Meet & Greet Challenge Round 11 (Aug/Sep): READING

[Dee]

i forgot to come back and report this one last month...

The Wild Child - recommended by Leslie - so i actually finished this up last month and apparently forgot to come back and post about it (whoops) - I miss historical romances like they were written when this one was - it was so detailed, yet enjoyable. i've added the other books in the trilogy to Mt TBR...4 stars

[LaurLa]

Grooup 3 - 6 of 16 so far. Guess I need to get my reading butt in gear!! Great reads so far!! Thanks for the recs :-D

Meet n Greet - Round 11
August-September 2015

Group 3:
✔Aarati: Seduction of a Highland Lass - Maya Banks - 09.02 ★★★★
✔Eziwanyi: Make Me, Sir - Cherise Sinclair - 08.10 ★★★★
✔Gea: Nauti Enchantress - Lora Leigh - 08.24 ★★★★
✔Katie: His Temporary Wife - Leslie P. Garcia - 08.08 ★★★
✔Raine: Heat It Up - Elle Kennedy - 08.16 ★★★
✔Ramneek: My Everything - Julia Rachel Barrett - 08.24 ★★★★

[Elke]

Read my 10th book recommended by Melissa-Absolutely LOVED it!! So sad to see The Burg series end, but it was a great ending!!

[Elke]

Read my 11th book recommended by Jody-it was pretty good!

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Hi everyone! Sign ups for Round 12 (Oct/Nov) are open if you are interested :)

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Dee]

Servicing the Target - recommended by KathyD, Sunshine and Nichole - holy shit Cherise Sinclair did it again and for the first time, i nearly ended up crying - I wasn't expecting to like Anne as much as I did, but this was much more of a story about growth than just romance - 4 stars

The Escape Diaries - recommended by Diane~firefly~ - this was kind of quirky and reminded me of the Ashley Judd movie double jeopardy, except that her husband was actually dead, but she had been set up and a sexy canadian for a hero - i'm intrigued enough to want to continue more books in the series - 3.5 stars

[Anita Reads]

Here's my progress so far. Group 1

✔ Dana Bound by Night by Larissa Ione
This is my first time reading from Larissa Ione. I've heard that her Demonica series is a lot better, but I really enjoyed this book. The writing was good, the take on the vampire genre was really interesting, and I liked the characters. I'm very interested in getting to know what will happen to Hunter in the next book. ★★★★

✔ Dee The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
I have to say I was probably a little disappointed with this book. I have only seen great reviews of it. It did have some funny moments, and the story was OK. I just wasn't as impressed with it as I thought I would be. ★★★

✔ Grace Tattered Loyalties by Carrie Ann Ryan
I don't know what it was about this book that irked me the wrong way. The story was draggin a little. I also realised that this is a spin off from another series that I haven't read. I don't know if it'll be better if I read that first. ★★★.5

✔ ~Melissa~ Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Well you got me completely hooked on a new series. I simply devoured this one, and ended up listening to the next 2 in the series right away. Cat & Bones are quickly becoming one of my favorite couples. ★★★★★

✔ MountainKat Hero by Samantha Young
It was my first time reading anything by Samantha Young, and I wasn't disappointed. I liked the added mystery, which gave the story a little more depth. I'm ready to start her 'On Dublin Street' series. ★★★★

✔ Nichole A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole ★★★★
I'm still liking this series. Although I had a little trouble with the female main character in the beginning, I ended up liking her. I look forward to continue this series.

[Catherine]

Finished my 3rd book...Deep Blue...really enjoyed it....can't wait to get to book 2

[Dee]

Anita - I felt the same about the Rosie Project - i expected a lot more based on other reviews/feedback

[Anita Reads]

I'm glad I read it though, since so many have been talking about it.

[Dee]

Deep in the Woods - recommended by Sallie(Georgia Girl) - this wasn't as dark as other books by Ms Joseph - maybe because it was one of her earlier ones - don't get me wrong, it was still darker than a lot of the BDSM romance out there, but not to her normal level - it would probably be a good transitional book for readers who want to get a bit deeper into the psychology, without going all the way - I gave it 3.5 stars

[Elke]

Read my 12th book recommended by Ty-a quick fun read!!

[Elke]

Read my 13th book recommended by KathyD-it was good! Will probably read the rest of the series!

***it's been nice to read at work...boss is on vacation! ;)

[Anita Reads]

I finished another pick from Group 1

✔ Elke Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
I really enjoyed this book. It was snarky, had some great action, a little too little of Ethan in my opinion, so hopefully there'll be more of him in the coming books. I really liked how this book wasn't about someone wanting to turn into a vampire, but one struggling to accept her new fate. I really enjoyed reading about her new experiences and changes in her life. I loved the secondary characters. They were fun. So happy I have the next 2 books at the ready, so I can continue the series soon. ★★★★

[Elke]

Anita wrote: "I finished another pick from Group 1

✔ Elke Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
I really enjoyed this book. It was snarky, had some great action, a little too little of..."

OMG! I am so glad you liked it!! You're going to love the rest!! Ethan will be in it a lot!!! Love Ethan!!

[~Melissa~]

Elke wrote: "Read my 10th book recommended by Melissa-Absolutely LOVED it!! So sad to see The Burg series end, but it was a great ending!!"

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[Dee]

The All You Can Dream Buffet - recommended by Sallie(Georgia Girl)- O enjoyed this book much more than i was expecting, since i've borrowed and returned to the library several times...lol. I finally sat down starting reading it on Friday because my kindle needed to restart and read for several hours. I liked the idea of blogging friends getting together, as well as the journey of self-discovery. 4 stars overall

[Elke]

Read my 14th book recommended by Grace-it was good-just not sure if I will continue with series...I feel like the repeat everything!

[Dee]

Stepping Up To Love - recommended by Grace - DNF'ing at 20% - ugh - the heroine is an alcoholic, who had to be told that she was and the hero basically took control of her entire life - but this girl is supposed to be like an honors college student/president's scholar - it just ugh...

first time in like 3 challenges, i've DNF'd a book i think

[Elke]

Read my 15th book recommended by Sunshine-it was pretty good, predictable but good!

[Ezi]

Elke wrote: "Read my 15th book recommended by Sunshine-it was pretty good, predictable but good!"

