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R5: SS Another One Bites the Dust (1)
message 51:
by
Christina T
(new)
Mar 20, 2015 12:16AM
oooo I have
in my TBR. Would love to see what you think of it.
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Great first roll! I was hoping for a "1" in the number - I've got a couple books to read over the next week for other challenges that fit the bill.My possibilities:
Stand Alone
Series Starters
Will update when I figure out which one I'm reading for the challenge!!
Update I will be reading/reviewing The Winner's Curse :). Already started and really liking it!
RachelvlehcaR wrote: "Okay I rolled, a 5 & 65 + 6 = 11"
First of all fantastic roll Rachel!!!
Another One Bites the Dust (Team 1) Week 1 Spot 11
Criteria: stand alone, 1st in series, 11th in series, and published in 2001
Reviews:
Christina:
Christina's week 1 review
Rachel: All the Light We Cannot See by: Anthony Doerr stand alone
Rachel's Week 1 Review
Jacki: The Winner's Curse by: Marie Rutkoski 1st in series
Jacki's Week 1 Review
Hina:
Hina week 1 review
Jenn:
jenn's week 1 review
Kayla: Bridget by: Linda Lael Miller 1st in series
Kayla's Week 1 Review
Jacki, I really liked Feed. I loved the style of POV then I read Unwind and learned McGuire took the idea from him. Grant is McGuire. The second book isn't as good but I need to read the third book.
Kayla, thank you.Christina, if I choose it I will for sure tell you.
Hina and Jenn have you decided on a book ? :) I hope every one is enjoying is enjoying their books :)
I am reading mine but it is major slow and boring. I was told it picks up.
I have and finished it yesterday Three River Ranch it is book 1 in the series. It was a really good book. I will come back with a review in a day or so.
I am reading mine I should be done I a day or two.
SS:R5 Team: Another One Bites the Dust (1)Week 1: Spot 11
Team Member: Rachel
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - Stand AloneFinished: 3/25/15
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
I have wanted to read this from all the great raves about this book. A friend of mine bought me the book for Christmas. It has taken me this long to finally get time to read it but I'm so glad to have read it.
This is mainly about two children in different situations in WWII. They have very different experiences. Each story is captivating and carries a huge amount of emotions, sadness, and heaviness. Doerr does an amazing job with building the atmosphere of the book (only other books with this kind of atmosphere is in Burial Rites). So much so that I feel the cold and hopeless feelings in the winter time when they are faced with those elements.
It's a strong historical fiction and I am able to see how this book has won so many awards. Brilliant storytelling and making the issues of WWII in a very personal experiences from these two main characters. Just as a warning the POV bounces back and forth between the two characters and a few others, then there are time shifts but the time shifts are clearly laid out. Some people have found that confusing but I have found it a very informative on the mystery of what happens to the characters. Amazing book and I highly recommend it to those that love historical fiction, even for those that haven't tried historical fiction.
(Rachel I'm stealing your template)SS:R5 Team: Another One Bites the Dust (1)
Week 1: Spot 11
Team Member Jacki!
The Winner's Curse - Book #1 in seriesFinished: 3/21/2015
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
I just adored this book. It came at a good time for me - I've been getting a little (OK really) burned out on YA books. I've had my eye on it forever but found myself straying away from that genre. It was recommended to me through another group challenge and I'm so happy to have read it. Quick read too :)
The story follows Kestrel (beautiful name IMO) as she comes to the age where in her culture she must either choose to join the military and fight for her power-hungry empire OR be married off. Her father (who happens to be a high-ranking general) puts immense pressure on her to follow in his footsteps, but she kind of has her own ideas of what she wants that doesn't involve marriage or fighting. The love interest of the story (and alternate POV) is Arin, a slave whom Kestrel purchases at an auction. Although their relationship is a central part of the story, it is not the only focus. The story follows two sides of the people living in this country - the Valorians (Kestrel's people) and their fight to overpower/rule as much as possible AND the Herrani (Arin) who are struggling to gain their freedom and take back their lands. Commence the mischief, fighting, duels, and dances!
