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

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Angie & Lanelle, have you chosen your books for this roll yet?

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Thanks for the reminder, Denise.

Selection Post

Week: 6 Roll: 2
Spot: 45

Book: Aunt Bessie Enjoys
Qualification: Isle of Man #5
Pages: 234

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 6~Sunday Roll
Spot #45
by C.S. Johnson
Qualifications: Starlight Chronicles Book #4
Pages:285
Finished:10/8/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:Hamilton Dinger is a Starlight Warrior trying to protect those he loves from harm. Sinisters are reeking havoc all over Apollo City. Hamilton finally admits that he doesn't love Gwen. What else will happen? Find out in Remembering.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Completion Post

Week: 6 Roll: 2
Spot: 45

Book: Aunt Bessie Enjoys
Qualification: Isle of Man #5
Pages: 234
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This story is by far the best in the series so far. The characters seemed more real, not two-dimensional. The solution to the crime was very good. It reminded me a bit of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. A solid 4 stars.

I have now read books 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 in the series.

[Maddie]

Week 6 Roll 2 (Spot 45) Completion

How it fits: #4
Pages: 270
Date read: 9/10/19
Rating: 4 stars

Review: Getting a little bit bored of these characters, I think this is why I leave so many gaps between series. And then I forget what happens and don't pick them up. I've rushed through the first 4 and it's all a bit too much, but I'll keep going XD
I liked how there were 'Dragons' in this one, angels who were handpicked to bear even more powers. I liked the elemental trials, elemental magic's always been my favourite

[Maddie]

Yay we're all in with plenty of time :D

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

I had a minute, so I figured I might as well roll.
Rolled 5, new spot is 50. Alternate: Young Adult/New Adult

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 7: Roll 1

Roll: 5
Current Spot: 50, Alternate: Young Adult/New Adult

✔ Angie ~aka Reading Machine~: Continuing by C.S. Johnson (The Starlight Chronicles #5) Review
Maddie: Free Pass
✔ Denise: The Golden Tower by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare (Magisterium #5) Review
✔ Lanelle: The Conqueror's Dilemma by Elizabeth Bailey (Standalone) Review

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Spot: 50

Book: The Golden Tower by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Qualification: Magisterium #5
Pages: 239

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 7: Roll 1
Spot: 50

Book: The Golden Tower by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Qualification: Magisterium #5
Pages: 239
Finished: 10 Oct 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Review:
The fifth and final installment in the Magisterium series fills in some remaining gaps in the backstory, ties up loose ends, and gives its protagonists an all in all very satisfying conclusion to their adventures. I admit, at times I was afraid this would turn out to be a bit of a letdown - up until the last quarter or so of the book, things just seemed to work out entirely too easily and felt rushed. The last few chapters made up for that, though, and ultimately I really liked the way things turned out.

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 7~Thursday Roll
Spot #50
by C.S. Johnson
Qualifications:Starlight Chronicles Book #5
Pages:332
Finished:10/11/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:Hamilton Dinger is trying hard not to miss Raiya yet it's still true. The Sinisters are laying low for now. Hamilton learns several truths about himself and the people around him. Can he accept these truths? Will Raiya come back? Find out in Continuing.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Selection Post

Week: 7 Roll: 1
Spot: 50
Book: The Conqueror's Dilemma
Page numbers: 218
How Fits: a standalone

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Completion Post

Week: 7 Roll: 1
Spot: 50
Book: The Conqueror's Dilemma
Page numbers: 218
How it fits: a standalone
Rating: 2 stars
Review: This is my least favorite style of storytelling. It had lots of conflict, misunderstanding, and angst. No plot. The only redeeming factor is the ending.
It came :)

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Maddie, have you picked a book yet?

[Maddie]

Week 7 Roll 1 (Spot 50) Selection

Pages: 314
How it fits: YA

So sorry team for disappearing, I had a lot of real life stuff going on, so I haven't read last few days! I'll make sure to get Witch and Wizard done by the deadline!

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Using free pass, rolled 4. New spot 54.

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 7: Roll 2

Roll: 4
Current Spot: 54, Alternate: Author W

✔ Angie ~aka Reading Machine~: Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop (The Others #5) Review
✔Maddie: The Anti-Cool Girl by Rosie Waterland (Alternate: Author W) Review
✔ Denise: The Sword of God by Mark Dawson (John Milton #5) Review
✔ Lanelle: Chaos by Taylor Longford (Greystone #5) Review

[Maddie]

I'm so sorry! I just finished my book, I thought I had half an hour from now still to go :/ Oh man!

[Maddie]

Week 7 Roll 2 (Spot 54) Selection

Pages: 235
How it fits: #5

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Maddie wrote: "I'm so sorry! I just finished my book, I thought I had half an hour from now still to go :/ Oh man!"

