SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion

Samantha, I don't think you can add it to a shelf once that shelf has been called. I think it has to be on that shelf.

Sorry, Samantha, the book you choose should already be on the shelf.

Samantha, I just went and looked and it appears that one person shelved it as Kick Ass Heroine. It was on the third page of listings.

I'll take a look. Thanks!

So then next question. Before the shelves are called I can go through my books and list them in whatever bingo category they fit as long as its before the shelf is called?

Happy New Shelf Day!
I'm going to read .
I'll pick my Free Shelf soon. I guess as soon as I figure out what to read! LOL!!

Sorry, not to be a pain in the ass (sorry, couldn't help myself) but I think it'll be an issue of kickass vs kick ass, so I'll just be a good team member and go directly to the link and pick something out. :)

Samantha wrote: "So then next question. Before the shelves are called I can go through my books and list them in whatever bingo category they fit as long as its before the shelf is called?"

Yes, you can do that Samantha, be sure you have shelves with the exact same spelling.

Personally, I like it to be a surprise, but then I have so many books I can afford to do that :)

Is it ok to read the free space book before the other one?

Yes Gea, you can read whichever, whenever you like :)

Thanks Sandra and Judithe!

Great! I took a look at Dark Lover and started reading and I like it so much I don't want to drop it and go reading another book :D

Okay, page 10 of the listing, I'm reading , which is also conveniently a buddy read this month. :)

For the free space, I'll have to think about that one, but it'll probably be

Sorry it wasn't on there Samantha. Sometimes I've gone onto the shelf to check for a certain book and the whole series will be on there EXCEPT for the one I want to read!

Having said that I LOVE both Midnight's Daughter and Sacrificial Magic so hopefully you won't be too disappointed with your choices ;)

Right. I have 9 library books to read in like a week and... basically none of them are on the shelf or FS except for KAH. Yay for me! It's long but it shouldn't take me a lot of time... if it's good :P

This is another book on my can't wait to read shelf, so I'll be waiting for your review Josie :)

Sorry it wasn't on there, Samantha. I thought I saw it listed!

I love seeing everyone's books. So many authors I've never heard of. And Josie, I've heard great things about The Bronze Horseman. I'll be looking forward to your review as well.

That's okay, Leslie! I really appreciate you looking. I didn't mean to have issues with picking my book, especially since the shelf has over 6,000 books. I guess it comes with the territory, being a first-timer and all. ;)

Josie, like Leslie said I've heard a lot of good things about TBH. It's waiting for me on my kindle, so I hope you like it.

Kimberly, that's a fun series! Good pick.

Gea, Briggs is one of my fave authors and that series is a good spin-off.

I've finished my free space read :)


Free space
Book: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

Rating: ★★★★★
Finished: 16-Sep-12
Review: This was the second time I picked up the book and the first time I finished it. The book was so great it had me wondering why I haven't read it before. This is a beginning of a long series and I can't wait to read the rest of it. There are so many characters who get their own books that I started taking notes on every member of the brotherhood so that I don't mix them up (like it happened with Breeds).
I liked both Wrath and Beth very much but felt pity for Marissa and what has she been through. I am glad that she gets her own book in the future which probably means she gets a happy ending too. I fell in love with all members of brotherhood and I will try to put as many books from the series as possible in my ongoing challenges.
I loved the glossary of expressions in the beginning of the book because I don't particurarly like figuring the language out by my own as the book progresses. This way I just went to the beginning of the book and check what I have forgotten about.

Yay Gea, congrats on being a speedy reader! I'm glad you liked DL, it's nice when you have the whole series spread out in front of you, no waiting lol!

That's quite alright, Samantha, you will become an old hat in no time, we were all beginners once :)

I'm love seeing everyone's book choices as well, Leslie. I'm only 150 pages in but I'm really liking it so far.

Dark Lover is an amazing book, Gea! It almost makes me want to go back and read it again. And Beth and Wrath are just as wonderful in the 10th book of the series.

And no worries, Samantha! I just know how frustrating it is when you want to read something and it's just not shelved a particular way. I don't have a shelf called Kick Ass anything, so I'm at the mercy of others!
As to organizing shelves, I have to admit to doing a little of it. Not a lot, but some.

When a book is good there's no problem in reading it fast because it just sucks me in :) I like it when there are more books in the series because I tend to forget things if a lot of time passes between books.

I have already started Cry Wolf and first three chapters are great! I guess this will be another quick read :D

Gea, did you read the first 70 pages or so of Cry Wolf in which also comes as a separate ebook ? It's not necessary for the challenge but definitely necessary for the story.

No I didn't read it since I noticed this prequel only after I started reading Cry Wolf. I will probably read it after I read this book

;) Wouldn't want you to miss out!

Oh yeah, I loved that prequel! Definitely read it at some point! It's not really a short that can be missed out IMO because so much of the book refers back to it. I think it also helps us to understand Anna's character and why she's so jumpy. Plus it's when they first met (which I've always wanted for Mercy and Adam as well) ;)

Ditto what Josie said!

