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R12: SS Team 11 - Eleventh Heaven
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☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎
(new)
Oct 30, 2020 09:30AM
I PMed LaurLa since she’s the only one who hasn’t checked in yet. Hopefully she’ll get her post in *crossing fingers*
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Sorry, I thought I had posted. GIve me a few minutes to write the review.
Completion Post ~~ Week 6Spot: 42
Book: Stardust Miracle
How it fits: #2 Miracle Interrupted
Date Read: 10.26 ★★★
Review:
I liked this book, didn't love it. Maybe because I wanted it to be more HEA but that's really wasn't the focus of the story. It was about self-discovery and learning to be who are, not who others think you should be or want you to be. There were some really sad parts as well but I think author did a good job navigating those emotions. In the end, the HEA was about heroine, Becky, learning to love and live with herself.
Week 7Roll: 6 + 6 = 12
Previous Space: 42
New Space: 54
Can read Series #5 or #4 or #54 ~ Alternate: 54. Author 'I'
Ann ~ Review
Carmen ~ Review Post
LaurLa ~ Review Post
Natalie ~ Review Post
Pallavi ~ Review Post
Stacey ~ Review Post
Bonuses:
Week 1 - Free Pass earned – all reviews in by 11:59 pm Thursday
Week 2: 2 in 1 bonus earned - Carmen
Week 3 - One point can be earned for reading a book with >500 pages - Natalie
Week 6 - Ann ~ ✸ One point can be earned for reading three or more books in a series.
Week 6 - Natalie - ✸ One point can be earned for starting and finishing a series
Week 7 - Halloween bonus - MPG Fantasy or Paranormal
Bonus:
✸ One point can be earned for never picking a book from the alternate lists. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
I am going to keep reading the series I am on. This means I will be reading Dead as a Doornail book 5 in the sookie stackhouse series. May qualify for Halloween bonus not sure
Ann wrote: "I am going to keep reading the series I am on. This means I will be reading Dead as a Doornail book 5 in the sookie stackhouse series. May qualify for Halloween bonus not sure"I think it might work. :-)
I'm going to read
so if Ann's book doesn't work, mine will. :)
I’m going to finish off my series with book 5. One of us is earning that complete series bonus next week!👍🏾😉
Natalie wrote: "I’m going to finish off my series with book 5. One of us is earning that complete series bonus next week!👍🏾😉"Lol, go Natalie! ☺
Okay, so book 5 isn't published yet. That means I have to pick something else.Question: Can I get the the bonus for complete series for this past week since the next book hasn't been published yet?
I’ll be reading BLOOD SLAVE (Nightlife Series, Book 4) by Travis Luedke. I’m going back to the bowels of my Kindle and reading the stuff that I purchased, but never got to.I read Book 1 in the second week of the challenge, so... I’ll let you know if I should have read books 2 and 3 before this one.😉😂
Mod
Yes. For an ongoing series, it needs to have at least four books out and you need to have read all books published to date.
Not sure what I'll read yet but I'll try not to lose track of the days of the week this time and post on time!
Also, I'm going for not picking from the alternative tasks bonus. I think I've managed it so far.
LaurLa, you know you’re working hard when you lose track of the days of the week!
Natalie wrote: "LaurLa, you know you’re working hard when you lose track of the days of the week!"Yes, it's sad, isn't it?
Completion Post ~~ Week 7Spot: 54
Book: Born to Be Wilde
How it fits: #4 Wilde series
Date Read: 11.04 ★★★★
Review:
I have had mixed reactions with this series - some have been really good, others not. This was one of the better ones. The love story didn't feel forced and the suspense was light but believable, to a point. I've never been involved in gambling with loan sharks so I have no idea if they really beat you up or threaten your loved ones. However, this made the danger to Lora sound real but not over the top. Things resolved well and there was even a side romance that was sweet and fun.
Completion Post ~~ Week 7Spot: 54
Book:
How it fits: #4 in Alpha and Omega
Date Read: 11/5/20
Rating: 4 stars
Extra Point: Works for Halloween bonuse if needed -- MPG Fantasy or Paranormal
Review: There were a lot of storylines going on in this one - a Fae stealing children, an old friend of Charles's dying, discussion about having babies in the future, and the purchase of a horse (which you wouldn't think would get much time, but for some reason took up a lot of pages). It was a little scattered, but the relationship between Anna and Charles is always fun to watch, and Fae are endlessly creepy to me so I'm always glad to see one get killed. I almost like this part of the Mercy Thompson world better than Mercy's -- there is less conflict and more story maybe.
