R17: Team #3 ~ Four not Three

[Marisa]

Announcement Post

Shelf #2 ~ 19/9/18: Favorites
DIRECT LINK - Favorites shelf

[Marisa]

Weekly Tracking Post

Week 2: Favorites

● Loriidae: Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher (27/09/2018 - ★ ★★★) Review
● Marisa: Wicked Cravings by Suzanne Wright (25/09/2018 - ★★★) Review
● Martha: Uprooted by Naomi Novik (22/09/2018 - ★★★★) Review
● Sunshine: Ghouls Gone Wild by Victoria Laurie (28/09/2018 - ★★★★) Review



General Tracking Post

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

SELECTION POST
Shelf #2 Favorites

Book: Ghouls Gone Wild by Victoria Laurie
How it fits: Tagged Favorites 16 times
Pages 314

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Completion Post
Free Space

Book: Witchling by Yasmine Galenorn 9/17/18
How it fits: Option #2: UF Series
Pages: 276
Rating: 3 stars

Review:
3 half-human, half-Faerie sisters work as agents for the OIA, Otherworld Intelligence Agency. They live Earthside because they are good agents, but out of the Otherworld's sight. Needless to say, they are still the go-between between Earth and OW. To be honest, I kept finding myself distracted while reading this. There's a lot going on in this story and a lot of different characters. The sisters themselves are a witch, a vampire, and a weretabby-cat and that's just some of the supernatural beings. Once I really got into it, though, I stated to like it more.

[Martha]

Half-Faeries who are witch, vampire, and werekitty, that’s a lot going on right there!

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Selection Post - Shelf - Favourites

Academ's Fury (#2 Alera Codex) Jim Butcher
Pages: 704 - I didn't realise it was that huge but it's a BR so all good!
How it fits: Shelved as favorites

[Marisa]

Good! I've already requested our "Free Space" Stamp and, as soon as I finish my book (today) 😔, I'll request our Military Stamp.

[Marisa]

Selection Post - Week 2 - Favorites: Wicked Cravings by Suzanne Wright



Shelved 274 times as Favorites

[Marisa]

Completion Post

Shelf 1: Military
Book: Stay With Me by Cynthia Eden
Pages: 242
How it fits: Shelved 8 times as Military
Read: 21/09/2018
Rating: ★★★★



It has been an interesting read. A character without past, only with some memories, but he doesn't appear as a brooding one (I hate them). Perhaps her reaction is more far-fetched (if somebody tells me what he said her, and later I saw what she saw, I go running to the hills as far as I can go). Anyway, a very entertaining read... with bad guy easily spotted... although some interesting threads.

Light, fast but don't expect a big depth in characters.

[Marisa]

Well, as I've finished the book, I'm going to fill all the papers :D and I'm going to request our stamp.

[Martha]

I often get that reaction: goodbye “hero,” hello hills!

Good job on getting us the stamps!

[Martha]

Completion Post
Shelf #2 Favorites

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
435 pages
Shelved 3,434 time’s as favorite
Read: 9/22/2018
Rating: ****

Agnieszka is a woodcutters daughter in a fantasy version of medieval Poland. Every ten years the local wizard, the Dragon, selects a girl from the valley to serve him for the following ten years. Everyone expects him to choose pretty Kasia, but he picks awkward, slovenly Agnieszka instead. She and the Dragon have a tumultuous relationship but of course end up working together to save the day.

This book is well written and picks up steam as it goes on to a very exciting conclusion. I found the heroine slightly annoying at times in that young adult rebellious, angst-ridden way but nevertheless cared about her. The world and the magic systems were very strong. I enjoyed the book and I’m planning on reading more of Novik’s work.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

I have only read #1 of her Temeraire series. Fighting Dragons! I liked it but as it's first in series it is often hard to tell. It's an alternative history of the Napoleonic wars. Book #2 will be my dragon book if the shelf comes up.

[Martha]

Fighting Dragons sounds cool. Let’s hope we get the dragons shelf.

[Marisa]

I hope too, I have a couple of books for dragon too.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Four not Three!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'free space' and 'military'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamps 3 not 4!

