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R12: SS Team 5 - MI5
I couldn’t get my book done yesterday so it will have to wait until after work. We still have 3 reviews out including mine. I’ll get to reading after work and then check in when I’m done.
Logan wrote: "I couldn’t get my book done yesterday so it will have to wait until after work. We still have 3 reviews out including mine. I’ll get to reading after work and then check in when I’m done."
Sounds good!
Completion Post - Week 4 - Spot 24
Book: Machine City
Author: Scott J. Holliday
How it qualifies: #2 in Detective Barnes series
Date finished: 10/16/2020
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Review: This is a thriller/suspense/mystery with an interesting twist. There is a machine that allows individuals to enter the minds and/or memories of others. In the beginning, it was used to help solve crimes. However there are serious side effects - reliving others memories has became addictive. It can also cause users/addicts to develop a sort of split personality as the person whose memories they access. Ex-detective Barnes is asked to go back into the machine to help find a missing child and the detective working the case who is also now missing. This is a quick read, the storytelling flows, and it has a nice twist without going full sci-fi. 👍
Week 4 Completion PostSpot 24
[*book:The Black Ice|24244]
Series: Harry Bosch #2
Pages: 448
Date Finished: 10/16/20
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This one was a touch darker and grimier than the first one. I felt a lot more suspense and Harry does some pretty questionable things in his quest for the truth. He spends some time in Mexico watching a bullfight and breaking into warehouses, is nearly murdered, faces down a bull - quite the action-packed story. For all that, however, it felt slow. There are so many overly descriptive paragraphs that feel like filler. Still an enjoyable read and plan to continue on.
Looks like we have only ~2 more hours or sit it out one more time :) Oh, the intrigue! :) Holding my fingers crossed here :)
☘Misericordia☘ ~ The Serendipity Aegis ~ wrote: "Looks like we have only ~2 more hours or sit it out one more time :) Oh, the intrigue! :) Holding my fingers crossed here :)"Me Too! Too bad we don't have a free pass yet!
Completion PostWeek 4 - Spot 24
The Accidental Veterinarian: Tales from a Pet Practice by Philipp Schott
Qualification: White Cover
pgs: 200
finished: 10/17/20
rating: 3 stars
review:
I was hoping for lots of heartwarming, funny, sad, stories of veterinary practice and was disappointed to find that this reads more like a non-fiction book about animal health with a few short anecdotes. I grew up on James Herriot books and I keep hoping to find another series that will scratch that itch, but this wasn't it.
In saying that, the writing is good and the author has a way with words that did have me giggling hysterically a few times, but overall I just didn't find it very entertaining.
Yay! We made it! Tamie-lee wrote: "Completion Post" Yay! Too bad this week's book wasn't what you hoped it to be but at least it was reasonably OK, right?
Debbie (Doc) wrote: Me Too! Too bad we don't have a free pass yet!" Yeah, I think I'll try to get this week's book done tomorrow. Maybe we could try to get it that free pass this week :)Everyone, what do you think, could that be doable? Maybe we could try and coordinate us to get all our books done by Wednesday this week (the free pass requirement)? Or maybe some other week if this week doesn't work?
So do we get a roll for this week or not? I'm confused.
Woohoo! All reviews were in by the deadline!Week 5:
Roll: 5 + 3 = 8
Previous Spot: 24
Current Spot: 32
Alternate: Author ‘S’
If we want to try and earn the Free Pass, reviews must be in by 11:59pm Central Time on Thursday.
Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "So do we get a roll for this week or not? I'm confused." Yep, we do. Here's Denise's explanation of how these things work :)Denise wrote: "While the "official" rolling day is Friday, you can roll later as long as the reviews are all posted by deadline. It just cuts into your reading time then, as books must be started after the roll.
In previous rounds, we've occasionally had situations were a review came in last minute and the team captain couldn't get online before midnight to roll. IMO, it would be unfair to prevent the team from rolling despite posting before deadline, so having the reviews in on time is the thing that counts. "
Logan wrote: "Woohoo! All reviews were in by the deadline!Week 5:
Roll: 5 + 3 = 8
Previous Spot: 24
Current Spot: 32
Alternate: Author ‘S’
If we want to try and earn the Free Pass, reviews must be in by 11:5..."
