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R6: SSS Better Read than Dead (3) **Winning Team**
Sorry guys - no internet yesterday. But my book is finished and I'll post it all here in just a moment. :)
Week 1Alternative - Need to Buy
Covet by J.R. Ward
Read: (3/21)
Rating: ★★★★½
This book was always kind of a slow start for me. Once all of the players are assembled and the action actually starts moving though I am hooked. I love the fact that this book is set in the same universe as the BDB books even though there's no real crossover interaction. I giggle every time it's clear there's a Brother's sighting even when Jim and the gang have no clue who they are. Phury and Butch both have their moments in this one and I loved it.
As for the actual story though, I like the premise here. I have some questions about how things are all going to work out for the world once this series has run it's course, 7 souls and all for the sake of the world, but that's only going to be answered by reading. :)
I like Jim as a character. He's not all good, the man has been there and done that. But underneath it all he has the heart of a good man, someone who wants to do right by people. Of course Eddie and Adrian are the hardcore fallen angels one just has to love and Devina is as evil as they come.
The mythos in this story is well done and just different enough to be interesting. It stays fresh while still being very clearly J.R. Ward's style. The men are very much men and alpha males, but the women don't get lost in the shuffle either. I liked Vin and how one look at Marie-Terese shakes up his avarice core. It brings his soul to the surface and he can finally see where his mistakes have taken him. Marie-Terese isn't pure either, she's done what she has to to survive and is all the stronger for it. They are a very good balance, in spite of the insta-love. :)
All over this is a great start to a series and definitely has my curiosity peaked as to where it will all end up.
Thanks Shelby. We rolled a 5 We are now on Spot 9. Alternate California.
Week 1 Sunday Roll Rolled 5
Moved from Spot 4 to Spot 9
Songs of Submission Book 9
I will be reading the alternate: CALIFORNIA
Itchy Brown Girl Seeks Employment by Ella deCastro Baron
Good roll :)I'll be doing the alt too, gonna go look at what I have.
Itchy Brown Girl Seeks Employment by Ella deCastro BaronWeek: 2
Spot: 9
Alternate: California
Read: 03.23.15
Rating: 4 stars
Itchy Brown Girl Seeks Employment is a memoir of Ella deCastro Baron, a woman of Filipino descent who is faced with the real world, dealing gender, loss and faith. It is a mixture of short-stories, poems, and e-mails.
I'm 1/2 done with my book. It's not grabbing me like I like a book too. I think I'm in a bit of a funk....may need a different genre to cleanse the pallet.
Jenne wrote: "I'm 1/2 done with my book. It's not grabbing me like I like a book too. I think I'm in a bit of a funk....may need a different genre to cleanse the pallet."I haven't read that series yet, I have the first one to fit in at some point. I hate when a book doesn't suck you right in. That is why I frequently end up reading bits of about 4 or 5 books before I find one that I need to keep reading.
I have finished my book, just need to do the hated review. It is funny this one worked for book No. 9 in a series and the Alternative of being set in California.
Week 1 Sunday Roll Spot 9
Songs of Submission Book 9 Read 23rd March 2015
★★★
I am not sure how I feel about this one. I felt like it was missing something or maybe I am the one that missed something. I have friends who said they cried at this one, it just left me cold.
I liked Jonathan and Monica in the rest of the series and I found Sing in particular to be a very emotional read but for some reason I just thought this was lacking something, it didn't feel right. A reasonable story and conclusion to the series.
Spot 9:Read
by Hannah JayneFinished: 3/23/14
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Review:
Another quirky installment to the Underworld Detection Agency series. Sophie gets sent back to high school and has her own personal demons to put to rest. I'm beginning to get tired of the hot and then cold attitude of Alex's. I've always liked Will but it makes me mad when he's condescending to Sophie. Wish there had been more Nina parts...she's the highlight of the series IMO. Sets things up nicely for the final installment and I can't wait to see how it all plays out.
I'm attempting to shoot myself in the head right now, but I'll be up tonight. Latest tomorrow morning. It's my day off so I get to play catch up today.
