This week's reads:

1. The Demon's Librarian by Lilith Saintcrow - I really liked this book.  I would have loved for it to develop into a series and see this world fleshed out even more.  Good HEA book.
2. Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow - This book was harder to get into than it should be.  I'm hoping book 2 moves us along a little more.  I did really like that the kids in the book got to show real emotions and weren't just young people with adult maturity - they were scare, lost, and cried.

Finished ;Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl (Gideon Smith, Bk 1)Author: David Barnett

liked it didn't love  it.

Imprudence (The Custard Protocol) Author: Gail Carriger

Loved it but really loved all her books.

Thsi week's reades:

1. Betrayal by Lili St. Crow
2. Jealousy by Lili St. Crow

I'm really enjoying this series, but, I hate the forced romantic suspense.  I'd rather the exploration of a new budding relationship than this.  

Just finished Dead Man's Hand:  By:: Nancy A. Collins  10-8-2016 (4stars)

Was a mix of novellas of paranormal westerns, very well written and very different.  Really enjoyed a new twist on vampires, werewolves etc.  The author was a new one for me and I will be looking for more of her books.

This week's reads:

Finished the Strange Angels series with 

1. Defiance by Lili St. Crow
2. Reckoning by Lili St. Crow

I liked this series as a whole, I really enjoyed the world that was built, but, am dissapointed by the ending - feels like a season finale rather than a series finale - too much left open.

I also read 

1. Urban Allies (anthology)

This anthology was really fun to read some of the crossovers between charactors/worlds I was familiar with and to get a taste of some I wasn't.

Finished another yummy vampire book Rajmund by DB Reynolds.  Very good

Finished 'The Fall of the House of Cabal (Johannes Cabal, Bk 5)  Author: Jonathan L. Howard '

Liked the series but this one fell a little short, still love the characters but seems a kind of jumbled book.  Would give it a 3 star as there are good characters just not a good solid plot.  That will finish the challenge for me.  Thanks for another year of organizing my reading.  (somewhat)

I finally broke down and read The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Bucher. 

I enjoyed the read because, hey it's Jim Butcher. But it's very different Jim Butcher and I had to put aside my preferences. My review is up if you are curious as to why.

Went back to see when the last time I posted books......too long ago.  Here are some of the recent books I've read.

1. Id [Machine Dynasty, Bk 2] by Madeline Ashby 7-24 - not really PnR, more SciFi, but really enjoy this series.  The third one was supposed to come out soon, but it's been pushed back to May of next year......SIGH.....
2. After the End (After the End, Bk 1) by Amy Plum - LOVED this one!  Juneau is a great character.  Dystopian.
3. Angel Dust Apocalypse by Jeremy Robert Johnson - collection of short stories.  Most are extreme.  Disturbing, sometimes entertaining, always horrific. 
4. The Vampire's Mail Order Bride [Nocturne Falls, Bk 1] by Kristen Painter - light and fun.  I've enjoyed all of Kristen's books.
5. Wanton Fire (Horde Wars, Bk 2) by Sherri L. King and Razor's Edge [Horde Wars, Bk 3] by Sherri L. King - liked both of these more than the first in the series.  Again, probably more scifi than PnR, but there are romantic elements in each.  
6. Sweep In Peace (Innkeeper Chronicles, Bk 2) by Ilona Andrews - liked this one much more than the first.  I really wasn't sure I would continue the series.....but it's Ilona!  I had to give it another shot.  So glad I did.
7. Wolves of Black Pine (The Wolfkin Saga) (Volume 1) by SJ Himes - MM PnR with wolf shifters.  Fabulous!  She's got another one in the works.  I can hardly wait.
8. Flesh by Kylie Scott - Zombies.  Nuff said.  
9. Dark Shimmer by Donna Jo Napoli - quite dark retelling of Snow White.  I had forgotten it was a fairy tale retelling, and it didn't actually dawn on me until I was quite a ways into the book.  Not your Disney version at all.  Much better!
10. Contagious Chaos (Contagium, Bk 3) by Emily Goodwin - Loving this zombie series.  Only 1 more to go.....not sure I'll be able to wait for it here.
11. The Case of the Virtuous Vampire: A Gooden and Knight Paranormal Mystery by Monette Michaels - fun and fairly light PnR Mystery set in Austin.  I'm a sucker for anything set here.  What few references to actual areas of town did seem to be pretty accurate.  Wish there was another one.....

Listened to an audio  on our ride home from Virginia

I LOVED The Belgariad and The Malorean too. Must have read them both 6 times over the years. Can't get to them now cause they are Waaaaaay back in the archives. It'd probably take 3 boys and a mule to unearth them now.

