SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R11: Team #6 ~Hex Nuts~
Yay finally luck is on our side. :)@Daffodil: Any excuse to uy good is a great one imho. I just bought 10 random books this weekend, a bookstore was having a sale 10 for 10$. I didn't have any of them on my tbr, but who could pass on that bargain :)
@Rachel: I have read 'Nexus' and 'Charming'.
I loved 'Nexus', mostly because of an idea of an drug that works like a sowtware (I'm a huge geek), not sure how non-geeks would like it though.
'Charming' was a very nice uf. Reminded me of The Dresden Files.
Maybe I am going to read some of these:
Or maybe I will buy something new LOL
So after all that waffling I started
today :)
Nichole wrote: "So after all that waffling I started today :)"That reminds me, I have also this series as an option... I am still thinking what to read. This is definitely the toughest shelf so far...
I didn't pick up anything at the bookstore for this shelf. I did find
&
at the library, with
&
on the way through ILL. I also have
sitting at home. None of these are exactly what I want to read, so I'm not sure what I'll end up choosing this weekend.
Shelf: Man's WorldApril 25th 3*
by Michael Thomas FordWell, it kept me entertained even if it had it's annoyances. It picked up for me about halfway through. Lucy was my favorite character. She was fun! Jane, well, a bit boring. I hated, HATED the Charlotte Bronte twist. (view spoiler)
The whole Byron/Brian thing got old really fast. Jane couldn't seem to make up her mind how she really felt about him. She had moments where she'd stand up to him, and then not.
Not a bad book and might appeal to Jane Austen fans. I, personally, am glad I read it, but probably won't be picking up the next.
Shelf: Man's WorldBook: Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
Finished: 4/24/15
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Things have been pretty slow for Harry. Murphy is still mad at him and he's been shut out of working with the police. Internal affairs is digging around on Murphy and Harry is accused of being a charlatan. But when mutilated bodies start showing up and the evidence points towards the supernatural, Harry gets called in to consult. Of course, he ends up in the middle of it and has to save the day.
I enjoyed this but I haven't been pushed into the Dresden craze yet. I think this is probably a series that gets better with each book and I haven't hit the magical mark yet. Will I continue? Yes, and I'll try not to wait so long until the next one. It's a good story with monsters instead of sparkly vampires and such.
Great job Rachel & Nichole. I decided to go with
and am over halfway through it.Here's where we stand currently:
Shelf 9: G3 - Creature Feature 3/4
Stamp Received: still reading
Daffodil Death Magic, Eileen Wilks, 4-22-15, 4.5 stars, Review
Dragana World After, Susan Ee
Nichole Nice Girls Don't Live Forever, Molly Harper, 4-17-15, 4 stars, Review
Rachel The Kingmakers, Clay Griffith, 4-21-15, 4 stars, Review
Shelf 9: G4 - Man's World 2/4
Stamp Received: still reading
Daffodil Hell Bent, Devon Monk
Dragana
Nichole Fool Moon, Jim Butcher, 4-24-15, 3 stars, Review
Rachel Jane Bites Back, Michael Thomas Ford, 4-25-15, 3 stars, Review
Not to nag but:We do need to focus on Man's World as it gives us 4 in a row. Sci-Fi genre, if called, is also a Bingo shelf for Team 14 and Team 9 and they have all the needed shelves stamped, so we really should aim to have this shelf read and stamped by next shelf call.
I thought I posted my review for Creature Feature....Coming right up :)
I picked
for Man's World shelf. I'm 70% done. I started another but it was going too slow and as Rachel said speed is important now....
Shelf: Creature Feature
Date read: 19. Apr. 2015.
Rating: 3 stars
Angelfall had an ass-kicking heroine, a very interesting side characters and original ideas for plot. Why it took me so long to read the sequel World After is the mystery.
LIKES:
* Good representation of human nature. Characters are realistic. There is no good and bad, everyone have both sides.
* Penryn still has kick-ass attitude. She won me over, if for nothing else, then for her relationship with angel sword and how she named it.
* Penryn’s mother was delightfully crazy. She was the only interesting thing until Raffe appeared. Penryn just seemed to traipse around and mess up.
* Ending was very intense with a lot of twists. Some I anticipated, but others were shocking.
DISLIKES:
* A very slow start. Can I even call it a start when I am talking about 70% of the book? The pace doesn’t speed up until Raffe appears.
* Flashbacks were mostly unnecessary. Angel sword comunicates with Penryn by sharing flashbacks about things that happened before. A lot of these scenes were events from Angelfall from Raffe’s point of view and they seemed excessive to me.
