June #WhispersyncDeal roundup: Umberto Eco, T. Kingfisher, Scott Meyer, Rysa Walker, Gwenda Bond, Steve McHugh, Dennis Lehane, Ian Fleming, and more

June #WhispersyncDeal roundup: Umberto Eco, T. Kingfisher, Scott Meyer, Rysa Walker, Gwenda Bond, Steve McHugh, Dennis Lehane, Ian Fleming, and more

Posted on 2016-06-25 at 20:1 by Sam

Between this month’s Summer Reading Deals in Kindle Books and 50 Kindle Book Deals for $2 Each listings there’s quite a few (over 300!) Whispersync for Voice titles to check out. From comedic fantasy to YA time travel, Umberto Eco to new fiction in translation, there’s something for everybody to check out:

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco for $2.99+$3.99 is the legendary Eco’s award-winning first novel, read by the marvelous Sean Barrett along with Nicholas Rowe and Neville Jason: “The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon—all sharpened to a glistening edge by wry humor and a ferocious curiosity. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey, where “the most interesting things happen at night.””

The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher, read by Kaylin Heath for $1.99+$1.99 — T. Kingfisher is the Hugo Award and Nebula Award nominated author Ursula Vernon’s pseudonym for writing for grownups. Here: “Young Rhea is a miller’s daughter of low birth, so she is understandably surprised when a mysterious nobleman, Lord Crevan, shows up on her doorstep and proposes marriage. Since commoners don’t turn down lords - no matter how sinister they may seem - Rhea is forced to agree to the engagement. Lord Crevan demands that Rhea visit his remote manor before their wedding. Upon arrival, she discovers that not only was her betrothed married six times before, but his previous wives are all imprisoned in his enchanted castle. Determined not to share their same fate, Rhea asserts her desire for freedom. In answer, Lord Crevan gives Rhea a series of magical tasks to complete, with the threat “Come back before dawn, or else I’ll marry you.” With time running out and each task more dangerous and bizarre than the last, Rhea must use her resourcefulness, compassion, and bravery to rally the other wives and defeat the sorcerer before he binds her to him forever.”

Spell or High Water and An Unwelcome Quest by Scott Meyer, read by Luke Daniels for $1.99+$1.99 each, are Books 2 and 3 of the Magic 2.0 series: “Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard. What could possibly go wrong? An American hacker in King Arthur’s court, Martin must now train to become a full-fledged master of his powers, discover the truth behind the ancient wizard Merlin…and not, y’know, die or anything.” While Book 1 of the series, Off to Be the Wizard, isn’t in this month’s sale listings, it is however one of those “evergreen” Whispersync deals at $3.99+$1.99, so if you haven’t jumped aboard this series, it’s still crazy cheap to get started.

Speaking of evergreen first books in a series, Rysa Walker’s Chronos Files has Book 2 (Time’s Edge) and 3 (Time’s Divide) on sale for $1.99+$1.99 each this month, with Book 1 (Timebound) still just $4.99+$1.99. Narrated by Kate Rudd, this is a fantastic (and Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award-winning) series: “When Kate Pierce-Keller’s grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate’s present-day life. Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence. Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and her genetic ability to time travel makes Kate the only one who can fix the future. Risking everything, she travels back in time to the Chicago World’s Fair to try to prevent the murder and the chain of events that follows. Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost—if Kate succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of her existence. And regardless of her motives, does Kate have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?”

Girl on a Wire by Gwenda Bond, read by Marisol Ramirez for $1.99+$1.99 — “A ballerina, twirling on a wire high above the crowd. Horses, prancing like salsa dancers. Trapeze artists, flying like somersaulting falcons. And magic crackling through the air. Welcome to the Cirque American! Sixteen-year-old Jules Maroni’s dream is to follow in her father’s footsteps as a high-wire walker. When her family is offered a prestigious role in the new Cirque American, it seems that Jules and the Amazing Maronis will finally get the spotlight they deserve. But the presence of the Flying Garcias may derail her plans. For decades, the two rival families have avoided each other as sworn enemies. Jules ignores the drama and focuses on the wire, skyrocketing to fame as the girl in a red tutu who dances across the wire at death-defying heights. But when she discovers a peacock feather - an infamous object of bad luck - planted on her costume, Jules nearly loses her footing. She has no choice but to seek help from the unlikeliest of people: Remy Garcia, son of the Garcia clan matriarch and the best trapeze artist in the Cirque.”

