Tag: Book News

Bookish Thoughts: #CopyPasteCris, KU Scammers and #NTRomNov

Posted March 8, 2019 by Rowena in Discussions, Features | 5 Comments

Holly: For the past few years, Rowena and I have been sort of bouncing in and out of Romance Twitter and Facebook. We keep up with what’s happening, but only on the peripheral. This year, we’re going to make an effort to stay informed and keep all of you informed, about what’s happening in and around Romancelandia. To that end, here’s a brief recap of some of the major stuff that went down in February.

#copypastecris

For those who aren’t familiar, last month a reader contacted romance author Courtney Milan saying she thought Courtney had been plagiarized by author Cristiane Serruya. Serruya initially denied the accusation, then later claimed a ghostwriter she hired had done it. As time went on, more and more passages were found, and it turned out over 34 authors had been “copied” from, including Nora Roberts, Maya Banks, Diana Gabaldon, Tessa Dare and many others. These are not small names in the publishing world.

Here’s the the most recent list CaffeinatedFae put together.

List of authors copied from

I have to say, Nora Roberts is the Queen of the Smackdown. She’s posted several times about the #CopyPasteCris situation. Her initial post “Plagiarism, Then and Now” really brought out why this is such a personal thing. Since then she’s updated her blog several times as more details come to light.

Which brings us to..

KU Scammers

From NR’s “Not a Rant, But a Promise” blog post, that went live 2/23/19:

I’m getting one hell of an education on the sick, greedy, opportunistic culture that games Amazon’s absurdly weak system. And everything I learn enrages me.

There are black hat teams, working together, who routinely hire ghosts on the cheap, have them throw books together, push them out–many and fast–to make money, to smother out competition from those self-pubbed writers who do their own work. Those who do their own work can’t possibly keep up with the volume these teams produce by these fraudulent tactics.

They tutor others how to scam the system.

Let me backtrack a minute. Last year, when Faleena Hopkins TM’d the word “Cocky” and created a shitstorm in the publishing community (Read our thoughts on #cockygate here), we learned about “book stuffing”, which is basically writing a short story for KU, but then stuffing a bunch of “bonus” content in the back (usually previously published books from the same series), which upped the pages read, and therefore the amount of money the author made. If you aren’t aware, KU pays per page read by the reader, so a lot of authors scam the system by “book stuffing”.

Now, with the #CopyPasteCris scandal, it’s come to light that more authors are scamming the KU system by doing what Cristiane Serruya did and hiring ghostwriters to help them throw together books to push them out as fast as possible.

Then it came out that authors are also buying and repackaging the same novel under different names/titles.

Shiloh Walker has a great thread up about it.

These people are literally SELLING & RESELLING manuscripts & copyright only to repackage, recover & release as a brand new book under another author’s name (with a shiny, new fake copyright, too). This is deceptive as hell. @AmazonKDP @Amazonhelp has been notified to no avail.

There’s a lot of stuff out there about the whole KU scamming thing and it’s a lot to sift through but here are some posts that went up on it all that you guys can read if you want.

SHILOH WALKER’S HOT TAKES: PART…WHO KNOWS? SO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO SPOT THE SCAMMERS
Dakota Willink’s Thread on KU Scamming

I don’t even know what to say about that. I mean, as a reader I certainly don’t want to be scammed. I don’t want to contribute to the earnings of “authors” who do this. Yikes. But I have no idea how to stop, either, since Amazon makes it so easy for these authors to flourish.

#NTRomNov

After all of that gloom and doom, how about something that cheered us all up at the end of February? Did you guys check out the #NTROMCOM hashtag? Jennifer from Romance Novel News started up the Name that Romance Novel game on Twitter and it was so much fun. I will admit to not being as good at guessing these books as I thought I would be but it was still a lot of fun to read through the hashtag and make my guesses. I knew a lot but there were a few that stumped me good.

Here are some good ones from the bunch:

How did you do? There are so many other guesses to be made in the hashtag on Twitter and it’s a lot of fun to read through and participate in so if you’re in the mood for some great romance novel fun, head on over to Twitter and jump in!

We’ll be back with more hot takes, our thoughts on them and anything else that comes up soon. Have a great day guys!


