PtP - Surfing the Stacks (2)

[CB]

Week 9 - Selection Post
Option 1 - Read a book with a 'dirty' color on the cover


Devil’s Lair by Anna Zaires
Pages: 354 (Amazon) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
How it qualifies: cover is grey/black

[M]

Week 9 - Selection Post
Option 1 - Read a book with a 'dirty' color on the cover


Dirt Queen by
Pages: 236
How it qualifies: Cover has brown on it - I got an okay from Jane about the cover... Given your cover HAS dirt on the cover AND is called Dirt Queen, I will accept this one.

[Mary-Megan]

Week #9 - Selection Post (Option #1)


Bookcover/link: All Quiet on Arrival by Graham Ison
Page numbers: 195 pages
How the book qualifies: It has a lot of dirty colors, plus Jane said Tineye marked it at well over 70%

[CB]

Completion Post - Week 9


Devil’s Lair by Anna Zaires
Date Completed: 5/1/2021
Rating: 5⭐️

I highly enjoyed this book - it kicked off right away with some action and then kept my attention throughout. I loved how there were mysteries to uncover here, and as each one was unwrapped, it just added another layer to these characters that we were getting to know and understand. The characters were flawed and interesting, and the sexual tension between Nikolai and Chloe was excellent - and I appreciated that it was more of a slow burn between them. I saw where it was going towards the end, but it ended on such a good cliffhanger. And now I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

[M]

Completion Post - Week 9


Dirt Queen by Nora Blake
Date completed 5/3/21
Rating - 4 stars
This was a sweet, second chance read. It was real and it was raw. There were some parts that were tough to read, but the MC's brother Nick brought the much needed comic relief. Aaron and Sarah were meant to be together - they just got a little lost along the way. It was a good debut book.

[Mary-Megan]

Week #8 - Completion post


Bookcover/link: A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain
Rating (1-5): 3
Review: This was my second time reading the book (the first time was 2017). I had forgotten who had done it, so the mystery was still exciting. Knowing where the series goes, it was enjoyable to revisit how it all began and to see how the relationships formed. Some people might complain about the addition of a romance to the time travel mystery, but I’m the type of person who likes a little chemistry in my mysteries, so I was on board.

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post - Week #9


Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Date completed: May 4th, 2021
Rating: 5 Stars

This was a re-read for me, but it has been many years since I read it. I had actually forgotten how it ended and it was fun experiencing that again. This is one of my favorite books, and re-reading it reminded me why. Last read a read Jane Eyre for the first time, and I had always heard that Rebecca was a retelling of sorts. Now I absolutely can see how that is, and notice the similarities in the two novels.

The writing and the characters and the atmosphere in this book are all so well done. If you haven't picked this one up yet, you really should.

[Susan]

Selection Post - week 9
Option 1

Book-16th Seduction
Pages-385
How it Fits- It has some dirty colors on the cover. Blacks, browns and a off putting tannish color for the title.

Let me know if this book qualifies. I'm not 100% sure

[Susan]

Hi there CB

The has not yet come back to my Overdrive. The precis did have that Vance Reigns had to flee to Small Town USA to escape the scandal he found himself in. It doesn't state that he left but he did. Bags packed and ready to go back to Hollywood. Then the epilogue has them in New York where she was excepted into school and he was going to live in his family's condo.

Not sure if I need to find a different book. I will if I need too. How do I find out?

[Mary-Megan]

Week #9 - Completion post


Bookcover/link: All Quiet on Arrival by Graham Ison
Rating (1-5): 1 star
Review:
I've read a lot of murder mysteries, but I don't think I've ever done a "police procedural" and now I know why - they're boring (at least this one was). I felt like it was just interviewing one person after another and trying to find the next person to talk to. There was no suspense or action. I didn't care for any of the characters because none of them felt as if they'd been developed. This was my first book by this author and I have no desire to try another.

[CB]

Susan wrote: "Selection Post - week 9
Option 1

Book-16th Seduction
Pages-385
How it Fits- It has some dirty colors on the cover. Blacks, browns and a off putt..."

Black, brown, and tan are all dirty colors, so seems fine to me, Susan. If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask Jane.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Jodi wrote: "📦 Completion Post 📦

Week: 5

Option 1: Task: 9. Rediscover your own city.
* Read a book set on your continent.
Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand can combine to allow a greater book selecti..."

Hi Jodi - you need to add reviews to ALL your recent completion posts...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

And you need to post a selection for week 9 in the next 12 hours or so, before I announce week 10.

Thanks

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Hi Susan

You still need to add the pages to this selection post from Week 6:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

For Week 8 - you need to copy and paste part of the precis to show that your book qualifies.
For this post (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...) <---- click on this link, I need you to change the way you show that the book qualifies. To do this, please copy and paste (or type in manually) the following which shows in the precis/blurb on goodreads. (You do not need to get the book out from the library.)

