January 2017

New year, hope it's better than the last year. Can't believe they didn't delete this blog, seeing as it's been over 2 years since my last post. Wow.

Hmmm ok reading goals for January -

Finish the City Shifters series by Layla Nash. I just read the first two, and they were really good.

Read a few if the Immortal Ops series by Mandy Roth. I finally just read the first book, and I really liked it, AND it has stayed with me and I want to read the next one ASAP!

Listen to Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost, and finish the Cat and Bones series in the next month or two.

Read all the Bitten Point books by Eve Langlais.

Some 2017 goals -

Finish the series!

Offspring by Jaime Rush
Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward
Celta's Heartmates by Robin Owens
Demonica by Larissa Ione
Lords of the Underworld by Gena Showalter
Jack Reacher by Lee Child
Skolia by Catherine Asaro
Iron Druid by Kevin Hearne

Those are just a few of the many series I have started but not finished.

Fall 2014

Wow so it's been 6 months since I made a post. I guess it would be ridiculous to make lists of every single book I've read since then. I'll just make a few notations.

I finally figured out that in order for me to get ahead and finish some of the many series I am into, I need to pick a series, and read through to the end, instead of jumping around. So I've finished the Roxanne St. Claire Bulletcatchers series, the Charley Davidson series, now I am almost done with Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunters. Next to finish is the Cat and Bones series by J Frost, and for RS, the T-Flac series by Cherry Adair. I'd better not plan too far ahead of that.

As for ereaders, well you know they come and go. I just sold off three devices. For myself, I am left with Kobo Mini (x2), Kobo Glo (x2), Kobo Aura, and Kobo Aura HD. I also have my Nexus 7 and my 2012 Fire HD running n2aOS Kitkat. In two weeks I will receive a Fire 6, which I can't wait to try reading on. If I hate it, it goes straight to the girls. If I love it, I'll keep it and get another for the girls. I am intrigued by the screen size and resolution.

Over the summer I opened up the Kobo Mini's and Kobo Glo's and swapped out their internal cards. The Mini's had 4gb cards in them, despite only using 2 gb. They have been extended to use the full card. The Glo's got bigger cards, 1 has a 16gb internal card, I think the other has 32 gb. I just love them, they are better than the Aura, which I toy with selling. The Aura HD has the best screen, it's just so large. I prefer a smaller device, which is why I am excited about the Fire 6.

5 star books read in April

Going Dark (Silo 1) by Ann Christy
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
Deep Dark (Silo 2) by Ann Christy
Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

5 star books read in May

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
Fear For Me by Cynthia Eden
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Dark Til Dawn (Silo 3) by Ann Christy
Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead
Karma of the Silo by Patrice Fitzgerald
Edge of Fear by Cherry Adair

5 star books read in June

Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James
Silo Submerged by WJ Davies
With this Kiss by Eloisa James
Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
A Night Like This by Julia Quinn
The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn
Three Weeks With Lady X by Eloisa James
Primal Bonds by Jennifer Ashley
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones

5 star books read in July

Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones
The Stand by Stephen King
Sixth Grave on the Edge by Darynda Jones
A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

5 star books read in August

Swan Song by Robert McCammon
The Cobra Event by Richard Preston
Talk Sweetly To Me by Courtney Milan
Unleash the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
EMP by Wilson Harp
Then You Hide by Roxanne St Claire
Dark Side of the Moon by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Die For Me by Karen Rose
Now You Die by Roxanne St. Claire
Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Upon the Midnight Clear by Sherrilyn Kenyon

5 star books read in September

Scream for Me by Karen Rose
Dream Chaser by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Kill for Me by Karen Rose
One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Dream Warrior by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Critical Dawn by Colin Barnes
Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Hunt Her Down by Roxanne St. Claire
Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon
No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Guardian by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My Lady Quicksilver by Bec McMaster

This is the last day of September, so although I am listening to and reading 3 books, the one I am certain to finish is definitely not 5 stars. So I'll end this here.

