Favorite Series Completed In 2015

2015 Bookcase

     This past year of 2015 was an interesting for me. It started off full of promise as I endeavored to begin this new chapter life by finally starting the blog I had been thinking about for years, but never had time for since college had held my attention. So January 2015 came and I began the endeavor of blogging. 
     Then February came and my life took a turn, at the end of the month I got into a car accident and ended up on disability leave where sat at home with nothing to do, because even reading was to strenuous for my concussion. It took me almost a month before I could get back into things like watching fast paced movies or reading books or looking at computers. Sounds fun huh? 
    Anyways all that to say I find that you really take for grant the little things in life until they're gone. Like who knew I'd be so excited by the fact I could sit through a whole Fast and Furious movie without thinking my head would exploded, I never thought twice about sitting in front of a computer for too long until my accident, but now I'm grateful for it all!
    I'm especially grateful for all the amazing books that came out over this past year and I'm even more thankful for the books that were released which finished off a series. Those kinds of books are always bittersweet because you anticipate them for sooo long but when your done with them you realize the sad fact that your beloved series is .  . .*sniffle . .over! But alas all good things must come to end, or else how can we cherish them if not for their beginning and subsequently their unforgettable ending.

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Soul Saver Series

Series Purchase Link: Box Set #1  and Box Set #2 

This series had come to an end this year and Oh boy what and ending to a series it was. BUT Soul Saver author Kristie Cook threw fans a curve ball by releasing news in the form of new covers and revised books. The series recently received a makeover and will continue with more this coming year. So the old has become new and I definitely can't wait for more Soul Savers in 2016.

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The Masks Series

Series Purchase Link: Click Here

Spanning 2 years from the first books release, this series was completed this year. I loved every intense minute of Caity and Eric's story. Now I can only hope for more of them later down the line IF author Melissa Pearl deems it so. If not at least I know they have a HEA.

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The Playing for Keeps Series

Series Purchase Link: Click Here

The first two books are related and about the same main characters. The 3rd and 4th books are about secondary characters from the previous books, but follow their own stories that thanks to author, Amber Garza, will hit you in the heart and make you remember to thank God for those in your life.

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The Seeker Series

Series Purchase Link: Click Here

Found this series via a book tour and couldn't be happier for such a fun find. Author Amy Reece has created a true contemporary heroine named Ally Moran, who is smart, witty, powerful and not afraid of her flaws or unknown future. Definitely a series I've shared with more than a few friends.

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The Snow White Trilogy

Series Purchase Link: Click Here

A bit off the indie YA traditional sort of books, this series is unique in: writing style, plot, setting and characters. I loved finding the first book and reading the rest in the series. The author, Salla Simukka, had her books translated from her native tongue of Swedish. So the style may seems strange at first but will become a welcome change of pace, especially for a mystery with a sleuth.

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The Gilded Series

Series Purchase Link: Click Here

The last book Brazen, was definitely a book I was dying to read. Especially after how Silvern left me feeling, I needed a good ending or I'd be crushed. Have no fear author, Christina Farley, does right by her readers and leads her strong heroine Jae Hwa Lee through high stakes to get her HEA.

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The Chronicles of Izzy

Series Collection Link: Click Here

The whole collection of the Chronicles of Izzy were released prior to 2015. However author, Michelle Graves, compiled all the prequels, books and novellas into one collection for readers enjoyment. Warning this compilation is epic and tear jerking and will make you want to share with others so they can share in your pain and joy.

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Blood and Bone Trilogy

Series Purchase Link: Click Here

Read the first version which the author, Tara Brown, released on her own then she re-released via a publisher. This series is in a phrase Cray-Cray! Nough said. Truly you'll have to read it yourself to believe you just read such a crazy series and you'll quickly want to talk to everyone about it.(trust me)

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Hashtag Series

Series Purchase Link: Click Here

In a nutshell the series is multiple books with a couple characters who become couples. But it's all the drama in between that author Cambria Hebert truly captures a reader and takes them through the characters lives. The book #<3 really pulls all the characters together and gives you the feels.

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Lucky Clover Romance Series

Box Set Collection Link: Click Here

Released in short books that more like episodes, a reader is taken into the mysteries and danger surrounding Lucky Clover Green's life. Author RaShelle Workman keeps readers going from one suspect to another with Lucky; In the end you hope she get her man and a HEA after all the crap she's been through.

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The Kathleen Turner Series

Series Purchase Link: Click Here

All main 5 books in the series had been released prior to this year, but later on author Tiffany Snow released 2 companion novels to complete the series. Definitely one of my favorite series, which I've read multiple times. The companion novels help flush out the series in giving readers a taste of the male leads thoughts during a novel as well as scenes into their pasts. Just thinking about these characters and series makes me want to re-read them again. 

