Free/Bargain Romances in May 2013

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Ararose

No, I didn't know that Jacquelyn Frank wrote that series in such a short time frame! Yeesh! I would have been burned out and then some!

Yes, she is very good! And Xe Sands too! I love her voice!

Yep, Jennifer Estep's Assassin series is definitely not a romance, but I love it anyway. I can usually handle the darkness and violence as long as I'm just reading it. I can't stand seeing it on screen though.

I actually used the recent Kobo coupons to pick up the rest of the Bigtime series, so I'm going to have a fun weekend!

You'll probably find Kresely Cole on the same level as Jacquelyn Frank in terms of world-building and plot complexity. Cole's writing style is very different though. I'm not sure how to describe it. It's not as intense?

Ah! I just though of two others. Shannon Abe and Marjorie M. Liu. Shannon Abe is a very poetic writer (although again not as intense as Jacquelyn Frank). I'm not very far into Marjorie M. Liu's Dirk & Steele series, but I've enjoyed it so far. I'm trying to think of a good comparison, but I can't think of one.

Okay, I'm shutting myself up now, I promise!

Edit: Sorry, it's Shana Abe, not Shannon! I haven't had coffee yet this morning!

From JF's Blog on her Nighwalker series talking about the released of Adam:

I made you wait THREE years. Some of you are far luckier than those who followed me from the beginning and had to wait much less time. To be honest, I didn't think I was ever going to write this book. I thought, maybe in my old age I would amuse myself by finally doing something with that bitch Ruth. Heh. Well, I admit, I was feeling a little burned out at the time. I wrote those novels back to back, REALLY fast, (on average of 2.5 weeks per novel--unmedicated bipolar manic episodes--with minimal time in between) and I also had so many other worlds I wanted to write about now that I was officially a published author! I do confess to a bit of series A.D.D., but this time I am finishing what I started.

I'll be sure check out Kresely Cole and Shana Abe. I read Marjorie M. Liu's Tiger's Eye years ago before the world of ebooks. It was okay not too memorable but I liked it.

[auntykatkat]

Originally Posted by Ararose

I did the same exact same thing with the Dark Hunters series! I stalled out on the series after Acheron.

I also did the same thing on Lora Leigh's Breed series, which is a shame, because I really did like that series. Maybe I should give it another try. Hmmm....

And to some extent I did that on Christine Feehan's Carpathian series too, although I think that may have more to do with my personal preferences than the series.

Now, I simply love all three of the series mentioned. I just think that maybe that because the HEA is not always there in the end that it upset you, All of these series have a war or fight to the finish that has not been met yet. Wars are condusive to HEA. Or it could be that some just do not like that it takes so long to get to the end or battle. We all have our likes and to each his own.

As for the Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark Hunters, have you read the Chronicles of Nick YA series. It is in the same Dark Hunter World and could shead some light on the final battle to come.I an looking forward to Styxx's story coming in August. It will be a little longer than Ach's book. She has said that the timeline will be coinciding with Acheron's book. She also has been sharing alot of pencil sketchs on facebook that are supposedly done by Styxx. She is my autobuy.

I still enjoy all these series and more because it is the stories that I love.

[auntykatkat]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I will add go see if my library has the first one and jump in line.

I love Lara Adrian! J.R. Ward not so much. Kathleen Eagle is an autobuy for me too. I love her books.

Ah, remember that the first novel is really not the first she wrote in the series. It was a novella in the Fantasy Anthology called the Awakening.

[Ararose]

Originally Posted by auntykatkat

Now, I simply love all three of the series mentioned. I just think that maybe that because the HEA is not always there in the end that it upset you, All of these series have a war or fight to the finish that has not been met yet. Wars are condusive to HEA. Or it could be that some just do not like that it takes so long to get to the end or battle. We all have our likes and to each his own.

As for the Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark Hunters, have you read the Chronicles of Nick YA series. It is in the same Dark Hunter World and could shead some light on the final battle to come.I an looking forward to Styxx's story coming in August. It will be a little longer than Ach's book. She has said that the timeline will be coinciding with Acheron's book. She also has been sharing alot of pencil sketchs on facebook that are supposedly done by Styxx. She is my autobuy.

I still enjoy all these series and more because it is the stories that I love.

This question shows just how dumb I am or maybe how sleep-deprived I am, but what does HEA stand for?

See, at one time I loved Sherrilyn Kenyon, but I really couldn't hang in there after Acheron's book, which was a fantastic book! I thought she did a really great job with Acheron's story. I have that book in hard back print and I'm never getting rid of it. But the ones I think right before Acheron and right after were just blah for me.

It's not that unusual for me to lose interest in some series, especially if they drag out. This goes back to when I was a teenager and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series! Eventually, I just had to give up.

The other thing that will happen is that I'll stall out on a series. For whatever reason, not because of the author or the story, but because my mind is not in the right place or something, I'll just stall in a series and can't drum up the motivation to finish a book. Then, sometimes years later, I'll come back the book and the series and feverishly devour it as quickly as possible!

I have very strange reading habits.

I have the 1st book of the Chronicles of Nick as an audiobook, because I had heard that it was good. I got it hoping that it would get me back into Sherrilyn Kenyon, but I haven't had time to listen to it yet. Hmmm.... maybe I should move that one up my TBR list.

My friends and I constantly joke about how we need to get shirts with a saying that we have coined in our little book club circle: "I have that book, but I haven't read it yet."

[Ararose]

Originally Posted by Blossom

From JF's Blog on her Nighwalker series talking about the released of Adam:



I'll be sure check out Kresely Cole and Shana Abe. I read Marjorie M. Liu's Tiger's Eye years ago before the world of ebooks. It was okay not too memorable but I liked it.

