TBR pile Challenge 2022 wrap up post

 Hello to all!

      I wish you all the best for 2023 and i sure hope to do better than i did this year. Oh i've read more than 100 books but with the stress of the actual situation and the rest, the blog sure was put aside  a bit ....i guess it means i can only improve and i will try.

However before thinking of 2023 let see how i did the TBR pile challenge for 2022.

I'm happy to say i've completed it....i've read 12 books: 11 from my main pile and 1 of the alternate. Why? because my 12th book was somewhat misplaced and i could not find it ( suspect is brother who may be reading it in secret) so i had to take an alternate to complete the challenge. I'm really proud to have managed to finish it and i will join next year with pleasure

My list for this challenge :

1. Vendetta (2015) by Gail Z Martin

2. Chase the Dark ( 2014) by Annette Marie

3. Bind the Soul ( 2015) by Annette Marie

4. After Dark  ( 2000) by Jayne Castle

5.A Ghost of a Chance  ( 2019) by debbie Cassidy

6. The Rookie ( 2020)  by Kimberly Kincaid

7. Magic for Nothing  ( 2017) by Seanan McGuire

8. Elemental Mating ( A.L.F.A. 1) ( 2017)  by Milly Taiden 

9. Demon Slayer t6 ( 2017)  by Koyoharu Gotouge

10. Lake Silence ( 2018)  by Anne Bishop

11. Wild Country ( 2019)  by Anne Bishop

12. Demon Slayer t7 ( 2017) by Koyoharu Gotouge

alternates:

1:Mercenary instinct  ( 2014) by Ruby Liondrake

2: Mating Needs  ( 2017) by Milly Taiden 

I think my favourite was Silver Lake but i enjoyed all the book so a bit hard to pick only one favourite.

How was your 2022 reading year? Any Goal for 2023?

Happy New Year ( with a few hours of advance)

Review Like Silence ( the others 6, World of the Others1) by Anne Bishop

 Hello to all, 

There are some books or series that make such a strong impression on you that  you hesitate to try the spin off or sequels.... i absolutely loved "The Others" series by Anne Bishop ( i have it in Hardback and paperback^^ , french version and english ones) i even reread it several times  which is not sometimes i do that often or so soon after a first read....

When Lake Silence release part of me was happy to have more of a universe i came to enjoy a lot but i feared i would be disappointed because it was not the usual cast of characters i've come to love so i did get the paperback but somehow i did not dare reading it yet....time flow and it was still on my tbr pile when  a friend send me a copy...-now that's something i absolutely don't mind when i have a favourite book having two copy can be great especially if book get borrowed or read too often - but i realized it was time i gave it a try  and now i just regret having waited so long!

Publisher: Ace Books 

Publication: 2019

ISBN:  0399587268

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

In this thrilling and suspenseful fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her shape-shifting lodger find themselves enmeshed in danger and dark secrets.

Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others--vampires, shape-shifters, and even deadlier paranormal beings. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget....

After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled. Towns such as Vicki's don't have any distance from the Others, the dominant predators who rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world. And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what is out there watching you.

Vicki was hoping to find a new career and a new life. But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe--one of the shape-shifting Others--discovers a murdered man, Vicki finds trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim. As Vicki and her friends search for answers, ancient forces are roused by the disturbance in their domain. They have rules that must not be broken--and all the destructive powers of nature at their command. 

  

I waited to read this one because i loved the main series so much that i was afraid to be disappointed but that fear was stupid....The author manage to get us back in the universe with sometimes a link to the main group but ,while we are in a completely new village we know some of the characters like Ilya and Natasha if we read the main series. If we are starting the universe with this book perhaps it could be a little confusing at first but soon we are so engrossed into the story that nothing else matter.

I loved Vicki , she is respectful of the others even before meeting some and while she has strong panic attacks due to her past she still try to protect others and it was admirable. I totally love Julian the bookstore owner....he also had a very difficult past as an Inuit but still stay a protector he does not look for revenge and he can be so tender with Vicki.
Grimshaw is an excellent police officer but he is independant and that does not work in his favor....except when he suddenly posted at Sproing ....meeting back with Julian who he worked with at the academy gives him his first ally but soon his need to protect show him how to work to others because he also wants to protect them even if he does not realise it at first. He is really open minded and a good human alpha.

Both Vicki and grimshaw ( even if he had some experience it was not that intensive) are quite new to the wild country, they are learning the rules and what is expected of them ..when a group comes to try to change the rules set by the Elders and put Vicki in danger it's the whole city that could be paying the price so Grimshaw is determined to pretect the village now under his responsability and Vicki who slowly built an important place in the community as a links to the others.

Full of tension, suspense sometimes gruesome scenes ( others know how to make a mess) this is an excellent urban fantasy story that could be read as stand alone ( but you just want more believe me)

I would love to read more about them so knowing book 3 will be about Sproing again makes me quite impatient.

