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R13: SS Team 2 - C-JA(A)BS
Week 4 spot 31 - Completion postA Cowboy to Remember by Rebekah Weatherspoon
How it fits - #1 in the Cowboys of California series
Finished 2/17/22
Rating ***
Review:
This was a cute story, but didn't "wow" me. The story revolved around Evie who had a successful TV cooking show. She fell and hit her head which caused amnesia. Her assistant contacted the Pleasant family, who showed as her emergency contact. They brought her to their ranch to help her recover.
When I first picked up the book, it looked like a romantic suspense book, but there was very little suspense. That being said, it was a very sweet romance story about 2 people who dated as teenagers and reconnected as adults. The best part of the story was Zach's grandmother, Leona. She had been an actress and had a lot of stories as well as advice to both Evie and Zach.
Week 5 - Roll 5
Number Rolled: 4+3 = 7
Post Your Roll - Post
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Spot: 38
Book Choice:
Read 3rd book in a seriesAlternate Choice:
Read 8th book in a series
Read 38th book in a series
Read a book that a teammate rated 5 stars.Note the bonus points!
-----------------------------------------
Books Read (Alphabetically)
✔ AnnMarie | Hard Knox | Havenwood #3 | Review | 23-Feb-2022
✔ Apoorv | The Lies That Bind | Bibliophile Mystery #3 | Review | 24-Feb-2022
✔ BarbaraAnn | The Lights on Knockbridge Lane | Garrett Run #3 | Review |
✔ Christina | Awaken the Darkness | Immortal Guardians #8 | Review | 23-Feb-2022
✔ Jennifer | Bodily Harm | David Sloane #3 | Review | 18-Feb-2022
✔ Shan ~A~ | Carnal Secrets | The Phoenix Pack #3 | Review | 22-Feb-2022
Read: Bodily Harm
Robert Dugoni
Fits: #3 in David Sloane
Read: 02/18/2022
Because I read these books out of order, there was a major life event in this book that I already knew about. That did not detract from the tension of the book for me. Sloane is an attorney who has taken some high-profile cases and is now in the position to invest in cases he cares about. The case in this one, concerning the safety of children's toys, pits politics and corporate America against consumers' interests, with deadly results - both in the case and during the investigation/prosecution of it. Naturally, there is an element that will stop at nothing to ensure profit. And predictably, that element has not reckoned with David Sloane. It doesn't seem to matter that all of these plot points and outcomes are expected -- this is still a good series with interesting characters pitted against difficult situations. The unexpected development for me (and I knew the outcome but had no idea how they got there) was the resolution of the situation between David and his stepson - it was heartwarming and satisfying. The only loose end this book didn't resolve for me was related to the court outcome that Sloane got in the opening chapter of the book, that led to him taking the toy case -- that outcome was problematic and not sufficiently dealt with later. 4 stars.
Completion Post ~ Week 5Spot: 38
Task: Read 3rd book in a series
Book: Carnal Secrets
Author: Suzanne Wright
Finished: 02/22
How it fits: 3rd in the Phoenix Pack series
Rating: 4 stars
Review: A running theme across the first 3 books in this series: Cartoon character nicknames: Popeye, Beavis, and I think Flintstone (for T&T, correct me if I'm wrong) and a spiteful female who tries to come between the mated pair. Lastly, Greta talking noise to any woman who ends up with one of her boys.
Now on to Nick and Shaya.
I will says that when I knew that Nick wasn't claiming Shaya and the pain that was putting her through, I thought that I wouldn't be able to forgive him. But once I got the details of his reasons why he was hesitating, and how hard he went after his mate, I fell head over heels for him.
Shaya, being unforgiving in the beginning was understandable, but the longer she kept punishing Nick, the more her reasons seemed weak, and started to make me dislike her a bit.
Once they were both on the same page, everything was great, now it was just time for them to deal with the rest of the drama from the spiteful Amber, and the crazy humans who wanted to punish (or kill) all shifters.
One of the reasons I love reading series with connected characters and/or storylines is because I get to continue to live in this world while getting updates on characters who've came before and getting to know new characters along the way. Suzanne Wright does this (the world building/character building) very well.
