Welcome to Book Beat! Think of Book Beat as Hide Your Wallet, Part Two!
In Hide Your Wallet, we talk about books coming out in a particular month that we really want to read. But there’s more to good books than just new releases!
Book Beat aims to highlight other books that we may hear about through friends, social media, or other sources. We could see a gorgeous ad! Or find a new-to-us author on a list of underrated romances! Think of Book Beat as Teen Beat or Tiger Beat, but for books. And no staples to open to get the fold-out poster.
We hope you find something new to read through Book Beat, and please let us know what books you’ve discovered recently!
Silver and Bone
Author: Claudia Cain
Released: October 31, 2016 by Claudia Cain
Genre: LGBTQIA, Urban Fantasy
Series: Silver and Bone #1Jennifer Jones is trying to be a better person.
It’s not easy. She has a lot to make up for, considering that she’s an immortal blood-sucker with a history of serial killing. But at least she probably can’t get worse.
And for the last seventy years, things have been going well. She’s got a job, friends she cares about, a steady relationship, and she hasn’t killed a single human.
But something dark is on the horizon. A body appears in an alley, bringing up unsettling memories. A Necromancer warns of an approaching menace, and as more and more bodies begin to appear, repeating a very familiar pattern, Jennifer finds herself being framed for murder.
Someone is out for revenge, and they’re willing to kill to get it.
You might be able to ignore your past, but you can’t outrun it, and Jennifer’s has just caught up to her.
Source: Twitter
I love discovering new bisexual characters and paranormal romance is my jam. I’ll be definitely checking this one out!
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As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!Truly Devious
Author: Maureen Johnson
Released: January 16, 2018 by Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult
Series: Truly Devious #1Something is wrong at Ellingham Academy: Its murderous past won’t stay in the past.
Ellingham Academy is an American institution. Students can’t buy admission, they have to earn it: these are the brightest of their generation, the thinkers, inventors, artists, dreamers, and schemers who will change the world. Ellingham is the brainchild of philanthropist and tycoon Edward J. Ellingham, who happened on a remote, idyllic spot outside of Burlington, Vermont in the 1920s, the perfect setting for his “dream school of the future.” For Ellingham, the dream ended a decade later, when his wife and child were kidnapped, then murdered, in what would become the crime of the century. Ellingham pledged everything to find the killer—he ended up giving his life.
It was an empty sacrifice: For years, the killer remained at large. He taunted the police, signing his letters Truly, Devious. Eventually, someone was caught, found guilty, and executed for the heinous crimes… but questions lingered. Why, for example, did Ellingham write these words on the day he died?
Where do you look for someone
who’s never really there?
Always on a staircase
but never on a stair.
Every institution has its ghost stories; every school imagines itself haunted. Ellingham Academy is, officially, beyond such silliness: it is devoted to greatness, and everyone accepted achieves it.
This includes Stevie Bell, who gained her fame by solving a murder when she was thirteen years old. Clever murders don’t happen along very often, and Stevie has been struggling to find her place in the competitive atmosphere of Ellingham. Then she finds out about the decades-old Ellingham riddle: Problem solved. She’ll solve the riddle, name the real killer, and prove herself exceptional. True Ellingham material.
Her investigation into the cold case is interrupted by a fresh one. When one of her classmates, internet superstar Hayes Major, turns up dead, Stevie is the first to question the official explanation. An accident? Really? Everyone else is convinced that Ellingham’s murderous past is just that, which leaves justice up to Stevie.
Source: Twitter
This was featured on the most recent Hide Your Wallet as a brief mention. I’ve never read any of Johnson’s work before, but the dedication is, “For anyone who has ever dreamed of finding a body in the library.”
Which, yes.
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As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!The Queen of Ieflaria
Author: Effie Calvin
Released: February 19, 2018 by Nine Star Press
Genre: LGBTQIA, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Tales of Inthya #1Princess Esofi of Rhodia and Crown Prince Albion of Ieflaria have been betrothed since they were children but have never met. At age seventeen, Esofi’s journey to Ieflaria is not for the wedding she always expected but instead to offer condolences on the death of her would-be husband.
But Ieflaria is desperately in need of help from Rhodia for their dragon problem, so Esofi is offered a new betrothal to Prince Albion’s younger sister, the new Crown Princess Adale. But Adale has no plans of taking the throne, leaving Esofi with more to battle than fire-breathing beasts.
Source: Twitter
Not much is known about this romance so far, though it comes out next month. Digging around Twitter after seeing the gorgeous cover reveal, I’ve found that it’s a lesbian scifi/fantasy romance where a heroine is arranged to be married to a prince. The prince dies before they’re married, so the heroine is arranged to wed the prince’s younger sister instead. I’m excited to see a full description soon!
Oh, and gimme some buy links!
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As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!Alien Alphas
Author:
Released: January 16, 2018 by Stormy Night Publications
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction/FantasyFierce warriors. Savage barbarians. Powerful warlords.
All ready to claim their mates.Alien Alphas is a collection of panty-melting sci-fi romancesfeaturing dominant alien heroes, penned by New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling authors. This decadently naughty box set includes twenty-three ALL-NEW, stand-alone novellas full of hot alien alpha males, breathless passion, and reluctant surrender. Take an exhilarating trip beyond the stars with this limited time only bundle that’s sure to leave you turning the pages late into the night.