Review of Vendetta ( Dealdly curiosities 2) by Gail Z Martin

 hi,

somehow while i absolutely love this series  i missed reading book two which stayed on my shelves and book 3........that had to be corrected so i put this on my TBR pile challenge and i'm so happy i did ! Really i loved this second instalment and now i just want more so i definitively will try to read book 3 and the shorts stories i have

Publisher: Solaris

Publication: 2015

ISBN:  1781084033

Genre: urban fantasy, supernatural, ghosts, magic, lgtb ( light)
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Description from goodreads :

The engaging follow up to the urban fantasy series set in Charleston, South Carolina.

BLOOD FEUD

Someone very powerful is trying to destroy Sorren and everyone he cares about. That puts Cassidy, Teag and Trifles and Folly in the cross-hairs, against an unknown enemy with strong magic and significant resources.

Sorren has spent centuries shutting down the plans of powerful immortals, dark warlocks and supernatural creatures, and now he’s got to figure out which of those many enemies is out to get him before they pick off his friends one by one and come after him to finish an immortal vendetta.

My review:

Oh Whoahhhhh that was quite a ride! I love this universe so i was determined to read what i had missed even if honestly this work as a great stand alone but you get so addicted to each character that you want to read more about them
anyway it was high time i read book 2 and i enjoyed every second of it even if tissues were needed at some point, this is wonderfully written to keep you on edge and you don't want to miss any element or information so i was glued to my book not wanting to let go for anything.

Cassidy and Teag are confronted to surpernatural bad creatures that's not something new to them ( even if they are still beginners) but this time the threat is above their leage and they need lot of help between people disappearing, unrest ghosts ( not one or two the whole of them), attack of demon, bombs.... they don't know where to give priority and it seems very personnal when other places owned by Sorren get destroyed or attacked everywhere in the world.

I loved how Cassidy did not give up and how she could understand Sorren, Teag was fabulous and i loved to see how Anthony was willing to do his best because of his love for him....really it was simply perfect mix of emotions, suspense, high tension and actions.... i just wan more

a series not to be missed if you love urban fantasy, wampire and magic with a good dosis of history and don't mind some m/m romance but it's secondary to the main story and not the focus and not graphic at all

New release Code Name : Virgo ( Zodiac Tactical 2) by Janie Crouch

 Hello to all, 

        today i'm sharing with you my opinion on a new release in a series ( and universe) i really enjoy the Zodiac tactical series and book 2 code name :Virgo

Publisher: Janie Crouch

Publication: 2022

Genre: romantic suspense, military romance

Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+

source: earc

Description from goodreads :

  My code name is Virgo. The stars say I’m practical, honest, stubborn as hell.

Guilty as charged.

Zodiac Tactical is the company that gave me a second chance. We guard, protect, rescue...eliminate the threat when nobody else can. And as a former SEAL, I’m good at those things. Good with weapons, good with missions.

But with people...not so good.

So when a gruesome enemy takes Bronwyn Rourke, one of Zodiac’s newest young recruits—with blue eyes that take up nearly her whole damn face—I shouldn’t take it personally. Shouldn’t allow her to consume my every thought and become my only mission.

They took her because they thought she was alone. Easy prey. That no one would fight for her.

They were wrong.

My code name is Virgo. And I will grind my enemy to dust to bring her home.

•••
USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Janie Crouch brings you that story you've been looking for to escape everyday reality—romantic suspense that will leave you breathless. She needs a hero. He'll have to remember how to be one. Dive in today! (less)

My review:

I really loved to see the relationship between the two leads and how Sarge was attentive to Bronwyn and what she went through no rushing it and trying to find the best solution for her ( oh the ranch i would love to read more about it)

The only thing i really hated was Wilson.....man he is against Zodiac for he means they employ but he is willing to torture a civilian, a victim to get what he wants? yes save people but that's what zodiac do while taking care of people so Wilson in my eyes is a bad guy i would like to see suffer and we will see what he would like to be done to be saved....grr..

really a great series to follow and i love the interaction and links with the other series it makes a formidable univers to discover with excellent world building

2022: The return

 Hello to all.....

                     I admid the covid world situation had me a bit depressed and that made me put the blog on break to avoid more pressure ....but i did not stop reading even if my TBR pile did not get lighter at all so i decided to start 2022 with some challenge but light pressure one.

First one the 2022 TBR pile challenge hosted by RoofBeamReader.com , i participated some year ago so it's a good one to get back on track.

My list for this challenge :

1. Vendetta (2015) by Gail Z Martin

2. Chase the Dark ( 2014) by Annette Marie

3. Bind the Soul ( 2015) by Annette Marie

4. After Dark  ( 2000) by Jayne Castle

5.A Ghost of a Chance  ( 2019) by debbie Cassidy

6. The Rookie ( 2020)  by Kimberly Kincaid

7. Magic for Nothing  ( 2017) by Seanan McGuire

8. Elemental Mating ( A.L.F.A. 1) ( 2017)  by Milly Taiden 

9. Demon Slayer t6 ( 2017)  by Koyoharu Gotouge

10. Lake Silence ( 2018)  by Anne Bishop

11. Wild Country ( 2019)  by Anne Bishop

12. Demon Slayer t7 ( 2017) by Koyoharu Gotouge

alternates:

1:Mercenary instinct  ( 2014) by Ruby Liondrake

2: Mating Needs  ( 2017) by Milly Taiden 

Are you participating in any challenge?