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Cover Reveal: The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen

Posted June 8, 2018 by Rowena in Promotions | 2 Comments

Cover Reveal

Earlier this week, I mentioned that Sarina Bowen is bringing her writing talents to the Young Adult genre and I’m super excited about that. Today, we’re participating in the cover reveal of that first YA book of hers, The Accidentals.

Check it out:

Cover Reveal: The Accidentals by Sarina BowenThe Accidentals by Sarina Bowen
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: July 10, 2018
Genres: Young Adult
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books

Never ask a question unless you’re sure you want the truth.

I’ve been listening to my father sing for my whole life. I carry him in my pocket on my mp3 player. It’s just that we’ve never met face to face.

My mother would never tell me how I came to be, or why my rock star father and I have never met. I thought it was her only secret. I was wrong.

When she dies, he finally appears. Suddenly I have a first class ticket into my father’s exclusive world. A world I don’t want any part of – not at this cost.
Only three things keep me going: my a cappella singing group, a swoony blue-eyed boy named Jake, and the burning questions in my soul. There’s a secret shame that comes from being an unwanted child. It drags me down, and puts distance between me and the boy I love.

My father is the only one alive who knows my history. I need the truth, even if it scares me.

I’m digging this cover and the blurb is fantastic. If you haven’t put this on your TBR list, you should fix that because it’s Sarina Bowen. She always takes care of us!

Pre-Order the Book:

AMAZON || BARNES AND NOBLE || GOOGLE || iBOOKS || KOBO

About the Author

Sarina Bowen

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | GOODREADS

Sarina Bowen is the RITA® Award winning author of over two dozen contemporary and LGTB romance novels. She most recently hit the USA Today bestseller’s list in February, with Brooklynaire. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.

Sarina Bowen is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. On a few wooded acres, she lives with her husband, two boys, and an ungodly amount of ski and hockey gear.

Sarina’s books are published in a dozen languages on four continents. In 2016, The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with a RITA award for Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.


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New Book Alert: The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen

Posted June 5, 2018 by Rowena in Promotions | 2 Comments

Sarina Bowen is bringing her writing talents to the Young Adult genre and I am so here for it. She has never failed to entertain me with her New Adult and Adult books so I’m looking forward to seeing what she brings to the YA scene.

Check out the book details:

The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen
Release Date: July 10, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

A YA novel from USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen.

Never ask a question unless you’re sure you want the truth.

I’ve been listening to my father sing for my whole life. I carry him in my pocket on my mp3 player. It’s just that we’ve never met face to face.

My mother would never tell me how I came to be, or why my rock star father and I have never met. I thought it was her only secret. I was wrong.

When she dies, he finally appears. Suddenly I have a first class ticket into my father’s exclusive world. A world I don’t want any part of – not at this cost.

Only three things keep me going: my a cappella singing group, a swoony blue-eyed boy named Jake, and the burning questions in my soul.

There’s a secret shame that comes from being an unwanted child. It drags me down, and puts distance between me and the boy I love.

My father is the only one alive who knows my history. I need the truth, even if it scares me.

If you’re a fan of contemporary YA stories (like I am) then you’ll probably want to add this to your TBR list. I cannot freaking wait!

Buy Links

AMAZON | AUDIO | PAPERBACK | IBOOKS | KOBO | NOOK

About the Author

Sarina Bowen

WEBSITE | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

Sarina Bowen is the RITA® Award winning author of over two dozen contemporary and LGTB romance novels. She most recently hit the USA Today bestseller’s list in February, with Brooklynaire. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.

Sarina Bowen is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. On a few wooded acres, she lives with her husband, two boys, and an ungodly amount of ski and hockey gear.

Sarina’s books are published in a dozen languages on four continents. In 2016, The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with a RITA award for Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.


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Sarina Bowen Shares Big News: A Weekly Serial for Subscribers!

Posted March 8, 2018 by Rowena in Promotions | 2 Comments

Sarina Bowen announced a few weeks ago that she had a nice surprise for us, for the month of March and I have been on pins and needles wonder who was getting their story told next. Holly and I had our theories and well, we were wrong. Ha! Today, she made the announcement and we’re thrilled to share that news with you guys.

We’re getting Pepe’s book from her Ivy Years series and I’m super excited about that! Check out his abtastic cover…isn’t he dreamy?

Studly Period by Sarina Bowen

Series: Ivy Years #6
Serial Publisher: Sarina Bowen
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

She’s a brilliant writing tutor. Too bad she’s tongue-tied every time he sits down in front of her…

There are 1016 people in the freshman class at Harkness College. I can’t be the only socially awkward nerd girl virgin among them. Right?

