Free Novella From Elizabeth Hoyt

In great anticipation of the upcoming release of Scandalous Desires (October 18), the next book in the wonderful Maiden Lane series, Elizabeth Hoyt has released a free fairy tale novella. Clever John is the enchanting fairy tale at the beginning of each chapter of Scandalous Desires. The novella also includes the first three chapters of Scandalous Desires. So if you're impatient waiting on the 18th, you can get a taste of Ms. Hoyt's next release.



You can get the e-book free at B&N or Amazon.

Review: Reaper

Reaper
Rachel Vincent
Young Adult/Urban Fantasy
Soul Screamers/Novella
Harlequin Teen/December 2010

From Books on Board ~

The story of how Tod died and was recruited as a reaper . . .

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life . . . Death . . . or something Between . . . .

A couple of things first. This is a novella of approximately 17,000 words. Most full length novels run closer to 90,000 to 100,000. Reaper comes in at 64 pages in Adobe Digital Editions. The great news is that it's free right now! Yes, you can go right now and download it for free from Books on Board in Adobe PDF format. It's showing up at places like Amazon and B&N for pre-order, set to release on December 1 for $2.99 (minus discounts). If you don't want to pay for it, Ms. Vincent has said it will be available for free on her website. Personally, I think this is a great way to introduce new readers to Ms. Vincent's writing and get current readers excited about the next release in the series, My Soul to Steal (January 1).

As you can see from the blurb, the story is from Tod's perspective, telling about the events that led up to him becoming a reaper. But that really simplifies this little gem of a story. Those of you that have read the previous books in the series know who Tod is and, if you're like me, want to know more. This is the more. Tod is complex in a way that only a teenage guy could be. He likes hanging out with friends, his girlfriend and partying. He finds his little brother irritating as only little brothers can be. He loves his mom but doesn't always listen to her. See, a typical teenager. Tod's also smart, he gets the consequences to his decisions. He's loyal and loves his family so fiercely, he'll do anything to keep them safe.

I loved this look at the series from Tod's POV. He's a character that we've gotten to know through the series but still leaves us so many questions. In Reaper, we get to see what makes him tick, what drives him to make difficult decisions and still maintain that smart ass humor that is oh, so Tod. It was also heartbreaking, making me tear up a bit and feel Tod's sorrow and regrets coming through in Vincent's writing.

This novella only adds to the layers of this series. Since the bean sidhe are all about the dying, it's not surprising that reapers are part of their world. In Tod's world, there are rules that he doesn't mind bending and even breaking a little. Tod showed how mature he could be and gave this reader a greater appreciation for his part in Nash's life. I hope we get more of Tod and possibly his POV in future books. Since he's an integral part of Nash and now Kaylee's life, I can't imagine we've see the last of him.

Rating: A

My reviews for books in this series ~

My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
My Soul to Keep

Free Short Story By Lisa Kleypas...

Just in time to get readers ready for the next release in Lisa Kleypas' Hathaway series, a free short story of the wedding of Merripen and Win. Just click on the image above and it will take you to the publisher's site where you can sign up to the get free read by email. The next novel in the series, Poppy and Harry's story, Tempt Me At Twilight releases September 22.

Wicked Lovely ~ Free Online Read...

HarperTeen is offering Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely as a free online read. It's for a limited time so if you've thought of trying this series this is a good way to see if you like this author's writing.

Here's a blurb from the author's website:

Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention. But it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in this 21st century faery tale.

You can find more info about Marr and her writing at her website.