Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

I was going to be crazy and try and re-read them all but I think I’ll jump in with 8 & 9 which I’ve only read once

I don't think so Manju ! I for one am still at the begining of #3, and we are reading it in some informal way, some sprinted like crazy ^^ others like me are behind every one else ;p so I think you can definitly join us ! (I can even wait for you to catch up with me if you want, I'm not reading that fast anyway ^^)

Great. Reread for me. I will be starting my reread from 4.:)

oh so you're ahead of me already XD

Yup.;)

Manju wrote: "Is it too late to join this BR?"

Never too late!

Diana Stormblessed wrote: "My reread of this series has stalled. Need to catch up with my other buddy reads. Next up for me is Gunmetal Magic. Hoping to get to it by the end of the week."

I made it to Magic Breaks, like I planned... but I chained so many in a row that I almost reached KD-Burnout... I know that shouldn't be possible, but here we are :)

Glad I have a bunch of other BRs I'm behind on to keep me busy for a little while still... I'll get back to KD just in time to read the rest before the finale releases, I think...

Manju wrote: "Is it too late to join this BR?"

Never too late... there are a bunch of people reading at different paces... very binge-y thread :D

Speaking of... I noticed the kernels hidden throughout the early books more on this read-through... (view spoiler)[like the words on her skin in high magic moments in book 2/4/7, I think... which don't finally get explained until book 8-9 (hide spoiler)]

I started Gunmetal Magic. I forgot how much I wanted to rip Raphael's head off.

Argh, I really didn't comment much on this thread! I was too obsessed with my binge to actually take the time to write about it xD

Finished Gunmetal Magic yesterday (and the novellas surrounding it). I agree with you, Diana. Wanted to tear him apart. Slowly. With my teeth.

Manju! Join us! YAY!
I know I put a schedule on the first post but... We're not really following it x)
Everyone's reading at their own pace here :)

I will resume from Magic Breaks pretty soon.

Diana Stormblessed wrote: "I started Gunmetal Magic. I forgot how much I wanted to rip Raphael's head off."

Raphael was so utterly frustrating in that book. He was really quite lucky Andrea didn't bring a sniper rifle.

I mean, I get that love and hurt make people into assholes, but still...

Just noticed the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy reference. Missed it the first time around. Wonder what other references I miss.

Yea, I noticed that too actually... so many references go right over my head if I'm not paying attention...

Heh... I missed it. Pretty sure I'm missing like 95% of the references lol.

I'm sure I'm missing 95% of the references at least at well... if not 99.999% ^^
in which book is the Hitch hikers one ?

I think Gunmetal Magic, the one Diana is reading... the main ones in earlier books are the Princess Bride references, with the occasional Rambo or something, I think...

Started KD 4 and loved the prologue. 😍 Also laughed out loud when Curran called Slayer a toothpick.😂

Resumed my read-through yesterday with Magic Rises!

Didn't read a lot of Kate this past week, been focusing on other books. I hope to finish #3 and #3.5 by the end of the weekend !

Virginie wrote: "Resumed my read-through yesterday with Magic Rises!"

That's my next KD book. Probably not starting it till this weekend though.

I'm only managing to squeeze one hour of the audiobook (at 1.7x speed :p) max per day. You'll catch up in no time :)

I am on Magic Rises right now, book 6 and it is awesome! Those creatures are fascinating!

Just finished book 6 and despite me crying at the end, this one is my favorite of the books so far... I am a bit upset with my favorite character Saimon, but I am not as devastated as I could have been if things didn't turn out the way they did eventually... But I cried a lot for other obvious reasons... Now I have to watch some TV to calm down...

#6 is one of my favorite end-sequences in the series...

I continued with #8 yesterday, and while a number of important things happened in this book, I still don't love this book as much as some others in the series... my least favorite books in the series are #s 1/5/8... 1 for the plot hole, and 5 & 8 for nebulous reasons... I find it interesting that I think 5 & 8 are the books they struggled to write, if I remember correctly from their blog...

