FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[apesmom]

This week . . .

Kinsmen by Ilona Andrews

#1 - Silent Blade - 4
#2 - Silver Shark - 4
#3 - Fated Blades - 3.5
This is Hidden Legacy on another planet. #1 & #2 are novellas but they're both very good, a score of 4 is about the highest I ever give novellas. Listened to #3 on KU, it's comparatively short, did not care for the narration. I don't know if I've ever preferred the novellas of a series over the main books.

Make it Sweet by Kristen Callihan - 4

Listened on KU, narration is good. This one comes after Dear Enemy even though it isn't listed as a series.

Corrupted Hearts by Tiffany Snow

#3 - Find Me - 3.5
Listened on KU, narration is good. Plot is convoluted and over the top. One book to go.

Forty Proof by Shannon Mayer

#1 - Midlife Bounty Hunter - 4.5
#2 - Midlife Fairy Hunter - 4
Finally got to this KU author. This is an interesting world with things being revealed a little at a time. There's nothing about her writing that irritates me so I'll be plowing through this series, 4 published books left with another to be released Aug 29th.

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

#1 - Ice Planet Barbarians - 4
Listened via Overdrive, weird that my library had this one. Narration is very good but NSFW! I will definitely check out more of this series in KU.

Luck Harbor by Jill Shalvis

#7 - It Had to be You - 3.5
Listened on Overdrive. Narration is good. I left off on this series a long time ago, I still have 4 more to go. I'll keep working through them where audio is available.

Purchased: none

[apesmom]

If you grabbed this one (still free) you might want to pick up Wild Lands (Savage Lands #2) which is a Kindle Daily Deal for $0.99

Originally Posted by apesmom

Freebie! I think this is first time free, hasn't dropped anywhere else yet. Very popular well rated series.

Savage Lands (Savage Lands #1) by Stacey Marie Brown
Kindle

[apesmom]

Freebie! I loved this one, my favorite characters in the series.

Beard Science (Winston Brothers #3) by Penny Reid

Spoiler:

Make a deal with the devil and you might get what you want, but will it be what you need?

Jennifer Sylvester wants one thing, and that one thing is NOT to be Tennessee’s reigning Banana Cake Queen. Ever the perpetual good girl and obedient daughter, Jennifer is buckling under the weight of her social media celebrity, her mother’s ambitions, and her father’s puritanical mandates. Jennifer is officially desperate.

And desperate times call for Cletus Winston.

Cletus Winston is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery covered in conundrum sauce, and now he’s in a pickle. Despite being convinced of his own omniscience, extortion by the exalted Banana Cake Queen of Green Valley has taken him completely by surprise. So... what’s a maniacal mastermind to do?

Likely, the last thing you expect.

Kindle | Kobo | Google

[sufue]

Thank you so much for all the free/on sale books! ^^^

[apesmom]

Another freebie from my KU list. Haven't read this author yet.

The Call (Building the Circle #1) by Maggie M Lilly

Spoiler:

It starts with a foul-mouthed billionaire trying to save an unconventional damsel. The psychics and empaths sneak in while no one's paying attention.

Matilda's not a damsel in distress. Bold, decisive, and disabled, she is a self-employed strategic consultant in the liquor industry. Her reputation for success has landed her the opportunity to build a new brand of beer for the ultra-rich Trellis Industries.

Jake Trellis wants to be her foul-mouthed Prince Charming. When Matilda shows up in his office doorway, late for a meeting, dripping wet, partially frozen, and babbling about a mishap, Jake is certain lady-tears are incoming. He was not anticipating getting snarked at and whomped at 8-ball. He definitely didn’t expect to fall in love.

But is Matilda ready to join the close-knit Trellis clan? They're too rich, too beautiful. Too many supermodel girlfriends. And then there's that strange brother, the one who seems to know more than he should...

Jake and Matty's journey to love—a wild ride filled with screeching shrews, slobbering dogs, gifted dildos, unfortunate naughty public encounters, and a whole mess of siblings—is the start of a paranormal romance series that readers say is laugh-out-loud funny and impossible to put down.

Get ready to fall in love with the Trellis family: they're a little bit psychic, a little bit empathic, and completely oblivious to their special gifts.

NOTE: The Call is a snarky, slow-burn romantic comedy with paranormal elements. It features a billionaire hero (well, he might be a billionaire. He hasn't checked in a few days) and a feisty heroine with good friends, a good job, and a disability. It's got a lot of lovin', a good old happy ending, and just a hint of psychic powers.

