Welcome to this week’s news post! But we have news on Barnes and Noble releasing their last quarter financial results which doesn’t bode well for the Nook’s future, and more book and author news!

I was quite taken by surprise when Barnes and Noble’s financial statement for the last quarter that hints all is  not well with the ebook store side of things. I reported a few weeks ago that there were rumblings that Barnes and Noble may be selling and closing some of their stores. But it looks like they are losing money on the Nook especially with the HD tablet which they have invested a lot of money to compete with Amazon and other devices. However it looks like the closed platform that the Nook uses was a huge hindrance and with apps available to other devices which customers found more attractive. There is now reports of Len Riggio buying back the retail side of the business which only suffered a minor drop in sales and is seen to be more profitable than the digital element of the company.

I’ve heard of certain authors using reviewers in books especially if they wrote a scathing review, or characters posting on twitter or Facebook. However this is the first time I’ve seen characters posting reviews and reviewing a book.  Galleycat reports this is the case for reviews for This is Your Captain Speaking –

Far be it for me to point out that I almost died on that plane. There I was, pinned to the fuselage’s ceiling, wondering if I would ever see my kids again. Then we all discovered it was a ruse, and there was much rejoicing. Then we discovered Mr. Methven, who dreamed up our hellish descent and was writing a crap novel about it. He and I spent sleepless nights working and reworking my characters’ dialogue.

 

Is this a new type of sock puppetry or a case of INCEPTION?

I think this is an interesting venture, the UK literary agency Curtis Brown (not to be confused with their US counterpart of the same name) has signed a deal with amazon’s service called White Glove. This service will allow UK based authors to enter the US market while they are well known or have a following in the UK, Amazon will be promoting and publishing their books in the America. The deal includes over 200 books to released via the KDP and CreateSpace programme for an exclusive period.

News in Brief:

A few years ago, a movie studio  bought the rights for the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies but that fell into development hell and it seemed that the craze over mashups died down. But it looks like there is now movement for this project with production about to start soon! 

And talking about adaptations, Starz has bought the rights for Lisa Renee Jones erotic Inside Out trilogy – it is being currently fast track for casting and production to start this year for a television series.

Whilst Fox who recently bought the rights for Lauren Oliver’s Delirium series will have changes from the original book which involves additional characters and changes in plot.

And now books to watch out for!

I am loving the premise of this new YA SF trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. These Broken Stars is slated for released this December.

 

It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.

This book has set my radar tingling with anticipation- and being described as aliens meets The Passage has firmly put this book on preorder for me!

The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

And the long anticipated second Grisha book, by Leigh  Bardugo, Siege and Storm, has a cover and blurb up!

 

 

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

 

So what did you think of the idea of characters reviewing their own books? 

About Has

Has is a bookaholic and feeds her addiction whenever she can. She usually can be found lost in a Romance or an Urban Fantasy novel. Her favourite sub genres are Paranormal, Fantasy and some Scifi. Her most treasured authors are, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Ann Aguirre, Lisa Kleypas and Tamora Pierce. She loves that discovery of finding a brand new author and falling in love with their books. Has also blogs a The Book Pushers - Book chatter and reviews

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