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R8: SS Team Five Alive (5)
Great news, ladies! We did not have to use our Free Pass due to Krystal dropping out!! And Ezi has added Sandy to our team. So welcome, Sandy! Looking forward to reading with you :)
Hi Five Alivers!! I'm excited to join! Do I need to read any books for past rolls? Or do I just start with our current one?
Sandy wrote: "Hi Five Alivers!! I'm excited to join! Do I need to read any books for past rolls? Or do I just start with our current one?"Welcome, Sandy!
I think you just start with the current one, since you're coming in at the beginning of the week.
Mod
See below
Tara wrote: "Ok, so I rolled an 8, placing us on spot 30.
This week we can read #3 in a series OR #30 in a series OR a standalone OR Author L.
Happy reading!"
Week 4 Completion
Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren
Wild Seasons #3
Completed: 8/6/16
Pages: 352
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I really liked Oliver and Lola's story....I just didn't love it like I did the others. Lola has written a comic that has become an overnight hit and now they want to make it into a movie. Oliver is a sexy Aussie who owns a comic book store - how perfect, right? They are also part of the six-some who got married in Las Vegas, but the only pair who didn't "do it" the night they did it. And they've been friends ever since, secretly longing for each other. Then, one night, Lola takes the plunge and goes for it with Oliver. And then she freaks out when she starts missing deadlines. Oliver was awesome and I did like Lola, but just couldn't get into her character quite as much as the other girls. Everything she went through and did was understandable - she was clearly overwhelmed, that didn't help me connect with her. Despite that, I really did like this book!
Welcome Sandy!!!! Glad to have ya!Week 4 Selection
Task: #3 in a series OR #30 in a series OR a standalone OR Author L
Welcome Sandy!Week 4, Spot 30-- Planned Book
One Night of Trouble by Elle Kennedy
Book #3 in After Hours series
Hi team! So, I've finished my book - do I update my previous post or make a new one with the details? Thanks!
Sandy wrote: "Hi team! So, I've finished my book - do I update my previous post or make a new one with the details? Thanks!"I usually just edit my previous post with all the pertinent info, then make a one line second post, letting Tara know my review is up and linking to that review post. I find that easiest, but whatever works for you should be good!
Sandy, either way is fine by me. Just as long as I know it's been posted so I can link it up is all that matters to me.
Week 4 Completion
The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark
Pages - 384
Finished - 8/8/16
Rating - 4 stars
Review: I love Mary Higgins Clark, I have always enjoyed her books. They're just good, enjoyable mysteries. I was surprised that this one had some not-so-positive reviews here on Goodreads, but it came highly recommended to me by my grandmother. And I'm happy to say that I enjoyed it. I had a pretty good idea of what was really going on throughout the whole book, but it was still fun to watch the mystery unfold.
Completion Post -- Week 4, Spot 30 
by Elle KennedyCompleted: 8/10/16
How It Fits: #3 in After Hours series
Pages: 237p.
Rating: 2 stars
Review: Oh well, at least the first 2 of the series were good. I found this one way too much sexy times and not enough actual speaking to each other for the MCs. And yet somehow at the end of the book they are all in love. The H/h were both fine, but not really that interesting, and the dialogue was lacking the snap of this author's other books. I'm going to mark this as a disappointment, but will continue to follow the author.
We're still waiting on one more review. As soon as it has been submitted I can do our next roll.
Sorry, you're all waiting on me. Its been a busy week. I got engaged this week so its been a bit of celebrating (I'm lucky I barely finished the book on time)! :DCompletion Post - Week 4, Spot 30
Book:
Author: Leah Thomas
Date: 8/12/16
Pages: 353 pages
Task #3 in a series OR #30 in a series OR a standalone OR Author L
My Review : Well this book was certainly different. Two boys/guys/young men writing letters back and forth and not in a sexual kind of way but rather in a....well, its difficult to describe. Special (dis)abilaties kind of way? Recommended by their doctors/families? They share their isolations and their trials and their hurts and their (very unlikely) adventures and triumphs and stories. The book was quirky and interesting. I'm still trying to decide if I like it. Maybe later I'll bump my rating up to a 4 star rating...or down to a 2...I just am not sure about this one.!
Lindsay IL wrote: "Sorry, you're all waiting on me. Its been a busy week. I got engaged this week so its been a bit of celebrating (I'm lucky I barely finished the book on time)! :D"Congratulations on your engagement!
Oh how exciting, Lindsay!! Congratulations!
