SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R27 Team #4 ~ Prose and Cons
Selection PostShelf #Shelf #11 ~ 7 May: Happy / humorous -or- Infatuation / 'In Death'
Infatuation
Book: Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh
Pages: 416
How it fits: Written by an author I adore
Nice! I’m in the middle of that one right now. I jumped into it as soon as it hit my kindle. Next ID had to wait. I needed some Sparkle and Bluebell 😍 I’ll start my BSB book as soon as I’ve finished it.
I picked that one up from the post office last night :-DStill have to read the previous one though o.O No idea how comes I haven't read it yet. I'll just read both some time soon!
Secret Admirer stamp has been requested :-)
Selection Post
H/I - Happy / Humorous -or- Infatuation / 'In Death'
Book: Purity in Death by J.D. Robb
Pages: 355
How it fits: the name of the shelf says it all haha
😊 WTG! Your request to stamp S Shelf has been approved; if you have any issues stamping your card, let me know. Once you’ve stamped your card, go to the Captain’s Log and share a link with us. Thx!
I finished it and I got so very weepy 🥹 Nalini broke my heart multiple times, but rebuilt it in the end. WTG, Team!
Oh gosh, I'm going to have to go tissue shopping before I read Guild Hunter books...
Seriously, I rarely get teary over books, but damn, she got me good with this one (multiple times).
Steph wrote: "Nice! I’m in the middle of that one right now. I jumped into it as soon as it hit my kindle. Next ID had to wait. I needed some Sparkle and Bluebell 😍 I’ll start my BSB book as soon as I’ve finishe..."I finished it last night - will post my review soon. Still absorbing.
👍🏼 I’m anxious to read your thoughts on it.
Completion Post
H/I - Happy / Humorous -or- Infatuation / 'In Death'
Book: Purity in Death by J.D. Robb
Pages: 355
Date Read: 11th May
Rating: 4 stars
How it fits: the name of the shelf says it all haha
Review:
This one actually threw me for a loop and I had a little moment of "huh!" when the villain of the story was revealed. Afterwards, yeah, I realised the signs had been there but I hadn't put the puzzle together.
So many years since this book was published and it always makes me realise that humankind simply doesn't change. This could have happened this year. And it probably could happen 20 years from now. People... Sometimes I really do not like them. This is a book that shows one of the reasons why.
And McNab! Bloody hell, I was very worried there for a moment! I'm also glad that Eve is finally realising that she really is stealing a lot of Roarke's time for her investigations, even if he usually freely offers and finds more joy in the work than he ever thought he would. Maybe some day she'll pay it back in some way.
Sad, but f*g true! So many years since this book was published and it always makes me realise that humankind simply doesn't change. This could have happened this year. And it probably could happen 20 years from now. People... Sometimes I really do not like them.
😉I should finish my book tonight. I’ll get my review posted before too long.
Completion PostShelf #Shelf #11 ~ 7 May: Happy / humorous -or- Infatuation / 'In Death'
Infatuation
Book: Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh
Pages: 416
How it fits: Written by an author I adore
Date Read: 5/9
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
Ok, so this is a little complicated for me because part of me was a bit annoyed, but the other part really liked the story. I love Bluebell and Sparkle, and couldn't wait to get the next part of their story. I'm also an avid reader of MM Romance, so I was a little worried too, since this is not a genre that Nalini has written before. I'm going to add spoiler tags here, just in case (view spoiler)But...I loved the story itself. The way she melded the two timelines together was seamless, not the least bit jarring or off putting. I loved the characters, as always. It was wonderful to see so many from the past stories. I'm not going to go into any more detail since some may still be reading it, but I will say that I'm hopeful that she continues the series with a spin-off, like she did with the psy-changeling books. It would be so great to see what happens next for Ilium and Aodhan.
Steph wrote: "😉I should finish my book tonight. I’ll get my review posted before too long."
Same, I'll be done with my book today. I've dragged it out long enough haha.
Completion Post
A - Anniversary / Alpha Male
Book: Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Pages: 392
Date Read: 14th May
Rating: 3 stars
How it fits: first published in January 2011 (Jan being my birthday month)
Review:
The first thing I have to say and that immediately struck me was the snark. Built in at regular intervals, there were sarcastic comments thrown in and they usually made me grin. Quite a few totally relatable and understandable even, if you've ever been to London, not even needing to have lived there.
There is a fair amount of historical knowledge built in and general information about London, which may not be to everyone's taste but I found it interesting. In the very least, it showed that the author is actually aware of the scale of the city his characters are walking about in. What was often missing however was the history of this particular world. Most of the information is gotten via learning via Peter's tumble into the magical world, which throws up a whole lot of questions but doesn't answer very many.
