Vanessa’s Comments (group member since Jun 15, 2017)

Vanessa’s comments from the Read, Reading, Planning to Read and More group.

LoveYourShelf.. That's so exciting for Briggs. I wish her all the best.
I saw that the Bridgerton series is going to do a backstory about the King & Queens' early romance.

I just wanted to add that I also listened to a pretty good series start, Some Danger Involved.
Set in London in 1884, this series follows a downtrodden young Welsh man whose last chance job is working for an inquiry agent,(detective). He responds to a help wanted post in the newspaper requesting help wanted some danger involved. He is thrust into a seedy and dark world and his employer knows how to get to all of the best eateries, even if they have to walk through a hidden and dark tunnel under the river Thames. While I have read lots of Victorian detective stories, this one has a way of keeping you in the dark about everyone and every suspect.
I must caution folks that because of the murder investigation there is lots of Jewish lore, customs, and religion.
Barker, Llewelyn's boss is as much as a mystery as anything else in this tale. We learn of Thomas' history but only get little tiny bites about Cyrus', (Barker). I will continue with this series eventually, and I look forward to finding out about Barker.

Great than it is settled, ARC's here, no spoilers, (which we always put in a separate discussion anyway).

TINNGG.. That's good news and probably a tiny bit of insight into FIL's behavior. I wouldn't credit that too much though, a leopard doesn't change his spots. Good Luck and hang in there.

Kristi... I'm happy that the Mother's home sale progressed that fast. Less head aches that way. I didn't realize that your brother lived there too. I hope that he helped you, but judging by personal experience, I know that you probably did the majority of the work.
That is great about retirement, Norway sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate.

I did finish the ARC of The Other Half of the Grave I really did enjoy it, I fell in love with Bones just a little bit more after reading his POV.

Next up finish Kiwi Gold I'm about half way through and while it is a good read, I'm not as engaged in it as I was in the previous three books in the New Zealand Ever After series.

After that I'm back in the BDB world with Lover Arisen

I finished my ARC of Demon Hunting with a Southern Sheriff
I love her crazy "Southernisms" and over the top situations and I found that this book was a laugh from beginning to end. I am so glad that Lexi George returned to the crazy Hannah, Alabama world.

Next up is The Other Half of the Grave Yay!

I was wondering if we should start a separate discussion about up coming books that are available as ARC's from NetGalley. Just a thought, I would happily settle for postings on this board.

Kristi (foxtail_too) wrote: "Vanessa wrote: "I'm happy, I just received word that I got an ARC for The Other Half of the Grave.

I finished the novella, Double Play, it makes me want Armstrong to re-visit Nadia from time to t..."

Sorry I forgot that part, I Edited my post. OOPS!

I'm happy, I just received word that I got an ARC for The Other Half of the Grave.

I finished the novella, Double Play, it makes me want Armstrong to re-visit Nadia from time to time.

I read The Elf Tangent. It was good, not great and part of my reaction stems from the almost happy ending.

I listened to an unusual book that takes place during the Nazi occupation of Paris. It is about a young woman who works in the American Library in Paris. There is no formal "resistance" action but a form of quiet opposition of the German protocols. It is based on some actual people and of course fictionalized to create an interesting story. Filled will lots of characters and many quotes from famous books, it is a readers gem. This isn't a high action book and it is juxtaposed between the early 1940"s and the mid 1980's. A good 4* read.
ETA... The Paris Library is the book's title.

I have Lover Arisen in my TBR and also a couple of ARC's that I must finish.

I love the Miss Fortune series, but I listen to these and her audio books are months behind. I'm glad to know it's a good one.

Fourth time is a charm!

This is too weird. It posted my comment twice and I have tried 3 times to delete it. I keep getting an error message.

Hang in there Frisco. Like TINNGG, I find nothing works when I am stressed too.

Not sure how many people read the older series by Kelly Armstrong (Nadia Stafford), but there is a short story in the Nadia world called Double Play. I listen to these on audio and the short is sadly the same price as a regular book and narrated by a different reader. I do like the story though. It is called Double Play

HappyBookWorm... I've been thinking about a re-read of The Others series, and when I read the Kate/Curran blurb, I've been thinking about that series too. I love their banter. "Here Kitty Kitty" or sending him a glass of milk.
Thanks for the James info, I really like her writing even though I'm not usually a contemporary fan.

Thanks TINNGG I'm glad to know more of the story.

Thanks Kristi, I stand corrected. My friend has Audible on her iPhone and never mentioned that to me. Maybe she doesn't listen to free or cheaper than a credit books? I doubt that though, because I told her to always check to see if a book is on KU & you could purchase the audio version for cheaper and she claims that she does. She hardly ever uses her computer for things like that, she's definitely a let me check this on my iphone sort of person.
When you purchase an audio book then you can only use your computer, that's good to know.

