R4: SS The Artful Page Turners (10)

[Mandy]

Week 10 rolled a 3 we are on 49 This weeks alternate is S author.

[Mandy]

SO at the moment I'm going with the alternate S author

[btwthesepages]

So sorry! I got caught up in a few things. I know we already rolled but here's my review anyway :)

Week 9 : From 3 stars list - page 1
Book: by J.K. Rowling
Completed : 18th Jan
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This was a reread for me. Maybe the 3rd or 4th time I've read it :P
Harry Potter is a truly magical book. And I don't just say that because of all the wizards and witches flying around. It's the writing. J.K.Rowling has done such a fantastic job in creating this world and a doubly good job in putting it on paper that everytime I read it, it just sucks me in. The characters are so vibrant and the story so rich.
Long story short: I loved it when I read it first. I've loved it everytime I've read it since. And I have no doubt I'm gonna keep loving it more and more as time passes ^_^

[btwthesepages]

For week 10 I'll be going with S author as well. This is a re-read too. Was planning it again for a while now.
The book is by Sarah Dessen
I'm gonna go start reading now :)

[Joyce]

Week 10- space 49 Alternate author S
Book: Finished 1/20/15
Rating: 5 stars
Review:Most Harlequin Nocturne books are good but not always great. This one was so great. There is a lot of tension between vampire factions and humans. Alexia Fox and Damon who is a daysider, a vampire that can stay in the light. Even though they are on opposite sides they have a strong attraction. They are both investigating an illegal colony for each of their sides. They have to work together when someone is trying to kill them both.

[Karla]

I'm going with S author as well. by Kathryn Stockett

[btwthesepages]

Week 10: S Author
Book : by Sarah Dessen
Date read: 18th Jan
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This was another reread for me. Sarah Dessen is one of my favourite authors and I enjoy all her books but this one didn't impress me all that much when I read it the first time. This time though, it really sucked me in. All the characters were good but most importantly they felt real. Like people you might meet everyday. The message really came across too. That to be beautiful or to feel worthy you need to believe it yourself first. The rest of the world will follow along. That's the only secret.
All in all this was a feel good book and a real motivator :)

[Joyce]

Week 10- space 49 Alternate author S
Book: Finished 1/20/15
Rating: 5 stars
Review:Most Harlequin Nocturne books are good but not always great. This one was so great. There is a lot of tension between vampire factions and humans. Alexia Fox and Damon who is a daysider, a vampire that can stay in the light. Even though they are on opposite sides they have a strong attraction. They are both investigating an illegal colony for each of their sides. They have to work together when someone is trying to kill them both.

[Mandy]

Week 9 : Alternate S author
Book:
Completed : 21st Jan
Rating: 4 stars

It’s been three years since the night Alison went missing leaving Aria, Spencer, Emily and Hannah on their own. Alison was the glue that held them together and without her the girls drifted apart moving off on their own paths. Each girl has spent the last three years changing while Aria really had the chance to find herself in Finland, and Hannah lost all the weight to be the hottest girl in school. While Emily has worked hard at swimming and is already being watched by scouts and Spencer is focused on academics being better than her older sister.

Alison was known for knowing a lot more than most about the girls and when start showing up only things that Alison knew the girls start to question what happened to her. Someone knows more about their lives and is threating to reveal all their secrets. The girls are wondering if Alison has returned after all this time gone. The case has long been cold but a new lead may just change everything.

We have four points of view a little insight from each girl who happens to each being dealing with her own share of problems. I didn’t have a favorite girl who I was able to connect with like I did on the show but that could be because it’s only been a week in the book.

I’ve been on the fence since I watched the first season of the TV show on ABC family. I recently got into a little chat about who could possibly be A on the TV show and decided to give it a shot. First off the girls don’t look like they do on the show and it kind of irked me a bit. It was interesting to see how it played out in the book and I honestly think it works better. I like that we get to see an insight into each of the girls lives and found it interesting that while it’s different from the show some things still are the same. Pretty little Liars is a YA mystery that mixes a coming of age story entwined with romance and tragedy. The author had done a great job of weaving a captivating story. I’m curious to see how the series plays out and I very well may read the rest of the books they are quick and fast paced reads.

[btwthesepages]

@Mandy: Coincidentally, I finished reading Pretty little liars just an hour ago too :D
I have been putting off the TV series until have read the books :P

[Mandy]

I love the show....it's one of my favorites. I wish I had read the books first but I've heard they aren't super similar.

[Mandy]

How are you coming Karla & Aproorv?

[Apoorv]

Week # 10

Next roll and we will cross the mid-way mark. Yay !

Number Called : 49
Requirement : S Author

Book Read : The Shining | Stephen King | 23May2015
Rating : ★★★★.5

Review

“The tears that heal are also the tears that scald and scourge.”

'The Master of Macabre' is here and once again he revels in the gory. Stephen King does not just possess a hypnotic demon-spawned story-telling mojo but is also a keen observer of human behavior and emotions. He knows what makes it tick, and he's just as likely to make us laugh and cry as he is to scream. With The Shining, he not just makes us scream and shiver but also made us look over our shoulder, peek under our bed, bar the closet door, and leave the lights on. That dreadful Overlook Hotel will remain etched in memory for a really long time.

