R13: SS Team 6 - Watch Your Six

[Michelle]

Completion Post - Week 2



Book - Stalking Jack the Ripper
Author - Kerri Maniscalco
Date Completed - 1/31/22
Spot - 19
How it fits - Book # 1 in a Series
Alternative (Y/N) - N
Player - Michelle
Bonus (Y/N) (Which one) - N
Review - 2 stars

I really thought I was going to love this book. Look at the cover. It's gorgeous. Sadly the inside did not represent the awesomeness of the cover. To be honest I hated every single thing. Maybe it's because I'm an old swamp witch now or I don't know what cool is, but this annoyed me. The title pretty much tells you what era this is set in, Victorian London 1888 during the time a serial killer was loose and killing prostitutes in The Whitechapel District. The MC, Audrey Rose Wadsworth seemed to be a pretty cool character. She hung out in her uncles laboratory and she could regularly be found with her hands deep in a dead body studying how they died. That is until she opens her mouth, meets another student who she thinks is cute, and then fancies herself a private detective despite that she has had zero training. Up until now she has led a life of wealth and privilege where she had servants do everything for her.

Now let's enter the male love interest, Thomas Cresswell, who is a student f her uncles. He is a major tool and thinks he's all that. He's smarter than everyone, he can do everything better than anyone else, and he thinks he's god's gift to women. Of course Audrey thinks he the best things since sliced bread, but she is not going to let him know how he makes her feel. Instead she is going to act like a ninny and pretend she could care less, but every move she makes while in his company says different. I couldn't tell you how many times I rolled my eyes while listening to this. What drove me over the edge very early in the book was the night that Audrey decides to go out in the middle of the night by herself searching for a serial killer who has been murdering prostitutes throughout the city. I don't know what she thought was going to happen if she found the killer. She does eventually figure this out, but only after she is dragged into an alley by Thomas and chastised. She was so dense the girl could not even figure out what was going on in her own home.

The writing is what turned me off. It was very amateurish and pretty much the same formula the author used in her other series, Kingdom of the Wicked where the female MC is just as annoying. I was going back and forth on the rating. I really wanted to give it 1 star, but in good conscious could not. I gave it 2 because the author can write, just not something I enjoyed.

[Michelle]

Suzanne wrote: "Thanks Michelle! I really appreciate that list!"

I also forgot Dread Nation by Justina Ireland.

[Suzanne]

Thanks Michelle - I got all those added to my TBR - they all look fun!

Lol and nice review - sorry you didn't enjoy the book. But I greatly enjoyed the review.

[Michelle]

Does anyone here subscribe to Scribd?

[Suzanne]

I do. I feel as if it saves me money (or at least I tell myself that :) ).

[Vicki]

I subscribe too and I definitely get my money’s worth. Between Audible, Scribd and Libby, I have save a lot of money by not buying a ton of nooks which I used to do!

[Michelle]

So here's a weird question in regards to scribd. I've noticed that every month right before billing, books that have been available the previous month all of a sudden become unavailable until after the time you will be billed. Example..I've been listening to The Wayward Children's Series by Seanan McGuire for awhile now. I had all the books saved and they have been available since I started listening to the series. On the first I go to download the 4th book and it's unavailable until the 12th of February. It's done that with several other authors such as Rachel Caine, Annette Marie, and one more I can't think of. I've read elsewhere that this has occurred with other people. Has this happened to either one of you?

[Michelle]

I just wanted to let everyone know that where I live in the Northeast we are supposed to get hit with a really bad storm that could produce up to 18" of snow. Since I normally work on Thursdays, I may possible get stuck there and may have to get a hotel room. Therefore I would not be home until Friday. As long as we get our completion posts in by midnight we should be ok. So no need to worry about the Thursday midnight deadline this week.

[Suzanne]

Yes it has happened to me several times! I've never figured out why - but I'd love to know why.

[Suzanne]

Good luck - I hope you stay safe and warm!! I'll be ready to back you up just in case.

[Brittany]

Michelle wrote: "I just wanted to let everyone know that where I live in the Northeast we are supposed to get hit with a really bad storm that could produce up to 18" of snow. Since I normally work on Thursdays, I ..."

Stay safe, we already have schools closed for the rest of the week after today. Hoping we keep power and weather this time. Texas doesn't handle Winter very well.

[Michelle]

Suzanne wrote: "Yes it has happened to me several times! I've never figured out why - but I'd love to know why."

I thought it was weird. I just found it super annoying. I was all ready to start listening to a book on Tuesday while at work to discover it was not available until the 12th.

