Month: July 2012

Friday Bargains: Some of this, some of that

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There is no real theme this week. 
BN launched their Nook for Web earlier this week, and as a part of the launch they offer 6 free books.

Moira Rogers offer several free e-books, some through their webpage, others through stores. 

As a part of the promotion for Joss Ware’s upcoming release, Beyond the Night, is discounted to 1.99 at all major stores. 


The Bride and the Brute by Laurel O’Donnell is free at Smashwords.

Edit: I just discovered that if you like mysteries, there is some nice deals over at Books on Board.

Review: Yours to keep by Shannon Stacey:

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The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, available in print and as e-book.
The Source: Purchased at Kobo
The Grade: A
The Blurb:

Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the army than he’s recruited by Emma Shaw to be her fake fiance. Emma needs to produce a husband-to-be for her grandmother’s upcoming visit, and, though Sean doesn’t like the deception, he could use the landscaping job Emma’s offering while he decides what to do with his civilian life. And, despite his attraction to Emma, there’s no chance he’ll fall for a woman with deep roots in a town he’s not planning to call home.
Emma’s not interested in a real relationship either; not with a man whose idea of home is wherever he drops his duffel bag. No matter how amazing his “pretend” kisses are…


The review:
I thought I had reviewed this book last year, but a search through the archives proved me wrong, so I am reviewing it now instead.I love Sharon Stacey, she is one of those authors that I turn to when I want a good contemporary romance. This book was no exception.
This was an heartwarming book, filled with a good romance and lot of laughter. I loved how Emma and Sean’s relationship evolved, from the first meeting to the decision to give the facade a try.
The tension between them was understandable, but under the scrutiny of their family their emotions gradually turned real.
Just like the previous Kowalski novels, it takes place in New England. I have never been in New England,but to me the setting felt really believable. From the house Emma lived in to the small town they shopped in.
The first time I read this book, I was a bit sceptical about wheter or not the premise would work. But it did work, at least for me. And the reason it work is the fact that Emma loves her grandma, and she only wants to ease her worries.
The only thing I didn’t like was the secondary romance between Cat and Rupert. I liked Cat, but the romance felt tacked on, and I didn’t feel it added anything to the story.

Book Recommendation: Rogue’s Pawn by Jeffe Kennedy

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Haunted by nightmares of a black dog, sick to death of my mind-numbing career and heart-numbing fiancé, I impulsively walked out of my life—and fell into Faerie. Terrified, fascinated, I discover I possess a power I can’t control: my wishes come true. After an all-too-real attack by the animal from my dreams, I wake to find myself the captive of the seductive and ruthless fae lord Rogue. In return for my rescue, he demands an extravagant price—my firstborn child, which he intends to sire himself…

With no hope of escaping this world, I must learn to harness my magic and build a new life despite the perils—including my own inexplicable and debilitating desire for Rogue. I swear I will never submit to his demands, no matter what erotic torment he subjects me to…

This cover piqued my interest on Carina Press webpage, and the blurb is intriguing enough to make me want to read it. 

Review: Devlin’s team: File One: Dancer by Lazette Gifford:

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

The Particulars: Science Fiction, ACOA, available as e-book.
The Source: Smashwords
The Grade: C+
The Blurb:
Devlin is a top agent for the Inner Worlds Council Security force — a spy in common terms — and she’s not very happy with an assignment to the backwater world of Forest. Settled by the Work for Man fanatics, the government has restricted not only the use of tech equipment but also regulate nearly every aspect of life for the small population. The settlement is boring and the people don’t like outsiders.

There is one anomaly, though: The brutal show known as bear dancing pits a human against a native life form. Devlin’s work is to learn about the show and report what she can about the bears themselves because there is suddenly outside interest.

The people involved in the bear dance are secretive. She’s gathered all the information she thinks she can, and she’s ready to move on. However, when a top-ranking scientist arrives on world, Devlin thinks she might be able to pick up a little bit more information.

And that’s something the locals fear.

The Review:
After reading Singer and St Jude I wanted to read more of Lazette Gifford’s science fiction, so I decided to make use of the Smashwords sale, and purchase this one. I am glad I did. Once again Lazette Gifford delivered.
.
The planet Forest felt refreshing. The worldbuilding felt solid, yet innovative. From the treedogs who preyed on the unwary, to the Bears that lived in the forest surrounding the settlements.
More than the world, the culture in the settlement fascinated me. I haven’t read many science fiction books were the rulers strives too keep the planet as primitive as possible. I’ll admit that fascinated me.
The plot was intriguing. I liked reading about Devlin and Cha’s search for the truth. I’ll admit that I was as fooled as they were, thinking that Forest is a backwater world, with no secrets. Nothing could be more wrong. I enjoyed how the sense of danger gradually increased until the end.
I liked the characters. I liked how there was a clear conflict between Devlin, Cha and Dancer who wanted things put to right, and the leaders of the Bear camp who wanted to keep things as they were.
What pulled down the grade from a solid B to a C was the typos.  There wasn’t a lot of typos, but the ones that were was enough to annoy me. I suspect that I will fix them, if I have the time and energy later. I know that no book is perfect, but to me this book showed the importance of a proof reader.

Charity Sunday: RWA Literacy signing

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Readers for life is RWA’s annual signing.  The signing takes place during RWA Nationals, and is free of admission.   Since the proceeds goes to charity, they sell the books to be signed at the signing. 

This year the proceeds from the book sales go to ProLiteracy Worldwide, Read Orange County, and Literacy Volunteers—Huntington Valley.

If you like me cannot visit the convention, I urge you to find another way to support the organisations.  

