The Challenge Factory discussion
♦SS Archives♦
>
R9: Team TENacious. (10)
Team TENacious TrackingWeek 1
Roll: 4, Spot: 4 (view spoiler)
Week 2
Roll: 5, New Spot: 9 (view spoiler)
Week 3
Roll: 4, New Spot: 13 - standalone, book 1, 3 or13 in series/ alt. - Aliens
✔ Elena - On the Edge (The Edge, #1) | Ilona Andrews - Review
✔ Joyce - C is for Corpse (Kinsey Milhone, #3) | Sue Grafton - Review
✔ Cait S - Panic (Panic, #1) | Lauren Oliver - Review
☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ - N/A
✔ Plethora - Nothing to Croak About (Silver Hollow, #3) | Leighann Dobbs - Review
✔ Linda C - Rebel Charm (Carolina Magnolia, #3) | Patricia Rice - Review
Cait S wrote: "Joyce, you'll need to rate and review the book here on the thread as well. Without a review it's not considered complete for game purposes and we won't be able to roll again without everyone turnin..."oops I forgot. I updated my post
Week #: 1Spot: #4
Book: A Killer Stitch - Maggie Sefton
Qualification: A Knitting Mystery, #4
Finished: 6/5/2017
Pages: 288
Rating: ★★★★
Review: When the death of a womanizing rancher puts 2 of his former love interests in the sights of the police Kelly Flynn and her knitting friends try to help out. Both woman are emotional wrecks as well as having health issues. I like the characters in this series for not just being amateur sleuths but also being involved in really being supportive. Kelly is also getting her fledgling accounting service off the ground and looking into buying a local ranch to move her alpaca herd from Wyoming. My only question about this series is that the yarn shop where everyone meets up never has any crocheters, only knitters. Huh?
I'm working on my book. I'm hoping to post it tonight.
Week 1Spot: #4
Book: Tricked by Kevin Hearne
Qualification: The Iron Druid Chronicles, #4
Finished: 6/5/2017
Pages: 366
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
Following the events of the last book, Atticus and gang must take measures to cover their tracks and get involved with Navajo trickster god Coyote. And of course nothing goes as planned!
These books are just so much fun! Tricked is the fourth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles and it’s really enjoyable – plenty of supernatural action, tons of geeky humor, pop culture references, interesting background of Navajo folklore. We also learn more of Atticus’s long life and personal history and there’s an interesting development in one of his personal relationships. And enough of the unresolved matters left to lay grounds for future badassery in the next installment, which I'm looking forward to reading.
P.S. A little bummed that Double Dog Dare Gourmet Cafe isn’t a real place :).
I'm finishing up my book, will post tomorrow. Well since it's only 10 minutes to midnight here that is today for most of you....
Completion Post Sample/Required InformationWeek #: 1
Alternate Task for Spot: 4. Goodreads Choice Awards 2016
Book: End of Watch by Stephen King
Qualification: won GR choice award 2016 for my mystery.
Finished: 6/7/17
Pages: 432
Rating: 4 stars
Review: A good end to the trilogy. Some moments sad but everything was answered. This was an enjoyable trilogy right from the beginning, a little different from Kings usual writing but still well written.
Completion PostWeek #1
Spot # 4
Book: Lemon Pies and Little White Lies by Ellery Adams
Finished: 06/08/17
Pages: 304
Rating: 3.5 stars
Fits: Book 4 in Charmed Pie shoppe Mysteries
Review: Wonder what I missed in the first three books, this one seemed to reveal a bunch of information that I would have expected in Book One or Two. Interesting twist in this cozy mystery because the powers come from Arthurian stories.
Great work, everyone! I'm updating our completion post and looks like staying up long enough to roll while I'm at it :).