Week 5 ReviewsRoll: 6
Spot: 36
Options: #3 in series OR #6 in series OR #36 in series OR Audiobooks
Tara| Private Games | Series #3 | Review
Stacey| In Finn's Heart | Series #3 | Review
Lindsay IL| The Hunger Games | Audiobook | Review
Trea | Visions in Death | Audiobook | Review
Sandy | Filthy | Series #3 | Review
Ok, so I rolled a 6 placing us on spot 36. Your options this week are #3 in a series OR #6 in a series OR #36 in a series OR Audiobooks
Happy reading!!
Also, I just asked for verification if we are allowed to read off the alternate list in any format or if we must use the audio version - I will let you know when I receive an answer.
Re: Audiobook verification - per Ezi: "I just need an audiobook, the list is to help those who aren't used to navigating audios :D"
Team 5 Week 5 = Space 36Task: #3 in a series OR #6 in a series OR #36 in a series OR Audiobooks
Task Chosen: Audiobooks
Book Read:
Visions in Death by J.D. Robb (#1,557 on the linked list, specifically on page 32)Page Count: 354 pages (per Mass Market Paperback edition)
Dates Read: 8/12/16 to 8/13/16
Rating: 5 stars
Review:
This installment was amazing! The mystery was very well done, and I had no clue until the reveal as to who was the culprit! Also, there was an amazing twist in regards to the culprit! The realizations that Eve came to in regards to Peabody during the course of the investigation were both necessary and heartwarming. The fact that (view spoiler) was especially touching, especially Peabody's reaction toward the end of it! This was the first time I listened to the audiobook as I read it, and I found it to be a quite enjoyable experience, since the narrator captured Eve almost perfectly! Also, this one was hard for me to put down and I immediately wanted to grab another!
Week 5 Selection
#3 in the Private series
Thanks everyone! Needless to say I'm excited too!!!! :D :D :DAre there rules on rereads for this group? They are allowed, yes?
Lindsay IL wrote: "Are there rules on rereads for this group? They are allowed, yes?"Yes, they are allowed.
So it has to be an audiobook, but not necessarily from the list? Is that right?
Stacey wrote: "So it has to be an audiobook, but not necessarily from the list? Is that right?"That's the way I'm understanding it.
Week 5 SelectionSpot: 36
by Roxie Rivera#3 in Fighting Connellys
Ok, so I'll be (re)reading
. Its on the Audiobooks list and I am listening to the audiobook so I'm safe either way. And thanks for the happy thoughts and congratulations, all! :)
I'm still trying to decide what to read - I'll post something later today or tomorrow after I finish my current book.
Completion Post -- Week 5, Spot 36
by Roxie RiveraCompleted: 8/14/16
How It Fits: #3 in Fighting Connellys series
Pages: 246p.
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I think I'm a bit burnt out on the shorter erotica/romances right now as this one was nice, but not anything exciting. I kind of felt like most of the story on this one had already happened in that both characters had had significant issues that they had overcome and recovered from, and were now meeting and falling in love. While that was probably a healthy and normal way for that to happen, a lot of the drama was already over. And there was a silly suspense part was kind of just thrown in there to tie it to the author's other books, and not really necessary. It was fast, and pleasant.
Completion Post - Week 5 Spot 36
Filthy by Winter Renshaw
Rixton Falls #3
Completed: 8/15/16
Pages: 240
Rating: 3 stars
Review: Delilah is an uptight young woman who is staying with her 75-year-old aunt for the summer at her retirement community home. She meets arrogant football player Zane when his weekday party is keeping her awake past 2 am, and she tries to ask him to turn it down. Zane takes offense and their antagonistic relationship begins. There were parts of this book I enjoyed - it was interesting and sexy, but I wasn't that into Zane or Delilah until the latter part of the book. They were both kinda annoying with their insults and temper tantrums. I did like how the book ended, though!
Completion Post: Week 5, Spot 36
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Completed: 8/17/16
Pages: Audiobook
Rating: 5 stars
Task: #3 in a series OR #6 in a series OR #36 in a series OR Audiobooks
Review: Wonderful as always. I love reading my favorite books in different mediums. On a tablet...then on audiobook...then hardcover. Its a little different each time. Still loved it. There is so much more love for Peeta and Rue in the audiobook, I felt. When I read on a tablet, I was way more pro-Gale but now....Peeta all the way.
