R6: Team #1 ~ First and the Furious

[Midu]

hey Christina! thanks Sandra!

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Hi, Midu! :)

[Midu]

hey! are you up to speed?

[Carlyn]

Hey Christina thanks for helping us out! Welcome to the team and enjoy Arsenic and Old Lace it's a classic :)

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Midu wrote: "hey! are you up to speed?"

I've picked books for all the shelves except favorite author. The book I'm reading now was on the UF shelf. l'm half way through it. Hopefully, l'll have two finished before the next shelf is called.

Carlyn - loved the movie. I've seen the play several times. Looking forward to seeing it again. :)

[Midu]

happy reading :-)

[Carlyn]

Shelf: Urban Fantasy
Rating: ★★★
Finished: 04/10/12

I really loved the first book in this series but this one was a bit of a disappoint for me.
the Olympians warn them about wild dog attacks on civilians the group decide there must be more going on than they are being told. When they discover the wild dogs are actually jackals and their master is the descendant of Anubis things go from bad to worse.
I don't think the story worked as well as it did in the first book and some things left me completely bewildered, such as the sudden developments between Nikki and Jamaal.
I still want to read the next one though but I hope it's a bit better than this one.

[Carlyn]

That's us all updated again ladies :)

[Midu]

thank you,Carlyn!

[Amelia]

Welcome Christina! :)

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Amelia wrote: "Welcome Christina! :)"

Thanks! :D

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Thanks for filling in, Christina! :D

Carlyn wrote: "I really loved the first book in this series but this one was a bit of a disappoint for me."

Same for me, Carlyn. :/

[Amelia]

Shelf: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 3 Stars
Date Finished: 10/6/12

What I do I say about this one? I was very disappointed. Risa and her gang, Azriel, Lucian and now her ex-Jak, along with Hunter, the Vampire Council and her Uncle Rhoan all cross paths throughtout this book. She's blackmailed into killing a dark spirit from Hunter and the Vampire Council, who actually want her dead. She's also still tracking down her father and the keys. She must kill this dark spirit and prove her worth or the Vampire Council will kill her. It was okay and left me wanting more. I don't know?? It was just kind of lacking something.

[Juana "Darkness"]

Title/Author: Kindred by J.A. Redmerski

Date Finished: 10/5/12

Shelf: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 5 stars

Review: Adria is having what doctors would call panic attacks. But what is really going on with her is the affect of Isaac's blood. As the book goes on from the 1st book they find that there is a lot of regret, pain, doubts, and other emotions clouding their minds. And when the Prevarians are there to help if not rescue them from the bad influences around them then they think that everything is ok. But everything is far from being ok. Adria goes to the doctor to see if it's anything human. And then they find out that Genna Bishop is really a Pavarian. Things get testy between Adria and Isaac, when Isaac tells her its his blood as well as Victors inside her. But as soon as that little drama is over the real drama begins. Adria asks Isaac to do what she promised never to ask him to do. And then Adria leaves, and in that time Adria is gone he becomes Alpha of his pack. Will Adria ever come back to Isaac? Will all the mysteries around their little supernatural community be revealed?

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

G17 : Urban Fantasy - Bound by Flame by Anna Windsor- ★★★★ - 5 Oct 12
This is the second book in the Dark Crescent Sisterhood and it features Cynda Flynn, a fire Sybil, and Nick Lowell, a NYPD cop with the Occult Crime Unit (and like his twin brother, he's half-demon).

I enjoyed this book more than the first. A lot of action, like the first, but it didn't seem to drag. There is also a lot less antagonism in Cynda's triad over her relationship with Nick -- though the leader of the fire Sybils is against it and threatens to expel Cynda if she continues to pursue it.

The thing I noticed in this book was the reference to family. Cynda's biological family couldn't deal with a child who set things on fire and turned her over to Motherhouse Ireland, which became her home. The Sybils in general are her family, but she is closest to Rianna and Merilee, the other members of her triad. Rianna's husband, Creed, is Nick's twin brother. Even without his relationship with Cynda, Nick is connected to her triad through his brother. Then there is Jacob/Jake, Nick and Creed's "brother" who may or may not be acting of his own free will. The possibility of having to kill their own brother ways heavily on the twins.

I thought the identity of the villain was obvious, but only to the reader. It worked for me this time because I don't think Cynda could have figured it out any sooner than she did -- it would have seemed too far-fetched to have just jumped to conclusions with such vague clues to work with.

I will be continuing this series.

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

I'm more than half way done with my Free Space book. :)

I've chosen my Favorite Author read:
Ember's Kiss

[Midu]

going with or for the Vampires shelf

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Woohoo! I think we've got our first stamp! :D

I've picked Changeless for vampires

[Carlyn]

Our new shelf is vampires

[Carlyn]

Vampires


Carlyn: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble Rating:★★ review
Christina: Phantom Shadows Rating:★★★★★ review
AH: Pretty When She Dies Rating:★★★★ review
Midu: Stories: All-New Tales Rating:★★★ review
Juana:A Quick Bite Rating:★★★ review
Amelia: Nightwalker Rating:★★★★ review

[AH]

I'll be finished my book in the next hour or so...
Darn vampires! I've read most of the list so far.