"Vance Reigns has been Hollywood royalty for as long as he can remember—with all the privilege and scrutiny that entails. When a tabloid scandal catches up to him, he's forced to hide out somewhere the paparazzi would never expect to find him: Small Town USA."

Whilst it isn't completely clear from the precis that they actually travel, I will accept the above.

Finally - the book you have outstanding is from Week 5.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Other than the above, I just have CB's book from week 6, and Susan's book from Week 9 awaiting completion :)

[CB]

New Task Announcement!

Week 10

Option 1:
11. One of Couchsurfing's values is to 'stay curious'.

* Read a book that is not currently on your bookshelves.
State the date that you added the book to your shelves IN YOUR SELECTION POST.
The DATE that you add the book to your bookshelf must be in the week that this task is announced.

Option 2:
Key date - 6 November 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.

Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

No Jodi and her week 9 selection?

I will remove her so that you can continue playing through Week 10 & 11...

[Jodi]

My bad! Sorry guys :( Think I better take a challenge break.. it’s been crazy and I’m having a hard time keeping organized. Maybe I’ll see you all in a challenge down the road.

[CB]

Week 10 - Selection Post
Option 1 - Read a book that is not currently on your bookshelves


Cream of the Crop by Alice Clayton
Pages: 384 (GR)
How it qualifies: Added to Currently Reading bookshelf on 5/8/2021

[Mary-Megan]

Week #10 - Selection Post (Option #1)


Bookcover/link: With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Page numbers: 392
How the book qualifies: I added this currently reading shelf to my list on May 8, 2021

[[deleted user]]

Week #10 - Selection Post


The Marine's Secret Daughter by Carrie Nichols
Page numbers: 224
How the book qualifies: Add to my Want To Read shelf on May 7th, 2021

[CB]

Completion Post - Week 10


Cream of the Crop by Alice Clayton
Date Completed: 5/8/2021
Rating: 3⭐️

This was overall cute, but not as good as the first book in the series. I didn’t connect with the romance between these two characters, and part of that may have been we never got to see things from Oscar’s point of view, which I think would have really helped here, especially with that whole weird situation with his ex-wife which to my mind was never resolved. I do love a good “opposites attract” romance, but I just didn’t see the two main characters click here unfortunately, so without that chemistry I actually found their sex scenes boring, which is usually a bad sign with a romance book. I did like the set up for the friend Clara who consults on hotels, and plan on reading the next book in the series.

[M]

𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟏𝟎 - 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭
𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏 - Read a book that is not currently on your bookshelves


Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan
Pages: 367
How it qualifies: I added this book to my "Currently Reading" shelf on 5/8/21

[CB]

Completion Post - Week 6



Dirty Talker by Mira Lyn Kelly
Date Completed: 5/9/2021
Rating: 5⭐️

I’m not always a fan of the “fake relationship“ trope but this one was just so well done. Good guy Wade needed a fake girlfriend to take back home for 10 days for his brother’s wedding because of a situation with a close family friend that has been making him incredibly uncomfortable. A friend of a friend, due to a job situation Harlow finds herself between positions at work and Wade convinces her to take a chance on him and go back to visit his family as his fake girlfriend. I loved how Harlow was the ultimate overachiever and researched everything about his hometown and was determined to excel at being the best fake girlfriend.

And Wade was such a good guy, who had grinded away throughout his life in order to achieve his career, and once he decided he wanted Harlow in his life, I loved how he was not deterred and was determined to win her. A sweet, sexy romance with two main characters that I both really liked, and another winner in this excellent sports romance series.

[Susan]

Completion Post - Week 9
Option 1

Book-16th Seduction
Date Read- 5/5/21
Rated- 5 Stars
Review-I have always been a huge fan of this author and this book didn't let me down. My favorite characters in any series comes from this series. I love Lindsey Boxer who is the detective Claire is the ME, Yuki works for the DA as a lawyer, and Cindy is a criminal journalist. They are all friends and it's such a great group of ladies. They also work really well together at solving murders. They are a great group and therefore makes me look forward to the next books in the series

[Susan]

Sorry I didn't realize I hadn't added the books page count.

Selection Post - Week 6
Option 1

Book-Just One Year
Pages-311
How it Fits-It was on the February 2020 Most Anticipated Romances (it was on the page before you click on the lists)
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Susan]

CB wrote: "Week 5


Selection Posts
CB: Twilight’s Herald
Jodi: What’s Mine and Yours
M: Bittersweet
Mary-Megan: One Perfect Summer
Sarah (The Bookish Knitter): SVU Surveillance
Susan: One to Watch

Completio..."

