28 Feb 2012 4 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday: Swoon Worthy Finds

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

Hey guys! It’s time for another fabulous WOW post of awesome reads we’re dying to get our hands on. There’s never a shortage of books to list. I’m sure you guys can relate. This is week isn’t any different. Since I started blogging about books, I’ve been amazed at the number of fascinating reads that I haven’t heard about but stumble across by chance. This week’s WOW post is full of books I just learned about and can’t wait to have in my collection. I hope you get excited about them too.

First up is…

Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts

Rage Within is the second installment in the Dark Inside series. I haven’t had a chance to read the first book yet but it’s on my to-do list. The cover art for both books is freaking awesome. Apocalyptic novels are quickly becoming a favorite. I don’t know what to expect from the series but it sounds like an action-packed, thrilling ride. If you’ve read Dark Inside, I’d love to hear what you thought about it.

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Oh my gosh! Vessel sounds like a phenomenal read. I know the summary on Goodreads is short but it totally sold me on this one. Who wouldn’t be interested in serpents made of unbreakable glass that can fly through the sky or wolves that are made of sand? Sounds unique! As a bonus, the cover is too gorgeous for words. I think I’ll let it speak for itself. You be the judge.

34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues

34 clues left behind. 34 strips of paper hidden in a box. 34 secrets of a brief and painful life. I’m so ready to find out what happened to Ellie. Sounds like a really good mystery to me. Is it September yet? LOL

What are you waiting on this week?

by Jennifer in Features, Waiting on Wednesday Tags: , , , , , , , ,

28 Feb 2012 4 Comments

Paypal Takes on Sex, Smashwords, and other Book Sellers

Paypal is opening a dangerous door that could lead to one of those tightly-controlled societies that exist in Dystopian novels, in my opinion.

On Saturday, February 18, PayPal contacted Smashwords with an ultimatum: Remove the “edgy” erotica, or face deactivation of their PayPal account. Can you imagine life in modern times without Paypal? Neither can I, so, of course, Smashwords complied.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t entirely thrilled with going to Smashwords and being assaulted by titles like Debbie Does Daddy, Debbie Does Fido, and Debbie Does Little Sister (incidentally, those weren’t actual titles but you get the picture). However, it was an easy fix with their Adult Filter in place. Here’s my problem – Paypal is currently attacking those hot buttons that tend to get the most emotional response from people (bestiality, incest, under-age sex, and rape-for-titillation), but where does the censorship end? And yes, it’s censorship, being committed by what’s basically an online bank, of all places.

There are a few particular parts of the original article that especially get my attention. The first troublesome bit might be especially disconcerting for those who write and read the paranormal genre because Paypal apparently considers shape-shifters in paranormal romance engaging in sex while in “were-creature” form as bestiality. Oops! How many popular authors would be dinged by that? The saving grace at the moment is that the e-commerce site is specifically targeting books with the Erotica label.

I say ‘at the moment’ because Paypal is already showing signs of expanding their net. In addition to the above mentioned categories,they have also recently told author Selena Kitt that BDSM books would have to be removed from her online bookstore at eXcessica and Vicky Gallas, a former escort services owner, had her Paypal account terminated for selling non-explicit books about her experiences on her website. Ummm…. wouldn’t that last one fall under Non-Fiction and Memoirs?

As usual, when censorship raises its ugly head, I have to wonder where it will end? What will Paypal target next? Maybe they’ll go after Amazon next, since they currently sell titles such as Touch Me, Daddy (Daddy’s Little Girl), Daddy Catches His Little Slut (Daddy Sex Stories), and Mommy’s Little Helper (incidentally, those are actual titles available on Amazon right now).

Do you really think Paypal would take on Amazon? Personally, I see that as something similar to a 400-pound gorilla taking on a 800-pound gorilla. Paypal would be cutting their own throats by entering into that battle. But if they don’t take on Amazon, then they will be advocating hypocrisy as well as censorship. They’ll be saying they only take a stand against those they can beat… and that’s not taking a stand at all. It’s simply being a bully.

Maybe they need to take things slow and work up to Amazon gradually. Fortunately, they have a target a lot closer to home, with eBay offering titles like How to Be Kinky: A Beginner’s Guide to Bdsm, THE DOM WHO LOVED ME, and Trapped and Tamed (A BDSM Novel).

Think Paypal will take on their owners? No, I don’t think so, either.

Personally, I think Paypal is starting a war they can’t win, but I also think it’s going to get ugly before it’s over, with a lot of smaller targets falling as casualties.

Whew! I get mouthy when it comes to the topic of censorship. Rant officially over.

Both Jenn and I are curious about what others think about the subject so feel free to hit the comments and leave your opinions, viewpoints, and feelings on the situation. We’d love to hear what you think about it.

By the way, I’m pretty sure the above pic isn’t an actual example of bestiality, but I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw it, so wanted to share.

UPDATE:

According to the Smashwords Press Room, talks between Mark Coker and Paypal continue, with the possibility of a more relaxed definition of prohibited content that only bans books with rape, bestiality and incest as major themes. If rape, bestiality and incest are incidental plot points, then that content might be allowable.

As I suspected, Paypal is moving more towards the category of bully, with them already starting to dance around what’s allowable. Why? Because Smashwords, while small beans when compared to Amazon, is still a formidable opponent, with a little muscle to flex. Maybe Paypal just thought they had an easy target?

Of course, the dance is a long way from being over. As Coker mentions, now a new can of worms is about to be opened. How exactly does one determine if something is a major theme or an incidental plot point, and who would be in charge of making that determination?

by Marty in News Tags: , , , ,

28 Feb 2012 No Comments

Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck

Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck
Hardback : 448 pages
Publisher: Splinter  (January 11, 2011)
Series: The Tiger Saga

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and  mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

As soon as I came across this astounding book online, I knew without a doubt that I had to buy it. Let’s just say that I’m so very glad that I did. Tiger’s Curse is by far the most favorite book I’ve read in a long while. Just to give you an idea as to how much I loved the plot, characters, and Houck’s writing style, as soon as I finished the final page I wanted to read the entire story again! It was just that darn good. Even now I want to open it up and read it again.

Tiger’s Curse tells the story of a young girl named Kelsey who gets a job at the circus. After spending weeks taking care of Ren, the tiger, a man shows up to buy him. The circus, of course, sells Ren and Kelsey is given the opportunity of a lifetime. She will travel to India as a caretaker to the tiger. She soon realizes that Ren isn’t just a plain old tiger; he may just be her dream come true.

Houck created a beautiful romantic journey with an adventure steeped in the flavors of India. There is much to fall in love with as the plot carries you throughout India; it’s as if you are there in the flesh, immersed in the culture, temples, and the beauty of the land. Houck’s descriptive writing style propels you through the story like water cascading over a waterfall. The characters are rich and colorful, adding an unbelievably vibrant quality, which made it easy to fall in love with each and every one of them. If you buy a book this month, it should be this one. You will not regret the purchase.

by Jennifer in Reviews, Young Adult Tags: , , ,

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