A round up of e-book subscription services

On 28/10/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

Oyster and eReatah have recieved a lot of media attention recently, and especially Oyster was called the Netflix for books. But what if you live outside the US? What are the options then? First, this list is very European centered, because I didn’t find much informations about non European services, even if I am sure they exist. ( I know a Chinese company planned a subscription services last year.)

24Symbols is a Spanish start up. In English they have mostly public domain books, but in Spanish they have a rather good sortiment of popular titles. What more, I get the impression that they are working on getting more content. Right now they have around 15 000 e-books

Litfy is a Swedish startup, and normally I would be that only offers books in the public domain. I have no idea if they are planning on getting more recent content.

Ridr and Mofido is both Danish but they have a different approach. Riidr costs 10 dollar, and is a lot like Kindle Lending Library, in that the customers only can download one e-book or Audiobook per month. Mofido costs a bit more, but allows the reader to reads as many books he/ she wants. I am not sure how many e-books Riidr offers, but Mofido offers around 5 000

Skoobe is a German start up, that is owned by Bertelsmann and Holzberger. They costs 10 euro per month, but offers the first month for half the price. They have 25 000 titles right now, and I think they have a rather good sortiment. ( Or at least they should, considering who owns them!). Their webpage hints that they are launching in English soon. I am crossing my fingers that they will not be US or UK only.

Scribd also launched an subscription service recently, which works the same way Oyster does. With the exception that their service is worldwide and offers both Android and IOs apps. A longer review is coming.

What about Sweden, where I live,are there any subscription services available?

Yes. But they offer a mix of e-books and audio books. E2go offers pollets, 1-4 books for 15-25 dollar. Storytel’s e-book subscription haven’t launched yet, but they offer streamed audiobooks for 30 dollar, and their plan is to offer e-books for an additional 5 dollar. There are also a couple of publishers that offers subscriptions, but there isn’t any kind of all you can read subscriptions. Without the audiobooks, I am not sure that a subscription service would be viable since Sweden have a very good library system. In fact, right now all e-books distributed through Elib is available at libraries. I have a feeling that might change soon, since both Elib and Publit are launching more flexible library systems.

That said, if a store, say Bokon, offered subscriptions for English and Swedish e-books, I would leap on it. Even if Bokon are planning on offering some sort of subscriptions ( because there is a tab in my account called Subscriptions), I doubt it will include English e-books since that would be too complicated.

Cover Spotlight: Beyond Jealousy by Kit Rocha

On 28/09/2013 By MikaelaIn Uncategorized

I love Kit Rocha’s novels. They are sexy and gritty. And the redesigned covers fits the whole series to the T. ( Much better than the original ones, IMO.) Anyway, here is the cover for Beyond Jealousy, it is out sometime next year.

Friday Bargains: Science Fiction and Steampunk

On 20/09/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

Note: I am lazy today, so no links. But all the deals should be available at all the big stores.

Diana Peterfreund’s For Darkness Shows the Stars is 2.99 right now. This has been on my wishlist for ages, so guess if I bought it.

Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina is free right now at Kobo, and the bundle of the first 4 books is 0.99 at Amazon and BN.

This isn’t Science Fiction, or Steampunk…. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch is 0.99 right now at all major stores.

Carina Press has discounted alot of books right now, and among them is Cathy Pegau’s Science Fiction Romances to 1.99 right now, and I am really tempted to pick up Caught in Amber. Except I might already have bought it…

But one book I haven’t bought is J.K Koi’s steampunk novellas, and I definitely plan to buy them since they sound really good.

Oh, and remember that most these are coupon eligible at Kobo right now, and the Sept50 code is still working.

Friday Bargains: Mostly YA and Dystopians

On 13/09/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

Note: This time all the links go to Kobo, but I am sure that they are available at Kindle and BN as well. Except for With a bang, which is Kobo exclusive at moment.

Shadows by Jennifer Armentrout is free right now. This is a prequel novella, but I have heard that to avoid confusion, it is best to read book 1 Obsidian first. And Obsidian happens to be only 2.99 right noq.

Endurance by Ann Aguirre is 0.99 right now. This is a novella, and it is possible that this is the standard price.

Enclave by Ann Aguirre is 2.99 right now.

Shadow by Amanda Summer is free right now from Harlequin Teen.

