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R9: Team The Paperback Patrol (12)
Week 4 - Spot 30
Read: 6/28
How it fits: #3 in series
Rating: 5 stars
I have been waiting for this book for a while. And it was worth it! Things go from bad to worse to horrible pretty quickly for Paige and the London clairvoyants. We learn a lot about several characters pasts, which are all really interesting, but super sad. Paige takes some major risks, but, to say this without spoiling it, there are supposed to be seven books in the series, so not too much need for worry. Though I did. My heart was pounding through parts of this story, and the ending did get me a little teary-eyed. I loved it, and it is going to suck having to wait until next year for the next book.
Week 4 - spot 30 
The Target by Catherine Coulter
Pages: 381
Read: June 25-28, 2017
Rating: 2 stars
How it Fits: #3 in the FBI Thriller series
Review: It's been years since I last read the first two books in this series. I actually added this book to my shelf on a whim not too long ago from the used book store. So I figured now was as good a time as any to pick it up. Unfortunately it left me with an "eh" feeling.... the storyline was far-fetched 98% of the time and the writing style felt forced and rushed.
Good job, everyone! Everything is updated and ready for tomorrow. I almost rolled for us this morning, thinking it was Friday :(
Week 4: Spot 30✔Nichole- Where We Left Off (#3)/ Review
✔Tara- The Target (#3)/ Review
✔Lauren- The Song Rising (#3)/ Review
✔❀~Amy~❀- Moving in Rhythm(SA)/ Review
✔Claire- The Body in the Library (#3)/ Review
✔Sandy- House of Names (SA)/ Review
Week 5Previous spot: 30
New Roll: 5, 5 = 40
New Spot: 40
Standalone, #4, #40
Alternate: Title E
FYI, I'm going out of town today until Tuesday. Ha, I had a #3 book ready to go because I figured we would still be in the 30's. Back to the drawing board!
Week 5 - Spot 40
Bad Blood: A Lucy Black Thriller by Brian McGilloway
Pages: 368
How it fits: #4 in the Lucy Black series
I was really hoping for the 40s this week since this is a review book I've been putting off and absolutely must read this week....
I'm waiting to see what tasks are for another challenge tomorrow...
Week 5 ~ Spot 40
Grounding Griffin by Lucy Lennox
Read: 7/3/17
Rating and Review: 3 stars
This book ended up just being ok and definitely is my least favorite of the series so far. I loved Sam, but Griff drove me crazy. I understand being skittish where relationships are concerned, but he took that to a serious extreme. I probably could have handled that ok if that was all, but some of the things he said, right in front of Sam, where just inexcusable. Made me like him a whole lot less.
As usual I loved most of the Marion clan. They are just a great family. I love that we get to see all the previous couples and get hints of future pairings.
Also, I am so over Aunt Tilly and the grannies. I never thought they were funny to begin with, but they were so OTT and inappropriate in this one. Others might like them, but I think the series suffers with them being so at the forefront of these stories.
The narrator of this series is really good, though I was sad to see a return of the fake-as-all-get-out chuckle from Borrowing Blue. I'm hoping it disappears again for the last 2 books.
Week 5 spot 40Thursday's Children
Author: Nicci French
Pages:432 p.
Date read: 4 juli 2017
Rating: 4 stars
How it fits: number #4 in the Frieda Klein series written by Nicci French
Review :As usual Nicci French meets the expectations. Good story, not too obvious, interesting characters. When reading the Frieda Klein books I cannot decide why I kind of dislike Frieda, the MC. The dislike has no negative effect on the pleasure I get from the boos. In this story Frieda Klein is acting as the investigator. In a way, she'd better kerp to her usual profession, but it is an interesting experiment. What I especially like in the story, is the fact that the book also gives food for thought, but not in an annoying manner. Questions as: how guilty are you if you don't report a crime. How can you protect others from having the same negative events coming to them.
All in all a nice book for fans of thrillers or anyone looking for a good, but not too heavy book to read.
