SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R5: Team #12 ~ The Dirty Dozen {1st Place}
Ghost series, Stacia Kane's! LOL.... I love it, and happily, gleefully, ecstatically, my choice is
After searching through the shelf for something that jumped out at me, I decided on
.
I finished mine....gotta love a three-day weekend! It was great. So, review later today. Ahhh...I'm just sad because I want more of Chess and Terrible, NOW!
Shifter book:
Completed: July 14, 2012
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts:
After reading so many positive reviews, I couldn't wait to read this first book in the new "Breeds" series by Lora Leigh.
I found this book really difficult to get through, but I stuck it out nonetheless. I found the idea of creating shifters by DNA manipulation fascinating, but unfortunately, other than the concept, I found the book very irritating.
The sex overload was way to graphic for my taste, the characters not very established and their interactions very superficial/physical based. The main character, Marinus, a journalist on a job who confusingly becomes the mate of a genetically engineered man/lion. She lacks the typical strong heroine characteristics. Her mate Callan is leader of his pride, a group of mixed-breed humans on the run from the evil council who created them. It's her job to bring him in for protection, which makes for a great plot, but one that is marred by an overdose of sex. Basically, Callan and Marinus are in heat the entire book, from page one onward.
What a shame. This book could have been so much more in my opinion. Great ideas, but characters need more depth and the storyline needs to be more of a focus.
Sorry, but I won't be reading the rest of the series.
Hooray! (stamp)Tania, I started that series much later into it, after she'd shifted to a more mainstream market/focus. Still lots of sex, but more character development/stronger plots (though not out of the world ones!) I went back and read the earliest ones, and found them to be a little disappointing, too.
(Oops..not Valerie as I originally, ditzily posted! SORRY)
I've never read those by Lora Leigh. I've read her military/special op series and her plain old erotica stuff and liked those ;)
CONGRATULATIONS, Dirty Dozen! You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'shifters'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Judithe, I think you meant Tania. :) Yay, stamp!
And yay for another stamp request!
Valerie wrote: "Judithe, I think you meant Tania. :) Yay, stamp!"
Yep! I was looking at your "stamp requested" post as I was writing! Will edit...holiday or no, it's still Monday morning, and my brain is in a Monday fog (which would have nothing to do with staying up until the wee hours cause I couldn't put my book down!)
Hi team!Hooray on the stamp!
I am going to read Die for Me for my "ghost" read.
Judithe, thanks for the comments, I feel much better.
Congrats on the stamp Dirties!Tania, I too started the LL series later and then read the early ones. I gotta say I enjoyed the smut, but then again I was expecting it :)
Hi all!Just finished my ghost read, "Die For Me", all I can say is I absolutely loved it!
Hope everyone's week is going good, it super hot and humid here in Ontario
Review will be up soon
Looking forward to your review, Tania! It's been super-hot down in CT, too -- luckily we had some storms today to cool things off a little. Darker Still isn't catching my interest, so I'm switching over to The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley. I've only just started, but it's very lovely and atmospheric so far!
Shelf: Ghosts
Date Finished: 7/17/12
Rating: 4 Stars
So I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to this one. Paris and Sienna got too much play in earlier books and I was really sick of emo-Paris. But the new Angel spin off looks good and I heard that there was a lot of world changing events in this one so I thought I should read it.
I'm really glad I did. It started a little rough, still plenty of emo-Paris to go around. I think the first 3 or 4 chapters were dedicated to that. But when Sienna makes an appearance she proves a more interesting character. I liked her way more than I thought I would. And once they get together the emo exits and a lot of the old Paris returns. Other reviewers commented that they thought this was too early and too easy for Paris to just start acting like his old self, but since I was sick of the new Paris, it worked for me. I also thought the way they worked through their trust issues wasn't as easy as all that. What happened quickly was that they decided they wanted to try. I enjoyed the scenes where they were determined to be honest with each other and came to accept each others past and prior poor decisions.
