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

Weekly Check-In

I kind of failed this week. For the first half I was suffering from the post-con-haze, and then I discovered this game on Google+ called Zombie Lane, and the rest of my week was pretty much shot. Blogs didn’t get done. Writing suffered. Nothing has mattered except killing zombies and improving my defenses. So, all in all, not a lot to talk about this week.

Revising.

I’m trying out a few online critique sites to see how they work and if I get feedback that’s helpful. It’s nerve wracking to think that people I don’t know are reading something that still needs some polish, but it’s me growing and stuff and whatever.

Writing.

I finished a novella I haven’t mentioned I was writing. I’m pleased with it, and it’s on the back burner for now.

What I read.

• Inferno’s Kiss by Monica Burns

So yeah, not a lot done. I’m going to be focusing on reading this week, so I might skip the weekly check in.

 

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.

Weekly Check-In

This was a good week. A welcome change to how things have been going. I found a place to move to. I’m not buying a house, which is a disappointment but in the long run I think that not buying is a wiser choice in the current economy. Plus, I don’t like yard work! I’ll be moving the first week of November, which really stinks but that’s how it goes I guess. I’m really looking forward to the move and redecorating with a new color scheme.

This coming weekend is FenCon! I’m super excited and I kind of forgot about it at times and it snuck up on me. I’m messing with my critiques for the workshop and putting together what I want to go and see during the convention. So from Thursday to Sunday I’ll be very busy and offline.

Blogging.

This week I took on a new blog mem, Salon Sundays. The idea is to discuss something about what you’re currently reading about. This last week I talked about whitewashing covers and how frustrating I think it is. There was some nice discussion and I’m appreciative to everyone who stopped by. Hopefully I’ll get to more blogs in the following weeks. I’m thinking this next week I’ll talk about reading unpublished works.

Critiquing.

I’m all done with my critiques! I think after this workshop I’m not going to sign up for another one that’s not geared for unpublished writers. Maybe it’s arrogant to feel that way but that’s how it is.

Plotting.

I’ve begun plotting out my NaNo project, which is a project for my pen name. Maybe someday I’ll be able to get back to writing stuff as Cid! The NaNo project is going to be an interesting one to do because it’s contemporary romance and deals with post-traumatic and cancer.

Writing.

I’ve managed a few thousand words a day over the last week.It’s been nice to have such steady progress.

Overall it’s been a good writing week. I’m still busy and scatter brained, but things are getting done and I like where I’m headed with my writing.

Reading.

• Loves Portrait by Monica Burns

How has your writing been going?

Books I Bought This Week

We said goodbye to our favorite Borders.  My book buying will, for the most part, slow down a lot after this weekend.  Oh there will still be weeks when so many new books come out and I just have to buy them right now!  But for the most part I’ll be slowing way down.  So, here’s this week’s list.

1. The Everything Ghost Hunting Book by Melissa Martin Ellis – I got this as a reference and research book for the YA thriller I want to write.  I was going to do it in May but I’m unsure if I will be ready for it.
2. Mortal Coils by Eric Nylund – I saw this a year or so ago and wanted it.  I didn’t get it for some strange reason.  I saw it tonight and snatched it up.  It’s YA, I think, and involves angels and mortal born children and battles and stuff that sounds cool.
3. Monster Nation & Monster Planet by David Wellington – I bought the first installment of this zombie series, Monster Island a few weeks ago.  I haven’t read it yet, but I’m fanatical about series and having all of them.
4. Taming the Wolf by Lydia Dare – It’s regency werewolf romance.  I just looked it up on goodreads and the average rating is over 4 stars so I’m hopeful it’s a good pick.  However, it is also the 4th in a series so I’m torn between reading it anyways, or starting with book 1. ARG!
5. Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione – Originally I snagged a few of the books in this series to do as giveaways on the upcoming Book Addicts event pages.  However, I haven’t had the chance to read the series yet, so I’m starting to think I should just keep them for myself and read them.  Or maybe read them, give them away, and buy myself the ebooks.  I’m not sure yet.  Convince me internet.
6. Assassin’s Heart by Monica Burns – This is another for the upcoming give aways.  I now have both of the released books in this series for a giveaway.  Woohoo!  I love this series.  It has torchured heroes, reincarnation, assassins, and true loves.  It’s pretty frikken awesome.
7. Killbox by Ann Aguirre – This is another for Book Addicts.  Suzan and I found two of the books tonight and will go scrounge up the remaining two for a giveaway.  Awesome sci-fi series!

And that’s it.  I only bought seven books this week.  Aren’t you proud of me?  There was a new release out that I didn’t even get – yet!

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!