From the Book of Shhhhhh!
Loved this book the best in the series.

[Anita Reads]

Elke wrote: "OMG! I am so glad you liked it!! You're going to love the rest!! Ethan will be in it a lot!!! Love Ethan!!."

Yay - I'll be looking forward to that :)

[Jody]

My progress so far
Group 1

Dee Wicked Games★★★★ I really enjoyed this book. I liked the idea of the survivor like game show and how they came together. My only complaint is I felt the ending was a little bit rushed.

Jane(PS) Camden's Redemption★★★★★ I loved this whole series! Lots of hot fighters what more could a girl want! I don't want to give away the series so I'll just say I enjoyed Camden redeeming himself in this book from previous ones.

~Leslie~ Vicious Cycle★★★★ I love a good MC book. I wish the relationship with the daughter would have been a bit stronger, but overall a good read. I look forward to reading the second one when it comes out.

Elke Center Mass ★★★★ I really like Lani Lynn Vale as an author. This is the first book to a new series but a spin off from her previous series(don't have to read to enjoy this book). I love her strong alpha male characters and she did not disappoint me!

Diane~Firefly~ Seven Years★★★★★ This was a reread for me but I loved it just as much the second time. I really liked Dannika Dark's take on the world of shifters. I highly recommend this series.

Anita Lost in Me ★★★★ This was a very unique story. The main character wakes up with retrograde amnesia, 50 lbs lighter and an engagement ring on her finger! I couldn't put it down but be warned it is a cliffhanger! However the complete series is available.

Sunshine Deep ★★★★ I loved this series! I loved seeing the bands interactions as a family. I really liked Liz as a character, but Mal's protective big brother antics stole the show for me. The only thing I wish is we had a little more of everybody in the epilogue!

Dana Sleepless Nights★★★ This story was good but I felt like there was to much going on between the flashbacks and multiple POV. I liked the characters overall but wish the author would have stuck with just one or two POV's.

❀~Amy~❀ Collide★★★★★ I LOVED this book! It was hot! I love a good m/m that still has a story line but you don't miss out on the hot sex scenes! I loved that they were childhood friends, and seeing Cooper coming to terms with his feelings. Overall a great story, and did I mention HOT!

MountainKat Louder Than Love★★ I really wanted to like this book. I just found it very hard to get into in the beginning and never really connected to the characters. Just was not my favorite.

[Catherine]

Finished ..excellent book :)

[Catherine]

Finished ...loved it...can't wait to get to book 2 :)

[Anita Reads]

Jody wrote: "

Anita Lost in Me ★★★★ This was a very unique story. The main character wakes up with retrograde amnesia, 50 lbs lighter and an engagement ring on her finger! I couldn't put it down but be warned it is a cliffhanger! However the complete series is available"

That's great you liked it. Since I have it as well maybe I should get to it soon. Have you read Elisabeth Naughton's Wait for Me? From what you describe it reminds me a little of this one. Especially with the amnesia part. I really enjoyed it.

[Stacie]

I'm still going but here's what I've done so far:

Group 3
Aarati - Priest
Amy - Fifth Grave Past the Light
Eziwanyi - Attraction
Gea - A Rogue by Any Other Name
Katie - It Happened One Autumn
Raine - Perfection
Ramneek - Perfect Chemistry
Skandia - Succubus Blues DNF
Stephanie - Broken
UnusualChild{beppy} - Virgin River


Bonus picks
Amy - Rule
Catherine - The Last Little Blue Envelope
Eziwanyi - Devil in Winter
Gea - Own the Wind
KathyD - God-Shaped Hole
Katie - Sixth Grave on the Edge
~Melissa~ - Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel
Nichole - Marrow
Preethi - The Restorer
Shelby - Shock & Awe
Stephanie - The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Zara - Men Explain Things to Me DNF

So far I've had to DNF two of the books but for the most part, I've really enjoyed the picks these two months. I think my favorites so far have been and

I also was able to get a book that had been on my TBR for 3 years off of it so that's always a plus!!

Let's see how many I can get to before the month ends. Thanks so much for the awesome recommendations!

[Jody]

Anita wrote:
That's great you liked it. Since I have it as well maybe I should get to it soon. Have you read Elisabeth Naughton's Wait for Me? From what you describe it reminds me a little of this one. Especially with the amnesia part. I really enjoyed it.


I haven't read that one, but I'll check it out thanks Anita.

[Larissa]

I just finished my 7th book. I am so behind!



Group 2
Jojo Thank you for the wonderful pick! I love me some Cynthia Eden

[❀~Amy~❀]

My update so far. Not sure how many more I'll get to, but I am trying. =D

9/17 read

Group 1
Dana - The Master ~ 9/9/15 ~ ★★★1/2
Dee - Blowing It ~ 8/22/15 ~ ★★★★
Diane ~Firefly~ - Mannies Incorporated ~ 8/18/15 ~ ★★★★
Grace - Prickly Business ~ 8/3/15 ~ ★★★★★
Jane(PS) - Balls Up ~ 8/25/15 ~ ★★★★
MountainKat - You Are the Reason ~ 8/30/15 ~ ★★★★★
Nichole - Truth & Tenderness ~ 8/12/15 ~ ★★★★★
Sunshine - For Real ~ 9/4/15 ~ ★★★★★
Ty - Fever Pitch ~ 8/8/15 ~ ★★★★★

[Dee]

Intoxicated - recommended by Ty - I wasn't sure what I was going to get into, which a series called Felony romance (maybe criminals getting their HEA...) - anyways Felong is actually a bar. I liked the bad boy good girl in this one, because she actually tried to fight her attraction to him, it wasn't a wham, bam - but there was a few things that irked me - (view spoiler)[him being married, even if he had filed for divorce, and the fact that he slept with his ex and she was preggo... (hide spoiler)] - plus it just ended and i kind of wanted a bit more - 3.5 stars

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Time for another update! I finished five more of my picks, bringing me up to 13 so far.

Group 1 Picks:

Jody - Negligee Behavior by Shelli Stevens 9.4.15 - Good, but not great. I still enjoyed it though - it was light and easy to read.

Nichole - Polar Bared by Eve Langlais 9.6.15 - As fun as I expected it to be. Eve Langlais is always a good choice!

