as rocks – I felt so powerful! But I learned a lot about things like building a fire and the different colors it turns and what the smoke is like. I learned about the different colors iron turns when it’s heated and what those colors mean. So the blacksmithing details come from my own personal experience. 

M:  I love the sounds of doing the work as well.  And blacksmithing would be something neat to try and learn.

M:  Now, I’m just curious, and I’m not that far yet, but is that a Bloodstone in sword on the cover of The Stone of Darkness or something new completely I have yet to learn about?

RN:  It’s like a bloodstone, and it comes to Astrid in the same way that bloodstones come to her. But it’s black, not red, so it has different properties. And because of its color, it’s called a stone of darkness instead of a bloodstone. (Although the stone of darkness on the cover is surrounded by a bunch of smaller bloodstones.) Astrid spends a lot of Book 3 trying to find out what the stone of darkness is and why it has come into her life. 

M:  Oh man!  I really need to get to The Stone of Darkness now.  I'm curious about this new stone.

M:  Have you always been a fantasy fan? What attracted you to fantasy worlds? 

RN:  Yes! I was a regular at my hometown’s public library when I was a kid. I’d always been a big fan of fairy tales, which led me to read folk tales from all over the world, and I think that led me to fantasy. It felt like a natural progression. 

M:  A few fun questions for you… 

M:  One question I ask all visitors on their first visit… If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? 

RN:  I’m a huge fan of travel so that’s a tough question because I have a long list of places I want to go! At the moment I really want to go to Costa Rica because I love nature and animals. 

M:  Tea or Coffee? 

RN:  Tea, definitely. I tried coffee when I was three years old (after pestering my mom until she gave in) and hated the taste. I’ve never gotten over it. 

M:  That's cute, and yes coffee seems to be an acquired taste. :)

M:  Favorite Color: 

RN:  Red

M:  Favorite Childhood Fictional Creature? 

RN:  Oooh … another tough question! So many to choose from! Pegasus, the winged horse. 

M:  Oh I do enjoy that question. :) I was always flipping back and forth between Pegasus and Unicorns.

M:  Now as an adult what’s your Favorite Fictional Creature? (can be the same as when you were a child) 

RN:  I like gargoyles.

M:  Favorite Word? (Any word at all) 

RN:  Defenestration.

M:  Honestly I had to go look up Defenestration.  And as it's cool to say, I like the definition as well! LOL

M:  Thank you for joining us today! 

RN:  Thank you, Melissa, for letting me be part of your blog and for asking such great questions!

M:  I do wish you all the best in words and pages. And look forward to finishing out the series! 

RN:  You’re so kind! I really hope you enjoy the rest of the series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About Resa:

Resa Nelson has been selling fiction professionally since 1988. She is a longtime member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) and is a graduate of the Clarion SF Workshop.

Resa was also the TV/Movie Columnist for Realms of Fantasy

magazine for 13 years and was a contributor to SCI FI magazine. She has sold over 200 articles to magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Her first novel, The Dragonslayer’s Sword, was nominated for the Nebula Award and was also a Finalist for the EPPIE Award. This medieval fantasy novel is based on a short story first published in the premiere issue of Science Fiction Age magazine and ranked 2nd in that magazine's first Readers Top Ten Poll. The Dragonslayer's Sword is Book 1 in her 4-book Dragonslayer series. Book 2, The Iron Maiden, was published last December, Book 3 was published in May, and the final book in the series is scheduled for publication in November.

Resa's standalone novel, Our Lady of the Absolute, is a fantasy/mystery/thriller about a modern-day society based on ancient Egypt. Midwest Book Review gave this book a 5-star review, calling it "a riveting fantasy, very highly recommended."

Resa lives in Massachusetts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feel free to visit Resa.  She can be found...