SPOT: 54BLOOD SLAVE (The Nightlife Series, Book 4) by Travis Luedke
Publication Date: 17 November 2013
239 pages
Qualification: Fourth Book in Series
Dates Read: Saturday, 31 October 2020 to Monday, 2 November 2020
0 Stars
This book is terrible. The first book was basically a collection of vampire tropes. I love vampires and it was an okay diversion.
This book is racist, misogynistic, and classist.
I considered giving it 1 Star because it's a book, but it doesn't deserve that.
I wish I could get back the time I used to read it.
Completion Post ~~ Week 7Spot: 54
Book: Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood
Author: Ann Brashares
Read: 11/05/20
Rated: 4 stars
Qualifies: 4th in the Sisterhood series
Review: The girls are growing up. Seeing things that need to be changed, improve, get through and just stand up for yourself and not be anyone's pushover. The need of the pants isn't what makes them who they are and they are finally seeing this. It has been a lot of emotions going on for these girls and all in different ways but they see that they need to start growing up and stop acting like teens. They are learning and they're starting to become adults now. Yay!
Book Dead as a Doornail Dead as a DoornailAuthor Charlaine Harris
Read 11/05/20
Bonus : more than 4 books in a series, or could work for Halloween Bonus maybe
Rated: 4 stars
Qualifies: 5th book in Sookie Stackhouse Series
Review: I actually really like this one compared to the last two. I feel the action, adventure and mystery made it worth continuing. I like how even though the vampires were still a big part of this book they were not the only focus. This book heavily focused on the wear community and on Jason and I really appreciated that change.
Completion post: Week 7 Book: Which Witch?
Author:Eva Ibbotson
Page: 186
Date of completion:5/11/2020
How it fits:Alternate: Author with "I"
Review:
A light, funny, witchy read!
Arriman the Awful is a black wizard born in a good, ordinary family. He carries the burden of Darkness and Evil for many years.
Bored with all the evil doings, he decides to pass the burden to his heir.
To produce a powerful black heir, he needs an equally dark witch for a bride.
But witches these days are ugly, with maggots in their hair, with whiskers covered with lice and scaly legs.
How would he find a suitable bride like this?
His secretary announces a witchy competition where the winner would marry the almighty Arrmin.
Enters Belladona.
A white witch who tries so hard to be black!
She is the whitest of them all.
Even the path she walks sprouts flowers.
This kind, helpful soul sets out to compete against all the evil witches to win the heart of Arrmin.
Will she succeed!
A satirical read that made me smile like a Cheshire cat every 5 min!
4 stars
Week 8Roll: 4 + 4 = 8
Previous Space: 54
New Space: 62
Can read Series #6 or #2 or #62 ~ Alternate: 62. Author 'R'
Ann ~ Review Post
Carmen ~ Review Post
LaurLa ~ Review Post
Natalie ~ Review Post
Pallavi ~ Review Post
Stacey ~ Review Post
Bonus:
✸ One point can be earned for never picking a book from the alternate lists. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
I’ll be reading THE ATLANTIS GENE by A.G. Riddle
Mod
I'm getting confused here. According to your check-in in the Post Your Spot thread, Natalie earned this point.
On the other hand, you're still listing it among the bonus points the team hasn't earned yet in your post above.
Which is it?
I'll be reading a #2.... I have several, so not sure which one just yet but probably The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband
Completion Post ~~ Week 8Spot: 62
Book: The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband
How it fits: #2 Rokesbys
Date Read: 11.07 ★★★★
Review:
Julia Quinn never disappoints! This was both funny and poignant at times. And even though we knew where things were heading once the subterfuge was discovered, you still couldn't help but fall in love the Cecelia and Edward falling in love. The story was overall sweet and fun - not overwrought or over the top. I love Julia Quinn's historicals.
Denise wrote: "☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ wrote: "Week 6 - Natalie - ✸ One point can be earned for starting and finishing a series"I'm getting confused here. According to your check-in in the Post Y..."
Let me see what I did. I'm probably messing things up while trying to work on my tablet.
Yes, Denise, Natalie did get that bonus. I totally forgot to take it off. I think its fixed now
Mod
I will be reading book six of the sookie stackhouse series. Definently dead
Completion Post ~~ Week 8Spot: 62
Book:
Completed: 11/9/20
How it fits: #2 in the Weekday Brides
Rating: 2 starts
Review: Meh. I didn't really buy this "marriage of convenience" story. The MCs were friends of friends until a little incident threatened the Hero's political career. Now this may just be a statement of how over politics I am currently, but I didn't buy that the incident would require such a drastic action -- I feel like a quickie divorce would have been more scandalous -- but who knows? I've read the first book in this series as well, and I think its just me and this author that don't agree.
