R12: SSS Team 3 - The Dewey Decimators

[Library]

I can't find the right one! I think the ebook I read had 192? I can't prove it though, I'm sorry. It was just as long as the other ones I've read for this challenge, I don't know why it's coming up so few pages. I don't know what to do. I didn't even double check the page count, because it seemed to be the same length.

[Library]

If it's no good, I can read something else real quick tomorrow. I read pretty fast.

[Suzanne]

Completion Post
Week 6, Thursday Roll



How it works: Set at a boarding school
10/25/20
5 stars

This book was amazing! It's set in a boarding school for neglected kids in Australia and the main character is there because she was abandoned by her mother at 11 years old. I really enjoyed it because there is a mystery to uncover and the characters were written really well.

[Denise, Manufacturing Director]

Library wrote: "I can't find the right one! I think the ebook I read had 192? I can't prove it though, I'm sorry. It was just as long as the other ones I've read for this challenge, I don't know why it's coming up..."

Can you find your edition with the page count listed elsewhere, like a retail site or the publisher's website? If so, a link to that will work to confirm that it fits the minimum page requirement.

[Theo]

Week 6, Thursday Roll
Spot: 39

Book: Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
Pages: 444
Qualification: #3 in His Fair Assassin
Finished: 10/25/2020
Rating: 4 stars
Review: The final installment in the trilogy focuses on Annith, who has lived in a convent for as long as she can remember, left on the doorstep as an infant. She longs for the day that she can be sent out into the world to serve as an assassin for St. Mortain, the god of death that the convent serves, but the Abbess has other plans. The three novels in the series can work as standalones, as each focuses on a different servant of Mortain, but Sybella and Ismae, the protagonists from the first two books, show up here and there is tying up of loose ends in their stories as well. A solid ending to the series with mysteries revealed, but it did start off a little slowly before finding its stride. I strongly recommend this series for anyone interested in historical fantasy with strong female leads.

[Theo]

We've all finished reading, but we're waiting on an updated page count for Library's book. I'll check in and roll as soon as either she has found a record of an edition with 140 pages or more, or she has read another book that fits the requirements for this roll.

Thanks!

[Library]

New Completion Post!

Through the Flames: The Kids Risk Their Lives
148 pages
4 stars
10/25/20
How it works: I first read this series a very long time ago, and was curious if it held up well. It did. Even though I jumped in at the third book, it still mostly made sense, and was suspenseful even.

[Library]

Sorry guys!! I just am able to post today, and it might look different since I'm not on my laptop.

[Theo]

No worries! Thanks for getting another book read so quickly!

[Theo]

Week 6, Sunday Roll

Roll: 5
Spot: 44

You can read a #4 or #44 in a series or you can read by an author whose name starts with the letter M.

[Theo]

Week 6, Thursday Roll Team Reviews Post
Spot: 39

Library: Through the Flames: The Kids Risk Their Lives by Jerry B. Jenkins (Left Behind: The Kids #3: Post 157)
Susan A: When She Purrs by Ruby Dixon (Risdaverse #3: Post 148)
Suzanne: On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (Alternate (School): Post 153)
Theo: Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers (His Fair Assassin #3: Post 155)

[Susan A]

Selection Post
Week 6, Sunday Roll

Spot 44:

Say No to the Duke by Eloisa James
# 4 The Wildes of Lindow Castle

[Susan A]

Completion Post
Week 6, Sunday Roll

Spot 44

Say No to the Duke by Say No to the Duke
#4 The Wildes of Lindow Castle
4 stars
10/27/20

Great main characters, wonderful dialogue. But, I think the secondary characters are what has really impressed me with this series. I want to read all of their stories as well.. The Wilde's aunt, Betsy's mother, the juilted suitor's story, his mother's story, the artist etc.

