FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[sufue]

Another of the KF Breene Demigods of SF series at $2.00 on US Kindle Daily Deal. Looks as if she's just working her way through them...

Sin & Lightning, #5
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082LSN4WD
Kindle US/Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B082LSN4WD

Spoiler:

The fifth installment in the Amazon Charts and Top 5 Kindle Store Bestselling Demigods of San Francisco series!

One thing has become incredibly clear to Alexis and Kieran, if they hope to last in the arena of Demigods, they'll need a more robust defense team.

They must take two incredibly dangerous journeys, seeking the prized talents other Demigods would kill for. Except, there is a reason other Demigods don't have these magical workers--they are as ruthless as they are dangerous, and the last thing they want is to be on a Demigod's team.

If that isn't enough, Alexis has received an invitation from Demigod Lydia, the only Hades Demigod who hasn't openly declared war. She's talking like they could be allies, but those of Hades cannot be trusted. A trap is just as likely as a handshake. Still, it's a chance they must take.

Any one of these trips could be their last, but to back down would be the most dangerous of all.

[apesmom]

Freebie. This series is still a couple of months away from sifting to the top of my KU pile but I am looking forward to trying it.

Crown of Shadows (Magiford Supernatural City #4/Court of Midnight and Deception #1) by K.M. Shea

Spoiler:

The fae of the Night Court are desperately searching for a new monarch to crown before the Court collapses.

I couldn’t care less.

I’ve done everything I can to bury my fae blood and embrace my human half. That changes when some fae nobles show up on my doorstep and announce that I’m the next Queen of the Night Court.

Becoming an unwilling fae queen? Check. Inheriting a terrible mess? Double check.

The Court is almost bankrupt, my citizens’ favorite hobby is backstabbing one another, and I don’t know who I can trust since someone keeps trying to assassinate me.

Speaking of assassins, I get introduced to the best in the business—a fae lord nicknamed the Wraith. His deadly profession means he fears no one. The only reason he doesn’t kill me on the spot is he’s also a member of the Night Court and the Court’s magic protects me. But that doesn’t prevent him from trading verbal barbs with me whenever we meet.

And if cat herding all these uncooperative fae and chatting with assassins wasn’t enough, I’m required to get married as part of some archaic Court law. This “queen” gig is the worst!

Supposedly I can choose anyone to marry, but with all the infighting I need someone who is neutral and won’t provoke more political power struggles.

So, why do I keep thinking of a certain assassin?

Court of Midnight and Deception is a complete trilogy that takes place in the Magiford Supernatural City universe. It features fae, werewolves, vampires, and wizards! This trilogy is packed with humor, adventure, and a sweet, slow burn romance between a reluctant fae queen and the assassin who tried to kill her.

[apesmom]

Well rated box set freebie.

Dowser Series: Box Set 1 (Adept Universe #1-3/Dowser #1-3)

Spoiler:

Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1)

If you'd asked me a week ago, I would have told you that the best cupcakes were dark chocolate with chocolate cream cheese icing, that dancing in a crowd of magic wielders -- the Adept -- was better than sex, and that my life was peaceful and uneventful. Just the way I liked it. That's what twenty-three years in the magical backwater of Vancouver will get you -- a completely skewed sense of reality. Because when the dead werewolves started showing up, it all unraveled ... except for the cupcake part. That's a universal truth.

Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic (Dowser 2)

Three months ago, I lost my foster sister, Sienna, to the darkness. As in blood magic and chaos and general mayhem. No one saw it until it was too late, but I should have. Now, I have a wounded heart and soul that I can't even reveal to anyone around me, because I'm supposed to hate Sienna with the fiery passion of the justified. And I do. I just wish I didn't feel so lost without her, so unsure of the path I thought I had carved for myself, and so outclassed by the powerful Adepts constantly by my side these days. I'm not even sure if they're with me for my own protection or because my shiny new powers are rare and valuable. Assuming I ever figure out who or what I am, and how my magic actually works.

Even chocolate can't save the day every time ... just most of the time. At least I've got that going for me.

Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic (Dowser 3)

I hadn't set foot in the human world for more than a few hours in over three and a half months. Sure, I was stronger and faster than I'd ever been before, and I had a shiny new sword, but I was seriously chocolate deprived. I don't recommend quitting cold turkey. And the new sword was a problem -- to my mind, anyway. It represented all the expectations of a powerful father and a new otherworldly life. A life that wasn't the one I'd worked so hard to build. It also represented the responsibility I had to bring my foster sister Sienna to ... what? Justice? I didn't know if that was even possible. What I did know was that Sienna wouldn't stop, and that I couldn't just leave everything up to fate and destiny ... or maybe I was. Maybe I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. If you believed in that sort of thing.

I just hoped that before the chaos and mayhem renewed, I'd manage to get my hands on some chocolate. It didn't even have to be single-origin Madagascar. I was utterly prepared to lower my standards.

[worktolive]

Not sure if I've posted this book in the past, but it's perma-free and is the start of a light, fun PNR series. Now that I have KU, I've been catching up on the rest of the books. A couple of them have also occasionally dropped to $0.99 so even if you don't have KU you can grab them when they go on sale.

