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R5: SSS One Step at a Time (1) ***winning team***
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Spot 91
(Standalone)Finished: 1/23/15
Rating: ★★★★
This was a very good debut book that explores the family dynamics of a Chinese American family in the late 1970s. I felt sorry for Lydia and all of the pressure she received from her parents to be popular and to become a doctor. And it was sad that her siblings, Hannah and Nath, had to deal with her death without the support of their parents who were so wrapped up in themselves. The author explores the past decisions and experiences of each character that led up to the ultimate family pain of Lydia's death very well. Poor Hannah was always ignored but she knew the most about everything that was going on. I enjoyed the author's writing style, but I'm not sure that it is the "Best Book of 2014" as Amazon labeled it. I will read more from this author in the future.
Mod
New Space: 91
Book: Claimed (Brides of the Kindred, Book 1)
Read: 1/23
Rating & Review: ★★.
I didn't like this one. The narrator made it worse.
In this story we had a nurse, Olivia Waterhouse, who just learned she was drafted to become the bride of the Kindred. The Kindred was an alien warrior race who had gotten some kind of treaty promising "brides" from earth in exchange for saving the earth from another malevolent race that invaded earth. Once the bride bonds with the kindred, they stay on that planet with her mated kindred.
There is a one month probation period in which the Kindred has to woo the earth women. If the kindred is unable to get her to have bonding sex with him, then the earth girl can return to earth no harm no foul.
So the first 8 hours of this story was Olivia doing her darnest to make sure she doesn't' sleep with Baird, the kindred who came to claim her. It was irritating and just slow to me. There is potential in the story but after 8 hours of "no, no, don't touch me." I was about to offer myself to Baird just to end my own agony of listening to her.
The ending set up book 2 nicely, so I will actually try it before I decide how I truly feel about the series.
Mod
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I'll go with the alternate this time and read
.
Mod
Space: 96
Read a book that is 6th, 9th or 96th in a series
Alternate choice: Book Title "H"
Book Choices
☒ Amanda A: River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6) Review
☒ Denise: The Hanover Square Affair (Alt. Read) Review
☒ Ezi: When Day Breaks (KGI, Book 9) Review
☒ Sue:Hunted (Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 6) Review
Mod
which would bring me to current on this series or
which I will begin as a BR. So depends on which I finish first
Spot 96
6th in seriesFinished:1/26/2015
Rating:****
I really like this series.Just when I think it is going one way it takes a turn....
For a two-thousand-year-old Druid, Atticus O’Sullivan is a pretty fast runner. Good thing, because he’s being chased by not one but two goddesses of the hunt—Artemis and Diana—for messing with one of their own. Dodging their slings and arrows, Atticus, Granuaile, and his wolfhound Oberon are making a mad dash across modern-day Europe to seek help from a friend of the Tuatha Dé Danann. His usual magical option of shifting planes is blocked, so instead of playing hide-and-seek, the game plan is . . . run like hell.
Crashing the pantheon marathon is the Norse god Loki. Killing Atticus is the only loose end he needs to tie up before unleashing Ragnarok—AKA the Apocalypse. Atticus and Granuaile have to outfox the Olympians and contain the god of mischief if they want to go on living—and still have a world to live in.
Mod
Read:
The Hanover Square Affair by Ashley Gardner (Alternate: Title H)Finished: 26 January 2015
Rating: ****
Set in 1816 London and featuring Captain Gabriel Lacey, a veteran of the Napoleonic wars now at loose ends as to what to do with the rest of his life, as protagonist, this was an entertaining and suspenseful beginning in what promises to be another very enjoyable historical mystery series. What begins with a missing girl evolves into a story of kidnapping, smuggling and murder. With a good pace and likable, interesting characters, this was a quick read and certainly not my last from this series.
Spot 96
Finished: 1/27/15
Rating: ★★★★
I adore Mercy and Adam and am so glad they finally got married. While on their honeymoon camping in an RV, they encounter fae Otterkin and an evil river monster lurking in the Columbia River. They meet some other Native Americans who help Mercy battle the river monster and she also learns more about her father and her Indian heritage along the way. I loved that this book was mostly Mercy and Adam, but I missed the usual secondary characters as well. The middle of the book was a little slow for me, but overall it was another enjoyable installment in this series.
Mod
New Space: 96
Book: When Day Breaks (KGI, Book 9)
Read: 1/27
Rating & Review: ★★★. I liked this one much better than the last. We met Swanny (Darryl Swanson) in book 4 Whispers in the Dark, when Nate and Swanny were held prisoner for months before being rescued by KGI.
He was tasked with protecting supermodel Eden Sinclair from a retaliation attempt on her life. And being in this close proximity gave way to attraction between Eden and Swanny, and they acted on their feelings.
Then we treated to Maya Bank's formulaic storytelling where the bad guy gets girl, KGI gets girl back and then there is a marriage!
But For criminals, every married member of KGI would be single!
