FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[sufue]

Ooooh, thanks for posting. It looks long enough I'll have to wait until tonight to have time to watch it, but looks like fun!

Originally Posted by library addict

Did you see the Q&A she did yesterday with Amanda Bouchet, Grace Draven, and Jeffe Kennedy for the Cary Library? I haven't read her yet, but the new series sounds intriguing.

Romance Panel with Amanda Bouchet, Grace Draven, Jennifer Estep, and Jeffe Kennedy (12.12.2020)

ETA: couldn't get the direct Youtube thing to work

[library addict]

A few of the books in Rebecca Zanetti's Deep Ops series are on sale

Hidden (#1) for $1.99

Spoiler:

Hide. That's all Pippa can do to escape the terror chasing her. But now that she's off the grid in a safe house, she finds plenty of interesting things to watch through the window. Like her new neighbor, with his startling green eyes, killer smile, and sexy bad-boy tattoo . . .

Run. Malcolm West is fleeing the hell he unleashed in his last assignment as an undercover cop. A backwoods bungalow sounds like the perfect place to start over. Until he discovers he's been set up . . .

Fight. Someone's gone to a lot of trouble to bring them together. No matter how much he resents that, and his own driving needs, Malcolm will have to dig deep and let loose the banished killer inside himself, or Pippa's fears could come true faster than the flip of a bolt in a lock . . .

Taken (#1.5) 99¢

Spoiler:

Hunter Holt might be the most stubborn ex-soldier ever born, but when he’s called on to help find a lost foster kid, he jumps into action. Even if it means working with the woman who broke his heart five years ago–the woman who still haunts his dreams . . .

Faye Smith has spent five long years trying to get her life back on track. She knows she should’ve turned toward Hunter and not away from him, but they both had too many demons to destroy. Maybe now they’ll get another chance–and save someone else’s life too . . .

But first they’ll have to stop arguing long enough to trust the Deep Ops team. Hunter was a lost boy himself once. In fact, he ran away from the exact same man, their monster of a father. Now he and Faye will have to unite to find the brother he never knew–and maybe each other . . .

Fallen (#2) 99¢

Spoiler:

Too quiet. A talented hacker who got caught, Brigid Banaghan is now forced to work with a secret Deep Ops unit. But she won’t reveal any more to these renegade Feds than she has to. Especially not to Raider Tanaka, her control freak of a bodyguard and handler. It’s enough that his body is tensed for action and his heated gaze is always on her . . .

Too sharp. Raider knows there’s more to his new assignment than he’s been told. Why send a deadly agent of his experience to guard a computer genius—even a gorgeous, unpredictable, undisciplined one? But when Brigid’s estranged father is named in an investigation into Boston’s organized crime, Raider’s mind switches onto high alert, just like his senses . . .

Too close. To clear her father’s name, Brigid needs Raider’s help. The Unit’s idea that she bring a straight-laced Fed in as her “fiancé” won’t fly, though—not unless Raider can release his inner bad boy and become the rebel Brigid can’t resist . . .

Links go to the individual book page on her author site which in turn has the links to most of the various storefronts (Kobo, Google Play, Amazon, iTunes, etc)

Hidden (full-length)

Taken (novella)