Hey Logan, Thank you for rolling and getting the reviews in. I stayed up as late as I could last night and am just now able to get online today. Nice roll!!!
Week 5Spot 32
[ bookcover:The Cruelest Month|2277378]How this book qualifies: Book 3 in a series
I am continuing with the series, which I never do!
Can we all check in at least once this week to make sure we are all on track? This will help keep me accountable, as well!
Week 5Spot 32
[ book:The Concrete Blonde|49350]
Series: Harry Bosch #3
Continuing my series too!
Logan wrote: "Week 5Spot 32
[ book:The Concrete Blonde|49350]
Series: Harry Bosch #3
Continuing my series too!"
I have this series on my TBR.
Completion Post - Week 5 - Spot 32Alternate: Author ‘S’
Book: Heartbreak Me
Author: T.L. Smith
How it qualifies: Author's name - Smith
Date finished: 10/17/2020
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Review: This is not my usual type of read and the first time I've read this author. In fact, the cover would have made me go past it in a store, library, online. I won this book in a giveway. I am glad I did. I was expecting a good girl (hard working, never did anything illegal, etc) meets bad boy (ruthless, cunning, he kidnaps her, etc) - leads to romance. Not quite. Even though some of it is predictable, that doesn't slow the story down or make it less enjoyable. The story moves, the characters are believable, there's enough sex to keep you interested. I didn't realize it was the beginning of a series until the end. But, you can still enjoy it as a stand-alone. So, if you like 'I hate you, but the sexual attraction is . . . ' this is a definite read.👍
Shelley bolting right out of the gate! That’s awesome!!
Completion post Week 5Spot: 32
Two Witches and a Whiskey[~book:Two Witches and a Whiskey|42759245]Book: Two Witches and a Whiskey (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #3) by Annette Marie
Qualification: #3
Date read: 10/18/20
Rating: 5 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Q: “Keanu Reeves just called,” someone said in a mock whisper. “He wants his Matrix outfit back.” (c)
Tori's list of wonderfully unique experiences is getting richer by the minute:
Flown with a dragon? CHECK
Made a darkfae scream like a sissy girl? CHECK
Punched a rogue druid in the nose? CHECK
Thrown a drink on three mages at once? CHECK
Kidnapped by a druid? CHECK
Saved a macho, full-power, light-up-the-room pyromage? Twice? CHECK
Attacked a person with an umbrella? Twice? CHECK (note: the umbrellas have demonstrate 100% morbidity)
Isn't she fun to be around?
And she's amassing cool-ass magical artefacts:
Q: In it were three sorcery artifacts: my Queen of Spades card, stolen from a rogue sorcerer in my first violent mythic encounter; a fat ruby-red crystal on a leather tie, also stolen; and a very illegal spell set in a green crystal that I probably shouldn’t be hanging on to. (c)
A Leviathan is another fantastic add to the collection.
And all the action - lots of fun packed in an easy read.
Q:
“Tori,” Kai said. “What did you do with my phone?”
I paused, about to pull my jacket off. “Uh … I broke it. Sorry.”
“Broke it? How?”
“I punched Olivia in the face with it.” (c)
Wow - 2 reviews already in! I am starting mine tonight.
Debbie (Doc) wrote: "Wow - 2 reviews already in! I am starting mine tonight." Cool! Hope you get a great read! :)
Completion Post - Week 5 - Spot 32
Getting Played by Emma Chase
Series: Getting Some book #2
Date finished: 10/18/2020
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Lainey has a one-night stand while celebrating a new job and ends up pregnant. Luckily her new job is in the town where her baby daddy lives. Dean has been a player all his life, but has finally found someone worth settling down for. Cute romance and Lainey's teenage son, Jason is a nice addition.
Completion Post Week 5Spot 32
[ book:The Concrete Blonde|49350]
Series: Harry Bosch #3
Finished: 10/19/20
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This one had a great sense of urgency as Harry is trying to solve a crime that may impact the outcome of the trial he is currently on. The city is being sued for the death of the supposed Dollmaker serial killer by the killer’s family. Harry believes he acted appropriately but then a letter arrives saying he got the wrong guy. Harry works to figure out whether he is dealing with a copycat or the real deal and it brings up a lot of issues, twists and turns.
Great red herrings, fantastic ending. This one diverged from the show quite a bit which made it more fun as I didn’t know quite where we were headed. Loved it!
