I like to get my books for pennies; how about you?

First of all, I am thinking of changing the name of this blog.  Here are some ideas:

The Thrifty Book Lover

The Penny Pinching Reader

The Cheap Book Lover

What do you think?  Please let me know in the comments or via twitter (@carolearlycoone)

There are two new low to no cost book ideas for you this week.

EBOOK SODA

The first is a new email service that I just joined. It is a service  to tell you about daily or weekly ebook specials.  The service is like the others (BookBub, Riffle, and Book Shout)  It is called ebook soda.  You go to the site, give them your email address and tell them (from a long list) what kind of books that you like to read and then receive a daily email with book specials.  I think that you might find some overlapping with these services but you will find good books at a lower than usual price. I have so many books to read that I am trying not to look at the emails.  I usually look.

FIRST TO READ

I think that I have mentioned First to Read before.  First to Read features books from Penguin Publishing.  First to Read is a bit different from the other sites.  Once a month, First to Read announces their books for the month. The books have not been published yet but can be from authors that you have read before.  You can bid to get a copy of the book.  They collect bids and announce who gets the book.  For example the list of books came out yesterday and the bidding will close on July 28.  Winners will be announced.  There is also a twist.  Every time you go to the site and sign in, you get 5 points.  These points accumulate and then when the books are announced, if there is one you really want to read, you can “buy” it with your points.  They want you to review the books that you read.  This can be review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and on the First to Read site.  Today’s book review is a book that I received from First to Read.  In case you were wondering, I was pretty happy to get it and read it WAY before it comes out.

KINDLE UNLIMITED

I also wanted to tell you about the new product from Amazon.  They now offer a book subscription service called Kindle Unlimited.  It is a service where you pay $9.99 and you have over 600,000 books that you can take out and read and return.  I have talked about other services and you can read about them here. I am still partial to Entitle because you get to keep the books but Amazon does seem to have more titles available.  You really need to research the book selection and be realistic about how many books you read.

New book by Liane Moriarty. Out July 29, 2014

Big Little Lies
(click on title to go to Amazon to buy the book)
 

BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty to be published July 29, 2014

In Liane Moriarty’s sixth book, she covers the world of elementary school “mums” and the secrets and lies that accompany their every day lives.

Synopsis

Madeline is the experienced school mom. She has seen the politics and has the scoop on who is in charge and how it all works.  Her beautiful and rich friend, Celeste, has twin boys just starting in the school. Madeline can be outspoken and has no problem defending her friends, even when perhaps they wish she wouldn’t.  Celeste appears to the outside world to have a perfect life. She is beautiful, her husband loves her, her children are fairly well behaved and she is rich.

Jane is a single unwed mother whose son will be starting school.  She has recently moved to the community and is very young and unsure of herself.

When Jane helps Madeline after a mishap, Madeline takes Jane in as a friend.  For Jane, Madeline is a force that carries her along through the intricacies of school social hierarchy.

Throughout the book, you know that someone has died.  You don’t know who or how or why but it is apparent that it will all come clear at the annual school Trivia Night.  As the night gets closer, you find out more about each of the character’s lives and the secrets that they keep.

Opinion

I liked the book.  I found the whole school social system to be believable and the women to be warm and well drawn.  It was funny and sad and intriguing.  It was interesting to know that someone was dead but not know who or why.

The author made it even more interesting by ending each chapter with comments made to the police in the investigation.  As the book moves along, the personalities of the school parents shine through their statements.  It is an additional layer of humor in the book.

I would have no problem suggesting that you read this book.  Although, I would tell you to read her other book, What Alice Forgot, first if you had not read any of Liane Moriarty’s books before. What Alice Forgot is still my favorite but this is a close second.  By the way, I read that What Alice Forgot is being made into a movie.

Do you like to see movies that are made from books that you really liked?

And for the nightlight rating