Charlie N. Holmberg’s The Paper Magician series is on sale for $1.99+$1.99 each, read by Amy McFadden: “Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she’s bonded to paper, that will be her only magic… forever. Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined - animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic. An Excisioner - a practitioner of dark, flesh magic - invades the cottage and rips Thane’s heart from his chest. To save her teacher’s life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane’s still-beating heart - and reveal the very soul of the man.”

Tears in Rain by Rosa Montero, read by Mary Robinette Kowal for $1.99+$1.99 — A Blade Runner esque future of replicants: “As a replicant, or “technohuman”, Detective Bruna Husky knows two things: humans bioengineered her to perform dangerous, undesirable tasks, and she has just 10 years on the United States of Earth before her body automatically self-destructs. But with “antitechno” rage on the rise and a rash of premature deaths striking her fellow replicants, she may have even less time than she thought. Investigating the mysterious deaths, Bruna delves into the fractious, violent history shared by humans and replicants, and struggles to engage the society that fails to understand her - yet created her. The deeper she gets, the deadlier her work becomes as she uncovers a vast, terrifying conspiracy bent on changing the very course of the world. But even as the darkness of her reality closes in, Bruna clings fiercely to life.”

Melissa F. Olson’s Boundary Magic series is back in this month’s sales listings as well, starting with Boundary Crossed and Boundary Lines  for $1.99+$1.99 each, read by Kate Rudd: “After her twin sister’s brutal death, former US Army Sergeant Allison “Lex” Luther vowed to protect her niece, Charlie, from every possible danger. Then when two vampires attempted to kidnap the child, it quickly turned into a fight to the death - Lex’s death, that is. Lex wakes up to two shocking discoveries: she has somehow survived the fight; and baby Charlie is a “null,” gifted with the ability to weaken supernatural forces…and a target for evil creatures who want to control that power. Determined to guarantee a safe future for Charlie, Lex makes a deal with the local coven. She sets out with the dashing - and undead - Detective Quinn to track down who’s responsible for the kidnapping, sharpening her magic skills along the way. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her powers become, threatening to destroy everything - including herself.” The series is read by Kate Rudd, and the literally just-released Book 3, Boundary Born , is $4.99+$1.99.

Weavers by Aric Davis, read by Amy Rubinate for $1.99+$1.99 — “Nine-year-old Cynthia Robinson’s life was perfectly normal until the day she knew, without being told, of her parents’ impending divorce. From there, things got stranger, and now not only does she have premonitions, but she can also read and influence the minds of those around her. Cynthia is not the only one with the ability to “weave” - all over the country, people with similar abilities struggle to balance their lives with their powers. Some with this gift are weavers with dark motives and grisly appetites who want to use people like Cynthia for their own purposes. Meanwhile, a top-secret government organization, the Telekinetic Research Center, has been looking for telekinetics to use for its own clandestine agenda. When TRC agents learn of Cynthia and her dangerous pursuers, will they come to her rescue? Or will they capture her and take her power for themselves?”

The Moon Dwellers and the rest of the 4-book Dwellers Saga by David Estes, read by Julia Whelan and Will Damron for $1.99+$1.99 each: “In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the Earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms. After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, 17-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents’ crimes of treason. Against all odds Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family while being hunted by a deranged killing machine named Rivet, who works for the president. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of who has dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well trained for combat by her father. At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the president and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life. When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms, Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to follow Adele mysteriously as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents’ true past. In their world someone must die.”

Mystery: The Drop by Dennis Lehane, read by Jim Frangione for $1.99+$3.99 — A movie tie-in novel for The Drop, based on Lehane’s short story “Animal Rescue”. Here: “Three days after Christmas, a lonely bartender looking for a reason to live rescues an abused puppy from a trash can and meets a damaged woman looking for something to believe in. As their relationship grows, they cross paths with the Chechen mafia; a man grown dangerous with age and thwarted hopes; two hapless stick-up artists; a very curious cop; and the original owner of the puppy, who wants his dog back.”

Over a dozen James Bond books by Ian Fleming, read by Simon Vance for $1.99+$1.99 each, starting with the grand-daddy of them all, Casino Royale: “In the novel that introduced James Bond to the world, Ian Fleming’s agent 007 is dispatched to a French casino in Royale-les-Eaux. His mission? Bankrupt a ruthless Russian agent who’s been on a bad luck streak at the baccarat table. One of SMERSH’s most deadly operatives, the man known only as “Le Chiffre,” has been a prime target of the British Secret Service for years. If Bond can wipe out his bankroll, Le Chiffre will likely be “retired” by his paymasters in Moscow. But what if the cards won’t cooperate? After a brutal night at the gaming tables, Bond soon finds himself dodging would-be assassins, fighting off brutal torturers, and going all-in to save the life of his beautiful female counterpart, Vesper Lynd. Taut, tense, and effortlessly stylish, Ian Fleming’s inaugural James Bond adventure has all the hallmarks that made the series a touchstone for a generation of readers.”

