Congrats to Linda E, who won Finding Eden (Eden #2) by Kele Moon! Finding Eden is being released today Ellora’s Cave.
Congrats to Jennifer, who won Song of Oestend by Marie Sexton! Song of Oestend will be released August 22 by Total-E-Bound.
Congrats to jayhjay, who won On the List (Changing Plans #3) by L.A. Witt! On the List will be released on August 21 by Amber Allure.
Contests
- Joder’s giving away an ebook copy of The One He Chose by Wendy Burke. Contest closes 11:59 pm CDT, August 23.
- Blodeuedd’s giving away two copies of The Greatest Love on Earth by Mary Ellen Dennis. Contest ends August 25. US & Canada.
Bookity
- New releases and more: Fiction Vixen (PNR/UF/romance), Katiebabs (a little of everything), AAR (romance), and Book Lovers Inc (a little of everything).
- Kassa posted about being “the lone reed” – the person who rates a much ballyhooed book lower than the masses.
- Kibin “is an editing community where volunteer editors will proofread and offer unbiased feedback for free.” Hmm. Not sure I’d trust that for your self-pubbed book’s editing…
- Patti posted about books as fashion (gift ideas galore!).
- Who knew? Stormtroopers read.
Ebookity
- Although ebook readers buy more, we expect discounts. (Well, since we can’t buy used ebooks…)
- Did you get your Pottermore email if you were waiting for one?
Do, Make, Think, Learn
- Movie theater etiquette manifesto. I’d add “please skip the cologne/perfume/scented lotion/etc” – big reason why I just don’t go to movies anymore.
- Might be handy to keep in the car, just in case…
- Guess what? The pill probably doesn’t cause women to gain weight, contrary to what drug companies have been saying.
- Dogs can smell cancer on people’s breath. And adding caffeine to sunscreen may have anti-cancer effects.
- How did you celebrate Black Cat Appreciation Day on August 17?
Cookity
- LEGO cake! (via The Kitchn)
- Peanut butter pie. (via The Kitchn)
- Oreo marshmallows. (via The Kitchn)
Crafty
- Microcrochet and nanorigami.
Cool
- Use spices to flavor whole coffee beans. (Screams holiday gift idea to me…)
- Mirrored TARDIS. (via The Mary Sue)
Cool or Wha…?
- TARDIS corset. (via The Mary Sue)
- R2D2 bike helmet. (via The Mary Sue)
Wha…?
- Did you hear about the secret WWII plot to give Hitler estrogen to calm his genocidal tendencies? (Had no one figured out PMS or what?!)
- Giant moon pillow (look at the price!)…
LOL
- Terminator is seeking Sarah Connor via Twitter… (Thanks, Bron!)
- As Bron said when she sent this one to me, “Best. Engagement. Pics. Ever.” (Thanks, Bron!)
- Things a 20-year old can’t do. Count me in on the phone thing… and I’m a bit older than 20! 🙂 (Thanks, Juni!)
- xkcd on why it doesn’t really work to average star ratings for gadgets. (Make sure you hover over the comic for additional text!)
- Anatomically amusing vegetables. (NSFW?!?)
Teh Cute
- Kittens! Baby aardwolf! Cat! Baby panda! Cat and kittens! Lion cub! Kittens! Potoroo and baby! Baby aardwolf! Ferret! Baby fishing cats! Baby aardwolves! Dolphin and baby! Hedgie and babies! Lion cub! Puffin chick! Baby red panda! Baby foxes! Lynxes! Heron and water buffalo! Zebra and baby! Lion cub! Fennec! Bower bird! Tiger cubs! Baby cheetahs! Baby penguin!
Reading Update
Breaking Cover (Life Lessons #2) by Kaje Harper. ebook. Excellent m/m romantic suspense that takes place a year after Life Lessons. Things have been going well for out teacher Tony and closeted police detective Mac up until now, but Tony’s increasingly frustrated by the constraints on their relationship… and then they hit the crisis point.
Man Falls Down by Eric Arvin. ebook short. Very good, very surreal, very short story about a guy who wakes up from an odd dream… and can’t really shake the feeling from the dream.
Crying for the Moon by Sarah Madison. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a vampire who’s tired of living with other vampires, so he moves to a remote area with the assistance of his werewolf friends. Too bad the vet living up the road is so persistently friendly…
Shift Happens by Storm Grant. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a Canadian anthropologist who heads to the Colombian rain forest to do some research with his mentor, but gets entangled in illegal drug manufacturing. When he runs into the hot guy he met on the plane to Colombia, things start to get really weird… (This could’ve been tightened up a bit in the middle, which might’ve turned it into an excellent read.)
Wolf Unexpected by Vic Winter. ebook short. Good, but extremely short m/m paranormal romance about a guy who gets really itchy and turns into a werewolf, with no clue what was happening. This really needed at least a few more pages to feel complete.
Guava Red: Almost Paradise by TC Blue. ebook. Good m/m romance about two guys who meet as teens but lose touch due to circumstances, then run into each other years later.
In His Hero’s Shadow (EMS Heat #10) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Sweet m/m romance about two medics who are always at each others’ throats when their paths cross… well, almost always. 🙂
Twisted Rose by Amber Kell. ebook. Ok kinky m/m romance about a cop who agrees to be a bdsm club owner’s sub in order to help stop a serial killer who’s leaving bodies outside the club. This felt like it needed to be fleshed out a bit more… and it had a critical comma shortage.
Room Number Twelve by Rebecca Leigh. ebook short. Steamy short m/m paranormal that’s basically a sex scene between two vampire cowboys.
Simple by SJD Peterson. ebook. Ok m/m romance about two very insecure guys in a relationship together, neither thinking he’s good enough for the other, and both waiting for the other shoe to drop. This was a bit too sweet for me, and, unfortunately, I found the guys annoying.
“I didn’t want that stinky old nip toy, anyway. This scratcher is much better.” -Mayhem
Unspeakable Words
Beyond Reckless
Idaho Battlegrounds
In a Wolf’s Eyes
Copper Country Gold
WHAT
Dinner and a Movie
Strings Attached
Double Bound (Strings Attached, Book 2)
The Christmas Wreath (Tales from the Bell End Cafe, Book 1)
The Perfect Tree (The Forbidden Room, Book 3)
Twinkle, Twinkle
Biting the Christmas Biscuit (Broken, Book 1.2)
Storm on the Mountain (Mountain #7)
On Call: Crossroads (On Call #3)