Good to know for when I read the book as well - thanks!!

Happy Monday everyone!

Kick Ass Heroine
Book: Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

Rating: ★★★★
Finished: 17-Sep-12
Review: This book is an opening of a new series I will have to finish to see where everything goes (like there isn't enough of them already!).
I noticed after couple of pages that part of the story is missing since I haven't read the prequel but I managed to guess most of the missing stuff so it didn't really influence my reading. I will however read the prequel to get the missing pieces together.
I liked the book and the concept of this paranormal world, specially the part about witches and magic. I love magic and mixed with other paranormal stuff makes the book so much better for me.
I noticed that series is all about Charles and Anna what I don't much like since I prefer each book to be about other couple and their story ends with HEA in that book. However if the series is good enough I "suffer" through it and enjoy the read.

Wow Gea!!!
Congrats on reading both books!
I'm glad you liked Dark Lover. That series is one of my favorites!

Well done, Gea! I'm glad you enjoyed it :D

Hey Kimberly, hope you're liking your pick. For some reason CV is not a fave for me but I know there is a lot of fans for the series.

I'm 40 pages from finishing TBH, will probably do it in the morning since I'm feeling tired.

Title/Author: The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Date finished: 18th September
Rating: No idea, probably 4 or 4.5 stars?
Review:
A long book (just over 650 pages) and I want to pick up the next one which is just as long. Except I kind of don't at the same time.

Anyway, a quick overview. Tatiana is our heroine, living in Leningrad (present day St Petersburg) with her mother, father, grandmother, granddad, twin brother and older sister. The story starts in 1941, during the second world war, just before the seige of Leningrad. I haven't read any books set in the war, nor set in Russia, so I have no basis to say that there are better or worst books out there around this time. This book is powerful though, suffering, starving, death, illness, it's all here and made me thankful that I have never been hungry. I had to keep myself from stocking up on canned foods.

Alexander is a soldier and our hero of the book. For me though, the real hero of the book was Tatiana. She started out as naive, fairly immature, seen as weak and frail by her family. She turns out to be the strongest, with a stubborn nature and a heart of gold. She is, I'd say, probably too loving, too forgiving.

There are continuing themes throughout the book, for me particularly these were truth vs lies and the concept of sacrifice.

There is one thing that prevented me from giving it 5 stars and pissed me off so much (view spoiler)[WHY WAS ALEXANDER WITH HER SISTER? WHY NOT, AS SOON AS HE MET TATIANA, BREAK UP WITH DASHA? WHY ONCE HE FINALLY BROKE UP WITH DASHA, DID HE GET BACK WITH HER AGAIN? WHY DID HE ASK DASHA TO MARRY HIM? DIDN'T IT OCCUR TO ALEXANDER THAT TO BE ONE STEP CLOSER TO TATIANA, MAYBE NOT BEING WITH HER SISTER WOULD HELP? THIS IS UNNECESSARY ANGST. TATIANA ASKED HIM NOT TO HURT HER SISTER, SO WOULDN'T THE PLAN BE TO BREAK UP WITH HORRIBLE, ABUSIVE, SELFISH DASHA, STAY AWAY FROM HER AND LET HER GET OVER HIM, THEN COME BACK ON THE SCENE? (hide spoiler)]

This book really plays with your emotions, angry one page, then sad, laughing, worried, happy etc. Which is why I don't really want to start the next book. I know that they will have much trouble and hardship to go through but at the same time, how can I not start the next one, straight away?

Great review, Josie! Books like that really take it out of you, so I can imagine why you are conflicted about reading the next one. I always have to put a lot of fluff in between reading big, emotional books!

Great review Josie :) Now I really have to read this book and soon!

Week 1: Kick Ass Heroines 9/18/12 ***** stars


This installment of the In Death series kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Eve is involved in an investigation into a cop killing and it appears that there are dirty cops involved with a bad guy named Max Ricker. Ricker of course has ties to Roarke and he again gets involved in the Eve's case. This story has a tight murder mystery, great humor, marital struggles and those perfect Eve and Roarke moments. What more could be asked of a book!

Leslie wrote: "
Week 1: Kick Ass Heroines 9/18/12 ***** stars


This installment of the In Death series kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Eve is involved in an investigation ..."

Love Eve and Roarke so much!

Shelf: Kick Ass Heroine
Finished: 9/18/2012
Rating: 3.5 stars

Charley Davidson is the Grim Reaper - which basically means she is a sparkly portal that ghosts cross through to get to the right plane of existence, she remembers the day she was born, she heals ultra-fast, and oh, yeah, she sees dead people! She is also really snarky, being haunted by a sexy something-or-other and trying to solve the murder of three lawyers that were all double-tapped the same night. I enjoyed the mystery Charley is trying to solve, but like some other books, the snarky humor is just too much for me to love the book. I can only take that kind of humor in small doses. This will probably be one of those series that I read slowly over time because I want to see what happens with Charley and Reyes, but not one where I devour the books rapidly one after another.

