SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R12: Team #2 ~ Read or PAIRish
Yay!!
Hey ladies! Just finished my cover love pick (review will be posted mañana) and I've started Georgina Kincaid book 3 for my UF pick. This succubus has me HOOKED! Gotta go! She's whispering my name...
Reader's ChoiceI decided to continue with the Mercy Thompson series:
by Patricia BriggsRead: 27.10.15
Rating: ★★★★
This, the second book in the series, was even better than the first. Mercy is faced this time with a villain who is frankly terrifying - the scene where Littleton tries to attack Mercy in her trailer had me sitting up and turning on the lights. I am also really enjoying the love triangle between Mercy, Samuel and Adam (which has tantalisingly turned into a love square at the end of this book with Stefan's perhaps not surprising admissions). I like how we feel almost as confused as Mercy herself when we consider each of them. I think she's really developed well as a character and her bravery at the end - taking justice into her own hands - was brilliant. I think my only tiny gripe with this book was that, as someone who isn't religious, I felt the religious aspect of this was laid on a little too thick. But that's cool - we read to extend ourselves and it didn't in any way mar my enjoyment of this book and my keenness to find out what happens next. Bring on book 3.
Sandra wrote: "Yay!!":D
Glad you're enjoying Mercy, NancyHelen. And, I am with you on religion in my books - yick.
Great reviews ladies! I finished my book a couple days ago but haven't had a chance to review. I will review and update shelves tonight :)
Sounds good. I'll be posting the shelf shortly. :)
Oops! I was lookin' for something to waste time on until 1p got here and whoops! it came and went without me noticing. Sorry!Shelf this week is : Alpha Male
Direct Link: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
I'll be reading
. I'm hoping this isn't the finale, but no word on her website or GR of future books. So, we'll see.
Enjoy BDBrother :)
Shelf: Cover Love
Date Finished: 10/27/15
Rating: 5/5 STARS
Georgina once again manages to wrap me around her little finger. In this book we dive a bit deeper into her relationship with Seth and learn a bit more about her past. We learn just how far she would go to protect her friends and meet someone from her past, and we get a tiny glimpse into another religion.
Like the first book, the plot flowed very smoothly. Richelle manages to transport you into her story and makes you feel for Georgina. At one point, she had me WISHING I was in her shoes! Her little gang of friends are still as dysfunctional as ever, but of course they still have her back. And Seth (I don't know how he does it) shows that he's got a wealth of self-control (what's that?) when it comes to sexy-time... I applaud him.
Anyway... On to book 3!!! Looking forward to seeing what exactly is up with those dreams...
I need to get back to that series. Good review, JustMel :D
Shelf: Coupledom
Date finished: Oct 25
Rating: 5 stars
Quick-style review today:
I loved everything from start to finish, the story was completely engaging. The sparks between Serra and Fane are definitely alive. There is a villain who does some awful things but the reasons behind his actions are genuine and he blurs the lines ever so slightly between good and evil. There is plenty of exciting action, both the steamy and butt-kicking variety. I was a little unsure after the first book, but this follow-up has sold me on the series :)
updated through post #525✔ Steph: Kitty Saves the World - review
✔ Nancy: Fool Moon - review
✔ JustMel: Succubus Dreams - review
✔ Vivian: Stolen - review
✔ Steph: Hell Bent - review
✔ NancyHelen: Halfway to the Grave - review
✔ JustMel: Night Pleasures - review
✔ Vivian: Unshapely Things - review
✔ Steph: Boundary Lines - review
✔ NancyHelen: Blood Bound - review
✔ JustMel: The Vampire's Mail Order Bride - review
✔ Vivian:Kitty in the Underworld - review
✔ Steph: Burn - review
✔ NancyHelen: Follow the Crow - review
✔ JustMel: His Obsession Next Door - review
✔ Vivian: Blood Assassin - review
#16 Oct 28 - Alpha Male
✔ Steph: Dire Desires - review
✔ NancyHelen: Lover Eternal - review
JustMel: Lover Eternal
✔ Vivian: Obsidian - review
#17 Nov 5 - Same but Different
✔ Steph: Mirror Me - review
✔ NancyHelen: Cry Wolf - review
JustMel: Night Embrace
✔ Vivian: After the Golden Age - review
#18 Nov 11: B-I-N-G-O
Steph: A Mad Zombie Party
NancyHelen: Magic Strikes
JustMel: Hidden Sins
Vivian: Throttle Me
shelves updated, requested Cover Love stampMel - let me know if I missed your picks for any of the above shelves
I haven't picked a book for this week yet, nothing on the shelf is calling to me at the moment but I'll pick something over the weekend :)
Coupledom
by B.B. GriffithRead: 1 November
Rating: 5*
Oh wow. This was good. Really, really good. I have to say that the free books you can get on Amazon are often a mixed bag, but this one was brilliant. The story revolves around Navajo beliefs, a missing girl and the separation between the plain of the living and the plain of the dead. Ben Dejooli is a policeman on the Reservation who works to try and forget his sister who went missing in strange circumstances six years before. Caroline is an oncology nurse working at Albuquerque General Hospital. When Ben is brought in after passing out, she starts to suspect something bad, which is made more convincing by her strange but subtle ability to see people's feelings in 'colours'. She gets the help of Dr Owen Bennett to convince Ben to go for a scan, but the results are just one part of the deepening drama which provides an explanation of what happened to Ana, and why Ben is being followed by crows.