[Theo]

Week 6, Sunday Roll
Selection Post

Spot: 44

Book: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Qualification: #4 in Sherlock Holmes

[Theo]

Week 6, Sunday Roll
Spot: 44

Book: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Pages: 321
Qualification: #4 in Sherlock Holmes
Finished: 10/28/2020
Rating: 4 stars
Review: The fourth book in the Sherlock Holmes series is a collection of 11 short stories, or as Dr. Watson refers to them in The Reigate Puzzle, "this series of sketches." It features some well-known tales, like The Final Problem, and introduces Sherlock's brother Mycroft. It's always fun to find source material for literary references, and I discovered The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time gets it's title from a line in the first story in this collection. The reader gets a glimpse at Sherlock before Watson in a couple of the stories, and it ends with a bang (the planned death of Holmes--which was later undone after the public demanded more Sherlock).

[Susan A]

From the directions:

✸ Halloween Bonus: One point can be earned for reading a Horror/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy book for the roll on 10/27.

I think this bonus is for tonight's roll.

[Library]

Week 6, Sunday Roll
Spot: 44
Completion Post


346 pages
4 stars
10-28-20
How it Works: Author's name starts with M

So this was hilarious. I'd read the first 4 (which were more like short stories?), and became a huge fan of Murderbot. This was the first full length novel, and I was curious if it would hold up since it was so much longer. It was fantastic. It brought back characters from the other books, there were no parts that felt like filler just to make it longer, and it has a great set up for a sequel, which I really, really wanna read.

[Suzanne]

Week 6, Sunday Roll
Spot: 44
Selection Post



338 Pages
How it Works: Author's name starts with M

[Suzanne]

Week 6, Sunday Roll
Spot: 44
Completion Post



338 Pages
How it Works: Author's name starts with M
Date: 10/29/2020
Rating: 3 Stars
Review: Meh, it was alright. I think the internal dialogue was a bit much, but for the most part it was a lot of repeated metaphors and just going on and on and on...

[Theo]

Susan A wrote: "From the directions:

✸ Halloween Bonus: One point can be earned for reading a Horror/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy book for the roll on 10/27.

I think this bonus is for tonight's roll."

I think you're probably right, but I asked in the discussion thread just to make sure!

[Theo]

Week 7, Thursday Roll

Roll: 5
Spot: 49

You can read a #4, #9 or #49 in a series or you can read by an author whose name starts with the letter P.

[Theo]

Week 6, Sunday Roll Team Reviews Post
Spot: 44

Library: Network Effect by Martha Wells (Alternate (Author M): Post 167)
Susan A: Say No to the Duke by Eloisa James (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #4: Post 163)
Suzanne: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Alternate (Author M): Post 169)
Theo: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes #4: Post 165)

[Theo]

Week 7, Thursday Roll
Selection Post

Spot: 49

Book: Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Qualification: #4 in Caster Chronicles

[Susan A]

Week 7, Thursday
Selection

Spot 49
Atmosphere by Robert Innes

#9, Blake Harte Mysteries series

[Susan A]

Week 7, Thursday
Completion Post

Spot 49

Atmosphere by Robert Innes
#9, Blake Harte Mysteries
10/29/20
4 stars

This was a re-read for me. Blake Harte solves impossible mysteries. In this installment, Blake needs to figure out how a woman disappeared on stage in front of a crowd. It's all very over the top mysteries, but I enjoy it for what it is. I don't know why I stopped this series, but re-reading this book is definitely giving me the push I needed to continue. I've started book 10 already.

[Theo]

Week 7, Thursday Roll
Spot: 49

Book: Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Pages: 456
Qualification: #4 in Caster Chronicles
Finished: 10/31/2020
Rating: 4 stars
Review: The final installment in the Caster Chronicles wrapped up everything neatly (maybe a little too neatly). After the events at the end of the third book, Ethan finds himself separated from Lena and his only goal is to get back to her. Of course, Lena is fighting just as hard to get him back. During the course of the book, every character makes an appearance and gets a final moment, and sometimes those moments felt forced or too easily resolved. I enjoyed the world-building of this series, and those strengths are still at play here, but this ending was just a little too pat.
Bonus: Halloween (Paranormal Romance)

[Library]

Week 7, Thursday Roll
Spot: 49 Completion Post


313 pages
4 stars
How it Works: Name starts with P

This was the #2 in the series, and thankfully it brought the story back to Three Pines, because this lovely little town with it's weird residents is fantastic. I guessed the murderer, but then got totally fooled into thinking it was someone else! Fantastic. I can't wait to read the next one.

