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R6: SSS Better Read than Dead (3) **Winning Team**


Forgotten Sins by Rebecca Zanetti

Read: (3/30)
Rating: ★★★★★
So this was one of those cases where a book was coming up for a challenge and I knew nothing about the author so I had no real expectations going in. Generally though I tend to like books that pair paranormal and military type characters. This was no exception! The quality of the writing was there and there are so many nuanced characteristics of this world that I'm still waiting to find out.
Sure the trope is pretty standard, guy loses memory but still wants the girl, but the extra bits definitely made it more interesting. Shane has no memory of his past after waking up in the hospital. A bat to the head in an altercation has him scrambling to figure out much of anything, especially how he has a wife walking in the door telling him who he is but pretty much nothing more. After all they haven't seen each other in two years. Josie can't wrap her head around why her husband, soon to be ex husband, is even in WA let alone anywhere near her after disappearing two years before. She's attempting to move on with her life but she can't quite seem to let him go.
So I really appreciated that Josie wasn't a weeping violet despite having master overloads of testosterone bearing down on her. She manages to hold her own and still try to do the right thing even when she's totally out of her depth. Shane's nature of course isn't completely gone despite the knock to his head, but it is the one thing that does allow him to start opening up more to the woman he knows he loves despite everything. These two were on an inevitable collision course with a bed pretty much from minute one, but that's ok I enjoyed their banter.
Shane's brothers are definitely interesting as well and I can't wait to see where their stories go. There weren't a whole lot of surprises in this story for me, but at the same time I still really enjoyed the manner in which it was told. There are some interesting bits about the guys history that I can't wait to find out more about. Their childhood raised from basically birth to be superhuman military prodigies is certainly bound to make things crazy as they try to figure out all the pieces and disrupt the evil. :D



★★★
Read 3rd April 2015
2.5 Stars
There are things I liked about this book and things that really annoyed me. I liked the fact it was a sweet story and at times I liked the simplicity of it. I hated that it had a lot of inconsistencies in the writing. Rob has such close friends in Alex and Marley in the beginning then they just disappear never to be mentioned again. There are little details that contradicted earlier statements and it was enough to distract me from the story. I never really warmed to Rob and Chris and wasn't that invested in their relationship.



Week: 3 (Wednesday)
Spot: 19
Series: #1 in series
Read: 04.03.15
Rating: 4 stars
I love books set in the South at an old Plantation....and then you throw a ghost in there, what could be better?
I like Heather Graham, sometimes her books can be predictable, but they are quick, enjoyable reads. This was the first book to the series and it certainly makes you want more. I will be continuing with the series.

Read:

Finished: 4/3/15
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:
3.75
So this was pretty good, Luce aka Lucifer was awesome! It was a hair slow the first 60% or so but the last bit was really good. Not that the first part was bad, it was more of an introduction of the characters. It sets it up nicely for book 2 and I'm curious to see where it goes after the way this one ended. Cool angel & demon concept too. All in all a decent and fairly quick read.

Loving a Lost Lord by Mary Jo Putney

Read: 4/4
Rating: ★★★★★
Oh I just loved this book! Sure there's a bit of a well that's convenient vibe about some of the coincidences in this story, but they only make for a happier happily ever after so I was totally satisfied. The characters in this story are wonderful and I really loved all of them.
Mariah has spent most of her life without a permanent place to call her own as her father made his living as a gamble within the ton. While never destitute they were never solid enough to settle down anywhere either. Now he's recently one a lovely manor in a hand of cards with enough money for them to settle down and begin a life for themselves reliant on no one. While he is off tidying up some loose ends Mariah finds herself with an unwanted suitor in the guise of the previous landowner and only a fictitious husband is enough to get him to lay off at least temporarily. When she discovers a half drowned man the ocean tosses up on her beach though Mariah takes the opportunity and runs with it.
Adam has no memory of what happened to cause him to be carried to shore by the tide. But he's more than happy to believe that the angel taking care of him is his wife. He may not remember his past, but he knows that everything with her feels right. The return of his memory might not be the blessing they all want though if Mariah's white lie comes to light.
I loved these two together. Adam was so open when he could remember nothing of his life. I liked watching him rediscover himself and his reliance on the one person he trusted around him. Of course the details would all come to light and the mystery of his circumstances must all be solved. There were layers upon layers to the solving which I did also enjoy.
The story of how the boys all met, and Adam being the impetus for the creation of school for bad boys that he and his friends attended was cute and very sweet. I liked Adam's half Indian background and his refusal, no matter the dictates of those trying to raise him to be a proper Duke for the duchy, to completely abandon that other side of his heritage.
This is one of those really sweet stories where everything is really just a little too perfect and a little too coincidental but for whatever reason it just hit me as so much fun at this moment. The twists were entertaining and I can ignore the "hey look who else is behind door #2 you never thought you'd see again." Like I said this is a case of let's make the most perfect HEA ever. If you're in the mood for it, it's wonderful.


