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R14: SS Team 9 - Say You'll Be Nine
Week 5: Current spot: 33
Die roll: 7 (4,3) Timestamp: 2023-02-24 06:48:01 UTC
New spot: 40
What fits: standalone, #4, #40, alternate Title E
Selection post Week 5 Spot 40: Undercover by Eliot Grayson
200 pages
How it fits: #4 Vino & Veritas series
[*book:Undercover|56569041]
Thanks Roger, we drove for 9 hours today, so will post our new spot and the link to our reviews tomorrow
Selection Post: Week 5Spot: 40
Book: Reconstructing Amelia
Author: Kimberly McCreight
Pages: 382
Qualification: Standalone
I’m away for this weekend I’ll figure out want to read probably torrow
Completion post - Week 5Spot 40
Book: Reconstructing Amelia
Author: Kimberly McCreight
Pages: 382
Qualification: Standalone
Rating: 4 stars
Date Read: 2/26/23
Review:
This was such a good read. It kept me on the edge of my seat right up to the very end. Did Amelia kill herself or was she pushed off the roof? School bullying and the use of social media are strong themes in this book. The story is sad, but very well written.
Selection PostWeek 5 Spot 40
Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Pages: 324
Qualification: #4 in Hannah Swenson
Week 5 Completion: spot 40
Book: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Qualification: alternate Title E
Pages: 374
Finished: 1/3 4★
Review:
I really enjoyed this one. I suppose it helps that I've always liked "Jane Eyre". I'm glad Thursday could help poor old Rochester out.
Eighteen years since I read this last, where has the time gone? I had forgotten an awful lot, & there's a lot more depth to it than I remember. I love Pickwick's plocking. The strange alternate reality in this can make you a bit wobbly - hang on, what do I know is true & what is the fantasy? Great fun & an excellent read.
Completion post Week 5 Spot 40: Undercover by Eliot Grayson
200 pages
How it fits: #4 Vino & Veritas series
Date read: 3/2/2023
Ratings: 4 stars
Review: Alec is an undercover FBI agent investigating drug smuggling using yoga mats. Gabe Middleton is a bookstore clerk at Vino & Veritas and black sheep of his family. Alex goes to an investor party as Gabe's plus one so he can do some snooping. The next day Gabe goes to meet his brother, David. And they get Kidnapped by a VP using the company's boats to smuggle the drugs. Gabe use one of the yoga mats to protect himself and tunnels the VP, knocking him out with the added weight of the drugs. Gabe and Alex fall in love.
[*book:Undercover|56569041]
Completion PostWeek 5 Spot 40
Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Pages: 324
Finished 3/2/23
Qualification: #4 in Hannah Swenson
Rating 5 stars
Review
Hannah is the owner and baker of a cookie shop but on the side, she has two boyfriends Norman and Mike, and she can't decide which one is for her. Mike gets the chance to build the dream house both he and Hannah won a prize for dreaming up, but a dead body is found there, and Hannah is off trying to find the killer again. Book is full of delicious recipes, and I always wind up writing them down but never trying them.
These stories are always a fairly light fun read.
How is it going loriidae?
Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "How is it going loriidae?"I am here :) finished my book and just finishing up my review.
Completion Post
Book: Demon's Dance
Author: Keri Arthur
Pages: 299
How it Fits: #4 Lizzie Grace
Date Read: Mar 2 ★★★★✰
Review:
Arthur has created an interesting world set in rural supernatural Australia with reservations for shifters controlled by goverment appointed witches. Lizzie and her friend Belle are witches in hiding, having run away from the governing council as teenagers afraid of ending "up in the adjustment centre for magical delinquents?" They now own a cafe and lizzie is involved with a local wereweolf, Aiden. Aiden, a reservation ranger is called to investigate a series of gruesome murders.
The nice thing about this series is that it is easy reading and the mysteries are interesting and full of action. Lizzies power is continuing to evolve and change as she learns to harness the "wild magic of the well-spring", a mystical place on the reservation. The mainstay of these books, is the constancy of her deep friendship with Belle. Lizzie's relationship with Aiden is always accompanied by angst and is still billed as temporary.
