SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R14: Team #16 ~ Read it and Weep
Danielle Khaleesi of Reading wrote: "Lauren my ultimate fave of IAD is Lothaire hands down."Mine too!
Danielle Khaleesi of Reading wrote: "Hey y'all! Sorry to be so quiet! I've been reading though lol..."Don't worry about it at all, Danielle!
Just take care of your family. Hoping all goes well with the little one.
Danielle Khaleesi of Reading wrote: "Lauren my ultimate fave of IAD is Lothaire hands down."While I love Lothaire, Bowen is still my favorite with Rydstrom a close 2nd :0)
Shelf #3: Guilty PleasureBook: Playing for Keeps by R.L. Mathewson
Date Finished: 2/8/2017
Rating: 2 stars
Review:
So I started off choosing this book because it's one of a million freebies I seem to own already, I'm pretty sure I've had it for at least a couple of years now, and I didn't have to search the shelf for long before it came up. Because I read so much PNR and UF, I totally thought the series name "Neighbors From Hell" was totally a reference to actual or fictional Hell and this was a book about demons. I totally did not read the blurb before starting because I usually talk myself out of a book that way. Okay with that background, imagine my surprise when I realize this is a contemporary but I still rolled with it because it had the potential to be very entertaining.
Something about the humor fell flat. Like I could see the effort the author was making but there was no line or phrase or situation where I highlighted for later giggles or I thought was particularly clever. I saw the potential for it but I don't feel it came to full fruition.
The thing that really took this book from an alright three star read for me to a solid two star raiting of "I'm not continuing the series" was the heroine. Mind you the hero was super problematic. He was a jerk, came off very frat boy, and was very one-dimensional and immature. But the heroine whose character started off as shy/pushover but smart and effective started to have a super low reserve of emotional intelligence (don't get me started on th"let's do every nasty thing ever EXCEPT actual penetration" thing). She went from hating the hero for a solid five years to loving him in two weeks, she has this drunken confrontation with a friend's ex where she walks up to and assaults the man, and then the final nail in her coffin where I was like alright this girl is clearly not smart at all is when her friends meet Jason for the first time and they are all giggling and being mean girls and she's all like "What's going on guys?"
And then we have the OVERUSED trope of "the heroine is sooooooooooooo attractive every man in every scene wants her but she doesn't know and only thinks he's being friendly" - This trope coupled with the heroine's lack of emotional intelligence and regression of character growth makes me not interested in rehashing this series ever again.
I also disliked that one Danielle. It was really disappointing after the first book, which I loved.
Shelf 3: Guilty Pleasures (Feb. 1)4/4 Complete Stamping
✔Krissy: Ender's Game 2/3 ★★☆☆☆ Review
✔Danielle: Playing for Keeps 2/8 ★★☆☆☆ Review
✔Lauren: Shadow's Claim 2/7 ★★★★☆ Review
✔Raquel:Ready Player One 2/7 ★★★★★ Review
Sorry to be a pain but I changed this week's book
Thats okay thanks for letting me know
Shelf:Favorite Series
★★★★☆
2/13/17
Review:
I feel like in this one we are getting closer to answers just not quite there yet. (view spoiler) I still don't understand why all the adults in this series or most of them are all stupid and don't believe what the kids say. Sunny is growing a lot through these books she is walking now and even talking where we can understand her, short words and sentences but still she is making progress. This book is different then most of the others I have read because first of all they are on the run and Poe is not placing them in care of people anymore, also in this one we don't physically see Count Olaf to try and stop him that way like normal. (view spoiler)
COMPLETION POSTShelf #4 - Favorite Series
Save of the Game
Rating: ★★★★★
Completed: 02/14
Final Thoughts:
I love this one! More than the first book of the series. All because of Ethan. I just adored Ethan! What a great character. Him and his family! Ethan and Riley together were fantastic. I loved that there wasn't a lot of denial about their attraction to each other and I loved that there wasn't a lot of unnecessary drama. So far this is turning out to be a pretty great series. And the narrator, Scott R. Smith, was great!
CONGRATULATIONS, Read it and Weep!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'guilty pleasures'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Crying Readers!
Yay it's shelf call day!Shelf #5 ~ 2/15: Vampires
DIRECT LINK - https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Ooooh good shelf! Posting my review for Hunters tomorrow, will have Favorite series done by Friday! And will hunt for Vamps tomorrow!
I've changed my Favorite Series book and will be done with it soon. Shelf #4: Favorite Series
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Will pick my vampire book in a little while.
