R15: Team #17 ~ Napping Snipers

[D.G.]

Stacie wrote: "Did you have a nice vacation?"

It was great! Thanks for asking! We went to Vancouver and Seattle. We walked around a lot and drank/ate even more! We had so much fun!

[D.G.]

For the 2nd, 3rd, 4th shelf, I'm reading , book #2 in the Heartstrikers series.

[Stacie]

D.G. wrote: "Stacie wrote: "Did you have a nice vacation?"

It was great! Thanks for asking! We went to Vancouver and Seattle. We walked around a lot and drank/ate even more! We had so much fun!"

I LOVE VANCOUVER (Canada side, don't know about WA). Sounds like the perfect trip!

[D.G.]

Free Space: SOS Bookshelf
Date finished/Rating: 8/15 ★★★★
Review: At last, somebody writes a book about a nice guy! What a breath of fresh air! Julius is the most not draconic dragon that has ever lived so his "loving" mother, traps his dragon form and boots him out of the house (the alternative was eating him...yup, his mother threatened to eat him), sending him to the DFZ, a place where dragons are hunted, without money or even a place to stay. Soon enough, Julius meets Marcy, a human mage, who he hires to help him find a dragon that has gone missing and adventures ensue!

Julius is pretty much the nicest person you've ever meet (too nice sometimes, but hey, that's the premise of the story) so it's good that he has Marcy around to balance him out and be a bit ruthless. The cast of characters was simply great - Bob was just too awesome for words.

Really looking forward to the next book in the series!

[D.G.]

Yup, we went to the Canada side. :) It was lovely. :)

[D.G.]

A request from your Cap'n :)

Please also add the cover when you post the book you'll be reading for each shelf. It's just easier for me to verify that I have the right book, instead of having to compare title and author (there are so many books with the same title!)

[Stacie]

Will do!!

[D.G.]

For Kindle Freebie, I'm reading

[Stacie]

Free Space

Completion Date: 8/17
Pages: 417/GR
How it fits: On group bookshelf
Rating: 4 stars
Review:

Whew. Gin and the crew are back again. I wasn't that big a fan of the last book where we got insight into Gin's past. It felt a bit too contrived. However, Estep made it up to me with this one. Owen is back, Sophia is doing a bit more than just cleaning and grunting and Bria and Gin realize it's okay to fight as long as you make up.

I liked seeing Gin be the one to get rescued this time and the vulnerability Estep wrote into her character in this one. Gin is always staying strong and being a badass, that it was good to see her falter a little and realize that she does have help. I'll have to see where #12 is and put that on my read sooner rather than later list.

[Stacie]

Shelf #2 ~ 8/16/17: 2nd, 3rd or 4th
Second, Third or Fourth book in a series

320 pages/GR
How it fits: #3 in Hudson Valley series
Date: 8/17
Rating: 3.5 stars

Review
This was my least favorite in the trilogy but that just means it got 3.5 stars instead of 4. Archie and Clara were harder for me to warm up to which just means that Clayton can write because that's how their characters are. I loved catching up with friends from the first two books as well as cameos from her other books.

I'm sad that we won't see this little crew of awesomeness again but maybe Clayton will put them in a future series. Meanwhile, I'm moving to Bailey Falls.

[D.G.]

Shelf #2: 2nd, 3rd or 4th
Date finished/Rating: 8/18 ★★★★
Review: Very surprising book 2. I have to say I was totally shocked at how it ended. I didn't even know that Julius had those lofty goals! Anyhow, lots of good new development in this book: Ghost's identity, the new siblings - Amelia, Conrad and even knowing more about Chelsea. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

[D.G.]

Way to go, Stacie! You're caught up with each shelf. :)

I'm halfway through my Kindle Freebie book and should be done by the end of this week. That way we'll get our first stamp!

I want to continue with the Hearstrikers series so I hope the next shelf fits the next book!

[BarbaraAnn]

Completion post

Shelf #2: 2nd, 3rd or 4th
Book read: Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper
Date finished/Rating: 8/19 ★★★★
Review: Molly Harper is one of the funniest authors I've read. If I tried to binge-read her books I'd probably get quickly tired, but one at a time, I love her books. The book centers on Jane Johnson - she was changed into a vampire, but the problems she had as a human stay with her - she still has to deal with her sister, mother and grandmother. she just has new issues to deal with as well - her aunt makes out with her boss (both are ghosts), her best friend (a man) is getting married and she's the maid of honor and has to wear a horrible dress, etc. itwas a lot of fun.

