FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[worktolive]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I think I must have started her/their Kate Daniels series a half-dozen times and just couldn't get into it.

But I absolutely loved the "Magic Steals" novella in the Night Shift anthology.

Maybe I should try to Hidden Legacy books to see if they catch for me.

Although all of their books are more on the UF/SF side of the fence, the Hidden Legacy series (and to a lesser extent, the Edge series) have more romance and PNR elements than the other series do. Also, Magic Bites (the first book in the Kate Daniels series) was the first book they wrote and both it and the next one, Magic Burns. are definitely not as polished, and their style is not as pronounced, as in their later books. So, even if you couldn't get into Kate Daniels, you might really like the Hidden Legacy series.

[sufue]

Originally Posted by DNSB

{edit}...

I'm not sure I really want to belong to the People.

[rgeorg]

Amazon Kindle Unlimited has a sale on. Does not require Amazon Prime membership. 6 months at 20% discount, 12 months at 33% and 24 months at 40% discount. Good until July 31.

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• The Trouble with Cowboy Weddings (Mile High #5) by Nicole Helm (A/5 stars)

Purchased:

[sufue]

On the ways to other things, I noticed that Cynsters: The Beginning: Cynster Novels 1, 2, and 3 by Stephanie Laurens has been at £1.99 for a couple of years (!!!) at Kindle UK, a pretty nice price for three books. Just for comparison, it's $14.99 at Kindle US.

Titles include:

• Devil's Bride
• A Rake's Vow
• Scandal's Bride

link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FVW8MGG/

Spoiler:

Get the first three Cynster Novels in one boxed set from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens! Fans of Regency-era historical romances with adventure and mystery will enjoy these stories of passionate alpha heroes and the ladies who bring them to their knees.

Devil's Bride

Was he the husband of her dreams . . . or a devil in disguise?

When Devil, Duke of St. Ives, and the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire ton by proposing marriage.

Honoria, however, isn't about to bend society's demands and marry a man simply because they'd been discovered together unchaperoned. She craves adventure and longs to see the world—and though she's more than happy to assist Devil in solving the murder of a Cynster cousin, once the crime is put to rest she intends to bid Devil farewell forever.

But she underestimates the seductive power of this daring, dangerous man and the scalding heat of her own unsated desire. Does she dare let passion carry her into Devil's embrace . . . and into the most perilous adventure of all?

A Rake's Vow

He vowed he'd never marry

Vane Cynster knew the wind was blowing in a marrying direction. Other Cynster men might not mind stepping up to the altar, but Vane never wanted to be leg-shackled to any woman. Bellamy Hall seemed like the perfect place to temporarily hide from London's husband-hunters. But when he encounters Patience Debbington, Vane realizes he's met his match and soon he has more than seduction on his mind.

She vowed no man would catch her

Patience wasn't about to succumb to Vane's attentions. Yes, his kisses left her dizzy and his caresses made her melt, but he was arrogant, presumptuous . . . and, despite his protests, bound to be unfaithful, just like every other man. Patience has promised herself that she will never become vulnerable to a broken heart. But is this one vow that was meant to be broken?

Scandal's Bride

"He will father your children . . . "

When Catriona Hennessy, Scottish Lady of the Vale, receives this prediction, she is aghast. How could she unite with a rake like Richard Cynster—a masterful man with a scandalous reputation? More shocking still was her guardian's will that decreed she and Richard be wed within a week! Though charmed by his commanding presence and wooed by his heated kisses, she would not—could not—give up her independence. So she forms a plan to get the heir she needs without taking wedding vows.

Richard is just as stunned by the will's command. Marriage hadn't been on his agenda, but lately he'd been feeling rather restless. Perhaps taming the lady was just the challenge he needed. But can he have the rights of the marriage bed without making any revealing promises of love?

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I think I must have started her/their Kate Daniels series a half-dozen times and just couldn't get into it.

But I absolutely loved the "Magic Steals" novella in the Night Shift anthology.

Maybe I should try to Hidden Legacy books to see if they catch for me.

Currently reading Kate Daniels series. It's very mediocre. The plot holes galore problem, they break their rule building often and all the silly little monsters fights makes it feel like a video game than an actually story series. The romance is not well done at all. And don't get me started on book six that just gets swept under the rug like it never happened. Oh as Kate starts off as this bad to the bone mercenary she turns into a whiny damsel in distress by the sixth book. The only reason I'm finishing it is once you skim the filler fight scenes out you can finish the book in under four hours and I'm behind on my reading challenge. The writing is very all over the place. Now world building is okay they borrow from alot of mythology and then twist it here and there and it's an interesting world.

The first book is disturbing but it's the only one like that. The rest are not as harsh or gritty. If you like comic books you'll like this series because that's basically what it is. Not much substance but full of actions and half done plots. I'm on Magic Shifts so just a couple more books to go. I've read much better Urban Fantasy series so if you can't get into it, your not alone.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[worktolive]

Currently Free (but only in KU):

Slouch Witch by Helen Harper. Unlike the usual PNRs and UFs with kicka** heroines, this series features a rather lazy, undisciplined witch who'd much rather sit on the couch and watch TV then get out there and save the world. I read the entire series and found it to be a refreshing change of pace.

