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

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

Monadh.. You are welcome. It is an unusual series. Book 2 is a bit difficult, lots going on, but book 3 was even better. I hope that you saw my post, if you subscribe to her newsletter then you get Lucas' POV. I really liked it. It went along with each book. I would read it after book 3, Sabotaged.

Waverly... I forgot to mention, if you sign up for C.P. Rider's newsletter, you get Lucas Blacke's POV

Demetra... I think that you just gave me a lot to think about. The genetic identity never triggered a contact, but you might be on to something. I also wondered what she can do because she (view spoiler)[scanned through the colors and chose the blue one, which determined the ability she used? Perhaps? (hide spoiler)]
Great thoughts!

Monadh... When I get in a rut, I jump to a different genre. Historicals, space dramas, alien mates, you name it, I try to move on a bit.

Congrats Monadh!! That's a great accomplishment. :-)

Demetra... I wonder if the author took all of the words and things that people hated the most and decided to throw them together and use them in a book. I can't even imagine that the author had other people read it before it was published, except of course her besties and her family members who would go along with whatever she wrote. I never ceased to be amazed at what people will do.

On a great note, the bonus story by Ilona Andrews is up...

https://www.ilona-andrews.com/2020/th...

I loved it!

I finished Sabotaged, wow she undergoes quite a transformation. I think that I liked this book even better than the first 2. I like her relationship with Lucas. Together they are funny and corny, sentimental and sweet. Kidnapped for her abilities, betrayed by someone she thought was long dead, Neely finds herself captured and taken to an abusive, government run "sanctuary " which is so not one.
Neely finds herself at a crossroads and her path is a switchback curve.
I really liked this book and would rate it a 4* read.

Lulu... Sabotaged is the 3rd book in the series. Spiked is the first book. Neely is quite the different character. I don't think that I have read any other paranormal books that had a telepath capable of spiking someone's brain and killing them. She can root around and find out info too.

ETA... I'm also craving a lot of Mexican treats for some reason! LOL!!

Great job LAB. I gave you a "like". I am sooo not into reading anything with a political bend to it, even if I do agree. I think that books are my escape. Unless I intentionally purchase a politically charged book, I never want that in my latest novel. I have given a "bad" review and haven't been rejected in NetGalley, (at least not yet, LOL!).

On the reading front, I am still listening to the second book in the Rising series, The Plan Commences. I am still not too happy with all of the couple fighting, and the voice of one of the female leads bothers me, but some of the couples are actually getting along.

On the kindle front... I finished Two Shots Down This is a highly unusual book in that she has the H as a bull shifter that competes in pro bull riding as of course the bull. It's an interesting take and the h is going to be the first representative for the bulls. The riders all think that she is a sell-out because she used to represent the riders before her husband was killed by, (you guessed it), one the the bulls. These are quick easy reads and there is a cameo with some of the people from her last series.

I'm attempting to read some of my TBR, while nothing important is coming out. I am reading the next book in the Sundance series, Sabotaged In this series the main character has the ability to not only read your thoughts, but she can spike your brain and kill if threatened. In this book, it has been a short while since she "spiked" (and killed), a bad Alpha leader and everyone knows what she is and what she can do. Everyone wants to kidnap her and make her their pack weapon. There is a lot more to it but you get the idea. I like the budding relationship between the h, Neely, the telepath, and Lucas, the Alpha of a "mixed" species pack who is a Tiger shifter. She owns a bakery and I like to bake so there is a connection between what she does and what I can do. There are terrific side characters and you get the small town vibe, with shifters.

TINNGG... Are you putting hardwood down in the dining room? That has been some big project for you hasn't it. I hope that your son is doing better.

I try to get ARC's from authors that I like and know too.
I don't give a gratuitous review, I just try not to be a jerk. I think that a review that just says it sucks does no one any good. I look to reviews to give me insight. What did they dislike or like about the book or nothing at all, but why? I would never write a review for a novel without reading it entirely or if what I wrote wasn't heartfelt.

TINNGG... I hope for your sake that the book does a better job in the last 100 pages than it did in the first 58!

HappyBookWorm.... I did love White Hot it is one of their better books, IMHO.

Monadh... I agree, I also liked what you said about finding a book boring. I try to keep my criticism down a bit especially when it is a new author, and find something, anything, that I thought that they did well. It isn't always easy and some reviewers are so perfect that they will just write something to the effect that this book stinks! I try not to fall into that category, even if I may think it. LOL!

I finished the newest book by BR Kingsolver, Magitek This is a new series by the author of the Rosie O'Grady's Bar and Grill series.
In this series, Danica James is a police detective in the Arcane Division of her local police department. She is a mage with the unique ability to manipulate technology with her magical abilities. Not entirely human, (she is 1/4 Elf), her para side allows her more speed in her reaction times.
This world is after a big rift, (caused by her infamous grandfather), who "boosted" an atom bomb and it created a break in the underworld seal and that allowed demons, shifters, vampires, and other nefarious species to enter into our world. The rifts also move about and because of this her police area is both Washington, DC and Baltimore together.
Powerful mage families answered the call to bring the world under control, and now those are the ruling factions. On her father's side she is linked to 2 such families and her mother's is Elven.
This is an interesting mix of kick butt police action and the magic and technology merge that is her power.
She has a beautiful witch roommate/best friend, Kirsten, who everyone loves and who backs her up with her magical concoctions and true friendship.
There is some arcane police protocol, some rich family dynamics and power struggles/competition, and her consuming search for a missing young girl, all embroiled into one smooth novel.
I give it 4*'s great characters, good world building, not a ton of background to drown in, and lots of action.
This is also free on KU.

