R10: SSS Team 3rd Option (3)

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Selection Post
Week 5, Roll 1, Spot 37

Book: The Crawling Darkness by J.L. Bryan
How it fits: Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #3
Pages: 222

[Susan A]

COMPLETION POST
WEEK 5: ROLL 1 - 37



Book: Connection Error
How it fits: #gaymers #3
Pages 245pgs
Date Read: 10/12/18
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Definitely my favorite in this series. Both MC had issues to deal with and dating didn't make them magically disappear. I wasn't a fan of author Annabeth Albert's early works, but I have enjoyed her recent works. I think she is now an auto buy author for me.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Susan A wrote: "COMPLETION POST
WEEK 5: ROLL 1 - 37

Book: Connection Error..."

Her writing doesn’t seem to connect with me. I’ve listened to 3 books and I think we don’t gel. Just like TJ Klune. After 5 or 6 books, I decided I will not pick up a book by him again

[Susan A]

Ezinwanyi wrote: "Susan A wrote: "COMPLETION POST
WEEK 5: ROLL 1 - 37

Book: Connection Error..."

Her writing doesn’t seem to connect with me. I’ve listened to 3 books and I think we don’t gel. Just..."

TJ Klune is tough for me...I have liked every one of his books that I have read, but they are exhausting and I no longer read his books unless a challenge pushes me into it. It's usually a case of...OMG you haven't read this book by TJ Klune?!?!?! I'm going to pick it for you. I usually figure that in the relatively small world of MM romance, if a voracious reader hasn't read or put on his or her TBR a really popular book, it's generally because he or she isn't really interested in it, not that he or she hasn't heard of the book.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Yea, TJ Klune and Mary Calmes are on my "No Thanks" list. I hated Matt and Jory. I still finished the series but I said no more.

I am waiting for another series to suck in me like Abigail Roux or Tere Michaels. I haven't found it yet but I am crossing my fingers

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

So it's raining constantly here and my kids wanted to go to the Texas State Fair, but instead, we saw two movies, the House with the Clock on the Wall and then we saw Small Foot.

have any of you seen those?

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

I left Las Vegas around 9:00 this morning. I got rained on from the Arizona border pretty much all the way to Phoenix. It was kinda nice.

Ezi, my husband and I went to see The House...Clock...Wall a couple of weeks ago. I'm not a Jack Black fan, but he was pretty good in the movie. And of course, Cate Blanchette was awesome. I think it should be rated higher than PG.

[Susan A]

We didn't see those movies. Today we saw Venom. We liked it.

[Susan A]

Ezinwanyi wrote: "Yea, TJ Klune and Mary Calmes are on my "No Thanks" list. I hated Matt and Jory. I still finished the series but I said no more.

I am waiting for another series to suck in me like Abigail Roux or ..."

I think you liked Matt, from Faith & Fidelity, and hated SAM, from A Matter of Time.

Sam is my second most hated character, behind Jake from the Adrien English series.

I haven't given up on Mary Calmes because sometimes I really like her, work but other times I hate it...like I wonder if it is someone else writing it, but following the formula. Her books are very formulaic in my opinion. I'm okay with that in general, but for this type of author, I need to space out the books.

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Completion Post
Week 5, Roll 1, Spot 37

Book: The Crawling Darkness by J.L. Bryan 10/13/18
How it fits: Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #3
Pages: 222
Rating: 4 Stars

Review:
The creepiness factor just went up! Ellie and Stacey are on their next job and they're facing a ghost that Ellie and her boss, Calvin, have previously, and unsuccessfully, encountered. This baddie hides in the darkness, usually closets, and is seen as your worst fear. The little girl saw him as the bad guy from a horror movie while her brother saw aliens.

We get a little bit of romance now that Stacey and Jacob are dating and we meet Michael, the potential love interest for Ellie. I loved hearing all the back stories, what happened to them and how they got into this business.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Completion Post

Week 5, Roll 1 - Spot 37

Book: French Leave
How it fits: Weaver #3
Pages: 236
Date finished: 10/12/18
Rating: 4 stars
Review: The main character is this book was the bad guy in the first book of the series. It was nice to catch up with this particular person and to find out about what he has been doing since book 1.

