SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion

Good Morning (or afternoon or evening). I was just thinking about how quiet it's been around here and I thought I'd check in and see how you ladies are doing. Anything new or fun planned for the summer? Suzanne how's your daughter feeling?

Oh, how painful, a bunch of teams have 2 shelves stamped and some are almost done with their third! I see Suzanne started her free space a couple of days ago, and was half through yesterday so I'm guessing that everyone is getting better.

Deidre wrote: "Oh, how painful, a bunch of teams have 2 shelves stamped and some are almost done with their third! I see Suzanne started her free space a couple of days ago, and was half through yesterday so I'm ..."

I need to start looking around and see where those stamps are on other people's cards. hopefully they aren't near their free space so it'll take longer for them to get a Bingo.

Daughter is getting better, the croup turned into an ear infection and pnuemonia so she's on antibiotics. She's been pretty happy during the day but at night she's still waking up every 2 hours coughing and hacking. I'm working my way through Fallen but it's really similar to Dead Beautiful. Strange boarding school, mysterious happenings, angst angst angst...

Suzanne wrote: "Daughter is getting better, the croup turned into an ear infection and pnuemonia so she's on antibiotics. She's been pretty happy during the day but at night she's still waking up every 2 hours co..."

Oh poor thing. Glad she's getting better, but I hate that she got worse before she could.

I liked Fallen because at the time it came out it was different, but I couldn't get into the rest of the series. Definitely angst, angst, and more angst. Dead Beautiful and it's sequel are definitely much better in my opinion.

I really liked Fallen when I read it because it was so different from everything else (same as Paris). I read the second one and kind of liked it but I felt like there was something missing. I've been meaning to read the third but I've heard really bad things about it and I really hated the cover. I read Dead Beautiful after Fallen (a long while after) and I liked it but I can't remember much about it. I keeping meaning to read the sequel too.

Sorry I'm a little slow this week. I can't believe it's already Wednesday. It's moving too quickly for me to catch up!

Sarah wrote: "Sorry I'm a little slow this week. I can't believe it's already Wednesday. It's moving too quickly for me to catch up!"

No worries. That happens. To me it only happens on weeks I'm on vacation. The rest of the time, the weekdays drag on like crazy since I'm at work. lol

It changes week to week for me. Usually if I have a lot of plans for that week then it goes really fast, if I have nothing to do it drags.

Paris wrote: " I need to start looking around and see where those stamps are on other people's cards. hopefully they aren't near their free space so it'll take longer for them to get a Bingo..."

then don't look at team 3...After that one I couldn't bear to look at any others!

Don't get discourage, ladies. ;-) It's a little early in the game to panic. :D Even if a team or two has perfect alinement with their Free Space, the next few shelves might not help those teams at all. Every other game has last longer than five rounds, so having a 3- or 4-in-a-row early on is NOT a sure thing. Does it makes things a little more exciting? Absolutely! :D

Fallen by Lauren Kate
Rating: **
Date Finished: 6/28/2012
Shelf: Young Adult Paranormal

This book was not good. The intro of the book revealed the plot of the whole story, so when the main character got to the big "Revelation" the reader already knew it. Dumb.

Suzanne wrote: "
Fallen by Lauren Kate
Rating: **
Date Finished: 6/28/2012
Shelf: Young Adult Paranormal

This book was not good. The intro of the book revealed the plot of the whole story, so wh..."

I heard it was bad, too bad.

Young Adult Paranormal 5/5
Stamp Received: 6/28/12

√Sarah: Hourglass - 6/20/12 - ★★★★★ - Review
√Paris: Dark Frost - 6/18/12 - ★★★★★ - Review
√Ana Willow: Fallen - 6/18/12 - ★★★ - Review
√Suzanne: Fallen - 6/28/12 - ★★ - Review
√Deidre: The Calling - 6/17/12 - ★★★1/2 - Review

Woohoo!! Just put in our request for our first stamp. way to go ladies!!

Yay! Great job ladies!! :)

Sorry You didn't like Fallen Suzanne, that's always a bummer!

We're off and running now. Keep up the good work and read read read.

CONGRATULATIONS, Cover2Cover!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'young-adult-paranormal'.

