Lisa - (Aussie Girl)’s Comments (group member since Jun 15, 2017)

Lisa - (Aussie Girl)’s comments from the Read, Reading, Planning to Read and More group.

Vanessa wrote: "For the fans of Juliet Marillier has a new series coming out September 3rd. It's The Harp of Kings."

I really enjoy her work, Vanessa. I'm going to go see if there is a pre-order.

Stay safe. Lulu. Here down under we have the opposite problem - air conditioning going overtime. It's bl**dy hot!

I finished . It was a solid 3.5 star read and I'm going to read the next one.

Also starting . I think a few of you have read it but I can't remember the verdict?

Lorraine Heath is one of my go to historical writers. You always get a decent 3.5-4 star read I find. I especially liked her Scandalous Gentlemen of St James series and spin offs.

Florida sounds nice, Lulu.

I'm reading . It's running a 3 star half way through. All her trilogies seem a bit the same.

I've got Ocean Light to read sometime as well. I read them in paperback so am always a year behind. Same with Charley Davidson, once the last one comes out in MMPB I've got the last three to read back to back.

Congratulations Doug. Not only the Godfather of this thread but also reviewer extraordinaire.

Ain't that the truth Vanessa. We're nearly burning up here. I'm not a big fan of air conditioning but even I have my limits!

I just finished . Really enjoying this series and has restored my faith in YA after that last Cassandra Clare. ie How to incorporate a gay couple without making a big thing about it and it being no different to a straight couple.

Totally on board with you guys! Half the fun of reading is for escapism and letting your imagination live vicariously through different worlds and experiences. I know I'm getting older because sometimes I just shake my head, where has decent common sense gone!

Yep, I'm with Vanessa and Lulu. The Hathaways and The Wallflowers are probably amongst the best of recent historical romances. I like The Ravenels but they are not in the same league as her earlier ones.

It must be difficult sometimes for authors to keep coming up with new fresh ideas when they've had popular and amazing series. I just read the latest Elizabeth Hoyt who has had a great record with a number of series but it seems general opinion is she has missed the mark with

LAB☺ wrote: "Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "LAB☺ wrote: "I am still slogging my way through . Its over 800 pages, I'm at around 70% I think. Now, I loved all the prev..."

Yeah, I had a good long think about it, maybe I was seeing it from a generational perspective but it was just too heavy handed for me. Some of those concepts when read by an 11-12 year old just too much.

LAB☺ wrote: "I am still slogging my way through . Its over 800 pages, I'm at around 70% I think. Now, I loved all the previous books in the Mortal Instruments world..."

Me too, LAB> Slogging through it is the right description. I will finish this afternoon. I agree this trilogy seems all over the place. and this book is just too long and had a section in the middle which was totally superfluous to the plot. (view spoiler)[ The bit where they got into Thule and battle an alternate reality Sebastian, WTF... (hide spoiler)]

I'm also having an issue with (view spoiler)[ her jamming every type of relationship into this trilogy. We have same sex, transgender, a menage as well as heterosexual... I get this is YA book and she is making the point that love is love... and I have absolutely no problem with that but it does seem quite heavy handed to me and distracting to the plot line. (hide spoiler)]

Vanessa, I loved the Infernal Devices too! I still remember sobbing at the epilogue in The Clockwork Princess. This latest book is just leaving me cold but hoping it improves. Cassandra Clare is returning to the children of the characters in the Infernal Devices next so I will probably read it. Let me know what you think of Queen of Air and Darkness when you get to it. Maybe it is just me.

I've been reading the last book in the Dark Artifices trilogy... and it's been a struggle. Half way through and very little has happened. Cassandra Clare is the last YA author I have stuck with but maybe this is it for me. Hopefully the last half of the book is a bit better. Any one else read or reading it?

And to you all. We're already at 5 pm on the 1st... and done not much as yet, LOL.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays. Here's to a great 2019 for us all filled with... more books of course!

Paula, I'm the same, I keep on getting messages to change to Amazon AU. I have the books on my Kindle arranged how I like them and really don't won't to re-do it again. I worked out the difference AUD to USD a while ago and it works out usually just a few cents different.

Congratulations and well done Vanessa!

Vanessa wrote: "I forgot to add... Honorable mention for finally revealing Cassie's mate in Cross Breeds (Breeds #23)- Lora Leigh only took somewhere around 18 books before that reveal."

Oh my Goodness Vanessa... can't believe I forgot that one. Add it to my list.

I love seeing what everyone's favourites were for the year. Mine were - ( 4.5 - 5 star Goodreads stars) - Great reading year with lots of variety of genre -

1. Blood Fury - J R Ward
2. A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell) - Deanna Raybourn
3. Letters to a Secret Lover - Toni Blake(Contemporary)
4. Honor - Susan Fanetti (MC)
5. High Voltage - K M Moning
6. Dearest Ivie - J R Ward
7. Play Dirty - Sandra Brown - romantic suspense
8 Hello Darkness - Sandra Brown - romantic suspense
9. Lilac Girls - Martha Hall Kelly (Historical fiction)
10. The Thief - J R Ward
11. Bonded in Blood - Mike Bennett
12. Magic Triumphs - Ilona Andrews
13. Clash of Storms - Bec McMaster
14. The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris (Historical)
15. My Dear Hamilton - Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie - historical
16. Fight - Susan Fanetti - MC
17. American Hellhound - Lauren Gilley - MC
18. Iron and Magic - Ilona Andrews
19. A Treacherous Curse - Deanna Raybourn
20. Stalking Jack the Ripper - Kerri Maniscalco - historical YA

My absolute favourites for the year were the Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter which I read one a month as a buddy read. Forensic thrillers I suppose you'd call them but the interaction between the ongoing characters as their layers are uncovered each book is amazing.

So, now that we are getting to the end of the year, what was everyone's favourite reads (PNR or otherwise)?