SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R4: Team #4 ~ Four Leaf Clovers
Thanks, Steph and Sandra! :DHeather - Glad you enjoyed it! I've just have Mockingjay to read, though I already know how that one ends, since I wouldn't continue the series unless I knew that at LEAST a hopeful/happy ending to the series.
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Week 7: 17-18 Mar 12
O20: Magic - 4/5 - TBD
Amanda - The Lord of Illusion -
✔ Christina - Storm Kissed - ★★★★★ - 19 Mar 12 - pending..
✔ Heather - The Hunger Games - ★★★★★ - 25 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Kate - Kindling the Moon - ★★★★½ - 21 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Leah - Touch of Power - ★★★★ - 23 Mar 12 - Review
Week 8: 24-25 Mar 12
N11: PNR-UF - 4/5 - TBD
Amanda -
✔ Christina - Discount Armageddon - ★★★★★ - 25 Mar 12 - pending...
✔ Heather - Bear Meets Girl - ★★★★½ - 29 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Kate - Tiger Eye - ★★★ - 27 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Leah - Something Secret This Way Comes - ★★★★ - 27 Mar 12 - Review
Finished my PNR-UF book:
Book: Tiger Eye by Marjorie M. Liu
Read: March 27, 2012
Rating: ★★★
Dela Reese, an artist and sword-maker, is visiting Beijing for business when she comes across a mysterious old woman in the Dirt Market. The old woman insists that Dela buys an ancient little wooden puzzle box and from that moment things get even stranger. On her way back to the hotel Dela is accosted by a man who grabs her but Dela manages to get away. After returning to her room, Dela manages to open the puzzle box only to have a seven foot ancient, shape-shifting warrior pop out. Hari was cured thousands of years ago to do whatever his summoner demands from him – anything from killing to bedding them. Naturally to say, Hari is instantly suspicious and distrusting of his new mistress.
Throw in a few attempts on Dela’s life, the Chinese mafia, some more shape shifters and a few of the agents from Dirk and Steele detective agency and you’ll get a fairly entertaining story.
I enjoyed the characters in this story. Dela was a strong character who was brave and intelligent. Hari was hot and one of those characters that seem to be a little too perfect – he was too caring, too self-sacrificing, too handsome. There’s just something about characters like Hari that rub me the wrong way. I like my heroes to be a bit more flawed in terms of how they treat their mates. He’s just… with the exception of how they first meet and how suspicious he is of Dela, he seems to think she’s perfect. And she’s not. But I liked that about her. I just wish that Hari take off his rose coloured glasses for a little bit.
Whirlwind romances aren’t really my thing most of the time and Dela and Hari do fall in love VERY quickly. I think it’s only a week from meeting to the final showdown. But I liked the development of their relationship. It was a nice progression, just a little intense time-wise.
The members of Dirk and Steele – a ‘detective’ agency where the agents all have special abilities – were a great supporting cast. They’re all a little damaged and should make good heroes in their own books later in the series. There’s nothing I like more than warrior men who have a caring side – which all of these men had.
I didn’t love this book but I did enjoy many parts of it. The romance was sweet, the characters were enjoyable.
Kate wrote: "The members of Dirk and Steele – a ‘detective’ agency where the agents all have special abilities – were a great supporting cast. They’re all a little damaged and should make good heroes in their own books later in the series. There’s nothing I like more than warrior men who have a caring side – which all of these men had...."
So, you'll be continuing the series then? :D
Already bought book two :PAnd #8 cause it was on special and was only $4
It's a strangely addicting series, they all seem so different; sometimes the agents are the same and sometimes not, some are darker than others. The first one seems fluffy in comparison to some of the others. It is quite a few years since I read the first ones and I really need to read them again and much closer together, I think, to get a better handle on them.
Finished my PNR-UF book!
Book: Something Secret This Way Comes by Sierra Dean
Date Read: 27-Mar-12
Rating: ★★★★
I loved this novel's heroine, a half-vamp half-wolf kickass chick named Secret McQueen. She works with the local Vamp Council to capture rogue vampires, and this story explains her attempt to capture an old Cajun vamp who has been taunting her from the shadows.