I FINALLY found my book so I can start reading it. I tried checking it out from the library but it's still on hold. I even tried my OverDrive but it still had 2 weeks to go on that one too. I couldn't believe my luck but now I have the actual book. I got lucky when I opened the right box today

[Susan]

I have a book picked out for week 10 but I can't locate the rule on page count. The book is 192 pages but it's one I want to read but I haven't put it on my TBR yet,

If any of you know the answer I would be grateful. Thank you

[Susan]

Not sure if this needed to be updated in the selection post or completion post for week #8. I did the selection post

Selection Post - Week 8
Option 1

Book/author: Bookish and the Beast by Ashely Poston
Pages: 320
How it Fits: The male MC (Vance Reigns) is a bad boy actor who is sent to a small town called Haven's Hollow, North Carolina for a month to let the dust settle after the latest stunt landed him in the tabloids again. This time wrecking his car and breaking up his costars relationship. His mother and step father think he needs to go away and lay low until this latest scandal goes away. He can't wait to turn 18 and get back to his life in Hollywood. He does go back to LA to film the next movie in the Starfield series and he and Rosie (the female MC) will go to New York in the fall. Rosie was accepted into NYU and he can live in his family's house/condo in SoHo and be near her when he isn't filming. Cute story.

This is the part of the precis that says Vance must leave Hollywood...

On the other hand, Vance Reigns has been Hollywood royalty for as long as he can remember—with all the privilege and scrutiny that entails. When a tabloid scandal catches up to him, he's forced to hide out somewhere the paparazzi would never expect to find him: Small Town USA. At least there’s a library in the house. Too bad he doesn’t read.

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post - Week #10


The Marine's Secret Daughter by Carrie Nichols
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Date completed: May 11th, 2021
Rating: 4 Stars

A very typical secret baby story, but what set this one apart for me was the fact that Riley (the Dad) doesn't even learn about his child until 75% of the way through the book. Meg keeps trying to tell him, but can never find the right time.

This was a really cute book and it doesn't happen often, but a scene towards the end involving Riley and the family of a fellow Marine that died did make me teary eyed.

[M]

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 - 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 #𝟏𝟎


Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan
Date completed: 5/11/21
Rating: 3.5/4 Stars
I needed some sugary sweetness in my life after some of the books I've been reading and this fit the bill. Lucian and Emma were pretty darn perfect for each other.
They both needed some solace after big life events and ended up being at Lucian's grandma's estate
at the same time. It was instant attraction, but they both needed a bit of a push to test the waters. Once they did... WOW! They were so flirty and fun! Very refreshing... like a dip in the pool of love.

[Susan]

I am reading the book from Week 5 and will have week 10 done soon

[Susan]

Selection Post - Week 10
Option 1

Book/Author-Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
Pages-179
How it Fits- I did not have this book on my TBR or my want to read shelf here on Goodreads. I am adding to my currently reading shelf as of 5/11/21

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Susan wrote: "Not sure if this needed to be updated in the selection post or completion post for week #8. I did the selection post

Selection Post - Week 8
Option 1

Boo..."

It was the selection post that needed to show HOW it qualified, so thank you - this will work now.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Susan wrote: "Selection Post - Week 10
Option 1

Book/Author-Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
Pages-179
How it Fits- I did not have this book on my TBR or m..."

This is correct. Thanks Susan.

[Susan]

Completion Post - Week 10
Option 1

Book/Author-Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
Date Read- 5/12/21
Rated- 4 Stars
Review- I loved the story so much. It was about an elderly man and woman named Addie and Louis. They touched my heart and I loved how brave Addie was going over to Louis's house one day and asking him if he would want to sleep with her. She didn't mean to have sex kind of sleep with her but someone to talk to in the dark. Someone so she wasn't alone every night. She wanted a companion at night to talk to and to sleep next to. They had both lost their spouses and neither of them were seeing anyone and it wasn't like a dating kind of a relationship anyway. The ending of this sweet story I wasn't a fan of.
Did I like this book the answer is yes I loved the story and didn't love the ending at all.

[CB]

Last Task Announcement!!
Week 11

Option 1
13. Surf your own shelves.

* On your preferred TBR shelf, look at the beige bar at the bottom of the page - on the sort function, click on 'random' and then read one of the first 3 books that now appear at the top of your shelf.
You may use any of your TBR shelves so long as there are at least 15 books on that shelf. If the page count for any of the three books does not qualify for the challenge (that is, is less than 100 pages), you may select the next book that has appeared randomly on the list. You must use a list that does not contain books that you have already read IF you do not want to read them again. You cannot substitute for the next book on the list, as allowed with the page count. If 3 books are at the top of your list that you have already read, you must select one of them.
Please note again - there must be at least 15 books on your TBR shelf.

Option 2
Key date: 13 November 2020

If you use this option, this week you must select your book from the team shelves immediately below your team in this list. The last team picks from the first team.

