PtP - Team Chewbooka (11)

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post - Week 4
Option 1

Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie
Date Read: September 28th, 2020
Rating: 3 Stars
Review:
This was cute and fun. You could definitely tell this was written in the 1990's and it was also the author's first book. Some things that happen in this book, wouldn't be appropriate in today's romance (nothing really bad, more like inappropriate touching, and it made to seem it was ok; a woman being shown as empty headed... little things that I noticed).

Not a bad book, just that I would recommend the author's later works as they are far better.

[Logan]

Completion Post - Week 4
Option 1


The Silent Patient
Pages: 325 (Kindle 1st ed)
Date Finished: 10/1/20
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I stayed up until 1am to finish this last night. The beginning is a bit slow and ominous. It pulls you in with this intriguing, strange crime. Then as the story starts to unravel everything picks up the pace and you just want to keep reading to figure out what’s really going on. There was a great red herring and a beautiful unexpected twist. Great book!

[LaurLa]

Completion Post ~~ Week 4
Option 1


Call: 7. There are a lot of 'classic' movies and serials on Disney+
Task: Read a 'classic' book from one of the following lists
Book: Pride and Prejudice
Pages: 334 (GR paperback)
How it fits: #1 on Great Romance Novels
Date Read: 10.01 ★★★★
Review:
What can I say? It's a classic for a reason. It's hard to read, at least for me, but the story is excellent and I love how we get to see Elizabeth realize her own pride and prejudices for which she so convicted Darcy. The characters are perfect caricatures of themselves and of English society. You cringe even as you laugh at the absurdity they display! I'm sure that I will read it again a 3rd time.

[LaurLa]

Hi all - just wanted to let you know that Mariana had to step down from the challenge. It got to be too much with her schoolwork. I'm glad she got to try and hopefully she'll be around in the future for other challenges.

I've let Jane know and there are no back-up players so we''ll just continue as we are!!

[LaurLa]

Week 5 CALL


Option 1:
10. National Geographic is a very popular option on Disney+
*Read a book with an animal on cover

'Animal' definition: any living animal other than a human being.
Birds and insects count. Must be a real animal, not mythical. A drawn bookcover that includes an animal will count, but not statues etc.
You must post the bookcover for qualification.


Option 2:
Key date - 1 April 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.


Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week.

[Shinnie]

Selection Post - Week 5
Option 1


Book: Written in Red
[*book:Written in Red|19521598]
Pages: Kindle Edition, 448 pages
How it qualifies: It has the outline of a wolf on the cover (see above).

Finishing last's week book this weekend. It was a tough read, emotionally, but well worth it. Review coming soon.

[Logan]

Selection Post - Week 5
Option 1


[*book:Probable Claws|36213902]
Pages: 424 Kindle 1st ed.
How it fits: Cat on the cover

[Logan]

Shinnie wrote: "
Selection Post - Week 5

Option 1


Book: Written in Red
[*book:Written in Red|19521598]
Pages: Kindle Edition, 448 pages
How it qualifies: It ..."

I love love LOVE this series.

[[deleted user]]

Selection Post - Week 5
Option 1

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Lizzie Shane
[*book:The Twelve Dogs of Christmas|55351271]
Pages: 280 (KINDLE)
How it fits: Dogs on the cover

[CB]

Shinnie wrote: "
Selection Post - Week 5

Option 1


Book: Written in Red
[*book:Written in Red|19521598]
Pages: Kindle Edition, 448 pages
How it qualifies: It ..."

I am obsessed with this series as well!

