Books I bought this week…

I’m going to try to not buy so many books in the near future since I’m moving, but some days you can’t help yourself!

1. Inferno’s Kiss by Monica Burns

   

   The laws of desire…Dante Condellaire, heir apparent to the Sicari Lords, knows that being a true leader means sacrifice. For Dante it was relinquishing all erotic pleasures. But he never expected his willpower to be tested so fiercely by Cleopatra Vorenus, expert assassin of the Order, and daughter of the man he is positioned to succeed.

   The rules of battle…

   Cleo prefers working alone–until she meets Dante who shares her goal: to destroy a Praetorian stronghold where Sicari women are imprisoned for devious purposes. Bringing the mission off without a hitch pumps up more than their resolve. It sets off a sexual spark too combustible to ignore.

   Are all made to be broken.

   As their attraction flares like an inferno, the stakes are raised. So are the risks. Before the mission is over, Dante and Cleo will be plunged into a dangerous conspiracy where a traitor threatens the very foundation of the Order, as well as the fiery bond between Dante and Cleo–warriors and lovers now torn between duty and desire.

2. book

Books I bought this week…

While I’m off at FenCon, here are some reads to get you through the weekend!

1. Love’s Portrait by Monica Burns

   As a card carrying founder of the Cult of Monica Burns, you should be forewarned that I’m incredibly biased. I’ll also use any means necessary to convince people that reading her books is a good thing. Like, including links to the site where you can buy it for the incredible price of just $.99 for any ereader format. Yes, you really want this book!

   One woman’s rebellious act; One man’s quest for seduction; A portrait that ignites a scandalous passion. When Julia Westgard commissions a nude portrait of herself, the painting is much more than a rebellious act. It’s an attempt to regain her self-worth after years of a loveless, repressive marriage to her late husband. But the private portrait puts her directly in the path of Morgan St. Claire, one of the Marlborough Set’s most notorious seducers. A man who doesn’t take no for an answer. From the first moment Morgan sees Julia’s portrait, he’s determined to have her. But the woman he meets is a far cry from the image on canvas. What starts out as a simple exercise in seduction quickly evolves into a quest to reveal the true Julia. With each sensual encounter, he employs every erotic weapon at his disposal in hopes of making Julia see she really is the woman in Love’s Portrait.

Books I bought this week…

I haven’t been in a bookstore in weeks.  This last week Suz and I went and I got a bunch of books I’ve been meaning to purchase.  The first two below are ebooks.  The first one is a project to raise money for breast cancer.

So what are you reading?

Books I bought this week…

I only bought one book this week. Shocker, I know!  But it was a good one, like so good you should go buy it now.

“I’m a what?”

“A werewolf.”

“A werewolf who can’t remember he’s a werewolf because he has amnesia.”

That pretty much sums it up. The timing couldn’t be worse, too. Just when the pain of booting her asshat of a husband to the curb has started to lessen, Ella gets stuck babysitting his hairy amnesiac ass. Well…she is a psychiatric nurse, after all. In exchange for helping Crosby rediscover his inner werewolf, Ella has the pack’s word she’ll be granted a divorce. She’ll be free to move on. Maybe continue the Twitter flirtation she’s got going with @Hairofthedog. Hey, it’s a start.

But Crosby isn’t playing fair. No longer the Grand Poobah of Douchebaggery, with his memories gone, he’s more the charming, fun-loving man Ella fell in love with. How’s she supposed to hate him when he keeps smiling and charming and, oh yeah, screwing her six ways to Sunday? Though Ella’s body is game for more physical therapy, her mind hasn’t forgotten his betrayal. Crosby will need a damn fine excuse for what he’s done.

As it turns out, he has one—and it’s a doozy.

Books I bought this week…

So here are the books I’ve bought over the last two weeks.  Most of these I’m saving to read during my France trip since there will be a lot of time spent on planes and the train and waiting for my mom to do stuff with her bike that don’t involve me.

1. Turn It Up by Inez Kelley
   

   Dr. Bastian Talbot and self-proclaimed sex goddess Charlie Pierce heat up the air waves with their flirty banter as radio hosts Dr. Hot and the Honeypot. Off the air, they’re best friends…but Bastian wants to be so much more. He wants Charlie—in bed, and forever.Problem is, Charlie doesn’t do commitment. Sure, she’s had X-rated fantasies of Bastian, but he was always just a friend—until he impulsively proposes and unleashes the lust they’ve been denying for years. Charlie’s willing to explore where their wild chemistry leads, but she won’t marry him. And he won’t have sex with her until she accepts his proposal, despite her seductive schemes.What are Dr. Hot and the Honeypot to do? Ask their listeners for advice on how to tame a sex kitten and turn a perfect gentleman into a shameless lover. The Race to Wed or Bed is on…who will turn up on top?

