Shan ~A~’s Comments (group member since May 14, 2015)

Shan ~A~’s comments from the SOS: Serious Overload of Series group.

Should finish Shelf 5 book today.

Selection Post
Shelf #6 ~ 12 June: (Spring) "Forward" or fae
For "forward", read a book in a series you've already started (book #2+)
Book: Not Your Ex's Hexes by April Asher
How it fits: Supernatural Singles #2
Read book 1 Not the Witch You Wed on 05/15
Pages: 343

Completion Post
Shelf #4 ~ 29 May: G - "Green" or gargoyle(s)
Book: Ravensong
How it fits: Green Creek series
Pages: 512
Finished: 06/07
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I was very happy that this book started by giving us Gordo's pov of a particular even that took place in book 1 while also giving us his backstory. After that we get to the present-day events which take place a while after the end of the events of the first book.

In book 1 we already know that there is some connection between Gordo and Mark, and here with the details of that connection. This pack gets no rest from people attempting to take them down. The are constantly underestimated, but will this time see them get more than they can handle?

TJ Klune is a very talented writer and I have been sucked right into this world that he is continuing to build layer by layer.

Selection Post
Shelf #5 ~ 5 June: S - "Spring Break" or shifter(s)
Book: Demons Do It Better
How it fits: On GR Shifters list
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Pages: 296

The week went by too fast. I haven't even started my other book. Be back with a selection.

Selection Post
Shelf #4 ~ 29 May: G - "Green" or gargoyle(s)
Book: Ravensong
How it fits: Green Creek series
Pages: 512

Steph wrote: "The authors name, title or series name must contain the full word, ‘green’. I’d be willing to accept names that contain the full word ‘green’, such as ‘evergreen’, etc. For cover color, it must be ..."

Thanks!

* For "green", read a book with "green" in the author's name, title or series or a book with a green cover

Does green need to be a complete word or just the letters of green?

Yay!!

Valerie ~ Val Hall ~ wrote: "I've requested Stamps for Shelf 2 and 3.

We are now up-to-date in our reading."

Yay!!! We are rocking this!!!

Completion Post
Shelf #3 ~ 22 May: M - "Mardi Gras" or magic
Book: Time's Convert
How it fits: GR Magic List
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Pages: 448
Finished: 05/25
Rating: 4 stars
Review: We saw Marcus and Phoebe fall in love in the original trilogy, that Phoebe made the decision to become a vampire, that Diana had the twins, and we knew that Matthew was Marcus' father.

Now we get to experience Marcus' life before he became a vampire and what occurred when he met Matthew and after. All of that while also experiencing Phoebe's transition and how Matthew and Diana are faring with the twins.

From the title I assumed that there would be time travel. It's not that much of a leap considering the events of the books that came before. I was wrong. What we get is an in depth look into Marcus' past that helps us get to know who he is, but also explains the customs that take place or should take place when a new vampire is being made.

Phoebe is newly transitioning, and we can clearly see why they call new vampire's infants, because she definitely acted like one, and I have to say that she annoyed the crap out me. That is the part that had me giving this less than 5 stars and the fact that there wasn't enough Gallowglass.

It felt more real to see that Matthew and Diana are still trying to find their way in the world with the edition of being new parents, with the added trouble of not knowing exactly what may happen with their kids in more than just the traditional sense.

I love how much family is valued with this vampire-witch family. Although I wanted to smack Sarah and Baldwin a couple times.

Selection Post
Shelf #3 ~ 22 May: M - "Mardi Gras" or magic
Book: Time's Convert
How it fits: GR Magic List
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Pages: 448

Selection Post
Shelf #3 ~ 22 May: M - "Mardi Gras" or magic
Book: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
How it fits: GR Magic List
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Pages: 317

Valerie ~ Val Hall ~ wrote: "I’m running behind on my reading. I’m only halfway through my book so the review will be later than expected."

That's okay it happens. Either RL, or doing multiple challenges ends up slowing us down.

Completion Post

Shelf #2 ~ 15 May: V - "Vernal Equinox" or vampire(s)
Book: Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson
How it fits: On the GR Vampire list
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Pages: 282
Finished: 05/18
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Betsy, Eric, and Jessica fly to the Cape Cod to take the body of Antonia back to her pack. Antonia was killed trying to protect Betsy, but now some of the pack blames Betsy for her death, and she has to appear before their council to explain.