Elke - Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas 9.9.15 - Loved Joe's story! Avery was wonderful with all of her insecurities. The narrator was great too!

Dana - Fall Fury by Jaci Burton 9.15.15 - I liked the first in the series better, but I think it was just that this heroine was a little too stubborn. And then too accepting at the end. Still looking forward to the other siblings' stories.

Anita - A Night Like This by Julia Quinn 9.16.15 - Delightful with wonderful narration! Thoroughly enjoyed this, made me remember why I used to read HR almost exclusively. (My reading world was very narrow then!)

Three more to go - can't wait!

[Nadine Bookaholic]

Group 2
Completed 8/17


Becca - Marine With Benefits by Heather Long finished 8/21 ★★★★
Christina - The Reunion: Emma & Noah #1, a VIP College Side Story by Athena Wright finished 8/4 ★★★★
Donna - Royalty, Rockstars & Billionaires: VIP College #2 by Athena Wright finished 8/4 ★★★★
Jennifer - To Defy a Russian Billionaire by Nic Saint finished 8/24 ★★★
Jojo - Keeping Allie by Meli Raine finished 8/21 ★★★
Preethi - Beautiful Entourage by E.L. Todd finished 9/1 ★★★★
R~wka - Russian Enforcer's Resistant Rescue by Nic Saint finished 8/24 ★★★★
Shelby - Criminal by Alex Abbott finished 9/2 ★★★★

My meet greet challenge round 11 Bookshelf

[Jody]

Just finished my 11th book!

Group 1

Ty Road of No Return ★★★★ A great darker m/m book! Sexy tattoo artist and a dirty mouth biker...HOT!!

[Dee]

found a ton of books on my list that I had read and didn't come and report back on...whoops

Felicity Stripped Bare - recommended by Jody - I thought I reported this one being finished but apparently not - i really struggled with this - it was a book I bought back in 2009(ish), so fairly early on in my erotic romance reading binge, but just felt like something was missing - i couldn't really connect with any of the characters/ they felt very one-dimensional - 2 stars

Shards of Hope - recommended by KathyD and MountainKat - I mean, can Nalini Singh actually go wrong in a book? I've been curious about Aden since he was introduced because i figured he was going to be a pivot point falling Kiss of Snow (bk 10) - but actually seeing what he was - wow! i can't wait for the next book to come out - 4.5 stars

Nice and Naughty - Recommended by Elke - another book that I thought I had reported being done, but never actually wrote up - I found this in my archives, not being marked as read, but knew pretty early on that I had read it - but it was a cute re-read - sweet in some places and spicy in others - 3 stars

Kink - recommended by Jody - another book I found loitering in the archives - lol! This was 2 short stories in one - I liked the first one with the security guard for the rock star and the bit of kink in it, but the second one was a bit ehhh for me, I just didn't buy the heroine, she annoyed me - I gave the first story 3.5 stars, but the second one only 2 for 3 stars overall

Loving You Is Easy - recommended by Elke - its a good thing I didn't have to go to work the next day because this book sucked me in and I read the entire thing in one night - I'll admit that military romances normally don't work for me because they get things wrong, but since this was more focused on the time post-military/injury, it worked for me. I def. teared up in a few places - but it was also fairly fast paced and i don't know if i totally bought the entire story, so i had to drop it down part of a star - 3.5 stars overall.

[Elke]

Finished my 16th and final book recommended by MountainKat-it was pretty good, liked reading about all the couples!!



Meet & Greet Challenge Round 11-Aug/Sep

16/16 Completed-Updated 9/23/15

Group 1

❀~Amy~❀- All Wound Up 8/20/15
Anita- Wait for Me 8/16/15
Dana- Hope Ignites 8/22/15
Dee- Hot Under Pressure 8/18/15
Diane ~Firefly~- Magic Shifts 8/15/15
Grace- Loving Hart 9/12/15
Jane(PS)- Mine to Possess 8/28/15
Jody- The Soldier's E-Mail Order Bride 9/6/15
KathyD- Beautiful Redemption 9/9/15
~Leslie~ Midnight Rising 8/31/15
~Melissa~- Hold On 9/5/15
MountainKat- Valentine 9/23/15
Nichole- Captive in the Dark 8/21/15
Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)- The Bourbon Kings 8/3/15
Sherri-
Sunshine- Pandemonium 9/14/15
Ty- Twisted 9/9/15

[Ezi]

@Lily: was ★★★½ . Avril Ashton sure knows how to write shocking and kinky, doesn't she? Xavier was babe and I enjoyed Dima finally settling down.

@KellyJo: was ★★★★. I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I am full invested in this series now. Mostly because of the ongoing saga of Sam and Alyssa. I was really pulling for them and though the next book would be theirs.
Thank you.

[Donna]

I finally finished all the books in a round! I would have finished sooner, but the last one I read was The Lost. I had it on my list for Possession in Death and I had trouble getting into the other stories in there.

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Sallie (GeorgiaGirl) - I just finished your pick and it was a fun read - thanks for the rec!

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Woohoo - last update, because I'm DONE!! Lots of great books this round, thanks everyone!

Group 1 Picks:

Jane (PS) - Encore by Shira Anthony 9.22.15 - Not my favorite of the bunch, but I still liked it. It was nice to see how John and Roger got together even though their relationship was anything but smooth!

~Leslie~ - Imitation in Death by J.D. Robb 9.25.15 - Love this series! This installment wasn't as emotional as the last, and that isn't a bad thing. It is nice not to be put through the wringer all the time. The mystery had me jumping back and forth between suspects until the end. And of course the narration of the audiobook was amazing!

Sunshine - Dirty Deeds by Lorelei James 9.26.15 - This was slow to grab my but by the ending, which was very sweet, I was a happy reader! Thanks for finally getting this off my shelves - I love this author so I have no clue how it sat around for so long!

Thanks again everyone for all the wonderful picks! Bring on October and Round 12!

