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?

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I am again up-to-date on Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mystery series.

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
I started Allison Brennan's Lucy Kincaid series and Shannon Stacey's Devlin Group series. I plan on continuing the first one. I'm not sure abut the second.

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
I moved forward in 5 series:
Gilded Newport by Alyssa Maxwell
Romantic Suspense by Karen Rose
Mercy Kilpatrick by Kendra Elliot
Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson
Ginger Gold Mysteries by Lee Strauss

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
No 5-star books for May, but I did read for 4.5-star books:


5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I finished 11 books this month, most of which were very good.

Great month, Robin! Completely agree with you about the standout books.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I got up to date in two series, Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone and The Lairds Most Likely by Anna Campbell.

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
I started three series:
Heroes of Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner
Lucy Kincaid by Allison Brennan
Malcom Kershaw by Peter Swanson.

Definitely continuing all (didn’t know the Swanson book was a series until I finished!)

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
Yes, two series:
Mercy Kilpatrick by Kendra Elliot
Detective D. D. Warren by Lisa Gardner

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
I had one 5-star book, In Five Years, which I finished in a day. Special mention of two others, Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators and A Merciful Secret.

5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I enjoyed my month and am happy with my series work. I read 14 books and liked that I mixed it with some great standalones.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month? Nope
2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?

I started the Kay Hooper series and Tess Monaghan series by Laura Lippman( Didn't know it was a series until I started it. I will be defintely continuing the Kay Hooper series, not sure about the Laura Lippman series yet, I think I need to read another book in the series first.
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 love Stealing Shadows, I love all the suspense in it and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time. 4/5. Another book that I gave 4/5 is The Tattooist of Auschwitz, that book was such a powerful book. It was really hard to read, but I felt the writing was pretty good.


5. Overall summary of your reading month?
Another good month of reading. I read 3 books again that seems to be a pattern for me which is good. I have already read more books this year than I did last year.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
1 = completed :Mindf*ck
4 = up to date
Gifts of the ancients
Hell's Handlers MC
No Prisoners MC
Bad boy romance
Dixie reapers

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
I started 3 new series and completed 1 of then. The other I'll be finishing in June.
1.Mindf*ck by S. T. Abby. This was a can't-put-it-down series. First to me author that just had me hooked from the first book 5 books in total. Each ending in cliffhangers and novellas really. Be warned this will not be enjoyed by a lot of people. Violence, vengeance, being some of the main themes.
2. Gift of the ancients by Bianca D'Arc. This series on paper sound great. But for me it reads like it's confused. Obviously the romance is tops but for me the gifts is a side story to the romance. I'm undecided if I want to continue, just because I also feel I'd would have benefitted by reading all the paranormal series by this author.
3. No Prisoner MC - Lilly Atlas. I started this and got up to date with this. And yes I'll continue if new one comes out
4. Sinners of Saints by L. J. Shen. Another new author and though the angst in these gets a bit much I do what to know how it all works out. I have 1 left to go and will move on to the off shoot series after that.
5.Midnight Doms by various authors. This I will not be continuing. I read the book by an author I love. She happened to be the last one in the series. Loved it and thought let's read the whole series. Who knows, I might be adding new authors to my list. First book/author liked and will be reading more of her. Second book? Nope. And I realized after reading a few the reviews of the remaining books that i would be okay not adding new authors to my list.

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
Yes
--In death J. D. Robb. I've finally gotten to the part of the series where it's new to me. Meaning I've been buddy reading and and when I got to the up to date stage we started from the beginning again. I didn't read the new released, waiting for the buddy read to get there to continue.
--I'm slowly moving forward in the MC series' by Harley Wylde. All her series (Dixie Reapers MC, Hades Abyss MC, Devil's Boneyard MC) are all intermingled. I suppose it can all be read as a standalone series but the characters are all in the same world and appear in the others. So I am moving forward and on paper might be up to date with 1 or 2 but overall still have a ways to go to be up to date.

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
Yes. Mindf*ck was my 5 * read. And yes I didn't officially give it that rating. You see for me that last star means that this will be a book I'll pick up and read again and again. The subject matter of this makes that impossible for me. A series killer that became one for vengeance of what was done to her and her family, her falling in love with the FBI agent trying to catch her. And as the series progress everything becomes more. More disciptive, more emotional. And asking yourself how wrong is it really what she is doing?
Great writing and deserved of 5 stars.

5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I manage to read more than I thought I would(24) Even read a few that had been carried over from previous months. Was a month with a good mix of likes, indifference and fabulous story telling.

Viki wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month? Nope
2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
[bookcover:Ano..."

Woo hoo! Congrats on getting three books read, Viki💜

Michelle wrote: "
1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?

1 = completed :Mindf*ck
4 = up to date
Gifts of the ancients
Hell's Handlers MC
No Prisoners MC
Bad boy romance
Dixie re..."