[Carlyn]

Christina (AKA Babbling) wrote: "Woohoo! I think we've got our first stamp! :D

I've picked Changeless for vampires"

Not yet we are waiting for AH to finish her urban fantasy too :)

[AH]

Soon!!!!! Had the feed the teenagers. They were gnawing at my ankles.

[Carlyn]

AH wrote: "Soon!!!!! Had the feed the teenagers. They were gnawing at my ankles."

LOL! No worries I have 2 kids myself so I know how you feel :)

[AH]

OK, I'm going to read for the vampire shelf.

[AH]

Urban Fantasy Shelf 10/6/12
- 4 stars

Into the Woods is a collection of stories from Kim Harrison's Hollows series as well as a few new stories. The first 7 stories are from the Hollows and most of these stories have been published in anthologies or at the back of mass market paperbacks. What's nice about these stories is that they give you a background in some of the Hollows characters lives. Most of these stories star the secondary characters like Al, Ceri, Jenks, Bis, Mia, Trent, and Ivy. Even Kisten makes an appearance in one of the stories.

The remaining 4 stories are from outside the Hollows. It's nice to see a different kind of paranormal tale by this author. The first story, Pet Shop Boys has a different take on vampires. The next two stories Temson Estates and Spider Silk focus on dryads, both the good and the evil. The final story was about a woman named Grace who collected talented people for a government agency called The Strand.

Overall, I rated most of the stories 4/5. If you haven't read any of Kim Harrison's short stories, this is a nice collection.

[Amelia]

I'm going to read for the vampire shelf.

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Carlyn wrote: "Not yet we are waiting for AH to finish her urban fantasy too :)"

Rats! I thought I counted correctly. :p

Ooo..Hey! NOW we have our first stamp! :D

I have about 60 pages or so to go with The Kingdom. So tomorrow (hopefully) I'll have my review posted before heading out to lunch and the play.

[Juana "Darkness"]

For the Vampire Shelf I will go with: A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands

[Midu]

congrats on the stamp, teamies!

[Midu]

Christina, I hope you love

[Carlyn]

I've requested our first stamp! Way to go ladies :)

[Midu]

*brings out the pom poms* lol

[Amelia]

Hey all I am new to this game, what does all this talk about the stamp mean???

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

We get a little colored disc that covers the spot on the card -- in real-life Bingo, it would be a dab of colored ink on the paper.

edited to add...we need 5 in a row (up, down, across or diagonally) to win.

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Midu wrote: "Christina, I hope you love "

I hope so, too, Midu. :D I'm prepared for stupid behavior from certain persons. ;-)

I'm going to hop into the shower and then come back online to write/post my Free Space read -- and that will give us TWO stamps! Yeah!

[Midu]

i just tune out Ivy, like Alexia does lol

[AH]

I liked Ivy and her stupid, frilly hats.

[Midu]

sometimes she's hard to stomach, though

[AH]

But someone has to wear the ugly, frilly hats while other people carry their weaponized parasols.

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Ivy? I was referring Conall. :D

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Free Space - The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens - ★★★★★ - 7 Oct 12
Creepy. And GOTHIC. This is the second book in The Graveyard Queen series. Amelia's been hired to restore a cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina. Once properous, Asher Falls is all but derelict -- a ghost town.

THE KINGDOM is an apt title. Amelia refers to graveyards as her "kingdom". In this case the title refers to Asher Falls, with it's old, wealthy and manipulative king, Pell Asher; the young, handsome heir-presumptive Thane; and a boat load of dark secrets. Amelia is swept right up into the town's mysteries.

As for her love life, Amelia hasn't gotten over Devlin, the haunted Charleston cop, but she still feels attracted to Thane. I really liked Thane. He has his own issues, but at least he's not haunted.

Amelia learns why she's able to see ghosts. And she gains a pet.

Looking forward to reading the third book.

[AH]

I loved that book, Christina.

[Carlyn]

hey ladies I'm at work just now but I'll update and request when I get home!

[Carlyn]

That's two stamps requested so it's a double stamp dance ;-)

[AH]

*double stamp dance* Go Team Go!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Just remember Christina, #2 has a cliffhanger so have #3 handy to lessen the pain.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, First and the Furious!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'urban-fantasy' and 'free space'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Sandra wrote: "Just remember Christina, #2 has a cliffhanger so have #3 handy to lessen the pain."

Blameless is a November read for me in another group. :D I still have to order it -- use my end-of-month points, probably.

I haven't avoided spoilers for this series, so I have some knowledge of what to expect.

AH wrote: "I loved that book, Christina."
Me, too. But man, Amelia can't seem to catch a break...

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Yay! :D I must not have refreshed the page before composing the above post -- totally missed Steph coming by with her stamper.