R13: Team #17 ~ Not So Grim Reading Reapers

[Diane ~Firefly~]

@ Stacie, I thought is was ok, but I'm not a fan of the sex slave trope. Plus I read it after the first Dark Hunter book and I think I was expecting it to be more like them. I absolutely loved the first 5 or 6 Dark Hunter books.

[Danielle Book Boss]

It was okay. Ended up not being super connected to the rest of the series but the series was one of my faves. Only reason I stopped reading was because it became too long. I want to say there are like 20 books now.

[Stacie]

Thanks! I figured I'd give it a shot, though the last thing I need is another series to keep track of!

[Krissy]

COMPLETION POST
Week #5~ Urban Fantasy


Ink and Shadows
My Rating: ★★★
Date Completed: 4/21
Final Thoughts:
I am not a huge Rhys Ford fan. I think she is a talented writer but for some reason I can never get into her books. And honestly I can't pin point exactly why that is. This was probably my favorite that I've read so far but that's not saying much since all the others were only 2 stars for me. Maybe if there was a little more romance in her fantasy novels that would help? Idk. I'll probably try a second book in this series whenever it gets published.

[Danielle Book Boss]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "@ Stacie, I thought is was ok, but I'm not a fan of the sex slave trope. Plus I read it after the first Dark Hunter book and I think I was expecting it to be more like them. I absolutely loved the ..."

Totally agree the first 5 or 6 were awesome. Regarding the series, I can't stand that there are like 5 different series intertwined in this one universe:
Dark Hunter
Were Hunter
Dream Hunter
Hell Raiser
etc. etc.

All the characters and mythos got really confusing after a while.

One of my favorite PNRs ever is

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Not So Grim Reading Reapers!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'strong heroine'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Diane ~Firefly~]

@ Danielle - who doesn't love Vane and Bride?

Yeah, I ended up skipping the Dream Hunter books, I just couldn't get into them and really should pick up after that at some point.

[Danielle Book Boss]

Thanks Steph!!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamp Not the Grim Reapers!

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Completion Post - Urban Fantasy - 4/23/16

4 stars
This is a fun series where the protagonist is sort of like James Bond in an UF world. I really like Eddie and Molly and a bunch of the supporting characters. These books are always a wild ride with crazy fights using magic and cool gadgets against impossible odds. But even with all the action, there is time to get into the characters (view spoiler)[poor William and Jack this time around, both betrayed (hide spoiler)]

[Danielle Book Boss]

Week 5: Urban Fantasy
Book: Night's Honor
Date Completed: 4/24
Rating: 4 stars
Review:

I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the couple, the story was okay, and I love this series.

The Good:

I really liked Tess and Xavier both as individuals as well as a couple. Tess was interesting and I appreciated her character in the sense of being a human in a paranormal world and not being foolhardy and thinking she can compete with ancient paranormal beings. She was NOT TSTL or a Mary Sue and I love Thea Harrison for writing her that way. She was smart and those smarts showed by the decisions she made as well as the actions she took. I loved Xavier's character as well as the mysterious vampire lord who doesn't show a lot of emotion except in regard to Tess.

The Bad:

As much as I love the characters, I feel like I didn't really get to know them. I got to see one or two glimpses in their pasts but not how those pasts led them to be the people they were today. I don't know if I'm articulating this well. For instance, we get the story of why/how Xavier became a vampire and it's tragic of course, but did all that lead to him being so stoic now? There was never a connection. Another example, which I think was touched on at the VERY end, Tess grew up in foster care but while it was mentioned, it didn't seem to affect any of her values until at the VERY VERY VERY end all of a sudden she has thing about calling a place home and stability, etc.

The Ugly:

This felt like a throwaway book. It was urban fantasy in the first half: focused on Tess acclimating to life as a vampire's attendant and combat training and Xavier was gone for most of that time. The second half turned into a PNR and all of a sudden Xavier and Tess have this romance going.

Additionally it felt very throwaway because of the plotting. There are two plot points disconnected from one another: The reason Tess is running and on Xavier's side: vamp politics. They never come together and both get wrapped really quickly with not a lot of tension.

To be honest with you, this book felt VERY disjointed from the series. It can either be classified as a throwaway, bridge book - since there was a little bit of a cliffy epilogue about a side character, or the start of a series in the Elder Races world. You could read this book having not read ANY other book in the series and not feel lost at all. There is mention of Dragos once and then it's very focused on the vampires and politics and intrigue.

