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R14: SS Team 1 - The One-stoppables
Completion Post🔹Week 2Spot🔹16
Book🔹Two Wrongs Make a Right
How it fits🔹 #1 The Wilmot Sisters
Date Read🔹02.04 ★★★★
Review
This is a new author for me and I enjoyed reading her. The story didn't go as I expected based on the 'pretend relationship' trope (signs of a good author!), so that was good. It was a very feel good story and the requisite break-up/get back together at the end was brief and not drawn out. I loved the way the two MCs learned about each other, due to the 'pretend' part of the relationship as they became friends before jumping into an actual relationship. This was a good start for a new author for me.
My only issue - which may be a non-issue - was the way the author dealt with sexual identity. It was stated that the MC was pansexual but this wasn't played out in the story at all. The MCs discussed it once during a larger discussion about accepting and loving people as they are. Both MCs are also neurodivergent which IS a huge part of the story, so this sexual identity statement just left me wondering why include it? I understand wanting to create diverse characters and that all types of identities (lgbtq+ as well as the neurodiverse) deserve stories, but the character's sexual identity didn't play a part in the story, so it just felt stuck in there. On the other hand, maybe that's what being a fully accepting society is about - things that we think should be a social issue just aren't - it's all just part of a person's make-up like blue eyes or brown hair. Regardless, this was a great story and I enjoyed it immensely.
WEEK 2Spot & Prompt: #16, Title 'G'
Book: The Giver
Cover:
How it qualifies: Title starting with "G"
Pages: 204 pages
Completed: 6 Feb 2023
Rating: 4 stars
Bonus Point: 2 in 1: One point can be earned for reading a book that fits both the series number and the alternate for the spot you are on.
Title starting with "G" + #1 in The Giver Quartet.
REVIEW:
06 Feb 2023
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up for evocative storytelling.
CW: Infanticide.
1. The setting is a (probably) futuristic community where lives are disciplined and controlled (but where people are satisfied with it (view spoiler)) and all kids get assigned a job at 12. The protagonist, Jonas, gets the job of being the Receiver, a mysterious Very Important Job that turns out to involve getting memories of lots of things forbidden in the Community by some sci-fi flavor fantasy (more on the genre later). This changes his worldview on life, and has greater repercussions on the community.
2. So there is plenty of stuff to like about this book. The prose is simple but emotionally evocative. It doles out information in little bits, leading to many moments where you the reader piece things together and go "oh". The concept and setting are very interesting, even as I spent a lot of time at the end wondering what exactly the concept was. There were also a couple of scenes (most significantly the twin's release scene, but props to all the hidden barbs in the old person bathing scene, and the scene where you realize that 'color' is the extra something Jonas is seeing) that are going to stay with me for a while for the sheer horror of it. I can tell why this book won awards- it paints some really vivid pictures, and it does do a pretty good job of dumping you into another reality. So you know, enjoyable overall.
3. That said, I do think the book had plenty of well- not flaws, as much as bits where things were not thought out enough, explained enough, or the universe was not built enough. The vagueness is very good for evoking emotions, less so for giving the reader answers. I can appreciate that this is the first book in a series and later books might give me more answers (it's one of the reasons the rating was rounded up and not down), but uh... I'm really not attached enough to the world or characters to read the rest of the books.
4. The world is pretty bare bones. I have far, far, far too many questions about how all of this works. Not even large scale questions like "how did all this happen", but smaller ones like "how on earth is color part of memory?" and "if they are all seeing in grayscale bc genetic engineering - as hinted - (a) how do they know someone's hair is red and they need to change it and (b) how do the light eyed people alone have triggers to see colors?" Silly questions that really have no bearing on the plot, but the more the story moved the more they bugged me. Mostly because there's a lot of "this is how it is" and some "this is why we must change it" but very little "this is why it is how it is" and I figure that knowledge is required for any real change to take place.
5. As befits a bare bones world, the characters are also pretty bare bones. Don't get me wrong- they were still impactful characters, and they did pretty well within the setting. And they did very well with the creepy, oof. BUT. There really isn't much more to the characters. Part of that is intentional- all the non memory-ed people are studies of what they consider normal vs what we (and the memory-ed) consider normal, with Jonas acting as a sort of a bridge/everyman observer. The problem begins with the memory-eds, who are a little more "the character feels this way and makes these decisions because the plot demands it". It's not egregious, but I'd have liked to know a bit more about why Rosemary decided to kill herself for example or why (view spoiler) Now, I can make assumptions about these things, but without enough knowledge of the world and the system these assumptions feel somewhat shallow. it bugs me.
