Trea, Penni, PepperP0t & Ezi - Scanguards Vampires Series

[⚜️XAR]

Since we're getting pretty close to November, do we want to discuss when we're planning to read this? I've got a lighter month planned, owing to Monopoly, but I only have one book I have to be on a time table for. Don of the Dead is due back at the library soon, so I have to read it on the first. Other than that, I can dive into this whenever.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Trea wrote: "Since we're getting pretty close to November, do we want to discuss when we're planning to read this? I've got a lighter month planned, owing to Monopoly, but I only have one book I have to be on ..."

I would prefer late in the second week of Nov

[Penni]

That works for me.

[⚜️XAR]

Sounds good, I'll plan for it then!

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

I decided to give this one a try. I am on the first minute of this audiobook and the author sure loves shock value.

I remember book 1 starting with the F-me statement.
This one, Amaury says a women isn't appeal save her dick sucking lips. WOW!

[⚜️XAR]

Seems like we're batting a thousand on series, Ezi, after reading your review! Should we consider abandoning it?

[Penni]

Trea have you started yet? Still planning on starting later this week?

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Trea wrote: "Seems like we're batting a thousand on series, Ezi, after reading your review! Should we consider abandoning it?"

Sighing. I don't know yet. It has good potential but I don't get Vampires who can get followed by mere humans. Nina amassed a dossier on SCanguard vampires and they had no idea.

With buffy the vampire slayer, she had a calling and training to be a slayer, and even a team. Nina was a one woman team, so that made me roll my eyes.

but it was cool seeing Amaury humbled by love. Then again, I am always baffled by vampires willing to throw away century old friendships for 5 weeks with some nice smelling human

[⚜️XAR]

Penni wrote: "Trea have you started yet? Still planning on starting later this week?"

I started it yesterday after seeing that Ezi had started it a couple of days ago. I haven't had any solid thoughts on it yet though, so haven't posted anything.

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Sighing. I don't know yet. It has good potential but I don't get Vampires who can get followed by mere humans. Nina amassed a dossier on SCanguard vampires and they had no idea.

With buffy the vampire slayer, she had a calling and training to be a slayer, and even a team. Nina was a one woman team, so that made me roll my eyes.

but it was cool seeing Amaury humbled by love. Then again, I am always baffled by vampires willing to throw away century old friendships for 5 weeks with some nice smelling human"

From what I read, I thought Eddie (her brother) had amassed the dossier and that she just stumbled across it after his death. I think it was under his bed?

So far, Nina has been scoffing at being a slayer, but I think she's not savvy enough to be a slayer. She's not up for doing extensive research into vampires, nor can she spot one when one is sitting right next to her! Not good traits for potential slayers like Buffy or Tabitha from the Dark-Hunter universe.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Trea wrote: "Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Sighing. I don't know yet. It has good potential but I don't get Vampires who can get followed by mere humans. Nina amassed a dossier on SCanguard vampires and t..."

Her brother worked for them and left information, but she did the rest on her own. She doesn't like the term "Slayer" but she is on a revenge mission. she talked about following vampires. I know Amaury had headaches all that (migraines) but he has had them for a while so I can't give him a pass for not being sensitive enough to his surroundings.

I actually liked this book better than book 1, so I will amend my ratings. I will need to work through my issues a little better to articulate it but at the core of my issue are these wimpy ass vampires

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "I actually liked this book better than book 1, so I will amend my ratings. I will need to work through my issues a little better to articulate it but at the core of my issue are these wimpy ass vampires"

I don't look at them as wimpy, maybe better acclimated/blended into society? I'm used to Laurell K. Hamilton's vampires, who are a society unto themselves while being a part of the larger global society at large. You can tell that they are holding themselves apart though, and it irks me. Then there is Sherrilyn Kenyon's version where "vampires" are actually soul stealing Greeks and the Dark-Hunters that fight them just have fangs to be more like them. There's also Maggie Shayne's version where they still live apart from society at large and are more of the classic Dracula type, even going so far as to having Dracula in one of the books of the series. Charlaine Harris' vampires were more spooky, but I still didn't like how they came across as their own little clique. This take on vampires is just different enough to be unique.

[Penni]

Trea, you've finished?

I've started and about 15-20% in.

So, Eddie is her brother, he was one of the Scanguard body guards that killed his client and then himself. He had been keeping or amassing information on the vampires/humans within Scanguard. She found it. Decided that the info meant that they were the ones responsible for his death (I guess because they are vampires, therefore they are killers, therefore they killed him?) and is now out for revenge. She has so far killed one vampire. And Amoury can't sense her because she is - I'm guessing - his mate - but the other vampires cottoned on to her at the staff meetings. But Amoury stepped in and kept her from being taken in.

