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R4: SS A Novel Idea (3)


Week 8
Current Spot: 67
Read:
Sixth Grave on the Edge by Darynda Jones (Charley Davidson #6)
Finished: 06 January 2014
Rating: *****
Six books in, and the entertaining rollercoaster that is the Charley Davidson series shows no sign of slowing down. As usual, our friendly neighbourhood grim reaper has a variety of problems on her plate: a client wants his soul back from the demon he gambled it away to, someone in the police is trying set her up, she's being blackmailed by persons unknown... and then there's the naked dead man in her car and a bunch of other ghosts keeping her busy. Not to mention, she still hasn't decided whether to marry the son of Satan...
Fast-paced fun with an especially evil cliffhanger ending. Good thing I've already got the next book on hand!
Current Spot: 67
Read:

Finished: 06 January 2014
Rating: *****
Six books in, and the entertaining rollercoaster that is the Charley Davidson series shows no sign of slowing down. As usual, our friendly neighbourhood grim reaper has a variety of problems on her plate: a client wants his soul back from the demon he gambled it away to, someone in the police is trying set her up, she's being blackmailed by persons unknown... and then there's the naked dead man in her car and a bunch of other ghosts keeping her busy. Not to mention, she still hasn't decided whether to marry the son of Satan...
Fast-paced fun with an especially evil cliffhanger ending. Good thing I've already got the next book on hand!

Current Spot: 67
Read:

Fast-paced fun with an especially evil cliffhanger ending. Good thing I've already got the next book on hand! "
That is exactly why I've waited to read this book. I hate cliffhangers.



Book: Rules For A Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley
Read: January 3, 2015
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Review:
Since the death of his wife, Sinclair McBride has lost his spark and struggles through the trials and tribulations of raising two equally damaged children. That is until the day he literally stumbles into beautiful pick-pocket, Bertie Frasier, who steals both his watch and his heart. Suddenly things are looking up for Sinclair, but someone out there has it in for him and is not above using Bertie to destroy his life …
After the disappointment of Daniel and Violet’s book, I have to admit that my expectations weren’t high for this installment in the Mackenzies & McBrides (formerly Highland Pleasures) series. While readers who require more realism in their historical romance might find the lack of credibility in Sinclair and Bertie’s story problematic, for me, their romance more than meets expectations; it exceeds them and then some.
Bertie is a wonderfully original and engaging heroine able to charm the pants of Sinclair and bewitch his two hell-on-wheels children. The subtle allusions to Eliza Doolittle and her My Fair Lady make-over only add to her appeal. Sinclair is the perfect, tortured hero fighting his incomprehensible attraction to a Cockney pick-pocket and failing miserably. Their witty banter leads to an inevitable emotional connection and their romance is sweet and angst free.
The suspense plot revolves around the mystery of who is sending threatening letters to Sinclair and the dangerous escalation in this person’s intentions once Bertie arrives on the scene. The identity of the villain is quite obvious once certain facts of Sinclair’s past emerge, but the climax and resolution are action packed and exciting. Definitely one of the better mysteries in the series.
The cameo appearances by the rest of the MacKenzie and McBrides clans add a real sense of family to the story and it was great catching up with some of my favorite characters.
One small quibble is that the timeline is slightly off with the events in this book preceding those in The Wicked Deeds of Daniel MacKenzie, but this does not detract from the story at all.
All in all, a lovely addition to the series and it looks like Ashley will be going in a different direction with the series by investigating the Mackenzie family roots. Looking forward to it.

SPOT #67
BOOK

READ 7th JAN
RATING ♡♡♡♡♡
REVIEW
I say it every time I finish one of these Rock Chick books "This one is my favourite one of the series! "
This book is about Kai "Mace" Mason and his story, and by god what a story this one was!!
Stella is the lead singer and guitarist of a local band called The Blue Moon Gypsies, and she is also a rock chick LITERALLY!!
Stella and Mace used to be a "thing" but he walked away from her and she has never really gotten over it, she has thrown herself into her music and has become the backbone of them, any problems that the guy have, they call Stella even if it is in the middle of the night!
That is exactly what happens to Stella one night when one of her band members call to tell her that his girlfriend has OD'd. Stella gets into the car and goes to the house to help, only to find that she is actually dead, after that she promptly gets shot at!!
Queue the Hot Bunch to the rescue, including Mace!!
I LOVED this book so much, and because of Stella being in a band it tells you her set lists, and I had a little listen .........BIG MISTAKE!! "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel was on there, I hadn't heard it before, and I bawled like a baby!!


I've sent her a message to see if she is coming back as we can use the free pass if she does, and she can pick up from tomorrow's roll.
If not then I'll speak to Jenne and see if we need to have a replacement or just carry on as we are.


I want to read


Spot 67
Book:

Finished:Jan 9th
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: A great read and makes you take a look at the world, the everyday life and wonder why things are how they are. Why things work out how they do. How ones actions can bring out a change in how things end up being many years down the road. How nsmeing a child can give an indacator on how well they do in life. This book is the study of all that.

this weeks roll
6+2=8
Landing us on spot #75
This week we can read
#7 in a series
#5 in a series
#75 in a series
Alternate ...Title S
Reviews
Vicci - Review
Denise - Review
Lauren - Review
Carrie - Review
Laurla - Review
Good that I decided to hold off on starting
until this roll, makes picking this week's book very easy. :)


I'm going with

I have it as a BR as well this week, so 2 birds and all that !!