Not His Dragon by Annie Nicholas

Spoiler:

Welcome to New Port where shifters, witches, and vampires live openly next to humans working jobs, ordering take-out from the blood bank, and looking for love in all the wrong places.
Angie Weldon is as tough as her polished, dagger-sharp nails. As a backscratcher catering to the wild and whiskered, she’s had her share of shaggy suitors. But she’s not sure how to handle the brazen shifter who swears she too is a dragon.

Eoin Grant hasn’t found a female of his kind in decades. But one sniff of Angie and he’s fallen hook, line, and scales in lust. Then again, so has just about every other hot-blooded fire-breather in town…

Though Angie discounts Eoin’s crazy claims, she can’t ignore the sizzling chemistry she feels when she scrapes her fingers down his spine. And Eoin knows he must entice her true form out of hiding, or lose the stunning beauty to a swooping rival.

Will Angie and Eoin play it cool, or expose themselves to the blaze of lust?

[worktolive]

Another freebie (just for February), I haven't read it yet, but I did read a prequel novella that the author gives out to newletter subscribers as well as a later novella in the series, also for free from the author. Both were fun reads so I've bumped this one higher up on the TBR mountain. The second book in the series is currently $0.99, but going back up in price soon. Not in KU.

Free: Seduced by a Selkie by Lauren Connolly

Spoiler:

All Delta needs is a cozy home, an odd dog, and a coffee shop with good wifi. She does not need a shifter bent on seduction.
Delta Novac hates her house on Lake Galen. The old place in the small town of Folk Haven is a reminder of her father’s mental decline in the last few years of his life. She’s just come to town to clear the thing out and get it ready to sell. Delta never even planned to dip a toe in the water until a prone body floating has her diving in to save the swimmer.

A selkie will know their mate when they are rescued.

Calder MacNamara wasn’t in need of saving, but he certainly appreciates the effort. Especially when the hands on his bare skin warm him to his core. The moment he meets the woman’s piercing stare, his gut tells him she’s his fated mate. But he soon finds that if Delta feels anything toward him, it’s annoyance. Accidentally insulting her dog doesn’t help his case.

With Delta’s focus on the road out of town, Calder scrambles to discover what, if anything, could make her stay. He’s willing to use all means of pleasure at his disposal to convince his mate that Folk Haven is the perfect place to call home. Especially if you’re a mythical creature.

Discover the magical town of Folk Haven, where many of the townsfolk know their neighbors are creatures of legend. This 40k word story is book 1 in the series, a standalone story fans of Molly Harper, Kresley Cole, and Gena Showalter will enjoy.

$0.99: Sucker For a Siren by Lauren Connolly

Spoiler:

Neri wants a new home, a good book, and a freshly baked bear claw. She does not want a selkie getting sassy with her because she saved his life.

Seamus MacNamara may be a mythical creature, but that doesn’t mean he has to believe all those legends about selkies and finding their fated mates. Specifically, that his mate will rescue him. Complete nonsense. If he is going to ask a woman out, he’ll do it because he likes her personality, not because she saves his life. Problem is, the barista Seamus has tried his hardest to flirt with ends up rescuing him from a potentially embarrassing death.

What would a siren want with a selkie, anyway?

Neri Onassis may have thought Seamus was cute at first, but when he freaks out after her acting the badass hero, her tiny crush evaporates. Good thing, because she needs to put all her brain power toward figuring out her new life in Folk Haven, the mythic-filled town next to Lake Galen. After an awkward break up with both a man and her parents, Neri left her old life behind, determined to figure out what kind of person, and siren, she wants to be. An ungrateful selkie is only a distraction.

But in a small town, the two continue to cross paths, and Seamus finds himself giving in to the call of the siren’s intelligence and humor. After a passionate encounter, the selkie wonders if the gods had the pairing right all along. But Seamus can’t rely on fate when Neri refuses to even consider mating the man who ran from her in the first place.

Return to the magical town of Folk Haven with book 2 in this series, a 60,000+ word standalone paranormal romance. Fans of Molly Harper, Charlaine Harris, and Gena Showalter will want to curl up with a copy of this steamy story!

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• The Bad Boy Experiment (Bourbon Brothers #6) by Reese Ryan (B/4 stars)
• The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane (Blue Cedar Falls #1) by Jeannie Chin (A/5 stars)

Purchased:

[apesmom]

This week . . .

Stariel by A.J. Lancaster

#2 - The Prince of Secrets - 4
I love how the land is a character in this series. Strong finish to #2, starting #3 now.

Not in KU
Sam Quinn by Seana Kelly

#1 - The Slaughtered Lamb - 4.5
#2 - The Dead Don't Drink at Lafitte's - 4
PNR/UF - So much more I want to learn about this large diverse world and characters. Hopeful for the next books. So far it doesn't remind of anything else I've read.

I started listening to my other free Audible book, Go Tell the Bees that I Am Gone. I still have 36 hrs to go out of the 49.5 hrs it started with (450k words). The narration is very good and I appreciate not having to attempt reading the gaelic. So far not much of a storyline, just narration of life in 1770s America.