So I was going along, liking it OK when about halfway through the action really started to pick up and I read the last half much more quickly than the first. There are new alliances formed, old alliances broken, enemies who may not be enemies and hints at future couples. It does end with a huge power shift and enough dangling threads to entice you to spend more time in this world. Not every book in this series has been a favorite (although I've liked most of them) but I think that the overall story arc took a huge leap forward in this one and I'm looking forward to the next and to the other series set in this world.
Shelf: ghosts
Date finished: 7/15/12
Rating: ★★★★★
Thoughts:
First of all, I must confess I LOOOOOOVE Chess & Terrible. So, this year was just a bonus year...two shorts and 2 full-length novels. Sacrificial Magic ended on a bit of a worrisome note...if anything can be screwed up (or even more screwed up) in her life, it seems to happen. And I really don't want that to happen with her and Terrible.
This time, not only is Lex worrisomely back and after Terrible, but someone else is trying to get in on Bump and Lex's territories, with no concern for the human lives caught in between. Chess has to do the right thing and stop that, but the probable cost is extremely high. In contrast with the gritty, dirty reality, there are also moments of beauty and clarity in the relationships between different characters. The action is fast-paced, with a number of unexpected twists. Some sadness, some light and I can't wait for more!
The book blurb, which is quite nicely done with just teasers, no spoilers! explains it quite nicely! (One note, some people find the jargon hard to understand/too crude, but it is so suitable that it doesn't bother me. Kind of enjoy how they've played around with English and created a language suitable to their world! Good going, Ms. Kane!)
A DEADLY HIGH
Magic-wielding Churchwitch and secret addict Chess Putnam knows better than anyone just how high a price people are willing to pay for a chemical rush. But when someone with money to burn and a penchant for black magic starts tampering with Downside’s drug supply, Chess realizes that the unlucky customers are paying with their souls—and taking the innocent with them, as the magic-infused speed compels them to kill in the most gruesome ways possible.
As if the streets weren’t scary enough, the looming war between the two men in her life explodes, taking even more casualties and putting Chess squarely in the middle. Downside could become a literal ghost town if Chess doesn’t find a way to stop both the war and the dark wave of death-magic, and the only way to do that is to use both her addiction and her power to enter the spell and chase the magic all the way back to its malevolent source. Too bad that doing so will probably kill Chess—if the war doesn’t first destroy the man who’s become her reason for living.
Karen, I have that, and the one before, The Darkest Surrender, checked out right now. Having trouble getting into Surrender (not liking when characters make really stupid screw-ups~in the prologue!). You've motivated me to get through that and get to Paris' book! Thanks!!!
Completed my ghost shelf read,
on July 17, 2012Rating: 5 stars (After my last review, I decided to be pickier with my ratings, but I loved this book)
Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book! Amy Plum has managed to provide a captivating, exciting and new twist to the paranormal genre in her new series “The Revenants”. I will try to keep this generic, so I don’t ruin the book for anyone.
This book has it all: great characters, interesting paranormal creation, strong plot and writing, excellent environmental stimulation and amazing, yet innocent romantic interaction. The book takes place in Paris and even though I’ve never been, the author described it so succinctly that I could actually visualize the environment. The characters are strong, interesting and interact fabulously. And I mean everyone!
The whole “Revenant” genre is amazing and new. The introduction was seamless, without providing information overload. We are also introduced to their enemy, the “Numa”. What I found unique is that this first installment only briefly introduces us to the war between these enemies. Instead, the author focused on building the characters, the environment and the genre overall.
The two main characters, Kate and Vincent are great together. Such a nice treat, they seem innocent ad take their time with their relationship. No sex, just a true love and admiration of each other. Yet anyway, don’t get me wrong, I love steamy stories, but it was an interesting shift with the focus being on the relationship. The supporting characters are strong on their own and I can’t wait to learn more about each one of them in more detail. The characters are very different, yet they interact as a family and I really felt the comradery as I read this book.
I can’t write enough to do this series justice, so I won’t even try. I highly recommend you grab this series and set aside a day or two, as I had a hard time putting it down! Can’t wait to read the second book in this series.
Sadly, Unholy Ghosts is just not grabbing me, so I'm going to put it back on the TBR and find something else for this shelf. All my GR friends have loved it, so I'll give it another try some other time.I'll look at the ghosts shelf and let you know what I'm reading :(
I'm reading Halfway to the Grave and loving it! However, I've yet to see any ghosts, even though it's in the ghosts shelf.