So sorry TINNGG. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm not sure if android users who listen on Audible are aware that tomorrow all purchases of books will be limited to credits only. They are flipping over to a google play platform for audio books and they won't accept credit or debit cards. Also, you cannot participate in buy one get one sale offers because they will only accept credits, not credit card payments. So if for instance you get a cheaper offer for the audio version, you can't buy it.
I am really ripping mad at this treatment. I have been listening to audio books from Audible for 12 years or more.
It appears that they are going to preferential treatment for apple owners.

LoveYourShelf... I bet that had something to do with it. It's funny but I was going to post about the BDB book and you posted first. I have never been able to get one of Ward's books as an arc. That's okay though. I have enough books to review anyway. You have me looking forward to the next chapter in the BDB saga. I liked but did not love the last book, I'm looking forward to the next Prison Camp book.

Isn't it though Doug. I have so enjoyed some of the latest reads from our favorite authors. Have you been reading the latest Innkeeper serial?

LoveYourShelf... I am jealous of your BDB arc. Have you been reading the regular books, not the prison camp or wolven ones? Now I am really intrigued. I requested the BDB book and was rejected the same day. I can't wait for my copy. Enjoy!

I actually like the Bridgerton series. I think that they are having a lot of fun with it. Some of the ballroom dances are actually an orchestral version of modern songs. I love the diverse cast, and the only thing that I don't like is that they revealed Lady Whistledown in the first season finale. I do like that the character goes to great lengths to conceal her identity. Anthony wasn't one of my favorite characters in the Quinn series but I do like the actor portraying him. They did say that this season was going to be a bit tame than last season. I think,(just my opinion), that it must have been hard to do intimate scenes with all of the pandemic worries. Maybe that accounts for the roll back of passionate scenes.

I listened to a book that I enjoyed very much. It is The Wizard's Butler. A former Army medic, and EMT is sent by an employment agency to a job interview for a butler's job. The uber rich uncle is portrayed as a senile old man who is deluded and thinks that he is a wizard, by his money hungry niece and she hires the butler for a year. After that she hopes to send the old guy far away to an assisted living facility. Come to find out the guy isn't suffering from dementia, he's suffering from the effects of something else. This is more like a day in the life type of book, the butler, Roger Mulligan, slowly sees evidence that Mr. Shackleford is a wizard and that magic is real. It takes him a while and I like that he wants to experience things for himself rather than take the word of a money grabbing relative. It was a relaxing read and better yet, it is free on KU.

TINNGG.. Iam so sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family.
I've been bouncing around trying to clean out some of my TBR on both audio and kindle. I listened to the book News of the World. It was made into a movie starring Tom Hanks. The movie follows the book for the most part, but there is a bit of a detour around one of the storylines. I liked the book very much. While it had lots of action, it was a relaxing read.
I took a gamble on a couple of unknown to me authors which were on the Audible buy one get one free sale. I'm starting The Wizard's Butler by Nathan Lowell.

I really want to read The Others novels again. I rarely re-read a series, but I might make an exception for these again.

I've been reading and listening to all kinds of stories. I decided to read the rest of the stories in the Fire Of The Frost anthology and wanted to read the rest of the story so I read Jeffe Kennedy's Bonds of Magic books. They were alright, . Dark Wizard, the h runs away from the H because she was attracted to him, and didn't want to be. Book 2, Bright Familiar, she is with him at his crumbling estate and now he doesn't want to embrace the power that they need to fend off the bad guys and finish restoring his family seat. Book 3 Grey Magic, they finally work as a team and are developing a group pop of wizards and familiars who are capable and are changing the way that the wizard/familiar bond is viewed.
These were ok and entertaining and I suspect that there are a few more to come.
I read BR Kingsolver's newest series opener, Family Ties. This is a story about a half elf woman, Diana, who has had a couple of murder attempts and discovers that attempts have been made on her sister and brother also. Her killer murmurs her fae families' name before he dies, so she and her brother set off to their eleven family world to find out who is trying to murder off the line of succession. This was free on KU and I enjoyed the medieval-like storyline.
I really enjoyed Chloe Neil's The Bright and Breaking Sea, and A Swift and Savage Tide. These novels evolve around a young sea captain, Kit Brightling who has an affinity for the sea. This is a high seas adventure with a slow burn love interest, a sort of enemies commanded to work with each other who find common ground and romance. This was to me a 4-5 stars series.
lastly, I have been reading/listening to Isla Frost's Fangs and Feathers series. The heroine of this series has a weird "power" she can borrow someone's abilities for a couple of minutes. (Like a pyromancer's affinity for fire). She just has to touch them to make it work. These can come in handy when you work for Las Vegas' police department and are partnered with a Dragon.
Dragons are a Girl's Best Friend, All is Faerie in Love and War, and Vampires Will be Vampires. These are light and snarky and also free on KU.

Sorry there are no links, I'm on the app and they still don't have a way to post links.

I finished Crowbones in 2 days. I love the feel of these books. I thought that this story was very well written and actually better than the last book. I hate that another book is probably years away.