6. Given the collective memory and magically enforced grayscale vision, this book's really much more of a fantasy than sci-fi. Given the ages of the books and the many similar themes I suspect The City of Ember might have been based off The Giver a bit, but it understood the worldbuilding part a lot better. But then again that was more of an action fantasy than this one wants to be so eh.
7. Two middle grade books that give me The Giver vibes are
and 
. This doesn't really have anything to do with the review, but I feel like I should mention it.
Completion Post Week 2-Spot16
Book: Firecracker by Lucy Lennox and May Archer (search isn't working right now)
How it fits: #1 in Honeybridge series
Date Read: 2/8
Rating: ★★★★
Review: An enemies to lovers romance which I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed once I got past the first couple chapters. I usually really like books written by these two authors, but the characters in this story were harder to empathize with. They're both prickly, insensitive, and ready to believe the worst of each other. But once they start lowering the walls they've each built, the chemistry between them just explodes and the pace of the story really picks up. I also really liked the secondary characters, especially the matriarch Mrs. Wellbridge. She was snooty and shallow in a lot of ways, but she proved herself at the end when she showed that she truly did put her son's happiness first. This really made the story special for me, since I'm a total softie at heart.
going to try to finish my book today.. i’ve been super sick all week and just found out i have covid
Just a quick update…I finished my book. Having dinner right now, so I’ll post my completion later tonight
Completion Post Week 2-Spot16
Book: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
How it fits: Title G
Date Read: 2/10
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: Jeannette Walls' memoir delves into her childhood and how her and her siblings escaped it. I found this book very interesting but also very difficult to read. I love hearing about lives that are different than mine and am grateful to Walls for sharing her story.
Completion PostWeek #2
Spot: 16
Once We Were Starlight by Mia SheridanDate Read: 02/10/23
Pages: 344
How It Fits: Standalone
Rating: 4 stars
Review: So far I've liked every book by Mia Sheridan that I've read, and this was no exception. I am slowly trying to make my way through all her books. This book was hard to put down, but I also had a constant sense of apprehension while reading, worried that something bad was going to happen to the characters. It focuses on Karys and Zakia, who are victims of sex trafficking, and the aftermath of their relationship after they've been rescued. I liked Karys right from the beginning, but I had trouble connecting with Zakia. He just seemed really distant all the time, despite being Karys' love. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and am really glad I finally got the chance to read it.
Week 3
Previous Spot:16
Roll: 2 + 3
New Spot: 21
Books That Qualify
Standalone
#1 in series
#2 in series
#21 in series
Alternate: Cover Item - Umbrella/Parasol
Completion Posts
Laila Jane - Princess and the Player (Strangers in Love #2) - Completion Post
Katelyn - Completion Post TBD
Sha - Soulless (Alternate: Cover Item - Umbrella/Parasol) - Completion Post
AliciaJ - Rising Tides (Chesapeake Bay #2) - Completion Post
LaurLa - You Can Run (Laurel Snow #1) - Completion Post
Free Pass: Unearned
Bonus Points: 2/6
Question- can we start the new books immediately after the roll or do we have to wait for a particular day?
Mod
Another question: Does The Giver not count for a bonus point?
Sha wrote: "Another question: Does The Giver not count for a bonus point?"No it does! I totally missed that part of your review. I'll go add it now...
Completion Post🔹Week 3Spot🔹21
Book🔹You Can Run
How it fits🔹 #1 Laurel Snow series
Date Read🔹02.11 ★★★★
Review🔹
A bit edgier for Rebecca Zanetti that usual. I enjoyed the slow build of friendship between Laurel and Huck and the relationship with Abigail is and will continue to be creepy. But I like where this series is going. A lot of mystery/suspense series focusing on a female protagonist have them so broken emotionally that reading them can feel depressing. This one didn't really feel that way, at least not so far. There was not only resolution to the mystery/suspense plot, and while there isn't an HEA, Laurel has a positive outlook for the future... even with the creepy Abigail.
WEEK 3
Spot & Prompt: #21, Alternate: Cover Item - Umbrella/Parasol
Book: Soulless
Cover:
How it qualifies: Lady on cover is holding an umbrella.