Week 1.5Spot 9 - Series #9
An Ignited Passion by Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Read: (3/25)
Rating: ★★★★★
I always adored Preston and Wyatt! This story is just so sweet. 11 years of knowing who your mate is can certainly play hell with ones mind, but Preston was so determined to let Wyatt grow up. Of course when he was finally ready to claim his mate Wyatt had to be typical Wyatt and be in trouble.
Wyatt was adorable as a pup in the early books in this series and he's wonderful now as a soon to be grown man. In college and on his own his impatience at waiting for a mate his friends and family have tried to convince him doesn't exist have left him willing to date. Still he's secretly held out hope of finding his mate, the mate he knows is out there. Of course his current boyfriend gets him into trouble first. Wyatt and trouble have always seemed synonymous.
Watching Preston try to control himself around his mate while getting Wyatt to fall in love with him for who he is not just what he is was super sweet and adorable. Of course all the hot firemen around helps too. ;) I really love this story for it's simple sweetness and for these two finally getting their HEA. :D
We rolled a 4 moving to Spot 13. We can just between reading No. 13 in series, No. 1, No 3 and the Alternative Title L.
Decisions, descions, I have loads of series I want to start and quite a few where book 3 is my next to read.
Week 2 Thursday Roll Rolled 4
Moved from Spot 9 to Spot 13
Hard Ink book 3
Alternate: Title LI will be reading
#3 in series
Lol I hear ya Grace! I'm gonna look at what I have.
Ok I'm doing a reread via audio of the Fever series this year, so I'm reading
.
Week 2 Thursday Roll Spot 13
Hard Ink book 3 384 pgsRead 26th March 2013
★★★★
I am enjoying this series more as it goes along. I have a new favourite member of the Hard Ink team, Marz. He is smart, funny and sweet and I really liked him and Emilie together. Looking forward to the rest of the series particularly Charlie and Jeremy.
Midnight Betrayal by Melinda LeighWeek: 2
Spot: 13
Series: #3 in series
Read: 03.27.15
Rating: 4 stars
I found this author by accident one day, her SHE CAN series was on sale so I picked up the four books and loved them, Could not put them down. And this series is no different, LEIGH gives us a story that jumps out at you. This story is intense and shocking. It was a roller coaster ride for the reader, the pages never stopped turning.
Good job ladies! I'll be done in the am with mine.
Spot 13:Read:
by Karen Marie MoningFinished: 3/28/15
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
Well this is like the 4th time I've reread this and it's still ever bit as good each time! It was nice to go back to the beginning and see how it all started. *sighs* Barrons....he never gets boring to me. You'd think after all the years it's been since I "met" him and how many books since then, I wouldn't still love him like I do. He's just the ultimate alpha male and ultimate book boyfriend.
I plan on rereading the entire series this year on audio. I'm glad to be back in this world if even for only a couple of days :)
Week 2 - #3Prince of Faith by Belinda McBride
Read: (3/27)
Rating: ★★★★½
I love this series. The sci-fi world here is fun and the tragedies that have been heaped on this family through political intrigue and greed finally have a full term resolution. (This does not mean I wouldn't LOVE to see more books set in this world and with this cast of characters!)
Oh the feels in this book! Markus Dayspring has been thrown into sexual slavery after betrayal had left those he cared for most in the world believing he was the one that had sold them out. Now after almost two years in a tortured existence help has finally arrived to free him and take him back to the life he used to know. Caius knows what Markus has been through and has spent almost a year searching to find the man he can't forget. His own identity hidden from the world he has more in common with Markus than either of them may know.
Poor Markus! He has had so much done to him after being left to the slavers hands. I mean his indomitable will absolutely made things harder on him, but I can do nothing but respect his internal fight. He is so strong internally and those lines have been cracked by what's been done to him and the drugs that they've pumped into his system. He's never broken, but there are gaps in his foundation that he doesn't know how to fill anymore. The only thing keeping him going is the one thing he never expected. Hello shocker here! Loved this twist!!!
Not that Caius is any less internally tormented though he's had more time to face the travesty of his past. But he's hidden from it behind the hologram he wears as a face. Yet seeing similar tracks rent on Markus' life Caius is also forced to accept things weren't his fault in the past either. These two men are not perfect, they're damaged, but together they are exactly what the other needs. My heart broke for them as they struggled to pull their heads above water both emotionally and physically from the tortures of their pasts.
