2-3-4 Challenge discussion

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
5. Overall summary of your reading month?

My apologies! Knew I’d forgotten something.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
No

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Yes, I read the first book of Tokyo Ghost. I plan on reading the second (and last) book in March.

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
No, I read mostly solo novels in February.

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
Oh my goodness, I read so many good books. My favorite was Inside Out & Back Again

5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I read a total of 7 books in February, to 5 of which I gave 4 or 5 stars. I didn't make much progress on my series, but overall it was a great month.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I got up-to-date on Brynn Kelly's Legionnaires series. I hope she writes more books in this series.

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Yes, I started Nora Roberts Inn at Boonsboro series and Allison Brennan's FBI series. I plan to continue both series.

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
I moved forward in 4 series:
Gilded Newport by Alyssa Maxwell
In Death series by Nora Roberts
Victorian Rebels by Kerrigan Byrne
Legionnaires series by Brynn Kelly

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
I didn't have any 5-star books, but I rated three of them with 4.5 stars:


5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I finished nine books and didn't even read while I was on vacation. I'm happy with that.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I got up to date in 1 series - The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.


2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
I started reading the You series by Caroline Kepnes and the FBI Trilogy by Allison Brennan.


3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
Nope

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
I gave 5 stars to Sudden Death by Allison Brennan and You by Caroline Kepnes. They were both great mystery/suspense reads.

5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I'm happy with the 4 books I read. They were all over 300 pages so it moved my page count up nicely.

Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Completed 4

Got current in one
2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?2 will continue both. They are great!


3. Did you move forward in any series? How many? 1


4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
great erotic thriller
Homeless heroine
One of the best duets I’ve ever read. 2nd book begins where first left off and it doesn’t miss a beat. I think I will be re-reading these many times.
quirky awkward heroine gets the hottie. I am a sucker for those
my favorite author right now. Everything goes with her books. I am on board with that.
one of my favorites this year
5. Overall summary of your reading month?
17 books some great binges. New author Brynne Asher has Kristen Ashley feel.

Laura how great is it to complete 4 series?! My first book by Brynne Asher was the Carpino series. Had me lol with the family dynamics.

Michelle wrote: "Laura how great is it to complete 4 series?! My first book by Brynne Asher was the Carpino series. Had me lol with the family dynamics."

Thanks Michelle, I’ll probably finish this Asher series first then I will check out the Carpino series.

Laura would you recommend LJ Shen? Seems a few of the reviewers I follow reads them. But I'm undecided if I should

Michelle wrote: "Laura would you recommend LJ Shen? Seems a few of the reviewers I follow reads them. But I'm undecided if I should"

Hell yes I do. She’s my favorite. Start with Vicious. He’s a bully bastard. That’s Sinners of Saints series. Then All Saints High series about their kids. Pretty Reckless was my top read of 2019. Or if that’s not your thing Dirty Headlines, I loved too. Everyone raves about the book Sparrow. I haven’t read that yet. I’m saving it.

Laura wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Laura would you recommend LJ Shen? Seems a few of the reviewers I follow reads them. But I'm undecided if I should"

Hell yes I do. She’s my favorite. Start with Vicious. He’s a bu..."

Thanx Laura. A new author to look forward to.

Forgot to post by February round-up! Its been hectic here preparing for teaching online due to Coronavirus. This is the first moment I've had to do it :)

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month? Yes, 1



2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Yes 2. I will continue both


3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
Yes, 9 -


4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?

- A fantastic ending to the series. Had all my faovrite tropes
- Who doesn't like a hot fireman?

5. Overall summary of your reading month? I read 12 books. Double that of January, so I seem to be getting back on track :).

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I completed two series:
Lancaster County by Hollis Bush
Hostage Rescue Team by Kaylea Cross

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
I started three and will definitely continue all:
FBI Trilogy by Allison Brennan
Runaway Brides by Kaki Warner
A. L. McKittridge by Beverly Long

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
I moved forward in two series:
Victorian Rebels by Kerrigan Byrne
Detective D. D. Warren by Lisa Gardner

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
I didn’t have any strong standouts but really enjoyed everything I read, particularly Heartbreak Creek and This Tender Land. Really interesting and emotionally evocative stories.

