R11: Team Twice as Fast (2) ***Winning Team***

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Hey, everyone. I'm excited to play SSS with y'all.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Would you believe I happen to have a book 11 checked out from my library that I haven't started reading?


Selection Post
Spot: 11

Book: Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea
Qualification: Aunt Dimity #11
Pages: 340

[Maddie]

Hi Lanelle!

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Lanelle wrote: "Would you believe I happen to have a book 11 checked out from my library that I haven't started reading?"

Excellent timing! :)

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Week 2: Roll 2
Spot: 11

Book: Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea
Qualification: Aunt Dimity Mystery #11
Pages: 340
Finished: 9/10/19
Rating: ★★★★

Review: Death threats send Lori and her twin sons into hiding. And where better to hide than an island off the coast of Scotland in an old castle. An interesting moral question was introduced in this book: (view spoiler)[Is it okay to break some laws if you're working to save your way of life or your community? (hide spoiler)]

One thing I don't like about the Aunt Dimity books is that no one seems to be ordinary. Everyone is rich, or smart, or buoyant, or clever, or strong, or optimistic. Regular folk would be nice.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

I'm available to roll if needed. Midnight is only 10:00 pm for me.

[Maddie]

How many more hours until the reviews have to be in? Or does someone have a countdown clock? I can't remember

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

I'll want to roll 2am on Thursday morning Eastern Standard Time. Does this help you Maddison?

[Maddie]

Yes thank you! I'll try and make a countdown clock to remember XD I'm 28% into my book, should get majority done today and finished up tomorrow so I can get done in time!

[Maddie]

Okay hmmmm I'll actually need to finish that today. I really hope I can! I've got a study session tomorrow for a big test on Friday..

[Maddie]

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Whatever works for you!

[Maddie]

Week 2 Roll 2 (Spot 11) Completion

How it fits: #1 in series
Bonus: #1 in series and >500 pages
Pages: 512 (this is the edition that I have)
Rating: 4 stars
Date read: 11/9/19

Review: This book was just what I was after! So many different POVs, relationships between them, fantasy world! And the cool magic idea as well! I loved discovering how they all connected in the end, and learning about this intense political world. Normally political books aren't for me, but I felt connected enough to the characters to enjoy it!

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Yay, free pass earned and we're all set for tomorrow! :D

[Maddie]

Yay!

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week #3~Thursday Roll: Old Spot #11 Rolled 5
New Spot #16
Alternative #16~Title C

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 3: Roll 1

Roll: 5
Current Spot: 16, Alternate: Title C

✔ Angie ~aka Reading Machine~: Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire (October Daye #1) Review
✔ Maddison: As You Turn Away by Molli Moran (The Walker Boys #1) Review
✔ Denise: Without Honor by David Hagberg (Kirk McGarvey #1) Review
✔ Lanelle: The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner (The Boxcar Children #1) Review

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Spot: 16

Book: Without Honor by David Hagberg
Qualification: Kirk McGarvey #1
Pages: 441

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Selection Post

Spot: 16

Book: The Boxcar Children
Qualification: The Boxcar Children #1
Pages: 154

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 3: Roll 1
Spot: 16

Book: Without Honor by David Hagberg
Qualification: Kirk McGarvey #1
Pages: 441
Finished: 12 Sep 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Review:
Five years after getting kicked out of the CIA, Kirk McGarvey is pulled back into the spy business in secret when an outsider with inside knowledge and McGarvey's skill set is needed to help uncover a spy with influence in the highest echelons of the US government.

Took me a bit to get into this book, but I soon found myself quite thoroughly hooked. People who like their spy thrillers to be all action and little else might get bored, but I rather prefer mine to offer extra helpings of intrigue, betrayals and doublecrosses instead - and on that front, this one delivered in full. I expect this series will be keeping me busy for quite some time...

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Week 3 Roll: 1
Spot: 16

Book: The Boxcar Children
Qualification: The Boxcar Children #1
Pages: 154
Date read: 9/12/19
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I think that this book was the beginning of middle-grade books designed specifically to build reading skills. I can see how it would do that. It was entertaining as well as informative. A simple read. I also read that the author got lots of fan mail asking for more stories about the Boxcar Children. That's definitely a sign that kids like your books :)

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 3~Thursday Roll
Spot #16
by Seanan McGuire
Qualifications:October Daye Book #1
Pages:368
Finished:9/13/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:I don't know why I waited so long to read this series. Kicking myself for being an idiot. Definitely continuing the series.

[Maddie]

The reviews are due in the same time each Thursday and Sunday challenge time?
And I can get my review in slightly later than that deadline time right? Because I've got an assignment I need to do tomorrow which will take most of the day, and then I work on Sunday until 7pm my time, and the deadline's 6pm my time for this next roll. So is there a buffer period?

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Essentially, all of Thursday/Sunday (according to central time) is the buffer period. So, we strive for having the reviews posted by end of day Saturday, but the absolute deadline for the review is Sunday 11:59pm Central Time. Do I remember correctly that you're in New Zealand? Then the Sunday deadline would be Monday 6pm for you (I think). I'm trying to figure this out from half a world away though, so best doublecheck with the time zone converter again. XD

[Maddie]

Yeah I'm in NZ :) I'll convert 11.59pm Sunday Central Time to NZST. Ah it's 5pm for me because we aren't in daylight savings time. So the start of the deadline is 5pm Sunday/Thursday, but the latest I can have it in it 5pm Monday/Friday.

