Today's Featured Books

When the spotlight dims, the real battles begin. For Tristen Levisay, guitarist of The Seethers, life is finally coming together. The band is on the brink of stardom, and soon he'll be a rock star instead of the poor, small-town boy from Kentucky. But when his twin brother Talon, the band's frontman, leaves to join another band, Tristen's life falls apart. A powerful story of betrayal, resilience, and the mendable bonds of family. 4.4 stars, 37 ratings on Goodreads. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

A post-K-pop novel. As the teenage Agati struggles to feed her adopted sister in a poverty-stricken dictatorship, a mysterious figure arrives to offer them a way out. Taken to a competitive pop-star academy they only know from whispered rumor, Agati and Jün-Fi find that the life of stardom is not what it seems. Released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey, a novel to which it owes a great deal. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

From the scorching sands of the Libyan Desert to the bustling streets of 1910 London, embark on a riveting journey with Carter Pinsent, son of an English archaeologist, as he gets involved in the discovery of the enigmatic tomb of Ptahmes, an ancient Egyptian priest. Carter's world is forever changed when he is ensnared in rivalries and deceit while racing against death to unlock the tomb's mysteries. 4.4 stars, 25 ratings. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Ophelia takes a job as blood donor to a centuries old vampire with an airtight no-carnal-acts contract. Neither expects it when their connection is more than what her veins can provide, but if Javier is going to keep Ophelia safe when an ancient evil comes to town, then he might as well keep her close. What is revealed about both their pasts will be their ultimate destruction or the star collision of fate that brings them together. From $3.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the Detective Hiroshi Series from author Michael Pronko, with a focus on the first three books of the series, all of which have been recognized with awards and high ratings from reviewers:

• The Last Train, Book 1 of the Series, 4.2 stars, 2000+ ratings
• The Moving Blade, Book 2 of the Series, 4.1 stars, 982 ratings
• Tokyo Traffic, Book 3 of the Series, 4.4 stars, 700+ ratings

Start the series today with a FREE DOWNLOAD of the e-book edition of The Last Train.

Bonus: Download a free copy of Tokyo's Mystery Deepens, Michael Pronko's award-winning collection of writing about life in Tokyo, when you sign up to receive his free newsletter.

"A rare glimpse of the structure and nature of Tokyo's underlying psyche.” ~Midwest Book Review

The Last Train

In Tokyo, murder is easy to hide.

Detective Hiroshi Shimizu investigates white-collar crime in Tokyo. When an American businessman turns up dead, Hiroshi is called to the site of the grisly murder where security camera video suggests the killer might be a woman.

Hiroshi's investigation takes him into the hostess clubs and skyscraper offices of Tokyo, and into the perilous market for buying and selling the most expensive land in the world. Information can travel in a flash from insiders at top investment firms to street-level punks and teenage hostesses, as everyone scrambles for their cut of lucrative land deals in the world's largest city. But Hiroshi is determined to cut through Japan’s ambiguities to find the murderer before she extracts her final revenge—which just might be him.

Praise/Awards for The Last Train

• “An absorbing investigation.” ~Kirkus Reviews
• “An utterly page-turning adventure.” ~Foreword Reviews
• “A terrific thriller.” ~BlueInk Review
• “Gripping and suspenseful.” ~Booklife/Publisher’s Weekly
• Winner, Shelf Unbound: Best Independently Published Book (2018)
• Winner, Book Excellence Awards: Best Mystery Solo Medalist (2017)
• Gold Award, Literary Titan Book Awards (2017)
• Silver Award, IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards (2017)

The Moving Blade

In Japan, the past is always present.

When the top American diplomat in Tokyo, Bernard Mattson, is killed, he leaves more than a lifetime of successful Japan-American negotiations. He leaves a missing manuscript, boxes of research, a lost keynote speech, and a tangled web of relations.

When Mattson's alluring daughter, Jamie, returns from America wanting answers but finding only threats, Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is dragged from the safe confines of his white-collar crime investigations into the street-level realities of Pacific Rim politics. When two more bodies turn up, Hiroshi must choose between desire and duty, violence or procedure, before the killer silences his next victim.