Holy sheets! 2.5 weeks a novel!!!!! Yeah, no wonder she was burned out! I think it's amazing if an author can put out a book once a year!

I hope you like Krelsey Cole and Shana Abe! I've certainly enjoyed them!

[JNCalif]

HEA = Happily Ever After

[Venus]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Isn't that the one she wrote with her husband? I have it. I will up it on my TBR list. Kat Martin is an autobuy for me. I can't wait for Midnight Rider to be re-released this coming month!

Try Judith Stacy. After reading Outlaw Love I bought her entire backlist she had in ebook.

Thanks, I will look for Outlaw Love. I don't know if Tin Angel was the one she wrote with her husband. I remember it was a fun listen and I loved the change of genre. I was in so much traffic the past 2 weeks that I listened to 4 audiobooks. One by Sherry Thomas. I love her audiobooks. Some might think it slow for reading but for driving they are perfect. I listened to Beguiling the Beauty. My favorite for listening was Private Arrangements and my favorite for reading by Sherry Thomas was Not Quite a Husband. I also listened to Seven Nights in a Rogues bed and this was the first romance audiobook narrated by a man that I loved. Last week I listened to Bared to You and Reflected in You. The narrator was way better than I expected. If you like sex with your sex, than you will love it. I thought it was good listening with gridlock. Next I might listen to the Nightwalkers series. I read the series but it was a while ago so I thought I would enjoy listening this time. I also got Down London Road so I might listen to that next. I am sorry that I am rambling, but I am so happy it's Friday.

[Blue2u]

Originally Posted by Ararose

My friends and I constantly joke about how we need to get shirts with a saying that we have coined in our little book club circle: "I have that book, but I haven't read it yet."

Oh, I would buy one too... LOL

[library addict]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I haven't read either. Is it bad I've never read anything by Jayne Castle or her other aliases? Although I just bought one of her older paranormals.

I love Jayne Ann Krentz. Since she's been publishing since 1979 her backlist is filled with a large variety of subgenres. So even if you don't like the first of her books you try, I'd give her multiple chances.

She's was writing futuristic paranormal romance before it had a label (and has often joked it nearly killed her writing career being so far ahead of the curve. The lack of sales originally for her futuristic Lost Colony series is what led to her publishing historicals under the Quick penname).

As much as I do enjoy her current Arcane series, my favorites are her straight contemps from the 90s written as Jayne Ann Krentz, her early, one-word title historicals as Amanda Quick and the Psynergy trilogy and early World of Harmony/Ghost Hunter books as Jayne Castle.

Many of her Harlequin books are dated, but I enjoyed most of the ones written for Silhouette as Stephanie James moreso than the Harlequin Temptations as JAK (though I have not read her complete backlist yet).




On another note, I've got 3 more full length books plus 3 novellas (and her website short stories) to go in the Psy-Changeling series.

[apesmom]

The DNL selections are up for June.

Firebird is a selection! - it might be time for me to buy a six-pack!

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

I love Jayne Ann Krentz. Since she's been publishing since 1979 her backlist is filled with a large variety of subgenres. So even if you don't like the first of her books you try, I'd give her multiple chances.

She's was writing futuristic paranormal romance before it had a label (and has often joked it nearly killed her writing career being so far ahead of the curve. The lack of sales originally for her futuristic Lost Colony series is what led to her publishing historicals under the Quick penname).

As much as I do enjoy her current Arcane series, my favorites are her straight contemps from the 90s written as Jayne Ann Krentz, her early, one-word title historicals as Amanda Quick and the Psynergy trilogy and early World of Harmony/Ghost Hunter books as Jayne Castle.

Many of her Harlequin books are dated, but I enjoyed most of the ones written for Silhouette as Stephanie James moreso than the Harlequin Temptations as JAK (though I have not read her complete backlist yet).

Oh I love dated romances. I was just telling Linda Howard on Facebook that she shouldn't revised her books. She mentioned a scene were the heroine is searching for a phone to make a call for help. Which today no one does because everyone owns cell phones. I don't get why authors are feeling pressure to add technology to books that were written at a time when there wasn't any. Just put the date at the top of the first chapter so the readers knows that not everyone had a cell phone in the 90s. Another problem was how the heroine would have not known the hero was now famous because of Google. The internet wasn't as popular back then either. This is why I still buy paperbacks, I want the originals.

I prefer to read contemporary romances set in the late 80s through the 90s when technology wasn't so intrusive and it didn't solve everything.

I have her book Midnight Jewels I just noticed. Any more recommendations on her Contemporary titles? I'll add them to my TBR list. I have the lost Colony series first two books.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

On another note, I've got 3 more full length books plus 3 novellas (and her website short stories) to go in the Psy-Changeling series.

You read too fast! I am listening to them so I am just along for the ride. I'm 30% into the second book.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by apesmom

The DNL selections are up for June.

Firebird is a selection! - it might be time for me to buy a six-pack!

I don't know if I see anything possibly... the Mary Wine book. I still have two credits.

[laurla]

Originally Posted by apesmom

The DNL selections are up for June.

Firebird is a selection! - it might be time for me to buy a six-pack!

I'm not jumping for joy for any of them
Maybe that's a good thing?
But I have like 10 credits left. Sigh. I'll just have to find something I guess. *Twisting own arm*

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by library addict

On another note, I've got 3 more full length books plus 3 novellas (and her website short stories) to go in the Psy-Changeling series.

Congrats, you're almost there! I'm done with that book I was struggling to finish (happy me!) so I'll be starting Caressed by Ice tonight. So psyched!

Originally Posted by apesmom

The DNL selections are up for June.

Firebird is a selection! - it might be time for me to buy a six-pack!

I bought Firebird with the 80% Kobo code