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R2: ♪ Teal We Read Again
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Susan (susayq ~), Moderator
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Feb 15, 2013 03:33PM
Catherine, yes, I got it all sorted out now. Thank you :). As for your book choice, I'm thinking you'll get points for setting cause it takes place during a war. Did you notice any other connections?
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here's this week's cheat-sheet...compliments of CaroB :)This week's cheat sheet:
Cover:
(link to lyrics) – armour; battleground; fire; person running.
(link to video) - piano; burnt out car; man dressed all in black; abandoned building; woman in black lingerie; red sheets.
Plot: One of the main characters is getting over a relationship where they have been cheated on; one of the main characters is a widower or lives in a haunted house.
Title:
A book with the words WAR or ZONE in the title or series name.
Name:
Any of the following names for characters or author name or surname: SIVA, JAY, NATHAN, MAX, TOM.
Setting:
battle ground / warzone; a book written or set in 2011.
Congrats Teal We Meet Again! You're up-to-date and just waiting for reviews for this week!! I've updated your dance card in Post #2.
I've decided that I just can't bear to read another 'college based' book this week. I'm already feeling tempted to jump into the book, kidnap the heroine and strand her in the middle of the Russian steppes so all the other characters can move onto other people.I'm thinking The Monster of Silver Creek. It was published in 2011 and the male lead is Nathan. A thriller may be just the thing :)
Damiellar, I'd agree with that!!! a good thriller makes an excellent palate cleanser.
Week 7 - ♬ Warzone by The Wanted (2011)
Book:The Monster Of Silver Creek - Belinda G. Buchanan
Rating: ★★★☆
Finished: 16-Feb-2013
Review:
This was honestly just the perfect book for me to read this week. A good thriller never goes astray and it has been a while. And even better, it's a standalone so there's no major backstory or foreshadowing of future events (even if there is apparently a sequel).
Most summers Silver Creek is a vacation getaway. Lots of tourists come in, money is made, and all is happy. However over the past month a serial killer has been leaving bodies next to the lake and there are no clues to the murder weapon let alone who it is.
Police Chief Nathan Sommers is trying his best to find the killer before another body is discovered. He's getting pressure from a local reporter (view spoiler). The mayor (view spoiler) is concerned about his re-election later in the year and is saying that Nathan has 'lost his urge'. On top of this Nathan is dealing with personal problems (view spoiler)
I liked that the murder investigation wasn't the only thing which the police concentrated on during the course of this book. At various times they had to deal with unpaid parking tickets, domestic arguments, bar fights, planning for Fourth of July celebrations, and strangers in the neighbourhood. Crime as a whole didn't stop while they investigated and that felt realistic to me (it bugs me that some thrillers have the police able to devote every single minute to chasing the killer - not realistic in a small town).
There was a romantic thread weaving through this (between Nathan and Katie) but we also heard events from other characters POV (Jack one of the deputies) which rounded this out. Things didn't proceed smoothly at all.
I didn't suspect who the 'monster' was but it didn't feel as though it had been 'sprung' on the reader. There were even clues dropped (when considered in hindsight). The ending was unexpected but it felt right.
A definite worthwhile read and I'll be looking out for this author's work to read again.
Links:
PLOT - Nathan is a widower whose wife died in a car accident after she discovered he'd been cheating on her.
NAME - Male protagonist is Nathan Sommers to match band member name Nathan Skyes.
SETTING - Song and book were both released in 2011.
Individual points: Plot (3)+ Name (5) + Setting (6) = 14 points
I have a question.....according to the spreadsheet..in wk 5 we were not done til 8+ days....is that true? I thought we were on track....and even wk 4 I thought we were done by day 7....
Week 7 - ♬ Warzone by The Wanted (2011) 
Book: Dark Matter Heart by Nathan Wrann
Rating: ***
Finished: 2/16/13
Review: This was "okay" but I was a bit disappointed in it because I was ready for an in your face vampire story and shucks for the biggest first half of this story it never even mentioned a word about vampires just a boy moving to a new town with sun allergies. I gave it a third star just for the scientificness it aroused in me when it prosed the question how do we really know "they" don't exist? Not the movie creatures with all the crazyiness but ordinary people that could be considered vampire. I mean as hard as it is to want to believe things like cannibals even exist...gross as that is they do so why wouldn't vampires?
