R3: SS Sixy Book Babes (6)

[Cait S]

I gotcha. Well that's nice! I bet it makes it easier when you can stick things in both spots. I have enough problems just fitting something in here and with the SRC, I can't imagine trying to do it for both rounds!

[Shelby]

Lol - You want to see the definition of true insanity look at my personal goals page sometime...keeps track of my challenges.

Shelby's Personal Goals Page

I think you can access it, but maybe not as the MM Romance Group is a closed group.

[Cait S]

Yeah, closed :( I bet it's a lot though! lol I really need to set up a thread somewhere for all of my challenges.

[Shelby]

I'm essentially at three pages of comments for the year so far.

[Shelby]

My current challenges...

Monthly:
MM Romance Monthly
MM Romance PIFM
MM Romance Comfort Zone
MM Romance FOTM
RRRC Monthly
RRRC PIFM
RRRC Read the Month
RRRC Featured Author


Quarterly
MM Romance Gang Bang
MM Romance Fleeting or Forever Series Challenge
MM Romance Back to School
MM Romance Seasonal Read Your TBR
RRRC Meet & Greet
RRRC Quarterly
RRRC Read the Season
RRRC World Cup of Reading Tournament
SRC

Annual
A-Z Book Title
A-Z Author
A-Z Character
A-Z RRRC Female Protagonist
A-Z Friends
MM Romance A-Z Cover Hunt
MM Romance Seasonal Series Challenge
MM Romance Around the Country in 50 Books
MM Romance Author of the Month
MM Romance Zodiac Challenge
MM Romance Countdown Challenge
MM RomanceRe-Romancing Favorites
RRRC Yahtzee
RRRC Serial Books
RRRC Lifetime of Books


Team
MM Romance Bingo Regular
MM Romance Bingo Speedy
MM Romance Scavenger Hunt
TCF SS
TCF SSS

[Cait S]

I suddenly feel so much better lol I always look at my list like "I am doing to many. I need to stop signing up for things." But at least I know it's not just me!

The MM romance ones, is that the only genre you can use for that group's challenges?

[Shelby]

Yeah I read of lot of books in that genre. I'm also a moderator for that group. It was the first group I was a part of here on GR and started doing challenges there. I've spread into other groups from their and other challenges, but while I can't double my non MM books in the MM challenges, my MM books certainly work everywhere else. ;)

[Tara]

Shelby wrote: "My current challenges...

Monthly:
MM Romance Monthly
MM Romance PIFM
MM Romance Comfort Zone
MM Romance FOTM
RRRC Monthly
RRRC PIFM
RRRC Read the Month
RRRC Featured Author


Quarterly
MM Romance ..."

Holy Crap!!!! Don't I feel like an under achiever now!! Very impressive how you can keep track of them all and still manage to make your goals!

[Shelby]

I kinda have fun when I finish a book going through every post on my challenges page and seeing where I can fit it in. :D

[Tara]

I would guess with that many you'd almost have to read first and then place it rather than look for a book that fits multi categories and then read I'm sure most of your books you know will fit somewhere, but looking for books that fit cross-tasks is probably harder when there that many. I debated doing another monthly one but opted to hold off for now

[Shelby]

Well when it's challenges like this the first thing I look for is any book I consider is it part of my Gang Bang or Meet & Greet challenges as those I have on their own shelves which make them easy to compare to other lists. After that it starts down the progression of what's the most pressing time sensitive challenge to read next. :)

So right now I'm writing up my review for my Speedy Bingo book and then next book I'll have to read is either my SSS book for today's roll or my Regular Bingo book.

[Nancy]

Shelby wrote: "I kinda have fun when I finish a book going through every post on my challenges page and seeing where I can fit it in. :D"

Its funny how everyone does challenges differently. Like you, Shelby, I am currently signed up to a LOT of challenges (50 at last count! :-0) and I find the best way is just to read and then fit the books in afterwards. However, I do find myself wandering around thrift shops or the library thinking "oh, that will fit into xyz challenge..."

[Cait S]

I tend to always pick one "Main challenge", usually the one with the shortest deadline, so for right now it's this one. And I'll read a book based on what I need for that challenge. Then I'll go through and stick it in a spot in every other challenge that it will fill something for.

Now I feel like a slacker though! I'm only signed up for 7! lol I just don't want to get through them all too fast. Even though there's like 10000 that I'd love to sign up for and I'm sure there are awesome challenge groups I haven't even looked at yet.