[D.G.]

Good morning, Snippers!


I'm still halfway through my kindle-freebie book - another book got in the way! But I hope to finish it by the end of this week at least.

Have you been reading anything exciting? It's sad how there isn't much new PNR around anymore...

[Stacie]

I've read nothing but mediocre books lately :( Hoping that one of my next planned reads knocks me out of the park.

[BarbaraAnn]

I just finished Opal Fire but I wasn't overly impressed. It was ok, but I thought the heroine was kind of an idiot.

[Stacie]

D.G. wrote: "Way to go, Stacie! You're caught up with each shelf. :)

I'm halfway through my Kindle Freebie book and should be done by the end of this week. That way we'll get our first stamp!

I want to conti..."

HOORAY STAMP. Well almost stamp ;) Also, it's shelf day! YAY!

[D.G.]

Shelf #3 ~ 8/23/17: Debut Author
DIRECT LINK - https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

[D.G.]

Don't particularly care for this one as I was trying to finish a lot of the series I already started...sigh...

[Stacie]

Yeah I was not trying to start/find a new one, lol

[D.G.]

I've been meaning to re-read which I read like 5 years ago but never continued the series. I'll read it now for Debut Author.

I remember really liking it the first time...I wonder if I'll like it as much the second time around...

[Stacie]

I have to do a little more digging before I commit to one!

[BarbaraAnn]

I think I'm going with 304 pg GR. Tagged 1x debut author

[Stacie]

I'm either going to do or I think

[Megan]

I'm going to read either (330 pages/GR) or (352 pages/GR) for shelf #3, both are shelved once as Debut Author.

I'm halfway finished with my free space book, then I'll get started on my book for shelf #2. I'm going to read (348 pages/GR), second book in the Chesapeake Valor series.

[D.G.]

Post 22 has been updated with (most of) our picks! If you are undecided between two books, I'll update the post when you pick one. :)

It's a bit early to think of these things - I don't remember being in a round that lasted less than 10 shelf calls - but debut author gives us 3 in a row with Free Space and 2/3/4. :)

[Stacie]

Right now, I'm leaning towards

407/GR

[D.G.]

Shelf #1: Kindle Freebie
Date finished/Rating: ★★★½
Review: The best part of this book is that it was set in New Zealand and that the author did an AWESOME job showing NZ's culture, idioms, and passion for rugby. The romance was almost secondary and pretty much all the conflict was on the heroine's side. It seems the guy knew pretty early that he wanted her while she kept him at arms length for most of the book. I would have liked it better if there was some conflict on his side too.

[D.G.]

Stamp for Kindle Freebie has been requested!

Now back to your napping, Snipers!

[Stacie]

YAY STAMP!!!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

D.G. for future Captain's Logs could you please include the author names, doesn't have to be a link :)

[D.G.]

Sandra wrote: "D.G. for future Captain's Logs could you please include the author names, doesn't have to be a link :)"

Sure.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Thanks :)

[D.G.]

Shelf #3: Debut Author
Date finished/Rating: 8/26 ★★★★½
I read this book almost 5-years ago and even though I totally loved it, never continued the series. Now that I decided to finish the series, I decided to re-read this one and I'm glad to say that it stood the test of time. I loved as much as the first time around.

I still feel that this is the first love triangle in YA that actually makes sense and I can totally understand why Clara might be conflicted. Not because she's wishy washy or because she doesn't know her own feelings - she's really in love with one of them and she knows it - but this whole business of her purpose is throwing her for a loop. Which begs the question...are these angel blood so different from normal humans? Do we ever get to know our purpose in this earth?

I admire Clara for doing the right thing even if this conflicted with what she thought was her purpose. Of course, like her, I'm very wary of the consequences - after all, God doesn't seem to like angels who go against his wishes. At the same time, did Clara even know what she supposed to do?

Unlike most YA books, there are adults who are important parts of the story! Case in point, Clara's mom. You know she's hiding a lot from Clara in an attempt to protect her so you understand Clara's frustration.

[Stacie]

I might have to check this one out D.G.!

