Best Recent IR read

[Anino]

Meka wrote: "The best IR this week for me was Remember Me by Michelle N. Onuorah.

Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

I actually have that one, but I skipped over it.. I'm going to have to take a 2nd look at it..

[Meka♥books]

Anino wrote: I actually have that one, but I skipped over it.. I'm going to have to take a 2nd look at it..

Please do take another look at Remember Me. I adored the writing and hope you will too.

Also, I reattached my review as I see the link in your response is not my review of the book??? https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I would love to hear you thoughts on the book after you read it if you choose to.

[Lola]

Speaking of the Renaissance, this is what I found:

http://www.mirandakaufmann.com/blacks...

I'd love to see more books set in this era (and longer than 50 pages).

[Lola]

Looks like this may have been the most highly ranked figure in this era:

"Mentioned in the same breath as the Spanish mercenaries, at a time when Hume Castle was occupied by the English, this may be reference to Sir Pedro Negro, a Spanish mercenary soldier who may have been the first African ever to receive an English knighthood. In 1546 Pedro Negro travelled into France with ‘diverse other Spanish knights and gentlemen’, under the command of the Spanish colonel Pedro de Gamba. They won a victory on 15 July and were all awarded lifetime annuities. Negro was awarded £75 in August and £100 that September. On 28 September 1547 he was knighted by the Duke of Somerset at Roxborough, after the taking of Leith. On 7 July 1549 he led a charge through the Scots that were besieging the strategically important castle of Haddington, to provide the castle with vital gunpowder, which allowed the English to defend themselves against the more numerous enemy. According to a Spanish chronicler, it was necessary to kill the 300 horses so as not to let the enemy take them, which he calls a ‘pretty feat of war’. He died in London on 15 July 1551 of the sweating sickness. His funeral was quite a ceremony, with twelve ‘staffes’, ‘torches burning’, ‘flute playing’, and the street hung with black and with his arms. The preacher was Dr. Bartelet, and it was attended by the company of clerks, ‘a harold of arms and mony morners’ [‘a herald and many mourners’]."

[Ines]

Oooh! Lola, that is such a good idea. I'm copying this link and will share it with my writing circle (all writers of color or writers who write characters of color).

[Ines]

I also think that short works by indies is a good business strategy. Both attention spans and wallet girth are shrinking in this day and time.

As a reader, if I don't know your work I'm not investing dollars to read anything over 100 pages of your writing. I'm okay being out of a $1 dollar and mad. I'm not gonna spend $4 dollars or more for 300+ pages on a historical novel with POCs written by an unknown on spec.

Now that I read Alyssa Cole's short book, I'm hooked and I'm ready and willing to buy her backlog and any new full length work that comes out at a higher price. She earned my trust, respect, and a place in my book budget (yes I have an actual book budget!) with that short work.

[Kim]

I've been thinking about writing a historical novel or novella for a few years now, but the time period I've been thinking about is fin-de-siècle Vienna--and the amount of research required for a novel-length work has put me off a bit.

Maybe I'll start with a long short story (or a novelette). I'm thinking about something leading up to the Mayerling incident, when Crown Prince Rudolph and his lover, Baroness Vastera, were found dead in a hunting lodge. Some say it was a murder-suicide, others say it was an assassination.

[Ines]

Kim wrote: "Maybe I'll start with a long short story (or a novelette). I'm thinking about something leading up to the Mayerling incident, when Crown Prince Rudolph and his lover, Baroness Vastera, were found dead in a hunting lodge. Some say it was a murder-suicide, others say it was an assassination.

Ooh, if you did, I'd beta for you!

[Kim]

Ines wrote: "Kim wrote: "Maybe I'll start with a long short story (or a novelette). I'm thinking about something leading up to the Mayerling incident, when Crown Prince Rudolph and his lover, Baroness Vastera, ..."

I'll keep you posted. I'm going to Vienna soon to do a little research and then I will try to come up with my outline for it. I have an idea of the main character thinks she can save the crown prince...not sure though.

[Lola]

You have a point, Ines. I did read Alyssa Cole's short book, and wow. I wished it was longer.

[Mstcat]

Meka wrote: "The best IR this week for me was Remember Me by Michelle N. Onuorah.

Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

Thanks for reminding me Meka. This was also one of the best books that I read last year.

