Oct 28 2012
Got a book you want to talk about? Frustrated with a book or series? In love with a new one? Found a buried treasure? An issue that keeps popping up in the books you are reading? Just want to chat about stuff in general? Post away. Don’t forget our New Releases site here.
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hapax: post-apocalyptic motorcycle club new adult romance
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nicoleangelsgathering: @ Cassandra- No problem.. it's not that important, I was jus…
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JOINT REVIEW: Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh (and Giveaway)
Mockingjay 13 District Blog Tour: District 5, Our Giveaway
Something is very wrong with us, and it’s not bad reviews
Berkley Fall Giveaway
Author DeborahAnne MacGillivray Harasses Amazon Reader
Oct 28, 2012 @ 14:06:17
I’ve mentioned this on other sites, but I’ve been glomming Rachel Aaron’s Eli Monpress fantasy series in preparation for the last one (SPIRIT’S END) being released at the end of the month.
I’m a sucker for a charming, cocky thief, and Eli’s a topnotch (if unusual) wizard on top of it; plus he’s got a terrific supporting cast, and a magical system vaguely-but-not-really reminiscent of Japanese Shinto and escalating hints of Really Big Bad Sh*t behind the scenes — that’s my brand of heroin.
These really aren’t romances (although there is one terribly moving and sad romantic storyline that carries through the series), although there are all sorts of subplots about different kinds of love relationships, both good and bad.
Note: For those who are bothered by it, I have to admit that the editing on these books is pretty bad — lots of dropped words, homonym mix-ups, even the wrong character names sometimes. I usually can’t stand that kind of error, but I love these stories enough to grit my teeth and get past it.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 14:24:04
Waiting for Exposed to You by Beth Kery, also waiting for Shadow by Laurann Dohner and Desperately Seeking Shapeshifter by Jessica Sims. Also for those looking for a good zombie read, I highly recommend Kylie Scott’s Flesh
Oct 28, 2012 @ 15:05:06
The Andrea Höst books now have not only my fervent partisanship but Sherwood Smith’s seal of approval (quite apart from making my day with the shout-out). There are romances in all of the books, although only as subthreads. The Touchstone Trilogy and And All the Stars are probably the most overtly romantic, they are also the only YA books that the author has written so far.
Also, the newest Liaden novel, a one-off on Surebleak called Necessity’s Child (it’s the book formerly known as George, if you read Sharon Lee’s LJ) can be bought in unproofed (!) eARC from BAEN – it only comes out in February next year officially. Very good reading already.
And in the way of category romances a partial reread of Eileen Wilks World of the Lupi series made me finally go for some of her category romances and I think she’s a strong contemporary romance writer, with or without paranormal touches. She also has a clear love of family and friend relationships.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 15:11:49
I’m waiting for Beth Kery too and Kresley Cole’s Shadow’s Claim.
Iced drops on the 30th of Oct and Command Performance by Annabel Joseph drops that day to.
Running Wild – Linda Howard & Linda Jones.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 15:16:39
Lynn Viehl’s next Darkyn book… Nightbred. I won an ARC and read it on vacation. Loved it. Also have re-read Marilyn Pappano’s PASSION, an older RS, but one that mixing the suspense and romance very well. One of my faves. :)
Oct 28, 2012 @ 15:19:22
I’ll be getting the new books by Julie Anne Long and Sarah Mayberry this week. Looking forward to them!
Oct 28, 2012 @ 15:25:56
Olivia Cunning has a new one coming out in November in the Sinners series. I liked Backstage Pass and Rock Hard, the new one is titled Double Time and features Trey’s story. On her website it says it’s book number 5 in the series but 3 and 4 haven’t been released yet. Weird way to release them but if they’re like Backstage Pass and Rock Hard they’re stand alone enough to read out of sequence.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 16:32:03
I just finished Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill, which I enjoyed. I’m looking forward to reading more in her Chicagoland Vampires series. I also read An Outlaw’s Christmas by Linda Lael Miller, which was a historical western holiday romance.
Next up, I’ll probably read The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa. I want to catch up on her Iron Fey series, especially since there’s a new spin-off book out now.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 17:47:49
Bujold fans who haven’t already bought the eARC will definitely want to get Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, which comes out Nov. 6. It’s a lovely SF romance, and something of a valentine to fans of the Vorkosigan saga. I’ve already read it more than once.