Resa’s website:  http://www.resanelson.com                                                                       

Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Resa-Nelson-The-Dragonslayers-Sword/122200661871

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/ResaNelson

Email:  ContactResa@aol.com

Resa mentions above about the short story that started it all.  She has this available for free reading on her site.  Free “mini” ebook of Dragonslayer short stories:  http://www.resanelson.com/files

*** There's a giveaway currently going on at Goodreads!  For The Stone of Darkness

GoodReads giveaway:  http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/27323-the-stone-of-darkness

If you would like to purchase the books, there are a few places to find them and a few deals as well:

Ebooks ($4.99 each) are available directly from Mundania Press at:  http://mundania.com/author.php?author=Resa+Nelson (get a 10% discount at checkout with the coupon code MP10)

Paperbacks are available from Mundania Press, Amazon, and Barnes&Noble:

http://mundania.com/author.php?author=Resa+Nelson (get a 10% discount at checkout with the coupon code MP10)

http://www.amazon.com/Resa-Nelson/e/B002C78D2Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/resa-nelson

About Resa's 4-book Dragonslayer series:

Synopsis for The Dragonslayer’s Sword (Book 1)
For Astrid, a blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers, the emergence of a strange gemstone from her body sets in motion a chain of events that threaten to destroy her life. Her happiness is shattered when her lover--the dragonslayer--disappears without a trace, and the life that she knows and loves implodes without warning.

Astrid lives in a world of shapeshifters whose thoughts have the power to change not only themselves but others. Everything Astrid knows to be true is called into question when she learns the truth about her past and the mysterious family from which she was separated as a child.

Reality turns inside out as Astrid gradually learns the truth about the people she loves as well as those she disdains. With the fate of dragons, ghosts, and slaves in foreign lands resting on her shoulders, Astrid faces the challenge of deciding who she is and how she will stand up inside her own skin. Will she withdraw and hide from the world that has disappointed her so much...or will she rise to lead others to freedom and peace?

Synopsis for The Iron Maiden (Book 2)
Astrid is reluctant to travel the winter route beyond the Northlands, even though it’s her duty. She’d rather stay home in her village, surrounded by friends and neighbors. Ignoring the bonds of tradition, she decides to spend the cold winter months in the warmth of her blacksmithing shop. Why should she leave the comfort of her cottage to serve and protect foreigners who might raid and harm her native Northlands?

Everything changes when a traveling merchant steals Starlight, the first dragonslayer’s sword Astrid forged and her last link to her sweetheart DiStephan. Having no time to alert her friends, Astrid races in pursuit of the merchant, determined to reclaim Starlight as her own and return home in time for dinner. Instead, her quest leads her to new lands, unexpected friendships with foreigners, and a harrowing encounter with the damage done by the followers of a new god that considers women as nothing more than servants to men. All the while, she must be ready to face any dragon traveling the winter route.

In Book 2 of the Dragonslayer series, Astrid must learn that deciding who she is isn’t a decision she can make just once. It’s a decision she must make every day.

Synopsis for The Stone of Darkness (Book 3)
In Book 3 of the Dragonslayer series, Astrid accepts her duty and follows the winter route--until she's bitten by a dragon. Everyone knows dragon bites are poisonous and deadly, so she reluctantly accepts her impending death. In a twist of fate, she survives. Desperate for an explanation, Astrid believes she has somehow been protected by the black stone she keeps with her at all times, a stone that emerged from the sole of her foot a year ago.

Determined to find out what the stone is and what kind of powers it possesses, Astrid begins a journey that leads her to alchemists and an army of men under the rule of the powerful warrior, Mandulane, the acting lord of the Krystr army. Mandulane's mission is to spread the word of the new god Krystr, which preaches the evil intent of women and the danger they pose to all men, who are entitled to dominate the world. Rumors about this new god and army have spread, but Astrid is the first Northlander to encounter them. 

Soon, she stumbles upon a secret of a far-reaching and mind-numbing plot that will impact the entire world. Astrid must find a way to spread the news of this threat and protect her people and everyone else at risk. She's convinced the answer lies inside the Stone of Darkness, and she must find a way to understand the stone and the powers she's convinced it must hold before it's too late.

Book 4 will be published in November 2012

Do hope you get a chance to try out this dragonslayer series.