R:8 - Alpha Blazers

[Rosina]

I don't see freckle in The Da Vinci Code

[Stacey]

Pg 107- Sophie hated her red hair and freckles..

[Rosina]

Awesome thanks it never came up on my search

[Stacey]

:-)). It is only there once I saw.

[Rosina]

Thanks Stacy. I can't believe I haven't read this.

[Rosina]

Ruby coloured will work?

[Stacey]

Rosina wrote: "Ruby coloured will work?"

That's a good question- I'm not sure. I just made sure it wasn't someone's name. Jingles and Jennifer would know, yes? I would have to think yes only because anything that is referred to as 'ruby' is, in my view, a direct reference to the stone.

[Rosina]

That's what I thought too Unless specific for gemstone

[Stacey]

Uh oh- just checked my book again and that is how my 'ruby' is used too. Not an actual stone

[Rosina]

Hopefully it will be ok. I ll keep looking just in case

[Stacey]

No stop! I just looked back and week 2 there was 'emerald green glinted off his eyes' or something so we're good!

[Jennifer H]

Rosina wrote: "ooohhh thanks stacy ....outlander will be too long but The Da Vinci Code I might be able to finish, gotta be done on Friday morning correct"

Friday by 12pm est

[Rosina]

Awesome thanks ladies. Now back to reading.

[jingles]

Sorry ladies. My internet was down for a bit.

[Jennifer H]

No problem! I'm glad you got it back :)

[Jennifer H]

Week 6: Freckle & Chair




Mine till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas
Finished:8/18/14
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Rock: ice inside rock (p.146)
Ruby: a loose ruby (p.358)
Present/Gift: a long-awaited gift (p.22)
Freckle: light gold freckles (p.226)
Chair: relaxed in his chair (p.20)

Great read...had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it. The only piece that bothered me, and I guess it always does is why the heroine repeatedly refuses to marry the hero.....I think that may have gone on too long. But that is pretty typical for romance. I am so glad to see that the writer has written this as a series so that I can find out how that rest of the family fares and how Amelia and Cam finish.

[Stacey]

Week 6 Freckle/Chair
I read
Finished 8/18/14
Rating 5 stars

Freckle- brown, hair, green eyes, freckles- p 236
Chair- I surged off the chair- p 195
rock- a heavy rock materialized- p 3
ruby- a faint ruby sheen- p 117
present- An early Christmas present- p 346

review-
Again- I just loved this book! I am so engrossed in the characters and each new emergency/ creature that appears in Atlanta- it never gets dull!
Kate knew she risked exposure in the last book
by breaking a sword with her blood magic- and she was right. A new evil is after the pack, bringing with it plague and utter destruction- and it is linked with Kate's past. Though she has tried to stay under her father's radar and keep anyone around her safe, her bloodline has been exposed adn all hell breaks loose in her world. Her stepfather has warned her not to make close connections or she would be weakened and she is really finding this to be true. Besides fighting for her life against her own family, Kate and Curran continue to decide if they are right together and if their two worlds can combine- is love enough? Will the pack accept her as their female alpha? Will Curran's overprotectiveness of Kate get him killed? A roller coaster ride from start to finish!!

[jingles]

Bet Me|Jennifer Crusie - WEEK 6


Read from 08/16/14 - 08/20/14
Rating: ★★★★

What a funny book! Min has just been dumped by her boyfriend, her perfect sister is getting married, and to top things off, she just discovered she's part of a bet. Can things get worse? Yes they can, but...they can also get much, much better.

I really enjoyed this book. The humor is wonderful, Min and Cal are great characters. It was just such a fun, light read.

What I didn't like or understand was Min's seemingly fascination with Chicken Marsala. I didn't get that at all, and it became ridiculous.

I will definitely be reading more of this author.