There were just too many coincidences in the story. It should have been harder for the two main characters to escape France. And England is a big island. Her cousin's best friend just happens to see her at a bookstore in busy London?!? I did like how the bad guy doesn't completely change. He still maintains a tough character.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Susan A wrote: "Ezinwanyi wrote: "Yea, TJ Klune and Mary Calmes are on my "No Thanks" list. I hated Matt and Jory. I still finished the series but I said no more.

I haven't given up on Mary Calmes because sometimes I really like her, work but other times I hate it...like I wonder if it is someone else writing it, but following the formula. Her books are very formulaic in my opinion. I'm okay with that in general,.."

I LOVE Matt Haight. I mean like serious crush.

I met a couple of authors at the last RT convention I went to (2 years ago). They both had series that their editors stopped ordering sequels for AND rejected some new book ideas. So they are making ends meet by ghost writing for well known authors. I asked them who, they said they were under contract and couldn't disclose that information. But the ghostwriting authors say that they get paid for to write and for their silence.

Writing/Publishing is a bit shady. I feel like when I say that I love JR Ward books, that they should all be written by her. If I am singing your praises, it better be your work. I would hate to say "Dark Lover" is my favorite JR Ward book, but its secretly written by Kresley Cole or Shelley Laurenston. That just feels a bit fraudulent.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Susan A wrote: "We didn't see those movies. Today we saw Venom. We liked it."

Lanelle wrote: "I left Las Vegas around 9:00 this morning. I got rained on from the Arizona border pretty much all the way to Phoenix. It was kinda nice.

Ezi, my husband and I went to see The House...Clock...Wal..."

So I am afraid to see Venom. His face looks scary. I fell asleep on the House with a Clock because I was exhausted.

Jack Black was awesome in Jumanji. That's a family favorite

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

COMPLETION Post
Week 5 ~ Roll 1, Spot 37

Book: Dead By Midnight: An I-Team Christmas by Pamela Clare
Qualification: I-Team #7.5
Pages: 236
Read: 10/13
Rating & Review: ★★★★
I am impressed at how entertaining this not so fun holiday party of the I-team turned out to be.
It started off fancy, a Christmas party at a hotel and quickly turned into most of the team being held as hostages.

The story was action packed, typical teamwork, loyalty and support. And of course you can't have a Pamela Clare novel without a good number of sex scenes. It was well written and Kaleo Griffith did a great job as the narrator.

I still don't buy Holly as this kick ass operative after 6 books of being a ditzy airhead, but the author is clearly trying to sell it. I can accept that she is resourceful, not as super spy Nikita.

The main difference with this novel was it wasn't built around an undercover assignment necessary for the paper. I liked it eve more than the last couple of books. A great addition to this series.

[Susan A]

Ezinwanyi wrote: ".Jack Black was awesome in Jumanji. That's a family favorite.."

We like that movie too. Jack Black was freakish-ly good at playing a teenage cool girl stereotype. I loved it!

[Susan A]

Ezinwanyi wrote: "Ghost writing...That just feels a bit fraudulent.."

Yes. It feels that way to me too. I guess I need an explanation of why it isn't fraudulent.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

I’m going to bed. Once Vanessa’s post is up, anyone can roll including Vanessa

[Susan A]

Vanessa can you give an estimate of when you intend to post?

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Having now missed the review deadline for a second time, Vanessa is being disqualified in accordance with the rules. I will let her know.
Team, go ahead and roll!

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

I rolled a “4”, so we are on Spot 41

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

😒WEEK 5, Roll 2 is "4".
New Spot is 41
Read a book that is a Standalone, 1st, 4th or 41st in a series OR Alternate Read: Author J
(view spoiler)[ *Earned Bonus Point for Long Book ~ 0ver 500 pages (hide spoiler)]

Book Choices
☑ Ezinwanyi: More Than Crave You by Shayla Black (More than Words #4) ~ (Review)
☑ Lanelle: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #1) ~ (Review)
☑ Sunshine✰✰✰: Beauty and the Beast by Shoshanna Evers (Standalone) ~ (Review)
☑ Susan A: A Hard Call by Max Walker (Stonewall Investigations #1) ~ (Review)
☑ Wolf (Alpha): The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Standalone) ~ (Review)

