FREE/BARGAIN - Romance + Discussion - 2016

[Terisa de morgan]

Hemmi, I began to register my readings after beginning a book and say... I've read this. Now, calibre and my reader do it for me.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

I don't keep track of what I read or how many books I read or rate them. I just read. A lot.

Which why I asked for the one book. The best romance you read this year. It can be a series or just one book.

Mine would be Tangled Ivy series by Tiffany Snow.
It's three books but one story and so very well done.

It has stayed with me all year. Such an epic adventure of a story.

I don't go by what I rated it but how well I liked it and how much I want others to read it.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

I’m doing a “Best of” like we’ve done the past few years.

alphabetically by author:

Spoiler:

5 star reads: any year published
Ask Me for Tomorrow by Elise K Ackers Oct 2013 (Homeland #3)
A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet Aug 2016* (The Kingmaker Chronicles #1)
Beneath Outback Skies by Alissa Callen Feb 2013 (Outback Dust #1)
Illusion Town by Jayne Castle Aug 2016* (Arcane Society #20/World of Harmony)
Dark Horse by Michelle Diener June 2015 (Class 5 #1)
Absolute Trust by Piper J Drake Dec 2016* (True Heroes #3)
Extreme Honor by Piper J Drake Feb 2016* (True Heroes #1)
Ultimate Courage by Piper J Drake Aug 2016* (True Heroes #2)
House of Payne: Scout by Stacey Gail Jan 2015 (House of Payne #2)
When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz Dec 2016* (unnamed trilogy #1)
One Real Man by Coleen Kwan Feb 2015 (Real Men #3)
The Mist by Carla Neggers July 2009 (Boston Police/FBI #3)
The Widow by Carla Neggers Oct 2006 (Boston Police/FBI #1)
My Kind of Wonderful by Jill Shalvis Dec 2015 (Cedar Ridge #2)
The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis Oct 2016* (Heartbreaker Bay #2)
Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh June 2016* (Psy/Changeling #15)
Rock Wedding by Nalini Singh July 2016* (Rock Kiss #5)

4 star reads: published 2016
Love in the Morning by Meg Benjamin Jan 2016 (Salt Box Trilogy #2)
Cavanaugh or Death by Marie Ferrarella Apr 2016 (Cavanaugh Justice #31)
Best Friends with the Billionaire by Coleen Kwan April 2016 (The Rochesters #2)
”I Do”…Take Two! by Merline Lovelace March 2016 (Three Coins in the Fountain #1)
Kansas City Countdown by Julie Miller Dec 2016 (The Precinct #32)
Liar’s Key by Carla Neggers Sept 2016 (Sharpe & Donovan #6)
The Spring at Moss Hill by Carla Neggers Feb 2016 (Swift River Valley #6)
Brotherhood in Death by JD Robb Feb 2016 (In Death #53)
Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts June 2016 (The Guardians Trilogy #2)
The Obsession by Nora Roberts April 2016
Nobody But You by Jill Shalvis April 2016 (Cedar Ridge #3)
Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis July 2016 (Heartbreaker Bay #1)
Fully Ignited by Shannon Stacey March 2016 (Boston Fire #3)
Homecoming by Shannon Stacey Sept 2016 (Boys of Fall #3)

And which one out of that list would you say was the best read of the year?

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Blossom]

This is about ARE pre-orders

From SB Sarah:

Regarding pre-orders, I have received information from multiple individuals that if you pre-ordered a book,*you can request a refund but you must do so by 1 January 2017. You can open a support ticket or email service AT allromanceebooks.com*and include information about your purchase, such as order number, date, and/or a screen shot or copy of your receipt.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[KyBunnies]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Now that the excitement of ARE has wound down.

What was your best romance read of the year? It can be a series or just one book.

Sent from my Nexus 7

My favorite was the Safeword Series by Candace Blevins.

Spoiler:

A power exchange relationship is defined by the people in it and what works for them. The Safeword series lets you look into a variety of relationships and experience some of the many flavors of extreme kink.

A series box set releases sometime in January on iBooks and Kobo NOT Amazon (this is according to the author). I highly recommend this series. Please be aware that it has extreme BDSM.

[worktolive]

Originally Posted by Blossom

What was your best romance read of the year? It can be a series or just one book.

If I have to narrow it down to just one, I think I'll choose the series option and go for the True North series by Sarina Bowen (Bittersweet, Steadfast and Keepsake). Consistently excellent, angsty, but not unbearably so, and really great characters. I truly don't think she is capable of writing a bad book.