Week 5, Spot 40Standalone
Read: 7/3/17
Rating: ★★★★
Review: This author makes writing about family drama look effortless. The story centers around a backyard barbecue in which a terrible accident occurred. We see the action from several different points of view while jumping back and forth in time. I like how all the characters are shown with good and bad qualities, not perfectly realistic but still easy to imagine. Even the children are portrayed as more than just background noise. It was also a quick read, which is nice.
Week 5 - Spot 40
Bad Blood: A Lucy Black Thriller by Brian McGilloway
Pages: 368
Read: June 30-July 3
Rating: 3 stars
How it fits: #4 in the Lucy Black series
Review: I accepted this one to review for my blog. I have read and loved the first 3 Lucy Black books so I was really looking forward to it. This one was good, but not as good as the others in the series. It was a little too political for my taste ... touching on gays and immigrants in particular. It felt more like the author was trying to put across his personal political opinions rather than write a good novel. I'll be looking forward to more in this series to be released, but I really hope he tones down his political undertones.
Week: 5Spot: 40
Book:
Pages: 352
Date Read: 7/3/17
How it fits: Stand Alone
Rating: 4 stars
I needed an audiobook that my husband and I would both enjoy for our road trip. Ove is a grumpy old man and his life is changed when his new neighbors charge into his life by running over his mailbox. He just wants to get on with his day when he gets interrupted time and again. With each interruption, we get a flashback into his life and see why he's set on the decision he's made. It was funny, it was very sad and he's a grumpy old man hiding what a good man he actually is and how terribly sad he truly is. Very enjoyable!
Week 5 - Spot 40
Read: 7/5/17
How it fits: #4 in a series
Rating: 5 stars
✸ One point can be earned for reading a book that > 500 pages
How it Fits: 648 pages
This series just keeps getting better! They defeat a pretty big enemy, which was surprising, but were also introduced to an even bigger one. I loved the witches story line - I didn't much care for them in the last book (or 2? I forget). I was very annoyed at Chaol through most of this, but I guess he had a few reasons for behaving as he was. But my opinion of him is not as good as it was. I also feel like maybe Aelin is a little too good at her schemes. They all work out pretty well, which is great but maybe just a little too great. I'm glad I read Assassin's Blade before this one, as the stories were all referenced.
Love this series! If I've learned anything from SJM it's not to get too attached to the first love interest because I'll be dropping him like a hot potato later, lol. #sorrynotsorry! I always recommend Assassin's Blade first to any newbie. Can't wait for the next one!I'll get us updated here in a bit. Great job, everyone!
Lauren, can you edit your review and add this for the bonus point, please?✸ One point can be earned for reading a book that > 500 pages
How it Fits: Page numbers? I know it's over 500
Week 6Roll: 4+4=8
New Spot= 48
(4th, 8th, 48th)
Alternate: Taboo Romance
Week 5: Spot 40✔Nichole-A Man Called Ove (SA)/ Review
✔Tara- Bad Blood: A Lucy Black Thriller (#4)/ Review
✔Lauren- Queen of Shadows (#4)/ Review
✔❀~Amy~❀- Grounding Griffin (#4)/ Review
✔Claire- Thursday's Children (#4)/ Review
✔Sandy- Truly Madly Guilty (SA)/ Review
✸ One point can be earned for reading a book that > 500 pages
Lauren- Queen of Shadows| 648pgs
Ugh..... this week is going to be very difficult for me :( I'm afraid I will have to go to the library in search of a book. I really don't want to skip a book in a series so I'll have to do more research first and probably pick up a #4 from a series I haven't read from in forever. 5s and 9s I have in abundance, not 4s or 8s! Just ugh!.....
