Free and bargain romance ebooks + Discussion January 2014

[Sydney's Mom]

I started this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...w_myk_ro_title, and was so excited I cheated and read the ending about 1/3 of the way through. Now, I am so disappointed I am having a real hard time finishing the book. Has anyone else read this book? If so, should I finish?

[laurla]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Exactly I find it too basic when I can use my own tools to quickly find what I need changing. I was never a fan of Sigil either though.

Well, I guess it'll work just fine for us basic idiots.

[library addict]

I only meant that folks in the Calibre forum thought it was already more advanced than Sigil and that Kovid's idea of basic was far more advanced than everyone else's idea of "basic".

But like everything else with Calibre, using Edit Book is optional. That's the great thing about the program.

(Here is the thread I was referring to Edit Ebook)

[laurla]

Originally Posted by library addict

I only meant that folks in the Calibre forum thought it was already more advanced than Sigil and that Kovid's idea of basic was far more advanced than everyone else's idea of "basic".

But like everything else with Calibre, using Edit Book is optional. That's the great thing about the program.

(Here is the thread I was referring to Edit Ebook)

I never learned Sigil - wasn't really brave enough to try it because the only things I really change are removing matter, like you, or creating splits or line breaks when the original didn't do it well - I was usually able to accomplish this in Tweak Book but you couldn't see your results until you re-packed the book, which sometimes meant unpacking and repacking multiple multiple times (at least for me). Now you can see changes right away, which I like.

Books don't really have to be perfect for me to enjoy them - but I do get annoyed when chapters run together, etc. So the basicality and ease of access of Edit Book will make me a happy reader Or maybe it's not the basicality (since apparently it goes beyond basic in functionality) but the ease of use for editing dummies that will make me happy happy happy - sort of like an Editor for Dummies...

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by laurla

I never learned Sigil - wasn't really brave enough to try it because the only things I really change are removing matter, like you, or creating splits or line breaks when the original didn't do it well - I was usually able to accomplish this in Tweak Book but you couldn't see your results until you re-packed the book, which sometimes meant unpacking and repacking multiple multiple times (at least for me). Now you can see changes right away, which I like.

Books don't really have to be perfect for me to enjoy them - but I do get annoyed when chapters run together, etc. So the basicality and ease of access of Edit Book will make me a happy reader Or maybe it's not the basicality (since apparently it goes beyond basic in functionality) but the ease of use for editing dummies that will make me happy happy happy - sort of like an Editor for Dummies...

I finally updated Calibre from version 1.14 (pre-edit book versions). Looking at it, it appears very similar to Sigil (which I been very happy using), regex find and replace is present but I'm not seeing any easy split page function. Am I missing something? If it's not there yet I bet it will be soon.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by laurla

Well, I guess it'll work just fine for us basic idiots.

You have to understand I have been doing html editing since 1993 and have designed many websites so yes I have more professional tools that quickly get the job done. I prefer them to the basic editor on Calibre. That no way imply that those who use the new feature are idiots.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by apesmom

I finally updated Calibre from version 1.14 (pre-edit book versions). Looking at it, it appears very similar to Sigil (which I been very happy using), regex find and replace is present but I'm not seeing any easy split page function. Am I missing something? If it's not there yet I bet it will be soon.

You might want to mention it in the thread in the Calibre forum. I am sure given time it was outshine Sigil let's face it Calibre just has better resources. It already has Beautify html which fixes messy code to look neat so you know what you are looking at it also has fix HTML which probably reformats certain tags I think to work better. Each update they add more so yes I think if you ask they will add it.

Nevermind found this!

Splitting HTML files

One, perhaps non-obvious, use of the preview panel is to split long HTML files. While viewing the file you want to split, click the split mode button under the preview panel spmb. Then simply move your mouse to the place where you want to split the file and click. A thick green line will show you exactly where the split will happen as you move your mouse. Once you have found the location you want, simply click and the split will be performed.

Splitting the file will automatically update all links and references that pointed into the bottom half of the file and will open the newly split file in an editor. If you want to repeatedly split a file, you can do that, and then use the bulk renaming facility of the Files Browser, described above, to give the split off files sensible names.

[Atunah]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I am so sick of badly written indies. Lately it seems everything I get from the Kindle owner's lending library is crap.

I am basically only getting montlake titles at this point from the KOLL. When the progam first started, there were a few harlequin historials, but everything else was pretty much just self publishers. Then Amazon came on board with Montlake and so I have been adding books from it to a wishlist I can access on my kindle. So I have books planned to pick for a few more months out at least.

Like Blossom though, you go back the some of the "older" ones, especially historicals and then you wonder why one even bothers with trying to find gems among SP's. I am sure there are some, but I'll let others find them and then tell me.

I think like Blossom said its the not wanting to do the research and pump out book after book in a short time. The books are also getting shorter for some reason.