I just finished my book. It's late so I will post a review first thing in the morning.
Completion Post Week 5
Spot 32
The Cruelest Month
Read 10/22
4 Stars
As I get further in this series, I am beginning to understand the characters and especially the main character more. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is a kind- hearted soul who wants the best for people and his community. The community of Three Pines is one where everyone seems to know what is going on, except for all of the murders that have occurred in the prior two books. Ms. Penny is excellent at describing the landscape and all of the inhabitants. Although this is book 3, so far, I have not seen where the installments need to be read in order.
This investigation is rather unusual in that Inspector Gamache is investigating a death from an Easter séance. I will definitely continue with the next installment!
Whoop! I sent a message to Tamie-lee earlier today reminding her she can post the same book to both games if she has something that works for us. I also reminded her we are trying to get that free pass. :)
Completion PostWeek 5 Spot 32
The Last Dragon Slayer by Martyn Stanley
Series: Deathsworn Arc #1
Qualification: Author 'S'
Finished: 10/23/20
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
This was a good sword & sorcery romp with some great characters. Nothing spectacular, but still a fun read.
The elven magic system, called 'whispering' is a bit different and quite cool and the mentoring relationship between Vashni and Korhan has been fun to follow, and I look forward to seeing where that ends up.
The writing is good, not pretentious, and straight to the point.
My favourite aspect of the book is that morality is often questioned and well discussed. The characters aren't portrayed as the faultless good guys and they don't just run around killing the 'bad guys' without a second thought. Throughout the book they're faced with some grim scenarios and they have to try and decide among themselves what would be the right thing to do.
Unless my math is wrong, looks like we made our free pass and we can roll! Off to roll now!
Week 6: Roll: 4 + 1 = 5
Previous Spot: 32
Current Spot: 37
Alternate: Number in the Title
Logan wrote: "Unless my math is wrong, looks like we made our free pass and we can roll! Off to roll now!"
Yeah!!!
Debbie and I both have met the 3-in-a-series bonus qualification but as we both plan to continue I wasn’t going to claim it until we reach a point where we know we aren’t going to continue. Does that make sense? That way we both stay in the running for the complete series bonus and we can either cash both bonuses in then or if someone else hits 3 we can do it then.
Selection PostWeek 6
Spot 37
Qualification: Number in the title
Pages: 158
Logan wrote: "Debbie and I both have met the 3-in-a-series bonus qualification but as we both plan to continue I wasn’t going to claim it until we reach a point where we know we aren’t going to continue. Does th..."Makes sense to me
Logan wrote: "Does that make sense? " Totally does.
Logan wrote: "Debbie and I both have met the 3-in-a-series bonus qualification but as we both plan to continue I wasn’t going to claim it until we reach a point where we know we aren’t going to continue. Does th..."Works for me!
Week 6Spot 37
How the book qualifies: #3 in Paradise series
Completion Post Week 6Spot 37
Devil in Winter
Pages: 384 Kindle 1st ed
Series: Wallflowers #3
Date Finished: 10/25/20
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I really appreciated how different this one felt from the previous 2. Evie’s situation is desperate, yes, but she is able to take full control herself. She is in the driver’s seat and it was refreshing to see her save herself from her family. I’m also a sucker for the gaming club setting so I was all in for this story! Since I read the first Hathaways book before this series I got a nice reverse intro to Cam as well. This one had great action, good banter, steamy scenes - can’t ask for more than that.
Completion Post Week 6Spot 37
Murder Lo Mein by Vivien Chien
Pages: 301
Series: Noodle Shop Mystery #3
Date Finished: 10/28/20
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I like the characters and the setting in a noodle restaurant is different. However the MC just goes around practically accusing everyone and of course ends up in danger.
It was nice to see some progress in the relationship with her cop boyfriend as he finally opened up about his past.
Completion Post:We do not have power due to the hurricane. I’m not able to link my book.
Completion Post:
10/28
Troubles in Paradise
4 stars
This was a nice wrap up to the short series. The first two books were really good. While I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t as fulfilling as the prior installments. Irene and her sons found a new beginning in the Virgin Islands and began a new life. I felt some parts of the book were just thrown in and the ending seemed to be rushed. All in all, I really enjoyed the series and I always search books by the author.