Completion Post ~ Week 5Spot: 38
Task: Read 8th book in a series
Book: Awaken the Darkness
Author: Dianne Duvall
Finished: 02/23
How it fits: 8th in the Immortal Guardian series
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I just love this series. This one heavily relies on past books in the series so although the premise is fully explained the full impact of what the characters have gone through (specifically Stanislav and Yuri not to mention Seth) it is best to read this series in order with the short novellas as well.
With this one we really hadn't had much time to jump on the Stanislav bandwagon as both he and Yuri were introduced only mid series but I liked the way his book was handled. The continuing story arch connecting the last 2 books is all but paused while Stan's story played out but I was ok with this.
The romance part of this book was pretty typical of this series. Both Immortal Guardian and their love interest are thrown together with a whole lot of action and turbulence and the I love you's are quick but satisfying. There were some minor battles within the book but not as many (or as epic as the ones that occur in previous books) but because this book is about Stan and his amnesia this too is ok.
Once again Kirsten Potter does an amazing job narrating. With Immortals from all over the world I fully believe all of her accents and will always listen to these books providing I can get them all easily from my library system.
I'm so addicted to this series and want to jump right into the next book but have another audio book I have to listen to first. Don't suppose our next roll will put us at a number with a 9 in it? Come on Apoorv roll an 11 LOL.
Week #5 Spot #38
Hard Knox by Riley Hart
Qualification: #3 in Havenwood series
Finished: 2/23
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review: This was a cute, heart-warming story. Knox and Callum were great together, first as friends then as more. Everyone was super nice and while that can be annoying sometimes it worked here. Even though this is book 3 in the series I read this one first and while there are side characters who must have been the focus in earlier books it wasn’t bad, can be a standalone for sure. I do plan on reading the others, good, easy read that I enjoyed.
Week #5 - Roll #5Spot: 38
Book Read: The Lies That Bind | Kate Carlisle
Date Read: 24-Feb-2022
How it Fits: Bibliophile Mystery #3
Rating: ★★.5
Review
This is where it gets really stupid I guess. I mean, the series started off decently with the first book, the second one eked past into the bearable category and now we become a fair bit ridiculous. The concept of this series was what drew me onto them, as we get to read about the intricacies and beauties of book-binding and then there are random murders that thrown around in a vaguely book related way. I am still fascinated by the book binding process, but everything else gets lamer by the book.
The characters are pretty one-dimensional and everyone is categorized by how beautiful or attractive they are. And if that is not shallow for you, then there are murderers who are as obvious as plain daylight. Brooklyn, the MC, suddenly became really annoying in this one and it took the essence away from the book primarily.
I might read the next one, but unless that one is a complete change of pace from this one, this series seems to be running out of steam really quickly unfortunately.
Completion post week 5 - spot 38Book - The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish
Qualification: #3 in the Garnet Run series
Read 2/25
Rating: *****
This was the perfect Christmas story. A few of the characters from previous books showed up, but the three new major characters were all wonderful. Children are usually minor characters but Charlie was a major character in her own right.
Charlie wanted her house to have the most Christmas lights ever for her Christmas wish. Adam, her father didn't have a lot of money and placed a request on social media for Christmas lights to make his daughter's dream come true. Along the way, he met his reclusive neighbor, Wes.
I really loved this story and will probably read it again around the holiday season.
Week 6 - Roll 6
Number Rolled: 2+6 = 8
Post Your Roll - Post
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Spot: 46
Book Choice:
Read 4th book in a seriesAlternate Choice:
Read 6th book in a series
Read 46th book in a series
Read a book with yellow/gold cover.Note the bonus points!
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Books Read (Alphabetically)
✔ AnnMarie | Griff's Place | Havenwood #4 | Review | 27-Feb-2022
✔ Apoorv | The Hunting Party | Alternate: Yellow Cover | Review | 27-Feb-2022
✔ BarbaraAnn | Shadowed Threads | Rylee Adamson #4 | Review | 01-Mar-2022
✔ Christina | Damien | Nightwalkers #4 | Review | 01-Mar-2022
✔ Jennifer | Anna of Kleve: The Princess in the Portrait | Six Tudor Queens #4 | Review | 03-Mar-2022
✔ Shan ~A~ | Topping the Alpha | Trident Security #4 | Review | 01-Mar-2022
Week #6 Spot #46
Griff's Place by Riley Hart
Qualification: #4 in Havenwood series
Finished: 2/27
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review: This book was just okay for me. I was a little bored for most of the book and actually sped the audio up a bit more than I usually listen just to get to the end quicker. I really liked Griff but I didn't like Josh so much. Since this is the last in the series the side characters were front & present quite a bit which I enjoyed. This wasn't terrible, just kind of meh for me.