[CB]

Selection Post - Week 5
Option 1


A Shift in the Water by Patricia D. Eddy
Pages: 426 (GR)
How it qualifies: see wolf on cover above

[CB]

Completion Post - Week 5



A Shift in the Water by Patricia D. Eddy
Date Completed: 10/3/2020
Rating: 3.5⭐️

I really enjoyed the set up for this one - Mara is dying of some mysterious disease and is told she has only months to live. Cade, an alpha werewolf, is captured by a fire elemental and is tortured in his wolf form for over seven months before he escapes, finding safety with Mara. Both find healing with one another, and it’s weeks before Cade transforms from wolf to man again, and it was sweet how Mara took care of Cade as he slowly recovered. Mara’s and Cade’s friends were very suspicious and even hateful towards their respective friend’s new love, which I found a bit much sometimes, even though they all came around in the end. The book ran a little too long in my opinion but overall I enjoyed this read.

[Shinnie]

Completion Post - Week 4
Option 1


Book: Into This River I Drown
[*book:Into This River I Drown|17213054]
Pages: ebook, 400 pages
How it qualifies: #69 on Timeless MM or Gay romance
Date Read: 04/10/2020
Rating: 4⭐️
Review: You can read a way more emotional review here. I can't say much more without sounding too technical and I don't think that would do this book any justice. Read it. If you haven't. Read it! It's an experience worth having. The writing is beautiful. It made me cry multiple times. It makes me want to read more from this author and it makes me both look forward to it and dread reading more from this author because I am scared that his other books may not be as good. I loved this one so much I want to love everything he writes.

If this is part of a series, somebody please point out the other books in it because Goodreads doesn't mentioned it as part of a series.

[CB]

Completion Post - Week 4



Soulless by Gail Carriger
Date Completed: 10/3/2020
Rating: 4⭐️

This is a seriously fun romp through Victorian England, but with a fantasy romance and steampunk spin. Alexia Tarabotti is a “preternatural”, quite rare evidently in that with one touch she can cause any supernatural to become human again, for as long as she is touching them. And there are lots of supernaturals running around, most prominently vampires and werewolves, with the Alpha and lead investigator Lord Conall Maccon, Alexia’s determined love interest. The overall feel of this book was just so refreshing and witty, I was charmed from almost the first pages. I loved the byplay and dynamic between Alexia and Lord Maccon, and their romance was both sweet and sexy at the same time. An interesting cast of characters as well, which makes for a very good set up for the series, and I look forward to reading new adventures with this smart, dynamic couple.

[LaurLa]

Shinnie wrote: "
Completion Post - Week 5"

Shinnie - can you update your post to say Week 4 please?

[LaurLa]

Selection Post ~~ Week 5
Option 1


Call: 10. National Geographic is a very popular option on Disney+
Task: Read a book with an animal on cover
Book: Dial C For Chihuahua
Pages: 351 (GR paperback)
How it fits: dog on cover

[*book:Dial C For Chihuahua|16090854]

[LaurLa]

Hi team - sorry I've been MIA this week. Works been especially brutal this week and my book for this week is a drudge!


How is everyone else's week going?

[LaurLa]

Bump -- @Shinnie


LaurLa wrote: "Shinnie wrote: "
Completion Post - Week 5"

Shinnie - can you update your post to say Week 4 please?"

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post - Week 5
Option 1


The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Lizzie Shane
Pages: 280 (KINDLE)
Date Read: October 7th, 2020
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Review:
This story was so delightful! I loved it so much! The small town setting, the romance, the dogs! It was a fantastic holiday romance and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

I loved the romance in this. While the novel uses a common 'trope' with holiday romances (one character is Christmas Cheer and the other is the Grinch), it worked so well in this story. There is really is some good reasons why Ben is struggling so much with the holidays.

Also, as I mentioned, the dogs! They really being this story to life.

[LaurLa]

Completion Post ~~ Week 5
Option 1


Call: 10. National Geographic is a very popular option on Disney+
Task: Read a book with an animal on cover
Book: Dial C For Chihuahua
Pages: 351 (GR kindle)
How it fits: dog on cover
Date Read: 10.08 ★★
Review:
Not a book I enjoyed at all. I thought it was banal and boring. What could have been a cute, whimsical and fun/funny premise was just... bleh. Geri, the MC, was not very smart. Pepe, the talking dog, was pretty much in charge. Which could have made for a fun dynamic if Geri were anything more than a wet sponge. I only finished this because of challenges. I won't revisit unless something crazy happens and I have to have a talking dog for some challenge...