Good thing Betsy doesn't tend to take things laying down, so she quickly calls them on their crap behavior which led Antonia away from the pack in the first place. On top of that something strange is going on with BabyJon.

Back at the mansion Marc is dealing with a huge mess. He tries to help when satan worshipers come a 'calling on Laura. His ideas take things from bad to worse. Now Laura is on a mission to "help" Betsy and free her of her sins and this does not spell good things, on top that Tina is missing.

I liked the addition of Marc's diary entries and the fact that we still got to see what was going on while the crew was separated and didn't have to just hear about it 2nd hand.

I know Betsy comes off as a ditz most of the time and people tend to underestimate her due to this. The thing is when the chips are down Betsy shows up and does her thing, even when she doesn't know exactly what she's doing.

It's the reason I continue with this series. She is annoying, but she's funny and she will kick ass when it counts.

Completion Post

FREE SPACE
Book: Bride by Ali Hazelwood
How it fits: Option 3
Pages: 410
Finished: 05/16
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I'm a huge fan of Ali Hazelwood. I haven't read anything by her yet, that I've disliked, and this is no exception. As far as I know, the author hasn't written in this genre before, but maybe I'm wrong because she seemed like she knew what she was doing.
It's always interesting to get an individual's take on supernatural communities and this one was a bit different from the ones that usually catch my attention. Here we have vampyres, shifters, and humans that are similar in appearance, but different biologically since they can't reproduce across species. The species are usually at odds, so they've found ways to attempt to keep the peace.
This time around Misery is being married off to Lowe in the midst of a deal between the vampyre's and the shifters. She doesn't have an easy time of it in his territory since no one trusts her. And not long after being there someone attacks her. Now she has a husband who doesn't want her and she's living amongst people who would have no problem seeing her dead.
Things are not always what they seem. She soon has the opportunity to show people that she's more than what their misconceptions and experience with vampyres in the past have taught them. She also realizes that what she thought was true when it came to the people in her life may not be true at all.
I really like Misery and how determined she was to find her friend at all costs, but the reason I didn't give this a higher rating, even though I enjoyed it, is because there was no mystery. Everything that was revealed I had already guessed at, so by the time we got to the end it felt anticlimactic and I didn't like that she chose to bury her head in the sand when it came to the punishment that was going to be given. After everything she and the people she cared about went she should have been enough of a badass to say what that punishment should be.
We were left with a HFN ending for Misery & Lowe and a hint of more to come with other characters. I do wish we had gotten more of an epilogue because I would really like to know if some of the other things they thought may have been wrong.

Selection Post

Shelf #2 ~ 15 May: V - "Vernal Equinox" or vampire(s)
Book: Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson
How it fits: On the GR Vampire list
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Pages: 282

Completion Post
Shelf #1 ~ 8 May: O - "Outside" or oracle
Book: Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher
How it fits: outdoor scene on cover (buildings)
Pages: 341
Finished: 05/15
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Violet is a witch, but a witch with no magic. She is also the oldest of the Maxwell Triplets. I don't know if I've ever read a book that had triplets or more. Anyway, she is given three months to find someone to witch bond with or she will be paired with someone not of her choosing.

Lincoln is a shifter and the alpha of the North American Pack. He is on a mission to make some changes in the supernatural community, but he also has to either find a mate by his next birthday or be forced to marry the mate of the counsel's choosing.

Violet and Lincoln have known one another since they were kids, he is the man that broke her heart, but now they are faking a relationship to get the counsel off their backs.

The thing is feelings from the past may not be extinct and to add to it what happens if a magic-less witch starts experiencing a bit of a spark. How and why is this happening. Then to add to that Lincoln has a battle on his hands trying to make the changes for the betterment of the supernatural community.

I loved these two together. Actually, I really liked all of the characters and I'm hoping that April Asher gives us more and more past the triplets. The world building was great and the chemistry between the characters was outstanding.

Valerie ~ Val Hall ~ wrote: "Shan ~A~ wrote: "Val, your review is not giving me much hope for Bride. I'm going to wish my mind and pretend like I didn't see while reading my other book and then come back here and reread your r..."

Sorry if I tainted your enjoyment of Bride. It just was not for me but you might like it if you are familiar with her work


It's going to be nice to compare when I finish it. I thought I was going to finish my first book today, then I fell asleep. Now I'm up when it's actually time to go to bed🤦🏽‍♀️😂

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