R8: Team #7 ~ Seven Deadly Speed Demons

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Oh that 5 star shelf! Still paging through but I keep finding books that would be a re-read (not in the mood for) or ones I am positive I want to avoid (lots of my DNF books are actually on that shelf).

ETA: hmm... I suppose I could be in the mood to re-read The Princess Bride if a few more pages doesn't give me a better option.

[[deleted user]]

I will read for 5 Stars shelf. Not decided on the other shelf yet.

Thanks for the stats Debbie.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Well, since Magic Burns is on 5 stars shelf I'll change my mind and read it for that shelf instead.

For first second or third in series shelf I'll try Royal Airs (I keep supposed to be starting for other group reads anyways; if slow going, I'll switch over to Silent Dances or B009NEIAZG).

Need to unpack to find review notes then will post up demons shelf review.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Seven Deadly Speed Demons!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'new2you series'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Paris]

Thanks Steph!!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Welcome :)

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Demons Shelf
Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between by J.A. Saare
Series: Rhiannon's Law, #1
Finished: November 30, 2013
Rating: ★★½ ✩✩
Number of pages: 244

Review:
This book had an interesting premise of a bartender in a strip club who could see dead people, not only dead people but sense the undead and supernatural like vampires, not only sense but has the rare necromancer ability to also see the ghosts of the undead. So when a serial killer begins offing vampires, she gets forced to help with the case (well, serial killers or potential cultists given that the victims had body parts removed as if for an occult ritual).

Maybe I've read one too many UF genre books in a row, but despite being well-written with all the right elements the story and characters just never came together for me. I think I would actually have liked it better if each chapter had been a short story with a different character as would have made more sense than the way it jumped. One chapter a kickass heroine taking care of her self and handling bouncers, next chapter damsel in distress getting rescued from potential rapists (just her, the other under the influence so out of their minds girls apparently left behind as sluts who deserved it and to bait more girls into the trap—hard to tell since they only appeared in that chapter and briefly in a previous one to invite her to the trap), a few giving insights into her past to ensure reader connects and sympathizes, another with the same look into last to get sympathy for a dead vampire, to not being involved or dating, to dating and more (okay, the sex scenes actually worked and were sort of led up to but, again, only one random chapter in book), to being able to hold own against vampires, to not being able to, to determined to be free, to all necromancers being forced into vampire servitude so she freely chooses lesser of two evils, we had one chapter only of necromancy using rituals like circles and spells that salt would ruin, a few with the highs and benefits of vampire blood, one with a vampire child , a chapter looking into the love interest (alpha male? Master? slaver) vampire to sympathize with him, one with ... one with ... some focusing on serial killer...some not ... And a sort of cliff hanger-y ending definitely leading into second book in series with a time travel premise that makes me sure I don't want to pursue (the time travel part; not fond of it in UF genre—the premise of next book about what if the vampires were in charge and humans in danger of extinction sounds good in a Sliders kind of way). It was really a bit of a mess.

Author notes at back say this is revised edition—revised after recovering the rights back from a publisher show had in her opinion ruined. That's actually a story that might prove interesting in and of itself, particularly if the no-longer-the-publisher felt story did not flow and lacked continuity.

Again, though, I did like the writing, the characters, and all the right elements were there. My not being that into the book could well have been a mood and the number of vampire (or tough chicks with weapons in shitkicker boots working in strip clubs) books I just read right in a row. So other reader might enjoy or the series might improve (blurbs from rest of series did looked interesting).

[Brittany Lynn]

Witches Shelf

by Rachel Hawkins

Rating: 5 Stars
Read: 11/19/13
Review:
I have had a ball reading this series! I'm not sure if this is meant to be the last book in this series or not. It did have a bit of a finality to it. I would continue to keep reading them if the author so chooses to write more. No question about that!

I set some strict guidelines for myself about reading all my galleys in time. And I've already broken my own rules. It's just that so many awesome books just came out and are going to come out for the next couple of months that I have no idea how I can keep up with my Net Galley deadlines.

