Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Books in Series You Just Can't Wait To Read

In light of my post last week about books in series that I feel I will never get caught up on, I thought it would be fun to do a post that reflects the opposite (in a way) with those books in series that once they release you gobble them up immediately. Those series that you are so hooked on, you never get the chance to get behind on. You know the series I'm talking about, we all have them, we all love them, and we all are on edge for each new book to release.

In light of last weeks post, here is the lighter side, those series that I never get behind on: 



The Cainsville Series. I've been hooked on this series from book one and while there are only going to be five books in the series (and a handful of novellas) I've read them all as soon as they have been released. With the last book out this year, I truly am so sad it will be over. 




Cecy dazzled me with her fun loving feisty characters in her Weird Girls series and after the first book I gobbled them up as soon as they came out (many times acquiring an ARC of the next book before it hit shelves) and the spin off series wasn't any different. I continue to gobble them up and have loved them all. 


It is hard for me to resist a good ghost story and this series tells some of the best. With it's chilling ghosts and danger everywhere, it is one that I am always up reading until the wee hours of the morning.



And speaking of ghost stories, another of my favorite since discovering it has to be J.L. Bryan's, Ellie Jordan series, it is so much fun and never fails to give me chills and have me looking over my shoulder. Thankfully the man writes fast and I never have long to wait for the next installment. 



Okay so these next two are only a couple of books into the series but so far I haven't been able to get enough of them and even though the Armstrong one just barely came out, I'm already anxious for the next one. 



I'm always on the lookout for something different in the UF genre and this series is it. It's so unique and I think that is why with each new book, I read them right away, just to see what is happening next. 


Okay so I'm sort of cheating with this one because I haven't read the latest book yet but that is only because I'm waiting for it to be closer to the fifth and very sadly last book to be out before starting it but I've devoured this series from the very beginning and it is still one of my top ten favorite UF series of all time.


Suzanne Johnson's Sentinels of New Orleans quickly became a favorite after the second book, I mean seriously, what is not to love about a feisty sexy pirate and a grouchy but lovable shifter? I never miss a chance to dive back into the heart of NOLA in this fabulous series. 



Not only is this one of the few YA authors that I still pick up without hesitation but it's one of my few dystopain ones as well. I loved the first three books in the series and so far the spinoff series has proven to be every bit as wonderful. 


What is there not to love about this series, I mean Reyes people, enough said. Truly though, I love how much this series makes me laugh each time. It has just enough humor to outweigh the deeper issues and the darker mysteries and the characters, every single one of them is just...amazing. 

So yeah, that's my list of series that I can't seem to put on hold. Those that everything else gets put on hold for. Laundry doesn't get done, sometimes dinner ends up being take out, you the know the ones, the ones we are like little kids on Christmas morning waiting for the release date to roll around on. 

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

WoW Pick of the Week!



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It is a chance to share those new releases were are super anxious to get our hands on and read.

I have come to adore Tintera's darker worlds and romance and after loving her duology and then the first book in this series, I'm equally excited to see how book two will be in her Ruined series. It looks fantastic and I can't wait for it!



Book Description:

In the sequel to Ruined, the romance of The Selection and the epic stakes of Red Queen come together in a story of revenge, adventure, and unexpected love.

Emelina Flores has come home to Ruina. After rescuing her sister Olivia from imprisonment in rival kingdom Lera, Em and Olivia together vow to rebuild Ruina to its former glory. 

But their fight has only begun. Olivia is determined to destroy everyone who acts against Ruina, but Em isn’t as sure. Ever since Em posed as Prince Casimir’s betrothed in Lera, she’s started to see another side to this war. And now that Cas has taken the throne, Em believes a truce is within reach. But Olivia suspects that Em’s romantic feelings for Cas are just coloring her judgement.

Em is determined to bring peace to her home. But when winning the war could mean betraying her family, Em faces an impossible choice between loyalty and love. Em must stay one step ahead of her enemies—and her blood—before she’s the next victim in this battle for sovereignty. 










Monday, February 20, 2017

Review: Crave Me by Cecy Robson

Title: Crave Me
Author: Cecy Robson
Series: Book Three in the O'Brien Family Series
Published: February 28, 2017
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Author (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
RT Book Reviews proclaims that the O’Brien Family series from award-winning author Cecy Robson “has the hottest brothers ever!” And in Crave Me, it’s time for the sole sister in the family to discover love. 

Wren O’Brien isn’t your typical female. As the only girl from a loud Irish family with seven siblings, she prefers fast cars to lip gloss and bad boys to good men. It’s the reason she’s nursing a wounded soul and keeping her distance from a dangerous ex. 

Evan Jonah is running an empire and just moved from the lavish thoroughfares of London to the gritty streets of Philadelphia. When he walks into the nearest dealership, he’s expecting to find a reliable vehicle to handle the brutal winters, not a sexy female car rep with killer legs.