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

Good Job!! :D

Yay! Thanks Steph!

Congrats C2C!

YAY us!!!

Happy Saturday ladies! We have a new shelf and it's a personal shelf so no direct link. it's New 2 You series.

Our next shelf announcement is up ~ 'New2You: Series'
This is a personal shelf, not a GoodReads' Shelf

NOTE:
❀ Members are allowed to choose the first book from any series that is new to them - no genre restrictions
❀ Book must be 200+ pages, part of a series and the first in that series
❀ Re-reads are not allowed - must be a book/series new to you

Happy reading!!

So I've got and on my short list for this shelf. Decisions, decisions...

That's a tough one! I don't know yet, I will post in a little while what I decide on :)

Wow, there are so many! I am thinking of:
or or .
And then there is or and even . How to decide.....

I'm probably going to do . I've started so I'll hopefully get that one read in the next day or so.

Deidre: The Mythos series is a favorite of mine, but I love books with mythological tie ins. I have Plague Town on my TBR and I've read another series by Laura Ann Gilman, but I'm not familiar with the rest of your choices. I look forward to your review on whatever you choose.

Suzanne: Kelly Meding is one of my must read authors. The Dreg series city started off a tad rocky for me, in fact I DNF'd it the first time I tried reading it, but now I absolutely love it. I hope you like Three Days to Dead.

I finished Eona on June 29th for the favorite series shelf.



Title/Author: Eona - Alison Goodman
Series: Eon #2
Read: June 29, 2012
Rating: ★★★★★
Shelf: Favorite Series, page 35
To-Be-Continued? no (sadly it's done)


ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! Eona, Kygo, Dela, Sethon, Ido and Ryko are back and this time the stakes are much higher. Sethon has claimed the throne and Kygo is amassing soldiers to retake his birthright. Eona and her friends are now part of the Resistance Movement. A quest-like adventure roaming the countryside both hiding from Sethon's troops as much as finding supporters. The bulk of the novel is Eona learning to control her power and her dragon with the help of Lord Ido. Unfortunately Lord Ido has his own ideas about power and Eona finds herself caught between two powerful men, Lord Ido and Kygo. But whom can she trust? Kygo is the rightful Emperor and will do what is best for his country regardless of what's best for Eona; yet he questions her loyalty and honor. Lord Ido is smooth-tongued and unethical yet he clearly is enraptured by Eona but for her or just for her power?

Eona makes some bad choices herself and her great power does influence her decisions. She is vulnerable and flawed, fighting herself as much as anyone else. It is easy to forget that she is just 16 years old with immense power and great responsibility. Even though this is fantasy, I found this kept the story believable and eminently enjoyable.

New2You Series: I'll be reading by Addison Fox which starts the Alaskan Nights series.

Deidre wrote: "Wow, there are so many! I am thinking of:
or or."

I've read the Vineart Series and absolutely loved it though it is not a quick read by any stretch of the imagination. There is lots going on and the world building takes some getting used to. But IMHO it is worth every second hour it takes to complete.

Barbara ★ wrote: "I finished Eona on June 29th for the favorite series shelf.



Title/Author: Eona - Alison Goodman
Series: Eon #2
Read: June 29, 2012
Rating: ★★★★★
Shelf: Favorite Series, page 35
..."

great review, I have this and the first one on my kindle. I really liked Goodman's Dogstar book, so got the others (after waiting forever on the wish list at PBS, I gave in and d/led them) Glad to see all the stars!

Barbara ★ wrote: "I finished Eona on June 29th for the favorite series shelf.



Title/Author: Eona - Alison Goodman
Series: Eon #2
Read: June 29, 2012
Rating: ★★★★★
Shelf: Favorite Series, page 35
..."

As soon as you posted you were going to read this book I added the first one to my TBR. They look great. I hope I can get to them sooner rather than later. Great review!

Review for New2You series:
Read 7/1/12 Plague Town by Dana Fredsti Dana Fredsti
I give it ***.5, maybe even ****

I decided last night that I needed a zombie dose. I ended up reading Plague Town.