Pages: 357 pages
Completed: 12 Feb 2023
Rating: 3 stars
REVIEW
13 Feb 2023
Rating: 3.5 Stars, rounded down because of too many tropes and prose choices not to my taste.
1. The setting is a Victorian AU of London where vampires, werewolves, and ghosts both exist and are integrated into society, complete with government run and funded crime-busting departments. The FL, Alexia, is a rare type of human who can neutralize supernatural beings. She's also a "not pretty like other girls, but also. hot." spinster with an overbearingly frivolous family, on the shelf with no marriage prospects. But her special powers (anti-powers?) mean that she's constantly in the path of the Alpha werewolf who's in charge of the crime investigations. Sparks fly, especially when they keep getting into dangerous situations while investigating missing loner supernaturals. So your basic historical romance/gaslamp fantasy mashup.
2. There were a lot of things to like about this book. The worldbuilding was actually pretty good- I genuinely want to know about how society and politics are changed by the presence of the supernatural, and what cross-border tensions happen because of it. The governmental structure of the supernatural is a great thing to explore- mundane (bureaucracy) + extraordinary (supernatural beings) = great worldbuilding fuel. I liked that the plot also revolved around finding ways to quantify how these supernatural thingys work- I really want more of that.
3. The characters were okay. I have a very clear and distinct preference for the flamboyantly gay gossipmonger/information gatherer Vampire Lord Akeldama and I sometimes wished the story was from his perspective. But I understand would have been a very different book. Our main leads are fine- I don't have much attachment to either of them, but they are both straightforward chaos-oriented people and I can appreciate that. Their romance subplot happens very fast, but it isn't very awkward because they have both known each other for a while, clearly have some sexual tension happening between them, and are very direct about their interest in each other once things boil over. They do spend an ungodly amount of time sexing it up even in situations where that should not have been the priority, but whatever.
4. What I didn't like was how it had all the trappings and tropes of a regency histrom. The prose is very airy and kinda snooty, an it's very similar to say- Heyer-ish prose so I'm sure it was intended to be that way. But it does grate on my nerve a little because there simply aren't enough convoluted social situations (which is where commentary like this shines) to justify the prose. The plot of this story is very simple, the characters have very simple emotions, everything is actually pretty normal once you take the magical elements out of it, and that makes it lack enough depth to offset the airy tone. I'm not entirely sure if this makes sense, but it's the best I can do with words at the moment. Also, depictions of the English monarchy as wise and benevolent have a tendency to turn me off these days. Wonder why.
5. This is actually one of those series where I think the later books may be more to my taste than the first, because I feel like a lot of things which had to be established were established and it paves the way to richer wordlbuilding and hopefully richer plots.
Completion Post Week 3 -Spot 21
Book: Rising Tides by Nora Roberts
How it fits: #2 in Chesapeake Bay series
Date Read: 2/14
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: So this is my absolute favorite in this series. Ethan and Grace fit together so well, but Ethan is one of those stubborn guys who thinks he knows best. One of the best scenes in the book is when Grace sets him straight on a few things and he has to face facts. I loved it. And of course, it wouldn't be a Nora Roberts book if there wasn't the rest of the family around them and being a part of the story. I love the sense of family that she brings to the story, it's definitely part of what makes the series and especially this book so great and such a treat to read.
Completion PostWeek #3
Spot: 21
Princess and the Player by Ilsa Madden-MillsDate Read: 02/16/23
Pages: 283
How It Fits: Book #2 in Strangers in Love series
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I had high hopes for this one, especially since I really enjoyed the first book in the series. And while I liked this one, book 1 was definitely my favorite in the series. I thought Tuck and Francesca were a great couple and I liked that fate just kept bringing them together over and over. I also really enjoyed the side characters - Jasper is awesome! - and hope some of them get their own books one day. I debated between rating it 3 or 4 stars, but ultimately settled on 4 since I had trouble putting this one down.
Katelyn, how are you on your book? I'm working tomorrow evening, so I might need you to check us in if you're not able to post until after 6pm Central time. No pressure at all, I know you weren't feeling well last week. I hope you're feeling better this week!
Hi, sorry for the late response! I should be done in the next couple hours but if not I’ll post and roll!