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Hey, BOOK IT OUT!! - Price Drop

As Red As Blood
by Salla Simukka

Price dropped as of July 1, 2015

from $4.99 to $1.99 (that's a 60% Price Drop)

Click Here

My Blog Review:  June 12, 2015

**Note: The second book is currently on sale as well for $1.99 too (Click Here). So if you liked the first and haven't grabbed the second book yet I'd grab it now while the sale is still good.**

"Friday Favs": As Red as Blood (The Snow White Trilogy Book 1) by Salla Simukka

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Woman Sleuths. 274 pages.

Price: $4.99 ebook (at time of post)

Publisher & Date: Skyscape; Reprint edition. August 1, 2014.

Book Link: Click Here

Listed Rating:  . 6

Price I Paid: Zip, Due to Amazon First Prime Subscription.

My Rating: 

My Thoughts: Not Your Typical YA Book, Still Strangely Compelling.

     This book was definitely one of a kind. In short if you are looking for a book set in a foreign country with unique names this book has it. If you want multiple points of views and with the all knowing author viewpoint (aka omniscient point of view in literature) than this is your book. Now one of the top pieces that makes this book special is the main character is a self reliant super sleuth action heroine that is too cool for school. Sound good than give this book a try. But you may want to read my long winded reasons for this book being a unique choice to read. 
     One major fact a reader needs to know when first choosing this book is it's set in Finland and the names are Finnish, Russian, and the like. So when you read Boris Sokolov, Tuukka, Kask, Vaisanen, or the main character's name Lumikki, meaning Snow White in Finnish, one shouldn't be left wondering, like I was, why and where the heck is this author getting these names and locations?! I literally google searched the town of Tampere finding it's an actual town in Finland and that's when it all clicked that this book is foreign and was translated to English for our enjoyment. (Smart I know should have read the editors note before reading or choosing the book, but I didn't) 
     Nevertheless, now that the reader knows this HUGE detail about the origin of the book it should maybe be a bit easier to read the book and understand the flow and structure of the book. And boy is the structure interesting. The story is placed in a time frame that has sequential chapters interspersed within telling what occurred on that day from the characters and the author. Basically it says July 3rd then has 5 chapters saying what happened on that day from everyone and so on, then July 4th and so forth.Then there is the little extra fact that the story of Snow White is sprinkled through the book, but its not essential to the story, almost as if it's like a side poem laced within but not meant to be linked. However the Snow White story was used at one point by the main character as a cover but that's it thus far. However seeing as this book is but the first of a series the author may have just done that to lead on into more for the next books. Also the author does flash back moments for Lumikki but you won't realize it until she awakens from her sleep. The smart choice from the publisher would have been to make that section different by italicizing it, date stamping/framing it, or spacing it so it's distinct from the story. Makes it easier on the reader when reading in a progressive time frame to know when the stories timeline has changed momentarily. 
      Now one thing I did find disconcerting when reading this book was I felt as if I didn't know why the main character Lumikki was the way she was. Here Lumikki is introduced to readers as this high school girl living on her own attending a special school for gifted students, and yet she purposefully has no friends and makes sure to be invisible. I mean ultimately I came to like Lumikki and think she is quite a BA girl who knows how to take care of business and think under pressure when many would fall apart. However is Lumikki the best roll model for young girls? No. Are there traits to be admire? Yes and things to be learned from, most definitely. Ultimately, after reading this book you still don't fully understand why Lumikki became the hard self reliant spy like girl who likes body combat class, but you do find out a bit more towards the end of the book about her past, especially concerning relationships. I guess I'm just used to a lot of writers giving that kind of pivotal character background information more towards the beginning and then dropping hints all the way through the book. Even most hint at the characters beginnings in a fuller context compared to how this author did, since readers were left to their own conclusion for most of the book. 
      Nonetheless, I think the most unique point for this book is the way the author chose to do the point of views. I believe it's called omniscient POV, because there is no single character narrator but there is a narrator outside of the characters who tells the story and can go into the character's personal POV's at anytime. This allowed the author a lot of room in having multiple scenes playing on the same day to allow her plot to play out in her time sequence with multiple characters doing multiple actions. I also commend the author for making the characters there own voices and not all seeming to be the same people. When having different POVs sometimes the author can't make the character's dialogues different to fit there POVs and their voices all sound the same. Having multiple angles for this story wasn't too bad and I rather enjoyed it, though I do kinda wish we got a bit more of Lumikki's perspective.
      Overall, I truly found this book intriguing and I'm actually looking forward to reading the next book in the series, so I can truly get to understand who Lumikki is. Especially due to the little epilogue where Lumikki asks a few personal questions that will definitely need to be answered in the next book. And of course I'm still wanting to see what the author is planning to do with the whole Snow White theme. (Fingers crossed all will be answered) The beginning was hard to get into at first, but once you get used to the writing style and the unique names, Lumikki's world of mystery, suspense and thrill rather pulls you in for a time and before you realize it the book is done and you'll be wanting to download the next book too.