FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[zelda.owns.link]

Celebrate the gift of reading this summer with our Christmas in July sale! Buy 5 or more books and save 50% with code JULYXMAS at checkout.
Offer valid from July 24, 2022, 12:00 a.m. to July 27, 2022, 11:59 p.m. ET
https://www.harlequin.com/shop/pages/imprints.html

[library addict]

Mercenary Instinct (Mandrake Company #1) by Ruby Lionsdrake (aka Lindsay Buroker) is free today.

Spoiler:

Skulking around in the ruins on a planet swarming with treasure hunters, slavers, and bounty hunters isn’t good for one’s health. But Ankari Markovich needs a few archaeological samples for her latest business venture, a venture that might prove lucrative enough to move her family off the impoverished planet where she grew up. Unfortunately, she has no sooner collected her samples than she’s captured by a band of brawny mercenaries. The captain might be handsome, but he’s intent on turning her over to some finance lord who has, for reasons unknown, put a bounty on her head, a ridiculously large one at that. If she can’t figure out a way to escape before she’s delivered to the lord’s home world, she could be forced into a life of indentured servitude—or worse.

Captain Viktor Mandrake doesn’t usually take on piddling bounty hunting gigs, but when his intelligence officer informs him of a criminal on a nearby planet, he decides it wouldn’t hurt to take a shuttle down to collect the woman. But Ankari Markovich is trouble from the start, nearly eluding his elite forces, then fighting and tricking his people left and right. He finds himself admiring her spirit, but according to her warrant, she’s a criminal. The safest thing is to keep her in the brig and ignore her until she can be handed off to the man who wants her.

But the situation grows more complicated when other bounty hunters show up, wanting to claim Ankari for themselves. Thanks to this woman, Viktor’s ship is in danger, his crew members are going missing, and he’s fighting enemies he never asked for in a jungle in the middle of a hurricane. He’s either going to strangle Ankari… or fall in love. Either scenario could get him killed.

It's in KU as well so Amazon only


Note: The series bundle has been on sale before, so if you have the box set you already have this book.

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by library addict

Mercenary Instinct (Mandrake Company #1) by Ruby Lionsdrake (aka Lindsay Buroker) is free today.

It's in KU as well so Amazon only


Note: The series bundle has been on sale before, so if you have the box set you already have this book.

Thanks! That one would have gotten by me.

[apesmom]

This week . . .

Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis

#10 - It's in His Kiss - 4
#11 - He's So Fine - 3.5
Listened on Overdrive, new narrators on both books, both good.

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren - 4.5

Listened on Overdrive, narration is very good. Enjoyed the story but it went exactly where I thought it would go.

Dragon Kin by G.A. Aiken

#0.2 - A Tale of Two Dragons - 3.5

Steel & Stone by Annette Marie

#4 - Reap the Shadows - 4
In KU but listened on Overdrive, narration is good.

Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward

#13 - The Shadows - 3
Listened on Overdrive, narrator is all wrong for this series but he does a passable job. It's been awhile since I picked up one of these, I forgot how many story lines she's got running in the later books. Was able to pick it up pretty easy even though it's been several years since I read the last one. This one did not go where expected and the ending seemed rushed and unsatisfying. I've got a bunch more of these that I'll listen to while I'm waiting for holds.

Purchased: none

[apesmom]

There's another Ruby Lionsdrake freebie today.

Orion (Star Guardians #1)

Spoiler:

A born geek, Juanita has dreamed of exploring the stars for as long as she can remember. Getting kidnapped by slavers from another planet? Not so much. If she’s lucky, she might be able to convince the hot guy protecting her from the others to help her escape.

A bounty hunter allied with the Star Guardians, Orion is undercover on the slavers' ship, plotting to end their kidnapping trips to Earth. He didn’t expect to meet someone as funny, sexy, and determined as Juanita among the victims. He wants to protect her from the thugs molesting her, but that could blow his cover and jeopardize his mission. He must choose between keeping her safe and dooming Earth to be a target for slavers forever.

[library addict]

I need the rest of the Star Guardians series (I have 1, 3.5, and 6 only).

I will buy them next year but I'm waiting until I am actually ready to read the series. She tends to give away a lot of her older stuff in her newsletters too. So if anyone likes her voice I recommend signing up for it.

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:
just rereads again this week (I did try a few new books, but DNF'd them all. It's a me problem )

Purchased:
none

[apesmom]

Freebie, in case you missed these when they've been free individually. Great series in KU, these prequels add depth to the later books.

Before Times (Valkyrie Beastiary Prequels) by Kim McDougall

Spoiler:

The Last Door to Underhill: In the last hours of the Flood Wars, a fae princess makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the human world.

The Girl Who Cried Banshee: Kyra Greene is a pest controller, not an exterminator. She has to be clear about that when the pests can be anything from pixies to dragons. But when her fledgling business teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, Kyra takes on a job that blurs those lines.

