Series I’ve started and LOVED but I’m yet to finish!

Series I’ve started and LOVED but I’m yet to finish!

Do you have a series that is an absolute must read? you open it as soon as it is delivered and then anxiously anticipate the sequel only to receive it and sit it off to the side or {sigh} not even buy the book even though it is one you reeeeallllly want to read. This is me! I start a series, read the first one, two or maybe three books only to not continue for some reason or another, whether it is from lack of motivation, interest or time? I am also a HUGE fan of romance in a series but the initial slow to burn is what pulls me in, once the relationship is established the wow factor seems to diminish for me and if the storyline isn’t advancing I tend to give up or put it off to the side.

My goal for 2015 is to catch up on these series.

These are a few of the series I have loved but need to continue:

1/ Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews –I am not too far behind in this series thank goodness, I have always loved the relationship between all of the characters in these books; the romance between Kate and Curran is wonderful; Kate is one tough cookie. I am always left excited at the end of these books and can’t help but hope for a HEA for all of the characters.

-          Magic Bites (2007)

-          Magic Burns (2008)

-          Magic Strikes (2009)

-          Magic Bleeds (2010)

-          Magic Slays (2011)

-          Magic Rises (2013)

-          Magic Breaks (2014)

2/ Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs –This is the series that started my love of all things Urban Fantasy but of late it hasn’t really held my attention and has seemed repetitive. I really want to get back into the Mercy world.

-          Moon Called (2006)

-          Blood Bound (2007)

-          Iron Kissed (2008)

-          Bone Crossed (2009)

-          Silver Borne (2010)

-          River Marked (2011)

-          Frost Burned (2013)

-          Night Broken (2014)

3/ Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill  - I am only up to book 5 in this series.  I was really irked by a certain incident in Hard Bitten, I’m sure anyone who has read this series would know what I am talking about, it’s not a plot device I like used at all but I’m still keen to get back into this series to see the outcome.

-          Some Girls Bite (2009)

-          Friday Night Bites (2009)

-          Twice Bitten (2010)

-          Hard Bitten (2011)

-          Drink Deep (2011)

-          Biting Cold (2012)

-          House Rules (2013)

-          Biting Bad (2013)

-          Wild Things (2014)

-          Blood Games (2014)

-          Dark Debt (2015)

4/ The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer  – I loved the first book but as soon as I found out the sequel and subsequent books didn’t follow Cinder, the MC we were first introduced to I lost interest for some reason. I do hope to start this up again in the New Year as the reviews I have seen are all full of praise.

-          Cinder (2012)

-          Scarlet (2013)

-          Cress (2014)

-          Winter (2015)

  

5/ On Dublin Street by Samantha Young – I actually have most of these books so it’s more a case of too many books and not enough reading time. I have loved everything I have read by Samantha Young, I especially love her YA series so I really hope to enjoy these books just as much.

-          On Dublin Street (2012)

-          Down London Road (2013)

-          Before Jamaica Lane (2013)

-          Fall From India Place (2014)

-          Echoes of Scotland Street  (2014)

-          Moonlight on Nightingale Road (2015)

  

6/ Across the Universe by Beth Revis – This is one of the best YA Sci-fi series that I have read but for some reason I still need to grab a copy of Shades of Earth, the last book in the series. A few blogging friends either DNF this book or rated it quite low so it did dampen my enthusiasm.

-          Across the Universe (2011)

-          A Million Suns (2012)

-          Shades of Earth (2013)

7/ Fever by Karen Marie Moning – The Fever series is my all-time favourite! I was so excited to learn KMM had started a spin-off series but a tad underwhelmed to find out the MC was Dani O’Malley, I wasn’t her greatest fan. I am a little relieved I haven’t started this because Burned, the sequel to Iced has been delayed for what seems like forever and KMM’s books always seem to end on a cliff-hanger so it may be a good thing I have procrastinated in reading these books.

-          Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever, Dreamfever, Shadowfever (2011)

-          Iced (2012)

-          Burned (2015)

Do you have any series you have loved but are yet to finish?

Nb. Not all books from the series are shown in the series.

REVIEW: Cinder (Luna Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

 

Author: Marissa Meyer

Pages: 390

Series: Lunar Chronicles

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Amazon: Cinder

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

REVIEW: 4 out of 5 stars

Cinder is book 1 in the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer and was one of my most anticipated reads for 2012 and after having such a great run with the YA genre already this year I am so pleased that it didn’t fail to disappoint.

Linh Cinder is a Mechanic living in the Eastern Commonwealth capital of New Beijing. She is part human part Cyborg and was adopted as a young girl remembering nothing of her past.

Cinder has a stifling family life ruled by her cruel step-mother Adri, her only saving grace is her sweet sister Peony and her Android best friend Iko. But when Peony contracts the deadly plague outbreak ravaging earth known as Letumosis, her life is turned upside down.

Cinders life begins to change when it becomes intertwined with Prince Kaito, she is tasked with repairing his android and along the way begins to have feelings for the Prince.

Prince Kai is about to have his congregation to become Emperor since losing his father to Letumosis, but taking on the role as leader is the least of his problems; he is also fighting against the threat of war against Queen Levana and the Lunar empire as well as trying to avoid an alliance of marriage to her.

I loved Cinder as a main character, she was determined despite the life she was having to live; not only was she an embarrassment to her family and being blamed for her sisters illness but she had no answers to her past, I am curious to see how everything pans out for her in the sequel as she learns of who she was and is; I really wanted her to gain her freedom and independence. Prince Kai was a bit weak for my liking, he was quite relaxed for a person in his position but I am hoping with what he has to face with war looming he strengthens as a character; I also wish there was a tad more romance.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms Meyer’s take on the classic Cinderella fairytale which has always been one of my favorites, I was mesmerized by the incredible world building; it was fascinating, unique and thoroughly entertaining. Each of the main characters were developed well and we get quite the glimpse into each of the secondary characters.

Cinder grabbed me from the beginning and held my attention. It was clever, creative and original and I loved Ms Meyer’s writing style. Parts of the story were quite easy to predict but it never took away from the enjoyment of the actual story.

All in all, Cinder was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I am quite anxious to read the sequel Scarlet which has a 2013 anticipated release date.