[Cait S]

Cait's Week Six Review
by Nancy Thayer
Date Finished: 10/6/2014
Rating: ★★★★

This was an interesting ride full of weird things that completely contradict each other in terms of how I enjoyed the story. First there was the fact that physically reading this book is a very long and slow process despite how short it actually is. I would be reading for a few straight, solid hours and only get...50 pages. Where I could finish entire other books in the same amount of time. I have no idea why this is, but it is. The flip side of that is that, despite how long it was taking me, I was never bored and I was thoroughly entertained the entire time.

The other contradiction is that I saw the plot twists coming chapters in advance every time. BUT...I was still emotional over them when they actually happened. I was FURIOUS with every single character in this story at some time or another, even though I knew they were going to do what they did way before they did it. In fact, this book gets an extra star just for being able to piss me off so effectively.

I can't say I liked any of the characters except perhaps for the four children of the two main couples. The adults were just...pretty evenly messed up and despicable people but I suppose they did the best they could with what they had.

My favorite thing about this book was how perfectly the author described motherhood through Lucy. How euphoric and content and blissful you can be...and how completely terrified and on the verge of having a psychotic break you can be...all within the same day. It was beautifully worded and I could really, really relate to it.

Overall it was a slow but very entertaining read and I will definitely be checking out more books by this author.

[Tara]

Week Six
What We Rolled: 8
We Are On Spot: 48
What You Can Read:
- book #4 in a series
- book #8 in a series
- book #48 in a series
- a book with no people on the cover ✓ Raid



★ ★ ★ ★ I read Raid, book #3 in the Unfinished Heroes series. I had previously read this book when it came out around a year and a half ago, and did a re-read for book #4 that just came out. In my first reading, this book was just okay for me...probably was one of my least favorite by the author I had read at that time. In this re-read, it was better for me. I definitely liked the main character, Raid, much better this time around than I did the previous read.

The story revolves around Hannah, a sweet nice girl, who first fell in love with Raid when she was 6 years old. All through school, she did what she could to get him to notice her but was always so shy...after school, he left town and joined the Marines, only to come back years later...he had changed, having experienced a lot of loss and suffering while serving overseas. When he comes back, Hannah finally realizes she will never be what he wants (she's too plain, etc) so she goes about rethinking her life and decides to live a little. Raid finally notices her and their lives completely change...she realizes she can be a little wild and he realizes she is just what he needs (someone good and wholesome to make up for his pain).

While this still isn't the best book I have read by the author, it was a better read this time through. I don't quite think that Raid falls in line with the theme of the series (Unfinished Heroes) where the idea is that the main character is not your typical "hero"...the first two books in the series (Knight and Creed had some more obvious "bad boy" characters. In Raid, he was really a good guy...he just chose a new career that some would find a little bad. While I enjoyed the book, it's not one that stayed with me after I read it the first time, and most likely won't this time either.

[Nancy]

Week 6
A book with no people on the cover

by Thomas Harrise
Date finished: 7 Oct 2014
Rating: ★★★★

A cold, hideous serial killer is kidnapping and murdering young women and leaving their bodies, partially flayed in rivers around the USA. The FBI Behavioural Science Unit is working on the case and Clarice Starling, a student, gets involved with it after she is sent to interview the infamous multiple murderer and sociopath, Hannibal Lecter, and is given a clue to the case. What follows is an exciting page turner - will Lecter, who obviously knows who the killer is, give Starling enough information to save the life of the latest victim? Or has he got another game to play?

Fortunately, I saw the film of this so long ago that I couldn't really remember what happened. Of course, I couldn't get the image of Anthony Hopkins and Helen Hunt out of my mind, but the story itself was as exciting as if I had read it for the first time. One can't help but admire Lecter, despite how evil he is. But his intelligence is amazing. This book is thrilling because of the psychological games that he plays, not just with Clarice but with everyone. The murderer himself (the other one) is terrifying but sort of pales in comparison to Hannibal Lecter. I was whipping through the final pages to find out what happened. Even if you've seen the film, from my memory of it, I do think the book is better.

[Cait S]

Post has been updated to here! We are getting those reviews in quick this week. Great job, ladies!

[Book Concierge]

UPDATE message 246 - week 6 book finished & reviewed - 07Oct14

I'll be "up north" next week and without internet connection; thanks to Jennifer for stepping in to sub for me.

We'll be back in town on Friday eve Oct 17 ... can hardly wait to see what that week's roll will bring.

Happy reading!

