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R13: *** WINNING TEAM *** SS Team 12 - Librarians of the Galaxy
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Denise (mod) - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Karen - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Linda C - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Rebecca - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Shy The WidowMaker - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Spot 82

Book: Shadows on a Morning in Maine - Lea Wait
Pages: 240
Qualification: Antique Print, #8
Finished: 3/27/22
Rating: 3 stars
Review: This volume completes the Antique Print series. Overall, it was a satisfactory conclusion with all threads tied up. However, I thought the mystery was the weakest. I had trouble seeing Maggie's reasoning for being involved except for being nosy. Will's reasoning for not wanting children has an additional turn that I didn't think was necessary with everything else that was happening. So I'm glad things were all resolved and the series ended. It was time.

Selection Post - Week 10
Spot 82

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
#2 in series
pages: 422
Read: 3/29/22
5 stars
Review:
I didn't think it was possible, but I loved this book even more than the first. Maybe because I adore these characters or maybe because of the added spy element combined with a very twisted and complicated set of mysteries. Or maybe because of they way everything plays out at the end. I adored practically every moment of reading this and am really sad that it's over because I will miss them so very much. Not only was I completely stumped, but even the characters surprised me in ways that I loved. I think I experienced all the emotions in this book. The tone that this story was told in was just perfect and each POV helped create such a wonderful story. I enjoyed how we are kept in the dark and things are revealed slowly and by the different characters in their own unique ways.

Spot 82

Dollars Pepper Winters
300 pgs
Rating: 4 stars
Qualification: Dollar series #2
Review: This is a continuation from the story in book 1. Pim is now on Elder's yacht. A doctor has seen to her injuries but she has still not spoken a word. Elder is trying to get her to trust him enough to talk to him. Quite a few events happen that bring them closer together. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the next shortly as this one ended on a cliffhanger.
Week 10
Spot: 82

Book: The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
Qualification: The Golem and the Jinni #2
Pages: 472
Finished: 31 Mar 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
There is little that makes me happier than when the sequel to a book I fell deeply in love with succeeds in living up to my expectations in full. Like its predecessor, this is a slow and meandering tale, moving between a number of different characters and locations, that takes its time to unfold. Seeing all these plot threads and character finally come together towards the end is a thing of sheer beauty. This is storytelling at its best - quiet magic that keeps you spellbound. I would love to read more from this world some day.
Spot: 82

Book: The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
Qualification: The Golem and the Jinni #2
Pages: 472
Finished: 31 Mar 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
There is little that makes me happier than when the sequel to a book I fell deeply in love with succeeds in living up to my expectations in full. Like its predecessor, this is a slow and meandering tale, moving between a number of different characters and locations, that takes its time to unfold. Seeing all these plot threads and character finally come together towards the end is a thing of sheer beauty. This is storytelling at its best - quiet magic that keeps you spellbound. I would love to read more from this world some day.

Spot: 82

Qualification; Alternate Author B
Pages:308 Pages
Finished March 31 2022
5 Stars
Review:
So I am a huge lover of the Mercy Thompson series and I never thought I would love another character as much as I loved her but along came Anna. I am really loving seeing how well her and Charles work together and fit with each other. This book was another great installment especially with the addition of the Wildings. I cant wait to read the next one as there is now a new threat out there and I have to see what happens next.

Spot: 82

Qualification; Alternate Author B
Pages:308 Pages
Finished March 31 2022
5 Stars
Review:
So I am a huge lover of the Mercy Thompson series and I never thought I would love another character as much as I loved her but along came Anna. I am really loving seeing how well her and Charles work together and fit with each other. This book was another great installment especially with the addition of the Wildings. I cant wait to read the next one as there is now a new threat out there and I have to see what happens next.

