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Doug_Pardee
Posts: 5,400
Kudos: 3,580
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Smashwords freebies worth considering

There are so many freebies from Smashwords (almost 2000 here on B&N) that I don't bother listing them in my freebie lists. But some of them deserve a look. If you've read one that you really liked, tell us about it!

 

Here are mine, along with my thoughts:

 

 

Odd Whitefeather (short story) (Supernatural Thriller)

 

Native American folklore provides the backdrop for this short thriller.

 

5 stars despite some strange paragraph formatting in the version that I read.

 

 

 

 

Soul Identity (Suspense Thriller)

  

One of the most popular Smashwords freebies. Despite what you might think from the description, there really isn't any metaphysical stuff going on here. It's a security investigation with a lot of action. It'd make a great movie.

 

4 stars because it took 70 pages to get its motor started. But once it got going, it got going. There's a sequel.

 

 

 

 

 

Honest, the Martian Ate Your Dog (Humorous Sci-Fi/Fantasy)

 

About as wacky as the title suggests, which is pretty darned wacky for a post-apocalyptic setting.

 

4 stars because the version that I read had some editing problems toward the end, especially with apostrophe abuse, and I thought that the denouement was too long.

 

 

 

 

Tamar Black - Djinnx'd (Humorous Fantasy)

 

A really fun story.

 

4 stars was probably being generous because of the terrible editing in the version I read. But the story was good enough to compensate. There are sequels.

 

 

 

 

Ledman Pickup (novella) (Sci-Fi)

 

An interesting and somewhat humorous Sci-Fi novella about a package that got "lost" during shipping. Some packages are more important than others.

 

4 stars because the version I read desperately needed editing.

 

 

 

Distinguished Correspondent
rerose1975
Posts: 142
Registered: ‎12-30-2010

Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

[ Edited ]

 

 

Tanaquill 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting story, with fairies and shapeshifters, oh my!  4 Stars.

 

 

 

The Blood That Bonds

 

 

 

 

 

Ignore the cover, it is horrible!  Great vampire story.  I can't wait for the sequel.  4, maybe 5

stars

 

 

 

 

The Guardians  

 

 

 

 

 

Fallen angels both good and bad fighting over humanity.  Interesting read, not great, but good.  3 stars.

 

 

 

What We Learned Along the Way 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOVED this book, 5 stars.  If you are a woman, it is a must read!

Inspired Contributor
aharey
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎09-03-2010
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

I really enjoyed these 2 books:

The Mating 

 

Werewolf clans and a mystery to boot. It's a really great read (though it is explicit).  4 stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Keeping 

 

More werewolves and more drama. I actually liked it better than the first one (it is also explicit). 4.5 stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She's just published another sequel, The Finding, but it hasn't made it's way over here to B&N yet. 

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blkeyesuzi
Posts: 730
Registered: ‎01-26-2008
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

The Magpie's Secret The Magpie's Secret The Magpie's Secret 

 

Suzi

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see. " --John Burroughs
Distinguished Scribe
blkeyesuzi
Posts: 730
Registered: ‎01-26-2008
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

The ebooks I posted above are wonderful historical fiction with a bit of mystery. Buttermilk Moon and The Magpie's Secret were well worth my time. I really enjoyed them.
Suzi

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see. " --John Burroughs
Doug_Pardee
Posts: 5,400
Kudos: 3,580
Registered: ‎03-09-2010
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering


blkeyesuzi wrote:
The ebooks I posted above are wonderful historical fiction with a bit of mystery. Buttermilk Moon and The Magpie's Secret were well worth my time. I really enjoyed them.

They're not freebies, though.

 

Distinguished Scribe
blkeyesuzi
Posts: 730
Registered: ‎01-26-2008
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

Sorry, I got them free. I never pay for them. I must have gotten this through books on the knob or Ereader News. Sorry about that. It was recent, so maybe they can still be gotten free with a code. If I find it, I will post it for everyone.
Suzi

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see. " --John Burroughs
Frequent Contributor
onemorrismom
Posts: 31
Registered: ‎08-04-2010
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

The Demon Girl  I rated these a 5.  Enjoy!

