February’s E-novellas…and Used E-books?

So, after bugging everyone about how they keep track of the ever growing e-book releases, I think I have my technique down (down-ish, maybe). I am not even going to attempt to list all of the PNR, UF and YA digital books being released, but I do hope to get a handle on the novellas that are coming for the popular print series (and some of the better known authors). I ended up using a couple of different sources and searches (thanks for the ideas, everone). This is what I came up for in February…

February 5th

• Katie Reus – Enemy Mine
• Amanda Bonilla – Lost to the Gray (Shaedes of Gray #2.5)

February 12th

• Kerrelyn Sparks, Pamela Palmer, Amanda Arista, Kim Falconer – Vampires Gone Wild (Love at Stake #13.5, Vamp City #1.5)

February 18th

• Shona Husk – Dark Secrets

February 25th

• Jenna Black – Pros and Cons (Nikki Glass #2.5)

February 26th

• Erin Kellison – Shadow Hunt (Shadow #4.5)

So, what did I miss? If you can think of any novellas that I skipped, feel free to list them here.

And, on a related note, I saw a little article over on Publisher’s Weekly that had me scratching my head. It looks like Amazon has plans…to sell used e-books. Huh?

         Amazon’s business model has long been dependent on resellers of used books and other merchandise. But a U.S. patent that Amazon Technologies in Reno, Nev., received last week indicates that the mega-retailer has its sights on digital resale, including used e-books and audio downloads. According to the abstract, Amazon will be able to create a secondary market for used digital objects purchased from an original vendor by a user and stored in a user’s personalized data store.

Boston-based ReDigi opened the first marketplace for pre-owned digital music, which it launched in late 2011, redigi.com. Once a lawsuit that Capitol Records filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan over the way it handles music downloads is behind it, ReDigi plans to expand into e-books and other digital items. In a press release issued yesterday, ReDigi commented that “the Amazon patent is further proof that the secondary market is the future of the digital space and that there is no turning back.”

I must admit, this seems strange to me. I guess there is a market for everything, though (and Amazon pretty much covers it all).

Cover Lover – 7 New Titles

Meh, maybe I should have said new-ish for the titles.  This is sort of a mixed bag post, to say the least.  This first one is from a favorite of mine, Cynthia Eden.  Avenging Angel is the fourth (and apparently final) book in her Fallen series, and it is due out on May 28th.

This next cover is from the Noon Onyx series by Jill Archer.  Fiery Edge of Steel is the title of the second book, and it will be available on May 28th, as well.  I get a real video-game vibe from this one.

I have been seeing this next one popping up everywhere lately.  Carniepunk is an anthology featuring a number of top writers, including Rachel Caine, Jennifer Estep, and Rob Thurman.  It will be released on July 30th.

Well, I have to admit that this cover for Darynda Jones‘ Fifth Grave Past the Light isn’t quite what I expected.  Maybe it is because I loved the reaper outfits on the previous covers, but this one doesn’t live up to the rest of the series for me.  In fact, it actually gives me a young adult vibe.  Anyways, it will be hitting the shelves on July 9th.

On the young adult side of things, Replica is a new one coming from Jenna Black on July 16th.  I am not sure as yet if this is a stand alone title, or the first book in a series.

Melissa West‘s first book, Gravity, has only recently been released, but the cover for the second book is now out.  Hover will be hitting the shelves next August 6th.

And this final one is from Aprilynne Pike.  She is starting up a new series called Earthbound next July, with the first book also being called Earthbound.

Did any of these ones catch your eye?  Are you a bit disappointed in the Fifth Grave cover like I am (I do so love those reaper outfits), or do you think it is a nice change is style?