Week 8 Roll: 4 + 3 = 7
New Spot: 89
Can read #8, #9, #89 or Alternate: 89. Set sometime before 1600 AD
Spot: 89
Book: The Vampire's Accidental Wife by Kristen Painter
Qualification: Nocturne Falls #8
Pages: 382

Book: The Vampire's Accidental Wife by Kristen Painter
Qualification: Nocturne Falls #8
Pages: 382

Denise (mod) - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Karen - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Linda C - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Rebecca - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Shy The WidowMaker - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Spot: 89

The Miracle at Speedy Motors - Alexander McCall Smith
Qualification: (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #9)
Pages: 240
Week 11
Spot: 89

Book: The Vampire's Accidental Wife by Kristen Painter
Qualification: Nocturne Falls #8
Pages: 382
Finished: 03 Apr 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
Once again, I stayed away from this utterly delightful series for far too long. (On the upside, that means there's a whole new pile of books in it available for me to discover!) The world of Nocturne Falls and its myriad supernatural inhabitants is entertaining as ever, and I was especially thrilled to finally get to see Julian find his HEA which was clearly long overdue. Desi is a great match for him, and a serving of all this romantic fun with a small side of action was just what my fever-addled brain needed right now. Already very much looking forward to the next book, which I definitely won't wait as long to pick up as I did this one!
Spot: 89

Book: The Vampire's Accidental Wife by Kristen Painter
Qualification: Nocturne Falls #8
Pages: 382
Finished: 03 Apr 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
Once again, I stayed away from this utterly delightful series for far too long. (On the upside, that means there's a whole new pile of books in it available for me to discover!) The world of Nocturne Falls and its myriad supernatural inhabitants is entertaining as ever, and I was especially thrilled to finally get to see Julian find his HEA which was clearly long overdue. Desi is a great match for him, and a serving of all this romantic fun with a small side of action was just what my fever-addled brain needed right now. Already very much looking forward to the next book, which I definitely won't wait as long to pick up as I did this one!

Spot: 89

Sassy in Lingerie Penelope Sky
Qualification: Lingerie #8
Pages: 199
Read: 4/4/22
Rating: 5 stars
Review: Griffin and Vanessa's story continues in this book. She knows it's going to be a tough sell to her family to have them accept Griffin as the man she loves since her mother killed his father after he had raped and kept her as a slave. Griffin's life was ruined by this act and we see that even though he is a hit man, we start to love him too witnessing everything Vanessa's family is putting him through. I really loved this book. It had so much going on and left me hanging (as per usual with this author). Can't wait to get to the next book.

Spot: 89

Premeditated Mortar by Kate Carlisle
#8 in series
304 pages
Read: 4/4/22
4 stars
Review:
I enjoyed this book so much. Something about the creep factor of an abandoned psychiatric hospital and the human aspect of the poor people who were not even treated as humans there (in comparison to the founder who truly wanted to do anything to help people) was just so captivating. This was less a straight forward murder mystery because the murder doesn't happen for a while, but there are definitely dangers and other dramas occurring (and poor Shannon is getting the brunt of the danger). I love seeing the side characters and her friends and coworkers. She and Mac and goals and I love seeing how their relationship has progressed and how much trust they have in each other. I also appreciate that Eric the police chief treats Shannon with respect and isn't constantly nagging her like many fictional officers. It was emotional and I was pretty saddened by the reveal and how much hurt some of these characters faced in their past. I love all the construction and architecture aspects and can't wait for more.
Looks like we're about to enter the final week of the game, and it'll be a race to the finish - which we have a pretty good chance to be part of! We'll get another bonus point when we roll for not reading alternates (I know I haven't, and I don't think I'm the only one), so with 6 bonus points we'd need to roll 6 or more to get to a winning spot. Might be a good idea for everyone to have a short(ish) #1 or standalone book picked out beforehand. :)

Shy used Alternate in Week 7 so we will have 5 bonus points to use.

Spot: 89

Proven Guilty
8 in series
547 Pages
5 Stars
Bonus: Over 500 pages
Review:
So I read this one while also listening to the Unspoiled podcast as one of the readers was reading it for the first time and it was a cool concept. I realized that with this reread there were many new things I picked up on this time around. This book put Harry in a new element as a Warden and this one also made me realize how much Molly has grown as I didn't care for her at all in this book. Cant wait to continue my reread.