[Michelle]

Brittany wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I just wanted to let everyone know that where I live in the Northeast we are supposed to get hit with a really bad storm that could produce up to 18" of snow. Since I normally work..."

Several friends of mine who live in Texas are having severe anxiety over what might happen. I cant say that I blame them. 4 days without power last time for them.

[Michelle]

Suzanne wrote: "Yes it has happened to me several times! I've never figured out why - but I'd love to know why."

I found this:

https://bookaholicdreamer.wordpress.c...

[Suzanne]

Interesting. I feel like I've had better luck than she described, but I haven't been listening to tons every month. I've done at least a couple though. And it's great about new releases. I've certainly seen audiobooks become unavailable more frequently than e-books - not sure why. Thanks for linking that Michelle!

[Suzanne]

Week 2 Check-up

LaurLa, Wolf, and Vicki - how are your books coming along? We have til tomorrow at midnight central time (at the latest) to have reviews done and check our team in.

And more importantly - I hope you are all staying safe and warm in this crazy weather!

[Vicki]

Suzanne, we extended our stay until tomorrow but we’ll be home early afternoon so I’ll post my book tomorrow. It’ll be towards the evening. IF I get in reading time today I might get it posted tonight.

[Suzanne]

Thanks Vicki! I hope you are having a great vacation!

[Vicki]

Thank you, Suzanne :)

[LaurLa]

I'll have my book by the deadline. I finished a book last night thinking it was a #1 because I hadn't read the series before but it's actually a #2 😆 So I'm looking at a shorter #1! Probably The One for Me.

[Suzanne]

Oh oops! It's good you noticed early enough. Thanks for the update!

[Brittany]

Michelle wrote: "Brittany wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I just wanted to let everyone know that where I live in the Northeast we are supposed to get hit with a really bad storm that could produce up to 18" of snow. Sinc..."

Yeah we had a chemical spill in our water 2 days before so I had no water for over 8 days and then no electricity it was terrible. So far this one is just snow days but no lost resources

[Michelle]

Brittany wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Brittany wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I just wanted to let everyone know that where I live in the Northeast we are supposed to get hit with a really bad storm that could produce up to ..."

OMG!

[Michelle]

There was no way I was driving home tonight so my daughter and I got a motel room after we got out of work. The roads are atrocious.

[LaurLa]

Completion Post ➺ Week 2
Spot: 19


Book: The One for Me
How it fits: #1 January Cove
Date Read: 02.03 ★★★
Review:
The was closer to a 2 than a 3, darn GR not having half stars! The story was okay but the writing was very unexciting and dull, somewhat juvenile. Very predictable but I can get over that when the writing is good but this was just bleh. I doubt I continue the series.

[Suzanne]

Michelle I'm glad you made the safe choice not to drive!!

Laurla sorry you didn't enjoy that book! I guess that is one series to check off.

[Brittany]

Michelle wrote: "There was no way I was driving home tonight so my daughter and I got a motel room after we got out of work. The roads are atrocious."

Better to be safe!

[Michelle]

TEAM 6 WATCH YOUR SIX
WEEK 2 COMPLETION POSTS
SPACE 19

Player - Laurla

Completion Post ➺ Week 2
Spot: 19


Book: The One for Me
Author - Rachel Hanna
How it fits: #1 January Cove
Date Read: 02.03 ★★★
Bonus - No
Review:
The was closer to a 2 than a 3, darn GR not having half stars! The story was okay but the writing was very unexciting and dull, somewhat juvenile. Very predictable but I can get over that when the writing is good but this was just bleh. I doubt I continue the series

Player - Michelle
Completion Post - Week 2



Book - Stalking Jack the Ripper
Author - Kerri Maniscalco
Date Completed - 1/31/22
Spot - 19
How it fits - Book # 1 in a Series
Alternative (Y/N) - N
Player - Michelle
Bonus (Y/N) (Which one) - N
Review - 2 stars

I really thought I was going to love this book. Look at the cover. It's gorgeous. Sadly the inside did not represent the awesomeness of the cover. To be honest I hated every single thing. Maybe it's because I'm an old swamp witch now or I don't know what cool is, but this annoyed me. The title pretty much tells you what era this is set in, Victorian London 1888 during the time a serial killer was loose and killing prostitutes in The Whitechapel District. The MC, Audrey Rose Wadsworth seemed to be a pretty cool character. She hung out in her uncles laboratory and she could regularly be found with her hands deep in a dead body studying how they died. That is until she opens her mouth, meets another student who she thinks is cute, and then fancies herself a private detective despite that she has had zero training. Up until now she has led a life of wealth and privilege where she had servants do everything for her.

