I recently learned of a great injustice: When a Kindle Unlimited subscriber borrows and reads a book and then reviews it on Amazon, that review is not a “verified purchase” review. It is lumped with the other “unverified” reviews. Now, before anyone jumps in to correct me, I admit that “borrowing” is not the same as “purchasing.” But you have purchased a membership from Amazon, and they know exactly how many pages of that book you read, because they pay the author according to how many pages you read. If they want to quibble, they could call it a “verified read” or “KU read” or something like that. Stand up and be counted If you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, it’s because you are a serious reader. Your opinion of a book is worth hearing! You’re paying for that subscription, and you deserve to have your reviews seen and respected. I encourage you to write to Amazon. Emails and phone calls are helpful, but a real letter is most influential. Do all three, if you like. Let Amazon know that you want your reviews to be given a mark of authority, like that of the “verified purchaser”. As I suggested Read More
Category: Free Kindle Books
Miranda Warning – An Audiobook Review
I just finished reading Miranda Warning (A Murder in the Mountains – Book One) by Heather Day Gilbert. I thought it would be a straightforward mystery, but it turned out to be a multi-faceted introduction to what I expect will be a long series. NOTE – This kindle book is FREE on Amazon right now, and when you buy it (for FREE), you can get the audible version for $1.99. I highly recommend it, and I think you will want to follow up with the next in the series, “Trial by Twelve.” The author has created a refreshingly original world. I wouldn’t classify the book as “Christian Fiction.” Instead, Ms. Gilbert writes from a Christian worldview, and her setting includes a realistic mix of Christians and nonbelievers in community. None of them are perfect, and they live naturally according to their convictions. The heroine is a unique character. She bears some scars from a dysfunctional childhood, but she went to college, married into a healthy family and doesn’t wallow in angst. As a mother-in-law, I was pleased to see the loving relationship between Tess and Nikki Jo. The politically conservative characters are portrayed as intelligent and sensible instead of rednecks Read More
Bite Size Book Reviews
I’m not feeling romantic this week. When I am stressed, instead of reaching for something lighthearted, I usually pick up a mystery or (slightly)romantic suspense novel. We moved two weeks ago, unexpectedly, and I listened to audiobooks while I worked on packing and cleaning. When in Rome is an old favorite, and I always enjoy Kristen Heitzmann, but the others were new to me. Dangerous Passage by Lisa Harris is a FREE KINDLE BOOK! (Price may change without notice, but it’s free right now!) We are starting to settle into our new home – did I mention that it is an apartment in a Tudor castle? – but I’m still not ready to snuggle up with a romance. Expect more murder and violence next week… When in Rome, audiobook by Ngaio Marsh, read by Nadia May Retro Read! This classic detective story from 1969 is an old favorite. Ms. Marsh writes so clearly that the reader experiences the story more like a movie than a book. She researched Rome, its history and its legal system for this tale of blackmail and drug smuggling. Her characters are varied, each drawn with realistic attitudes and behaviors, and each has his or her Read More
Bite Size Book Reviews
I have some kindle freebies in this week’s list! (Correct as of this article. Check the price before ordering) It’s an even more eclectic collection than usual, with settings in first century Rome, 1880 New York City, turn-of-the-21st-century Egypt, and pre-civil war Missouri as well as modern American settings. Audiobook, kindle and paperback! 1. Chasing the Lion, audiobook by Nancy Kimball **This reader is one of the best I have ever heard. The audio version is a finalist in the 2015 Audiobook Publisher’s Association Audio awards in the Inspy/Faith-Based Fiction category** The Christianity in this book is a primary theme. It’s set in 35AD, when Christianity was serious business. The romance was developed gradually and naturally. Again, faith played a pivotal role in all of the book’s relationships. The violence was horrific at times, but it was appropriate to the setting of the book, as were the attitudes toward slavery and (very minor) descriptions of sexual behaviors. This was a long audiobook – 15 hours! – but definitely worth listening to. 2. The Edge of Light, kindle, by Ann Shorey This was an interesting antebellum novel set in Missouri, among slaveholding middle-class tradesmen. We often see slavery associated Read More