SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R20: Team #6 ~ Watch Your Six - WINNING TEAM
Completion PostShelf 6: Urban Fantasy
Book: The Myth Manifestation by Lisa Shearin
Pages: 274
How it fits: Shelved 77 times as Urban Fantasy
Read: 04/04/2021
Rating: ★★★★½
Review
I haven't read the series in a lot but it hasn't reduced the interest in the book. It's a funny and fast-paced book, with a lot of weird characters (a lot), and strange situations, something I enjoy. It's refreshing to find a MC that isn't super-powerful and is aware of her limitations, so she isn't TSTL. After this book (and the series), you will look in a different way to the goblins ;) A book I've enjoyed a lot, and I'll keep on with the series.
Completion PostShelf 6: Urban Fantasy
Book: The Alchemist and an Amaretto by Annette Marie
Pages: 296
Date Read: 04/04/2021
Rating: 5 ✮
Review:
Woohoo, I was so happy that I got to read another instance in what is pretty much one of my top five favourite series!! And IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!
Worldbuilding:
Christmas at the Sinclair Academy (which turned out to be a freaking castle!!!), what's not to love... except for pushy parents, snobby alumni and students getting attacked.
As always, and something I really think marks a great author is that there is just the right amount of details present to give your mind the space to fill in the blanks without either getting lost (you don't know where the characters are or were doing) or having everything spelled out for you.
Character development:
I like how the bond between Tori and her mages keeps getting tighter and tighter, but be warned: this book really gets you in the feels people. That ending... *sigh*
Though it feels like Aaron (who's turning into a snobby bastard) and Ezra (whose insomnia is getting worse) got a big chunk of the limelight in this instalment, you know Kai is never far away and ready to shock the hell out of you, literally (har har... yeah I know, I'm sorry).
I liked that we saw a lot more of Sin in this instalment, I really like her :D I didn't think Tori and Sin would ever be such good friends after book 1, but it's nice to have some more female company when all the men are throwing punches left, right and centre.
Pacing and flow:
I pretty much read the book in one go (yes yes, I really had to sleep some hours at least). The story kept getting better and better which each new clue and element thrown in! And then the Christmas party and I really couldn't put it down after that!!
As always, great balance between all the action and the necessary conversations to bring the story to life.
The book:
The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors. There is no sex described (if that is important to you).
The book is 296 pages long, spread over 25 chapters and told from Tori's point of view.
Final thoughts:
Can I just give a big shoutout to the pixy at the Christmas party? You rock!!! And no, I'm not going to spoil that for you (but yaaaaaay!).
I just loooooooooove this series so much!! I can't wait to get on to the next part, but first... some time for Robin and Zylas! (weeeeeeeeeee)
Marisa wrote: "Completion Post Shelf 6: Urban Fantasy..."Thanks for the review Marisa!! :D
Completion Post:
Shelf: Week 5: Auto Buy
Book: Black Sun
Author: Rebecca Roanhorse
Series: Between Earth and Sky #1
How it fits: Shelved 1x
Pages: 454
Finished: 3/29/21
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: This is Epic Fantasy at its finest! It was sooo sooo good. I can't say enough good things about Rebecca Roanhorse. I just love her!
I don't know what her plans are for the subsequent books but I'm really hoping that each of the four MC gets their own story - if we consider this first book Serapio's Story, which I do.
The story opens with Serapio's mom carving into his skin, filing his teeth to points, and sewing his eyes closed. Serapio is destined to become a god and this is the required preparation for his becoming.
The other MCs; Xiala, Nara, and Okoa have their own roles to play, their own backstories, and their own destinies that I'm dying to know more about.
This book ends exactly the way the opening chapter says it will: with Serapio becoming the Crow god, Grandfather Crow. And that's exactly why I'll argue that this book DID NOT end in a cliffhanger - despite what some would have you think. Having unanswered questions isn't the same as having an unresolved story. And there are loads of unanswered questions which means that there are lots of places we could go in any of the future book(s). I'll follow willingly wherever it leads.