[D.G.]

Stacie wrote: "I might have to check this one out D.G.!"

It's really good! I totally recommend it.

[D.G.]

Also, the heroine's mother in this book is half human, half angel so it should work for the half and half shelf.

[Stacie]

D.G. wrote: "Also, the heroine's mother in this book is half human, half angel so it should work for the half and half shelf."

Ohh thank you!!

[D.G.]

I'm worried about that shelf...there's no way to know who's half and half unless you've read the book/series first.

[Stacie]

I am too. I may go on a hunt which I know takes some of the fun out of things but I also fear that shelf.

[D.G.]

I asked in the discussions thread. I don't want that shelf to be called and then have no way to find a book.

I used to be a planner in this challenge but then I found out that I wasted a lot of time picking books I never read. So now I pretty much pick on the spot - in most cases I have books that fit most shelves - but when the shelf is a difficult one, I like to have several choices available.

So even though I know the Unearthly series fits the shelf, I'd like to have other choices. Who knows what I'll be in the mood to read when the shelf is called!

[BarbaraAnn]

That's the category that bothers me too. If we could get some ideas together, that would be great!

I know of a few series I think fit that category:
Midnight's Daughter is the first of the Dorina Basarab series and she's half vampire/half human

Dark DescendantDark Descendant is the first of the Nikki Glass series by Jenna Black. Her mother was descended from Artemis, so I think that would qualify?

Glimmerglass is the first of the Faeriewalker series by Jenna Black - MC is half human/half-fae

Bad Blood is the first of the Latter-Day Olympian series by Lucienne Diver Like the Latter Day Olympian series, I'm not sure this would qualify as I think the MC is at least half human, but the bloodline has gotten a bit muddy over time

Nightlife is the first of the Leandros series by Rob Thurman - MC Caliban is half Aughe/Half Human

Any others or thoughts on whether the two questionable ones would qualify?

[Stacie]

The book I'm currently reading has half demon half humans. it's evil by tijan ( on the app, will link later). I also read a book yesterday where the mc was half vampire half werewolf. And then I think there are half and half characters in vampire academy

[BarbaraAnn]

Not sure how I forgot about this, but almost all of Rick Riordan's books feature characters who would qualify for half-half

[D.G.]

The mods created a thread for people to players to post books they know fit the bill. :) Feel free to post your books there!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Stacie]

Completion Post
Shelf #3 ~ 8/23/17: Debut Author
Book:
Author: Stephanie Garber
Date: 8/27/2017
Pages: 407 pages/GR
How it fits: On first page of bookshelf, tagged debut author 7 times
Rating: 4 stars

Review:
I have to admit I had no idea what to expect going in to this book. It's been on my Kindle a while and this week's call seemed like a good enough reason to read it. What a trip this book takes you on. First, the world building once they get to the island is absolutely captivating. I had no idea what to expect next. There is a warning to the characters in the book that they should not trust anyone and I think that applies to the reader as well. Just when I thought I had things figured out, bam, another twist.

I have to say I HATED Scarlett's sister Tella and well, their father is a piece of work. You think everything is tied up in a neat little bow and then, nope nope nope. I'm going to need book #2 now, please and thank you.

[D.G.]

Stacie - I remember seeing a lot of hype on that book when it was coming out but then I didn't hear anything else about it.

For some reason I thought it was a dystopia, LOL! I'll check to see if my library has it...

[BarbaraAnn]

Shelf #3 ~ 8/23/17: Debut Author
Book:
Author: Daniel José Older
Date: 8/29/2017
Pages: 304 pages/GR
How it fits: tagged debut author 1 time
Rating: *****
review: I wasn't expecting a lot from this book. It sounded interesting, but YA isn't usually my genre of choice as the drama tends to overshadow the plot. This book was a great surprise - I loved Sierra and her friends. There was some conflict and a hint of romance, but it all made complete sense in the plot and I didn't feel it was added in just to be there. The magic system was something I haven't seen before and I can't wait for the next book in the series. As an added bonus, I listened to the audiobook version of the book and thought the narrator was phenomenal.

[D.G.]

This shelf seems to have been good for us overall. The lowest rating so far has been 4 stars!

[D.G.]

Megan - How are you doing with your reads? I know it's early days yet but we cannot get too far behind. :)