No problem! I'm about to head out for work. I'll include your completion post to Week 3's post when I get home tomorrow
Completion PostWeek #3
Spot: 21
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Date Read: 02/16/23
Pages: 244
How It Fits: Umbrella on Cover
Rating: 5 stars
Review: I listened to The Bell Jar as an audiobook so I will definitely need to go back and give it a relisten. I fell in love with Sylvia Plath's writing and cannot wait to read some of her poems, I find her life so fascinating. I really enjoyed reading this and how Plath portrays depression. We see Ester's mental health grow worse and worse until her breaking point, and the ending is very uplifting.
Week 4 Previous Spot: 21
Roll: 2 + 1
New Spot: 24
Books That Qualify
#2 in series
#4 in series
#24 in series
Alternate: Set on an island
Completion Posts
Laila Jane -
Katelyn -
Sha -
AliciaJ -
LaurLa -
Free Pass: Unearned
Bonus Points: 2/6
Laila feel free to copy and repost when you get a chance so that you can link the completion posts when it's time!
Katelyn if you’re still around can you make a post in the official check in thread?
Mod
That means you'll have to sit this week out, the week 4 roll won't count as you didn't have all reviews posted in time.
Katelyn wrote: "i’m really sorry guys :("No worries Katelyn 😊
Katelyn wrote: "i’m really sorry guys :("Life happens. Challenges are supposed to be fun, even the competitive ones! So no worries. We can relax this week 😃 Which is great for me since I'm on vacation and now I don't have to worry about getting a book done on time!
I'm looking at it that way too Laurla! This is our break week, so no problems Katelyn =)
Mod
I'd also like to note that this week was particularly hellish for me and I got 4 hours of sleep a day from Monday to Wednesday. A break was probably for the best. 😅
Week 5
Previous Spot: 21
Roll: 4 + 2
New Spot: 27
Books That Qualify
#2 in series
#7 in series
#27 in series
Alternate: Title 'T'
Completion Posts
Laila Jane - Problem Child (Jane Doe #2) - Completion Post
Katelyn - Twilight (Alternate: Title 'T') - Completion Post
Sha - Thick as Thieves (Alternate: Title 'T') - Completion Post
AliciaJ - Secret at Skull House (Secrets and Scrabble #2) - Completion Post
LaurLa - I Belong With You (Love and Desserts #2) - Completion Post
Free Pass: Unearned
Bonus Points: 2/6
Ok, my days are all messed up this week, I've had a houseful of sick people, myself included, and lost track of time. When is our next review supposed to be posted by?
I can finish off this week's book, but I'd like to arrange an absence for the next week, please. I think reviews need to be posted by Thursday, but I'm not sure if it's the exact deadline.
Absence requested for the next weekReason: My Weekend will be occupied because my cousin just had a baby + my great uncle is in the hospital and there are a lot of family obligations. I also have a major project due at work next week so reading after work may not be feasible.
Mod
That's fine. Sounds like you've got a busy week ahead!
Sha wrote: "I think reviews need to be posted by Thursday, but I'm not sure if it's the exact deadline."
Absolute deadline is end of day, Friday - 11:59pm Central Time.
AliciaJ wrote: "Ok, my days are all messed up this week, I've had a houseful of sick people, myself included, and lost track of time. When is our next review supposed to be posted by?"I'm sorry to hear that you've been sick. It's hard when not only are you sick, but the whole household. I hope you're all starting to feel better now
Sha wrote: "Absence requested for the next weekReason: My Weekend will be occupied because my cousin just had a baby + my great uncle is in the hospital and there are a lot of family obligations. I also have..."
Absence noted! I'm stressed out just reading how much you have going on next week. Good luck on your project!
Completion Post Week 5 -Spot 27
Book: Secret at Skull House by Josh Lanyon
How it fits: Series: Secrets and Scrabble #2
Date Read: 3/2
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: I am loving this new series (well, new to me series) from Josh Lanyon. I've never really read "cozy" mysteries before, but I have to confess I've become a fan. This series is set on Rhode Island, in a little town that of course has quirky characters, a handsome but stoic Police Chief, and our hero, Ellery, a child actor turned bookseller. The story starts to take off when his ex Brandon, a somewhat famous author, comes to town and buys an old house that has a bit of a sordid past attached to it. Without giving away too much of the story, suffice to say that tensions start to rise with his arrival, and then subsequent disappearance from his ramshackle house. The story takes numerous twists and turns, with several red herrings thrown in, just enough to make the ending and the final reveal a total surprise for me. I'm officially hooked now and will definitely be buying the rest of these books to see what happens next.