Three Half Goats Gruff: Kyra Greene, pest controller of fantastic beasts, takes on a rock troll and meets the man who will haunt her dreams for the next three-hundred and twenty-one nights. Come sing around the campfire with satyrs and discover how Kyra found one little lost cephalopod.

Before Times tells the tales of Kyra Green, pest-controller of extraordinary beasts and Leighna Icewolf, Queen of the Fae—two warriors learning to navigate new roads in a world where magic is the only rule of law. Each story takes place 1 to 50 years before the events of Dragons Don’t Eat Meat, Book 1 of the Valkyrie Bestiary Series.

[sufue]

How in the world does she write so much so fast? And even faster than I thought since I had no idea "Lionsdrake" and "Buroker" were the same person!

Granted these aren't as painstakingly researched and elaborately put-together as some authors' books, but the ones I've read are mostly good fun and enjoyable. Not the kind of stuff I will go back and re-read, and re-read again, and yet again - and often notice new cool things when I do. But still, other than one series I was kind of "meh" on, a lot of fun...

But, wow, talk about prolific...

Originally Posted by apesmom

There's another Ruby Lionsdrake freebie today.

Orion (Star Guardians #1)

Spoiler:

A born geek, Juanita has dreamed of exploring the stars for as long as she can remember. Getting kidnapped by slavers from another planet? Not so much. If she’s lucky, she might be able to convince the hot guy protecting her from the others to help her escape.

A bounty hunter allied with the Star Guardians, Orion is undercover on the slavers' ship, plotting to end their kidnapping trips to Earth. He didn’t expect to meet someone as funny, sexy, and determined as Juanita among the victims. He wants to protect her from the thugs molesting her, but that could blow his cover and jeopardize his mission. He must choose between keeping her safe and dooming Earth to be a target for slavers forever.

[library addict]

Her epic fantasy series tend to be long, but she writes shorter books in between.

She's talked a bit about how she gradually increased her writing speed and then jumped to faster once she stopped being a pantser and plotted stuff out in advance. She said she wants to cut back to four or five books per year and travel more. But has so many ideas rolling around in her head.

[sufue]

Interesting. I don't think I could have that many ideas! And she's got more still in her head. Guess that's why she's the writer .

Originally Posted by library addict

Her epic fantasy series tend to be long, but she writes shorter books in between.

She's talked a bit about how she gradually increased her writing speed and then jumped to faster once she stopped being a pantser and plotted stuff out in advance. She said she wants to cut back to four or five books per year and travel more. But has so many ideas rolling around in her head.

[sufue]

Magic Binds (Kate Daniels #9, by Ilona Andrews) is £0.99 right now at Kindle UK. The links below are still good...

Originally Posted by sufue

More than a year later, these are on sale again at Kindle UK, but this time Magic Shifts is £2.99 and Magic Binds is £1.49. The links are still good...

{edited other book}

Magic Binds, £2.49
Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01AHKXIB0
Kindle UK/Smile: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01AHKXIB0

[library addict]

If anyone in in the Penguin Random House Reader Rewards program, just know they will auto issue the code once you have submitted 12 titles.

To be fair, it says this in the fine print I just either didn't notice or forgot.

*I had planned to wait and pre-order the 2023 Psy/Changeling book but it probably will not be listed before the auto-issued code expires (they are only good for 6 months). In hind sight I should have waited to submit the twelfth book since once you join you do not have a set time limit on earning tokens.

I went with the upcoming Jayne Ann Krentz book. I usually buy the hardcovers from the library after a year or two since I also buy and actually them in digital. I wish their reading rewards applied to digital books instead of only print. But at least the digital purchases do count toward the program.

[copyrite]

For anyone who doesn't really visit any other threads (that's me most of the time except for a couple others I'm subscribed to)...

Brooklyn Library is discontinuing out-of-state library cards (Existing out-of-state accounts will remain active until their expiration date and will not be renewable.) thread

Thanks to library addict for that heads up!

Non-Resident Library Cards thread

and also an FYI

OverDrive is retiring the OverDrive app, which will be replaced by the Libby app. It is currently only available in the Amazon store for Fire devices. From February 2022 to December 2022, the OverDrive App will continue to be functional but OverDrive will be encouraging users to transfer their content over to Libby.

[apesmom]

This week . . .

Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis

#12 - One in a Million - 3.5
Listened on Overdrive, narration is good. This wraps up the Lucky Harbor series. No idea where the title came from.

Edge Chronicles by Ilona Andrews

#1 - On the Edge - 4.5
Listened on Overdrive, narration is good. Good story, unique world, good characters.

Steel & Stone by Annette Marie

#5 - Unleash the Storm - 4
KU but listened in Overdrive. Narration is good. Great world, Annette Marie does demons/daemons better than anyone I've read yet. This is the last of this story arc but there's another trilogy with same charcters in this world. She's also got more books from this world coming later this year.

Spell Weaver (Steel & Stone Universe) by Annette Marie

#1 - The Night Realm - 4
KU but listened in Overdrive. Narration is good. Same world as previous series, occurs 5 years prior to Steel & Stone but author recommends reading after. Lyre's backstory.

Purchased: none