SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion

CONGRATULATIONS, One More Chapter!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'psychic abilities'. 

[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]

Good Job!! :D

Congrats on the stamp Just Gotta Read ........!

Shelf: Favorite Series
Title: The Deal, by Elle Kennedy
Date finished: 27th May 2019
Series: Off-Campus, #1
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
This one caught me by surprise. I started off not liking the characters too much (they were insufferable), nor the writing (it felt contrived), but then, less than 5 chapters in, and that all changed: the characters became relatable and interesting, and the writing engrossed me.

I think my favorite part of the storytelling was how seamlessly Garrett and Hannah fell in love, and how organic it all felt - the laughs, the bickering, the tenderness, the happiness.

I stayed up all night to finish this book. So, five stars it is.

For the next-in-series shelf, i will read The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams. It has been shelved 12 times as next in series.

Shelf: Next-in-Series

Book: Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins
Date Read: 5/27/19
Rating: 3 stars
Number of pages: 288

Review:
This book had a different feeling than the first one, it was slower paced and I don't think that worked too well. The "trials" Harper had to do didn't come across as challenging or difficult in the least, and they were built up to be nearly impossible. Harper was just as annoying in this one, and I hated how (view spoiler)[ she sounded when she said to herself "I could not be getting dumped by David Freaking Stark on a country road in the middle of nowhere." What's wrong with David? He's actually a much nicer person than Harper. (hide spoiler)].

The ending was surprising and dramatic, but seemed weird too. I'll be reading the final book, but this book wasn't as good as the first one and I didn't love that one either.

Shelf: Favorite Series

Book: Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins
Date Read: 5/27/19
Rating: 3 stars
Number of pages: 266

Review:
This book started off with a bang, that scene in the changing room was intense, but then the book became boring...mostly because Harper was so whiny and self absorbed. The scenes I enjoyed the most in the previous two books were the ones with David and there were hardly any with him in this one. And that ending was terrible! (view spoiler)[ First, the way that Harper and Bee just abandoned Blythe in the cave while she was trying to help David made me dislike Harper even more...which I didn't realize was possible. And then David is brought back he has his memories wiped!?! That is a terrible conclusion. (hide spoiler)]

I read this series because I greatly enjoyed the Hex Hall trilogy, but I wouldn't recommend this series.

Oh, I missed one!

"Strong Female" or "Series to Finish" would be Bingo for us - and one other team on each.

We would need to have "Kindle Freebie" and "Series to Finish" completed to win with that call.

OR we would need to have "Favorite Series", "Next in Series" and "Strong Female" completed to win with that call.

If "Series' to Finish" is called making it a race for BINGO, I'll be reading Storm Cursed

Kindle Freebies (5-star inspiration) Shelf

Bloodfire by Helen Harper
Finished: May 28, 2019
Series: Blood Destiny, #1
Rating: ★★★★½
Number of pages: 246

Review: I always approach kindle freebies with such trepidation. I've liked less than 2%.

I should not have been afraid of this one. (Actually if I had noticed was by the author of Slouch Witch I would have jumped at it sooner.)

First chapter started sort of ho-hum, typical urban fantasy crime investigation.

Then something seemed to happen and it just took off for me. Seemed like nonstop action although not really that much gung-ho, fighting, action sequence type of thing -- rather story just really kept growing and picking up the pace. For the first time in a long time, I overall liked the heroine in a freebie UF/PNR book. And not because she was supersweet, likable.

I was actually going to ditch my kindle unlimited this month because was sometimes just not remembering to use and other times just not enjoying anything where I would have ditched the book after sampling rather than wasting money on it anyway. Instead, I've been immediately borrowing the next in series for this one.

Favorite Series Shelf

I'm the Vampire, That's Why by Michele Bardsley
Finished: May 29, 2019
Series: Broken Heart, #1
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Number of pages: 347

Review: I'm not completely sure how to rate this one. I was expecting at best something similar to Molly Harper's Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs with lots of small town humor and at worst Carpe Demon's too-soccer-mom-routine-details with too self-involved-angst-y heroine.

I got a mix of both. Some places funny, some places tried too hard. I liked the main character and the rogue-ish, rakish, funny love interest in first chapter -- and overall liked them together throughout. But, both rather changed throughout to be less enjoyable because both softened and hardened. I know that doesn't make a lot of sense, but this book was all over the place for me.

The worldbuilding here had potential interest with a maddened killer turning most of a small town into vampires but also wimped out by making most of the good things about vampirism true (better looking, longer lived, faster, faster healing, superpowers...) and bad thiings not true (could still see their reflections, fated-mate, ...).

Overall, liked it well enough. Well-written despite some moments of trying too hard.

Not really in a hurry to pick up next in series. Not completely hooked yet on these main characters or the ensemble despite some small town charm--so the fact that next book seems to pick up with different main character not a factor in not being in a hurry.

Definitely will be library borrows rather than purchase.

Just an update - if either of these shelves are called - "Series to Finish" or "Strong Female" - it will be a race to win between us and one other team on each. But ALL called shelves have to be completed and stamped, in order to win. So we would need to complete 3 shelves plus the new one.

"Series to Finish" - our race will be with Team 3 and they are completely up to date and only need to complete the new shelf.

"Strong Female" - our race will be with Team 14 and they would need to complete 3 shelves plus the new shelf.

Debbie, there is a complimentary series to Bloodfire, and its Corrigan, told from his POV. Well worth reading :)

So if I'm reading the discussion and cards correctly, this call for "Urban Fantasy" means four teams in a race for the BINGO?

Is our team going on anyway?

I will read for the last shelf, because I like to finish all that are called. It's up to you guys, if you want to finish up all our shelves

CONGRATULATIONS, One More Chapter!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'favorite series'. 

[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]

Good Job!! :D

Congrats on the stamp Just Gotta Read .......

Well, since this round has already been won - I don't know that I will get to the last shelf, unless everyone wants to finish up all of them. Just let me know.