R12: SS Team 1 - Alices in 1derland

[[deleted user]]

We can roll in about 12 minutes, right? Is anyone else around to roll? I'm up late tonight, so I can roll if no one else is awake.

[[deleted user]]

I rolled 5 + 5 = 10
New spot: 44
Alternate: Author 'M'

[Geri]

Thank you, Talia! I wasn’t awake at midnight. I have checked us in for the week now.

[Geri]

Week 5 Tracking Post
Spot: 44


✔️Melissa’s Review Post
✔️Steph’s Review Post
✔️Talia’s Review Post
✔️Louise’s Review Post
✔️Plethora’s Review Post
✔️Geri’s Review Post

[Steph]

Selection Post
Week 5
Spot 44



Qualification: author M

[[deleted user]]

I’ll be reading Beyond the Sky (Above the Sky #4).

[~Melissa~]

Week 5 Selection Post: Spot 44


Common Goal by Rachel Reid
282 pgs/GR

#4 Game Changers series
** Will earn 1 bonus point for reading a series start to finish - four books in the series
[ book:Common Goal|52739475]

[~Melissa~]

Week 5 Completion Post: Spot 44


Common Goal by Rachel Reid
282 pgs/GR

#4 Game Changers series
** Earns 1 bonus point for reading a series start to finish - four books in the series - all published have been read now

Finished 10/18/20
Rating 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

Review: Kyle the flirty bartender from book 1 gets his story. This takes place approx 2 years after Scott and Kip's book ends. Scott tends to spend time at The Kingfisher - the gay bar where his fiance works. Many of his teammates join him in support when he goes. One of them is, goalie Eric Bennett. Unbeknowst to all is the fact that Eric is bisexual. He has always known he was attracted to men but he fell in love with his ex wife in college and never attempted anything with men. This was definitely a slow burn(ish) type of book. Kyle has noticed Eric during his times at the bar and he has a thing for older men but he figures Eric is straight. Eric is attracted to Kyle but thinks he is too young for him. Lots of push/pull in this one on this one fact. Kyle has reason to be gun shy about the age factor. However, they decide to begin a friends with benefits arrangement to try all things male. Takes a while for these two to get on the same page. Watching Eric's introduction to sex with men was HOT. Flirty bossy Kyle is a thing to watch. Ms Reid has two more books planned for this series but neither have release dates at this time. I'm looking forward to the next in the series as it will be about one of Ryan's old teammates from book 3 - one of the homophobic assholes who made comments so that should be interesting to see where it goes. It was slightly touched on during this book.

[~Melissa~]

On a side note - listening to all of them. She changed the narrator for this one and .....it wasn't good. Everyone had the same 'voice' and Ilya made a cameo or two ......and no accent. Not sure what she will do with the next two books. Hoping she gets a better narrator or goes back to the original narrator.

[Geri]

Completion Post

Week 5

Spot: 44
Book: Crystal Cove - Lisa Kleypas
Qualification: book 4 in Friday Harbor series
Finished: 10/18
Rating: 4 ⭐️

Review:

I did like this sweet, light contemporary romance series. A bit of paranormal magic is added in book 4, as Justine has been raised a pagan witch. Justine and Jason could definitely bicker. But there was plenty of sexual heat too. And a humorous scene where Justine brewed a distancing spell for Jason. And ended up making Jason uber hot with lust instead. LOL Surprisingly, this was the book I enjoyed the most in this series.

[Louise]

]Going to read The Plastic Magician

[Plethora]

Selection Post
Week 5: Spot 44


Book: Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits
Author: A.L. Herbert
Pages: 272
Fits: # 4 of Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery Series

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post
Week 5 - Spot 44

Book: Beyond the Sky
Author: J.W. Lynne
Qualification: Above the Sky #4 **I have read this entire series during this challenge. Also qualifies for reading 3 books in one series.**
Date read: 10/21/20
Rating: ★★★★
Review: This book wraps up the Above the Sky dystopian series and it was a good finale. Almost all my questions were answered and truths were revealed. It was a little odd that a lot of truths were revealed in one info dump in the last chapter, but I'm just happy that we got answers. I still feel like there was more to Miss Teresa that could have been explored. I don't feel like we got the whole truth about why she behaved so oddly. But overall it was a good story and a good ending to the series.

