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

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

If anyone wants a light read/series, I have been reading A Touch of Magic Mysteries,(it's a trilogy). These are lighter mysteries and have been an easy series to read while travelling. I find that they are hard to put down.
Newly Wed and Slightly Dead
Couture and Curses
and Wedding Bells and Deadly Spells

Lisa... I knew you were going to be watching Carnival Row. We seem to watch the same shows.

melindeeloo... The Miss Fortune series is great on audio. The voices crack me up.

I've been watching the Amazon Prime series "Carnival Row". This is a fantasy series staring Orlando Bloom as a police inspector in a city called Burgue. He investigates murders in the "Row" that usually entail brutality or murders committed against Fae. The Fae have left Tiananog (or some similar name) because they have been invaded. The soldiers of Burgue came to their aid but for some reason they abandoned the Fae before the war was won so to speak and because of this there is an influx of Fae escaping into the city. They are the new low class and many are indentured slaves to the humans. One such is Vignette, a type of flying Fae who was a lover to Bloom's character Philo and whom he left behind. She believes that he had died. It is visually dark and gritty. It has incredible makeup and masks to create these diverse species. I'm surprised that no one here has mentioned this series. I have only watched 2 of the episodes and it has captured my interest. This is a short series, only 8 episodes for the first season. I'm sure that there are many twists to come. I recommend this series.
edited to correct spelling

Kristi (foxtail_too) wrote: "Vanessa wrote: "Happy... If you ever get the chance to listen to her books, the native language is really cool to hear."

I was just contemplating buying the audio—I'm listening to an older (Romanc..."

Kristi... I think that some of the appeal of the Roanhorse books is the fact that there is a Native American language being spoken within the story and the fact that we have some folklore rolled in too. I found that I really liked the mystique of the Dine. The M.C. is a hard one to like/get to know in the beginning of the series, but there is a reason for that.
Have you found anything interesting in the Escape package?

For those still reading the BDB series, the next book is about Syn (a former Band of Bastards member) and Jo, (the half breed who has not yet transitioned who first appeared in The Beast) He was the accused in the latest Legacy book, Blood Truth

I know that someone here has recommended a KU book, Impossible Dream I liked it so much that I read the next book, Dare To Dream I've had it in my TBR for some time and I am sorry that there aren't more books to read.

I didn't hear all of what they said, perhaps LAB heard more. There were a lot of people around them and they are soft spoken so it was hard to hear.

Great pictures L! It was a lot of fun and I really liked the up close experience. The VIP meet & greet was like sitting down with a group of friends and talking about life.

Happy... If you ever get the chance to listen to her books, the native language is really cool to hear.

Lulu... that's too bad. I like her posts & the character guides. That's a lot of work on her part. I generally agree with her opinions too. Didn't she try to get someone to take it over last time?

The 2020 Book Lovers Con, (the replacement for the "RT") will be in Nashville next year March 18-22. Tessa Dare looked it up on her phone for me. Lots of interesting authors are already signed up. The registration for readers is $395.00 if you sign up in October they will donate $20.00 to Breast Cancer Awareness. You have to add your hotel room and your transportation to this cost. I'm seriously thinking about going. They are lots of fun and you get to explore a new city.

So, I met LAB and her hubby at the Avon Books KissCon yesterday. They were fun to be with and we had a wonderful time. I was great to put a face to the name on these forums.
As you would guess, the Ilona Andrews group was by far the largest. It was nice to sit and visit with them and get their views on everything from their writing to "critics". There will be more Innkeeper stories, (yay!) and they will be sometime next year.
For a door prize we received a gift bag with a couple of "uncorrected proofs" one of which is Wicked Bite . That was quite a surprise.

I also want to say Hi to the young ladies whom I met in the line for the Ilona Andrews signings. They checked out this group as soon as I mentioned it.

Waverly... Wow, I'm surprised at just how closely our taste in reading matches. I started the Lady Hardcastle book on audio, and will read the Time Police book soon. I just wish that the audio was out. I prefer to listen to those.

