R12: Team #2 ~ Read or PAIRish

[~JustMel~]

Thanks Vivian! And I think I'll take your advice about the UF book! I'm reading my Itchy Witch pick now, so I'll get to Georgina next.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

NancyHelen wrote: "I hate my reading time being swallowed up by the need to sleep!"

That's the worst part of long distance traveling. You have free time to read, but you're so wiped you can't keep your eyes open long enough. It'll all balance out shortly.

New shelf is up: Reader's Choice. Book must be over 200 pgs. I'm not sure what I'll be reading. I'll let ya know what I settle on.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Read or PAIRish!
We now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'PNR'. 

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

YAY!! :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamp Read or Pairish!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Thanks! :D

[Vivian]

I don't always follow the advice but sleep should definitely take precedence over reading! I'm going with Kitty in the Underworld. Having lots of fun getting back into this world :)

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL! True. ;)

Enjoy!

I'm still deciding.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

For READER'S CHOICE, I'm reading . I had a hard time choosing which book to read b/c I am holding so many for other shelves. I could've gone with the finale book in Monk's duet (Stone Cold), but I figured I'd hold off a bit longer before saying farewell. :)

Vivian, I'm so excited to see that you'll be going to NOLA as well! Yay! I had such a great time hangin' with ya at the IA signing. I'm looking forward to seeing you again. We'll have to make time to meet up there. Hope I don't sound like a creeper. Are you planning to stay at the convention hotel? We have reservations there. Figured it couldn't hurt since we can cancel 30 days out if any problems arise between now and then.

Hope everyone's doing well and enjoying their books. Bingo cards are filling up, but no winners yet. As Vivian mentioned, we have 8 in a row - or will once we have our itchy witch, cover love and new2you series stamps. That leaves dragons for a left to right bow-tie bingo! :D Some other teams have 6 or 7 in a row, but so far we're the only ones with potential 8, I think.

[Vivian]

Reader's Choice can be a tough choice unless you already have one in mind you specifically want to read. I get overwhelmed with all the options lol.

I am super excited about NOLA! I just responded in that thread and yes, some hang out time with the OCDEmoness will make it more fun! I didn't reserve at the hotel, trying to figure the logistics of the travel but there's plenty of time for that I think. Going on a road trip next week to Zion National Park so been doing last minute planning for that. Also trying to decide if there's an audiobook I can subject the rest of the car to on the trip lol.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

True. I do too. :)

Yay! I replied there too. Glad we'll get to visit again and I'll have someone I know who'll be fangirlin' with me. :D Sure, plenty of time for hotel arrangements. I booked right away b/c I was so anxious, but only for the one night at the conv hotel. We'll probably stay longer and either switch hotels or try to extend at that one. We'll have to wait until we get closer next yr to see what's what. Right now, we're lookin' to retire from the USMC in Spring 2016, so it'll be a crazy year for us. No idea where we plan to live. >.< We're going to RV around the US and take some time to figure it out.

Ooooh, we wanna go to Zion. Loads to see in Utah. It's on our 'might wanna live there' list. Hope you have a great time! What's the group interested in (genre wise)? Hubby and I listen to audiobooks on road trips. Really helps pass the time.

[Vivian]

Spring 2016 is coming up super soon, how exciting for you both! RVing around sounds like a great way to start retirement and explore potential places to settle. Maybe in October you'll still be in an RV and won't even need a hotel, stay as long as or as little as you want! I just got a ticket for myself for the con, will see if anyone wants to be my travel buddy next year which is partly why I haven't made any concrete plans.

Going with family and my parents probably wouldn't care much for an audiobook, or ask questions the whole time which would take the enjoyment out of it for me lol. But Utah, there is so much to see! If there was more time I would love to visit more places but road trips are time-consuming. We are going to Zion, Antelope Canyon in Arizona, then stop in Vegas on the way home.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

True! Time's flyin'! Maybe. We won't be retiring permanently, just retiring from the USMC. So, we'll have to settle eventually. Unless we find a way to make money while doing the nomadic thing in our RV. :)

LOL! My MIL was visiting recently and we listened to Zoo with her. She would chatter throughout periodically to ask us questions, which cracked me up b/c we were listening for the first time too.

