Free and bargain romances in July 2013

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by library addict

For all those Phy/Changeling fans, Nalini just announced she'll be doing a novella next year in addition to a full length novel. If you're caught up in the series and want to know who the hero of the next book will be, it's on her blog.

Running over there right now

[library addict]

Originally Posted by gabby98

LOL...i loved the movies for High Noon and Northern Lights. I have the books, but never thought to read them. I usually like to see how the books and movies differ. I have the JD Robb stuff too...my mother is addicted. NR/JDR cannot come out with more in that series fast enough for her. You should see her. She asks me like every other week if there are any new ones coming. Didnt know the in Death series was considered Romance. i usually ditch the tags column in calibre. I guess I'll have to start looking at them more often.

guess I have lots of reading to do

I think the In Death series is officially listed under mystery, but there is a main romance in all of the books (the same couple) as well as several secondary romances.

Let your mom know we'll be getting a Thankless in Death in September, Taken in Death (a novella in the Mirror Mirror anthology) in October, and Concealed in Death in March of 2014. So plenty to look forward to. (And not to panic, 2014 will still have 2 full length In Death titles and maybe a novella. She hasn't announced the full schedule yet for next year. I only know the March title as it is in the Winter Penguin catalogue).

The book for Northern Lights is soooooo much better than the movie. I Love the book! I enjoyed the High Noon movie, but the book is better for that one, too They had to cut out/change so many subplots in the various movie adaptations for time so I understand why. I always try to view the adaptations as separate from the books.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I need to start reading number three still.

Take your time. I can understand not wanting to read too many in a row. That's the way I usually am with new-to-me series/authors. It's been years since I did an old-fashioned glom as I did with this series. And I only did because I wanted to be able to read the latest book the day it was released.

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

Running over there right now

Ok, I'm back. I'm not shocked but (very) pleasantly surprised; I was thinking someone else, actually. I love that he is next in line but now I'll just make myself sick with anticipation

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by library addict

And her In Death series she writes as JD Robb, which is quite a bit darker than her books as NR. I usually recommend people read the first three books (Naked in Death, Glory in Death, and Immortal in Death) to determine of the series is for them. I say three because I know a number of people who didn't like book 1 who kept reading and still enjoy the series.

I couldn't even finish the first one.

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by library addict

For all those Phy/Changeling fans, Nalini just announced she'll be doing a novella next year in addition to a full length novel. If you're caught up in the series and want to know who the hero of the next book will be, it's on her blog.

I'm ready to start Kiss of Snow (#10) in a few weeks when it filters to the top of my TBR pile and I have 11 & 12 loaded into Calibre ready and waiting. Should be all caught up by the time the next one is released.

I'll probably hold off on the novella until it's released as a single. I'm not a fan of anthologies but I used to feel compelled to buy them back in the days of paper if it contained a story in a series I'm reading.

In Guild Hunter I'm 2 books and 3 novellas behind. The next one is due out 10/29, I should be caught up on that one as well.

So many good books to read and not enough time . . . what am I doing here again?

[library addict]

Originally Posted by apesmom

I'll probably hold off on the novella until it's released as a single. I'm not a fan of anthologies but I used to feel compelled to buy them back in the days of paper if it contained a story in a series I'm reading.

I was happy to be able to get her anthology collection with the 4 novellas that were all by her since I was late to this series. I only had to buy the one anthology that had other authors in it.

Originally Posted by apesmom

So many good books to read and not enough time . . . what am I doing here again?

I am trying to get the books I've bought this week in Calibre. I was bad and went on a DVD buying spree this week, too. So I have lots of books and movies now.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

Take your time. I can understand not wanting to read too many in a row. That's the way I usually am with new-to-me series/authors. It's been years since I did an old-fashioned glom as I did with this series. And I only did because I wanted to be able to read the latest book the day it was released.

My problem is I get sidetrack. So many books out there and so many series I want to try. My TBR list is blown to bits. I haven't followed it in a long time. I need to redo it.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I couldn't even finish the first one.

I have a number of reading friends who don't read the In Death series. They aren't for everyone.

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by library addict

I second the Tami Hoag reccomendation. Although her latest novels don't really contain any romance, her earlier suspense titles from the 90s do. And I enjoy her Kovac & Liska series though I haven't read the recent novella and novel yet.