Book - Shadowed Threads by Shannon MayerQualification: #4 in the Rylee Adamson series
Read 3/1
Rating: ***
This book was ok, but there was very little to advance the overall plot. Pamela was more involved, and it's good to see how she's growing. I also was happy to see Liam making an appearance and Alex is still one of the sweetest highlights. Alex, along with Liam keep Rylee stable. I wasn't really enthused by the empress plot line, but willing to keep up with the series.
Completion Post ~ Week 6Spot: 46
Task: Read 4th book in a series
Book: Topping the Alpha
Author: Samantha A. Cole
Finished: 03/01
How it fits: 4th in the Trident Security series
Rating: 4 stars
Review: The best of the series so far. I loved these two together. Their chemistry was fire from the very first scene, which made every scene with them together explosive (especially the sex scenes).
I'm not sure I've said this while reviewing the books that proceeded this, but this author does a really good job of explaining the BDSM lifestyle in her books.
Anyway, this packed a lot of punch. Action, hot sex, emotion, hot sex, hot sex, hot sex.
My favorite thing about this was the Nick decided to fight for the right to be with Jake, and once the decision was made he didn't wasted time making Jake see things his way. There were still obstacles considering that Nick doesn't participate in the lifestyle, and he's always been sexually dominate, but those things were handled well and in a believable way.
I've finished my book but probably won't have time to post a review until tomorrow.
Read: Anna of Kleve: The Princess in the Portrait
Alison Weir
Read 3/3
Fits: #4 in Six Tudor Queens
This is the first book I've read that didn't dismiss Anne of Cleeves as "that footnote that came between Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard" and as such it puts a controversial interpretation on the events surrounding her life before and during her marriage to Henry VIII. It also goes into her life after her marriage to Henry ended, and after his death as well -- for many Tudor fans, this may well be uncharted territory. Weir makes what I suspect is an unprovable case about Anne's true life and circumstances, but it makes for interesting speculation and compelling reading. Moreover it's always interesting to read about a woman making her own way in the world in an era when women were regarded as powerless and without rights. Anne did it in a foreign country in her second language, and in an environment where trust was thin on the ground, loyalty was for sale, religion could become dangerous overnight, and treachery was practically a profession. I really enjoyed this book! 4 stars.
Week #6 - Roll #6Spot: 46
Book Read: The Hunting Party | Lucy Foley
Date Read: 27-Feb-2022
How it Fits: Alternate: Yellow (88.6%) [https://labs.tineye.com/color/76a4046...]
Rating: ★★
Review
What a load of disappointment! It is a story told umpteenth times before, so I went into it hoping that we would get a different twist to this locked-room dependent-on-the-mercy-of-weather-gods sub-genre. Alas, it was not to be! It is a storyline even similar to Lucy Foley's more appreciated The Guest List, and it just seems like that is a pattern for Ms. Foley.
While the plot is just blah, the characters are even worse. You could have swapped one for the other and it wouldn't have made much of a difference. Honestly, the person who was killed and the one who does the deed were very stereotypical that you could sense that hunting from a galaxy away.
Overall, a very forgettable story marred with issues left, right, and center
Christina, if you get around to posting your review tonight, please feel free to roll for us for next week. I can get everything updated tomorrow morning. :)
Completion Post ~ Week 6Spot: 46
Task: Read 4th book in a series
Book: Damien by Jacquelyn Frank
Finished:3/1/22
How it fits: Book #4 in the Nightwalker series https://www.goodreads.com/series/4118...
Review: It's been almost 15 years since I read the first 3 books in this series. That's a long time to try and remember the intricacies of the Nightwalker world. To tell the truth I didn't remember most of it other than a vague recollection of really loving the first book and finding the second not as good and the third not as good as the second.
This book was good but I wasn't bowled over by the romance. I thought the action was better and, although, Syrena and Damien were a balanced couple I just wanted to see more action rather than sex between them. I liked the connecting story arc with the big bad demon Ruth and will pick up the next book to see how it plays out.