[Hemmi]

I can pretty much read the synopsis of a book and remember if I've read it.

I don't, however, remember the titles of most of what I've read. Certain books stick in my mind as great reads but I couldn't tell you if I read them this year or not.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by Blossom

And which one out of that list would you say was the best read of the year?

I'd probably give the edge to Shalvis' The Trouble with Mistletoe because even though technically part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone. Whereas Allegiance of Honor you really need to have read the previous books in the Psy/Chageling series. But I've reread Allegiance of Honor twice already, so...

This is why I can never pick just one favorite. It depends on my mood and what criteria I'm judging by.

Originally Posted by Blossom

I don't go by what I rated it but how well I liked it and how much I want others to read it.

I tend to assign the number of stars by my immediate/how-much-I-am-enjoying-it-while-actually-reading reaction. Then plot/character issues determine the letter grade within the star rating.

Spoiler:

• 5 stars = A- or A range = A real favorite! Can still have flaws, but a book where I really love the characters and the story (at least for the most part). I don’t differentiate between A and A+.
• 4 stars = B or B+ range = A very enjoyable read that just misses being five stars for various reasons, but overall I really like the h/h and/or plot. Or a book I like a lot that is missing the elusive something that would make it a 5 star. A number of 4 star books could still qualify as a favorite, but I often hold my auto-buy authors to a higher standard. Or an above average book where the plot is somewhat lackluster but I really like the couple.
• 3 stars = C+ or B- range = An average or slightly above average read where I liked the characters but the book had plot flaws or where I really love the hero and not the heroine or vice versa but the plot was fairly good. Or an uneven read, but with more good than bad.
• 2 stars = D+ or C- or C range = Often still an average or slightly below average book, just with more flaws than a 3 star. I may have disliked major parts of the plot or really disliked either the h/h or both or they did a lot of TSTL stuff. Or an uneven read with likeable parts, but where the plot or characters make it more disappointing than not. Or a below average book which has enough redeeming qualities that keep it from being a 1 star.
• 1 star = F or D- or D range = A book in which I really didn’t like the characters plus poorly plotted or even where it had a promising start and likeable characters, but the author totally blew it. For the most part I will only keep 1 star book by my absolute favorite authors and/or if they are part of a series.

But I also tend to rate my autobuy favorite authors "tougher" than a new-to-me author. Each author is basically rated against other books by that particular author. So while I may rate a JD Robb book as a 2 star, it may be a better book than a 3 star by an author I hadn't read before.

How much we like a book/rate it is always subjective. How much do I like the author's other books? Am I coming out of a reading slump? Do I like the characters enough to overlook plot issues or are plot issues continually yanking me out of the story? I don't tend to grade on an author's writing style as their voice is either working for a book or it's not.

[Atunah]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Now that the excitement of ARE has wound down.

What was your best romance read of the year? It can be a series or just one book.

Sent from my Nexus 7

Ah man that is a tough one. There are a few that I loved equally. Just for you I pick the one.

Drumroll........

Duke of Sin - Elizabeth Hoyt.


Some of the other runner ups are:

Fool me Twice - Meredith Duran
Marrying Winterborne - Lisa Kleypas
Duke of Pleasure - Elizabeth Hoyt
A Dark Lure - Anne Loreth White
Managed - Kristen Callihan
Luck be a Lady - Meredith Duran
Promise of Summer - Louisa Rawlings
Act Like It - Lucy Parker
An American in Scotland - Karen Ranney


New Authors I was happy to discover this year
Jaima Fixsen - historical romance
Angela Quarles - time travel romance
Elisa Braden - historical romance
Jayne Fresina - historical romance
Ruby Dixon for candy like sci fi erotic romance. They are just fun.

I also devoured a lot of historical mysteries this year. And my goal for 2017 is to read series more one after the other, rather than reading one and then another a year later when I can't remember anything. That goes for any series, even loosely connected ones. Drives me nuts. So I try to either read all if its like 3 or 4, or 3 at once and then something else.

That is all I can think of right now, I am probably missing some. I can add those later.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by worktolive

If I have to narrow it down to just one, I think I'll choose the series option and go for the True North series by Sarina Bowen (Bittersweet, Steadfast and Keepsake). Consistently excellent, angsty, but not unbearably so, and really great characters. I truly don't think she is capable of writing a bad book.

Thanks I'm adding to my tbr list for 2017.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

I can pretty much read the synopsis of a book and remember if I've read it.