Team TENacious Week 1 Book ReportRoll: 4, Spot: 4 - 4th book in the series/alt. task - Goodreads Choice Awards 2016
✔ Elena - Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #4) | Kevin Hearne - Review
✔ Joyce - Darkest Hour (Mediator, #4) | Meg Cabot - Review
✔ Cait S - Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #4) | Kevin Hearne - Review
✔ ☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ - End of Watch (alternate) | Stephen King - Review
✔ Plethora - Lemon Pies and Little White Lies (A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery, #4) - Review
✔ Linda C - A Killer Stitch (A Knitting Mystery, #4) | Maggie Sefton - Review
New spot! Week 2
Roll: 5
New Spot: 9 - book #9 in the series
Alt. task - Four or more Words Title excluding like A, An, The (i.e. The Girl on the Train or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
Week 2: Spot: 9; alternate: 4 or more word titleI will do Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden (Agatha Raisin mystery, #9) - M. C. Beaton
Sorry for the lousy roll, guys! :) I was hoping for a higher number, better luck next time, hopefully. I'm reading One Shot by Lee Child, #9 in Jack Reacher series, for this week.
Ok I guess I'm off to search ;)
Good luck, Carmen! :DI made Post #52 our tracking place for now and will be adding our selections to it.
I'll find a Book Series #9 to read likely.
Starting to stress out! I've dropped like five different books trying to fill this task. I'm in a serious rut.
Thanks Elena. I think I got something that would work. I hope it's a good one because I can use it for another challenge as well. :)
Cait S wrote: "Starting to stress out! I've dropped like five different books trying to fill this task. I'm in a serious rut."Oh no, Cait! :) Sorry to hear it's so tough! We can do rereads, is there an old favourite you may be in the mood for - Harry Potter, etc.? Also not very good at recommendations, but here's a few of long titled ones I personally liked:
Week #:2Spot: #9
Book: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
Qualification: 5 word title
Finished: 6/13/2017
Pages: 285
Rating: ★★
Review:
Sooo this is pretty terrible. It combines a couple of my least favorite things. Cardboard cut outs for characters and ally theater. This is the author going "Look at me! I'm cool and hip and I have characters who are ~~~~LESBIANS~~~ ohhhhh! And... PoC!"
Except they're cut out with white cookie cutters and done no justice whatsoever. Also if I wanted to read about PoC being traumatized, I could do it literally anywhere. That doesn't make you woke, doesn't make you special. It's tacky and pretty gross, to be honest.
The good characters are super good and sparkly clean. The bad guy is oh so very bad and evil and has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Because writing anything as multi-layered and complex was far beyond this author's capability. They bit off way more than they could chew and it's obvious on every page.
Week #2Spot #9
Book: Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden - M. C. Beaton
Qualification: (Agatha Raisin, #9)
Finished: 6/13/17
Pages: 196
Review: A vengeful hairdresser used a depilatory instead of shampoo on Agatha and her hair is growing back in blotches. She decides to vacation at the shore while her hair is growing. One of the permanent elderly residents at the hotel tells her of a 'witch' who makes potions and Agatha goes to her for a hair growth potion, but comes away with a love potion as well. But the next day the witch is murdered and everyone who has gone to her is a suspect. Throw in an Inspector to try the love potion on and her friends Sir Charles and James both making appearances and the story seems like it would be lively. However, I found myself really annoyed with Agatha throughout most of the book. I must say she deserves everything she gets.
Week 2Spot: #9
Book: One Shot by Lee Child
Qualification: Jack Reacher, #9
Finished: 6/13/2017
Pages: 512
Rating: ★★★1/2
Review:
This was my first time reading a Jack Reacher book and I was worried to read it out of order but it doesn't seem to rely on its predecessors and can be read on its own.
Five people are killed by a sniper in downtown Indianapolis and evidence is overwhelmingly pointing at someone Reacher crossed paths with in the Army. Jack resurfaces from obscurity to have a better look.
A fast-paced and entirely readable crime-thriller that I liked quite a lot. Jack Reacher is a tough guy badass character who's always one step ahead. And though suspension of disbelief is required at times, following a character who's so reliable makes for a very satisfying reading experience :). The whodunit part was done really well, and I liked that the plot was focusing mainly on investigation and less so on fighting and action. There was still plenty happening to keep me interested till the end.
Week 2Spot 9
book: The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe
Qualification: Alternate - title has 4 words excluding the The in the beginning of the title
Finished 6/14/2017
Pages: 349
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This is the beginning of this series and now I want to read the rest of it.