There were some interesting reveals about Lizzie's past that had been hinted at in the previous books. An enjoyable read. 4 stars
SS - Week Five - Spot #40 Alternate Task: Title begins with E
#40 = #40, or #4, or stand alone
Bonus Points Available: 2
Catsalive:The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Review (Alternate: title E)
Heli: Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight Review (Stand alone)
Joyce: Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke Review (#4 Hannah Swenson)
lorii: Demon's Dance by Keri Arthur Review (#4 Lizzie Grace)
Roger:Undercover by Eliot Grayson Review (#4 #4 Vino & Veritas)
Bonus Points earned: 0
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Week 6Current spot: 40
Die roll: 12 (6,6) Timestamp: 2023-03-03 09:57:56 UTC
New spot: 52
What fits: #2, #5, #52 alternate award winner
Selection post Week 6, Spot 52: Nothing Like Forever by Marie Sinclair
318 pages
How it fits: #2 in finding forever series
[*book:Nothing Like Forever|58504287]
Thanks Roger nice number. :)
SS - Week Six - Spot #52 Alternate Task: award winner (must state which/when)
#52 = #52, or #5, or #2
Bonus Points Available: 2
Catsalive: Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn Review (alternate - RUSA CODES Reading List for Adrenaline (2023))
Heli: The Bride Wore Size 12 by Meg Cabot Review (#5 Heather Wells)
Joyce: A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers Review (#2 Wayfarers)
lorii: More Than Thrills by Olivia Michaels Review (#5 Watchdog Security)
Roger: Nothing Like Forever by Marie Sinclair Review (#2 Finding Forever)
Bonus Points earned:
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Selection Post Week 6 spot 52
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
Pages: 364 pages
Qualification: #2 in Wayfarers series
Selection post : Week 6Spot 52
Book: The Bride Wore Size 12
Author: Meg Cabot
Pages: 392
Qualification: #5 in Heather Wells series
Week 6 Completion: spot 52
Book: Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Qualification: award winner - RUSA CODES Reading List for Adrenaline (2023)
Pages: 353
Finished: 6/3 3.5★
Review:
I love the premise but the tale didn't quite rise to the occasion. It is easy to read & fairly entertaining but it just didn't pull me in, I suppose I was misled by some of the hype. It is good but it should be fabulous.
Four 60-year-old female assassins about to retire find themselves with a price on their heads. I expected more humour, there's certainly scope for it, but it was all told pretty straight. I never felt I got to know any of them very well, except, perhaps, Billie, the narrator. We do see Billie Webster's recruitment & her flashbacks that give us hints about everyone's pasts, but not enough about the other women. Helen Randolph, Natalie Schuyler & Mary Alice Tuttle mostly remain ciphers: widow, man-eater, lesbian, toughnut - can I remember which is which? They weren't inclined to reflection nor seemed to think much in general, no preparation for the future at all, only one of them thought to have an escape route planned - incredible!
The Menopaws app was fun, if not particularly original - I loved Menopaws: The Silent Meow, not to mention Menopause: The Musical https://menopausethemusical.com.au/. I did wonder why Minka was even there but I suppose someone had to prove tech support for the dinosaurs who were used to having everything prepared for them by The Museum. Ah, the shady organisation providing extraordinary public service by eliminating all those nasty people - a very good idea, but always open to internal corruption. Got to wonder about their recruitment policy, too, after reading Carapaz's origins.
Regarding PSA... I don't think using a TLA like PSA is wise. To me, PSA is a prostate-specific antigen test (a very odd thing to put in a book about peri-menopausal women), so this threw me right out of the book before I realised the author probably meant a public service announcement.
Anyway, it was a good read & I enjoyed it, it just didn't live up to my expectations. I hope there is a sequel with tightened up development. Probably 7/10.
Completion Post
Book: More Than Thrills
Author: Olivia Michaels
Pages: 292
How it Fits: #5 Watchdog Security
Date Read: Mar 6 ★★★✰✰
Review:
One thing that really irritated me was that the hero kept calling the heroine "Shug" - I am assuming short for sugar, but it pulled me out of the story every time as I kept reading it with the short u sound as in Shrug, not with the oo sound as in took. So the upshot was that it never sounded cute or romantic to me, it was just really awkward every time I read the I assume abbreviated word.