Even though I try to be careful, I am still missing a book in my Book Covers post. My 2020 books read doesn't match up to my covers. I guess that I had better pay closer attention.

Happy Reading Everyone! :-)

Thanks TINNGG... It's always nice to get someone's insight. I have never read his books simply because it seems like a momentous task to sort out just where to jump in.

For the Pratchett fans.... Is there a suggested reading order?

melindeeloo... Thanks for mentioning the Flame's Embrace Anthology. Tell me something, do they make more money if I just purchase the book or if I download it through KU?

Totally off topic... I have just spent the last hour in a hellish alternate universe. If you really want to torture me do it by fitted sheets. For some demon possessed reason I decided that it would be a great idea to get a couple of new sets of sheets for each of the beds. I have been washing and drying and of course folding them all morning. Some one kill me now. ;-}

I have been listening to book 2 of Kristen Ashley's The Rising series, The Plan Commences. This must be adding to my frustration, Every single couple has some sort of deep seated fear that is preventing them from actually getting along even the married ones. All of the women have a problem with the men. Even when the men speak out in anger because some catastrophic event has occurred and offer heart felt apologies, the women walk away. They are all princes or kings, who knew that they were going to be this way? Well, duh Everybody! I hate this trope. Ya, ya, build up suspense, blah, blah, some event happens and all is well, blech! I almost want to skip this book entirely.
OK, Crabby Appelton has left the building. (Yes, that was a reference to the Captain Kangaroo, Tom Terrific show). I just like the name, I call my husband that all of the time, LOL!

On a very positive note... We have been extremely dry all summer and today it is finally quietly raining. It is just a shower, but even during the tropical storm Isaias we hardly got any rain, lots of wind to knock the power out, no rain. In my area the rain has been going North and South of us with nothing here.

Good news Doug! Congrats on quite the achievement! Sometimes I have a hard time writing the Netgalley reviews that I should post.

I finished reading How to Rattle an Undead Couple which I thoroughly enjoyed. I like the world of potentates that Edwards has created. I liked it so much that I discovered that I had and never read the other potentate "next" book. I must have had something else that I was reading to have not read Change of Heart which I also really liked. All I can say is finally Midas and Haley have a conversation and survive it. That is one of the reasons that I like Edwards' novels, the adults talk things out. There is no sulking and pining for 2 books until they have to get back together.

The next book, Proof of Life will be out in December, but I'm not sure that I like the blurb, "Betrayal and heartbreak. Chocolate and sentient shadows."
I love that these are on KU, I get really good reads and I don't have to go broke getting through a series.
I read the latest (I think), Charley Davidson novella before the big send off, The Graveyard Shift In this novella they explain Beeps abilities, her rapid aging, all as a prep for the finale/showdown.

I started a new series by BR Kingsolver, The Rosie O'Grady's Bar and Grill series author, Magitek So far I'm liking it, but I've only read a tiny bit of it.

On audio, I finished The Beginning of Everything and now I am listening to The Plan Commences These are long and sometimes I want to speed through the gratuitous sex, but all in all there are a lot of characters involved so they take a while to read.

Vinity. It, (The Audible app re-install), finally worked for me the next day. The look of the app was different and it worked from the Google app store. I must have uninstalled and re-installed it 10 times. They also fixed that irritating download of a book into 2 parts.

I'm with you Demetra. I received an ARC, (which surprised the heck out of me), but that meant that I wasn't going to go and purchase an actual book. When I have read the book already.

I don't think that they were very timely in their announcement. It's a wonderful thing for those who actually read DTB's, but I either listen to or read on a kindle.

While I find it fascinating, I think that I can wait until they post the story.

They posted an odd/funny snippet today.

I have been listening to The Beginning of Everything I liked the Fantasyland books and I can't wait for all of the preliminary preamble to get the series moving. I have about 6 chapters left and I would like at least one of the couples to actually get together.

On kindle I am reading How to Rattle an Undead Couple which I am enjoying a lot. I miss the snarkyness of Lethe and the closeness of the characters and Wooly.

On a completely unrelated subject... I have the weirdest occurrence pretty much daily. I have these birds that visit my birdbath between 3 and 3:30 every afternoon. There are 6 or 7 of them and it appears to be their daily ritual. Bathing is generally finished by 3:30, and then they are gone.

I couldn't wait for everyone to start finishing up Emerald Blaze I have a better feel for Catalina and her abilities, don't you? I even like Allessandro even though he stomped on her heart in the last book.

HappyBookWorm... If you do Netgalley I got an ARC for the second book in the Blacksmith Queen series. It's called The Princess Knight. I also was fortunate to get The Blacksmith Queen as an ARC and that is one of the books that my review just disappeared from the site. You can always try.

Hmmm, I wonder what everyone is reading today?

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "OOh Vanessa, so jealous you have finished The Jackal.

I haven't got my copy yet, had to cancel my bookdepository.UK order as they are having problems with supply and delivering to Australia. I'm ..."

Yes you guessed it, The Wolven!! I love the character in this book, he is dark and dangerous, very BDB.