SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion

Sorry in advance, but it may take me a little longer to read the UF space because I have some books due at the library I need to read first. Then I'll be able to tackle my bingo book. :)

That's fine, Samantha! I'm going to the library to see if (hopefully) Chasing Magic is still available on the shelf. Maybe then I can read it for tonight's announcement :D

Shelf is called! It's Vampires!! I will be reading . Happy reading everyone!
And Josie - I can't wait for the day when I'm on #35 of the In Death series.

Since I didn't get any further than the first chapter of I will re-read it and use the book for this week's shelf :)

For vampires I am reading Sexiest Vampire Alive

Mine will be , vampires and the Amish FTW!!

This book sounds interesting Samantha, can't wait for your review!

Hey there team!
I'm almost finished with Gunmetal Magic. I would have finished sooner because I'm enjoying the book, but the pain killers I'm on for my back and neck are telling me I like crawling back into bed more than I like sitting up to read.
Pft! I'll show those pain killers who's boss!
For Vampires, I'm going to read .

Happy reading!

Gea, Lover Avenged is my favorite book in the BDB series. I hope you like it.
Samantha, your book sounds interesting. I think I might be too chicken to read it, but I can't wait for your review.

Kimberly, I just finished Gunmetal Magic and loved it! Hope you are okay and the painkillers are working.

Neither can I, Leslie!

That does sound really interesting, Samantha, can't wait for your review :)

Poor you, Kimberly! Hope reading takes your mind off of the pain.

I think I'm going to read for this week. I haven't checked yet if it's on the shelf but I'm sure it is ;)

Sorry, Josie!! I misread the name. I meant Sandra-LOL!

Lol, the day I'm on #35 is FAR away! Only 33 more to read :P

Leslie wrote: "Sorry, Josie!! I misread the name. I meant Sandra-LOL!"

LOL. I've got about half a dozen to read still. Cause I get them from my library I don't always read them in order. I've started reserving the ones I've missed but can't resist when the latest ones come out :)

Free Space: Gunmetal Magic
Finished 7 October
4 Stars

I knew Andrea had a bad past, but reading it in a bit more detail emphasized how bad it was. We're finally told what happened to her after the last battle when the Order took her away and why she couldn't contact Raphael. Roman was great and I hope he shows up in more books along with Ascanio. I didn't realize Barbaras was so funny. The end when there was more about Anapa and Anep was kind of weird. But I don't like snakes anyway.
I hope there are more spinoff books about side characters in the Kate Daniels world. It's fun to see how the other characters operate when things aren't centered around just Kate and Curran.

Great review, Kimberly!
Woo! Here's our free space list, we now have three in a row :)

Free Space → 6/6 completed
✔ Gea: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward » 16th Sept ǁ ★★★★★
✔ Kimberly: Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews » 7th Oct ǁ ★★★★
✔ Josie: Tempting Evil by Keri Arthur » 25th Sept ǁ ★★★1/2
✔ Mandy: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward » 19th Sept ǁ ★★★★★
✔ Samantha: Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane » 6th Oct ǁ ★★★
✔ Leslie: Lord of the Wolfyn by Jessica Andersen » 20th Sept ǁ ★★★★

That is awesome, Josie!! Way to go Team!!

Shelf: Vampires 10/8/12 *** stars

This is number Two in the Love At Stake series, and it continues the light, humorous look at life as a vampire. In this one, we have Carly who was turned vampire 4 years ago against her will and has still not accepted it. She is a news reporter and gets hired at the Vampire television station to direct a reality TV show loosely based on The Bachelor. Austin is former CIA agent, who is recruited to search out and kill vampires, gets himself on the show and he and Darcy fall in lust. The story has its funny moments but the plot contrivances are so thick it's hard to see past them. Darcy whines about being a vampire incessantly and Austin is sometimes quite unlikeable. Despite all this, it's still an enjoyable and fast paced read. I'm not sure it's good enough to continue the series however.

YAY TEAM!!!
Another stamp for us!!!

Vampires
Book: Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward

Rating: ★★★★★
Finished: 08-Oct-12
Review: This is 7th book in the Black Brotherhood Series and the first one that didn't feature one of the brothers. It was as long as the previous book but unlike Lover Enshrined I enjoyed it so much I didn't even notice the number of pages, much less asked myself when is the book going to end. And that was a nice surprise after the last two books.
There was probably as much of a side stories in this book as in previous ones but they seemed interesting so I didn't mind them at all.
I loved Rehvenge&Ehlena and hated the transformation in John but I have hopes for him and Xhex since their book is next up.

Congratulations everyone for the new stamp!