Completion Post:
Shelf: Free Space
Book: Kingdom of Shadow and Light
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever #11
How it fits: Option 2 SOS' Best of: Audiobooks: Message 19
Pages: 496
Finished: 4/4/21
Rating: ★★★★
Review: First, chronic illness sucks. It steals the best things from us sometimes. And it tends to be invisible which leaves people who don't know about it asking: WTF? In this case, I'll tell you what: KMM suffered severe carbon dioxide poisoning that left her physically & cognitively damaged. This book is a miracle. And while it's not my favorite of the Fever series, I know how lucky I am to hold it in my hands.
What I loved:
- Dani in all of her O'Mega glory. I loved the arguments that she made to the other Hunters. I love the way her mind works and the way her heart loves.
- Lyryka was such a great addition to the crew. My one wish for this series is that we could go on some adventures with her - but even if we never get another book from KMM, having Lyryka for even this short amount of time was worth it.
What I didn't love:
- I can't believe I'm gonna say this but ... I am really over Mac. This book was super Mac heavy and I was bored by so much of it.
- I felt like Dani got shafted. She was locked in a cage (again) outside of time and space as we know it for sooo much (all?) of the book. I think that's a lame way to send her off. She, Ryo, and Shazam should have gone blazing into the future towards their next adventure.
I guess overall I'm kind of relieved that the series is over. The last few books were harder to get through than I expected. I'm giving this one 4 stars for nostalgia's sake.
Thanks for the reviews Melissa! I'm going to check out Black Sun as soon as it's available on my Amazon (de doesn't have the kindle version yet for some weird reason).
Selection Post: Week 7Book: Lightning Game by Christine Feehan
Pages: 432
How it fits: Shelved 2x as Magic
CONGRATULATIONS, Watch Your Six!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'auto buy' and 'free space'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamps Clock Watchers!
Selection PostShelf 7: Magic
Book: Wedding Bells, Magic Spells by Lisa Shearin
Pages: 266
How it fits: Shelved 11 times as Magic
Selection Post: 
Shelf: Week 7: Magic
Book: A Local Habitation
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #2
How it fits: Shelved 147x
Pages: 390
Completion Post: Week 7Book: Lightning Game by Christine Feehan
Pages: 432
Date Read: 4-10-21
How it Fits: Shelved 2x as Magic
Rating: 3 Stars
Review: Christine Feehan is an author that I have been reading for close to two decades. As such, I have noticed that there has come to be a certain amount of repetitiveness in some of her books. I have also quit reading two of her series almost entirely as I didn't care for the direction she was taking them...one seemed to drag on and the other just isn't a topic I care for in my reading life. This series has been one of the more dependable and as I was reading I really enjoyed myself. It was after the book was over and I was thinking about it that I realized not much happened.
Christine tends to do a lot of research on various topics and then be unable to resist including a LOT of it in her work...to the point that a romance often begins to feel more like a textbook. In this book I learned more than needed about lightning (not surprising) and medicine. She also will say something and then spend the next two or three paragraphs re-saying that exact information in slightly different ways. It can get old after a bit and while it wasn't as distracting in this book, I did notice it happening.
That being said, I really enjoyed Rubin and Jonquille, as well as Rubin's brother Diego. These three characters were enjoyable to root for. Unfortunately their story could have fit into a novella rather than be expanded into 400+ pages. I'm not ready to throw the towel in on this series yet, but it is on probation. The next book or two will need to do much more to advance the series over all, or it and I will be parting ways.
Completion PostShelf 7: Magic
Book: Slaying Monsters for the Feeble by Annette Marie
Pages: 305
Date Read: 12/04/2021
Rating: 3.5 ✮
Review:
Last night, when I finished the book I just sat there, staring. Normally when I finish one of these awesome Guild Codex instalments I'm all pumped and ready to jump into the next. But not this time... and I wondered why not. Even now, when writing this review I'm still stumped on why I felt/feel that way (though I am of course looking forward to the next instalment, are you crazy?). Maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset to read the book, maybe something triggered a subconscious part,... I have no clue, but please keep in mind that this might colour my review a bit.
Worldbuilding:
This instalment takes us all over the place, we go hunting in the woods, in the city, in the drainage pipes, ... as I've said: all over the place :) Of course, all scenes and environments were clear and well detailed (as we've come to expect from the author).