Spoiler:

Hard Work Will Pay Off Later. Laziness Pays Off Now.

Let's get one thing straight - Ivy Wilde is not a heroine. In fact, she's probably the last witch in the world who you'd call if you needed a magical helping hand. If it were down to Ivy, she'd spend all day every day on her sofa where she could watch TV, munch junk food and talk to her feline familiar to her heart's content.

However, when a bureaucratic disaster ends up with Ivy as the victim of a case of mistaken identity, she's yanked very unwillingly into Arcane Branch, the investigative department of the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment. Her problems are quadrupled when a valuable object is stolen right from under the Order's noses.

It doesn't exactly help that she's been magically bound to Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. He might have piercing sapphire eyes and a body which a cover model would be proud of but, as far as Ivy's concerned, he's a walking advertisement for the joyless perils of too much witch-work.

And if he makes her go to the gym again, she's definitely going to turn him into a frog.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by worktolive

Currently Free (but only in KU):

Slouch Witch by Helen Harper. Unlike the usual PNRs and UFs with kicka** heroines, this series features a rather lazy, undisciplined witch who'd much rather sit on the couch and watch TV then get out there and save the world. I read the entire series and found it to be a refreshing change of pace.

Spoiler:

Hard Work Will Pay Off Later. Laziness Pays Off Now.

Let's get one thing straight - Ivy Wilde is not a heroine. In fact, she's probably the last witch in the world who you'd call if you needed a magical helping hand. If it were down to Ivy, she'd spend all day every day on her sofa where she could watch TV, munch junk food and talk to her feline familiar to her heart's content.

However, when a bureaucratic disaster ends up with Ivy as the victim of a case of mistaken identity, she's yanked very unwillingly into Arcane Branch, the investigative department of the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment. Her problems are quadrupled when a valuable object is stolen right from under the Order's noses.

It doesn't exactly help that she's been magically bound to Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. He might have piercing sapphire eyes and a body which a cover model would be proud of but, as far as Ivy's concerned, he's a walking advertisement for the joyless perils of too much witch-work.

And if he makes her go to the gym again, she's definitely going to turn him into a frog.

Thank you very much, it looks funny, let's see if it really is.

[library addict]

I am shocked that HarperCollins/Harlequin has "phased out" Angela James. And the week before RWA too. Such a crappy way to fire someone who has built Carina Press from the ground up and is a wonderful advocate for digital publishing and romance.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

I am shocked that HarperCollins/Harlequin has "phased out" Angela James. And the week before RWA too. Such a crappy way to fire someone who has built Carina Press from the ground up and is a wonderful advocate for digital publishing and romance.

Oh no! I've gotten to know her and she's a wonderful person. Always giving me an encouraging word. She's a member of our book club. This indeed is sad news.

Sent from my Moto E

[booklover6]

OMG. I've only read the first three. I think I might mark them "don't bother." Sounds like a waste of time.

I am concentrating on Robin Owens' Celta series anyway, it's So incredibly good. Right now reading Heart Secret, #11. Amazing books!!!

Originally Posted by Blossom

Currently reading Kate Daniels series. It's very mediocre.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by booklover6

OMG. I've only read the first three. I think I might mark them "don't bother." Sounds like a waste of time.



I am concentrating on Robin Owens' Celta series anyway, it's So incredibly good. Right now reading Heart Secret, #11. Amazing books!!!

Three was the tournament if I remember right. I almost stopped after that one. All my reading buddies are like no it gets better as it goes on and book five is probably the best but then you get to book six and grrr..... The series continues and now you are invested and need to see the arc out to the end which was anticlimactic. Now you're dealing with post arc and wondering what's next. It just sort of fizzles to rinse and repeat mode post arc but you read through because your favorite character gets a spin off series so you need to know how it came to that.

Sent from my Moto E

[sufue]

Just pointing out , there are a variety of opinions regarding Ilona Andrews titles and series just in this thread alone, including some that are considerably more positive. If you are considering this series, or other Andrews series, you might check out some of the other posts as well, and look for a poster whose opinions you tend to share - tastes can differ a lot.

(Mine, for example, is that the Kate Daniels series is my least favorite of the Andrews series, but I still enjoyed reading all of them, except the one with the aunt. IMO, on the good side, I like Kate's snark level, I like the way that the authors translate some social issues into Kate's world, and I like some of the historical allusions. On the downside, I do think that the storyline probably could have been wrapped up in a few fewer books. But in the end, several of them kept me up reading late into the night, which for me means they were pretty good, since I’m usually quite early to bed...)

Originally Posted by booklover6

OMG. I've only read the first three. I think I might mark them "don't bother." Sounds like a waste of time.

I am concentrating on Robin Owens' Celta series anyway, it's So incredibly good. Right now reading Heart Secret, #11. Amazing books!!!

[library addict]

Angela is such a class act: A Farewell to Carina Press/


Also a short statement from Joanne Grant who held the Editorial Director position in the UK With much love, from Jo


Losing all of this talent so they can put a guy in charge is so shortsighted of HarperCollins/Harlequin.

[Terisa de morgan]

I feel this is the beginning of the end for Carina Press.