1. Freckle (Called): (location 3055)
Minnie, you're getting freckles on your nose."

2. Chair (Bonus): (location 565)
Tony stayed in his chair .

3. Rock: (location 3363)
...And you are dumb as a rock to be the one who says that out loud.

4. Ruby: (location 4895)
Cal looked past her to Shanna, carry two ruby goblets out of the kitchen.

5. Present: (location 3153)
A graduation present for the MBA?

[Rosina]

Week 6 Freckle/Chair

finished Aug 21
rating 4.5 stars
review: excellent addictive read. Really good mix of romantic suspense and mystery. Very good mystery about an adoption ring, which also includes dark family drama and murder. crazy twisted ending that I never saw coming.

chair p. 2 She sat glued to the crappy plastic chair

present p.354 thirteenth birthday present from her mother

freckle p.274 a smattering of freckles crossed the bridge of her nose

rock p,266 as though she'd swallowed a bag of rocks

ruby p.159 lips were ruby red

[jingles]

Words for Week 7


1. Fireworks - Called
2. Sun - Bonus
3. Earth
4. Diamond
5. Mustache

[Stacey]

I imagine there is no other word for mustache?? This week is a pain- can't find any one book with them all:(

[Jennifer H]

If you can't find mustache just pick another word. I'm having trouble too but I haven't given up yet...lol

[Jennifer H]

I posted that and the next book I found has all the words...I'll be reading

[Jennifer H]

I just thought of something...don't the Brits spell mustache differently like moustache maybe that will help

[Stacey]

Thanks Jennifer. Nothing has helped. I found one that I didn't really want to read but will probably use it since I'm going on vacation tomorrow and have already wasted lots of time looking today;). Next week's review will be short- from my mobile.

[Jennifer H]

Thanks for letting us know. Have a fun and safe vacation!

[Rosina]

Yup Brits n Canucks spell it with the. O.

[Stacey]

Jennifer ♔Princess Penguin♔ wrote: "Thanks for letting us know. Have a fun and safe vacation!"

Thanks! I'll let you kknow what I come up with...

[Stacey]

Rosina wrote: "Yup Brits n Canucks spell it with the. O."

Rosina wrote: "Yup Brits n Canucks spell it with the. O."

Thanks for that! I did find it spelled that way once- and then no Earth!

[Rosina]

I will read Darkness Falls

[Stacey]

I'm reading Dreams Of Gods And Monsters- Laini Taylor

[jingles]

I will be reading Her Montana Cowboy

[Jennifer H]

Week 7-Firework & Sun




Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler
Finished: 8/25/14
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Earth: I came back to earth (p.38)
Diamond: not diamond encrusted (p.17)
Firework: fireworks would explode (p.16)
Mustache: twirling his mustache (p.67)
Sun: the path of the sun (p.8)

Tracking the Tempest is filled with wit, humor, snark and adventure with a little mystery and suspense tossed in.

Nicole Peeler has created a series that is something totally different from your normal urban fantasy fare. It's edgy, with a little darkness around the edges but the humor and a touch of libido encouraged naughtiness give it a hint of fun and frivolity that is needed in the genre and greatly enjoyed in this book.

Too many urban fantasy books take themselves way too seriously. A little fun is always a good thing.

[jingles]

Her Montana Cowboy|Valerie Hansen - Week 7


Read from 08/24/14 / 08/26/14
Rating: ★★★

Brief Review
This was a sweet love story between Julie Shaw, who loves the rodeo, and rodeo competitor, Ryan Travers. It has a good plot, but the execution was off. The dialogue was weak, and seemed more along the lines of two high school characters rather than adults. Also, while there seemed to be some controversy between Julie and her father, there's little to show for that. We're just really told about it.

Overall, it was an okay read for me.

1. Fireworks (Called): (location 446)
Will you be free tonight during the fireworks show?

2. Sun (Bonus): (location 538)
The sun overhead beat down on men and animals alike.

3. Earth: (location 743)
He's real down to earth .

4. Diamond: (location 2248)
Julie held up her hand to let Mert admire the diamond in her engagement ring, then turned back to Ryan.

5. Mustache: (location 123)
The grizzled old man's grin crinkled his leathery skin, lifted the corners of his bushy gray mustache and exposed one gold tooth among others.