[Cait S]

Have a great vacation! See you in a week-ish :)

[Cait S]

Week Seven
What We Rolled: 7
We Are On Spot: 55
What You Can Read:
- book #5 in a series
- book #55 in a series
- a book with the cover item "building(s)"

Shelby- Aidan and Ethan by Cameron Dane :: Building(s) :: Review

Jennifer- Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann :: #5 :: Review

NancyHelen- E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton :: #5 :: Review

Tara- Staking His Claim by Tessa Bailey :: #5 :: Review

Cait- Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead :: Building(s) :: Review

[Cait S]

Well I'm not SUPER thrilled with the dice this week but it could have been worse, I suppose.

First, everyone say hi and thank you to Jennifer for subbing for us this week while BC is gone! We so appreciate your help.

Second, as usual I couldn't fall asleep without picking my book. I'm going to be reading by Jonathan Lethem, for buildings on the cover.

[Tara]

Welcome Jennifer! Thanks for helping out this week...and thank you Cait for staying up to draw for us. I'm going to do #5 in series and read Staking His Claim...got it as a freebie a while back, and while I haven't read the first 4 in the series I'll give this one a shot.

Hope everyone has a good week!

[Nancy]

Oh - this isn't such an easy one to pick for me. I'm going to have to think and see what I can find.

[Cait S]

I know, NancyHelen, its a tough week! It took me way longer than usual to find one that would fit in a handful of places and even this one doesn't go in as many as I'd like. Was really pulling for a ten but alas...

Hope you can find that sounds good!

[Jennifer H]

I'll be reading Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann. It is 5th in the Troubleshooter series

[Nancy]

I think I'm going to have to stick with my old faithful series and go with by Sue Grafton which is Kinsey Milhone #5

[Cait S]

Everyone's been added up to here! Hope you all enjoy your books this week :)

[Nancy]

by Sue Grafton
Finished: 11 Oct 14
Rating: ★★★ 1/2

I never know whether to give these three or four stars. They are better than three but not quite four so actually three and a half would be more accurate. I do really enjoy them - they are quick reads and good stories. I have a funny feeling I might have read this one before but I couldn't remember what happened so I don't think it mattered. If I had of read it, it would have been a long time ago! Kinsey discovers someone had deposited $5000 in her bank account and very soon after, she is accused of being on the take. Incensed at the accusation of insurance fraud, Kinsey starts to investigate on behalf of herself. Her ex-husband shows up, and she almost loses her life in a bomb blast - all in a days work of your average private investigator, really! It did make for pretty good reading and I felt very satisfied when I finally got to the end. I do really enjoy this series - they are often just what I need for a bit of escapism.

[Jennifer H]

Week 7~5th in series


by Suzanne Brockmann
Finished~10/12/14
Rating~♥♥♥♥♥

Love this book series! Plenty of romance and suspense! Always full of twists and turns that keep you guessing! I like how the books go back and forth between things that took place in the past and things that are taking place in the present! I also like how the books portray people who work in the service and how hard they try to fight for our country, our freedom, and our safety! Overall, it's an awesome book series!

[Cait S]

Added your reviews! Thanks for getting them in so quick, you are amazing.

I, on the other hand, am swapping haha I tried my book and just could not get into it. So I'm going to be reading

by Richelle Mead

[Jennifer H]

I'm glad I could help you guys out :D Good Luck!!

[Cait S]

Thanks, Jennifer! Good luck to you as well over on the other game. I'll be rooting for you from over here ;)

[Nancy]

Thank you, Jennifer!

[Tara]

Week Seven
What We Rolled: 7
We Are On Spot: 55
What You Can Read:
- book #5 in a series ✓ Staking His Claim
- book #55 in a series
- a book with the cover item "building(s)"

★ ★ ★ For this week, I read Book #5 in the "Line of Duty" series...this is a book I picked up for free on Amazon, and I hadn't yet read any of the first 4 books of the series. I typically don't read books in a series out of order, but thought I'd give it a try. The book was okay...nothing great, nothing horrible.

I thought there were some parts that really seemed rushed/omitted...some parts to the book seemed to jump in time too much and I feel at parts like I missed something and needed to go back and re-read a page or two to ensure I didn't skip something.

The story tells of Lucy and Matt...Matt is Lucy's brother's best friend on the police force, yet Lucy and Matt have never met. It is instant attraction for the two, and within hours of meeting the two have hooked up. However, Matt doesn't know Lucy is his friend's sister (she has lied to him about who she is, knowing he won't have anything to do with her if he knows her true identity). Sure enough, after he learns who she is, he tries to distance himself but her pull is too much..she is perfect for him in every way.