This has a pretty standard zombie story and plot, but has a bit more horror mixed in. Story is set in small college town, bad new flu going around, you can guess what comes next. Well, you can guess some of it, but there is just enough extra and unusual stuff that even though you know how some will turn out, the others can be shocking and quite icky.

Thank goodness that there are no speedy zombies, no plotting/planning zombies, no incredibly intelligent zombies who trick you into getting eaten, just your good old-fashioned "BRAINNNNNS" zombies (no, they don't say that). The author is a fan of zombie stuff so she follows the "rules," assuming zombie books have rules...

Not to say she didn't throw in a couple of unusual, and new twists that make me want to read the rest of the series NOW. So those of you who have her on their to read should just get to it!

(Extra for those who read PNR) I also looked her up, she writes erotic fantasy/romance under the name of Inara Lavey, so some of you may have read these.

Great review Deidre. Definitely makes me want to hurry up and read this book. I love zombie books, movies, tv shows, all of it.

Hey Suzanne I was just updating the master list and realized I don't have a book listed for you for the Favorite Series shelf. Did you decide what you were going to read or is it still up in the air? Thanks!

I'm going to read Poison Study for the new to me series :)

Paris wrote: "So I've got and on my short list for this shelf. Decisions, decisions..."

I decided I'm just going to read both, since one is on my Kindle and the other I have in paperback, and whichever one I finish first is the one I'll use for the shelf.

Sarah wrote: "I'm going to read Poison Study for the new to me series :)

"

I can't wait to read your review. I've always been hesitant about trying that series out. I updated the master list with your choice!

I've owned it for at least two years but I've never gotten around to trying it out! I've heard wonderful things so I just need to do it after I finish Insurgent.

Sarah wrote: "I've owned it for at least two years but I've never gotten around to trying it out! I've heard wonderful things so I just need to do it after I finish Insurgent."

"I just need to do it" is something I'm always saying to myself and then some other shiny book gets in the way. lol

I started reading last night for the Favorite Series Shelf. So far I really like it! I love heroines that have attitude problems :)

Suzanne wrote: "I started reading last night for the Favorite Series Shelf. So far I really like it! I love heroines that have attitude problems :)"

Then you will love Rose. She's one of my favorites. Oh and Dimitri *sigh*. I can't wait for your review!

I knew this one would be the one I finished first...


Finished: 7/2/12
Rating: ★★★★★
Shelf: New 2 You Series

When Jeaniene Frost first introduced Vlad in At Grave’s End, I was in love. He quickly became my favorite vampire in the Night Huntress series pushing Bones into a distant third (Spade had already taken first place when he was first introduced). Every book after that, I wanted more Vlad. And then when Frost started writing her Night Huntress World books featuring Spade (yay!) and Mencheres (eh) I wanted to beg her to write a Vlad book. I mean, really, how could she not want to write a Vlad book? Of course I didn’t need to worry, of course she wanted to write a Vlad book and not only just one book, but at least two, with a possibility of more!!!

Once Burned is told from Leila’s point of view. She’s a very spunky character despite the tragedy that she has seen and that has left her scarred and with supernatural powers. Leila could have easily been a meek mouse or a completely bitter bitch given all that she had gone through and still had to deal with, but she wasn’t. Instead she’s strong and doesn’t wallow in her own misery even when she’s in life threatening situations. She is a force to be reckoned with and she isn’t afraid of the war that she has stumbled into the middle of. She did remind me of Cat, but better and I think that Leila is the perfect woman for Vlad because she doesn’t put up with his crap.

Enough about Leila, let’s get on to the good stuff. Even when Vlad wasn’t in a scene I could feel his presence, lurking like his guards throughout the castle. His character and charisma filled the entire book and kept me turning every page waiting to see him again. I love that Vlad is an unapologetic arrogant badass and in Once Burned we get to really see him in all of his glory, including the soft side that we saw in At Grave’s End when he saved Cat from herself. I cannot wait for more.

The storyline itself was good, very much a Night Huntress type plot, but it was really Vlad that kept me coming back for more. And it’ll be Vlad that makes me re-read this book more than once before Twice Tempted comes out in 2013. I do believe with this book, Vlad has moved up on my list of favorite fictional males right up next to Jerricho Barrens and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Paris wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I've owned it for at least two years but I've never gotten around to trying it out! I've heard wonderful things so I just need to do it after I finish Insurgent."