One of the things I loved was that Kestrel is so average for your typical YA heroine. She comes from a position of privilege being a general's daughter but despite the years of tutoring she is not a great fighter. She's a smart girl (no face palm moments here) who IS great at thinking a situation through and coming up with a good strategy.
I also enjoyed the progression of Arin and Kestrel's friendship/relationship. It was not instant (whew) and for the most part realistic to the constraints of the story/plot. The story/plot was very enjoyable. I loved reading about the struggle in this country from both sides.
This book *may* not be for you if you enjoy more in-depth fantasy reads. The world-building in this book wasn't as good as it should have been. Going off of this same point - the story itself (although enjoyable) was so isolated to these main characters and this specific place. There was a big world with tons of interesting characters to play with but we didn't get to see a lot of that. Hopefully in more books :)
Jackie, interesting book. I have a tough time with YA books, they end up frustrating me with the lack of story and always going towards the romance. Seems that this one doesn't focus all on that and the girl seems to be more realistic in character. I now stay away from the genre but with that said, there are a few YA books that are wonderful books.I'm also a big fan of fantasy. I love epic fantasies so that information about the world building is helpful.
Rachel - I initially got hooked on the YA genre several years ago cause I loved paranormal books but appreciated the more innocent relationships in the YA genre. I'm getting SO put off by them for several of the same reasons you are bringing up. They all seem to have the same basic elements. I do enjoy the occasional quick read though :) If you are open to trying a good YA fantasy series I highly recommend the series starting with The Burning Sky if you haven't already read it! Edit: Just read the summary of it. Don't judge it based on that! Doesn't do it justice!All the Light We Cannot See has been on my TBR list for awhile. I love historical fiction, especially centered around WWII era. After reading your review I put a hold on it at the library :) I'm number 47! Hope it goes quick!
Another One Bites the DustWeek 1: Spot 11
Bridgetby Linda Lael Miller
1st in the seriesFinished: 3/25/15
Rating ★★★
Review:
I always love Linda Lael Miller's writing but this one was a quick book that I feel could have been written longer. It was a good story line about life right after the Civil War and the hardships that they faced. Though in this book a lot of the main action happened at the end of the book and it happened so fast. I just wish that was a longer part of the book. That scene could have been lengthen that is for sure. Over all though it was a good book and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. There were a lot of loose ends in this book which I'm assuming are beginnings to the three other books in the series.
Summary from Goodreads
They are the women of Primrose Creek, and their strength and passion is a match for the Nevada frontier they call home. Linda Lael Miller masterfully captures the hardships and dangers of a country swept by the winds of war -- and the daring and determination, the hopes and dreams of four unforgettable women -- in a thrilling new series. When Bridget McQuarry comes to settle in Primrose Creek, she has nothing to lose; her husband, Mitch, was killed in the Civil War, and she has lost her family farm to ruinous Reconstruction taxes. With her baby son and a sister to care for, Bridget vows to make a new start out West. But when Mitch's best friend reappears in her life, he sparks a forbidden passion she thought was forever buried.
Trace Qualtrough grew up with Bridget and Mitch -- three happy childhood friends. But the attraction that fluttered between him and Bridget was silenced when she married Mitch. Now, Trace has come to fulfill Mitch's final wish -- to watch over the lovely, spirited Bridget. And now, Bridget and Trace must discover if their restless desire is a shattering betrayal -- or something sweeter the second time around.
Hey Everyone! We have half our reviews in. It would be great if we could get them all in by early tonight so we can roll at midnight tonight. If this isn't going to work please let me know.
I'll have mine up by this evening...10 PM at the latest, but probably not that late.
Sounds great thanks for letting me know Hina! :)!
It has been one of those weeks, work is super busy, my co workers have gotten me addicted to this trivia game and I need to register for classes next week. The day seems to be flying by, I can't believe its already Thursday. I am going to go write my review right now and put it up.
What happens if we don't get all the reviews in time? We just wait till they get posted?
Team Vicious and DeliciousRoll 1 Spot 11
Book:
Three River Ranch by Roxanne Snopek.Date Read: 3/23/15
Rating: 5 Stars
Theme: Book 1 in the Three River Ranch Series.