[Marisa]

Thank you, Steph and Sandra.

[Marisa]

Completion Post
Shelf 2: Favorites
Book: Wicked Cravings by Suzanne Wright
Pages: 395
How it fits: Shelved 275 times as Favorites
Read: 25/09/2018
Rating: ★★★



Review

I am not sure about this book. I lkie the heroine but the hero... not so much. A total a.., from my point of view. Half of the book rejecting her and another quartre with his foot in his mouth. And I didn't think I would say this but.... too much sex, it looks like it's the solution of all the problems. And the ex... don't let me go there.

In the end, there are parts I've enjoyed i but, if this were the only book in the series, I'm not so sure I will read the next.

[Marisa]

Hi, how do we go with the books? New shelf call this night (my night), "Urban Fantasy", "Grabby Hands" or "Sci-Fi Romance" would be nice. No "Motorcycle Club" because of Team #12 ;)

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Don't forget team 17 they need vampires and raunchy. It could very well be a short bingo this time with two teams already within 2 spaces to win. Oh well.

Yes I think diagonal would be our ideal shelf call!

[Marisa]

I don't forget them but neither "Vampires" nor "Raunchy" helped us ;) Anyway, I think that it can be a short bingo, yes,

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Marisa wrote: "Completion Post

Shelf 2:
Favorites
Book: Wicked Cravings by Suzanne Wright
Pages: 395
How it fits: Shelved 275 times as Favorites
Read: 25/09/2018
Rating: ★★★

..."
That's a pity. I have been collecting these as I have come across them at the right price. But I must be getting old, I am finding myself skimming the sex scenes, and more in favour of fade to black which used to annoy me in the past.

[Marisa]

In that case, I must be getting old too, because the same happens to me ;)

[Marisa]

I've liked other in the series (only this and the following one were pending from my side, and it looks like my intuition was not wrong...)

[Martha]

I keep reading the Phoenix and Mercury Pack books in spite of myself. After each one I think, well, all the heroines are pretty much the same, all the heroes are pretty much the same, and all the plots are pretty lackluster. But there’s something about them that I always end up picking up the next book.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Completion Post - Shelf - Favourites

Academ's Fury (#2 Alera Codex) Jim Butcher
Pages: 704
How it fits: Shelved as favorites
Review:
The second book is set 2 years after the first Furies of Calderon so Tavi our hero is now 17. I loved seeing Tavi's development and maturity in this book. As it is set 2 years later it is the continuation of the same characters but with a new set of circumstances that Tavi has to endure and live constantly by his wits. The scene pictured on the cover does happen in the book!

I do like how Jim Butcher puts his characters in bad situations and bad things do happen there isn't an easy way out. The convenient circumstances that save the day don't tend to happen. While it was considerably darker and more gruesome than book #1 and the villain is particularly evil I continued to enjoy the fantasy world. This is definitely an adult book even though it has a young protagonist.
Read: Sep 27
Rating: ★★★★✰

[Martha]

Selection Post
Shelf #3 Own it

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
Shelved 6 times as “Own it”

[Martha]

Loriidae wrote: "Completion Post - Shelf - Favourites

Academ's Fury (#2 Alera Codex) Jim Butcher

I’m glad to see you liked this. I loved Harry Dresden and have wondered about this series.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

I haven't read Harry Dresden, but I understand it is urban fantasy. The Codex Alera is pure fantasy set in a magical medieval type land. I do like the writing. It is the classic good against evil with a young hero whom I assume will save the world eventually. :)

[Sam]

I love that series, Loriidae.