Character development:
Robin and Zylas hit a bit of a rough (okay, rougher) patch in this instalment. While Robin is looking for the family grimoire, Zylas feels she's not doing it fast enough, he gets cagey and annoyed and stuff tends to end up broken when that happens. In other words: tension galore. I feel that this book dives deep into Robins emotions, her wants and her expectations. Which are often not the same as Zylas's. Zylas on the other hand remains a pretty closed book, though we do get some glimpses here and there of another side of him, which I soooooo want to read more about!!
What I love about these books is that the characters (all characters, not just Robin and Zylas) feel so alive, so real. I really, really love how well the author writes her characters.
Pacing & flow:
I felt that this book was a lot slower than the ones before (and what we are used to from both series). It didn't get boring, and you didn't quite notice it while you're reading but in hindsight, yeah, it felt slower. Though, as always, there was a good balance between all the conversation and the action.
The book:
The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors. There is no sex described (if that is important to you).
The book is 305 pages long, spread over 27 chapters and told from Robin's point of view.
Final thoughts:
At the end of the book, the author warns about reading part 3, as it will contain major spoilers for the other series (Guild Codex: Spellbound). Both series will be intertwined from now on, and I have to admit, this makes me so so happy, I cant wait to get to book 6 (Druid Vices and a Vodka), yay!
Elaine wrote: "Completion Post: Week 7..."Thanks for the review Elaine!! :-)
Completion PostShelf 7: Magic
Book: Wedding Bells, Magic Spells by Lisa Shearin
Pages: 266
How it fits: Shelved 11 times as Magic
Read: 10/04/2021
Rating: ★★★★½
Review
As it's usually my way, I begin a series almost in the end :D Even if I don't know the characters, the book has been very funny to read, with interesting characters (no problem following racex, mixes, whatever... as it's a common landscape for fantasy) and very, very fast-paced with some curious moments. I've liked a lot the main character (and some of the secondaries, with books later) and you find almost of the tropes you can imagine. I plan to read more in the series, perhaps, even the first :D .
Completion Post:
Shelf: Week 6: Urban Fantasy
Book: The Russian Cage
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Gunnie Rose #3
How it fits: Shelved 29x
Pages: 304
Finished: 4/6/21
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: The Russian Cage was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I have been itching to read it since it was released! So glad that it fit with this week's BINGO shelf!
Every time I read a Gunnie Rose book, it reminds me that Weird Westerns are a genre that I want to know more about but I always seem to forget about in between books.
Lizbeth Rose is one of my favorite heroes of UF. I love that she is so "straight shootin' "! And I love that she lets others help her with the subtleties.
I was a little disappointed with Eli's absence for a big chunk of the book but I think Felicia and Felix made up for it. And Eli's mom's request being fulfilled made me so happy that I couldn't knock off any stars!
Completion Post:
Shelf: Week 7: Magic
Book: A Local Habitation
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #2
How it fits: Shelved 147x
Pages: 390
Finished: 4/13/21
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: So ... I know my rating for this book is probably higher than most people's opinion but I wanted to immediately start book 3 upon finishing. So, McGuire must be doing something right!
Tybalt continues to be my favorite character. I can't get enough of him!
Toby had a really hard time with this case but to be fair, Jan and the gang did everything possible to keep her in the dark about what was really going on. That was pretty tedious but I suppose some cases are like that.
April was a really cool character. Her circumstances were such an interesting idea - I would love to see what happens next for her.
Quentin is growing on me. I really liked that he was training with Toby this time instead of just being annoying.
Hoping book 3 fits this week's shelf! It's taken a lot of restraint not to just dive right in!
Thanks for the reviews Marisa and Melissa!With that, we've completed everything up till now... YAY!!
Well done everyone!
So now we only need Vampires and we can get bingo ;-) but it's going to be close since we're among several other teams that need only 1 last call... fingers crossed!
Shelf #8 ~ 14 April: Kick-Ass HeroineDIRECT LINK(s) ~ Kick-Ass Heroine
No bingo for any team so we get one more week at least :D :D
Happy reading everyone!