* I missed Raffe. Some scenes in Angelfall between Raffe and Penryn were too mushy to me. I was not aware how much dynamics and sparks between them brought life to the book. It was dull without Raffe.
* I didn’t remember it was so bloody and gory. The descriptions really repulsed me at times.
IN THE END…
World After was not a bad sequel, but I expected something more intense and with quicker pace. The originality and quirky characters were still there, but it was at times too gruesome for me.
Penryn & the End of Days is still one of the most unique young adult post apocalyptic novels with angels I have ever read. If you like this genre and are not squeamish, check it out.
Shelf 9: G3 - Creature Feature 4/4Stamp Received: requested 4-28-15
Daffodil Death Magic, Eileen Wilks, 4-22-15, 4.5 stars, Review
Dragana World After, Susan Ee, 4-19-15, 3 stars, Review
Nichole Nice Girls Don't Live Forever, Molly Harper, 4-17-15, 4 stars, Review
Rachel The Kingmakers, Clay Griffith, 4-21-15, 4 stars, Review
I have 56 pages left in
, which I'll easily finish on my lunch hour today.
Finished my book, but it's a busy afternoon here at work. I'll have to post my review after I get home tonight.
CONGRATULATIONS, Hex Nuts!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'creature feature'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Nutties!
Man's World
Hell Bent, Devon Monk, 4-28-15Rating: 4 stars
Review: Caution, there are a few spoilers for the Allie Beckstrom series.
While it's not absolutely necessary to have read the Allie Beckstrom series first, I wholeheartedly recommend doing so. I came to know and care about the majority of the characters while reading the first series and feel a lot of the complexity in the relationships would be lost without having the background explored previously. For some readers it might make a difference between seeing Shame as a self-pitying whiner or as a man who was broken, killed and returned irrevocably changed by the events that eventually healed magic.
Shame & Terric have a complicated relationship. As Soul Complements, rare pairs who can "break" magic into its much stronger light and dark components, they can make magic do anything at all, completely changing the world around them if they wish. The more they use magic together, the more tied to each other they will become. Inhabiting each other's minds, insanity and sacrificing every other person to protect each other area all dangerous possibilities. Shame hates being intimately tied to Terric, hates the care and healing Terric attempts to give him, but cannot stop himself from caring and protecting Terric from others. Shame struggles constantly to keep a rein on his Death magic, hungering constantly for the life force in the world around him and consuming it if he's not careful to guard against it. As the book progresses, he begins to realize Terric struggles just as much with the demands of his Life magic. Even when they're struggling emotionally against each other, Shame and Terric know they can rely on the other to stop them if they lose themselves in the power of their magic, killing if necessary.
I enjoyed getting a chance to revisit some favorite characters, but was also happy with the introduction of few new characters. Dessa is a strong character and oddly perfect for Shame. I'm also hoping we see more of Dash in the next book.
I'll definitely be buying book 2 and reading it.
Shelf: Man's World
Date read: 28. Apr. 2015.
Rating: 3.5 stars
The Journey is the second book in Northwest Passage series. Although each book can be read as a standalone, the general atmosphere and feeling these books leave in me are the same.
John A. Heldt uses time travel as a way to make their characters question themselves. In The Journey, Michelle travels back in time to a last year of her high school. A year she chooses college and starts dating her husband. If she knows that unhappy marriage without children and wrong carrier choice wait for her, will she dare to change the future?
The Journey is a story about growing up and life in general. John A. Heldt's writing style is light and easy to read. There is some kind of detached narration in his writing that makes connecting to characters tougher, but I kinda got used to it.
If you are looking for action involving time traveling twists, then this series is not for you. But if you want to read warm and realistic story about a young woman's journey to adulthood and pondering what choices in life are right, then this is the book you are looking for.
Recommended for lovers of thoughtful time-traveling romance novels.
Shelf 10: G4 - Man's World 4/4Stamp Received: requested 4-29-15
Daffodil Hell Bent, Devon Monk, 4-28-15, 4 stars, Review
Dragana The Journey, John A Heldt, 4-28-15, 3.5 stars, Review
Nichole Fool Moon, Jim Butcher, 4-24-15, 3 stars, Review
Rachel Jane Bites Back, Michael Thomas Ford, 4-25-15, 3 stars, Review
Yay for us. Now we only need the right shelf. :)
Another non-winning shelf: New2You AuthorThis shelf will give us 2 more 4-in-a-rows, for a total of 3 potential winning shelf calls next week.
