Tag: kindle unlimited (Page 4 of 5)

Fairy tales and urban fantasy thrillers

August 7, 2017 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

I seem to have gotten on a couple of unique reading kicks this summer. Just in case you want to play along, here are the books that hit the spot in each category.

I’ll start with fairy tales because, depending on the author, these can feel awfully close to either urban fantasy or to fantasy romance. Traitor’s Masque by Kenley Davidson is a good example of a fairy tale that twists and turns enough to please most readers of character-driven fantasy. The book is very richly written without being overwritten, and I’m forcing myself not to dive into Davidson’s other books immediately so I can savor them the way they deserve. (This series is all FREE to borrow with Kindle Unlimited.)

Next up, the anthology Once Upon a Kiss (FREE with Kindle Unlimited) is a great way to try out a variety of authors with bite-size stories just long enough to get you hooked. Hailey Edwards’ contribution was the sweetest morsel, fantastical and romantic all at once. I need to remember to check out more of Edwards’ urban fantasy!

Thrillers by UF authors

Speaking of urban-fantasy authors branching out into other genres, I read two non-fantastical thrillers this month by women who usually add magic to their tales. Rachel Caine’s Stillhouse Lake and V.J. Chambers’ Child of Mine both kept me up way too late and didn’t let me go until the bitter end. I don’t even like thrillers (or so I thought), but the psychological subgenre clearly hits the spot. (Both of these books are also FREE with Kindle Unlimited.)

How about you? Which books surprised you this summer because they were in genres or by authors you thought you didn’t enjoy? I hope you’ll join in the discussion over on facebook by clicking on the link below!

Fire Kissed is now live!

August 1, 2017 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

I’m excited to announce that the Fire Kissed anthology is now live on Amazon and FREE to borrow with Kindle Unlimited! This box set contains a lucky thirteen never-before-published novellas by urban-fantasy and paranormal-romance authors…including myself.

My contribution is Incendiary Magic, a short but action-packed prequel to the Dragon Mage universe. Fee is a fire mage with an impossible mission — infiltrate the home base of her dragon overlords and destroy them. You can try out the first chapter here.

But I hope you don’t just buy the box set and skip straight to my story. I haven’t read all of the other contributions yet, but the blurbs alone have me waiting with baited breath to sit down with my kindle this evening and give them a try. There’s a high-stakes poker game, an accidentally kidnapped not-quite-bride, and lots and lots of dragons. Plenty to keep me busy long into the night!

The anthology is only up for three short months, so don’t delay. Grab your copy here and enjoy!

Fantasy romance book recommendations

June 30, 2017 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

Branching out a little further from the urban fantasy and paranormal books I recommended last time, today’s post is all about top reads in other subgenres of fantasy (notably fairy tales and romantic fantasy).

Death Sworn by Leah Cypress is a perfect fantasy read, with a strong but flawed heroine, an intriguing setup, and enough moral ambiguity to keep me guessing. Plus assassins. Who doesn’t love assassins?

Out of Time by Monique Martin is time-travel fantasy that feels like historical fiction. How can you not enjoy reading about a modern grad student having to get a job in a Depression-era speakeasy in order to pay the rent? (At the time of this post, this title is FREE.)

Cinderella and the Colonel by K.M. Shea feels less like a Cinderella story and more like a fantasy with interesting worldbuilding and a good moral conundrum to work through. Recommended for fans of fairy tales and romantic fantasy alike. (At the time of this post, this title is in Kindle Unlimited.)

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is probably the most believable Beauty and the Beast retelling I’ve ever read. There’s fascinating, history-based world-building that really matches the fairy tale…but I’ll warn you, the story goes to some pretty dark places.

How about you? What’s the best fantasy book you’ve read so far this summer? Click on the facebook link below and let me know!

Urban fantasy and paranormal romance book reviews

June 22, 2017 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

I realized I hadn’t regaled you with my list of Favorite Recent Reads for a few long months. Time to catch up…starting with the genres you’re likely to enjoy the most — urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Agent of Enchantment by C.N. Crawford and Alex Rivers is my most highly recommended title for this period. The blend of unique worldbuilding, London history, and just the right amount of psychobabble turned an already gripping urban fantasy into a major winner. (At the time of this post, this title is in kindle unlimited.)

Where the Wild Things Bite by Molly Harper is a close runnerup. This is a human-meets-vampire romance including ancient books and wilderness survival situations plus a really funny authorial voice that kept me laughing as I turned pages way too quickly.

Rebel Wolf by Amy Green has an extraordinarily hooky beginning — a grad student goes to visit a werewolf in prison, trying to talk him into being her research subject. Highly recommended for fans of T.S. Joyce. (At the time of this post, this title is free.)

And, speaking of T.S. Joyce, she writes books faster than I can read them (which is saying something!). My favorite of her titles this time around was Gray Back Ghost Bear, which includes the author’s patented feel-good romance with great characters, a real storyline, and this time ghosts! (At the time of this post, this title is in kindle unlimited.)