Links:
2 points - Cover - Yes (Man dressed all in black)
5 points - Name - Yes (Nathan - Author Name)
6 points - Setting - Yes (2011)
13 points :)
Great reviews, ladies! I think I've finally decided to read
. It has cover, plot, and setting for 10 points.
hey Susan...just saw..you only gave me 3 points for ast week....I should have more than that...I thought!??!?!?
Catherine wrote: "Title: Sheer Mischief..mischief being another word for troubleShelf: Bruno Parry-Brent....your typical cad!
Plot: Bruno is your typical bad boy...always looking for the next unsuspecting girl to come along....using his charm! well..Janey is a lonely woman, and Bruno makes several attempts to woo her....he finally tries a "less-is-more" tactic....which has a history of working on women with low/no self-esteem :)"
Yes, I only gave you 3 points for plot because 1)while you're correct mischief is another word for trouble, the song title has the word TROUBLE in it, not mischief and 2) this book is not on the shelf that was linked, which is this shelf bad boy Sorry :(
Catherine wrote: "I have a question.....according to the spreadsheet..in wk 5 we were not done til 8+ days....is that true? I thought we were on track....and even wk 4 I thought we were done by day 7...."Week 4's song was called on January 25 and we requested our dancer to be groovified on Feb 14.
Week 5's song was called on Feb 1 and we requested our dance to be groovified on Feb 9.
So CaroB is correct, we were 8+ days on both of those weeks.
Susan I'm waiting to see what you think of "Too Hot To Touch" before adding it to my ever growing TBR. It looks interesting and I love cooking shows! LOLChristal I think maybe we could be twins because it seems we enjoy the exact same books or at least the same kind. Each week either your reading one I already have read or one I have sitting on my shelf! LMAO
but the character I named is a bad boy....I guess that doesn't count then?
keep The Kiss..James Patterson for me this week
Catherine wrote: "but the character I named is a bad boy....I guess that doesn't count then?"Yes, that's why you got points for plot :)
How's everyone's week going? I took my middle daughter prom dress shopping Monday and she got a gorgeous dress. I've posted pics of it in the On A Wicked Dawn discussion thread if you want to see it ;) I should be finished with my book for this today. I'm not sure what I'll rate this, have to wait until I finish it. It's pretty good though.
JenniferJ wrote: "Christal I think maybe we could be twins because it seems we enjoy the exact same books or at least the same kind. Each week either your reading one I already have read or one I have sitting on my shelf! LMAO ..."Lol, that's awesome Jennifer! :D I think I will change my book for this week because I forgot my buddy read for the Charlie book doesn't start until the 25th. I just finished
so I might use that. Just need to figure out the points.
Week 7 - ♬ Warzone by The Wanted (2011)
Title by Author: Mountain Echoes by C.E. Murphy
Read: 2/18/13
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:
"The Walker Papers" is series that tends to get stronger with every book and this installment is no exception. While it wasn't my favorite of the series, it did take some of the most interesting aspects of book seven, including the time travel, and made them smoother and easier to follow. Mountain Echoes is packed with action and never has a dull moment. Plus, fans of the series will love the large amount of page time devoted to Joanne and Morrison. Don't let the synopsis fool you; Captain Morrison is all over this novel. Gary is absent for the most part, and while he is my favorite character, it makes sense because of his last role in the previous book. If you already enjoy this series, you will be very happy with this novel, but I wouldn't suggest new readers try jumping in at this point.
Joanne has returned home to the reservation to help find her missing father. She didn't leave on good terms the last time, and a lot of people don't want her around. She also finds out once she gets there that her ex-boyfriend, and Sarah's current husband, Lucas is also missing. Once Joanne begins to investigation, she can feel the Master's touch behind everything and soon finds herself battling a force that can only be called The Nothing. As Joanne struggles to save her dad and Lucas, she comes face to face with the child she had to give up in the past, Aidan. Though happy with his adoptive mother, Aidan is very much like Joanne and the Master seeks to control her through him. Now Joanne is in a race against time to save the two men that she had previously loved the most and the young son she never got a chance to know. With the rest of the village not willing to help, it takes an opportune arrival by her lover, Captain Morrison, to give Joanne the strength to believe she can succeed against all odds.