[Gea]

I managed to squeeze the last book in and I must say I'm very happy this round's total :)

Group 3 (12/17):
✔Aarati - The Hook Up by by Kristen Callihan (6/8) **
✔Amy - The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter (19/8) ***
✔Holli - Killing Floor by Lee Child (17/8) ***
✔Katie - To Wed a Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker (16/9) ****
✔LaurLa - Amanda's Texas Rangers by Leah Brooke (23/9) ****
✔Lily - Hold On by Kristen Ashley (4/9) ****
✔Raine - Rocky Mountain Heat by Vivian Arend (14/9) ***
✔Ramneek - Tool by Sabrina Paige (27/9) ***
✔Skandia - Sommersgate House by Kristen Ashley (12/9) ****
✔Stacie Mass D-struction - Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh (2/9) ***
✔Stephanie - Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter (10/8) *****
✔UnusualChild{beppy} - When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Karmer (30/9) ****


Bonus Picks (12/24):
✔Eziwanyi - The Saint by Monica McCarty (14/9) ****
✔Jennifer - How to Pursue a Princess by Karen Hawkins (6/9) ***
✔CKathyD - Archangel's Enigma by Nalini Singh (1/9) *****
✔KellyJo - Hard to Fight by Bella Jewel (15/8) ****
✔~Melissa~ - Something About You by Julie James (23/8) ****
✔Nichole - The Taming of the Billionaire by Jessica Clare (23/8) ****
✔Raine - Love Plus One by Andrea Smith (20/8) ****
✔Shelby - Come the Spring by Julie Garwood (10/9) *****
✔Stacie Mass D-struction - Tight by Alessandra Torre (2/8) **
✔Stephanie - Luscious by Lexi Blake (3/8) ****
✔*Sunshine - Master No by Lexi Blake (5/8) ***
✔*Zara - Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James (6/8) **

[Mai]

Summary M&G August/September

40/40 COMPLETE

Group 2 - 17/17
✓Armi - Rosemary and Rue - 15/08/11 ★★★★★
✓Becca - Blood Rites - 15/08/08 ★★★★
✓Caipi - The Book Thief - 15/08/29 ★★★
✓Christina - The Name of the Wind - 15/08/28 ★★★★
✓Debbie (Doc) - The Dress Shop of Dreams - 15/08/26 ★★★
✓Donna - A Groom of One's Own - 15/08/10 ★★½
✓Gle - The Glass Castle - 15/08/29 ★★★★
✓Jennifer - Lawless In Leather - 15/08/25 ★★★
✓Jojo - The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy - 15/08/04 ★★★
✓KarenH - Ill Wind - 15/08/09 ★★★
✓KellyJo - Hounded - 15/08/03 ★★★★★
✓Larissa - Hard Bitten - 15/08/04 ★★★
✓Nadine - The Sudbury School Murders - 15/08/30 ★★★
✓Penney - Magic Bleeds - 15/08/21 ★★★
✓Preethi - Wicked After Midnight - 15/08/29 ★★★
✓R~wka - Written on Your Skin - 15/08/16 ★★★
✓Shelby - Nowhere Near Respectable - 15/08/15 ★★★

Bonus picks - 23/23

✓Amy - Up From the Grave - 15/08/22 ★★★
✓Armi - Libriomancer - 15/08/21 ★★★★
✓Dana - Tomorrow Wendell - 15/08/29 ★★★
✓Eziwanyi - Pride Mates - 15/08/14 ★★★
✓Gea - The Girl on the Cliff - 15/08/25 ★★★
✓Gle - The Laird - 15/08/13 ★★★
✓Grace - Unworthy Heart - 15/08/24 ★★★
✓JanePS - Murder of Crows - 15/08/22 ★★★
✓Jennifer - The Warrior's Touch - 15/08/02 ★★★
✓KathyD - Archangel's Kiss - 15/08/21 ★★
✓Katie - The Sweetest Thing - 15/08/21 ★★★
✓KellyJo - Some Like It Hot - 15/08/18 ★★★
✓~Melissa~ - Attraction - 15/08/20 ★★★
✓Nichole - Neverwhere - 15/08/25 ★★★★
✓Penney - Daughter of Smoke and Bone - 15/08/18 ★★★
✓Preethi - Then Came You - 15/08/29 ★★★★
✓Raine - Flat-Out Sexy - 15/08/17 ★★★
✓Shelby - Evernight - 15/08/20 ★★★
✓Stacie Mass D-struction - Deep - 15/08/20 ★★
✓Stephanie - The Oracle Glass - 15/08/25 ★★★½
✓Sunshine - Hope Flames - 15/08/13 ★★★
✓UnusualChild{beppy} - Held Against You - 15/08/28 ★★
✓Zara - I Shall Be Near to You - 15/08/10 ★★★★

[Penney]

I've posted my entire list for both August and September in the participants thread, but here are my Sept. reads...

Meet & Greet Round 11
September Reads...

Group 2 Picks

6. Donna: Through a Dark Mist by Marsha Canham 9/4 ✯✯✯✯
8. Jennifer: The Invitation by Erika Wilde 9/7 ✯✯✯½
9. Jojo: The Beast in Him by Shelly Laurenston 9/20 ✯✯✯½
14. Nadine: Ecstasy by Jacquelyn Frank 9/8 ✯✯✯



Bonus Picks

2. Armi: Broken by Kelly Elliott 9/30 ✯✯
6. Gea: Stephanie Laurens, A Rake's Vow 9/22 ✯✯✯½
12. Katie: Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid 9/11 ✯✯✯✯✯
19. Shelby: Taken in Death by J.D. Robb 9/13 ✯✯✯✯
21. Stephanie: A Sorceress of His Own by Dianne Duvall 9/27 ✯✯✯½
22. Sunshine: Night Music by Jojo Moyes 9/2 ✯✯✯½
24. Zara: Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips 9/5 ✯✯✯✯

[Dee]

a couple more reviews to finish up this cycle:

Sacred Revelations - recommended by Grace - i'll admit that this came very close to going on the DNF pile - while i normally don't mind multiple POV's in a book, i found it to be really hard to keep track in this one, because every chapter it changed and some of the chapters were really short, so I would barely get into one person's head before it was changing again. It was hot in some places, and in other places, i just couldn't deal with "kitten" anymore, because she did irk me. The last 20% was by far the best part. 2.5 stars

Magic at the Gate - recommended by Diane~firefly and Nichole - this wasn't my favorite book in the series, but still a solid entry - mostly because it didn't have the interaction between zayvion and allie that i loved from previous books, but well written and i like the world building. A solid 3.5 stars.

