R7: SSS "Two Hot to Handle" (2) **WINNING TEAM**

[Debbie (Doc)]

YIKES - 65th in a series. I will need to see what I have to read for this roll, and it sure isn't 65th in a series - lol

[Shannon]

I think I've found a book but want to see if it has to take place on a college campus or just have an MC going to college. :/

[Kim]

Does "college" mean it just has to have to do with college or is that a book tag?

I'm looking at reading: . Can any of you read the synopsis and tell me if you feel like it's enough?

[Kim]

Ezi approved my book!

[Shannon]

Sweet, I think mine will work then!!

Week 8 - Thursday


Finding Forgiveness by Sloane Kennedy
Pages: 211
Qualifies: Alt. Option "College" - College student Hunter Greene...

[Shannon]

Week 8 - Thursday

Rolled: 5
Old Space: 60
New Space: 65

5th in Series
6th in Series
65th in Series
Alt Option: "College"

Shannon: Finding Forgiveness
Shelby: Him, Review Post 362
Debbie: Against the Grain, Review Post 363
Kim: I Was Here, Review Post 364

[Shannon]

Kim wrote: "Ezi approved my book!"

Nice! Can you do a selection post for it, please? :D

[Kim]

Of course! I had already gone to bed last night and was too lazy to get back up. Ha ha.

[Kim]

Week #: 8 - Thursday
Space #: 65
Book Title:
Qualification: Alternate - "College"

[Debbie (Doc)]

Space 65

I am going to read
#5 in the Thirds Series
220 Pages

[Shelby]

Week 8
Space: 65
Book Title: Him
Page Count: 276pgs
Qualification: College

[Shelby]

Week 8
Him by Sarina Bowen


Qualification: Location: New York
Read: (3/5)
Rating: ★★★★½

This is one of those sugary sweet, but oh so well written novels that drags you in and doesn't let you go. There's plenty of humor, super hot sexy times, and oodles of heart as well. What there isn't a lot of is a ton of angst. Sure there's a little, enough to keep it interesting, but neither of these boys really wallows in the woe is me and what the hell am I doings.

Wes and Jamie met as kids at a summer camp for hockey's up and coming superstars. They quickly became best friends and spent 6 weeks together every summer. But that's all their relationship was. Those 6 weeks. They lived on opposite sides of the country and other than camp weren't able to spend time together during the school year. They were inseparable when together. Everything changed though the last summer before they were to start college. One silly stupid little bet drove them apart and they haven't spoken since.

But now they're in their final year at college and the world is conspiring to throw them back together. Both boys are playing in the college hockey final four for their respective teams. Seeing each other for the first time in four years and everything comes rushing back. Wes knows he owes Jamie an apology for the way he disappeared after everything that went down. Now he just has to man up and deliver it.

There were so many really great things about this book. The writing style was really smooth and engaging. I enjoyed reading about these two. They were funny and felt age appropriate. Two 20-something guys have the hots for each other...yeah sure there's going to be lots of sex. ;) I really appreciated as well that the authors took the time to have Jamie really explore what his attraction to Wes meant. This isn't a straight gay for you story, he discovers his bi-sexuality in a manner that was appropriate and understandable.

I appreciated how torn up about things Wes was. He felt terrible about what he pushed Jamie into in the past (or felt he pushed him into) and that guilt colored his interpretations of things for a long while. I never doubted that he'd loved Jamie for ages. He had to learn to trust that what Jamie was feeling and telling him was real, honest and true.