I don't, however, remember the titles of most of what I've read. Certain books stick in my mind as great reads but I couldn't tell you if I read them this year or not.

Okay fair enough then just give a favorite of yours then. Something you love, would reread it many times and want others to know about it.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[library addict]

If anyone wants a copy of Piper J Drake's True Heroes novella, try this link Winter Valor

Spoiler:

The people of Hope's Crossing Kennels are preparing for the holidays when a neighboring breeder confronts them. His best German Shepherd Dog is about to have puppies and he is sure one of the Hope's Crossing Kennels dogs is the sire. Atlas, Souze, or Haydn...who is the puppy-daddy of this holiday litter?

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Atunah

Ah man that is a tough one. There are a few that I loved equally. Just for you I pick the one.

Drumroll........

Duke of Sin - Elizabeth Hoyt.

That's part of Maiden Lane? I'm started book one but as you remember at the time I couldn't get into a historical because I kept seeing modern things in the story. I kept seeing cars, lights, other modern conveniences. I did get passed that and I'm finally able to read historicals again. I don't know what caused it.... I'm just relieved it wasn't permanent.





Sent from my Nexus 7

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

I'd probably give the edge to Shalvis' The Trouble with Mistletoe because even though technically part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone. Whereas Allegiance of Honor you really need to have read the previous books in the Psy/Chageling series. But I've reread Allegiance of Honor twice already, so...

This is why I can never pick just one favorite. It depends on my mood and what criteria I'm judging by.

I tend to assign the number of stars by my immediate/how-much-I-am-enjoying-it-while-actually-reading reaction. Then plot/character issues determine the letter grade within the star rating.

Spoiler:

• 5 stars = A- or A range = A real favorite! Can still have flaws, but a book where I really love the characters and the story (at least for the most part). I don’t differentiate between A and A+.
• 4 stars = B or B+ range = A very enjoyable read that just misses being five stars for various reasons, but overall I really like the h/h and/or plot. Or a book I like a lot that is missing the elusive something that would make it a 5 star. A number of 4 star books could still qualify as a favorite, but I often hold my auto-buy authors to a higher standard. Or an above average book where the plot is somewhat lackluster but I really like the couple.
• 3 stars = C+ or B- range = An average or slightly above average read where I liked the characters but the book had plot flaws or where I really love the hero and not the heroine or vice versa but the plot was fairly good. Or an uneven read, but with more good than bad.
• 2 stars = D+ or C- or C range = Often still an average or slightly below average book, just with more flaws than a 3 star. I may have disliked major parts of the plot or really disliked either the h/h or both or they did a lot of TSTL stuff. Or an uneven read with likeable parts, but where the plot or characters make it more disappointing than not. Or a below average book which has enough redeeming qualities that keep it from being a 1 star.
• 1 star = F or D- or D range = A book in which I really didn’t like the characters plus poorly plotted or even where it had a promising start and likeable characters, but the author totally blew it. For the most part I will only keep 1 star book by my absolute favorite authors and/or if they are part of a series.

But I also tend to rate my autobuy favorite authors "tougher" than a new-to-me author. Each author is basically rated against other books by that particular author. So while I may rate a JD Robb book as a 2 star, it may be a better book than a 3 star by an author I hadn't read before.

How much we like a book/rate it is always subjective. How much do I like the author's other books? Am I coming out of a reading slump? Do I like the characters enough to overlook plot issues or are plot issues continually yanking me out of the story? I don't tend to grade on an author's writing style as their voice is either working for a book or it's not.

I bought book one of Shalvis newest series after I saw a excerpt. I haven't read it yet.

I rate books similar but to get a five star from me. I'd have to find no issue I want fix. It's near perfect. Four stars is a very high rating from me. It means I loved it and it's a keeper. Three is well I finished it and it was okay and likable. Two means it was bad but there was something likable left. One means I hated it.

The worst read of the year:

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I loathe that book. I want to rip it into tiny pieces and set it aflame.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by KyBunnies

My favorite was the Safeword Series by Candace Blevins.

Spoiler:

A power exchange relationship is defined by the people in it and what works for them. The Safeword series lets you look into a variety of relationships and experience some of the many flavors of extreme kink.

A series box set releases sometime in January on iBooks and Kobo NOT Amazon (this is according to the author). I highly recommend this series. Please be aware that it has extreme BDSM.

Not my cup of tea but I'm sure others here will love the recommendation. Thanks for sharing.

Sent from my Nexus 7