Friday, February 20, 2009

Angels' Blood Countdown: Jory Strong - Ghostland ARC

Winner: The random numbers chose Rebecca Chastain as the winner! An email is on the way to you :-)
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11 days to the release of ANGELS' BLOOD and only 5 till ANGELS' PAWN!

Here's what Katiebabs had to say about ANGELS' BLOOD:

Dark, seductive and mind-blowing are only a few words that come to mind when I think of Angels’ Blood.
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Isn't this cover just gorgeous? Jory Strong's Ghostland, her debut urban fantasy, releases April 7th an
d I've got an ARC to give away.

Here's the blurb:

In a post-Apocalyptic world where supernaturals have emerged from hiding, wealthy humans delight in decadence while the religious gain power through temptation. For the masses, fear reigns from birth to death, and the afterlife holds beings that only the bravest can summon—or dare to desire…

Taken from her home and family, shamaness Aisling McConaughey has no choice except to enter the “ghostlands” in order to learn the fate of a wealthy man’s mistress. But there is always a price to pay for the use of her power. To save the woman’s life she must summon the Djinn prince Zurael en Caym—and

yield to his savage, sensual rage.

Zurael fears nothing except being called and bound to a human’s will. He intends to kill Aisling after she’s served as bait to find an enemy in possession of an ancient tablet. But the more he tastes of her innocent spirit, the more he’ll use his fiery touch and seductive whispers to keep her hungry for his mercy—even as they weave an erotic spell that he cannot escape…

Powerful forces threaten both their worlds, leaving Aisling and Zurael with an unbearable choice. Follow their hearts…or stay true to their honor and risk losing an eternity of pleasure.

Oooh, that sounds good! You can read an excerpt on Jory's site.

Today's entry question(s) comes from gopher:
Can you sell/give away/lend your books? If you do keep your books & make a collection out of them must they be exactly the same? For instance, only hardcovers of a certain height?

62 comments :

Cathy M said...

I give away books a lot, mostly to a local woman's shelter. My keeper shelf holds more paranormal and urban fantasy titles these days, books that I fell in love with and re-read often. Doesn't matter is they are paperback or hardcover, I just try to sort by author.

Chris said...

That does sound good!

Since I get a lot of my books secondhand (Uncle Hugo's, thrift store, withdrawn books store at library), I'm obviously not too picky about book condition or sameness!

Erika Powell said...

Because I move around so much I don't hold on to all my books. I tend to sell them to the used bookstore or swap them on bookmooch. The ones I do keep don't have to fit any requirements. I just keep my favorites and read them over and over again

donnas said...

I keep most of my books unless I really did not care for it or know I will never read it again. Then I will give them away or if no ones wants them I will sell them. I also lend any book that is not one of my favorites to friends and family. I picky about this and dont do favorites because I dont crease my books. I dont really care if its paperback or hardback I have certain shelves for each size.

Anonymous said...

ohmygodohmygodohmygod! I want this book! I found this cover last fall and I've been dying to get my hands on it ever since.

So the question....I have no problem giving away or selling my books. However, I do keep a lot of the books I read. I get books in a variety of different ways - contests, gifts, buy, etc - and it depends on the story as to whether I'll keep it or not. If I love the story and instantly want to read the next novel, then I'll most likely keep it. If I'm indifferent about the novel, then I'll give it away.

I am a little picky about my collection, though. If I start a series in paperback, then I want the entire series in paperback - that way they can be stored together. I keep all my hardcovers separate from my paperbacks since they don't stack as easy. Plus, it gives me some restraint on buying the latest copy if I have to wait for a paperback and gives me a reason to hit the library up. However, if I'm getting a book signed, then I go hardcover all the way.

Donna said...

Ghostland - This book sounds very intriguing, I'm adding to it to my TBR.

It depends if I really liked a book, if I keep it. Otherwise I will give it away or trade it in for another.

As for the books I keep, if the books are part of a series, I like for them to be all the same, either paper, trade or hard backs. If they are not the same, I still keep them. My library shelves are full of books that are all different sizes but I love them all just the same!

Jennifer K. said...

I've read an ARC of Ghostland, and it's really good!