[Plethora]

Completion Post
Week 5: Spot 44


Book: Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits
Author: A.L. Herbert
Pages: 272
Fits: # 4 of Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery Series

Read: 10/21/2020
Rating: 3
Review: Meh, I just did not really find myself caring much for this one, which doesn't happen often with cozies. Generally I'm able to lap them up as sugar, being easy and fun to read. This just seemed to drag on.

[Louise]

Completion Post
Week 5: Space: 44

The Plastic Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
Pages: 233
How It Fits: #4 The Paper Magician
Date Read: 10/21
Rating: 4*

Review
This is the 4th in The Paper Magician series and follows the story of Alvie as she begins her apprentice as a polymaker with Magician Marion Praff. I enjoyed this book and love the world building that depicts magic as 'normal'. I really enjoyed that the "new" branch of magic is something that we take for granted although the villain element of the story was lacking a little. Alvie's and her mentor's absorption in trying to discover the next invention was refreshing in an odd sort of way. It will be good to read more of Alvie's journey and to see how her blossoming romance progresses.

[Steph]

Completion post
Week 5; space 44
Me Before You
How it fits: author M
Date read: 10/22
Rating: 4 stars
Review
I wasn't immediately sucked into this book or else I probably would've given it the five stars that it built up to. It was definitely a little touchy at some points and it really makes you think about how the way you're acting in public reflects onto people without you even realizing. It turned into one of the most emotional books that I've one read this year.

[Geri]

Week 6 Dice Roll is 7. Current spot 51. Alternate option published in 2017-2018.

[Geri]

Week 6 Tracking Post
Spot: 51

✔️Melissa’s Review Post
✔️Steph’s Review Post
✔️Talia’s Review Post
✔️Louise’s Review Post
✔️Plethora’s Review Post
✔️Geri’s Review Post

[~Melissa~]

I’m going with Unconditional by Lexi Blake
I’ll do the whole correct completion selection post when I’m on a computer later today

[Steph]

selection post
week 5 spot 51

The Gathering

Fits: 1st in the series

[[deleted user]]

I'll be reading Ruined by Amy Tintera (Ruined #1).

[~Melissa~]

Week 6 Selection Post: Spot 51


Unconditional by Lexi Blake
149 pgs/GR

# 5.5 Masters & Mercenaries series

[ book:Unconditional|20496280]

[~Melissa~]

Week 6 Completion Post: Spot 51


Unconditional by Lexi Blake
149 pgs/GR

# 5.5 Masters & Mercenaries series

Finished: 10/23/2020 3 stars

Review: Ashley and Keith aren't MC's within the series - they are on the periphery. Ashley is Jill's sister, who is married to Dom in Residence Ryan Church. Keith happens to be Ryan's business associate. This one was just okay for me. I never really warmed up to Keith. Both Ashley and Keith have issues to deal with. Just seemed that what Keith was dealing with would have been better served if it was a full length novel vs novella. We get to see others from the main novels and I swear Ian Taggart is a match maker - for someone who doesn't like to talk feelings he sure does get up in everyone's business and push people together, lol.

[Steph]

Week 6 completion Post
Spot 51

. The Gathering
How it fits: 1st in series
Rating: 5 stars
Finished: 10/26
Review

This book had everything. It had a mysterious death, high school crushes, mysterious research labs, shape shifting, and of course, a mysterious enemy. I was hoping for a few answers to all of those mysterious things that happened, but nonetheless it leaves you wanting more. The end of this book left me questioning what happens next and I can't wait to pick up the next in the series.

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post
Week 6 - Spot 51

Book: Ruined by Amy Tintera
Qualification: Book #1 in Ruined series
Date read: 10/27/20
Rating: ★★★★
Review: Em replaces Princess Mary and marries Prince Cas in order to infiltrate the royal family and find out where they have been holding her sister Olivia, the heir to the Ruined people, the Ruined being people who have magical abilities. The Ruined are hunted and killed for no real reason other than to eliminate humans who have an extra edge over "regular" humans. Em tries to make Cas see how wrong this is without blowing her cover while also unexpectedly falling in love with him.

This was a good fantasy novel. The best part was all the excitement in the battle at the end of the book. It set things up for a very interesting book #2, so I'm looking forward to continuing on with this series.

