SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion

Team #9
Captain: Jackie

Members:
Lisa Kay
Rachel- Goodbye Borders
Jackie
Martha

Just a Hop, Skip & Click Away
Happy Reading!

Shelf Announcements ~ Check for the latest shelf announcement & review the requirements for each shelf
Captain's Log ~ Share team shelf stats prior to requesting a stamp
Stamp Me! ~ Request a stamp for your bingo card
Discussions ~ Throughout the game, head here to chat with other players & shelf chant til your heart's content
Bingo Rules ~ Rules of the game
Free Space Rules ~ Where to look when pickin' your free space book
Bingo FAQ ~ Don't hesitate! If you have a question, let us know.

Hiya, Team Caps! Thanks for volunteering to guide your team through a round of BookShelf Bingo!

Your job, should you choose to accept it, will require a few things:
1 ~ Be our go-to person should we have any questions about your team
2 ~ Organize your teammate's weekly reads for each shelf/category so that the BSB Ninjas can quickly and easily verify and approve your stamp request(s)
2a ~ Create a master list in a post (preferably on the first page of your team's thread) and update it weekly or as often as necessary
2b ~ Post your team's stats on the Captain's Log prior to requesting a stamp
3 ~ Encourage and motivate your team (you may also ask to borrow Judithe's whip whenever necessary)
4 ~ Post regularly to ensure your team is communicating and on track each week
4a ~ Send them a PM and friendly poke if they haven't posted at least once a week, noted their book choice, and/or appear to have dropped out of webspace
5 ~ Send us a PM (Steph, Sandra or Judithe) should you need us for any reason throughout the game

Link to print your own copy: BINGO card

...

Tracking

Free Space
Lisa Kay - Wildfire by Ilona Andrews - 5 stars - 8/26/17 - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland - 4 stars - 8/14/17 - Review
Jackie - All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris - 8/22/17 - 4 stars - Review
Martha - Grave Witch by Kalayna Price - 4 stars - 8/13/17 - Review

Shelf #1 ~ 8/9/17: Kindle Freebie
Vilda - Dollhouse by Anya Allyn - 3 stars - 8/17/17 - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter - 2 stars - 8/10/17 - Review
Jackie - A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter - 4 stars - 8/16/17 - Review
Martha - A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter - 3 stars - 8/11/17 - Review

Shelf #2 ~ 8/16/17: 2nd, 3rd or 4th
Lisa Kay - A Killer Crop by Sheila Connolly - 8/21/17 - 4 stars - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - Black Diamond by Susannah Sandlin - 8/19/17 - 4 stars - Review
Jackie - Devil's Food by Kerry Greenwood - 8/24/17 - 4 stars - Review
Martha - Grave Visions by Kalayna Price - 8/18/17 - 3 stars - Review

Shelf #3 ~ 8/23/17: Debut Author
Lisa Kay - Must Love Dukes by Elizabeth Michels - 9/3/17 - 3.5 stars -Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - The Duke of Snow and Apples by Elizabeth Vail - 8/26/17 - 1 star - Review
Jackie - A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee - 8/31/17 - 4 stars - Review
Martha - Cinder by Marissa Meyer - 8/26/17 - 4 stars - Review

Shelf #4 ~ 8/30/17: Action Packed
Lisa Kay - Midnight's Kiss by Thea Harrison - 9/2/17 - 4.5 stars - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - Dark Currents by Lindsay Buroker - 9/3/17 - 3.5 stars - Review
Jackie - Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter - 9/6/17 - 4 stars - Review
Martha - Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - 9/1/17 - 4 stars - Review

Shelf #5 ~ 9/6/17: Vampires
Lisa Kay - One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews - 9/8/17 - 5 stars - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - Day Shift by Charlaine Harris - 9/14/17 - 4 stars - Review
Jackie - Undead and Unworthy by MaryJanice Davidson - 9/12/17 - 4 stars - Review
Martha - This Same Earth by Elizabeth Hunter - 9/9/17 - 2 stars - Review

Shelf #6 ~ 9/6/17: Spin Off
Lisa Kay - Spellbinder by Thea Harrison - 9/17/17 - 4.5 stars - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout - 9/14/17 - 1.5 stars - Review
Jackie - Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder - 9/21/17 - 2 stars - Review
Martha - Blood Kiss by J.R. Ward - 9/15/17 - 3 stars - Review

Shelf #7 ~ 9/20/17: Demons
Lisa Kay - Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones - 9/25/17 - 3.5 stars - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - Seducing the Hunter by Vivi Anna - 9/23/17 - 3 stars - Review
Jackie - Seventh Grave and No Body by Darynda Jones - 9/30/17 - 4 stars - Review
Martha - First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones - 9/24/17 - 4 stars - Review