[Maddie]

Week 3 Roll 1 (Spot 16) Selection

How it fits: #1
Pages: 256

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ wrote: "Week 3~Thursday Roll
Spot #16
by Seanan McGuire
Qualifications:October Daye Book #1
Pages:368
Finished:9/13/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:I don't know why I waited so..."

Oh, I love those books so much!!

[Maddie]

I won't be done this book until later tonight. I had personal drama last night that stopped me from reading, and I work until 7pm my time today (2hr after roll time) but I will finish the book after work. So review will be up a few hours late today. Sorry!

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Don't worry about it, sometimes life happens. :)

[Maddie]

Oh that it does. All at once as well.

[Maddie]

Week 3 Roll 1 (Spot 16) Selection

How it fits: #1
Pages: 256
Date read: 15/9/19
Rating: 4 stars

Review: I really liked this amazing heartfelt story of first love and what tore them apart and how they came back together. The relationships throughout this book really hit close to home for me, especially Quinn's relationship with Jonah's family. I just found it really coincidental how they both happened to be back in town at the same time at the start of the book. They both only returned for a short time and they run into each other. And why is it that all MCs come from small towns? Just so reunions like this can happen?

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

I'm guessing Angie's probably asleep, so I rolled for us. We're defying probability here, guys... rolled 5 again. XD

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 3: Roll 2

Roll: 5
Current Spot: 21, Alternate: Europe

✔ Angie ~aka Reading Machine~: Fool Moon by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files #2) Review
✔ Maddison: The Demon World by Sally Green (The Smoke Thieves #2) Review
✔ Denise: Countdown by David Hagberg (Kirk McGarvey #2) Review
✔ Lanelle: The Secret in the Old Attic by Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #21) Review

*Bonus point earned: Denise - 2 in 1

[Maddie]

5 is pretty good, pretty high up there! We must be close to, if not already, catching up from missing out on that roll right?

[Maddie]

Thank gosh we are on Spot 21, I can count my #2 in series that I'm counting for SS as well!

[Maddie]

Week 3 Roll 2 (Spot 21) Selection

Pages: 402
How it fits: #2 in series

[Maddie]

That is also the last book currently released in a series. And I read #1 this challenge too. Does that count for any bonuses?

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Maddison wrote: "5 is pretty good, pretty high up there! We must be close to, if not already, catching up from missing out on that roll right?"

We're slowly inching closer to the leading teams... team 3 has rolled for today and is on 26 now. Team 1 was on 24 from the Thursday roll, so they might even hit 30 today if they roll a 6. But there's still a long way to go, so let's see. :)

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Spot: 21

Book: Countdown by David Hagberg
Qualification: Kirk McGarvey #2
Pages: 512

Bonus: Partially set in Europe, qualifies for 2 in 1 bonus

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Maddison wrote: "That is also the last book currently released in a series. And I read #1 this challenge too. Does that count for any bonuses?"

Unfortunately not. It's either 3 or more books from the same series, or reading an entire series of at least 4 books.

[Maddie]

@Denise: Alright thank you!

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Selection Post

Spot: 21

The Secret in the Old Attic
Qualification: Nancy Drew #21
Pages: 204

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Denise wrote: "I'm guessing Angie's probably asleep, so I rolled for us. We're defying probability here, guys... rolled 5 again. XD"

I tried staying up but got too sleepy.

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 3~Sunday Roll
Spot #21
by Jim Butcher
Qualifications:Dresden Files Book #2
Pages:401
Finished:9/17/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:Harry is in a work slump and doesn't see a way out of it. Lieutenant Murphy might have a case for Harry but wants his complete honesty. Can Harry give her answers?

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Denise wrote: "I'm guessing Angie's probably asleep, so I rolled for us. We're defying probability here, guys... rolled 5 again. XD"
I tried to stay awake but got too sleepy.

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ wrote: "I tried staying up but got too sleepy."

Middle of the day for me, so I was pretty much glued to the screen waiting for Maddie's review anyway! :D

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 3: Roll 2
Spot: 21

Book: Countdown by David Hagberg
Qualification: Kirk McGarvey #2
Pages: 512
Finished: 15 Sep 2019
Rating: ★★★

Review:
The new head of the KGB, Colonel Valentin Baranov, is plotting an attack on a secret Israeli nuclear weapons depot using a stolen American missile. Aided by information obtained from a suspected traitor inside the Pentagon and executed by a highly skilled operative by the name Arkady Kurshin, the attack would have devastaing consequences for the entire region. To prevent it and take down Baranov and Kurshin, Kirk McGarvey, who happens to have an old feud with Baranov, is once more called back into the field and ends up pursuing his quarry across half of Europe.

I didn't like this one nearly as much as the first book in the series. It trades subtlety and complexity for more action (much to its detriment), there's entirely too much cliché-laden dialogue being thrown around, and the romance subplot as well as the entire character of Dr. Lorraine Abbott just irritated the hell out of me.

Bonus: Qualifies for 2 in 1 bonus as it also fits the alternate (Europe) for this spot

[Maddie]

Denise wrote: "Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ wrote: "I tried staying up but got too sleepy."

Middle of the day for me, so I was pretty much glued to the screen waiting for Maddie's review anyway! :D"

Good thing I got posted! Sorry for being so late!

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Maddison wrote: "Good thing I got posted! Sorry for being so late!"

I think it's safe to say I had sufficient time to read my book after you posted. :D

We're all in such disparate timezones that I think no matter when we roll probably at least one of us will be asleep or about to go to sleep, one will be sitting in front of her screen eagerly awaiting the roll, and one will be just getting up... *lol*

[Maddie]

XD Very true. I'd normally be waiting on the roll, but with my work times changed this year I'm always working.