The book on my TBR pile I’m most looking forward to is Miranda Kenneally’s Stealing Parker (YA), since Catching Jordan was one of my favorite reads of the past year.
And a recent read I unexpectedly fell in love with was Martin Walker’s Bruno, Chief of Police. A lovely, leisurely-paced mystery that also serves as an armchair vacation to the south of France.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 18:32:49
I am really looking forward to Tanya Huff’s The Silvered.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 18:47:58
I’m in a bit of a book slump, but I’m looking forward to Amy Lane’s newest knitting novella, coming out in Nov – I enjoyed the previous one in the series, that came out this month.
I swear, I’ve read like 5 m/m knitting short stories recently – I don’t know if I’ve stumbled onto a new sub-sub-genre or if I’m just really aware of them because I mentioned one on the hilarious “too much cancer in knitting fiction” thread a couple months ago. But, in the last few months, I’ve read Amy Lane’s series of three, plus Fuzzy by Josephine Myles (free short, part of her First Impressions series, which is good) and A Pint of Beer, A Bag of Chips, and Thou by JL Merrow in the Winter Warmers anthology.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 18:58:18
For any of you who live near Durham, North Carolina:
My library is hosting Fall into Romance: A Romance Fan Festival November 9-11. We have lots of books to giveaway, author talks, a wine bar party, chocolate tasting, and big book signing. You can learn more about the festival at http://www.durhamcountylibrary.org/fallintoromance/.
If you have questions, please email my work email jlohmann (at) dconc (dot) gov
ETA: All Durham County Library programs are free and open to the public. Some of our events are ticketed, but they are all free.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 20:44:40
I got an ARC of Fortune’s Hero by Jenna Bennett, and I’m loving it! Great SFR that’s gritty, intense, and completely absorbing.
Oct 28, 2012 @ 20:53:22
I just read Isabella Bradford’s WHEN THE DUCHESS SAID YES and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a Georgian historical with likable and believable (both humanly and historically) characters. I haven’t seen much about it, so I hope people don’t overlook it.
Oct 29, 2012 @ 08:55:12
I’m hoping Courtney Milan releases The Duchess War this month
Oct 29, 2012 @ 09:17:28
I’ve been glomming on Susanna Kearsley’s backlist – oh, so good! I found The Winter Sea and Every Secret Thing to be particularly satisfying. I really hope her entire catalog gets released on Kindle soon. There’s something about her writing that I find moving – I’m a tough cookie, but she’s made tears well in my eyes more than once.
I’d love some recommendations for some old school romantic suspense (along the lines of Madeleine Brent/Barbara Michaels) preferably available as e-books.
New release-wise, I’m looking forward to Scorched by Laura Griffin, Lauren Dane’s new release Tart and the new Ilona Andrew’s Edge novel, Steel’s Edge. Oh, and the crackalicious New Species book Shadow. Most of all though, I’m anticipating the new Lois McMaster Bujold, Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance. I love this series so, so, so much. LMB is a goddess.
So many books to read, and I want them all now!
Oct 29, 2012 @ 10:16:58
@Susanna Fraser: I am so excited for that book. I pre-ordered it months ago. My aunt (who is a fellow Bujold junkie) and I have been talking about Ivan needing his own book for years!
Oct 29, 2012 @ 14:11:24
I need some sympathy! Last week I dumped a very hot large cup of green tea on my netbook. Totally fried it. I had just downloaded a bunch of library audio and epub books. I couldn’t redownload them with the overdrive app on my Kindle, I was so pissed! THEN!!! Yesterday my Kindle spilled out of my bag while getting off the bus and the bus ran over it. I could only stand there and watch, no way was I going to jump in front of a Big Blue Bus to save it. Sheesh!
I really liked my little Acer netbook, so light compared to a regular laptop. This month has been challenging for me, but I am hopeful about November.
On another note I finished A Discovery of Witches, a terrific story, I can’t say enough great things about this wonderful book. A good read for Halloween.
Oct 29, 2012 @ 14:36:01
I’m kind of torn on mentioning these. R.A. McAvoy has audible versions of The Book of Kells and The Grey Horse, two of her stand alone titles. The Book of Kells is time travel to ancient Ireland and The Grey Horse is set in a more recent period in Ireland and involves a creature of Faery in the form of– you guessed it. I love both of them but they are more fantasy than romance and would recommend them. However, I also sampled the reader for The Grey Horse and thought that he was sub par so I didn’t download it. Others may like him though.
