Links, news, and various things in convenient list format (mostly because I’m afraid I’m going to forget something and there’s three things I want to tell you about).
1. One of the best historical romances ever, beloved by many, is .99 cents today for Kindle, nook, and Kobo.
Additionally, Caroline Linden’s A View to a Kiss is also .99c (AMZ | nook | Kobo) digitally right now. I don’t know how long the sale lasts, but if you’re craving historical romance like I am, then join me in a celebratory WOO HOO!
I recently bought The Duke and I, (Kindle | nook) a book I already own in paper and in digital, simply because for $1.99 I would have a digital copy I could access anywhere via my phone’s Kindle app, my Kindle, or my laptop. This is a new type of purchase for me: a price low enough that I’ll buy something I already own just to have the convenience of being able to read it pretty much anywhere I’m waiting in line. It’s my “digital cloud convenience price.” I’m all over that.
2. Related to the Lord of Scoundrels sale, Robin directed me to this thread at the ever-active Amazon boards that’s all about publisher-discounted ebooks: Discounted/Price Dropped Kindle eBooks.
You an subscribe to the thread and receive an alert each time a new post is added, and there are a lot of people actively hunting down the bargains. I tried to find an Amazon subscription service that would alert me just to Kindle bargain books, but the Amazon email subscriptions at present are pretty paltry – you can subscribe to “bargain books” and to “romance” in general, but no “bargain/sale Kindle romance.” It would be spiffy to be able to subscribe to that sort of info.
Via that thread, I also learned that Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries is on sale digitally for $1.99 – and for nook too. There is a woman named Emily on that thread who is worth her weight in gold, I tell you.
3. And not related to books on sale, but with generally kicking ass and taking names, today Maureen Johnson debated on NPR the subject of YA literature with journalist Meghan Cox Gurdon, who wrote a hair-setting-on-fire-exasperating article for the WSJ on why YA literature is dark and scary and how terrible it is that our poor teenage children are being exposed to such dark and terrifying themes.
Her article, Darkness Too Visible inspired a hashtag #YAsaves on Twitter, and a written response from Sherman Alexie, who pretty much wiped the floor with Gurdon’s specious argument in his essay, Why the best kids books are written in blood.
Maureen Johnson, who I believe was the originator of the #YASaves hashtag, also responded clearly and cogently in the live interview today, which you can listen to online at WHYY.org (mp3). Going on a live radio show to debate something can be terrifying – especially when you feel strongly about it. Go on with your bad self, Maureen. Well played.
4. What books have you bought recently that you loved? Share share!
@ichelle C.
That would be the book pictured to the right of the text—Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels (referred to throughout the comments as LoS), which is at the top of many “Best of” lists.
@Cerulean
Genie Francis
I can see that. Luke Spencer was an Alpha-hole; still is to a certain extent.
Did anyone else notice how the article author seemed to speak down to the young adults that called in? As if they had no right to speak of how much life can suck as a teen? I was grinding my teeth in an effort to not to leave feedback on an already done thing. But this pandering as if young adults know nothing is seriously, seriously making me angry. I just wanted to scream.
Young adults aren’t stupid. Why is that people think 12 year olds lead perfect lives? I don’t know about anyone else but my life sucked when I was a bouncing ball between many different sides of my parental angles. I learned to manipulate and be very, very good at it in order to stay out of the line of fire before 6th grade. There was no magical switch. But apparently my life should have only had happy books. You know, like those perky SVH books where the twins tried to kill each other, or where rape happened. Sooo happy there.
This nebulous “dark” that is discussed never seems to have a line, either. Johnson is so on point for that. I think “Scars” would have been a good book for my mom 35 years ago because she didn’t cut but she did get into drugs and alcohol instead for the same reasons. I guess she shouldn’t get option and stick to Grimms Fairy Tales where Cinderella’s stepsisters cut their toes off to fit the show.
Also, the “hm” by the moderator/interviewer is annoying, too.
I want to live in this perfect world for teens because frankly I don’t wish them pain and the scars that can come along with it. I wish that everyone would have a light life with no pain. But that world doesn’t exist so I want everyone to have a section of books to have some identifying factor and to not feel alone.
I had heard about this book forever, and was afraid I’d be disappointed because, you know, hype and all … but it was awesomeness with cool beans and awesome sauce!
Why didn’t someone FORCE me to read this years ago?? Already reading new (to me) Chase books.