R9: Team #7 ~ Ice Squirrels

[Kimberly]

I'm going to read for Readers Choice.

[KarenF]

Shelf #6 - Reader's Choice


Sandra: Alien Collective Date Finished: 6/24/14 ★★★★ Sandra's Review
Sherri: Claimed By Shadow Date Finished: 7/1/14 ★★★1/2 Sherri's Review
Kimberly: The Good the Bad and the Witchy Date Finished: 6/29/14 ★★★★ Kimberly's Review
Judithe: Air Bound Date Finished: 6/22/14 ★★★★ Judithe's Review
KarenF: Magic to the Bone Date Finished: 6/24/14 ★★★★ Karen's Review

[KarenF]

Sandra wrote: "Looking forward to your review Karen, I've got that series, just haven't started it yet."

It's been on my radar for a while too. In fact, I just pulled the book out and it's got a Border's price label on it. So I've had it since Border's going out of business, which I think was about 3 years ago. No, I don't have a book buying issue at all. :)

[KarenF]

OK, we've got some stuff lingering and I've been very wrapped up in the World Cup and the long awaited arrival of warm weather. So I want to make sure I haven't missed anything. Please take a look and let me know if I've missed a post.

Shelf #3 - Yellow/Orange Cover

Shelf #4 - Supified

Shelf #5 - Green/Teal Cover

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Tadaima! (I'm home!) Checked out the shelf before leaving Nagano and started reading by Christine Feehan on the train, station and bus. I'll post the link later, and also check your links later, Karen! Had an absolutely fabulous time and didn't want to come home! Though the dog is overjoyed to see me (rest of the family, too, but dog is the cutest about it!). Sadly, have to get ready for work now! Happy reading everyone!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

KarenF wrote: "Sandra wrote: "Looking forward to your review Karen, I've got that series, just haven't started it yet."

It's been on my radar for a while too. In fact, I just pulled the book out and it's got a ..."


LOL. I have the same issue, and our Borders closed about the same time even though they were separate businesses. I'm always finding books on my shelves I haven't read yet. Like having my own personal bookshop. LOL.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Yay Judithe glad you had a good time.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

*grin*

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

I'm 40% done with my book and once again loving Kitty Katt. I didn't realise it was 519 pgs though, so I'm glad we aren't fighting for a winning shelf :D

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

LOL! Know how that goes. Timely reminder to keep an eye on pages.

I'm at 60% of Airbound (and rather a bit shorter than yours!) Think I'm caught up enough on work to take the rest of the evening off to read, too!! Hooray!

How's everyone doing?

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Hey Sherri, how are you doing? Missing you this week...

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Well, I'm at 92% and took some time off to do emails etc etc.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Shelf #6: Reader's Choice
Date: 24/6/14
Rating: ★★★★

For those who haven't started this series - it must be read in order, first book

This is the 9th book, and we're back to more fun times following the harrowing events of book #8. Timeframe is a year later.

The fun and games include Jeff being nominated to be on the ticket for Vice President, Ronny's kids, traitors, ACE-like super consciousnesses, lots of explosions, poofs, dogs & peregrines, gossip columnists, assassins and the Hunt for Red Chernobog.

Whilst we had lots of fun, the real story arc is the Hunt for the Mastermind and the latest Apprentice. It feels like this is taking forever, but I for one don't want the stories to stop so I say Ms Koch, keep up the slow moving story arc, no need to find that nasty Mastermind too quickly.

[[deleted user]]

Your review reminds me that I have to catch up on this series, Sandra. I've just read the first two books- I've been meaning to read the third book Alien in the Family but somehow haven't yet.

[KarenF]

I'm only up to too. Now I'm afraid of book 8. :)

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Alien in the Family is a great, great book, love the aligators !!!!!

As to Book #8 just make sure you have on hand and a box of tissues and all will be OK. GK took the series to a whole different place.

Hope everyone is enjoying their books :)

[KarenF]

Book: Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk
Shelf: Reader's Choice
Date Finished: 6/24/14
Rating: 4 Stars

This one sat on Mt. TBR for quite a while and I'm glad a challenge gave me a push to read it. There is a little bit of first book syndrome, some thing explained over and over and others left a little vague, but I still enjoyed this one quite a bit.

It's an interesting world and take on magic from Devon Monk. Magic in this world is more physical than I've seen in other books. There's a great deal of taste, smell and touch involved. Also, the magic user pays a physical price for using it. Sometimes people don't want to pay the price so they offload it to other people, and that's where Allie comes in. She's a magic user with the ability to track magic signatures. When Allie uses magic, she not only deals with physical pain as a fall out but also bruises and potential memory loss. This makes her a bit of an unreliable narrator but at least she knows she sometimes forgets things.

I enjoyed Allie as a narrator for the story and liked the way magic is used here. As I mentioned, it's got quite a physical presence and I think Monk does a good job of getting you to feel it along with the characters. There's no bibbity-bobbity-boo wave a magic wand here.