Shark Bait - recommended by Ty - DNF'd around 41% - Camie drove me nuts and the book just felt clunky - she was a sophomore in high school and yet there was a ton of underage drinking which i had issues with, as well as the fact that at times, it was written like she was in college and in other times, i was like really, high school...blergh!

total was 19 books read and 2 DNF's - i'm not playing this next cycle, so i can go back and tackle some of the other books that have been recommended previously

[Nadine Bookaholic]

Group 2

Completed 12.5/17

Armi - Ryker by Sawyer Bennett finished 9/18 ★★★★★
Becca - Marine With Benefits by Heather Long finished 8/21 ★★★★
Caipi - Every Which Way by Sasha White (read part of this anthology but didn't finish it yet)
Christina - The Reunion: Emma & Noah #1, a VIP College Side Story by Athena Wright finished 8/4 ★★★★
Donna - Royalty, Rockstars & Billionaires: VIP College #2 by Athena Wright finished 8/4 ★★★★
Jennifer - To Defy a Russian Billionaire by Nic Saint finished 8/24 ★★★
Jojo - Keeping Allie by Meli Raine finished 8/21 ★★★
KarenH - Mine by Stacey Kennedy finished 9/21 ★★★★★
KellyJo - Delayed Penalty by Sophia Henry finished 9/19 ★★★
Penney - Breaking a Legend by Sarah Robinson finished 9/23 ★★★★
Preethi - Beautiful Entourage by E.L. Todd finished 9/1 ★★★★
R~wka - Russian Enforcer's Resistant Rescue by Nic Saint finished 8/24 ★★★★
Shelby - Criminal by Alex Abbott finished 9/2 ★★★★

My meet greet challenge round 11 Bookshelf

[☘KathyD☘]

I didn’t update at all during this round, but that might be because I was busy reading so many awesome books! Here is my update for Round 11! Thanks to my team and the bonus participants for the amazing picks! (Bonus Pick book update to follow!)

Meet & Greet Round 11 — Group 1
August 1 – September 30, 2015
Completed — 16.75/17!

Amy (Bonus – ~Melissa~)
Hard to Let Go — ★★★★★ 8/3
Hard to Let Go...yup...that about covers it! I’m so not ready to say goodbye to these characters...I did see there are novellas expected...so that makes me super happy! What can I say...I love this series! This book gives us Kat and Beckett’s story. There’s started day one when Beckett came upon Kat when she unexpectedly came to visit her brothers. The tension between them rolled off the pages long before this book...so much so, that it didn’t surprise me in the least at how quickly and explosively they came together! Their story was emotional and full of back-and-forth tension as Beckett came to terms with his childhood and military past. In addition to the love story, this series has had a kick-ass mystery going on regarding the five former special forces soldiers. As frustrating as it was to have to wait to see how it all played out...I was very satisfied with how it all came together. Big props to Ms. Kaye for her amazing abilities pulling these stories together in such a great, cohesive fashion! My biggest regret is that I can’t restart this series without knowing how it ends...but I will definitely restart this series to experience the highs and lows with the men and women of Hard Ink!

Anita (Bonus – ~Melissa~)
Blood Brothers — ★★★★★ 8/31
This book was a total surprise! I picked it thinking it fit a yearly challenge I was trying to finish up...but it didn’t fit. No problem, because it was an awesome story! One thing I noticed was how this story seemed to pull from a bunch of different paranormal stories, but meshed together so well!

The characters were also fun! This book focused on Caleb and Quinn...but still got to know Fox and Gage, as well as Layla and Cybil. The connections between the three men and three women, as well as the couples they break off to is well defined, but there is more to come and I look forward to seeing how these connections move forward.

I’m ready to jump into the next two books to see this story through to its end! This is my first Nora Roberts book...but not my last!

Dana (MountainKat, Ty)
The Immortal Highlander — ★★★★ 8/18
Oh my...Adam Black...he’s been an interesting character throughout this series. It was so much fun to read his story! I had to pull a star because of Gabby...she got a little annoying over the course of the book. Adam is such a complex character and I was so pleasantly surprised to see how well his story unfolded. He wasn’t the valiant hero, but he wasn’t the conniving Fae prince of stories prior. It was also fun to meet up with the MacKeltar clan and see a glimpse of what’s going on with them.

Dee (Bonus – ~Melissa~)
No Rest for the Wicked — ★★★★★ 9/18
This book was a huge surprise for me! I’ve enjoyed settling into this series, but this third book was so packed I had a difficult time focusing on anything but this book! Kaderin is such a damaged soul. It was heartbreaking to follow her through her journey as she rediscovered emotions. At the same time, it was a delight! Sebastian is a perfect fit for her. There were times I thought he might have been too good for her...he truly is a knight in shining armor! I’m looking very forward to seeing where this series leads!

Diane ~Firefly~ (Nichole)
On the Edge — ★★★★ 8/10
What a cool story! I really enjoyed the detail and interactions in this book. The Edge came alive in my head and I found it amusing to think of where I live as the “broken.” My only real issue with this book is that it took a while to really engage with the world and characters. The real story took a little too long to flesh out, in my opinion. Once things got rolling though, it was fun to see it all come together. Rose is one tough woman and I appreciate that she didn’t just fall over when the handsome blue blood came to her door step. For his part, Declan was an interesting character. His high-born speech and aura of entitlement could have been annoying, but he learned and adapted as he spent time with Rose and her family. I’m happy some of my Goodreads friends pushed this book in my direction to read and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the Weird, the Edge, and, of course, the Broken!

Elke (Dana)
Rock Chick Revenge — ★★★★★ 8/17
I so love this series! This book told Ava and Luke’s story. Luke has been unlucky in love the past few books...he’s fallen just a bit short each time...but apparently that’s because he was meant for Ava! I would have loved to see a bit more of Ava in the previous books since she knows Allie and Indie, but the story still worked all the same. What I really liked about this book was there was this whole sub story going on that ended up being the big problem for Ava. I liked how it all clicked together end...it worked really well. I also really liked how two of the upcoming stories were starting to be set up!

Grace (Bonus – Gle)
Ruin & Rule — ★★★★ 8/22
I enjoyed this story and the mystery ingrained in it. There was just too much repetitiveness throughout. I’m eager to see how the next book takes this story further.