But, to the book (beware of spoilers from the first two in the series)! Book two ended with Sophie escaping a burning down Hex Hall for the enemy territory that her mother was said to be at. When Sophie reunites with her mother in this book, she realizes some very important things. 1) What she thought was a quick magical transport to her mother actually involved her being stuck in limbo for a couple of weeks without knowing it. 2) she has no idea if her father, her vampire best friend, her boyfriend, or her betrothed are safe because they did not all manage to escape together. 3) Her father's interesting demony past only makes up for half of Sophie's strange heritage; her mother has an interesting back story too, one that involves hunting demons and prodigim (aka: vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, and witches). And 4) She still most definitely has no use of her awesome demon magic powers; however, she can now use magic when her ex-enemy's ghost inhabits her body and uses her own powers...

We get to meet cousins/family members on the human/demon-hunting side of the family, and I found them fascinating! They're a group of strong women who have been training their whole lives to protect people from evil. How awesome is that? Eventually, we learn that the bad guys from the earlier books have been exaggerating a lot in effort to make their cause seem better. And when Sophie and all her friends are magically forced back to Hex Hall as part of a seriously evil demon experiment where kids are forced into becoming soldier demons, it soon becomes clear that it's up to Sophie to save the day.

This book has everything! Love triangles, talking mirrors, warrior women, ghosts, family drama, torture, magic, kids who need to be saved, journeys into hell (literally -and this was so cool!), and some serious decision making for Sophie! There's also an interesting prophecy, some juicy romance, some sacrifice, wonderful friendship moments, and just frankly, all sorts of awesome!

I'm pretty sure I've said this about the first two books already, but my absolute favorite thing about all this awesomeness is Sophie! She's just so funny and brave and one of my favorite YA heroines! The dialogue between the friends, the relationships between all the characters, and everyone's eventual combined goal (to save all the kids from turning into scary, magical demon monster soldiers) was just plain amazing.
The kids go into hell at one point to maintain demonglass for the upcoming battle. And I just had to share this bit of dialogue that actually made me laugh out loud while reading:

"So...is this it?" Jenna asked. "Are we in the Underworld? Because to be honest, I thought it would be hotter."
I looked around in the gloom. "I...don't know," I finally said. "Anyone see a sign that says, Underworld This Way? Preferably with an arrow?" (pg 272).

I just love Sophie and Archer's sense of humor and overall relationship. I also love the best friend: Jenna. Though, I was hoping she'd have more happier relationship times with her girlfriend than she got. Yes, she's a somewhat of an outcast vampire (obsessed with the color pink), and also she's dating a girl. And without her, a lot of important decisions would never be made! I also loved the whole ghost taking over Sophie's body thing. The fact that the girl used to date Sophie's boyfriend made the love triangle thing even more complicated, and it was just so much fun to read!

I give this one a 10/10. And I do hope that Hawkins continues to write more, if not in this series, than at least with a new one.

[Brittany Lynn]

Rewind Shelf

by Molly McAdams

Rating: 5 Stars
Read: 11/23/13
Review:
I'll start off by saying I was really surprised, baffled even by the sheer number of negative reviews and star ratings at 2 and below on Goodreads. And most of them stated DNF at the start. I really didn't read the reviews because too many people out there love dropping spoilers without properly hiding it or at the very least warning you like I did. So normally I just browse star ratings but still I really wanted to read this book. Sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph, scene after scene, chapter after chapter...I'm still baffled. I'm loving this book. Of course I'm outraged and hate Tyler with a fiery passion and hope that he rots in the deepest darkest spots of hell. But still, what love story doesn't have some dark evil force, *Cough*Tyler*Cough*, working against them. Still I'm loving the book.

It gets near 50% and everything is utter bliss. After facing obstacles we have love and passion, ohhh the passion *sigh*, and I'm thinking wow I read this pretty fast and I look down and realize holy crap there's like 53% left of the book still. Now I'm worried. Page after page I'm waiting for the bomb to drop. For the big explosion that will rock this sweet, tender love completely off it's axis.