The story and characters were fun though. Maybe a tad long-winded in places but all in all, I enjoyed the story. I'm still not entirely sure if I want to continue with the series though, bizarrely enough.
Stamp requested :-)I'm pretty sure by the time I log on tomorrow morning, Steph's review will be up as well and then I can request that stamp, too, which will bring us completely up to date - for hopefully an extra week of Bingo :-)
It took my husband and I a few books in that series to become really interested/invested, buuuut then we stopped listening and I've lost the thread again. 😆My review is coming 😊
Reunion in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death #14
Shelf #10: I/In Death
Read: 13 May
Rating: ★★★★☆
My Review:
HEAD'S UP: some spoilers throughout are unblocked
Lieutenant Eve Dallas was back. And ready to kick some ass.Following the events of the previous book, Eve and Roarke enjoyed a relaxing vacation. Now she's back and ready to return to her comfort zone - catching murderers. Since Peabody was proactive during Eve's absense (she had a lil vacay of her own, thanks to Roarke's kindness and generosity) her desk is clear of all todo's, they dig through the cold cases and land on one Eve determines is a good first case for Peabody to tackle as Primary.
"There's this thing I should tell you. About my mother. She has the power."The arrival of Peabody's parents, Phoebe and Sam, throw off Eve. For one, Roarke's generosity extends to them as well, though he's a bit baffled at how it happened, and he's invited them to stay with he and Eve. Eve's not happy about it, but their place is huge, so sure. Tensions rise though when Sam, a sensitive, sees more than she'd ever allow. For the reader though, it was great meeting Peabody's parents! I hope we see more of them in future installments.
"The power of what?"
"The power to make you do things you don't want to do, or don't think you want to do. And she'll get you to say stuff you don't mean to say. And you may even babble."
"I don't babble."
"You will," Peabody said mournfully.
"This one has ice for blood, and she's nobody's victim. She hunts."When Eve and Peabody begin investigating a murder, she recognizes someone she and Feeney put away eight years ago. Eve's the only woman who's bestest her. Now, the killer is back on the street and she's looking for vengeance.
"He never called me by a name. Because I didn't have one. I remember that now. They didn't bother to give me a name because I wasn't a child to them. I was a thing."F*g Hell! Learning more about the eight years Eve suffered at the hands of her father breaks your heart into a million little pieces. While in Dallas on business, she bravely faces "the room" and the memories that return upon being there with Roarke by her side.
We're not what they were. Whatever they did to us, they couldn't make us what they were."That Eve's able to stare it in the face, relive those memories (some of the first time) and survive - all over again - is a testiment to her strength and the love she shares with Roarke. I see a deeper discussion with Dr. Mira in Eve's near future.
"The whole point of love is that it has no reason. It just is."There was a lot of love floating around in this installment. Peabody + McNab are building a relationship; Charles + Louise are enjoying getting to know each other while their feelings grow exponentially; Eve + Roarke celebrate their first wedding anniversary.
TBH, the catching of this twisty bitch (TB) was more background noise for me. I found the relationships throughout this installment more intriguing. The fights between Eve and Roarke were epic. Eve's battle with her past was heartbreaking yet the aftercare she received from Roarke was heartwarming. Peabody's parents, her first case as Primary, her growing relationship with McNab were fantastic. Seeing Charles and Dr. Louise's attempts to take things slow when you can tell they wanna just get married immediately is adorably sweet.
As always, I'm anxious to continue on with this series.
Shelf's up ...And, I'm bummed b/c I can't fit my next ID book 😐
Shelf #12 ~ 14 May: Relationship / romance/PNR, SFR, Romantasy
Requirement: Choose a book using one of the following options ...
*For Relationship, read a book written by more than one author, featuring two people on the cover, any PNR book
* For romance, read a book from either shelf: GR PNR/GR SFR/GR SFR2/GR romantasy/SOS PNR/SOS SFR/SOS UF+R
AliciaJ wrote: "Archangel's Ascension..."- I 100% agree with your spoiler notes. I felt the same with their first book and had hoped for more. More like written in hetero books, but le sigh. I let my imagine run, but would've preferred a more balanced narrative to those in all other books.
- I wasn't expecting the time jump and when I first read Sam's position it threw me. I thought I'd remembered his age or name wrong from previous books. 😆
- According to these posts I found, and I hunted, this wasn't the finale. I hope they're right. I realize it's likely time to end it, but don't want it to end.
From https://ebookobsessed.com/2025/05/rev...
UPDATE: It was announced that there will be one final book in the Guild Hunter series, Archangel’s Eternity. It will feature Raphael and Elena. I can only hope it will be 1,000 pages long. There was also an announcement that a film company has purchased the rights to the Guild Hunter series.