Shelf #8 ~ 9/27/17: Reader's Choice
Lisa Kay - A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare - 10/5/17 - 4.5 stars - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - The Red Lily by Juliette Cross - 10/1/17 - 4 stars - Review
Jackie - A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake - 9/29/17 - 3 stars - Review
Martha - Dead Beat by Jim Butcher - 9/29/17 - 4 stars - Review

Shelf #9 ~ 10/4/17: Magical Realism
Lisa Kay - My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman - 10/12/17 - 5 stars - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas - 10/7/17 - 2 stars - Review
Jackie - A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd - 10/16/17 - 4 stars - Review
Martha - Bone Gap by Laura Ruby - 10/7/17 - 3 stars - Review

Shelf #10 ~ 10/11/17: Science Fiction
Lisa Kay - Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch - 10/15/17 - 4 stars - Review
Rachel- Goodbye Borders - Break Out by Nina Croft - 10/15/17 - 4 stars - Review
Jackie - Foundation by Isaac Asimov - 10/18/17 - 2 stars - Review
Martha - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick - 10/14/17 - 3 stars - Review

Hi everyone! I've played in every round of SOS Bingo! I was captain last round and would prefer to not be this one. But, as always, if no one else wants to, I can.
Boise, Idaho is home and I am in the Mountain time zone.
SOS Bingo Spreadsheet

Regarding names:
I asked the hubs for a name and he yelled out "The Happy Chipmunks."
From the random team name generator:
Cyborg Stars
Smokin Secret Agents

I'm willing to captain if no one else wants it. I like Bingo Potion #9.

I'm in Eastern time zone too.

Hi! This is my first bingo and I'm really looking forward to it. I also like Bingo Potion #9. I live in California, so I'm on PST.

I like Bingo Potion #9 too.
If no one else wants it, looks like Jackie is captain:-)

Thanks, Debbie. So I guess we're agreed on BINGO Potion No. 9.

Thanks for being captain, Jackie!

For my Free Space read, I'm choosing Grave Witch by Kalayna Price in the Alex Craft series. It comes from option #2, it's on the SOS Best of Urban Fantasy list.

I just got it, but I can hold off until Wed to start it lol. Right now I'm reading the first book of the Fever series and quite liking it, so I hope I can use some of the other books from these series in our Bingo. It's also good for me to have other books mixed in because I have a tendency to power read straight through a series and then find myself getting tired of it.

I read Grave Witch a few months ago. I'm the opposite, Martha, I very seldom books from a series back to back. I can't even tell you how many series that I'm reading. Lol

I'm afraid my memory isn't good enough to have a lot of series going at once, I can't keep straight who's doing what to whom.

Real life is making me drop this round of BINGO. My apologies and I will message a mod for an alternate.

I think we would have made a good team. Again, my apologies.

I'm sorry, Debbie. I think we would have been a good team too. I hope all goes well for you.

Hello, ladies. Thanks for letting us know, Debbie. I'm in touch with our standbys and will hopefully have a replacement player for you before our first shelf announcement tomorrow.

Hi! Vilda will be taking Debbie's spot and joining y'all shortly. :D

Great! Thanks, Steph. Welcome, Vilda!

For free space, I'm reading . It is on SOS Group Bookshelf.

For free space, I'm going to read . It's on the Best Of Urban Fantasy Series List.

I want to read that one soon too, Vilda. I've read the first two in the trilogy and enjoyed them.

We all have picked our free space books and tomorrow we get the first shelf call. :)

Welcome Vilda! His Dark Materials is one of my all time favorites, too, and I'll definitely have to do a re-read if there's something new coming...it's been years since I read it. Charlaine Harris is great fun, too. We've got some good reading ahead.

Oh good! I didn't know about the new book.

Shelf #1 ~ 8/9/17: Kindle Freebie
DIRECT LINK - https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Vilda,
I read the description of your book and I'm just going to copy you! So, my Kindle Freebie is also

Thanks for the tip, Vilda, I have the right cover now.

That looks good and I even have it on my Kindle already. I haven't decided yet though. There are a couple others that I might pick.

I have too! I think I might just have to read this one too!

That's funny! We could all read it and have a buddy read. :)

Why not? I'm game!

Is anyone else finding the electricity issue kind of weird? I guess every author wants to make their vampires unique in some way, but I'm not sure I'm buying the amnis and trying to explain vampires with science not magic. So, vampires aren't really paranormal, just different scientifically? Hmm...

Is it just me or have y'all noticed that B is 22, but should be 23 (if she was born July 2nd, 1980 and book takes place in the fall of 2003).
Should have review up soonish.