Matt has some issues from the past (don't they always??!!) that makes him hesitant to be with Lucy...I don't feel like I really understood those issues...they seemed a little bit glossed over when it finally comes out. Maybe it was no big deal, but for it to be a huge part of Matt's concern it seems it would have been a few paragraphs worthy, not just a few lines.

In any case, I don't feel like I missed much by not having read the first 4 books...they tell of other minor characters in Book 5, so other than getting to know them more it seems as this book works fine as a stand-alone if needed. I may or may not read more books in the series...I don't think I'll miss it if I don't, but would enjoy it if I did.

[Tara]

And thank you Jennifer for stepping in for the week! Much appreciated!

[Cait S]

Cait's Week Seven Review
by Richelle Mead
Date Finished: 10/14/2014
Rating:★★

2.5 stars.

Nothing makes me angrier than a book I don't like suddenly turning into a book I DO like during the last 10% of it. I really struggled to read this because I was bored as hell through most of it. I did not even care one iota about the whole paranormal aspect/story line, it felt thrown together and sloppy. Pieces of it dropped here and there, some of it eventually explained, a lot of it not even referred to again.

But what kept bringing me back was stupid Seth with his stupid adorable quirkiness and his stupid t-shirts and his stupid adorable relationship with his nieces and now I have to read the stupid sequel because I'm in love with him.

Damn you, Seth.

[Shelby]

Week 7
Spot 55 - Cover: Building
Aidan and Ethan by Cameron Dane


Read: 10/15

Rating: ★★★★

There were things I liked about this story and yet somehow it didn’t come in as fabulous on my radar. I particularly enjoyed the quality of the writing style as the flow was wonderful, something just felt lacking for me. Maybe it was because I never really got to see these two reconcile through talking things out. I never doubted their connection, there was definitely explosive chemistry between these two, but somehow the logic of it all failed me a little bit.

It’s been thirteen years since Aidan Morgan has been back to his hometown of Redemption, Maine and the man he left behind. He’s had a productive life as a firefighter but in the back of his mind was always the drive to get back home, to get back to the man he’s always loved. His opportunity has finally arrived, his reasons for staying away gone, and a perfect job sits waiting for him to claim it. Taking over as chief of the fire department back home is the best chance he could ever have to get back everything he’s lost.

Ethan Ashworth’s world was destroyed when his best friend and the love of his life disappeared without a word so many years before. Ethan’s tried to get past it all, but still he’s never been able to get Aidan out of his mind, never dated someone new. Now his dream and nightmare has showed back up in his life. Ethan’s enjoyed his time as a volunteer on the fire department. He has a wonderful career teaching, but he values the hours he puts in volunteering as well. But facing Aidan on a regular basis is more than Ethan’s ready to deal with, especially after he just shows back up with out a word of advance warning.

Ok so yes, it is official, firefighters are sexy. Damn both Ethan and Aidan separately were drool worthy. I enjoyed how much history was between these two as well. I think one of my biggest problems with the whole thing is I just didn’t really buy the reasoning behind their thirteen year separation. I bought into how much they cared for each other. I bought into their remaining single the whole time. I even bought into their feelings coming back. But the logic behind when Aidan left, for how long, and without a word just didn’t quite hold together in the long run for me. There were too many outs that could have been taken to avoid all the confusion.

That being said I wanted these two to find their way back to each other. The bottled up sexual tension between them was palpable and often resulted in a very violent clash when they did finally come together even in something as simple as a kiss. These two are like to polar ends to a magnet, constantly fighting to get closer to each other. Cut the strands of whatever is holding them apart and they’re going to race across space and slam together with epic force.

This story built well in that the elements that are here are well put together. The timing of events in their lives in this little town unfurled in a believable manner and forced Aidan and Ethan to confront the tension between them. I liked both their families immensely and though the characters in this series were great. I can’t wait to see what the next book offers me in terms of more there. I loved how calmly accepting of everything their siblings were as it all started to come out.

Altogether I liked these guys together…Ethan’s whole cabin thing was sappily sweet and nostalgic. For some reason I loved that Aidan calls Ethan Ash as well. It just reeks of the history between these two. Their space out on Ethan’s family property seemed just as much their space now as it was then, no matter how many years have gone by and how much Ethan wants to deny Aidan’s status in his life. I’m glad Ethan didn’t give in right away as well. After that many years Aidan deserves to grovel a little. ;)

I enjoyed this read and will look for the second book in the series as well. It wasn’t my favorite book, but definitely work the time. I liked that I got to see both sides of things being in both Ethan and Aidan’s heads at different times. They’ve got things to work out, but these two will make it. ☺

[Cait S]

That's everyone! Great week, ladies, I know it wasn't the easiest to roll to fit. Hopefully we have a little better luck tomorrow.