Anino wrote: " & were really good ☺"

How could I have forgotten Happiness in Jersey! I agree with you about this book Anino. It was a great surprise and generally I'm not a huge YA fan.

[Ines]

I really wish you could "like" on these threads. Cause sometimes I don't have anything to add, I just want to agree.

@Kim, I'm green with envy over your Vienna trip! I hope a fantastic story does come out of it so that I may live vicariously.

@Lola, I wish Cole's book was longer too!

[Meka♥books]

@ Anino & Mstcat: I actually forgot that I have Happiness In Jersey and have not read it yet. Thanks for the reminder. I plan on reading it this weekend.

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears]

Ines wrote: "I also think that short works by indies is a good business strategy. Both attention spans and wallet girth are shrinking in this day and time.

As a reader, if I don't know your work I'm not inves..."

I don't mind short works for the reason you gave. I've never read Alyssa Cole until now, so I'm interested in checking out the rest of her work. I DO mind all these less-than-fifty-pages cliffhangers fuckwittery that seems to be all the rage. I'm willing to pay for a full-length novel rather than be nickel and dimed at $2.99 a pop.

[Ines]

Word of the year, only five days in: "fuckwittery"!

I think the reason folks are doing that, the fuckwittery, is because of a couple of indies who struck gold in 2014 with this formula. There's a whole Kindleboards thread dedicated to it where you write an 8-10K erotic short in a few days and then throw it up on Amazon for $2.99. The author who started the thread showed how she made $10K per month do this. She published over 100 titles in a year.

I think a lot of the folks who tried it weren't serious authors, just enthusiasts. And now that they see how hard it is to get an actual following of readers who love and support their work, they're going to fall off.

Patience, my dear, its going to get better soon on the virtual shelves.

[Justine]

Ines wrote: "Word of the year, only five days in: "fuckwittery"!

I think the reason folks are doing that, the fuckwittery, is because of a couple of indies who struck gold in 2014 with this formula. There's a ..."

Can you provide the link to this thread? I would love to share my thoughts with this author ...
Now that you have mentioned this - I shall ensure to give all of those stories a one star rating.

[Ines]

Its the 7 Day Erotica Challenge on kboards.com. But I think it would be a waste of your time. IMO, most of those folks are enthusiasts and not career writers. I checked out some of their rankings and they were in the 200K or over on Amazon, which means they are not selling. They don't take the ratings seriously, they even joke about it on the thread.

I also believe that the legitimate author, who these folks were trying to imitate, did a generous thing by sharing the keys to her success. So many authors (and publishers) are secretive about their numbers and processes. The thread folks on kboards took her goodwill to an extreme and exploited her information for the wrong reasons.

I say your time is better spent reading the recommendations of your GR friends so your eReader is filled with star-worthy stories.

[TinaNoir]

Yeah, I am not drinking that kool-aid. I only buy novellas from authors I already like or know.

I had an Alyssa Cole book on my TBR for awhile now, but didn't want to spend 7.99 for a 200 page book. I read her short Hannukah story on her website and was very impressed by her writing. I loved Agnes Moor's Wild Knight, but I read that free via Kindle Prime. So she is now on my definitely one to look out for list. I still won't pay 7.99 for her 200 page book, though. Even for my auto-buy favorites that too steep price-to-page ratio.

She has a new book coming out published by Carina is getting good word of mouth and buzz on twitter. So I am hoping that will be more reasonably priced.

[Anino]

Tina wrote: "Yeah, I am not drinking that kool-aid. I only buy novellas from authors I already like or know.

I had an Alyssa Cole book on my TBR for awhile now, but didn't want to spend 7.99 for a 200 page ..."

Thanks for the info, I just bought it... Hopefully, I'll be able to read it on this weekend...

[TinaNoir]

- this was cute and very well written. It is short and feels like it is going to be a serial...so fair warning. But the sample hooked me enough to give it a try.

[Kim]

Tina wrote: " - this was cute and very well written. It is short and feels like it is going to be a serial...so fair warning. But the sample hooked me enough to give it a try."

It is going to be a serial, but Xio has already finished the second novella in the series. I think she's planned it as a three-book series.

We were talking about her planned publications when I was in the US last summer. We met for lunch and ended hanging out until late in the evening.

Her novel is coming out in May.