Loved these boys and their burgeoning relationship. I really felt like this was two guys finally growing up and into themselves as they moved away from college and into real life. Their decisions on what they wanted to do with their future made sense for both of them and I can't wait to see how things develop in the sequel. Theirs still a lot of growth that needs to happen. Not just between them, but they're still essentially hiding their relationship even if it's not from everyone. A professional hockey player openly being gay has still yet to be announced to the world. :)

[Debbie (Doc)]

Space 65


#5 in the Thirds Series
220 Pages

3 Stars
Completed 3/5/16

Review:

3 stars
This is book #5 in the Thirds series. I have really enjoyed this series but didn’t like this one as much. However, this installment did answer some lingering questions regarding Cael and Ash’s relationship. At times, it felt as if Ash was a love struck teenager rather than the fiercest Defense Agent of the Thirds. Ash is foul mouthed and foul tempered but is a gentle as a kitten when it comes to Cael. I do realize that these two are in love, but it is highly illogical for two Destructive Delta members to call each other sweetheart, babe, and honey.

All in all, I enjoyed the storyline and will plug away at this series.

[Kim]

Completion Post - Week 7/Thursday (Space 65)



I Was Here by Gayle Forman
Pages: 270
Qualifies: Alternate - College
Date Read: 3/5/16
Rating: 3 Stars

This one didn't grab my attention like If I Stay did. It was very different from what I would have expected from the author. I struggled with the romance and the mystery wasn't anything exceptional. It kept my attention enough for me to finish it, but there just wasn't anything to single it out from the rest of the books that I've read in this genre.

[Shannon]

Ack, I'm slacking!!

[Shannon]

Finally!

Week 8 - Completion Post


Finding Forgiveness by Sloane Kennedy
Pages: 211
Qualifies: Alt. Option "College" - College student Hunter Greene...
Read: 3/5/16
Rating: ★★★★

I don't know if this is the end of this series but I loved every one of these books. This one was about Hunter and Roman. Hunter is the boy Finn (from book 1) was caught kissing which ruined him in their little town and Roman is the brother of Grey (from book 3) who is kind of estranged and certainly pissed off at Grey. Roman first meets Hunter and a bar during something horrible then again the next day when he looking for land to develop. What a surprise! Anyways, Hunter is in the closet with his family but Roman is so yummy and yada yada. I just love how the villains from a previous book get to tell their stories in later books. I do believe these should be read in order just to understand who everyone is. I got weepy quite a few times and we had us some lovely smexing so all is good in my world.

[Shannon]

I'm on some kind of freaky roll here!

Week 8.5 - Sunday

Rolled: 5
Old Space: 65
New Space: 70

Standalone
7th in Series
70th in Series
Alt Option: Humor

Shannon: Broken, Review Post 372
Shelby: Maelstrom, Review Post 374
Debbie: Wrapped and Strapped, Review Post 378
Kim: You Don't Want To Know, Review Post 377

[Shannon]

Week 8.5 - Sunday


Broken by Nicola Haken
Pages: 267
Qualifies: Standalone

[Shelby]

Oooooohhhhhhh!!! I love you, I love you, I love you! You just made my next book I have to read a no brainer. I already needed to have it finished by Monday. :D

Week 8.5
Space: 70
Book Title: Maelstrom
Page Count: 204pgs
Qualification: Series #7

[Kim]

Week #: 8 - Sunday
Space #: 70
Book Title:
Qualification: Standalone

[Shannon]

lol Shelby, this challenge is really working out for you! :)

[Shannon]

Week 8.5 - Sunday


Broken by Nicola Haken
Pages: 267
Qualifies: Standalone
Read: 3/6/16
Rating: ★★★★★

I really need a nap after this book. No really, I have a crybaby headache! That being said, please excuse any weirdness that may be in this review. I had to check to see why I hadn't read any of this author's books before because how could I have missed something so great. Well, I had and I didn't love the book so I think I just kept passing them over. No more. Holy crap, I am wiped out. This book was amazing!! God James, I wasn't sure I was ever going to love him but I soooo did. To live in his brain seems like it would be pure torture yet he continues on...day after day. And Theo, what's not to love about him? He's doing the best he can with no frame of reference to deal with any of James' problems but he's there...always. I think what I took away most from this story was hope. If things look super shitty just have hope that tomorrow could be a little better than today. Just have hope and maybe a whole lot of courage. Love always helps too.