Shelf: Vampires
Date Finished: 10/7/2012
Rating: 4 stars



Unlike most "humorous" paranormal romance, this series skirts the line for me of being over the top. I still couldn't handle reading too many of them in a row, but balancing them out with more angsty books works for me. In this one, (view spoiler)["young" vampire Gregori (VP of marketing for Roman) is trying to end off the disaster caused when Corky posted the video of Casimir's decapatation on YouTube. He is sent to the White House to represent the Vamps, which allows him to meet (and instantly start to fall for) the First Daughter no one knows about. Abigail is a PhD biochemist and smart enough to see behind Gregori's attempts to fit into the Vamp world. However, the mind control aspect of his powers definitely trips her up and causes them a major fight. While seeking a plant that Abby hopes can lead her to a cure for her mother's Lupus, they are captured by an army in China (ahhh... here's the major baddie to replace Casimir) and of course, fall in love. The predictable fight and make up ensue. I enjoyed watching them fall in love and win over the people in Abby's life that objected and I loved their make-up scene at the end. (hide spoiler)]

Mandy, I didn't realize it until you said these books are over the top that that's maybe one of the reasons I had to take a break from reading these one after the other.
I need to get back into this series because they are fun reads.
Thanks for your review!

Kimberly wrote: "Mandy, I didn't realize it until you said these books are over the top that that's maybe one of the reasons I had to take a break from reading these one after the other.
I need to get back into th..."

These don't drive me as crazy as most "chick-lit" type books do, but they come close enough that I have to space them out.

I've finished my vamp pick for this week. I think I'll write a review in the morning since I'm not sure on the rating yet - kind of in two minds about this one.

CONGRATULATIONS, License to Read!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'free space'. 

[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]

Good Job!! :D

Urban Fantasy
The Hour of Dust and Ashes by Kelly Gay

Date Finished: October 9
Rating: ★★★★
Another worthy installment in this series. Charlie has always fought for those she cares about and when her sister needs her she will do whatever it takes. I think it really says something when I care just as much about the secondary characters. I wouldn't mind seeing a short story with Bryn and Aaron, but I'm sure I see more of them in the next one. Hank's history also comes to light here and it only makes him more swoon worthy. I can't wait to read the next one, but on the other hand I have to hold off because I have no idea when the fifth book will be out. This is UF at its best and definitely recommended.

Vampires: Retribution
Finished 9 October
2 Stars

I breezed through this book because it was in very large type and I was wearing my reading glasses. I’m glad I didn’t pay full price for this book.
This is the most recent case I’ve read for Stockholm syndrome. First Abigail wants to kill Jess for stuff that happened in the past. Stuff she’s been brainwashed to believe. Then after being saved from death by a plague, she loves him and wants to spend the rest of her life with him. Okay. Kind of odd for her to act that way when she was so narrow minded about anything and everything the whole book. Oh, I forgot; she was brainwashed.
I felt like I was missing something while reading. It’s been a while since I read the last book, so I’m a little sketchy on what’s been happening in the Dark Hunter world. That being said, we go from Greek mythology to Native American mythology. Seriously, when did this happen? I can only imagine it happened when Kenyon added another set of “Hunter” to this series.
Was the point of having Sin in the first part of the book supposed to bridge the gap? How long is this series supposed to last and what other “Hunter” is she going to add?

Another Stamp!!
Go Team 16!!!

Congrats on the stamp Licensees!

And now we've finished week 3!


Week ③ (30th September)
Urban Fantasy → 6/6 completed
✔ Gea: Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh » 2nd Oct ǁ ★★★★★
✔ Kimberly: Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh » 2nd Oct ǁ ★★★1/2
✔ Josie: Glory in Death by J.D. Robb » 2nd Oct ǁ ★★★★1/2
✔ Mandy: Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells » 1st Oct ǁ ★★★1/2
✔ Samantha: The Hour of Dust and Ashes by Kelly Gay » 9th Oct ǁ ★★★★
✔ Leslie: Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews » 2nd Oct ǁ ★★★★1/2

WOO HOOO!!
Go Team!!!

Title/Author: The Ripple Effect
Date finished: 9th October
Rating: ★★★1/2
Review:
The general storyline was that Rhiannon had to give a knife to the vamp family leader and if she didn't she and the 'family' would be punished.

I was completely in love with the last book - it was so different and cool! However, this one returns more to how the first one was. Which is fine but it didn't quite have the wow factor.

I had such issues! Maybe because I'm a stubborn person and I hate vamp or shifter hierarchies in books where you have to do what people say, especially when everything is so unfair. NO! Be as awkward as you can!