Grade 6 and Up: The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein, read by Basil Sands for $1.99+$3.49 — “Brave Medraut is a fitting heir to the throne—but he can never be king—in this fantasy retelling of the legend of Mordred from the author of Code Name Verity. Medraut is the eldest son of Artos, high king of Britain and, but for an accident of birth, would be heir to the throne. Instead, his younger half-brother, Lleu, fragile and inexperienced, is chosen. Medraut cannot bear to be commanded and contradicted by this weakling brother who he feels has usurped both his birthright and his father’s favor. Torn and bitter, he joins Morgause, the high king’s treacherous sister, in a plot to force Artos to forfeit his power and kingdom in exchange for Lleu’s life. But this plot soon proves to be much more-a battlefield on which Medraut is forced to decide, for good or evil, where his own allegiance truly lies.”

Grade 9 and Up: I Have a Bad Feeling About This by Jeff Strand, read by Aaron Landon for $1.99+$3.49 — “Wilderness Survival Tip Number 1: Drinking your own sweat will not save your life. Somebody might have told you that, but they were trying to find out if you’d really do it. Henry Lambert would rather play video games than spend time in the great outdoors - but that doesn’t make him a wuss. Skinny nerd? Fine. But wuss is a little harsh. Sadly, his dad doesn’t agree. Which is why Henry is being shipped off to Strongwoods Survival Camp. Strongwoods isn’t exactly as advertised. It looks like the victim of a zombie apocalypse, the “camp director” is a psycho drill sergeant, and Henry’s sure he saw a sign written in blood… Wilderness Survival Tip Number 2: In case of an avalanche, don’t despair. You’re doomed, but that’s a wicked cool death. Wilderness Survival Tip Number 3: If you’re relying on this audiobook for actual survival tips, you’re dead already.”

Children: Secrets of the Magic Ring by Karen McQuestion, read by Nick Podehl for $1+$1.99 is a stand-alone follow-on to Celia and the Fairies. Here: “When Paul finds a box stuck in the hole dug for his backyard swimming pool, the only thing he knows for certain is he has to get it out. Once that’s done, he’s shocked by the sudden arrival of a strange boy named Henry who demands Paul hand over his newfound treasure. Luckily, Paul’s dog scares off the intruder, leaving Paul to discover the contents of the box: a ring with directions for making wishes. When the ring ends up in the hands of his Aunt Vicky, her greatest wish quickly comes true. Could this ring be magical? Do wishes really come true? Paul is about to find out.This vibrant, imaginative tale reminds us that, like eating too much ice cream, sometimes the things that start off as fun can lead to big trouble.”

The entirety (so far, with Book 6 due in September) of Steve McHugh’s 5-book Hellequin Chronicles series is back in the $2 Kindle listings this month, read by James Langton for an additional $1.99 each. Things get started with Book 1, Crimes Against Magic: “How do you keep the people you care about safe from enemies you can’t remember? Ten years ago, Nate Garrett awoke on a cold warehouse floor with no memory of his past and the only clues to his identity were a piece of paper with his name on it and a propensity toward magic. Now he’s a powerful sorcerer and a successful thief for hire, but it turns out that those who stole his memories aren’t done with him yet. When they cause a job to go bad, threatening a sixteen-year-old girl, Nate swears to protect her. But with his enemies closing in and the barrier holding back his memories beginning to crumble, Nate is forced to confront his forgotten life in the hope of stopping an enemy he can’t remember. Crimes Against Magic is a dark, fast-paced urban fantasy torn between modern-day London and fifteenth-century France.”

Meanwhile, two AmazonCrossing fiction novels in translation are also in the $2+$1.99 listings this month, both by Ayse Kulin of Turkey. Rose of Sarajevo, translated from Turkish by Kenneth Dakan read by Kathleen Gati, is “a moving drama set against the backdrop of the crisis that rocked the Balkans in the 1990s” and Aylin, translated by Dara Colakoglu and read by Ellen Archer, is “the story of one woman’s life as she makes her passionate way toward a strange, sudden end.”

Enjoy! And as always, happy #WhispersyncDeal hunting!

Posted in Whispersync Deals | Tagged amy mcfadden, amy rubinate, aric davis, ayse kulin, dennis lehane, gwenda bond, ian fleming, james bond, jeff strand, kate rudd, luke daniels, mary robinette kowal, rysa walker, scott meyer, sean barrett, simon vance, t kingfisher, the name of the rose, umberto eco