Selection Post: 
Shelf: Week 8: Kick-Ass Heroine
Book: An Artificial Night
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #3
How it fits: Shelved 8x
Pages: 354
Selection Post: Week 8Book: Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones
Pages: 308
How it fits: shelved Kick-Ass Heroine 21x
CONGRATULATIONS, Watch Your Six!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'urban fantasy' and 'magic'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamps Clock Watchers!
Selection PostShelf 8: Kick Ass Heroine
Book: Mission: Her Justice by Anna Hackett
Pages: 264
How it fits: Shelved 1 times as Kick Ass Heroine
Completion Post:
Shelf: Week 8: Kick-Ass Heroine
Book: An Artificial Night
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #3
How it fits: Shelved 8x
Pages: 354
Finished: 4/18/21
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: Oh, man! This one was soooo good! I don't even know how to review it without spoilers!! So, I'll say that for me, the Luidaeg was the star of this book and I loved every single moment with her. Tybalt is a delight - as always. May is such a sweet addition! I'm looking forward to more time with her. Spike is a top-notch sidekick. Blind Michael and company were terrifying in the best way. The kids ... omg, the kids! (*sobs*)
Not really a spoiler but maybe a little spoilery thought: (view spoiler)
Completion PostShelf 8: Kick Ass Heroine
Book: The Dragon's Wing by Tate James
Pages: 290
Date Read: 18/04/2021
Rating: 3.5 ✮
Review:
1 word and you just know why I had to read this book (well, except for the fact that I liked the first book): dragon :D :D and oh my was it hot!
I started reading this instalment a little less than a year after the first (time flies when you're reading a lot) but I was totally lost... I read the last chapter of the first book... still lost... sooooo I just reread book 1 entirely before continuing with book 2 and I'm glad I did since I would have missed or forgotten a lot.
Character development:
Okay so, this is why I only gave it 3.5*... It doesn't matter what upbringing you have, but sleeping with multiple men, who are friends, in the same house, and being okay with that (as I'm sure we all are :D) but then not sleeping with another because 'what would he think' was a tad unbelievable :(
At this moment I really like the men more than I do Kit (Vali anyone?). It just feels like she can do everything by herself and the men are pretty much only there to bust her ass out when it went wrong. I like when our main character has some proverbial balls, but unless she's a well-trained assassin, nope...
That said, I'm really starting to like Austin and I can't help but want to know what the hell Peyton did to him?!
Pacing and flow:
The pacing and flow were much like the first instalment, well-paced with calm and exciting moments, never too much at once.
The book:
The book was well written with no (noticeable) errors. There is sex described, and a lot of it (if that is important to you), but then, you would have known that from the first instalment ;) I would rate it 3.5/5 heat level wise.
The book is 290 pages long, spread over 37 chapters and told from multiple points of view (though Kit is always the main one).
Final thoughts:
Will I continue the series? Probably, if only to get to know Austin's story, but this book felt "off" to me, so I won't be picking it up any time soon *sad panda here*
Melissa wrote: "Completion Post: Shelf: Week 8: Kick-Ass Heroine..."Thanks for the review, Melissa! Glad it was so good :D
It's on my (ever-growing) TBR list, so hope to start it soon(ish).
Completion PostShelf 8: Kick Ass Heroine
Book: Mission: Her Justice by Anna Hackett
Pages: 264
How it fits: Shelved 1 times as Kick Ass Heroine
Read: 17/04/2021
Rating: ★★★★
Review
I usually like Anna Hackett's books and it's not different. All of them are full of adventure and bad men (reformed, of course) and action, and, again, this is not different. I usually like them more when the setup is contemporary and this is a good example. It's insta-atraction, of course, and a kick-ass heroine (necessary for the theme ;) ), under suspect, so our hero can save her in some aspects :D If you like action and atraction, this is your book. If you want a lot of history, background, and character development, look at another book.
Well, I don't like vampires a lot but it would be a good theme for today ;)
Completion Post: Week 8Book: Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones
Pages: 308
Date Read: 4-20-21
How it Fits: Shelved 21x as Kick-Ass Heroine
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: Wheeeee! This series just gets more and more fun!! After the events of book 3, Charley is struggling a bit...okay, more than a bit. But. Family (blood and found) is there for her when she needs them (even when she doesn't want them) and soon she is on her way to healing. She still isn't 100% by the end of the book but you just know she is going to be okay.