[Theo]

Week 7, Thursday Roll Team Reviews Post
Spot: 49

Library: A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny (Alternate (Author P): Post 177)
Susan A: Atmosphere by Robert Innes (Blake Harte Mysteries #9: Post 175)
Suzanne: Flip This Zombie by Jesse Petersen (Alternate (Author P): Post 180)
Theo: Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (Caster Chronicles #4: Post 176) Earned 1 Bonus Point: Halloween

[Theo]

It looks like we're still waiting on Suzanne's review. I'm off to bed. I will check in again in the morning!

[Suzanne]

Week 7, Thursday Roll
Spot: 49 Completion Post



Flip This Zombie by Jesse Petersen
250 pages
4 stars
How it Works: Name starts with P

I haven't picked up this series in awhile, it was humorous. It's about a husband and wife team who take out zombies.

[Theo]

Week 7, Sunday Roll

Roll: 4
Spot: 53

You can read a #3, #5 or #53 in a series or you can read by an author whose name starts with the letter O.

[Theo]

Hey team! Just a reminder to be careful with your completion posts. From the game rules:

★ Review posts MUST include the following: Book title, author, cover, how it qualifies for the spot you're on, date finished, rating, review (min. 3 sentences)

[Theo]

Week 7, Sunday Roll
Selection Post

Spot: 53

Book: Ya Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells
Qualification: #3 in Ya Yas

[Susan A]

Theo wrote: "Hey team! Just a reminder to be careful with your completion posts. From the game rules:

★ Review posts MUST include the following: Book title, author, cover, how it qualifies for the spot you're ..."

Yikes. I fixed mine. Only one was correct.

[Susan A]

Selection Post
Week 7, Sunday Roll

Spot 53

The Brigadier's Runaway Bride
#5 The Dukes of War
204 pages

(This should earn a bonus point for 3 books in one series if we haven't already earned it. See post 44 and 63)

[Susan A]

Completion Post

Week 7, Sunday Roll

Spot 53

The Brigadier's Runaway Bride by Erica Ridley
#5 The Dukes of War
11/1/20
3 stars

Sarah's brief visit with her lover Edmund results in pregnancy. When Edmund is reported dead in battle, Edmund's friend proposes marriage in order to save Sarah and her child from ruin. Edmund, not dead, interrupts the wedding before the final I do.
Most of the book actually focuses on the birth of the twins and the newly married, new parents adjustments to their new life. The drama of the almost wedding was really rather unnecessary, but as it was set up in the previous books, I guess it had to happen. Like the rest of this series, this book was acceptable. Not terrible and not great.

[Library]

Completion Post
Week 7, Sunday Roll
Spot 53


Fairest by Marissa Meyer
11-1-20
4 Stars
How it Works: #3.5 in a series

I admit I don't normally like villain origin stories, so I left this for the very last instead of reading it in order. I'm glad that the author didn't try to make her sympathetic, even though she had a tragic backstory, she left her nasty. It did fill in some of the details. Even though I'm giving this 4 stars, if I reread this series, I think I'll skip this one.

[Suzanne]

Week 7, Sunday Roll
Selection Post: Spot: 53



Book: My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Qualification: author whose name starts with the letter O
Pages: 226

[Suzanne]

Week 7, Sunday Roll
Completion Post: Spot: 53



Book: My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Qualification: author whose name starts with the letter O
Pages: 226

Date: 11/4/2020
Rating: *****
Review: Darkly funny, if you have a dark sense of humor. What would you do if your sister called you and said she murdered someone? How would you measure your loyalty for your family?