The writing was fabulous, and the fact that it was written in the first person, present tense gave the story both an intimacy and an immediacy which really worked. This choice doesn't always work out, but in this book it is perfect. The chapters jump between the points of view of the three characters, giving you a strong sense of each of their personalities, their own feelings and their struggle to understand what is going on. I suspect that often the first book in a series is given free in the hope that you will go online and buy the second one. Well, it worked. I have done exactly that, and have even gone to look for the author's other books. I would highly recommend this book.
Awesome review NancyHelen! Sounds like a really good book. Those freebie firsts have sucked me into several series too!Decided to read
this week.
CONGRATULATIONS, Read or PAIRish!We now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'cover love'.
[Our updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Yay!! :D
I'll finish my ALPHA MALE book this evening and post my review before our next shelf.Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween and is enjoying their reads!
Congrats on the stamp Read or Pairish!
Thanks Sandra! Yay stamp :)I'm enjoying my Alpha Male book so far, almost half way through and it's going quickly. Definitely some Twilight-esque similarities but much more enjoyable.
I'm also loving my alpha male book - talk about a guilty pleasure! I couldn't put it down last night. With luck I should also get it finished before the next call.
Love it when they're unputdownable :D
Series: Eternal Wolf Clan #3
Shelf: Alpha Male
Read: 2 Nov
Rating: ✮✮✮✮☆
Review:
Dire Desires' main story is the pairing of Jinx and Gillian. Jinx recently made the choice to separate from his Dire pack in an attempt to save them from a costly mistake he made. For now, he's working aside a vampire, Jez and the two are doing what they can to make the world safe again. When their monster hunt leads them to a mental institution, Jinx is surprised to find Gillian, a beautiful patient who has no idea she's a Dire. Now, his primary mission is to free her and make sure she's never harmed again.
While that story plays out, there are many other side stories told as well (Rogue, Jinx' twin; Jinx' big whoops; Jez' prophesied future; Liam, the young King of Manhattan pack; Liam's Alpha and Omega - Cyd and his twin, Cain; Cain and his former-FBI boyfriend; Liam, Meg and Violet; Vice and his new charge and lost love). So many that I started to worry this may be the final book in the series. I checked Tyler's website and there's no word either way, so because of that and the way that this installment ended, I'm choosing to believe there will be more Dire stories to come.
I thoroughly enjoy this series and look forward to ... Vice and Eydis' story next. <-- wishful thinking, most likely
Hiya ladies! Shelf day! :DShelf #17 ~ 4 Nov: Same, but Different
Read a book: in a new2you series written by an author you've read (ex: Ilona Andrews - The Edge, Kate Daniels, Hidden Legacy series)
Not yet sure what I'll read for this one. I'll let ya know once I've chosen.
I finished my Alpha Male book late last night, so I'll do a review later today.I might do
for the next one.
Shelf: Alpha Male
Date finished: Nov 2
Rating: 3.5 stars
Obsidian is the start of a fun YA series. Katy moves to a small town with her mom and of course their neighbors are not of this world. Siblings Dee and Daemon live next door and while Dee and Katy soon become buddies, Daemon is a completely different story.
"He is the Beautiful face. Beautiful body. Horrible attitude. It was the holy trinity of hot boys." Daemon and Katy have an I-lust-you-but-I-hate-you thing going on, mostly because Daemon will save Katy's life one second then treat her like dirt the next. Luckily, she mostly doesn't put up with his crap.