   

2. Too Hot To Touch by Louisa Edwards
   

   HE’S GOT THE SIZZLE

   When it comes to competitive cooking, Max Lunden is no stranger to winning…though he’s never been great at working with a team. A master chef—and major hunk—he’s traveled the world, picking up new cooking techniques as well as beautiful women. But when the prodigal chef returns home to his family’s Greenwich Village restaurant, he discovers one too many cooks in the kitchen—and she’s every bit as passionate as he is…

   SHE’S GOT THE FIRE

   Juliet Cavanaugh used to have a crush on Max when she was just a teenager, hanging out at Lunden & Sons Tavern, hoping to catch a glimpse of the owner’s oldest, and hottest, son. Now a chef herself—competing in the biggest culinary contest in the country—Juliet will be cooking side by side with the one man she’s always admired…and desired. But despite their simmering attraction, Juliet is determined to keep her cool—no matter how hot it gets…

   

3. My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland
   

   Living with her alcoholic deadbeat dad in the swamps of southern Louisiana, she’s a high school dropout with a pill habit and a criminal record who’s been fired from more crap jobs than she can count. Now on probation for a felony, it seems that Angel will never pull herself out of the downward spiral her life has taken.That is, until the day she wakes up in the ER after overdosing on painkillers. Angel remembers being in an horrible car crash, but she doesn’t have a mark on her. To add to the weirdness, she receives an anonymous letter telling her there’s a job waiting for her at the parish morgue–and that it’s an offer she doesn’t dare refuse.

   Before she knows it she’s dealing with a huge crush on a certain hunky deputy and a brand new addiction: an overpowering craving for brains. Plus, her morgue is filling up with the victims of a serial killer who decapitates his prey–just when she’s hungriest!

   Angel’s going to have to grow up fast if she wants to keep this job and stay in one piece. Because if she doesn’t, she’s dead meat.

   Literally.

   

4. Lucky Girl by Cate Lord
   

   Jessica Devlin isn’t looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiancé, she’s determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation in England where she’ll be maid-of-honor at her cousin’s wedding. After working overtime as beauty editor of Orlando’s O Tart magazine, avoiding dating, and putting on ten pounds, Jess is ready to toss her past like an empty lipstick tube and party like a single gal.But when she steps into the church on her cousin’s wedding day, she sees the one man who could sabotage her plan—James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello. She’s never forgotten the London marketing exec who held her in his arms after her beloved grandfather’s funeral two years ago. Ambitious, and lusted after by women everywhere, Nick is completely wrong for guarded, Plain Jane Jess.

   Could Spy Man Nick ever fall for her? Nope. Not unless Jess is one lucky girl.

   

Books I bought this week…

This was a huge release week.  There are three books in established series that I’ve been anxiously waiting.

• Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh – This is the tenth installment of the Psy/Changeling series, and Oh My God it’s so amazing!  I couldn’t have asked for a more exciting book.  The romance was sizzling, there was tons of tension and action.  Things have been building in the previous books and a lot of things really come to a head in this book.  You get the romance of the wolf changeling alpha with a rogue psy-x.  It’s incredible, I can’t gush about this enough.
• Deadline by Mira Grant – Feed, the first book in this series, was my favorite book of 2010.  The book blew me out of the water.  It’s a political thriller, plus post-zombie apocalypse.  I went in expecting a chilling zombie book and got way more than I bargained for.  Things happened in that book that many authors would shy away from doing – and it worked.  I can’t wait to curl up with this book over the weekend, granted I’ll probably be sleeping with the lights on.  Hello, zombies!
• Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews – The fifth book in the Kate Daniel’s book, this is going into uncharted water.  It is an urban fantasy series with a lot of magic and a dystopian element.  In the previous book there was a romance arc climax that’s been building through the previous four books and I’m excited to see how that plays out and how the series arc progresses.  You know from the previous book that Kate is going to get herself into loads of trouble.  Then there’s the novella that’s set right before this book that comes out on Tuesday of this coming week, and the big subplot bomb that happened in the previous book. There’s a lot of questions rolling around in my head that boil down to: What happens next?!?

So what are you reading this weekend?

#ToBeReMo Kick Off!

I forgot to mention this, but today kicks off another edition of #ToBeReMo organized by my friend Suzan.  For the official sign up blog go here.  Unlike December, I’m going for Moderate, reading 4-6 books.  My brain is too fried from the Savvy Boot Camp to do too much this month.