The story itself, is a good combination of action, suspense and seduction. Nash and Elissa made a cute couple with the addition of Reggie the labrador. I enjoy books with intelligent working dogs that have their own personalities. 3.5 stars
Completion post - Week 6Spot 52
Book: The Bride Wore Size 12
Author: Meg Cabot
Pages: 392
Date read: 3/8/23
Rating: 4 stars
How it fits: #5 Heather Wells
Review:
This was such a great ending for this series. I just love Heather and Cooper and the motley crew of funny and likable characters. There is a new death to be investigated, but also a wedding to be planned. Love is definitely in the air. We finally meet Heather's mom who's been on the run for the last ten years. Cooper's twin sisters are such hilarious bridesmaids. The crime is solved and Heather catches the killer before she says I do. Swoon.
Where do I find a new series as fun and quirky as this one? Sigh.
Loriidae wrote: " Completion PostBook: More Than Thrills
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I'd be with you on the Shug thing. In my head I'd be going shrug-no-sugar all the time. Mind you Sug wouldn't work either because the I'd be doing S-to-SH all the time. Better yet, don't call your partner by that stupid name! 😃
Completion Post Week 6 spot 52
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
Pages: 364 pages
Qualification: #2 in Wayfarers series
Finished: 3/9/23
Rating 5 stars
Review
This is two stories in one. One is that Lovey the AI from the first book is now in a body but her memories didn't travel over. So she has to adapt to the all the input and try to make sense of her new friends and surroundings while trying to fit in to society as well. The other is a story of survival of Jane and how she escapes her enslavement with the with the help of an AI program.
This is was so good I want to read the next book right away. I listened to it on audible and it was very well narrated as well.
Completion post Week 6, Spot 52: Nothing Like Forever by Marie Sinclair
318 pages
How it fits: #2 in finding forever series
Date read: 3/9/2023
Ratings: 2 stars
Review: Not for me. Not a Romance but Gay Fiction with Two Characters that when the stars align are good together, but otherwise are a Disaster. 318 pages and the Author wasn't invested in the characters to give them last names. Just I want the time reading this back.
[*book:Nothing Like Forever|58504287]
We are all complete so I will be rolling Friday Morning.
Week 7:Current 52
Die roll: 11 (5,6) Timestamp: 2023-03-10 08:11:23 UTC
New spot 63
What needed: #3, #6, #63, alternate 'R' Author
Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "Completion post Week 6, Spot 52: Nothing Like Forever by Marie Sinclair
318 pages
How it fits: #2 in finding forever series
Date read: 3/9/2023
Ratings: 2 stars
..."
I hate when that happens. I usually can find a reason to finish a book but I have had books that should pay me to read them
Week 7 Selection PostSpot 63
Dead Over Heels by MaryJanice Davidson
Pages: 266
Qualification: Undead Series #6.5
SS - Week Seven - Spot #63 Alternate Task: Author begins with R
#63 = #63, or #6, or #3
Bonus Points Available: 2
Reviews are due at the latest by end of day on Friday 17 - 11.59pm Central Time.
Catsalive: The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan Review (Alternate - R Author)
Heli: The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin Review (#3 The Broken Earth)
Joyce: Demons of Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase Review (#3 Jade Calhoun)
lorii: Tempted by Love by Jennifer Ryan Review (#3 Montana Heat)
Roger: Jumping Jude by Lucy Lennox Review (#3 Made Marian)
Bonus Points earned:
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Selection Post Week 7Spot #63
Book: The Stone Sky
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Pages: 416
Qualification: #3 The Broken Earth
Either #6 - More than Words Can Say or #3 Storm Rising or #3 Sweet Justice or maybe something completely different....
I am changing my book it seems I don't have it like I though I did.Demons of Bourbon Street
# 3 in Jade Calhoun series
Selection post Week 7 spot 63Jumping Jude by Lucy Lennox
264 pages
How it fits: #3 in Made Marian Series
[*book:Jumping Jude|48728647]
Completion post - Week 7Spot 63
Book: The Bride Wore Size 12Book: The Stone Sky
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Pages: 416
Date read: 3/14/23
Rating: 4 stars
How it fits: #3 The Broken Earth
Review:
This series is so complex, I'm not apt enought to even try to describe it. This book was such a good ending for this trilogy. It is sad, but there is also some light at the end of the long long night. Some important revelations were made in the end that just blew my mind. N.K. Jemsin is an amazing author. I have not read anything quite like this for a very long time.
