SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R21: Team #9 ~ Bookwormin' 9 to 5
Completion Post: 
Shelf: Week 4: Magic
Book: Sparrow Hill Road
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: Ghost Roads #1
How it fits: Shelved 12x
Pages: 432
Finished: 3/2/22
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
I really enjoyed Sparrow Hill Road. I loved Rose and all of the people that she meets on her travels, especially Emma. I am really anxious to see how things will play out with Bobby Cross and the crossroads guardians. I will definitely be continuing the series.
As a side note, I've only read the first two InCryptid books, so I'm not that far into the Price family's world but I was surprised to see "The Price Family Field Guide to the Twilight of North America Ghostroad Edition" at the end of Sparrow Hill Road. There wasn't anything to make me suspect that the worlds might be linked and they actually seem pretty different. I will definitely be doubling back and picking up InCryptid #3 to try to figure out the connection while I wait for the next Toby book.
Selection Post: 
Shelf: Week 5: Shifters
Book: Dragon Actually
Author: G.A. Aiken
Series: Dragon Kin #1
How it fits: Shelved 255x
Pages: 336
Completion Post:
Shelf: Week 5: Shifters
Book: Dragon Actually
Author: G.A. Aiken
Series: Dragon Kin #1
How it fits: Shelved 255x
Pages: 336
Finished: 3/4/22
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
This book is really a two for one deal. The first story, Dragon Actually follows Fearghus and Annwyl. The second story, Chains and Flames follows Fearghus' parents, Bercelak and Rhiannon. Of the two, I enjoyed the first more. I am curious to know more about Fearghus' siblings.
I think I've only read one other Shelly Laurenston book... one of the Honey Badger stories... and although this was written much earlier, the style is very similar. It was funny, steamy, and crazy in the best kind of way. I don't think this will ever be a high priority series for me but I can see myself continuing with it when I'm in between books. Overall, a fast, fluffy read.
Shelf #Six ~ (March 10): Urban FantasyDIRECT LINK - Urban Fantasy OR (SOS' UF) OR (+ SOS' UF with Romantic Elements)
Alternate Options: See Message 18
Melissa: Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine Read: Mar 13 Rating: ★★★★✰ Review
Monica: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning Read: March 20 Rating: ★★★★✰ Review
lorii: Crowbones by Anne Bishop Read: Mar 13 Rating: ★★★★★ Review
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Woo Hoo - Crowbones the latest in The Others by Anne Bishop came out yesterday, and I held off starting, as I worked out it would fit into 4 different shelves, so the chances were pretty high!!! Yes!!!
I'm glad that your book works this week!
Selection Post:
Shelf: Week 6: Urban Fantasy
Book: Heat Stroke
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: Weather Warden #2
How it fits: Shelved 620x
Pages: 356
Melissa wrote: "I'm glad that your book works this week!"Thanks, I would have read it anyway, but it's nice not to have to find something else.
I will be checking my shelf for the Urban fantasy choice. I have a few books but I want to make sure I can find the physical book before choosing. I will also be posting reviews today.
Completion Post - Free SpaceBook: Glass Houses
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: Morganville Vampires #1
How it fits: Option 2: Young Adult Fantasy Series
Pages: 239
Finished: 3/4/22
Rating: 5 stars
Review: I really wished I had started this series earlier. I loved this book. I was only disappointed in the fact that this book has a character with my name Monica, and she is a mean person!! I was laughing when I first saw her name and I realized she was not a good person. Now I just want to continue this series because of the character Monica and her Monicettes (not sure of spelling)!! I did enjoy this book with Claire, Eve, Shane and Michael. I loved how Claire was able to find friends away from college, where she was being bullied. Now to add the rest of these books to my wishlist.
Completion Post:
Shelf: 3 Favorite Couples
Book: The Heir
Author: Kiera Cass
Series: #4 of Selection Series
How it fits: Shelved 5x
Pages: 342
Finished: 3/10/22
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I actually had trouble remembering this series since it had been about 2 years since I read the last book. I had to reacquaint myself with the story line again. This is 20 years after America Singer had entered the Selection. I don't want to give spoilers just in case someone hasn't read any of this series. I really need to keep up with this series instead of the long breaks between reading the books.
CONGRATULATIONS, Bookwormin'!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'free space' and 'favorite couples'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Completion Post:
Shelf: Week 6: Urban Fantasy
Book: Heat Stroke
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: Weather Warden #2
How it fits: Shelved 620x
Pages: 356
Finished: 3/13/22
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
I just want to say that I think Rachel Caine is amazing and I have no idea how she could have held so many fully fleshed out and truly unique worlds inside of her! We really lost someone special when she passed away last year.
