I’m ready to load some new books on my Sony (really, I have 100s of unread books on there, but what does that matter?)
Here are the parameters:
It has to be from a digital publisher, not from a large press publisher. I want to support small presses this weekend.
It cannot be your own book (sorry!).
It has to be longer than 12,000 words (I can’t bring myself to spend money on anything shorter).
You have to have actually read the book.
Genre doesn’t matter.
Who’s got something amazing for me to read?
(and yes, I am alive. I’m just taking some time off from blogging. I’ll be back!)
I recommend Morgan Hawke’s Victorious Star http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Interstellar_Service___Discipline_1__Victorious_Star-78.aspx
I read it, loved it, bought the rest of the series. Sci-fi, erotic romance at its best!
How about a witty first person contemp: http://cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/paidinfull.htm
Grand Central is probably considered large press, and I did read this in print because I have not yet bought a Kindle (I can’t make up my mind between a Kindle and a Sony–which do you recommend??), but I have to recommend this book anyway. Billie Letts’ Made in the USA–even better than Where the Heart Is. Poignant, heartbreaking in places, esp. for mothers of daughters, but hilarious all the way through. You tear up one minute and cackle the next. I wrote a pre-review of it on my blog around 80 or pages into it–here’s the link: http://hintonrae.wordpress.com/2009/05/14/review-made-in-the-usa/
Just finished Happy Endings by LB Greg. It is a M/M romance around 100 pages and a nice read from Aspen Mountain Press.
http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/more-hot-reads/happy-ending/prod_230.html
Lone by Rowan McBride from Amber Allure (the Amber Quill Press imprint) M/M Romance
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Lone.html
This book is absolutely fantastic.
Patti Ann Colt’s The Daddy Spell and The Sweetheart Dance from Wild Rose Press. Generally sweet contemporaries, but they do have just a bit of a bite.
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/the-sweetheart-dance-p-1147.html
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/the-daddy-spell-echo-falls-1-p-617.html
Okay, I have a dumb question: do you read everything released by Samhain and its imprints before they go to press? Or just the books that you edit? ‘Cause the best books I’ve read lately are Charlie Cochrane’s Cambridge Fellows books from Linden Bay. But I’m guessing you’ve already read them.
I had a moment bc I was going to recommend Butterfly Kisses! Duh!
Interplanetary Passion by Jaden Sinclair (http://www.midnightshowcase.com/InterPLant.htm)
On my Sony its 102 pages not sure how many words that is but I liked this story.
Why read one novella when you can read 4? Try a Red Sage anthology, namely, Secrets Vol 6 with Angela Knight, MaryJanice Davidson, Sandy Fraser and Alice Gaines – it’s my favorite!
Here’s the link to buy:
http://tinyurl.com/qwm578
Cheers,
Maree
I second the rec for Happy Ending. Reviewed it on my blog the other day. I’m not really into m/m but I liked it a lot.
No idea what you’ve already read, but I’d suggest one of my personal favorites, a book that isn’t as widely known as it deserves to be: CUT & RUN by Madeleine Urban & Abgail Roux. It’s an M/M thriller, urban, dark and gritty, that features two Feds who seem to be polar opposites, but are both hiding a lot below the surface. Excellent read. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/cutandrun/cutandrunbuynow.htm
I have several favorites. Several books by Zena Wynn and several by Wendy Stone(links below). I hope if you try them you will like them.
Wendy Stone:
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Beastly+Intentions+by+Wendy+Stone
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=A+Strange+New+Breed
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Pick+of+the+Litter
Zena Wynn:
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-True_Mates-651.aspx
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Mary+and+the+Bear/exact_match=exact
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-True_Mates__Nikolai_s_Wolf_-897.aspx
I also like Marisa Chenery’s books at Liquid Silver, but the price/length is not great.
I posted this once and it disappeared so if it shows up twice – Sorry.
Two authors I enjoys are Wendy Stone and Zena Wynn. I am posting the links to the books I like below. I also like Marisa Chenery’s books at Liquid Silver, but I don’t think the word counts are high enough (and the price is always out of wack there).
Wendy Stone:
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Pick+of+the+Litter
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=A+Strange+New+Breed
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Beastly+Intentions+by+Wendy+Stone
She also has an historical series I am thinking about trying.
Zena Wynn:
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-True_Mates-651.aspx
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Mary+and+the+Bear/exact_match=exact
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-True_Mates__Nikolai_s_Wolf_-897.aspx
I recently enjoyed Hawkeye One: Danger Zone by Sierra Cartwright
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hawkeyeonedangerzone-13555-147.html
@joeyrott I’ve read all of Morgan’s ebooks. She’s a very talented author
@Bree Sorry, that book fails the word length parameter. It’s only 10k.
@Lori thanks for the rec, I put it on my “later” list since this weekend is small press. But I your words were very convincing. And I recommend the Sony. I have both and I use the Sony exclusively.
@Katie thanks!
@Anika on another site, I had two other Amber Quill books rec’d to me. You know, they all three look great but their prices are too high for the word count. I want to support small presses but I couldn’t afford to buy more than one or two books at those prices ($5-$6 for a 25-30k book, $7 for a 60k book. Yikes)
@Lorelei Thanks, I bought The Daddy Spell. Thankfully available on Fictionwise. Yay for distribution
@jmc I don’t read everything, though I try to read a selection from all of the editors. I haven’t had a chance to read Charlie’s books, but will probably wait since they’re all being re-edited and re-released. Thanks for the recommendation, I will be sure to read them when they’re all ready to go!
@marniecollette You mean Butterfly Tattoo? Did you love it?
I bought Interplanetary Passions, which was also on Fictionwise, thanks!
@maree I own all of those Secrets in paperback!
@Jill thank you!
@MaryM Holy long book, Batman! It’s 140k long. Whew! It’s not on Fictionwise but I did see it’s on ARe, so I might pick it up there. Thank you!
@Eliza added to my Fictionwise cart
I’m doing my final purchase tonight after going through all my recommendations here and on Romance Divas. I think I’m up to 7 so far. I can still buy three more!
Hi, Angie–I was just checking back in to see which you’d decided to go with.
Thanks for the Sony rec–I’ll look into that further. They’re selling them now at Sam’s club, which is a great selling point. It’s nice to hear from someone who’s owned and used both and prefers one over the other.
Lori
Another moment… Butterfly Tattoo — I loved it I couldn’t put it down. I even loaned my Sony reader to my sister (okay she is my roommate so I knew where it was at all times) so she could read it!
I know exactly what you mean and totally agree about the price versus word count. I really wanted this book after reading the excerpt and consider it a total splurge. That won’t be happening often. In fact there is another book I want from the same publisher, but I cannot justify spending $7.00 for a 44k word book.
BTW, I love Cut and Run by Madeleine Urban & Abgail Roux as well. So I second that recommendation.
Hmm. I haven’t read a lot of ebooks that I’d recommend, sadly. Everyone speaks highly of The Butterfly Tattoo and it’s on my reader, but I haven’t started it yet. I think the ebook I’ve most enjoyed so far was Wishful Thinking: The Swann Sisters Chronicles, Book 1. I’ve also enjoyed the two Paige Tyler books (from Whiskey Creek Torrid) that I’ve read: Modern Day Vampires: Vampire 101 and Men of Alaska: Animal Attraction.
Awww, man. I swore it was 15k, but I didn’t check FW because I completely forget ALL THE TIME that that is how to tell. LOL You’d think eventually I’d catch on.