[Stacey]

Week 7- fireworks/sun

I read Dreams Of Gods And Monsters by Laini Taylor
Rating 3 stars (hard to rate though)
Finished 8/28/14

Fireworks- his soul lit up like the fireworks- p 607
Sun- the sun hot and high. P 32
Earth- near enough to earth. P 10
Diamond- retired diamond dealer. P 12
Mustache- a man with a broad black mustache. P 239

Review- This was a tough one for me. I LOVED the first two of this series and was so excited for the last in the trilogy but found myself not loving it as much. But there were parts I did love too so I am conflicted.
Karou- a chimaera who has lives in multiple worlds and multiple bodies- is still teelng from the war that sent her people back through the slit in the universe after rebuilding an army to fight the angels that wanted them dead. But akiva- her angel lover- and she still hold on to dream that their two species can unite and live in peace. And this dream continues to drive them in a hopeless time of death and destruction of both their people. Jael (evil uncle of akiva) also unleashes his plan to send hundreds of angels to earth- the Vatican- to access our weapons to use against the chimaera. Lastly, the culmination if the story includes the apocalypse, the weakening of the veil that holds back the true Beasts that will devour all the universes, and one fallen angel that beholds the prophecy of salvation.
Whew! This book had SO much information. 618 pages!! And that is what brought down my rating. There was just- too much... Description, re telling, words! I feel 30 percent less would have made an amazing ending to the trilogy.
What I liked- the story! Ma Taylor's mind is amazing and so is her writing- it's beautiful really. It was the most unique story and her imagination is eternal.
The ending- loved it. I like neat endings.
Glad to be done.

[Rosina]

Week 7 Fireworks & sun


★★★★
Aug 28/14

fireworks - ch4 so ...no fireworks? no champagne?
sun - ch 3 like the sun when it first peeks over the horizon
diamond - ch 14 with one brown diamond in the center
earth - ch24 no one on this earth would mourn you
mustache - ch1 and I said is that a mustache?

Review
Awesome read. Second in the Immortal beloved series/trilogy. Great read. Will start on the third soon.
I really enjoyed this plot of the book. Nas took her past painfully. She blamed herself for a lot of it. She was just carrying a lot of her shoulders. It's hard to let go of something that you have been carrying for a long time. I loved that Reyn gave her space when needed, but I felt like he should have pushed a little more. I loved that the reader gets to see Nas fall apart piece by piece. She takes blames for anything and finally flees. I felt this was necessary for her character in order for her to grow. You know what they say you must fall to the bottom in order to climb to the top? Nas falls hard. She deals with the pains of her past and at times my heart aches for her.
This is a dark and gritty book. So much death, anger, pain and betrayal of friends that it hurts at times to read it. I loved that the author created Nas's life with real pain. It's not made up junk that could never happen, but stuff that everyday people go through.

[jingles]

Words for Week 8


1. Flame - Called
2. Lightning - Bonus
3. Jewelry
4. Dinner
5. Eyebrow

[Jennifer H]

I'll be reading

[Stacey]

Does anyone know another way to search books other than amazon look inside? I am on vacation and it won't work with my mobile and none of the books on my kindle have all the words. Ugh.

[Rosina]

U could try google books.

[Stacey]

Ok thanks!

[Jennifer H]

If you can't use google books let me know the titles you want to check and I can check them for you :)

[Stacey]

Thank you! I forgot my husbands iPad is here so I can 'look inside' that way;-)

[Stacey]

I am reading Spiders Bite by Jennifer Estep

[Jennifer H]

Week 8~Flame & Lightning




Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris
Finished: 8/31/14
Rating: ♥♥

Flame: burst into tiny flames (p.255)
Jewelry: No jewelry today (p.36)
Dinner: the treat of a dinner (p.22)
Eyebrow: the line of one eyebrow (p.13)
Lightning: a field with lightning (p.12)

I am a big fan of all Ms Harris' books, and of all of the characters in all of her series, and so was very keen to read this one. But I was really disappointed in this book. Ms Harris has always managed to give depth and humanity to her characters - even if you don't like them you understand them. And her story telling generally has depth, pace and texture. This book, however, reads like a short story. There is little depth, the story line seems to bounce around, and her characters seem two dimensional. I didn't finish this book wanting to know what happens next. I will not be rushing to read the next installment.