Wren doesn’t know why “Hotness in a Suit” asked her out. She doesn’t expect a great time or a night of passion that knocks her on her ass. But that’s exactly what Evan shows her. 

She also never counted on how hard and fast she’d fall. But men like Evan—good men with even better hearts—don’t desire tough-talking Philly girls for long.


Evan has never met a woman like Wren. But he’s up for the challenge and ready to prove her wrong. 







If there is one thing I can count on whenever I open a book written by Ms. Robson, it is that I'm going to get one hell of a story that will tug on my heart strings, make me smile more than cry, and always give me a good time with a heart stopping, heart pounding romance that will leave me melting into a big puddle of goo by the time the story is over. 

And with her latest story, that is exactly what I got.

I have to confess something first, lately, this genre, once upon a time my most favorite genre of all time, just hasn't been doing it for me lately. In fact, I avoid them like the plague. I have no idea why other than I think I was burnt out on the same ole same ole getting repeated time and time again but when I saw Cecy had a new book in her O'Brien series I knew that no matter what, I needed to come out of my romance funk and try it because it would be great, because let's face it, all her stories are great.

I'm so glad I took a chance because not only have I been waiting for Wren's story, but it truly was worth the wait and the dive back into this genre. I seriously gobbled it up and even wanted more by the time it was done. It was heartfelt and heart warming and all those things that first made me fall in love with the genre to begin with. 

Once again Cecy delivered with a punch to the solar flees at times and stomp to the heart at others but in the end, always delivering with the happily ever afters that we all love and crave. This was such a wonderful story and one I'm so glad I took the time to read and love.





*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Series I Love And Need To Finish But Feel Like It Will Never Happen




We all have those series that we absolutely love. Those that take us away and transport us into another world. Those series full of characters we wish we knew in real life because they are just so darn amazing. You know the series and characters I'm talking about. 


But what happens when you come into those series a thousand books in? What happens when along the way you discover another series and that one demands your time and before you know it, you have a gajillion series and not enough hours in the day to finish them all?

If you know the amswer to that last question, please let me know what it is! :P

I saw another post recently about books in series that we have all started but that some of us haven't finished yet and ones that we really do want to finish but with all the other books out there, it can be daunting to try and actually do. Those series that are fabulous but for whatever reason get put on hold for another and so on and so on.

I thought it might be fun to make a list of those series and then I realized I didn't have all day to make said list so instead I'm making a list of those series that I've started, absolutely loved and want to finish before I die. A bucket list of book series that must be read so to speak. 


And the top of my list The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison



I think I stopped this series at around book eight and with only 13 books in the series I'm not too far from reaching my goal but as much as I love these books, they are super long and for whatever reason, I can only take them in small doses, as in I usually can't read more than two in a row before I need a break. 


The next series is also one I absolutely adore but with the books already well into the 40's, yes you read that right, book 45 is just around the corner and this series is still going strong. It feels like I will never catch up. As of this post, I'm only on book 14! *falls down with exhaustion just thinking about all the books I have to catch up*.


This series is so good though but with (usually) a darker theme, again I can only read them in small doses. 





Next up the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, so okay, I only have a couple of books to catch up (thankfully) but for whatever reason, I keep pushing it back on my list of books to read and I don't even know why because again, I love this series and all the characters. 





If you've ever tried Jennifer's writing then you already know why this series is a favorite but again, it's one that I can't seem to get caught up on.



The Stephanie Plum series is another series that is well into it's 20's with the number of books in it (and still going strong) but I find that with this series, I only read it when I need a really good laugh. It never fails to make me laugh out loud at all the hi-jinks Stephanie can get herself into but I've heard that the series starts to go downhill after a few more books so as much as I love it and want to finish it, I also don't want anything to ruin the series for me, hence, why I've put it on hold, silly isn't it?




The nest series is a series that I think is highly underrated, it too is just so much fun but for whatever reason I read and couple and then end up needing to put it down for an ARC and then promptly forget about it again, which is horrible because it really is a great escape series with lovable, adorable characters. 




I have a hard time resisting books about witches, I can't even tell you why exactly but it was the main reason I picked up the first book in this series, Would Be Witch and fell in love with it. It's been so long now since I've read one, that I think I would have to go back and re-read them, which makes me sad because I really do remember liking it and would like to finish it some day. 



Another underrated series that when I read the first book, years ago, I immediately liked and having it be about the fae, something I don't normally like, was unusual for me but there was just something about it. Thankfully (or not so thankfully for those waiting) the author went on hiatus for awhile so I only have about three books or so to catch up but if you like a good solid UF and the fae, this is the series for you to try. 