Week 6 ~ Spot 48
Mature Content by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell
Pages: 218
How it fits: #4 in the Cyberlove series
Week 6 - Spot 48
The Night Season by Chelsea Cain
Pages: 352
How it fits: #4 in the Archie & Gretchen series
Week 6: Spot 48
Pages: 288
How it fits: #8 in the Cut & Run series
Ugh! I screwed up! I turned in the bonus point for reading a book over 500 pages but I didn't add it to our spot. I sent a message to Ezi to see how she wants me to fix it. I think I'm the only one that has a #8 and I haven't started yet. I'm sorry!
Okay, in the Q&A she says"You can save it:)
But when you are posting your spot, make sure to state "Team Ezi loves Spartacus earn 1 bonus point for over 500 pages"
"Then also state when you USE that bonus point "
So are you guys okay with me just saving it for next roll since I already posted everything? Again, I'm really sorry!
Nichole wrote: "Love this series! If I've learned anything from SJM it's not to get too attached to the first love interest because I'll be dropping him like a hot potato later, lol. #sorrynotsorry! I always recom..."That is so true! I really didn't like the change in this series, unfortunately, but I got used to it.
The one element that I don't particularly like about SJM is that the books are labeled YA, but there are explicit sex scenes. It's not that I don't like sex scenes, I just don't want to see them in a book my 13-year-old daughter might read!
Week 6 - spot 48
309 pages
8th in series
I agree, Sandy. They are definitely not YA.
Week 6 spot 48Buried Angels
Author: Camilla Läckberg
Pages: 470 p
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
As usual, a good scandinavian thriller with a very complex story in the background.
The writer holds a lot of different ties and stories to only reveal at the end how it is all connected. However, she keeps your interest going and there were moments I really had to keep myself from looking further in the book to get some answers right away.
Very enjoyable is the use of the recurring characters. The setting in this series is allways the same place ( little town in Sweden/police office) and a lot happens to the characters connected to the police office. While this is often the case in series, in this series it is a prominent feature. Not only the crime story is interesting, but the evolution of the other characters is a story on its own
How it fits: #8 in the Fjallbacka series
Week 6, spot 388th in series
309 pages
Read: 7/9/17
★★★
Review: The setting is 19 years after book 7 ends. Albus, the second son of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, feels that being the son of the famous Harry Potter brings with it a great deal of pressure to achieve success at Hogwarts. He befriends, Scorpius, the son of Draco Malfoy, which raises eyebrows since the Malfoys are still not to be trusted. The two boys join together in a plot to use a time turning device to go back in time and save Cedric Diggory, and perhaps prevent the return of Voldemort. I hoped this would have the same magic as the first 7 books, but really this just felt like fan fiction.
Mod
Nichole,
I think you have been doing a great job. So you still have your point to use later, and whenever your team want to, just use it :D
Great job everyone
Week 6 - Spot 48
The Night Season by Chelsea Cain
Pages: 352
Read: July 7-11
Rating: 3 stars
How it fits: #4 in the Archie & Gretchen series
Review: It had been ages since I last read the third book in this series (8 years to be exact....) but it was the only #4 I had on my shelf so I decided to give it a whirl. According to my records I had actually tried to read this one before and put it aside after 37 pages because I couldn't get into it. I had no trouble at all getting into it this time around. I'm not sure what it was that set me off from reading it years ago, but I actually enjoyed it rather well. I had little to no recollection of what happened in the previous books when I started reading this one, but I didn't have any trouble at all falling right back in with the characters. So it could definitely read well if you hadn't read this series at all. I enjoyed it, and I have #5 on my shelf, but it'll probably continue to linger (because that's just how I do things, ha!). So yeah, I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
Week 6Spot: 48
Book:
Pages: 288
Date Read: 7/10/17
Rating: 3 stars (maybe 3.5...)
This was a weird book, especially with only 1 book left in the series. Did I enjoy it? Yes, of course, but there were a few plot holes.
1. Deployment/Arrival- After that bombshell ending in the last book, this one starts out with the boys returning home. Umm, okay. That's it? They get shipped off immediately after discovering there's a mole and with Ty and Zane trying to mend their almost broken relationship. Then they come home. Huge disappointment on this.