I love this series in general because of all the interesting characters and paranormal creatures so I'll definitely be continuing since I did enjoy this one but I wouldn't use it as an example of the best of this series.

[Diane ~Firefly~]

I'm going to read this for the Free Space. It is on the group's bookshelf.

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Completion Post: Free Space (found on group bookshelf)

4/26/16
3 stars

review: Riss is a fury and this time she is tasked to serve as Nemesis and find proof a lesser deity is breaking the rules. Unfortuately, it is the deity of her warhound boyfriend and requires her to search in the Underworld. Luckily she can take some allies with her.

I really like Riss and her friends/family. This is a good series that is a bit different than your standard vampire/werewolf/fae. The world building is interesting and I hope there will be more.

[Stacie]

I haven't gotten the chance to even start my book yet for this shelf :/

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

SHELF ANNOUNCEMENTS

As many of you may remember I was facing Jury Duty for May. I've been excused on the grounds of pathetic public transport & the 2.3km (I think about 1.5 miles) walk to my nearest bus stop. Yay!

So, I will continue to post the shelf announcements and Judithe is off the hook.

Saying that, do you want them to be at this time or 1 hour earlier, in whichever time zone you are? Please comment either way in the discussion thread.

[Danielle Book Boss]

Stacie wrote: "I haven't gotten the chance to even start my book yet for this shelf :/"

It's okay Stacy :) `

I still need to read my free space!

[Danielle Book Boss]

Hey team! New shelf! Yay!

Sci Fi Romance

Direct link: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

[Danielle Book Boss]

I think I'm going to go with a freebie for this one and read:

[Stacie]

Okay for this week, I think I'm going with

from page 22

[Danielle Book Boss]

Stacie wrote: "Okay for this week, I think I'm going with

from page 22"

One of my FAVORITE series!

[Krissy]

I love IAD. Everybody is all about BDB but I think the Immortals series is soooo much better!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

No baby powder & no weird spellings.

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Totally agree with everyone on IAD!

Although I wonder about the people who shelf these things as it isn't Sci-Fi at all. In fact at least a third of the shelf was just paranormal.

[Diane ~Firefly~]

I can't start until Sun (part of my May PIFM), but I will read this for the Sci-Fi Romance shelf. It was on page 44

[Danielle Book Boss]

Yeah IAD has been consistently strong while BDB was enjoying for the first few book then it turned into the "how many storylines can Into one book" series

[Krissy]

I breezed through the IAD series and get really excited everytime a new one is published. I started the BDB series and though I enjoyed them I kind of got bored and took a break after the 5th book I think. I'm not even sure which one I'm on actually... There is just more meat in the IAD fae world. In BDB there is only a handful of pnr beings and the bad guys were always the same.

[Krissy]

SELECTION POST
Week #6~ Sci-fi Romance

My Choice: Paradox Lost
Page #: 228
Shelf Page: Page 29 on Popular Sci Fi Romance Books

[Stacie]

Week 5 Completion Post
Shelf: Urban Fantasy
Book:
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Date: 4/29
How it fits: Page 10 of shelf list
Rating: 4 stars
Review:

I enjoyed this book. It was fun and I could use me a Julian. I was glad to see that the author developed him into a human and not just sex slave. I will say that the sub-plot where the stalker does the bad bad things in her house made me angry (trying not to spoil). Be nice to the books dangit!! Yes, this is the part that upset me the most. I have issues. :) Anyway, I think I will pick up more in the series but I'm definitely not in a hurry to get the whole thing read.

[Krissy]

COMPLETION POST
Week #6~ Sci-fi Romance


Paradox Lost
My Rating: ★★★
Date Completed: 4/28
Final Thoughts:
I really liked the concept of this book. It was all great. I loved that one MC was an alcoholic. I love imperfections in my MCs. The whole time travel aspect was really interesting to me. I loved that Reegan was just so fascinated with all the "antiques". So good book just not spectacular.

[Danielle Book Boss]

Stacie wrote: "Week 5 Completion Post
Shelf: Urban Fantasy
Book:
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Date: 4/29
How it fits: Page 10 of shelf list
Rating: 4 stars
Review:

I enj..."

Also know that the series is nothing like this book. You can start the series at book 2 and not have missed anything!