[Marisa]

Announcement Post

Shelf #3 ~ 26/9/18: Own It
DIRECT LINK - Own It shelf

[Marisa]

Weekly Tracking Post

Week 3: Own It

● Loriidae: Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan (28/09/2018 - ★★★★½) Review
● Marisa: Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton (02/10/2018 - ★★★★) Review
● Martha: Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch (29/09/2018 - ★★★★) Review
● Sunshine: Serpent's Kiss by Thea Harrison (04/10/2018 - ★★★) Review



General Tracking Post

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

SELECTION POST
Week 3: Own It

Book: Serpent's Kiss by Thea Harrison
How it fits: Tagged Own It 4 times
Pages: 336

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Loriidae wrote: "Completion Post - Shelf - Favourites

Academ's Fury (#2 Alera Codex) Jim Butcher"

I loved this series! I read them a few years ago and would love to do a reread. :-D

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Selection Post - Shelf - Own It

Warprize (#1 Warlord Chronicles) Elizabeth Vaughan
Pages: 336
How it fits: Shelved as Own It

Sorry I am so late - I was waiting on a response from another team challenge to use this book. Two birds and all that... :)

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Completion Post
Shelf #2 Favorites

Book: Ghouls Gone Wild by Victoria Laurie 9/28/18
How it fits: Tagged Favorites 16 times
Pages 314
Rating: 4 stars

Review:
M.J., Heath, & Gilley have signed a contract to make a television show, Ghoul Getters. First stop, Scotland! The team encounters a very powerful witch with a centuries long grudge, which leads to some pretty scary scenes. I like how these books pull off cute, funny cozy mystery with some pretty intense and scary hauntings. M.J.'s boyfriend, Steven, is absent in this book which is too bad because I liked him. Though I also like where this is heading with Heath. :-)

[Marisa]

Sunshine, please, could you include the date in your completion post? It's needed so I can request our stamp. Thank you, very much!

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Oops! Done!

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Completion Post - Shelf - Own It

Warprize (#1 Warlord Chronicles) Elizabeth Vaughan
Pages: 336
How it fits: Shelved as Own It

Review: I loved this book, but there were a couple of things that prevented five stars. It is the beginning of a romantic epic fantasy with Lara the princess surrendered as a slave by the terms of surrender to the invading warlord. Lara is a healer and what I loved about this book is that she fought against the strictures of being a princess in order to study her true calling. She is a spirited but somewhat naive heroine that must walk a fine line between what is best for her people and what is being demanded off her by the Conqueror. I enjoyed getting to know Kier, the warlord through Lara's eyes as the book is written from her point of view. I listened to the audio which I really enjoyed. Looking forward to the next. 4.5 stars.

Read: Sep 28
Rating: ★★★★✰

[Marisa]

Thank you, Sunshine! Stamp requested. And Loriidae, perhaps you have been slow choosing book (I haven't done it yet 😳), but not reading it, that's for sure.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Marisa wrote: "Thank you, Sunshine! Stamp requested. And Loriidae, perhaps you have been slow choosing book (I haven't done it yet 😳), but not reading it, that's for sure."

:D

[Martha]

Completion Post
Shelf #3 Own It

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
How it fits: shelved 6 times
Pages: 306
Read: 9/29/2018
Rating: ****
This is the second book in the PC Peter Grant, or Rivers of London, series. Peter Grant is a somewhat hapless, but very funny, young constable who ends up apprenticed to the last practicing wizard in London. This last wizard is also a Chief Inspector. The mysteries are kind of police procedurals but the cases referred to Grant and his governor have supernatural aspects. This time it’s jazz vampires! The books are fun and very English with lots of slang and details on London geography and architecture. I’m definitely continuing the series.

[Marisa]

Selection Post - Week 3 - Own It: Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton



Shelved 1 times as "Own It"

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Four Not Three!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'favorites'. 

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

Good Job!! :D

[Marisa]

Thank you, Steph!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats on the stamp Three not Four!

[Marisa]

Thank you, Sandra!

[Marisa]

Completion Post
Shelf 3: Own It
Book: Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton
Pages: 256
How it fits: Shelved 1 times as Own It
Read: 02/10/2018
Rating: ★★★★



Review

This is the first book I read in this series and I think it's not going to be the last. The nice village, the nice senior "detective", it has been all a totally cozy read, where even the unpleasant characters are out of the picture.

Ah, and thank you to the nice person who has added it to her shelf ;)

[Martha]

How nice for you, Marissa ;)