March Reading Game Plan, Final Update

Since I leave tonight for a quick weekend trip and won't be able to update, here is the final update for March's reading.

I met every goal, and might even exceed the goal by finishing Broken Soul before the month ends! Go, me! :)

Remaining on list:


Started/In Progress:
Broken Soul by Faith Hunter

Finished so far:
A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab (started in February, need to finish)
Death's Rival by Faith Hunter 
Thunderbird by Chuck Wendi
Final Girls by Mira Grant (ARC) 
Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire
 Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer
Blood Trade by Faith Hunter
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
Black Arts by Faith Hunter
A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor

Didn't read/DNFed: 
The Lovecraft Squad: All Hallow's Horror by John Llewellyn Probert (ARC)

Review: A Second Chance

A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy effing craziness, Jodi Taylor. What did you do? You completely demolished every expectation I had. I didn't see anything coming, other than one tiny little bit of inconsequentialness....

Jeez, if you haven't read this series and you like time travel and snarky, strong female leads, then you need to pick up The Chronicles of St. Mary's.



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March Reading Game Plan Update #4

A quick update as we head into the last week of March... I'm about 10% into A Second Chance. We will see if I can finish it and get a big chunk of Broken Soul read or not. I might actually meet this game plan.

Remaining on list:
Broken Soul by Faith Hunter (will start, won't finish)

Started/In Progress:
A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor

Finished so far:
A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab (started in February, need to finish)
Death's Rival by Faith Hunter 
Thunderbird by Chuck Wendi
Final Girls by Mira Grant (ARC) 
Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire
 Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer
Blood Trade by Faith Hunter
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
Black Arts by Faith Hunter

Didn't read/DNFed: 
The Lovecraft Squad: All Hallow's Horror by John Llewellyn Probert (ARC)

Review: Etched in Bone

Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm so sad that Meg and Simon and Lakeside's story is over. I'm so happy that Bishop is going to be writing more about this world that she has created and that I've fallen in love with, but I'm still so sad to be leaving these characters behind. I'm sure we'll get some cameos or mentions, but it just won't be the same. I've come to care about these characters, and to feel like I'm part of their pack.

If Bishop's series to this point hasn't convinced you of anything else, I hope it's convinced you that all it takes to change the world is ONE PERSON. Don't ever forget that you are important, that you affect those around you, and that you can make that difference be a positive one.

Bittersweet feelings, to see this ending. *sad and happy*

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March Reading Game Plan Update #3

Update number three is already here? Wow, can't believe we're almost done with March! A fourth of the year is already gone!!!  Disney trip is NEXT WEEK! Because the last week I've barely had the energy to read (work stuff, friend stuff, family stuff, relationship stuff, sick all add up to EXHAUSTED), I might not finish the plan *sigh*

Remaining on list:

Broken Soul by Faith Hunter (will start, won't finish)

A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor

Started/In Progress:
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
Black Arts by Faith Hunter

Finished so far:
A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab (started in February, need to finish)
Death's Rival by Faith Hunter 
Thunderbird by Chuck Wendi
Final Girls by Mira Grant (ARC) 
Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire
 Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer
Blood Trade by Faith Hunter

Didn't read/DNFed: 
The Lovecraft Squad: All Hallow's Horror by John Llewellyn Probert (ARC)

Review: The Long Way Down

The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 stars

Thanks, Sarah, for recommending this one to me. It was a lot of fun, and I'll definitely pick up book two.

That being said, this book had a few things -- the relationship between Faust and Caitlin seemed a little fast, and a lot of the characters felt kind of "cardboard cutout"-ish. I'm sure there will be more development for a lot of those though, so I'll be reading book two to get to know them a little better. Faust himself was pretty decently developed, which is enough to push me forward and give book two a shot.

Plus #twogaydads. So yay for that. :D

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March Reading Game Plan UPDATE #2

Update number two sets us firmly halfway through March.  Can't believe March is halfway over and we're already this far into 2017.  Disney trip coming up in two weeks! Can't wait for that long weekend of crazy running to do everything and visit with our good friends from DC that we don't get to see often... and hopefully see Rivers of Light for the first time, and mourn Wishes by seeing it one last time... anywho, on to the BOOKS!


