My Favorite Book Sites and Features

I use this site religiously – I’m on it at least once a day. I catalog ALL of my books on this site. If a book comes into my house, I log it on this site. I make sure that I log in each book using its ISBN so as to make sure I’ve got the correct edition and format (hardcover, mass market paperback, Kindle, etc.) of the book. I use the ‘private notes’ field like crazy to make note of where I got the book (review copy, bought, library, swap, won, free Kindle read, etc.). I also use the ‘private notes’ field for books in a series to remind myself of anything I need to know for when I pick up the next book in the series. These ‘private notes’ are only viewable to myself so I can put spoilers in that field.

I love being able to create shelves to organize my books. Some shelves that I have added:

• Did Not Finish (by year)
• Kindle Books to Lend
• Shelves specific to Reading Challenges I’m participating in (really helps me keep track on my progress)
• Books I’ve read each year
• Signed books
• TBR pile (so I can see at a quick glance how many books – both on my shelf and on my Kindle – I have waiting for me to read)
• To Be Reviewed (I got this idea from Melina over at Reading Vacation)
• Wishlist (books I want but don’t own and my library doesn’t have either)

Speaking of my wishlist shelf, I love Goodreads’ book swap program. I get email alerts letting me know when someone has a book I have on my wishlist shelf. No credits needed; you just pay shipping and the book is yours. UPDATE: The book swap program is going bye-bye. *cries*

I also like the new Recommendations feature. I’m always on the look out for new books to read and new authors to try out so this is a very handy tool for me. Goodreads gives you recommendations based on books you have on your different shelves. You can also search for recommendations by genre.

I love how my Goodreads updates feeds into my Twitter stream. It lets me share what books I’m reading, adding to my TBR list, and reviewing with others. I also enjoy seeing what books other people are reading and adding to their TBR lists. I get a lot of book recommendations from people on Twitter.

And I love that Goodreads keeps track of progress to read 100 books this year. They even tell me how awesome I am.

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A great resource for book bloggers and publishers. It’s the place for eARCs. You do have to register (and get approved) before you are able to request titles. More and more publishers are joining forces with NetGalley so be sure to check the site often. From NetGalley’s site:

What is NetGalley, and how does it work?

NetGalley is a service for people who read and recommend books. Publishers upload their galleys, plus any marketing and promotional information; then invite contacts to view their title on NetGalley. Readers can also find new titles through NetGalley's Public Catalog, and request to review those titles from the publisher.

Who can use NetGalley?

Any professional reader: book reviewers, journalists, librarians, professors, booksellers, bloggers, etc. Anyone who reads and recommend books can use NetGalley for free. You can register here.

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Not only do I love swapping books on this site but I like the forums on there too. There are all kinds of hidden treasures to be found in the forums. To see what kind of forums they have, go to Community > Discussion Forums. The Book Bazaar has lots of forums for deals, multiple orders and ARCs.

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Amazon’s Best Sellers in the Kindle Store

I am constantly checking out the Top 100 Paid and Top 100 Free Kindle Reads. I am always on the look out for Kindle deals and freebies. I can’t justify paying $9.99 for a Kindle book. Why would I pay the same price (or more) as a physical copy for a digital copy that I can’t even lend out, swap or sell? But that’s another discussion for another day. I usually buy ebooks that are <$3.00 and this site is where I find most of those deals.

What are some your favorite book sites?

2012 Men in Uniform Reading Challenge – COMPLETED

The 2012 Men in Uniform Reading Challenge is hosted by The Book Vixen. 

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

The 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge is hosted by The Book Vixen.

SIGN-UP: 2012 Men in Uniform Reading Challenge

Who doesn’t love a man in uniform? I sure do! And I love reading about them too. They’re hot, resourceful and they’re always well equipped.  Do you like reading books featuring men in uniform too? If so, then this is the reading challenge for you!

