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R12: SSS Team 2 - Love 2 Read
Mod
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Spot: 7
Book: A Noble Radiance by Donna Leon
Qualification: Commissario Brunetti #7
Pages: 277
Finished: 20 Sep 2020
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
When workmen discover the decomposed body of a young man buried near a house undergoing renovations outside Venice, a ring with the crest of an aristocratic Venetian family leads Brunetti to reopen an unsolved kidnapping case from two years earlier.
For once with one of these books, I not only didn't see the ending coming, I actually did a doubletake and re-read a couple of pages because "Wait, what happened?". A good read as always, though admittedly not one of my favourites from the series thus far.
I love it too!And wow Denise - you are super super speedy!
Completion PostSpot: 7
Book:
Sprinkled in Malice by Catherine Bruns
Pages: 296
Date Read: 9/22/2020
How it qualifies: #7 in Cookies & Chance Mystery; published in 2019 for the 2 in 1 bonus
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review: I bought this at some point a few months ago when it was on sale, and it's the first I've read of the series, but I plan on going back and reading the others (although I guess I'll know about a few relationships/plot points). As often happens with cozy mysteries, it's the characters that made the story rather than the mystery. There are TWO Italian grandmothers, a best friend, and some super whacky parents.. And there were some very funny scenes, although most was pretty much the standard cozy of talking to friends and family and eating delicious food. 3.5 stars, bumped up because of the scene at the strop club, which was super funny and cringeworthy.
I wish I were more organized so that I could make a cookbook out of all the recipes I see in books. I think it'd be amazing. Maybe in another life :)
I sent a message to Tamie-Lee just in case. It's a new schedule for all of us since it's just week one! Ezi has been on since the last roll, so I won't send her one yet.
I sent a message to Ezinwanyi. I'm not comfortable sending another message to Tamie-Lee since I just sent one this morning. I don't know that we'll get to roll tonight, but I could be surprised! Worst case we can use our free pass, but I hate using it week 1! Anyway - I'll keep an eye on the thread :)
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Roll 2: Spot 7
Title: The Wrong Highlander by Lynsay Sands
Qualification: Book 7, Highlander Brides
Pages: 384 pages
Lol well that'd sure be easy to do given all the threads you're dealing with. Welcome "home" Ezinwanyi!
Mod
Roll 2: Spot 7
Title: The Wrong Highlander by Lynsay Sands
Qualification: Book 7, Highlander Brides
Pages: 384 pages
Read: 9/23
Rating & Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this one. It has family, betrayal, romance and suspense.
Lady Evina was afraid her father was dying so she set off to bring the renowned healer Rory Buchanan to tend to her father. But in her haste, they kidnapped the wrong brother, Conran and brought him to their keep.
Conran knew enough of Rory’s herbs and routines to heal the MacLean Laird. Conran also formed an attachment to Evina but she did not want to marry him or anyone else. She didn’t want to be under a man’s command. So it was up to Conran to show her that she could still be herself and be his wife.
So began the lesson in seduction!
I liked both Evina and Conran. They are loyal, self-sacrificing and kind. It was delightful taking the journey with them because they had chemistry in spades. I also enjoyed the meddling MacLean Laird. I could totally see what he was doing so I’m shocked none of them figured it out. Both families together was the best part of the story.
I have to go back and read the ones I skipped
Awesome! Now we just need Tamie-Lee :)
Mod
Thank you for the reminder. I think I keep going into group 3 because of the notifications. But I hope I have unchecked the box so I should only be getting notifications from this thread.
Oh that'd do it! It's so hard to keep track - and they are all familiar too - AND playing the same game.
Mod
Hopefully Tamie-lee will show up soon. too.
Hi, I'm just about done and will post my review shortly :)
Mod
Hopefully Tamie-lee will show up soon. too."
Don’t forget our name :)
Oh yes - I'll post our new name too! Sorry I forgot all about that. Actually, I remembered often - every time I wasn't near a computer :)
Mod
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I'll be gone for about an hour and then here for a bit, then working mid afternoon to 10 p.m.. So if I'm not here when Tamie-Lee posts and one of you wants to roll, I can do the check-in later.
Ok I need to head to school soon. I'll at least take a look on my phone during office hours, and will roll if we can and if nobody else has rolled already.I get home about 10 Central time. I'll probably want (and need!) to check us in right after that - hopefully we won't need to use the free pass, but if we do, is this an appropriate place to use it?
I'm really not sure what to do and am honestly pretty stressed - but I suspect a lot of that is just transferring stress from life onto this .
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Can you please let us know your status?
Sorry, I'm opposite timezone and just got out of bed. I have about 100 pages to go, which won't take me long. I'll have my review in before the deadline I promise. I'm so sorry for cutting it so close, I'm a volunteer wildlife fosterer and duckling season just began, so I've had my hands so full of ducklings I haven't had time to read.
I have a few things to wrap up at school then will be home and can check us in when Tamie Lee finishes, if you bother two need to go to bed. Thanks so much for covering for me Ezi!! I was so much less stressed during class
COMPLETION POST (Week 1)Roll 2: Spot 7
Title: Dark Gods (Academy of the Gods #1) by River Ramsey
Qualification: Published in 2019
Pages: 161 pages
Read: 9/24
Rating & Review: 3.5/5 stars
To begin with I found the gods quite jarring, as I was somehow expecting demigods as opposed to the actual Greek and Norse gods re-written as petty teenagers/adolescents in an academy setting. But the concept certainly grew on me.