I picked my free space book off the bookshelf - I'll read

Thanks Leslie and Gea! You both definitely have to read it at some point, it takes it out of you but it's worth it. You need enough time as well because it was one of those where you just had to keep reading. In fact, after your review Leslie, it's really made me want to read an In Death book so I might put one between them. Or end up reading it afterwards as a breather!

Yay Mandy! Great review, I've heard that the snark can become a bit too much so I won't be rushing out to get that one just now :)

I'll probably won't be able to read my free space pick this week, too many other books I need (okay I admit it, want) to read first. I'll try to squeeze one in though.

I just finished #1 and #2 in the Charley Davidson series last month. I agree with you about the humor. I get so tired of it after awhile. I'm pretty sure I gave it 3.5 stars as well (both of them). I find the series interesting but it's not something I'm in a huge hurry to continue. I like UF, but the second one barely any romance at all. I want something to keep me going!

Leslie wrote: "I just finished #1 and #2 in the Charley Davidson series last month. I agree with you about the humor. I get so tired of it after awhile. I'm pretty sure I gave it 3.5 stars as well (both of them)...."

Glad to hear it - I can get it from my library but I won't rush to read it if there isn't much movement on the romance front. I just like my UF or PNR to be "darker" I guess - less on the humor. (What I can say, I don't like sit-coms or chick flicks either. My tolerance for stupidity is really low!)

Oh no Josie, I read the spoiler (couldn't help myself). That issue would really bother me, too....maybe I'll get to it sometime.

I have so many books around and I know I had Midnight's Daughter, but I just couldn't find it so I went to the library yesterday. It's so annoying to be a disorganized reader, lol.

Shelf: Free Space (chosen from the SOS Bookshelf)
Date Read: 9/19
Rating: 5 stars

I really like this series, even though looking at it rationally it is formulaic - hero and heroine meet, there is some reason they cannot be together, later that changes, happy ending (ish) - yet I still loved this book. Vishous is probably my fave, (view spoiler)[ so seeing him working through some of his issues rocked, and I liked seeing Doc Jane get one of her old friends back. Manny was a great hero and he and Payne fit each other well - so much better than any other male could have. I was shocked by the half-brother thing, but that twist rocked. For a 400+ page hardback, I flew through this story in one day, including schooling my kids. (hide spoiler)]

I try never to look at romance novels rationally LOL! The fact that they are formulaic makes me happy. And I love this series, too! Amazing reading, Mandy!

I have started my Free Space Book. I should be finished some time tomorrow.

Leslie wrote: "I try never to look at romance novels rationally LOL! The fact that they are formulaic makes me happy. And I love this series, too! Amazing reading, Mandy!

I have started my Free Space Book. I sho..."

Go, Leslie, go!

Samantha! Oh no! Lol, I can never resist them either. This is probably why I didn't absolutely love Alexander in the first book but I'm reading the second and he is really shining in it (more than Tatiana, they've switched!). He is heroic, witty, intelligent, brave and I feel I've really gotten to know him so it's all good now! Don't let that put you off reading TBH :)

Yay, Mandy! I need to catch up with BDB, glad to see you're still enjoying it.

Good work Leslie :D

I need to try looking at romance novels rationally from now on. Maybe I won't get so bent out of shape when the same thing happens over and over again! :)

Friday Night Bites is BORING! I have to stick it out because I started it and I hate not finishing a book.
My reward for finishing it will be that I'm going to read The Darkest Seduction for my Free Space read.
I'm catching up. Sorry I'm being so low at the start.

I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble with your pick although I'm slightly pleased that there is another person who is not wowed by Friday Night Bites. Whenever I read Chicagoland Vampires, I always end up fustrated and wondering what on earth I'm missing!

Free Space Book: SOS Shelf 9/20/12 **** stars

I'm almost ashamed to give this 4 stars. It is the sappiest PNR I've ever read but I must be a sucker for sap because I loved it - mostly. Reda is a former police officer who finds a book and is transported into a magical realm in order to help Dayne, who a Prince and needs to get back home. His kingdom has been overtaken by a Blood Sorceror. Lord of Wolfyn is #3 in a 4 book series in which each book is written by a different author. I seem to be reading backwards in this series, as I have read #4 but not #1 or #2. Most of this book centers on the journey to go back to Dayne's kingdom. He has landed in an in-between world while he waits for his guide. Reda is not aware that she is a guide or that there is any magical world that exists. I enjoyed her reactions and I enjoyed the arc of their relationship as it grew and changed throughout the book. The world building was very simplistic and often confusing. The language was often over emotional and overblown. But in the end, it was still quite an enjoyable read - somewhat like eating cotton candy is an enjoyable treat.

Well done, Leslie, enjoying it is the main thing!

I'll be away for the weekend so I just stopped by to let you know that I will choose my book on Monday afternoon