Fallen (full-length)

~~~

Book 4 will be out in January and I've been waiting for this couple since the start.

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• The Protector (Fire’s Edge #4) by Abigail Owen (C+/3 stars)

Mostly rereads again this week as easier to set aside.


Purchased:
none

[library addict]

Emma Darcy passed away earlier this month

https://blog.harlequin.com/2020/12/r...ng-emma-darcy/

[sufue]

Magic Triumphs is the tenth (not counting a bunch of novellas and in-between stories) and last in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. It's on sale in the US and UK right now at $2.99/£1.99 respectively. Possibly in honor of Blood Heir, which is the first in a (hopefully) spin-off series featuring Kate's ward, Julie, and which is coming out in mid-January. The last little bit of Magic Triumphs helps a little bit with background for Blood Heir, at least with the version of Blood Heir that IA were posting online, until they stopped posting it online.

Anyway, here are links:

Kindle US: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B074S38GG1
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/magic-triumphs
Kindle UK: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074S38GG1

If you want non-smile links, sub out the "smile" in the URL for "www".

Spoiler:

Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She's made friends and enemies. She's found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate's doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world.

[sufue]

sorry, wrong thread....

[worktolive]

Originally Posted by sufue

sorry, wrong thread....

Not at all! Lots of IA fans on this thread.....

[PurpleStar]

Originally Posted by worktolive

Not at all! Lots of IA fans on this thread.....

Yeah keep announcing the Ilona Andrews sales. I will buy them!

[sufue]

Aaah, but the post I deleted was for a mystery...

That's why I deleted it, and reposted in the mystery thread!

Yes, me too, big IA fan, and will keep posting when I see them!

[sufue]

The Queen's Bargain is the tenth in Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series, and also the most recent, at least until March of next year. It has dropped to £2.99 at Kindle UK, not an awesome price, but not bad for most-recent-in-series.

Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07V9C3D5L
Kindle UK/Smile: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07V9C3D5L

Spoiler:

POWER HAS A PRICE. SO DOES LOVE.

Return to the dark, sensual, and powerful world of the Black Jewels in this long-awaited new story in the New York Times bestselling fantasy saga.

After a youthful mistake, Lord Dillon's reputation is in tatters, leaving him vulnerable to aristo girls looking for a bit of fun. To restore his reputation and honor, he needs a handfast--a one-year contract of marriage. He sets his sights on Jillian, a young Eyrien witch from Ebon Rih, who he believes has only a flimsy connection to the noble society that spurned him. Unfortunately for Dillon, he is unaware of Jillian's true connections until he finds himself facing Lucivar Yaslana, the volatile Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih.

Meanwhile, Surreal SaDiablo's marriage is crumbling. Daemon Sadi, the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan, recognizes there is something wrong between him and Surreal, but he doesn't realize that his attempt to suppress his own nature in order to spare his wife is causing his mind to splinter. To save Daemon, and the Realm of Kaeleer if he breaks, help must be sought from someone who no longer exists in any of the Realms--the only Queen powerful enough to control Daemon Sadi. The Queen known as Witch.

As Jillian rides the winds of first love with Dillon, Daemon and Surreal struggle to survive the wounds of a marriage turned stormy--and Lucivar has to find a way to keep everyone in his family safe...even from each other.

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Jamokan (Sectors New Allies #13) by Veronica Scott (B+/4 stars)

Purchased:

[library addict]

What were your favorite reads of 2020?

As usual it is impossible for me to pick just one book or even one series as so much depends on my mood And though I do read a lot of new releases, I also read a lot of backlist so I don’t limit myself to only this year’s releases; I just limit myself to books I’ve read this calendar year.

alphabetically by author, then by release date:
Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet May 2020 (Endeavor # 2)
Decrypted by Lindsay Buroker Feb 2013 (Forgotten Ages # 2)
Trancehack by Sonya Clark Oct 2013 (Magic Born #1)
Firewall by Sonya Clark Dec 2014 (Magic Born #3)
Undercover by Rebecca Crowley Sept 2019 (London Phoenix # 2)
Forever Strong by Piper J Drake Jan 2020 (True Heroes # 6)
A Treason of Truths by Ada Harper Oct 2018 (Quillian Empire # 2)
Homecoming for the Cowboy by Nicole Helm May 2019 (Bad Boys of Last Stand # 1)
Christmas for the Deputy by Nicole Helm Oct 2019 (Bad Boys of Last Stand # 2)
Backcountry Escape by Nicole Helm May 2020 (Badlands Cops # 3)
The Fate of the Tala by Jeffe Kennedy Feb 2020 (The Uncharted Realms # 5)
The Fiery Crown by Jeffe Kennedy June 2020 (Forgotten Empires # 2)