Cover Lover – 4 New Titles

Ok, I am pretty sure no one who reads this blog is going to be surprised that I love covers.  I get a total fangirl moment when I see a beautiful cover.  Hell, that is pretty much what started me reading young adult – I had to have those pretties on my shelf (I only decided that I actually liked the books later).  But things have been mighty slow cover wise lately, some have been decent, some pretty good, but none that have really jumped out at me.  That is pretty much why there haven’t been as many Cover Lover posts lately…I saw what was out there and thought, “eh”.  So, in the spirit of trying to get back into things, here are four more covers…the first two of which came from Nefertari.  Thanks again.

I like the direction the covers for Vicki Pettersson‘s Celestial Blues series is going.  Retro and fun.  Book two is called The Lost, and it is due out on March 19th.

I had seen this second one around for a couple of weeks, but I didn’t think it was finished yet.  A blurb or quote or something on the top would have finished up Jenna Black‘s Rogue Descendant nicely.  Look for it on April 30th.

Aimee Agresti‘s second Gilded Wings novel has a cover.  Infatuate will be released on March 5th.

And the final one for this post is from Sara Humphreys.  Her Amoveo Legend series continues with the release of Undone on May 1st.

Random Updates…

A little bit of this…a little bit of that.

• There will be a fourth book in the Dark Dynasties series from Kendra Leigh Castle.  Immortal Craving will be released on January 29th.
• The Underworld Detection Agency Chronicles series from Hannah Jayne will also have a fourth book released.  Under the Gun is due out on February 5th.
• March 26th is the release date for Jennifer Estep‘s Deadly Sting, part of her Elemental Assassin series.
• The third book from Sandra Hill‘s Deadly Angels series will be called Kiss of Temptation, and it is also due out on March 26th.
• Jenna Black‘s third Nikki Black book, Rogue Descendant, will be released on April 30th.
• April 30th is also the release date for Delilah S. Dawson‘s second Blud novel, Wicked as She Wants.
• Sinner’s Heart from Zoe Archer will be hitting the shelves on April 2nd.
• The second book from Julie Kagawa‘s Blood of Eden series, The Eternity Cure, is due out next May.
• August 2013 will see the start up of a new series from Angela Knight called Familiar.  No other details available as yet.
• The oft-delayed Warriors of Poseidon novella, Alejandro’s Sorceress, is now completely MIA.  Seems like Alyssa Day decided to do a total re-write and start basically from scratch, so new release details are sketchy.
• Also, there has been a change in the scheduled Beginnings of Magic by Ilona Andrews.  Instead of being compilation of the first two Kate Daniels books, it will now be a special edition re-print of Magic Bites.  The cover copy says “This special edition includes in-depth information about the world of Kate Daniels, with descriptions of its characters and factions. Explore Kate’s Atlanta like never before with answers to FAQ and a quiz to find your place there. And don’t miss the prequel story “A Questionable Client,” as well as scenes of events in Magic Bites from Curran’s point of view.”  It is now called Magic Bites: A Special Edition of the First Kate Daniels Novel.

Cover Lover – Deadly Descendant

I only came across one this time around, for the second book of Jenna Black‘s Descendants series featuring heroine Nikki Glass.  This one is called Deadly Descendant, and has a release date of April 24th.

New Release Info…

In the process of updating the current release dates, I came across a bit more info to be added to the site.