The plot was very fast-paced and exciting, but it was the little moments that really made it shine. Learning more about Joanne's time on the reservation and how other people had seen her gave a depth to the story and Joanne's background that had previously been missing. We learned more about why Joanne was the way she was and how so many people around her tried to protect her by keeping her in the dark. Though they had their reasons, the feeling of being lied to and left out shaped Joanne's teenage years and ultimately gave her the personal fortitude to become the shaman she is today. I liked the development we've seen in her and how she has changed throughout the series. She realized that she carries a chip on her shoulder and has worked to change that. She's become more accepting of help and goodwill, but has still stayed strong and sarcastic. She is becoming a much better version of herself in every book and it is wonderful. Not only has she learned to accept her shamanic gifts, she has also learned to accept the world and the people around her into her life.
The development in Joanne and Morrison's relationship was nice to see as well. They have fully transitioned into coupled now and their chemistry is all the better for it. They still squabble and tease, but it's all done in fun. They support and trust in one another and share their strength no matter the odds. You know Joanne has it bad because she wasn't even mad when Morrison drove her car, Petite! I think that Morrison helps Joanne to grow up a little bit and take life and herself a little more seriously, while Joanne helps Morrison to feel younger and freer. She gets him into situations he could never imagine, but his is unflappable and just goes a long for the ride. I really like them together.
Joanne makes some strides in her family life as well. She is able to reconnect with her father in a way she never thought possible and even gets to know her son some. I liked having them in the story and learning more about life in the Qualla Boundary. Joanne also finds her third spirit animal in this book and Renee helps to round out her powers and make her transitions much smoother. She is a nice fit with Raven and Rattler. The one character I've never liked, and still don't after this book, is Sarah. She carries a real grudge against Joanne and I honestly can't stand it. Lucas was the one who got Joanne pregnant and then left her alone and Sarah, instead of helping her friend out, was angry because she liked Lucas. She cut off Joanne but kept in contact with the absentee baby daddy and eventually ended up marrying him. I think Joanne should just haul back and deck her; she's a complete bitca and nothing she has done in any of the books has made me feel any different. I don't feel like Joanne owes her anything. It should be Sarah apologizing to Joanne for being such a crappy friend in the past. If we never see her again, I won't be sad.
This book does end with a patented Murphy cliffhanger, but this time it involves Gary. I'm assuming that means we'll be back in Seattle for the next book and that's fitting since it is the last in the series. I'm excited to see how C.E. Murphy wraps up Joanne's story and am definitely excited by the promise of more Gary time. Readers of "The Walker Papers," get thee to a bookstore on February 26th and buy yourself a copy of Mountain Echoes. You won't be disappointed!
Song Links:
Plot - Sarah's husband is killed in this book, making her a widower. Joanne also battles the forces of evil. (3)
Setting - The forest surrounding the Qualla reservation is turned into a battleground and Joanne travels back in time to find herself in the middle of a battle between two Native tribes. (6)
Word - Performance (Kindle Loc 2096 "The dance performances...") (1)
Total Points - 3+6+1=10
Great review, Christal!
Christal wrote: "Week 7 - ♬ Warzone by The Wanted (2011)Title by Author: Mountain Echoes by C.E. Murphy
Read: 2/18/13
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:
"The Walker Papers" is series tha..."
hmm.. sounds like a really interesting series. My interest's definitely piqued.
wow what a nice review Christal! I have never heard of this series at all!
Week 7 - ♬ Warzone by The Wanted (2011)
Too Hot To Touch
Date Finished: 2/20/13
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I liked this book pretty well. Max was very cocky at first and I wasn't sure I'd warm up to him, but I did. The author did a GREAT job of conveying the excitement surrounding the preliminary rounds of the Rising Star Chef Challenge events. The next book in the series picks up right where this one ends, with the same group of chefs from Lunden's Tavern competing in the next phase of the challenge, so you definitely need to read this one first :)
POINTS:
Setting: 6 points (published 2011)
Name: 5 points (Max was the hero)
Cover: 2 points (what clothes he has on is black)
Total: 13 points
Thanks ladies :) This series started a while ago, even before Patricia Briggs wrote her Mercy Thompson series. The first three books are a little rough, but it gets much better at the fourth book. The sixth book is my favorite.Glad you liked your book, Susan! You don't see too many fiction novels about male chefs.
You're right, Christal, it's not often you see a book about a male chef. All three books in this series have the heroes as chefs. I'm looking forward to the next one, cause I liked Danny in this one. I also want to see where Kane and Claire end up :)
hubba hubba I am so glad you liked it Susan because the cover was (fanning self) ...long sigh I mean dang to look that hot and cook as well.........lol
New Song is up!!!Week 8 - ♬ Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden (1997)
Possible Links
Lyrics: Click Here
Video: Click Here or Here
Shelf: Reunion
Word: Shake
Good Luck!