I really think I see and understand how so many people could throw their hands up and walk away. It's beyond frustrating and I have now gone from really liking and feeling so horrible for Cassidy and the complete crap her life has been until now to complete shock. Right now...I don't get her at all. I don't get her decision making, her motivation, I just--I wish I could be like the people who gave up. I'm that frustrated. But I can't not finish. It's not in my nature. I guess maybe at this point I'm still in it for Gage? I'm pushing myself because I know in my heart he deserves a HEA.

I think if Gage winds up with Cassidy in the end it's only going to piss me off. He deserves so much better. So much. And everything is just getting ridiculous. There are too many people in this...this.. thing. Tyler and Gage is one thing. But Jesse? Connor? Do you think this is helping me to liking Cassi any better? NO. I don't care how screwed up her life was. At this point the only person she deserves to be with is Tyler. And I think he's a chump. So, yeah, there ya go.
One part wants to erase everything I've written so far and start over, while the other half wants to keep things as they are so someone contemplating reading can see the wide range of feelings I had towards the book at different stages and maybe not give up just like me and possibly like it in the end? You never know. I mean I can't believe this either after reading through everything I wrote at the start to the point I'm at now, because at the end of it all I'm happy I finished.

[Brittany Lynn]

Demons Shelf

by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 4 Stars
Read: 11/28/13
Review:
I've read several negative reviews on Goodreads, which has made me feel conflicted about my own opinion of City of Fallen Angels. I usually don't read any other reviews of a book until I've written my own review, so that may be part of the problem.

My initial feelings after finishing City of Fallen Angels were that the book was great, except for the cliffhanger ending. I was fully prepared for a cliffhanger ending and a transition-y feeling book because this is the first book in the second half of the series. I knew that the new story line would start and that Clare would probably leave us hanging as to Jace and Clary's relationship. So, I wasn't too upset at how the book ended because I was ready for it.

However, the more I thought about the actual content of the book, the more I realized that City of Fallen Angels has fallen short of the other books in the series. There was a lot of teen relationship angst, especially with Clary and Jace. It got to the point where the plot took a back seat to Jace's martyr complex. There were some great plot points that Clare could have built an excellent book on, but instead the focus was on relationship drama between all of the characters. That got old for me!

What has always stood out for me in The Mortal Instruments series is the world-building and imagery, and City of Fallen Angels was no exception. Clare sets the scenes so that you get lost in the Shadowhunter world. I love feeling swept away like that.

All in all, I'd say that City of Fallen Angels is a good read, but not on the same level as the first three books in the series. I'm definitely still excited about the series as a whole but I'm hungry for a better plot and less angst in book five.

[Paris]

Wow Brittany, great job! I'm glad you enjoyed your books. I've been thinking about From Ashes, but just was never quite sure about it.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamp Deadlies!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Paris, don't forget to request the stamp your team has earned ;)

[[deleted user]]

Shelf 6: Rewind



Steel's Edge by Ilona Andrews
Finished: Dec 1
Rating: ★★★½✩✩

REVIEW

This book was different from the other Edge novels-its main focus was on slave trading. Charlotte is one of the best healers ever- she has the potential to both heal people and bring them diseases. After a marriage gone wrong begins to unleash her dark potential, Charlotte flees to the Edge to 'get away from it all'. She is rescued by Eleonore- Rose's Grandmother, who takes her into her fold.

Things go wrong totally, when circumstances end in her healing Richard Mar, who had been attacked by the Slavers. A brutal fight ensuing between the slavers and Grandmother ends in Eleonore getting killed and Richard is kidnapped by the slavers.

When Charlotte comes across this massacre, she gets so enraged that she goes after the Slavers, with Richard- to erase their whole operation.