[Theo]

I finished my book, but I'm still adjusting to falling back and am exhausted! I'll post my review and roll tomorrow morning (EST).

[Theo]

Week 7, Sunday Roll
Spot: 53

Book: Ya Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells
Pages: 400
Qualification: #3 in Ya Yas
Finished: 11/4/2020
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This final installment in the Ya-Yas series fills in some gaps with an array of stories stretching from the Ya-Yas first meetings as children to stories of the Walker family children. These stories tend to have a happier tone than those included in Little Altars Everywhere, though drama should be the Ya-Yas middle names. I listened to this one on audio and I enjoyed the narrator's voices for each character.

[Theo]

Week 7, Sunday Roll Team Reviews Post
Spot: 53

Library: Fairest by Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles 3.5: Post 187)
Susan A: The Brigadier's Runaway Bride by Erica Ridley (The Dukes of War #5: Post 186) Earned 1 Bonus Point: 3 Books from 1 Series
Suzanne: My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (Alternate (Author O): Post 189)
Theo: Ya Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells (Ya Yas #3: Post 191)

[Theo]

Week 8, Thursday Roll

Roll: 4
Spot: 57

You can read a #5, #7 or #57 in a series or you can read a book with a yellow or gold cover (TinEye Labs).

[Theo]

Week 8, Thursday Roll
Selection Post

Spot: 57

Book: Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
Qualification: #5 in The Spellmans

[Susan A]

Week 8, Thursday Roll
Selection Post

Spot 57

Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa James
#5 The Wildes of Lindow Castle

[Susan A]

Completion Post
Week 7, Thursday

Spot 57

Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa James
#5 The Wildes of Lindow Castle
11/5/20
3 stars

I enjoyed this book overall, but I was very disappointed with the development of the character, Viola. In the beginning of the book, the part I most enjoyed, Viola struggled with serious social anxiety. Years of it. Her sister mentions a phrase to she should use when she starts to feel anxious, and Viola meets Devon and she is magically cured of her social anxiety and becomes exactly like ever other member of the Wilde family. So the Viola in the beginning of the book is not at all the Viola at the end of the book. It wasn't a gradual change; it just seemed like an entire new character. In addition, once Viola gets married the sex scenes are numerous and way too long. I was wondering if the author realized she was about 30 -40 pages too short so she decided to add sex scenes to make up the difference.

[Theo]

Hope the reading is going well for those that are still reading. I'm too tired to stay up to roll tonight, so I'll post my review and roll in the morning (if everyone's reviews are in). Good night!

[Library]

Completion Post
Week 7, Thursday Spot 57


The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
288 pages
5 stars
11-7-20
How it Works: #7 in the series

So the good news is, I didn't get horribly depressed and swear I would never read it again like I did when I was 16.

In fact, while this time I was still saddened that it was over, I actually really think there was no way for it to end except this way. The ending was truly beautiful, and the last few sentences were gorgeous. So even though this is my least favorite Narnia book, I'm still rating it 5 stars.

[Theo]

Week 8, Thursday Roll
Spot: 57

Book: Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
Pages: 384
Qualification: #5 in The Spellmans
Finished: 11/7/2020
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Another fun installment in The Spellmans series! This mystery series is much more about the development of the characters, and I've enjoyed every moment that I've spent with them. In this one, the family are assigned to three different basic surveillance tasks, but things are more than they seem, and of course, Izzy can't let it go. She'll do whatever she can to figure out what all her other family members are hiding about the cases and about their lives (but also try to keep her personal life and extracurricular investigations a secret from them).

[Theo]

Week 8, Thursday Roll Team Reviews Post
Spot: 57

Library: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia 7: Post 198)
Susan A: Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa James (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #5: Post 196)
Suzanne: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig (Pink Carnation #5: Post 202)
Theo: Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (The Spellmans #5: Post 199)