Around the Bookish World : News Week-in-Review

Welcome to this week’s news post and it is much quieter compared to the last few weeks. We have news of another digital imprint launching but this time in the UK, and GRR Martin answers some questions and an author asking bloggers to sign a contract for copyright of their reviews. And for anyone asking yes there was an author meltdown but it wasn’t a YA author this time but a romance author over a negative review at Dear Author!

But first up, blogger Insane Hussein posted about a blogger friend who received a pretty wtfery email about a publisher/author asking reviewers to sign a contract which they will own their reviews. Yes, their reviews and also the form of distribution, the contract also stipulates the length and the grading system and the fact that if the reviewer doesn’t review the book, they will have to email them back. If I …

Review: Accused by Kate Kaynak

Format read: paperback copy provided by author
Release Date: 15 August 2011
Series: Book #4 in the Ganzfield series
Number of pages: 272 pages
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Formats available: ebook, paperback
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Book Depository

Blurb:

“We have ways of making you talk.”

Who now has Isaiah’s files?

Someone in the government knows about Ganzfield… and he has special reasons to target Maddie…

My Thoughts: I am a fan of Kate Kaynak’s Ganzfield series, I loved Minder and Adversary, but the 3rd book Legacy left me disappointed. I expected more, I expected that thrill and elation the first 2 books made me feel and Legacy left me lukewarm. So I started Accused, the 4th book in the series with a bit of trepidation: I wanted it to be just as awesome as the first two books were but feared to be left down. Thankfully my …

On the Book Lover’s Shelves: The Winged Lover

Good afternoon fellow Book Lovers…

Today I am here to share with you the current state of my bookshelves.

To start with I will give you an overview of the entire thing:

As you can see, I only have one bookshelf 🙁 But I have managed to triple stack in most places. The top shelf has reference books, review books and huge series that would make my TBR wall far to big. Above that (couldn’t fit it into the photo) are my accounting books and the only book in the world that I want to burn….the Australian Tax Guide.

Next is the favourites shelf, all of my favourite books and favourite covers go here.

Third shelf from the top houses Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket and Robin Hobb, three masters of writing that I couldn’t fit on the favourites shelf…but they were my childhood favourites.

Fourth down is the Horrible Histories magazine collection plus various two …

Review: Don’t Bite the Messenger by Regan Summers

Format read: ebook provided by publisher
Series: Book #1 (as-yet untitled series)
Genre: urban fantasy
Release Date: 16 January 2012
Publisher: Carina Press
Length: novella (32,000 words)
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Publisher’s Website, Barnes & Noble

Book Blurb:

The vampire population may have created an economic boom in Alaska, but their altered energy field fries most technology. They rely on hard-living—and short-lived—couriers to get business done…couriers like Sydney Kildare.

Sydney has survived to the ripe old age of twenty-six by being careful. She’s careful when navigating her tempestuous clients, outrunning hijackers and avoiding anyone who might distract her from her plan of retiring young to a tropical, vampire-free island.

Her attitude—and immunity to vampires’ allure—have made her the target of a faction of vampires trying to reclaim their territory. Her only ally is Malcolm Kelly, a secretive charmer with the uncanny habit of showing up whenever she’s in trouble. Caught in the middle of a vampire …

Interview: Regan Summers + Giveaway

Today, BLI’s very pleased to welcome author Regan Summers for a chat about her new book, Don’t Bite the Messenger. Regan talks for a bit about the adventures of her feisty protagonist, Sydney Kildare, and describes the dangerous environment found in her version of Anchorage, Alaska. Please give her a very warm welcome, and stay tuned at the end of this post for a special treat from Regan. ^_^

Alisha: Greetings Regan! Thank you so much for taking time out to visit BLI!

Regan: Thank you so much for having me! I’m so happy to be here.

Alisha: Can you please tell us a bit about Don’t Bite the Messenger–twitterstyle (140 characters or fewer)?