5. Overall summary of your reading month?
The number of books wasn’t high but I love that I enjoyed all of them and made progress in my series reading while mixing in some standalones. And, I have no angst about starting three new series since two are group reads! Lastly, I cleared off some books that were on my shelf for awhile.

Jessika wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
No

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Yes, I read the first book of Tokyo Ghost. I plan ..."

Woo hoo! Forget about the series reading, Jessika...congrats on the 7 books and loving them all💜

Robin wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I got up-to-date on Brynn Kelly's Legionnaires series. I hope she writes more books in this series.

2. Did you start any new se..."

And you didn’t think you’d get much reading in! Congratulations on your series progress, Robin💜

Melissa wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I got up to date in 1 series - The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.
[bookcove..."

Oh, I’m so glad you loved [book:You|36430011]!!! Congrats on your reading experience this month, Melissa💜

Laura wrote: "Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Completed 4
[bookcover:Coming Home|1836..."

Wow, Laura! 17 books is crazy good. Congrats on your binge reading (I’m just jealous) and your series progress💜

Lauren wrote: "Forgot to post by February round-up! Its been hectic here preparing for teaching online due to Coronavirus. This is the first moment I've had to do it :)

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date ..."

I forgot to post, too! So thrown by Covid-19.

Nine series, Lauren? Really??? Outstanding💜

Jonetta wrote: "Laura wrote: "Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Completed 4
[bookcover:Co..."

Thank you! You had great month too. Heartbreak Creek sounds intriguing. I’ll have to remember that one. I’m glad you are liking Victorian Rebels and clearing off some off your shelves.

Jonetta wrote: "Nine series, Lauren? Really??? Outstanding💜"

Thanks Jonetta! I'm getting my reading mojo back :)

Laura wrote: "Thank you! You had great month too. Heartbreak Creek sounds intriguing. I’ll have to remember that one. I’m glad you are liking Victorian Rebels and clearing off some off your shelves...."

I’ll be forever grateful to you about Victorian Rebels. I am loving that series, especially on audio.

As I was going back and posting my April Round Up I realized I never got around to doing February. Better late than never...besides I like answering the questions and seeing progress in series reading.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Yes just 1 though. I completed the Texas! Trilogy by Sandra Brown by reading the second and third books.