It will be interesting to see where this goes. And I'm sure whatshername from New York will be causing issues with him.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Trea wrote: "Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "I actually liked this book better than book 1, so I will amend my ratings. I will need to work through my issues a little better to articulate it but at the core..."

After sleeping on it, I think I need to work out a way to be more flexible with my vampires. I seem to always expect BDB or Bones type vampires, all powerful beings and thus give "more assimilated" vampires the side eye.

I guess it feels like watching Lions living with zebras in harmony and my mind won't accept it.

I actually liked the book and I like how you put it, they want to blend in and HAVE blended in instead of living apart and just dominating the humans.

Thanks and I will be more mindful about being less rigid in the next book.

[⚜️XAR]

Penni wrote: "Trea, you've finished?

I've started and about 15-20% in.

So, Eddie is her brother, he was one of the Scanguard body guards that killed his client and then himself. He had been keeping or amassin..."

Yeah, I've finished. I didn't like this one as well as the first one. The characters were my biggest gripe with the book this time.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

I actually liked the characters. I like Gab, Zane & Yvette. Nina, I am ambivalent towards, but I like Amaury.

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "I actually liked the characters. I like Gab, Zane & Yvette. Nina, I am ambivalent towards, but I like Amaury."

I like the supporting characters just fine. Yvette is going to be a pistol and I'm looking forward to her book. Gabriel and Zane have me wondering about what happened to each of them respectively. I have to agree though, Nina is pretty much "eh, whatever" and Amaury, while tortured, was also a bit of a jerk for not including Nina in the decision.

[Penni]

You're looking forward to Yvette's story? I'll be interested to see how she evolves then in this book. So far she appears to me to be a spiteful bitch and not much more. But I haven't seen much of her yet. I'm only about 35% in.

[Penni]

That Drake is a quack.

[⚜️XAR]

Any plans on when we're going to read Gabriel's Mate?

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Trea wrote: "Any plans on when we're going to read Gabriel's Mate?"

I can start it Monday...or whenever you want

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Trea wrote: "Any plans on when we're going to read Gabriel's Mate?"

I can start it Monday...or whenever you want"

I should be able to start it then!

[Penni]

OK - I will try and be there for that also!

[⚜️XAR]

OMG, the twist! This book's been coming out of left field for me all day...been down sick with bronchitis, and all I've really wanted to do was lay down under a blanket, so I've been reading. The suspense part of it had me suspecting Drake, who is especially smarmy and jerkish in this book, and Ricky of all vamps. That's played out for the most part, and going the way I was expecting, but the twist with Gabriel! Jeez, I sure didn't see that coming! The things the author comes up with!

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Trea wrote: "OMG, the twist! This book's been coming out of left field for me all day...been down sick with bronchitis, and all I've really wanted to do was lay down under a blanket, so I've been reading. The..."

where are you? chapter? Is is a good twist?

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Trea wrote: "OMG, the twist! This book's been coming out of left field for me all day...been down sick with bronchitis, and all I've really wanted to do was lay down under a blanket, so I've been ..."

Chapter 27. The witch has just told Gabriel her "diagnosis". I've finished the book at this point, but man! All I gotta say is that Tina Folsom is mixing her series a bit, but not in the annoying way that KA was doing it. TF just pulled one piece of one of her other series into the Scanguards world. Makes for interesting reading!

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Three stars is what you gave the last one and you didn't enjoy it as much...Is the series not working anymore?
Do we abandon ship?

If so, I'll let you nominate some series to tackle in 2015.

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Three stars is what you gave the last one and you didn't enjoy it as much...Is the series not working anymore?
Do we abandon ship?

If so, I'll let you nominate some series to tackle in 2015."

The reason I'm giving this one three stars is that the suspense angle was predictable. I had it narrowed down to two suspects almost from the get go of the mystery, and the suspect I was favoring was the culprit anyway. There were no surprises in it! I'm thinking that these are supposed to be more erotic reads than anything else, but to me, they're not all that erotic. Granted, it is an enjoyable fluff read, but not really ringing my bell to be at a 4 star rating.

The twist she threw into this book was astonishing, and pulled from another series that Tina Folsom writes, but at the end of this book, Yvette asks the heroine for something that has me intrigued enough to read the next book. I'll likely keep reading them, even if the consensus is to abandon ship.