That sounds like an amazing trip! :D

[Nancy]

New2You

by Jeaniene Frost
Read: 15 October
Rating: 4.5 stars

I loved it. That's almost all that I need to say really. Right from the first page of this book I loved it. Cat was brilliant, and even her hangups were realistic. And Bones was probably my favourite vampire character that I have come across in my reading so far. I think I loved the fact that he was British (or sort of 'Australian', having been turned when he was a convict. Although his British accent and mannerisms didn't always ring completely true (being British Australian myself), they were enough to make me believe in him. And, miracle, I actually laughed out loud with this book and there aren't that many books I can say that happens. This should have been a five star read, but there was just one teeny tiny error which grated on me. I don't mean to be that picky, but it only takes a quick Google search to get this right. The colony of New South Wales (where Bones was first turned) was always called New South Wales and never just South Wales. South Wales is (unsurprisingly) in the south of Wales. I know the author is from the US, but with an international audience (and frankly, this book is good enough to deserve that), it is important to get your details correct. Anyway, that's me being pedantic; in general, this was a fantastic book and I am eagerly moving on to the next in the series.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Yay! Glad you liked it, NancyHelen! Cat & Bones are among those on my favorite couples list. I really miss that series. When you've finished that series, be sure to check out her spin-off featuring Vlad - Night Prince (starts with Once Burned).

You're not alone on your critiquing of Brit-speak and regional stuff. I've heard others mention it. Hard not to judge when it's something like your language and/or country and author gets it wrong.

How are you and the fam settling in? Any less jet-laggy?

[Nancy]

I don't want to be so picky, but if there is one thing I have learned in all of my reading and the writing classes I have taken is that there will always be readers out there who are more familiar with some of your detail so it is important to check. Of course, not all details matter, but I think an editor ought to have picked that up.

Nevertheless I really loved it and I'll definitely look into the spin-off! I thought her writing style was great.

We seem to have settled down, sleep-wise. I actually managed to sit up until my regular 11.30pm last night and get the book finished and both children are almost back to normal. It is weird being here - I still feel a bit like we're on holiday rather than actually living, but I'm sure as soon as I start looking for work that will change.

[Vivian]

NancyHelen- Glad you and the family are adjusting! Did you mention earlier some of your stuff isn't arriving until December? That's a while to go without belongings! Cat and Bones are really awesome. You're in for a good ride :) nothing wrong with being picky, like you said, fact checking is fairly easy nowadays.

[~JustMel~]

Great review NancyHelen! I'll definitely have to add the series to Mount TBR. Just finished my Itchy Witch pick, so review coming mañana. On to Georgina Kincaid book 2 and Cover Love shelf stamp!

[~JustMel~]

Oh and to update my UF pick, which will be next after Cover Love, I'll be reading

[Nancy]

Vivian wrote: "NancyHelen- Glad you and the family are adjusting! Did you mention earlier some of your stuff isn't arriving until December? That's a while to go without belongings! Cat and Bones are really awesom..."

Yep, I am without my library or any of my belongings until they arrive around Christmas time. The hardest part of that is not having all my books with me (and trying to stop myself from buying books to make up for the lack! Lucky there's a library nearby and my Mum and Dad have at least 1000 books too).

I am struggling to decide what to read for Readers Pick. I am tempted to continue with one of the series I've started, so it will either be or

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Both good ones NancyHelen, you can't go wrong with either of them.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Glad y'all are adjusting well. I can totally relate to the feeling of holiday vs. permanency. We felt like that when we moved to diff locations as well. Equally relatable is the lack of your stuff. The lag between you arriving and your stuff making it there is always a tad painful. Glad you've got a library nearby. Hope they have a good selection for you. I loved our library in Canberra. I could request online, they'd pull from other locations and email me when my book was ready to p/up. Super convenient!

Those are both excellent choices for your next read. Those are among some of the series I wish I could read again for the first time.

Back in 2010, I stopped at book one in that series, JustMel. I keep forgetting I have that one to be finished.

I've got so much on my mind that I cannot seem to get into my book. :/ Every time I pick it up I feel my mind wandering. Frustrating.

[Vivian]

Updated shelves here

NancyHelen and JustMel - I'm so glad you both are enjoying these new series! I absolutely adore all of those series and hope you'll like the rest of the books :)

Steph - not being able to get into a book is no fun :( maybe you just need a break from the reading?

I started my book last night and I'm sure it will go quickly if I can just sit and read for a couple hours.

NancyHelen, it's hard to feel like home without all your normal stuff, no wonder it still feels like vacation! Hopefully your library is a good one, do you guys have Overdrive or something similar for ebooks there? I love being able to borrow a book instantly from my phone, technology is amazing!