[Shinnie]

LaurLa wrote: "Shinnie - can you update your post to say Week 4 please?"

Omg, so sorry. I was out cold this week with a stomach bug and felt miserable so I didn't check on Goodreads. It's edited now. <3

[Shinnie]

Completion Post - Week 5
Option 1


Book: Written in Red
[*book:Written in Red|19521598]
Pages: Kindle Edition, 448 pages
How it qualifies: Outline of a real wolf on the cover
Date Read: 09/10/2020
Rating: 4⭐️
Review: This book was deeply surprising to me. I developed a habit to read the book reviews before I decide whether I want to give the book a try or not and seeing controversial opinion is usually a bad sign.

I want to be honest here: I picked this book specifically because because of the divided opinions, expecting it to be bad. I was in the mood for a fun read where I would laugh about the bizarre twists and turns and scenes the author had written about. After all, one of the reviews had described the female protagonist as a Mary Sue whose plot revolves around her delivering mail. How boring.

I disagree. I disagree so much that I actually doubt that people who did express this opinion actually bothered reading the book properly to begin with.

This is not a romance novel. This is a book about a survivor. About a strong woman who is strong not because she can fight or explode things with her mind, but because she doesn't give up. She is a strong woman because she stands up for herself and she does without putting others down to achieve that. She is a strong woman because she cares about people not because they are her family or her love interest but because they are simply people and deserve to be treated with respect.

The only reason why I'm not giving it 5 stars is because compared to my favorite books it still didn't hit quite the bits that I felt when I read things like American Gods or Engine Summer. But it's a great book and I will continue to read more from this series to find out what happened next.

You can find my complete review here, containing more of my thoughts on the story and especially the female protagonists.

[Shinnie]

Selection Post - Week 6
Option 1


Book: Bringing Down the Duke
[*book:Bringing Down the Duke|46005031]
Pages: Kindle Edition, 368 pages
How it qualifies: The hardcover edition Thorndike Press was published on March 11th 2020 (11) (can be verified here: Bringing Down the Duke)

I really hoped that Murder of Crows would've had at least one edition that fits this weeks criteria. Alas, no such luck for me this week. xD

[LaurLa]

Week 6 CALL


Option 1:
11. The National Geographic magazine has been published continuously since its first issue on September 22, 1888.
*Read a book with a publication date with double numbers within that date.

You may convert the month to numbers. The following dates qualify: July 22, 2018 (22), November 01, 2015 (11), August 13, 2002 (00). Any edition's date of publication will count.


Option 2:
Key date - 8 April 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.


Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Shinnie wrote: "
Completion Post - Week 4

Option 1


Book: Into This River I Drown
[*book:Into This River I Drown|17213054]
Pages: ebook, 400 pages
Ho..."

I've read quite a few books by TJ, but not this particular one. Some are emo stories, some are humorous, but they all pretty much pull emotions out regardless. Some are hits and some are misses from my perspective.

My fav is How to Be a Normal Person - its a great balance of humor and emotion... Definitely rec this one!

[[deleted user]]

Selection Post - Week 6
Option 1


[*book:A Sheriff's Star|53801562]
A Sheriff's Star by Makenna Lee
Pages: 224 (EBOOK)
How it fits: Publication date is November (11) 1st, 2020

[LaurLa]

Selection Post ~~ Week 6
Option 1


Call: 11. The National Geographic magazine has been published continuously since its first issue on September 22, 1888.
Task: Read a book with a publication date with double numbers within that date
Book: Love Handles
Pages: 365 (GR kindle)
How it fits: Published April 24th 2011

[*book:Love Handles|26048088]

[Logan]