I just loved Secret. She was a good mixture of sassy and smart, and for once we had a heroine who actually kicked ass without making apologies for herself. She wasn't overly stubborn - she was adaptable to each situation.
The only very 'typical urban fantasy' plot point was the love triangle, and the fact that it seems like every guy Secret meets is interested in bedding her. Having said that, the players in the love triangle are acting differently than most (they almost seem okay with the conflict?) but this will probably be focused on more in the next book. Which I am going to read!
I finished
for the PNR-UF shelf on 3/29/12 and give it 4 1/2*'s. I think this is possibly my favorite of the Pack and Pride series yet. I think what I liked best was that, though Cella got a little bitchy with a couple of her friends that we have seen in the past, Dee Ann Smith in particular, she was more mischevious than bitchy. Crush is a by the book cop/polar shifter and Cella is a tiger shifter KZS contractor and professional hockey player for Crush's favorite shifter team. The story continued to try to find the sources hunting the shifters and it looks like that will continue on as well. This book followed the basic formula in the series, but was enjoyable and quite a bit longer than previous installments so I appreciated that as well. I look forward to the next book and what I think might be the next potential couple we read about.
Yay! I'm looking forward to this one Heather.
Sandra wrote: "Yay! I'm looking forward to this one Heather."I was excited for this one too Sandra. Since I am in the pacific time zone, 9 pm Monday night (so midnight on the east coast) I was buying this for my ereader. Plus I had to hurry up and buy it it so I could read it for bingo :D
I preordered & my copy came last Monday, but I had it scheduled for April challenges, sooooo ..... lets hope tomorrow's shelf is kind to me :DDDDDD
Just noticed this...Amanda, have you decided what you'll be reading for the PNR-UF shelf?
Finally finished Lord of Illusion for the magic shelf today 3/31/12. 4 stars.
I had no idea the series was going to be a trilogy. I was thrown off by the leap in time from this book and the last. There was talk of things that had gone on, progress that was made in the revolt against the elven lords that had taken over England, but I guess they're not getting their own books. I liked the main characters Camille and Drystan. I think they were quite perfect for each other considering how broken Camille was from her abuse as a slave and how gentle and patient Drystan was with her. In this story there was not only Camille and Drystan coming together, but also the conclusion to the fight between the humans and half-breeds with the elven. I liked how it all came together and am sad to see this story come to an end.
I'm going to start reading the next Rachel Morgan
for the PNR-UF shelf.
AmandaG wrote: "I'm going to start reading the next Rachel Morgan for the PNR-UF shelf."Thanks! :)
Should be getting another shelf announcement. I'm hoping for FANTASY, since it give us four-in-a-row! :D
NEW SHELF!!Shelf #9 ~ 4/1/12: 'Reader's Choice'
DIRECT LINK: This is a personal shelf, not a Goodreads shelf.
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Week 8: 24-25 Mar 12
N11: PNR-UF - 5/5 - TBD
✔ Amanda - The Good, the Bad, and the Undead - ★★★★ - 3 Apr 12 - Review
✔ Christina - Discount Armageddon - ★★★★★ - 25 Mar 12 - pending...
✔ Heather - Bear Meets Girl - ★★★★½ - 29 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Kate - Tiger Eye - ★★★ - 27 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Leah - Something Secret This Way Comes - ★★★★ - 27 Mar 12 - Review
Week 9: 31 Mar - 1 Apr 12
G16: Reader's Choice - 0/5 - TBD
Amanda - The Duke Is Mine -
Christina - Fantasy Lover -
Heather - Last Dragon Standing -
Kate - Lover Reborn -
Leah - Lover Reborn -
I will be reading
for Readers Choice.
I'm going to wait a day or two to decide for this shelf -- I can't figure out what I'm in the mood for and right now I am in the middle of The Brothers Sisters so I will wait until I finish to pick.Man -- we really have no luck with our shelves on our Bingo card, do we??? Oh well, still fun ;)
Leah wrote: "Man -- we really have no luck with our shelves on our Bingo card, do we??? Oh well, still fun ;) ..."No kidding. I just did an analysis of what's left and who needs what, based on this week's shelf.