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Of course I did. I started 12. Thanks to my participation in a romance challenge where the quantity of books read were important and a cozy mystery bingo challenge that started the last half of the month I read some totally crappy books. I did read some good ones though....
2.5 Stars....I hated the characters so much and wanted the main character to die...but, alas, she didn't. I'm on the fence about picking up another but my rule is 2 books by an author so we'll see.
3 Stars...technically I read a short story prequel in December and was intrigued enough to start the series. It was interesting but I don't think the first book lived up to my expectations set in place by the short story. I will continue though....like I said it was interesting.
4 Stars Set at a B&B in Maine the setting was so good. The secondary characters were fantastic and the protagonist only had one TSTL moment which is pretty much a given for cozy mysteries and you have to forgive it to a certain point. I'll read the next but I'm sad the library doesn't have it in audio.
4 Stars Great characters well thought out plot. I really liked the author's writing style and will definitely read more by her.
4 Stars...I should have done a review but I didn't and now I can't remember much. That should say something about it...not memorable enough but I think I rated it 4 Stars instead of a 3 (which I'd give for a book that was middle of the road) because the secondary characters were so great and I need to read the romance involving the newest Scotland transplant to the small town of Highland, Georgia...whatever his name was. LOL
2.5 Stars I listened to this because of the romance challenge I was doing....I needed holiday themed books and this was the only one I could get from the library. I didn't like the author's writing style. I felt talked to rather then being fully immersed in the story. The conflict in the romance felt forced, the romance was super tame, and the hero seemed boring. I did like that the author wrote about strong professional women of color within this book and the heroine is older (her daughter was in her mid twenties). Neither demographics are portrayed nearly enough in romances today. With that said I don't think I'll read anymore as I was constantly looking to see how much more I had to go to finally get this book done with. I hope those who read this book/series have a better experience.
5 Stars I loved this book. A family of female bounty hunters, a hot HOT man, and Colorado Mountain setting! The interactions between the sisters was so good and those between the H and h were equally fun. The suspense was thrilling and I am thinking about paying full price to read book 1 (yes I read them out of order). I never pay full price for books.
3 Stars...I felt this book was just soooooo long. It has the present running simultaneously with the past in the book and I found both timelines interesting but drawn out. I wish it would have got to the point sooner. Plus the number of secrets this one family had was staggering. Communication would have eliminated many of the problems Riley and her brother had...especially her brother. He didn't stand a chance. I liked the book enough to read the next book...whenever it comes out.
4 Stars. I generally don't read Inspirational books as I don't like to get preached at and many of them do feel preachy. This one wasn't so bad. I liked that the family within the book were religious without stopping in the middle of the action to ask god to save them from flying bullets and bombs. I liked that this book also takes place in a small town over the Christmas holiday. The suspense was very well done. The beginning was so exciting and it didn't stop. If I can find more in this series easily I will read them.
1 Star I hated this book. It was written ages ago, I believe, as a category romance...maybe Silhouette and then the author was born again and rewrote many of these books as god intended them to be written. This was according to the author's notes at the beginning. What this book was about was a juvenile woman who used her money to stalk her way into the life of the child she gave away for adoption. She claimed she was going to just look at her then walk away until she found out the family who adopted the baby lost the wife to cancer and she knew in her heart of hearts god wouldn't want that child to grow up with only a father. I hated her. I hated that she got a happily ever after. I hated him for loving her. I hated the way this author insinuated a single father could not give his child everything she needed in life. I hated how she used her money to take the child away from him. I just hated this book and will never read another Terri Blackstock book again.....even old ones she wrote before she found jesus.
4 Stars I liked this book...was light on the praising god...had really good suspense....no sexy parts but a little romance....instalove (but I'll read more anyway)….has dogs in it!
4 stars even though I wasn't sure why he fell in love with her...and so quickly too. He was enamored with her from the beginning. So weird. Suspense was really good and the heroine thinks she's going crazy because her (abusive) late husband's things keep popping up in her cabin. Like his favorite shirt was all of sudden laying on her bed type things. The mystery was really good but the romance felt a bit forced. With the length of category romances makes a more believable drawn out romance almost impossible so you have to take it as it is. I will read more by this author and hopefully more in this series.

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
Yes. I moved forward in 3 series

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
5 Stars....
see my above comments.
OMG this book wrecked me. I laughed. I cried. I sat in traffic looking like a crazy woman. So good! Listen to the audio if you get the chance and don't forget to listen to Colleen Hoover's author notes at the end. They made this book even better in my eyes.
book 3 in the series but this one kind of wraps up Nevada and Conner's storylines. Book 4 is from Catalina's point of view. I thought this one was better than the second book (which was better than the first). Read them in order but don't put them off. Renee Rauman does a great job of narrating.

5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I read 20 books the month of February. Three 5 Star reads, Eight 4 Star reads....Five 3 Star (or 3.5) reads and 4 books rated less than 3 stars so out of 20 that's not terrible.

Christina T wrote: ".5 Stars....I hated the characters so much and wanted the main character to die...but, alas, she didn't.."

This made me giggle!

Glad you had a good month :)

LOL Lauren....what would happen if an author wrote a mysteries where the MC was the murder victim? I have read some really bad cozies where I hated the MC so much I wanted them to be killed and it never happens. Such a shame really.

Christina T wrote: "LOL Lauren....what would happen if an author wrote a mysteries where the MC was the murder victim? I have read some really bad cozies where I hated the MC so much I wanted them to be killed and it ..."

I would totally read that book!