Finished: 7/20/12
Shelf: ghosts
Rating: 4 stars
Thoughts: This was a lovely, touching read. The main character, Eva, goes to the Cornish house of Trelowarth to scatter her sister's ashes. While saving her extended family from financial trouble by turning part of the cottage into a tea room for tourists, she finds herself being transported at random to the 18th century, where she meets a group of smugglers and falls in love with the handsome Daniel Butler. Unfortunately, the smugglers are also treasonists, and the local constable has a grudge against them...
This is my first book by Susanna Kearsley, and I really enjoyed it -- it was comfortable to sink into, and I found myself going "just one more chapter!" way too many times. I loved the romance -- it was a really slow burn, which is my favorite kind. This touches upon some human themes of grief and healing while weaving in history and time travel. I LOVED the setting. I don't know much about the area, but Kearsley's descriptions made me feel like I was there by the sea, hearing the sound of gulls. I've seen the book described as Outlander meets The Time Traveler's Wife, which is apt, but I enjoyed it more than those. :D
I'm definitely going to read more by this author at some point, especially since I've heard such great things about The Winter Sea
Great review, Valerie! This is moving up my TBR list.
BINGO R5: The Dirty Dozen
Shelf: 7/22 ~ demons (N12)
5/5; stamp requested 7/30; stamp received 8/3
Judithe: The Darkest Seduction | finished 7/28/12 | 4 stars | review
Karen F: The Outlaw Demon Wails | finished 7/26/12 | 4 stars | review
Susan: One Foot in the Grave | finished 7/22/12 | 5 stars | review
Tania: The Darkest Night | finished 7/26/12 | 4 stars | review
Valerie: Shadow and Bone | finished 7/26/12 | 4 - 4.5 stars | review
Gah! I've got to read both the Downside Ghosts series and Susanna Kearsley. This is how BINGO always goes for me, knock one off MT. TBR - put two on.
Hah, totally agreed. I've added Jeaniene Frost to my TBR list of authors.
Checking Judithe's Bingo spread, this gives team #17 another four-in-a-row and team #18 its first four-in-a-row. Male-lead, *reader's choice, and new-series would all be game-ending shelves if called next week.
The new shelf is already called??? Good grief! I'm almost finished with my Ghosts read....I wonder if book 2 is on this shelf?
@Susan - I hope it is there for you. Not saying anything but I had to read book two of that series right after book one. :)For demons I'll be reading
. And I know there are demons in this one!
WOOHOO! I'm reading
as soon as I eat lunch, finish the last little bit of the first one and write that review.
Hmmm, with this shelf I can finally knock Furies of Calderon or Deadhouse Gates off my owned-TBR shelf. I also just checked out Shadow and Bone from the library the other day... -ponders-
Shelf Ghosts
Finished7/21/12
Rating 5 stars
Well, I didn't expect to sob my way through the end of this, but I did. Cat broke my heart. Let's see if I can write a coherent review through the tears.
Let me start at the beginning...I've seen people all over Goodreads rave about this book. I've even been recommended this book several times and just put off reading it. I can't tell you how sorry I am that I waited. Cat and Bones are wonderful.
I fell hard for Bones (and it was quick and painless LOL). He is amazing and I'm sure (view spoiler)
I ended up liking Cat, but it was hard at first. She was very judgmental about vampires. Yes, I understand why, but still. Her family, though. Nope. Not liking them one bit. Her mother and grandparents were ugly and small minded and while I'm sad that (view spoiler) I hate that her mother could continue to treat Cat the way she did, and that Cat continues to put up with it, even after knowing the joy of being who she is without pretenses while she was with Bones. I hope that one day her mother will see how much Cat loves Bones and will come to turns with it. That is if Cat and Bones ever end up together.
So, I'm off to read the next book in this series. Right now. We'll see if I feel any differently at the end of it :)
And my TBR mountain grows higher... and higher... and higher...Stamp requested!
WOOHOO for another stamp request!