Remaining on list:

Black Arts by Faith Hunter
Broken Soul by Faith Hunter (will start, won't finish)

Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor

Started/In Progress:
Blood Trade by Faith Hunter

Finished so far:
A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab (started in February, need to finish)
Death's Rival by Faith Hunter 
Thunderbird by Chuck Wendi
Final Girls by Mira Grant (ARC) 
Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire
 Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer

Didn't read/DNFed: 
The Lovecraft Squad: All Hallow's Horror by John Llewellyn Probert (ARC)

Review: Magic for Nothing

Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Seanan McGuire, you rock my socks. I dunno whether this review should be a love letter to your writing skills or a letter of supplication, begging for beta reading opportunities, friendship (like really, let's be BFFs and hang out every day), and a chance to be an Aeslin Mouse to your Awesomesauce Priestess.

This series has had a few POV changes. Each time, I've been wary for some reason, and then pleasantly appreciative at the development and growth of the world that these POV changes bring. This one was no exception. I wasn't sure I'd like Antimony, and trust me, I didn't like everything she said or did, but I LOVED her POV. She's strong, stubborn, a fighter, and hilarious. And damn, is she willing to make sacrifices for the ones she cares about. SERIOUS sacrifices.

This book emotionally destroyed me, and I loved every second of that destruction. Up until this book, I was more a fan of her October Daye series. Don't get me wrong, I loved Incryptid, but it just wasn't on the same level as Toby... but this installment seriously kicked it up a few notches, changed the stakes of the game even farther, and added some dark and powerful twists. It's now tied with Toby for me, at the very least. We will see how she cleans up the mess she made for our Cryptozoologist family in this installment in the next, and then I'll make a judgment call. But since it's Seanan, I have every faith she will pull off whatever she has in mind with gusto and emotion.

It's going to be a long year. Time to hit the blogging hard so I can make myself Berkeley-worthy at some point in order to get an ARC!

PRE-REVIEW/POST-FINISH THOUGHTS:
I'll try to write a review when I'm able to process.

*weeps*

And having to wait a year is going to kill me. I've never been more upset to wait for the next installment for ANY series than I am right now. #emotionallydestroyed

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March Reading Game Plan UPDATE #1

Wow, we're already eight days into March!  I've already made some good progress on reaching my goals this month too!  I've finished a book started in February and read two full-length books and a novella already, along with being over halfway through a third full-length book.  That's pretty grand!!! :) I might even get MORE read than my goal, which is always great.

Sadly, I also decided against spending the time on reading the ARC of Lovecraft Squad.  The blurb sounded like something I'd like - I mean really, I loved the Lovecraftian stuff of Cherie Priest SO MUCH - but the first few paragraphs were trying so hard at being "beautifully written" that it just miffed me, and I couldn't ever bring myself to pick it up.  That was the sign I needed to say "thanks but no thanks"... I hate doing that to the publishers after they graciously approve me for an ARC, but it's rare enough that I can accept it every now and then.

HERE'S MY LIST:

Remaining on list:
Blood Trade by Faith Hunter
Black Arts by Faith Hunter
Broken Soul by Faith Hunter
Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer
A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor

Started/In Progress:
Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire

Finished so far:
A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab (started in February, need to finish)
Death's Rival by Faith Hunter 
Thunderbird by Chuck Wendi
Final Girls by Mira Grant (ARC)

Didn't read/DNFed: 
The Lovecraft Squad: All Hallow's Horror by John Llewellyn Probert (ARC)

Review: Final Girls

Final Girls by Mira Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for providing a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

For those who don't know, Mira Grant is a pseudonym for the genius and brilliant Seanan McGuire who, over the past two years, has weaseled her way up to my top favorites list of authors. She's absolutely fantastic, and this shorty is just another shining example of how she can throw you into any situation and make you care about the characters and what's happening to them AND make you feel like the world she's creating is bigger than just the words on the page.

This one wasn't perfect by any means - the resolution seemed a little rushed, and the novella could have been another 20-30 pages long and felt more complete, but it was still a shiny little gem of a story.

Read it. :)

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March Reading Game Plan!

I'm hoping that March lets me knock off a LOT of books on my TBR.  Here's the list of planned reads!

A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab (started in February, need to finish)
The Lovecraft Squad: All Hallow's Horror by John Llewellyn Probert (ARC)
Thunderbird by Chuck Wendig
Death's Rival by Faith Hunter
Blood Trade by Faith Hunter
Black Arts by Faith Hunter
Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire
Final Girls by Mira Grant (ARC)
The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer
A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor

We shall see if I can get all these read. That's a really big goal!!!