Praise/Awards for The Moving Blade

• “An elegant balance of Japanese customs with an American-style hard-boiled procedural.” ~Kirkus Review
• “A stellar novel with a unique storyline and setting.” ~Booklife Prize
• “A true page turner.” ~BlueInk Review
• Kirkus Reviews, Best Indie Mysteries and Thrillers (2018)
• Grand Prize Winner, Chanticleer Int'l Book Awards, Global Thrillers (2018)
• Gold Award, Literary Titan (2018)

Tokyo Traffic

In Tokyo, street smarts aren't always enough.

A young Thai girl escapes to Tokyo. With her Bangkok street smarts, she stays ahead of traffickers willing to do anything to recover the computer she took when she fled a murder scene. 

When Detective Hiroshi Shimizu leaves the safe confines of his office to investigate a triple murder at a porn studio, the leads point him in multiple directions. Together with an ex-sumo wrestler and his old-school mentor, Hiroshi tracks the killers through Tokyo's teen hangouts, bayside docks, and crowded squares, straight into the underbelly of the global economy.

As bodies wash up from Tokyo Bay, Hiroshi tries to find the Thai girl whose name he doesn't even know. Along the way, he uncovers trafficking rings and cryptocurrency scammers whose connections extend to the highest levels of Tokyo's power elite.

Praise/Awards for Tokyo Traffic

• "A dark and striking thriller." ~Kirkus Reviews
• "A gritty underworld whodunit." ~US Review of Books
• "Taut and terse, this noir novel is executed to perfection." ~Foreword Clarion Reviews
• Winner, Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award (2020)
• Gold Award, Literary Titan (2020)
• Reviewer's Choice, Feathered Quill Book Awards (2020)
• Winner National Indie Excellence Awards, Thriller (2021)

About the Author

        

What if WWII were fought in space? In 1944, a secret Nazi experiment split the universe in two. In our universe, we won. But in a parallel universe, the Nazis conquered the world. Now it's 2207, and the two universes collide, this time in space. Bonus: Check out The Everrealms, a podcast from USA Today bestselling author Daniel Arenson discussing sci-fi audio dramas, book reviews, and more! From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

"A riveting, fast-paced, intriguing read with a colorful cast of characters who pull you in and don't let go!" ~Lisa Regan, USA Today and WSJ bestselling crime fiction author. An invitation to speak at the Gotham Crime Fiction Conference draws Ann Kinnear into a mystery within a mystery, where the stakes are not just reputation and riches—they're life and death. 4.5 stars, 34 ratings. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

The first book in a riveting military fantasy series: Banished for trying to save her family, Charlaine begins a new life as a Temple Knight. But when a formidable enemy rises, can she lead the rest of the Knights to defeat it? Join the battle with Charlaine deShandria as she chases her destiny in this action-packed, intrigue-filled military fantasy. 4.5 stars, 397 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

Memoirs of an American Call Girl. A deliciously absurd and darkly humorous peek inside the world's oldest profession. This unhinged nonfiction recounts the misadventures of a socially awkward college student who fumbles her way through the salacious world of escorting as Silversmith shares unforgettable stories and her unique insight into call girl agencies and the everyday lives of American sex workers. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Coming August 18: I texted the wrong number. It was supposed to be to the date who stood me up. Instead, I got Sergei Volkov. He took me to dinner and gave me the best night of my life. I didn't expect to see him again. Then he walked into my ER...when I was five weeks pregnant. Now he wants me under his roof—and Sergei isn't a man you say "no" to. He’s a ruthless Russian crime boss, and I fear once he finds out what I’m hiding, he’ll never let me go. $0.99. PRE-ORDER NOW / 

Coming August 18: A Contemporary Reverse Harem Romance. I prayed for a miracle to save my little boy. God sent me three loyal silver fox alphas instead. Their price? My body. My secrets. My heart. A stand-alone reverse harem romance filled with humor, danger, and generous amounts of love. $0.99. PRE-ORDER NOW / 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on The Sweetest Getaway from author Sasha Preston, a no spice, cozy heist novel with laughs, international intrigue, and the smartest heroines since Ocean’s 8. Perfect for fans of women’s fiction and crime capers. 