[Plethora]

Selection Post
Week 6: Spot 51


Book: The Solace of Bay Leaves
Author: Leslie Budewitz
Pages: 248
Fits: # 5 of A Spice Shop Mystery Series

[Plethora]

Completion Post
Week 6: Spot 51


Book: The Solace of Bay Leaves
Author: Leslie Budewitz
Pages: 248
Fits: # 5 of A Spice Shop Mystery Series

Read: 10/27/2020
Rating: 3
Review: This was ok probably a 3.5, it seemed to drag on a bit more than some cozies. Had all the elements typically found though. The owners spice shop played very little into the story. I've read book 1, if i recall the shop played a bigger role and i enjoyed book 1 more....

[Louise]

Completon Post
Week 6
Space: 51

Just for the Holidays by Sue Moorcroft
Pages: 369
Date Read: 10/27
Ratng: 3*

Review
This was a nice easy read if not a little predictable. Melissa and Alistair have separated but have for the sake of their teenage children gone on their family holiday to France. Melissa pregnant with her lover's baby convinces her sister, Leah, to join them to act as a buffer and help her with the kids. They become friendly with their neighbours a divorced Father and son and the families become inseperable. When Melissa disappears with her lover and Alistar is hospitalised, Leah steps in to fulfil the role of mum and dad with the help of Ronin, where she realises that the choices she has made in life have not exactly been her choices.

[Geri]

Completion Post - Week 6
Spot: 51
Book: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Qualification: standalone, 560 pages
Finished: 10/28
Rating: 5⭐️

Review:
This was a great story! Addie has sold her soul to the devil. And in return she gets to live her life without restraints and for as long as she wants to live. But she has been cursed to be forgotten as soon as she walks away. But 300 years later, Henry remembers her...

This was a romantic and emotional story. I was very curious to find out why Henry was able to remember Addie. In the end, this was essentially a “be careful what you wish for” tale. It was very well done.

[Geri]

Week 7 dice roll is 9. Current spot 60. Alternate option: Europe.

[Geri]

Week 7 Tracking Post
Spot: 60

✔️Melissa’s Review Post
✔️Steph’s Review Post
✔️Talia’s Review Post
✔️Louise’s Review Post
✔️Plethora’s Review Post
✔️Geri’s Review Post

[Steph]

Selection Post
Week 7

Every Other Day

Qualification: Standalone

[[deleted user]]

I’ll be reading Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6).

Edit: I might switch to The Meaning of Mariah Carey for 0 (standalone).

Another edit: I'm now officially reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for 0 (standalone).

[Geri]

Well, it looks like most of us will be reading a Paranormal for this week. We will definitely earn that bonus point.

Is anyone trying for the never picked an alternate option? We have to wait until we are past 90. But I thought I’d ask.

[[deleted user]]

Geri wrote: "Well, it looks like most of us will be reading a Paranormal for this week. We will definitely earn that bonus point.

Is anyone trying for the never picked an alternate option? We have to wait unti..."

I'm on track to never pick an alternate. I'll keep trying to go for that one.

[~Melissa~]

I'm trying for the never use alternate option as well. I'll have to see how it goes.

[Geri]

Thanks, I’ll check in with you both later, once we are past 90. We will probably use them after 90 to get us closer to or over 100.

[~Melissa~]

Week 7: Spot 60
Selection Post



NoX by Adrienne Wilder
534 pgs/GR
Works for: Halloween Bonus: Fantasy /Paranormal /Shapeshifters / Supernatural
500+ pgs Bonus


[ book:NoX|44779059]

[~Melissa~]

Sorry forgot to put - it's a stand alone for how it fits 60 :)

[Geri]

~Melissa~ wrote: "Week 7: Spot 60
Selection Post



NoX by Adrienne Wilder
534 pgs/GR
Works for: Halloween Bonus: Fantasy /Paranormal /Shapeshifters / Supern..."

I did earn us a bonus for 500 plus page book last week. Sorry. I forgot to mention that. We just need the paranormal for Halloween and never picked the alternate option.

[Geri]

Completion Post

Week 7
Spot: 60
Book: Sunkissed Days
Qualification: book 0.5, 172 pages
Finished: 11/2
Rating: 2 ⭐️

Review:
This was a light, sweet read. It was okay. Not much heat and the sex scenes were non existent. One or two sentences long. LOL But Mallory and Jake could bicker like children. And that isn’t my favorite type of romance. This book is a prequel to book 1. Not sure if I want to continue this series.