I went back and dug up the thread where we all suggested series. Here's what I came up with, omitting used suggestions:
Penni:


Ezi:








To which I add:





Shall we discuss?

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Great list. I've read book 1 but not the subsequent books.

All of Lucky harbor except Book 10-12

What I have on tap for this month due to recommendations:


Own but haven't read:

[Penni]

Are you going to read this one Ezi?

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Great list. I've read book 1 but not the subsequent books.
..."

I've read and reviewed book 1 of Lucky Harbor and books 1 and 2 of the Julie James series, but I am willing to re-read. I've also read Tiger's Eye before, but haven't reviewed it yet.

I only own Tiger's Eye and a few others of the Dirk and Steele books (I can't remember which ones I am missing), and some of the Lucky Harbor series. I do have a copy of A Quick Bite, but not the rest of the series. I am willing to scour Lendle and my local library for whatever we pick, if I don't own/can't afford to get whichever series we wind up picking.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Penni wrote: "Are you going to read this one Ezi?"

Yes. I am going to listen to this one. I want to try up to book 5 since I have them already

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Penni, any other series you wanna add?

[Penni]

The Immortal Empire -
Spymasters -
Neighbor from Hell -
Wicked Lovers -

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Interesting...let me read some reviews Penni

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Why don't we list our top 3 series we want to BR?

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Why don't we list our top 3 series we want to BR?"

1. Lucky Harbor
2. Dirk and Steele
3. Wicked Lovers

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

I've just read lucky harbor--great series. Book 3 is beautifully written.

1. Dirk & Steele
2. Arcadia Bell
3. God Save the Queen

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "I've just read lucky harbor--great series. Book 3 is beautifully written.

1. Dirk & Steele
2. Arcadia Bell
3. God Save the Queen"

I'll have to get on it then! D&S is one I keep procrastinating on, so I hope it wins so that it will motivate me to actually read it! I found it worked on Dream Man!

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

I am game with Dirk Steele as I have had book 1 for 2-3 years now

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "I am game with Dirk Steele as I have had book 1 for 2-3 years now"

Sounds like a plan to me if Penni is cool with it. Is it official that we are abandoning Scanguards?

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Trea wrote: "Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "I am game with Dirk Steele as I have had book 1 for 2-3 years now"

Sounds like a plan to me if Penni is cool with it. Is it official that we are abandoning Sca..."

I will read book 3 first since I already have it. If it's no good, then yes

[Penni]

OK, use and abuse of a tiger yellow-eyed man. I'll bite. I'm up to try Dirk Steele

I need to read book 3 also. I will continue Scanguards if I like it.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Penni wrote: "OK, use and abuse of a tiger yellow-eyed man. I'll bite. I'm up to try Dirk Steele

I need to read book 3 also. I will continue Scanguards if I like it."

if book 3 is good, I will continue as well

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

tiger eye it is...should we have a plan B?

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "tiger eye it is...should we have a plan B?"

Yeah, we should. Scanguards was our plan B for Dream Man and we had to use it. I think we need plans B AND C, maybe even a D, just in case. I know we can't all like the same things, but we just seem to be having a string of bad luck!

Here's my thoughts:
Plan A- Dirk and Steele series
Plan B- After we read say 2-3 books in the series and they all stink, move to a yet to be determined series (Though out of Ezi's top three, I would rather do Arcadia Bell than God Save the Queen. Penni, did you have a top 3 list?)
Plan C- Have a second backup series, just in case
Plan D- Abandon Buddy Reading?

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Actually, I like Plan D, not abandon, but take an extended spring break from BR if Dirk & Steele isn't working, and if we decide, we can return.:D

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Actually, I like Plan D, not abandon, but take an extended spring break from BR if Dirk & Steele isn't working, and if we decide, we can return.:D"

Ok, that sounds like a plan to me!

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Trea wrote: "Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Actually, I like Plan D, not abandon, but take an extended spring break from BR if Dirk & Steele isn't working, and if we decide, we can return.:D"

Ok, that so..."

I saw your nomination at the other group :D

[⚜️XAR]

Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Trea wrote: "Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker wrote: "Actually, I like Plan D, not abandon, but take an extended spring break from BR if Dirk & Steele isn't working, and if we decide, we can return.:D"..."

*chuckles* After we decided on Dirk and Steele here, I went and changed it to Lucky Harbor! I need motivation for both series, and you and Penni have been great motivators for me to get I-Team and Dream Man read! I figured I should try to get motivation for Lucky Harbor too!