Ah well, that's what the free pass is for. :)

[Maddie]

Yeah thank you, I'm sorry :/

[Maddie]

Week 7 Roll 2 (Spot 54) Selection Edit

Pages: 160
How it fits: W author (Waterland)

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Spot: 54

Book: The Sword of God by Mark Dawson
Qualification: John Milton #5
Pages: 424

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 7~Sunday Roll
Spot #54
by Anne Bishop
Qualifications: The Others Book #5
Pages:397
Finished:10/16/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:Probably my favorite book of the series so far. I love the relationship between Meg and Simon. If you haven't read this series yet run to your favorite bookstore today.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Selection Post


Chaos
Qualifications: Greystone #4
Pages: 150

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Completion Post

Week: 7
Spot: 54

Book: Chaos
Qualification: Greystone #5
Pages: 150
Rating: 3 stars
Review: This story is a lot more about insecurity and feelings of self worth than about the action the happens. I like how the author delves into main characters and how they are similar and how they help each other. There's quite a bit packed into the 150 pages :)

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Lanelle wrote: "Selection Post


Chaos
Qualifications: Greystone #4
Pages: 150"

GR has it listed as Greystone #5 - fits the spot either way, but could you correct the posts? Thank you. :)

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Denise wrote: "GR has it listed as Greystone #5 - fits the spot either way, but could you..."

Sorry about that. It's fixed.

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 7: Roll 2
Spot: 54

Book: The Sword of God by Mark Dawson
Qualification: John Milton #5
Pages: 424
Finished: 15 Oct 2019
Rating: ★★★

Review:
Milton has made his way back to the US where he is currently wandering around the Michigan wilderness, with no particular destination in mind. Stopping in the small town of Truth, he agrees to help a desperate girl try to find her brother out in the woods and ends up antagonizing members of a heavily armed militia plotting an attack in the process, who promptly proceed to chase him, injured, outnumbered and outgunned, through said woods.

Rather a letdown after the far more intriguing and complex previous book. This one was too longwinded - that chase through the woods dragged on forever, and there just wasn't enough plot for 424 pages. Added to that, the bad guys in this one were such flatout stereotypes - y'know, your run of the mill militant rightwing Christian fundamentalist nutcases - that it was almost laughable, and the action was even more ridiculously over the top than usual. Judging from the first five books in this series, I seem to like the ones not set in the US better in general - the world only needs one Jack Reacher-esque guy tromping around America and getting into trouble, just let Milton do it somewhere else.

[Maddie]

Week 7 Roll 2 (Spot 54) Completion

Pages: 160
How it fits: W author (Waterland)
Date read: 17/10/19
Rating: 2 stars

Review: I just really didn't connect with this book. I didn't feel it at all. I just got weirded out all the time, and felt nothing. I couldn't relate. Like a 5 year old masturbating, humping her mattress with her hands down her pants? Her foster father putting his hand down her pants. Alcoholic mother, alcoholic father, druggie step-dad, it was just all too much and far-fetched and unbelievable. I was groaning throughout the story.

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Rolled 6, new spot is 60. Alternate: Sci-fi

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 8: Roll 1

Roll: 6
Current Spot: 60, Alternate: Sci-Fi

✔ Angie ~aka Reading Machine~: The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler (Standalone) Review
✔ Maddie: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Alternate: Sci-Fi) Review
✔ Denise: All the Old Knives by Olen Steinhauer (Standalone) Review
✔ Lanelle: Aunt Bessie Finds by Diana Xarissa (Isle of Man #6) Review

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Spot: 60

Book: All the Old Knives by Olen Steinhauer
Qualification: Standalone
Pages: 304

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 8~Thursday Roll
Spot #60
by Erica Spindler
Qualifications:Standalone
Pages:320
Finished:10/19/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:Sienna Scott discovered a body that haunts her to this day. Returning home after a ten year absence not much has changed. Who is the killer and will they be caught? Find out in The Look-Alike.

[Maddie]

Week 8 Roll 1 (Spot 60) Selection

Pages: 454
How it fits: Tagged sci-fi

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Selection Post

Week: 8 Roll: 1
Spot: 60

Aunt Bessie Finds
Qualifications: Isle of Man #6
Pages: 241

[Maddie]

Week 8 (Roll 1) Spot 60 Completion

Pages: 454
How it fits: Tagged sci-fi
Date read: 19/10/19
Rating: 4 stars

Review: I had no idea this continued right where Cinder left off, and that we'd get some of Cinder POV in this! Just like #1, the pages just flew by, seemed like I was constantly turning pages. Meyer's retellings are so original to me, while still remaining true to the original fairytales. Pleased I have another 3 novels plus a novella collection to go!