Selection Post Week 6
Option 1


Secrets of a Summer Night
Pages: 384 Kindle 1st ed.
How it fits: Kindle edition published 10/13/2009 ("00")

[*book:Secrets of a Summer Night|6587379]

[Logan]

Completion Post Week 6
Option 1


[*book:Secrets of a Summer Night|6587379]
Pages: 384 Kindle 1st ed.
Finished: 10/11/20
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I have been meaning to go back and start this series ever since I read the first Hathaways book and realized these took place first in the chronology. I had been putting it off because I wasn't crazy about Mine Til Midnight and worried that maybe I just wasn't a Kleypas fan. But I have since read a few of her other books and was in the mood for a historical so it was good timing that Ezi spotted this one and picked it for me.

I loved the setup of a woman on the verge of losing everything, even with the creepy old suitor tropes leering about. I will say that considering how desperate their situation, it made it a little weird how much she steadfastly refused to consider Simon as a marriage prospect. I know, I know, he's not a peer and all, but for someone who had to watch her mother prostitute herself and was having a hard time affording decent food, it seemed strange that she was still so laser focused on the aristocracy when money was the biggest hurdle they faced. I think I just wished that Kleypas had better shown how important it was for Annabelle to cling to that last rung of good society because she seemed to truly entertain the idea of being a mistress but yet marrying a wealthy businessman is beyond the pale?

I very much enjoyed seeing a historical that explored the end of the peerage and the start of industrialization, particularly in their visit to Paris. It was fascinating to see Annabelle's horizons broaden and learn more about the world and how it was changing outside the stodgy British society she was used to. And I LOVED Lillian and Daisy and Evie and can't wait to keep reading their stories.

[Logan]

Completion Post - Week 5
Option 1


[*book:Probable Claws|36213902]
Pages: 424 Kindle 1st ed.
Finished: 10/10/20
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I admit that I mostly keep reading this series for nostalgia. Brown has made the latest books more interesting by bringing in the historical narrative with new characters, but now I find myself feeling disconnected from the vast side characters she had spent so much time developing in the present. We hardly ever hear from BoomBoom, Alicia, Big Mim, or Miranda anymore. We get the mandatory Coop and Susan, and now we see much more of the more recently introduced folks like Tazio. I realize that after 27 books we can't expect to have the same people every time, but don't let us forget them either!

The mystery was...fine. The events happening in the historical side were much more engaging. Unfortunately in this book those events didn't have a nice neat parallel to the present day crime which made it feel disjointed. Why am I stuck reading two different and seemingly unrelated books? She mentions in the afterward that the next book is basically a continuation of sorts so we'll see if I get more clarity. This is a nice series to keep in my back pocket when I need a quick and easy read, but I end up using it mostly to fill challenge slots at this point more than reading it because I enjoy the story.

[CB]

Selection Post - Week 6
Option 1 - Read a book with a publication date with double numbers within that date.


Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley
[*book:Sweet Dreams|11227040]
Pages: 657 (GR)
How it qualifies: Kindle edition published April 23, 2011

[LaurLa]

Completion Post ~~ Week 6
Option 1


Call: 11. The National Geographic magazine has been published continuously since its first issue on September 22, 1888.
Task: Read a book with a publication date with double numbers within that date
Book: Love Handles
Pages: 365 (GR kindle)
How it fits: Published April 24th 2011
Date Read: 10.11 ★★★★
Review:
This was new author for me and I did enjoy it. There were times I got angry with the heroine because I thought she was being unfair but it fit with the story and didn't drag out, so it didn't frustrate me. Even though was basically insta-love trope, it didn't feel forced. The author did a good job bringing the reader along. I'll definitely look to see what else the author had done lately.