I haven't read 8 yet, but I think 1 and 5 were the ones I gave the lowest scores to. I can't remember which one is 6 but I should be starting it tomorrow or Thursday so I'll figure it out soon enough.

Diana Stormblessed wrote: "I haven't read 8 yet, but I think 1 and 5 were the ones I gave the lowest scores to. I can't remember which one is 6 but I should be starting it tomorrow or Thursday so I'll figure it out soon enough."

#6 is the Europe book

Book 7 Magic Breaks

This book always makes me so utterly angry at Hugh. Whole Book spoilers (view spoiler)[ I wonder, I genuinely wonder what Hugh's plan was if Kate had gone after him instead of trying to solve the murder. She is a better swordfighter than him and shapeshifters are a good match for vampires. She stood a pretty good chance of killing him.

Kate and Ghastek's time in the hole is pretty informative for both characters. I really wish Kate had told him more though. He would probably have drowned from the shock!

Regarding the part where the Legatus of the Golden Legion compels Kate and Curran to come with him, I think Kate at full strength could have taken him. She would not have needed to control all his vampires, just destroy their minds.

I always enjoy the scene where she casually pulls Sarrat out and the reaction she gets. And Curran is talking about inherited tea sets.

Its a real pity Roland didn't let Hugh fight her. After what he did, she would have sliced and diced him.

On a more serious note - the Pack actually disputing Curran's right to go after his mate - I genuinely think this is because Curran usually took a political/diplomatic approach to Council politics. What they said was a direct insult to him and his mate and this coupled with what they did in Book 4, set against everything Kate has done for the Pack would perfectly warrant Curran just going on a bloodbath.

(hide spoiler)]

Choko wrote: "Just finished book 6 and despite me crying at the end, this one is my favorite of the books so far... I am a bit upset with my favorite character Saimon, but I am not as devastated as I could have ..."

Totally get it, but I think Saiman actually came out quite well in this book. He actively helped, and ensured they would have a ride out

Arkadeb, I agree with you completely! I don't know why I got so emotional reading this book. It did seem like IA went for the heart strings this time. And Hugh actively showing himself and at least some of his motivations really made for a deeper read, add to that all the relationship turmoil between the lovebirds and all the reminfers of what loopism takes from the shifter community as a whole... I was just emotionally drained at the end... But still so good!

Choko wrote: "Arkadeb, I agree with you completely! I don't know why I got so emotional reading this book. It did seem like IA went for the heart strings this time. And Hugh actively showing himself and at least..."

I think its quite poetic that the one good thing Kate did (view spoiler)[ with no expectation of further benefit - rescuing Christopher - was what saved the day in the end.

Also I have always felt that Curran and Co. could have turned things on their head by taking a very Order approach to the situation - Protect Dessandra? Ok, lets kill anyone who could be a threat to her. In retrospect Jarek Kral was a joke. Curran could have killed him while chatting pleasantly with Kate (hide spoiler)]

Exactly! But I get that we, the good guys, have to have some standards when it comes to moral high ground...:):):) They can't just kill all the potential threads, no matter how much easier it would make things:):):):):)

I always remember how heart-wrenching the opening to #6 was, from my first read-through...

Iain wrote: "I always remember how heart-wrenching the opening to #6 was, from my first read-through..."

Kate teaching Julie how to wield a spear??🤔

Or the dream??

Now that Hugh has spin off, I want a spin off for Derek too. He is one of my favorite secondary character from this series...

Manju wrote: "Iain wrote: "I always remember how heart-wrenching the opening to #6 was, from my first read-through..."

Kate teaching Julie how to wield a spear??🤔

Or the dream??"

(view spoiler)[Not being able to save Julie's friend the same way she saved Julie (hide spoiler)]

Manju wrote: "Now that Hugh has spin off, I want a spin off for Derek too. He is one of my favorite secondary character from this series..."