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

SELECTION Post
Week 5 ~ Roll 2, Spot 41

Book: More Than Crave You by Shayla Black
Qualification: More than Words #4
Pages: 287

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Selection Post
Week 5, Roll 2, Spot 41

Book: Beauty and the Beast by Shoshanna Evers
How it fits: Standalone
Pages: 152

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Selection Post
Week 5, Roll 2 -Spot 41

Book: Artemis Fowl
How it fits: Artemis Fowl #1
Pages: 300

I DO NOT like this new cover!
I like the old ebook cover much better:

[Susan A]

SELECTION POST
WEEK 5: ROLL 2 - Spot 41



Book: A Hard Call by Max Walker
How it fits: #1 Stonewall Investigations
Pages 240 pgs

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Do you guys want a backup player? We have an opportunity to get another player added to our team

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Ezinwanyi wrote: "Do you guys want a backup player? We have an opportunity to get another player added to our team"

I don't mind having a replacement player.

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

I'll send them over then! :)

[Susan A]

COMPLETION POST
WEEK 5: ROLL 2 - Spot 41



Book: A Hard Call by Max Walker
How it fits: #1 Stonewall Investigations
Pages 240 pgs
Date Read: 10/15/18
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
3.5 stars story
4.5 stars narration
Overall 4 stars
I've read a few books by Max Walker. My general opinion is the stories were okay, but had eye rolling moments that ultimately made this author not a go to author for me. I chose this book because it met the BINGO category, I don't hate the author, and I could borrow the audiobook through hoopla.

This book was narrated by Greg Boudreaux. He took a story that I probably would have considered forgettable and made it a story I really enjoyed. I can't say that the book didn't have problems, but I didn't care about that. The eye-rolling moments were pretty damn funny. (I'm wondering if I just didn't realize that the author meant those moments in other books to funny)

I'll put book 2 on my list even though it's not available on audio and hope that I do a better job as a reader.

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Hi. I signed up as a reserve and got assigned to this team.

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Selection Post
Week 5, Roll 2, Spot 41

Book: Beauty and the Beast by Shoshanna Evers 10/16/18
How it fits: Standalone
Pages: 152
Rating: 3 Stars

Review
This was a short Erotic retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. To free her father, Belle agrees to stay for 6 months and do everything the Beast asks. At night while dreaming, the Beast is able to visit Belle as his human self, Prince Fredrick, and convinces her to submit to the Beast and learn to love him. She knows this means submitting to him sexually and, while she is a virgin and nervous, she finds herself excited by the BDSM play the Beast aka Prince Fredrick enjoys.

This is a quick story that follows along the original tale pretty well. For an erotic story, the sex and BDSM is pretty light, which is good considering that, well...he is an animal. And that's just weird. I actually found myself laughing because of the narration. The narrator just made everyone sound a bit over the top.

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Hi. I signed up as a reserve and got assigned to this team."


Hi Wolf! Welcome to the team!

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Hi Sunshine. Thanks for the welcome.

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Completion Post

Week 5 - Roll 2 - Spot 41

Book: The Book Thief
How it Fits: Standalone
Pages: 552
Date Read: 10/16/18
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: I loved this book. Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors. I loved every single character. I loved having Death as a character. Liesel, the MC was amazing. I absolutely loved her character. Rudy was amazing as well. When he died, it was terrible. Max was a favorite of mine as well. I loved how Liesel took care of Max when he was in the coma. She is a sweet charcter. I loved Rosa and Hans as well. This was a great book. I loved the plot of the story. This is by far a new favorite of mine. I rate this emotional and loving story 10 stars.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Hi. I signed up as a reserve and got assigned to this team."

*waves* Hey, Wolf. I'm so glad you're on our team.

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Hi Lanelle. Glad to be on this team.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Completion Post
Week 5, Roll 2 -Spot 41

Book: Artemis Fowl
How it fits: Artemis Fowl #1
Pages: 300
Date finished: 10/15/18
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This is a great story. And Artemis is a fascinating character. We can easily tell why he has a criminal tendency, but we can also see his humanity and concern for others. It makes Artemis real. I do worry about how a book meant for children portrays a criminal as a hero. Hopefully through the series Artemis changes to become more like the kids should emulate.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Hi Lanelle. Glad to be on this team."