If you want more book recommendations (along with limited-time sales I tend not to post over here), be sure to sign up for my newsletter. And, in the meantime, maybe you’ll click on the facebook link below and let me know which recent urban fantasy and paranormal romance reads you thoroughly enjoyed?

June urban fantasy on Kindle Unlimited

June 20, 2016 / Aimee Easterling / 1 Comment

I’ve read so many delightful books since my last recommendation post that I’m going to have to break my reviews into two installments. This one is the most relevant to most of you — strictly in the realm of urban fantasy. So, without further ado, let’s stuff your kindle!

Moon Born by Marina Finlayson is different, deep, and thought-provoking. This shifter novella has intense character development and top-notch worldbuilding…just like all of the author’s other books. (Yes, I’m a fan.)

Grim Haven by Jen Rasmussen is beautifully written and also entirely gripping. This urban-fantasy novel includes a great hook (a heroine who makes magic by writing story spells in her own blood), an intriguing evil to battle against (which I want to tell you about, but won’t for fear of spoiling the plot), and a light love story with an enticing romantic lead. Sold yet? Like all of the titles in this post, Grim Haven is free to borrow with Kindle Unlimited!

Descended from Dragons by Tricia Owens is everything urban fantasy should be…plus dragon shifters! I particularly loved the Las-Vegas-turned-magical world, complete with gargoyle shifter, cursed pawn shop, underage master magician, and werewolf who’s reluctant to shift to two legs. Try it, you won’t regret it.

Want up-to-the-minute information on books you really have to read? I’ve been posting my recommendations as I finish them on this facebook group. I hope you’ll drop by and share your own favorite reads!

Alpha Ascendant is on sale (May 13-19)

May 13, 2016 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

For the first and possibly last time, Alpha Ascendant is on sale for a mere 99 cents. This is also a great opportunity to borrow a copy if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited since the book will be bowing out of the program and going up for sale on other retailers early next month.

(Yes, if you borrow the book now, you can read it any time you want even if it pops out of Kindle Unlimited before you reach that spot on your reading list. Just be sure to keep Alpha Ascendant in your borrow library rather than returning it if you want to save the read for a rainy day.)

I hope you enjoy this final installment in Terra’s adventure!

Going wide with the Wolf Rampant series

April 25, 2016 / Aimee Easterling / 6 Comments

As some of you may know, indie authors have a major decision to make each time they upload a book to Amazon. Do we commit to keeping the book on Amazon only, with the perk that our book is then eligible to be borrowed by Kindle Unlimited subscribers? Or do we go “wide” — meaning we upload our book at other retailers too…but lose the right to have our book borrowed?

My books have done very well with borrows in the past. But now that Shiftless is free on all retailers, I decided to try my hand at going wide. This is an experiment, meaning that if sales on the other retailers don’t make up the income I lose from Amazon borrows within the next few months I’ll throw my hat back into the Kindle Unlimited ring. (Gotta pay the bills so I can keep writing Fen’s series!)

What does it mean to you? Pack Princess is now available at the following locations:

Shiftless is available wide as well:

And Alpha Ascendant will be hitting wide distribution in early June. (I’m as yet undecided about whether to make The Complete Bloodling Serial wide. For now, though, you can always snag a copy by signing up for my email list.)

If you want to help me out, I can use reviews on all of those retailers. (Copying and pasting your existing review from Amazon or Goodreads is entirely legit.) Or snag a copy on one of the non-Amazon sites now if you prefer reading in a non-kindle format. Thanks in advance for your help!

And another hundred or so great books free or on sale

April 7, 2016 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

I’m taking part in a second multi-author promotion this week. This one is just as full of great reads as the other…plus today’s promo includes a giveaway where you can win an kindle if you’re so inclined. Here are my top picks from the reading list, just in case you need some guidance in choosing between so many options:

Dreamwalkers by S.M. Schmitz — This is such a fascinating, well-written book…and I’m afraid to tell you anything about it for fear of spoiling the enticing twists. Suffice it to say that it reminded me of The Time Traveler’s Wife, one of my all-time favorite books. It’s free in KU or on sale for 99 cents through the end of today.

I Bring the Fire Part I : Wolves by C. Gockel — This is a FREE and very solid first installment in a series about Norse gods returning to modern American society.

I’ve also downloaded another half-dozen or so books to explore later but didn’t want post after the deals run out. Enjoy!

A bunch of SF/F books free on Kobo or via Kindle Unlimited

March 5, 2016 / Aimee Easterling / 1 Comment

Are you searching for something to read? Look no further! Over 100 books in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, dystopian, and speculative romance are currently FREE to either download on Kobo or borrow on Amazon via Kindle Unlimited. Here’s the link to the promo site.

I’ve discounted Pack Princess (my contribution in the Kindle Unlimited section) to 99 cents for a limited time for folks who want to play along but don’t read on Kobo or subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. Many of the other authors have similarly discounted their titles, so this is a great way to pick up cheap books as well.

Which books do I recommend? I haven’t read a lot of them (yet!), but I adored C. Gockel’s I Bring the Fire in the free section and am really looking forward to trying some of the others. I’ll be curious to hear which ones particularly float your boat as you give them a read.