Wow, I can't believe it's still going! Okay, I'll be back with something to read :)
I have all of these sitting at home. I'll have to think about which one I want to start:
CONGRATULATIONS, Hex Nuts!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'man's world'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Nutties!
has been staring at me so I'll go with this one.
Oh yeah, I've had that one since 2011. Maybe if you like it I will be motivated to finally read it :)I love the cover.
Anywho- I think I'm going to go with
. Probably.
@Daffodil Haven't read any of them.@Rachel I have read 'Blood Rights' and it was not bad at all. Just prepare for a cliffhanger ending.
@Nichole I liked 'Shadow Reader'. I would say it's one of my favorites but I still remember that annoying who-will-i-choose love-triangle drama...
This shelf is a tough pick for me. There are so many new authors I want to try. Lately I enjoyed novels with a lot of adventures, romance and humor (like Ilona Andrews). Anyone got recommendation for something similar?
Hmm, well finding something/someone to rival Ilona Andrews is tough! I mean, there are plenty of books/authors that I love but I.A. are definitely masters of the craft. I made a list of a few possibilities that you might like. Although, finding romance, adventure and humor all wrapped in one is harder :) It seems like they lean one way or the other.
Haha I know. Lucky for me, they write a lot. Imagine we have to wait for years for the next book? :)I like your suggestions. Thank you! And they are all new-to-me-authors. Kitty Katt, Warlands and Dragon Kin are especially intriguing to me. I'll probably pick one of them. :)
Here are a few additional recommendations Dragana.
(worth reading for Lon's son Jupe alone)
(darker UF, but still a few humorous spots when Beast enters the picture)
Daffodil wrote: "Here are a few additional recommendations Dragana. (worth reading for Lon's son Jupe alone)[bo..."Yes, yes, yes! Those are all favorites of mine. How did I miss them?
You are not making my picking any easier. LOL. But thanks for the recommendations. :)I still have to finish one book and then I will pick what will it be.
Currently I am leaning toward:
Shelf: New2You AuthorBook: The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams
Finished: 5/1/15
Rating:★★★☆☆
I've always been drawn to Fae books. I think they're the most interesting Supernatural because each one is unique. However, I seem to favor the scary, named or older Lore Fae more.
McKenzie Lewis is able to track Fae by tracing the shadows they leave behind. She's worked for the King for 10 years and is in love with Kyol, the King's sword-master. But human/fae relationships are forbidden. When McKenzie is kidnapped by the rebels she learns a lot of hard truths about the world she thought she was part of. She also sees that the rebels are actually the good guys and that things don't have to be so black and white between humans and fae.
I thought this was okay. It felt very YA though, complete with a love triangle. But for me, nothing really stood out besides the YA feel and I have to be in the mood for those. I probably won't continue with the series. Not because it was bad but because I already know how most of it will play out and I'm just not interested enough to see it through.
Shelf: New2YAuthor
May 3rd 3*
Can I say I love, love the cover! Too bad the book doesn't live up to the cover. The first half is a bit slow going. The last half picks up.
Liked: the world building. I appreciated how vampires, varcolai, and fae came into being. I will say the varcolai and fae are much more interesting and unique. The vampires, while their origin is somewhat unique, have (largely) the same disabilities found in myth (daylight, consecrated things and ground= bad, permission to enter private spaces, etc). l also liked the idea of having secret assassins. The twists (some are suspected, others more of a surprise).
What I didn't: I thought both Chrysabelle and Malkolm were a little too full of angst. I got tired of hearing how special and different (from the other comarre) Chrysabelle was. No variety in the looks of the comarre/comar (all perfectly white and blonde with their gold tattoos (signum) making them "glow." Only allowed to wear white.) Purity = value, wholesomeness, and desirability.
What I wish was different: Tatiana. She strove for power and a woman who desires power= bad. So let's make her overwrought, extreme, and overdone. Her heritage is Roma (gypsy). The Roma, (generalizing here) tend to be darker complected. So I didn't like this message: Chrysabelle = white = good; Tatiana = dark = evil. Now that may be reading way too much in a work of fiction and I usually don't think about/pick up things like that in books I read, but in this one, I did.
On the fence about continuing this series.
Nichole, Rachel, I'm sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your books more.I picked
for this shelf. I'm at 30%...
I started
and am having a hard time with it. I've forced myself to read this far, so I'm going to try to finish.