Completion post Week 6Spot: 37
Taken by Storm[~book:Taken by Storm|12680993]Book: Taken by Storm (Raised by Wolves, #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Qualification: #3
Date read: 10/28/20
Rating: 5 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Q: Every future I can find is coated in blood. (c)
Q:… a quiet Bryn meant Trouble with a capital T. (c) I'm pretty sure that by this point it's clear that Bryn of any description is Trouble with a capital T.
Bryn:
Q:
Bronwyn Alessia St. Vincent Clare didn’t get sad. She got mad. Or better, she got even. (c)
Chase is being as touchy-feely-understanding lovey-dovey as ever:
Q:
He wasn’t pushing, wasn’t asking me to change, but I knew he wanted me to have choices that I would never have. (c)
Callum doing Callumthenics in Callumese. The old wolf. Looking 'unassuming and unaware' right until he isn't.
Devon is a hoot!
Q:
WELCOME TO NORTH DAKOTA! The sign in front of me declared cheerfully. DISCOVER THE SPIRIT!
I glanced over at Devon. He held his hands artistically to the side and wiggled his fingers.
Jazz hands? I asked silently.
No, he corrected, jerking his head toward the sign. Spirit fingers.(c)
Caroline is a piece of work! Just look at this scene:
Q:
Caroline … had a gun in one hand and a crossbow in the other.
The gun was trained on Sora’s temple, the crossbow on Callum’s thigh.
“Caroline,” I said, my voice dangerously pleasant. “Do you mind?”
“No,” Caroline said, releasing the safety. “I don’t.”
“Caro, darling, as much of a Kodak moment as this absolutely is, pointing weapons at werewolves isn’t something one does at close range.” (c)
Not much else I can say without spoilering something dreadful. And, AND, A N D this book is actually quite unexpectedly developing on many lines, so I think not everyone would love that. (Yes, I LOVE getting spoilers - they never spoil anything, just improve all and everything. Sadly, not everyone agrees with my impeccable logic. And I won't argue this point as it is a question of personal preferences.)
So, the book is amazing. Much too good for the genre.
The only bad thing is the cliffy (seriously? The craggity-crap, how can this be the last book of the trilogy?). But yep. This is the last book of it. Did I say the cliffy is bad? Nah, I'm wrong about it. It is amazing. Just like the rest of it all.
I'm not happy with some plot developments. Dreadfully unhappy. Color me a banshee right now and you won't be wrong. I love my happy endings and… Too bad I don't grade books on how I like or don't like the plot. (Won't go further down that lane - no spoilers in this review!) But the book - it's going to be my new insta-shocking-fav. This is one of those rare cases when the book #3 is not weaker than the book #1.
Tamie-lee wrote: "How many hours do I have left to get mine finished?" Hey, Tamie-lee!Our 'mild deadline' is in ~4 hrs (less 10 min) from the moment I'm writing this. This is the deadline by which we generally try to finish. If we do all finish every read by then - we can roll the dice right away. But if we are lateish, it's ok and we'll just wait a bit rolling.
The 'ultimate deadline' is the deadliest one (if we haven't finished all our readings and posts, we don't roll this week) and happens in 24 hrs from the 'mild deadline' (i.e. in 28 hrs (less 10 min) from the moment I'm posting this.
This is a Halloween week, so I'm planning to do a paranormal read for that bonus point.
Debbie (Doc) wrote: "Completion Post:We do not have power due to the hurricane. I’m not able to link my book. ..."
Oh Debbie! I’m so sorry! Stay safe and I hope you get your power back soon!
That is dedication to post during a hurricane power outage Debbie! I hope you and your family are all safe.
☘Misericordia☘ ~ The Serendipity Aegis ~ wrote: "Tamie-lee wrote: "How many hours do I have left to get mine finished?" Hey, Tamie-lee!Our 'mild deadline' is in ~4 hrs (less 10 min) from the moment I'm writing this. This is the deadline by which..."