Review:
A new to me author and I absolutely adored the first book, and after having a run of bad luck with a lot of bad books, I was glad to see it turn out so well. The heroine, Aurora is moving into the Three River Ranch, because her fiancee has left and she is pregnant but finds that Carson, the son of the owner who has passed away has also decided to move back to the Ranch. Carson after being estranged from his father is back on the ranch to turn into a sanctuary for wild horses. But his father leaves a twist in his will, whichever of his son marries will get the ranch so there is a problem in Carson's plan. Both the hero and heroine are great and the animals are just so adorable. They both have issues of their own but have a hard time expressing their selves with each other. I can't wait to read more of this author.
Jacki wrote: "What happens if we don't get all the reviews in time? We just wait till they get posted?"We have to wait till all the reviews are in, but I think if they are not in by tomorrow we have to miss our roll till the following week. I am not sure about the second part...we do have all of Friday to roll.
I'll send a private message to those who haven't placed there reviews yet!
They still have all day Friday before we as a team are penalized
I have asked the question in the main discussion are for the challenge in that the process will be. I'll post it here once I see the answer.Thanks Kayla.
Do we get penalized if reviews aren't in on time?
Yes we do but we can roll anytime on Friday once all reviews are in! They have all day Friday still before we get penalized!
I have the answer: The goal is to have them in today, you do have Friday as a grace period. Come midnight tomorrow night if a review is missing you can't roll till the following week. This rarely happens though. I'll go take a peak at your thread. It's always a learning curve the first couple of weeks till you get to know your teammates reading habits.
I'm headed to bed :) if you see reviews from both Christina and jenn then we can roll but if not then we wait!
Sleep well Kayla. I will check back tomorrow to see if the two reviews are in. Night everyone. :)
SS:R5 Team: Another One Bites the Dust (1)Week 1: Spot 11
Team Member: Christina
by Molly Harper first in seriesFinished: 3/26/15
Rating: ★★★★
Review: This is my second Molly Harper book and all I can say is that I'm a fan.This book managed to be cute and fun with a little bit of mystery. My only complaint world be that it read almost like a chick-lit whereas the romance isn't as important as Mo establishing herself in the town of Grundy. I will definitely read the second book in this series.
Another One Bites the DustWeek 1: Spot 11
book:
A Discovery of Witchesfinished:3/25/15
rating: 4/5
review:
i loved this one, it had a different dipiction of supernatural beings than i have seen before.
I also enjoyed seeing Matthew's views on the different species and Diana trying to keep up with emerging powers.
it was a lot more believable romantic story than I have seen in vampire stories before. the addition of alchemy into the mix was great too. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters journey into the past and figure out what happened to their mystery manuscript.very well done
Sorry for not getting back to the group earlier. I got your message Kayla but with my work schedule I cannot get online until midnight or so.Edited to say that while I was posting so was Jenn so I'm going to go roll!
Starting spot 11Week 2 roll
4+2=6
New spot 17
Read book 1 or 7 or a standalone
Alternate: Spain
Woohoo! Thanks girls. :)I'm excited.
SS:R5 Team: Another One Bites the Dust (1)Week 2: Spot 17
Team Member: Rachel
Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - Stand AloneFinished: 3/28/15
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
First of all, I want to say I'm biased in this review. I really adore and like Alan Cumming. He is a great and talented actor, I love his writing, and read up on him and his views. I find him a very interesting man and there is an added bonus that he is Scottish.
This book is very informational on his life. It deals with his childhood, teenage years, acting, and very personal life. It switches back and forth with his past and his adult life. It deals a lot with the abuse he as dealt with as a child. His father was very abusive to him.
I don't want to this review to have spoilers in it but I will just focus on how Mr. Cummings has been reflecting a lot on his past to help see his growth as an adult and the person he is today. It's an eye opening memoir and I think that the abuse he had dealt with has made him the man he is and he as come to terms of such things. There is humor in the book and very serious sides to it. It's refreshing to see a survivor of abuse not resort to drugs and alcohol. He really is a strong and amazing person.
If you are a fan of Alan Cumming and would like to know more about him this is a book to check out.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend!
just finished my book should have my review in tomorrow.