Week 4 Completion
Private Games by James Patterson
Series #3
Pages - 464
Finished - 8/17/16
Rating - 3 stars
Review: James Patterson is always a go-to for me when I need a quick, easy read. So far I have read a few of these Private books and have enjoyed them. This one fell a little bit flat in my opinion though. It wasn't necessarily bad by any means, I just wasn't all that interested in it. I thought it would be interesting to pick up a book with a storyline revolving around the Olympics during the Olympics (although I have literally watched none of the Olympics). But for some reason this one just didn't work for me. Like I said, not a bad book, but I could have skipped it and never missed anything.
Woo-hoo! We're all in ladies! Great reading this week it looks like! I'll post again after our roll tonight.
Week 6 ReviewsRoll: 11
Spot: 47
Options: Series #4 OR Series #7 OR Series #47 OR Humor
Tara| Silent Prey | Series #4 | Review
Stacey| Lucky in Love Series #4 | Review
Lindsay IL| Mystic Mayhem | Humor| Review
Trea | Imperfect Chemistry | Humor | Review
Sandy | Fighting for You | Series #4 | Review
Alright ladies - I rolled an 11 - placing us on spot #47! So that means you may read Series #4 OR Series #7 OR Series #47 OR the alternate, Humor. Happy reading!!
I've asked for clarification on the alternate humor, as I am really confused by what she's meaning by it.
There is no link to anything, so I was assuming main page genre, but we will wait for the clarification. Thanks for asking about it.
Ezi's reply:@Trea,
It has to be tagged humor or found on a humor listopia.
@Denise: a fresh review. After all, I'm only requiring 2-3 sentences
I included the response on re-reads, just in case we hit that at some point. Original question was: "When re-reading a book I've previously reviewed, do I need to write a new review for my post?"
Team 5 Week 6 = Space 47Task: Series #4 OR Series #7 OR Series #47 OR Humor
Task Chosen: Humor
Book Read:
Imperfect Chemistry by Mary Frame (#19 out of top 100 tags for that book, 16 people tagging it as Humor)Page Count: 198 pages
Dates Read: 8/19/16 to 8/20/16
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
This book really surprised me! It was very funny and kept reminding me of Mayim Bialik's character Amy Farrah Fowler from The Big Bang Theory with all of Lucy's genius academic stiffness and responses. Jensen was an interesting hero, but it took a while for me to warm up to him, as it did with many of Lucy's new "friends". Some of the story came off as a bit unbelievable to me, but didn't detract much from the book as a whole. It definitely had me interested enough to read the next book in the series!
Week 6 Selection
#4 in the Lucas Davenport series
Week 6 -- Spot 47 Selection 
#4 in Lucky Harbor
Week 6 - Completion, Spot 47
Fighting for You by Sydney Landon
Completed: 8/20/16
Pages: 304
4 Stars
How it fits: #4 in Danvers series
Review: Ella Webber has had a crush on Declan Stone since she started working for Danvers Security. And although Declan has shown a bit of interest in her, when she asks him out for dinner he avoids her. Declan has seen and done too much during his time in the military, and Ella is too innocent and good for someone like him. But when she starts dating other guys, Declan realizes he doesn't like it, so decides he's the one who is going to give this girl some experience. Ella's family was different, and some other things (Declan's past catching up to him and Ella's accident) added some interesting twists to the story.
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Daddy's Gone A Hunting (other topics)Paper Towns (other topics)
The Face of Fear (other topics)
Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini (other topics)
Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Mary Higgins Clark (other topics)Megan Shepherd (other topics)
Karin Slaughter (other topics)
Megan Shepherd (other topics)
Laurell K. Hamilton (other topics)
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Task:#3 in a series OR #30 in a series OR a standalone OR Author L
Task Chosen: Series book #3
Book Read:
Page Count: 335 pages
Dates Read: 8/5/16 to 8/8/16
Rating: 1 star
Review:
DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE PUBLISHER THROUGH NET GALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW!
Unfortunately, I really didn't care for this book. My dislike of it was so strong that it took me three days to read it, and that's way too long for me!
My first major problem was with Toni. For the first two books, she's a "Take No Prisoners" kick butt kind of woman, but this book she's so stupid! It's blamed on "pregnancy brain", but it seemed a lot more than that...like she had a total personality shift just because she was pregnant!
Lucky wasn't much better. He was more sober than Toni, so he should have known better and put on a condom! Then, he winds up being a controlling jerk for most of the book, before growing up a bit and stepping back.
The suspense plot was non-existent practically, and what smidgen was there didn't make a bit of sense! It wasn't worth calling the book a romantic suspense.
All things considered, I won't be continuing the series, as it's mostly lackluster for me.