SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R14: Team #19 ~ WinterFell on the 19th
Moondance wrote: "Victoria wrote: "Completion Post: Series Finished
Written in Red by Anne Bishop
Read: 12 April
Pages: 433
Qualification: top of pa..."
I loved it! I had a hard time writing the review since I just wanted to blab about EVERYTHING!
Elaine wrote: "Completion Post: Series Finished
Book: Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Date: 4-9-17
Rating: 2 stars
Review: Meh. Afte..."
yep, wasn't a fan of the series. For the most part I did enjoy reading the first one, but it lost me after the second book. Maybe I'll go back and give it another shot. But only if the it happens to fit in with a specific reading challenge.
Give it another shot!!! Bones and Cat were a fun couple. I will admit I stopped enjoying them at Book 5 due to a spoiler reason so I won't say
Ezinwanyi~ThatEzi wrote: "Give it another shot!!! Bones and Cat were a fun couple. I all admit I stopped enjoying them at Book 5 due to a spoiler reason so I won't say"I like this series too. I haven't read the last book because somehow in my mind it won't be finished if I don't read it yet.
Elaine wrote: "Selection Post: Assassins
Zero at the Boneby Jane Seville
308 pages
#31 on page 2 of Assassins"
This was one of my first m-m audiobooks or m-m books in general. Only was a slow burner but I enjoyed it
CONGRATULATIONS, Winterfell on the 19th!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on '5-stars'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Winterfell!
Sandra wrote: "Congrats on the stamp Winterfell!"Thanks. Where are the Bingo winning examples located. I've been trying to find them.
Thanks
Ez, they are on the sign up thread, and on Judithe's Spreadsheet.https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Thank you for the stamp!We need series to start, owned not read and science fiction to win.
Thank you. I'm done with with my last book but planning my kids Easter egg huntI'll write review tonight or tomorrow night
Ezinwanyi~ThatEzi wrote: "Thank you. I'm done with with my last book but planning my kids Easter egg huntI'll write review tonight or tomorrow night"
Enjoy! I need to write my review as well.
Shelf 13: ASSASSINSVenom by Jennifer Estep
389 pages
Read: 04.13.17
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
The bastards never even would have gotten close to me if I hadn't had the flu.
Gin is on her way to class at Ashland Community College when she is waylaid by giants led by Elliot Slater. They have been paid by Jonah McAllister, a dirty defense attorney whose son was recently murdered. The giants attempt to beat the information out of Gin. She refuses to use her Elemental magic to save herself as she does not want them to know her true power. The beating is stopped by Gin's mortal enemy, Mab Monroe, a powerful Fire Elemental and murderer of Gin's family.
This book started out with a bang and continued to the end. It seemed that everyone was getting beaten at some point. The giants also have Gin's sister, Bria on their radar to dispose of. Bria has joined the Ashland Police Department and meets Gin after the beating when she is called to investigate a body. The responding officer never checked to see if Gin was breathing. Thankfully Finn arrives and gets her to Jo-Jo for healing.
Bria's partner is a giant named Xavier who also works as a bouncer at Northern Aggression owned by vampire, Roslyn Phillips, He is in love with Roslyn who is being stalked and terrorized by none other than Elliot Slater.
This book had so much action going on it was difficult to put down. Gin wants to get to know her younger sister but doesn't know where to start. Donovan is gone (thank goodness!) and Gin's new love interest is Owen Grayson. Owen is a much better fit for Gin and I hope this relationship can grow in the coming books.
Although Gin has officially retired as an assassin she still feels the need to rid her community of evil. Can a trained assassin truly retire? Most likely not.
We learn a little bit more about Jo-Jo and her sister Sophia in this installment. I look forward to finding out more about them in the coming books.
This book is wickedly good and I look forward to reading the next one very soon.
COMPLETION POST Week 12 ~ Finished Series
Book: Echo by A. Zavarelli
Page Number: 328
Read: 4/16
Rating & Review: ✯✯¾
I have a hard time enjoying these "dark romances" where the hero is so physically, emotionally and mentally abusive but they are "monsters" because they are achieving vengeance for something the girls family to the guy's family.