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Completion Post week 6 Sci-fi Romance (found on shelf on page 44)

completed 5/1/16
4 stars
Scary future possible world where Corporation now own the US and people are born into executive, employee or basement dweller classes. Nadia is in the executive class and semi-engaged to the chairman heir - Nate. When Nate is murdered but brought back as replica, he enlists Nadia's help in proving his valet (and secret lover) didn't kill him. This leads them both into some major secrets that could get them killed (again). Really interesting world and the characters showed a lot of growth.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

SHELF ANNOUNCEMENTS


All the comments have been either earlier shelf call or it doesn't matter cause you'll be asleep etc.

So shelf calls will now be 1 hour earlier, starting this week.

If in doubt, they will be 7.30am Thursday Sydney time.
Converter is here

[Stacie]

Completion Post
Week 6: Sci-Fi Romance
from page 22
Date: 5/4
Rating: 3 stars
Review:

Emma was pretty bad-ass once she realized she could be. The Scottish accent (the doonas) annoyed the hell out of me but I got over it. I love the world building in these books. Does Annika get a book because I need to know what makes her so cranky??

[Stacie]

Week 7 shelf

hunter

[Stacie]

Planning post for Week 7: Hunter


On page 5

[Krissy]

SELECTION POST
Week #7~ Hunter

My Choice: Fashionably Dead
Page #: 323
Shelf Page: Page 10 on Popular Hunter Books

[Danielle Book Boss]

Hey ya'll!! I'm sorry I've been a sucky captain this past week! I've got to stop working after I get home lolol

I'm getting it together I promise!

[Danielle Book Boss]

Stacie wrote: "Completion Post
Week 6: Sci-Fi Romance
from page 22
Date: 5/4
Rating: 3 stars
Review:

Emma was pretty bad-ass once she realized she could be. The Scottish ..."

I don't remember Annika as a heroine but I would encourage you to read this series for the yummminess of getting to Lothaire's. That was my favorite of the entire series.

[Krissy]

Lothaire was also my favorite

[Stacie]

Danielle Book Mafia Enforcer- Mad Rogan's Boo wrote: "Stacie wrote: "Completion Post
Week 6: Sci-Fi Romance
from page 22
Date: 5/4
Rating: 3 stars
Review:

Emma was pretty bad-ass once she realized she could be..."

Do you know what number that was? I will definitely keep reading, I'm just not completely sold on the magic yet.

[Stacie]

Danielle Book Mafia Enforcer- Mad Rogan's Boo wrote: "Hey ya'll!! I'm sorry I've been a sucky captain this past week! I've got to stop working after I get home lolol

I'm getting it together I promise!"

You're great! I just wanted to post my book so I figured I should post the shelf first :)

[Danielle Book Boss]

Stacie wrote: "Danielle Book Mafia Enforcer- Mad Rogan's Boo wrote: "Stacie wrote: "Completion Post
Week 6: Sci-Fi Romance
from page 22
Date: 5/4
Rating: 3 stars
Review:

..."

It's book 10 so it's a few story lines down haha

[Danielle Book Boss]

Stacie wrote: "Danielle Book Mafia Enforcer- Mad Rogan's Boo wrote: "Hey ya'll!! I'm sorry I've been a sucky captain this past week! I've got to stop working after I get home lolol

I'm getting it together I prom..."

No worries!! I appreciate it. I just totally forgot to request our UF stamp but I just took care of it!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Due to all the kids books on the Hunter shelf we have also approved using the Hunters shelf.

So with my Ninja powers I decree that you can use either shelf:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/... or https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

[Danielle Book Boss]

I'm going to go with another freebie for Hunter

Dirty Blood

[Krissy]

I bet the kid books are because people are shelving them for their sons named Hunter. I have a shelf for my daughter. And Hunter is a popular boy name

[Diane ~Firefly~]

I'm so glad they added the second shelf. I am going with one of the two below from the Hunters shelf
pg 5 pg 9

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Danielle Book Mafia Enforcer- Mad Rogan's Boo wrote: "Stacie wrote: "Danielle Book Mafia Enforcer- Mad Rogan's Boo wrote: "Stacie wrote: "Completion Post
Week 6: Sci-Fi Romance
from page 22
Date: 5/4
Rating: 3 ..."

It is actually book 12. I've read through 10 so far, so glad to hear I've got something special coming in a couple books.

[Danielle Book Boss]

Yes thanks Diane! It's a real treat!

[Danielle Book Boss]

I'm going to check out that other shelf too!