And, from https://www.reddit.com/r/NaliniSinghB... and someone who attended the virtual pre-Archangel Ascension event with Nalini and East City bookshop
Next Book: Archangel's Eternity (Raphael and Elena). Eternity will be the last book sadly!! She did say she may leave the door open but the main story between the main cast is over. She will continue to write short stories for her newsletters.And ---
For this shelf, I'm gonna read
(11 ppl shelved @ GR's PNR shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...)
Oh my fucking... film rights?!???????
Steph wrote: "Shelf's up ...And, I'm bummed b/c I can't fit my next ID book 😐"
Sure somebody didn't accidentally tag it Romantasy?! hahaha
Bummer for you though! Maybe next shelf again :-)
Aaand In Death Stamp has also been requested, yay! :-D
I know. Not sure how it’d be. Lots get sold, but many never get to screen. I’m happy to hear she’ll end with an Elena and Raphael book. I really hope those posts aren’t BS cuz now I got my hopes up for at least one more to come. Thx! I doubled checked and found it! I’d forgotten to check ‘sci-fi-romance’, only checked ‘scifi-romance’ 😊 So, I’m switching my book to
Yay, to both a Raphael & Elena book & to switching to Purity!!!!!!
😊 WTG! Your request to stamp A & H/I Shelves has been approved; if you have any issues stamping your card, let me know. Once you’ve stamped your card, go to the Captain’s Log and share a link with us. Thx!
Sandra wrote: "Yay, to both a Raphael & Elena book & to switching to Purity!!!!!!"Can only second this! :-D
Stupid filter at work.Last week, it let me stamp - also for the birthday event - but this week it's back to denying my request :-p
Stamping when I get home after work :-)
I'm not entirely sure yet if I'm going to read the next In Death or if I'm going to read a Guild Hunter novel.Just in case, I'm leaving the info here so I don't have to hunt it down again. Portait is tagged "sci-fi romance" 6x.
Card has been stamped.Crazy!
Once the current shelf is finished, we'll have three (!) options for Bingo!
U, C and F
Eta: https://bingobaker.com/#67ba41b2ac8dab49
R - Relationship / Romance / PNR, SFR, Romantasy
Book: What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
Pages: 416
How it fits: tagged "romantasy" 196x
changed to Portrait in Death, tagged "sci-fi romance" 6x.
===
I actually remembered that this one might fit the current shelf. It's a book of the month in a different group that I want to read and with only a bare minimum of searching that horrendous Romantasy tag pops up, so there we go! :-)
Sandra wrote: "Yay, to both a Raphael & Elena book & to switching to Purity!!!!!!"😁
Eldarwen wrote: "Stupid filter at work.Last week, it let me stamp - also for the birthday event - but this week it's back to denying my request :-p
Stamping when I get home after work :-)"
🤨😆
Eldarwen wrote: "Card has been stamped.Crazy!
Once the current shelf is finished, we'll have three (!) options for Bingo!
U, C and F
Eta: https://bingobaker.com/#67ba41b2ac8dab49"
😳
Selection PostShelf #Shelf #12 ~ 14 May: Relationship / romance/PNR, SFR, Romantasy
SFR
Book: Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet
Pages: 448
How it fits: tagged 13x sci-fi romance on GR SFR shelf p.15
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Purity in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death #15
Shelf #12: R/ sci-fi-romance
Read: 17 May
Rating: ★★★★☆
My Review:
ABSOLUTE PURITY ACHIEVEDWell, as soon as I read that I knew this was gonna be some kinda homegrown terrorist type (that, and a peek at a friend's review). Yuck! People suck, this we know, but damn if Robb doesn't do a wonderful job of exposing us to the most tormented and twisted of the race. But, she balances out the darkness with fantastic characters. The growth of these characters, fifteen books in, has been such fun to watch.
"Terminations aren't supposed to be easy. We shouldn't be able to shrug off the taking of any life like it was nothing or we skirt too close to being what we're here to put away."The tenderhearted Trueheart is a perfect example of the sorta-kinda strays Eve brings into her tight circle. When she does and because the job isn't just a job to her, these people become a part of her family. Eve has a family! Each time she realizes how deeply someone has burrowed into her heart she's surprised, which is hilarious yet hard to understand. That's one of the most interesting things about Eve for me - her naivety about all things personal and relationship-related. It's such a contrast to her iron will and certainty when it comes to policing.
"Genius has no age."The young, yet very gifted Jamie is another person who has made his way into Eve's circle. This is a case where Roarke knows Jamie's skills are needed. Jamie is still a teenager who pushes limits, but Eve and Roarke, aware of his career choice, make sure he knows there are times pushing limits can get you dead.