[Nancy]

Yep, we've got Overdrive and when I had a chat with the librarian she said that the selection was really good. I haven't gone and checked it out yet (I am trying to resist seeing as I still have 3 books to finish for Bingo!)

[Vivian]

Shelf: Reader's Choice
Date finished: Oct 17
Rating: 3 stars

Last week I read Kitty Rocks the House and it was fabulous so I went into Kitty in the Underworld on a high and expecting super exciting things.

I like Kitty but she is known for her voice (i.e. big mouth). When she spends chapters locked up in a room by herself with no one to talk to, it kinda takes away one of the key aspects of the series. But maybe that's just me. I felt for Kitty - I was going stir-crazy and bored along with her - but it wasn't my favorite part of the book.

The story was good, there are always interesting mythologies incorporated into the characters and despite Kitty (view spoiler)[drinking the kool-aid with these weirdos (hide spoiler)], I enjoyed the read and have moved on to Cormac's story in Low Midnight

[Vivian]

NancyHelen wrote: "Yep, we've got Overdrive and when I had a chat with the librarian she said that the selection was really good. I haven't gone and checked it out yet (I am trying to resist seeing as I still have 3 ..."

Yay for Overdrive! There is plenty of time for you to explore :)

[Nancy]

I joined the library and had a quick look today and it seems like there are well over 20,000 books on Overdrive available for borrowing. Woo hoo for good libraries!

I've got about 30% to go on and I just thought I would jump in and say:

Oh...My...God, I LOVE this book...

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Yay for libraries & yay for Kate & Curran!!

[Nancy]

Itchy Witch

by Ilona Andrews
Read: 19 October
Rating: 5 stars

I don't think that there is anything that could be improved with this book. It was absolutely brilliant. Because I had got through the world building in the first book, I found that this one, although still requiring concentration, was a lot easier to get into. The writing, the story, the characters - it was all just amazing. I love Kate more and more. She's just the right combination of strong, independent, sassy and funny. And I love how the tension between her and Curran is building slowly. This book introduced Julie and we got to know Andrea a little more (both of whom I think figure in some of the .5 books, judging from Ilona Andrew's website). But I'm speechless. How good can a series be? If this is anything to go by, utterly amazing is the answer.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Yep, welcome to the Kate & Curran *batontwirling* fangirl club NancyHelen :DDDD

It's definitely my fav series :)

[~JustMel~]

Sorry for the delay guys! Had a bit of computer trouble this weekend so I wasn't able to post my review. But things are back in working order as of last night, so I'll be posting after work.

[Vivian]

Yay NancyHelen! Lots of fans here so you're in good company. If you haven't come across them yet, there are also shorts written from Curran's POV that you may enjoy at some point :)

No problem Mel, looking forward to your review! Glad things are up and running again.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Yay for good libraries, online borrowing and Kate & Curran fangirling! :D

I'm still pluggin' along - slowly - on my book. Hope to have the thing finished before next shelf announcement.

[~JustMel~]

Shelf: Itchy Witch
Date Finished: 10/15/15
Rating: 4/5 STARS

This was an interesting read. The plot was quite entertaining. However the writing is a bit stiff. I'm willing to chalk it up to the fact that this was the first book, and possibly the first book by this author. Therefore, I won't harp on that aspect of this book. I actually enjoyed reading this story. It was sweet, a bit romantic, and full of mystery. It served as a very nice introduction to the rest of the series.
The characters are nicely described and their personalities really come through. Melinda Howard blames herself for her parents' death and this defines the person that she is at the opening of the story. She has a bit of a way to go to completely overcome it, but by the end of this book, she is well on her way. Her love interest is a vampire who can't seem to figure out how he should behave around her, but is he the only one?? Her brothers Charlie and Michael are at odds with each other, but end up reconciling. How? Well you'll have to read to find out! Believe me, it's the best part of the book! I'll definitely be reading the rest of this series.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Series: Boundary Magic #2
Shelf: Reader's Choice
Read: 20 Oct
Rating: ✮✮✮☆☆
Review:
I found it hard to not only get into this one (vs. the first, Boundary Crossed) but also to stay engaged once I did. But, I've had a ton on my mind lately, so it's most likely a case of "it's not you, it's me". That said, I really do enjoy the world expansion Olson provides with this Scarlett Bernard series spin-off. I like Lex and her boundary magic abilities are intriguing. We continue to learn more about them as she does. There's a mix of supernaturals (werewolves, witches and vampires) for those who enjoy that in their UF series.