Eight of the 15 categories, if called next, will give someone a potential bingo -- and it won't be us.
Of the seven remaining, only three of them keeps our hopes alive and in the running for another week.
EDITED TO ADD - the other 4 could also keep us in the running, too, but I'd have to I'd have reanalyze the sheets.
I wonder if Steph's going to skip next weekend, as it is Easter....
I'm not sure what I'm going to read for this shelf.
Since it is reader's choice can we read a book from any genre? I have a historical romance waiting for me at the library I'd love to read next.
You know,
comes out on April 3rd. I think I'll read it for this shelf
Kate wrote: "
for me :-)"OOOhhh!! I might have to do this one too!
Someone mentioned on the Bingo Discussion board that the next one after this is going to be a Quinn/Blay book!! :D
I saw that too :DI've been wanting a HEA for Qhuinn and Blay for ages now so I'm thrilled at the news
I cannot wait for Qhuinn and Blay's book. I am waiting a bit to read the newest book, for some reason can't get super excited about it and don't want to pay $14.99 for it for my ereader or HB. Looking forward to your review of it Kate. I just liked Wellsie too much to read this one yet I think....
MAGIC
Storm Kissed by Jessica Andersen - ★★★★★ - 25 Mar 12
This book is a bit hard to talk about without giving away spoilers.
I've been following the series from the beginning. The books have all been chunky, 400+ page tomes. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, though each book focus a primary couple, and there is always some new Mayan mythology in every book. With this series, I don't mind the info dumps that much.
The main couple of this book is Snake "Dez" Mendez and Reese Montana. Both are mostly unknown to the reader. In the first book, Dez was being hauled off to jail by bounty hunter Reese. In the previous book, Reese was hired by Patience and Dez joined the Nightkeepers at Skywatch.
In the year since the events in the last book, Dez has been proving himself to the Nightkeepers. When he disappears without telling anyone why, shortly before the Winter Solstice, Strike hires Reece to find him. Reece's ability to find Patience's children, something that should have been impossible to do, impressed the king. What he didn't know was that the pair has known each other since they were teenagers on the street. Had things gone differently, Dez and Reece would have been together as a couple when Strike first gathered the Nightkeepers at Skywatch. But ten years ago, Dez came into contact with some bad mojo, thanks to his crazy winikin Louis Keban. It put Dez on a dangerous path that ultimately drove Reece from him.
Time in prison and the Triad spell put Dez back on track. He wants to prove to everyone that he's one of the good guys. When he's contacted by his winikin, he's afraid that one of the crazy ramblings Keban had gone on about over the years might be a true prophecy, one that doesn't bode well for the Nightkeepers and it involves him. Instead of telling anyone about it, Dez takes off to solve the problem himself. Reece shows up unexpectedly, throwing a wrench into his plans.
When Dez changed ten years ago, it broke Reece's heart. She'd fallen in love with the young man who saved her life. Even though Strike reassures her that Dez changed again, that he's no longer the man who became the gang leader, Reece still wary of Dez. She's not sure she can trust him again, especially with her heart.
Meanwhile, things aren't going so well for Strike. Anna never fully recovered from the Triad spell and is fading. Watching his big sister slowly die is taking it's toll on him. His 'port magic is all out of wack and he's been having troubling dreams. Strike believes that his failure to sacrifice Leah is the reason the Nightkeepers have had rotten luck. The dreams he's been having, however, suggests that maybe he's the one living on borrowed time and his queen was never the intended sacrifice.
Then the Nightkeepers learn what Iago is up to and what that could mean for their future and Dez.
This is probably my favorite of the series. I read it in two days, which is something of a record for this series. Big changes happen in this book and it's setting the stage for the final two books.
I'm glad I read the short story "Crystal Skull" in the On the Hunt anthology. It introduced two characters, JT and Natalie, who had a connection to the Nightkeepers. JT comes across a real jerk in Storm Kissed, but having read the short story, I understood his behavior.
There wasn't much of Rabbit in this one, but there was more Sven which makes sense since his book is next. I've wondered what would bring Cara back to Skywatch, considering her feelings about being a winikin. The new development in that area is interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out.
