Kindle Daily Deal: Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Hillary Jordan’s Bellwether Prize-winning novel is a gripping and exquisitely rendered story of forbidden love, betrayal, and murder, set against the brutality of the Jim Crow South.
Jordan won the 2006 Bellwether Prize for Mudbound, her first novel. The prize was founded by Barbara Kingsolver to reward books of conscience, social responsibility, and literary merit. In addition to meeting all of the above qualifications, Jordan has written a story filled with characters as real and compelling as anyone we know.
It is 1946 in the Mississippi Delta, where Memphis-bred Laura McAllan is struggling to adjust to farm life, rear her daughters with a modicum of manners and gentility, and be the wife her land-loving husband, Henry, wants her to be. It is an uphill battle every day. Things started badly when Henry’s trusting nature resulted in the family being done out of a nice house in town, thus relegating them to a shack on their property. In addition, Henry’s father, Pappy, a sour, mean-spirited devil of a man, moves in with them.
The real heart of the story, however, is the friendship between Jamie, Henry’s too-charming brother, and Ronsel Jackson, son of sharecroppers who live on the McAllan farm. They have both returned from the war changed men: Jamie has developed a deep love for alcohol and has recurring nightmares; Ronsel, after fighting valiantly for his country and being seen as a man by the world outside the South, is now back to being just another black “boy.”
Told in alternating chapters by Laura, Henry, Jamie, Ronsel, and his parents, Florence and Hap, the story unfolds with a chilling inevitability. Jordan’s writing and perfect control of the material lift it from being another “ain’t-it-awful” tale to a heart-rending story of deep, mindless prejudice and cruelty. This eminently readable and enjoyable story is a worthy recipient of Kingsolver’s prize and others as well. –Valerie Ryan
Amazon Appstore Deals: Corona Indie Bundle
Used to getting just one game per mobile app? How would you like to get five different games in one package? It sounds too good to be true, but that’s exactly what you are purchasing with this game bundle–five separate, complete games in one app: Grisly Manor, Robot 99, Walkabout, Chickens Quest, and Float.
A visit to Grandpa’s house always promised a little magic when you were a child. A fantastic engineer, he was always coming up with new ideas and inventions that never failed to amaze. But Grandpa has mysteriously vanished–it’s up to you to explore his creaky house, solving the puzzles and uncovering the secrets that will explain his disappearance in this engrossing game.
Familiar objects around the house have been re-engineered to create a variety of challenging puzzles for you. Clues abound, and as each puzzle is solved, another one materializes. Grandpa obviously spent a lot of time making sure that only you would find him and uncover his big secret. Hopefully it’s not too grisly!
In this fast and furious game, robots fall from the sky like so many raindrops. Your job is to catch them before they crash onto the pavement and transport them to Powerizona. Hold them in this special zone for as long as you can to collect extra points, but don’t get too greedy, or a plummeting robot will slip by you. If three robots hit the ground, your game is over.
Queenie needs your help collecting the Magic Stars scattered throughout her kingdom. But be careful: One wrong move could leave you trapped, with no way out. There are 64 levels to negotiate, split across four regions of the kingdom. While you travel, you will discover keys that unlock eight further bonus levels. You’ll have to be at your best to complete them all.
It was a dark and spooky night. The animals are all sound asleep on the farm–but an evil presence lurks. Suddenly, a scream rings out. There’s been a chick-napping!
Your job in Chickens Quest is to help rescue the chicks by guiding them home. There will be plenty of obstacles in their way, but these cute little peepers are counting on you to lead them back to Mama Hen, Papa Rooster, and safety. Along the way you can collect stars, earn helpful items, and pile up points as you move through increasingly difficult levels in this fun barnyard romp.
Float is a game with a concept similar to Robot 99, only instead it’s balloons rather than robots that you need to keep aloft. Tap the screen below the balloons before they reach the bottom, where sharp spikes await them. But whereas the robots drop like stones, these inflated objects peacefully float down the screen. Tap, bobble, and bump your way to fun. With multiple game modes (including Timed, Limbo, and Zen), various achievements, and leaderboards, this game contains something for everyone.