Cory Day’s
Comments
(group member since Aug 18, 2012)
Cory Day’s
comments
from the Reading with Style group.
Showing 221-240 of 1,205
20.7 U.S.Crash & Burn by Abigail Roux
Review: This is, sadly, the final book in the Cut & Run series, and I’m so glad Roux is still writing the spinoff series so I can keep in touch with these guys for a bit longer. As a final installment it definitely has the crazy conspiracy shenanigans of the rest of the books, but wraps things up in a pretty reasonable way – a happy ending, but not a safe and boring one for Ty and Zane. There are casualties on the way, and Ty and Nick’s friendship is still suffering, but it’s a really good book. The plot may be completely unbelievable (as I said before, I really hope all these alphabet agencies aren’t really going around doing all the crap they do in these books), but it’s a heck of a lot of fun. I don’t even mind the non-stop action sequences, and usually I need more of a break. I’ll miss these guys – I think I’ll have to track down the audiobooks so I can reread.
+20 Task
+10 Review
+5 Combo (10.7)
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 190
20.7 U.S.Cross & Crown by Abigail Roux
Review: The second book in the Sidewinders spinoff series gives more of a glimpse into Nick’s life, rather than having him just as a peripheral character. He lives on a boat and works at Boston PD and gets himself into just as much trouble as Zane and Ty do in the Cut & Run series. I read all of these in such quick succession that not all that much stands out to me from this one. Nick and Ty don’t have much interaction, which is more interesting to me than Nick and Kelly, quite frankly, but it’s still worth reading in my opinion – just not without reading all of the rest of both series first.
+20 Task
+10 Review
+5 Combo (10.7)
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 155
20.7 U.S.Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux
Review: If you tried to start this series at this book, you wouldn’t have a freaking clue what was going on. I kind of wish the mysteries were more focused on Ty and Zane’s job, because these later books are completely convoluted. The books are still fun, and the guys are still working on figuring out the forces at work that have been guiding them for decades. I personally liked the injection of Kelly and Nick into the story – Ty and Nick fascinate me. This one is set on an isolated Scottish island, so it’s like a big locked room mystery, and I can tell Roux had fun with it. It wasn’t my favorite of the later novels, but I still love this series to bits.
+20 Task
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 120
I'm in - ready to come back to the group after my short break :)
10.7 First Letter Shock & Awe by Abigail Roux
Review: Shock & Awe is a spinoff from the Cut & Run series, a novella that gets us more familiar with two side characters as they begin a relationship with each other. A lot of other reviewers seemed not to really care much for the integration of Kelly and Nick’s story into the greater Cut & Run universe, but I’m a total sucker for it. It’s about as close to gay-for-you as I can get behind, but I love Nick so much I don’t blame Kelly for wanting to try him out. The Sidewinders series this kicks off gives a lot more dimension to Ty’s spec ops team, and I would be okay if the whole group ended up being gay if I got more.
+10 Task
+10 Review
+5 Combo (20.7)
Task Total: 25
Grand Total: 90
20.7 U.S.Touch & Geaux by Abigail Roux
Review: Touch & Geaux is probably my favorite of the Cut & Run series, although it’s also probably the most convoluted plot and the hardest to read emotionally. I truly hope that the FBI, CIA, and whatever other alphabet agencies are out there aren’t really doing the kind of crap they do in these books, and if they do I don’t want to know about it. It’s a wonderful book though – the whole team gets together in what’s supposed to be a fun situation and gets into all kinds of dangerous shenanigans. My biggest complaint about Roux’s writing is that a lot of times she ends chapters (or books!) on climactic moments and doesn’t really follow through with them – you just find out later what happened, which really lessens the emotional wallop.
+20 Task
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 65
20.7 U.S.Stars & Stripes by Abigail Roux
Review: I’ve been pretty much reading this series non-stop for the last couple weeks, and was pleased to see that it would fit into this season’s challenge. That’s important, since I decided this time around that if I wanted to read a book I’d read it, regardless of whether or not I got points. The Cut and Run series is male-male romance, but since it’s between two FBI agents it’s like a fun procedural series with a bunch of sex. I have a weakness for intimate male relationships, whether they are lovers, friends, or brothers. This series has all of the above, with a healthy amount of banter. This installment also has cowboy hats, Ty making friends with a tiger, and coming out to family. I’m currently reading the last in the series, and I’ll be sad to see it go. I think I’ll probably eventually buy all the audiobooks so I can reread when I need some comfort food, so to speak.
+20 Task
+10 Review
+5 Combo (10.7)
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 35
Thanks everyone :) No words can fix what's happening, but all the kind messages do help me feel slightly less alone. Katy, it's a crazy small world! I've heard from and gotten to know a lot of Chris's high school classmates in the last couple months - it's amazing how 16 years after graduation people still have an impact. A bunch of them sang at his funeral, and it was beautiful. It's a shame he's not around - I'm certain he would have a story about how your sister mattered to him, even if they hardly known each other.
Joanna, I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I personally am surprised when people tell me my blog has helped them, since it doesn't exactly have a happy ending, but if something positive or comforting can come from it I am so glad. Every person facing a cancer diagnosis is going to have a different experience, but it's always going to be scary and hard. Even though friends rarely know what to say, their support means the world during a struggle like this, so I'm glad you're there and trying to figure out how best to support.
Thanks again everyone - I really appreciate the kind words.
I'm not keeping up this challenge - I've had a very difficult year, and especially the last couple of months. I haven't shared before now, but maybe it's time. I know I've never talked about my life all that much here beyond what I've been reading, but you guys are part of my community. Two weeks ago my husband died after being sick for eight months. I haven't been able to concentrate much on anything, so my reading has slowed way down. Hopefully next challenge will be better - I like the structure these things provide. Anyway, if you'd like to read more, I kept a blog about it at updatesonchris.wordpress.com.Thanks guys - I'll be around, but will probably not post many books - I'll try again next season :)
15.2 Waters of the WorldTigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy
Indian Ocean – Australia
+15 Task (born in Australia/Australian/set in Australia)
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 280
10.3-Bailey's PrizeWhere'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
+10 Task
+5 Combo (20.5 – novels, screenplays, and Magnify Your Business: Tips, Tools and Strategies for Growing Your Business or Your Nonprofit Magnify Your Business: Tips, Tools and Strategies for Growing Your Business or Your Nonprofit)
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 265
10.9-Back to BusinessOvercoming Organizational Defenses: Facilitating Organizational Learning by Chris Argyris
+10 Task
+5 Oldies (1990)
+10 Not-a-Novel
+5 Combo (10.8 – professor - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_A...)
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 250
10.4-Popular GenreQuicksand by Gigi Pandian
+10 Task
+10 Combo (10.2, 10.7)
+5 Multiple
Task Total: 25
Grand Total: 210
10.8-License to Write The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma
+10 Task (teaches creative writing)
+5 Combo (10.7)
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 185
15.1 Waters of the WorldSorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho
S China Sea – Malaysia
+15 Task (born in Malaysia/Malaysian)
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 170
10.4-Popular GenrePirate Vishnu by Gigi Pandian
+10 Task
+5 Combo (10.7)
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 155
10.2-Single WordSlammed by Colleen Hoover
+10 Task
+5 Multiple
+5 Combo (10.8 – social worker and teacher - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleen...)
Task Total: 20
Grand Total: 140
10.7-4 Letter NamesSomething Like Summer by Jay Bell
+10 Task
+5 Multiple
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 110
10.7-4 Letter NamesBending The Iron by Libby Drew
+10 Task
+5 Combo (10.5)
+5 Multiple
Task Total: 20
Grand Total: 95
