SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R25: Team #4 ~ Quirky Quad
message 51:
by
Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)
(new)
May 20, 2024 11:27PM
And our "V" stamp has been requested.
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CONGRATULATIONS, Quirky Quad!We now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'V'.
[Our updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Glad you liked the intro, Linda C. It gets WILD!Yay on our stamp!
Back tomorrow with our shelf announcement :)
Free Space 
Rapture in Death - J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, #4
Qualifier: Option 2 - Sci-Fi Fantasy series list - series #37 on list
Pages: 320
Read: 5/21/24
Rating: ★★★★★
My Review:
Eve and Roarke are near the end of their honeymoon when Eve is called to the scene of an apparent suicide. When she returns to NYC she gets right back to work and within days a lawyer commits suicide in a different way but also with a grin on his face and no evident reason for doing it. Then Eve hears about another one preceding these two. Something is causing this and it’s murder.
Well done procedural as usual. Great side characters who are indispensable and a bit of humor to offset the horror. And, of course, there is Roarke who is the perfect foil for Eve. Everyone should have a Roarke.
Congratulations on the stamp QQ!
Caught up to here; requested "Free Space" stamp.
CONGRATULATIONS, Quirky Quad!We now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'Free Space'.
[Our updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Yay!! :D
Shelf's up 😊Shelf #3 ~ 22 May: M - "Mardi Gras" or magic
Requirement: Choose a book using one of the following options ...
* For "Mardi Gras", read a book with a purple, green or yellow cover; 'carnival' in the title or series name; or author's initials M.G.
* For magic, read a book found on one of these shelves: GR magic or SOS magic
I'm gonna read:
(purple cover)HAPPY READING!
Shelf was announced: M - "Mardi Gras" or magic.I'm still deciding my book.
I'm also going to read Love Binds, purple cover. I had just started it (under 2% read) when got distracted so I'm now re-starting it. Looks like more in series have now published.ETA: After Ghostly Command and Shrill Dusk, I'm happy to get back to a series where I'm engaged; the main character and worldbuilding make more sense.
I will be reading
#1250 (last entry on p 25) on GR Magic list
Congratulations on the stamp QQ!
Sandra wrote: "Congratulations on the stamp QQ!"Rhanks!
Thx, Sandra!Hope y’all enjoy your books. I almost read that one, Linda C, & thought about watching the series when it was on, but didn’t do either. I look forward to your thoughts on it.
Hey guys. I've had a rough week/end, so I'm behind on BSB stuff. I'll get my review up by tomorrow.
Love Binds by Cynthia St. Aubin
Series: Tails from the Alpha Art Gallery, #4
Qualifier: "Mardi Gras" - purple cover
Shelf #M: "Mardi Gras" or magic
Read: 24 May
Rating: ★★½
My Review:
“... he’s a stubborn, close-lipped information hoarder who enjoys blind-siding me with life-altering fuckery.”This sums up Abernathy to.a.tee. It's becoming increasingly frustrating as the series progresses, for both me and Hanna. WHY is she always learning about everything from others? Just how long can/will he keep up the "I didn't tell you to protect you" or "I was trying to give you time to acclimate" reasoning for keeping her in the dark? It's repeatedly made clear to him that she needs to know. Trouble ensues and many times could've been avoided or impact lessened if he'd.just.TELL.HER! I cannot adequately express how frustrating he is to me at this point. But, hopefully some of what I was able to relay explains it enough.
Since finishing this installment, I've read all published to this point and yet he has done nothing to redeem himself in my blurred reader's eyes. Instead, he's reached "I wanna throat punch you" levels. 🤬
Why, then, do I keep reading? The little teaser endings, initially, led me to jump immediately into the next book to find out how the revelation or issue was received and handled. Later, it was the side characters, TBH. They are great! In many instances, they steal the show and grab hold of your heart.
It's been three months since Hanna and Abernathy's mating. Do ya think that, now that Hanna's his, he's decided to reveal all that he "couldn't" tell her before her decision was made? 1 guess is all you'd need -- NOPE! There are a number of instances where simply talking to her would've helped her and others.