[Debbie (Doc)]

I'll decide on my book by tomorrow. I am deciding between two.

[Shannon]

Sounds good Debbie. :)

[Shelby]

Week 8.5
Maelstrom by Jordan L. Hawk


Qualification: Series #7
Read: (3/6)
Rating: ★★★★★

Oh this was just plain fabulous! Love, love, love it! This one may just be my favorite of the series so far. The whole thing just built so beautifully on the whole of the series. A lot of things go into making this book such a fantastic culmination of everything that comes before it, but ultimately it just comes down to the fact that Whyborne & Griffin! Well and Christine and Kander too of course. :D

Sure, I knew who the big bad guy was from the beginning, frankly he wasn't trying too hard to hide, but there were still quite a few surprises and unique turns in plotline. I just love how complex this world of sorcery is becoming. We've been introduced to new elements in each successive story, and this one is no different. New information comes to light and someone new wants to end the world as we know it. Our intrepid foursome are hot on the trail and digging into the trouble.

Ival and Griffin just make me happy. They're so in love with each other and it's so clear. They have their weaknesses, but at the same time they are better and more stable together. Each of the main characters in this series is distinct and wonderful. I love the way they all work together. The time period just makes it even more unlikely and awesome.

Widdershins is such a strange little place, but it always recognizes it's own. And the librarians are awesome!

[Debbie (Doc)]

Space 70
Qualification: #7 in Blacktop Cowboys



337 Pages

[Kim]

Completion Post - Week 8/Sunday (Space 70)



You Don't Want To Know by Lisa Jackson
Pages: 416
Qualifies: Standalone
Date Read: 3/8/16
Rating: 2 Stars

Seriously. I just need to stick with YA. I keep reading adult books so that I feel more like an actual grown up, but it keeps biting me in the butt. Maybe I'm just no good with this mystery stuff. Either way, I did not enjoy this one. It was so long, but not just long UNNECESSARILY long. I knew very early on what the end of the story was going to be an then had to listen to 15 more hours of "book" while the MC struggled to figure it out. Annoying.

[Debbie (Doc)]

Space 70
Qualification: #7 in Blacktop Cowboys



337 Pages

Completed 3/8/16

I suggest that this series be read in order, which I did. However, even after reading the prior installments, I had to recall all of the supporting characters. I wasn’t sure how I would like this book since I haven’t really bonded with Harlow and her sister Tierney.

Three years ago Harlow, being the kind hearted person that she is, spent the summer on the ranch to help Tierney during her pregnancy. While at Split Rock, Harlow met a rancher who ultimately broke her heart. She vowed that she would never see him, but this time can’t be helped. Harlow and Tierney’s father has suffered a heart attack and wants to mend at the ranch. Of course, he wants both of his daughters there, and Harlow just couldn’t tell her ill father what transpired three years ago.

This time Hugh is determined to make amends with Harlow. While the story was a typical Lorelei James romance, I had issues with Hugh’s flashbacks. It is no secret that I am not found of flashbacks unless necessary, I found this one to be a little overboard. All in all, I have enjoyed this series and look for more books by this author.

[Shannon]

Week 9 - Thursday

Rolled: 4
Old Space: 70
New Space: 74
4th in Series
7th in Series
74th in Series
Alt. Option: Multi-Colored (3 or More Colors)

Shannon: Lollipop, Review Post 387
Shelby: Trust the Focus, Review Post 389
Debbie: The Promise, Review Post 386
Kim: Everything, Everything, Review Post 390

[Shannon]

Week 9 - Thursday


Lollipop by Amy Lane
Pages: 250
Qualifies: Way more than 3 colors.

[Kim]

Do you guys think this feels like it's "colorful" enough to qualify for the alternate or should I check with Ezi?

[Shannon]

I say for sure it's colorful enough. :)

[Kim]

Woot! I'm glad because I started it today and it's a super easy read and I think I'm going to devour it tonight.