It's irrelevant to me that the girl eventually enjoys the sex but the whole time the man had malicious intentions and intended harm.
Brighton's twin brother is locked up in jail and a main claims to have evidence to help him. Only he wants Brighton to be his sex slave for 6 months.
This felt Stockholm-ish and I just can't buy the relationship after it started out in this manner.
I didn't like Ryland nor Brighton for different reasons. How did he know everything about Brighton like how she likes waffles but didn't know her sexual experiences? His painful past doesn't give him free reign to fuck other people's lives up. I did get book 2 since they ended on a cliff hanger but this series isn't as enjoyable for me as the Boston Underground series!
Moondance wrote: "Shelf 13: ASSASSINSVenom by Jennifer Estep
389 pages
Read: 04.13.17
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
The bastards never even would have gotten c..."
I fight Donovan would have been a great match for Bria
Ima caught up on that series and Mab Monroe kicked ass as a bad guy
Ezinwanyi~ThatEzi wrote: "Moondance wrote: "Shelf 13: ASSASSINSVenom by Jennifer Estep
389 pages
Read: 04.13.17
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
The bastards never even w..."
I've started the next one. This one sucked me in so fast i want to see where the story is going.
CONGRATULATIONS, Winterfell on the 19th!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'series finished'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Winterfell!
Sandra wrote: "Congrats on the stamp Winterfell!"Thanks Steph & Sandra
SHELF #14 ~ 4/19: Available at the Library
Book Choices: Stamped Requested
✔Elaine: Moon Called (Elaine's Review)
✔ Ezinwanyi: Etched in Bone (Ezi's Review)
✔ Moondance: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (Moondance's Review)
✔ Victoria: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine (Victoria's Review)
Completion Post: Assassins
Book: Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville
Date: 4-19-17
Rating: 3 stars
Review: Whew...It was a long slog to get through Zero At the Bone. There were parts I really enjoyed...and parts that I felt could have been cut to make for a much tighter narrative that would have zipped rather than stuttered in starts and stops. Jack Francisco witnessed a murder by a dangerous crime lord (or his associates...anyway it was someone high up the food chain) and his testimony could bring the organization to its knees. Any other witnesses to the Dominguez brothers' misdeeds have died so it is a big deal that Jack survive long enough to testify and be put in Witness Protection.
D is an assassin but one with rules. The latest hit his handler passes his way don't meet the rules but blackmail has a way of making a man compromise his integrity. Except D isn't just any man and something about this hit is too much for him. Instead he takes Jack on the run, determined to keep him alive against some very long odds.
This book had so much potential to be amazing. Instead it was a a very uneven mixture of great scenes with superb characterization and storytelling sandwiched in between LOTS of drawn out scenes that slowed everything down to a crawl. I really liked Jack and I loved watching D crack through the layers that he had wrapped around himself to survive. Seeing the real man emerge was gorgeous and heartbreaking. However, a lot of the impact was lost as was the suspense as it was impossible to keep any amount of tension with the way the author padded the plot. Imagine my surprise when I got to a point that felt like the beginning of the ramp up to the HEA and I sneaked a peek to see how many pages remained for the author to wrap it up and I realized I wasn't even 25% of the way through the story...instead I had most of a staggering 9700+ Kindle locations to go.
This would happen over and over, momentum would build only to peter out as it didn't go anywhere. Rather than being a roller coaster of ups and downs, this story was more like Kansas...A few hills and curves to break up the mostly endless flat stretches.
Selection Post: Available at the Library
Moon Called Patricia Briggs
288 pages
Page 5 of Available at the Library
Moondance wrote: "I'm still looking for a book. :-("I have had a harder time with the last few lists...I really want to read Written in Red but my library only has a digital copy and it has a ton of holds on it...I am looking forward to my pick for this week, a lot of people seem to like this series. My last two books were pretty much duds.
