Violet has a dilemma, and she needs your help.
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I have a problem that I hope the Bitchery can help me with. (Perhaps some of you have the self-same problem?) I call it the “What to read? What to read? The May 31st dilemma.”
May 31st is coming, which ordinarily wouldn’t mean much. Just another day. But it’s a Tuesday this year, which means it’s a book release day. Again, ordinarily it mightn’t mean much. Maybe something interesting is being released, maybe something not. But this year, I have a problem.
Two books that I really, really, really want to read are being released that day. (Did I mention that I really want to read them? Both of them? I say again ‘cause I can’t emphasize it enough: I really want to read them.) Of course, I’ll be reading both of them, but which one should I read first? That is my dilemma.
Y’all know what I’m talking about: Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews, and Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh. Both authors have created wonderful, compelling stories and characters. (I know I don’t have to tell you that.) I am caught up in the worlds they created and can’t wait to find out what happens next in the series. Both authors are on my auto-buy, auto-read list. I mean, they don’t even make it to the TBR pile to begin with. Whatever I’m currently reading gets put aside until I’ve finishing devouring the latest Andrews or Singh book.
Magic Slays is Book 5 in the Kate Daniels series. So far, Ilona Andrews has maintained the momentum established thus far in the previous books. I’ve never been disappointed, and love how Kate’s relationships with her friends and Curran are revealed and evolve as the books progress. In Magic Slays, I know I’ll get a good, solid tale in the Kate Daniels saga. Along with Kate, I’ll learn a little more about her father, her abilities, her relationships, and the magic-riddled world of alternate Atlanta. I know when the book is finished I’ll feel satisfied and fulfilled, and will be looking forward to the next book in the series.
Kiss of Snow is Book-Number-Something-Double-Digits-Already? in the Psy-Changeling series. Some of the books are better than others (i.e., have more interesting characters and stories). In general, for me, the earlier books are the ones that really captured my interest; some of the more recent ones have been hit-or-miss. (Could it be because in every recent book I’ve grown increasingly impatient for the Hawke-Sienna story to come to fruition? I mean, we know this is where it’s headed, so get on with it already. Grr.) I’m worried, of course, that there’s been too much anticipation (on my part and perhaps the author’s as well), and I’ll ultimately be disappointed because I’ve built it up too much in my mind. But I still have to read it and hope for the best.
So, since I can’t choose which I’d like to read first, I thought I’d ask the Bitchery for their thoughts and suggestions.
OK, then, it’s poll time! Which one do you think Violet ought to read first? Whichever you pick, she’s agreed to read first.
Kiss of Snow! (Seriously, it’s about time for Hawke and Sienna’s story!). But I understand your dilemma, on May 3rd Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill and Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris were released… I spent 2 days reading non-stop (best days ever!)
I have the same situation, although i’ll pick up Magic Slays first (i won’t be able to resist), then i’ll pick up Kiss of Snow and then i’ll pick up the new Julia Quinn (it’s the Smythe-Smiths after all), which also comes up on the same day…
And last year Magic Bleeds came out on the same day as the latest Sherry Thomas (His at Night) and Lisa Kleypas (Married by Morning)…
Before ebooks this would not be a problem, because i’d have to wait for the copies to arrive and they don’t all arrive in the same day…
Now i’m a sick person who not only buys the books but also on the day of release will buy the ebook just so i can start reading (although i only end up doing this with the first book, because when i’m done reading it the second time, yes i read them 2 times in a row, the others have arrived physically)
I don´t know neither author or their books, but from what you wrote I would go with Kiss of Snow. You need to “get it out of your system” (as some heros tend to try with their heroines 🙂 ) because of all the anticipation you´ve mentioned.
I keep my fingers crossed that you won´t be disappointed because thats the worst that can happen in Romancelandia: you wait and wait and wait for some book to be released and then you FINALLY have it in your hands and then its not as good as you expected, sometimes not even as good as the ones before (if it was a series)…
Good Luck!
Non related but i had to ask: what is going on with the “Cowboy Heat” ad? Is it just me or that cowboy’s back is really weird???