It’s time I learn to talk to guys without blushing and stammering. So I take a confidence-building job at the student tutoring center. Twelve bucks an hour, plus human interaction. What could go wrong?

A fun-loving French Canadian hockey hunk, that’s what.

When Pepe St. George sits down at my tutoring table, my brain shuts off and my mouth goes right into hyperdrive. Even the sound of my name on his lips—Josephine—gives me a mini orgasm.

I want to hand him my V-card. But all I manage to hand him is…my thesaurus. And my dignity. All seems lost, until I hatch a plan to get him alone…

A brand new serial delivered straight to your email inbox. I love when authors do this. Jen Frederick did this before and Fridays were my favorite day and more recently, Ilona Andrews is doing this for Maud from her Innkeeper Chronicles series and I am here for it all. So when Sarina Bowen, one of my top authors, announced that she’d be doing the same thing, I was overjoyed.

This was me when I found out:

Sign Up Now

http://geni.us/StudyPeriodnb

How this Works

Beginning on Tuesday, March 20th, you will get one chapter each week, straight to your email inbox! Anyone who signs up midstream will immediately receive links to previous chapters. No reader will be left behind!

Come March 20th, I’ll be like…

Excerpt

“Bonjour.” The deep voice—from right above me—startles me so badly that I jump. My phone goes clattering to the desktop as I whip my chin upward to see whomever snuck up on me.

“Désolé!” he says. “I should come back later?”

“No,” I say, fumbling my phone back into my bag. “Please sit down.”

My heart is banging against my ribs, and not only because he startled me. If possible, I’m even more awkward with men than with women. It’s worse if they’re attractive.

And this guy? Very attractive. Wow. He has a wide, handsome face and coal-dark eyes ringed by impressively thick lashes, and a broad face. Broad shoulders.

Broad everything. Wow. He must eat a lot of protein. And now I’m staring as he arranges himself in the chair opposite me and draws out a folder. He’s really handsome. One of the BPs, for sure.

I can’t stop staring. There’s something rugged about him that’s hard to describe. There’s color in his cheeks—at least the part that’s not covered with dark scruff. And his biceps bulge from the sleeves of his T-shirt. He reminds me of a superhero going incognito, concealing his identity among the ordinary college students.

Though the muscles can probably be explained by the logo on his T-shirt—Harkness Hockey.

It’s always the jocks who need tutoring. I swear. Nadia I have a disagreement about this. She says that jocks are used to coaching, and thus accept tutoring help more readily than the general population.

“I think they’re just not as smart,” I always tell her.

She just shakes her head. “You say that, but you’re still intimidated by them. So which is it?”

Indeed.

“How can I help you,” I whisper up at this handsome giant.

He frowns, and then folds massive hands onto the desk between us. “Excusez-moi?”

People always tell me my voice is soft. That I’m hard to hear. He must agree, because he leans forward, those big, dark eyes blinking in close proximity. It doesn’t help the knee-knocking, teeth-rattling nerves that overtake me whenever a beautiful man looks at me.

Get a grip, Josie. “How can I help you today,” I ask carefully.

“Bon. I have the paper due for English. And my English is not so excellent. So I hope you will help me find all the places I fuck it up. I bring it…” He opens a folder and rifles through some papers.

For a long moment I just blink at him. “Your English…” Did he just say that he didn’t speak the language?

“When I come to Harkness last year? I don’t speak much English at all,” he says, dropping a rough draft of an essay on the table between us. “Please help me find zhe places where I fuck up the grammar.”

His honesty has stunned me. The Harkness students I’ve met so far would never admit to any kind of weakness. In fact, they tell me that most students wait until their grades are in jeopardy to find the tutoring center at all.

And I don’t blame them. Struggling? That’s shameful. Harkness is a top-notch school where everyone worships at the alter of intellectual exceptionalism. With an admissions rate that hovered around nine percent, having a big brain is the only way to get in.

Or at least I thought it was. Every year, something like a thousand valedictorians get rejections from Harkness. Who would dream of implying that he isn’t as qualified as the next student?

This guy.

Read Sarina Bowen for Free Online

SIGN UP HERE

The Ivy Years Series


About the Author

Sarina Bowen

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Sarina Bowen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She lives in Vermont’s Green Mountains with her family, six chickens and too much ski gear and hockey equipment.