I need to read young adult books and research material so I won’t be that interesting.  However, Mira Grant’s Deadline and Ilona Andrews Magic Slays are on their way to my apartment right now so there will be some awesome reads in store.

So what are you reading?

Books I Bought This Week

Welcome back to the post where I admit how many books I bought in the last week.  A lot of the books I bought were purchased for giveaway optioning on Book Addicts.  I’m sitting on a big event announcement.  But anyways, that’s beyond the point.  Here’s the list!

• Dark Enchantment by Anya Bast – this is the third instalment of the Dark Magic series.  I highly suggest this series.  Not only are the stories great, but the world in which Anya writes these novels makes you day dream.  If I were the fanfic writing type, I would be all over writing in this world.  I really can’t tell you how awesome this book of the series was.  It just blew me away, and yes, I read it the day I bought it. Look for a review at Book Addicts soon!
• Bound by Blood by Cynthia Eden – this is a novella that Cynthia released via Smashwords.  It’s paranormal romance with vampires, demons, and shifters.  This is not part of her Other world, it’s something new and very awesome.  Look for a review at Book Addicts soon!
• Wolf Mates, Vol 1-4 by Dakota Cassidy – these are novellas Dakota wrote for Changeling Press.  Very funny erotic shorts dealing with a peculiar werewolf pack.
• The Ex-Files by Dakota Cassidy – I believe this is her first book.  The stories center around four women, divorced for various amounts of time and how they learn to love again.
• Paranormal Technology: Understanding the Science of Ghost Hunting by David M. Rountree – I got this for research.  I’m writing a paranormal investigator YA book for the Savvy May Boot Camp and I wanted a comprehensive look at the equipment paranormal investigators use.  I have yet to read beyond the forward.  The week’s just been far too busy.
• Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden – giving this one away during the upcoming Book Addicts event.  It’s the first book in her Deadly series.  I loved this one.  FBI agents, alpha heroes, and serial killers.
• Sin Undone and Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione – giving this one away during the upcoming Book Addicts event.  These are both in her highly popular Demoica series.  I’m starting it this next week, so I can’t tell you that it’s awesome from experience, but she’s awesome so I expect the books to be just as awesome.
• Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl – giving this one away during the upcoming Book Addicts event.  I haven’t read this book, it’s one of her historical romances, but if it’s Victoria Dahl, it’s going to be amazing.
• Skin Game by Ava Gray – giving this one away during the upcoming Book Addicts event.  I haven’t started this series yet, I have my own set but jumped at the chance to grab the first one to give away.  Anything she writes is gold!
• Wicked Highlander by Donna Grant – giving this one away during the upcoming Book Addicts event.  This is another series I’m starting soon, but couldn’t pass up the chance to snag one of the books for a giveaway.
• Afterlight by Elle Jasper – I skipped over this one at first because I have an aversion to vampires.  I came home, thought about it, and decided I wanted to give it a whirl.  It has a tattooing heroine and vampires.  I got it for the tattoos and the awesome cover.  Yeah, lol.
• Frostfire by Lynn Viehl – giving this one away during the upcoming Book Addicts event.  This is the latest installment of her Kyndred series, a followup of the Darkyn books.  Very awesome.
• Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood – I picked up one of the other books in this series about a year ago and thought it looked interesting.  I finally found the first book, read the first chapter and it’s so cute.  It’s a paranormal YA with lots of fairy stuff going on from what I understand.
• Once Bitten Twice Dead and Darker Shade of Dead by Bianca D’Arc – I got a taste for these books in Half-Past Dead, an anthology she did with Zoe Archer.  Basically it boils down to: zombie fighting paranormal romance.  It’s just a bonus that they’re good.  Yeah, I’m that easy of a sell on anything zombie.  Really, the novella I read was SOOOO good, I’m really excited about these two books.
• Belly Dancer by DeAnna Cameron – yeah, I don’t have a good reason for wanting to buy this except that it’s about belly dancing, it’s romance, and it’s set during an unusual time that people don’t often write books in.
• Assassins Honor by Monica Burns – giving this one away during the upcoming Book Addicts event.  I’m in love with this series.  AH is the first book in the series and I’m excited about pushing the book onto yet more people!
• You Dropped A Blonde on Me by Dakota Cassidy – giving this one away during the upcoming Book Addicts event.  This is the first in her Ex-Trophy Wife series.  It’s so funny!  The second book comes out this summer, way looking forward to it!
• Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer – this is steampunk, and I read about it a year or so ago and thought it was interesting.  It was massively reduced so I bought it!
• 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom – this was a temporary promotional free download on all ereaders. I’ve been waffling on buying into the series, and I just did!

