TMST

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

10/19/2021 Do you prefer to read standalone stories, duologies, trilogies, series? 

OH, no preference at all! I love stand alones! Wohoo, jump in and be done.

Duologies, trilogies, the more the merrier. More meat on the bones.

Series, sure, why not, let's continue this adventure!

BUT! I do hate when it goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on, arghhhh, let it END! Some series that I loved I have frankly forgotten about and 5 years later I will not go back. Then there are those I still love, looking at you October Daye, I am just feeling done, but I still love, but I am feeling, let it end.

10/26/2021 What is your real-life superpower?

11/2/2021 Sci-Fi Stories: do you read them? Futuristic? Machine? Space Opera? Sci-Fi Romances?

11/9/2021 Do you use reading subscriptions (e.g., Kindle Unlimited, Scribd, etc)? Why/why not?

11/16/2021 Do authors/narrators actions, political beliefs, etc impact your view of their work?

11/23/2021vGratitude. What books/authors/narrators/bloggers are you most thankful for this year?

11/30/2021 Book cover love: Share some book covers that you loved in 2021

Carole's Monday: Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs

 

Author: Patricia Briggs

Narrator: Lorelei King

Title: Bone Crossed

(Mercy Thompson #4)

Genre: UF, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Format: Audiobook

Published:  February 3rd 2009

Where I got It: Borrowed from Library

Summary: 

By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan—and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relationship with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after.

It'll be her friends

Review:

The last book had me needing the next one right away. I started listening to it the moment I finished the review of the other one. 

Mercy has been through a lot the last few days. All she wants to do is return to normal-ish life. She wants to work on the cars and be with her new boy...the Alpha of the werewolf pack. However, the local Vamp Queen has learned that Mercy slew a member of her clan and now she wants Mercy's blood. Since Mercy is protected by the werewolf pack and mate to the Alpha...it won't just be Mercy's blood on the line. 

Not only does Mercy have to deal with the Vamp Queen here...she has to deal with an old college friend knocking on her door and asking for help AND Mercy is still trying to find her footing after a tragic event in the last book. She's got a lot on her plate AGAIN. Luckily she has the whole pack and her best vamp friend behind her.

Love how supportive Adam is. He is perfect for Mercy and it melts my cold heart how patient and kind he has been to Mercy after the events. He is not pushy. He knows she will need a LOT of time and LOTS of love to heal from what happened to her. Gah. Love him.

I'm glad Samuel is still around in a friend role. However....he needs to head home. I think that would be good for him and stop working at the hospital. He is falling apart. Gah poor guy. 

OoooOOOooo Stefan. I've been meh about him, but by the end of this, I was swooning just a hair. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone. I hope he finds comfort too. He's had a rough time here. Someone needs to stake that Queen Vamp. >_> 

This was a good one. You need to read the others before you get here. This felt like a lot of past stuff really created the issues here. 

OOOOH. I nearly forgot...we got to meet Mercy's mama for a hot min. I hope we get to see her soon. I would love even a short series featuring her mama and dad. Maybe her dad really isn't dead??? Wouldn't that be nice? Or we can find some of his people or fam? I want Mercy to learn more about what she is. She seemed to learn a bit in this one, but I feel there is a lot that she doesn't know. 

The narrator is fantastic as per normal. Not more to say. Fantastic for these characters and this world.  

Overall, this series and world are just getting better and better. I'll give this 5 stars. One of my favorites of the series so far. 

 

Challenge(s):
- #68 for Audiobook challenge

Audio: The Mars Strain by A.C.Anderson

Narrated by: Morgan Hallett

Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins

Release date: 04-27-21

Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.

Scifi thriller

To review

Could I have read this last year? No, a virus that kills everyone within hours, yikes! Too scary. But now, yes now it works. We are far enough into this pandemic for me to go into pandemic book territory.

A cube is brought back from Mars, I guess there was life on Mars after all. But then people start to die, horrible deaths. It is fast and it is ruthless, and as we know people are idiots and it spreads. Pandemic, The Mars strain.

First, the how and when of the cube was really interesting and I would have loved to learn more. So intriguing.

Thrillers are not something I read a lot, they have to speak to me. Ánd I am glad I gave this sci.fi a chance, though to be honest the tech med talk is not my biggest fav to be honest, but it still worked well. It was the fight against the clock. Either everyone dies, or they stop it. I was pulled in and the stakes kept getting higher.

As for the characters, we really could have done with a Juliet during covid, she is one smart woman.

I enjoyed it, it got really dark at one time and I wanted to know how it would turn out.

Good narrator, distinct voices and she kept up the thrilling pace of the story. This is one for audio. A thrilling ride that keeps you wondering.

We’ve colonized Mars, but we never should’ve come back.

When the first astronauts of the Mars Colony returned to Earth, they brought a mysterious, metal box they had found half-buried in the red dirt, called the Mars Cube. The scientists assigned to uncover its secrets tested it, scanned it, tried to blow it up, and everything in between. Then they accidentally opened it.

Biosafety level-4 laboratories, BSL4, hold the most deadly viruses on the Earth, and Juliet handled them daily. Her research at the CDC landed her a position on the Mars Cube Investigative Team in the world’s only BSL-5 lab. The only drawback: Her ex was one of the astronauts that brought back the Cube.

What was held inside the Cube shouldn’t have gotten out. It shouldn’t have ever been exposed to our planet because the Mars Strain is now loose and killing at a 100 percent mortality rate. Juliet is fighting for our very existence, Jake is working with the Mars Colonists to decipher the Cube’s holographic message for a clue, and someone wants to take over the Mars Program for themselves. They’re all watching the clock, and it's about to run out.

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

342 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2013

Series: The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy (#1)

Paranomal romantic fic

Own

I can't say I cared one way or another. Everything just happened so easily, talk about magic happened so easily. She got into her powers so easily. The big bad was not scary at all.

Iona comes to Ireland. Her cousins are awesome. She gets a job at once. She falls for a horse, she falls for a man.

Talking

Oh the big bad!

Kisses

The end

I guess when they finally defeat the big bad it will happen easily.

I would have liked to learn more about their ancestor instead, she sounded cool.

Meh

With indifferent parents, Iona Sheehan grew up craving devotion and acceptance. From her maternal grandmother, she learned where to find both: a land of lush forests, dazzling lakes, and centuries-old legends.

Ireland. County Mayo, to be exact. Where her ancestors’ blood and magic have flowed through generations—and where her destiny awaits. Iona arrives in Ireland with nothing but her Nan’s directions, an unfailingly optimistic attitude, and an innate talent with horses. Not far from the luxurious castle where she is spending a week, she finds her cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer. And since family is family, they invite her into their home and their lives.

When Iona lands a job at the local stables, she meets the owner, Boyle McGrath. Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horsemen, he’s three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all in one big, bold package.

Iona realizes that here she can make a home for herself—and live her life as she wants, even if that means falling head over heels for Boyle. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Iona’s family tree and must be defeated. Family and friends will fight with each other and for each other to keep the promise of hope—and love—alive…