If you look beyond the major, well known bestsellers, you will find a wide selection of free or inexpensive books for the Kindle and Kindle DX that are really good. Many have outstanding reviews. They are also great for a tight budget.
While browsing the Amazon Kindle Top 100 Free list, I came across Raising Jake, by Charlie Carillo. Raising Jake is a story about father-son bonding and is a nice break from the sea of sappy romance novels that seem to take over the whole Top 100 list. Keep an eye on that list, there are often some really good books on there for a limited time.
Sammy Sullivan gets fired from his job at a New York tabloid, and his son Jake gets expelled from school all on the same day. Sammy revisits his troublesome past, while Jake gets to know his family roots.
Allison Grambs sums up the novel very well:
“In the tradition of Tom Perotta, Carillo explores the strength of the family bond, the power of forgiveness, and the hope that comes from embracing second chances. . .truthful, and hilarious.”–Alison Grambs, author of The Smart Girls Guide to Getting Even
Carillo’s newest novel, One Hit Wonder was released today, and is a tale of lost love and missed opportunities. Like Raising Jake, One Hit Wonder follows a middle aged man who must face past issues and grow up. After getting dumped by his girlfriend at 18, Mickey DeFalco wrote a love song that became a huge hit, but luck dwindles as the years pass. DeFalco struggles to find a foothold in life and mows lawns for a living twenty years later. His lost love resurfaces, uncovering lies and secrets that demonstrate how unpredictable life can be.
Karen McQuestion’s A Scattered Life is in the top 25 on the Kindle 100 list, and is only $2.99. A Scattered Life is about the importance of family and friends. Skyla Plinka, the lead character in the novel, learns how to let go of her tragic past, and embrace the present, as well as the the people who care for her. The novel really gets into the heart of family issues. McQuestion also wrote Life on Hold, the story of 15 year old Rae and her struggles with having to move constantly with her flaky mother. McQuestion manages to take real life issues and provide us with a light, easy reading experience.
I even saw some books for less than two dollars in a variety of genres including romance, mystery and thrillers. Happy reading!