Spot: 89

The Miracle at Speedy Motors - Alexander McCall Smith
Qualification: (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #9)
Pages: 240
Read: 4/7/22
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I really like this series. This one involves a threatening letter to Precious and Grace, a possible miracle cure for Motholeli, a client searching for her birth family and a fancy bed for Grace and Phuti. Lots of comic bits and bits of philosophy throughout.
It only needs one of us not using alternates to get that bonus, same as the other bonus points. So we've still got that covered. :)

Week 8 Roll: 5 + 3 = 8 (Plus 6 Bonus Points)
New Spot: 103
Can read #1, #3, #103 or Alternate: 103. Title 'F'
Week 12
Spot: 103

Book: Medusa by Rosie Hewlett
Qualification: Standalone
Pages: 204
Finished: 08 Apr 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
Take note, Ariadne: This is what a feminist retelling of an ancient Greek myth should look like. Debut novelist Rosie Hewlett delivers a master class in breathing new life into an ancient tale, reimagining it with a feminist slant. Her Medusa is sympathetic, complex, and imbued with far more agency than the original myth ever allowed her while remaining true to her story. I loved the direction Hewlett takes with Perseus as well, and the spin she puts on the inevitable way their lives must intertwine because Gods and Fates decree it so. A brilliant take on an old myth, and an immensely promising debut for this author.
Spot: 103

Book: Medusa by Rosie Hewlett
Qualification: Standalone
Pages: 204
Finished: 08 Apr 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
Take note, Ariadne: This is what a feminist retelling of an ancient Greek myth should look like. Debut novelist Rosie Hewlett delivers a master class in breathing new life into an ancient tale, reimagining it with a feminist slant. Her Medusa is sympathetic, complex, and imbued with far more agency than the original myth ever allowed her while remaining true to her story. I loved the direction Hewlett takes with Perseus as well, and the spin she puts on the inevitable way their lives must intertwine because Gods and Fates decree it so. A brilliant take on an old myth, and an immensely promising debut for this author.

Spot 103

Knocked Up by the Dom Penelope Bloom
Pages: 146
How It Fits: Standalone

Denise (mod) - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Karen - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Linda C - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Rebecca - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Shy The WidowMaker - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Spot 103

A Killer Plot - Ellery Adams
Pages: 311
How It Fits: (Books by the Bay Mysteries #1)

Spot: 103

Formula for Murder
Qualification:3 in series
Pages:289
3 Stars
Finished: 4/8/22
Review:
This series is really growing on me for a quick and light read. Kate is also becoming a character I like more as the series moves on. The author does a great job of bringing in all those first time mom feels and anxieties. I will definitely continue this series.

Spot: 103
[bookcover:A Bad Day for Sunshine|45046796]
A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones
400 pages
#1 in series
Read: 4/8/22
4 stars
Review:
This book was hilarious. Sunshine’s attitude about pretty much everything is both authoritative and snarky and I absolutely love it. There were a few different storylines here and trying to keep track of them and learning all the new characters was a bit confusing at first, but easier as the story flowed. Add to that secrets about Sunshine’s own past and I was really hooked. I love all the characters, but especially Ari, Jimmy and Cruz. I love how Ark wants to help investigate and I can imagine more fun books to come. This book was definitely heavy and had some dark parts to it, despite its humor. I can’t wait for more in the series.

Spot 103

Knocked Up by the Dom Penelope Bloom
Pages: 146
How It Fits: Standalone
Finished: 4/8
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review: Some of this was really funny. It was a bit far fetched but I think that's why I really liked it. Kylie is going on her first vacation, gets to the airport and the flight is cancelled. She meets Damian and ends up having sex with him in a conference room in the airport. He wants to whisk her away. They get in his personal plane (yea, I know, far fetched!) and while he's taking a call back in the airport, a woman comes on the plane and ends up scaring Kylie off. The rest is him looking for her and of course, they end up with their HEA! Good fun...

Spot 103

A Killer Plot - Ellery Adams
Pages: 311
How It Fits: (Books by the Bay Mysteries #1)
Read: 4/8/22
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Wealthy restaurateur, Olivia Limoges, has returned to her home town to write a novel. She has kept pretty much to herself though everyone in town talks about her. She is talked into joining a writer's group and one of these members is murdered. There are a lot of quirky characters, but a pretty interesting plot. Several reviews I read didn't like Olivia, but I did. She has a tragic past and a chip on her shoulder, but I think she is going to grow throughout the series. Looking forward to more.
Books mentioned in this topic
A Killer Plot (other topics)Knocked Up by the Dom (other topics)
Formula for Murder (other topics)
A Killer Plot (other topics)
Knocked Up by the Dom (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ellery Adams (other topics)Penelope Bloom (other topics)
Ellery Adams (other topics)
Penelope Bloom (other topics)
Darynda Jones (other topics)
More...
Selection Post - Week 10
Spot 82
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
#2 in series
pages: 422