On The Same Page discussion

So, this challenge is going to be all about series, finishing them and starting new ones. I have series coming out of my ears because I keep forgetting which ones I've read, not read, keep adding new ones, you get the idea. Here I go:

Completing the Series:
✔1. Bardugo, Leigh Hell Bent 2/2 2* 1/14
✔2. Brennert, Alan. Daughter of Moloka'i 2/2 2.5* 8/24
✔3. Cline, Ernest. Ready Player Two 2/2 2.5* 4/23
4. Ford, Jackson. A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers 4/4
✔5. Gemeinhart, Dan. Coyote Lost and Found 2/2 3* 5/7
✔6. Hackwith, A.J. The God of Lost Words 3/3 1* 11/16
✔7. MacNeal, Susan Elia. The Last Hope 11/11 3.5* 8/27
✔8. McManus, Karen M. One of Us Is Back 3/3 4* 3/7
✔9. Martine, Arkady. A Desolation Called Peace 2/2 1* 3/9
✔10. Marske, Freya. A Power Unbound 3/3 2* 3/9
✔11. Sharpe, Tess. The Girl in Question 2/2 3.75* 8/28
✔12. Wilberg, T.A. Marion Lane and the Raven's Revenge 3/3 3.25* 1/4



✔Starting a Series (aka Alternates):
✔1. Corey, James S.A. The Mercy of Gods 3* 1/20
✔2. Morning, Karin Marie. The House at Watch Hill 2.5* 8/26
✔3. Osman, Richard. We Solve Murders 4.25* 1/9
✔4. Ross, Rebecca. Divine Rivals 4* 1/25

Lillie wrote: "all about series"

Yay, I love the theme! I could use this challenge myself :-)

Good luck and happy reading.

I enjoyed Hell Bent, Daughter of Moloka'i, and Ready Player Two. I am hoping to squeeze in Coyote Lost and Found this year, but we'll see. There's so much I want to finish this year. :-)

Great challenge, Lillie. I've read the first 3 on your list and the last two alternates. I enjoyed them all. Hope you do too. The only thing I don't like about your list is how many series you are going to make me start after I read your reviews :)

Great challenge idea!!

Thanks! I've been watching a few of you delve into your series lists and decided to up my game ;)

The ones in the main challenge have mostly been languishing on my tbr list forever. It was time to step it up.

I hope to start Hell Bent and also the Susan MacNeal series and Richard Osman's first mystery series. Enjoy your selections.

Great list and you know I love the idea of adding series to the challenges. Luckily, I have a bunch of these firsts on my tbr. 😩😂

A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers was a fun book, and I strongly recommend the audiobook version of Ready Player Two. I did not like Hell Bent as much as the first book, but I did finish. I'm not planning to continue on with the next book. I have We Solve Murders checked out from the library right now, so hopefully we both like it.

Happy reading!

One book on my tbr. Good luck with your reading!

I enjoyed One of Us is Lying a lot, it was a nice series. Some of the other books are already on my TBR.
I hope you enjoy all of them 🙂

Bill wrote: "I hope to start Hell Bent and also the Susan MacNeal series and Richard Osman's first mystery series. Enjoy your selections."

I'll be looking for your review of Hell Bent. Have it queued up in my audiobooks. Should get to it in the next few days.

Hope you enjoy MacNeal and Osman's books.

Thanks Anne! I've been unsure of Hell Bent but figured it was time to get to it. Didn't realize that more would be coming in the series. Have it in my audiobook queue.

The Frost Files (A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers) has been a fun series. Very different then I usually read. Can't wait to get back to it.

I'll definitely get the audiobook of Ready Player Two. And crossing my fingers we both like the new Richard Osman.

Alondra wrote: "Great list and you know I love the idea of adding series to the challenges. Luckily, I have a bunch of these firsts on my tbr. 😩😂"

You're a tease, lol, which books do you have on your list? Any that you'll be reading this year?

Jackie wrote: "One book on my tbr. Good luck with your reading!"

Thanks Jackie!

Faouzia wrote: "I enjoyed One of Us is Lying a lot, it was a nice series. Some of the other books are already on my TBR.
I hope you enjoy all of them 🙂"

Thanks Faouzia! I'm looking forward to One of Us Lying.

Lillie wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Great list and you know I love the idea of adding series to the challenges. Luckily, I have a bunch of these firsts on my tbr. 😩😂"

You're a tease, lol, which books do you have on y..."

The old stand-bys; Harry Hole, Harry Dresden and Harry Bosch. The tale of 3 Harrys! LOL

Also started reading The Wayfarers series again.

Have read 3 books so far:

1. Marion Lane and the Raven's Revenge 3.25*
Marion Lane #3

Third and, so far, final book in the Marion Lane series. It's set in a WWII England that has fantastical element to it, though the populous doesn't know it. The agency is a detective agency that takes on cases that have stumped Scotland Yard. Though I read the second one about 3 years ago, I'd really forgotten a lot about it. It was ok and I'm happy I can now strike it off of my lists.