 

2012 Men in Uniform Reading Challenge
hosted by The Book Vixen

<a href="http://www.thebookvixen.com/2011/10/sign-up-2012-men-in-uniform-reading.html"><img alt="2012 Men in Uniform Reading Challenge" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dRZj1vYSqlA/TqmlBJZU7rI/AAAAAAAADJc/XKS1KMCRdko/s400/meninuniform2012.png" width="190" /></a>

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to read as many novels that feature men in inform as you’d like. It can be a policeman, firefighter, paramedic, doctor, veterinarian,  Army, Navy, Marine Corp., etc. – As long as the leading man wears some sort of uniform, it counts. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Levels:

     Sergeant – Read 1–5 men in uniform novels  
     Lieutenant – Read 6–10 men in uniform novels  
     Captain – Read 11–15 men in uniform novels    
     Chief – Read 16+ men in uniform novels

Not sure where to begin? Check out here and here for some suggestions

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Sign Up:

SIGN-UP: 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

What’s your reading goal for 2012? If it’s to read more books, then this is the reading challenge for you There were 227 readers who wanted to outdo themselves in 2011. Are you up for the challenge?

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
hosted by The Book Vixen

<a href="http://www.thebookvixen.com/2011/10/sign-up-2012-outdo-yourself-reading.html"><img alt="2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8QQlx95AqM8/TqmlAdcTL9I/AAAAAAAADJc/N3_md1Protg/s400/outdoyourself2012.png" width="190" /></a>

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2012 than you did in 2011. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Levels:

     Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
     Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
     Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
     I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books

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Sign Up:

On My Wishlist (89)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. If you want to know more click here.

Love Me to Death (Lucy Kincaid, #1) by Allison Brennan

Six years ago, Lucy Kincaid was attacked and nearly killed by an online predator. She survived. Her attacker did not. Now Lucy’s goal is to join the FBI and fight cyber-crime, but in the meantime, she’s volunteering with a victim’s rights group, surfing the Web undercover to lure sex offenders into the hands of the law. But when the predators she hunts start turning up as murder victims, the FBI takes a whole new interest in Lucy.

With her future and possibly even her freedom suddenly in jeopardy, Lucy discovers she’s a pawn in someone’s twisted plot to mete out vigilante justice. She joins forces with security expert and daredevil Sean Rogan, and together they track their elusive quarry from anonymous online chat rooms onto the mean streets of Washington, D.C. But someone else is shadowing them: A merciless stalker has his savage eye on Lucy. The only way for her to escape his brutality may be another fight to the death.

Sudden Death (FBI Trilogy, #1) by Allison Brennan

Heroic Justice

When a homeless veteran is found dead in a squalid Sacramento alley, FBI special agent Megan Elliott vows to find the murdered hero’s killer. Her investigation gets complicated fast, for the victim, a former Delta Force soldier, is just one link in a nationwide spree of torture and murder.

Straight off a job rescuing medical missionaries, soldier-for-hire Jack Kincaid returns to his home base in the Texas border town of Hidalgo only to receive the news that one of his closest colleagues–also ex-military–has been brutally murdered. Faced with an inept local police force, Jack takes matters into his own hands.

Now, as part of a national task force to stop the sadistic killings, by-the-book Megan and burn-the-book Jack form a tense alliance, sparked with conflict and temptation. But they struggle against more than passion, for a vicious pair of killers has only just begun a rampage of evil . . . and the primary target is much closer than Megan suspects.

The Prey (Predator Trilogy, #1) by Allison Brennan

First, she imagined it. Then a killer made it real.

Rowan Smith is living in a borrowed Malibu beach house while her bestselling novel is made into a Hollywood movie. A former FBI agent with a haunted past, Rowan thinks she has outrun her demons. But fiction and reality collide when a dismembered body is found in Colorado: the real-life victim had the same name, occupation, and looks as a character in Rowan’s novel. By the time the FBI, the LAPD, and her own private bodyguard gather around her, another person is killed–again, the murder ripped from the pages of Rowan’s book.

In the company of a former Delta Force officer with secrets of his own, Rowan faces an excruciating dilemma: the only way to chase down the tormenting killer is by revisiting the darkness of her past–and by praying for some way out again.

After the prey is chosen, the hunt is on and the kill is certain.

Killing Fear (Prison Break Trilogy, #1) by Allison Brennan

FEAR NEVER DIES

Theodore Glenn loves to inflict pain . . . both on his victims and on those who later find the mutilated corpses. At his trial seven years ago, Glenn vowed vengeance on Detective Will Hooper, the cop who nabbed him, and beautiful Robin McKenna, the stripper whose testimony put him behind bars.

When a catastrophic disaster sets Glenn free, he blazes a freshly bloodied path across San Diego County. But the death he craves most is Robin McKenna’s.