Couple quick, possibly spoilery thoughts:
⋆⁺₊✧ Temporary or not, that was scary, McNab!
⋆⁺₊✧ Woohoo, Mavis! Totally mag!
⋆⁺₊✧ That "small gray button", sigh, so sweet
⋆⁺₊✧ McNab said the L-word
⋆⁺₊✧ You're alright, Baxter
So while I'm still reading the book I initially selected for the shelf - and enjoying it! - I also snuck in another In Death... *grin*Since the new shelf call will be in a few hours, I'll go with In Death for this shelf so it's all finished before then. (I assume Alicia has her book finished already :-))
Completion Post
R - Relationship / Romance / PNR, SFR, Romantasy
Book: Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb
Pages: 347
Date Read: 21st May
Rating: 4 stars
How it fits: tagged "sci-fi romance" 6x
Review:
Now this one! There were moments I was moved close to tears. Quite a few moments actually. Learning more about Roarke's past, unexpected things, was a very moving part of this book. Eve is slowly coming to learn more and more about what it means to be a wife, to be a true life-partner, and it's actually wonderful to see. Her horrific reactions to the idea of Mavis growing life inside her make me grin every time because she can't help herself no matter how happy she is for her best friend.
I had no idea who the killer was, didn't see it coming. Maybe I should have, but I was so distracted by all the personal things happening in this book that the crime sort of took a sideline to the rest of it. That probably was Robb's intention as well.
The last, let's say third of the book was suddenly full on action again with Eve being her best impatient self. Sometimes I wonder how she got by before Roarke was there to help with the quicker computer work, the quicker bypassing of reluctant door locks.. It's a tad convenient at times. Oh, and... dear little Trueheart. I was worried there for a moment.
Eldarwen wrote: "So while I'm still reading the book I initially selected for the shelf - and enjoying it! - I also snuck in another In Death... *grin*Since the new shelf call will be in a few hours, I'll go with..."
I do, I just haven’t had time to post my completion yet. I’m at a really intense training this week and I’ve been studying like crazy this past week. I’ll post it now.
CompletionPostShelf #Shelf #12 ~ 14 May: Relationship / romance/PNR, SFR, Romantasy
SFR
Book: Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet
Pages: 448
How it fits: tagged 13x sci-fi romance on GR SFR shelf p.15
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Date Read: 5/20
Rating: 3 stars
Review: Well this was really good until I found out that the next book isn’t going to be coming out! So disappointing. But! That didn’t take away from the great story. Captain Tess Bailey is kickass, independent and dedicated to the rebel cause. She’s also falling for the ex-bounty hunter who was charged with hunting her down and handing her over to the evil Overseer. Luckily he’s seen the error of his ways and is 100% in Tess’ corner now. Now they’re taking the fight straight to the Overseer’s doorstep, and hopefully all hell won’t break loose. Unfortunately I will never find out since the stupid publisher has decided to sit on the next story. 🤬
Yikes! Hopefully it's just the one week training and you can recover from it over the weekend because this one sounds tiring! Useful at least I hope :-)
Shelf #13 ~ 21 May: Lovers / LGBTQ*For Lovers, read a PNR book featuring a couple on the cover, 'love' in the title or series name, or a couple you think make a good couple
* For LGBTQ, read a book from either shelf: GR LGBTQ / SOS LGBTQ
This is a winning shelf for Team 6.So this will be the last shelf since they're up to date with their reading.
Crazy awesome how long this round lasted! With this shelf completed, we would have had a 4th option for Bingo haha.
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Easton (other topics)Easton (other topics)
Easton (other topics)
Portrait in Death (other topics)
Imitation in Death (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
J.D. Robb (other topics)Amanda Bouchet (other topics)
J.D. Robb (other topics)
Amanda Bouchet (other topics)
J.D. Robb (other topics)
More...
Shelf #Shelf #10 ~ 30 Apr: S - Secret Admirer / series to finish
Series to Finish
Book: A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pages: 712
How it fits: shelved 57 times as series-to-finish
Date Read: 5/5
Rating: 5 stars
Review:
Man, I am calling this one as the best series of the year for me. Once again the story kept me glued to the pages and I literally read it through the night and finished at like 2 in the morning. This time we get the story from the beginning again, only from Casteel's point of view. I wasn't sure about this at first, it had the potential to be repetitive and boring, but I should have known better. Cas' character is so compelling and magnetic that seeing the events from his pov was just as riveting as it was the first time around. We end in the present day of course, with another cliffhanger. But fortunately, the sixth book is only a few months away. I've already pre-ordered my copy.