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R7: SSS "Two Hot to Handle" (2) **WINNING TEAM**
Completion Post - Week 11/Sunday (Space 96)
Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Pages: 303
Qualifies: Text Item "Mountain"
Date Read: 3/29/16
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: I loved this one! I had been putting it off because I don't always do well with high fantasy-esque books and "The Iron Druid" kind of scared me. But, if I'm going to read it, this is how I want it to go. It had a high-fantasy feel with high-fantasy characters, set in today's world. For me, what made the book was the talking dog, Oberon. I listened to this on audio and the voice that the narrator does for this fun-loving animal is hilarious! Can't wait to continue the series and excited that I can get my hands on more audio version of it.
I finished my book today and will post my review either today or early in the morning.
Space 96 Completed
Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr
Pages:514
Qualifications: Mountain - Page 23 "Sometimes I just hike around the mountains, the general Virgin River area.
Completed: 3/29/16
3.5 Stars
Review:
Welcome back to Virgin River! This is the 10th installment of Robyn Carr’s very popular Virgin River series. Dr. Aiden Riordan has recently left the Navy and is unsure of what he wants to do with the rest of his life. He decides that a change of pace will do him good and heads to Virgin River to be close to his family. On one of his daily hikes, he stumbles across Erin Foley’s renovated cabin. Erin is a partner with her law firm and is taking a much needed vacation. She mistakes “mountain man” Dr. Riordan as homeless. Due to a scare, Aaron has a slight accident, and the good doctor takes her the ER to be examined.
Erin is the sister of Marcie lives outside of Virgin River. Erin can be very uptight and too focused on work to enjoy the life that she has created for herself. Unfortunately, Erin had to raise her siblings at a young age and now that all are busy with their own lives, leaves Erin at a crossroad. Aiden brings some baggage into the relationship and didn’t even realize it until the issue becomes out of control.
Jack and Mel are also front and center again in this installment. This reader was glad to see familiar characters but did feel that some of Mel’s story took away from the actual characters in this installment. One issue that I am having with the latter books is the storyline is taking a slight detour. Many of the newly introduced characters are not current residents of Virgin River and only there for a short time. I am really interested in supporting characters that have lived and established themselves in VR. I do like how the majority of characters are older and are not in their early 20’s. As I am waving bye to the VR area, I am looking forward to returning.
So I'm an idiot. Here I was thinking I was all caught up and not worrying about this thread because my book was already completed and posted. And yeah, no it's not. :-p
Week 11Space: 96
Book Title: Well Traveled
Page Count: 290pgs
Qualification: Text: Mountain
"The sun was low over the mountains now but still bright enough to blind him...
Week 11Well Traveled by Margaret Mills
Qualification: Text: Mountain
Read: (3/27)
Rating: ★★★★½
This book was surprisingly sweet. Despite being a western road-trip novel this was a mostly gentle story about two men learning more about each other's culture and falling in love in spite over most prejudices. Gideon is extremely open and accepting based on the culture/lifestyle he grew up in and Jedediah is equally as untrusting and closed due to his. Still they are drawn to each other and circumstances give them the opportunity to explore each other.
Jed's past wasn't an easy one from the little we know of it. The color of his skin is enough to give him trouble. He's withdrawn from much of the modern world preferring to live life off the land much the way his people did before white men came and took over much of the world. It's only desperation and fear for his life that sends him stumbling into town looking for help to treat the severe wounds he has on his leg from the boar attack.
Gideon doesn't truck with anyone being disrespectful or intentionally causing hurt to man or animal if he can help it. Stumbling over men he knows gearing up to attack an Indian obviously already injured goes against everything he's ever believed. All Gideon knows to do is help the injured man and if he can see him back on his feet again even if it means delaying his trip to catch back up with his family in the traveling show he's a part of. Nursing Jed back to health though catches Gideon's attention in a way he wasn't ever expecting. While he's always had an attraction to men, what he feels for Jed is quickly growing deeper than he could have ever imagined especially once out on the trail together with Jed guiding him across country from Montana to California to meet back up with his family.