Elaine wrote: "Moondance wrote: "I'm still looking for a book. :-("I have had a harder time with the last few lists...I really want to read Written in Red but my library only has a digital copy and it has a ton..."
Ohhh! Good choice! I hate when I pick a book that I don't care for. I was hoping for an In Death book. The one I need to read has library listed every way except "available at the library". Of course!
Selection Post: Assassins - I started this one really late, but it shouldn't take me too long
Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep
Pages: 395
Qual: page 1 of shelf
Still deciding on a library book, I'm trying to pick one that will be good on audio.
Elaine wrote: "Selection Post: Available at the LibraryMoon Called Patricia Briggs
288 pages
Page 5 of Available at the Library"
I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! Which, may be evident from my recent re-read :)
Victoria wrote: "Selection Post: Assassins - I started this one really late, but it shouldn't take me too longSpider's Bite by Jennifer Estep
Pages:..."
I really like this series!
Victoria wrote: "Elaine wrote: "Selection Post: Available at the LibraryMoon Called Patricia Briggs
288 pages
Page 5 of Available at the Library"
I LOVE ..."
Me too!
Completion Post: Available at the Library
Book: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Date: 4-20-17
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Woo-hoo! My recent run of not-so-great-bingo-book-luck has been broken...this book was great! It had everything that the last two books were lacking! Unlike Halfway to the Grave, I enjoyed Mercy Thompson's character immensely! And unlike Zero at the Bone, Moon Called had a zippy pace that was always fast paced but at times down-right zoomed carrying me along on a wonderful journey that ended way too quickly.
Moon Called has one of the best immersive story-telling narratives I have read in a long time...Patricia Briggs reminded me of Nalini Singh's ability to put the reader immediately into a paranormal world with absolutely no info-dumping, but instead skillfully adding in facts and rules about the new world in between thoughts, dialogue and other devices that never pulled away from the plot. It was very seamless which I certainly appreciated. Also appreciated was Mercy herself...she is a great protagonist who is smart, strong, funny and confident without ever being too full of herself. She was scared when it made sense to be scared, at times she was even a bit foolish but always in a sympathetic way and completely understandable way.
I also enjoyed so many other characters: Mac (sniff!), Zee, Jesse and Adam are at the top of my list. The variety of paranormals was different from many of the books I have read which also added to my enjoyment...it wasn't so drastically different so that I felt lost, but was enough of a change that I didn't feel that I was reading the same-ole-story.
I am definitely going to get the next book in the series to see what adventures are awaiting Mercy and crew next (I also want to see if Mercy follows through on her plan to take off three of the tires on her eye-sore VW Rabbit to tweak at Adam!)...
Elaine wrote: "Completion Post: Available at the Library Book: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Date: 4-20-17
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Woo-hoo! My recent r..."
Love, love, love this series!
I'm not in a YA kinda mood and my book is not holding my interest. >;-(
SELECTION POST for Shelf 13 ~ 4/12
Book: Snared by Jennifer Estep
Page Number: 400
Qualification: Pg 14 of Assassins
SELECTION POST for Shelf 14 ~ 4/19
Book: Etched in Bone By Anne Bishop
Page Number: 397
Qualification: Pg 69 of Available at the library
Read: 4/26
Rating & Review: ✯✯✯✯✯
Anne Bishop just astonishes me with her narrative. By far the best installment in the series. In fact, this is one of the best series I ever read. The world building, the cohesiveness of the plot, the characters, the intrigue…Amazing!
The humans are attempting to relocate and find new communities after they lost the battle in the last book. The Elders are still deciding on whether to keep the humans or to get rid of them form the world. So, by placing them in various communities, the Elder observe them and what makes the tick. The Lakeside Courtyard becomes home to a bunch of different beings and they weren’t all blending that well.
I won’t give anything about conflict away because I want to avoid any spoilers. But the author created a steady journey to blend the newcomers with those already living in Lakeside. I like that this book didn’t focus on Simon and Meg’s growing affection but on the Lakeside community’s attempt to create a lasting bond. The message of people of various backgrounds working together really resonated with me especially given our current political climate. Anne Bishop didn’t pull her punches in pointing out that sometimes just one purely selfish person can have a huge effect on a family and community in general.