FOUR LEAF CLOVERSWeek 7: 17-18 Mar 12
O20: Magic - 5/5 - TBD
✔ Amanda - The Lord of Illusion - ★★★★ - 31 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Christina - Storm Kissed - ★★★★★ - 19 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Heather - The Hunger Games - ★★★★★ - 25 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Kate - Kindling the Moon - ★★★★½ - 21 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Leah - Touch of Power - ★★★★ - 23 Mar 12 - Review
CONGRATULATIONS, Clovers! You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'magic'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Clovers!
Great! Well I'm thinking that I'm going to read
for Reader's Choice shelf, but I'm really enjoying
and I may want to jump in to book 3. But, for now, I'm sticking with The Duke is Mine.
AmandaG wrote: "Great! Well I'm thinking that I'm going to read for Reader's Choice shelf, but I'm really enjoying and I may want ..."Okay! :D Just let me know if you do change your mind.
Finished The Good The Bad and the Undead by Kim Harrison on 4/3/12 for the PNR-UF shelf read.4 Stars
This is the second book in The Hollows series. I really like Rachel Morgan as a character. She kind of reminds me of Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson. I like the world that Kim Harrison has created in this series.
In this book Rachel is trying to find a serial killer that has been murdering ley line witches. I found some of the things Rachel does slightly annoying. She sometimes doesn't listen to reason and will buck authority when she doesn't get what she wants. She was willing to potentially tamper with a murder scene just so she could see a dead body after she was told that doing so, could potentially let their murder suspect go free because of it. Why would she do that if she was wanting to lock him up so bad? Like I said though, I still like her and most of the other characters in the series too. I'm not too crazy about Nick (something is up with him) and Ivy. Why does Ivy keep attacking Rachel? Is it sexual? Is it her blood? Some of her motives are revealed in the story, but I'm just not crazy about her.
I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Decided it's
for Readers Choice for me as well!!
Leah wrote: "Decided it's for Readers Choice for me as well!!"Happy reading!
PNR-UF
Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire - ★★★★★ - 25 Mar 12
Verity comes from a long line of cryptozoologists. Her family left the Covenant of St. George years ago when they realized that killing every supernatural creature indiscriminately was wrong. Now, they study, protect, and assist the cryptid population. It doesn't mean they won't kill one if it because a danger, but it the last resort, not the first.
Even though she's been trained to handle all sorts of knives and guns, and has had martial arts training, what Verity wants most to do is dance. Ballroom dancing, to be precise. Her family has agreed to allow her to pursue dancing competitively in New York for a year as long as it doesn't interferes with her responsibilities to the cryptid population. And she has to keep her true identity hidden, so she won't catch the attention of the Covenant.
Verity encounters a Covenant operative, Dominic De Luca, one evening while making her patrol rounds. Dominic's in New York to ascertain if the city is in need of a purging -- of cryptids, that is. This is not something Verity wants to hear, and Dominic is too indoctrinated to listen to Verity's insistence that not all cryptid are dangerous monsters.
Cryptids start to disappear. Dominic insists he's not killing them -- he has no reason to lie to Verity. He thought she might be smuggling them out of the city to protect them him, but she assures him that she isn't. They agree to team up because whatever is stalking cryptids can't be good for the human population or the cryptid. While assisting Verity, Dominic sees for himself that not all cryptids a monstrous killers.
This was a fun read. I really enjoyed the world-building. Though her passion is dancing, it doesn't take up much of the story. Most of Verity's time is spent solving the mystery, doing her patrols, and working as a waitress.
The supporting cast was great. I can see Dominic unbending more and more as he starts thinking for himself. He made a lot of progress, so far, when he agreed to help. Verity certainly enjoy keeping him off balance.
Verity's family is crazy, in a good way. They're a close, loving family who's members are also highly trained killers (they have to be, if they want to survive an encounter with the deadlier cryptids or Covenant operatives). They're supportive of each other and I really liked hearing about them.
And one of my favorite things -- the Aeslin mice. They can turn anything into a religious celebration. I loved them.