I was so pissed with certain characters (as well as Rhiannon sometimes). Goose? WTF happened to his character? He was there and so supportive at the end of the last book and then after a couple of weeks, he's all "get over it now, you're being a whiny bitch". Eerrrmm??? No she's not! After all she's been through and then to be betrayed and for people to say it was her fault? Outrage. She didn't even want to be part of the family, she was dragged into it saying she'd be protected. I hate when characters have no say/choice and then are expected to fall into line and whore out respect some dickhead.

Anyway, this book goes a lot darker than your average UF. It is pretty gruesome in some places. There was this one scene and I so wanted Rhiannon to act (like she did with the girl shifter in the last book) but everyone was like "ignore it, be passive, shut up etc." She should not have listened. Saying "oh she's not going to survive anyway" does not make it ok.

I have to respect Saare's ability to kill off characters though. She went there. But I think I would've prefered Saare's original plan for the series. I will be reading the next book.

ETA: Oh and the show down was pretty satisfying.

Go team! We rock!

Josie wrote: "...whore out respect some dickhead."

This made me smile!

Once again I'm leaving for the weekend, I'll be back by Sunday night or Monday morning.

Gea wrote: "Once again I'm leaving for the weekend, I'll be back by Sunday night or Monday morning."

Have a good time! I'm also going out of town tomorrow evening, but I plan to try to check in from my parents' house. If not, I will when I get home Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.

Thanks and you too Mandy!

You're lucky you're going somewhere where there's internet connection :D We are going to visit my mother's distant relatives I have never met before and they live in a village far far away from any civlization it's a wonder they even have electricity.

Gea wrote: "Thanks and you too Mandy!

You're lucky you're going somewhere where there's internet connection :D We are going to visit my mother's distant relatives I have never met before and they live in a vi..."

Oh, boy! My parents only live an hour and a half away. My husband and two oldest are going camping this weekend, so the two younger ones and I are going to visit my parents rather than staying home by ourselves. It is also my youngest's 5th birthday on Friday, so he gets to have fun with Nonnie and Grandad!

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend! And Happy Birthday to your son, Mandy! October birthday's are the best. Mine is on Sunday. I won't be 5 but it does have a 5 in it LOL!

CONGRATULATIONS, License to Read!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'urban-fantasy'. 

[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]

Good Job!! :D

Congrats Licensees!

Yay us!

No worries, Gea, hope everyone has a good weekend! Shelf day tomorrow! :D

Vampires
The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

Date Finished: October 13
Rating: ★★★★1/2
Review: A little slow at first, this book really grew on me. The slow, easy build of the story sent the creepiness factor high and Bickle's vampires do not disappoint in that department. On a personal level I find that I have a weird interest in the Amish and I have no idea why because I'd even say it's love/hate. I love that they've devoted their lives to God in such an interesting way, but I hate that even in their humbleness there seems to be a pride or judgement in how others live their lives (and when their young people decide to leave, most will never speak to them again). It makes for interesting reading when an author decides to tackle both sides of the same coin, especially when you have a heroine like Katie who wants a taste of the outside world, but still respects and follows the way she was raised. Overall very believable, relatable characters to follow (even the Outsider has an interesting backstory).
I thought Bickle's take on vampire lore was different and I appreciate that she took some risks making the issue plausible (view spoiler)[ like how a seemingly "scientific disease" could have spiritual solutions, which is touched on briefly, but I expect to be explored later (hide spoiler)]. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I can't wait to read the next one. Perfect Halloween reading.

Hope everyone has a great weekend, too! I'll be working, but that's okay, got to bring home the bacon. :) I'll keep an eye out for the shelf later today. Yay!

Sounds very interesting, Samantha, will have to check it out now :)

Aannndd we have finished all our books, ready for today!

Week ❹ (7th October)
Vampires → 6/6 completed
✔ Gea: Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward » 8th Oct ǁ ★★★★★
✔ Kimberly: Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon » 9th Oct ǁ ★★
✔ Josie: The Ripple Effect by J.A. Saare » 9th Oct ǁ ★★★1/2
✔ Mandy: Sexiest Vampire Alive by Kerrelyn Sparks » 7th Oct ǁ ★★★★
✔ Samantha: The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle » 13th Oct ǁ ★★★★1/2
✔ Leslie: Vamps and the City by Kerrelyn Sparks » 8th Oct ǁ ★★★

CONGRATULATIONS, License to Read!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'vampires'. 

[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]

Good Job!! :D

Congratulations Team!!!

@Samantha - I've never been tempted to read an Amish book, but you made this one sound very interesting.

Congrats on the stamp Licensees!

I went and looked at every team's Bingo card and it appears that we are in the lead with 3 in a row along with 3 other teams, #3,#6 and #15. Not bad teammates!! Let's hope for a good shelf!!