Featured authors: Cari Silverwood, Cynthia Sax, Renee Rose, Lee Savino, Addison Cain, Kallista Dane, Maren Smith, Ava Sinclair, Sue Lyndon, Emily Tilton, Ashe Barker, Korey Mae Johnson, Grace Goodwin, Ivy Barrett, Jane Henry, Jaye Peaches, Katie Douglas, Lili Zander, Loki Renard, Maria Monroe, Megan Michaels, Myra Danvers, Sara Fields, and Sophie Kisker
Source: Site ad
I don’t want to admit how many books I’ve bought because of our site ads. Spoiler: only Sarah knows what ads are on the site, so they’re always a total surprise to me.
(Sarah: Mwahahahaha. Also, that’s true.)
I want more scifi romances in my life and, while some of the descriptions aren’t for me, twenty-two novellas for less than a dollar is not bad at all. There are bound to be a few stories I enjoy!
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As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!
I don’t know how much romance is involved, but otherwise thematically appropriate, Kameron Hurley’s STARS ARE LEGION recently got a 1-star review that sold a lot of books: “A fantasy about murderous space lesbians in gigantic biological generation ships.”
I’d be happier about the new Maureen Johnson book if she’d finish her Rivers of London series. I understand that she’s had serious medical problems, but if she’s going to write, finish up what’s was left at a cliffhanger rather than start something new.
I downloaded ALIEN ALPHAS the other night (I’m a sucker for those those 99-cent deals—my kindle is clogged with them) and, so far, the stories have been a bit on the meh side. I’m not a huge SF fan (but I do love me the right kinda alpha hero), so ymmv.
In February, I’m really looking forward to Sarina Bowen’s BROOKLYNAIRE (February 12), the next in her Brooklyn Bruisers series, and Jackie Ashenden’s RAW POWER (February 27), the start of a new series for her—although I wish she’d finish her Texas Bounty Hunter series: there’s a secondary couple in the first three books whose story I really want to read!
@Ren HELLO! One click buy
Ummm… where is Whatcha Reading?
@LML: Don’t fret! Whatcha Reading is still here and is scheduled for next Saturday!
A few I’ve heard about recently that I’m looking forward to:
IN HER COURT by Tamsen Parker. F/F, working at a summer camp, best friend/little sister.
FIVE MOONS RISING by Lise MacTague. Also F/F. Werewolf and hunter team up against a bigger threat.
A SUMMER FOR SCANDAL by Lydia San Andres. M/F, set in 1911, she secretly writes a racy serial, he’s the editor of a gossip rag determined to discover her identity.
Ieflaria’s looking good. Gave me a slack jaw twice: the cover and the description.
@Ren: Catnip alert. Though I am know distracted because I misread the review. And now I’m stuck trying to figure out what is a biological penetration ship.
(I’m pretty sure I saw something like that in some horribly photoshopped cover.)
@Amanda: Oh, good. That is my favorite. Well, favorite after the late lamented Friday videos.
I had another book to mention, but I just saw a commercial for a movie about the WINCHESTER HOUSE, which would have been distracting enough, but also starring HELEN MIRREN, and now everything else seems irrelevant. I suspect Helen Mirren combined with the Winchester House is a way cooler creepy house story in my fangirl fantasy than the movie they actually made, but still.
I have been enjoying The Duke’s Tattoo: A Regency Romance of Love and Revenge (published in 2012) more than I expected because of the author’s historical research and the lack of contractions in the dialogue. And the crazy, yet believable, plot. The heroine is an apothecary/healer and the hero is a wounded soldier who didn’t want to be a Duke. The story is around revenge and how it may not have been a good idea. The book was suggested by Amazon based on other purchases and had been on my Wish List for a long time. I bought it last week when it went on sale for 99 cents. Still on sale on Amazon.
@LML I was freaking out – where is Whatcha Reading? Are they taking it away??? So glad to hear from @Amanda that it is still on the schedule and is not going away!!!
@LauraL: It’s 2.99 at B&N but I love the description so I’m buying it anyway. Thanks for the rec!
@MirandaB That would explain why that series felt so awfully unfinished to me. The ending of book 3 was incredibly unsatisfying to finish off a series.
@Steffi: Yeah, trying not to spoil, but she introduces a whole new plot in the last half of 3, and then it just sits there.
I am 100% here for Truly Devious, especially since the Goodreads description claims the mystery will be solved in this book with other mysteries to come in the next ones. Also Leflaria sounds (and looks) amazing.
@Amanda I say this every time someone expresses even the slightest interest in sci-fi romance but I reckon you’ll get a lot out of Ruby Lionsdrake’s Mandrake’s Mercenaries series, it’s action packed, hilarious, full of competency porn and hot smexy times. Plus the hero in the second book is one of my favourites of all time : )
BTW, the Johnson series is ‘Shades’ of London, not ‘Rivers’ of London.
This is what I love about these sale posts. Besides the linked SBTB items, the comments reveal even more news.
@Holly: What about her Star Guardian series? The first, ORION, is free at Amazon, so of course I grabbed that.
@Darlynne I read all her Emperor’s Edge and Fallen Empire books (written under Lindsay Buroker) but I was on a year long Book buying ban in 2017 so couldn’t pick up the Star Guardian series until now. Thanks for reminding me about them! I shall get on it!
You had me at “lesbian space romance”. 😀 Gracious, that cover is gorgeous. I’ll definitely be checking out samples and reviews on this one to see if the story is gorgeous, too!
@Becky I picked up A Season for Scandal based off of your recommendation and plot summary you provided. I was SO pleasantly surprised to find that it is set in a fictional Spanish Caribbean country. On a representation matters level — I’m over the moon to read my first Latinx historical romance. Yes, please.