Now let's enter the male love interest, Thomas Cresswell, who is a student f her uncles. He is a major tool and thinks he's all that. He's smarter than everyone, he can do everything better than anyone else, and he thinks he's god's gift to women. Of course Audrey thinks he the best things since sliced bread, but she is not going to let him know how he makes her feel. Instead she is going to act like a ninny and pretend she could care less, but every move she makes while in his company says different. I couldn't tell you how many times I rolled my eyes while listening to this. What drove me over the edge very early in the book was the night that Audrey decides to go out in the middle of the night by herself searching for a serial killer who has been murdering prostitutes throughout the city. I don't know what she thought was going to happen if she found the killer. She does eventually figure this out, but only after she is dragged into an alley by Thomas and chastised. She was so dense the girl could not even figure out what was going on in her own home.

The writing is what turned me off. It was very amateurish and pretty much the same formula the author used in her other series, Kingdom of the Wicked where the female MC is just as annoying. I was going back and forth on the rating. I really wanted to give it 1 star, but in good conscious could not. I gave it 2 because the author can write, just not something I enjoyed.

Player - Suzanne

Completion Post - Week 2

Book: At the End of Everything
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Date Completed: 1/30/22
Spot: 19
How it fits: Stand alone
Player - Suzanne

Rating: 4 stars

Review:
I saw some descriptions of this book as science fiction, dystopian, or apocalyptic, but my interpretation of this novel was a an all-to0-real description of how society and the justice system might respond to a horrible pandemic - maybe that dystopian or apocalyptic, but perhaps not.

Our protagonists are a group of teenagers in a youth detention center. When all of the adults leave without an explanation, the kids are left to fend for themselves. They work together to determine what is happening, and to survive illness, hunger, and isolation.

Several different attitudes and issues are represented, with non-binary and autistic POV characters.

I admire what the author did, and I think she accomplished her goals well. I also think it was courageous to write something so close to what is happening with Covid-19, while the pandemic is still going on. I will be thinking about this for awhile.

Player - Brittany



Book - Fable
Author - Adrienne Young
Date Completed - 01/30/22
Spot - 19
How it fits - Book 1 of Fable
Alternative (Y/N) - N
Player - Brittany

Review
The beginning leaves a bit to be desired. I didn't feel on firm footing for all that was going on in the world, and I felt detached from the characters.

With so much going on from so many different angles and a significant story being told, I think the narrative choice may have hurt this beautiful world. Only told in first person POV, and through Fable's young mind, much is lacking and unable to be told. I wish it would have been said in the third person, or at least had another narrator from first.

The pace is slower than I wanted to experience from an adventure book, and the romance lacks heat. The build-up of the relationship was a bit stilted and then rushed. I can see how this could have developed with a bit of better flow that would have sold it a bit more.

Honestly, most of my complaints are due to pacing and stilted narrative view. Reading this book was like sitting up in the crow's nest and watching the story through the eye of a scope. I wish I could have seen more of the other characters and world. Fable was likable enough.

The ending was intense and left anticipation for the next book. I will continue in the future.

Overall I am sitting solidly at a 3-star rating

Player - Wolf


Book - Eternal Reign
Author - Caroline Peckham
Book: Eternal Reign by Caroline Peckham
Date Completed: 2/3/22
How it fits: First book in series
Review:
I loved this book! I loved the story of humans trying to get away from the vampires. I love that Eric doesn't realize how bad the girls actually have it. I love that they both have the power to kill the vampires. I couldn't put this book down. 5 stars

Player - Vicki


Book: The Dead and the Dark
Author: Courtney Gould
Date Completed: February 4, 2022
How it Fits: Standalone
Alternative (Y/N) - N
Player - Vicki
Bonus (Y/N) (Which one) - N
Review - 5 stars

Review:

Boy, this one was nothing like what I thought. It was dark...very dark and oh, so good. It kept me on my toes. It is one of those books that is truly disturbing and you almost feel bad for saying it's good. Young people are going missing in the town of Snakebit, Oregon. Not such a unique plot, right? Seemingly not, but this book's plot is definitely anything but banal. The MC is Logan and she has a mission to complete. In so doing, she sees things that others can't see and they don't necessarily believe her.

I want so badly to tell more but it would ruin it for anyone who might decide to read it. I hope others will give it a try though

[Suzanne]

You surre do a nice job with those check-ins Michelle! Thanks for doing that.