I think I'm reading
by Rachel Gibson. It's worth 11 points for title, shelf, cover (one of the alternate ones LOL), plot and it has the word.
I'm not sure about plot yet but I am going to read
and without plot is worth 9 points (Cover, Setting, and Word)
I'm going for just setting & cover at the moment with
. I've had it for a while so it seems like a good opportunity to dive in.(yeah... I'm so not in a sweet mood at the moment)
Week 8 - ♬ Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden (1997) JenniferJ: Kissed in Paris ♬ POINTS: Cover + Word + Setting = 9 points ♬ review Here
Christal: The Boyfriend ♬ POINTS: Cover + Plot + +Name + Word = 10 points ♬ Review Here
Catherine: The Ambassador's Daughter ♬ review here ♬ POINTS: Cover + Setting + Bonus Word = 9 points
Damiellar: French Twist ♬ POINTS:Setting + Cover + Plot + Word = 12 points ♬ review here
Susan: Truly Madly Yours ♬ POINTS: Cover + Shelf + Title + Plot + Word = 11 points ♬ review here
TOTAL TEAM POINTS = 50
Week 8 - ♬ Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden
Title by Author: The Boyfriend by Thomas Perry
Read: 2/21/13
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review:
This was an interesting crime novel. I hesitate to call it a mystery because the reader knows who the murder is right up front. We are instead taken on a chase as the authorities attempt to identify the killer. It comes down to a PI named Jack to solve the case. I liked this book well enough but I would have liked to see more development with the main character. I feel like we knew more about the killer than Jack.
Song Links:
Cover - The sky is featured prominently. (1)
Plot - The killer murders specific girls because they remind him of his first love that he lost to someone else. (3)
Name - One of the more prominent characters is named Daniel. (5)
Word - Shake (... and gave it a gentle shake. Kindle Loc 210)
Total Points - 3+6+1=10
Christal said "Word - Shake (... and gave it a gentle shake. Kindle Loc 210)"I'm sorry I couldn't help it Christal, I almost spit my soda on my monitor when I read this part. My mind is so totally in the gutter today. ")
JenniferJ wrote: "Christal said "Word - Shake (... and gave it a gentle shake. Kindle Loc 210)"I'm sorry I couldn't help it Christal, I almost spit my soda on my monitor when I read this part. My mind is so tot..."
LOL!! That's me most days.
So Christal, what was gently shaken?
**snortsnort** Gisela The Curious.
Week 8 - ♬ Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden (1997)
Book: French Twist - Roxanne St. Claire
Rating: ★★★
Finished: 24-Feb-2013
Review:
Okay then.. an American art-expert managing her first major art exhibit (around Madame Pompadour) meets a French 'security expert' in the Palace of Versailles. What's not to love?
Add on a set of fake vases, that the security expert is an ex-thief (shades of certain other books I've read and enjoyed), a mysterious death or two... and they go to a vineyard... a French vineyard to drink exquisite wine in a cellar. I'm sure I'm not the only one to slip into fantasies about it.
This reminded me of a classic Cary Grant movie (the type you watch on a Sunday afternoon) as the cat burglar wasn't that bad at heart and the romance all turned out well in the end.
I don't know if I'll be revisiting this again but it's a perfect light read to indulge in (with a glass of wine in hand naturally).
Links:
SETTING - Book is set in and around Paris where the music video was shot
PLOT - 'Luc Tremont' is the cover name for 'Nick Jarrett' who was a cat burglar who was caught by the FBI and made a deal to 'contract' for them. By using the fake vases (while hiding the real ones) he's hoping to finally be free of the agreement (just waiting for the other shoe to drop) so he can start a new life. Once he meets Janine this becomes more urgent. As from the book
"What if you were free? What if you got that pardon?"
...