• Allison Pang will release her second Abby Sinclair book, A Sliver of Shadow, on February 28th.
• The fourth book in the Immortals of Annwyn series from Sophie Renwick will be called Bound in Velvet.  Look for it on June 5th of next year.
• Deadly Descendant will be the second book in the Descendants series from Jenna Black, due out on April 24th.
• The Paranormal Scene Investigations series from Laura Anne Gilman will continue this November with the release of the third book, Tricks of the Trade.
• Black Dawn is the title of the 12th Rachel Caine Morganville Vampires book, and it should be out on May 1st.
• This is a long one to list.  Hannah Jayne will release the third book in her Underworld Detective Agency series next May 1st, called Under Suspicion.
• Next up from C.E. Murphy is Raven Calls, part of her Walker Papers series.  It should be out on February 21st.
• From the Phantom Corps series from Lauren Dane comes Captivated.  It is a May 1st release.
• Number four from Lyn Benedict‘s Shadows & Inquiries series will be called Lies & Omens, out on April 24th.
• Charlaine Harris‘ monster hit Sookie Stackhouse series continues next May with the release of the 12th book, Deadlocked.
• The new Devil’s Bargain series from Terri Garey will continue with the release of book two, A Devil Named Desire, next January 31st.
• Angela Knight‘s next Mageverse book will be called Master of Darkness, and is scheduled for next August.
• Reaper’s Revenge, the second book in Sarah McCarty‘s Shadow Reapers series, will be released next July.
• And Alexis Morgan seems to be trying something a bit different.  Next July, she will be releasing My Lady Mage, what appears to be the first book in a new series called The River of the Damned.
• A Hunger So Wild is the title for the second book in Sylvia Day‘s new Renegade Angels series.  It is a late July release.
• Also next July will be the release of Night Forbidden, the 5th book in the Envy Chronicles from author Joss Ware.
• WVMP Radio, the series from Jeri Smith-Ready, continues next October with the release of the 4th book called Lust for Life.
• Karen Chance will also be releasing a new one next October.  Fury’s Kiss is part of her Midnight’s Daughter series, featuring heroine Dorina Basarab.
• Jacquelyn Frank‘s next Three Worlds novel has been pushed back to a late September release.  Official title is TBA.
• The third Alex Craft book from Kalayna Price will be called Grave Memory, and it should be on the shelves sometime next July.
• Next up for Amanda Bonilla‘s Shaede Assassin series is Blood Before Sunrise, scheduled for next July.
• and finally, there is a bit of info coming out for the next Age of Steam book from Devon Monk.  It will be called The Swift, and should be out next July.

New Series Alert

Three authors are firing up new series this week, and one has theirs coming to a close.

From Christine Cody, aka Chris Marie Green, comes a vampire/western trilogy starting with this week’s Bloodlands, from the series of the same name.

Synopsis…

It was called the New Badlands, home to the survivors of a cataclysm that altered the entire nation. Then the vampires arrived, and it was rechristened the Bloodlands. Not because of the vampire, but because of the gun-for-hire who’d decided to slay every monster in the country by any and every means necessary.

It will be followed by Blood Rules at the end of August, and In Blood We Trust this September.

Next up is a Young Adult entry.  Reviews for Jennifer Estep‘s Touch of Frost have been very positive so far, and I am looking forward to diving into this one.  There was a cover change from the original a while back, so this is the final, official version.  For some reason the cover model reminds me of Scarlet Johansson.

Synopsis…

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Acad­emy — a school of myths, magic and war­rior whiz kids, where even the lowli­est geek knows how to chop off somebody’s head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spar­tan guy in school, also hap­pens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jas­mine Ash­ton was mur­dered in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties. Then, some­one stole the Bowl of Tears, a mag­i­cal arti­fact that can be used to bring about the sec­ond Chaos War. You know, death, destruc­tion and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I’m deter­mined to find out who killed Jas­mine and why – espe­cially since I should have been the one who died…

Kiss of Frost will be coming next November 29th.

The final new entry is from author Caridad Pineiro.  The Lost is the first book of her new Sin Hunters series.  It will be followed by The Claimed, release date TBA.

Synopsis…

Adam Salvatore is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .

Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She’s drawn to his strength of mind and body; he’s attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam’s powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.

And Rhyannon Byrd is changing gears…sort of.  Rush of Pleasure is the final book in her Primal Instincts series, but she will be heading into spin-off territory with her next release.  The Deschanel vampires were introduced in the latter books of the Primal Instincts series, and will now be the focus of her next books.