Read the complete review HERE

[Karla]

Sorry, I finished my book, but forgot to post it!

[Karla]

Week 10: Alternate Author S
Book: by Kathryn Stockett
Finished: 1/20/15
Rating: 4 stars

Review:
Told from three points of view, this book is about what it was like to be a maid in the 1960s. It alternates between Skeeter, a white girl in her 20s, Minny, a black maid, and Aibilene, another black maid. Skeeter wants to be a writer, her mom wants her to get married and have children. When Skeeter is contacted by a book editor, she is put on a course that changes her life forever. She begins to write a book, with the help of Aibilene, about what it is like to be a maid in Mississippi.

I really enjoyed the book! I listened to it on audio. The narrators were awesome! It was like I was listening to a movie. When it ended, I wanted more. It would have been five stars, if the author had told us what happened to a few of the characters in the years following the release of Skeeter's book.

[Mandy]

Hey Appoorv when you get a chance can you update your review so we can roll =D

[Apoorv]

Oh, I am so sorry Mandy.. I forgot to update my review here.
Didnt know I was holding up the roll.. please proceed with the same now !

[Mandy]

No worries =D

[Mandy]

Week10 ~ Roll ~ 3 ~ Space ~ 49 ~ AlternateAuthor S
Mandy~ Pretty Little Liars ~ Review
Arshiya~ Keeping the Moon ~ Review
Karla~ The Help ~ Review
Joyce~ Daysider ~ Review
Apoorv~ The Shining ~ Review

5 Of 5 Complete

[Mandy]

Rolled 7 and is now on spot 56 Alt Author G

[Mandy]

Eek I just can't decide which one I want to read.

[Apoorv]

Week # 11

Probably the second-last week of the challenge, and I am glad we crossed the mid-way mark ! :)

Number Called : 56
Requirement : G Author

Book Read : Looking for Alaska | John Green | 25May2015
Rating : ★★★

Review

“But a lot of times, people die how they live. And so last words tell me a lot about who people were, and why they became the sort of people biographies get written about.”

You know what ? I think I do believe in this (or maybe as he always does, John Green made me believe in it) that death and life are inseparable, they always walk hand-in-hand and how-much-ever we try to avoid either of them, we cant. Looking for Alaska is somewhere an ode to that thought. John Green does make an attempt to touch your chords with this philosophy while intertwining it with a coming-of-age story between Miles and Alaska. The philosophy filters through but the emotion falters, and there Looking for Alaska is lost and I did not even want to go looking.

Read the complete review HERE

[Joyce]

Week #11
#56 or alternate author "G"
Book: by Heather Graham - finished 1/28/15
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I really enjoyed this one. The interaction between the "Krewe" was fun and enjoyable. I really enjoyed that Angela and Jackson are the main characters despite being around lots of younger people. This is the beginning of a series and I am looking forward to more of this story. I hope the "Krewe" doesn't change too much and that we can get some continuing storyline between the people. I always enjoy Heather Graham's books

[Karla]

Week 11: Alternate Author G
Book: by Gail Sattler
Finished: 1/28/15
Rating: 2 Stars

Review:
The book is a Christian romance. Molly accidentally causes her new boss, Ken, to brake his dominate arm. While Ken's arm is in a cast, he needs Molly to be his hands at work. Soon the two discover their shared belief in God and form a friendship. It isn't long before they are both in love with the other. Ken knows what he wants, to date Molly, but Molly is determined to remain distant from Ken after rumors start to fly about the two of them at work.

It was just okay. Nothing really happened. There was no drama. It wasn't even really inspirational when it came to the religion aspect.

[Mandy]

I'll be done with mine today

[Mandy]

Week 11
Alternate "G" Author
Finished 1/29/15
Rating 4 Star
Review
I picked up Forgotten as a kindle freebie a while back. It's a vampire/werewolf paranormal novel. Our main character Katrina has no memory of her past and someone doesn't want her to remember. A fast paced novel that was a quick read within a few short hours. I enjoyed the book the characters are easy to connect with. I'm a little nervous we won't have another book since the author has no expected one. (will update with full review after I write it hanging with the hubby before he leaves town)

[btwthesepages]

It's been a crazy week so I couldn't get my review in sooner. I still have a few pages to go but I see that a few teams are almost at the finish line. Do I still complete my book and post a review or is it okay if I don't? Just wondering :)

[Mandy]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it don't stress to finish. I totally understand real life getting in the way it's a game. Other teams are in place to win so no stressing. This round the rolls just aren't on our side. Hopefully next round we will have better luck.

[Mandy]

Thanks team it's been fun getting to know all of you!!!! I hope we end up on teams in the future!! Best of luck!!!!

[Joyce]

It's been fun. I'm looking forward to the next game. This was my first time around and I wasn't sure if it was too much of a commitment but found it pushed to read more and get through mtg massive to read pile.

[btwthesepages]

I joined late but this was still fun guys. Hoping we are in the same teams again! :D

[Apoorv]

This was my second SS and I had as much fun as I had the first time around.

Nevermind we didnt make it to the top, but it was great joy competiting. Congratulations to the winning team and kudos to all the 'ArtfulPage Turners' (this name is gonna stay with me for a long time).

Hope to see you all around.. :D