Mine book is not working for me either, but as you said, Daffodil, I am trying to finish it... I like the title for yours. :)
Concept great. Execution meh. I've been looking for another really good paranormal mystery series and this wasn't it. I'll try to post my review either later tonight or early tomorrow morning so we're ready for tomorrow's shelf call. How are you doing Dragana?
New2You Author
A Taste Fur Murder, Dixie Lyle, 5-5-15Rating: 2.75 stars
Review: I've been searching for a new paranormal mystery series and was intrigued by the blurb on this one. The concept, telepathic cat & ghost dog helping solve a murder, had a lot of possibilities. Unfortunately, the execution fell a little short for me. While there were a few humorous bright spots (the ghost parrot with his formal speech thoughts at odds with his traditional parrot-like audio outbursts cracked me up) and the tragic true story of Topsy the Elephant touched my heart, the plot itself was a little too scattered for me.
Shelf 11: G5 - New2You Author 3/4Stamp Received: still reading
Daffodil Taste Fur Murder, Dixie Lyle, 2.75 stars, Review
Dragana Dragon Actually, G.A. Aiken,
Nichole The Shadow Reader, Sandy Williams, 3 stars, Review
Rachel Blood Rights, Kristen Painter, 3 stars, Review
Admittedly I only took a quick glance and I'll take a more detailed look tomorrow, but the best possibility would be a call of New2You series. That combined with the above shelf would give us a BINGO and N2Y series is not a winning shelf for anyone else.
If we have the above stamp and leather or lace is called, we will be competing against Team 7, who only needs one other review in order to complete previous stamps.
If Sci-Fi genre is called, we have the other stamps needed, but we will be competing against Teams 9 & 14 who also have all their other stamps.
Well, let's hope for N2Y series! *crosses fingers*And hopefully we will enjoy our books more. Not a single 3.5-4 star for us yet.
I just finished my book. I didn't like it much either... I'll write a short review right away...We really didn't have luck picking new authors this week.
Keeping fingers crossed for N2Y series shelf.
Shelf: New2You Author
Date read: 5. May 2015.
Rating: 2.5 stars
I really wanted to like this book, especially since it's about dragons and dragon-shifters.
Thing I liked: big quirky family, strong kick-ass main heroine and the sparks in romance.
What I didn't like: Book is mainly focused on sex. Everything is a big foreplay. World-building is neglected and I could say non-existent.
I guess some would not mind, but I like in books for romance to be an add-on, a spice to the story, not the main focus.
Dragon Actually most reminded me of C.L. Wilson but minus worl-building and with a more detailed sex descriptions.
Shelf 11: G5 - New2You Author 4/4Stamp Received: requested
Daffodil Taste Fur Murder, Dixie Lyle, 5-5-15, 2.75 stars, Review
Dragana Dragon Actually, G.A. Aiken, 5-5-15, 2.5 stars, Review
Nichole The Shadow Reader, Sandy Williams, 5-1-15, 3 stars, Review
Rachel Blood Rights, Kristen Painter, 5-3-15, 3 stars, Review
I guess they all can't be an Ilona Andrews type find. It's just a shame not one of us found a keeper.I have to share: I have a Bookshelf Bingo Problem. I'm at work and the shelf call is after my lunch hour, so I won't be able to start reading for the new shelf until after I get off at 5. What did I do? I carried not just 1, not 2, but 3 books to work with me this morning.
-- reading now
-- in case leather or lace is called
-- in case Sci-Fi genre is calledThe only reason I didn't bring a book for N2Y Series is we're the only team competing if that shelf is called. I guess you never know, the half hour advantage I get reading on the bus ride home might make a difference. LOL.
CONGRATULATIONS, Hex Nuts!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'new2you author'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Daffodil wrote: "I guess they all can't be an Ilona Andrews type find. It's just a shame not one of us found a keeper.I have to share: I have a Bookshelf Bingo Problem. I'm at work and the shelf call is after m..."
Speaking of Ilona Andrews...I'm listening to
right now! They really are Masters. It's awesome!That's so funny! I started my list this morning so I can just pick one. I need to look for Sci-Fi still. That's not a favorite genre for me though. It's good to be prepared!
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Midnight's Kiss (other topics)Up from the Grave (other topics)
Hunting Season (other topics)
Storm Warrior (other topics)
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
C.L. Wilson (other topics)Sandy Williams (other topics)
Jim Butcher (other topics)
Michael Thomas Ford (other topics)
Molly Harper (other topics)
More...
I have it narrowed down to