The Unsuspecting Mage (Morcyth Saga Series #1)  

The First Dragoneer   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These I rated a 4

Earth-Born Lord  Earth-Born Lord

 

Black Silk  Black Silk

Frequent Contributor
John_Gaffield
Posts: 69
Registered: ‎02-19-2011
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

[ Edited ]

I have two free horror short stories that are from Smashwords, but available at B & N:

 

 

Wordsmith
darkangel_1988
Posts: 883
Registered: ‎08-06-2010
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

[ Edited ]

 


aharey wrote:

I really enjoyed these 2 books:

The Mating 

 

Werewolf clans and a mystery to boot. It's a really great read (though it is explicit).  4 stars

 

The Keeping 

 

More werewolves and more drama. I actually liked it better than the first one (it is also explicit). 4.5 stars

 

 

She's just published another sequel, The Finding, but it hasn't made it's way over here to B&N yet. 


 

The Finding wouldn't show up in the add product search yet :smileysurprised:

So I posted the picture and the link for The Finding. :smileyhappy:

 

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Finding/Nicky-Charles/e/2940011191213/?itm=3&USRI=nicky+charles

 

 


 

My Book Giveaways

http://www.darkangel88.com/

Distinguished Correspondent
KennaS
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎02-12-2011
0 Kudos

Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

[ Edited ]

This is one of those "I cant believe its free" books. Its only the first 5 chapters but the author is posting the rest at the website mentioned in the back of this book. She has up to chapter 10 as of today...WELL worth the read! It looks like it would be a silly book but its actually quite serious (for the most part) and VERY well written.

 

 

 

Pirpires of the Cacaobean

 

 

God changes appearances every second. Blessed is the man who can recognize him in all his disguises. One moment he is a glass of fresh water, the next, your son bouncing on your knees or an enchanting woman, or perhaps merely a morning walk.-Nikos Kazantzakis
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jillybean0617
Posts: 18
Registered: ‎07-15-2010
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

[ Edited ]
 
Frequent Contributor
onemorrismom
Posts: 31
Registered: ‎08-04-2010
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

A Lesson in Passion  

 

If you can get through the first couple of chapters - the rest of the book was awesome!  I would have paid for it.  Great romance novel.

Distinguished Correspondent
Nerdgirljenn
Posts: 122
Registered: ‎01-13-2011

Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

I want to resurrect this thread now (6/14/2011), as an additional site for the free nookbooks thread.  Many times they are not listed as there are so many smashword titles, some great (like Queen's Blade) and some extremely bad.  So maybe we can use this thread to share ideas on smashword freebies that are worth considreing...

"The earth laughs in flowers."~Emerson
"Where there is love, there is life." ~Ghandi
Distinguished Correspondent
DCLOVELL
Posts: 184
Registered: ‎05-19-2011
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

Snake Skin  

 

When it comes to “breathtakingly fast-paced thrillers” (Publishers Weekly), CJ Lyons is a “master of the genre.” (Pittsburgh Magazine)

Just your average Pittsburgh soccer mom, baking brownies and carrying a loaded forty-caliber Glock…

Lucille Teresa Guardino. A woman of many identities. Lucille to her doting mother, Lulu to her devoted husband, Mom to her pre-teen daughter, Lucy to her friends, LT to her co-workers, and Supervisory Special Agent Guardino to the criminals she captures for the FBI’s Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement squad.

A loving mom and wife, dutiful daughter, consummate professional, and kick-ass federal agent, Lucy is living the perfect life.

Until the day she comes up against a predator more vicious and cunning than any she’s ever tackled before, one who forces Lucy to choose between the life of the young victim she is fighting to save and her own daughter’s….and Lucy’s dream life is shattered.

 

This was posted on another thread and someone suggested it be posted here to bump the thread!  So, here we are!