"I just need to do ..."


I know exactly how that is!

Title/Author: Baby It's Cold Outside - Addison Fox
Series: Alaskan Nights #1
Read: July 3, 2012
Rating: ★★★★★
Shelf: New2You: Series
To-Be-Continued? most definitely

Review:
Never married, 33 year old, Sloan McKinley is having mother issues (her's is nagging her to get married and setting her up on horrible dates with eligible, rich, dirtbags). So when best friend Grier Thompson calls her from Alaska and begs for help with an inheritance problem, Sloan drops everything and books a flight to middle of nowhere Alaska. (Oh how I envy her. It's always been my dream to live in Alaska.) Unluckily for her, she lands right in the middle of a bachlorette shindig. The towns richest ladies (grandma's with marriageable grandsons) have been putting on this bachlorette thing for over 15 years in the hopes of marrying off their grandsons, with no success to date. Oh the shindig has been a huge success with 30+ entrants from the lower 48. Of course, Sloan is horrified and wants nothing to do with this event, until she claps eyes on Walker Montgomery, bachelor #1.

This is a very funny and highly romantic tale of love in the frigid Alaskan wilderness. I thoroughly enjoyed the courtship dance between Sloan and Walker. I really liked Sloan and loved seeing the perennial bachelor fall in love. I also liked the supporting characters, Grier and Avery and of course, the men, Mick and Roman. I can't wait to read the remaining books in this trilogy.

Barbara ★ wrote: "

Title/Author: Baby It's Cold Outside - Addison Fox
Series: Alaskan Nights #1
Read: July 3, 2012
Rating: ★★★★★
Shelf: New2You: Series
To-Be-Continued? most defin..."

Great review Barbara. I might have to add that to my TBR.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Rating: *****
Date Finished: 7/4/2012
Shelf: Favorite Series

Young Adult books are either hit or miss for me, I either really hate them or love them. I've been avoiding reading this series because the description on the back reminded me too much of P.C. Cast's young adult series and I don't really for it. However, I loved this book once I gave it a chance! This could of easily been a really bad book, but the characters were awesome. I hate young adult books where the characters are naive and simple. They're called young ADULT books not young CHILD books, young adults cuss and think about sex and have real emotions. I loved the main characters in this book because not only were they believable, they were people that I would want to get to know in real life. So I definately give this book 5 stars and will definately look forward to starting the next book in this series!

Suzanne wrote: "
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Rating: *****
Date Finished: 7/4/2012
Shelf: Favorite Series

Young Adult books are either hit or miss for me, I either really hate them..."

I'm so glad you liked this book Suzanne. It's by far one of my favorite series. I just love Rose. Your review is spot on too. I get so annoyed when authors try to make teenagers into goody goodies. Sure there are those that are, but the majority of teenagers have sex, swear, experiment with alcohol (and drugs) and do seriously questionable things.

Good morning (or afternoon or evening) ladies! We are now one review away from getting both our Free Space stamp and our Favorite Series stamp. And we are 2 reviews away from the New 2 You Series stamp. Great job!

I am eagerly awaiting the next shelf so much so that yesterday I kept thinking it was Saturday for about half the day since I was off of work. I kept checking to see if we had a shelf called yet. Needless to say I was bummed when I remembered it was only Wednesday and that not only would there be no shelf, but I had to go back to work for 2 more days before the weekend was here.

Happy Reading!

So I've finally finished Insurgent by Veronica Roth.



Rating: 5/5
Read: 7/6/12

Review:
I loved Divergent! It was one of the best books I read last year. Insurgent might not be the best book I've read this year but it's pretty close. There was a lot more action in this book than the last one, mostly because the end of the last book presented the conflict and this book needed to show the conflict. I was a bit worried about Tris, because she wasn't exactly the same from the last book but I think the changes in her are justified and probable. It was smart of the author to show this, even though a lot of characters didn't like that Tris was not completely the same. I can't wait for the next book to come out. I enjoyed the moments between Tris and Four the most (for obvious reasons). There were some great quotes through out the book which I wish I had kept track of or written down.