March 2014

Books I've Read March 2013

1. Wolf With Benefits (Pride 08) by Shelly Laurenston. PNR. 5 stars.
2. Royce (Hunter series 01) by Kathi S, Barton. CR. 3 stars.
3. My Lord Mayhem by Lynn Viehl. Very short HPNR. 3 stars.
4. Coyote Whispers (Coyote Hunger 03) by Rhian Cahill, ER-PNR. 3 stars.
5. To Burn by Claudia Dain. HR. 4 stars.
6. Seth (Cyborgs 05) by Eve Langlais. SFR. 5 stars.
7. By the Light of the Moon (Assassin/Shifters 03) by Sandrine Gasq-Dion. KLL. MM-PNR. 2.5 stars.
8. Maverick (Elite Ops 02) by Lora Leigh. ER-RS. 5 stars.
9. Alliance (Paradise Reclaimed 03) by Aubrie Dionne. SFR. 4 stars.
10. Harry's Sacrifice (Resonance Mates 05) by Bianca D'arc. ER-SFR. 4 stars.
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (HP 04) by J.K. Rowling. Audio. 5 stars.
12. Traveler's Kiss (Horde Wars 06) by Sherri L. King. ER-PNR. 5 stars.
13. Dual Abduction (Alien Abduction 03) by Eve Langlais. SFR.
14. Heat Seeker (Elite Ops 03) by Lora Leigh. ER-RS.

So, got myself a birthday present, a Kobo Aura HD (black) for a really amazing price by somebody selling one on Amazon. I LOVE IT! I also stalked Amazon and Ebay until I found a backup Mini (black) and a backup Glo (white), so I have 2 Mini's, 2 Glo's, and the Aura HD. Doubt if I'll ever find another so cheap, but if I do, might have to get a backup for that, too! Would love to have an Aura, but never see them lower. Yes, KOBO readers are the best! Sold my Kindle Touch, it was very nice, but doesn't match what the Kobo can do.

I still like reading on my tablets, but the Aura HD is really the winner. It is SO nice to read on. I don't take it out of the house, which is where the Mini and the Glo come in. Son #1 uses my black Glo, hence my need for another.  Mini is discontinued, from what I can tell, hence my desire for a backup. I split up my genre libraries, so the black Kobo's have PNR/UF/SF, and the white ones have ER/CR/HR. The Aura HD has some from all.

Still have the Fire HD for those free Kindle books....not that I am wild about them. I was giving the Assassin/Shifter series a try, but after book 3, I am DONE. It was really, really bad. Not sure why I even gave it 2.5 stars. Whether I will even read a KLL book next month is debatable.

February 2013

So, I got a good price on a like new Kindle Fire HD tablet, the 2013 model. I love it! I thought of giving it to my MIL, but I want to keep it for those Kindle Lending Library books. And those pesky Kindle Tablet Edition games that won't work anywhere else. I love the size and I actually enjoy reading on it!

So then I decided I would replace DD8's 8gb Nook HD with a 16gb. Found a good price on Amazon for a like new one (with 2 cases) and bought it. Seller says the rom was replaced on the internal and is running the latest version of Android (4.2.2) which is fine. I think DD8 will be quite happy. Same hardware, bigger storage, complete android access. So I will offer MIL the 8gb Nook HD, which will be fine for her needs, and I can load it up with books and music for her on the SD card.

