Photos: The First of Two Hauls From Better World Books

Better World Books is my arch-nemesis. They see me coming from a mile away, offer me a deal on used books too tempting for a bibliophile like me to resist, and suck all the willpower to resist buying books right out of me. This happened last week, when they offered 40% off an order of 5 or more selections from the discount bin. I paid about $12 for these five books - BWB always offers a free shipping option, anywhere in the world.

On the plus side, for every book purchased, they donate a book. Proceeds from book sales go to support a wide variety of literacy projects in the U.S. and in other countries, plus the Haiti relief fund.

This is how they get me.

My original plan was to stock up on the Psy/Changeling series by Nalini Singh. I read Slave to Sensation last year and thought it was a really good paranormal romance. I don't read enough books in which women of Asian descent are the main characters. I have the second book, Visions of Heat, and haven't read it yet.

According to Maryse.net (a great resource for the reading orders of paranormal romance series), the proper order should be:

-Slave to Sensation
-Visions of Heat
-Caressed by Ice
-Mine to Possess
-Hostage to Pleasure
-Branded by Fire
-Blaze of Memory
-Bonds of Justice
-Play of Passion
-Kiss of Snow
-Tangle of Need
-Heart of Obsidian

Unfortunately, I couldn't find most of those in the discount bin. What I did find:

That's a lot to catch up with, but I think I can do it...eventually. If I'm not determined to have all of them in physical form, my brand-new Nook HD+ can help me with that. (Up until this week, I've been reading e-books on my laptop.)

My next shipment (another $14 worth of books - they got me again!) will include Mine to Possess, Hostage to Pleasure and Play of Passion. As I said on Twitter:

I know I SHOULD'NT want to buy 3 more books in @NaliniSingh 's Psy/Changeling series since I bought Kiss of Snow the other day - but I do
— Erin O'Riordan (@ErinORiordan) June 25, 2013

But then:

@ErinORiordan Do it... ;-)
— Nalini Singh (@NaliniSingh) June 25, 2013

Well, if you say so, Ms. Singh.

I'm currently reading the first book in Kate Douglas's DemonSlayers series, DemonFire. When I finish that, I'll now have the next two waiting for me:

After Starfire, there's only one more book in this series, CrystalFire. I never finished Douglas's Wolf Tales series - although I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books - but I'm pretty sure I can easily handle four. I think I'll rotate various PNR series I have to catch up on.

This one isn't paranormal, but it is from Cara Lockwood.

This last one is purely for nostalgic reasons; it's a book I read in middle school.

Now I really, really need to donate some books to Better World Books or to Goodwill, another worthy nonprofit. I'm out of room on the bookshelves.

What are your summer reads?