I keep a lot of my books but they don't have to be the same. I've got hardback, paperback, trade size, etc. I'm not picky. Some I give away to friends or donate to the library. I keep my favorites. Of course, Jory Strong and Nalini are keepers!

Mandi said...

I have a very hard time parting with my books. I have to truly dislike it to get rid of it..then I will sell it to a used bookstore. I really don't have a preference if I start buying HB even though the beginning of the series is in PB :)

Anonymous said...

I'll lend them, and only certain ones ever become part of a collection, with that I don't care if they're the same as long as I have the story.

Unknown said...

Ohh..I want this book..
I tend to buy a lot of books, from many different places (online, used book stores, new ones (esp. when I'm counting down to the release) etc.), and when my family starts to hate me for not being able to walk through the carpet of the library room, I sort out the ones that don't make it to the keeper shelf =) I love my growing collection of favorites, and I enjoy sharing them with friends. In general, I tend to prefer reading paperbacks to hardbacks, so most of my books are in this format, but I'll still take whichever formate I can find something in =)

Marnie said...

I only give away books that I don't love or are not a part of of a series. In a series I really prefer all the same books but recently publishers have been changing over to hard cover mid-series and I can't possibly be made to actually wait for the story in paperback.

Pam P said...

I'm trying to give away more of my books now, hard as it is, just not enough room anymore. Still, I have quite a few and now I look for eformats now to solve the space problem. It doesn't bother me if they aren't all the same size, I can find ways to put them on my bookshelves appealingly.

Anonymous said...

I loan out and give away books alot I like sharing with others that might enjoy the books. I am not really fussy on the books that I collect but if it is an author that I know that I'm going to read over and over I like to get them in hardcover because they last longer but if they only come out in paperback that is what I get.

Toni

Ashley said...

I give away or trade with friends most of my books. Very few are keepers (Psy/changeling books are of course in my keepers :D) A book has to blow me away for me to keep it.

I don't really care if my keepers match, but if they are in hardcover I prefer that, only cause they last longer. I like my keepers to be in almost new condition, and my sisters do not understand that. I have lost more books to them than I can count lol

VampFanGirl said...

I sell books that I don't intend to place on my Keeper Shelf. And there's no concrete specifications for my Keeper Shelf except of course that the books in question are so fabulous that I can't bear to part with them. :)

aegumienny(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I do lend my books sometimes. But I don't usually meet a lot of people with the same tastes in books so its not very often. As for my collections, I'm not often that picky unless its one of my favourite series. Lately though, a lot of authors I read are being published in hard cover and I just can't wait long enough to get it in paperback.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, GHOSTLAND sounds so good!

I also give away/donate some of my books, and some I bring to the used bookstore for credit so I can keep feeing my book addiction.

I do have some keepers that I won't donate/trade/sell, but I'm not picky about what size or format they're in. I love them just the way they are. :)

Anonymous said...

It depends on the book. Most of my keepers tend to be mass market paperback so I don't really have a problem with different sizes. Ones that I've bought and aren't keepers I donate to the library. I have no problem lending my books out because I crease pages, fold down pages, eat while eating, so they're not in pristine condition. That said I do let people know before they borrow if they lose it, they get to replace it :)

twalls said...

The only time I've had to give away my books is when I moved to a different state. I kept my favorite authors and cried over the rest. I've started collecting again, and I don't care if they are paperback or hardcover. I do have issues with loaning out my books, however. I'm too picky about how they're treated, I guess.

KT Grant said...

I never throw out my books and try to find a way to give them away. Either I give them to friends or to my local church and places that are taking donations

Anonymous said...

I occasionally lend them.. very rarely give them away.. and yes i do sell ones.. doubles i bought accidently.. books i cant read.. mostly im a collector.. and paperback.. im anti hardcover.. and the trade paperbacks are much disliked on my shelves..

Anonymous said...

I can sell books that are onetime read only.
For my Keepers shelf I don't mind various heights/types (hardcover mixed with paperbacks) as long as I have EVERY book that author has ever written LOL

Anonymous said...

I donate my old books to the library. When I'm buying new books, I try to buy them all the same and keep all the authors together.