That's enough of Abernathy's BS, onto better others. There's Morrison, poor Morrison, who's revealed to be (view spoiler). And, Hayden the dragon, who has a big heart and enviable peace within it. 🥰 The absolute funniest babysitting scene I've ever read! 🤣
If this was simply the Hanna and Mark show, honestly I think I'd have left the series by now. But, at this point, I'm fully invested, hoping (though I have no idea why, at this point) that Mark will pull his thick head outta his furry ass and wanting to know what will happen with/to the side characters I have become attached.
Completion Post - Shelf #3 ~ 22 May: M - "Mardi Gras" or magic
Midnight Crossroad - Charlaine Harris
Series: Midnight, Texas, #1
Qualifier: #1250 (last entry on p 25) on GR Magic list
Pages: 384
Read: 5/27/24
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
Manfred Bernardo, psychic, has just arrived in Midnight, TX, where, in a vision, his deceased grandmother told him to move. He is renting the house next to his landlord, Bobo’s Pawn Shop. Midnight is a very small dying town with some unusual inhabitants and Manfred thinks it will be perfect for him. As he meets people he realizes that no one talks about themselves, but all seem to get along. Things get more complicated when at a town picnic the body of Bobo’s girlfriend is discovered. She seemed to have left Bobo suddenly 2 months earlier. Now the town is being questioned by police.
There are lots of secrets among the inhabitants, but they are loyal to each other. As some of the secrets are revealed things get really interesting. Saying more would give away too much. I enjoyed it and look forward to more stories with these characters.
I heard that a TV show had been made of the series and looked up the cast to see who played some of the characters. A Wikipedia article about the series gave a synopsis of the individual episodes. I read the write up for the first two and stopped. It was so different from the book and not as interesting to me as the story I read. I don't know why they do this. If it was interesting enough to want to film why change it so much from the original? Don’t plan on looking for the series to watch. But will read the other 2 books in the written series.
Oh boy, Steph, do I ever agree about Love Binds!I'll get my review in after dinner and catch up everything to be ready for tomorrow's call.
M for Mardi Gras or Magic
Purple cover
Love Binds by Cynthia St. Aubin
Finished: May 24, 2024
Series: Tales from the Alpha Art Gallery #4
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Number of pages: 316
Review: Great story without the love scenes. I'm not sure where this series is headed though (and some new characters seemed like should have been their own short stories rather than fitting into Hanna's). Maybe it was the change away from the art gallery but this didn't seem to fit well with previous books.
The first three books were engrossing reads. Hanna's story and the characters around her, learning of supernatural and her own abilities, the very real friendships and "feels" and invested in what comes next -- all in all a pretty perfect read. I wanted Hanna and Abernathy together because of how much Hanna longed to be with him.
This author seriously can write characters that seem real and plot some great action. I want Hanna with Abernathy because she does -- except I also want him to just die off heroically after all the for-your-own-good-and-to-protect-me-from-your-drama-let's-not-tell-you-pivotal-to-your-life/agency-things-until-trapped-with-no-easy-way-out. Die so she can mourn and move onto a love interest that offers her more than sex, not cheating and not being a monster.
That not telling her stuff has gotten more annoying now that they are together and the huge secrets have been revealed.
This plot seems like series might be headed to new directions and twists. All of which would prove interesting enough I'll keep reading. It also seemed like wrapping up some characters and plot points where it could be a series finale. One reason I picked this back up was new books had been published in the series, but those seem to be novellas not sequels.
While reading this, I was hooked. And thrilled. Now that I've read it, I am disappointed in some character deaths and directions. And I definitely thought some sex scenes were way too long. Hopefully next books will be back "home" and the real of her life rather than author trying to shake things up too much (or write off IRL vacations as research).
Hey y'all, shelf's up :)Shelf #4 ~ 29 May: G - "Green" or gargoyle(s)
Requirement: Choose a book using one of the following options ...
* For "green", read a book with "green" in the author's name, title or series or a book with a green cover
* For gargoyle(s), read a book found on one of these shelves: GR gargoyle, GR gargoyles or SOS gargoyle
I'll be reading
("green" in title and green cover)
New shelf announced -- "G - "Green" or gargoyle(s)"I put in for our nicely in a diagonal Mardi Gras stamp.
I know I have some gargoyles in my TBR somewhere ...