Distinguished Scribe
kathylcsw
Posts: 536
Registered: ‎12-28-2010

Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

I haven't read it yet but I just downloaded it. Reviews are very positive and it sounds good.

Desperate Times  

 

Jimmy Logan wakes up in the morning to find that the stock market is crashing and the dollar has collapsed. He makes a trip to town and finds the banks closed and hyperinflation has hit the streets. Many believe its the End of Times. Jimmy joins up with some friends and they head north to ride out the storm. That's when they find that everyone wants what they have, and will kill to get it. ﻿

Distinguished Scribe
kathylcsw
Posts: 536
Registered: ‎12-28-2010

Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

[ Edited ]

Another Smashwords title with great reviews

Face the Winter Naked  

 

Daniel Tomelin, a shell-shocked veteran haunted by the carnage of the First World War, abandons his family in the Great Depression and goes on the road in search of relief from his nightmares. The life of a freight-hopping, banjo-strumming hobo appeals to him more than he wants to admit. But he insists he's not a bum - he's a family man looking for work; a down-and-out victim of the Depression, whose war flashbacks and guilt for leaving his family accompany him through the hills of Missouri. Compassionate, humorous, and warm, despite the economic hardships of the era, Face the Winter Naked will appeal to readers who enjoy tales of survival in the Great Depression. Stories of desperate men who couldn't handle the realities of war or financial ruin. Men who dearly loved their families but hadn't the courage to stay and accept responsibility. The story pulls the reader back to a tragic period in history, where people either learned to cope with poverty - or perished. What they're saying about the book: "Face the Winter Naked is a gorgeously written and evocative novel of an earlier economic crisis: the Great Depression. Readers looking for a stunning read, intelligent and emotional on every level, will not be disappointed." ~~ Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of Crazy Beautiful and the The Education of Bet *** Face The Winter Naked is a poignant tale of a family's plight during the Great Depression. Plagued by traumatic memories of the... ﻿

Inspired Wordsmith
beeyebickiebuy
Posts: 507
Registered: ‎03-21-2011

Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

Here is the link to the free ebook:

 

Face the Winter Naked  

Distinguished Scribe
kathylcsw
Posts: 536
Registered: ‎12-28-2010
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering


beeyebickiebuy wrote:

Here is the link to the free ebook:

 

Face the Winter Naked  



Oops! Thanks for catching that for me! I didn't even notice that I had put the link for the hardback. Yet another reason to show that humans are not meant to be up and about at 5:30!

Frequent Contributor
EltaninPub
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎05-08-2011
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Re: Smashwords freebies worth considering

We (Eltanin Publishing) have recently released The Mystic Travelogues by J.C. Nusbaum. Although it is officially a children's book, it has some deep ideas, and many adults will love it, just as adults love "children's" books such as The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, etc. The book is illustrated with black & white drawings by the author. DRM-free.

 

We are currently running an experiment by listing it by free. It is free on Smashwords, but this free price has not yet worked its way through to B&N. So if you want it free, here is the link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/64053﻿

 

The Mystic Travelogues  (at B&N - not yet free)

 

Check out the trailer


From the back cover:
Ten-year-old Tug is lost in the world, even to himself. Shuffled from one relative to the next, he has no place to call home and no sense of what his future will hold. But when destiny intervenes and sends Tug and his cousin Jodie to stay with a distant uncle in Vermont, they could not anticipate the strange occurrences at the enchanted old house. When their uncle disappears under mysterious circumstances, the two children begin a journey that will challenge their courage and reveal magic both underneath them and inside of them.

Travel to a mystic destination-
 where animals know your destiny,
  where dangerous Nomes lurk in the shadows,
   and where a stuffed bear can bring you to life.

Praise for The Mystic Travelogues:

"This book is a rare treat for the child in anyone, regardless of age. It combines whimsy, fantasy, imagination and a compelling plot while also fostering spiritual literacy.... A delight not to be missed!"
Susan Mehrtens
President, The Jungian Center

﻿
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