I loved seeing our old favorite characters making their appearances in this book too! Helios and Griff have been battling the guilt they feel knowing how they contributed to Markus' pain tricked into it or not. Both men cared for Markus and knowing they were responsible for his suffering wasn't going to abate any until Markus was home safely. Their reunion was necessary for all of them to truly move forward with their healing.
The twist in this story was wonderful! I don't want to give anything away, but I love how this became the center of Markus and was the pivot upon which he spins. The devastation started the generation before by their parents has finally started to take a turn out of just surviving and these men have a shot at making a real life for themselves in a new world. Their will be struggles and hardships, but they have the support they need and the internal strength now to flourish.
I want more!!!
Excellent all reviews in :) Does anyone need me to roll right at midnight as I can get up and do it and go back to bed :) Otherwise it will be about 10am my time as I was up scary late last night finishing
Woot woot were ready to roll :)We've also earned our free pass.
I'm good till the am. I'm finishing up my SS book.
Jenne I haven't even picked an SS book yet I have been too knackered to focus today, but it was worth it. That is good on the free pass.
Whenever is fine love!Oh man - I'm doing everything in my power to avoid seeing any hints on Crash & Burn. Which is torture right now as I'm part of the BR doing it in MMP. I can't start it till the 1st!
Shelby it will be worth the wait but you are a stronger person than me, I downloaded it the second I got the email yesterday and didn't stop until it was done.
We rolled a 3 So we are now on Spot 16 So book 16 in a series or book 1, book 6, a stand alone or alternate Text Item : Broom.
I need to think too, our clocks went forward last night so I am a bit out of synch today.
NayNay wrote: "I will be reading 
Court of Conspiracy by April Taylor ( the Tudor Enigma #1)"My SIL read that one recently and really liked it. I have it to read I love the Tudor period, it was one of the few things in history at school that interested me :)
Ok I'm gonna go with a standalone
. I think I need light feel good kind of books ATM lol.
Jenne wrote: "Ok I'm gonna go with a standalone . I think I need light feel good kind of books ATM lol."Another one I want to read. I still haven't decided.
If you're in a CR mood the one I just finished was really good and it's a freebie right now.
It takes place in Dublin for a second :)
Thanks Jenne, another to had to the never shrinking pile.I am going to go with something that works for m/m bingo this week too I just can't make my mind up.
Spot 16:Read:
by Karina HalleFinished: 3/30/15
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
4.75
It's no secret that I'm a huge Karina Halle fan and while I'm not a major lover of CR this book sucked me in. I found myself smiling, cringing, getting mad, getting sad, and laughing, while reading this. Linden was awesome and just go ahead and chalk him up to another amazing book boyfriend from KH :)
I really had no idea what to expect from this book going into it and the blurb doesn't do it justice. It's so much more than a book about a pact made. It was very refreshing too not to be reading about a fresh out of school cast of characters. If you're a sucker for a hot Scottish hero, like a feel good romance, and a general overall happy read I suggest giving this one a go!
Week 2 Sunday Roll Spot 16 
236 pgs GRRead 30th March 2015
★★★★
I really enjoyed this one. I loved the characters, both Brandon and Jake were fun and likeable. The way their relationship developed was lovely and it was nice to read a story where there wasn't an overload of angst. A sweet easy read, a captivating feel good story without any heavy drama.
Week: 2 Sunday
Spot: 16
Series: The Tudor Enigma #1
Read: 03.31.15
Rating: 4 stars
Being a huge Historical Fiction fan, and my favourite time period is the Tudor era, I often wonder what would of happened if Henry VIII stayed married to Anne Boleyn. Would she have given him the son he always wanted? Well this series is the alternate Tudor universe.
Set in the court of Henry IX, son of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn....the main character Luke Ballard is a man with abilities to do magic. The author really did a great job of mixing history, magic and mystery, she puts together a vivid account to the dangers in the English court.
I will defiantly be continue with this series.
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It's 8am Shelby's time so it might be a minute before we hear from her.