Shelf #3 - Paranormal RomancePrimal Bonds
Rating: 3 stars
Date finished: 2/10/17
Review:
It seems I can't win with trying to re-hash series that I started but didn't continue after book 1. The chemistry of the couple felt weird. Also the hero's interactions with other people also felt weird. Really the first third of the book was meh meh meh for me and by the time I was supposed to care things panned out, I was super duper over it. I don't know if this is the series for me. I'm shocked because one of my favorites supes are shifters but the world set up in this series, I'm not sure I believe it - that humans can enslave shifters, keep them uneducated and in poverty, and segregated. Hey I'm not saying a world like this can't exist (I'm side-eying the entire United States) however for it to happen to shifters even with the aide of magic is asking me to suspend a hefty dose of belief. Andrea came off kind of cold, Sean did too. I'm totally bought into them individually or as a couple.
Danielle you need to change your shelf from Hunters to Paranormal Romance. You already read a book for Hunters and your team has that stamp :)
I am going to be reading
Lauren I really like Bound by night I hope you do too it kind of had a different twist on everything
Danielle I have the review all ready in the main post just let me know when you change the shelf on your review so I can ask for our next stamp please.
Raquel (Rocki) wrote: "Lauren I really like Bound by night I hope you do too it kind of had a different twist on everything"
Thanks Raquel. Looking forward to it. I really enjoyed her Demonica series.
Sandra wrote: "Danielle you need to change your shelf from Hunters to Paranormal Romance. You already read a book for Hunters and your team has that stamp :)"Oh haha sorry! I got turned around. It's changed!
Raquel (Rocki) wrote: "I am going to be reading Lauren I really like Bound by night I hope you do too it kind of had a different twist on everything"
I agree! I enjoyed that one as well. I keep meaning to continue the series. The world built is very interesting and the twists are pretty unique to me. Maybe the next shelf will help me continue that series.
Shelf 2: Paranormal Romance (Jan. 25)4/4 Complete Stamping
✔Krissy: Good Bones 1/27 ★★★★☆ Review
✔Danielle: Primal Bonds 2/10 ★★★☆☆ Review
✔Lauren: The Missing 1/28 ★★★☆☆½ Review
✔Raquel: Living Dead in Dallas 2/1 ★★★★☆ Review
I've finished my Favorite Series book. Review will be up tomorrow.
CONGRATULATIONS, Read it and Weep!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'PNR'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Crying Readers!
COMPLETION POSTShelf #5 - Vampires
At Grave's End
Rating: ★★★★
Completed: 02/19
Final Thoughts:
I am really liking this series so far. I love me some Bones! My least favorite aspect is the fact that Tate is in love with Cat. Why? Why is that necessary? Can't they just be close friends? Adding that love triangle aspect seems like something you see in all the YA PNR romances. I don't want to see it in my adult PNRs. Tate is just making a fool of himself. It's kind of ruining the books for me. I hope he moves on to somebody else soon.
Shelf #4: Favorite Series
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Finished: February 19th
Rating: 4 Stars
It is my understanding that 2nd season of True Blood is loosely based on this installment in the Southern Vampire series. However, this review is of the book only as I stopped watching the sex-fest after season 1.
While Living Dead in Dallas is a fun follow up, the book focuses on the thread that takes place in Texas, and the other two storylines are woefully underdeveloped.
The investigation into the disappearance of the Texan vampire is compelling as Sookie becomes acquainted with a different set of "living dead" as well as a host of other supernatural beings. The action is front and center with several "edge of your seat" moments, and the underlying message regarding prejudice and fanaticism is particularly apropos in the current political climate around the world.
Unfortunately, the other two threads involving the question of who killed Lafayette and the threat posed by the poisonous Maenad feel like an afterthought. Sookie more or less stumbles across the culprits by accident, and the final confrontation is decidedly sick and creepy with a confusing resolution.
The real highlight of the book is the character development as Sookie comes to terms with Bill's true nature (for me, his questionable behavior precludes him from being a suitable love interest), and learns that there is more to Erik than meets the eye (whoever would have thought that a Viking warrior would look good in Spandex?).
In sum, Harris is very skilled at mixing dark and gritty themes with delightful humor and engaging characters, and her Sookie books are not exception. Looking forward to the next one.
Happy to report both of my books are done :) Writing reviews now!
Shelf 4: Favorite SeriesWait for You
Date finished: 2/18
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review:
Where do I begin? I guess first off I can see why people LOVE this book and I guess ultimately this series. This was a wonderful comptemporary romance about a emotionally (and some parts physically) damaged heroine who is saved through the love of a great man.