Boundary Lines picks up near Boundary Crossed's end and Lex finds herself disliked by many in the Old World, especially the witches. Due to events in the previous installment, she aligned herself with the vamps, which isn't sitting well with many of the witches. There is more than Lex's unusual magic abilities to worry about though, several vamps have gone missing and a mysterious beast is on the prowl for food. Magic is doing odd things to Old Worlders in Boulder and Lex must figure out why.

[Vivian]

Updated shelves, requested Itchy Witch stamp. Hope everyone's having a good week, happy reading :)

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Hey Ladies! I've posted the shelf a bit early today b/c I'm away from my computer and didn't want to miss the 1p deadline.

Shelf #15 ~ 21 Oct: Coupledom
Read a book: featuring a couple on the cover

I think I'll read , which Sandra recommended.

Hope everyone's doing well and has a great day! I'll stamp cards tomorrow. Yay Team! :D

[Nancy]

Yay for another stamp! Just to let you all know I am plugging away at my cover love book - unfortunately it might be cover love but it isn't really book love. Its just not grabbing me :-( Nevertheless, I've got 90 pages to go so I really should get it knocked on the head today.

Hmmm, for the new shelf I might go for . I got it free on Amazon, so I might as well give it a try.

[Vivian]

My pick for this week is .

Good luck with the freebie NancyHelen! They really are like a box of chocolates, never know what you're gonna get :)

Suzanne Wright, she wrote the book with the orgy scene removed. I was trying to figure out how I recognized her name. Burn sounds like a good read, I'm sure you'll have fun with that one.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Read or PAIRish!
We now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'itchy witch'. 

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

Go, team, go!! :D

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Sorry 'bout your cover love book, NancyHelen, and better luck w/your freebie.

O.o Orgy scene?

Sandra has read it twice already, so I'm sure I'll like it. :)

[Vivian]

. Sandra read this one too so I'm sure she can tell you more about it :) An orgy scene got edited out of the book at some point. I remember a little hoopla over it on GR back in the day but not really sure what the specific issue was.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

I didn't feel the orgy scene was necessary, it felt wrong. It just didn't fit with the possessive alpha that Trey is.

My copy didn't have it, but SW has it on her website if you want to read it.


Congrats on the stamp Read or Pairish!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Ah. Gotcha. ;)

Thanks :D Also, thanks for the book rec, I'm enjoying BURN so far. :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Thank Goodness *wipessweatfrombrow*

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL!! >;)

[Nancy]

Cover Love

by Maggie Stiefvater
Read: 24 October
Rating: 3*

Cover love, but not content love...

Meh. I was so disappointed with this book. So far I have loved every Maggie Stiefvater book I have read but this one really didn't grab me. Of course, it was written well, but the character of Grace simply felt wooden to me. Unlike all of her other heroines, at no time did I particularly warm to Grace or relate to her. I did like the angle whereby werewolves changed in accordance with the change of weather, but unlike many of the author's other books, this book just stretched my credulity. In particular, the ending didn't make sense. The 'cure' all seemed very sudden and very unlikely. Why work on one but not on another? And really, would teens honestly be permitted to not only get it, but administer it too? The romance also just felt forced. It didn't have the magic that many other paranormal romances have that I've read recently. It took me a long time to get through the book because I kept putting it down and not feeling particularly inspired to pick it back up again. I am not sure I'll continue this series as I didn't feel invested enough in the characters to know what happens next.

[Vivian]

Sorry Shiver didn't live up to her other books, hopefully your next read is better! Shiver was one of the author's first books so maybe the later books improve?

Haven't had a ton of reading time, but Blood Assassin is absolutely delicious so far! And I'm giving Sandra credit for my read too, pretty sure it was her review in a past bingo round that piqued my interest in the series.

[Nancy]

Yes, that makes sense that it was her first book. It really felt that way, and she has definitely got better and better.

I'm in the midst of Blood Bound which I am also really enjoying. Talk about a creepy bad guy!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

*hi5* Vivian :D

[Steph, Serious series addict]

:D I like that series too, Vivian. Seems the next-book-in-series wait is always so long though. :/ Glad you're enjoying BA!

I've finished my read and really liked it. Had some 'why didn't they do XYZ' in certain situations, but overall 4.5 stars for me. I'll get my review up before the next announcement.

FYI: I'll be offline Friday, but back on Monday.