Jane(PS) (Bonus – Penney)
Archangel’s Enigma — ★★★★★ 9/16
O...M...G! I am so sad this book ended! Naasir is such an amazing character. I loved getting to know him in the last book so much. He is so feral, but so innocent. Finding out his origins was simply heartbreaking...how he rose from those ashes is just amazing. Andromeda is another amazing character to add to this incredible cannon of characters. She is a quiet warrior, with a feral heart that is a perfect match for Naasir. I’m constantly amazed to see how the multiple levels of this world keep evolving. Ms. Singh is a true mistress at weaving amazingly, rich, complex stories with an incredible cast of characters to tie them all together. I look so forward to the books that will come in the future...I just hope I don’t have to wait too long!

Jody
Samson’s Lovely Mortal — ★★★★ 9/24
This was a sweet story. It was fun and a bit corny...but it worked for me!

~Leslie~
Too Hard to Handle — ★★★★ (as of September 30)
Did quite get to finish this book before the deadline...I have about 100 pages left...but so far it is really good!

~Melissa~ (Dana, Jody)
Cage — ★★★★ 9/21
I really enjoyed Greg’s story! After getting to know him so well in Axel, it was awesome to really get to know him even better in this book! Meli, while a good character, got on my nerves a lot. She seemed like too many contradictions, but not necessarily in a good way. When all is said and done, however, this is a strong follow up to Axel. I’m looking forward to Dee’s and Beck’s story next!

MountainKat (Diane ~Firefly~, Ty; Bonus – Mai, Nichole)
Dragon Bound — ★★★★★ 8/2
This book has been recommended to me numerous times...well, I finally got around to it and am sorry I didn’t read it sooner. What an awesome book...from start to finish! I loved the grouchy Drago and the feisty Pia! This is an amazing new world I’ve stumbled on and I can’t wait to get more immersed!

Nichole (Amy; Bonus – Stacie Mass D-struction)
Duty & Devotion — ★★★★ 8/5
This was a great story integrating the characters from the two previous books. I really love both couples, Evan and Matt and Jim and Griffin. Life is series of ups and downs...one of the best parts of this book was how real it felt. There are real struggles in relationships and this story portrays that so well. As much as I love reading stories that focus on the initial, hot-and-heavy first moments of a relationship, reading about what happens after happily ever after is also nice...especially when it’s done so well!

Sallie (Georgia Girl) (Anita, Sheri)
The Bourbon Kings — ★★★★ 9/21
I’m not sure where the paranormal element came into play...if it was there, I missed it. But it really doesn’t need the paranormal to be a great story! There is a reference to Dynasty somewhere, and I have to agree there is that soap-drama thing going on. I enjoyed meeting the cast of characters for this series and look forward to seeing where the story goes from here!

Sheri (Bonus – Jane(PS), Penney)
The Savage King — ★★★★ 8/18
This was an unexpected story. I’m not usually a fan of alien-type stories, but since it wasn’t too out there and was really just a shifter story that takes place on another planet. I’m interested in seeing where this story goes from here!

Sunshine
Undeniable — ★★★★★ 8/11
WOW...this was an unexpected gem! For all the MC books I’ve read, this is one of the more unique stories. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the timeline at first. The story seemed to skip forward a lot...but the further into the story, the more I appreciated that unnecessary time wasn’t spent filling in the time gaps that weren’t necessary. When Deuce and Eva weren’t interacting, it was fine to skip ahead to their next encounter. This “love” story was gritty and felt real. Getting to the “happily ever after” included a long, difficult road for both characters...but well worth the blood, sweat, and tears!

Ty (Dee; Bonus – Mai, Nichole)
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie — ★★★★ 8/9
What a fun historical novel! This story was full of wonderful moments...a good mystery...and a unique hero! I have to say, Lord Ian’s “madness” was portrayed beautifully! Of course, he isn’t mad at all, simply a man on the spectrum that didn’t exist at this point in time. Beth was a fun character, as well. They had an interesting relationship and I liked how Beth grew to understand Ian over time...better than his brothers in many respects. Can’t wait to see what kind of mischief awaits the other brothers!

[☘KathyD☘]

...and my bonus books update! :)


Bonus List
Completed — 17/24!

Amy (Gea)
Last Hit — ★★★★ 9/4
I really liked how this story came together and played out for the most part. For as naive as Daisy was, she caught on to things quickly and knew enough (most of the time) to keep quiet and read the ques around her. Nikolai...while a bit creepy with the stalking...was an awesome character. I loved seeing how he turned his life as an assassin into something more.

Armi
Rock Courtship — ★★★★ 9/25
This was a cute story. I liked that because parts of it ran parallel to Rock Addiction, we were able to see what was going on with David and Thea outside of Fox and Molly’s story. My issue with this book though, is that it felt rushed. At the beginning, the pace worked. Then all of a sudden the story started splintering. These two make a cute couple; I think their story could have been better developed in a longer format though.

Catherine
Thoughtful — ★★★★ 9/15
I really enjoyed reading this story from Kellan’s point of view. Having read the rest of Kellan’s and Kiera’s story, I am so happy to have seen the growth in both of these characters. Kellan’s point of view showed how much he grew in the first days, weeks, and months of their relationship. Another advantage to this point of view was seeing how things fell apart and rebuilt with Denny. In this love triangle, no one is truly innocent and no one is truly guilty. I really felt that Kellan’s story highlighted the good and the bad of, not only himself, but Kiera and Denny. There was a little too much inner dialog for my liking...but I’m glad this book was written...it helped me appreciate this romance more!

*Dana
Ivan’s Captive Submissive — ★★★★ 8/28
The dynamics set up in this book were really interesting. I liked how it opened up with the charity submissive auction. Gia seemed like a nervous, but strong submissive even though she’d apparently new the scene. Ivan...well...ya...he’s just...WOW! I really liked his character. Trying to muddle through the cultural and language barriers, as well as figuring out how to handle the emotional roller coaster that was Gia’s mind. Their chemistry is white hot! The pages with them having sex are just amazing...but Gia started to get on my nerves after a while. She’s described early on as a “brat,” and while she has a mischievous streak, her insecurities and lack of communication with Ivan just made her whiny after a while. I totally get questioning why a guy is with you, but seriously...he goes around call you “My Gia,” begging you to return to Moscow with him to give the relationship a serious go...and you still complain and argue with yourself constantly.