[Vicki]

Hey team, I am back from vacation but I tested positive for Covid yesterday. My husband was positive on Wednesday. So far we’re both doing fine and just have cold-like symptoms. I will get my book posted tonight for sure but I need to finish it. Lol Today I was either driving or dozing off in the passenger seat. So I just need a little more time.

[Michelle]

Suzanne wrote: "You surre do a nice job with those check-ins Michelle! Thanks for doing that."

Thanks..

Next week I have to work Friday night. If we haven't gotten all of our completion posts in by 3, would you be able to do it?

[Wolf (Alpha)]

I'll have mine in tonight as well

[Michelle]

Vicki wrote: "Hey team, I am back from vacation but I tested positive for Covid yesterday. My husband was positive on Wednesday. So far we’re both doing fine and just have cold-like symptoms. I will get my book ..."

Oh crap, please take care of yourself. I hope it goes away soon.

[Michelle]

Hi Wolf...

It's your turn to roll this week. When you post your completion post, could you please add your roll at the end of it....Thanks!

[Suzanne]

Michelle - sure I'll do it next week if needed.

Wolf and Vicki thanks for the updates - and Vicki darn it! Sorry you got sick!

[Wolf (Alpha)]

I'll add the roll as soon as I post

[Vicki]

Completion Post ~ Week 2


Book: The Dead and the Dark
Author: Courtney Gould
Date Completed: February 4, 2022
How it Fits: Standalone
Alternative (Y/N) - N
Player - Vicki
Bonus (Y/N) (Which one) - N
Review - 5 stars

Review:

Boy, this one was nothing like what I thought. It was dark...very dark and oh, so good. It kept me on my toes. It is one of those books that is truly disturbing and you almost feel bad for saying it's good. Young people are going missing in the town of Snakebit, Oregon. Not such a unique plot, right? Seemingly not, but this book's plot is definitely anything but banal. The MC is Logan and she has a mission to complete. In so doing, she sees things that others can't see and they don't necessarily believe her.

I want so badly to tell more but it would ruin it for anyone who might decide to read it. I hope others will give it a try though.

[Michelle]

Thanks Vicki...I just added another book to my want to read shelf. All I had to do was read the first 2 sentences before I clicked want to read..lol

Before I started this challenge, I deleted about 100 and some books off my want to read shelf. I have a feeling it won't take long before add back another 100.

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Book: Eternal Reign by Caroline Peckham
Date Completed: 2/3/22
How it fits: First book in series
Review:
I loved this book! I loved the story of humans trying to get away from the vampires. I love that Eric doesn't realize how bad the girls actually have it. I love that they both have the power to kill the vampires. I couldn't put this book down. 5 stars

[Wolf (Alpha)]

I rolled a 5

[Wolf (Alpha)]

New spot is 24
#2 in a series
#4 in a series

[Michelle]

Great job everyone!

We are now on Spot 24

# 24 in a series
# 2 in a series
# 4 in a series

Alternate:
Book to Movie/TV (must state how book qualifies: listopia, imdb, precis)

[Michelle]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Book: Eternal Reign by Caroline Peckham
Date Completed: 2/3/22
How it fits: First book in series
Review:
I loved this book! I loved the story of humans trying to get away from the vampires. I love ..."

This sounds really good too.

[Suzanne]

Great reviews!

Michelle I just deleted a bunch from my TBR too, but this challenge has re-inflated it.

[Wolf (Alpha)]

@Michelle, it's great! If you've ever heard of Zodiac Academy its by the same authors. I absolutely love their writing. I'll be reading book #2 of the series for this week

[Vicki]

Michelle wrote: "Thanks Vicki...I just added another book to my want to read shelf. All I had to do was read the first 2 sentences before I clicked want to read..lol

Before I started this challenge, I deleted abou..."

LOL I know exactly what you mean! I have an absurd number of books on my TBR and if I live to be 101 I'll never get them all read!

[Suzanne]

After I finish my books today, I'll have a #4 that I'm reading and a #2 I'm listening to, so I'll just review/report whichever I finish first for week 3.

[Michelle]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "@Michelle, it's great! If you've ever heard of Zodiac Academy its by the same authors. I absolutely love their writing. I'll be reading book #2 of the series for this week"

I have heard of Zodiac Academy. My daughter has mentioned it before. That's on her list. Eternal Reign seems more my style.

[Michelle]

Suzanne wrote: "After I finish my books today, I'll have a #4 that I'm reading and a #2 I'm listening to, so I'll just review/report whichever I finish first for week 3."

You read like I do.

[LaurLa]

Finally decided on what I will read - California Wine #2 California Romance series. Sorry it took me a while to decide.