I listened to it as audio book good story. Nice to hear an oldie. Writing style is a bit different than some of our modern fantasy books

I finished Imprudence [The Custard Protocol] by Gail Carriger. It was very good maybe my favorite. Rue really gets to go on her own here while taking care of her parents. Well written.

This last 2 weeks I read the following:

1. Cat's Lair [Leopards] by Christine Feehan - not the strongest in the Leopard series, but, not a horrible read either
2. Wild Cat [Leopard] by Christine Feehan - I'm starting to get a little tired of how pushy the alpha kitties are....sheesh!
3. Flight from Mayhem [Fly By Night] by Yasmine Galenorn - I love the universe that Galenorn has written with this and her Otherworld series, but, I feel like this new series needs a little bit less action and a little bit more personality/relationship building.

I am reading a wonderful piece of paranormal romance fluff Dangerous Highlander (Dark Sword, Bk 1) :: Donna Grant

Love her books. Easy to read, good romance and characters.

Melissa are you goign to run another challenge for 2017?

Reading Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal.    Wow. So far, highly recommend. Set in WW1.

She has a series that looks more Austen time period with more romance cover vibe. Been near the top of my TBR. Just did not want to start a romance right now.

I am reading Otherworld Secrets: More Stories from the Women of the Otherworld Series :: Kelley Armstrong

I do enjoy Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld. She has stopped writing the series but publishes short stories every now and then.

alice

I haven't really had much time to read in the last couple of weeks, between visiting my father and then dealing with my father's death, but, I did read a couple:

1. Crimson Death [Anita Blake] by Laurel K. Hamilton - I am one of the few I think that still enjoy this series.  This installment was a lot of work on the relationships between Anita's second triumvarate, and I enjoyed reading about her working out her issues with them.
2. Undead and Unwary [Queen Betsy] by MaryJanice Davidson - Betsy is always entertaining, if I often don't feel like there's much of a story line, at least I get a laugh out of the books and they read quickly.

Hey all! It's November so I'll be conspiring the 2017 challenge in the next few weeks. Feel free to drop hints about categories you like or dislike.

I'm kinda digging this format we used and limiting it to the 10 main sections/categories with alternates available. Whatcha think?

Not fond of the Holiday category.  I seldom choose "holiday" books on purpose, and tend to forget if a holiday is mentioned in a book, unless it is an important part of the story.  

LOVE the Odd Ball Paranormal category.  I'm always intrigued by the "different" kinds of characters.

No worries, Holidays was a one time thing. Odd Ball will most likely stay as it helps us find those different characters and get out of the vampire, werewolf, zombie rut.

My favorite categories were Odd Ball, New to Me and Collecting Dust

I finished a very good YA Fantasy Ruined (Ruined, Bk 1) :: Amy Tintera

Lots of actions and great characters. I like the world building too

This week I read:

1. Evolve (anthology) - I enjoyed most of the stories in this anthology, some really interesting takes on vampires!

I also started a new series:  

1. Night Shift [Jill Kismet] by Lilith Saintcrow - old books, but, new to me.  I wasn't as hooked as I was by the Dante Valentine series, but, I will continue reading.  I think the main coupling has a chance to be interesting.  I'm always drawn in by 'culture clash' stories, where people from different cultures learn about each other and learn to navigate their differences without a ton of misunderstanding and angst. 

Well, I'm happy to report that I completed the Challenge.  I kept all categories available JIC I read any books that fit the bill and I really enjoyed it so much that I completed 13 categories. I finished 12 in the original list but I substituted "It's the end of the World as we know it" with a category created previously, "1 If By Air, 2 If By Sea". 

I liked looking for a variety of the paranormal books and setting up a plan on how to get through the many, many books that I want to read in the coming year.

Regarding favorite/nonfavs, I like mostly all of the categories but my favs were the categories that were ridiculously easy:

• Can't Wait for those New Releases
• I WANT IT NOW!
• Life After Death

My absolute favorite was "Collecting Dust".  That was a great way for me to find books that I forgot that I had and had looked forward to reading them when I initially got them but forgot all about them!

Least fav was the category that I didn't use: It's the end of the World as we know it.  I've never gotten into that category of reading.  Also, "Happy Holidays" was really hard but darn I'm good, cuz I did it! :-)

So I proudly accept my "overachiever/paranormal junkie status" badge with delight! :-)

Looking forward to whatcha' got for the new year Melissa and thanks for working up this challenge!