Apoorv wrote: "Christina, if you get around to posting your review tonight, please feel free to roll for us for next week. I can get everything updated tomorrow morning. :)"I sure can!
roll 4 + 6 = 10
New spot #56
Read book #5, #6, #56, or the alternative option "56. Author uses a pseudonym"
Week 7 - Roll 7
Number Rolled: 4+6 = 10
Post Your Roll - Post
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Spot: 56
Book Choice:
Read 5th book in a seriesAlternate Choice:
Read 6th book in a series
Read 56th book in a series
Read a book where the author uses a pseudonym.Note the bonus points!
-----------------------------------------
Books Read (Alphabetically)
✔ AnnMarie | Magpie | Forbidden Desires #5 | Review | 07-Mar-2022
✔ Apoorv | Come Tumbling Down | Wayward Children #5 | Review | 07-Mar-2022
✔ BarbaraAnn | White Trash Zombie Gone Wild | White Trash Zombie #5 | Review | 10-Mar-2022
✔ Christina | Midnight Frost | Mythos Academy #5 | Review | 08-Mar-2022
✔ Jennifer | Witches and Wedding Cake | Alternate: Cricket McRae (pseudonym Bailey Cates) | Review | 05-Mar-2022
✔ Shan ~A~ | Watching from the Shadows | Trident Security #5 | Review | 08-Mar-2022
I'll be reading Witches and Wedding Cake by Bailey Cates which is a pseudonym used by author Cricket McRae
I'll read White Trash Zombie Gone Wild which is #5 in the White Trash Zombie series by Diana Rowland
I believe Magpie by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly works. The series in the book info is listed as: Series Forbidden Desires Spin-off #2, Forbidden Desires #5 and on the Forbidden Desires series page HERE it is listed as #5.
Read: Witches and Wedding Cake
Bailey Cates who is really Cricket McRae
Read: 3/5/22
How it fits: Author name is a pseudonym (see above)
Review: Katie is getting married, but not before she solves another murder. Katie and her family are witches living in Savannah. I tend to prefer this kind of paranormal series, where the paranormals exist in "human" society, to the ones where the entire community is paranormal, because the plots are often better developed because you can't distract the reader from a weak story with feats of paranormality and other similar excesses on every page. The plot has to carry the story because the paranormality is "hidden" from the humans to some extent.
Katie's soon-to-be sister-in-law winds up the suspect in a murder investigation after her slime-ball ex-husband is found murdered in his hotel room. Kate, naturally, senses the involvement of the paranormal in the situation. The murder is solved an hour before the wedding, and the solution is very creative and compelling, but a secondary plot-line is left tantalizingly unsatisfied.
This volume didn't have as much of the interaction between Katie and the other witches in her coven as most of them have had, and those relationships are so lovely that I missed them in this go-round. But I have her next adventure lined up in TBR, and now that we don't have her wedding to cause us to have to pay attention to Declan's family, maybe we can resume the focus on the friendships in that. 4 stars.
Week #7 Spot #56
Magpie by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
Qualification: #5 in Forbidden Desires series
Finished: 3/7
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review: So this was good but I did not enjoy it as much as the prior books in the series. I liked the main couple but I realized my favorite parts of the book were when Everard & Harry (the couople from book 2) were present. It wasn't bad by any stretch, I did enjoy it quite a bit but not as much as the prior books. I can definitely recommend the series and will absolutely continue with the remaining books.
Also the narration was top notch, Michael Ferraiuolo has done a great job with these books and this is no exception.
Completion Post ~ Week 7Spot: 56
Task: Read 5th book in a series
Book: Watching from the Shadows
Author: Samantha A. Cole
Finished: 03/08
How it fits: 5th in the Trident Security series
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I love a secret baby romance. I love BDSM romance. I love romantic suspense. Here we have all three in one.
Finding out your a father when you've vowed to never have kids, nor get married, had to be a shock to the system. With that said, I'll give Marco a pass for being an ass.
How did this come to fruition? Well, Marco & Harper (his sister's best friend) comfort one another with sex after his sister died. In the heat of the moment they have unprotected sex, and failed birth control.
My main problem with this story is why, with all of the security "experts," did no one realize who was behind the attack on Harper? As soon as I heard what happened for Harper to think Marco didn't want to have anything to do with their daughter, it was the first person who popped in my head.
There are too many of you guys with brawn and brains for this person to not have even been a blip on your radar at first.
I finished my book but won't be able to post my review until Thursday night.
