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R11: Team Readers on a Roll (3)

Book: Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
How it fits: 1st in Brooklyn Brujas series



How it fits: 1st in series (will re-read the 30 or so pages I've already read)
Pages: 519

Spot#71
Book:

By:Aliette de Bodard
Pages:426
Finished: 10.19.19
How it fits: 1st in a series- Dominion of the Fallen
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I liked the premise of this book- Fallen angels rule over Paris in Houses, but after a great war Paris is wrecked and the houses are infighting more than ruling over anything. However, it felt very drawn out and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Neither their motivations, nor their personalities seemed very realized to me. It was kind of like they were all defined by being scared by past events, and that's pretty much where they stopped developing. I'm debating whether to finish out the series or leave it here.

Spot: 71

Qualification: #7 in series
Rating: 4*
Review: A really good Halloween read featuring the regular cast of characters. The haunted house sounded awesome, with the backstory of the house they were using being gruesome and very sad. My biggest 'beef' is that I felt that the one who 'dunnit' kind of came out of left field. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to the next installment of the series.

Week 8 - Selection Post - Spot 71
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
Pages - 348
How it fits - First in the Hannibal Lecter series


Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
Date read: 10/23/19
Pages: 348
Rating: 4 stars
How it its: First in the Hannibal Lecter series
Review: Whoa. There are images from this book that will stay with me for a long time. The MC's disrupted mental state is so well described, including the history of what made him that way, that you feel some sympathy for him, despite his grisly crimes. The ending took me by surprise; I guess I should have expected something more to happen, but when it did, it took me several minutes to realize the detective was actually living that, and not having a bad dream. I'll be reading on in this series for sure.


How it fits: #1
Pages: 221
Date read: 25/10/19
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Oh I really enjoy books like this! The fake relationship of a sort, but in this case real marriage but fake relationship. Both in it as a business contract to better their own situations, have to deny their feelings, but in this case they were actually both honest majority of the story! Definitely not relatable, but very entertaining :D Will continue the series for sure

Week 8, Spot 71

24 Oct 19
216 pages on kindle
4*s
I thought the book was really good. Loved the character development and the murder victim had some interesting back history. The best character was Elvis the black kitty. Looking forward to reading this series in the future

Week 8, Spot 71
24 Oct 19
216 pages on kindle
4*s
I thought the book was really good. Loved the character development and the murder victim had some interesting back history. The b..."
Would you please add your book to this? The completion post is incomplete without a book. Thank you!


Book: Labyrinth Lost by
Qualification: 1st in Brooklyn Brujas series
Finished: October 25
Rating: 3.5stars
Review:
It was interesting and new to see Latin representation in a YA fantasy book.
The main characters are Latino descendents and brujos (witches and warlocks(?)) and the MC hasn't showed her magic yet, but when she does, she isn't happy, and provokes a disaster of great dimensions. So Alejandra (with some help) has a quest to fix everything.
The setting was good, but the characters weren't that engaging and that was a low point for me, sometimes I felt the spanish words were not so fluent at times, but I liked to see the representation, specially being from Chile.
And there's so much more representation on this book, that was refreshing.
I think I'll read the next one eventually.

New Spot #80
Alternative #80~Cover Item: Instrument
Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)~

Meg~

Rose~

Angela~

Paula~

Angie~

Bonus Points~Halloween Bonus:Angie's book Proven Guilty

Spot #80

Qualifications:Dresden Files Book #8
Pages: 489
Finished:10/28/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:Harry Dresden, now as Warden, witnesses things he doesn't always agree with but does it any way. Black magic is afoot in Chicago and Harry must find its cause. Molly Carpenter asks for Harry's help which turns into something he doesn't expect. Who is behind the black magic? Find out in Proven Guilty.
Bonus~Fantasy, Paranormal, and Urban Fantasy

Tatiana by Martin Cruz Smith
Pages: 292
How it fits: Book 8 in the Arkady Renko series

Selection Post

How it fits- standalone


Book: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Qualification: standalone
Finished: October 27
Rating: 5stars
Review:
I watched the movie before I read this book, so I kind of knew the plot. But knowing the end, didn't affect my liking of this story.
I liked the characters and the settings, the house where the MC lives sounds amazing (if you're not forced to never leave it) and the romance was cute.
I also liked that there're illustrations through it, that complimented the narration perfectly.

