The International Giveaways Café (51)

Welcome back to this week’s edition of the virtual book giveaway café, where we love spreading the news about giveaways on other sites. I hope everyone survived yet another Friday the 13th unscathed. I know I certainly had no run-ins with hockey masked wearing scary guys (apart from on my Facebook feed) nor any unsettled Templars 😉

Remember to let us know if you’ve won anything recently; the Book Lovers would love to hear! At Book Lovers Inc., it’s our pleasure to share the bookish love! Good luck to everyone and hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Here’s the fine print for entering your link:
Guidelines:
If you have a giveaway you would like to share with our other readers, the rules are simple:
1. The giveaway MUST be available to international addresses (Book Depository does count)
2. Add your link below, in the format shown. (Please use …

Around the Bookish World: News-In-Review

Welcome to this week’s news post  and so much happened this week, I am having trouble keeping up with the events. There is book and author news galore, as well more dramallama over reviewers.

First up, I wasn’t sure whether to post this or not but since I wont be linking to the site another chapter in the saga of reviewers who are evil mean girls and poor authors who feel the need to combat this new nefarious underground group.   Earlier this week a site called Stop GR Bullies was launched, which is run by a group of anonymous authors who feel the need to out and identify reviewers (oh the irony!) who they deemed to be part of a mean girl group. This thread on Goodreads sums up with the screen caps with what they have stated which is pretty laughable on how they have twisted posts and …

Guest Post: Big Girls Don’t Cry…But do Bad Boys? by Diane Alberts + Giveaway

Hello all and welcome to today’s guest post with Diane Alberts! Diane is becoming a fast favourite around here. Today, she comes to us with a little insight into Jeremy, the main character in her novella, Try Me, and some true life examples of what really goes in the hearts of Marines. Take it away, Diane:

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Big Girls Don’t Cry….But do Bad Boys?

Anyone can probable tell, from looking at the cover of Try Me, that Jeremy is a bit of a bad boy. He’s got a body worth drooling over every single day (at least, I have been!) and the tattoos to match. Ah, and we can’t forget the dog tags around his neck. Not only is he a bad boy, but also he’s a Marine. Go ahead and look now.

Nice, right? But besides the hotness, there is a lot more to Jeremy. The same can be said …

Guest Post: From Father to Son by Carrie Lofty + Giveaway

Today I’m really excited to welcome author Carrie Lofty here at Book Lovers in celebration of her newest release in her series The Christies. Carrie Lofty, after Cape Town, travels her readers at Glasgow this time and only one thing I can say about Starlight: it was magical!

Carrie stops here today with a guest post about the special relationship between father and son, because after all, Starlight is based on that very relationship. Alex, will do everything and anything within his power for his son. And don’t forget to check at the end of the post for your chance to win a copy of Starlight 🙂

I always think of U2’s “Red Hill Mining Town” when I think of STARLIGHT. It’s one of the essential songs that made up my playlist. The song opens with the phrase “from father to son.” STARLIGHT is very much a story about generations, particularly …

Romance and Me: Suit Up Baby! – or Protection in Romance Novels

I have had this issue on my mind for some time now and thought it was about time we discussed it, namely unprotected sex in contemporary romance novels.

I think due to the specificities and different rules applying to  historical / fantasy/ paranormal / sci-fi romances, I can live with it if the author fails to mention the couple using any protection during sex. I mean in historical novels that’s a given (even if there were some protective measures even back then), in paranormal/fantasy sci-fi stories the author can bend the rules of her universe so that the issue doesn’t warrant being mentioned: vampires are sterile/ humans and paranormal creatures cannot transmit diseases or impregnate each other, etc. But where I expect the issue of safe sex between strangers and one night stand partners being mentioned and dealt with is in contemporary romance.

I’m aware of how …

New Releases: July 9-15, 2012

West of Want (Hearts of the Anemoi, #2) by Laura Kaye

Betrayal is all he’s ever known, but in her, he’ll find a love strong enough to be trusted…When Marcella Raines’ twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Recently divorced over her infertility and gravely injured, Ella still fights to survive. Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn’t saved him from betrayal and loss—worse, he’s sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph’s heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt leads him to save her, but he vows not to get involved. Ella’s honesty, empathy, and unique calming influence attract Zeph like no other, and he finds himself wanting…everything. Ella knows Zeph’s different and fears rejection, but falls …

Interview with Heather Massey + Giveaway

Good morning, lovely book lovers! We here at BLI are pleased to start this week of right with a blog visit by author Heather Massey. She stops by today to answer questions on a range of topics, including some of her favorite cult films, the different between clockpunk and steampunk, and the growing popularity of science fiction romance. Lots to learn, so check out the interview below (then read on for giveaway goodness!).

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Marlene: Heather can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Heather: Would you believe that 90% of my genetic makeup is coffee? I know! And I might be able to reach 100% capacity by the year 2086. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, I’m a lifelong fan of science fiction romance. I’ve been blogging about SF-romance blends in books, films, and television shows at The Galaxy Express since 2008.

Flash-forward to 2010: I expanded my …

Sunday Cravings

Sunday is here and you all know what that means! Time for our Sunday Cravings 🙂 This week books from a variety of genres are scheduled for release so all of us will definitely have something to anxiously await for.  There are some highly anticipated titles released in the YA genre, in the Paranormal Romance and in the contemporary one featuring authors such as Jennifer Echols, Deborah Harkness, Meg Gabot and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I’m sure there are enough books for everyone 🙂

So, let’s start:

Amanda and Anna: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, …