WEEK 9
SPOT #75
BOOK -

FINISHED 11th Jan
RATING ☆☆☆☆☆
Review
This is my favourite book of the series so far, although I do say that after every one!
I'm glad I read Warrior's Cross before this one as we got to meet Julian and Cameron again.
There is the usual Baddassery from both Ty & Zane, and added Baddassery from Julian this time. The one liners in this book were super funny and there were plenty to go round!
In this book Ty & Zane are put on a "dark" mission to collect Julian Cross and deliver him to the FBI, unfortunately the CIA are also after Julian......and not in the good way!!
With plenty of hot sexy scenes added to this action packed ride, I can't wait to read the next in the series, I need me some more Ty & Zane action.
Week 9
Current Spot: 75
Read:
Seventh Grave and No Body by Darynda Jones (Charley Davidson #7)
Finished: 11 January 2014
Rating: *****
After the jawdropping way Sixth Grave on the Edge left off, I was eager to continue Charley's story, and this latest volume in the series certainly did not disappoint. With the customary mixture of humour, action and romance, the story hurtles on through ghostly shenanigans, murders and family drama. Meanwhile, what with Charley having a bunch of hellhounds after her and being pregnant with the child prophesied to save the world, Reyes is even more infuriatingly overprotective and bossy than usual and Charley learns more both about her nature and about how to wield her powers - including those over a certain overbearing son of Satan she is about to marry. Another highly entertaining entry in the series - with an even more evil cliffhanger than the last one. Next book. Gimme. Now.
Current Spot: 75
Read:

Finished: 11 January 2014
Rating: *****
After the jawdropping way Sixth Grave on the Edge left off, I was eager to continue Charley's story, and this latest volume in the series certainly did not disappoint. With the customary mixture of humour, action and romance, the story hurtles on through ghostly shenanigans, murders and family drama. Meanwhile, what with Charley having a bunch of hellhounds after her and being pregnant with the child prophesied to save the world, Reyes is even more infuriatingly overprotective and bossy than usual and Charley learns more both about her nature and about how to wield her powers - including those over a certain overbearing son of Satan she is about to marry. Another highly entertaining entry in the series - with an even more evil cliffhanger than the last one. Next book. Gimme. Now.


Book: The Soldier (Duke's Obsession, #2) by Grace Burrowes
Read: January 11, 2015
Rating: 2 Stars
Review:
Psychologically tormented from his experiences in the Napoleonic wars, Devlin St. Just, the oldest but illegitimate son of the Duke of Moreland, only wants to live a quiet life in the wilds of Yorkshire. So, when he is granted the rundown estate of Rosecroft, he travels there posthaste only to discover that it is already inhabited by an unruly 6 year old and her exquisite cousin - both of whom are about to make his life a lot less peaceful.
Devlin’s story has such wonderful potential. Unfortunately, it falls completely flat mainly due to the fact that Emmie is an excessively “woe-is-me” heroine and is constantly running hot and cold with Devlin. The reasons for her rejection of his suit are also convoluted and incomprehensible - (view spoiler)
The tortured hero is usually my favorite trope in any romance genre. Dev has everything going for him in this regard, however, Burrowes’ overly descriptive writing makes it difficult to truly empathize with him as the endless details have the reader nodding off.
Burrowes’ tendency of detailing everything and anything in passage after passage means that nothing actually happens in the story - it is simply page after page of Emmie’s angst, Dev’s nightmares and Winnie’s antics. The result is a tediously long read.
Finally, the familial interactions, which made the first book so engaging, are all but missing from this installment. Dev’s family is relegated to one chapter and his relationship with his step brother-in-law is very strange.
Hoping that Val’s book is better as I already have it and the next two.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

So I am complete and total newbie, but this challenge is one of the reasons I joined TCF - it looked very fun and interesting to me. So I'm glad to be able to jump in early, before the next round. I am pretty sure I understand the "how to's", but I want to confirm...
We're currently on spot 75 which means I need to read a book that is either #7 or #5 in a series and if I don't have one of those, then I can choose to do the alternative for spot 75, which is a book starting with the letter S. Have I got that all right?
Once I read the book, I then need to post the info here along with a short review by Thursday of each week? Do I need to let you know what book I'm going to read once the roll is posted, or do I just read it and post the review?
And last... Jenne said that we could jump in this week or wait until the next roll. I already finished a book this week (Sunday) that would apply for this week's spot. Can I count it even though I technically read it before joining the group?

It sounds like you are up to speed on the how-tos. I will let Jenne answer about this week's book 'coz I'm not sure.

You have the rules exactly right, I usually try and put what we can read each week when I roll the dice so that we can all refer back.
As long as you read and review by Thursday evening ( Friday morning latest ) we can roll for the next week. :●)
If you've read a book that will fit this week that's brilliant, just leave a little review like the guys have including the book/date finished and rating I'll add you to the reviews post.


Spot 75: #7 in series
Book: Come A Little Bit Closer - Bella Andre
Read: January 10, 2015
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
Oh! that we could all have a Smith Sullivan in our lives. Sigh...
Another excellent read for the Sullivan family. These are almost (almost) too sweet and sappy, just this side of it I think. Could they be a bit edgier? Sure, but I can't argue with the sated and happy feelings they leave me with. I don't get so frustrated with either MC and their stupidity or a**-holey-ness that I want to throw the book, I don't have to push myself through them being so awful to each other that you wonder how an HEA can happen... The Sullivan series is a perfect read when you need something easy to read, to soothe your soul after maybe one too many gritty NAs or BDSMs or even Rom Suspenses. Thanks, Ms Andre, for providing the perfect read at a time when I really needed it!
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Landing us on spot 67
THIS WEEK WE CAN READ
#6 in a series
#7 in a series
#67 in a series
Alt.....Listened
Reviews
Vicci - Review
Denise - Review
Lauren - Review
Carrie - Review