Whoo hoo!!! Stamp & Shelf!I just finished The Darkest Surrender (from the library) and have
also checked out...as this is on page 2 of demons, that works out nicely!! Looking forward to it even more after Karen's review!
Valerie wrote: "Hmmm, with this shelf I can finally knock Furies of Calderon or Deadhouse Gates off my owned-TBR shelf. I also just checked out Shadow and Bone from the library the other day... -ponders-"For what it's worth I thought Furies of Calderon was a lot of fun. Nothing pushing the edges of the genre, firmly in the "farm boy must make good and save the world" camp (with a few twists) but well-crafted and entertaining. I'll also admit that I'm afraid to read the Malazan books.
Susan (susayq) wrote: "[bookcover:Halfway to the Grave]
Shelf Ghosts
Finished7/21/12
Rating 5 stars
Well, I didn't expect to sob my way through the end of this, but I did. Cat broke my heart. Let's see if I can writ..."
Oooh, keep reading, keep reading! So much happens with Cat & Bones & her family...it's one of my favorite series!
Don't worry, Karen. I've got the next one pulled up and ready to go tonight after I finish cleaning the dishes from supper :)
I hope you like it Judithe!I've just re-read my posts from today and apparently I am either celebrating Exclamation Point Day or I am very excited about everything. :)
KarenF wrote: "For what it's worth I thought Furies of Calderon was a lot of fun. Nothing pushing the edges of the genre, firmly in the "farm boy must make good and save the world" camp (with a few twists) but well-crafted and entertaining. I'll also admit that I'm afraid to read the Malazan books."Ahh, cool, thanks for the info! Yeah, the Malazan books are a bit... intimidating, hah. I'll finish my current book and poke around.
KarenF wrote: "I hope you like it Judithe!I've just re-read my posts from today and apparently I am either celebrating Exclamation Point Day or I am very excited about everything. :)"
HAHAHA
Wow! More TBR books. Think I'm going to try Lords of the Underworld book 1, "The Darkest Night" by Gena Showalter. It's got great reviews, so I hope I like it and can read it relatively fast.Have a great Monday everyone!
(I think I OCD on exclamation marks too!!)
Shelf Demons
date finished 7/22/12
rating 5 stars
Oh my stars. I have a confession to make. I have a new vampire boyfriend. His name is Bones. He took the place of the sparkly vampire that shall no longer have a place in my heart. Want to know why? Because Bones loves Cat. I mean truly LOVES Cat. He wants to spend his life with her and is willing to change her or not change her, depending on what she chooses. Bones is willing to stand by Cat and help her do what she feels she needs to to make the world a better place. Bones is willing to take on his maker to protect her. Bones is willing to step up and marry her, immediately, even though he planned on it being more romantic than a blood bond in the middle of a showdown (and he told her that *swoon*)
Last book Cat grew on me. This book, she hooked me. She's strong and feisty and stood up for her love for Bones, regardless of what her mom or her team would say. And speaking of her mom....I still DO NOT like her! She's a lying manipulative you-know-what. I think Justina needs to spend some time with the other skank introduced in here, Annette. And speaking of Annette...(LOL)the only part of this book that I can honestly say I didn't like was Annette and her tattling about Bones past. I had a hard time with that. Yes, I know Bones was with other women. I even expected it - he's a 200+year old vampire, he's not going to be celibate (like that sparkly vampire I no longer love). But I didn't really want to hear about it. Kind of made my stomach turn. This is Bones and Cat's story. Not Bones and whatever woman he could be with at the time.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series. Unfortunately, I have a couple other books to read before I go on to the next one. We'll see how fast I can get through those so I can get back to this ;)
Love it Susan, another Bones fan!
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Visions of Heat (other topics)Visions of Heat (other topics)
Bonds of Justice (other topics)
The Peach Keeper (other topics)
Grave Dance (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Neil Gaiman (other topics)Susanna Kearsley (other topics)
Gena Showalter (other topics)
Jennifer Estep (other topics)
Melissa Marr (other topics)
So sorry for my absence. Started school on Monday and have been having a hard time getting through my book. Will post my review tomorrow for sure.
Awesome reviews.
Does anybody have a recommendation for a ghost series for me???