February Books I've Read:

1. A Touch of Midnight (Midnight Breeds .50) by Lara Adrian. PNR. 4 stars.
2. Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner. UF. 4 stars.
3. The Titan's Curse (Percy 03) by Rick Riordan. YA Audio. 5 stars.
4. To Burn by Claudia Dane. HR.
5. A Marked Man (Assassin/Shifer 01) by Sandrine Gasq-Dion. MM-PNR. (KLL part 1) 3 stars.
6. Alaska, With Love (Assassin/Shifer 02) by Sandrine Gasq-Dion. MM-PNR. (KLL part 2) 4 stars.
7. Beyond Varallan (Stardoc 02) by S.L. Viehl. SF. (If I finish it....) DNF
8. The Wolf, the Witch, and her Lack of Wardrobe (Long Island Coven 02) by Shelly Laurenston. PNR 5 stars.
9. My Kind of Town (Long Island Coven 01) by Shelly Laurenston.PNR. 5 stars.
10. Like a Wolf with a Bone (Pride .50) by Shelley Laurenston. PNR. 4 stars.
11. A Tale of Two Dragons (Dragon Kin 0.2) by G.A. Aiken. PNR. 4 stars.
12. How to Drive a Dragon Crazy (Dragon Kin 06) by G.A. Aiken. PNR 5 stars.
13. Running Wild (Northern Shifters 04) by Joely Skye. MM-PNR. 4 stars.
14. Bear Meets Girl (Pride 07) by Shelly Laurenston. PNR. 5 stars.

January 2014 Books

Ok so I lied. I did get another e-ink Kindle. I got a Kindle Touch 3G no ads for a really good price. Of course had to get a skin and a case, and jailbreak it and add all my preferred customizations. Love it! Works with my m-edge light. Might give it to MIL, though I think she will prefer a tablet. That's fine. I'll keep it.

Books I read in January:

1. Killer Secrets (Tempting Seals 05) by Lora Leigh. RS. 5 stars.
2. Atlanta Heat (Tempting Seals 06) by Lora Leigh. Short. 4 stars.
3. Queen of All She Surveys (Demon World) by Emma Holly. 4 stars.
4. A Christmas Kiss (Breeds short) by Lora Leigh. ER. 4 stars.
5. In A Wolf's Embrace (Breeds short) by Lora Leigh. ER. 5 stars.
6. Reason to Believe (Bulletcatchers 3.5) by Roxanne St. Claire. Short. 3.5 stars.
7. The Sea of Monsters (Percy 02) by Rick Riordan. YA Audio. 5 stars.
8. Wild Card (Elite Ops 01) by Lora Leigh. RS. 5 stars.
9. Jonathan and Lori (Hunters 04) by Shiloh Walker. ER-PNR. 4 stars.
10. The Perfect Gift (Highland Pleasures 4.5) by Jennifer Ashley. HR. 4 stars.
11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. YA Audio. 5 stars.
12. The Countess Conspiracy (Brothers Sinister 03) by Courtney Milan. HR. 5 stars.
13. Magic Bites (Kate Daniels 01) by Ilona Andrews. UF Audio. 4 stars.
14. A Real Man by Kaitlyn O'Connor. ER. Very Short. 3 stars.
15. Pursued (brides of the Kindred 06) by Evangeline Anderson. ER-SFR. 5 stars.
16. Upon a Winter's Night (MacKinnon's Rangers 3.5) by Pamela Clare. HR. 5 stars.
17. Damien (Nightwalkers 04) by Jacquelyn Frank. PNR. 4 stars.
18. The Grimoire of the Lamb by Kevin Hearne. UF short. 4 stars.
19. The White Dragon by Anne McCaffrey. SF Audio. 5 stars.
20. The Seduction of Elliot McBride (Highland Pleasures 05) by Jennifer Ashley. HR. 4 stars.
21. Two's a Couple, Three's the Law by Eve Langlais. ER. 3 stars.
22. Darkening Around Me by Barbara Hancock. CR. 5 stars.
23. Soul Ties by Lisa Swallow. KLL. YA. 1 star.
24. At Grave's End (Night Huntress 03) by Jeaniene Frost. UF. 5 stars.

December 2013 ereaders and tablets

It's December, and time for a new post.

Before I list the books of the month, I'll talk about my favorite subject, ereaders and tablets.