The Good: I loved Avery. Even when she pissed me off and was being toxic to herself, I still was like well I can see why she'd behave that way. Avery has A LOT of baggage but she puts herself out there and takes steps to be vulnerable again in spite of the major psychological challenges that she endures due to a childhood trauma. I admired her character, loved her development, and rooted for her the entire time. I also loved Cam. I mean come on, who doesn't love Cam? He is every girl's fantasy rolled into one. Handsome, athletic, reformed playboy who finally meets the girl that doesn't give in easy to him. What woman doesn't want to be the one to reform the bad boy? I think this would have been a five star read if this book were in third person with his POV as well as Avery's. I know there is an entire book with hi but still I don't want to read the same story twice. Anyway, Cam is cool but totally underutilized as far as POV and I think he could have had some more character development in this particular book (what if that other one never existed?) because he did come off as perfect at times which irks me just a little.
The Bad:
I didn't particularly care for the stalker subplot. The revelation and resolution was odd to me. But it wasn't awful, I just didn't like. I have nothing to mark as UGLY for this one.
I'm interested in continuing the series especially when I'm in the mood for a straight up love story with lots of character interaction with one another.
Yay another stamp!Shelf 4: Favorite Series (Feb. 8)
4/4 Complete Stamping
✔Krissy: Save of the Game 2/14 ★★★★★ Review
✔Danielle: Wait for You 2/18 ★★★★☆½ Review
✔Lauren: Living Dead in Dallas 2/19 ★★★★☆ Review
✔Raquel: The Hostile Hospital 2/13 ★★★★☆ Review
CONGRATULATIONS, Read it and Weep!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'favorite series'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Cryin Readers!
I'll be reading:
SELECTION POSTShelf #6 - Mythology
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson, 492 pgs
(found on page 38)
Shelf 5: VampiresBook: Sweet Ruin
Date Finished: 2/20/17
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review:
Immortals After Dark continues to be one of my favorite series in PNR. I love it for the following reasons: (1) the heroines are always kick ass in their own way (some are emotionally KA or intellectually KA or straight up whoop your ass KA); (2) Many of the stories feature supernatural couples and we can skip all the back and forth about someone believing that the supernatural world exists; (3) They are STEAMY!!!!!; and (4) The characters really lean into whatever their particular personality is and they don't change just because of their relationship. For instance, my favorite reigning bad boy Lothaire, is still a complete jerk with funny one liners and that didn't have to get sacrificed for the sake of his love story.
So on to this book: This is another strong addition to the series. I will say that I'm giving it 4.5 stars for two reasons one of which has nothing to do with the stories. Number 1: Kresley Cole, it's been past time you diversified your characters by race and orientation. You can't keep setting these stories in New Orleans and not acknowledging how the city looks, the history there, and the lore that exists in such a magical place. We have diversity of supernatural for sure but when those supernaturals are described they are often white and I just think that's unrealistic if you are going to continue to place your stories in settings of large cities. I'm not singling out Kresley Cole for this. I'm doing it to all authors I read. We won't get diverse books if we don't ask for them and hold them accountable. Alright so off that particular soapbox for now. The second reason this book gets bumped down half a star is...I forgot because of my rant earlier hahahahahahahaha. I'll come back if it comes to me.
Five minutes later I remember now: I'm tired of these random characters that we don't know anything about. Yes they are distant relations but I want Nix's story. Enough waiting!
The characters: I liked both characters individually and together. Jo did have moments where she came off immature so I would have liked to see more growth from her there. She very much had the attitude of a 16 year old rather than a 25 year old at some points in the story but it didn't bother me enough to label her "annoying". I liked Rune, his back story is VERY interesting and I want to know more about the group he's with but MAN I didn't not need that worldbuilding at this point in the series unless we are finally getting to this freaking accension. It's literally only been about a year in the books but we've been at this series for how many years now? Waaaaay too long for me. I'm feeling impatient about the story arc.
This one also at times felt a little like a bodice ripper, I don't know why, I just got that vibe of it being a historical bodice ripper for like a chapter or two. I think it was in the beginning with the whole "withholding pleasure as a punishment" type thing. I think that harkens back to old school romances and I want to say a shirt or three were ripped in the writing of this novel.
Overall a strong showing for the series but there are still places for improvement. I'm definitely continuing this IAD ride!
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Hunting Ground (other topics)His Fairy Godfather (other topics)
Shadow's End (other topics)
Hunting Ground (other topics)
Death by Silver (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Thea Harrison (other topics)Cate Ashwood (other topics)
Eli Easton (other topics)
Melissa Scott (other topics)
Tina Fey (other topics)
More...
Shelf #4 ~ 2/8: Favorite Series
DIRECT LINK - https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...