Tatiana by Martin Cruz Smith
Date read: 10/27/19
Pages: 292
Rating: 3 stars
Qualification: Book 8 in the Arkady Renko series
Review: I've enjoyed this series, though I preferred the first three books to the last five. Russia's political and social history always provides and intriguing backdrop for mystery and crime novels. This installment of the series plays off of a familiar theme - the attempt of a Moscow journalist to reveal a corrupt government employee's scheme, and Arkady's attempt to save her when it all falls apart. Arkady is the series' main character and a prosecutor who often finds himself at odds with the system he's meant to work within. He's dark and introverted but open with the few people he trusts, committed to his cases but hated by his superiors, and his well drawn character made this book interesting even though the plot was less than creative. Interestingly, it appears Martin Cruz Smith is releasing a 9th book next month that is a continuation of this storyline, although it's been six years since book 8. I'll be watching to see how well it's received before I decide to read it.


Date read: 10/31/19
Pages: 310
Rating: 4 stars
Why it fits: Standalone
Review: This continues me reading all the popular contemporary romance hanging around..... I liked this one. It was basically fluff personified and was a bit short on fleshing out the story or making convincing hangups/conflict, but it was cute enough that I didn't care. I'd actually read more about the other characters if the author decided to make it a series, because the side characters were half the fun of it.

Week 9, Spot 80

30 Oct 19
315 pages
3*s
Im not usually reading much "romance" these days I prefer murder/mystery. This one was just ok for me. Maureen and Jenna have been "best friends" since college and they are still planning that trip to Paris they wanted to take after college. I was not drawn to these women in the slightest. I thought they were very self centered and by the end of the book I wanted to take the book and drop it on Allie. Allie is Jenna's daughter. Talk about a Drama Queen. I hope the next "romance" book I take the time to read will do a better job of getting me to the "HEA".

Unfortunately, the news gets worse: Since you've now missed the deadline twice on SS, in accordance with the rules I have to disqualify you. :(

No, just SS and just this round. You can absolutely sign up again next time - and as your team captain on SSS I will have to insist that you keep playing that one! ;)


ugh, i apologize profusely for my part in this. Had to fly out of state for a funeral, then head back out for another family thing. Chaos and confusion. So so sorry. 😐 😞
Should i still post a review when i get back? At least got the book read.

Week 9
Spot 80

Qualification: Stand-alone
Rating: 4*
Review: I've been a longtime fan of Jana Deleon; she has a way of writing down-to-earth adventures that are balanced by humor and quite likable characters. This stand-alone was another good one of hers, set on an old Louisiana gambling boat owned by the mc's uncle. Mallory, said mc, finds herself paired up with a Yankee during an exclusive poker tournament peppered with some big-time crooks. A story with a good blend of mystery and romance.

New Spot #91
Alternative #91~Published in 2014
Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)~
Meg~

Rose~

Angela~

Paula~

Angie~


Spot #91

Qualifications: Published 2014
Pages:357
Finished:11/9/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:Gin Blanco has a new enemy Madeline Magda Monroe. Monroe will stop at nothing to see Gin and company fall down defeated. Gin has been waiting to see what Monroe has planned but not seeing it. Will Gin learn Monroe's game? What does Monroe really want? Find out in Black Widow.

The Far Side of the Sky by Daniel Kalla
Pages: 464
Qualification: Book 1 of the the Alder Family series

Spot 91

Rating: 4*
Review: Another good one in the Sweet's Sweets series. This who-done-it was set against the backdrop of a chocolate festival, with lots of chocolate-based goodies for sale or as part of a competition. [Good thing I'm not a big chocolate fanatic or I would have been raiding the candy bowl the whole time I was reading this!] There was, perhaps, one too many things going on; I would have rathered that the author concentrated more on the mystery without throwing in a congregation of hippies and their shenanigans. Still, it was a good read, and I plan to continue on with the series for as long as books are added.
Books mentioned in this topic
The Far Side of the Sky (other topics)Summon the Keeper (other topics)
Summon the Keeper (other topics)
Summon the Keeper (other topics)
Let's Be Just Friends (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Daniel Kalla (other topics)Tanya Huff (other topics)
Camilla Isley (other topics)
Camilla Isley (other topics)
Daniel Kalla (other topics)
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#71
Book ~
Pages~ 336
How it fits~. 1st in the Second Chance Cat Mystery Series