Heat Stroke is the 2nd book in the Weather Wardens series and it did not disappoint! Jo is back as a Djinn and David is steaming it up while showing her the ropes, that is until things do what they do around Joanne, and all hell breaks loose.
Action packed as always, the stakes are life and death. Can't wait to pick up Chill Factor!
Congratulations on the stamps Dolly, Lily & Jane!
Selection Post - Shelf Six - Urban FantasyCrowbones
Crowbones (#3 The World of the Others ) by Anne Bishop
How it fits: Shelved as Urban Fantasy 92 times
Pages: 384
Review:
Brilliant. This latest installment of The Others, continues the same characters from Lake Silence. This one is considerably darker than some of the other books in the series and bordered on Supernatural Horror.
Vicki still remains a somewhat naive character, which is explained by The Others keeping her in the dark about the stark of details of lots of the happenings. One thing that does irk me in this brilliant series, is the use of simplistic, almost child-like words. This is appropriate language for the Others who are learning to interact with humans by observing, but Vicki often uses phrases such as “the bad man” to describe the villain or “sneaky” for corrupt officials.
There are also a lot of different POVs, changing frequently. Alexandra Harris as always does a brilliant narration. 5 stars
Read: Mar 13
Rating: ★★★★★
Thanks Melissa, had a good look through, I am going to use my re-read, so many are young adult, there wasn't much to tempt me so I am starting a reread of the Psy Changeling series by Nalini Singh. Slave to Sensation. I will probably only reread through to #12 as that is IMO the best section of the series.
I had the same problem. Too many were YA or already read, so this week I'm going with one of my auto-buy rom-com authors, Tessa Bailey. I loved her Hot and Hammered series. And I thought her ode to Ted Lasso, Window Shopping, was equal parts hot and adorable. So, I am definitely curious to see her take on Schitt's Creek. I only feel the teensiest bit bad that it's not PNR/UF but it is a series (book two just came out) and since it's on the Swoon Worthy list, it qualifies!Selection Post:
Shelf: Week 7: Swoon Worthy
Book: It Happened One Summer
Author: Tessa Bailey
Series: Bellinger Sisters #1
How it fits: Shelved 4x
Pages: 397
Sorry I have been MIA, it has been a couple of busy days this week. I will be leaving for a work conference on Sunday and I am trying to get things together. I will be posting my reviews shortly.
Completion PostShelf: Week 4: Magic
Book: Kiss of a Demon King
Author: Kresley Cole
Series: Immortals After Dark #6
How it fits: Shelved 132 times
Pages: 417
Date Read: 3/10/2022
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I am not reading this series in order since I don't have access to all of the previous books. I don't have the background info on the main characters Sabine and Rydstrom from the previous books. I enjoyed their interaction. I should probably read the previous books to get a better grasp of the story line. I enjoy the fantasy genre and will start/continue this series.
(I thought I posted this last week.)
Selection Post Week #6 Shelf Urban FantasyBook: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Pages: 309
Series: Fever #1
How it fits: shelved 3,135 times
Selection Post Week 7 Shelf Swoon WorthyBook: The Duke and I
Author: Julia Quinn
Pages: 384
Series: Bridgerton #1
How it fits: Shelved 10 times
Team 9 - Bookwormin' 9 to 5Shelf Seven - Swoon Worthy
Direct Link: - Swoon Worthy
Alternate Options: See Message 18
Melissa: Read: Rating:
Monica: Read: Rating:
lorii: Read: Rating:
Melissa - Monica - lorii
★★✰✰✰ - ★★★✰✰ - ★★★★✰ - ★★★★★
Completion Post - Shelf Seven - Swoon Worthy
Slave to Sensation (#1 Psy-Changeling) Nalini Singh
How it fits: Shelved as Swoon Worth 6 times
Pages: 334
Review: (Re-read)
It has been six years since I went back to the very beginning. I still love Sascha and Lucas’ story. Nalini Singh has created a fascinating world, and I always find it interesting that humans are the lowest beings in the social order.
Sascha is a Psy, a race of people who have eradicated all emotion. Sascha, however is struggling under an excess of emotion and is in danger of having her brain forcibly wiped. Her meeting with Lucas a panther shifter, and their love story still has the power to lure me into a binge read of the series. The on-going series arc is what makes this series truly amazing. 5 stars.