Bronwyn Hyatt comes back from the Iraqi war damaged in body and spirit. There is a "haint" waiting for her. Someone in her family is going to die. A new preacher comes to town trying to figure out the strange "Tufa" tribes or clans. A couple of love interests pop up for Bronwyn even if she is just trying to heal.
I'm wrapping up my book, I haven't forgotten, will post later today.
Completion PostWeek #2
Spot # 9
Book: A Fatal Chapter by Lorna Barrett
Finished: 06/08/17
Pages: 296
Rating: 3 stars
Fits: Book 9 in Booktown Mystery
Review: Typical cozy mystery, which is fine. These don't tend to be show stoppers but they make great quick reads for challenges and they aren't half bad. It did trick me at the start thinking I knew who would turn up dead in the next chapter. This one has some carry over from previous books in the series, that might be helpful
threading, but I picked up here in the series and didn't mind it. Secrets, just how dangerous can they be?
I have about a 1/2 hr left in my boo!. I'll post soon. Sorry I thought it was due tomorrow :/
Completion PostWeek #2
Spot # 9
Book: Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
Finished: 06/15/17
Pages: 262
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: Alternate - title has 4 words excluding the The in the beginning of the title
Review: Crocodile on the Sandbank is my first book by Elizabeth Peters. I enjoyed it and would definitely read more of this series.
Woohoo, that's everyone! Thank you, ladies!
Team TENacious Week 2 Book ReportRoll: 5, New Spot: 9 - 9th in series/ 4 or more words in the title
✔ Elena - One Shot (Jack Reacher, #9) | Lee Child - Review
✔ Joyce - The Hum and the Shiver (alt.) | Alex Bledsoe - Review
✔ Cait S - This Is Where It Ends (alt.) | Marieke Nijkamp - Review
✔ ☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ - Crocodile on the Sandbank (alt.) | Elizabeth Peters - Review
✔ Plethora - A Fatal Chapter (Booktown Mystery, #9) | Lorna Barrett - Review
✔ Linda C - Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden (Agatha Raisin,#9) | M.C. Beaton - Review
Low roll again! :-( But at least more options this time.Week 3
Roll: 4
New Spot: 13
Standalone
1st book in series
3rd book in series
13th book in series
Alternate - Aliens
Goody I can do a series 3 book :)
I'm almost done with standalone Lincoln in the Bardo but want to start a series to try going for one of the bonus points. Just need to pick one :)
Completion PostWeek 3
Spot 13
Book: Rebel Charm - Patricia Rice
Finished: 6/18/17
Pages: 356
Fits: Carolina Magnolias, #3
Review: Mara Simon has come to SC to film a movie, but finds the entrance to the beach location blocked by a dune being excavated by forensic anthropologist, TJ McCloud, who has found human bones. Mara needs to complete the film on time, in budget, in order to buy out her ex-husband's half of the company. TJ needs to provide justice for the victims he's found. Mara and TJ were high school sweethearts separated by guilt when her brother dies. Now seeming at odds but drawn to each other. A side story involves TJ's work with a friend in Kosovo after the war and a possible cover-up. A well plotted romance.
Completion PostWeek 3
Spot 13
by Sue GraftonBook Number 3 in series
Pages: 305
Finished 6/19/2017
Rating: 3 stars
Review: Kinsey has started a job from Bobby Callahan who has lost some of his memory after a car accident that he thinks someone caused to kill him. After he hires Kinsey he is killed in a car accident. She decides that it is fishy and continues the case and finding the killer. I am not totally sold on this series of books but with this one it has gotten better. Kinsey is growing on me.
Week #:3Spot: #13
Book: Panic by Lauren Oliver
Qualification: #1 in a series
Finished: 6/20/2017
Pages: 408
Rating: ★★★
Review:
This felt about 100 pages too long. It stretched on forever, especially near the end. By 50 pages from the last all the secrets had been revealed, everything was wrapped up, there wasn't really any reason to keep going.
While I was intrigued by the plot for the first half of the book, I never connected to any of the characters or really cared who won or why. It was like watching an episode of a TV show I didn't care about because there was nothing else on.