The case that Charley takes on is an interesting one - how do you prove that someone isn't crazy? The continuing storyline with Reyes and Charley's evolving Reaper powers was fast-paced and full of tension. I love Artemis and everyone needs a friend like Cookie. More and more people keep getting pulled into Charley's orbit, and yet the way characters move in and out of the storylines always makes sense...it never feels like a gratuitous cameo.
I look forward to seeing what is next for Charley...
Selection Post: 
Shelf: Week 9: Alpha Male
Book: Late Eclipses
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #4
How it fits: Shelved 1x
Pages: 372
Selection Post: Week 9Book: Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs
Pages: 286
How it fits: Shelved 26x as Alpha Male
Shelf #9 ~ 21 April: Alpha MaleDIRECT LINK(s) ~ Alpha Male (+ SOS' alpha male)
Ugh... I fell asleep early, sorry for the late post! Happy reading!
Thanks for the reviews Marisa and Elaine! We're on a roll :DAnd it looks like nobody will have bingo this week so yay, we have another chance :D
Completion PostShelf 9: Alpha Male
Book: The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter
Pages: 379
Date Read: 24/04/2021
Rating: 2.5 ✮
Review:
I find that writing a review for this one is kinda hard.
I mean, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either :s
It was an enjoyable read that sometimes felt a tad too slow and in the end, we really didn't know much about the world...
The characters felt superficial, I mean, Ashlyn went there for help with the voices in her head, but we never get to know why she has those or what it could mean.
So yeah, it was pretty meh for me :(
I Will not read the rest of the series.
CONGRATULATIONS, Watch Your Six!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'kick ass heroine'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Completion Post:
Shelf: Week 9: Alpha Male
Book: Late Eclipses
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #4
How it fits: Shelved 1x
Pages: 372
Finished: 4/26/21
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: This one was seriously intense. Oleander is such a fantastic villain! Rayseline is the absolute worst... I want to feel sorry for her but I just can't. The Queen of Mists is a terrible enemy and I am nervous about what the future holds for Toby. I loved how her friends had the chance to be heroes this time. Tybalt, oh, Tybalt ❤ I love him more with each book.
Congrats on the stamp Clock Watchers!
Melissa wrote: "Completion Post: Shelf: Week 9: Alpha Male..." Thanks for the review Melissa! :-)
Selection Post: 
Shelf: Week 10: Vampires
Book: Blood Bound
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercy Thompson #2
How it fits: Shelved 1075x as Vampires; 323x as Vampire
Pages: 292
*** Please count this as my one re-read for this round. ***
Shelf #10 ~ 28 April: Vampire(s)DIRECT LINK(s) ~ Vampire -OR- Vampires (+ SOS' vampire)
omg omg omg... this is our BINGO ladies!!! :D :D
If we complete everything before next week, we've won! :D
Happy reading!!!
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Blood Bound (other topics)Saint's Passage (other topics)
Halfway to the Grave (other topics)
How to Vex a Vampire (other topics)
Halfway to the Grave (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jeaniene Frost (other topics)Elizabeth Hunter (other topics)
Patricia Briggs (other topics)
Alice Winters (other topics)
Jeaniene Frost (other topics)
More...
Book: The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings by Lily Morton
Pages: 279
Date Read: 4-1-21
How it Fits: Shelved 14x as Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: I really enjoyed this first book in the Black and Blue series by Lily Morton - which surprised me as I tried it last year and put it down as a DNF when it didn't hook me. However, a group that I follow decided to buddy read book 2 and reading all of their praise for book 1 made me decide to give it another shot. Thank goodness! I finished it in one sitting - and immediately downloaded the sequel (The Quiet House) and finished it, too!
Levi Black has inherited a house in York not knowing it's reputation for being haunted. Blue Billings sees ghosts but doesn't consider it a gift; after all, it hasn't brought anything good into his life. Levi and Blue are soon working together to figure out what really happened at "Murder House" but someone, or something, will do anything to keep the past a secret. Staying alive, and falling in love, is easier said than done...