The Lost Princess Returns by Jeffe Kennedy June 2020 (The Uncharted Realms # 6)
The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz Jan 2020 (Fogg Lake # 1)
Chaos Reigning by Jessie Mihalik May 2020 (Consortium Rebellion # 3)
The Queen’s Triumph by Jessie Mihalik Dec 2020 (Rogue Queen #3)
Bait n' Witch by Abigail Owen Jan 2017 (Legendary Consultants # 3)
The Blood King by Abigail Owen Sept 2020 (Inferno Rising # 2)
Song of Blood & Stone by L Penelope May 2018 (Earthsinger Chronicles # 1)
Song of Blood & Stone [expanded version] by L Penelope July 2019 (Earthsinger Chronicles # 1.1)
Breath of Dust & Dawn * by L Penelope Jan 2019 (Earthsinger Chronicles # 1.5)
Hush of Storm & Sorrow * by L Penelope Mar 2020 (Earthsinger Chronicles # 2.5)
Cry of Metal & Bone by L Penelope Aug 2020 (Earthsinger Chronicles # 3)
Echoes of Ash & Tears * by L Penelope Nov 2020 (Earthsinger Chronicles # 3.5)
Close Up by Amanda Quick May 2020 (Burning Cove # 4)
Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha July 2020 (Mercenary Librarians # 1)
Honeymoon for the Alpha * by Veronica Scott Feb 2020 (Sectors New Allies # 11.5)
Love Hard by Nalini Singh Mar 2020 (Hard Play # 3)
Alpha Night by Nalini Singh June 2020 (Psy/Changeling Trinity # 4)
Archangel's Sun by Nalini Singh Dec 2020 (Guild Hunter # 13)
Here We Go by Shannon Stacey Jan 2020 (Burke Siblings # 2)
Their Christmas Baby Contract by Shannon Stacey Nov 2020 (Blackberry Bay # 2)
The Beast of Blackmoor * by Milla Vane Dec 2014 (A Gathering of Dragons # 0.5)
A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane Feb 2020 (A Gathering of Dragons # 1)
A Touch of Stone and Snow by Milla Vane July 2020 (A Gathering of Dragons # 2)
* indicates novella

As usual there were more books I rated at B+ that I would also consider favorites, but figured 35 is a large enough list . So only my five star reads for the year are listed here.

[sufue]

Angels of Darkness is a collection of four novellas by Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook, Sharon Shinn. From the sample, the titles appear to be:

Nalini Singh - Angel's Wolf
Ilona Andrews - Alphas: Origins
Meljean Brook - Nocturne
Sharon Shinn - Ascension

I've been watching this on eReaderIQ for a while, as one way of getting the IA novella to read (which is also available on its own, but I'm not wild about paying $2.99 for a novella...). Angels of Darkness has now dropped to $5.99, which, again per eReaderIQ, is the lowest it has ever been. So now I have to decide whether I want to try four novellas (including two by authors I've not heard of) for $1.50 each or wait a while longer and see if Alphas: Origins ever drops on its own. Which it never has. Choices, choices...

To add to the fun, IA's website describes Alphas: Origins as "[t]he most controversial of our novellas. read at your own risk" so I'm wondering WTH is up with that.

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052REUHU
Kindle US/Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0052REUHU
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/angels-of-darkness

[worktolive]

Originally Posted by sufue

To add to the fun, IA's website describes Alphas: Origins as "[t]he most controversial of our novellas. read at your own risk" so I'm wondering WTH is up with that.

I have this book (bought it just to get Alphas: Origins ). I loved it, but it is quite a bit darker than their usual, with dubious consent, Stockholm syndrome and violence. Considering that in general, their books don't shy away from death and destruction, that's saying something.

In spite of rather impassioned pleas by those of us who loved it, I think they decided it didn't fit their brand so they never continued the series. IMHO part of the problem was that this was at the height of the Kate/Curran craze, so many of their readers were romance readers expecting actual romance, but this book is straight UF with nothing to soften the edges.

[sufue]

Thanks for the advice! I went ahead and bought it - I figured I'll enjoy trying the other stories/authors enough to justify getting it instead of Alphas: Origins all by itself. We'll see how I feel about it after reading - I do like a hint of romance in my UF, although I don't expect the romance to be the main story line. OTOH, I also find that I tend to like IA's "off-brands" a bit more than KD - my favorite series of theirs is the Innkeeper series, and after that, I also really like the Kinsmen and Edge series, none of which are their best sellers.

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by worktolive

I have this book (bought it just to get Alphas: Origins ). I loved it, but it is quite a bit darker than their usual, with dubious consent, Stockholm syndrome and violence. Considering that in general, their books don't shy away from death and destruction, that's saying something.

In spite of rather impassioned pleas by those of us who loved it, I think they decided it didn't fit their brand so they never continued the series. IMHO part of the problem was that this was at the height of the Kate/Curran craze, so many of their readers were romance readers expecting actual romance, but this book is straight UF with nothing to soften the edges.