It took a while for me to gel with the main character (Kore/Persephone) and there hasn't been a lot of character development yet that I've noticed. The characters just don't seem very well fleshed out, a bit one-dimensional. But it's the first book in the series, so hopefully there is some character development in the future that isn't just the stock-standard "bullies somehow fall in love/lust with protagonist and she immediately forgives them their shitty behaviour to jump in the sack." But I'm not holding out too much hope...
Mod
No. Rolled: 4
Previous Spot: 7
Current Spot: 11
Bonus Points Earned: 0
Bonus Points Used:0
Book To Read: #1 or 11 in series
Alternate Read #11: Romance
Thank you! Yay we can choose a book :) I so appreciate you Ezinwanyi!
Week:1 Roll 2
Roll: 4
Previous Spot: 3
Current Spot: 7
Bonus Points Earned: 1 2 -in-one #7 in series and published in 2019
Bonus Points Used:0
To Read
#7 in series
Alternate: 7. Published 2019
Reviews
Suzanne Sprinkled in Malice
Note: Earns 2 in 1 bonus point
Ezinwanyi The Wrong Highlander
DeniseA Noble Radiance
Tamie-LeeDark Gods
Sorry - that is a duplicate from Message 49, which includes Tami-Lee's book. It won't let me edit any of my old posts - darn Goodreads!Going to check us in the "spot" thread
Mod
Roll 1: Spot 11
Title: The Artist by Elin Peer
Qualification: Book 11, Men of the North
Pages: 384 pages
Selection Post (Week 2 )Spot: 11
Title Dying for Devil's Food by Jenn McKinlay
Qualification: Book 11, Cupcake Bakery Mystery
Pages: 288
Mod
I'm so sorry for cutting it so c..."
Ducklings! That's definitely the most adorable reason for not having time to read. :)
Mod
Having the same problem right now - someone remind me we earned a bonus point later so I can get our first post updated.
SELECTION POST (Week 2)Roll 1: Spot 11
Title: Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Qualification: Book 1, Book of the Ancestor
Pages: 469 pages
Oh I loved that book. I hope you enjoy it too! And yes, good luck with the ducklings. Baby animals are so cute, and ducklings are among the cutest.
Mod
Spot: 11
Book: The Last Kiss by Sally Malcolm
Qualification: Standalone
Pages: 254"
Can we read stand-alones for #1?
Mod
It'd be pretty embarassing if I forgot my own rules like that. 😂
Mod
Spot: 11
Book: The Last Kiss by Sally Malcolm
Qualification: Standalone
Pages: 254
Finished: 25 Sep 2020
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
I don't say this often, even with romance books I thoroughly enjoy, but: Oh, the feels. This one just has longing, heartache and despair dripping off the pages. Set in the aftermath of World War I, it captures both the brutality of war, with all the longlasting trauma and tragedy that comes with it and the struggles of returning soldiers to fit back among those who can never fully comprehend what they have experienced amidst the slaughter, and the tenderness and wonder of falling deeply in love. Heartbreaking and uplifting in turns, an emotional rollercoaster that grips you and doesn't let go. Sure, it was pretty obvious how it would all turn out as soon as the characters had all been introduced, but that didn't in any way detract from the powerful impact of all the strong emotions Sally Malcolm masterfully elicits. I absolutely need to be reading more of her books.
Week: 2 (Thursday)No. Rolled: 4
Previous Spot: 7
Current Spot: 11
Bonus Points Earned: 1 (Week 1 roll 2)
Bonus Points Used:0
Book To Read: #1 or 11 in series
Alternate Read #11: Romance
Reviews:
Denise : The Last Kiss
Suzanne: Dying for Devils Food
Ezinwanyi The Artist
Tamie-Lee All Systems Red
Just prepping for our turn-in. I'm out of town and surrounded by people! But I'll have my book done this evening :)
I finished my book & will do my review later once I am home
Completion Post Week 2 Thursday Roll (roll 1)
Spot: 11
Book: Dying for Devil's Food by Jenn McKinlay
Pages: 288
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I've always liked the Cupcake Bakery series, and I'm enjoying it more as the series goes on because the love triangle is gone. This one addresses bullying when Mel and Angie go to their high school reunion. A girl, who was really over the top mean, is killed, and of course they investigate. My only issue is having a hard time believing some of the things that were said by people without someone interfering. However, I know that happens in real life too, which is pretty awful. Anyway, this was pretty much what I expected - great descriptions of cupcakes, friendship, and an ok mystery.
I'm at my Dad's and have lots of family around. Anyway, I know everyone has seen the roll, so I'll watch for completions and roll soon as they are all in. Good luck everyone - hope you are having a nice weekend!
Mod
Roll 1: Spot 11
Title: The Artist by Elin Peer
Qualification: Book 11, Men of the North
Pages: 316 pages
Read: 9/26
Rating & Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoy this series. I admit that I had some trepidation of the series continuing with the next generation but I should have know the author wouldn’t let me down.
This book features Mason, son of Magni and Laura, who is part of a five member delegation sent to meet with five members of the Motland as well as European Delegation.
We learn that some Europeans survived the Toxic Wars but made no attempt to make contact with the rest of world.
Mason met Belle, one of the European delegates and he immediately felt protective of her.
Over the years, the reader watches as Mason and Belle grow closer and we also see Mason in action when a tragedy strikes.
The writing is top notch as usual and the humor in this series remains the same. Mason is a good mix of Laura and Magni. I liked his leadership. This is a series you have to read in order. The evolution of the characters and the plot is a continuation from each book.
The Challenge Factory
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Spot: 7
Book: A Noble Radiance by Donna Leon
Qualification: Commissario Brunetti #7
Pages: 277