I’m having the same dilemma but Magic Slays wins because I’ve never been disappointed by Ilona Andrews. I just wish I didn’t have to work on Tuesday. Don’t they understand I have books to read?
I have no opinion, but I just can’t bear the unclosed tags.
@ Ana: its not just you…the cowboy´s back is weird…
Kiss of Snow.
I’ve been looking forward to their story for a couple years now. Although I can understand the wait: 17yo heroines went out of style with 70s Harlequins. But still! And I also want to know how destructive she can be. What’s an X-Psy?!?! I want her to blow up something really big.
So read Kiss of Snow, then Magic Slays, and go back to reread Kiss of Snow. Those are my plans.
(Work? What work? What is this “work” you speak of?)
Kiss of Snow. It will either be fantastic and live up to your expectations, in which case you have another great book to look forward to (the Andrews one), or it will be good, and you’ll still have a great book to look forward to.
@Ros: WHAT?! You don’t like ITALICS?!
Sorry about that —all fixed!
Clearly the answer is to take the whole day off work and read them both. Dilemma solved!
I may be the only person in the world that doesn’t care for either series, but I vote for Julia Quinn.
On a purely philosophical level, I agree with Tamara’s rationale. Since your anticipation is so high, there’s a better than usual chance of disappointment with both books, so I would save the one that generally has the better sex scenes for last.
OMG! I have the exact same problem. Same books, same day. I have been worried about it since January when I pre-ordered them!
Since this has happened in the past my system is having Mr. Deviant hold both books behind his back. I know I know…silly. But it works!
@Ana
Yes his back is weird.
I don’t see a problem here. Nothing says WINNING more than Charlie Sheen or TWO great books in one day. Reading orgy. Go!
Of the two choices, I’d go with Kiss of Snow! (Though I’m still stuck with the dilemma of Kiss of Snow or JQ’s newest!)
KoS, Smythe-Smith and KoS again. Followed a re-read of my fav Psy and Bridgertons books.
1. Magic Slays
2. Kiss of Snow
3. Just Like Heaven
I may need to call in sick next week. Don’t want work to interfere with this trifecta of goodness.
Kiss of Snow is first for me! I am so excited! Then straight to Magic Slays. I wish these came out Friday so I could read them over the long weekend.
Kiss of Snow! Something tells me that no matter how big you have built it up in your mind, you will not be disappointed.
Just Like Heaven. Definitely.
I’m still two books back in the psy-changeling series, so I’ll be reading Magic Slays first and then on to Kiss of Snow when I catch up.
I’m just as excited about Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey, though! A new Kowalski book! On June 6, so spaced nicely from Magic Slays. I can read Magic Slays, catch up on all the stuff I ignored while reading, then get ready to ignore everything again for Yours to Keep!
And inbetween I’ll work on the psy-changeling series, because even 2 books back I’m excited about Hawke and Sienna. And the quotes Nalini Singh is posting on Goodreads are driving me crazy with booklust!
Neither, yet both. Take both books. Set them side by side. Read them concurrently, chapter by chapter….
Um, I admit this leaves you deciding which one to read Chapter One of FIRST. But at least you’ll get both books read more-or-less at the same time!
I say Kiss of Snow first…hopefully it’s as good as anticipated (or even better), but just in case it isn’t, you can follow with Magic Slays, which sounds like you believe will be good for sure. You don’t want to end the book reading marathon on a down note, so get the iffy one out of the way first.
Julia Quinn!
But yeah, not at all the same genre.
1. Ilona Andrews (Sienna and Hawke’s romance may be long awaited, but nothing beats a new Kate and Curran book)
2. Nalini Singh (as soon as I’ve finished Magic Slays)
3. Julia Quinn (Smythe-Smith squee!)
I had completely forgotten that the new Julia Quinn is also out next week, it’s a good thing I’ve already more or less cleared my schedule, nothing is getting in the way of these books. I’ve been waiting so long for each of them, and just recently reread the Bridgerton novel which refers to the Honoria Smythe-Smith. Next week is going to be such a great week!