How is everyone else doing on their books? Mine will be done this afternoon. Book are due at 11:59 Central time tonight
Week 5Spot & Prompt: #27, Alternate: Title 'T'
Book: Thick as Thieves
Cover:
How it qualifies: Title Starts with 'T'
Pages: 337 pages
Completed: 03 Mar 2023
Rating: 4 stars
REVIEW:
03 March, 2023
Rating: 4 stars
1. Escapee slave encounters wandering warrior-like guy and they run away to another country together. This situation is not as simple as it seems at first glance, and there are a lot of political undertones.
2. This is one of those rare books which seem to get better on re-reads, somehow? I already know what's happening in this story, but since I know the political stuff in the background in advance, I look at everything with a different lens. It's still essentially a road trip adventure ft. two people with different agendas being pushed together becoming buddies, though. Which is a good thing! It's hard to go wrong with that premise. Kamet and the Attolian work very well together.
3. I think the reason I like both this and and A Conspiracy of Kings so much is because it's at least partly an Outsider PoV of characters and world I already know about. That's always wonderful. of course, I like A Conspiracy of Kings more because it was very much a Sophos story and Gen was an extra minor Deus Ex Machina, as he SHOULD BE.
4. What I do not actually like is the way everything seems to circle back to how incredible and amazing and super smart Gen is. Does everything in this world have to revolve around Gen? Apparently so. But at the very least, I'd like it if people stopped harping on and on about how amazing he is- I'm sorry but I am still not convinced he has the qualities to be annux. That position very definitely belongs to Irene, and her constant sidelining bugs me almost as much as the Gen-worship.
Completion Post🔹Week 5Spot🔹27
Book🔹I Belong With You
How it fits🔹 #2 Love and Desserts series
Date Read🔹03.02 ★★★★
Review🔹
This was a sweet (no pun intended against the series name...) love story. There were some OTT reactions from the characters but overall still a nice read. It was a little on the predictable side, but I was fine with it because the slightly OTT sisters created some fun scenes.
Completion PostWeek #5
Spot: 27
Problem Child by Victoria Helen StoneDate Read: 03/03/23
Pages: 262
How It Fits: Book #2 in Jane Doe series
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Jane Doe is a sociopath, and it is so much fun to get in her head. I love that she knows she's a sociopath and tries to do good in her own special way. This was a great addition to the series. I really enjoyed seeing where Jane came from and the dysfunctional family she grew up in. I loved her relationship with her boyfriend Luke, but not sure how I feel about her niece Kayla. Hope there's a 3rd addition to the series!
Completion PostWeek #5
Spot #27
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Date Finished: 03/03/2023
Pages: 498
How it fits: Title T
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did! I had three books on my shelf with a title that starts with T and let my boyfriend choose which one I should read and he chose Twilight! This book was such a quick read it did not feel like 500 pages. While Bella is so intolerable I loved the writing and how sweet and simple it was! I haven't decided if I will read the rest of the series yet since I don't own any of the other books.
Week 6
Previous Spot: 27
Roll: 6 + 5
New Spot: 38
Books That Qualify
#3 in series
#8 in series
#38 in series
Alternate: Published 2001-2010
Completion Posts
Laila Jane - The Heart Principle (The Kiss Quotient #3) - Completion Post
Sha - Absence approved
AliciaJ - Mystery at the Masquerade (Secrets and Scrabble #3) - Completion Post
LaurLa - Can't Text This (Texting #3) - Completion Post
Free Pass: Unearned
Bonus Points: 2/6
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Heart of the Sea (other topics)A Little Too Late (other topics)
A House with Good Bones (other topics)
Knight (other topics)
Close to Me (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Sarina Bowen (other topics)Ilona Andrews (other topics)
Ilona Andrews (other topics)
Josh Lanyon (other topics)
Josh Lanyon (other topics)
More...
Previous Spot: 7
Roll: 6 + 3
New Spot: 16
Books That Qualify
Standalone
#1 in series
#6 in series
#16 in series
Alternate: Title 'G'
Completion Posts
Laila Jane - Once We Were Starlight (Standalone) - Completion Post
Katelyn - The Glass Castle (Alternate: Title 'G') - Completion Post
Sha - The Giver (Alternate: Title 'G') - Completion Post
AliciaJ - Firecracker (Honeybridge #1) - Completion Post
LaurLa - Two Wrongs Make a Right (The Wilmot Sisters #1) - Completion Post
Bonus Earned: Sha - 2 in 1
Free Pass: Unearned
Bonus Points: 2/6