Completion post Week 7 spot 63Jumping Jude by Lucy Lennox
264 pages
How it fits: #3 in Made Marian Series
Date read: 3/13/2023
Ratings: 5 stars
Review: In this book Jude is a famous Country Western singer and Derek is his new bodyguard. over the course of the book they fall in love. When Jude decides he has to come out of the closet, Derek decides he can't come out -- family issues. When Jude performs at the Superbowl Derek's boss figuratively kicks his ass and tells him to win Jude back. He gets there in time to take a bullet for Jude. The Marian family is its usual chaotic loving entity.
[*book:Jumping Jude|48728647]
Completion PostWeek 7 spot 63
Demons of Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase
Pages: 286
Finished: 3/15/23
How it fits: # 3 in the Jade Calhoun series
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review:
Jade is trying to save Kane who got injured while helping her get out of a demon dimension. But while she is trying to do that it seems Mary got some of her soul and now she has to fight to keep her soul. She has to deal with Angels and Witches and just wants to keep her soul. Her relationship with Kane is developing nicely. I wasn't sure I was enjoying this book until approximately 3/4 the way through it then I could not put it down. That's why it got a 1/2 star for me.
Completion Post Week 7 Spot #63
Book: Tempted by Love
Author: Jennifer Ryan
Pages: 402
How it Fits: #3 Montana Heat
Date Read: Feb 16 ★★★★✰
Review:
This book runs parallel to the events in book #2 True to You, so sometimes there is the repetition of the previous book placing the events of this book into context.
Jay and Alina have a brief affair one weekend when both attend a wedding. Jay wants to explore a relationship, but Alina is more cautious. Jay works for the DEA and Alina is afraid of a relationship with a person who is continually facing danger. Jay's mother also adds her two cents to the level of angst. I really liked that Jay and Alina talked to each other. That is always a plus factor for me about characters.
Alina begins to notice some odd happenings surrounding her partner at their pharmacy. The story escalates into a good mystery with a balanced slice of romance. 4 stars
BONUS POINTS:✸ One point can be earned for reading three or more books in a series.
Catsalive
✸ One point can be earned for starting and finishing a series. There must be at least 4 books in that series. Series + spin-off totalling ≥4 books also counts. For series with >9 books, point will be awarded for reading books 1-9. For still ongoing series, all books published to date (OR up to #9 in longer series) must be read.~ No re-reads on this one.
Roger
✸ One point can be earned for never picking a book from the alternate list. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
✸ One point can be earned for always picking a book from the alternate list. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
NOTE:
✸ Each point can only be earned once per team.
✸ The series-specific bonus points (3 or more books/ starting and finishing a series) must be two different series.
✸ Single book bonuses (>500 pages/ 2 in 1) may overlap with a series bonus
Free Pass Earned: (Week Two)
Just in case anyone is working on series bonuses etc, please let me know when you earn a bonus point. :)
I am still on track for the never picking an alternate list.
I just need to read one more from Vino & Veritas series for 3 in series.
Week 7 Completion: spot 63
Book: The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
Qualification: R author
Pages: 408
Finished: 16/3 3.5★
Review:
An entertaining read. Some of the food they used during these parlous times of rationing was quite ingenious. I really can't imagine what it was like but my mother said whale meat was definitely not something she'd ever want to eat again. Life was so hard, especially for Audrey with a dead husband, three children & a foreclosure on the house in the offing.
I enjoyed the four contestants coming together & supporting each other, Audrey, Nell, Zelda, & even the self-centred Gwendolyn. A great story. Rated 7/10.
I'm still on track for always picking an alternate.
The Challenge Factory
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Book: Christmas Shake Up
Author: Leigh Jenkins
Pages: 176
How it Fits: #3 Sabina Island
Date Read: Feb 22 ★★★✰✰
Review:
I read this book in isolation without having read books #1 and #2. There were a few flashback incidents referring to the previous books but they didn't interfere with my understanding of the story. I liked Alexei, an executive that wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty out in the field. I felt Olivia was a bit immature particularly about circumstances beyond anyone's control, throwing a hissy when left stranded by an earthquake. Our heroine was not shown in her best light, but she did at least acknowledge if only to herself that she was being a brat. Unfortunately it was hard to believe in the romance.
There were quite a few pop culture references, that will, I think only serve to date this book in the future. Overall, it was a cute holiday season read but too short. In some ways it was like reading a condensed version of a novel, all the highlights are there but it could have been a lot more. 2.5 stars