This is nothing compared to Archangel’s Consort, Loose Ends and The Red Garden all releasing on January 25th. Thank goodness for gift cards! Thankfully this is not an issue for me this go round. I only recently started the Psy/Changeling books after falling in love with the Guild Hunter books & am no where near ready for this one, and I haven’t started the Ilona Andrews books because I seriously don’t need one more PNR series in my life, but I’ll get to it.
Ilona Andrews has never disappointed, not in either series. That we’re five books in and I still enjoy this world and love the characters says it all. I don’t buy many agency books, but this one is a no-brainer.
I have the same quandary so I’ll be reading Magic Slays during my down-time and listening to Kiss of Snow in audiobook when I have to be doing something else. Now if I could just ditch work for the day…
I’m going to have to disagree. Ilona Andrews -has- disappointed me. The first book, Magic Bites, is solid gold awesome. The second one is still pretty good. The third one on was really jarring in particular because Curran is -just- too domineering and the Pack is too bestial. I actually dug the idea put forward in the first book where the Pack do a whole lot of discipline to keep the animal on the inside. They work at staying normal.
Then it turns out that it’s totally acceptable to breeze into a meeting, piss someone off until they give in and attack, and butcher him AND his wife when he jumps in.
It vastly irritated me that a gay were-hyena threw the matriarchal hyena clan for a loop over how to treat him.
Now, let’s be clear. It’s still not a -bad- series. Just not what I signed up for. If I could change any one thing, it’d be to make the Pack able to function without Curran snarling at all of them.
That’s why I’m digging Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate. There’s the awesome female lead and male lead—and then an awesome cast of side characters who keep the leads from getting too full of themselves.
Neither- sorta. In that I don’t know which book I’m recommending:
Read whichever one that it’s been longer since you read the previous book in the series first. It’s been longer since you’ve been to that world. It needs a turn. Catch up with it and then read the other one.
(Yes, this is exactly what I do when two books in series that I follow come out on the same day.)
Read Magic Skays first so if it does not meet your expectations you have Kiss of Snow as a fallback.
planning24, geez I have atleast 24 books I plan on reading.
don’t know how to edit once posted please make that last post Magic Slays not skays.
The choice is easy… just close your eyes (NO PEAKING), mix them up, and then whatever one you pick up is the one you read first. I do this all the time with Netflix movies and it works every time.
OK, OK, I can’t resist some cover snark. Though I love Nalini Singh what is with the very prominent arteries on the cover model. Are they introducing a vampire element into the Psy/Changeling stories? And, the cover in the ads on the right for Uniform Appeal ALSO has a very prominent artery heading into his groin.
I mean I know that vampire romances are very popular but that doesn’t mean that the READERS are vampires. Is this the latest fad? Have publishing art departments been taken over by vampires that haven’t come out of the closet yet? WHATs up.
Similar problem here, except that I would read both of them on the 31st and then be knocking myself upside the head because once that first read is gone it’s gone. My plan is to go with Kate on the 31st and to keep myself from reading Kiss of Snow instead of sleeping, I’m going to be a good sister (while fulfilling my own agenda) and offer it to my sis to read first since she’s currently on bed rest. Nalini Singh is the only paranormal romance author that I’ve ever gotten her to read, she’s normally an “Regency only” romance reader.
I’m in the Julia Quinn camp!
Kiss of Snow. I know nothing about these books, so I’m judging solely by the covers. Mantitty & six pack win.
Violet, I have the same dilemma. I have voted with KOS because like you Nalini’s books at times have been a hit or miss with me but Ilona’s…… wow, fantastic every time so if you read Magic Slays last then the reading binge is guaranteed to end on a high note!
Yes, I have this dilemma also. I’m coping by taking June 1st off work so that I have plenty of time to read both of them as soon/quickly as possible. I voted for Kiss of Snow as the one to read first…but that may change once I have both books in my hands!!
Thanks for all your advice and suggestions! It’s good to know I’m not the only one with this dilemma. (But I always know I’m in good company here at the Bitchery.)
There are 52 Tuesdays in which to release books, so why do publishers bunch them up like this? Is there a book publishing version of sweeps week like for TV? Or an Oscar season for movies? Or do they just like torturing us poor readers?
Can’t wait to find out what I’m reading next.