Read: Mar 19 Rating: ★★★★★
Completion Post:
Shelf: Week 7: Swoon Worthy
Book: It Happened One Summer
Author: Tessa Bailey
Series: Bellinger Sisters #1
How it fits: Shelved 4x
Pages: 397
Finished: 3/18/22
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to tolerate Piper Bellinger and her vapid ways but I really I shouldn’t be surprised that by the end of It Happened One Summer, I was just as enamored as the rest of Westport, Washington. I loved watching the romance between Piper and Brendan blossom. I loved his grumpy tendencies. I especially loved Piper’s relationship with her sister, Hannah.
“Misunderstandings” are one of my least favorite plot devices, so that part towards the end, could have been better for me.
I loved this one so much that I immediately started Hook, Line, and Sinker because I had to know what was going to happen with Hannah and Fox! I love being in Tessa Bailey’s worlds and I will definitely be along for the ride on her future endeavors.
Happy shelf day! I can’t believe we’re 2 months into bingo already!Shelf #8 ~ 23 Mar 22: Kindle Freebie
DIRECT LINK - Kindle Freebie (+ SOS’ freebie discussion thread)
Selection Post: 
Shelf: Week 8: Kindle Freebie
Book: Crux
Author: Moira Rogers
Series: Southern Arcana #1
How it fits: Shelved 17x
Pages: 358
I have a couple of options - will probably read 50 pages or so and then decide....I have been busy - I need to sit down and work out where I am up to Captain wise. - Hopefully I will get to that tonight.
I was kind of thinking the same thing… Crux looks like the strongest of my options so I’m going to take a gamble. This is always my most dreaded shelf! I hate wasting time on books I don’t like and I don’t like to leave bad ratings. I much prefer to quietly DNF and move on quickly. (Too many books and not enough time!)
Plus, I think it’s brave to publish and put your work out there … even if I’m not the right audience for it, some one out there is and … Maybe I’m just getting old but I feel embarrassed to trash a book I don’t like because like, what have I even accomplished? I sure as heck haven’t published a book. I’ve read a lot of them but I don’t feel like an expert, sooo …. 🤷🏻♀️
Yes exactly - for years I didn't DNF - it was the writer has put all this time and effort into puting these words on paper, the least you can do is finish it, but then I got older I guess, I realised that there are way too many good books out there to spend time on one I wasn't enjoying.
Don't forget to request your Magic stamp Bookworms :)
I had some time today ... and I know we've all been so busy ... I think this is where we stand. Sandra's right, we are due to request our Magic stamp. Do you need a hand with that Lorii?R21: Team #9 ~ Bookwormin' 9 to 5
✅ Free Space: Options STAMP RECEIVED
Melissa - Option 2: Munro by Kresley Cole Feb 7 ★★★★★ Review
Lorii - Option 2: Greywalker by Kat Richardson Feb 21 ★ Review
Monica - Option 2: Glass Houses by Rachel Caine Mar 4 ★★★★★ Review
✅ Week 1: Sci-Fi Romance STAMP RECEIVED
(or SOS' sci-fi romance shelf)
Melissa - Fated Blades by Ilona Andrews Feb 4 ★★★★ Review
Lorii - The Seer by Ariel MacArran Feb 4 ★★Review
Monica - Warrior's Woman by Johanna Lindsey Feb 10 ★★★★ Review
✅ Week 2: Alternate Reality or Alternate Universe STAMP RECEIVED
(or SOS' alternate universe shelf)
Melissa - Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake Feb 14 ★★★★★ Review
Lorii - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Feb 16 ★ Review
Monica - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle Feb 22 ★★★★ Review
✅ Week 3: Favorite Couples STAMP RECEIVED
Melissa - Pestilence by Laura Thalassa Feb 18 ★★★★★ Review
Lorii - Here Be Sexist Vampires by Suzanne Wright Feb 25 ★★★ Review
Monica - The Heir by Kiera Cass Mar 10 ★★★★ Review
Week 4: Magic or Magic Users or SOS' magic shelf STAMP REQUESTED
Melissa - Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire Mar 2 ★★★★★ Review
Lorii - Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch Feb 25 ★★★★ Review
Monica - Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole Mar 10 ★★★★ Review
Week 5: Shifter or Shifters or SOS' Shifter shelf
Melissa - Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken Mar 4 ★★★★ Review
Lorii - Claimed by J.R. Ward Mar 4 ★★ Review
--> Monica - Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole
Week 6: Urban Fantasy or SOS' UF or SOS' UF with Romantic Elements
Melissa - Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine Mar 13 ★★★★ Review
Lorii - Crowbones by Anne Bishop Mar 13 ★★★★★ Review
--> Monica - Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Week 7: Swoon Worthy
Melissa - It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey Mar 18 ★★★★★ Review
Lorii - Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh Mar 19 ★★★★★ Review
--> Monica - The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Week 8: Kindle Freebie or SOS’ freebie discussion thread
--> Melissa - Crux by Moira Rogers
--> Lorii -
--> Monica -
Thanks Melissa, that would be great, and for going to the trouble of doing the update.