I liked Richard and Charlotte a lot better than the other Edge couples. Richard has flawless manners, is passionate and is deadly in a fight. Charlotte is selfless, and equally deadly to her enemies-though a bit differently. And, we have George and Jack again, of course. But some things were off in this book.(view spoiler)[ Like Brennan, for instance! I just can't believe that he is cautious when they face the alley fight, but is naive enough to yell at the 4 people very soon after the messenger announces that the murderer had been found and was being observed. Duh! The best thing to do would be to stay put and act nonchalant. (hide spoiler)]

And lets not forget the final confrontation with Spider- that was just... so anticlimatic! He has been an almost-invincible villain in the previous books, and he can be killed just like that?! Looks like the authors used a convenient way to wrap things up.

And this book was just a bit too preachy for me. I'm not at all sure what to feel about this book- glad that this book was finally over, or sorry that the series has ended!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Seven Deadly Speed Demons!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'witches'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamp Demons!

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

First, Second or Third Shelf
Royal Airs by Sharon Shinn
Series: Elemental Blessings #2
Finished: December 3, 2013
Rating: ★★★★☆
Number of pages: 400

Review: I absolutely loved reading this! However, equally absolutely do not recommend as a standalone.

This is second in a series that starts with Troubled Waters which introduces the reader to the worldbuilding (the nation with its confusing plethora of primes, princes, princesses and queens; what the elemental blessings mean in terms of everyday life and in the magic system; rules of succession; the powers of the primes in each element, etc.) and to the characters.

Ah...the characters. If you weren't introduced to Zoe (the prime of water including the water in your blood and bodies) now married to the regent and still close to Josette and Corene with all the backstory and family scandals among the three by reading the first book, this entry in the series will be more of a soap opera with references to more intriguing worldbuilding and untold tales. If you read the first book, then of course you want to know what happens next with almost everyone.

Well, this one concentrates on Josette. We get to catch up with everyone; but, it's Josette, blessed with the element of air (still Princess hence "Royal Airs" but no longer heir and singularly uninterested in palace doings) as main character. Who meets up with mysterious gambler Rafe when he rescues Corene (I seriously picture a really young James Garner from Support Your Local Gunfighter as Rafe right down to some mannerisms). Rafe, oddly, has never received any blessings but ghost coins from birth to present. Josette draws for him and suddenly from a person of no blessings he's the only person getting all three extraordinary ones (time, triumph and syntheses). Then Rafe gets caught up in the Air Prime, Kayle's, newest craze of flying machines with a developing relationship with Josette who is equally caught up in her social reforms. Throughout, Corene has her own headstrong moments of adventure.

As expected in this series, lots of derring do's, close calls, assassination attempts, adventures, mysterious parentages, internal and external politics, etc. Good closure for Josette's story so far and a hint of Corene's upcoming adventure (view spoiler)[no worries, Foley goes with her this time trusting Josette is now safe (hide spoiler)].

Overall, this one gave me an atmosphere of mixing Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books with Elspeth and Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders books with Althea. As much as I did enjoy, the first book in the series is still my favorite; this entry in the series lacked a bit in the villain and tension departments.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Debbie, I do love your reviews. You definitely get a real sense of each of your books :D

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Sandra wrote: "Debbie, I do love your reviews. You definitely get a real sense of each of your books :D"

Thank you. Hit and miss whether a book spurs me into a non-bland review. Some have to be digested a while due to book hangover—but challenges like this make me actually read off TBR pile and review quickly. Whew, don't think I want to do any back to back challenges requiring two books a week...

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

LOL. Well you do pick chunksters & epic tales.

[Paris]

Thanks Steph and Sandra!

Put in a request for our Rewind stamp today. Well done ladies!

[[deleted user]]

Shelf 8: Vampires


Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson
Finished: Dec 3
Rating: ★★★½✩✩

REVIEW:

This book was like a bizarre and 'blud'dy mixture of Alice in Wonderland and The Chronicles of Narnia books.

The first half of the book was really fun. So much so I really though this was going to be another wonderful 5 star read. Alas! The caravan time, the blud creatures, and the experiences were so bizarre, that I began to love it. But to me, this book could be easily divided into two parts- in-caravan time, and out-of-caravan time. The in-caravan time, or the time Letitia Paisley Everett spends within the caravans and with the Circus people was wonderful. But, the rest of the story when Criminy Stain and Letitia were out of the caravan were not as interesting.

