R12: Team #13 ~ Baker's Dozen

[Lisa]

Hi guys. Not sure what happened to my last post but I don't see it here. I am reading Shift by Rachel Vincent. I will have my review done in Monday.

[Mary X]

So we are doing really well with earning our stamps and we are actually doing pretty good with a possible winning pattern starting: bottom left quarter up to top right quarter.

I'm hoping for Itchy Witchy this week because I have a witch audiobook I want to read for another challenge.

[Lisa]

Well, I got that wrong. I read Stray not Shift!


Shelf: Meow
Book: Stray
pages: 400
finished: 9-13-2015
rating: **


I didn't fall in love with this book. I felt like I had read it before. The story reminds me of
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong.

Faythe leaves her were family to try to live a normal life. Things do not go smoothly for her and then she is forced to return home. Faythe is a rare among her peers and finds herself mixed up with her ex. This is where you ping pong back and forth with this ex.

This book could have been improved by cutting it down by about 10 chapters. It was soooo long. I had a hard time finishing it. I am even having a hard time writing this review. I don't recommend it but it wasn't the worst book I read.

It received a lot of 4 star reviews..maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this one

[Mary X]

I am not going to finish my Meow book before the next shelf call, maybe by Friday.

[Mary X]

New Shelf, this one is an actual shelf on goodreads: Paranormal Romance

I'll check on my book later. My planned witch book might work for this too.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Baker's Dozen!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'demons', 'UF' and 'favorite'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Mary X]

Yeah!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamps Baker's Dozen!

[Cheryl]

I should have my Meow book finished tonight and will write my review tomorrow.

For my Paranormal Romance shelf, I have chosen which is in the PNR shelf. I have been dying to get back into this series so I was glad when PNR came up.

[Mary X]

I made a big dent in my meow book but I still have about 7 hours left.

[Mary X]

So the book I wanted to read happens to have been shelved Paranormal Romance by 7 people.

[Sarah]

For the Paranormal Romance shelf I am going to read Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh. I've read it before, but I need a refresher to continue the series. I'm going with the audiobook.

[Cheryl]

Shelf: Meow
Book: Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
260 pages
finished 9-17-15
Rating: ★★★1/2

I enjoyed this book much more than the first. I love Kate and how she keeps Curran on his toes. There is a lot of world building and it took me a while become familiar with the characters and involved in the story. I am looking forward to seeing how this series develops.

[Mary X]

I actually shifted from my Meow book to my paranormal romance. I need my PNR book for another challenge and it's keep me from going on to the next step. Not sure how much reading/listening time I will have this weekend. I have a date tonight with my new guy. Then class all morning tomorrow and an online accounting quiz in the evening. Sunday my daughter and I are going to the beach with some friends. But I'm sure I'll get some in here and there. The PNR is much shorter than my Meow book.

[Sarah]

Shelf 10: Paranormal Romance Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
Pages: 339
Read: 9.18.15
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
So I've read this before in 2011 (thank goodness Goodreads keeps a record of that for me) but this time it felt like a whole new book! I swear it was like I had never read it before. I don't know if it was because it was an audio book instead of reading the paperback, but it was a great experience. The narrator did a great job with all the different accents of the Archangels. I have a review from the first time I read it and much is the same. I am really excited to read the next book. I literally just spent all day yesterday listening to the audio book, I didn't want to do anything else.

[Mary X]

Can you put the shelf name in there just in case they want that when we ask for a stamp. Thanks!

[Cheryl]

Sarah, you have convinced me to bump up Angels' Blood on my TBR list. Its sounds addictive. What a shame there isn't an angel shelf, but I'm sure that I can find a shelf to fit.

[Lisa]

Sorry for the silence this week. My work week was crazy and it is just getting worse!

Because I am nutty I let my husband pick my book this week. He was paging down the shelf and started laughing. He picked this book because he thought the guy looked like he was on the toilet. Do they ever grow up? Now I can't keep from seeing the cover and having the same thought ...
Brawn by Laurann Dohner

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Sounds just like a bloke!!!

[Cheryl]

LOL. Lisa, he does look like he is on the toilet. Men do see things differently. At least he is showing an interest in books - my husband hasn't read a book since high school and thinks that I waste too much time reading. I tell him that he doesn't know what he is missing!