While I like the series, it's best that one not read more than 2, maximum 3 books a month. REading them close together only highlights how repetitive the series has gotten. It also reminds me of how unimpressive KGI really in times of trouble. An untrained angry women outsmarted TRAINED KGI operatives in order to get to Eden in a completely unoriginal way. Thank goodness we didn't get any psychic episodes
Mod
We are the only team that can win this week. So there is no speed reading necessary
Mod
Good that we don't have to rush, though - I've got an extremely busy day tomorrow and will be off celebrating my birthday on Friday, so speed reading would have been somewhat problematic. XD
Mod
Rolled a 5 we are now on 101. I will read
1st in series
Mod
Week 12: Roll 1: 5
Space: 101
Read a book that is 1st or 101st in a series
Alternate choice: Book Title "B"
Book Choices
☒Amanda A: Love, in English (Love in English, Book 1) Review
☒ Denise: The Gentle Axe (Porfiry Petrovich, Book 1) Review
☒ Ezi: The Luckiest Lady in London (the London Trilogy, Book 1) Review
☒Sue: The Dark Fae (World of Fae, Book 1) Review
Spot 101
Finished:1/29/2015
Rating:***
I liked this book but I found it very predictable. But it ended in a way I had to read the next book....
Alicia's always known she's different--that she can recognize the mischievous fae when they show up to "play" with the humans. Only now she's faced with one highly annoyed dark fae and she's certain he knows the truth about her. She can see him, which means her life is forfeit.
Add to that, his sister arrives, who wants to play, too. And their mother, the queen of the Denkar, will want Alicia's head, once she learns what Alicia can do.
And all because Alicia was attempting to rescue her friend, Cassie, on their beach excursion at South Padre Island, from the wicked fae. Now, Alicia has really gone and done it--and she's thinking she should have let the fae have his fun. Her friend's broken heart would be a lot easier to deal with, than Alicia losing her life.
But it is too late for regrets. As soon as she threw the soda at the dark fae's chest, she had declared war on the fae. And he is happy to take up the challenge.
Mod
Mod
Finished:1/29/2015
Rating:***
I liked this book but I found it very predictable. But it ended in a way I had to read the next book....
Alicia's always kno..."
you take no prisoners.
Sue it's been GREAT having you roll and having you on the team. Way to go!
Thank you Ezi it has been fun... This was a fast read in audio... I am halfway through the 2nd book
Mod
Read:
The Gentle Axe by R.N. Morris (Porfiry Petrovich #1)Finished: 30 January 2015
Rating: ****
St. Petersburg, winter 1866: The bodies of two dead men are found in a park, one obviously murdered, the other, the first victim's supposed murderer, seemingly a suicide. But as investigating magistrate Porfiry Petrovich digs into the case, it turns out to be far more complex than it appears at first glance... An atmospheric historical mystery with an intriguing, well realized setting.
Mod
New Space: 101
Book: The Luckiest Lady in London (the London Trilogy Book 1)
Read: 1/30
Rating & Review: ★★.
this audiobook wasn't that enjoyable.
This was a take on Pride and Prejudice. Felix Rivendale, the Marquess of Wrenworth had parents who used him a weapon to hurt each other. They never really cared for him as a child and so he learned that people who allowed love into their lives ended up angry and bitter at the other person. Thus he would avoid any love entanglement.
Instead, he worked on cultivating an image of the perfect gentleman. He was rich, made proper decisions and portrayed an image that all in the ton wished to emulate.
Louisa Cantwell is husband hunter because her father didn't leave money for dowries. She has unwed sisters, including one with epilepsy. So Louisa decided if she can make an adventurous marriage, then she can take care of her family. She made list and began trying to court their attention. Felix noticed Louisa's game and called her out. Their banter turned into admiration and Felix proposed to her.
Now throw in a trivial misunderstanding to create drama in the second half, and that's what lowered the book in my esteem. For such talkative people, when they truly needed to communicate, they shut down. I always hate that. the second half of the book just made me roll my eyes. their relationship was built initially on attraction but they seemed to have shared stories. Felix's parents weird relationship really screwed him up on the trust department. This book was forgettable for me.
Mod
good job. It's been nice having you on the team too.
Once Amanda posts her book, our victory is assured :D
Mod
Spot 101
(1st in series)Finished: 1/30/15
Rating: ★★★★
This book took me a while to get into, probably because the plot includes a married man cheating on his wife. I would normally stay away from this kind of storyline but I have heard good things about Karina Halle and wanted to check out one of her books. She did a great job of making the characters likable despite their circumstances and I really felt for them and rooted for them to get their HEA. I will definitely check out more of Karina Halle's books.
Ladies, I enjoyed playing this round with you!
Mod
So proud of you ladies
Mod
(1st in series)Finished: 1/30/15
Rating: ★★★★
This book took me a while to get into, probably because the plot includes a married man cheating on his..."
Good job Amanda.
Jenne has me reading that book next week. I hope I enjoy it as much
Mod
Thank you
Mod
Thanks
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The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Love, in English (other topics)Love, in English (other topics)
Love, in English (other topics)
The Luckiest Lady in London (other topics)
The Gentle Axe (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
R.N. Morris (other topics)Ashley Gardner (other topics)
Laura Harner (other topics)
Joanne Fluke (other topics)
Ali Cross (other topics)
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Read:
Finished: 24 January 2015
Rating: ****
Two continents, two cops, two cases: In both Phoenix, Arizona, and London, England, six teenage boys have gone missing without a trace. An international investigation agency, having noticed the similarities in both cases, brings the investigating officers together: Detective Remington with his tough cowboy image from the US and Inspector Jamie Mainwaring, peer of the Realm, from the UK. With their off the charts chemistry, their investigations are unlikely to end up being the only thing that gets joined...
Suspense and steamy goodness, great chemistry between the characters and an engaging story that kept me eagerly turning pages until the middle of the night - what more could one ask for? (Except, y'know, the next part in my hands right away.)