The Babel Codex by Alex Archer is free right now. I liked the Annja Creed novels I read a couple of years ago ( Although the Scandinavian in me thinks her name should be spelled Anja.)

Not YA, but Maria E Schneider just released With a Bang, a dystopian Short Story that is free.

Oh, and Kobo have two 50% off codes right now, both expires at the end of Sept:

B2S50 ( single use)
Sept50 – expires end September ( Multiple Uses!!)

Friday Bargains: All about romance

On 06/09/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

There is a lot of bargains this week, and all of them is some kind of romance. And since I am lazy, all links lead to Allromance.

First, the free book(s). I discovered this morning that Allromance has started a new campaign: They are giving away 21 books. Each book will be free for 2 days. First up is Move me by Emma Holly. This time you HAVE to check their store everyday, since they are giving no clues about the e books, if there are new book every day or every other day.

Jeannie Lin’s Capturing the Silken Thief is free right now.

Jill Shalvis Lucky Harbor series is on sale again, and this time Allromance are discounting it.

Sealed with a Kiss by Mary Margaret Daughtridge is 2.99 right now. I loved this book when I read it a couple of years ago.

Carina Press have discounted a lot of books to 0.99 and 1.99

Oh! I couldn’t find them at Allromance, but Harlequin has several 0.99 bundles right now. You can read more about them at Dear Author.

Friday Bargains: A little bit of everything

On 30/08/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

My brain is still in vacation mode, but I managed to round up some bargains this week. All of the books are discounted at BN, Amazon and Allromance, although the links lead to Amazon.

High Risk by Vivian Arend is discounted to 1.99 right now, at all major retailers. Even if the suspense part didn’t quite work for me, I loved the characters so I really recommend it.

Sourcebooks are discounting When You give a Duke a Diamond and Lord and Lady Spy by Shana Galen. ( It is possible that Lord and Lady Spy has already gone back to normal pricing.)

Forever and a day by Jill Shalvis is discounted to 1.99 right now. ( And Allromance finally had it, so I snapped it up..)

The books in the Ether Chronicles are discounted to 1.99 right now ( one or two was 2.99). I am thinking about getting them, but I have another Zoe Archer novel that I need to read first.

Friday Bargains: Mostly Paranormal Romance

On 09/08/201312/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

I have heard good things about Jessica Sims Midnight Liason’s series, so when I heard that she had self published a novella I got intrested. Single Wolf Female is 0.99 right now, and I have no idea how long it lasts.
Vivian Arend’s Diamond Dust is one of Samhain’s featured titles, which means you get an additional 30 % off with the Coupon “SCHOOLDAYS”

( The other books is Delilah Devlin’s latest, a book by Jayne Rylon and Mari Carr, an historical romance by Edie Harris, an UF by RG Alexander, an MM by Daisy Harris, and a horror novel by Kristoffer Rufty. All of them are new or upcoming, so it shouldn’t be hard to find them on Samhain’s webpage.)

Edit: And I just saw on twitter that The Iron King by Julie Kagawa is free at Itunes UK. Not sure about the US.

Now for a couple of print deals:

Amazon have really good prices on pre-orders and recent releases right now. I think that both Archangels Legion by Nalini Singh and Guardian Demon by Meljean Brook is just 4.99 right now, or thereabouts. I think it is a side effect of Overstock and Amazon’s price war, and I have no idea how long it lasts.

Friday Bargains: Free Backlist and indie books

On 26/07/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations2 Comments

Marta Acosta offers the whole Casa Dracula series for free right now ( ends today), so hurry up and download them. ( I am happy, since this series have been on my wishlist for ages.)

The Accidential Demon Slayer by Angie Fox is also free right now ( I think this is always free, in fact).

Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha is free right now at Smashwords ( with a coupon at Bookbinge). This is one of my favorite erotic romances. But then Kit Rocha is a pseudonym for Moira Rogers.

The Black Swan series by Victoria Danann have gotten a lot of buzz lately, and the first book is free at Smashwords.

Friday Bargains: Mostly About Book View Cafe

On 12/07/201313/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

This week, all the books featured are available for 0.99. And before you ask: You don’t need to create an account at Book View Cafe, the link to the download page is e-mailed to you.