Purchased: None

[worktolive]

Free:

Stuck Up Suit by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Spoiler:

It started out like any other morning on the train.
Until I became mesmerized by the guy sitting across the aisle.
He was barking at someone on his phone like he ruled the world.
Who did the stuck-up suit think he was...God?
Actually, he looked like a God. That was about it.
When his stop came, he got up suddenly and left. So suddenly, he dropped his phone on the way out.
I might have picked it up.
I might have gone through all of his photos and called some of the numbers.
I might have held onto the mystery man's phone for days―until I finally conjured up the courage to return it.
When I traipsed my ass across town to his fancy company, he refused to see me.
So, I left the phone on the empty desk outside the arrogant jerk's office.
I might have also left behind a dirty picture on it first though.
I didn't expect him to text back.
I didn't expect our exchanges to be hot as hell.
I didn't expect to fall for him―all before we even met.
The two of us couldn't have been any more different.
Yet, you know what they say about opposites.
When we finally came face to face, we found out opposites sometimes do more than attract―we consumed each other.
Nothing could have prepared me for the ride he took me on. And I certainly wasn't prepared for where I'd wind up when the ride was over.
All good things must come to an end, right?
Except our ending was one I didn't see coming.

***Please note that the titles in this series do not have to be read in any particular order.***

[Loosheesh]

I'm curious if anyone else got this offer: I follow Nalini Singh on Amazon and last night they sent me an offer of $5.00 credit (*) towards 10 of her books (incl. 4 omnibus collections and 2 anthologies). And, yes, $5.00 off each one.

(*Amazon is just loving me these days - last weekend they also sent me a $5.00 credit on a random book in my wishlist.)

And sticking with NS, I got the newsletter this morning and it has the cover reveal for the next Psy Changeling/Trinity book, Storm Echo. Its also states the blurb will be out next week; I'm really curious who the couple turns out to be.

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

I'm curious if anyone else got this offer: I follow Nalini Singh on Amazon and last night they sent me an offer of $5.00 credit (*) towards 10 of her books (incl. 4 omnibus collections and 2 anthologies). And, yes, $5.00 off each one.

I was sent $5.00 off Magic Triumphs (Ilona Andrews) because I follow them on Amazon (I have most of that series but ::gasp:: I have not started it yet ) I have not received any multiple credits though.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

And sticking with NS, I got the newsletter this morning and it has the cover reveal for the next Psy Changeling/Trinity book, Storm Echo. Its also states the blurb will be out next week; I'm really curious who the couple turns out to be.

We know from past Q&As that

Spoiler:

Reveals the who on one of the main characters and what we know so far about the other main character.

Spoiler:

Ivan Mercant is one of the main characters. Along with a cat shifter who is not a member of DarkRiver (or SnowDancer) and is a new character.

This is one of my most anticipated books of the year.

[sufue]

I've gotten a few of the $5 credits for various mystery authors, or even specific mystery books in some cases, presumably because I read a lot more mysteries than romances. However they've usually been on books that are in the $9 - $11 dollar range before the discount, so even with the coupon, they're usually not at a price I'm willing to pay.

I sort of think this may be a more targeted continuation of the old Random House (or was it Harper Collins?) $5 offer, which gave $5 off almost any Random House book regularly $9.99 and up. But the programming didn't seem to take into account if the book was on sale or not - it went by the regular price. So a few times I got lucky, and a book or two that I wanted went on sale during the validity period of the discount, and I was able to pick up some books for free. There's a thread somewhere on MR about those credits. They were very confusing to try to use...and even more confusing when I try to write it down !

[sufue]

On a different subject, since this is "Romance and Discussion", I just finished reading, and quite enjoyed, Rachel Aaron's Heartstrikers series, which takes the premise of "what if there happened to be a NICE dragon", and runs with it in a really fun way. The books got a bit woo-woo toward the end for me with an expanded universe of what seemed to me to be a few too many kinds of magic and magical beings, but not nearly enough woo-woo to spoil my enjoyment of the overall nice-dragon storyline. The first book is Nice Dragons Finish Last, and the whole 5-book series is KU.

There's a spin-off series (three books so far, not sure if it's still being written) that I'm going to try the next time I get some serious reading time available again.

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by library addict

We know from past Q&As that

Spoiler:

Reveals the who on one of the main characters and what we know so far about the other main character.

Spoiler:

Ivan Mercant is one of the main characters. Along with a cat shifter who is not a member of DarkRiver (or SnowDancer) and is a new character.

I had no idea!! Now I'm really excited

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by sufue

I've gotten a few of the $5 credits for various mystery authors, or even specific mystery books in some cases, presumably because I read a lot more mysteries than romances. However they've usually been on books that are in the $9 - $11 dollar range before the discount, so even with the coupon, they're usually not at a price I'm willing to pay.

Same here on the pricing. I'm a real cheapskate when it comes to ebooks, and none of the books dropped enough in price to persuade me to buy anything. I rarely pay above $2.99 for ebooks (bundles, collections excepted).