Synopsis…

With his sinister good looks, Noah Winston is the one man—a human with Casus ties—who Willow Broussard has never been able to resist. Once enemies, then lovers, Noah broke her heart. Yet the powerful witch and paranormal private investigator can’t turn him away when he needs her help in protecting his family, him—and the world—against their enemy…

As Noah and Willow work together, the secrets of their turbulent past are slowly exposed, each startling revelation drawing them closer. But when the enemy finally makes a move, Noah will need more than witchcraft and magic to survive. He’ll need his friends, one hell of a plan…and the undying devotion of a tenacious witch whose love is eternal.

Deadly is the Kiss will be the title of the first spin-off book, featuring Ashe Granger.  No word yet on release date.

New Series Alert

Just a couple firing up this week.  First, Cherry Adair starts her Lodestone Trilogy with the release of Hush.  Looks like this one is a wizards-and-magic offereing…

Synopsis…

Determined to destroy the powerful Omnivatic wizard responsible for the murder of his brother, Zackary Stark travels to Italy.

To destroy his enemy, Zach must penetrate the deepest recesses of the Crystal Divinity. To achieve his ultimate goal, he must gain the trust of the wizard’s cold and beautiful step daughter. But River MacKay has her own deadly agenda, and the cat and mouse game they play will prove deadly for one, or both, of them.

I am still looking for info on the next two.

And Jenna Black starts her Descendants series with the release of Dark Descendant.  From what I can gather, it is heading into the UF rather than PNR category.

Synopsis…

Nikki Glass thinks of herself as an ordinary person, although her skills as a private investigator sometimes verge on the uncanny. But whatever Nikki might think of herself, she is far from ordinary, as she discovers one life-altering night when she loses control of her car on an icy road, accidentally killing a man who appears out of nowhere.

The man Nikki struck with her car was an immortal who wanted to die—and she has now inadvertently stolen his immortality. As a descendant of the Greek goddess Artemis, Nikki’s talents have reached supernatural proportions. Of course, before she was an immortal, there wasn’t anyone who wanted her dead….

And again, still no information on following books, but I will post when details become available.

Spotlight on…Jenna Black

Coming from Jenna Black next April is a brand new urban fantasy story, Dark Descendant.  Cover looks a bit bare-bones at the moment, but still eye-catching.

From the back cover…

Nikki Glass thinks of herself as an ordinary person, although her skills as a private investigator sometimes verge on the uncanny. But whatever Nikki might think of herself, she is far from ordinary, as she discovers one life-altering night when she loses control of her car on an icy road, accidentally killing a man who appears out of nowhere. The man Nikki struck with her car was an immortal who wanted to die—and she has now inadvertently stolen his immortality. As a descendant of the Greek goddess Artemis, Nikki’s talents have reached supernatural proportions. Of course, before she was an immortal, there wasn’t anyone who wanted her dead….

Random Updates

Not much this week, but a few updates…

• The 25th story of Sherilynn Kenyon‘s Dark-Hunter series has no name as yet, but has a release date of August 2nd, 2011.
• Jenna Black debuts a new urban fantasy series on April 26th, 2011.  The first book will be called Dark Descendant.
• Books 4 and 5 of Jennifer Estep‘s Elemental Assassin have release dates.  Tangled Threads is number 4, and will be out on April 26th, 2011.  Number 5 is still TBA, but will be out the following October.
• The Djinn’s Apprentice is the second book of Sonya Bateman‘s new Gavyn Donatti series, and will be out on March 29th, 2011.
• Anne Bishop‘s 9th Black Jewels book will be called Twilight’s Dawn, and should be out in March, 2011.
• Next up from Kate Douglas will be StarFire, the third book of her Demonslayers series.  It will be out on April 1st, 2011, and will be followed by CrystalFire later in the year.
• November, 2011 is the release date for the 8th book of Eileen Wilks‘ Lupi series.  It will be called Ghost.
• Jennifer Ashley‘s second book in her Shifters Unbound series has been changed from Shifter Lovin’ to Primal Bonds.  Gotta say, I like the new one better.