Putting aside their past troubled relationship, Will rushes to protect Robin, now a savvy businesswoman operating an upscale club. As the killings mount and Glenn proves a master manipulator, Robin and Will become snared in a twisted web of horror. But the shocking truth is even worse: The evil they are to face is even deadlier than they fear.

What’s on your wishlist?

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Small Town Girl by Linda Cunningham

Small Town Girl by Linda Cunningham comes out on November 1st. You can find out more, and purchase the book, at Omnific Publishing’s website.

 

When Lauren Smith begrudgingly returns to the small Vermont town where she grew up to arrange for the sale of her late grandmother’s old farmhouse, she has everything she’s always worked for. Lauren drives a Mercedes. She’s engaged to one of the most powerful businessmen in the country and wears a three-carat diamond ring to prove it. She lives in a penthouse on Central Park West. Yes, Lauren has everything she considers important. She is smugly prepared for any eventuality in dealing with these country people so Lauren isn’t surprised when the hot water isn’t working at the old house. No problem. She simply looks in the phone book and calls the local plumber. 

The moment Caleb Cochran steps through the old screen door to fix the hot water, the glittery facade that masquerades as Lauren’s life begins to crumble around her. Though she tries hard to deny their mutual, magnetic attraction, Lauren is finally forced to reevaluate her focus and come face-to-face with her true self. Small Town Girl is a story of discovering the true meaning of life and love.

Fun Fact: the song in the trailer was written and performed by Jennifer DeLucy, author of Seers of Light and Whisper of Light.

And now here’s a little teaser for you to enjoy

She did not pull back from his hand. Instead, she was aware of a moment, a moment of pure physical contact in which something passed between them. Something warm, something pleasant. Something intimate. Lauren was sure Caleb was aware of it, too. It was as if she was suddenly off balance and slightly confused. Why did this man, this plumber, have such an effect on her? She looked at him. His eyes searched her own for just a second, then Caleb slowly opened his hand and released her. He looked away quickly. “Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I’m not scared of you,” she said, bristling, making an effort to ban her confusion.

Day 5: If You Hear Her Tour – Lynette’s Two Cents

We’re on Day 5, the final stop, of the If You Hear Her by Shiloh Walker tour. Be sure to stop by Lynette’s Two Cents today for her review.

Tour Schedule:

10/24 - Urban Girl Reader
10/25 - The Book Vixen
10/26 - Under the Covers
10/27 - I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
10/25 - Lynette’s Two Cents

Halloween eBook Specials

Here are some Halloween-themed eBook deals. Please note the dates below—one promotion has started already, so get your creepy reading started :) Since I am a proud Kindle owner and fan, I have included Kindle purchase links (just click on the book title) but you can find these deals at other e-tailers as well.

For more Kindle deals and freebies, be sure to follow me on Twitter @TBVKindleDeals.

Halloween Spotlight: Plain Fear Forsaken for $2.99!
(10/25/2011 – 11/3/2011)

Plain Fear Forsaken by Leanna Ellis

Hannah Schmidt pines for Jacob, the boy who saved her life when she drowned, bringing her back from the brink of death by breathing life into her. But Jacob is gone, buried. Levi Fisher loves Hannah. But he knows how much Hannah loved his brother Jacob. He also knows the troubling event that took Jacob out of their lives…. So when a stranger named Akiva comes into their community, carrying with him a dark secret, their love and beliefs will be put to the test. And Hannah must choose between light and dark, between the love she vowed to carry with her and a new possibility of love---a decision that will decide the fate of her soul.

Vampires, Werewolves, and Witches, Oh My! Paranormal Romance for 99¢!
(10/28/2011 – 11/3/2011)

Wicked By Any Other Name by Linda Wisdom

Stasi Romanov uses just a little witch magic in her lingerie shop, running a brisk side business in love charms. A disgruntled customer threatening to sue over a failed love spell brings Trevor Barnes to town. Trevor's the best attorney around, and he just happens to be a wizard. Everyone knows that witches and wizards make a volatile combination—sure enough, the sparks fly and almost everyone's getting singed. Add to that Cupid playing a practical joke, a lunar eclipse that nearly precipitates a witch hunt, and some very mysterious goings on at the magical lake, and the feisty witch and gorgeous wizard have more than simply a possible lawsuit on their hands. Can they overcome their objections and settle out of court—and in the bedroom?