Completion Post ~ Week 7Spot: 56
Task: book 5 in a series
Book: White Trash Zombie Gone Wild by Diana Rowland
Finished: 03/10/22
How it fits: #5 in the White Trash Zombie series
Rating: ****
Review: It's been awhile since I read the last book in the series, but it was easy enough to get into the story. The main focus was on a festival with the focus being on a new zombie movie coming out that had been filmed in the area (Zombies are not considered to be real). Angel (MC and Zombie) went to the movie with friends and soon realized that the movie was more of a documentary with real footage. She decided she had to try to find out who gave the footage to the filmmaker. At the same time, her addiction, which she had previously gained a good handle on, started again. She thought she could control her addictions (both the zombie hunger and addiction to drugs). It didn't work out well, This was probably the most relatable part of the story - addiction just isn't quickly cured. She went out of control to the extent that she almost killed her father.
I'll be looking forward to the next book in the series.
Completion Post ~ Week 7Spot: 56
Task: book 5 in a series
Book: Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep
Finished: 03/8/22
How it fits: #5 in the White Trash Zombie series
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: Another installment of the never-ending battle between good and evil.
The Good, The Bad, and Everything In Between: So, the thing with this book, or rather Jennifer Estep's writing in general, it is a bit repetitive. Reapers attack. A bunch of kids training to be warriors kill most of them. Rinse. Repeat. Don't get me wrong. That doesn't make this a bad book. There are enough new additions between slightly different scenarios and new characters being brought in that the book has enough of a difference between it and it's predecessors to keep us interested. I have to admit though I am glad there is only one more book in this series though. I'm ready for this story arch to end. Last year I read the first book in her spin off series and enjoyed the newness of the new setting and new characters but even it is still all about a bunch of kids battling Reapers. I'm honestly not sure how long Estep can continue with this same theme with the same bad guys.
With that said I did like the forward movement Gwen had in her life by finding a cousin and learning more about her own dad who was an unknown to us and really to her. I liked Rory and Rachel (but then I already met them when I read the first book in the spin off series last year) and really liked the Colorado setting. I liked the return of Logan even though it was almost at the end of the book. I also liked how Gwen was coming into her own person. She has learned to be just as much of a warrior as the Valkyries and Amazons and has stopped doubting herself.
In a Nutshell: I enjoyed this book a lot and even though I'm ready for this series to come to an end I'm still looking forward to reading book 6 and the conclusion to this chapter of the Mythos Academy.
Week #7 - Roll #7Spot: 56
Book Read: Come Tumbling Down | Seanan McGuire
Date Read: 07-Mar-2022
How it Fits: Wayward Children #5
Rating: ★★★
Review
This book felt like something Seanan McGuire added to cash in on the rich popularity of the first few books of the series. And might I say, that it was perfectly serviceable. But that was all it offered to me, and after four previous books in the series, I most certainly expect more.
This book sort of continues the story or brings back the characters from Down Among the Sticks and Bones, and that most certainly was an exciting aspect given how richly Ms. McGuire crafted The Moors and the central characters in that story. But, we somehow end up with a half-baked, half-hearted story that never quite went anywhere. It was wonderful to read the same characters and their personality traits, but I felt disconnected and disinterested in the proceedings. The stakes never felt high, and the consequences never felt real. Even when things come to a head it seemed to end abruptly without creating any ripples in the grand scheme of things.
Important subjects dealt here like ones identity and the struggle of losing and fighting for it, understanding ones place, anxiety plus representation like a primarily queer relationship, diverse main characters were seamlessly included, as has been the case with other Seanan McGuire novels, but there is a distinct lack of depth or gravitas in dealing with any of them. What could have been a more heartfelt, inert kind of conversation/conflict in the finale, read like a frivolous, superficial take on the subject. The plethora of characters milling about having their own side stories going did not help the cause either.
This book has the potential to be expanded into a full-fledged story with adequate time given to all the primary characters and their realities while focusing on the main driving force of the story. It also somehow takes away from the goodwill built in the previous installation of the story. It is almost a given that in a longer series, like this one, there are almost always a couple of books that just keep the story alive and in publication - but somewhere I would rather prefer to have a fleshed out story that makes me wait, than a quickie that leaves me dissatisfied.