Letitia (Tish) Everett, a nurse taking care of many patients, including her aged grandmother, comes across a locket in a sale. Immediately caught by it, she takes it home. She wakes up the next morning naked in a strange place- where all animals are blood drinkers, where rats and cute bunnies, and deers and even horses are savage blud drinking creatures. She is found by Criminy Stain, the master of a circus, who is incidentally the very picture in her locket. Criminy does magic, and after realizing that she is a glancer(a foreseer), offers a place for her in his Caravan troops. But, when the locket, the key to both worlds is stolen, Tish and Criminy go chasing after the culprit to get back her locket, and to save all the blud creatures from a mass genocide in the process.

What I did love about this book was the wonderful imageries contained therein.

" I suddenly felt like a bit of watermelon at a picnic, with untold armies of ants marching in, unstoppable and overwhelming."

"The moon hung like a broken dinner plate caught in the branches of a far-off tree."

Lines like these bring very vivid pictures to the mind. The world also has a lot of possibilities- all animals who survive on blood- imagine a bludbunny, a fluffy rabbit who is savage and drinks blood, or a bludrat, a rat whose meal includes humans, or 'pinky' blood and even cats! See what I mean when I said this was part dark version of Alice in Wonderland?

However, what I did not like about the book were the lead characters. I know I may be in the minority, but I did not like Criminy Stain. There were many instances where he makes fun of Letitia- there is fun, and there is teasing. (view spoiler)[ For example, in Antonio's house where both Criminy and Antonio tease Letitia. Way to go, buddy. Tease and goad the person who is totally new to your world, and whom you profess to love , along with your blud-drinking friend! (hide spoiler)] Each time I began to like the guy, he went and did some small thing that raised my hackles.

And, Letitia just accepts it? Criminy, after professing to love her so much, sides with Tabetha( there are reasons of course, I understand. Still!) and makes Letitia feel small? And after the whole incident is over, they both laugh it off without Letitia feeling any hurt about it? Seriously! What is the matter with you lady? And, for a person who professes to want freedom above all else, Letitia just accepts many of Criminy's actions without too much fuss. Hmmm.

And what is a book without a love triangle thrown in? Yes, this book has one too. Or rather, one and a false alarm of another.

All this doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book- I did like it. Also, since the second book is about another pair of leading characters, I'm very hopeful that will turn out much better than this one.

[[deleted user]]

Oh, and I'll be reading for First, Second , Third shelf.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Seven Deadly Speed Demons!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'rewind'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamp Demons!

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

After 30%, I'm still apparently not in the mood for Kate Daniels. Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder is my new pick for 5 stars shelf (it's way frickin' down the shelf on page 45 but it's there). The third of that series, Taste of Darkness, is coming out end of this month so I was wanting to read it anyway.

[Paris]

Thanks Steph and Sandra!

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

5 Stars Shelf
Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Healer, #2
Finished: December 6, 2013
Rating: ★★★½☆
Number of pages: 414

Review: This middle book of the trilogy was non-stop action. So faster-paced that if I didn't recognize the world and the characters I would not have thought it was a part of the Healer series. The series is fantasy genre set in a world that after a plague decimated the population turned around and killed off healers. In the first book Healer Avry is in hiding then dragged (or rescued depending on your point of view) by Kerrick to heal his prince. They and others are fighting off "King" Tohon who has decided to take advantage of the shaken and reduced populace to conquer the Fifteen Kingdoms with living and reanimated armies.

Touch of Power ended with all but Kerrick thinking Avry was dead. This one starts with Kerrick and Avry separating. He to return to his prince's side to bring that army back in an alliance with High Priestess Estrid against Tohon; she to infiltrate Estrid's army to see what was going on and to try to reach her sole remaining family, sister Noelle.

