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*** March 2015 reads***

Yes, I read yet another series out of order―specifically, books #4-6, and then back to #1.  Chalk it up to cranky book fussies (or female’s prerogative) partly due to #1’s basic storyline. ;-)

Keeping to latest determination to get back on BL, I've been trying to figure out changes, new functions, etc.  Have sinking feeling that it’s gonna be a somewhat slow & labourious task b/c for one thing, noticed that some personal HTML are now...changed?  Frex, why are quotes all centered?  And text w/in spoiler tags in bold?  *sigh*  So much for hitting ground running via old cheat sheet :(

I also spent waaaaaay too much time checking & off-loading 200+ followers for various reasons.  Don't wanna be mean or offend anyone (and I assume that most are the result of BL's automatic 25 (or whatever) followings upon initial account creation) but I really don't want or need non-readers, lurkers, or obvious young'uns following me :)

Bottom line, this means that instead of back-tracking & doing mini-posts on most of my 2015 reads, I'm only gonna do quick notes here for posterity & then move on.  My short TBR is quickly becoming not-so-short & fair growling at this point!

JANUARY 2015

 Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks [2013 HR (MMP/audio) ★★★½]

 Rules for a Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley [2014 HR (MMP/audio) ★★★★]

 Stone Cold by David Baldacci [2007 Suspense/Political Thriller ★★★]

Highly unusual for me but I jumped in mid-series by reading this book (Camel Club #3).  And par for course, Murphy's Law promptly kicked in.  Technically, one can read this in vacuum & still enjoy it but it's not a true ‘stand-alone’ b/c one storyline (centered on Annabelle) is a continuation of what occurred in book #2.  Needless to say, I was a bit lost whenever the book shifted to that subplot.

So what do I do?  Yup, backtracked to beginning and read The Camel Club (★★★), tried but couldn't get into The Collectors (figures, right?), so jumped over #4 and read Hell's Corner (★★★★).  Shame that I didn't stop then; after some thought, reversed back to #4, Divine Justice (★★).

I should note that I first tried audio format for most of the above.  Unfortunately, Ron McLarty's narration didn't work for me.  My overall/lingering impression re: aborted listens was that he sounded fatigued, which isn't the best for suspense/mystery. :(

GENRE:  PNR; Steampunk

LENGTH:  432 (MMP pgs)

HEAT LEVEL (content):  sexy-hot (m/f vanilla; frank but not overly explicit/extended)

PUBLISHER/pub date:  Forever (GCP/Hachette); August 2014

SERIES INFO (timeline):  Darkest London #5 (@ 1yr after end of #4)

FORMAT (source):  MMP (own); Audio (borrow)

BLURB:

Still captivated by the narrating skills of Moira Quirk, I barely touched my DTB copy & continued with this series via audio.  Thus, 4-star rating is influenced by my listening experience.  If I were to rate the story on its own, it would be more 3-3.5 stars.

Overall, I did enjoy this installment of the Darkest London series but it fell a bit flat, especially after a 5-star reading (listening) of the previous book, Shadowdance.  Unlike in earlier books, I found some diversions from the main storyline to be more disruptive than necessary.  And plot-wise, there were more than a few weak and/or unaddressed points (some due to minor instances of deus ex machina).  This resulted in a vague feeling of dissatisfaction with the dénouement of both the action/mystery and the romance. And the final (tiny) nail in coffin was a personal pet peeve: even with certain open items, the epilogue dealt with the next book/couple, as opposed to wrapping up things re: Will and Holly. :/

Nonetheless, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book (and entire series) to PNR/steampunk fans.  And despite loss of some momentum re: series, I already got & listened to the next book, Soulbound, which was released on 24-Feb-2015.

Oh man, why can't I listen faster?!  LOL/*smh*

This series continues to progress in strong fashion, with this book #5 picking up @ 1yr after book #4, ‘Shadowdance’.  I’ve been too busy reading this series to pause for anything other than quick posts on GR or verbal chit-chat IRL, so may post an abbreviated ‘series in review’ soon.  Unless *cough* waylaid due to reading ‘Soulbound’, #6 which is due out today :)

In meantime, here’s a tidbit from ‘Evernight’... Be well, everyone!

“I’m going to…” She cleared her throat. “I shall rub you down, thoroughly concentrating on each area. Hopefully, it will slow the progress of the metal more effectively than simply putting my hand upon your chest.”

A slow, wide grin pulled at his lips. “Let me see if I have this correctly,” he said, struggling not to crow, “you are going to rub your hands all over my body…”—she narrowed her eyes in distaste, which only made his grin reach epic proportions—“slowly and thoroughly—”

“Really, Mr. Thorne.”

“While my part in it is to lie here and take it?” His cheeks ached from smiling. “Is that the plan?”

...

By the time she’d finished with him, with a little encouraging pat and a request that he rest quiet like a good lad, there was no point in denying it: Holly Evernight would be the death of him.

“How digital technology is destroying your mind”

Pretty provocative, no?  That’s the title of a Feb 13, 2015, article/book review in The Washington Post re: Mind Change by Susan Greenfield (Random House, Jan 2015).

And then there’s this: In “Mind Change,” neuroscientist, entrepreneur and British politician Susan Greenfield argues that our technologies are not only addictive — they are an existential threat.

Yikes―an existential threat?!  Frankly, IDK if I should be intrigued or scared by what may be revealed inside the pages of this book.  So proceed at your own risk. :)