Sassafrass’s Comments (group member since Nov 19, 2016)

Sassafrass’s comments from the Pick-a-Shelf group.

congrats!

She's a fantastic woman. Alas, the book has a long waiting list. I'm afraid that I won't be able to get it in time. I put myself on so when I land on you again, PLEASE pick it. Maybe I'll have it by then. LOL

ETA: I'm going to go with Chasing Nikki for now.

Marie wrote: "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Forgetting to Be Afraid: A Memoir
Chasing Nikki

sorry Sass i missed your post hope you enjoy one of these"



Thanks, Marie. I'm going to see if I get Wendy Davis' memoir at the library because I've been really wanting go read that and I need some girl power inspiration right about now!

NancyHelen, it's a beautifully written book and while the subject matter isn't easy it's so good. I hope you enjoy it.

Hi, Marie!! I've made it over here to you. Would you mind picking a few books for me off of My Shelf?

Thanks!

Roll #21: COMPLETED
1/19/17@ 8:56 pm
5 + 4 = 9

Sally & Charlie Brown

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Forgetting to Be Afraid: A Memoir
Chasing Nikki

Going with: Chasing Nikki completed 2/9/17

Continuing this series is a must!

Chasing Nikki - Lacey Weatherford

*More like 3.5 STARS*

Aww man. That was so mean! I can't believe this. Poor, poor Chase. Life just really kicks some people in the nuts, doesn't it?

Anyway, I thought it was a sweet coming of age story with a whole lot of tragedy mixed in. Of course though, I'm going to have to go to the next book, like immediately! I have to see what happens next.

Ashley wrote: "Sassafrass wrote: "Oh great, I can't wait to see what you think!"

I blew through it in 2 days sooooo I'd say I liked it. Thanks for the great pick!"

LOL, Ashley! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I kinda got sucked into it too. :)

Hi NancyHelen! I enjoyed searching your eclectic shelves. I'm hoping that you enjoy your picks.

The Nightingale

Fish & Chips

The Husband

Hey, Katie! I'm in a CR mood this morning so I pick for you:

Worth the Fight

Delicious

True Love

Enjoy!

Great job!

Oh great, I can't wait to see what you think!

Lyn, I totally agree with you about Like Water for Chocolate, I didn't enjoy it at all.

I have enjoyed Sarah Addison Allen books I have read so I will look to one of those to read for the month.

I've had Lost Lake on my shelf since 2012, so I think I will give that one a go!

Ashley wrote: "Hi! Would you please do me the honor of selecting three options for me?

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Thanks!"

Hi, Ashley! The honor is all mine. Here are my picks for you:

Me Before You -- very good book. Loved it on audio. Fair warning, be ready to cry. And if you saw the movie, the book is much better...deeper.

The Secret History -- this sounds very interesting. And it has such polarizing reviews. It must really draw a reaction out of the people who read it. I'd be interested to see what side you're on.

Cat's Cradle -- this is one of those classics that I keep saying that I need to read but haven't yet. I hope you enjoy it.


Ok, here are your picks. I hope one of these works. Enjoy!!!

February Letters


A
F
K
L
D

Great job, everyone!!

Roll #20: COMPLETED
1/14/17 @ 10:32 pm
2 + 6 = 8
Theme: Opposites

Easy level:
3. How many people rated this book? Read the book with either the highest or the lowest number of ratings on your bookopoly shelf.

Planned Seduction (12 ratings at time of pick--lowest number of ratings on shelf) completed 1/22/17

This was a hot one...

Planned Seduction (The Seduction Series) - Jess Dee 
 
*3.5 STARS*
Friends-to-lovers is one of my all time favorite tropes so, when I read the description for PLANNED SEDUCTION, I was super excited to read it. And while I didn't love everything about the story, I really thought it was an enjoyable read.

Amy and Daniel have been friends for the last seventeen years. Daniel has also been secretly in love with Amy for about the same time. He's never felt that it was the right time to let his feelings be known, but after a life changing photography assignment, he knows that he's got to make his move. The problem is getting his best friend who thinks all men leave her to take him seriously is going to be difficult.

So, Daniel comes up with a plan that will seduce his best friend into becoming his lover and hopefully much more. But will Amy be willing to take a chance on him and them becoming more than just friends?

As I stated before, I'm a sucker for friends-to-lovers stories. And this one really fit the bill because Amy and Daniel have so much history together. How they made it through their hormone riddled teen years without so much as a make out session, I have no idea, but I loved the ease of their friendship. I also loved the way that Daniel knew he had to ease Amy into the idea of a more physical relationship with him. It showed how much he knew his best friend and her issues.

And when those two got together...WOW! We are talking off the charts hot. Jess Dee is one of those authors that I know is going to bring the heat. And nothing was left unscorched in this one. It seemed like a seamless transition to me. Their friendship made their physical relationship that much better.

But, that's where the story fell short for me. Amy, who is a therapist, really just went off the rails. She was so afraid of being hurt like she has been by men in her past, that she made so really ridiculous choices. We've seen that before, right, but it was the fact that she is a therapist that really didn't sit well with me. Didn't she have some therapy to work on her own issues? Here in the states, it's basically a requirement to do that. Maybe things are different in Australia, but the girl needed some serious couch time. She was so stunted that she made those too stupid to live type of decisions and it made the story less enjoyable right there.

Luckily, she came to her senses and I got the HEA that was rooting for all along, but I wanted to about strangle her there for a second.