Michelle, what a fantastic month of reading and series progression! Congrats to you and I’m happy you got so much enjoyment from the books you read💜

Michelle wrote: "
1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?

1 = completed :Mindf*ck
4 = up to date
Gifts of the ancients
Hell's Handlers MC
No Prisoners MC
Bad boy romance
Dixie re..."

Great month Michelle! You know I approve your LJ Shen and ST Abby reads! I need another series like Mindf*ck. I haven’t found it yet. So Lily Atlas , remember? I bailed after book 1.

Jonetta wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I got up to date in two series, Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone and The Lairds Most Likely by Anna Campbell.

2. Did you start ..."

Congrats on your productive month! You do so good keeping all the group reads on track.

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

Up to date-

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
I will continue. I’m picky on my MC, so far so good.
100% yes
yes but this ripped out my heart and stomped on it, so I need to be in the mood before I read the next. This about domestic abuse. Happy sports romance this was not.

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many? 5
4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
This is a great romantic suspense series. The hero in this is blind which makes it unique. He thinks the heroine is pushing him away because of it, but she has imperfections of her own she’s hiding. Add a stalker ex to the mix.
- another great RS has a Kristen Ashley feel to it. Older couple with kids merging together I’m a sucker for those. The hero is awesome. Goes after the bad guy and takes care of kids and does the dishes.
this book and series stressed me out. But I love drama so.. series is about up and coming band with lots of drama along the way. First 3 books about one couple, this about the bass guitarist wanting more of the spotlight. I love this authors writing.
This about an arranged forced marriage although heroine didn’t know it was a contract. This was so fun. Over the top drama, great twists, over the top revenge plot. I could re-read this right now.
prates, pirates pirates Loved this. Historical
Christina Lauren no other words
I love a good workplace romance, and the Alphahole in this is the boss and the forced roommate. Double the assholery.

- arranged marriage
these go together the heroine is Sparrow’s daughter.


5. Overall summary of your reading month? 21 books but I had 4 DNF which is rare for me, I feel like I wasted a week of my life with those. Otherwise I pretty much loved everything else.

Laura wrote: "Congrats on your productive month! You do so good keeping all the group reads on track...."

Thank you, Laura!

Laura wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Completed-

Up to date-
..."

Aaaggghhhh! I will NOT be tempted into adding any more series!! Well, okay, maybe a couple😏

Seriously, congrats on a spectacular reading month and series work💜

I have Long Shot,on audio, and am forewarned! I’m definitely checking out Gifts as I’m also a sucker for that trope and you had me at “KA feel.“

Laura wrote: "Michelle wrote: "
1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?

1 = completed :Mindf*ck
4 = up to date
Gifts of the ancients
Hell's Handlers MC
No Prisoners MC
Bad boy r..."

I remember. And I don't blame you about lilly atlas. I liked the one but not the other. Came back month later because author did this crossover thing. Somehow it felt different.

And yes when you find that series let me know. Mindf*ck was awesome. Shen I'm just okay about.

Laura wrote: "Jonetta wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I got up to date in two series, Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone and The Lairds Most Likely by Anna Campbell.

2..."

Jonetta is just awesome. How she sti keep us all in order while have the list she does.? I'll never know how you do it. Nor do I think I want to know b

Jonetta wrote: "Laura wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Completed-

Up to date-
[bookcover:Stone Pri..."

Jonetta you and me both. Laura is just to good at making me add more books. But the thing is I know I will enjoy them as well. So how do I say don't click it Want - to - Read?

Laura wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Completed-

Up to date-
[bookcover:Stone Princess|50608523..."

Lovely, lovely, Lovely Laura. I've added three books from this roundup . S C Stephen's & April Wilson. Of course I'll start at bk1. Anyone else I should click on. Because honestly I know you'll have more author that I need to look at.

Michelle wrote: "Laura wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Completed-

Up to date-
[bookcover:Stone Pri..."

Til Death for sure, at first I didn’t like the Heroine dialogue with her friends, almost quit but I am so glad I kept going.

Thanx Laura. It looks good. They have all been added. I just don't know when or if I'll get to them. Love that I now have more of a variety on my shelf

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

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Nope.

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
Moved ahead 1 book in The Wheel of Time.

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

5. Overall summary of your reading month?
A slower month of reading, mainly due to the fact that my work picked back up in May.

Jessika wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Nope.

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Nope.

3. Did you move forward in any series? H..."

Tough month, Jessika! It was good while it lasted, right?

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I completed The Merciless series by Danielle Vega

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
I started 3 new series:
Lucy Kincaid series by Allison Brennan
The Sisterhood series by Fern Michaels
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
I moved forward in 2 series:
Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward
Monkeewrench series by P.J. Tracy

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was a brilliantly written beautiful book. I always love my Black Dagger Brotherhood books and I loved getting back into the Monkeewrench series.