So sorry, I got my days mixed up. I thought today was Thursday. Its been one of those weeks. Eeks! :o
Week 8 - Roll 8
Number Rolled: 5+2 = 7
Post Your Roll - Post
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Spot: 63
Book Choice:
Read 3rd book in a seriesAlternate Choice:
Read 6th book in a series
Read 63rd book in a series
Read a book set in the future.Note the bonus points!
-----------------------------------------
Books Read (Alphabetically)
✔ AnnMarie | Of Redemption and Vengeance | Winsford Sifters #3 | Review | 16-Mar-2022
✔ Apoorv | Blueberry Muffin Murder | Hannah Swensen #3 | Review | 17-Mar-2022
✔ BarbaraAnn | White Trash Zombie Unchained | White Trash Zombie #3 | Review | 17-Mar-2022
✔ Christina | Wild Bear | Bear Haven #3 | Review | 15-Mar-2022
✔ Jennifer | The Tallulah Bankhead Murder Case | Jacob Singer #3 | Review | 11-Mar-2022
✔ Shan ~A~ | Tickle His Fancy | Trident Security #6 | Review | 17-Mar-2022
Read: The Tallulah Bankhead Murder Case
by George Baxt
Read 3/11/2022
How it fits: #3 in Jacob Singer
I LOVED this vintage mystery. It was catty. It was witty. It was swift moving. It was smoky. It was intelligent. It was steeped to the gills in the juice of the grape (and a few other fermented substances). It was true to the "real life" character's images. The author himself was a minor character in it. It made good use of historical context -- the pressure felt by the many, many people harmed by the HUAC activities in the '50s and the resulting blacklist. Tallulah was outrageous, and Dorothy Parker was cynical, and Estelle Winwood was daffy, and Patsy Kelly was clingy, and the host of other names he name-dropped was just fun.
This is the first book by Baxt I have read and it will NOT be the last. I didn't know much about Baxt before reading this mystery. Apparently in addition to his "celebrity" mystery series (Jacob Singer) he also was something of a pioneer in that he wrote a series of books featuring a gay, black detective. The first three volumes of that series came out in the 1960s, fairly daring for that time.
Well, I'm not sure what I'm reading this week. I had #s 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 9 on audio lined up LOL. I tend to listen to books faster than I actually read them so I try to plug those in first for this challenge because the time is more limited than in my other challenge I'm doing. Oh well, I'll think of something...if all else fails I have the sixth Mythos Academy book I still need to read.
I finished book 1 in a series that had a stupid cliffhanger and I will just listen to book 2 then 3 easily before Thursday so put me down for Of Redemption and Vengeance and I'll post if the plan changes.
Selection Post Week 8 -Spot: 63
Wild Bear by Terry Bolryder
Pages: 134
How it fits: #3 in the Bear Haven series
Week #8 Spot #63
Of Redemption and Vengeance by Alice Winters
Qualification: #3 in Winsford Shifters series
Finished: 3/16
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review: I enjoyed this book, it was a solid conclusion to the series. There were 4 different POVs which took some getting used to but I was able to do so and it didn't ruin it for me. While there was some there was much less snark that in some of the author's other books which I missed a bit. I think the author did a good job with a shifter story, definitely OTT (but I mean hello, shifter story) and the villains were as well. (view spoiler) Overall good book and series, would recommend.
The Challenge Factory
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Callahan's Legacy (other topics)
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Spot: 31
Book Read: The Butterfly Garden | Dot Hutchison
Date Read: 17-Feb-2022
How it Fits: The Collector #1
Rating: ★★★.5
Review
Gee whiz!! Every time you want to believe that there is good in people, characters like these just make you want to question the whole idea of humanity itself. The book has a phenomenal premise which is gruesome, creepy, and downright inhuman. And the story does start off with an absolute bang and we sort of go backwards in time, but forwards in narration. There was an hauntingly mesmerizing quality to the prose and it enhanced almost all the proceedings to another level.
Hutchison balances the atrocities that befall the women with quieter moments where they find solace in each other and their memories of a life before. Even in the most inhuman of situations, the connection of humanity shines through. My only concern was that through all of this the author expected me to suspend my belief so many times, that towards the end it just made me stop believing in the story; and I desperately wanted to stay with the narrative flow. The plot holes are very glaring and it reads as the author's debut work.
Hopefully the series gets better, I certainly will read the rest of it. This one had potential to the moon, and it delivers on many instances - but there were a lot of things that made little sense given the scenario, which I hoped to have been done a little better.