★★★★★ "An electric heist novel." ~Foreword Reviews

Bonus: Download a free copy of "A Sweet Scheme," a standalone short story featuring Martha Ramirez in a prequel to The Sweetest Getaway. No prior reading required.

The Sweetest Getaway

They’ll need the sweetest getaway ever to escape this mess…

Jennifer used to be a wholesome daydreamer who’d never broken a law in her life.

In a moment of weakness, she lets her roommate, Nari, rope her into a money-making scheme that isn’t exactly…legal.

How could she have known that stealing from bad guys would be so much fun?

Soon, Jennifer is so busy leading a double life that she barely has time to fantasize about the hot, dimpled stranger she met at one of Nari’s parties.

Everything is going smoothly, until someone rats them out to the cops.

Now, Jennifer and Nari need help from a team of seasoned criminals to pull off a heist that’ll either set them up for life…or get them locked up for a very long time.

Praise for The Sweetest Getaway

"A fun female caper filled with comedic mishaps and adventure...unexpectedly entertaining from start to finish." ~Readers' Favorite

"A gripping, girl-powered caper that sees a community of women joyfully come together." ~LoveReading

"A lively, funny, action-filled scheme, spiced by romance and fueled by female solidarity." ~IndieReader

"Roommates deepen their friendship while blurring the lines between right and wrong in the electric heist novel The Sweetest Getaway." ~Foreword Reviews

About the Author

        

Free online: Historical Fiction Book Recommendations. Join Jane Healey on the second Tuesday of each month for 30 minutes of recommendations on the best of historical fiction out there. Jane is author of The Beantown Girls, a Washington Post and Amazon bestseller, and The Secret Stealers, a Historical Novel Society’s Editors’ Choice. Tuesday, August 12, 5:30 - 6:00 PM CDT.

"The historian will tell you what happened. The novelist will tell you what it felt like." ~E.L. Doctorow

"It’s been one disaster after another, and Jonas almost dying is a reminder of how close we are to everything falling apart. A few days ago, I was a normal girl living a normal life, and now angels and demons are real. Oh, and not only that, but the demons are after us because they want to destroy humanity. No biggie." In this thrilling young adult urban fantasy, the line between light and darkness blurs, and the hardest choice isn't between good and evil, but between her heart and humanity's fate. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

A deadly forest, a world-ending relic, and two enemies forced into an alliance. Will the sparks between them light their way or burn their worlds to ash? Clea Hart, a gifted healer and sheltered royal, becomes an outlaw the moment she steals the Deadlock Medallion—a dark relic intent on possessing anyone it touches. To protect mankind, she must destroy it, but she needs the help of Ryson, a haunted warrior with a past steeped in blood. 4.5 stars, 54 ratings on Goodreads. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

Matt and Trent knew their connection the instant they met, each born with the rare talent of telepathy. But neither could they imagine the wild and treacherous turn their lives would take. The mysterious Sokolov, a figure whose motives are anything but clear, thrusts Matt and Trent into a web of danger and depravity, with plans to force them to use their talents in ways too extraordinary for them to imagine. 4.4 stars, 14 ratings. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

New release: A Practical Guide to Setting Boundaries Without Guilt, Fear, or Apology. If you’re tired of saying “yes“ when your soul is screaming “no,“ this book is for you...a compassion-filled, empowering guide to help you set boundaries without guilt, fear, or apology. Inside, the author shares the exact mindset shifts and practical tools she used (and now teaches) to help women stop people-pleasing and start honoring who they really are. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

A richly detailed fantasy series starter: Years after Fen wakes up in a meadow with only one hazy memory, he’s sent on a quest to save his kingdom. On his journey, he meets a thief who brings his past life to the surface. Can Fen and Aleesa uncover Fen’s past before an unspoken evil takes hold? 4.6 stars, 19 ratings. From 2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

