LaurLa’s Comments (group member since Nov 30, 2016)

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

Tien wrote: "The font is really small so it is kinda hard to see.

If you go to Ben Aaronovitch & scroll down to "BEN AARONOVITCH’S BOOKS" & just underneath the line, you'll see:
"Average ratin..."

Yes, it seems so obvious now that I know where to look!

Okay, sigh, why am I the only one who can't seem too find the "similar authors" link?

Let's Book It! (2021) -- COMPLETE
June - December 2021

My June Plan (msg 25)

Monthly Goal: 10 books
Plan: Completed plan

June Tasks:

🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹

1. Revisit - Read from any picked shelves for June
✔🔹chick-lit - Faking It - 10.13 ★★★★
✔🔹must-read - Blood Bound - 06.07 ★★★★
✔🔹southern - Bones of a Feather - 06.22 ★★★★

2. New Release - Read book/s published in 2021
✔🔹A Good Day for Chardonnay - 08.07 ★★★★
✔🔹Marrying Mr. Wrong - 07.19 ★★★★

3. Pick-a-Shelf 4 - Our gift to you: Read Any Book you want to!
✔🔹Want You to Want Me - 06.03 ★★★★
✔🔹Trouble After Dark - 06.19 ★★★★
✔🔹On the Rocks - 09.22 ★★★★

4. Last Month 4 - Pick an author you read last month and read a book from an author listed under "Similar authors"
✔🔹Elisabeth Naughton - Gena Showalter - Enslave Me Sweetly - 09.05 ★★★★

5. Pick-a-Shelf 1 - Read for another PAS challenge
✔🔹Trim that TBR - Sacred Evil - 09.18 ★★★

This was a pretty easy shelf for me since I do read a lot of paranormal - I was lazy updating though. Sorry!


Book: Equal Rites - 05.07 ★★★
# Tags: 16
Review:
Not really my favorite genre - being more fantasy than paranormal. I had trouble getting into it but people tell me this isn't the best entry into Discworld. I'll try a another to see if it sparks my interest more.
Challenges: May Let's Book It
Nomination: wizards

Book: Lacybourne Manor - 05.11 ★★★★
# Tags: 23
Review:
More my style! Fairly typical Kristen Ashley style although the male MC wasn't as heavy handed as usual. Well, not after the first 3rd of the book. Anyway, was interesting reading about how the past connected to the future.
Challenges: May Let's Book It
Nomination: gothic

Book: Twice Tempted - 05.12 ★★★★
# Tags: 133
Review:
I love Jeaniene Frost and her world. Although I was glad to see Vlad come around, I thought he swung a little too far from his aloof self. But I'm not complaining!
Challenges: May Let's Book It
Nomination: vampires

Book: Changeless - 05.31 ★★★★
# Tags: 278
Review:
It's been along time for me between books so it took me a bit to remember all the connections. I really love Alexia's snark! And her relationship with Conall is fun. I didn't like the ending and I understand it's drawn out for awhile in the next book - but better one book than a whole series! Moving right along to the next though!
Challenges: April Let's Book It
Nomination: steampunk

D.G. wrote: "Sure, Laurla!! My first pick was It Happened One Autumn - my favorite in the Wallflower series!! Then for the rest, I went with titles with 4 letters. :)

[bookcover:It Happened One A..."

Thanks, DG!! I'm going with your first pick!

Roll 14: Round 2
Due by: 06.12
Completed: 07.28
Rating: ★★★★

Roll: 6 + 4 => 10
Timestamp: 05.22; 11:57 am US ET
Square: C: Chance => 6: Advance to Go & return to your own Board => 5 => U: The Half-Mast Tavern - Book Request
Task: n/a
Book: It Happened One Autumn
How fits: picked by D.G.; 05.22; 12:08 pm US ET

Hi All! I have landed on The Half-Mast Tavern - May I have 3 choices please?
LaurLa's Bookopoly Shelf

I have a bunch on deck this month - remains to be seen how many I read!


Already Freakn' Mated
Changeless
Darkfever
Enslave Me Sweetly
Equal Rites
Lacybourne Manor
Twice Tempted

Roll 13: Round 2
Due by: 06.01
Completed: 05.22
Rating: ★★★★

Roll: 5 + 4 => 9
Timestamp: 05.04; 9:11 am US EST
Square: P: Cairo (Egypt | Shelf: Egypt)
Task: Read a book set in Egypt
Book: The Mummy Case
How fits: set in Egypt

Let's Book It! (2021) -- COMPLETE
May - December 2021

My May Plan (msg 26)

Monthly Goal: 10 books
Plan: Completed plan

May Tasks:

🔹 🔹 🔹

1. Revisit - Read from any picked shelves for May
✔🔹science-fiction - Dark in Death - 05.28 ★★★★
✔🔹5-stars - Equal Rites - 05.07 ★★★
✔🔹gothic - Lacybourne Manor - 05.11 ★★★★
✔🔹stand-alone - Love's Wild Desire - 05.03 ★★★

2. TBR 1 - Read random pick from your TBR
✔🔹A Child's Heart - 05.14 ★★★
✔🔹Baptism by Blood - 05.09 ★★★

3. Borrowed - Read book/s you borrowed
friends
✔🔹friend - Already Freakn' Mated - 05.19 ★★★
✔🔹friend - Twice Tempted - 05.12 ★★★★

4. Recommendation 3 - Go to Which Book and read one of the books listed/recommended
✔🔹happy - Alison Wonderland - 12.05 ★★

5. Last Month 3 - Pick your best read from last month and read from Readers Also Enjoyed…
✔🔹Saturdays at Noon - The Christmas Holiday - 12.31 ★★★★

Book: Coming Home - 04.13 ★★★★
# Tags: 23



Review:
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was deeper and much more emotional than I expected. There was a bit of a love triangle happening but it wasn't overt - the most conflict came after one of the males in the triangle was actually completely out of the picture. Mostly I was impressed how the author authentically portrayed the depth of feelings the female MC had for both men at different times/places in her life. This book affected my emotions. It had an HEA but there are more books in the series that hint at more troubles for the couple.