Michelle Olsen Sasak said...

I don't sell my books, but I do trade on PaperBack Swap. I don't lend out anymore because I've had too many books get ruined or lost. I use PBS as a way to get books that are not available at my library, and after I've read them, I generally post them back up for trading. I only keep books that I absolutely love.

There are some of my series/same author books that I would like to be all hardbacks (Incarnations of Immortality series, Stephen King books, etc.) but I'm not too worried about it right now.

Rebecca Chastain said...

Oh how I've changed. I used to not be able to loan any of my books because I was afraid others were going to trash them. Now, I'm still pretty selective with who I loan them to.

Nothing leaves my "library" for the resale store unless I don't like the books, so I've accumulated quite a collection. The only books that have to be the same (all hardcover) are my Robert Jordans. Other than that, I try to wait until the books come out in paperback anyway, but when I can't, I don't think it ruins the collections. After all, it's still the same words on a different-sized page.

dancechica said...

If I didn't enjoy a book enough to keep it I usually either sell the book on Amazon or trade it on PaperBackSwap. I try to only keep books I'm sure I'll want to read again. The ones I do keep do not have to be uniform. I don't lend very much because I'm so picky about my books' condition. I'm more likely to buy a copy for someone else rather than lend my own.

Unknown said...

I save certain ones but the size, style don't matter.

Danni T said...

I usually only sell the books that I know I won't read more than once. I will lend my books to family/friends...if I know they're trustworthy. I don't care if the books are hardcover or paperback. As of right now I have about 300-400 books that I haven't gotten rid of because of rereading them.

ddsun.rm said...

Books, books, books. Well, I buy alot and tend to keep most of them. About once a year I donate a few hundred to the library, and I'm looking into donating to the military for people serving overseas (there are a lot of rules about which ones).

The books I keep are piled in bookcases throughout the house, loosely organized by type, say paranormal, and then alphabetical by author.

I get a certain number of books electronically, which is helping with space issue.

I have a handful of "fancy" books, older editions, fancy bindings, etc. I have those all in one bookshelf behind my desk. It's what someone would see coming into my office, and definitely the only place where "looks" are a factor in my books.

Ghostland is going on my TBR list too! Thank you for helping me (us) find new authors.

Courtney said...

Squee, Jory Strong! She rocks. I wonder if the random number takes bribes.

I can lend out books, but only to people who will love, coddle, and respect them as much as I do. I'm lending the frist four of a series to a freind today, actually, and I know that she will treat them well.

I don't need visual continuity on my bookshelves. I rarely buy hardcover books anyway, so it's no matter. Maybe I'd feel different if I actually organized my shelves a bit less loosely than I do. LOL

Anonymous said...

I can give away books I know I will not read again to my library and I also found a bookstore where you can trade your books in for credit to buy new/used books in their store.

I would like all my books to be the same size but sometimes that just can't happen so I learn to deal with it somehow.

Shaymless Aymless said...

I'm definitely a hoarder! I've been known to go buy additional bookcases due to too many books.

I don't mind loaning most of my books because books are really meant to be enjoyed.

For non-keepers, I tend to trade at my local used bookstore or donate them. I would never just throw one away. Books are for sharing.

jeanette8042 said...

I only lend out some of my books to those I know who will not trash it and give it back to me in tatters. I mainly keep all my books because I enjoy going back and reading them again after a few months, but they don't have to be the same. It would be too difficult to get all my books the same height, but I definitely prefer paperbacks in varying sizes.

Missy said...

I give away books I know I won't re-read but there are some books that I read again and again and those books look like it. I don't display my books so I really don't worry what they look like.

Lisa said...

I keep all my books but don't worry about the size. I will only lean them out to family members.

Nicola O. said...

I trade in or give away most of my paperbacks. With series, I try to hang on until I've finished the whole series and then I decide if I want to keep them a lot.

It really does bug me when I have 4 or 5 paperbacks and then the publisher switches to hardback... but if it's an addictive series, I buy the hardback anyway. If it's not, I'll get it from the library or wait for paperback.

Anonymous said...