And though I have stopped reading her, I did enjoy numerous Karen Rose books.

Sandra Brown has also pretty much left the romance genre behind but may of her late 90s through now books do have a small hint of romance.

You may also want to give Nora Roberts' single suspense titles a try (for example: High Noon, Birthright, River's End, Northern Lights, The Search, The Witness). And her In Death series she writes as JD Robb, which is quite a bit darker than her books as NR. I usually recommend people read the first three books (Naked in Death, Glory in Death, and Immortal in Death) to determine of the series is for them. I say three because I know a number of people who didn't like book 1 who kept reading and still enjoy the series.

Romantic Suspense is my favorite sub-genre right now. I pretty much like the entire spectrum from dark to humorous.

I haven't tried Tami Hoag and believe it or not I have never read a Nora Roberts or J.D. Robb even though I have several ready to try. I haven't tried Sandra Brown yet but I have bought a few recently now that her backlist has been on sale. I see that Brown's The Witness (1995) is on sale now for $1.99. Should I get this one too? How 'bout that, I snuck a bargain into a recommendations discussion!

Another series that is more romance driven but one of my favorites is Pamela Clare's I-Team novels. I'm anxiously awaiting the next one scheduled for release in Nov.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by Blossom

My problem is I get sidetrack. So many books out there and so many series I want to try. My TBR list is blown to bits. I haven't followed it in a long time. I need to redo it.

I just have my TBR list in order by author with a separate column for new-to-me authors. I admire people who plan out their list and follow in order, but I could never do that. The order changes with my mood.

Mostly because sometimes I start a book and am just not in the mood for it. I usually know I will enjoy it later/when I am in the right mood for that particular type of story. Forcing myself to read it because it is "next" doesn't work for me.

For example, I have to be in the mood to read historicals as I am totally burned out on the genre. I still buy my favorite authors (though the list has shrunk) and I have several series by new to me authors my friends have recommended. But if I try to read one when I am not in the mood I wind up disliking it. And that's not fair to myself as a reader or to the author. Whereas when I am in the mood, there are still authors I enjoy.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

Ok, I'm back. I'm not shocked but (very) pleasantly surprised; I was thinking someone else, actually. I love that he is next in line but now I'll just make myself sick with anticipation

Spoiler:

I was so afraid it was going to be about the priest, and I just couldn't imagine an entire book around him. I could see him as a secondary character in the next book or the main character in his own novella, but not a full-length novel.

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by library addict

I was happy to be able to get her anthology collection with the 4 novellas that were all by her since I was late to this series. I only had to buy the one anthology that had other authors in it.

Anthologies from the same author/series are just fine, it's the mish-mash of authors that I dislike. Rarely has this been an effective way of getting me interested in a new author/series. In fact, usually just the opposite, probably because I'm not a fan of the novella unless it's from one of my series.

I got both the recent Psy-Changling and the Guild Hunter novella collections.
Happily there was only 1 story between the two of them that I already had. I'm really liking being able to chop them up in Calibre and keep track of their proper order in a series.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by apesmom

I haven't tried Tami Hoag and believe it or not I have never read a Nora Roberts or J.D. Robb even though I have several ready to try. I haven't tried Sandra Brown yet but I have bought a few recently now that her backlist has been on sale. I see that Brown's The Witness (1995) is on sale now for $1.99. Should I get this one too? How 'bout that, I snuck a bargain into a recommendations discussion! .

The Witness was rather middle-of-the road for me as far as Sandra Brown books go. My favorites by her are Mirror Image and Slow Heat in Heaven, which both have old-school alpha (re: jerk) heroes

Her writing style really changed when she went to hardcover. She slowly stopped writing romance altogether. I view her as a mystery author now, sometimes with a romantic element, but not always or even usually nowadays. I am about 5 books behind on her at the moment. The last book I read of hers was Rainwater, which is in no way a mystery.

Spoiler:

And I really disliked as I found it very emotionally manipulative and condescending.

I would recommend Envy or maybe Smoke Screen to start. If you want more romantic suspense try French Silk. I’m not sure how well some of her older books have stood the test of time as Mirror Image and Slow Heat in Heaven are the only ones I’ve reread recently.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Ditto three!

Spoiler:

I was thinking the upcoming novella would be about Xavier, but it will be set at DarkRiver.