Challenges: n/a
Nomination: tear-jerker

Roll 12: Round 2
Due by: 05.07
Completed: 06.28
Rating: Shadow of Night

Roll: 4 + 2 => 6
Timestamp: 04.09; 8:09 am US EST
Square: P: Rome (Italy | Shelf: Italy)
Task: Read a book set in Italy
Book: Shadow of Night
How fits: set in Italy

Roll 11: Round 2
Due by: 05.05
Completed: 04.08
Rating: ★★★

Roll: 3 + 2 => 5
Timestamp: 04.07; 7:39 am US EST
Square: Just Visiting / Jail
Task: Read a book with word in title that is, at least, 3 syllables long
Book: The Library of Unrequited Love
How fits: library = 3 syllables

Let's Book It! (2021) -- COMPLETE
April - December 2021

My April Plan (msg 29)

Monthly Goal: 10 books
Plan: Completed plan

April Tasks:

🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹

1. Revisit - Read from any picked shelves for April
✔🔹favorites - Room for You - 04.01 ★★★★
✔🔹alternate-history - Changeless - 05.31 ★★★★
✔🔹1990s - Desert Rose - 10.21 ★★★★

2. Pick-a-Shelf 4 - Our gift to you: Read Any Book you want to!
✔🔹Evening Stars - 04.02 ★★★★
✔🔹Meeting Mr. Write - 04.04 ★★★
✔🔹On the Steamy Side - 04.06 ★★★★
✔🔹Beautiful Stranger - 04.07 ★★★★

3. Crossing Borders 2 - Read book/s originally published in a language that is not your native tongue
✔🔹french - The Phantom of the Opera - 06.30 ★★★

4. Pick-a-Shelf 3 - Pick a PAS buddy and read book/s from their shelf
✔🔹Lusie - The Other Miss Bridgerton - 06.14 ★★★★

5. Recommendation 4 - Go to What Should I Read Next, type in the title of your last 5-stars read, and read one of the books listed/recommended
✔🔹Marriage of Incovenience - Lady Luck - 07.15 ★★★★

I'm going to read either Play or Coming Home.


One's your typical rockstar romance, so could be yummy. The other seems like it might have some interesting twists. We'll see if I can maybe get both done.

Book: My Favorite Souvenir - 03.30 ★★★★
# Tags: tagged 2020 releases 14 times (2020 release = 7)



Review:
This was mostly a fun light read although there was a little bit of a surprise twist that was a surprise until it was. I saw it before it was revealed on page but I didn't see it from the start, so the author did a good job of not being too obvious. I thought the female MC was a little too nice and it took her too long to realize what she really wanted and to make it happen - I get frustrated when I see characters just let things happen instead of making things happen. But that's partly real life I guess. Anyway, good read overall.

Challenges: n/a
Nomination: Roadtrip or Road Trip

Book: The Summer Deal - 03.23 ★★★★
# Tags: tagged 2020 releases 2 times (2020 release = 5)



Review:
I enjoyed this installment of the series but it did feel a little disjointed at times. Both female MCs could be harsh and off-putting, but I think that's what makes them feel real. There was definitely a lot of push pull between them as they tried to forge a relationship. This series is different for this author - a lot more focused on friendship/familial relationships than simply romance, though that's in there. I'm glad there is more of this series to go.

Challenges: March Let's Book It
Nomination: Family

Let's Book It! (2021) -- COMPLETE
March - December 2021

My March Plan (msg 39)

Monthly Goal: 10 books
Plan: Completed plan

March Tasks:

🔹 🔹 🔹 🔹

1. Revisit - Read from any picked shelves for March
✔🔹mystery - Secrets in Death - 03.07 ★★★★
✔🔹mystery - 4th of July - 03.13 ★★★★
✔🔹dystopia - Beyond Addiction - 03.31 ★★★★

2. Recommendation 2 - Read one of the books recommended to you by a GR friend
✔🔹Raine - Making Her His - 10.03 ★★★

3. Borrowed - Read book/s you borrowed
✔🔹KU - Settling the Score - 03.12 ★★★★

4. Last Month 2 - Read book/s from series you read last month
✔🔹Tracers - Unstoppable - 04.06 ★★★
✔🔹Bayview Heights - Between Two Worlds - 09.15 ★★★
✔🔹Rainshadow 3 - Rain Shadow - 07.01 ★★★

5. Recent Release - Read book/s published in 2020
✔🔹published Mar 2020 - Your French Kisses - 03.09 ★★★
✔🔹published June 2020 - The Summer Deal - 03.23 ★★★★

finally got my book list posted for February... will only get a couple done in Feb.
My February Plan (msg 31)

Book: Secret Seduction - 02.13 ★★★
# Tags: 1



Review: This was really just blah for me even though it was one of my favorite genres. The seduction wasn't so secret and the suspense part of the story wasn't all that suspenseful. There is a slight twist at the end that peaked my interest enough to read on to the next book. We'll see if things pick up in the next one
Challenges: n/a
Nomination: romantic suspense