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Sky on Fire (Dragon Gate #5) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Undercover Rescue (North Star #6) by Nicole Helm (B/4 stars)
• Snowy Mountains Cattleman (Bundilla #2) by Alissa Callen (B/4 stars)

Purchased:
none

[apesmom]

This week . . .

Forty Proof by Shannon Mayer

#3 - Midlife Demon Hunter - 4
KU. Solid series so far. Very diverse group of characters.

Vampires in America by D.B. Reynolds

#13 - Lachlan - 4
#13.5 - Detour - 3.5
#14 - Xavier - 3.5
Caught up on this series. Not what it used to be but still decent.

Corrupted Hearts by Tiffany Snow

#4 - Save Me - 3
Listened on KU, narration is good. Last in the series, kinda glad the craziness is done. She didn't end up with the one I thought I wanted, but I changed my mind anyhow.

The Unhoneymooners by Cristina Lauren - 4

Listened via Overdrive, narration is very good. It took a while to warm up to the hero who seems to be straddling the line between bro-hood and grown up.

Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis

#8 - Always on My Mind - 3.5
Listened on Overdrive, narration is good. Story OK but it didn't keep drawing me back to it. Just listened while doing something else.

Almost finished with the audiobooks at my library but still have some in KU I want to try. I'm addicted to this format

Purchased: none

[apesmom]

Freebie from KU author I have on my list. I'm after a different series but hey, it's free.

Moon Kissed (Marked Wolf #1) by Jen L. Grey

Spoiler:

You can’t outrun a curse ... trust me. I’ve tried.

My heart was left shattered into a million jagged pieces. To survive, I did the only thing I could and forced myself to play the part of the perfect girlfriend. The perfect daughter. Because no one wants someone broken.

But now, the boy who owned my heart is a grown man — hardened and cold.

Seeing Aidan four years later forces me to face my greatest fear, and realizing he is my fated mate only makes things worse.

Secrets aren’t meant to stay buried, and fate always has a plan.

That’s the funny thing about destiny. Right when you think everything is figured out, you get dealt a new hand.

[apesmom]

Well rated freebie

Finding Elodie (SEAL Team Hawaii #1) by Susan Stoker

Spoiler:

She never thought being a chef could be so dangerous…or could lead her to love.

Renowned chef Elodie Winters’ dream job, private chef to a powerful family in New York, quickly becomes a nightmare when her employer turns out to be the head of a notorious mob family. Now on the run, she thinks she’s finally safe, having landed in the middle of the Arabian Sea, cook on the Asaka Express cargo ship. When the ship is taken by pirates, she can’t believe her bad luck…but it’s about to take a turn for the better.

Scott “Mustang” Webber is pulled from his current mission, along with the rest of his SEAL team, to prevent an act of piracy in the Middle East. They’re all surprised when the first person to radio for help is a woman. He soon senses “Rachel Walters” is hiding something, and offers his help. He’s both shocked and pleased when she actually comes looking for him in Hawaii months later. He’d felt a connection with her on that cargo ship…one he’s looking forward to exploring further.

Keeping Elodie safe in Hawaii turns out to be easy…until it isn’t. Long days in paradise have a way of making one complacent. Now Mustang is working against the clock and the elements themselves, as he faces his greatest mission ever—finding Elodie.

Kindle | Kobo| Google

[sufue]

A sale price of $4.49 isn't great, but Tear Down the Throne, by Jennifer Estep, is very front-list - it only came out earlier this month, on May 3. So, not a great price, but not too bad either. And Throne, which is the second in Estep's spin-off Gargoyle Queen series, is one of the few books I might pay that price for, since I've read and quite liked her original Crown of Shards books, and also the first Gargoyle Queen title.

The sale price is only at Kindle US, not matched at Kobo US, at least as of now. It's part of the Kindle US "Science Fiction and Fantasy eBooks starting from $0.99" sale good through June 5. (Hmmm...maybe I should cross-post...) Although, as always, I wouldn't wait too long if you want it, since I never quite trust sale prices to last as long as they are supposed to.

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BNKSYCX
Kindle US/Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B09BNKSYCX

Spoiler:

Bestselling author Jennifer Estep continues her Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series where magic reigns, alliances are tested, and a dangerous attraction could tear down a throne. . .

Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things—and determined to stop an enemy from using magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.

Gemma’s quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals in attendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas—Gemma’s charming and dangerous nemesis.

Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcane tradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and the other kingdoms. Despite her best intentions, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.

When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit’s peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tear the royals down from their thrones—and that this enemy just might succeed.