Week: 3 (Sunday)
Spot: 22
Aternate Hat on Cover
Read: 04.07.15
Rating: 3 stars
Maddie, Ellis and Hank are American socialites who travel to Scotland during WWII in search of the Loch Ness Monster. Hank and Ellis, are friends, and turned down in the armed force due to Hank being flat footed and Ellis being color blind. Ellis' father, the Colonel, doesn't believe in the color blindness and thinks his son is a coward. After a big arguement, the two decide that the way to redeem Ellis in his father's eyes is to fine the Loch Ness Monster. His father had photographed the monster years ago, but people thought it was a hoax.
Maddie, Ellis' wife, is not anxious to go to Scotland during the war, but when Ellis and Hank plan the trip, she has no choice but to go along. In Scotland, they cannot believe how Scotland is so different from their privileged life in Philadelphia. Maddie accepts the conditions, but Hank and particularly Ellis are resistant. And Ellis and Maddie's marriage starts to disintegrate.
I found the story easy to read, and the author gives vivid detail to Scotland during WWII, this was well done. The characters were good and bad, I just could not connect with any of them (although I liked Meg and Anna, the girls who work at the Inn in Scotland) Then there was the search for the Loch Ness Monster...mmmm, lets just say it was an adventure.


★★★★
Finished 8th April 2015
I am not a huge fan of YA books but I really enjoy Gail Carriger's books. This was a fun easy read. I love all the weird and wacky character names and strange inventions in Sophronia's world. It is nice glimpses of characters from the Parasol Protectorate especially Lord Akeldama in this one.


Read:

Finished: 4/8/15
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:
4.25
Another great installment in the Lords of Deliverance/Demonica series! Arik has never been a favorite of mine but I ended up really liking him in this one. Limos I just felt bad for, all of her past sins really bit her in the a$$ in this book. Awesome set up for Death's book too, can't wait to read it. While this was really good something kept it from being great like Ares' book was. I've always liked Death so I have a feeling the next one will be amazing!

I'll post a quickie here right now so we can roll.

The Impetuous Afflictions of Jonathan Wolfe by Charlie Cochet

Read: (4/8)
Rating: ★★★★½
I really enjoyed this story. I actually liked it better than the first book. These characters are flawed and learning how to deal with the pain they had forced on them as kids. It isn't always easy, they don't always know how to handle things in the best manner, but are constantly striving to be better. This was a lot of fun and the historical period was handled very nicely. I'll be looking for #3. :)

Read:

Finished: 4/11/15
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:
Everything wrapped up nicely in this book and there were quite a few "I wasn't expecting that" moments. Luce was great of course :)
Gotta love the misunderstood bad guy! We actually had some appearances from God in this one which I wasn't expecting either. While this two book series hasn't been knock your lights out good, it was still pretty good and I'm glad I read them. Definitely not your average angel & demons book.

Jenne I need to read that series it sounds so good. Glad you are enjoying it.


Week: 4 (Thursday)
Spot: 28
Series: #2 Lawmen of Black Rock series
Read: 04.11.15
Rating: 4 stars
Carla Cassidy is one of my favourite author's, I just love her books. They are easy reads, with great character's and story lines. One of the things I like best is she does not make her characters see-saw-back-and-forth....I love him no I hate him, she's great, but I can't be with her. God I hate books like that....just kiss and get it over with, GEEZ. Her books maintain a good balance of suspense, and this one was no different....very enjoyable.

Spot 28

★★★
Finished 10th April 2015
2.5 Stars
This was okay but the truly annoying Mila was in it way too much. I just couldn't warm to Christian and Alex. It made me appreciate the first book more and the best bit of this was seeing a little more of Shawn and Derek. I am just about intrigued enough by Jared and Gabriel to give the next book a chance.
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