While there are a few things that happen to our men out on the trail overall they're small really in the scheme of these two men meeting and falling in love. What happens on the trail is much less important than what is going on between the two of them. The action certainly helps them learn more about each other, but I found that I enjoyed that this story wasn't one big long action intense trip from one big event to another. Instead this was a journey with a lot of quiet times with a few loud moments.
I really liked Gideon and Jed together as well. Gideon lightens Jed and Jed really makes Gideon see the world in a different way. A way that having grown up in one of the Wild West Sideshows he's been very sheltered from. Gideon would never have looked at his life and thought he was living in some sort of bubble but really despite how much he's traveled he's very cushioned from the realities or the prejudices that exist, especially in the more rural areas. Likewise Jed is more closed off and hardened having spent so much time in those areas and doesn't see how in some parts of the more cultured area the tides are changing and less prejudice is prevalent. They find a lovely balance together.
This story was really sweet and endearing. A solid 4.5stars.
Shelby wrote: "So I'm an idiot. Here I was thinking I was all caught up and not worrying about this thread because my book was already completed and posted. And yeah, no it's not. :-p"I do that crap all the time! lol
Anyone else wanna roll tonight? We need a 5 or 6 to push us over 100 and I'm feelin' the pressure!!! :)
Shelby wrote: "So I'm an idiot. Here I was thinking I was all caught up and not worrying about this thread because my book was already completed and posted. And yeah, no it's not. :-p"I did this last week!
Had to go check and make sure mine was in. Too many challenges!!!Debbie and I were on the winning SS team. Wonder if we can win both, Debbie? Ha ha.
Well sheeeat, no pressure, right? :p
YES!! I ROLLED A FREAKING 6!!!I actually closed my eyes 'cause I was too scared to look. :)
Week 12 - ThursdayOld Space: 96
Rolled: 6
New Space: 102 (WooHoo)
I don't even know how to break this one down. Maybe...
1st in Series
Standalone
2nd in Series
10th in Series
102nd in Series
Alt Option: Author "M"
Shannon: Skin Tight Levi's, Review Post 480
Shelby: Burn, Review Post 482
Debbie: Sinner's Creed, Review Post 474
Kim: Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Review Post 481
You guys are probably all asleep but I'm knocking this bad boy out! (Big talk, I bet I fall asleep)
Wooooooo! Do we need to read fast? Did anyone else roll it too???
Kim wrote: "Had to go check and make sure mine was in. Too many challenges!!!Debbie and I were on the winning SS team. Wonder if we can win both, Debbie? Ha ha."
That would be AMAZING!!
Week 12 Space 102 (WOWZA)
Sinner's Creed by Kim Jones
Pages 336
Qualification: #1 in the Sinners Creed series
Week 12 - Space 102
Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson
Pages - 318
Qualification - Standalone
Yes, team 4 is on the same space so we do need to read fast! I'm a goin'.
OK. I'll try to get done today or first thing tomorrow morning.
Week 12 Space 102 (WOWZA) COMPLETION
Sinner's Creed by Kim Jones
Qualification: #1 in the Sinners Creed series
Review:
Sinners Creed (Sinners Creed #1) by Kim Jones
4.5 stars rounded to 5
Thanks to Tantor for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first biker/motorcycle club read. I found this to be enjoyable and will continue with the series. I do want to issue a warning that there is explicit sex throughout the book. This book is definitely not a young adult read. While this book is deemed a romance, there is so much more. This book brought me happiness, sadness, and a sense of awe. This is a story of how one man fought his way in life as a boy and now as a man.
Dirk Dixon was dropped off at an early age and was molded into a shoulder for Sinners Creed. The club is all that Dirk has known and will die for his brothers. He hated his childhood and how his grandfather treated him but later embraced it. He carries out anything that is required of him from the club and will die trying.
He is now Sinners Creed’s top enforcer and a nomad.
Dirk meets Saylor over the course of several years. When Saylor ask Dirk to take her away, he didn’t hesitate even though this is against club protocal. Saylor and Dirk are total opposites and are attracted to each other immediately. Saylor is young and beautiful, and Dirk is a badass.
The reader is introduced to secondary characters who will be introduced in other books. This book is not a cutsy romance and the turn of events was rather surprising. I couldn’t wait to read more but then didn’t want to because the outcome didn’t appear promising. The narrator was very strong and made Dirk and Saylor come to life.