I was definitely intrigued by this story and the conflict between Luxens and Arum. The book is well written and is a quick read. I like that Katy actually exists outside of her relationship with Dee and Daemon, she makes other friends and is developed as a character with interests of her own plus there isn't an overabundance of angst over the dreamy yet unattainable boy next door.
I'll definitely pick up the next installment and see where the story goes.
Good review Steph! Fingers crossed you get future books in that series :)I am considering
for the Same, but Different shelf. It just looks a bit long for me to finish this week and I'm not entirely convinced I like Steampunk. Will make a decision soon :)
Great series, NancyHelen. Love it - hope you do too!I found that to be a quick read also, Vivian. I haven't returned to the series, but will in the future.
I'm still not sure which one I'll read for this shelf.
Choosing between ~
I'll let ya know which I start.
Vivian wrote: "Good review Steph! Fingers crossed you get future books in that series :)I am considering
for the Same, but Different shelf. It just looks a bit long ..."Thanks. I hoping there'll be more. :D
I feel exactly the same way about steampunk. I've only read a few (The Iron Duke, Soulless & Wicked as They Come) and I liked them all okay, but it's definitely not my new favorite genre of choice, that's for sure.
So many choices Steph!NancyHelen - I agree, the series is just as good as Mercy! You might consider reading Alpha & Omega which is a prequel to the series first. It gives you a little history about Anna and Charles.
Too many ... nah, who am I kidding, there's no such thing. ;)
Vivian wrote: "So many choices Steph!NancyHelen - I agree, the series is just as good as Mercy! You might consider reading Alpha & Omega which is a prequel to the series first. It gives you a lit..."
Mmm, OK. I'll see if I can get hold of it. Often the prequel doesn't need to be read first, but if you think in this case it helps then I'll start there instead.
I don't know if it needs to be read first so if you can't get a hold of it not a big deal. It's part of the On the Prowl anthology, maybe you can see if your library has it?
I read the first book before the short/anthology story b/c that's how they were released at the time. So, you'll be fine without it now, but I'd recommend it at some point, as Vivian said it provides some good background/history on the pair.
Well I recommend it definitely, NancyHelen, cause it is really the 1st 70 pages of the book. Makes it flow better and gives a much better impression of Anna, when you realise what she's come from.It has been released as a novella as well as in the anthology Vivian mentioned.
I've managed to borrow the anthology, so what I might do is just read the short story, and then read Cry Wolf as my main book for the task. I can then go back and finish the anthology afterwards.
Alpha Male
by J.R. WardRead: 4 Nov
Rating: 4.5*
Ok, this series is definitely a guilty pleasure. It's just so corny and I just can't help myself but love it! In the second book, we learn more about Rhage (sorry, I still can't take these names seriously - it's that extra 'H' that each one has that just makes me giggle). Rhage, also known as Hollywood for his stunning blonde looks (and 6ft 8 built-like-a-brick-s**thouse frame), is the gigolo of the brotherhood, using sex to curb the beast which lives within him thanks to a curse laid upon him by the Scribe Virgin. But then he meets Mary, a fairly average looking woman who is dying of leukaemia. It's all rather predictable: he falls in love, they have hot sex, she stands up to him, they have more sex, he saves her from the lesser, they have even more sex and it all ends happily ever after. I mean seriously, what's not to love with that??? The truth is, I couldn't put it down. Sure, I knew what was going to happen right from the outset, but I still loved reading it. I think the only thing I didn't like was the ending which really did push the boundaries of silliness, but it introduced the drama that is about to happen in Book 3, which focuses on Zsadist (the dark brother who, surprisingly, doesn't have an extra 'H'. Although there is an extra 'Z' so that's almost as good...). Frankly, I can't wait.
Excellent NancyHelen!
Good plan, NancyHelen. You won't be sorry you took the time to read it now.
Yay NancyHelen! I hope you enjoy the books. Also glad you got a kick out of BDB. I have only read the first one, haven't felt the need to continue.
I decided on
. I'm on a superhero kick so hopefully this one will be fun :)
That sounds like a fun read. Looking forward to your review. I started MIRROR ME by Stephanie Tyler for this shelf. I'm enjoying it so far.
I'm about half way through and it's kinda boring. It's not badly written or anything, but I expected a lot more action and excitement and the MC has an annoying my-parents-messed-up-my-childhood-and-life vibe that I'm hoping improves in the second half. Glad you're liking Mirror Me!
:/ That sucks. Too into it for a switch?Thanks. It's got a touch of the supernatural, which I didn't expect (some psychic visions, twin links, etc).