5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I am so very happy with my reading this month. I completed 10, which I have never done in 1 month before. I finally finished reading Lover Mine which I started many months ago and I'm ahead for the yearly goal of 60 books. I hope to continue this way and continue my streak of fabulous books.

Robin wrote: "5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I finished 11 books this month, most of which were very good
"

Glad you had a good month, Robin.
I need to get back into Thompson's series.

Jonetta wrote: "I read 14 books and liked that I mixed it with some great standalones."

Great!
I've been reading some stand alone books too. It's good to have immediate closure sometimes.

Viki wrote: "I have already read more books this year than I did last year."

That's fantastic, Viki!

Michelle wrote: "I manage to read more than I thought I would(24) Even read a few that had been carried over from previous months. Was a month with a good mix of likes, indifference and fabulous story telling."

That's wonderful, Melissa! Well done :)

Laura wrote: "21 books but I had 4 DNF which is rare for me, I feel like I wasted a week of my life with those. Otherwise I pretty much loved everything else.
"

I'm always so disappointed with the wasted time when I DNF a book. That's why I won't give a book I'm not enjoying more than 50 pages.

Melissa wrote: "I completed 10, which I have never done in 1 month before. I finally finished reading Lover Mine which I started many months ago and I'm ahead for the yearly goal of 60 books."

Well don on being ahead!

I must say that I gave up on BDB after book 4. It just wasn't for me.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month? Yes, 2
- not as good as the first book in this duet.

Will have to wait about a year for the next book - I hate waiting!

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Yes 1. I read it for a challenge and it was OK but not inspiring enough to continue with the series.


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?

- is amazing! It is going to be so hard when this series ends!

5. Overall summary of your reading month? I read 12 books. I'm actually quite pleased with my reading so far this year.

Lauren wrote: "Laura wrote: "21 books but I had 4 DNF which is rare for me, I feel like I wasted a week of my life with those. Otherwise I pretty much loved everything else.
"

I'm always so disappointed with the..."

That is smart. Two of them I read almost half the book. I’m not doing that again.

Melissa wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I completed The Merciless series by Danielle Vega

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
I s..."

Congratulations on a great month, Melissa💜 That’s a wonderful milestone in your reading (10 books). When I was reading your update, I was thinking there were a lot more books than I was used to seeing before you declared how many you’d read. And, most importantly, you enjoyed them!

Lauren wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month? Yes, 2
- not as good as the first book in this duet.
[bookcover:Death Comes to the Nur..."

Nine series? That’s excellent, Lauren💜

Oh, I agree with you about Victorian Rebels...I’m gonna hate reaching the end.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Yes
I'm up to date on the following:
Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson
Creeping Beautiful series by JA Huss

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
No

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

Moved ahead in the following:
Sebastian St. Cyr by CS Harris
Mercy Kilpatrick by Kendra Elliot
Romantic Suspense by Karen
.

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

The following are 5 star series that I love.

Mercy Kilpatrick - I love this series because the setting and the characters are unique. The writing is captivating and bring the characters to life. The mix of suspense and romance is perfect for me.

Sebastian St. Cyr I'm grateful to this group for introducing me to this series. I love everything about the series. There is a good mix of wonderful characters with the shady, and downright bad guys. Hero and Sebastian work together while they lean on each other for support and comfort. If that isn't enough, I love the history of the period.

The Gaslight Murders Another historical series I found here. I love seeing NYC in the 1890s. I worried that life was going to change when Sarah and Frank married (at least that is how it looked for a time) but the couple is back on track.

Creeping Beautiful - JA Huss is out there with her stories. This series re-visits an old series The Company with its anti-heroes, shadow government, and children trained from birth to murder. It is interesting that her conspiracy theories developed five years ago with diseases and such are very much in the spotlight today.

5. Overall summary of your reading month?

May was much better than April. I'm not back to my normal reading schedule, but I'm much closer.

Michelle wrote: "Jonetta is just awesome. How she sti keep us all in order while have the list she does.? I'll never know how you do it. Nor do I think I want to know b ..."

What a lovely thing to say, Michelle💜 You’re one of the reasons I love this group!

Sharon wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Yes
I'm up to date on the following:
Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson
Creeping Beautiful series by JA Huss

2. Did you sta..."

Well done, Sharon💜 Thank you for joining in the discussions, even the older ones! I personally love revisiting.

You’re right about Mercy Kilpatrick...it’s satisfying on all levels. Maybe these characters will resurface in a new series like she’s done with others.

Oh! Forgot to comment on Sebastian & Gaslight. I’m forever grateful to those who introduced both series to me, too.

Laura wrote: "I feel like I wasted a week of my life with those...."

This cracked me up. I feel your pain. I feel the same way with my DNFs.

Robin wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I am again up-to-date on Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mystery series.