Do you think I should PM Shelby so she knows we're in a race?
Kim wrote: "Do you think I should PM Shelby so she knows we're in a race?"That might be a good idea.
Well apparently I should have checked in here right when I woke up instead of starting reading. But at least the book I've been reading counts and I'm over halfway through.Week 12
Space:102
Book Title: Burn
Page Count: 370pgs
Qualification: Series #1
Week 12 - For the Win!
Skin Tight Levi's by Matthew Ortiz
Pages: 152
Qualifies: Author "M" (Matthew)
Read: 3/31/16
Rating: ★★★
So it was cute. Yeah, great review! Seth is the pretty, twinkish guy and Levi is the bigger, bearded, muscled guy. Levi sees Seth and that's all she wrote. Three days in and they're at the insta-love stage. It's like reading a Siren book with raunchier sex. (I'm not even saying that as an insult...I enjoy a Siren book every now and again.) Anyways, we're talking foot fetish, a bit of snowballing...the good stuff. We did get a ghost in the book and I will admit, I found that aspect really fun. Easy, quick read.
Completion Post - Week 12/Thursday (Space 102)
Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson
Pages: 318
Qualifies: Standalone
Date Read: 3/31/16
Rating: 5 Stars
Review: I'm so sad that this book is over because that means I've finished all of Jenny Lawson's available books. Her two books have quickly become some of my very favorites. They are hysterical and the audio is outstanding. Read by the author, they are in a league of their own. I will be recommending both books to everyone I meet.
Week 12Burn by T.J. Klune
Qualification: Series #1
Read: 3/31
Rating: ★★★★
This will be short as I'm running out the door to work, but I wanted to make sure I had it in before hand. :D
So yes this is a little dense and wordy at times, but the world building was really great and the characters were fun. I liked the back and forth nature of Seven and Felix's relationship. This was a slower read than most of T.J. Klune's other work, but I still liked the quality of the writing. There's a lot to enjoy about this story. I didn't even mind the intense bonded thing since these two are literally the other halves of each other's souls pretty much.
Mod
Mod
Good job Debbie (Doc), Kim, Shelby and Shannon (fierce captain!!!)
Yay!!! Thanks for taking me as a late add, guys. That was super fun!!
Kim wrote: "Yay!!! Thanks for taking me as a late add, guys. That was super fun!!"This has been my favorite team so far! I hope to see all of you in other challenges.
Kim - I can't believe that we won both the SS and SSS!!
You guys were the best!! Thanks so much for a great round!! :)
See Ezi, I can do pics without giant d*cks in them!!! (who knew there were so many with clothed people?!?)
I dunno. I think I'd be more partial to a nice ole dick pic, personally.
Kim wrote: "I dunno. I think I'd be more partial to a nice ole dick pic, personally."Me too but this is a nice group. *grumbles about the lack of male nudity*
Thanks Paris!
Mod
You are such an entertaining leader. I hope to play with you again.
Next round, I think I want to play, I would have to get another mod to run the challenge
I had a great time with this challenge. And the next round's gonna start like...next week, right?I seriously can't figure out what book to read so I'm just staring at my empty kindle. It's making me sad...well, not sad but definitely frustrated. :p
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Burn (other topics)Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir (other topics)
Burn (other topics)
Sinner's Creed (other topics)
Skin Tight Levi's (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
T.J. Klune (other topics)Jenny Lawson (other topics)
Kim Jones (other topics)
Jenny Lawson (other topics)
Kim Jones (other topics)
More...
Space: 96
The Stolen Suitor by Eli Easton
Pages: 270
Qualifies: Alt. Option I went hiking or skiing in the mountains with friends...
Read: 3/28/16
Rating: ★★★★
This was so sweet! And we got three love stories in one. Very nice! I loved how Jeremy's mom knew just what needed to get done and while it seemed like a money grubbing scheme, it wasn't. We got cowboys and nerdy guys and damsels in distress and paternity questions....so much going on. This moved at a fast pace and didn't seem nearly as long as the page count. So entertaining and best of all, we had us a real life virgin!