[Kim]

Week #: 9 - Thursday
Space #: 74
Book Title:
Qualification: Alt. Option: Multi-Colored (3 or More Colors)

[Debbie (Doc)]

Week # 9 Thursday
Space #74



Qualification: Alt. Option: Multi Colored (3 or more colors)

[Debbie (Doc)]

Week # 9 Thursday
Space #74


Completed: 3/11/16

Qualification: Alt. Option: Multi Colored (3 or more colors)

4 stars

Review:

Book 5 in the Thunder Point series certainly did not disappoint. So far, this is my favorite installment. Dr. Scott Grant finally has gotten his HEA and I couldn’t be happier for him. Peyton certainly was not looking for another relationship and especially a relationship with yet another doctor. Peyton came from a large loving farming family. She was raised to be kind and to be a hard worker. The reader is given vivid details of the family farm. I fell in love with both of her parents and am so jealous! Scott’s wife died during childbirth of their youngest child. Although Scott is a busy county doctor, his children are extremely well mannered and even tempered unlike the children that Peyton tried to help raise for the past three years. What I really liked in this installment just as much as getting to know the good Dr. and Peyton better is the supporting character of Rawley. I am hoping that he has his own installment and finds his HEA also.

This was an extremely enjoyable comfortable read. I give 5 stars to Therese Plummer, the narrator. By far, Ms. Plummer is at the top of my favorite narrator list. The inflection of her voice makes the listener forget that narrator is only one person! I gave this storyline 4 stars, because I felt that the ending was rushed.

[Shannon]

Week 9 - Thursday


Lollipop by Amy Lane
Pages: 250
Qualifies: Way more than 3 colors.
Read: 3/11/16
Rating: ★★★★

So here we have Ezra and Miguel. We met both in the last book. Ezra was Rico's douchey ex from New York and Miguel is friends with all the other people from the last two books. Of course, I hated Ezra through most of book 2 but not by the end. He was just too lost to hate. This one starts out directly after the last with Ezra going to stay in Adam and Finn's apartment with them because he has no home and no job. No job, you say? Not for long. He goes to work at Candy Heaven...obviously. Anyways, this is a super sweet friends to lovers story and moved at a perfect pace. I just loved how everyone accepted Ezra and made him part of their family. He really needed a family....one that didn't suck. No real angst here (I know, I was shocked!), no drama, no big fights just a nice progression from friends to lovers with some lovely smexing thrown in for good measure.

[Shelby]

Week 9
Space: 74
Book Title: Trust the Focus
Page Count: 222pgs
Qualification: Cover: Multi-Colored

[Shelby]

Week 9
Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson


Qualification: Cover: Multi-Colored
Read: (3/12)
Rating: ★★★★★

Well this was a complete and utter surprise. This is my first book by this author and it will not be my last. I really enjoyed Ms. Erickson's writing style from the very first. I was only a chapter in and I knew I was going to enjoy the story just based on the quality of the writing. That's hard to do with me and first person. It's not my favorite POV. But this was really well written, simple without losing detail and richness.

Justin and Landry have been best friends since middle school, they've always been their for each other. Now both are graduating college and doing one last road trip together to honor Justin's photographer father's death. Twelve stops at all the spots he photographed in his last calendar to take a photo with his urn and spread his ashes. Three months of one last summer trapped together in an RV before Justin has to face the inevitable outcome of his life no matter how much he hates the idea of working on his mother's senate race. Photography is his passion, but his mother has his life planned out and after too many years of caving it's seems too late to back out now, out of any of it. Because having a senatorial candidate for a mother running on a conservative platform means one can certainly not be gay, no matter how in love with your best friend you are.