Kiss at Your Own Risk by Stephanie Rowe

Trinity Harpswell is a cursed Black Widow--death and mayhem are all part of the job description. If she can manage to go just one more week without accidentally killing someone, she’ll break this killer curse and put her Black Widow days behind her. When sexy Blaine Underhill III shows up at her door and asks for her help rescuing his friend from the clutches of Death’s evil grandma, Trinity gets pulled into a daring high stakes adventure. As Blaine and Trinity join forces to take down a series of underworld assassins, they may just learn that love is the deadliest game of all.

The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare

Rogue, Rake…Werewolf. Years ago on a full moon, Lord William Westfield gave way to his inner beast and nearly ruined young Prisca Hawthorne. Knowing he can never trust himself in the arms of the woman he loves, he throws himself into a debauched lifestyle. When Westfield discovers he has a rival for Prisca's love, he decides if she's going to marry a Lycan it damn well better be him. But time is running out as Prisca's other suitor takes an instant and potentially fatal dislike to Westfield.

Merely Magic by Patricia Rice

The daughter of one of the strongest magical lineages, Ninian Malcom Siddons is a powerful witch. Determined to only use her magic for good, she lives a simple, solitary life as a healer in her village, where she meets Drogo… Lord Drogo Ives believes only logic and science can explain the wonders of the universe and doesn’t believe the local folklore about Malcolm witches and Ives men, until he meets Ninian.

Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear

Devlyn is a beta male werewolf in a pack of grays, Bella is the female red werewolf he rescued as a pup. When the pack’s alpha male tries to rape her, she flees and lives as a lone   werewolf until Devlyn comes to bring her back to the pack. The two get embroiled in danger when a local red werewolf goes on a killing spree. While fleeing the murderer and the police, and keeping their whereabouts hidden from the vengeful alpha male of their pack, they find that their love is deep and their mutual attraction irresistible, but Bella knows that if she mates with Devlyn, he’ll have to fight the wicked alpha male, and it’s a fight to the death . .

Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

When all-star pitcher and shape-shifter Jason Falco buys a small apartment building, he sees it not only as an investment but as a place to escape the demands of major league baseball. That is, until he meets his tenants— a sarcastic unemployed crime-fighter vampire; a wereraven with a morbid sense of humor; a super-friendly salesman werewolf; and two witches with an owl who work as phone sex actresses. Not to mention a beautiful, all-too-human nurse. But with all the hooting, howling, and hollering going on, how's an all-American shapeshifter supposed to sweep a girl off her feet?

Emma and the Vampires by Jane Austen and Wayne Josephson

In this hilarious retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, screenwriter Wayne Josephson casts Mr. Knightley as one of the most handsome and noble of the gentlemen village vampires.  Blithely unaware of their presence, Emma, who imagines she has a special gift for matchmaking, attempts to arrange the affairs her social circle with delightfully disastrous results.  But when her dear friend Harriet Smith declares her love for Mr. Knightley, Emma realizes she’s the one who wants to stay up all night with him. Fortunately, Mr. Knightley has been hiding a secret deep within his unbeating heart—his (literally) undying love for her… A brilliant mash-up of Jane Austen and the undead.

The Wild Sight by Loucinda McGary

Haunted by visions of Druid priests and Celtic warriors, Donovan O’Shea left home in Northern Ireland and immigrated to America. With his father ill, he returns to help sell the family property and pub, and now, to his dismay, the “sight” has returned. He inherited the talent from his long-lost mother, who told him to keep it a secret, and he has. He is soon involved in the archaeological excavation on his family’s land and meets American Rylie Powell. Her father walked out on the family when she was a toddler, and she now believes that Donovan’s father is also hers. Donovan knows in his heart this cannot be true as the attraction between them is palpable. In between checking out DNA tests and family histories, the two become involved with murders past and present stemming from the Troubles, a quest that requires Donovan’s gift. Northern Ireland’s violent past combined with supernatural elements add an intriguing twist to this modern love story.

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Day 4: If You Hear Her Tour – I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!

We’re on Day 4 of the If You Hear Her by Shiloh Walker tour. Be sure to stop by I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! today for her review.

Tour Schedule:

10/24 - Urban Girl Reader
10/25 - The Book Vixen
10/26 - Under the Covers
10/27 - I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
10/25 - Lynette’s Two Cents