Shelf: Kindle Freebie

2* Aug 10th
Dr. Giovanni Vecchio is a vampire and a rare book dealer. Beatrice De Novo or as she prefers "B," is an information sciences major with plans to be a librarian. Through individuals in their past, their present is mingled.
As is usually the case, Gio is an older vampire, wise in the way of the world. B, by contrast, is young and naive. Man, this book was boring. It got better in the last half. The ending sucked. No closure.
I did like how they first meet. (A library where she was working and he researching). I liked how bookish both were. The secondary characters were also good one. The vampire affinity for elements was also unique and concept I liked.
I didn't care for the pacing. It was slow as molasses. While I liked the slow burn of the romance, I didn't like the ending. I didn't like that Gio was insistent on calling her Beatrice when she preferred "B." Then there was the fuck-up on her age. If she was born July 2nd 1980, she should have been 23 since this started in September of 2003. It was mentioned several times she was 22.

Completion Post
Shelf #1 Kindle Freebie


A Hidden Fire
By Elizabeth Hunter
Completed 8/11/2017
★★★
I thought this was a good mystery with a nice slow-burn romance. Both the main and side characters were well-developed and interesting. It definitely has less action than most UF and the first half or so of the book could be faster. I think part of that is because it's self-published and probably didn't have the advantage of a top-notch editor to help with the pacing and trim about 50 pages. It's an intelligent book, though, and I quite liked the softer, gentler vampires, both Gio and Carwyn. (view spoiler)[The lack of a HEA didn't bother me, I actually liked that there wasn't an instant resolution of his hesitation about Beatrice being too young. Instead, the author is going to allow her time to mature before the next book. It's a refreshing change from some books where seemingly insurmountable problems are resolved between one page and the next. (hide spoiler)] In spite of problems with pacing and some plot points I had trouble with, I think I will continue with the series.

Completion Post
Free Space


Grave Witch
By Kalayna Price
Completed 8/13/2017
★★★★
Finally a book with some sexy times! For some reason the last few books I've read have had either no romance or just kisses and cuddles, so I really enjoyed Alex and Falin's little romp. Seriously, though, I thought this was a very good start to a series. The witchcraft and the Fae world are both well drawn. I loved the scene in the Fae bar. In both that scene and the final conflict, Alex is the one who saves the day. I like it when the heroine doesn't require someone or something to step in and save her. Strong characters, romance, a good mystery, plenty of action, and even a little doggie---what's not to like? I've already bought the second book!

Free Space, SOS Bookshelf

Done 8/14 4*

Warning, book ends in a cliffhanger.
It's been about a year since I read the last book. I remembered enough/enough reminders in this one and I was able to pick right up. So, 3 people have had things happen to them. It turns out there are all people who wronged Kara in the past. Add to that a mayor who has it out for her and she is a murder suspect.
I enjoyed that one for the dynamics between all the characters. Jill, Zack, Ryan all have decent roled to play in this one. Add to that, what was suspected about Ryan is, IMO, pretty much confirmed in this one. The rouge summoner was a surprise. Eilahn was definitely my favorite character in this book. Her enthusiasm for getting a pet, Christmas decorations, etc just made me smile. I really hope she makes an appearance again. What's poor, little Fuzzykins going to do?

You guys are doing great! I'm actually enjoying A Hidden Fire so far which is kind of surprising because it reminds me of A Discovery of Witches and I had a hard time getting into it.

Completion Post

Shelf #1 - Kindle Freebie

Book: A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
Date: 8/16/17
Rating: 4 stars

I enjoyed this first book in the Elemental Mysteries series. I found it a little slow-moving in the beginning but enjoyed learning the characters and their interactions. I'm not usually a fan of vampire stories but I found this one interesting, especially the vampires and their different elemental abilities. Giovanni was the typical dark, brooding vampire with fire as his element but Carwyn was great as the big, burly, lovable water vampire. Beatrice was a great heroine, young but intelligent and brave. I'll definitely continue with the series.

Shelf #2 ~ 8/16/17: 2nd, 3rd or 4th
Second, Third or Fourth book in a series

Choice for Shelf #2
Perfect shelf! I'm just finishing the third Alex Craft book, so I'll just continue with the 4th book, Grave Visions by Kalayna Price. I sure hope she gets her love life straightened out, though, I'm getting tired of the will they/won't they.

Vilda, I did enjoy Hidden Fire. I give a lot of 3 star ratings and I mean just what GR says, I liked the book. And, Jackie, I agree, Carwyn's a great character.

This is great! We have completed a shelf. I'll put in a request for our stamp tomorrow.

I haven't decided what series to read for Shelf #2. I have so many started. :)

I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I liked A Hidden Fire. I didn't expect that.

Shelf #2:

2nd book in series. Is/Was by my Prime borrow for July (need to get it read and returned so I can borrow for Aug!).

Requested stamp for Week 1.

Shelf #2

The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens
Graveyard Queen #2

Go Potioners! We got our first stamp! I've enjoyed reading your reviews.

Hi ladies. Vilda is unable to continue, so I'm working to find a replacement player for ya.