[Maddie]

As I have an exam on Monday and another one on Saturday, is it at all possible to have arranged absences until the 27th October? If not, I'll have to unfortunately pull out of this challenge. I just can't afford to be reading any more while I should be studying. Part of why I'm so late with this book again. I'm falling behind too much, and this is kind of stressing me a little XD

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Exam period sucks, I'm so glad not to have to deal with that stress anymore! XD So you'll be off for the next two rolls and back next Sunday? That's fine, no worries. :) Good luck with your exams!

[Maddie]

Yes thank you!

And indeed it sucks. Only have one more week and then I'm done with uni forever, graduating this year!

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 8: Roll 1
Spot: 60

Book: All the Old Knives by Olen Steinhauer
Qualification: Standalone
Pages: 304
Finished: 19 Oct 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Review:
This is one of those rare novels that remain just as impossible to put down upon re-reading as they were the first time around. The knowledge of what it's all leading up to in the end allows the reader to truly fully appreciate all the subtlety and cleverness woven into this quietly complex espionage tale. Olen Steinhauer has yet to write a book that doesn't have me absolutely engrossed and glued to the page, but this one is definitely one of my favourites among his works to date.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Completion Post

Week: 8
Spot: 60 Roll: 1

Aunt Bessie Finds
Qualifications: Isle of Man #6
Pages: 241
Date finished: 10/19/19
Rating: 2 1/2 stars
Review: This was an odd story. Bessie's friend complains to her about some unusual happenings in her apartment complex. Bessie agrees to pretend to be interested in buying one of the apartments so she can be on-hand to investigate. The lie grows and becomes somewhat of a reality. The unusual happenings continue and Bessie is stumped. The ending was rushed and unsatisfactory. There are a lot of loose ends left. It's not a good addition to the series.

I have now read books 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 in the series.

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 8~Sunday Roll: Old Spot #60 Rolled 5
New Spot #65
Alternative #65~ Cover Grey/Silver

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 8: Roll 2

Roll: 5
Current Spot: 65, Alternate: Cover: Grey/Silver

✔ Angie ~aka Reading Machine~: Lake Silence by Anne Bishop (The Others #6) Review
Maddie: Pre-arranged absence
✔ Denise: Salvation Row by Mark Dawson (John Milton #6) Review
✔ Lanelle: For Love of Mother-Not by Alan Dean Foster (Pip & Flinx #5) Review

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Spot: 65

Book: Salvation Row by Mark Dawson
Qualification: John Milton #6
Pages: 387

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Week 8: Roll 2
Spot: 65

Book: Salvation Row by Mark Dawson
Qualification: John Milton #6
Pages: 387
Finished: 20 Oct 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Review:
The last time Milton came to New Orleans, it was on a mission on the eve of Katrina - a mission that went wrong, requiring the aid of a local family, the Bartholomews, to save his partner's life. Now he's back, only to find that that same family is in trouble with ruthless property developer Joel Babineaux who is willing to go to extreme lengths to get his hands on the land in the hurricane-ravaged Lower Ninth Ward Isadora Bartholomew's charity is building new homes on for those displaced by the disaster. Milton feels compelled to help out, but just when it looks like he has the situation under control, Babineaux brings in a new player: A man from Milton's past and of the same calibre.

Definitely better than the previous book, though I could've done without the Alpha male posturing face-off at the end. Also, I really wish Milton would pick himself a less ridiculously obvious fake name - "John Smith"? Really? He might as well go around calling himself Mr. Alias McAlias...

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Selection Post

Week: 8 Roll: 2
Spot: 65

For Love of Mother-Not
Qualifications: Pip and Flinx #5
Pages: 256

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 8~Sunday Roll
Spot #65
by Anne Bishop
Qualifications:The Others Book #6
Pages:402
Finished:10/21/19
Rating:4 Stars
Review:The World of the Others is like no other I've read before or since. We move away from Lakeside Courtyard to the village of Sproing which is wild country. Meet Victoria "Vicki" DeVine new owner of The Jumble. The Jumble sits on the land of terra indigene with alot of restrictions on what Vicki can and cannot do. Someone is found dead near The Jumble which starts a tumbleweed of problems no one ever expected or thought of before. What will the Others do? Where does Vicki fit in? Find out in Lake Silence.

[Lanelle, Production Chief]

Completion Post

Week: 8 Roll: 2
Spot: 65

For Love of Mother-Not
Qualifications: Pip and Flinx #5
Pages: 256
Date finished: 10/23/19
Rating: 4 stars
Review: In the story, we get introduced to a boy who goes by the name of Flinx. He seems older than his years. And he has abilities that are odd. And then he finds a pet, which augments his odd abilities. And we find out how Flinx came to be. Alan Dean Foster always tells a good story. This one is one of his best. It's a great series.

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~]

Week 9~Thursday Roll: Old Spot #65 Rolled 5
New Spot #70
Alternative #70~Cover Item: Animal