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Sinister Magic (Death Before Dragons #1) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• Battle Bond (Death Before Dragons #2) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• Tangled Truths (Death Before Dragons #3) by Lindsay Buroker (A-/5 stars)
• Elven Doom (Death Before Dragons #4) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• The Forbidden Ground (Death Before Dragons #4.5) by Lindsay Buroker (B-/3 stars)
• False Security (Death Before Dragons #5) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• Mist and Magic (Death Before Dragons #5.5) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Storm Forged (Death Before Dragons #6) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Secrets of the Sword I (Death Before Dragons #7) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Secrets of the Sword II (Death Before Dragons #8) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Secrets of the Sword III (Death Before Dragons #9) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)

I also read the assorted blog/newsletter short stories in the Death Before Dragons series. All fun, but the Bonus Scenes from Zav's POV was my favorite, followed closely by The Box and The Christmas Gift

Purchased:

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by library addict

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Sinister Magic (Death Before Dragons #1) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• Battle Bond (Death Before Dragons #2) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• Tangled Truths (Death Before Dragons #3) by Lindsay Buroker (A-/5 stars)
• Elven Doom (Death Before Dragons #4) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• The Forbidden Ground (Death Before Dragons #4.5) by Lindsay Buroker (B-/3 stars)
• False Security (Death Before Dragons #5) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• Mist and Magic (Death Before Dragons #5.5) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Storm Forged (Death Before Dragons #6) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Secrets of the Sword I (Death Before Dragons #7) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Secrets of the Sword II (Death Before Dragons #8) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Secrets of the Sword III (Death Before Dragons #9) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)

I also read the assorted blog/newsletter short stories in the Death Before Dragons series. All fun, but the Bonus Scenes from Zav's POV was my favorite, followed closely by The Box and The Christmas Gift

Purchased:

Wow, that's some serious binge reading!

Anyone interested in this highly recommended series, remember audiobooks 1-7 are available for free on youtube.

[apesmom]

This week almost everything is KU . . .

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover - 3.5

Listened on KU. Narration is good however the younger narrator's male voices not so good. I don't like the daughter who is half the book but the very end was charming.

Sunwalker Saga by Shea MacLeod

#1 - Kissed by Darkness - 3.5
Listened on KU. Narration is good. I purchased the first 3 of this series a long time ago but only the first is available for me to listen for free. There's things I like about this series but not completely into it, there is Atlantis, Templar Knights, vampires, other stuff and quantum physics magic. A bit much maybe?

Faith McMann by T.R. Ragan

#1 - Outrage - 4
Listened on KU. Didn't care for narration on this one but I liked the narrator in the Melissa F. Olson books. Very dark suspense. Will have to listen to the next 2 to get resolution to main storyline.

Forty Proof by Shannon Mayer

#4 - Midlife Ghost Hunter - 4
Consistent entertaining series.

City Between by W.R. Gingell

#1 - Between Jobs - 4
I bought this one when it was on sale a while back, looks like the series was pulled from KU. Dang it! UF, no romance, at least not in book 1. Fae, vampires, between worlds portals set in Australia. Fascinating characters and world, I want to learn more. Love the snarky, unflappable main character and her interactions with her 3 psychos. This book is currently $0.99 through June at all stores.

Purchased: none

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by library addict

Weekly Report:

Read:

• False Security (Death Before Dragons #5) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)
• Mist and Magic (Death Before Dragons #5.5) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
• Storm Forged (Death Before Dragons #6) by Lindsay Buroker (A/5 stars)
  

My preference for series ordering is chronological so would put Mist and Magic in as 0.5 instead of 5.5.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by DNSB

My preference for series ordering is chronological so would put Mist and Magic in as 0.5 instead of 5.5.

I think the humor plays better in published order as we know the characters by that point, but it can be read in either spot.

Originally Posted by apesmom

Anyone interested in this highly recommended series, remember audiobooks 1-7 are available for free on youtube.

The Forbidden Ground is also free to listen to on her YouTube page.

She had planned to put the remaining books up, but I think changed her mind when YouTube delisted her channel. They want original content, so even though she owns the rights to the audio books as she paid to produce them they no longer consider them original content for whatever reason.

If anyone does buy/rent/borrow the other books in audio, The Christmas Gift short story plays at the end of book 9.

I did a mix and match of listening and reading for most of them as summer vacation started so I had my grandniece all week during the day. I own the whole series in digital, but checked all of the available audio books out from Hoopla, so if your library system has Hoopla I would check there. The YouTube didn't want to stay at 2x playback speed for me and regular speed felt very slow to me.

But I definitely think the narrator did a good job especially with all of the dragon names. It was a really fun series to (mostly) listen to.