Regan: Messenger is the simple story of a hard-working girl and the handsome distraction and feuding vampires that stand between her and her dream.

Alisha: Rock on. Here’s a full description of the book for those whose interest has been …

Romance and Me: Do you like the Historical Romance Sub-genre?

Hey Everyone!

When creating this bi-weekly feature we brainstormed that it would be a good opportunity to highlight and discuss the various romance subgenres as there are so many. Well the time has finally come to start our venture into Romance Sub-genres 101.

As Jackie needs her blackboard for her Elements of Lit 201 class, why not make this a more relaxed event and take a comfortable seat around the coffee table, you can choose from the sofa, armchairs, the plush carpet or even bean bags and let us begin!

Our first sub-genre to explore will be historical romance. As it is such a vast genre and we can discuss so many related topics it will be the subject of our discussions for a few weeks.

So to warm up the session,  as I knew that our little Book Lovers team was quite heterogeneous on the subject …

Review: Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

 Format read : Ebook arc provided by the author
Length: 354 pages
Publisher:  Kensington
Release date:  November 29th 2011
Formats available: Kindle ebook, Print book.
Purchase info : Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Book Depository US, Book Depository UK

Book Blurb:

Logan Quinn was try­ing to kill me. My Spar­tan class­mate relent­lessly pur­sued me, swing­ing his sword at me over and over again, the shin­ing sil­ver blade inch­ing closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes prac­ti­cally glowed with the thrill of battle…Im Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use …

New Releases: January 23-29, 2012

Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian

In the dark of night, a blood war escalates within the hidden world of the Breed. After existing in secret for many long centuries, maintaining a fragile peace with the humans who walk beside them unaware, a single act of retaliation has put the entire vampire nation at risk of discovery. It falls to the Order—a cadre of Breed warriors pledged to protect their own and humankind alike—to stop Dragos, the power-mad vampire at the center of the conflict, before his push for domination can explode into catastrophe.

At the center of the Order’s quest is Sterling Chase, once a morally rigid enforcer of Breed law, now a warrior fallen from grace, whose biggest battle is the one he wages against his own savage nature. With addiction beckoning him toward eternal darkness, Chase’s path to redemption has never seemed more out …

Review: His Secret Past by Katie Reus

His Secret Past by Katie Reus

Format Read: e-Book Galley provided by NetGalley courtesy of Carina Press
Length: 80,000 words
Release Date: January 2, 2012
Publisher: Carina Press
Formats Available: e-Book, Kindle
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher, Goodreads, Kindle, Nook, All Romance eBooks, Audible.

Book Blurb:

Six years ago, Alexis Baptiste’s world was turned upside down when Hunter Cassidy disappeared without a trace, leaving her alone and pregnant. She’s finally moving on with her life when he resurfaces, just in time to rescue her from a would-be assassin. Forced to join him on the run to protect herself and her young son, Alexis is now in even more danger: danger of falling for Hunter all over again.

Betrayed by rogue CIA agents after infiltrating an infamous drug cartel, former DEA agent Hunter Cassidy has spent years trying to clear his name. He’s not proud of the things …

Interview: Katie Reus + Giveaway!

Katie Reus

We are delighted to welcome back Katie Reus to BLI today! Katie is a multi-published author of romantic suspense, paranormal romance and erotic romance. She writes awesome appealing Alpha heroes for her well crafted, thrilling and action packed plots. Katie is here for a dual celebration as her fast paced, spine tingling romantic suspense thriller His Secret Past was released from Carina Press on January 2nd. As well Alpha Instinct the kick-off novel in her Moon Shifter series is being released from NAL Signet Eclipse on February 7th! Katie and I are chatting today about her upcoming releases!

Lea: Katie! Welcome back to BLI! Congratulations on your exciting new publications! 🙂

Katie: Thank you so much for having me here with you today! It’s always a pleasure to hang out at BLI and with you!

Lea: His Secret Past is a thrilling, action packed romantic …