Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Welcome to this week’s news post! This week we have Apple morphing into big bad corporation, Hunger Games updates and Waterstones may be heading into Barnes and Nobel’s territory.

For people who have the iFlow app for the Apple Platforms – it was sadly announced earlier this week that they will close their apps due to Apple’s new rules about buying outside their platform and will only allow in apps i.e their store. I don’t know what this means for other stores like Amazon or Kobo who have their own apps but this will definitely affect users who read outside the iBookstore format. I think this is will be a huge mistake as iBookstore is one of the worse ebook stores which doesn’t have a great collection of books compared to B&N, Kobo and Amazon.

Whilst writing this post …

Author Interview with Maureen McGowan + Giveaway

Today we welcome to Book Lovers Inc. Maureen McGowan the author behind the very original and fun Twisted Tales series: modern retelling of classic fairy tales with feisty, independent heroines who don’t wait around for their princes to rescue them but take matters into their own hands: like Cinderella training to be a ninja warrior and Sleeping Beauty patrolling as a vampire slayer! Please give a warm welcome to Maureen and enter for your chance to win one of her books.
Stella: Maureen can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
 
Maureen: I’m a recovering accountant who loves shoes and films and art—not to mention books—way more than I ever liked accounting. I secretly always wanted to be an artist or actor or writer, but I was handicapped by an aggressive practical side who thought it was important to earn …

"Really? Bavaria?" – Guest post by Kate Noble + Giveaway

We are very happy to welcome historical romance author Kate Noble here at Book Lovers Inc today. Her newest novel Follow My Lead was just released and I was thrilled to hear where it is set: Bavaria. As a German I often wondered why not more historicals are set in Germany. There actually is enough history to be found in our textbooks. So let’s see what Kate thinks about it. Please give her a warm welcome.
One of the questions I get when I tell people about Follow My Lead is… “seriously? You set this book in Bavaria?”
 
Granted, southern Germany is not the standard locale for a Historical Romance. But my response to the strange looks and curious expressions is: Bavaria is awesome! And pretty! They have glockenspiels and lederhosen and beer! How can you not like Bavaria?!

 
In truth, I was introduced to this region …

My Wishlist: The Winged Edition

Hello out there! For this wishlist post, I will be taking the reigns and letting you in on what I can’t wait to get my hands on in the coming weeks.

Now I haven’t bought any books in nearly three months so my wishlist is getting quite large, but for this post, I have chosen a select few…

SEQUELS

I am constantly reading the first in a series and loving it! But I rarely seem to get around to the sequel, so here are my current top three sequels to get my hands on ASAP!

Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy

A vampire puts the bite on a dental assistant. It’s a lousy first day on the job for Nina Blackman when a patient, loopy from the anesthesia, bites her. At least he was cute. …

Genres 101: Long Ago and Far Away (Today’s Lesson: Historical Fiction)

It seems as readers we have a fascination with the past that encourages today’s writers to continue bringing us fresh ideas from the past (that sounds funny, doesn’t it?) For several millenia, the world has been taking notes, creating a tangible record for us to look back on and see where we all came from. And for nearly as long, works of fiction have been created and are still enjoyed to this day. When we hear the term “Historical Fiction“, it can mean different things to readers. Whether we’re talking about works by Sophocles or Sarah MacLean, they all fit into this huge genre, with many subcategories that cover all manner of romance, wars, and moral lessons, to name just a few elements.I’m sure as Aristotle, Sophocles, and others of that ilk were sitting down writing their works on moral treatise that they …

Review: Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer by Maureen McGowan

Format read: eARC Number of pages: 320 pages Publisher: Silver Dolphin BooksFormats available: paperbackRelease Date: 1 April 2011 Series: Book #2 in the Twisted Tales seriesSource: review copy provided by publisher through NetGalleyPurchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Book Depository

Blurb:

In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she’s a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire-slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no …

Review: Killer Secrets by Katie Reus

Format Read: e-Book submitted by Author for review
Length: 59 Pages
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 23, 2011
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook, Smashwords
Purchasing Info: Smashwords, Author’s Website, Goodreads, Kindle, Nook, All Romance e-Books

Book Blurb:

Journalist Eve Newman stumbles across the murder of a prominent member of her west Texas town and finds herself the target of a shadowy killer. When the body goes missing and the police don’t believe she saw it happen, she turns to the only man in town she can trust; her deceased brother’s best friend.

Former Marine, Macklin Quinn, has been half in love with Eve since they were kids, but he’s always considered her off-limits. When she turns to him for help he can’t send her away. Within twenty-four hours it’s clear she’s in trouble and someone wants her dead. Mac will do everything …

Review: "Silent Storm" by Vivian Arend

Format Read: e-ARC submitted by Novel Sidekick courtesy of AuthorLength: 59 PagesSeries: Pacific Passion Book #3Genre: Erotic, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, MénageRelease Date: May 17, 2011Publisher: Samhain PublishingFormats Available: eBook, Kindle, NookPurchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Goodreads, Kindle, Nook

Book Blurb:

Love speaks volumes without a single word.

In the months they’ve traveled together, Laurin Marshall and Matt Jentry’s attraction has grown beyond spectacular sexual passion to into a deeper emotional connection. Still, Laurin wrestles with one last question: how a water shifter and an air shifter can possibly find permanent common ground.

Matt is content to wait patiently for Laurin to realize he has no desire to change her sky-borne nature. Until a giant golden eagle touches down on the Stormchild and tips the delicate balance of more than just the boat.

Laurin’s obvious affection for the newcomer comes as …

New Releases: May 9th-15th, 2011

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Another town. Another school. Another Mclean. Ever since her parents’ bitter divorce, Mclean and her father have been fleeing their unhappy past. And Mclean’s become a pro at reinventing herself with each move. But in Lakeview, Mclean finds herself putting down roots and making friends—in part, thanks to Dave, the most real person Mclean’s ever met. Dave just may be falling in love with her, but can he see the person she really is? Does Mclean herself know?

Hell’s Bells by John Connolly
Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea Handler
Die For Me by Amy Plum