Goodreads thinks I read four books this year

Which tells you how good I've been at keeping up to date on my book log... I really need to spend some time over the break to at least list the books what I have read, even if I'm not going to manage comments on most of them. Alas, I forgot to pack my ergonomic keyboard, so not a huge amount of typing is going to get done before I get home. The new computer's keyboard is nowhere near as good a temporary stopgap as the ThinkPad's was, and I really need to find out how to temporarily turn off the touchpad.

book log: David Boyle - Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma

This new biography of Turing is short, the length of a long article or essay rather than a full book. If you want a detailed exploration of the life and work of Turing, you'll have to look elsewhere, but this is a good overview that's well worth reading. It's well balanced on coverage of his personal life, his work at Bletchley Park, and his academic work, tying them all together so you can see how one element affects the others. It also brings the story up to date as I write this, having been prompted by the campaign for a posthumous pardon, and there's some interesting material about that which won't be in the older biographies.

It's well written and edited, solidly grounded in known facts but enhanced by the author's clearly marked interpretation of some of those facts to make it more than a dry recital, and I found it a very enjoyable read. If you're looking for something a little more in-depth than the online articles without diving into the full length works, this is an excellent introduction to Turing. I think it will also serve well as a synopsis volume for those who want an outline in addition to the full length studies.

The Kindle Single is currently priced at 99p, and excellent value for money at that price, even if a significant chunk of the stated page count is a preview of another book by the author. It's also available in a paper edition, although I'm not convinced that most readers would find it value for money unless they're die-hard completists, unable to use Kindle format ebooks, or looking for a gift for a Turing fan. There's also an audiobook version.

Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma (Kindle Single) at Amazon UK
Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma (Kindle Single) at Amazon US

Free book heads-up: Carolyn Jewel - Scandal

Gacked from BookBub: Carolyn Jewel's historical m/f romance Scandal is free until Jan 1. I read this during my binge on Regency romance earlier this year, and enjoyed it -- it's not going to be to everyone's taste, but I think worth grabbing as a freebie to see if you like Jewel's writing style.

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Kobo

Loose Id Boxing Day sale

Why yes, I *am* going through my email backlog... Here is a message from our sponsors about a one day sale. It covers Loose Id's entire catalogue, and you may find a selection of my delightful romances at my Loose Id author page.


Are you exhausted from Christmas? Sick to death of carols? Wishing people had shopped off your wishlists instead of QVC and SkyMall?

Loose Id has exactly what you're looking for: a no-crowds, no-hassle, shop in your pajamas 25% off sale.

We know there are lots of choices for where to buy your e-books. Lots of them have great discounts. You can shop for all your favorite authors in one place. Even so, we think you'll want to shop Loose Id this Boxing Day, and here's why:

• Customer service that's intimately familiar with the books you're purchasing.
• Customer service that's intimately familiar with the devices you're reading on.
• Customer service that's friendly and knowledgeable and able to provide recommendations.
• 25% off every book, every purchase, including previously discounted titles.
• A great customer rewards program: earn Idcents with each purchase, when you leave reviews, or share books using the 'share this' feature on the product pages, and use them to buy more great books. No separate sign-up required.
• Our VIP Club: get 15% off every book you purchase from us in 2015, for $29.99, and if you become a member before January 1, get $10.00 worth of Idcents free!
• Shopping Loose Id puts more money in authors' pockets, and less in Big Business's. That means they can afford to stay home and write more books!

Give yourself the gift of pleasure. Shop Loose Id's annual

What I Really Wanted for Christmas Sale

December 26, from midnight PST to midnight PST.

(At least) 25% off all currently available books. No coupons, no exceptions.

Book View Cafe Christmas sale

And just as I was thinking that I hadn't seen anything about Book View Cafe having a sale, guess what drops into my inbox.... 50% off a selection of books from Dec 26 through to Jan1. :-) Obviously I have some conflict of interest here, since several of my friends are members of the Book View Cafe, but I've been very impressed over the years with the Cafe's output. The discount is automatically applied at the checkout.

http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/category/bvc-sale/

Stuff I've already read and enjoyed:

The Wisteria Tearoom romantic mysteries
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/a-fatal-twist-of-lemon/
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/a-sprig-of-blossomed-thorn/
plus the new one which I haven't read but has just gone in my shopping basket
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/an-aria-of-omens/

Misc historical romance
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/althea/
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/danse-de-la-folie/
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/my-dear-jenny/

Fantasy
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/lhind-the-thief/

Just go and buy this if you like urban fantasy, okay? Chaz Brenchley's Northern Lights duology is stunning.
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/dead-of-light/
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/light-errant/

Steampunk Jeeves and Wooster pastiche
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/what-ho-automaton/
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/reggiecide/
And another "latest in a series I already read"
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/book/the-aunt-paradox/

I know I've missed some while skimming.

SF Gateway Christmas Sale

Having remembered to go and check, yes, the SF Gateway is also having a sale. Lots of classic sf in ebook form from those lovely people at Gollancz. More info at their blog:

http://blog.sfgateway.com/index.php/the-sf-gateway-xmas-sale-is-here/

Books. You know you want them.