One thing I didn't love was the love interest. He's trying a little too hard to be a man of mystery but I'm willing to give it a book or two to see if he grows on me.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Sounds good Karen, I'll have to bump it up the list.

[[deleted user]]

KarenF wrote: "

Book: Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk
Shelf: Reader's Choice
Date Finished: 6/24/14
Rating: 4 Stars

This one sat on Mt. TBR f..."

Glad you liked it!Allie Beckstrom is one of my favourite series. But, be warned...Zayvion continues to be a mystery for some more books, and we get answers little by little in each book.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Air Bound by Christine Feehan
Shelf #6 ~ 22/6/14: 'Reader's Choice'
Date finished: 6/25/14
Rating: ★★★★☆
Thoughts:

This is the third in Ms. Feehan's "Sisters of the Heart" series, which has some strong connections to her Drake Sisters series.

The focus this time is on Airiana Ridell, an air element, and her kidnapper/savior/mate, Maxim Prakenskii. As they got off to a start with him kidnapping her, albeit a double-cross kidnap, obviously they had numerous obstacles to overcome.

Lots of action, lots of coming to terms with love & romance...very much an expected novel from Ms. Feehan, and still quite satisfying. I'm looking forward to the next~staying on the pre-order list~even if it doesn't have me biting my nails in the release-day countdown.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Snap, crackle, pop...pulled out the Rice Crispy version of the whip since I couldn't seem to get in gear to get my review written and up! SORRY!! Post-vacation brain.

But not so gone that I'm not feeling the call-of-the-SHELF!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

*snigger*

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Icies, just to let you know Sherri has had major internet probs (lightning strike) but should be back in the next day or two with her reviews.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

EEK! Poor Sherri! Looking forward to hearing from you, and hope your troubles are being nicely cleared up!!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Shelf #7 ~ 29/6/14: 'Red Cover Colour'
The majority of the cover must be red.

Remember, any cover of the book you read qualifies.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Hmmm...the hard one! Be back with my pick later!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

I'm going with but only after I've finished this months challenges.

[Kimberly]

Shelf: Readers Choice
Date Finished: 29 June
Rating: 4 Stars

Darcy is a Wishcrafter who has the ability to grant wishes of people who ask for a wish. There's more to the wish granting and who can get a wish, etc., but that's the skinny of it. When Darcy discovers the dead body of a friend who is also well liked by quite a few, naturally she wants to find out what happened to her friend and who killed him.

What I'd like to know is why someone just doesn't wish to know who killed their friend. Yeah, yeah, it wouldn't be much of a book if that happened. It would also ruin trying to figure out who did it.

The characters are great and I like reading about what else they're doing while everyone has questions about the murderer. I'm still trying to figure out who the Elder is. I don't have a clue who it is based on the way some of the characters act.

[Sherri]

Book: Cast in Sorrow by Michelle Sagara
Shelf: Shelf #3 - Yellow/Orange Cover
Date Finished: 6/20/14
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Kaylin's journey to the West March concludes in this follow up to Cast in Peril which at times was overly philosophical and cumbersome with magic and symbolism to me.

Although I've enjoyed this series I find myself sincerely hoping that someone would have left Kaylin an instruction manual on what it is to be "Choosen." It seems everyone else knows she is but can't tell her what that means. Hopefully, the newest character(s) introduced to the series will have some answers for her in the next installment.

[Sherri]

Book: The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison
Shelf: Shelf #4 - Supified
Date Finished: 6/26/14
Rating: 4.5 Stars

The Hollows is one of my favorite UF series and The Undead Pool did nothing to dispel that notion. Rachel and crew (Jenks, Ivy, Trent, Al and Newt) are all back for this pivotal installment.

The series is wrapping up in the next book and several threads in the series were wrapped up (or not) in anticipation of its release. It seems like the entire gang is "finally" getting their act together and taking control of their lives. As always Rachel is the focus and nothing goes easy for her,; but overall she (and the entire cast) has evolved during this series which is why it is one of the best.

[Sherri]

So for Reader's Choice I will use Claimed by Shadows by Karen Chance which I am almost done with.

and for Red Cover Colour - would work? or is it not red enough?

Also, things are settling down. The week without internet/tv I have to say was a LONG week. You just don't know how much you rely on it until you don't have it. We had some internal wiring that got fried and that has been replaced and luckily the gateway caught all the damages from the lightening.

I went to target and bough 4 surge protectors. So now every tv and the computer system is on a new one. Not taking any chances. :-)

I have the fourth off so I'm aiming to catch up by the weekend.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Yep Sherri, looks red enough to me :)

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Sherri, how is your green cover book doing? - cause that gives us 4 in a row when we've done all the called shelves.

[Sherri]

I've started it but am not far into it. I will concentrate on reading that one today then.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

:)

[KarenF]

Yikes Sherri! Sorry to hear about your internet issues.