Jana DeLeon has a new book coming out in the Miss Fortune series, Swamp Santa Once again, the audio isn't even contracted yet. I do wish that she would push for the audio to release closer to the actual book release. It's frustrating to have to be behind in the series because the audio is so long in coming.

I finished the Shadow of Doubt the first book in the Potentate of Atlanta series, and I really liked it. Amelie/Hadley is a different character than in the Beginner's Guide to Necromancy series. There are many hidden layers to her and her control is greatly improved. In Atlanta on a temporary basis, Hadley hopes to be the next Potentate of Atlanta. She has proven her abilities under Linus' tutelage and this book is her first true foray into becoming the potentate on her own. New characters are introduced and of course the back up crew is still there and a friendship with the next alpha of the Gwyllgis, Midas is blooming.

LAB...I responded to your message. I am excited to meet you! At all of the book signings that I have been to, they usually ask that you limit your books to just a couple. Take what you can and return to the car if you need to. I'm sure that your hubby will be willing to run some out. I have hardly any DT books, except for those that I received at the RT's and a couple of book signings that I have attended. I'm going to look to see if I have any more paperback Tessa Dare books, I think that I have a couple that are already signed. This will be fun!

melindeeloo... I would be willing to do a pick it for me, as long as I have the whole month to read it. I can hardly keep up with my GoodReads lists to just enter them. LOL!

Waverly... I think that the Alex Verus books are going to be even better now. No spoilers, but his loss of the one person was quite sad, but I think that there is always room for redemption! Don't you?

I have finished the Beginner's Guide to Necromancy series and have started on the Potentate of Atlanta book, Shadow of Doubt I'm liking this "new" Amalie.

I also read the last 2 books in T.S. Joyce's Keeper's of the Swamp series. Dig Deeper and Bite Deeper I like these smaller quick romances. Her writing has much improved and the humor is quite good. The Keepers books are completely unrelated to any of her other series.

Just a reminder to fill in the blanks. My biggest problem is that the KU books that I read sometimes fall through the cracks. I generally look at my kindle or my phone, (for audio), to catch up on my lists. I should be more responsible and fill in the blanks as soon as I finish a book. Maybe I'll do better next year. ;-)

LAB... Don't worry, I wouldn't have let you miss the KissCon event. When are planning on getting there? My friend & I could meet you folks for lunch. There are lots of places to eat. Can't wait to meet you!

TINNGG... First and foremost take care of your son and yourself. You and he are in our thoughts. I would be crazy without something to read. I usually hop on the hospital wifi and watch movies on my fire and read lots of books. Just get a good VPN for the safety factor. I liked The Black Wolves of Boston, but I think that Spencer and George RR Martin must hang out together, because it take years for another book to be published in their respective series.
Hang in there and know we are thinking of you!

I have been ripping through The Beginner's Guide to Necromancy series, I'm on book 4, How to Dance an Undead Waltz.
(I still want the GoodReads app fixed to accommodate the titles).

Also, for those of us who are fans of Elizabeth Hunter's Cambio Springs series, she wants to finish the original storyline with Sean's story so she is going to post one chapter a month starting in January. I believe that it will be a part of her regular monthly newsletter and will be in a serial form. I liked that series but it wasn't financially viable because her publisher didn't like the sales numbers. I am happy that the Springs stories will be wrapped up. I don't know why she doesn't just do what Ilona Andrews does with the "Sweep" books and publish them after the serial is posted. That should give her a little something.

I forgot to mention that I read the latest Half-Moon Hollow book, Peace, Blood, and Understanding it was nice to see the old characters from Half-Moon Hollow, Jane, Dick, Andrea, Gabriel and even crabby Ophelia. I liked returning to the "originals", catching up on all of their lives and the introduction of some new people about town. The book blurb makes it sound like the whole book is about Jane vs. the Council auditor, Erik Weston, but it mostly about Meadow Schwartz and her bouts with Weston. Meadow is an archivist for the local Council branch and a part time tea shop and mail order business owner. She also happens to be a kind of ward to Jane. Let's just say that Meadow had her issues after being "made". The witty banter, the Dick Cheney tee shirts, and the craziness that can only happen when Jane is around is prevalent throughout. I thought that it was a great way to catch up on all things vamp in Half-Moon Hollow.