"I would marry you and make you the happiest doctor of art history in America"
This matches the song lyrics
I will be strong I will be faithful
'cause I'm counting on
A new beginning
A reason for living
COVER - Parisian sky matches lyrics
I want to live like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me
WORD - 'shake': Slowly they lifted it together. Now shake it. (p348 - paragraph 10)
Individual points: Setting (6)+ Plot (3) + Cover (2) + Word (1) = 12 points
Truly Madly Yours by Rachel Gibson
Date Finished: 2/23/13
rating: 4 stars
Review: This was perfect! Delaney and Nick had a love/hate relationship that resulted from her being the step-child of the father that never acknowledged his son. Delaney and Nick had one night that didn't end well. Delaney left town for 10 years, escaping rumors, Nick and her parents. When Henry (Delaney's stepdad) died, Delaney came home to Truly, Idaho for the funeral. Henry's will left Delaney a rich woman, if only she'd stay in Truly for 1 year. He also left valuable property to Nick if he will not have a sexual relationship with Delaney. Sparks fly between these two through the whole book and they eventually both break the terms of the will by getting involved. When Delaney tells him she loves him, he once again pushes her away so she leaves town, forfeiting her inheritance. Nick confesses to the estate manager and forfeits his inheritance. But he realizes how much he loves her and goes to find her and they live happily ever after :)
POINTS:
Shelf = 1
Title = 4 Truly
Plot = 3 being in love and separated for 10 years and then again after the reading of the will
Cover = 2
a pretty cityscape :)Word = 1 p 206 - "...echoed in his mind. Still made him want to grab her and shake her."
TOTAL = 11 points
Ha! Ladies, you're too funny. It was a handshake. He took her hand and gave it a gentle shake.
Christal wrote: "Ha! Ladies, you're too funny. It was a handshake. He took her hand and gave it a gentle shake."
so...I finished The Kiss..James Patterson(book 4) for last week...Week 7 - ♬ Warzone by The Wanted (2011)Book: The Kiss..James Patterson
Review: well....again James Patterson keeps you reeling in the story! The story is about Whitford and Wisteria Allgood...a wizard and witch....who live in a city which until recently was "ruled" almost dictatorship style by a crazy man who wanted to wipe out witchcraft. Now, however, they are finding that there are other threats...which had been kept at bay byt this dictator....threats which still hang over the control of witchcraft....other peoples wanting to control by other means as well. Obviously, an ensuing war occurs between The Mountain people and the City...because the Wizard King has cut off all water supply in attempt to bring them under his control.
Week 8 - ♬ Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden (1997)
Book: Kissed in Paris by Juliette Sobanet
Rating: *****
Finished: 2/25/13
Review: Oh Wow this was a really fun adventerous read. I stayed up all night to complete it, it was soo doggone good! I think in my very younger years I could easily relate to poor Chloe waking up not exactly remembering what in the heck happened the night before. Been there done that! So yep I totally knew that feeling. (Good grief I hope my mom's not reading this) LOL
But yeah if your looking for a fun, adventure filled romance this is it! At first I wasn't so sure I was gonna like it because as it opens it is a series of notes between sisters about Chloe's upcoming wedding and I was so hoping the whole book was not going to follow in that pace or I may not have continued on but thank goodness it was just a neat way to open up what was going on up to this point and once the actual trip to Paris came into play the fun began!
Links:
2 points - Cover - Yes (Sky, Paris in Title, Tower?)
1 points - Word - Yes (Location 1684) But I knew my fiance, and when he got an idea in his head, it was close to impossible to shake him of it.
6 points - Setting - Yes (Paris)
9 points :)
Ya'll it has been a pleasure playing with you! Hope to see you around next time!
JenniferJ wrote: "Ya'll it has been a pleasure playing with you! Hope to see you around next time!"Definitely agree with you that's it's been a pleasure playing this round with all of you
Hopefully see you around next round!
Great job, ladies! I look forward to seeing you all for the next round as well :)What are you reading this week, Catherine?
It was great being on a team with you ladies! It was fun. :)@JenniferJ - I saw in the PKC March Recommends thread that you haven't read
yet. What?!? We cannot be book soul sisters if you haven't read about Cat and Bones! You must reads it :)
Christal wrote: "It was great being on a team with you ladies! It was fun. :)@JenniferJ - I saw in the PKC March Recommends thread that you haven't read
yet. What?!? W..."LMAO You would not believe how much flak I been getting over that! I shiver to let on to some of the other series I have not started. LOL But yep I have
in hand just waiting on March 1st! That will be numero uno for sure!
Lol, I can imagine! I love the Cat and Bones books and the Night Huntress world books are okay. The new Vlad series is hot though. Just wait until you meet him, lol. I hope you like the first book!
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Romance Lovers for the Challenge-Impaired
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