[Mary X]

I love the Guild hunters series. I like it better than the Psy-Changlings.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

I do too Mary :)

[Sarah]

Cheryl wrote: "Sarah, you have convinced me to bump up Angels' Blood on my TBR list. Its sounds addictive. What a shame there isn't an angel shelf, but I'm sure that I can find a shelf to fit."

It would fit multiple categories I'm sure! It was great fun to read!

[Lisa]

Cheryl wrote: "LOL. Lisa, he does look like he is on the toilet. Men do see things differently. At least he is showing an interest in books - my husband hasn't read a book since high school and thinks that I wast..."

Cheryl, he has no interest. He was bugging me so I had to give him something to do! I told him once that we were beginning to only have TV in common so he read the Hunger Game books. He read them to "show me". Like I thought he couldn't read. He says he is done reading now. He is a block head but he keeps me laughing. Sometimes I am glad we aren't reading the same books. I don't need him getting any ideas!

[Cheryl]

Shelf: Paranormal Romance
Succubus Heat by Richelle Mead
Pages: 304
Read: 9.20.15
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
Loved it! Georgina and her immortal friends are hilarious when they temporary lose their powers abilities. Georgina goes through an emotional wringer and I experienced it with her - I just wanted to jump in the book and give her a big hug. And Seth, he has wormed his way into my heart. It is so refreshingly different for the male lead to be a quiet, nerdy good guy, but Ms Mead pulls it off perfectly. He is so strong and supportive - just what Georgina needs. I can't get enough of this series!

[Lisa]

Cheryl, I hope u get to finish the series before bingo is over. I think that this is one of my favorite series endings. Very clever.

[Cheryl]

Lisa, I am starting Succubus Shadows tonight (#5 in the series) and I will probably read the last one in the next few weeks. I am so hooked on this series - I'm glad that all the books are out. I don't think I could stand waiting. Thanks so much for recommending this series to me.

[Mary X]

Sorry that I have been scarce lately. Just been really busy. But I finished my PNR book and will go back to my Meow book tonight. I will post a review later.

[Sarah]

Shelf 7: Dark & Stormy Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison
Pages: 305
Read: 9.21.15
Rating: ★★
Review:
Wow! This was seriously a struggle for me to get through. I would have just switched books but I didn't really have a lot of options of this particular shelf readily available. Plus it's been on my TBR for a long time, and I play this game to get to books I normally wouldn't get to. I didn't feel the chemistry between Tiago and Niniane. I like the world, the different creatures, the politics, and Harrison's descriptive writing. I just couldn't get behind the characters. I would have given this book only one star but I reserve that for books I don't finish. This came close. This series is so popular, and I really wanted to join in on the fun that everyone else seems to be having. I'm not going to continue with the series. I find Carling interesting and Rune interesting, but from my experience with this book, and some of the reviews I've already read of Serpent's Kiss I don't think it's really going to do anything for me. I'm just glad to be done with this and get the stamp.

[Mary X]

OK team. I am going to make sure I do some updating on our read books today. I think we can get the dark & stormy shelf now. I have about 5 hours left on my Meow book.

But first, I'm going to post my PNR book review.

[Mary X]

Paranormal Romance



4 stars

9/21/15

This is more of a paranormal cozy than a paranormal romance but people are shelving it as such. First, love Lily,love this series. I like that they are fun, light reads. They make excellent audio books and Xe Sands is the perfect narrator for Lily. I docked it a star for a reason that if I explain might give a spoiler. But it has to do with Sailor and Lily. I'm all for a romance between the 2 but didn't like how the book ended between them. I'm just hoping it doesn't turn into one of those cozy series with a never ending romantic triangle of some kind or where the MC never progresses in their life like the Stephanie Plum or Hannah Swenson books.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Baker's Dozen!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'dark & stormy'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamp Baker's Dozen!

[Mary X]

New shelf! Cover Love

A little one with more freedom of choice. I don't ever buy a book just for it's cover, I actually rarely pay for any book. So I'm just going to pick something where I really love the cover.

[Cheryl]

I am going to read for my Cover Love pick. I have been dying to read this for a while and think the cover is just gorgeous.

[Sarah]

Oooh, this one's tricky! So many choices!

