how to backup ibooks without itunes

Hi everyone, the situation is quite intense. I didn't have my laptop with me for quite some time so I have been using my ipad 2 by downloading books directly onto it. However my ipad has been showing the dreadful 'connect to itunes' message and crashing periodically. I have updated the ipad software and the crashes keep happening. I know I will be forced to do a system restore at some point, but I am trying to save my books from ibooks before that. I hardly have anything other than books but it seems there is no easy answer.

I cannot connect to itunes and sync because:

• an itunes sync with the new laptop will wipe all the books out.
• the old laptop's itunes kept crashing and so I updated it so apparently it cannot run on my windows vista [I know...]

Other options I have tried:

• Iexplorer but it showed pdfs only and the epubs showed in folders but without the epubs [disappointing]
• TouchCopy which was an unmitigated disaster

I have considered dropbox, but apparently it wouldn't work. I feel silly for having put all my eggs in one basket. If I got another reader will I be able to import somehow the book plus notes? There are too many to email myself. So I suppose what I want to do is backup books plus notes from ibooks without itunes.I am on Windows 8 atm.

If there is a solution, will you please let me know!