[Stacey]

Interesting Jennifer I've been thinkng of reading this since I usually like her writing as well- maybe not!!

[Jennifer H]

Maybe it would have been a bit better if I hadn't read it after finishing Drums of Autumn which is an absolutely fabulous book (I love the Outlander Series). Anything after an Outlander book is going to pale by comparison.

[Stacey]

Jennifer ♔Princess Penguin♔ wrote: "Maybe it would have been a bit better if I hadn't read it after finishing Drums of Autumn which is an absolutely fabulous book (I love the Outlander Series). Anything after an Outlande..."

Drums of Autumn huh? I will check that one out!

[Stacey]

Week 8- Flame and Lightening
I read
date finished- 9/1/14
rating - 3 stars

review- Gin is an assassin. Saved from the streets at 13, after her family was murdered in a fire, by a man who took her in, gave her a home, and taught her how to survive no matter what- and take over his murder for hire business. Gin is also a Stone elemental- she can use her magic to speak to and manipulate stones around her, with a little ice elemental mixed in. She lives in a world of elementals, giants, and vampires- interestingly the vampires are lower on the totem pole in this series, as far as power and strength.
In this book, Fletcher, her 'handler' and mentor gets her the gig that will change her life again and have her dealing with emotions and vulnerability- things she avoids at all cost since watching her family die, herself being tortured by fire. But when her new 'family' is attacked, all those feelings resurface and swirl together, and she finds herself questioning her life and future- if she lives to see one.

What I liked- The strength and determination of Gin. Even for an assassin she has rules and a moral code- even does pro bono work if she finds a worthy case.
The elemental magic was interesting and different. The writing was good.

What I didn't like- I think the whole dark nature of the book was a little heavy for me during the last week of summer. It was all about pain, death, vengence. I do enjoy the magical, fantasy based stories- maybe Darynda Jones and Ilona Andrews ruined this one for me since I love their books! That they are able to entertwine humor with the violence. This one was all dark and heavy.
There were a few things that became irritating: the fact that she used full names frequently in relation to main characters of the book, even in narration. Gin would frequently look at her love interest and think, 'Mmm'. Mmm happened a lot.
And I never really connected with Gin, although I understood her- I just didn't connect with any characters.

Flame: a limo engulfed by flames. (location 1440)
Jewelry: along with the wallets and jewelry.(location 1148)
Dinner: I had a dinner date to keep. (location 250)
Eyebrow: I raised an eyebrow. (location 436)
Lightning: Like lightning striking the earth again. (location 2263)

[jingles]

Plum Lovin'|Janet Evanovich - Week 8


Read from: 09/02/14 - 09/03/14
Rating: ★★★

Brief Review
I love the Stephanie Plum series. It's one of my favorites. In this installment, Diesel is back again (from Visions of Sugar Plums) and as crazy as ever. Bond jumper Annie Hart is being tracked by the Unmentionable. Diesel needs the guy tracking Annie, and Stephanie needs to bring Annie in for skipping out on bond. Things start to get a little tricky, as Stephanie decides to play matchmaker.

It's the usual fun-loving cast of characters I've come to really enjoy. While this was not as good as some of the other Stephanie Plum books, it was still a light and easy read.

3 Stars


1. Flame - Called: (page 66)
Charlene turned up flame up under the stockpot.

2. Lightning - Bonus: (page 6)
It's more like they're ordinary souls with the freakish ability to levitate a cow or slow-pitch a lightning bolt.

3. Jewelry: (page 160)
Almost all the jewelry in the shop is fake.

4. Dinner: (page 181)
I'm going to make dinner .

5. Forehead: (page 237)
What's that on your forehead ?