I can lend my books, but thats usually as far as it goes. I don't give away a book unless I really didn't like it. The ones I keep go in a giant collection. Haha so if I start a series in hardcover, all the books I buy from that series have to be hardcover because I keep them in order and it would look funny to have hardcover, paperback, hardcover... So they do have to be the same size. and if one is bigger than the other I'm not too picky about it, but I try to make sure they are all the same. :)

Jo Anne said...

I keep a lot of my books, specially series like yours and Wilks. It doesn't matter to me if they are soft or hard. I buy when they go to hard. There are certain authors that I will only buy in hard cover. Usually that is the way they started. Since there are so many books, we all read in this house, we do sometimes sell to a secondhand store. Well, actually its their garage and they only sell in the summer.

Pamk said...

i have keepers and books I read and trade in. Depends on how much I love it and whether I'll read it again or not. And no they don't have to be the same. Something I start with hb of a series. sometimes I come in at the middle and start with paperback. Sometimes the author is/wasn't in hardback until after the series started.

Pamk said...

i have keepers and books I read and trade in. Depends on how much I love it and whether I'll read it again or not. And no they don't have to be the same. Something I start with hb of a series. sometimes I come in at the middle and start with paperback. Sometimes the author is/wasn't in hardback until after the series started.

Jennifer *Dragoneen* said...

It depends on the books I'm buying.

Just follow me on this one...

If I'm in a used bookstore the book can be a bit creased in the spine and maybe have a small cover crease. Yellowed pages are okay but no cracked spine or writing in the book.

New books must be in the most absolute perfect condition that I can find in that selection. If they all suck or are below my standards, I will not buy one until I find one in the condition I want.

I used to be a bit anal about all the books being the same size and format until I read Erin McCarthy and then she did her darker paras and they are plain paperback size and her other stuff is in trade size. I did stop myself from collecting the new HC reissues of R.A. Salvatore's The Legend of Drizzt. I have the originals in pb and then when they came in HC, I bought those. Now I'll just live with the mixture. I like to think that I've got proof that I loved the books back when, a time when they only came in pb and RAS was no where near HC :)

orannia said...

Ohh, I like the sound of that book :)

I am way to...umm...pedantic about my books. They have to be the same size. So, no paperbacks and then hardbacks in the same series. I'm just lucky that my library is so fantastic and I can borrow the new releases of my favourite authors from the library (if they are published in hardback) and buy them once they are released in MMP format.

As for what the look like - they have to be perfect...I can spend ages looking for exactly the right copy. Which means I only lend books to people I know will look after them. At the moment that is two people. I once lent a Lonely Planet to a friend...yes it's just a tourist book but I hadn't used it yet. I was horrified at the state he left it in! And while he is still a friend I have not lent him a book since :) Luckily, we have completely different tastes in books!

Louise Delamore said...

I'm an absolute collector :) I usually try and get them looking the same and fail dismally. In the end what's inside counts more than how they look on my shelves. Books by the same author do have to be together though and I have my own shelving order system.

Unknown said...

I had no idea this book was coming out. It sounds so good and I will be looking for this one.

Sweet said...

I'll only lend to certain people. I'll give some to the library or to friends if they aren't my cup of tea.
It doesn't really matter what size or shape the books come in. I do hate the switch mid series to hardcover. Especially if its a book with a small page count. That just irks me.

Jeanne Ryan said...

I keep all my books and like to look at them and go "I read all those." I don't mind what sizes they are, but they are in size order, with the big hardbacks on the left working down to the thinner paperbacks at the end.

Blodeuedd said...

All my books look different, paperback with hardcovers, and all in different shapes and sizes. I keep those I love, oh and those that are ok, but those I don't like I give away so maybe someone else can love it instead

Anonymous said...

I keep all of my books for the most part even those that did not win my heart. It just seems wrong to me to give away or sell any of my books, once a book comes into my grip it's mine end of story. Though i may lend a book to a close friend but really it is just easier for whoever i lend a book to, to simply purchase the book since i have been accused more than once of babying my books. I do have certain shelves for certain book sizes, I always keep collections together and even shelve by genre and rereading value on good days.