Monica, you're 3 books behind + yesterday's shelf. Please read & review some of your books, or you'll have to leave the game.
Loriidae wrote: "Thanks Melissa, that would be great, and for going to the trouble of doing the update."No worries 😉 I made the week numbers link back to your posts so it would be easy to find them. Kinda dorky but I hope it helps us stay organized.
Sandra wrote: "Monica, you're 3 books behind + yesterday's shelf. Please read & review some of your books, or you'll have to leave the game."HI Sandy. I am working on my reviews. My father just passed away on Tuesday. I haven't been on my computer for fun that much this week.
I'm very sorry to hear that Monica, all my sympathy sent to you and your family.
Completion Post - Week 5 ShifterBook: Demon from the Dark
Author: Kresley Cole
Series: Immortals after dark #9
How it fits: Shelved 55 times
Date Read: 3/19/2022
Pages: 430
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I am not sure if I should be reading these books in order. I love fantasy books because they always seem to have so much going on. I enjoyed this book do to the tumultuous relationship between the Demon, Malkom and the woman he is protecting. He is a demon with vampire blood. How do those to things live together in one body?
Completion Post- Week 6 - Urban FantasyBook: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever #1
How it fits: shelved 3,135 times
Date Read: 3/20/2022
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review: I haven't read any books with Fae since the Sookie Stackhouse books. It was nice to encounter the Fae world again in this book. MacKayla, who goes by Mac, had a sister who was murdered. Mac goes to Ireland to searching for answers to her sisters death. Mac soon discovers that she can see into the Fae world. She has to master her new power to survive. I was enthralled with this book from the beginning. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
Good Monica, but we need the date read on both reviews. :)
Selection Post Week 8 Kindle FreebieBook: A Hidden Fire
Author: Elizabeth Hunter
Pages:398
Series: Elemental Mysteries #1
How it fits: shelved 34 times
Sandra wrote: "Good Monica, but we need the date read on both reviews. :)"Sorry about that. I updated the posts.
Monica wrote: "Sandra wrote: "Good Monica, but we need the date read on both reviews. :)"Sorry about that. I updated the posts."
Thanks Monica :)
Oh Monica so sorry to hear, sending hugs across the miles....
Thanks Monica for the reviews.I have requested stamps for urban fantasy and shifter spots.
Team 9 - Bookwormin' 9 to 5Shelf Eight - Kindle Freebie
Direct Link: - Kindle Freebie
OR
+ SOS freebie Discussion thread
Alternate Options: See Message 18
Melissa: Read: Rating:
Monica: Read: Rating:
lorii: Tattered Loyalties by Carrie Ann Ryan Read: Mar 28 Rating: ★★★✰✰ Review
Melissa - Monica -
★★✰✰✰ - ★★★✰✰ - ★★★★✰ - ★★★★★
CONGRATULATIONS, Bookwormin'!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'magic/users', 'shifter(s) and 'UF'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
How to Date Your Dragon (other topics)Crux (other topics)
Tattered Loyalties (other topics)
Tattered Loyalties (other topics)
Crux (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Molly Harper (other topics)Moira Rogers (other topics)
Carrie Ann Ryan (other topics)
Carrie Ann Ryan (other topics)
Elizabeth Hunter (other topics)
More...
Claimed (#1 Lair of the Wolven) J.R. Ward
How it fits: Shelved as Shifters 45 times
Pages: 509
Review:
I didn’t find out until I was finished that this book is best read chronologically within the Blackdagger series. Even though this is a new series, it is a spin-off, and is strongly connected to the blackdagger brotherhood books
It is very different to most shifter books, and I personally would not even label it a shifter book. It’s not that this novel didn’t make sense, it did, but I guess I allowed my preconceptions of what compromises a shifter and indeed a paranormal romance book to colour my reading of this book.
Everything is low key and understated, and while I was engaged enough to read / listen to the entire story in two days, there were so many vague hints and partial clues, that it all became a bit confusing mid way through. The mystery definitely triumphed over the romance. The big reveal was interesting but too little too late. 2.5 stars
Read: Mar 4 Rating: ★★✰✰✰