I'll get everything updated.

For red cover I'm going to read but I need it for a July challenge so I won't start until Tuesday at the earliest. We've got a super-long weekend, my company is closed Thursday & Friday for the holiday, so finishing quickly won't be an issue.

[KarenF]

Shelf #7 - Red Cover


Sandra: Accidentally Dead Date Finished: 7/7/14 ★★★ Sandra's Review
Sherri: Romancing the Duke Date Finished 7/9/14 ★★★1/2 Sherri's Review
Kimberly: Angels' Blood Date Finished 7/5/14 ★★★★ Kimberly's Review
Judithe: Bloodlines Date Finished: 6/30/14 ★★★★ Judithe's Review
KarenF: Fear the Darkness Date Finished: 7/3/14 ★★★ Karen's Review

[KarenF]

Just requested our Yellow/Orange Cover & Supified stamps! Yay!

[Kimberly]

Lightning strike?! Yikes!
Sherri, I hope everything is getting back to normal for you!

YAY for Stamps!! Go Team!!

I'm going to read for Red.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

I love Angel's Blood Kimberley, but use the other cover :)

[Kimberly]

Changed it!
:D

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

I finished for red cover in the wee hours of the morning! Review soon!

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Bloodlines by Richelle MeadShelf #7 ~ 29/6/14: 'Red Cover Colour'
Date finished: 6/30/14
Rating: ★★★★☆
Thoughts:

Blood Lines

I've enjoyed most of Ms. Mead's series, but find I'd rather wait until she's close to the series finish before starting them. She has a tendency to leave dangling lures that make you just itch to get the next book...which is a real downer if you've got a year wait ahead of you. Hence my plan to start this series at the END of this year...then bit by bit pick up the in-between ones, spacing them out to the release of the last book in 2015.

Then Mr. R called for a red cover. This was the only book I could find on all my unreads....and I took the plunge. Now, the next one is queued in my shopping basket-digital-but trying to resist unless it's the only one for a shelf (refer to paragraph one...)

So, intriguing alchemist Sydney Sage is the lead, and she's just getting sucked into a world she really wants no part of...and finding some of the prejudices from her upbringing are taking some hard knocks. That is never a bad thing, all people should examine their beliefs and hat they hold as absolute truth from time to time, but it does put her in rather a quandary. Favorite characters from VA make cameos and more, and there is a lot more intrigue going on than you'd find at a typical high school. The plots within plots and interesting character interaction make this book move fast, even though I did "figure out" what was going on much earlier than Sydney...but that still didn't disappoint.

All in all, a very satisfactory read, though I'm still sitting on my hands to refrain from ordering the next one. Yep, it does make typing a review quite difficult...thankful for toes, nose and autocorrect...j/k!

[Kimberly]

Hey team! Just checking in. I'm 65% done with Angels' Blood.
Today is a short work day and not my day for the gym! I get to sit still and read for more than hour today!! Woo Hoo!!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Hi Icies, went to the Game of Thrones exhibit yesterday, knew we'd have a long wait, 6.5 hrs, and expected to get my book done. Nope, hubby needed to be entertained plus our new queue buddy Mark. (Pictures on GoT thread when I get to it).

But at least I picked a quick one so it should be done fast.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Happy 4th of July to all the US players :)

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Ice Squirrels!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'yellow/orange cover' and 'supefied'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Thanks Steph!

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Thanks, Steph!

[KarenF]

Book: Fear the Darkness by Alexandra Ivy
Shelf: Red Cover
Date Finished: 7/3/14
Rating: 4 Stars

This is one of those series that I'd probably forget if you asked me to name my favorites but I have enjoyed every book in it. That said, this was not one of my favorites, but it hit a personal pet peeve so if it's not your pet peeve you'd likely enjoy it more than me. The beginning was rough because that's where most of my pet peeve comes into play. I liked Caine & Cassie in previous books so I was expecting to like their story. However it mostly starts out so focused on her virginity it made me want to put it down constantly. This is my pet peeve, I've got no issue with a virgin hero or heroine but when it becomes this fetishized thing I can't stand it. Especially because Caine is the one obsessed by it. So instead of two people falling in love, I got a lot of "I won't take your innocence" "but it's mine to give" talk. Dude, she's 30 years old and been a prisoner most of her life (hence the virginity) I think she knows if she wants to have sex or not. And if she doesn't, I again point out 30 years old, the mistake is hers to make. I did a search "innocence" appears 18 times. Gag me.

So once the virginity got out of the way, the book improved considerably. The Dark Lord is nearly ready to be returned to the world and a lot of favorite characters from other books come in to help out. Being a seer is both a gift and a curse for Cassie and it leads Caine and her to some rough places. The second half of the book that focused more on this, the overall plot and them having to overcome a lot of problems to be together worked much better for me. So, 4 stars for that part and 2 for the beginning average out to 3 for this one. A lot happened at the end and I'm interested to see what happens next.