And last but not least, The Iron Druid series. I first tried this series last summer after having it recommended to me time and time again I finally caved and you know what, it really was something different. Told in the male POV, it was a nice change in the UF world. Plus, it is riddled with humor and hey, a talking dog, how can you beat that?


So yeah, there is my not so small list of series that I feel like I will never catch up on but really hope that some day I will..

So have you read any of these? Are you as behind on them as I am? What are your series that you love but are so behind on you feel like you will never get caught up on?

Monday, February 13, 2017

Review: Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

Title: Etched in Bone
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Book Five in the Others Series
Published By: Roc (March 7, 2017)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 5 Stars!


Book Description:
New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to her world of the Others, as humans struggle to survive in the shadow of shapeshifters and vampires far more powerful than themselves…

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness…

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.


With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave.









It is no secret that The Others series is one of my absolute favorites and anyone that has ever picked up one of the  books, doesn't have to question why. With it's unique take on supernaturals and Bishop's unique voice, it didn't take very long for this series to win me over and steal my heart.

This is a series that I pretty much drop everything for when I start it. Laundry doesn’t get done, calls get ignored and the world (okay maybe just my family) knows to leave me alone until the very last page is done because I will be useless until then anyways. I get completely immersed in the world, in the story, and in the very characters themselves and this latest installment was maybe even more so.

With knowing that this very well be the very last one, I savored it, devoured it and the whole way through, read it with a sort of bitter sweetness to it. It was hard to put down but at the same time I wanted it to last forever.

I will say that if this is the very last one, I am completely happy with the way it all came together. With the way things were answered and the way things were left with an air of expectation and lots and lots of hope.

I can't even describe all the emotions I had while reading this. There were characters I wanted to hold tight and give a hug to and others that I seriously wanted the Elders to get a hold of and all the while, I still couldn’t get enough or love the series any more than I was. 

This has been such an adventure, such a journey and one that was worth every single minute and undone laundry and housework and all.




*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

WoW Pick of the Week!



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It is a chance to share those new releases were are super anxious to get our hands on and read.

I have come to love this series and was so glad when I found out she was continuing it with a spin off of sorts and her latest in that spin off looks just as promising as the others have and I can't wait to get my hands on it!




Book Description:

How do you go back to a life you can’t remember? Find out in this follow up to the New York Times bestselling The Program and The Treatment.

Tatum Masterson never went through The Program. She never had her memory stripped, never had to fight to remain herself. But when Weston, her longtime boyfriend and love of her life, was taken by handlers, she hoped he’d remember her somehow—that their love would be strong enough.

It wasn’t.

Like all returners, Weston came back a blank canvas. The years he and Tatum spent together were forgotten, as well as the week when he mysteriously disappeared before The Program came for him.

Regardless of his memory loss, Tatum fights to get Weston to remember her. And just as they start to build a new love, they hear about the Adjustment—a new therapy that implants memories from a donor. Despite the risks, Tatum and Weston agree to go through the process. Tatum donates her memories from their time together.

But the problem with memories is that they are all a matter of perspective. So although Weston can now remember dating Tatum, his emotions don’t match the experiences. And this discrepancy is slowly starting to unravel him, worse than anything The Program could have done.

And as the truth of their life together becomes clear, Tatum will have to decide if she loves Weston enough to let him go, or to continue to live the lie they’d build together.

Prepare for your Adjustment. 











Tuesday, February 7, 2017

My Love for Ann Charles and Her Deadwood Series

This isn't something I normally do but I thought it might be fun to shake things up a bit and talk about a series that while I've (embarrassingly) had it sitting on my kindle for literally years now, I have finally started and (of course) fallen completely in love with.

I can't even fully express how much I love this series. How much fun it truly is. I've been in a bit of a funk lately and these books not only pulled me out of it but re-lit the fire and added kerosene to it. 

It has it all, a heart pounding, yet sweet slow burning, slow building romance, hilarious characters, mystery, action, adventure, and yes, even a bit of the paranormal. Truly, this book was made for lovers of all genres. It has a bit of everything to please everyone. 

Normally I would write up a review for these but since I'm already 6 books and 3 novellas in (seriously I devoured these suckers!), I thought it best to just post one whole review on all of them.

So what series am I raving about you ask? Why Ann Charles' Deadwood Mysteries of course! The first book Nearly Departed, had me hooked after just a few chapters and they just got better from there. 




Book Description:

Little girls are vanishing from Deadwood, South Dakota. Fearing her daughter might be next, single mom, Violet Parker, is desperate to find the monster behind the abductions. With her savings dwindling and just three weeks left to sell her first house or lose her Realtor job, Violet is ecstatic when a handsome jeweler hires her to sell his century-old, Victorian masterpiece, until she sees the dilapidated dwelling. Now, if she could just convince her only buyer to stop rejecting vintage homes as if they're haunted. Short on time and long on worry, she refuses to give up her dream of a fresh start in Deadwood. But with a malicious coworker trying to get her fired, a secret admirer sending her creepy messages, and a sexy stranger hiding skeletons in his closet, will Violet end up as one of Deadwood's dearly departed? 






