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Make your suggestions for December's ALT pick here to be included in the poll. Remember that the Vaginal Fantasy Book Club focuses on female-centric genre fiction, usually with romantic, historical, science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, or supernatural elements. For more information see The Vaginal Fantasy Alt Poll FAQ.

Also, for more great VF reads, check out The List of Lists for links to the various forum threads and listopias.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - I don't believe that's been done yet and didn't see it in the list

Shadows of Asphodel! She's a mercenary, he's a mage, there's sexy times, and suspense. There's a lightly applied diesel-punk flavor (steampunk, only set later, about WWI era). Two books and a novella and short story on the side, so a series but not a long one. Very fun, very affordable! (Edit: Affordable as e-book, paper may be higher.)

I can't remember if this one has been suggested before, but I'm interested in reading My Lady Mage by Alexis Morgan.

This may well be a stupid question, but does a book still need to be available in paper format if it's available as a kindle and audiobook and old copies are relatively easy (and cheap) to find online in order to be nominated?

I'm not dissing paperback preferers (I'm one myself; no kindle here!), I'd just like to know what the rules are before nominating books that have been on my shelves for a while.

Shaitarn wrote: "This may well be a stupid question, but does a book still need to be available in paper format if it's available as a kindle and audiobook and old copies are relatively easy (and cheap) to find onl..."

It should be available in some format to a wide audience at an affordable price. That doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be in print, as long as people can get still access via ebook, library, second hand, etc. Some picks in the past have been ebook only.

Also, there are no stupid questions.

Sean wrote: "Shaitarn wrote: "This may well be a stupid question, but does a book still need to be available in paper format if it's available as a kindle and audiobook and old copies are relatively easy (and c..."

Only stupid people! Thanks Sean!

Tales of the Djinn by Emma Holly. The Guardian (vol. 1) and The Double (vol. 2) books are sold as a set now. I'll copy the Amazon blurb here:
Elyse Solomon hasn’t had it easy. She lost her dad and her husband under suspicious circumstances, and her relatives know more than they’re admitting about both deaths. Then a mysterious stranger with a briefcase full of cash moves into the basement of her New York brownstone. Arcadius is gorgeous and sophisticated, but nothing about him adds up—that is, until Elyse discovers her sexy tenant is a genie desperate to save his people from a deadly curse. With so much heartache behind her, can Elyse find the courage to help the man who might be her true soul mate?
Holly does very interesting paranormal romances. This one has mystery, alternative reality, smexy times, and magic.

I feel like the VagFan community would be all over The Unleashing. Back of the book summary:

Kera Watson never expected to face death behind a Los Angeles coffee shop. Not after surviving two tours lugging an M16 around the Middle East. If it wasn’t for her hot Viking customer showing up too late to help, nobody would even see her die.

In uncountable years of service to the Allfather Odin, Ludvig “Vig� Rundstöm has never seen anyone kick ass with quite as much style as Kera. He knows one way to save her life—but she might not like it. Signing up with the Crows will get Kera a new set of battle buddies: cackling, gossiping, squabbling, party-hearty women. With wings. So not the Marines.

But Vig can’t give up on someone as special as Kera. With a storm of oh-crap magic speeding straight for L.A., survival will depend on combining their strengths: Kera’s discipline, Vig’s loyalty� and the Crows� sheer love of battle. Boy, are they in trouble.

There is one sequel published and another coming next year, but they follow different couples. I love this series so much!

The captive price by C.S. Patcat. M/M fantasy romance.

Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave.

Beautiful, manipulative, and deadly, his new master, Prince Laurent, epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country.

For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else�

I second The Captive Prince! Extremely well-crafted characters, great worldbuilding (with an emphasis on the cultural differences between the two leads), and really good political intrigue. There's not a lot of romance in the first book but the second book is super steamy.

Interesting to get two strong recommendations for The Captive Prince - I read this (spoilerific, well-considered) review a while ago and thought they sounded like they weren't for me. I might rethink!

Nalini Singh - Archangel's Heart. I tweeted Felicia about this one because I would like to see it as a Main Pick but Alt Pick would be fun too! - Thanks

Amanda Bouchet's A Promise of Fire. It's a fantasy romance and it's a terrific book, especially when you consider it's by a debut author. She got enough write-in votes to be in the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ semi-finals for best debut author.

The hero and heroine have terrific chemistry and the world-building is unique. Greek gods show up, which I initially thought was weird, but Bouchet makes it work. It's not juvenile; it's not stereotypical. It's incredibly fun and romantic. Plus, the audiobook reader is amazing.

"KINGDOMS WILL RISE AND FALL FOR HER...
BUT NOT IF SHE CAN HELP IT

Catalia "Cat" Fisa lives disguised as a soothsayer in a traveling circus. She is perfectly content avoiding the danger and destiny the Gods-and her homicidal mother-have saddled her with. That is, until Griffin, an ambitious warlord from the magic-deprived south, fixes her with his steely gaze and upsets her illusion of safety forever.

Griffin knows Cat is the Kingmaker, the woman who divines the truth through lies. He wants her as a powerful weapon for his newly conquered realm-until he realizes he wants her for much more than her magic. Cat fights him at every turn, but Griffin's fairness, loyalty, and smoldering advances make him increasingly hard to resist and leave her wondering if life really does have to be short, and lived alone."

The poll is now open until THURSDAY, Dec 1st.
/poll/show/1...

Claire wrote: "I feel like the VagFan community would be all over The Unleashing. Back of the book summary:

Kera Watson never expected to face death behind a Los Angeles coffee shop. Not after su..."

Hoping this one wins so I have another excuse to bump it up in my tbr. I got it as a Kindle deal not long ago but I have so much to read I haven't gotten to it yet.

Oooooooo. Yes, please.

One week left to vote. Don't wait until the last minute. /poll/show/1...

Congratulations to A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet, your alt pick for December.