2. We Solve Murders 4*
We Solve Murders #1

I was not expecting We Solve Murders to go the way that it did. Book is mostly narrated through Amy Wheeler, a bodyguard, and her father-in-law, Steve Wheeler, a retired policeman turned small town PI. It's a mystery full of adventure, globetrotting and murders. Not going to say much more than I enjoyed it. I'll be back for #2.

3. Hell Bent
Alex Stern #2

So, I'm just going to say it, I didn't really enjoy this book. This is the second book I've read from Leigh Bardugo and, although, the first one, Ninth House, was good (3*), this one was eh. I didn't care for any of the action, the characters or the story. I didn't hate it but I was so reluctant to get back to it after putting it down for a bit. It'll be a long time before I pick up another by this author.

4. The Mercy of Gods 3*
The Captives War #1

New series from the authors of The Expanse series, which I loved. And because I loved that series, I was willing to give this one a try. But I'll admit that it took me awhile to get into it and I'm not really sure I'll be continuing with it. Was continually confused as the story went between the past and the future while in a totally new world that hadn't really been explained. Hard for me to follow at times.

5. Divine Rivals 4*
Letters of Enchantment #1
Two young reporters are vying for the same position on a newspaper. They come from different classes in society in a world that 2 gods are fighting for supremacy. Lots of adventure, fantastical elements and a sweet romance. I immediately borrowed the second in the duology.

I'm glad you enjoyed Divine Rivals, Lillie. I liked it too. You're doing so well with this list.

Kudos on your progress, Lillie. 👏🏽

I have no interest in the Alex Stern series; but I do want to start the Grishaverse series with Shadow and Bone, because I really enjoyed Six of Crows duology.

Glad you enjoyed We solve murders, because that one looks like a good read.

Great progress!
I'm trying to make some progress on some series this year too, but I don't think I have any I can complete. Unless I'm caught up and the author decides to add a new book to the series, which lately seems to happen a lot. ;-)

Lea wrote: "I'm glad you enjoyed Divine Rivals, Lillie. I liked it too. You're doing so well with this list."

Thanks Lea, it was a fun book

Alondra wrote: "Kudos on your progress, Lillie. 👏🏽

I have no interest in the Alex Stern series; but I do want to start the Grishaverse series with Shadow and Bone, because I really enjoyed Six of Crows duology.

Glad you enjoyed We solve murders, because that one looks like a good read."

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who's not super interested in Alex Stern. I've heard great things about the Grishaverse but I'm going to wait to see what you have to say about it ;)

Ioana wrote: "Great progress!
I'm trying to make some progress on some series this year too, but I don't think I have any I can complete. Unless I'm caught up and the author decides to add a new book to the series, which lately seems to happen a lot. ;-) "

I totally get that! Until this year, I just didn't feel in the right space to try to tackle any of the series. I always felt like I was falling behind (and I did, lol).

I did see that you're tackling non-fiction though. I really need to do that.

Lillie wrote: "Glad to hear I'm not the only one who's not super interested in Alex Stern. I've heard great things about the Grishaverse but I'm going to wait to see what you have to say about it ;)..."

No pressure.... 😩🤦🏾

6. One of Us Is Back 4*
One of Us is Lying #3
We're once again back in Bayview and the characters from the previous books are back, another game seems to be in play. Don't want to spoil any of it so I'll leave it there. Lots of fun to be back in this world.

Am currently reading both A Power Unbound and A Desolation Called Peace. Neither are holding my attention. It's been taking me quite a bit of time to read them. Trying to decide whether I'll trudge through them or dnf them. Only thing keeping me from abandoning them is that they're on this challenge.

7. A Power Unbound 2*

Loved the first book, A Marvellous Light and each successive book one star less. 4* for the first one, 3* for A Restless Truth and 2* for this one. Kind of wish the first one had been a standalone. For this one in particular, I really didn't enjoy the back and forth, the dislike and the attraction of the main characters. I'm finding that I don't like the hate to love trope in romances. The magic part of the book was good. Oh well. Onward to finishing A Desolation Called Peace

8. A Desolation Called Peace 1*
Teixcalaan #2
Not for me, unfortunately. Felt lost throughout, didn’t care about any of the characters, the plot felt convoluted, the world was confusing. This series probably would’ve been better as a standalone as well since I do remember liking the first. Now, I have seen that others loved it and it won awards so it’s probably just me.

Lillie~Sorry this book did not work out. You are doing great with your Challenge Though!

Lillie wrote: "8. A Desolation Called Peace 1*
Teixcalaan #2
Not for me, unfortunately. Felt lost throughout, didn’t care about any of the character..."


It's not just you. I enjoyed the first one but the second was unnecessary. Too bad.

Michelle wrote: "Lillie wrote: "8. A Desolation Called Peace 1*
Teixcalaan #2
Not for me, unfortunately. Felt lost throughout, didn’t care about any o..."

When I saw that it’d won a best of award, I wondered if I’d read a different book. Happy to hear that I wasn’t the only left underwhelmed.

Kristine wrote: "Lillie~Sorry this book did not work out. You are doing great with your Challenge Though!"