[Lisa]

Shelf: Paranormal Romance
Book: Brawn by Laura Dohner
Pages: 211
Finished: 9-23-15
Rating: ***


Well, it ends up that the guy is not on the toilet. He is down on one knee begging for Becca to be with him.

This is the 5th book in the New Species Series. I must admit that it was a pretty good one. Although it doesn't stray far from the pattern of the first four..still good!

Brawn is new species and Becca is human. They wind up getting thrown together and falling for each other. Chaos brings them together and a misunderstanding keeps them apart.

I liked it. This is an inventive and sexy series that I might not otherwise admit to reading. I know that I can trust you guys not to tell anyone! If this was a paperback I would rip off the cover. Hard to tell someone at work that I am reading about lusty half man/half animals meeting their mates and carving a place for themselves to exist in the world at large.

[Lisa]

Hi all. I will be reading
for the Cover Love Shelf. There are 400 pages. I hope I can get this finished in time!

[Lisa]

Sarah wrote: "

Shelf 7: Dark & Stormy Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison
Pages: 305
Read: 9.21.15
Rating: ★★
Review:
Wow! This was seriously a struggle for me to get..."

Hi Sarah, I have kinda given up on this series. I lost it at Midnight's Kiss. I didn't even know who the two main characters were or came from.. I didn't want to find out. I was bummed. The beginning of this series was great.

[Sarah]

Lisa wrote: "Sarah wrote: "

Shelf 7: Dark & Stormy Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison
Pages: 305
Read: 9.21.15
Rating: ★★
Review:
Wow! This was seriously a struggle..."

I saw a lot of potential in the first book, and I know a lot of people really like this series. But the second book fell so flat for me. I'm disappointed, and I'm tempted to continue just because everyone loves it, but I know it's just going to be a huge waste of my time. I keep telling myself not even to try it.

[Sarah]

Shelf 9: Meow Lion's Share by Rachel Vincent
Pages: 270
Read: 9.24.15
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
I didn't realize how much I had missed these characters and this world until I dived back in. Abby reminds me so much of Faythe, but not so much so that it is like a repeat of the Pride series. Rachel Vincent really knows how to surprise readers and she did a great job of that in this first book to the series. I'm so excited to have these characters back and to see where this goes. I hope the next one comes out soon (more than likely next year though). I recommend it but only if you've read the Pride series. I really don't want to give anything away because I feel like it's spoiler-y for the other series.

[Sarah]

BTW it feels so good to finally be caught up except for the most recent shelf! I felt so bad and I was drowning in books to read! So yay for being caught up!

[Sarah]

Because I love all of my books, and I swoon over most covers. I hope this will still count but I asked my Fiance to pick out my Cover Love book. He's not very bookish so anything I can do to get him interested in what I'm doing is always nice. He scoured my shelves (I have a lot of books at home), and selected Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton.



I actually really do love this cover. I like that it's subtle with black, grey and red. It makes the flowers and the birds really pop. Plus the title is done in metallic. Part of the cover is done in matte finish while the girl, flowers/birds, and title have a glossy finish. It's strange to feel, but it looks good.

[Lisa]

Sarah, you caught up quickly! That is a lot of books to rush through - plus adding a new one weekly.

[Mary X]

I will post my Meow book later and do another update and request any shelves we may have finished.

I haven't picked my cover love book yet. Going to look now. I know I have a few audiobooks from the library that I found because the cover caught my eye and caused me to look at the description.

[Mary X]

9/23/15

3 stars

Meow shelf

This was just OK for me. I think she could have easily shaved off 50-100 pages. It's been awhile since I read a Feehan and I forgot how repetitive she can be. So after it's like "ok I get it, stop reminding me" of this or that: in this case if was that Isabeau, the heroine, was close to her first leopard change and heat. Also the whole wedding thing was a little unbelievable. I mean they are getting married in a remote, secret jungle village in the Colombian rain forest and there just happens to be a judge, a famous dress designer and a jewelry designer handy?

[Mary X]

Way to go team! I just requested our Paranormal Romance and Meow stamps. Which means we have no outstanding shelves but the one called yesterday. We are awesome!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Baker's Dozen!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'meow' and 'PNR'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Mary X]

Ugh. I am in an indecisive mood and can't pick a book. I need a new audio to start too.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamps Baker's Dozen!