A- Reviews / B+ Reviews / Book Reviews / C- Reviewsclass differences / competition / Fantasy / friendship / joint review / magical powers / magical school / prickly heroine / prophecy / survival / YA / YA fantasy12 Comments
Jennie, Sirius and I (along with Jayne), reviewed Naomi Novik’s last book, Spinning Silver, together. Our roundtable discussion was a lot of fun and the three of us decided to reunite for Novik’s recent release, the first book in her Scholomance series, A Deadly Education. –Janine. Janine: A Deadly Education ... more >
Publishing NewsAgency pricing / Amazon / Art / charity / competition / copyright / Ebooks / editors / Harper Collins / Literary fiction / music industry / Open Road / Penguin8 Comments
Open Road Dodges $1 Million Bullet in Copyright Case – In its bid to be awarded attorneys fees of more than $1M dollars, Harper Collins argued that Open Road’s contract to publish Julie of The Wolves as an ebook was “objectively unreasonable” — that is, so clearly wrong that Harper ... more >
B Reviewsarchery / competition / Fantasy Romance / Hearts and Thrones series / sexism11 Comments
Dear Ms. Raby, Earlier this year I read and reviewed the first two works in your Hearts and Thrones fantasy romance series, Assassin’s Gambit and Spy’s Honor. I also read this novella in that same series, Archer’s Sin, but what with one review commitment or another, I didn’t get around ... more >
Letters of Opinioncompetition / Free Speech / Intellectual Property Issues18 Comments
My first post in this series on free speech issues focused on the line between fully protected critical speech and less protected commercial speech, specifically in regard to paid-for positive and sockpuppeted reviews. This post is on the economic concept of free riding and its substantial but often silent impact ... more >
C ReviewsAdvertising / competition / Harlequin SuperRomance / New-York / opposites attract6 Comments
Dear Ms. Gaines: The book has a very original opening. Rachel Frye is trying to convince her stick in the mud boyfriend not to break up with her. The breakup is bringing out her least favorite trait, shrillness, and is being done in front of her biggest rival, Garret Calder. ... more >
C+ ReviewsBusiness woman / competition / Harlequin-Presents / Venice6 Comments
Dear Ms. Gordon When the story first started, I thought for sure this was going to be the standard HP with the hero jumping to conclusions about what a slut the heroine was when, in truth, she is this shrinking violet innocent despite her knock out body. Instead, I’m treated ... more >