Having read the Delirium series, I know Lauren Oliver writes better than this. So mehhhh.
Elena wrote: "I'm almost done with standalone Lincoln in the Bardo but want to start a series to try going for one of the bonus points. Just need to pick one :)"We get bonus points? I didn't know that.
Joyce wrote: "We get bonus points? I didn't know that."New feature just introduced this round if I'm not mistaken :)
Copied from "How to.." thread:
NEW FEATURE:
Bonus Points ~
✸Teams will have a chance to earn 1 Free Pass to roll. To earn your free pass your team has to complete their reads a day before the next roll. Once your team has done this you will have 1 free pass. The free pass will allow a team to roll if they are missing a review(s) before the cutoff. Once you've used it, you can't earn another one. It's a one-time shot. NOTE: The free pass may not be used for the win.
✸ One point can be earned for reading three or more books in a series
✸ One point can be earned One point can be earned for reading a book that > 500 pages
✸ One point can be earned for starting and finishing a series (there must be more than 4 books in that series...I will entertain series with spin-offs) ~ no re-reads on this one.
✸ One point can be earned for never picking a book from the alternate lists (earned week before winning roll)
****Each of those can only be earned ONCE. So That is a FREE PASS and a total of 4 bonus points****
That's once per team not player and points can be used to move ahead on the board (one point = one move). Also for the series tasks (at least 3 books read and start and finish) - 2 different series must be read to earn both points.
Elena wrote: "Joyce wrote: "We get bonus points? I didn't know that."New feature just introduced this round if I'm not mistaken :)
Copied from "How to.." thread:
NEW FEATURE:
Bonus Points ~
✸Teams will have ..."
Thanks, I never went back to read the new feature.
Completion PostWeek #2
Spot # 9
Book: Nothing to Croak About by Leighann Dobbs
Finished: 06/22/17
Pages: 172
Rating: 3.5 stars
Fits: Series #3 book
Review: Cozy paranormal mystery that is a great quick read that works nicely for challenges, it would be nice if it was a few more pages for some challenges,, since it is just under 175. Toads abound and old world secrets.
Mod
What series are you reading and what are the four books you have completed?
Ezi, I'm reading The Edge by Ilona Andrews (4 books) and I've only read one of them :). I just wanted to make sure the series qualifies for the bonus or pick another series if not in case we don't roll number 1 again.
I'm working on my review. Had to attend a thing but will post before deadline for sure.Carmen, how's yours coming along? Do you think you'll get it done in time?
Completion PostWeek 1
Spot: #13
Book: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews
Qualification: The Edge, #1
Finished: 6/22/2017
Pages: 340
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
I have enjoyed every Ilona Andrews book that I’ve read so far and this one was no exception. The authors created another original world with great and likeable characters (although Declan started out as pretty intolerable). It's imaginative and humorous and what I especially like about Andrews's books is that I don't know what to expect next. Surely they follow some common fantasy tropes but there's also very many twists and surprises in between. Looking forward to reading the next one!
Carmen had a family emergency. She probably won't be able to post for a few days.
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Repair to Her Grave (other topics)Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (other topics)
Holiday With A Vampire: Christmas Cravings / Fate Calls (other topics)
Repair to Her Grave (other topics)
The Coronation (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Sarah Graves (other topics)Sarah Graves (other topics)
Wendy Mass (other topics)
Carl Hiaasen (other topics)
Boris Akunin (other topics)
More...
Spot: #4
Book: Tricked by Kevin Hearne
Qualification: #4 in the Iron Druid series
Finished: 6/5/2017
Pages: 341
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
This is definitely the best installment since the first book. Tons of action as usual but also a good dose of character development and drama. It moved along at a really good pace as well.
My main concern going in is that I really don't like Coyote as a character so I was not looking forward to putting up with him for an entire book. Luckily, there's a fair amount of him but it's spread thin so it was tolerable. I just can't deal with the whole petulant child "This is what I want so this is how it's going to be" act. It annoys me to no end.
So lack of Coyote plus lots of badassery from Oberon made this book definitely one of my favorites of the series so far.