I love the way the Simon, Vlad, Montgomery etc work together. One of the things that I love is that Simon has grown from this authoritarian wolf to a leader who thinks of how his decisions will affect Meg’s welfare and peace of mind. Meg was learning to tell prophecy without resorting to cutting herself. Meg is also growing by being more vocal, less timid and more resourceful. It is as though her and Simon are moving from their extremes to a more comfortable middle ground. They finally acknowledged their feelings and claimed each other.
What a fitting end to an awesome series. I am sad and wish the author will continue in this universe so we can stay updated on life in Lakeside. What an awesome ride from book one to this final book. I love when authors end on a high note instead of exhausting the plot until it is barely entertaining, I only wish I got to spend more time with Meg, Simon and Sam as a confirmed family unit. Either way, Anne Bishop has set a really high bar for fantasy novels. Bravo!
I love that the Assassins shelf is almost all Elemental Assassins by Jennifer Estephttps://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Elaine wrote: "Completion Post: Available at the Library Book: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Date: 4-20-17
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Woo-hoo! My recent r..."
I love Stefan, Marseilla and the Vampire Seethe. I don't like that the werewolves treat mercy like shit
Ezinwanyi~ThatEzi wrote: "I love that the Assassins shelf is almost all Elemental Assassins by Jennifer Estephttps://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
:-)
Our current series of the year was one of the reasons that shelf was added to this round of BSB. ;)
I'll try to get my review up this evening. I had a hard time with my book and I'm trying to write a review that doesn't just slam it.
Ooh I'd like to read that one Cheryl :D
I finally caught up in both Shelves and enjoyed two awesome books.This was my favorite installment in The Others series and one of my favorites in Elemental assassin.
COMPLETION POST for Shelf 13 ~ 4/12: Assassins
Book: Snared by Jennifer Estep
Page Number: 400
Read: 4/25
Rating & Review: ✯✯✯✯.
I love this series. It's interesting, it's action packed and the mysterious group "The Circle" continues to keep me guessing.
The action started immediately as Gin was spying on Hugh Tucker in her attempts to unraveling the clues left behind by Fletcher Lane but she still has no idea who is the leader of The Circle. But she's getting close. First she has to deal with the Lipstick killer, who kidnapped Elissa, the little sister of Jade. Jade is a mob boss and was one of Gin's allies in the Ashland underworld. Plus, this incident is bring up memories of how Gin lost her sister Annabelle and mother Eira.
In order to rescue Elissa, the whole gang join forces with Jade and Lane to follow the clues.
What I love about this author is the way she weaves a story using the past simultaneously with the present. I feel as though Fletcher is alive because he is so instrumental in all of Gin's escapades.
The snarky delivery by the Spider makes her one of my favorite heroines. She's sassy, confident and gets the job done. This installment was one of my favorites in the series. It continues this new mystery of Gin's mother Eira Snow and her involvement with the Circle.
I'm hoping the leader of the The Circle is as fierce as the legendary fire Elemental, Mab Monroe, because no other villain has measures up. I'm looking for a crime lord who will make the Ashland quake in their boots.
The author shared that there are about 3-4 more books coming so I hope Gin, Bria and the rest get justice for the loved ones.
Ez, you need a rating :)
I will read Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb for Kickass Heroine. It is on page 4 on the shelf. It has 308 pages.
Surprise, surprise!!
Sandra wrote: "Surprise, surprise!!"I dithered over Kate, Gin and Mercy but I feel the need for a bit of Eve and Roarke. :-)
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Cruel Beauty (other topics)White Cat (other topics)
Shifting Shadows (other topics)
The Iron Duke (other topics)
White Cat (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Rosamund Hodge (other topics)Holly Black (other topics)
Patricia Briggs (other topics)
Meljean Brook (other topics)
Holly Black (other topics)
More...
Zero at the Boneby Jane Seville
308 pages
#31 on page 2 of Assassins