Oops, it also looks like I missed a book that came out about a year by the same author. Death and Resurrection–
Although I am drowning in Kindle books I think I need to download this one.
Oct 29, 2012 @ 15:09:40
@Leslie: You really do have my deepest sympathies. That is horrid. Did you have some warranty left at least ? *hands virtual chocolate chip cookie*
Oct 29, 2012 @ 15:39:43
Re audio books: There’s a giveaway of Pamela Clare audiobooks over at audiogals.net. I think those books were popular here (though I could be mis-remembering).
Oct 29, 2012 @ 16:57:04
@Sophydc The Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance eARC was the first book I ever sideloaded onto my Kindle. Normally I just buy everything direct from Amazon ‘cuz it’s so much easier, but I didn’t want to wait a minute longer than I had to for my next Bujold fix!
@Leslie Ouch, you definitely have my sympathies! Here’s hoping this week and all of November are better.
Oct 30, 2012 @ 09:01:30
Just to add – following Estara’s recommendation, I looked for the Andrea Höst books, and found the first of the Touchstone trilogy, ‘Stray’, was available for free for the kindle at Amazon.co.uk.
I’m about half way through, and really enjoying it so far.
Oct 30, 2012 @ 14:43:52
@Marianne McA: Yohoo ^^
ETA: Andrea did say on GoodReads that Stray would be free at Amazon.co.uk and at Smashwords and Kobo for a couple of weeks.
Oct 30, 2012 @ 16:35:19
@Estara: It’s matched on US Amazon site. Oh, heck, what’s another book to add to my cloud of unread books.
Oct 30, 2012 @ 17:10:27
Yay, I’ve successfully side-loaded ebooks onto my iphone via Dropbox and Bluefire! I’m ridiculously pleased with myself. :)
Oct 31, 2012 @ 06:20:06
@DS: Just be aware that if you read it, you may spend more money on all the rest of her books ^^. I had already read Champion of the Rose, due to the great Booksmuggler review of it – and after reading the Stray sample I bought the whole Touchstone Trilogy right away, which is cheaper.
Oh and Ana really enjoyed And All the Stars, as well.
Oct 31, 2012 @ 13:10:05
“Just be aware that if you read it, you may spend more money on all the rest of her books.”
More than that: just be aware that you may not get to sleep till silly o’clock – lights off at 3.48am – because you need to know how the second book ends.
@Estara – thanks for the recc – I had got to the stage where I was prowling discontentedly round bookshops because I couldn’t find something I wanted to read. It’s been lovely to lose myself in a world so completely. (Hopefully I’ll finish the third at a more reasonable time tonight.)
Oct 31, 2012 @ 19:21:06
@Marianne McA: Hah! ^^ Gotcha – I do hope you get some sleep at some point.
Dec 31, 2012 @ 12:42:16
I was recently reading a book about how to cope with overwhelming emotions and it read, “If you’re in a painful situation and your emotions are going to overwhelm you and possibly make things worse, then often it’s best just to leave.” This reminded me of the many times I’ve left a party, a camping trip, a get together with family, or a friends house because I suddenly became profoundly depressed, with a sickening ache deep in my stomach. I would feel an almost uncontrollable urge to cry, but if I was unable to get away I would just shut myself out from everyone else and be silent, saying I was tired if someone asked if I was okay. Many times I have said goodnight to retreat to my room and cry. It is this side of me that I am ashamed of and have always tried to hide. To this day I hide my depression from my friends and sometimes family, so that I can have normal relationships with people and not be given special treatment. I feel shy and embarrassed in public, it is hard for me to look people in the eyes. When someone who cares asks me whats wrong I can’t be real because I would be too emotional. I want so much to be close but I’m afraid and ashamed of who I am. I feel inadequate and unwanted. I feel like no one would want to be with someone insecure, hurt, and depressed. I keep finding out how much depression has been affecting every aspect of my life and been the driving force behind my biggest problems. It makes me want to feel like I’m a victim and its not my fault, and to forgive myself. For some reason I continue to feel like I am fundamentally flawed and should be rejected. I crave having a girlfriend to hold me and to be close to, and I feel ashamed of this desire, like it is childish or taboo. I do not feel like I am Okay the way I am, and even though I am aware of all the ways my thinking is flawed I haven’t been able to feel differently. I can’t lead a normal life when I feel like crying every day.
Thanks – Gareth Ackanowledge