[Tara]

Okay Cait....get us a good roll tonight! I've got a few books lined up and really hoping you get the "right" number so I can read the correct book! :-) Hope everyone has had a wonderful week.

[Cait S]

No pressure there! lol I will do my best :D It's getting down to the wire of what I can fit in to the SRC so I've got a few numbers I'm hoping we DON'T get.

But really, this last week I started and stopped 3 different books that were all horrible. If I can just read a DECENT book, I'll be happy.

[Tara]

Cait wrote: "No pressure there! lol I will do my best :D It's getting down to the wire of what I can fit in to the SRC so I've got a few numbers I'm hoping we DON'T get.

But really, this last week I started a..."

I hear ya! I'm reading Gone Girl right now and it's taking me FOREVER to read....I finally got to a good part and it's going faster, but I typically read a book in 2+ days...this one I've been reading since Monday and I'm only at 70%. Need to plow through it and hope that the next few books I have lined up for SRC also fit with whatever you roll here! Absolutely no pressure!

[Cait S]

You're doing so awesome at the SRC! Hard to believe seven weeks ago we were talking you into it, huh? ;) It must be even harder for you, you've got way more tasks in than me. So I've got some wiggle room still but not much.

[Tara]

Cait wrote: "You're doing so awesome at the SRC! Hard to believe seven weeks ago we were talking you into it, huh? ;) It must be even harder for you, you've got way more tasks in than me. So I've got some wiggl..."

I know! Once I plotted out my books (yes, I sat down and spent hours on it one night thank you very much!) it was a lot easier to figure it out. I figure I typically read 2-3 books a week on average and this is really helping me plot dwindle down some of TBR books! It's definitely been a challenge on some of these for genres/categories I don't typically read, but I've had some interesting finds (and even tried out a few audio books...still on the fence about those!). I know I won't finish it, but I'm doing pretty dang good if I do say so myself! I've still got a lot of the 2-book tasks so I've got a lot of books still to read!

[Cait S]

Week Eight
What We Rolled: 7
We Are On Spot: 62
What You Can Read:
- #6 in a series
- #2 in a series
- #62 in a series
- a book with an animal on the cover

Shelby- Full Disclosure by Kindle Alexander :: #2 :: Review

Book Concierge- Wish You Were Here by Rita Mae Brown :: Animal :: Review

NancyHelen- The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey :: Animal :: Review

Tara- Three, Four ... Better lock your door by Willow Rose :: #2 :: Review

Cait- My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent :: #2 :: Review

[Tara]

That works...not what I was hoping for but I got Something that works...Three, Four ... Better lock your door...#2 in the series. Good reading, ladies!

[Cait S]

As for me, after much searching and shuffling... I'm going to be going with by Rachel Vincent, which is #2 in the Soul Screamers series.

Sorry! If it makes you feel any better it took like 20 minutes of work for me to find one that I could get from my library before Tuesday + fit this + fit SRC and I think I've given myself a headache in the process lol

[Nancy]

Could I possibly get confirmation if will work for an animal on the cover? It has a fox but it is pretty small...

[Cait S]

Personally I think it works but you'll want to post over on the discussion thread and ask there since Jenne is the one whose opinion counts ;)

I really liked that book! It got so good the last like 25% of it.

[Shelby]

Week 8 (62) Series #2 Full Disclosure by Kindle Alexander - 350pgs/GR

[Book Concierge]

I'm back! Going to the library tomorrow and I'll see what I can get my hands on first.

Week 8 / rolled 7 / Now on Spot # 62
Reading Alternate - animal on cover

✔ - 21Oct14
Wish You Were here by Rita Mae Brown
2.5**
Two gruesome murders have the residents of Crozet, Virginia in a tizzy. Postmistress “Harry” Haristeen, and her faithful animal companions – Mrs Murphy and Tee Tucker – solve the case with the help of a few postcards. More of the book is spent on dissecting Harry’s failing marriage, or opinions on racism, feminism, the environment, etc than on the murder. On the plus side, it’s a fairly fast read and Harry is an interesting character. While she’s suffering the hurts of a broken relationship, she is generally a strong, independent woman and I appreciate that. But it IS supposed to be a murder mystery, so I’d like more mystery and less social commentary.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...