[CB]

Completion Post - Week 6


Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley
Date Completed: 10/11/2020
Rating 4⭐️

I had to think about this one a bit - I did like this book, especially with it being a classic KA romance, but I didn’t love it like most other reviewers and my GR friends. I really liked both Lauren and Tate and their romance ended up being both sexy and sweet, but there were things about them both that I didn’t like. In the very beginning when he called her behind her back an “old, fat, sorry-assed bitch” - I’m sorry, but how do you come back from that, especially when you don’t really apologize for that comment? I also will never understand how Tate did not call Lauren when he was gone for a month, no text, no nothing, and after one kiss and that vague “when I come back you’ll be on the back of my bike” it was supposed to be understood that they were going to be together? I don’t blame Lauren at all for dating Wood in his absence as Tate was a real d*** in the beginning.

And I know it’s a typical KA storyline thread for the heroine to have her “posse”, but come on, does everyone in town automatically have to either immediately want to be her best friend, or if they’re a guy, be in love with her? Even the guy she dated like 20 years ago? When that scene was unrolling, I was like, seriously? I was so over this insta-love from everyone, even Tate’s cat. Another typical KA item is the overly detailed descriptions of the heroine’s clothes, which in most books are usually described as “kick-ass” - I noticed that while we had the deep detailed clothing descriptions here they were not described as “kick-ass” because they most definitely were not - Lauren is 42 and supposed to be this hot “MILF”, and yet KA has her dressing like a grandmother back in the 80s. And I know this is an earlier work by the author, but the base level of how the individuals in this book spoke, especially Tate, drove me nuts - they were college educated and yet the vocabulary and sentences spoke more like 6th grade education level, which bothered me. Lastly, this book did not need to be 657 pages - it had too much filler and was just way too long.

So even though I did just point out a number of things about this book that I didn’t like or that bothered me, as I mentioned at the beginning of my post I did overall like this book and enjoyed Tate and Lauren’s romance - just too many other things (in this very long book) that detracted from my complete enjoyment of it.

[Shinnie]

Completion Post - Week 6
Option 1


Book: Bringing Down the Duke
[*book:Bringing Down the Duke|46005031]
Pages: Kindle Edition, 368 pages
How it qualifies: The hardcover edition Thorndike Press was published on March 11th 2020 (11) (can be verified here: Bringing Down the Duke)
Date Completed: 14/10/2020
Rating: 5⭐️ (that's right!)
Review: Back once again to my favorite romance genre. Five stars for this book. It had all the ingredients to get me hooked: A mean, lean man with a heart of gold and the right principles while still leaving some room for character growth and improvement and a strong female lead who doesn't feel lessened by finding her true love and marrying.

Personally, I don't find that believing in romantic love and marriage and feminism are mutually exclusive. The build up between them was sharp-minded and witty and it was just the right amount of enemies to lovers to make the steamy attraction even more steamy.

I laughed, I cried. The writing was incredibly smooth and read super easy. If I hadn't confined myself to reading only in the evenings before bed time, I would've finished it in one day.

[LaurLa]

Week 7 CALL


Option 1:
3. A week later, the Disney+ service was expanded to Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.
*Read a book set in Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico or in the broader Caribbean region.

Qualification may be found in precis, main page, tag/shelf or list.


Option 2:
Key date - 15 April 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.


Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week.

[[deleted user]]

May I take the pass on Week 7? I will get my week 6 book completed tomorrow and posted but work is a bit busy this coming week :)

[Shinnie]

Selection Post - Week 7
Option 1


Book: The Silver Rose
[*book:The Silver Rose|17017019]
Pages: ebook, 433 pages
How it qualifies: #9 on Romance in Australia/New Zealand (and/or) Australian/New Zealander Heroes and Heroines, with most of the story set in a small town in New Zealand

[CB]

Sarah {The Bookish Knitter} wrote: "May I take the pass on Week 7? I will get my week 6 book completed tomorrow and posted but work is a bit busy this coming week :)"

That’s fine with me 👍

[LaurLa]

Sarah {The Bookish Knitter} wrote: "May I take the pass on Week 7? I will get my week 6 book completed tomorrow and posted but work is a bit busy this coming week :)"

No problem, Sarah. I hope the week goes well for you! Can you please post your intention to use it as an official Selection Post?