Denise wrote: "Then that's five bonus points earned in total for your team, nice job! :)"Yay team! :-)
Completion Post ~ Week 8 Spot 62
Book: Combust
Author : K. Bromberg
Read: 11/6/20
Rated : 4 stars
Review : Well this is a wild story and I loved everything about it. It was intense, sad, sweet and heartbreaking. I understand that being a firefighter is a hard and scary job but damn who wouldn't want a sexy hot one in her bed? LOL
This was an emotional story. It was sad, sweet, heartbreaking but also hot, sexy and hero worthy. Dylan needed to get away from the cheating, jerk boyfriend so she becomes Grady's roommate. Grady is the hero firefighter, who has so much guilt but also the scars too. These two really need a reality check and see that even though life dealt them a bad hand doesn't mean that they need to stop living or moving forward. Dylan and Grady find a friendship and a relationship that help each other but also get a lot more.
After seeing what Grady went through, it makes you see that we all need to be proud of our emergency service heroes and show them that we appreciate what they do for us. This was a great story.
Completion post- Week 8 Book:A Woman Is No Man
Author:Etaf Rum
Read:11/11/20
How it fits: Author with r
Rating:5 stars
Page:339
Review:
A powerful book! I just finished the book and I can't express what I feel right now. Too many emotions. But one thing I feel deep within me is an unshakeable hope.
Stories narrated back and forth by Isra and Deya, a mother and daughter pair, about life of an Arab Muslim women in different time zones.
Isra's mother was always sad. Her job was to cook, clean the house, take care of the children and listen to every demand made by the husband and take the beating from him occasionally.
This is a woman's destiny everywhere they said.
Isra promised herself she would never be like that.
She married off and started her life in Brooklyn.
No matter how hard she tried, her life was exactly like her mother's..only much worse.
And it will be same for her daughters..unless fight for their will.
This novel takes us into vile thoughts of some most disgusting people on earth. Makes me wonder the harshness our female ancestors had to go through and how lucky we are to be able to live our life the way we want.
Completion Post - Week 8 ReviewSpot: 62
The Atlantis Gene (The Origin Mystery, Book 1) by A. G. Riddle
Publication Date: 27 March 2013
642 pages
Qualification: Author ‘R’
Dates Read: Friday, 6 November 2020 to Thursday, 12 November 2020
3.5- Stars
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It felt like I was reading a movie, or a new series from the SyFy Channel. Every book has their pros and cons, and this book is no different.
Cons
I really did not like the autism angle. Both of my children are profoundly affected by autism and I was a special educator for over ten years. I didn’t like the portrayal of individuals with autism. I didn’t like the portrayal of other countries dealing with autism. I didn’t like the portrayal of other countries schools. I really didn’t like the implication that people in other countries don’t love, or would basically throw away their children because of autism.
I was going to change books, but decided to stick it out. If I can push my way through Blood Slaves, then I could give this book a change. Luckily the autism is mostly “front-loaded” at the beginning. As the story progresses, it takes so many twists and turns… I forgot about the autism until it was brought up to explain behavior. (Please Mr. Riddle, follow the show don’t tell advice that almost every author gives newbies.)
This leads me to my next problem with the book, the pacing isn’t the best AND the text could be three different books. For me this is a con, but I realize that some people like a breakneck pace. I think this brings the book down a little because, the reader doesn’t get to really savor or process the story. This coupled with the tonal changes and huge plot changes, make it feel as though I’m racing through three novels. Packing this much into one book is also not worth it because the book ends unresolved. One can only hope there are answers in the next book in the series.
Pros
The story really does read like a TV show or movie. Even though the story is science fiction, it’s not throwing anything too high concept at you. The story feels like Helix meets 12 Monkeys meets Alias. Fun. However by 2013, none of these concepts are mind-blowing or challenging. The characters are pretty cookie-cutter. I can’t help but think that a slower pace and less plot, might have allowed for more nuanced characters and worldbuilding. There are some interesting concepts and settings that I would have like the author to explore, but they are glossed over. It felt like I was getting a good cut of steak cooked at the wrong temperature.
Despite it’s shortcomings, I still enjoyed the book. I will probably read the other books in the series.
Completion Postbook-Definitely Dead
Author-Charlaine Harris
read: 11/12/2020
how it Fits: Book Six of the Sookie Stackhouse series
rating 3
I liked this book and the mystery of it. I liked that there was a high risk factor and it did keep me holding my breath and on the edge of my seat for a long time. The downside; however is the same criticism I have had from previous books, that the plot throughout really is just the same story over and over again.
Week 9Roll: 6 + 4 = 10
Previous Space: 62
New Space: 72
Can read Series #7 or #2 or #72 ~ Alternate: 72. Published 2001-2010
Ann ~ Review Post
Carmen ~ Review Post
LaurLa ~ Review Post
Natalie ~ Review Post
Pallavi ~ Review Post
Stacey ~ Review Post
Bonus:
✸ One point can be earned for never picking a book from the alternate lists. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
I’ll be reading FURIES OF CALDERON (Codex Alera, Book 1) by Jim Butcher, published 28 June 2005.