[Steph]

Completion Post
Week 7
Spot 60
Every Other Day
Qualification: standalone
Finished: 11/3
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I did not initially expect the amount of paranormal activity in this book as there was, but it worked really well. The story itself has a few good twists that kept pulling me back in, but some things were predictable. I overall enjoyed the book quite a bit, and it was very easy to get through.

[Plethora]

Selection Post
Week 7: Spot 60


Book: French Pressed
Author: Cleo Coyle
Pages: 270
Fits: # 6 of Coffeehouse Mystery Series

[~Melissa~]

Geri wrote: "~Melissa~ wrote: "Week 7: Spot 60
Selection Post



NoX by Adrienne Wilder
534 pgs/GR
Works for: Halloween Bonus: Fantasy /Paranormal /Shap..."

Thanks for letting me kow - somehow I missed that :)

[Plethora]

Geri wrote: "Well, it looks like most of us will be reading a Paranormal for this week. We will definitely earn that bonus point.

Is anyone trying for the never picked an alternate option? We have to wait unti..."

oh, that's an easy one for me. So you can count me for doing no alternate.

[Geri]

Steph wrote: "Completion Post
Week 7
Spot 60
Every Other Day
Qualification: standalone
Finished: 11/3
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I did not initially expect the a..."

Thanks, Steph, for earning the Halloween bonus. I’ll be sure to put you down for that in our next check in.

[Plethora]

Completion Post
Week 7: Spot 60


Book: French Pressed
Author: Cleo Coyle
Pages: 270
Fits: # 6 of Coffeehouse Mystery Series
Read: 11/03/2020
Rating: 4
Review: I enjoy this series, but always do prefer when Madame plays a bigger role, she is a hoot. She had a small part in this one. :( Clare's mission for sleuthing in this one is taken to a whole new level when it isn't just a friend wrongly accused of murder but her own daughter. Her budding romance with Detective Mike Quinn is in jeopardy due to her ex-husband Mateo still crashing in the shared duplex.

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post
Week 6 - Spot 60

Book: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Qualification: Standalone for 0
Date read: 11/04/20
Rating: ★★★★
Review: This story follows a boy who is very logical, well, at least he thinks he is logical, and who doesn't understand social cues who decides to investigate the mysterious killing of a neighbor's dog. I suspected but didn't know for sure that this character has Aspergers syndrome until I looked at the author's Goodreads page after I had finished the book. Aspergers is never mentioned in the book, but this kid is so literal in his conversations with people that he doesn't communicate well with others. Also he screams when anyone touches him, so it was clear that his was not normal behavior. But it was very enlightening seeing how he thought and why he reacted the way he did to different situations. This would be a helpful book to read for anyone who wants to get along better with someone who has Aspergers syndrome. I also liked the way different revelations became clear as the story went on, like things that we only saw through Christopher's eyes were slightly distorted, but then the truth was revealed and cleared things up a bit for the reader. It was like seeing what it was like to be someone with Aspergers. A very interesting storytelling method.

[Louise]

Completion Post - Week 6
Space: 60

Jack & Bet by Sarah Butler
Pages: 272
Date Read: 10/31
Rating: 4*

This was a lovely story told from the viewpoint of Jack & Bet. Two opposites who are still together after many years. Through the narrative we get to know the ups and downs of their marriage and the lengths they will go to to live out their twilight years together in a place to call home despite the meddling of their son Tommy. It will bring a tear to your eye but defnitely a book I'd recommend for a romance with bite

[~Melissa~]

Week 7: Spot 60
Completion Post



NoX by Adrienne Wilder
534 pgs/GR
Stand alone
Works for: Halloween Bonus: Fantasy /Paranormal /Shapeshifters / Supernatural Bonus

Finished 11/5/2020
Rating 4 star overall; 5 star for Kirt Graves narration
Review: this will be short and sweet as I’m not feeling well and can’t really concentrate but don’t want to hold us up. Adrienne Wilder is one of those authors that just pull you right into the story and you drift along for the ride. She managed to make this the perfect amount of creepy to read during Halloween week but still had tender moments.