Just FYI for all of us: Using the pass this week means, I believe, we cannot use it again since we will have passed the end of the challenge before 5 weeks is up. Which is fine, just a heads up as we move forward,

[LaurLa]

@Shinnie - can you correct Msg 134 to say Completion Post :-)

[LaurLa]

Selection Post ~~ Week 7
Option 1


Call: 3. A week later, the Disney+ service was expanded to Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.
Task: Read a book set in Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico or in the broader Caribbean region
Book: Fighting Redemption
Pages: 348 (GR kindle)
How it fits: #16 Romance in Australia/New Zealand (and/or) Australian/New Zealander Heroes and Heroines

[*book:Fighting Redemption|18304765]

[Logan]

Selection Post - Week 7
Option 2


[ book:It Happened One Autumn|6561363]
Pages: 400 pgs Kindle 1st ed.
How it fits: Shinnie read/rated 4 stars on 7/25/20 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[[deleted user]]

Selection Post - Week 7
Option 3: Pass

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post - Week 6

A Sheriff's Star by Makenna Lee
Date Completed: 10/15/2020
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Review:
This story was so delightful! I absolutely loved it. Tess, Anson and Hannah were all wonderful characters and I am looking forward to getting to meet more characters in this small town.

What I loved, was that these were real situations of what parents with special needs children, need to deal with (hospital visits, surgeries, dealing with other children who are hurtful to their children). The conflict between Anson and Tess was minimal and I liked that the focus was more on Hannah.

The reason that this didn't get a full five stars, and this may seem silly but the cover is misleading. Only the last few pages actually take place at Christmas.

Highly recommend this one!

[Shinnie]

Completion Post - Week 7
Option 1


Book: The Silver Rose
[*book:The Silver Rose|17017019]
Pages: ebook, 433 pages
How it qualifies: #9 on Romance in Australia/New Zealand (and/or) Australian/New Zealander Heroes and Heroines, with most of the story set in a small town in New Zealand
Date Completed: 20/10/2020
Rating: 2⭐️
Review: It's a decent enough read for a witchy story and it kept me curious enough to finish it all the way and it's not as horrible as other books I read, which is why I am giving it two stars instead of one. But in the end, it was just a big old meh and a simply a pile of disappointment. It kept getting better... and then it would just fall flat. So I'm left with an overall sense of meh and ugh.

You can read my full review here, if you're interested. The book was so much meh that I don't blame you if you're not (interested in my full review, that is).

[Shinnie]

LaurLa wrote: "@Shinnie - can you correct Msg 134 to say Completion Post :-)"

So sorry I'm causing you this much work. Insomnia is kicking my butt and I haven't slept properly in over three weeks so my brain is going all derpy.

[CB]

Selection Post - Week 7
Option 2: Read a book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after April, 2020


Written in Red by Anne Bishop
[*book:Written in Red|15989350]
Pages: 514 (GR)
How it qualifies: Shinnie read on 10/9/2020 and rated 4 stars

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Logan wrote: "Selection Post - Week 8
Option 2


[ book:It Happened One Autumn|6561363]
Pages: 400 pgs Kindle 1st ed.
How it fits: Shinnie read/rated 4 stars on 7/25/20..."

Hi Logan - could you please update your post to Week 7?

You've jumped ahead a week 🤣

[Logan]

Haha whoops! Updated!

[Logan]

Completion Post - Week 7
Option 2


It Happened One Autumn
Pages: 400 pgs Kindle 1st ed.
Finished: 10/22/20
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I just love Lillian! It’s so much fun watching her liven up the stuffy aristocrats. I was expecting more obstacles in their path along the way, and the big one at the end felt a bit rushed, but still an entertaining story. I have some mixed feelings on the way their first time came about, but the aftermath made it clear everyone was satisfied so I tried not to harp on it myself. Great series but I’m nervous for book 3 based on this ending!