Eziwanyi
Just Jelly Beans and Jealousy — ★★★ 8/14
Very sweet story...just way too short.

*Grace
The Viper — ★★★★ 8/22
This was a good story with real people for characters. I really appreciated how both Marcos and Katie showed their strengths and flaws. Marcos may be a former gang member, but it doesn’t stop him from being honorable on a snowy deserted road when a crazy driver pushes his car into Katie’s. There was a real opportunity to show off all the cliches, but I really didn’t feel like the author went that route. There were a few spots that stalled making the story fall a bit flat and it wrapped up a little too quickly, but it won’t stop me from delving into Chuito’s story!

Jane(PS)
Love’s Strategy — ★★★ 9/28
This was an OK story. I liked the foundation, but it was way to short. Too much was lost in character and story development with such a short story, in my opinion.

Jennifer
Conviction — ★★★★ 8/26
This was a H-O-T story! I had already met these characters throughout the first three Alluring Indulgence books, so it was great getting to know these characters more in depth. I had to pull a star because the story hit a few points where it seemed to stall. Also, for all of Sam’s confidence and bravado, she seemed really wishy washy. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where this series goes from here!

Katie
Arrow’s Hell — ★★★★★ 8/3
Arrow...oh my...I am so glad I finally got to read his story! His is such a gritty, tragic story. I also love Anna! She is a sassy, spitfire and a perfect match for Arrow. Getting to know more about Rake was also fun! The Wind Dragon’s were the second MC book I read....I fell in love with my first MC boys (the Reaper’s) and I feel in love with my second MC boys, as well! Can’t...wait...for...Tracker’s...book!

Kelly Jo (~Leslie~; Bonus – Shelby)
Blood Assassin — ★★★★ 9/8
This was a good continuation of The Sentinels series. It had some really great parts that had me on the edge of my seat, but then it slowed a bit too much for me. I liked getting to know Fane and Serra in this book. I wasn’t sure if I was on board with these two being together, but by the end I was happy with these two.

Mai (Armi, Sunshine)
Taking a Shot — ★★★★★ 9/9
Having read her brothers’ stories, I really loved reading Jenna’s story. Her die-hard feelings about dating athletes almost doesn’t make sense...but when Jenna’s story starts to come together piece by piece it does make sense that she wouldn’t what to get entangled with any sport’s personality. Of course, Tyler is a force to be reckoned with! I loved how great these two are together...and how well it all played out! On to the next Riley’s story!

*~Melissa~ (Dee)
Servicing the Target — ★★★★ 8/8
I thought this series had come to a close, so I am thrilled this book was published! Ben and Anne have been a part of most of the previous books in some form or another. Neither have been prominent, but have been good supporting characters. I really enjoyed getting to know these two better! Anne is the only Domme that has been featured in the Shadowlands...there is another Mistress, Olivia, that has started to appear...we’ll have to see where that goes. Typically, I’m not a fan of reading about Dommes...but I didn’t have a problem with Anne. As much as she is a Domme, she is also able to give up some control to Ben outside of the bedroom. For his part, Ben is just a great, complex character! He’s adorably cute and viciously protective of those he cares for. In addition, I loved getting to see some of the other Masters and their partners.

*Nichole
One Night with a Billionaire — ★★★★★ 9/14
There are so many things I love about this book! First...Cade finally got his happily ever after! Of course, it couldn’t be easy, but the steadfast friend who has been the level-headed support to his brothers finally found love. Second, I just love Kylie! She is a sweet, loving woman who tries to see the best in everyone even though she has known nothing but pain from her only living family. She puts up with the sh** storm that is Daphne. Kylie and Cade’s romance is not traditional, but it is true. Finally, I have enjoyed following the Brotherhood through these books and am sad to see these stories come to an end...but what a wonderful end it was!

Raine [Jane(PS)]
Ride Steady — ★★★★★ 8/19
I...LOVED...this book! I’m almost tempted to leave it at that, but.....

To start, for whatever reason, this book just did it for me. The characters worked, the story line worked, the build up worked...you get the idea. I loved how Carissa had such a great attitude, but wasn’t crazy cheery about everything. She’s a decent person, trying to eek out the best life possible when she was dealt crappy hand over crappy hand. Just because she’s a single mother, she doesn’t ignore the importance of building a life for herself separate from her son. For his part, Joker was a great compliment to Carissa. The bad boy, but really good boy. His complex layers built up from years of abuse leading to his life with Chaos was terribly sad, but strangely hopeful. Both characters were straight forward, but real. The doubts, insecurities, hope, and love all gave this book an amazing feel from beginning to end. I’ve loved the previous Chaos books, but this one touched me on a whole other level! I also loved how many other KA characters made appearances throughout the book. It was a blast seeing Hawk, Lee and Indie Nightingale, Hank Nightingale, and even Knight Sebring. Looking forward to High’s story next...but something tells me this one will be with me for a while.

Stacie Mass D-struction [Jane(PS), Amy]
Zack — ★★★★ 8/8
Oh how I love my Cold Fury boys! Zack’s story actually began at the end of Garrett’s book. My heart hurt terribly for him following the accident that killed his girlfriend and left him injured. I have to say though, my heart didn’t hurt too much seeing him be a total jerk to Kate! I totally get he was grieving, but man...he would say how selfish he was and he pulled that off to perfection! Then there was Kate...I think a little too much hero worship and too little common sense played into how long she put up with his crap. I loved seeing a little bit of Sutton and Alex! Sutton is such a doll! Over all, I enjoyed this book, but the characters kind of bugged me.

*Sunshine
Xavier — ★★★ 9/22
This story had a lot of potential, but fell short too many times. Everything about the story felt rushed. If there were a bit more thought or time put in to developing the story, I think it would have been so much better. Also, this story needs serious help sectioning off the stream of consciousness, as well as a thorough editing! As an editor, it was painful to read this story with so many errors.

Zara
New Beginnings — ★★★★ 9/7
What a great story! I just loved how this story played out. Tyson is just too romantic as he goes about recreating some of the “firsts” he and Urban shared. My only real issue with this book is that it was too short!