FOUR LEAF CLOVERSWeek 8: 24-25 Mar 12
N11: PNR-UF - 5/5 - TBD
✔ Amanda - The Good, the Bad, and the Undead - ★★★★ - 3 Apr 12 - Review
✔ Christina - Discount Armageddon - ★★★★★ - 25 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Heather - Bear Meets Girl - ★★★★½ - 29 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Kate - Tiger Eye - ★★★ - 27 Mar 12 - Review
✔ Leah - Something Secret This Way Comes - ★★★★ - 27 Mar 12 - Review
CONGRATULATIONS, Four Leaf Clovers! You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'PNR/UF'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats on the stamp Clovers!
Yay! :D Thanks, Steph! Thanks, Sandy!
I'm changing my RC book to
. UPS didn't deliver my Amazon order until the 4th, so I only just started Magic Unchained. I'm almost done with Fantasy Lover.We really need a 4-in-a row, so I'm really hoping either SF Romance, Favorite Supes, or Re-Reads get called next. At this point, those three will not give anyone a bingo.
Vampires is a good shelf, too, since it will give us three three-in-a-rows.
Favorite Author and GR Author are okay, but they're surrounded by shelves that other teams need to win.
The least helpful of the bunch (not counting the shelves that other teams need for bingo) is UF. All it does is gives us another 2-in-a-row. :(
All the other open shelves, not mentioned above, will give at least one team a potential bingo.
Thanks for all that great information, Christina! It's good to know.
Thats good to know :-)We're not out of the running yet.
This week has not been kind to me.
Assignments due. And today, my brother's wife went into labour and I was my brothers support person for most of the 21 hours...
But now I'm an aunt to a beautiful little girl and mother and baby are healthy.
Sadly, no reading got done... But I'll get this book finished this weekend :-)
Congrats Kate! I'm working on my book as well. Hopefully, I will be done Saturday morning, which I think I will be.
Kate wrote: "Thats good to know :-)We're not out of the running yet.
This week has not been kind to me.
Assignments due. And today, my brother's wife went into labour and I was my brothers support person for..."
Congrats! :D
AmandaG wrote: "Thanks for all that great information, Christina! It's good to know."
Thanks, Amanda!
Congrats to Auntie & the parents :)
Congrats, Kate!Finished The Duke Is Mine by Eloisa James for the Reader's Choice shelf 4/5/12
4 1/2 stars
I don't know how Eloisa James does it every time! I have yet to read a book of hers that I don't absolutely adore. This story follows Olivia who has been betrothed to a future duke since before she was born. For many reasons, this is not her ideal situation, but she is going with it. Through a fortuitous occurence, Olivia's twin sister is being sent to vie for the role of duchess for a duke who's mother is finding him a wife. The duke, Quin, ends up falling for Olivia instead of her sister Georgiana.
I really liked Olivia. Eloisa James always writes her heroines with such great wit. Quin, has been through tragedy in his past, which brings along a certain amount of baggage, but Olivia is just the person to help him get passed it. It was hard to put this book down, although I wasn't crazy about a scene towards the end. Can't wait for the next book The Ugly Duchess to come out in September.
I have both
and
waiting for me at the library. Hopefully whichever one I don't read first will fit with the next category. Excited for both of them. Leah, have you started Lover Reborn? How is it going? I'm interested to read what Ward does with Tohr, knowing what happened to W.
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Catching Fire (other topics)Serpent's Kiss (other topics)
Divergent (other topics)
Serpent's Kiss (other topics)
Divergent (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Nalini Singh (other topics)Lisa Shearin (other topics)
Sherrilyn Kenyon (other topics)
Seanan McGuire (other topics)
Jessica Andersen (other topics)
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For those of you that haven't read it, I am not a huge YA fan. On a side note...I have been listening to a few on audiobook to and from work lately because my library only has Jim Butcher on CD. I got a new car at Thanksgiving that has a great connection for my ipod so I am enjoying listening to books that way for now, rather than flipping disks. I cannot listen to a paranormal romance book read to me outloud, way to icky to hear someone read those scenes to me, so YA has been my compromise for now.
Okay, back on track now... So as I dip a little into young adult genre, I have found a few books that are okay, and a couple that I really like. As far as YA books go, I loved this one. I am really looking forward to seeing the movie after seeing a few clips and a lot of interviews with the actors the last few weeks.