I just want to read good books, not try to find the good ones. I now have to delete that freebie off my account as I agree with Blossom that its not done well. It reads stilted for lack of better word. Strange.

I am done trying books for the maybe. Heck, even if I'd never read a newly published book ever again, I have enough back list stuff to read to last me the rest of my life.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Atunah

I am basically only getting montlake titles at this point from the KOLL. When the progam first started, there were a few harlequin historials, but everything else was pretty much just self publishers. Then Amazon came on board with Montlake and so I have been adding books from it to a wishlist I can access on my kindle. So I have books planned to pick for a few more months out at least.

Like Blossom though, you go back the some of the "older" ones, especially historicals and then you wonder why one even bothers with trying to find gems among SP's. I am sure there are some, but I'll let others find them and then tell me.

I think like Blossom said its the not wanting to do the research and pump out book after book in a short time. The books are also getting shorter for some reason.

I just want to read good books, not try to find the good ones. I now have to delete that freebie off my account as I agree with Blossom that its not done well. It reads stilted for lack of better word. Strange.

I am done trying books for the maybe. Heck, even if I'd never read a newly published book ever again, I have enough back list stuff to read to last me the rest of my life.

That how I feel when it comes to historical romance. I refuse the buy anything newer than 2005 as I think that was when the their was a huge turning point in historical romance. I prefer 80s and 90s mostly. I don't care for the forced seduction of the 80s but I tell myself that this was a different time period and yes it was too common. Women were abused and they had to make the best of it they couldn't just walk away like we can. Jude Deveraux really paints that picture in her books. I was reading The Velvet Promise and I thought to myself goodness the mother of the heroine is called a old lady too many times she is Thirty Three! It really was a different time back then wasn't it? lol

My problem with the free book was from the first sentence. Storage building? What The.......
Too modern right there off the first sentence tells me she didn't do research. It gets worse from there incomplete sentence structure and well it's just plain horrible. People did not talk that way back then. Writing a medieval novel isn't easy it takes a alot of research and I believe that is why there is very little of them being published today.

Call me picky but I have read too much crappy books in 2013 that I am only picking up backlist titles when it comes to historicals and I'm being more picky about contemporary romance too.

[Carmelreader]

Originally Posted by Jane A

I am not sure our tastes are quite the same, but I adore Kris Kennedy's medievals, especially Defiant and The Irish Warrior.

I also want to mention two medievals that haven't made it to digital yet (and please, please let them be someday!). One is Red Adam's Lady by Grace Ingram and the other is Bride of the Lion by Elizabeth Stuart. The first one is usually a minimum of $25 for a used copy, but the latter can be had for a reasonable price. If one can bear reading a paper copy it is well worth tracking them down.

Oh do I second Red Adam's Lady. Would love to read that again.

And ditto to Atunah and Blossom's comments on indies, particularly historicals. Interestingly enough, I find the historical mysteries, which I also love, much better researched and in period than many of the romances today. Even the names are often wrong for the heroines! That sets me off right away. Riley or Madison for a girl in a historical is not going to work!

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by apesmom

I finally updated Calibre from version 1.14 (pre-edit book versions). Looking at it, it appears very similar to Sigil (which I been very happy using), regex find and replace is present but I'm not seeing any easy split page function. Am I missing something? If it's not there yet I bet it will be soon.

Under the preview window there is a small arrow. When you press it a line appear in the preview window that you move and press where you want the break.

[VictoriaP]

Originally Posted by Jane A

I am not sure our tastes are quite the same, but I adore Kris Kennedy's medievals, especially Defiant and The Irish Warrior.

Hmm...I appear to have picked up The Irish Warrior for free a few years back. I might have to nudge it closer to the top of the TBR pile.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by VictoriaP

Hmm...I appear to have picked up The Irish Warrior for free a few years back. I might have to nudge it closer to the top of the TBR pile.

It seems I own it too. The blurb does sound interesting love those type of tropes. The writing seems okay from the little I read and it's a Zebra romance which makes it even better. I'm partial to the imprint.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by Atunah

Heck, even if I'd never read a newly published book ever again, I have enough back list stuff to read to last me the rest of my life.

Same here LOL. I certainly don't need to read the kindle owner's lending library books. I am wasting time on a "new adult" paranormal book this month. It's been a long time since I went to college, but I never saw any rows of lockers. Things like that, and the sentence structures, make me wonder if the author is still in high school. Although the bio says not. Oh another good one she's used at least twice, she says "floor" instead of "ground." As in, leaves all over the floor (and the girl is walking outside, FYI). These types of self-pubbed authors REALLY need to pay for editing.

I'll look for a Montlake book next month. I just put some Laura Landon on my WL. They have nice covers, at any rate.

And I spent $50 on a Kindle Touch just for KOLL books?

[apesmom]

Today's Romance Kindle Daily Deal has 40 selections for $0.99-$1.99, many of which we've seen on sale before.