The premise of this book was really lovely and Jus and Lan are clearly in love with each other from page 1. They may have never told each other, as Justin can't admit to being gay, but their actions in the past are clear to everyone but each other. I feel for Landry, he's just a little bit of a rebel with the piercings and tattoos, all to cover up his own hurt, pining for a guy he thinks is completely out of his reach. He's reasonable about the fact that he can never have his "straight" best friend no matter how much he loves the guy. But hey throw two desperately horny guys into an RV for weeks at a time when they're helplessly in love with each other and you're bound to have sparks.

This was really sweet as these two dealt with their demons and figured out that what really mattered in life was the love they had for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will absolutely be looking for the next story soon. :)

[Kim]

Completion Post - Week 9/Thursday (Space 74)



Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Pages: 320
Qualifies: Cover: Multi-Colored
Date Read: 3/12/16
Rating: 4 Stars

I always get really worried whenever I set out to read any YA books that have an ill MC. I always feel like they are trying to be exactly like The Fault in Our Stars and it irritates me. This book, however, had a pretty refreshing and new premise. The MC is a girl who is diagnosed pretty early on with a disease that basically requires her to never leave her house. All is fine until she turns 17 and the cute guy moves in next door. The book was written in a humorous, yet heartfelt well. I enjoyed the love story, but was usually irritated with the adults in the book (which is common for me in YA). I had to read this one for a RL book club, and I'm really looking forward to discussing it.

[Shannon]

Crap! I forgot to roll...sorry. :(

[Shannon]

Week 9 - Sunday

Rolled: 4
Old Space: 74
New Space: 78
7th in Series
8th in Series
78th in Series
Alt. Option: Cover Item No People

Shannon: Ruin Porn, Review Post 403
Shelby: Kings Rising, Review Post 405
Debbie: The Promise, Review Post 406
Kim: How to Train Your Dragon, Review Post 400

[Shannon]

Week 9 - Sunday


Ruin Porn by SA McAuley & SJD Peterson
Pages: 252
Qualifies: Alt Option, Cover - No People

[Shannon]

Qualifies: Alt. Option Cover - No People"

Um, Er, Debbie? Um, Isn't that a dude standing on a cliff or something?

[Debbie (Doc)]

Shannon wrote: "

Qualifies: Alt. Option Cover - No People"

Um, Er, Debbie? Um, Isn't that a dude standing on a cliff or something?"

The cover that I have doesn't have anything on it, but I can't find my cover on GR so I'll choose another book. I noticed that after I posted.

[Debbie (Doc)]

Spot #78



One Wish by Robyn Carr

Qualifies: #7 in Thunder Point series

[Shannon]

Debbie (Doc) wrote: "Shannon wrote: "

Qualifies: Alt. Option Cover - No People"

Um, Er, Debbie? Um, Isn't that a dude standing on a cliff or something?"

The cover that I have doesn't have anything on it, but I can't..."

I can add an alternate cover edition if you can find me a site that it's on!

[Debbie (Doc)]

Shannon wrote: "Debbie (Doc) wrote: "Shannon wrote: "

Qualifies: Alt. Option Cover - No People"

Um, Er, Debbie? Um, Isn't that a dude standing on a cliff or something?"

The cover that I have doesn't have anythi..."

I appreciate it. No worries - I've already started reading my chosen book. I needed a cozy for today!

[Kim]

Week #: 9 - Sunday
Space #: 78
Book Title:
Qualification: Alt. Option: Cover Item No People

[Kim]

Completion Post - Week 9/Sunday (Space 78)



How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Pages: 222
Qualifies: Alt. Option: Cover Item No People
Date Read: 3/14/16
Rating: 3 Stars

So, I listened to this mostly yesterday on the drive home from vacation with my 8-year-old son. We just finished the remainder tonight. We weren't impressed. The movie is so, so much better. This book was, to us, very different. We didn't care of the narrator and his dry tone caused us to miss some of the humor in the story. We enjoyed the beginning, but that quickly petered out and I had a hard time getting him to shut his video game off tonight so that we could finish - which is rare. I don't think we will be continuing this series.