I currently have 3 e-ink readers: (Update, see below)

1. Kobo Mini - great for on the go
2. Kobo Glo - great for on the go, especially at night!
3. Kindle Paperwhite 2 - it was acceptable, until they ruined it with the cloud collections update. At least I've got it JB+custom sleep screen. Now waiting for margin and font hacks to be user friendly. Not sure if the hackers will be able to disable the cloud collection bullshit. So as of now, I have no collections on the PW2.

Favorite e-ink reader: if I could only have one, it would be the Kobo Glo. It is small, light, has an SD card slot to hold thousands of documents, and has the auto-sleep/wake feature.

And I now have three tablets:

1. Kindle Fire HD (2012) 16gb, rooted with n2a. Got it back from DD when she appropriated the Nook HD+. I mainly use for news and web. My kids are allowed to use it, too.
2. Nook HD (8gb) got for reading, with the 32gb card it's a 40gb reader! Love it!
3. Nexus 7.2 (2013) 16gb. Just got this for my birthday (a little early, but it was a deal). Wow! Best Tablet Ever! I absolutely love it. It is slimmer, thinner, and lighter than my Nook HD and has higher resolution. The case I ordered should be here today.

It's hard to compare the Nook HD and the Nexus 7.2 for reading, because I have an anti-glare screen protector on the Nook that I don't want to remove. So I can't really state with certainty if the text is sharper on the higher res Nexus. But the Nexus is absolutely superb for reading. So great, in fact, that I think I am DONE with e-ink readers. I'll keep the ones I have, but don't plan to buy any more...unless one of the good companies (preferably Kobo) makes a lighted 5" e-ink reader.

Favorite tablet: Nexus 7.2. I love how slim, thin and light it is. I love how all the apps I use on my Nook HD automatically downloaded when I clicked a button. (Don't ask me how the Right ones got loaded, and not the hundreds of "hidden object" apps that my DD has on the Nook HD+). It was like magic! Set up in moments.

I did have to buy the Pro version of Moon+ reader, as the ad behavior on the Nexus was far more annoying and intrusive than on the Nook. But that app is well worth $5. I put it on the Nook, too.

Combined with the Calibre Companion app, I have now realized that a high quality tablet simply can't be beat as an ebook reader. For the best, it's the Nexus 7.2. For the budget conscious, it's the Nook HD. The features and performance of these tablets beat the e-ink readers into the ground.

The only advantage to the e-ink reader is longer battery life, smaller size and weight. I can read the Nook HD just fine outside in the sun. (Haven't tried the Nexus yet).

UPDATE-Returned the PW2 for a full refund. No more e-ink Kindles.

Books read in December

1. Take Me Tonight (Bullet Catchers #3) by Roxanne St. Claire. RS. 4 stars. Excellent
2. Byron and Kit (Hunters #3) by Shiloh Walker. Erotic PNR. 3 stars. It was fine.
3. Revealed (Brides of the Kindred #5) by Evangeline Anderson. Erotic SFR. 4 stars. Really good!
4. Prey by Linda Howard. AUDIO book. RS. 5 stars, in part b/c I loved the narrator.
5. A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious by Mary Wine. Steampunk. 4 stars. Excellent
6. Dichotomy by Aubrey Ross. Erotica short story. 4 stars. Very good.
7. Mr. Smith's Whip by Brynn Paulin. Erotica. 3 stars. good.
8. Ill Wind (Weather Warden #1) by Rachel Caine. UF. 5 stars. Wow!
9. The Dragon Healer by Bianca D'arc. EPNR. 3 stars. Better than I expected.
10. Freedom's Landing by Anne McCaffrey. SF. AUDIO. 3 stars. It was all right.
11. Bayon/Jean-Baptiste by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright (Bayou Heat #3/4) PNR. 4 stars.
12. Hidden Agendas (Tempting Seals #4) by Lora Leigh. E-RS. 4 stars. Better than the last one.
13. Talon/Xavier by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright (Bayou Heat #5/6) PNR. 4 stars.
14. Plague Town by Dana Fredsti. Zombies. 5 stars. Really good!
15. Demon's Fire by Emma Holly (Demon World #6) PNR. Loved it!!! 5 stars.
16. The Burning (Companion #3) by Susan Squires. HPNR. Pretty good, except for the torture. 4 stars.
17. Force of Nature (Troubleshooters #11) by Suzanne Brockmann. AUDIO. RS. I love how she writes. But this was not a "troubleshooters" story. I enjoyed it. I will be skipping #12 as it sounds like there is no suspense.
18. Killer Secrets (Tempting Seals #5) by Lora Leigh. E-RS.
19. The Prince of Frogs by Annaliese Evans. HPNR. DNF. Deadly dull!