Thanks :) I'm running a bit behind this week, but will definitely have mine in before the ultimate deadline. (With as many hours to spare as I can possibly manage)
Completion Post - Week 6- Spot 37
Book: Overdose
Author: Uvi Poznansky
How it qualifies: Ash Suspense Thriller With a Dash of Romance #3 (that's a mouthful ☺)
Date finished: 10/29/2020
Rating: ☆☆ 1/2
Review: To be fair, maybe I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read Ash 1 & 2. Ash has recovered from a coma. (No explanation of how or why she was in one.) She looks into the neurosurgeon who operated on her. Begins to question his resume. She ends up with a cell phone that belonged to his dead wife with a warning. A waitress gets shot. Her father goes to emergency because of heart palpitations and ends up being seen by this doctor, even after he leaves the hospital. A lot of things happen in this book with no clear reason or explanation why. It didn't flow smoothly enough to get me invested in the characters. The events weren't believable. Glad I got this book free because if I had paid for it, I would want my money back. 😕
The Challenge Factory
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Spot: 24
Book: Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (The Guild Codex: Spellbound, #2) by Annette Marie
Qualification: #2
Date read: 10/15/20
Rating: 5 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Q: “A daiquiri? Good choice. ... Perfect drink for a chat about the dark arts.” (c)
Q: “Maybe we should call ourselves crows instead of hammers.” (c)
Fancy 'complimentary mold, cockroaches, and suspicious odors'? If no, getting an apartment w/faery is a done deal. Or not:
Q: Hell no. I was not doing a real-life “unlikely roommates” sitcom with a faery. (c)
The set:
Laetitia
Aaron the pyromage,
Ezra the aeromage,
ai the elecramage...
Plus:
Q:
my customers ranged from the ever-irascible sorceress Sylvia, an old hag who loved to hate me, and her banana-haired apprentice, Alyssa; Bryce and Drew, who looked like teeth-bashing bouncers but were actually psychics—a telepath and a telekinetic; Laetitia, the water-flinging hydromage; and Rose, a grandmotherly diviner with turquoise glasses ...
Zora, a badass sorceress with a penchant for massive weapons; Andrew, a mid-fifties defensive combat sorcerer who was always on everyone’s team because he was so dependable; and a pair of sorcerers I didn’t know, Zhi and Ming. ...
Completing our team were two psychics. Taye had the gift of telethesia, which allowed him to track people supernaturally; once he caught the Ghost’s trail, the slippery worm wouldn’t be able to escape. And lastly, Bryce, a telepath. Yes, the mind-reading type, and I wasn’t sure how excited I was to work with him. (c) Why is it that the diviner's inevitably a grandma? Can't she be a pyrokinetic or smth, more dynamic?
The Crow and Hammer (yes, that's a place) is getting it's pick of paranormally wacky clientelle.
Tori (Victoria) gets an invite from the mage trio to participate in a mystic cockroach etermination session. Or something like that. Since she has quite the story, she's in! So, she has a valid reason to be spunky, upbeat and resourceful throughout the volume.
The escapade? They have a great plan:
Q: ... when Bryce gives you the command, you run like hell right out of there.” (c) Sounds east-peasy.
Of course, all the characters can't help being inordinately hot or so I've been told.
While the whole is a bit formulaic Paranormal read, it's very entertaining. So, I think I won't go harping on the details of lesser importance and just continue throught the series.
The Guild:
Q:
The third rule? I’d never heard of a third one before. I only knew two guild rules: One, don’t hit first, but always hit back, and two, don’t get caught. All things considered, their rules didn’t inspire much confidence. (c) Now, that's reasonable.
The Russian trace:
Q:
“Varvara Nikolaev,” Nadine said with a passable Russian accent. “I usually call her tatushka. (c) OMG that's so funny! NikolaevA as she's female. 'Tatushka' means 'a tattoo'. She shouldn't have called the poor gal THAT. She probably should've considered calling her 'babushka' which means 'granny'. LOL. I won't take points off for this, since it's hilarious.
Other fun:
Q:
I took one look at the moaning specter and screamed like the sissy girl that I am. (c)
Q:
They’d antagonized us right up until I’d asked one if his ass ever got jealous of the shit coming out of his mouth, and at that point Aaron decided we should leave. (c)
Q:
How did a drawing of a naked couple predict the future? Who used tarot cards to decide if they should bang someone? (c)
Q:
I tried to imagine how an average teen would react ... I couldn’t base it on my own reaction to discovering magic, since “Can I see that fireball again?” probably wasn’t typical. (c)
Q:
I kept my expression pleasantly neutral but internally, I was rolling my eyes so hard they were metaphysically blistering. (c)