Then it's all spoilers and more spoilers. The chapters alternated POVs between Avry and Kerrick. With each chapter ending on either a cliffhanger or shocking news. Seriously. I'm actually not sure I liked the cheap plot device; but, it kept me reading and it was startling how author kept coming up with stuff. I had more of a complaint with her softening Kerrick's character from the often sullen asshole he was in first book and with the author wimpily undoing one of the devastating plot twists in the first book. And with how characters that spent a lot of time grieving lost family and comrades in first book seemed to shrug off the deaths of loved ones and even major characters in this volume; maybe they were supposed to be numb to it or something.

Book ended with a bang or a cliffhanger depending on how you want to interpret it. I have preordered and will be reading the third book, Taste of Darkness, releasing the end of this month. After the first book left me dangling waiting on publication of this one, I deliberately waited to read closer to the third being published and after that ending I am so glad I did! (I think I've gotten spoilt by coming late to series that are already published in full or almost so I get a little impatient with brand new release series, LOL).

[[deleted user]]

We have five possible combinations for winning shelves currently.


1. *2013
2. favourite series + Series to read.
3. Urban Fantasy + Werewolves
4. part of a series + supernatural
5. guilty pleasures + magic


Of these five, 2013, werewolves, part of a series and Urban Fantasy are potential standalone winning shelves for other teams.

So, let us cross our fingers that either "favourite series + Series to read" or "guilty pleasures + magic" are called together tomorrow for us to win.

[[deleted user]]

Josie, hope you can post the reviews of at least 2 books before shelf announcement tomorrow to avoid the three-strikes rule.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

I think I'm all caught up until shelf call. I'm avoiding starting anything new (*chews nails*) while waiting for tomorrow's shelf call. Catching up on reading downloaded samples and some book cataloging instead of a new read. Not easy since this gloomy, sleet-y weather makes me want to curl up with a good book...

[Brittany Lynn]

I will be reading...

5 Star Shelf


First, Second, Third Shelf

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Just checking in on shelf announcement day. 10:49 am my time zone; anticipating announcement in roughly six hours if follows usual pattern.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Popping in again to stalk shelf announcement (1:03 pm my time zone, shelf announcement likely in roughly 4 hours?). Off to lunch ...

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Still stalking announcement...

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Tick ... Tick ... Tick ... Maybe 30-60 minutes to go? Maybe will be early today? Still stalking ...

[Josie]

Hey guys, here are my reviews, I finished a couple of days ago but haven't had chance to post :)

For 5 star shelf:



Title/Author: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling
Date finished: 5th Dec
Rating: 5 stars
Review: So deserving to be on the 5 star shelf. I decided to do a re-read since it's Harry Potter season on TV at the moment and it's all Christmassy and wintery.

Loved the setting, loved the characters, love the plot etc etc. There's not much more I can say, it's all awesome.


For First, Second, Third shelf:



Title/Author: How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper
Date finished: 6th December
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review: This was a free read from XOXO After Dark. It was an decent read and I liked Mo, the main character. I wasn't that keen on Cooper to be honest, just because they went from hate to love quite quickly mainly through sex.

I also guessed who the baddie was from the beginning but it was still engaging. Even though it was set in a small town and revolved around small-town life, the plot didn't drag.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

I didn't get the instaluv with Cooper either; plus even if a bad or tepid relationship/sex-life with recent fiancé that was dreadfully sudden. And Cooper was so angsty and unpleasant.

[Josie]

Glad I wasn't the only one Debbie! Yeah I didn't connect with him, (view spoiler)[he kept running away, and when he was away I didn't particularly miss him (which isn't great news) (hide spoiler)].

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Shelves -- Supernatural at http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/s...

and Reader's choice (personal)!

As usual for the BINGO rounds, doesn't look like makes a BINGO for any team.

[Josie]

Woo! I don't think it's a winnning shelf so the game goes on!

I'm glad because it's night here and I have to work all day tomorrow so I was getting a bit worried about reading in time - I'm not working next week so it's an ideal time for us to get 5 in a row ;)

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

I'll be reading Here Comes the Vampire by Kimberly Raye for reader's choice shelf.

Still perusing Supernatural shelf.

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

Josie wrote: "Woo! I don't think it's a winnning shelf so the game goes on!