Amy C said...

I keep most of my books. Size and shape doesn't bother me, but when a series I love starts in paper back then switches to hardcover, that's very upsetting. Now my series cannot sit together in order on the shelf.

May said...

I cannot sell my books even the one I really hated. I tend to not let my friend have my book unless I am sure that they will treat my book nicely.

Spari said...

I keep my books and I would like for all to be the same, but here in Spain you can't always get the same type or publisher (editions from UK vr. USA).

Unknown said...

I keep my books. No ubs here. I do give some of my books to my friends.

CrystalGB said...

I give a lot of books to my neice and sister in laws. They love to read. I have my keeper shelves of books that I loved.

kim said...

There are a few authors I collect the books and keep - that list does seem to be getting longer and longer, though. I prefer hardback, but don't really care if they're the same size.

I also get a lot of books from the local library book sale, I usually pass those along to Goodwill when I'm finished.

Anonymous said...

I have a couple of Jory's books and this definitely sounds great- and yep that cover is GORGEOUS.

I keep most of my books - I cant bare to give them away even the ones I didnt really enjoy unless I really hated them I donate them. Although there have been instances in the past where I had to donate them or given them to friends so I can have space in my room lol.

Dannyfiredragon said...

I only lend books to people whom I know that they handle them carefully. Otherwise I would have to kill them.

Leslie said...

I trade and sell books that aren't keepers. My book collection contains a variety of mass market, trade and hardcover books. I don't mind the different sizes so long as the books are in good conditions.

Anonymous said...

I give away books quite a bit, to my local library and to friends I know who wanted them. The books I keep for myself are normally favorites and I try to keep them in the same form if possible (ie a series in paperback or all hardbound) with the exception of super long series like L.K. Hamilton. lol...

Unknown said...

Ooooh, definitely! I have a horrid time giving away or lending books to people. I hate it when they dog-ear the pages or crease the spine (too much - I do know that some is inevitable *sigh*). And when I have a series, I want all the books to be in the same format - not only in size (i.e. paperback/hardcover/trade), but also in design! I'm quite anal about my books - I have them ordered by author, genre, size, and style, all at the same time!

FD said...

Since the size of a book is not something I decide, I can't be obsessive about it. Although I like the more compact size of paperbacks.

I have no problem lending books and if I have more than one copy of the same title, I like to give them as gifts.

I've long ago ran out of shelf space, so I'd really need to sort out my collection, but I never seem to get around doing it. Times being what they are, I'd like to sell the ones I won't keep but I don't if anyone's buying, so maybe I'll end up giving them away.

Una said...

Money and space being tight, I only buy those books in the series that I reread...a lot. That being said, I ONLY give my books to those that I trust, who believe as I do to return something in the same or better condition. I am given books by friends, after I read them I like to pass them on so others can enjoy (I love using the library as well) whether by selling or giving away.

When I buy a series, the books all have to match - I admit I'm a little OC (Obsessive Compulsive). So they are all either hard bound or paper back. They look so much nicer and neater on the shelf this way. =)

I have encountered the "odd" size in a series. The Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward is a good example. I have all first six books. When the Insider's guide came out it is in paperback like the others, but it is larger. This is okay with me because it's more of a supplement and not a novel in the series so I can put it on the end or at front of the series. But her next book out is going to be hardback so I will have to wait a while until the paperback comes out...cause they all have to match and the first six are only available in paperback. (Luckily one of my book exchange people don't care about matching so I can borrow her hardback after she's done reading it when it comes out).

Heather B. said...

I have 3 book shelves full of books. I have a few authors that are keepers, Nalin's of course, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lora Leigh, and Laurell K. Hamilton. I have 2 full book shelves that I have not read yet.

Normally I will read the books, if they are not one of my keepers, I will trade them on paperback swap or with friends that might want to read them. I don't have to "keep" every book I read and often take advantage of the library.

Do they all have to be the same? Not really. I have most of Sherrilyn's in hardback because I buy them from the book club, all of JR's are hardback and all of Laurell Hamilton's are hardback. If I can get them in hardback, I would prefer it but if not, I don't mind e-books or paper copies.

Heather