Reading outside your comfort zone.

Last year I set a goal for myself to read outside of my comfort zone.  I discovered that there were things I liked reading that I wouldn’t have had I not looked outside of the norm for myself.  There were also things that I didn’t want to read again because – I just didn’t like it.  And that’s okay.

A lot of my abnormal reading centered around exploring romance genres.  Before I was okay with romance arcs, but I rarely read anything where the romance played center stage.  And now look at me.  I’m a romance junkie, wholeheartedly.

I was reading a romance wherein the heroine wants to explore some of her fantasies.  She makes a point in saying that the books she’s read up until those adventurous phase of her life kicked in allowed her all the control.  She could continue reading or she could put it down and never go back into that world or the situation again.  Now, the character had some specific curiosities and reading the book I found myself thinking that I would never read those kinds of books!

During one of my rereading phases I picked this book back up and read it and when I got to the particular exploration part again, I still had the same thoughts but I also stepped back and asked myself: Is it fair to make this kind of judgment if I haven’t even read anything like that?

Nope, it’s not fair.

So I’m reading some genre erotics and see what I think.  I’m calling myself out.  In the past I’ve read some erotic books, but they were by accident or for review.  (Yes, there is a difference.)  The difference is that I’m selecting them.  I’m also going to read a mystery.  I cringe at the thought, but the mystery plot device plays into so many other genres that I shouldn’t have that kind of a knee jerk reaction.  I’m sure that I’ll add something else to this pile of things I should read, but those are the two that I have had the most bigoted response to reading.

Here are some recommendations from my reading so far:

• Alien Revealed by Lilly Cain (Carina Press title)- This is a longer sci-fi novella.  I was skeptical when I read about it being about aliens and I expected to  DNF.  I was wrong!  The race and universe building were really good and I’m genuinely interested to see if there is more that explores the alien race.  It has plot, it has spies, it has sexiness, aliens with mental powers and natural tattoos, and it has very light bondage.  Not what I was expecting, in a good way.  (Note: there is a second book in coming out June 13th called Naked Truth that features two characters introduced in AR.)
• Anything by Julia Devlin – I met her doing #1k1hr sprints on twitter, and I’ve read all but one of her ebooks.  Her books, they sizzle.  You can tell through the descriptions what the couple’s thing is.  Pride and Surrender, mostly just downright sexy, one kink bit.  A Whole New Light isn’t for the faint of heart.  It explores the sub/dom dynamic.  Riding the Rail is another sexy one, the characters seem to have a thing for public places.
• Wizard Moon by Michele Bardsley – super funny, but this is not for the weak of heart.  The story is quite naughty, but told with Michele’s trademark humor and snark.
• The Bottom Line by Shelley Munro – The heroine explores her interest in spanking, and hilarity ensues, and then tragedy.  Very light kink, lots of funny.  I need to look through her other books.  Her writing was fun, and she’s from New Zeland and her characters play rugby.  Um, heck yes?  Rugby games are way fun!

Is there a genre you don’t read, or topics that you refuse to read about?

Book Buying Habits

I didn’t buy a single book this week, which is a good thing after the last two weeks!  But it got me to thinking about my booky habits…

I was looking through my Goodreads account the other day, and I was looking at the books I used to read, as opposed to the books I read now.  I was surprised by the changes!   Not so much at the variety, but at the things I no longer read.

When I was in my teens, I devoured anything fantasy.  I liked magic, swords, and adventure.  Even better if it came with a recommendation from my best friend.  Tons of what I read was because of her.  Heck, I would never have read Lord of the Rings or Wheel of Time if it wasn’t for her.  In a large way, my best friend taught me about books and reading outside of the library.  Things like the Dragonlance books and more fantasy.

Since then, I read a lot more books, more variety, and a larger quantity.  Last week alone I bought somewhere around fifteen books, and in 2010 I read my first romance book.  Until December, I horded paperbacks and the occasional hardback.  But then my mother gave me a very expensive and very small gift: a Sony eReader.

I use the wish list feature a lot in the online store.  Browsing the shelves at a bookstore, I pull out my ereader when something looks interesting and check up on the ratings and if it looks real promising I add it to my wish list.  I don’t just buy it because it’s there to buy.

In a lot of ways it’s cutting down on what I buy because I only buy what I’m going to read next on my ereader.  I don’t always like not being able to hold the latest book, but cutting down on the space books and shelves take up is more than enough reason to convert.

How have your book habits changed over time?  Are there any factors in these changes?