A Heartwarming Tale of Friendship and Understanding. In a cozy little window, a shy rabbit watches two animal friends play with the toys he creates. The two curious animal friends want to meet him, but will he be their friend? This beautifully written and illustrated children’s book embraces sensitivity, acceptance, and inclusion, helping young readers understand the beauty of differences, and proving that true friendship knows no boundaries. From $4.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Every voice matters—even the ones that go unheard. In this heartfelt children’s book, a young boy with a disability who is nonspeaking embarks on a beautiful journey of faith. With his mother’s gentle guidance, he learns to pray, finding comfort in the belief that God hears him—not through words, but through his heart. This inspiring story fosters inclusion, faith, and understanding, reminding us all that communication goes beyond speech. From $11.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Looking for an easy and powerful way to jumpstart your personal development journey? With 101 concise and impactful pages, this book is packed with powerful sentences on a variety of topics, all explained with clear and simple explanations. Whether you're new to personal development or just looking for a fresh perspective, this book is the perfect place to start. $13.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the Kings of Anarchy MC: Alaska, a new paranormal shifter romance series from USA Today bestselling author Kathleen Kelly:   

• Property of Blade: Book 1 of the Kings of Anarchy MC: Alaska series
• Property of Vex: Book 2 of the Kings of Anarchy MC: Alaska series

Property of Blade

A raw, gritty ride through Alaska's wild terrain, where danger lurks at every turn, and love is anything but easy.

Blade: Alaska is my kingdom, and as President of the Kings of Anarchy, I keep control of my men and secrets that could tear our lives apart. Life here is simple—no one asks questions, and I don't offer answers. But when I find Hannah stranded and out of her depth, everything shifts. She doesn't belong in my world, yet I can't stop thinking about her.

Hannah: I came here to escape my life in Los Angeles. A fresh start away from friends, family, and him. After my accident, he left me because I wasn't "perfect" anymore. For more than a year, I tried to make it work, but every time he looked at me, I saw the revulsion in his eyes. So, I sold everything I owned, packed up my cat, Grace, and moved to one of the remotest places I could find—Alaska.

Can Hannah accept the beast inside Blade and the broken men he leads, or will the brutal truth of their worlds rip them apart?

★★★★★ "If you enjoy bad boys, supernaturals and a bit of spice, Property of Blade will be right up your alley." ~Goodreads Review

Property of Vex

An electrifying new chapter in the Kings of Anarchy MC world.

Meet Ezekiel "Vex" Black, the no-nonsense VP of the MC, whose sharp wit and even darker edge make him a force to be reckoned with.

These bikers don’t follow anyone’s rules but their own, guided by the ironclad code laid down by the OG chapter. Anarchy—Where the Kings rule in chaos. Get ready, this journey is going to epic!

About the Author

          

Free online: Summer's Best from The Back Room. This live online literary event will start with a brief introduction to a panel of four authors via "20 Questions." Afterwards, online participants can talk with each author via breakout rooms. It’s all very relaxed and casual—like a virtual cocktail party! Sunday, August 10, 7 PM ET.

"Hear no evil, speak no evil, and you won't be invited to cocktail parties." ~Oscar Wilde

A CETI marine biologist studying disturbing behavior among sperm whales meets a SETI astronomer and former astronaut searching for a missing star. Their investigations entwine them in a mystery spanning the deep sea, deep space, and deep time, revealing an unthinkable connection that requires their expertise to safeguard the future of Earth’s conscious life in a cosmos more terrifying than ever imagined. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Enter a world where morality is a luxury few can afford, and the pursuit of success knows no bounds. In this ground-breaking financial thriller, Connor Beauregard embarks on a relentless quest for wealth and power in the high-stakes world of finance. A must-read for fans of gripping thrillers that push the boundaries of the genre. "An unforgettable exploration of power, wealth, and the consequences of unchecked ambition." ~Amazon Review. 4.0 stars, 49 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW /