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Finished for the alpha male shelf. I loved it! I will post my review later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Steph wrote: "I'm looking forward to your review of Blood Law, Amanda. I have had that one for a bit and keep meaning to start it.

I may go with The Mane Event too, Regina. Have to finish this o..."

Steph I hope you like it! I am liking it quite a bit, I was look warm on Pack Challenge -- I really liked parts of it and others were just okay, but so far I am liking the Pride series better.

YAY Amanda! Glad you enjoyed DB. That's a great book.

Thanks, Regina. I'm looking forward to starting it. I LOL all the way through Pack Challenge, so if you like Pride better, I'm sure to love it. :)

I'm hoping to finish The Iron Duke sometime before the world ends. I like the story, but I'm just not drawn to it. Would rather be reading something else, actually, but I'm already 30% in and don't want to start over w/another. I just don't think Steampunk is my cuppa.

Amanda wrote: "Finished for the alpha male shelf. I loved it! I will post my review later tonight or tomorrow morning."

I am so liking this book too! I will be done tomorrow, but I need to go to bed! I cannot get enough.

Finished 8/21
★★★★�

The plot is captivating, the romance is spectacular, and the result is fabulous! I loved the amazing world the author created with such enjoyable characters and secondary characters. I hope that more is discovered about each of the Elder Races in the books to come. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year!

Well, now I know why everyone likes this book!

I just finished on 8/22/11 and give it ★★★★� like everyone else! It was... perfect!

I love the snark, the romance, the whole plot of just taking one little penny, I loved the drunk girls on the ground laughing and making the whose who & with who chart, the fights, the mystery & the stand up girl AND the schmooze of the dragon. OH... and what she really was! Very sweet moment. It's a book I could read again.

Wow! I haven't read a bad review for that book yet. I just realized that Mane Event has two stories in it. I finished the first one and really liked it. but I sort of don't have the energy for the second one, but I am diving in!

Had to force myself, but I finished my Alpha-male read.

Elijah, Jacquelyn Frank, 8-22-11, 3 stars

I'm not sure why I didn't like this book as much as the first two, but I had a really hard time getting into it. Other than the opening scene, which had promise, the first half of the book dragged.

I had trouble caring about Siena & Elijah's relationship and kept putting the book aside to do other things. The attraction between the two was believable and solid, but I found myself having to fight the urge to skim through the sex scenes. The most engaging scenes for me were the ones that included past couples (Gideon & Legna, Bella & Jacob) and the ones that highlighted the conflict between Nightwalkers and Necromancers.

I was intrigued by the introduction of the Mistrals (Sirens) and am looking forward to seeing more of them.

I will continue the series and hope Damien's story returns to the previous level of storytelling.

That sucks, I hate when I have to force myself to finish a book. :( Thanks for taking one for the team! Is that our Alpha and 3rd stamp?

I had been planning on reading for the shifter shelf, but now I'm not sure whether I'm ready to face another potentially "difficult" book.

Other Possibilities:


I have to finish the mystery I'm reading now for a challenge that ends tomorrow, then I'll decide what I'm doing.

Regina wrote: "That sucks, I hate when I have to force myself to finish a book. :( Thanks for taking one for the team! Is that our Alpha and 3rd stamp?"

Steph still has to review Iron Duke, which I wish I'd read as originally planned. :{

Daffodil, I say read something easy, you deserve a break. Iron Duke is a good one.

Yay Amy & Amanda! I'm so glad ya'll enjoyed DB! I haven't heard/seen any bad reviews for that one either. Really well done first book. Enjoyed #2 just expected more after #1. Really looking forward to #3!

Daffodil, sorry you had difficulty with yours. I hate when that happens.


Shelf: Alpha Male
Rating: ★★★☆☆�
Review: I had a hard time with this one. For one, I think steampunk just isn't my fave genre. Two, I was trying to read it when too many RL things were going on and there just wasn't a pull (other than Bingo) to read it. So, I ended up making myself push through and that's never fun. Instead of relaxing and enjoying it, I was a grumpy reader.

I read the prequel and really enjoyed it, enough that I was looking forward to reading this book. The world building and nanotech was interesting. The H/h just weren't two I had to know ended up together, even though I knew they would. Individually, I enjoyed their back stories and how they dealt with the fame (ID) and looks (Mina) now b/c of it. I actually enjoyed Yasmeen, the captain of the Lady Consair, more than I did the mains. So, I'm hoping her story w/Archimedes in Heart of Steel will be more enjoyable for me. I will read #2, but won't rush to buy it.

CONGRATULATIONS, Litwits!
We now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'alpha male'.

[Our new BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]

YAY!! :D


We are slowly, but surely catching up. :D YAY! WTG, Team! Now, to decide on my 'shifters' book. I must read now. I got the NG ARC and have to read/review before Friday! Once that's done I'll start my 'shifters' and hope to finish on/around Sunday for the next shelf announcement. I've only read 4 bks this month. :| No fun! Time to get my read on! :D

Way to go team!! We now have 3 stamps!

Yipppeeeee! :D

Congrats LWs!

Thanks!

Went ahead and started for the shifter shelf because it's a library book and needs to go back soon. Kind of sad really, I can remember when LKH was an automatic buy-as-soon-as-it-hits-the-shelf author for me.

Anyway, I'm kind of impressed. Despite talking about the ardeur and feeding it, we managed to get about halfway through the book before a complete sex scene was encountered. All that space was taken up with lots of dead-eyes with Edward. LOL.

Daffodil wrote: "..... Kind of sad really, I can remember when LKH was an automatic buy-as..."

I used to have to do the same for Sherrilyn Kenyon & J.R. Ward. Now I do buy them, but they sit for months until I read them! I used to think they were the only authors who could write! Low and behold, I got over that dillusion!

I found another series I had for a while and forgot I had them. I haven't really had time to read, so I've been reading right away, and skipped though with small ebooks the rest of the week. BUT anyway! I found a book that will fit on one of our shelves ... I've had them buried & went to organize & found them. They look good... I hope they are!

I hope so too. I picked both of them up from the Wal-Mart sale bin and haven't gotten around to trying them yet.

what is speculative fiction? I have no idea if I have one of those...

nevermind... I found it.

I finished my Shifter shelf read and all I can say is ARRGGHHH! LOL.

Hit List, Laurell K Hamilton, 8-24-11, 2 stars
Much like the series itself, this book started out with so much promise. There was an actual case to work on, even if Anita and Edward already knew the identity of the killers before we the readers even showed up. Edward was present. I even managed to get through all the dead-eye flirting without too much cringing. The writing style itself is still rough, repetitive words/phrases throughout and Hamilton still can't write a good sex scene. I'm not a prude, I like plenty of other author's efforts. I just don't find what she writes sexy or hot. And I could have looked past all that, because it really seemed as if there would be an actual plot to this book.

Then she lost a brownie point for the change in Edward. Hamilton's portrayed him as a sociopath in the past. His kinder, gentler attitude (in an Edwardesque way) toward Anita just doesn't fly. A minor point, but a point none the less.

Hamilton lost a few more points in not utilizing Anita's skills to their fullest. She's a necromancer for God's sake and not once were those talents even thought of as an option. (view spoiler)[We've been kidnapped. Oh, no! How are we going to get out this situation? Maybe I can give the vampires' animals to call a sense of pack that they're missing. Make them switch sides. Oh, I know. The ardeur and the marks make me stronger, faster and heal better. It's recently been fed in the obligatory sex scene, so let's use it. Raise the dead? Hold the bodies of the Harlequin hostage and threaten to make them walk out into the sun? No, why would that even occur to me? I'm going to teach apparently incompetent swordsman how to behead vampires simultaneously. (hide spoiler)]

Then I reached the ending and Hamilton lost all her brownie points, in fact her badges were revoked completely. Mommie Darkness is the big bad of the vampire universe, the name used to frighten all the vampire children into behaving, the ... you get the point. And Anita defeats her in just a few paragraphs. What?!? It would be like Harry Potter clicking his heels three times, wishing Voldemort dead and it happening. No final battle, no sacrifice, no cost at all, it just happens. I feel perfectly justified using the HP analogy, Edward brought up the subject first.

I'd like to think I'll sustain this feeling of overall disappointment and be able to give the next book a pass. Realistically, I probably won't be able to quit hoping for a return to better days and I'll once again check it out from the library.

Aw, 2 huh? Kinda glad I never started that series, TBH.

I'm REALLY enjoying The Mane Event. Shelly's books just make me :)

I really really liked Mace and Dez.

Me too! That story was definitely one of my favorites (by SL). I didn't think I would like this series more than Pack b/c I laughed so hard and so much reading those books. But, this one (Pride) seems like it will be smarter or better. Anyway, definitely looking forward to continuing with this series.

I agree - -smarter and better is a great way to describe it.

:)

I just think it's because she's had all that previous practice, she's just getting betterer. LOL

Makes sense. So, the Dragon Kin books were first? Then, Pack, then Pride?

Not sure, I'd have to have a look. I read them all about the same time. They're ebooks so I'll just have a peek and let you know ;)

OK Pack Challenge was 2006, Dragon Actually was 2007, so I guess she mixed them up.

I noticed we got a bear-shifter for #7, Bear Meets Girl. And, so far, I can't see one for Missy. Thank goodness. I don't like her. :P

Well #5 is a bear and a wolfdog. I enjoyed this one. Bo will challenge your OCDemoness and give a her good whappin .... LOL

LOL! Sounds good. I'll get up there eventually. Hope to work a few of these in periodically. They help break up the ho-hum reads I occasionally stumble upon.

Favorite-series shelf: Graceling by Kristin Cashore 3�

I wish I liked this book a bit more. In Graceling we follow Katsa, a girl with the Grace to kill. Being used as an political pawn since she was a child, she is fed up with being bossed around.
The story fell kind of flat to me. The Graces are interesting, but the story focusses so much on Katsa that I didn't get to see a lot of them used. The story lacked emotion. Even though Katsa is pretty kick-ass, she can be terribly cold and distant at times, making it hard to relate to her.
The ending was pretty good though, making me hopeful that the other two books in the series will be better.

Stamp time! (:

Our Next Shelf is: 'demons'
DIRECT LINK: 'demons'

Happy Reading!

CONGRATULATIONS, Litwits!
We now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'favorite series'.

[Our new BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]

Yay, Team!! :D

Yay! Go team!!

ok!!! I am going to read

Shelf: Alpha male
Read: 27 Aug
Rating:
Review: Shelly Laurenston's writing cracks me up! I laughed my way through her Pack series and, after reading Here Kitty, Kitty! I couldn't wait to start her Pride series. Book 1 did not disappoint. In fact, it was smarter and better written.

The Mane Event gives us two stories. Christmas Pride introduces us to BFFs who are reunited after twenty years. Mace Llewellyn is a Pride male returning home from the Navy. He's got a mission ... "He needed to find a woman. Not any woman, but the woman who had haunted his dreams and fantasies for longer than he could remember." This woman is Desiree "Dez" MacDermot. When they were 14-years old she "left him" and he's never forgotten her. She hasn't forgotten him either. Dez is a human, a former Marine, now Cop, who is investigating the murder of a shifter. Dez doesn't know the world of shifters exist - yet. Mace served with Smitty, a wolf from the Smith Pack of Tennessee. He and Smitty are a hoot. So is Smitty's little sister, Sissy Mae. They poke fun at Mace (well, for many reasons) because wolves mate for life, not cats. He doesn't care one bit! He knows Dez is his mate and now, he just has to convince her of that.

Throw in the chaos of holiday family gatherings and you have a LOL, fun, hot story!

Rating: ★★★★�

I wish there had been more to this story. I wasn't ready to stop reading about this crazy bunch of wolves and cats. But, I enjoyed the second story almost as much as the first. So, I won't complain too much.

Shaw's Tail picks up with Brendon Shaw, wealthy hotel owner, lion shifter and Pride male, where his story left off in Christmas Pride. He's been beaten up and Ronnie Lee Reed, a She-wolf in the Smith Pack of Tennessee and Sissy Mae's BFF, is watching over him while he's hospitalized. Ronnie Lee just couldn't leave the big cat all alone, pack (having someone at your back) is important to her and no one else was there for him. When Shaw wakes up, in the hospital, he's "sick with fever". This fever causes him to shift multiple times, act without thinking and more than a tad bit horny. He may not be 100% aware of what's what, but he and his cat know, he wants Ronnie. Only problem, Ronnie's a love-um-&-leave-um kinda gal, always has been. She's all for a healthy romp in the sack, but long-term, no way. He's dead-set on convincing her they belong together. The secondary plot involves Shaw's continued hunt for his baby brother.

Rating: ★★★★�

If you are a fan of humorous PNR, Shelly's books are for you! When I say humorous, I mean LOL-LMAO funny! Just take a look at some of the quotes throughout this one: (some of the) Lines that made me LOL They are also full of hot shifter sex. What's stoppin' ya?

I look forward to continuing the series!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I'll be back with my 'demon' choice after I've had time to browse the shelf.

YAY! on our latest stamp!

I finished my alpha book Mane Event. 3.5 stars. Review later.

Congrats on the stamp LWs!

Thanks!!

I'm reading for my 'demons' read. Not exactly what I'd first had in mind, but I loaded it on my eReader and thought, "I'll just read the first chapter" and 16% later ... LOL! Plus, two nice people shelved it on the 'demons' shelf (took me a minute to figure out why), so it works.

Sandra wrote: "Congrats on the stamp LWs!"

Thanks :) To ya'll too!

So I looked at the Demon shelf and apparently I have a problem, somebody call an exorcist! LOL. Before reaching the bottom of page 15, I have on my physical TBR at least 21 of the books and I stopped counting at that point. I know I skipped over a some and there are also more than a few that I've marked as interesting.

I did write down a couple titles that I'm interested in reading sooner than some others. I'll let you know what I decide.

Possibilities:

Steph,

Do you have to read Laurenston's books in published order or can you skip around among the series without too much confusion? I've read Pack Challenge, Magnus Pack #1 and I have The Mane Event, Pride #1 on my TBR at home. Should I hunt up the rest of the Magnus pack books before moving on to the Pride books?