Extra Extras
✓Castle Hill — ★★★★ 8/11 (MountainKat)
✓Dimitri — ★★★★★ 9/11 (Ezi)
✓Reckless — ★★★★ 8/29 (Sunshine)
✓Slow Ride — ★★★★ 9/3 (Amy)

[Shelby]

RRRC Meet & Greet Round 11 - Group 2

Read: 5/17

Group 2
☑ Debbie (Doc) - Dumped in Oz (8/23) ★★★½
☑ Donna - Ready Player One (8/12) ★★★★★
☑ Jennifer - A Sticky Wicket in Bollywood (8/22) ★★★½
☑ KarenH - Saving Sean (8/24) ★★★★★
☑ KellyJo - The White Dragon (9/3) ★★★★★

Round 11 Bonus Picks 6/23

☑ Gle - Until Fountain Bridge (8/2) ★★★★½
☑ KellyJo - Against the Grain (9/16) ★★★★½
☑ Penney - Heir of Fire (8/17) ★★★★★
☑ Sunshine - Down London Road (8/8) ★★★★★
☑ Zara - Moonlight Becomes You (8/6) ★★★★½

R10 Carryovers: 4/10
Group 2

☑ Dre - The Carnalli Complex (9/29) ★★
☑ KathyD - Twin Flames (9/16) ★★★★
☑ Mai - Clockwork Angel (8/20) ★★★★
☑ Penney - Blood Bound (9/9) ★★★★½

R10 Bonus Picks Carryovers 4/9

☑ KarenH - Woke Up in a Strange Place (9/23) ★★★½
☑ Karla - Nearly Departed in Deadwood (8/23) ★★★
☑ Katherine - Ruby Red (8/8) ★★★★
☑ Sunshine - Brothers of the Wild North Sea (8/28) ★★★★½

R9 Bonus Picks Carryovers 2/13

☑ Gle - Thick as Thieves (9/14) ★★★
☑ Karla - Letting In the Light (8/16) ★★

R8 Carryovers 1/5

☑ Kathy - Angels' Blood (8/11) ★★★★★

R8 Carryover Bonus Picks 2/10

☑ Emelie - Frozen Heart (9/2) ★★★★
☑ LIZZ NEILL - Talon (9/19) ★★★½

R7 Bonus Picks Carryovers 3/17

☑ Beppy - To Hate and To Hold (8/4) ★★½
☑ Catherine - Cinder: A CinderFella Story (9/27) ★★★
☑ Debbie - Daylight Again (9/28) ★★★★

R6 Bonus Picks Carryovers: 2/6

☑ Beppy - American Love Songs (8/16) ★★★★½
☑ Susan A - Sno Ho (8/9) ★★★★

R4 Carryovers 1/11

☑ Becca - Fool Moon (8/27) ★★★★★

R3 Carryovers 1/8

☑ Leslie - A Rogue by Any Other Name (9/1) ★★★½

R2 Carryovers 3/3

☑ Gea - Duck! (9/30) ★★★★★
☑ Lauren - The Darkest Hour (9/25) ★★★★½
☐ LethalLovely - The Golden Compass (9/12) ★★★★½

[~Melissa~]

Group 1 - Tally for Sept and Final total for the two months

Thank you everyone for my picks - I loved most of the books that were picked for me. I had a few duds but that's ok. This got them of my tbr :)
This has been by far my best Round yet with the most books read - Yeah :)


Group 1 - Tally for Sept
6(7 books)/10 read

Sunshine - Axel 9/4/15 3♥
KathyD - Cage 9/11/15 4♥
Nichole - Provoked 9/12/15 4♥
Jody - Trapped 9/13/15 3♥/ Beck 9/14/15 4♥
Jane(PS) - Shadowed 9/25/15 4♥
MountainKat - Edge of Dawn 9/26/15 3 -3.5♥

Bonus
Tally for Sept
9/12 read
*Preethi - Darkness Rises 9/13/15 4-4.5♥
*Stacie Mass D-struction - Uncaged 9/15/15 3♥
*Jennifer - Night Unbound 9/21/15 4♥
*Stephanie - Cooper 9/19/15 3.5♥
*Zara - Don't Wake Me Up 9/25/15 2-2.5♥ / The Spy and His Boy 9/26/15 3♥
*Sunshine - A Limited Offer 9/25/15 2♥
*Catherine - Seventh Son 9/25/15 3-3.5♥
*JanePS - Written in Red 9/29/15 5♥ - audio was fantastic!! / Locke 9/21/15 4♥
*KathyD - Against the Wall 9/30/15 2♥



Total Tally both Months
Regular - 13/17
Bonus - 22/24 read

[Nichole]

I have been terrible about updating! But things have slowed down and will hopefully do better in the next round. I also had grand plans to finish them all. Again, maybe next time!

Meet & Greet Challenge Round 11
Completed: 26/40

Group 1 14/16
❀~Amy~❀-Red Glove-★★★☆☆
Dana-The Dream Thieves-★★★★☆
Dee-Snow Falling on Bluegrass-★★★★☆
Diane ~Firefly~-Heart of Venom-★★★★★
Elke-Up From the Grave-★★★★☆
Jane(PS)-Magic Shifts-★★★★★
Jody-How Beauty Saved the Beast-★★★★☆
KathyD-Passion Unleashed-★★★★☆
~Leslie~-Moonglow-★★★★☆
~Melissa~-Dreams of a Dark Warrior-★★★★☆
MountainKat-Heaven, Texas-3.5★
Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)-Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet-★★★★☆
Sunshine- The Law of Moses-★★★★★
Ty-Prince of Dreams-★★★★☆

Bonus Picks 12/24
Armi-Sinner's Gin-★★★★☆
Dana-Throne of Glass-★★★☆☆
Gea-Three to Ride-★★★☆☆
Gle-The Magpie Lord-4.5★
KellyJo-Defiant-4.5★
Mai-Firefly Lane-★★★☆☆
~Melissa~-Lothaire-★★★★☆
Preethi-Widdershins-★★★★☆
Raine-The Vixen and the Vet-★★★☆☆
Stacie Mass D-struction- One Pink Line-★★★★☆
Sunshine-Painted Faces-★★★★★
Zara-Virgin River-★★★★☆

Thank you for all the great picks! I still managed to take a chunk out of the TBR :)