[L.J. Sellers]

From Shelf Awareness:

"Beginning today, customers can bring any e-reading device into a Barnes & Noble bookstore to, in the company's words, "compare and upgrade to a Nook device and receive an instant Nook Book collection—30 free digital titles valued at $315." While supplies last, B&N customers will get a free, 2GB microSD card loaded with the e-books with the purchase of any Nook device.

Early reviews of the offer were less than enthusiastic. CrunchGear noted that the titles include Glory in the Fall: The Greatest Moments in World Series History, 21st Century Crossword Puzzle Dictionary and My Boyfriend Wrote a Book About Me. "There are some cookbooks in there and a few other interesting titles but it’s not like you’re going to score a complete Stephen King library or anything.... You can also just grab the 2GB card, erase it, and put your own books bought on your previous reader on there, which is what I suspect they’re really trying to offer here."

PaidContent.org also "took a look at the list of e-books that Barnes & Noble is offering free, and it reminded me of the books on a B&N bargain table--titles like AARP Crash Course in Finding the Work You Love, Susie's Sun Signs, and Country Living: The Mom's Guide to Running a Business. Six of the titles are in the public domain, so they're already free anyway. When I totaled the value of the books, I got $263.66. Perhaps B&N is valuing the SD card at $52.... Barnes & Noble's store sales are down, and the company is trying to find ways to lure shoppers into stores."