I'm going for The Curse of the Pharaohs, #2 Amelia Peabody. It keeps getting pushed down on my TBR, so maybe this is the extra push I need to read it...
Completion Post ~~ Week 9Spot: 72
Book: The Curse of the Pharaohs
How it fits: #2 Amelia Peabody
Date Read: 11.18 ★★★★
Review:
I was pleasantly surprised at my level of enjoyment with this book. I was slightly dreading it because it's somewhat out of my comfort genre and I didn't LOVE the first book, so I was ho hum about getting to book two. But both the story and the narrator voice (Amelia) entertained me very much. I enjoyed her sarcasm and the irony in her running commentary. I also enjoyed the banter between Amelia and Emerson. All in all I am looking forward to checking out the next book.
Completion Post ~~ Week 9Spot: 72
Book: Murder on St. Mark's Place
How it fits: #2 Gaslight Mystery
Date Read: 11/18/20
Rated: ★★★★
Review: Sarah is a midwife that happens to find herself in the middle of a murder. It seems that even though she tries to help the women in the area but always finds more in her travels. I do enjoy that she not only helps that women and children but also when she helps Malloy as well. The problem is that she sometimes gets caught in the middle of it. The helpful neighbor is sweet and fun especially with her pan but her son claims she's a feeble woman but damn she is good with a pan. LOL
Completion Post - Week 9 ReviewSpot: 72
Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, Book 1) by Jim Butcher
Publication Date: 28 June 2005
460 pages
Qualification: Published 2001-2010
Dates Read: Friday, 13 November 2020 to Wednesday, 18 November 2020
4- Stars
Wonderful read. This is the first Butcher book that I’ve read that wasn’t a Dresden book. If you are looking for the excellent characters and amazing dialogue of a Dresden novel, this is not it. That said, there is solid action and magic, but nothing too original. It’s clear by the character and location names that a bulk of the worldbuilding is based on ancient Rome. The book feels as though it could take place inside a Hercules or Xena episode. The “fury” system honestly feels a lot like the “stand” system from the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure franchise.
Despite the less than original storyline or world building, I still found the book very entertaining. Although I could tell what was going to happen, I was still happy to see the characters get their just rewards. I liked the foreshadowing of future books, and will mostly read the rest of the series.
Completion Post ~~ Week 9Spot: 72
Book: Murder of Crows
Completed: 11/18/20
How it fits: #2 in the Others
Rating: 2 stars
Review: This is one of those series that everyone seems to love. And I have TRIED to love it. I read the first book twice because I thought I missed something, and did like it better the second time, so figured I'd try this one. I did the audiobook -- have to say the reader was a little too YA for me, so that didn't help -- and was just bored. The world is truly interesting, and the potential is great, but nothing ever happens! There is a lot of discussion, tons of meetings, a few prophecies (surprisingly not that interesting either) and lots of mail sorting. I just don't get it.
Completion post :week 9 Spot:72
Book:No Limits: The Will to Succeed
Author:Michael Phelps
How it fits: published 2001-2010 (published on 1st Jan 2008)
Page:228
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: I cried. The ending made me cry. They were happy, proud tears.
Michael Phelps created history. Highest gold medals ever in Olympics. We all know what he did is impossible.
What I wanted to know was how!
How difficult was the process!
Michael Phelps tells us about some of the most important attributes one requires to fully succeed.
1) Perseverance
2) Unwavering determination
3) Visualization
4) Written goals
We know most of these. What most of us lack is the execution.
The most important lesson he teaches is how to convert negative criticism into positive outcome.
Every inspiring read!
Completion Post week 9Book: ALL Together Dead
Author: Charlaine Harris
How it fit; 7 book in the sookie stackhouse series
Read; 11:19
Rating 2
This was probably the least favorite of the series so far more me. The over the top amount of romance just turned me off, as romance is not my favorite genre to begin with. I was disappointed because I didn't feel like Sookie had as many crazy adventures. I just didnt feel like this one was a page turner compared to the other ones.
Week 10 Roll: 6 + 4 = 10
Previous Space: 72
New Space: 82
Can read series #8 or #2 ~ Alternate: 82. Cover Item: Building
Ann ~
Carmen ~
LaurLa ~ Review Post
Natalie ~
Pallavi ~
Stacey ~
Bonus:
✸ One point can be earned for never picking a book from the alternate lists. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
I’ll be reading the second book in the Mongoliad Cycle, also titled The Mongoliad (like that’s not confusing at all!)
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