10 Couch Potatoes
7 The Lounging Lovelies
3 Couch Cruisers
8 Relax, Ride and Read
5 Have Books, Will Travel
4 My Couch or Yours
2 Surfing the Stacks
6 Our Couch Pulls Out, But We Don't
11 CouchSurfers Wipeout
1 Bargain Basement Backpackers
9 Six Slouching Surfers

Eg. Team 10 picks from team 7's members bookshelves. Team 9 picks from team 10's members bookshelves.

DO NOT PICK from a team member who has left the team during the game. Picks must come from current members.


Option 3
Not available this week

[Mary-Megan]

Week #11 - Selection Post (Option #2)


Bookcover/link: Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
Page numbers: 342
Cyndee from Team #6 read this on March 25, 2021 and gave it four stars

[M]

𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟏𝟏 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭
𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏 - 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝟏𝟑. 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬.


Cold Hearted Baller by Logan Chance
Pages: 214
How it qualifies: My list has more than 15 books and my top 3 random books were Red Hot Winter , Cold Hearted Baller and Lessons in Corruption https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Susan]

Selection Post - Week 11
Option 1

Book/author-It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Pages- 388
How it Qualifies-I went onto my Want to Read List (I have over 6,000 book on this list 🤣) and it was book number 1 after I clicked the random button under my want to read list. Book 1 was It Ends with Us Book 2 was The Tellingand Book 3 was Malibu Rising (Honestly I would have wanted Malibu Rising but I don't own it yet. I had It Ends with Us so I went with this book

[CB]

𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟏𝟏 - Selection Post
𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏 - 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬.


Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely
Pages: 220 (GR)
How it qualifies: My “Want to Read” list has more than 15 books and my top 3 random books were Trophy Husband, Wondering Sight and Ruby Fever.

[CB]

Completion Post - Week 11


Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely
Date Completed:5/25/2021
Rating: 2⭐️

So obsessively hipster-chic it made me want to barf. Seriously, it was like the author was trying to write the characters and their actions to be so over the top retro cool that I came to hate these people.

[M]

Completion Post - Week 11


Cold Hearted Baller by Logan Chance
Date Completed: 5/17/2021
Rating: 4
This was a fun read. Loved the banter and chemistry between Max and Calliope. I'm a sucker for sports reads and being a baseball player made it a grand slam.
Max and his dirty, dirty mouth. Some of his antics would make any woman blush. He hit 100 and never looked back. He instantly had sexy, witty comebacks and man were they good.
He knew he was a charmer of the ladies, but after his encounter with his Frosty, he only wanted to charm her and no one else.

[Mary-Megan]

Week #10 - Completion post


Bookcover/link: With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Rating (1-5): 3
Review: This was a decent YA book that I read for a work book discussion. It was essentially about a senior in high school navigating what she’s going to do with her life as a teen mom. She’s a passionate cook but how can she translate that into the real world along with relationships and family needs. I appreciated how it poses the idea that college doesn’t need to be the only option, that she could go straight to work. YA books aren’t really my thing, but this wasn’t bad. I had a few issues with the storytelling but that’s just me nitpicking.

[Susan]

Completion Post - Week 11

Book/Author-It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Date Read-5/20/21
Rated- 5 Stars
Review- I'm not sure why I don't read more by Colleen Hoover but I don't. Every book I have read by her I have devoured in days and I love how her writing style. She manages to suck me in and I get so invested by her plot, characters and twists. She really is such a great writer. I loved the female MC Lily and how she was able to get away from the abuse and not become a statistic. I love how even though I knew it was wrong I was routing for her and Ryle to make it. This book took a twist I didn't see coming and I love that. I plan on reading many more by Colleen Hoover and not waiting years in between books.

[Susan]

Completion Post- Week #5

Book/author-One to Watch / Kate Stayman-London
Date Read- 5/25/21
Rated- 4 Stars
Review- Loved it. I thought it was the most believable contemporary romance book I have ever read in a very long time. A plus sized average girl gets to go on a show like The Bachelorette and date 25 guys and they didn't tell the men they weren't getting the normal size 2 woman. They were getting an average sized woman which mean she was probably a size 12 to 18. Maybe Bea (the MC) was bigger but the author made the men's reaction so authentic. You know darn well if 25 great looking men got out of a limo expecting to be dating some size 2 Barbie with a good head on her shoulders and a brain but what they got instead was someone who probably has cellulite on her thighs and weighed a little over 200 lbs. they would not be happy and that's is exactly how this author wrote this book and it was amazing.

I'm not sure if I am to late to turn in this book. It was the only book I think I needed to have this challenge completed. Sorry if I was to late.

[CB]

Hi Susan - no worries, this is all in fun. The challenge ended last week when one of the teams finished all of their books first, so no need to post any further books.

Thanks, Team, for a fun PtP challenge!