Jane Madison has a problem. Or two. Or three. She’s unhappily working as a librarian. She has a crush on her oblivious Imaginary Boyfriend. And she just learned she won’t receive a well-deserved raise; instead, she can live for free in a cottage on the library grounds.
When Jane settles into her new home, she discovers a hidden chamber lined with ancient books about witchcraft. Her first spell awakens a feline familiar. Her second makes her irresistible to men. Those magical workings attract a grouchy magical warder, and Jane’s life is quickly turned upside down!

I’ll admit that I have tried several of Mindy Klasky’s novels, and have come to the conclusion that her books isn’t for me. But 0.99 is a good price to give her a try if you haven’t read her before. Buy at Book View Cafe.

Cops drink coffee.
They don’t belong in Ellen Rosings’s Victorian tearoom. But when her opening day thank-you tea ends in the murder of the president of the Santa Fe Preservation Trust, the police invade her haven.

Enter Detective Tony Aragon: attractive and unsympathetic, with a chip on his shoulder that goes beyond the murder investigation, and Ellen’s delicate bone china cup is full. Is the murderer one of her honored guests, or the ghost rumored to haunt the building? Will Ellen solve the mystery, or will the Wisteria Tearoom’s premiere turn out to be its—and Ellen’s—finale?
0.99 with a coupon at Book View Cafe

Peter is interested in just three things: dancing, finding a girlfriend, and hiding his raven soul.
Peter is a raven warrior, an ancient race known for their assassination and fighting skills. Through secrecy and strict teaching, they’ve learned to cope with the modern world.
When Peter meets Tamara, he knows she’s different. Special.
He doesn’t learn until too late that she has secrets too.
Tamara is a tiger warrior.
And her kind are only interested in killing his kind.
0.99 at Book View Cafe

Lily Porter is newly a widow with a child to raise and a cattle ranch to run in the Texas frontier aflame with violence, and where a woman is to be seen not heard.

She needs a man to stand up for her land.

His name is Cade. Part Apache brave and part Mexican grandee, Cade has a past and a secret. But he possesses the power and passion to command all in his path.

Lily welcomes Cade into her struggle against treachery and terror—and discovers a love worth risking everything to keep.

This book isn’t a Book View Cafe book, but Patrica Rice is part of Book View Cafe 🙂 It should be 0.99 at Amazon. ( I having problem the discounted price showing up for me, since I am in Sweden).

And, for the sole Bargain that isn’t related to Book View Cafe:
Adriel should have known that with a werewolf, it never stopped with just one body. She would have gone to the police after witnessing Dolores’ death, but she wasn’t certain the killer she saw was responsible for the other murders. Besides, the police didn’t believe in werewolves, and they weren’t going to believe she was a witch either so what could she tell them?

She kept her eyes and ears open while she tried to help her latest client escape the clutches of a voodoo witch, but things went from bad to worse when more bodies turned up. She was greatly relieved when she met White Feather, an undercover cop. Unfortunately, he wasn’t convinced she was innocent of all wrong-doing.

It was going to take every spell she knew and a few she hadn’t tried to solve the murders and stay alive.
I loved this book when I read it. It is discounted to 0.99 for the next week at Amazon and BN, and the author’s store.

Hidden Gems: The Stonefort novels by James Hetley

On 13/02/201312/07/2014 By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

This a new feature that will promote books I have read, and loved, but not reviewed :).
And, I am so happy that these books are available as e-books. This is Urban Fantasy of the best kind. Intresting characters, intresting plot and a setting that you want more of. I love the covers, they are eye catching, and fits the books. ( I liked the original covers too, but I would love to have print copies with these covers…)

Two magical families live in the hardscrabble town of Stonefort, Maine: the shape shifting Morgans and the Haskell witches. But evil is coming to Stonefort. A drug lord and frighteningly powerful sorcerer covets the Morgans’ alliance with the magical being known as the Dragon. Now 17-year-old Gary Morgan must claim his heritage and save his family. But first, he will have to master the power of the Dragon-and he’ll need the help of the Haskell witches to do it. Somehow, the Haskells and the Morgans must overcome their differences before the sorcerer assumes the power of the Dragon and destroys them all.

Two unusual families – the shapeshifting Morgans and the Haskell witches – have maintained an uneasy alliance for generations. Now the vengeful spirit of a dark sorcerer will force them to unite once more-or turn against one another.