Julie & Derek already HAVE a spinoff... Grey Wolf... they just need to find time to write more... hopefully with Kate Daniels wrapping up there will be time... probably not next year tho...

Between writing the Hidden Legacy books last year, Hugh's book and KD10 this year, and the commitment to Hidden Legacy next year, IA needs a break... all this typing has damaged her hands... she's been dictating chapters to her husband to write... usually she does the writing and they brainstorm/storyboard together, I think...

They are quite prolific! No one can complain, because they not only come up with the books, but don't sacrifice quality 😊

I visited the website, and Hugh's 2nd book is coming next year... and the next full-length Hidden Legacy book... so that's 2019 full already...

Choko wrote: "They are quite prolific! No one can complain, because they not only come up with the books, but don't sacrifice quality 😊"

+1

Iain wrote: "I visited the website, and Hugh's 2nd book is coming next year... and the next full-length Hidden Legacy book... so that's 2019 full already..."

That's great!

Iain wrote: "Manju wrote: "Now that Hugh has spin off, I want a spin off for Derek too. He is one of my favorite secondary character from this series..."

Julie & Derek already HAVE a spinoff... [book:Grey Wolf..."

Yet to read it..

But it's good that they're giving us at least two books a year without compromising the quality and that's what matters...

44% through Magic Rises (#6) and I want to strangle Curran. Kate has a much cooler head than I would have.

Diana Stormblessed wrote: "44% through Magic Rises (#6) and I want to strangle Curran. Kate has a much cooler head than I would have."

Absolutely. Its a wonder that she didn't just slap him.

Currently reading Magic Shifts Book 8 (view spoiler)[ Its absolutely hilarious trying to imagine Curran in a suburban neighbourhood (hide spoiler)]

I busted out the last couple books this weekend, just in time for Magic Triumphs to come out tomorrow...

#8: I was more forgiving of this one this time... I love the stuff with the Mercenary Guild, and getting to see more PAD... I really missed skipping one of the novellas included in the ebooks, tho (view spoiler)[the one where the Pack brings Kate to throw around her power at a Merc Guild meeting in a trenchcoat and walking up Raphael/Jim on to the table... (hide spoiler)]

#8.5: (view spoiler)[ I feel like this novella throws a bunch of new info into the series, regarding Julie, with very little time to digest... still can't wait for more of these once the main series is over... (hide spoiler)]

#9: I didn't get to enjoy this one as much, because I was trying to do some dungeons in the new WoW expansion, but this is just a great book in general... (view spoiler)[ Roman, Erra, Christopher, Teddy Jo, Roman... I really can't wait for Roman's books, either... and IA just mentioned the plans for Roman books on the blog again this past week, so it's in the pipeline... i feel like Roman is a different kind of male lead than IA's usual male leads... he's such a great comedic relief character in this book... (hide spoiler)]

#9.5: I forgot so many things from this book, in only 2 months (view spoiler)[like the black banshee... I'm almost done with this book, and I'll be sad to finish it, since I know it ends with so many unanswered questions...

But like I think Arkadeb said, they really water down Hugh here... for the most part, I think it works, but it would have worked better if this was a planned book back when Magic Rises and Magic Breaks were being written... and not an April Fool's joke that became a real thing...

The kid Hugh ends up with feels like a surrogate-Julie... a number of elements parallel Kate here... and on my first read I was sure about Bucky being a unicorn almost immediately... i know too much about unicorns and their magical lockpicking skills from other UF (Elder Races)

I wonder what other threats Hugh and Elara will deal with in future books... they're so OP... their only weakness is tech shifts... (hide spoiler)]

I'm still in book 3 xD not making a lot of progress because I'm more in a middle-grade-fantasy-school-of-magic-HP-vibes reading mood right now xD

I think we have just the Buddy Read for you... in October... we're reading the entire HP series in 8 weeks or something... doing the early books quick since they're short, and slowing down as the books get longer...