[Micky Blue Skies]

This book was amazing and I don't really like historical romances any longer, but this was AWESOME!

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears]

Micky Stew wrote: "This book was amazing and I don't really like historical romances any longer, but this was AWESOME!
"

I agree. I loved this too.

[Savannah- Quad Motherin' Book Readin' Diva]

by Shewanda Pugh.

Its the sequel to . Technically YA I guess, but these are some extraordinarily mature young folk lol. Both books are very good. Black girl/woman, middle eastern boy/man. I only have one or two things I'd change and nothing that pinged my peeves. Highly recommend.

[Taida]

@Savannah I loved the first book Love Edy. Thought it was so well written. One of my favorite IRR. Didn't like the second as much, some parts of the book confused me. But still way better than many of the IRR that I have read.

[Savannah- Quad Motherin' Book Readin' Diva]

Taida wrote: "@Savannah I loved the first book Love Edy. Thought it was so well written. One of my favorite IRR. Didn't like the second as much, some parts of the book confused me. But still way better than many..."

Oh, yeah! Another fan! We need to chat cuz I'm feeling much the same. I liked Bittersweet, but I didn't LOVE it. I think at times it dragged a bit. I also had to keep reminding myself of their age since it almost started to feel like one of those where what they needed to do was simple; confront the parents, tell them this is how it is and wait out the consequences. I got tired of this big insurmountable problem that didn't really keep them from being together- just the idea of a future.

Do you know if theres another sequel? I feel like we aren't done with Wyatt, not to mention I'd love to know what the real repercussions are once they are both at LSU. Does Ali continue to warm up? How did Mala's family react? What about Rani's trifling behind? I'd of told HER that if she didn't like me with her son we could discuss it at the police station, if ya know what I mean LOL.

[Taida]

Savannah- Quad Motherin' Book Readin' Diva wrote: "Taida wrote: "@Savannah I loved the first book Love Edy. Thought it was so well written. One of my favorite IRR. Didn't like the second as much, some parts of the book confused me. But still way be..."

I so liked Love Edy and had built up Bittersweet in my mind before it was released, that I was disappointed with its execution for all the reasons you stated. I kept thinking just stand up to your parents and Rani and do you! LOL! But you are right they were teenagers so I gave them more slack in that department than I would a book with an older couple.

Also, while I understood the importance of an arranged marriage, I did not quite buy that Rani would so completely turn on Edy after practically raising her. That storyline kind of rang false for me. But I do like Ali and Edy together so much that I will read what I assume will be another book. The storyline did not seem finished to me so I am crossing my fingers

[Savannah- Quad Motherin' Book Readin' Diva]

Exactly! It definitely feels unfinished. And Rani going off the rails like that is just scary. Makes me feel like they needed to do something to resolve HER because if someone is capable of manipulating on that level she really shouldn't be allowed to take any part in the couples ultimate HEA. Especially as a parent. Craziness. And what about Wyatt? I mean, we know where he's going, but the WHY of it is just chock full of serious mental issues LOL. Needs resolution.

I will let you know if I hear/see anything first about a sequel and you do the same!

[E.]

Debauching the Virgin (Den of Sin - erotica). It was short and sweet but very good. I also loved The Bejeweled Bottle (Lana Hart), Hold On Pain Ends (Shyla Colt) and Beyond Solitude (Kit Rocha - erotica).

[Jmelfi]

"The Sheikh's Christmas Conquest" by Sharon Kendrick (WW/Arab M).
"Seduced by The Hero" by Pamela Yaye (BW/Italian M).
"Who Do You Love?" by Jennifer Weiner (Jewish W/B-WM).

[Paganalexandria]

E. wrote: "Debauching the Virgin (Den of Sin - erotica). It was short and sweet but very good. I also loved The Bejeweled Bottle (Lana Hart), Hold On Pain Ends (Shyla Colt) and Beyond Solitude (Kit Rocha - er..."

E. was a recent freebie. You know those can be hit or miss. Thanks for moving it up my read list.

[Paganalexandria]

I've recently read SATED by Rebekah Weatherspoon and really enjoyed it. It was so out my normal range, but loved the characters. A nerdy Black girl, and an Asian non Alpha hero got so many points just for daring to be so out the box.

[Channasl]

I just finished kendra Mei Chailyn's and enjoyed it, just as I have the previous two in the series.