Overall though, PLANNED SEDUCTION was a very hot read that was enjoyable to read. I have read books by this author before, and I know that I'm in for a steamy one when I see her name and this one certainly didn't disappoint there.

*Advanced Reader's Copy provided by NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Roll #19: COMPLETED
4 + 4 = 8
Psychiatric Booth
Rolled again for task
2 + 1 = 3
3. Read a book where word in title includes either Q, V, Y, X, or Z

Playing the Player completed 1/14/17

PLAYING THE PLAYER by Amy Andrews is the lastest installment in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series and Em and Linc burned up the sheets as well as my kindle. And while that hot lovin' was good, it was the fun that I had reading this made the story so memorable.

High school teacher, Em Newman is done with wasting her time on the wrong guys. She wants it all: the husband, the kids, the happily ever after, but she's always choosing the men who don't want to stay around. So, she decides that she's going to go on a man-hiatus until she finds a man who is willing to go the distance. And if she happens to be ridiculously attracted to the the exact wrong type of man she's looking for, she'll just have to get over it. Even if it happens to Lincoln Quinn, star rugby player for the Sydney Smoke.

Linc loves women, he loves rugby, and he feels that he excels at both. But the one thing he will never do is settle down. It doesn't' work. His own parents showed him that. So, why is it that he can not seem to get the hot little teacher Em out of his head? And why is he willing to jump through all sorts of hoops to be with her?

Both Em and Linc know that acting their attraction is inevitable, but it's what comes next that has them both changing their outlook on relationships.

So PLAYING THE PLAYER was cute and sweet. I loved Linc's character. For a guy who admitted to being emotionally stunted, he sure did have great insight. He wasn't all the way there (or else he wouldn't have messed up), but I thought he was much more deep than anyone gave him credit for. I loved that he was willing to show that part of himself to Em.

I thought it great that Em was not willing to give in the goals that she wanted for herself but it kind of ticked me off too. She's twenty-three years old in this story and she wasn't willing to give Linc more than two months to plan the future. Linc was the one who was supposed to be emotionally stunted but it seemed like Em was in that category too. I get that they both had their baggage but, two months didn't seem like long enough for them to have it all worked out.

And while those emotional landmines gave me some issues with he storyline, PLAYING THE PLAYER was an extremely fun read. Between the sexy banter, the insane amount of chemistry between Em and Linc, and the trouble that Linc went through to guess Em's given name (it's worse than you can possibly imagine), I zipped through this one in one sitting.

PLAYING THE PLAYER is the third installment of the Sydney Smoke Rugby Series which centers around the players a rugby team of the same name, but you don't have to read the other stories to enjoy this one. There's enough back story given to enjoy this as a standalone. This series is far from over and I am excited to see who is going to fall next!

This is only my second book by this author (I read book two in this series and enjoyed it), but it won't be my last. I enjoy the fun that Amy Andrews has with her characters. And I love the fact that she takes pity on American's like me and gives me a glossary of the Aussie terms used in the book. How cool is that?

*Advanced Reader's Copy provided by NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for an honest review*

January List: COMPLETED

✔︎a. shelf 1 S Suspense: Portrait in Death 1/5/17
✔︎b. shelf 2 G Genre Fantasy: A Court of Mist and Fury 1/12/17
✔︎c. shelf 3 R Romantic Quick Reads: Waking Up Pregnant 1/1/17
✔︎d. shelf 4 P Psychological Thriller: The Girl on the Train 1/2/17
✔︎e. shelf 5 I Insta-Love: Lover Undercover 1/2/17
✔︎f. first word in title (excluding a, an, the) G: The Girl on the Train 1/2/17
✔︎g. any word in title but NOT first (excluding a, an, the) I: Portrait in Death IN 1/5/17
✔︎h. author's first name P: Paula Hawkins The Girl on the Train 1/2/17
✔︎i. author's last name R: J.D. Robb Portrait in Death 1/5/17
✔︎j. item on cover P: Picture Frame Portrait in Death 1/5/17
✔︎k. any word in Series name / Subtitle (excl. a, an, the, novel, trilogy, series, chronicles, memoir, biography, autobiography) I: In Death Series Portrait in Death 1/5/17
✔︎l. name of character R: Rachel The Girl on the Train 1/2/17


Books
❖ The Girl on the Train COMPLETED 1/2/17
d. shelf 4 P Psychological Thriller
f. first word in title (excluding a, an, the) G
h. author's first name P (Paula)
l. name of character R (Rachel)

❖ Portrait in Death COMPLETED 1/5/17
a. shelf 1 S Suspense
g. any word in title but NOT first (excluding a, an, the) I (IN)
i. author's last name R (Robb)
j. item on cover P (Picture Frame)
k. any word in Series name / Subtitle (excl. a, an, the, novel, trilogy, series, chronicles, memoir, biography, autobiography) I (In Death Series)

❖ Waking Up Pregnant COMPLETED 1/1/17
c. shelf 3 R Romantic Quick Reads

❖ Lover Undercover COMPLETED 1/2/17
e. shelf 5 I Insta-Love

❖ A Court of Mist and Fury COMPLETED 1/12/17
b. shelf 2 G Genre Fantasy

Tien wrote: "Not depressing at all, Sassafrass. Sad at times (she had some pretty tough times) but not depressing. "

thanks, I've added it.

Now, Jane Eyre is one that I haven't read. You make it sound so appealing though. I've always been afraid of being too depressing. I think I shall add it to my TBR.