In 2016, Sarina became a Rita Award winner! The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.


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Weekly Wrap Up: January 29 – February 4, 2018

Posted February 4, 2018 by Rowena in Features, Promotions | 1 Comment

What We Reviewed

Tracy’s review of A Devil in Scotland (No Ordinary Hero #3) by Suzanne Enoch | 4 out of 5
Holly’s review of Whiskey Sharp: Unraveled (Whiskey Sharp #1) by Lauren Dane | 3.5 out of 5
Tracy’s review of Baby I’m Howling for You (Alphaville #1) by Christine Warren | 3 out of 5
Tracy’s review of A Scandal by Any Other Name (A Tale of Two Sisters #2) by Kimberly Bell | 1 out of 5
Casee’s retro-review of Memories of Us (Hearts of the South #5) by Linda Winfree | 4.5 out of 5
Tracy’s review of #starstruck by Sariah Wilson | 4 out of 5

What We Posted

Books to Binge On: February 2018
Monthly Reads: January 2018
What Are You Reading? (+ Historical Giveaway)
WTF Cover Saturday (246)
Sunday Spotlight: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Book News

Emma Chase dropped a cover reveal for a book that I didn’t even know she was writing but…I’m hella excited for it because it looks like just my kind of book. Check it out.

Weekly Wrap Up: January 29 – February 4, 2018Getting Schooled by Emma Chase
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: June 26th 2018
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books

The newest novel from New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase.

Head of the class...

Garrett Daniels has this whole life thing figured out.

The cocky, charismatic former high school star quarterback is an idolized football coach and "cool" teacher in the hometown where he's not just a golden boy — he's platinum. He has good friends, a great house on the lake, and the best damn sidekick a man could ask for: Snoopy, the albino beagle.

Then...Callie Carpenter comes home.

And knocks him right on his tight end zone.

Back to school...

Callie has a pretty sweet life herself...on the other side of the country. But circumstances — that she'd prefer to never speak of again — have brought her back home, helping out her parents and substitute teaching at her old high school.

Now she's facing bickering, raging hormones, constant gossip, awkward weirdness, and drama galore...and that's just the teachers.

Just like old times...

When Garrett offers to show his former high school sweetheart the secrets of his winning teacher ways, Callie jumps at the chance - and then has to stop herself from jumping him.

Good friends are all they can ever be.

Or...these teachers just might end up getting schooled — by love.

Yeah, this sounds like my cup of tea so I’m going to be all over this one, once it comes out. Seeing this in her newsletter this week was like waking up on Christmas morning and getting the one thing that your parents told you, you weren’t getting. What a delightful treat and I’m really digging that cover. What a hottie!

Weekly Wrap Up: January 29 – February 4, 2018The Governess Game (Girl Meets Duke, #2) by Tessa Dare
Series: Girl Meets Duke #2
Also in this series: The Duchess Deal , The Duchess Deal, The Governess Game , The Wallflower Wager, The Duchess Deal , The Governess Game
Publisher: Harper Collins, Avon
Publication Date: August 28th 2018
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books

He’s been a bad, bad rake—and it takes a governess to teach him a lesson

The accidental governess.

After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart... without risking her own.

The infamous rake.

Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling... and he’s in danger of falling, hard.

Ooh, another Tessa Dare release. I adored the first book in this series so I’m really looking forward to digging into this one. The cover is super cute even if the guy on the cover looks more appropriate for a contemporary romance with that hair cut…still, the way that they’re looking at each other? Hot!

Current Giveaways

Monthly Reads: January 2018

What Are You Reading? (+ Historical Giveaway)

Sunday Spotlight: February 2018

Giveaway Winners

We have some winners to announce this week! Congratulations to the following…

What Are You Reading? (+ Contemporary Giveaway)

CelineB

Sunday Spotlight: January 2018

Kareni

Monthly Reads: December 2017

Carissa
Katey
Mara

Winners: An email will be sent to you shortly. Please let us know where you would like us to send your prize. You have two weeks to get back to us before we choose another winner. Check back on Sundays to see if you’re a winner in one of our giveaways.

That does it for this week’s weekly wrap up. How was your week in books? Hear any book news that you’d like to share? Get any new books you want to share? Review any books we should check out? Please share.


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