Links + Things: Semi-Short & Sweet Edition

Just a semi-quick roundup of links this week, since I'm on a semi-vacation at home this week and next. So, just bulleted news, cover art and some good deals on books in this edition. We'll be back to our regular programming shortly.  

Recommended Reading

• Tiger Eyes is out on on-demand!!! It's taken tremendous self-control to not watch it yet, since I'm meeting up with friends to see it in an actual theater tomorrow. You can get it on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video. (US only so far.)
• Our friend Reynje shared this excellent piece about violence against women and gore on our television and movie screens. I honestly thought I was just being overly sensitive, but it turns out that I'm not alone in being disturbed by the seeming increase in violence in popular entertainment. 
• This is the best analysis I've seen of Book Expo America. I kind of hate conferences (I know, I know--I've just had to do too many for work) and can't afford to travel to them anyway, but it sounds like BEA needs to think about how to make the show work for the broad range of attendees. Be sure to read the comments, which have some very interesting discussion.
• I know everyone has already linked to this, but author Ann Aguirre's post about being a female writer of science fiction is a must-read. (via author Alanna Blackett) 
• In a similar vein, author Jeanine Frost has an insightful discussion of her feelings on the current SFWA mess.
• I love Nafiza's honest and thoughtful discussion of the whys behind book blogging. So much of what she said resonated with me--especially the numbers game issue, which has been making me increasingly uncomfortable lately.
• The Huffington Post has a list of nine "books" (several are genres/categories) people will judge you for reading. While I appreciate the sentiment behind this post, that it's pretty silly to sit around judging people's reading choices, I really wish folks would stop lumping all romance novels, young adult fiction, etcetera, together, even when they're being positive.
• This is a fascinating interview with Sarah Dessen and her editor about their editorial process, and how they work together. 
• I am devastated about this news, re: the possibility of teleportation. 
• This lengthy profile of WNBA rookie Brittney Griner is fantastic, even if you don't care one bit about sports. 
• The Writers Guild of America apparently has a list of the 101 best-written television shows of all time (PDF). Friday Night Lights comes in at 22. For the record, I have some quibbles with that ranking.  Texas forever, y'all.

Cover Art

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Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland
(March 2014, Simon & Schuster)

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This Side of Salvation by Jeri Smith-Ready
(April 2014, Simon Pulse)

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Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett
(Jan. 2014, Berkley)

I have no idea what Promise of Shadows is about (I mean, I could look at the Goodreads description, but whatever), but I am all over the lovely typographic cover with the feather design. *sa-woon*  I've enjoyed everything I've read by Jeri Smith-Ready, and her first foray into contemporary/realistic fiction, This Side of Salvation, sounds wonderful. The cover is straight-up dreamy. Finally, we have the cover for the first book in Jenn Bennett's new series, Bitter Spirits--which is set in the 1920s; it's pretty over-the-top, but I'm preordering the hell out of that book, regardless, because I know it will be awesome.

Cheapo Books

Adaptation

By Malinda Lo

The Year of Secret Assignments (Ashbury/Brookfield Books)

By Jaclyn Moriarty

A Northern Light

By Jennifer Donnelly

• I haven't read Adaptation, but I heard Malinda Lo talk about it an an event awhile back and she was brilliant and it sounds excellent. It's discounted through the weekend to $4.99 in ebook form. 
• Laura highly recommends The Year of Secret Assignments, which is only $3 on Kindle right now.
• If my review/gushing endorsement of A Northern Light didn't sway you, the $4 price tag for the paperback surely will, right?

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

By Elizabeth George Speare

Graveminder

By Melissa Marr

Between the Lines (Between the Lines #1)

By Tammara Webber

• I can't imagine there are many people who haven't read The Witch of Blackbird Pond, but if you haven't the Kindle edition is only $2 right now.
• Sandra read Grave Minder last year and quite liked this gothic tale. It's currently $1.99 on Kindle. (I quite like the new cover, incidentally.)
• The only book I've read by Tammara Webber is Easy, which I thought was a well-done portrayal of college life, with a girl-positive message. Another book by Webber, Between the Lines, is currently priced at $1.99 on Kindle. (I'd love to know if you've read this one and what you thought!)

Other Discounts/Sales

• Audible is having a flash sale through June 8th on customer favorites--there are some highly regarded audiobooks in this mix, including The Fault in Our Stars and Code Name Verity. 
• Kindle Fires are discounted through the 8th as well, with $20 off using the promo code DADSFIRE. 
• Kobo is having a 60% off sale on select ebooks (no code needed); there are some popular titles like Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry, The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt, Crazy by Amy Reed and a bunch of Harlequin titles for category romance readers.

Happy weekending, y'all!