Shelf: Same, but Different
Date finished: Nov 7
Rating: 2 stars
I really like Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series and was excited to try out her take on superheroes. Unfortunately, the book didn't do it for me but there are plenty of other readers who seem to enjoy it so it could be a case of "it's not you, it's me".
This story starts off with the kidnapping of Celia, a norm whose parents are half of the superhero quartet watching over Commerce City. Sounds exciting but Celia has the "been there, done that, got the shirt" attitude because she's been kidnapped so many times it doesn't affect her and the kidnappers are too lame to be scary.
This quote sums up Celia: "twenty five years old and still pissed off because I think my parents don't love me". I just didn't care for her...or any other character in the entire novel.
I was hoping after the first half that Celia's attitude would change and we would get some meaningful interactions with other characters but I feel like most of the interactions with others took place in flashbacks. She has a couple awkward dinners with her parents, goes on a date, and is kidnapped a few times. Between all that, she whines about how much it sucks to be the daughter of superheroes.
BTW - If you're looking for romance, this book is not for you. There is a brief romantic thing in the story but it was...a weird insertion.
Two stars because it was quick and I made it through the entire book.
Same, But Different
by Patricia BriggsRead: 8 November 2015
Rating: 4*
It was really lucky I had read the first two Mercy Thompson books, as this story leads off from it. I think I would have felt a bit lost with it if I hadn't been familiar with the characters. But I really liked how the story begun and you had to piece together what had happened - who was Anna? What had happened to her? And how had she and Charles formed such a strong bond in such a short period of time? I really liked how we got to know the werewolves of Aspen Creek too, particularly the Marrok. The writing again was subtle - a bit of romance, but not too much; a bit of violence but not too much; but still with plenty of tension to keep the story going. I'm not sure I liked this as much as I have enjoyed the Mercy Thompson series so far, although I still have to go back and read the prequel. But I liked it enough to want to keep going with this side series, if nothing else but because it will make the Mercy series that much better having all of this background knowledge.
I had to read this first for another challenge, but I'm going to get the anthology read now as I am definitely curious about the back story.
Glad you enjoyed NancyHelen! I think this series is fun in part because it's an extension of the Mercyverse. I love Bran too! I haven't had a re-read of Mercy in a couple years, might be time to revisit :)
Hey ladies. Still alive and kicking... and reading lolMy classes have started again so my reading will slow down again... plus I'm heading back East to NYC for Thanksgiving (and my b'day) so I'm prepping for that, but I'll try to catch up. I'll have my UF review posted later, but here are my picks for the shelves I've missed:
Reader's Choice:
Coupledom:
Alpha Male:
(tentative)Same but Different:
(tentative)
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Throttle Me (other topics)A Mad Zombie Party (other topics)
The Queen of Zombie Hearts (other topics)
Hidden Sins (other topics)
Magic Strikes (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Patricia Briggs (other topics)B.B. Griffith (other topics)
Jeaniene Frost (other topics)
Ilona Andrews (other topics)
Patricia Briggs (other topics)
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Series: Dark in You #1
Shelf: Coupledom
Read: 25 Oct
Rating: ✮✮✮✮½
Review:
Burn is the first book of Suzanne Wright's that I've read (thanks to Sandra) and it won't be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed the demon-filled world she created and look forward to more!
Harper Wallis may be a member of the infamous Wallis family of imps, but she's not an imp - she's a sphinx without wings. She has an unusual ability that comes in handy when others mistakenly think she's easy prey. When Harper meets Knox Thorne, badass demon with off-the-charts power and Prime of the Las Vegas lair, she's surprised to realize he's her anchor. He doesn't appear to need the assistance an anchor would offer and she's not one to depend on anyone but herself, so she's not jumping at the chance to bond with him. But, Knox isn't only interested in the anchor bond, he's after Harper herself. She intrigues him and it's been a long time since he or his demon have felt such a strong attachment to another - he's not willing to let her get away.
Their budding romance (which is slow to boil and then blistering hot) is only a part of the story. There are demon strays (those living outside of a Prime-protected lair) missing and, as a way to stop this and other problems from happening, several demons believe it's time to have a Monarch in charge of all.
I'll most definitely be continuing on with this series. Suzanne Wright does an excellent job of creating her demon world, building the character base and setting the stage for what is sure to be one of my favorite series. She dumps a lot of information on you in Burn , but it's all done in a way that feels fluid and not at all overwhelming.