I'm glad because it's night here and I have to work all day tomorrow so I was getting a bit worried about reading in time - I'm not wo..."

I hope we're both right; I looked at the BINGO card spreadsheet Judith did so hopefully I didn't see something cross-eyed and miss a potential win.

[Brittany Lynn]

I will be reading ....

Readers Choice
(I have to read it for 2 other challenges too :) )

Supernatural Shelf

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

For Supernatural Shelf, I'll be reading Bewitching: The Kendra Chronicles by Alex Flinn.

If the high school setting gets on my nerves will switch to Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead.

[Paris]

Thanks Debbie for posting the shelves. Another marathon shopping day for me and mom and I just got home.. I have my reviews to post for 2 out of 3 books and things to update. I'm gonna do that as soon as I get the laundry started. Moving, holidays and regular life things are really not fun to do together.

[Paris]

Demons Shelf

by Susan Ee
Rating: 4 Stars
Finished: 12/5/13
Review:
I was so excited that this book was finally coming out. It seemed like forever since the first book and my expectations were so high for this once since the first rocked my world. I was a bit disappointed in the beginning of the World After. The first half dragged for me and if it had been any other book, I might have put it down and moved on to something else. Instead I battled on and I’m so glad I did. The second half of this book was freaking awesome.

I absolutely love Penryn. She’s such a kick butt character and I often forget that she is the age that she is. While she was her kick butt self in the first half, I felt like she was kind of lost and wandering and none of what she did really furthered the story along. Then in the second half, we learned a lot, like about the motivation of the angels. We got Raffe back in the story which added a much needed element and we got some weird creepy locust thing mixed with whatever they did to Penryn’s sister.

If the entire book would have been as great as the second half, I would have given this book 5 stars. I’m hoping that the next book will be super action packed and that we won’t have to wait too long to get it.

[Paris]

5 Stars Shelf

by Kiera Cass
Rating: 4 Stars
Finished: 12/5/13
Review:
I’ve read some reviews that compare this book to the Bachelor being mashed up with the Hunger Games. It does have a lot of similarities to both the Bachelor and the Hunger Games and at times I did find myself comparing it to them. I was hoping for a little bit more from the book. I think it was definitely a solid 3 star book and I would have left it at 3 stars if it weren’t for the way the book ended.

For most of the book I didn’t see much in the way of intrigue or anything that would elevate the book from a simple YA romance. I dreaded this being a love triangle and had hope that it wouldn’t be even though all the signs were there. Sadly that was kind of dashed and that was when I started to not like America as much. She had been making a lot of headway in becoming herself, not who her mom wanted her to be and not someone that was wrapped up in a guy who had broken her heart. But then said guy shows back up and she starts to revert. Thankfully, America regained my respect in the end of this book and I can’t wait to see how she does in book 2.

I’m really hoping that there will be more political intrigue in book 2 and that it’ll start being a little more like Hunger Games and a little less Bachelor.

[Paris]

Readers Choice Shelf 5/5
Stamp Received:

Brittany: Remy by Katy Evans - 5 Stars - 12/7/13 - Review
Preethi: Charred Heartby Lizzy Ford - 3 Stars - 12/9/13 - Review
Paris: Find You in the Dark by A. Meredith Walters - 4 Stars - 12/11/13 - Review
Debbie ~barely here~: Here Comes the Vampire by Kimberly Raye - 4 Stars - 12/9/13 - Review
Josie: Warrior's Redemption by Melissa Mayhue - 3 Stars - 12/13/13 - Review

[Paris]

Supernatural Shelf 5/5
Stamp Received:

Brittany: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong - 5 Stars - 12/11/13 - Review
Preethi: Secret by Brigid Kemmerer - 5 Stars - 12/10/13 - Review
Paris: Darkhouse by Karina Halle - 3.5 Stars - 12/10/13 - Review
Debbie ~barely here~: Bewitching: The Kendra Chronicles by Alex Flinn - 3 Stars - 12/8/13 - Review
Josie: Come Alive by Karina Halle - 4.5 Stars - 12/14/13 - Review