I love that you are not just a Wolf, but an Alpha!!
Welcome 👋🏾

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Thanks.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

COMPLETION Post
Week 5 ~ Roll 2, Spot 41

Book: More Than Crave You by Shayla Black
Qualification: More than Words #4
Pages: 287
Read: 10/16
Rating & Review: ★★★½
I had high hopes for this story but I just needed a little more. It took a while to develop and the pacing was off.
Nia Wright worked for Evan Cook as his personal assistant for 3-4 years when Evan’s wife passed away. Evan decided that he needed a new wife to help him keep his home life organized, after all, who’s going to cook, clean and do laundry 🙄🙄🙄.
Evan requests that his PA post an advertisement for a wife to help him, (I must admit that I was completely appalled at this part) and she offered to help him find a more traditional companion. In the meantime, she will fill in by cooking and cleaning his place, while keeping him straight at the office. 🤔 I wonder what woman offers to cook and clean for her boss after spending all day answering his work phone, setting his calendar and grabbing his coffee.
This is the beginning of a cliche storyline but the diversity of the characters added more flavor to the story.
Nia is black and Evan is white. Race didn’t play a big role in the story but their socio-economic status did. I mean, he’s a billionaire and she’s just an assistant. I liked Nia because she was very clear and upfront about her wants and wishes. Evan on the other hand didn’t communicate as well but it was because he didn’t know what he actually wanted. So he made this book challenging as he went from an automaton to a man bursting with feels thanks to his new inspiration Nia.

I liked the story but Evan annoyed me. I’m also sick of the rich unfeeling man stereotype.

[Susan A]

Welcome Wolf (Alpha)!!!


Ezi -- We are finished WEEK 5, Roll 2 , right? So anyone of us call roll and post it starting at midnight central time?

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Thanks Susan

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Susan A wrote: "Welcome Wolf (Alpha)!!!


Ezi -- We are finished WEEK 5, Roll 2 , right? So anyone of us call roll and post it starting at midnight central time?"

Yes. You are correct. Anyone can roll for the team. You all were ON POINT this roll 🔥 🔥 🔥 . I’m pretty sure I know my book since I have a book 4 to read for Meet-n-Greet 😁

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

I was tired, so I went to bed early. But then heartburn woke me up. I really shouldn't eat pizza for dinner any more :(

I rolled a 5, which puts us on 46.

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

WEEK 6, Roll 1 is "5".
New Spot is 46
Read a book that is a 4th, 6th or 46th in a series OR Alternate Read: Set in a place you've visited
(view spoiler)[ *Earned Bonus Point for Long Book ~ 0ver 500 pages (hide spoiler)]

Book Choices
☑ Ezinwanyi: Texas Fall (Texas #6) ~ (Review)
☑ Lanelle: The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (Pink Carnation #4) ~ (Review)
☑ Sunshine✰✰✰: Easy (Burnout #4) ~ (Review)
☑ Susan A: Divide & Conquer (Cut & Run #4) ~ (Review)
☑ Wolf (Alpha): Tempted (House of Night #6) ~ (Review)

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Thanks Lanelle🙏🏾.
Sorry about the heartburn. Hopefully you took some mylanta or tums so you can have relied.

[Sunshine✰✰✰]

Selection Post
Week 6, Roll 1, Spot 46

Book: Easy by Dahlia West
How it fits: Burnout #4
Pages: 246

[Susan A]

SELECTION POST
WEEK 6: ROLL 1 - Spot 46



Book: Divide & Conquer
How it fits: #4 Cut & Run
Pages 320 pgs

[Ezi, Factory Superintendent]

Susan A wrote: "SELECTION POST
WEEK 6: ROLL 1 - Spot 46

"

Freaking LOVE this series!!!!

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Ezinwanyi wrote: "Thanks Lanelle🙏🏾.
Sorry about the heartburn. Hopefully you took some mylanta or tums so you can have relied."

I'm fine. I have some of those soft chew Tums. They work pretty quick.