Nice! I always forget to look at my team card after shelf announcements 🤪
Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) wrote: "Oh boy, Steph, do I ever agree about Love Binds!I'll get my review in after dinner and catch up everything to be ready for tomorrow's call."
😆 " I want Hanna with Abernathy because she does -- except I also want him to just die off heroically after all the for-your-own-good-and-to-protect-me-from-your-drama-let's-not-tell-you-pivotal-to-your-life/agency-things-until-trapped-with-no-easy-way-out. Die so she can mourn and move onto a love interest that offers her more than sex, not cheating and not being a monster." THIS! EXACTLY!
CONGRATULATIONS, Quirky Quad!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'M'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congratulations on the stamp QQ!
Completion Post - Shelf #4 ~ 29 May: G - "Green" or gargoyle(s)
Intermediate Thermodynamics - Susannah Nix
Series: Chemistry Lessons, #2
Qualifier: green cover
Pages: 310
Read: 5/30/24
Rating: 3 stars
Review:
Esther, aerospace engineer, is annoyed with her neighbor, screenwriter, Jonathan, for many little things, though he is unaware of the issues. He just finds her standoffish. But when Esther’s best friend Jinny is waffling about going back with her ex-boyfriend, who Esther thinks is controlling. Esther decides to link her up with Jonathan to give her other options. At the same time Jonathan approaches Esther for help with the science information he needs for his screenplay. She agrees if he will date Jinny a few times. This starts a series of events that pushes all Esther’s relationships into trouble. Also issues at work and with her mother create a life of crisis.
This was pretty good but not as good as the first one in this series. More angst than humor in this one.
Sandra wrote: "Congratulations on the stamp QQ!"Thx!
Happy last day of May, y’all 😳 This yr’s flyin’ by.
Hey teammies! I'll likely be offline till Monday. I'll get my review up before our next shelf announcement. Hope y'all have a good weekend 😊
Green Vampire by J.S. Kennedy
Series: MacKenzie Green #4
Qualifier: green cover & 'green' in the title/series name
Shelf #4: G - "Green" or gargoyle(s)
Read: 31 May
Rating: ★★★☆☆
My Review:
In Green Vampire, following the trauma of book 3, Mackenzie has realized that she must start taking care of herself in addition to her family. She's also beginning to accept GreenRiver as her home and not simply a temporary stopover.
Mackenzie and Lucan work well together on a Catch & Release assignment and as they do she tries to lower her shields that are keeping her bond with Lucan at bay. I like watching the development of their relationship and it's slow-going, but that's to be expected considering where they started.
I did feel like the book was longer than it needed to be. Additionally, there were some areas that would've benefited from some (or more?) editing. But, I continue to enjoy the series, the characters (new and OG) and seeing the growth in each. I'm interested to see what becomes of Tyr/Guardian and others, so I will be continuing with the series. I like how, at the end, the author notes she's working on her growth as a writer. I'm hoping that the story and editing will continue to improve as she perfects her skill.
G for Green or Gargoyle , Gargoyle
Heart of Stone by Christine Warren
Finished: May 31, 2024
Series: Gargoyles #1
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Number of pages: 297
Review: This was a good read. I've read other of her books set in same universe about the Wardens and Gargoyles/Guardians. This is my first that concentrated on a gargoyle, one without a warden.
Great storyline, plenty of action. There were moments of I-am-emotionless bullshit from the gargoyle that stopped me from truly liking the romance part (and these books are straight up paranormal romance), then I liked it, then was a bit dissatisfied that in the end he told her he did too know gargoyles could love with historical tales to prove it.
All in all, I liked her and where this series will likely go. She was ... "feisty" I guess is the best word for it. Her fighting off some baddies was a bit hard to believe considering how new to her Warden powers she was. And I'm really not buying into one conversation resolving a childhood trauma completely
I'll eventually read more in this series. In no hurry, though, because mostly the books will be onto new couples.
All caught up and G stamp requested. Let me know if anyone sees any errors.
👍🏼 thx, Debbie. I'll be getting to stamps in a day or so. Go, team, go! New shelf coming up later today 😊
Shelf’s up 😊Shelf #5 ~ 5 June: S - "Spring Break" or shifter(s)
Requirement: Choose a book using one of the following options ...