Thanks! I figure I’m bound to run into good and bad books. But I’m greedy enough to only want the good ones ;-)

Lillie wrote: "8. A Desolation Called Peace 1*
Teixcalaan #2
Not for me, unfortunately. Felt lost throughout, didn’t care about any of the character..."

Yikes!

Alondra wrote: "Yikes!"

I know! I always feel bad giving 1* to any book. Just couldn’t justify a higher rating for me.

Currently reading Ready Player Two and it's good. I don't know why I've stayed away from this challenge. Will need to start on it again. I guess that's the challenge, stay on course and read these books, lol

Lillie wrote: "Currently reading Ready Player Two and it's good. I don't know why I've stayed away from this challenge. Will need to start on it again. I guess that's the challenge, stay on course..."

Now, everyone who read this, did not like it. I have it, but the reviews were not good.

I think reading it now is a benefit, because we are past the hoopla. If I get out of the garden and start reading again; I'll keep it in mind. LOL

Alondra wrote: "Lillie wrote: "Currently reading Ready Player Two and it's good. I don't know why I've stayed away from this challenge. Will need to start on it again. I guess that's the challenge,..."

I thought the first book was really fun. Unfortunately, this one was kind of a slog. Oh well...no need to come out of the garden for this one, lol

9. Ready Player Two 2.5*
Ready Player One #2
As I stated above, this one turned into a slog for me. Started off with an interesting premise and then...? I didn't hate it but I would've been ok had I not read it. The only thing that saved it was Wil Wheaton's narration.

Lillie wrote: "9. Ready Player Two 2.5*
Ready Player One #2
As I stated above, this one turned into a slog for me. Started off with an interesting premise and..."

Same. Disappointing considering how great the first one was. Sometimes there just doesn't need to be a sequel.

Michelle wrote: "Same. Disappointing considering how great the first one was. Sometimes there just doesn't need to be a sequel. "

This exactly!

I think what I'm learning from this challenge is that it's ok not to read the follow up

Lillie wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Same. Disappointing considering how great the first one was. Sometimes there just doesn't need to be a sequel. "

This exactly!

I think what I'm learning from this challenge is th..."


It's definitely OK!

If you have the willpower to resist.

Michelle wrote: "It's definitely OK!

If you have the willpower to resist"

That's my problem, right there, lol

Lillie wrote: "I thought the first book was really fun. Unfortunately, this one was kind of a slog. Oh well...no need to come out of the garden for this one, lol..."

Not stay in the garden!?? Bwahahha :D

Alondra wrote: "Not stay in the garden!?? Bwahahha :D"

Definitely stay in the garden! No need to read/listen to this one imo

10. Coyote Lost and Found 3*
Coyote Sunrise #2
Good follow up to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Once again on a road trip, this time to scatter to her mom's ashes. Liked how the author wove in the pandemic, how he tackled grief. Only real snag for me was that Coyote, who was supposed to be a middle schooler, spoke like a 20 year old.

11. Daughter of Moloka'i 2.5*
Moloka'i #2
In this follow up to Moloka'i, we follow Ruth, the daughter of Rachel Kalama, the leper who lived her life on the island of Moloka'i after her diagnosis. Unfortunately, this story didn't work for me. It was soooo slow for too long. And it shouldn't have felt that way. There was so much history that was so compelling but not the way it was written. The first book sucked me in, this didn't. Oh well.

Currently reading:
The House at Watch Hill

Upcoming:
The Girl in Question

12. The House at Watch Hill 2.5*
Watch Hill #1
I'll come right out and say it, I was good with the book until I wasn't. Started off interestingly enough with a young woman who's recently lost her mother and out of nowhere she inherits a massive amount of money and a house. Ok, so a bit cliché but you know, willing to give it a try. Then she turned into a Mary Sue (remember the Anita Blake series?), the house didn't really play a huge part (title implied to me that it would be a crazy house), the story seemed to stall until the very end, and one too many betrayals. I don't know. Understand that this is the first book of a trilogy but where was the action? Being annoyed isn't a positive, is it? The author wrote the Fever series, of which I gave up on after book 6.

13. The Last Hope 3.5*
Maggie Hope #11
I've been following Maggie Hope go from being a secretary to Winston Churchill to being a spy through 11 books. This one is stated to be the last one but I'm hoping there'll be one more as there's still a bit of story left. We've watched Maggie mature and go through adventure after adventure. A fun series and am sorry it's ending.

Upcoming:
The Girl in Question

14. The Girl in Question 3.75*
In what I’m assuming is the conclusion of a duology, we follow Nora, Wes and Iris as they go on a hike in the mountains to celebrate graduating from hs. Unfortunately for them, Nora’s grifting past has caught up with them and they have to dodge the men gunning for her. Fun follow up to The Girls I've Been. Would’ve rated it higher, probably, but the narrator annoyed me 🤷🏻‍♀️

Have 2 books left on the challenge that I hope to finish before the end of the year. Having a hard time getting motivated to do so.
A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers
The God of Lost Words