I have a confession, I love series, I adore them because we get the characters we've come to love over and over again but sometimes the sheer number of books in a series can be daunting and even with my love for the characters, I usually can only binge read a couple, maybe three books, at a time and then I find I need a break and more often than not, it takes me months to get back to the series again because other books come up and I end up forgetting all about them. Well, not this one. After finishing the first book I bought the second and then after finishing the second, I went and bought them all and didn't feel the least bit guilty about it. 

It is just so much fun, yes I know I keep saying that but I don't know what other adjective to use to describe how extraordinary they are. They keep me on my toes, they make me smile, they make me laugh out loud and the romance makes my heart pound and the mysteries, the things that go bump in the night are seriously creepy and keep me on edge. I'm so sad that I will be starting the last book soon and will have to wait for the next to come out, they are that good. 

So in short (yes I realize this post was anything but) I urge you to give this series a try. It really is worth it in every way imaginable. 

Here is a link to all the books on Goodreads, just in case you are curious about them. ;)

https://www.goodreads.com/series/59796-deadwood

And a link to Ann's site just in case:

http://anncharles.com/book_cat/deadwood/

Monday, February 6, 2017

Review: The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

Title: The Bone Witch
Author: Rin Chupeco
Series: Book One in the Bone Witch Series
Published By:  Sourcebooks Fire (March 7, 2016)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 3 Stars


Book Description:
When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha — one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.


Memoirs of a Geisha meets The Name of the Wind in this brilliant new fantasy series by Rin Chupeco!








I went into this with high expectations after reading Chupeco's debut duology last year and maybe that is where I went a little wrong with this one. I expected it to grab me from the get go and not only keep my attention with a faster paced plot but be completely hard to put down with a fast moving plot as the synopsis hinted at. And sadly, that isn't quite what I got. 

While I wouldn't say this wasn't a fascinating story or that it doesn't grab your attention (because it does do that), it still wasn't quite the fast paced read I was hoping it would be. 

It was fun and original and I would even go so far as to say unique but for whatever reason I found myself struggling a bit with the pacing and the story itself. I think in this instance, it was a case of expecting way too much and being slightly let down because of it.

I think those that go into this expecting nothing and even for those that are being introduced to this author for the first time, will definitely enjoy this one and like it more. I think so much works for it despite the issues I had with it and I can only guess the next book will be even better.






*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Mini Review: Lost Souls by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Lost Souls
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Novella set in the Cainsville Series
Published By: Subterranean Press (March 31, 2017)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
The disappearing hitchhiker is one of the hoariest urban legends, and no one knows that better than Gabriel Walsh, a lawyer who grew up on folklore and myth. When author of books on the supernatural Patrick brings Gabriel a case of a hitchhiking woman in white who vanished on a country road after accepting a ride from a businessman, Gabriel knows the Cainsville elder is just trying to wheedle into his good graces. But Gabriel is a man in need of a mystery, one that will get him back into someone else’s good graces. His investigator, Olivia Taylor-Jones, has blown town supposedly on a simple vacation. But when she left there was a rift between them and…he misses her.

Gabriel is well aware the only thing Olivia loves more than a good mystery is a weird one, and this hitchhiker case more than fits the bill. As Gabriel digs into the story, he’s forced to face ghosts of his own and admit that the woman in white isn’t the only one who has lost her way.


With Lost Souls, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong weaves an unmissable novella-length tale connected to her fan-favorite Cainsville series. 










I have been hooked on the Cainsville series since the first book and any chance I have to read anything set in that world, with the characters I've come to absolutely love,  is a chance I don't even think twice about. 

And a novella set almost entirely in Gabriel's point of view, I am so in. I love Gabriel and while he can be bristly and rough and tough we've seen over the course of the series that there is a lot more to him than meets the eye. That in fact, the man has a heart of gold, even if it sometimes has to be melted a bit to get to it.

I adored this novella. With Patrick and Gabriel and Liv, it really was such a treat and makes me even more excited for the last novel to be here. I can not wait for more and to see how it will all come together. This series has grown so much and with it my love for it as well. It really will be so hard to say goodbye to it. 




*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

WoW Pick of the Week!



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It is a chance to share those new releases were are super anxious to get our hands on and read.

I really enjoyed the first book and I'm really hoping this one lives up to it, so far the cover and synopsis seem amazing so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!



Book Description:


Perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and Red Queen, The Crown’s Fate is the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Crown’s Game, an atmospheric historical fantasy set in Imperial Russia.

Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.

Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.

For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.


With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.