* For "Spring Break", take a break from the last genre you read and read something different (try to stay within the fantasy genre with an appropriate sub-genre)
* For shifter(s), read a book found on one of these shelves: GR shifter, GR shifters, SOS shifter or SOS were-shifter
I’ll be reading
(on GR shifter & shifters shelves)
I'll read
. On GR shifters (18x) and shifter (9x) shelves
Changing my book. I found one that I can use for another challenge as well. I will read
. On GR shifters shelf 28x
Linda C wrote: "Changing my book. I found one that I can use for another challenge as well. I will read . On GR shifters shelf 28x"Got it.
CONGRATULATIONS, Quirky Quad!We now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'G'.
[Our updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Yay!! :D
The Dragon Finds Forever by Kristen Painter
Series: Nocturne Falls #7
Qualifier: GR shelves shifters (21 people) & shifter (6 people)
Shelf #5: S - "Spring Break" or shifter(s)
Read: 6 June
Rating: ★★½
My Review:
The Dragon Finds Forever was my least liked addition to the Nocturne Falls world. I liked the species of each MC: Ivan "The Hammer" Tsvetkov, known around town as Van, is a dragon, injured MMA fighter recuperating from his last bout and Monalisa Devlin (AKA Lisa to Van, for the time being) is a Will-o’-the-Wisps. I also liked the ruse Monalisa chose to insinuate herself into Van's life as a way to complete her dad's demand that Van return to the ring for a rematch against the one who injured him; it was very convincing.
I just didn't feel a connection to these two as a couple. Individually, they were well-written. Van's very likable and Monalisa's plight was believable.
Overall, just a meh read for me. But, I love this world and will definitely be returning to it soon.
Congratulations on the stamp QQ!
Etiquette & Espionage - Gail Carriger
Series: Finishing School, #1
Qualifier: GR shelves shifters (28 tags)
Shelf #5: S - "Spring Break" or shifter(s)
Read: 6/7/24
Rating: 5 stars
My Review:
9/19/17 - Sophronia Temminnick, 14, is more interested in how things work than becoming a lady. The only recourse is to send her to a finishing school. However, Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality may not have been all that her mother was assuming. Although they learn dancing, dress and etiquette, they also learn the fine art of subterfuge, death and espionage. And before Sophronia has even arrived she finds herself in the middle of an intrigue. She's making new friends, living in an unusual structure, and associating with various paranormal entities. Sophronia couldn't be happier. What a fun book. Looking forward to the rest of Sophronia's adventures.
6/7/24 - This was as good as the first time around. The tongue in cheek nod to Victorian etiquette was hilarious. The logical outmaneuvering of the bad guys using a wide variety of weapons and mechanical paraphernalia, including a mechanical dog added adventure. And the secret abilities of many of the characters put the story well into the paranormal range. Steampunk at its best.
Sandra wrote: "Congratulations on the stamp QQ!"Thanks!
Good review, Debbie. I’ve not read that, but it sounds interesting.
S for Spring Break or Shifter(s) , Genre Change
Baskets and Beignets] by Jana Deleon
Finished: June 6, 2024
Series: Miss Fortune Mystery, #27
Rating: ★★★★★
Number of pages: 308
Review: This was firing on all cylinders, start to finish. I do wish these would release faster *sigh*.
Straight up cozy mystery. As with the rest of series, this one completes a local mystery, continues a more serious overall story arc and drags our heroine more and more into a small town and a cast of wacky characters and situations.
I was expecting this book to finish all the fallout from Carter's Middle East mission. It didn't but is moving along. A resolution with villain Kitt did happen. I could have used more Gertie, but they all were focusing on helping Carter and the mystery in this one had a life/death deadline.
27 books in and still holding my interest. Hard to review because I'm just into the characters and all the shenanigans but not easy to explain how it's all grown on me.
All caught up and "S" stamp requested.
I've got the first one of that series, Debbie, sounds like I should read it :)
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Storm Front (other topics)Venom in the Veins (other topics)
Storm Front (other topics)
Storm Front (other topics)
The Detective Wins The Witch (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jim Butcher (other topics)Jennifer Estep (other topics)
Jim Butcher (other topics)
Jennifer Estep (other topics)
Kristen Painter (other topics)
More...