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Wi..."

You had a really good month with liking everything you read. It's been a long time since I've been able to say the same thing. Plus moving along with 5 series and 4 books you rated 4.5. Even better!

Jonetta wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
I got up to date in two series, Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone and The Lairds Most Likely by Anna Campbell.

2. Did you start ..."

You had a really good month too Jonetta. You always add more books to my TBR when you like a book so much.

Viki wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month? Nope
2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
"

Glad to see you're reading a little more again Viki. I really need to get back to the Bishop/FBI books by Kay Hooper. With that trilogy I distinctly remember loving the first book but not caring much for the second. I thought the third was a good one too. I hope you have a better experience than I did with Hiding in the Shadows when you get to it.

Michelle wrote: "2. Gift of the ancients by Bianca D'Arc.."
This author sounded familiar. I have a couple of books by her in my TBR but neither one are in the series you started. Will you read her other series then? I have one book in the Guardians of the Dark and one in the Tales of the Were series. I wonder if they are better.

Jessika wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Nope.

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Nope.

3. Did you move forward in any series? H..."

Well moving ahead in the Wheel of Time series is a big accomplishment for sure. Those books are so big!

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

Forward in 9 series....great job!
I also loved The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo

Sharon wrote: "1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Yes
I'm up to date on the following:
Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson
Creeping Beautiful series by JA Huss

2. Did you sta..."
You had a good month with some outstanding reads even if you didn't read as much as you normally do.

1. Did you complete and/or get up to date in any series this month?
Finished no but I'm currently caught up on the Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews until the end of August anyway. Also I read the first book in the Sunshine Vicram series by Darynda Jones book so technically I'm caught up on that one as well since the next book won't come out until next year or so.

2. Did you start any new series? If so, what were they? Will you continue?
Of course I did...7
Wild About You series and thought it was Ok enough to continue but the heroine in the first book annoyed me. gave it 3 stars

Dr Ribero's Agency series. I liked the first book in this series a smidge better than Werewolf in Manhattan but the main character annoyed me in that one too LOL. I gave it 3.5 Stars

Girl Meets Duke series. I read both the first book and the second. loved them and will definitely continue.

Mission Medusa series...I'll continue with the series but had an issue with the hero in this one but love the Medusa concept as it reminded me of the now defunct imprint from Silhouette called Bombshells. I loved that line. Strong independent women heroes in every book. I hated when they cancelled it. The first Medusa team was highlighted in that series. This book is about the 3rd team. I rated the first book 3 stars.

Sunshine Vicram...already talked about this one a bit. Yes I'll continue whenever the next book comes out. 4 stars

Bread Shop Mystery series. Yes I'll continue even though this was an average book but honestly I find all cozies to be average. Probably because every cozy tends to have a main character that does something TSTL in every book. 3 Stars

the Broken Destiny series. Yes I'll continue because it's Jeaniene Frost but I didn't like the romance aspect of this book at all and the heroine is super immature in my opinion. 3 Stars

3. Did you move forward in any series? How many?
Yes moved forward in 3 series
Mercy Thompson
Charlie Davidson
Hidden Legacy (and up to date)

4. Any standout or 5 star books read? Why did you love it/them?
Yes. The two that stood out the most was the first and second books in the Girl Meets Duke series by Tessa Dare. It's been a long time since I've read really good historical romances (last year's The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo is the last one I think).


5. Overall summary of your reading month?
I read 17 books in May. Most of what I read was 3 stars but a few 4 stars mixed in. My two historical romances were the highlight.

Fantastic reading Christina!
I am so looking forward to Dare's new series. I hope to get to The Duchess Dealthis month.

Christina T wrote: "You had a really good month too Jonetta. You always add more books to my TBR when you like a book so much. ..."

I hope I never steer you wrong!

Christina, I continue to be amazed at your reading! Congratulations on a great month💜

Christina T wrote: "Michelle wrote: "2. Gift of the ancients by Bianca D'Arc.."
This author sounded familiar. I have a couple of books by her in my TBR but neither one are in the series you started. Will you read her ..."

I've read and am up to date in Dragon Knights series. The first book was a freebie and is almost all about menage coupling. ( think those first few books and publisher that flooded the public of the alternative sex practices, like Siren & samheim) I think and hope it is almost finish. I really enjoyed the world building. I love reading the dragons series and it did take while for me to think it's worth my while to continue. The thing with this author is that she is all about the couples, and all that that entails but I think the dragons were better incorporated into it all.

With the gifts? She hasn't yet made that work into the whole of the story arc. It's about the soldiers and finding their loves. I'm really unsure if I should read the others. I probably will just to see if I'm right about it all being a whole instead of standalone series

Thanks for your input Michelle. I'll probably read what I have and go from there but unless I know someone who loves them and recommends them I might just hold off. So many books. Not enough time.