 

Friday Bargains: A lot of backlist

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 Books on Boards sale is still on going. Which means I am tempting to clean out my wishlist.  Hrm.  But I will prevail.   On the other hand, if the Samhain backlist titles had been  available in epub instead of pdf. Speaking of Samhain, they are starting a bookclub, which will feature their free reads. Which means that their free reads will FINALLY be available from their webpage.  
I have waited a long time for that to happen.

Back to  the Books on board sales.
Laura Anne Gilman is one of my favorite authors. And the first 3 books in her amazing Retriever’s series is discounted to 3.65.
 
There is a lot Carina Press titles available for good prices at Booksonboard, but I especially recommend Shannon Stacey’s  Slow Summer Kisses  and One More Summer by Liz Flaherty.   Both of them writes excellent contemporary Romance, and I am really glad that I discovered them.

I have a lot more titles that I want to recommend, but they are Agency titles. And since I have readers from the US, it feels wrong to recommend titles that isn’t discounted for them. But, there are some books that is discounted to 2.99 right now at all major ebook stores.  ( Tip: If you live outside the US, check Kobo.)
One of them is Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas is available for 2.99.
I don’t read much YA but Anna Dressed in blood by Kendare Blake intrigued me enough to purchase it.

Maya Banks reported at Facebook, that the price for Colters Promise will permanently drop to 3.99. Not sure when it happens, though.

Review: Singer and St Jude: The Lost Cause by Lazette Gifford

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The particulars: Science fiction, Double Dragon,  available as e-book
The Source: Fictionwise
The Grade: B
The Blurb:

In 2039 Los Angeles, half ruined by devastating quakes, is in the hands of three policing forces–the National Feds, the State Militia and the city’s own Local force, all of them squabbling over jurisdiction. Religious intolerance grows under the watchful eye of the CCP, and survival is a precarious game of chance and cunning. And in this maelstrom of disaster, two Local detectives, working on their first case together, try to find a drug dealer with a secret he’s willing to sell–if he lives long enough. Unfortunately, Elias Singer is about to learn that his new partner has a dangerous secret all his own..

The review: 
This book languished unread for a long time before I picked it up. And I am glad I did.
It took a couple of pages before I was truly hooked, but once I was I couldn’t stop reading. I wanted to find out how St Jude and Singer got out of this mess.
In someway, this novel scared me. Oh, not because it is horror, but because the direction the post apocalyptic world it paints are so believable. From the quakes, that wrecked California, since scientists know a big quakes will hit California, sooner or later. Too the religious intolerance that is a big part of the world. The quakes have led to a bleak world, filled with suspicions against those that are different. Like Jews, Retro, and Catholics.
The plot also felt believable, from the hunt for the drug dealer, too the sudden twist that blew everything onto a new level of importance.
What made the book work for me was the characters. The quiet love between Singer and his wife Leah made me smile. I especially liked how they gave each other space to fulfil what was important to them. I also liked how Singer and St Jude gradually became partners in the truest sense. They trusted each other with secrets that might be disastrous if they leaked out.
The biggest problem I had with this book was formatting errors. It happened more than once, that spaces were missing or in some cases letters. This is an error due to Fictionwise formatting, I suspect.

Review: Rojuun by John H Carroll

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The Particulars: Epic Fantasy, Smashwords, available as e-book
The Source: Smashwords
The Grade: B-
The Blurb:
Rumors are spreading about a new race called Rojuun. They appeared from the depths of the mountains eight hundred years ago with the intention of taking over the world. Tathan of the Shadows has been charged with learning more about them. However, he must learn more about his very unusual companions before he can succeed.
The Review:
This is yet another freebie that languished unread for months before I decided to read it. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. 
The world is like nothing I have read about.   From the peaceful valley were Liselle and Tathan grew up, too the vast Willden Forest with its ruins and Druids.  Not to mention the Rojuun and the caves they inhabitates.   
The companions felt like an refreshing twist on the standard character tropes.  From Tathan with his secrets, and protective instincts towards Liselle.  I could understand him, since Liselle had never been out of the valley before, and was a bit naive.  But that naivety was one of the reasons I liked Liselle so much.  Then there is Vevin with his dances, and his curiosity towards the world.  I giggled, a lot when I read about Vevin.  And then there is Danth. I felt sad for Danth, who is the only one left of his people.  I got goosebumps when I read about what happend to his world. 
The plot felt like a standard fantasy plot, but there was enough of unique twists that  made it feel a bit less standard.  While I could put it down, I suspect that if I had started reading it earlier in the day I would have kept reading until the end.

The main problem I had with this book was connecting with what happened to the characters. The reason for that might be the author’s tendency to describe things in too much details.   I think another reason was that this is just one third of the plot, and that I will need to read the last two parts tooreally appreciate the world. And I do plan to read them, since I liked the story.  

Book recommendation: Haven by Kay Hooper

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Emma Rayburn lived a quiet life in the sleepy town of Baron Hollow, North Carolina, until she injured her head in a riding accident. Afterwards, her dreams were full of nameless girls being tortured and murdered, nightmares that didn’t seem to have any link with her life…until her estranged sister, Jessie, returned to Baron Hollow. Now an investigator who uses her psychic abilities in her work, Jessie has long been plagued by something that happened to her as a teen girl, before she ran away from Baron Hollow. She’s come back to uncover the truth – and to discover the ones responsible for the deed. Could Emma’s nightmares be connected to Jessie’s quest? But it isn’t just the truth at stake – there’s an evil that’s haunting the present, an evil that has roots in the darkness of the past, and a terrifying violence that neither sister can remember.

I first discovered Kay Hooper through the library, and after I had read the books the library had, I went out and bought copies of her all Bishop novels.