I liked the first book so well that I jumped right into the second, How to Claim an Undead Soul It doesn't have too much of that YA feel although the characters are clearly in their early 20's.

I finished Cunning Devil, which I really enjoyed. There was non-stop action, mystery, a varied cast of characters, and a very likeable main character. Ozzy Turner is a very Dresden (esque) character. He's a bit dark, fumbles his way around a bit, and seldom comes out the winner in any battle. But, in the end he accomplishes what he sets out to do. This is a great intro into this series, (it might still be free on KU). I like the "Cunning Man" (white witch) supernatural, it's a different spin than the more common characters. I would give this breakout book 4*'s.

I have been meaning to start this series for quite some time. I am finally reading How to Save an Undead Life. I seem to be a big fan of Hailey Edwards although I have not read her Araneae Nation series, yet. The entire series is free on KU as a "box set". So far I like the M.C., Grier Woolworth, she's a fighter with a very rough and mysterious past and she's only in her early 20's.

Carol wrote: "Starting . So excited!! Hope it's good."

Carol... Alex finally comes into his own. I loved it! I listened to the book all day, I was that involved in the story. I hope that you are doing well! We have to get together sometime soon!

Waverly... I love the Alex Verus series, it is another series that is great on audio, (if that's something that you do).

Lisa... It took some time to get into it, but I did actually enjoy Marillier's The Harp of Kings. I think that she is going to do a slow burn like the Blackthorn books.

HappyBookWorm...
Thanks for the Alex Verus update, I listen to that series and the release slipped by me. The voice for Alex is spot on for me. You are correct, there are a lot of witchy covers out, I thought that it was perhaps the "season". I'm excited to DL the latest Verus book, Fallen

I finished the latest BDB Legacy book, Blood Truth , I really liked it, for some reason this couple was engaging and I found the relationship believable. At the end of the audio version, there is an interview with the narrator, Jim Frangione and J.R. Ward herself. They talk about the process of narrating and her claims that she is just the typist, that the characters dictate the books to her. It gave a bit of her background. They discussed favorite characters, Wrath, (Ward), and Lassiter, (Frangione). She did say that there is going to be a Lassiter book, I think that will be funny. Because the Legacy books are about young people in the BDB training, there are a lot of Brothers, Bastards, Doggen, and of course Jane and Manny making appearances. I would give it 4.5*'s.

I just started the latest Miss Fortune book, Cajun Fried Felony. I love the voices in this series, and I hate waiting for the audio version, but that said, I am loving being back in Sinful, LA.

LAB... Have you read the Virgin River series? The H from The Wanderer makes an appearance in one of the final books. I liked the VR series better, but I do like the Thunder Point series. Have you read any of her other series?

So I read the first 2 books in Molly Harper's Novels of Sorcery and Society series. While the H is 14, I found her to be quite intelligent and her "besties" are the same. There is lots of wit and genuine thoughtfulness. Changeling Fledgling

I started the latest in the BDB Legacy series, Blood Truth I like the couple very much. Boone is from the elite, (Glymera), and is now a trainee for the Brotherhood. Helaine is from the common class. For 8 months she has been investigating the death of her sister at a local nightclub, and discovers the body of another species female. They meet a day later when Boone accompanies Butch to the club to look for clues to the identity of the killer. One of the best things about this couple is that they actually talk about issues. I have to admit, I still love the Brothers, and Wrath is still the mouthy, irreverent leader that he has always been. Ward has always been good at snark with an edge.

On another note, I see that back in July Jana DeLeon released her latest book, Cajun Fried Felony and incredibly surprising the audio book released today, that's not bad for her. Usually you wait for months for the audio, this is almost unheard of. ;-)