November 2013 Books

November thoughts

My current favorite ereader is…..my nook HD 7” tablet!

I feel odd even saying that! But it’s true!

PROS

• 40 gb storage….I've had computers with less than that! I think I could put a million books on that! (8gb internal + 32gb card)
• High resolution screen. Crisp black text. Can read even in direct sunlight! (Glare reducing screen protector is applied)
• Multiple reading apps to choose from. As of today my favorite is Moon+. It’s super customizable, you can have it show time left in chapter and book at a glance, AND it uses my favorite sideloaded font!
• With the Calibre Companion app, I have total control over library management, in conjunction with Calibre on my desktop! The combination is more than I ever dreamed of!
  
  

CONS

• It is much heavier than my e-ink readers
• Battery doesn't last as long as my e-ink readers

It is absolutely a PERFECT reading device! Every time my thoughts stray to the Kobo Aura, I have to remind myself that I don't need it, and the Nook HD was $50 cheaper! If I have to charge it more, so what! Between the Nook, the Kobo Glo, and the Kobo Mini, I am covered!

I gave away the Pyrus Trekstor Mini....talk about bad battery life *shudder* It was fun to play with, though. I loved the size of the screen. But that's about all I loved!

Books read in November 2013

1. Aramus by Eve Langlais (Cyborgs More than Machines #4). SF erotica. Fantastic and funny! I loved it! 5 stars.
2. His Lordship Possessed by Lynn Viehl (Disenchanted part 2). Steampunk paranormal. The second half of the book. I liked it pretty much. Still ticked that it was sold in two parts. 4 stars.
3. Captive Heart by Mina Carter. Futuristic. It was pretty good, though a little more editing would have improved it. 3.5 stars.
4. Confession (Cattle Valley #25) by Lynn Viehl. MM. Really good episode in the soap. 4 stars.
5. Shadow Soldier (Cattle Valley #26) by Lynn Viehl. MM. Loved it. 4 stars.
6. PARASITE by Mira Grant (Parasitology #1) IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. I want book 2 NOW! 5 stars.
7. Coyote Run (Coyote Hunger #0) by Rhian Cahill. PNR erotica. 26 pages. 3 stars.
8. Coyote Home (Coyote Hunger #1) by Rhian Cahill. PNR ER. Average shape shifter erotica. 3 stars.
9. Lunar Heat by Susan Kearney (Heat #1) formerly title Island Heat. SFR. 4 stars. Loved it.
10. Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh (Tempting Seals #2). Erotica. 3 stars. Nothing great.
11. Reckless by Anne Stuart (House of Rohan #2) Historical. 4 stars, but no hurry to read the next.
12. Amaryllis by Jayne Castle (St. Helen's #1) SFR. 4 stars. Really good!
13. Wild Within by Mira. (Bonded Fantasy #1) PNR. 5 stars/ At first I thought I wouldn't like it, but loved it!
14. Coyote Wild by Rhian Cahill (Coyote Hunger #2) erotica. 3 stars/
15. Cherish by Anne Stuart. HR. 5 stars. Loved it!
16. Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger #1) Zombie. 5 stars. Wow it was really good!