2. Nick and Kelly. Love you guys but you have your own series!
3. Richard Burns- Umm, what? Uhhh...
I don't even know what to say about that whole thing. I'm hoping more will be explained in the next book.
There were a few smaller things that just didn't mesh *ahem, Maid of Honor* but they were inconsequential to me for the most part.
That being said, I still enjoyed the book. I love Ty & Zane and they had a few really good moments. Swoon worthy moments, fan myself moments and plenty of laughter too. I hate to see the series end.
Changing my book since I realized the audiobook I just finished was #4 in a series and I'm not going to get the other one done in time anyway. =)
Week 6 ~ Spot 48
Overexposed by Megan Erickson
Pages: 177
How it Fits: #4 in the In Focus series
Read: 7/13/17
Rating and Review: 5 stars
This was by far my favorite book of the series. I loved Levi and Thad. The journey they go on is emotional and difficult, but the outcome is so worth the pain. They were the perfect fit for each other. Levi is talkative and Thad listens as they hike the Appalachian Trail. There were a few tears and lots of smile and even a few lol moments. I especially loved the epilogue, because we get to see all 4 couples from the series hanging out together on vacation. It was funny and sweet. =)
Week 5 - Spot 48
Read: 7/13
How it fits: 4th in a series
Rating: 5 stars
✸ One point can be earned for reading a book that > 500 pages
How it Fits: 608 pages
I love Rick Riordan books. They're meant really for younger readers, but they are entertaining even for older readers. There are some pretty serious topics, especially considering the target audience, but on just about every page there's something to lighten the mood. I also love learning so much about mythology. It's something I find fascinating, yet somehow never find time to really read up on, so reading a series that covers so many Greek and Roman myths is pretty awesome.
Week 6: Spot 48✔Nichole- Ball & Chain (#8)/ Review
✔Tara-The Night Season (#4)/ Review
✔Lauren- The House of Hades (#4)/ Review
✔❀~Amy~❀- Overexposed (#4)/ Review
✔Claire- Buried Angels (#8)/ Review
✔Sandy- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 (#8)/ Review
Great job, everyone!
Week 7Roll: 4 + 5 = 9
New Spot= 57
Alternate: Shapeshifter
5th, 7th, 57th
** We have one Bonus point to use. We can use it whenever we want. If we use it now that puts us on 58. What do you Ladies want to do?
Spot= 58
Alternate= White
5th, 8th, 58th
Lauren wrote: "Week 5 - Spot 48Read: 7/13
How it fits: 4th in a series
Rating: 5 stars
✸ One point can be earned for reading a book that > 500 pages
How it Fits: 608 pa..."
We've already earned that Bonus point :) But we do have a couple more to earn!
Bonus Points
✸ One point can be earned for reading three or more books in a series
✔✸ 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)
I'm ok with either one since I'm planning to read a #5
I know 8's are harder for us, so was thinking maybe we should save it for later when we get to the high numbers??I'll check us in later, after I get home from work and see what people think!
Nichole- Save (I don't really care though :))
Amy- Either
Doesn't matter to me either. I'm also planning on reading a #5
I would save it for really high numbers maybe..
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Dirty Work (other topics)9th Judgement (other topics)
Zusje (other topics)
Zeemeermin (other topics)
Buried Angels (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Stuart Woods (other topics)Leslie Meier (other topics)
Tessa Dare (other topics)
Camilla Läckberg (other topics)
Leslie Meier (other topics)
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Spot: 30
Book:
Pages: 260
Date Read: 6/24/17
How it fits: #3 in series
Rating: 3 stars
I enjoyed this book but not near as much as the others. There's no doubt that Roan Parrish can write, especially angst filled romance. In book 1, I fell in love with Rex. In book 2, Colin broke me. In this book, Leo and Will didn't have that same power, they just made me sad. Leo was pining over Will, even knowing that he would break his heart. And Will did exactly what he said he would. I still devoured it because the writing is phenomenal and I'll definitely continue to read her work!