I've got a couple choices again for this week! I've already started to read
and I'm loving it! For another challenge I'm reading a book set in another country and I picked
(set in Spain). I'll be starting that on Monday when I get from library. Will review whichever I finish first!
Congrats y'all earned your free pass last week!
SS:R5 Team: Another One Bites the Dust (1)Week 2: Spot 17
Team Member: Jacki
by Mira GrantRating ★★★ (more of a 3.5)
Review
I'm 2-3 days post-finish of Feed and I'm waffling between liking this book and REALLY liking this book.
What really grabbed me about this book was the time line and the world building. We are taken 25+ years post Zombie apocalypse. The world is trying to rebuild. There is the internet. There are creature comforts and then some (nice houses, entertainment/movies, familiar brand names like Coke). There are political campaigns and presidential elections. The world IS moving on with some restrictions - such as not eating at outdoor restaurants, inability to go in certain 'zones' (Alaska), not having animals over 40 lbs (re-animation level), and daily blood tests/decontamination. The author used Zombies as part of her world building, but they aren't the central focus of the plot. The plot follows bloggers Georgia, Buffy and Shaun as they follow a political campaign around the new US and just happen to stumble upon a conspiracy involving government officials and the infected (the Zombies). I LIKED this. There are enough Zombies to give you a healthy dose of fear of both them and the infection, but I very much enjoyed reading the aftermath of a world where everyone just didn't die or lose all sense of civilization/progress. Truly unique.
The characters are overall fairly wonderful to follow. Dialogue is witty and engaging. Each chapter ends with a blog post written by one of the main characters and it is a fun addition to the story.
So what doesn't quite let me give it a full 4? A few things....
The story felt very much bogged down with a lot of technical writing (computers, blogging, politics). Some is OK, but the amount here really made you feel the 600 pages.
The villain of the story (view spoiler), although the book hints that there could be a higher organization pulling the strings.
Did Shaun and Georgia's relationship seem a bit Game of Thrones-y? I dunno. Regardless - this book doesn't have really any romance too it (which isn't a bad thing, some will appreciate that).
Jacki, I really liked the book. Then later I read Unwind and I learned that Mcguire got the whole POV thing from it. I was like :O Have you read Unwind? I'd like to know what you think of it. Will you continue on in the Newsflesh trilogy? I've read the second book but found it less entertaining. A lot of that damaged American teenage angst going on. I've had the third book for a year now but haven't picked it up. I don't like the whole (view spoiler) McGuire shouldn't have done that in the book. You got that feel too. I was thinking perhaps it was just my buddy read partner and I that felt that way. It's clear it's there. It gets stronger in book two.
I will put my review up this afternoon. Hope everyone is having a good week.
Hey all :) Are we going to be able to get all the reviews in for this week??Rachel, I actually just recently read Unwind! The concept behind it was truly frightening. I think I read it at a time where I'm very much becoming quite bored with dystopian stuff. The plot has stuck with me though, so I'd probably pick the sequels up in the future. Same goes with Newsflesh - probably in the future. Need a dystopian break though :)
I will have to post my review tonight around 10:30 or 11 pm when I get back home from class. I forgot to take my laptop with me. If I am the last review I can stay up and roll but if I am not I will just posts review.
Posting a quick review so we can roll:) Spot 17
His Hired Girlfriend
5 stars
date read 4/2/15
I absolutely loved this book it had all the good elements of writing! I fell in love with the characters and their love story! There was love, jealousy, action, and sadness all in one book! Perfect:)!plus it was free;)
So still need reviews from Hina , Christina, and Jenn
Team Vicious and DeliciousRoll 2 Spot 17
Book: The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell by Samantha James.
Date Read: 4/2/15
Rating: 4 Stars
Theme: Book 1 in the McBride Family Series.
Review:
This book definitely had the potential to be a 5 star, all the ingredients were there. A great heroine, a tortured hero, and a marriage neither of them wanted, but got. But instead of seeing the romance develop between them, instead I spent time reading about the hero feeling guilt and tortured and more guilt for being attracted to his wife. It is good to a certain extent but it just bogged down the story, I didn't see the romance all that much. While the heroine was great, I felt she should have done something more drastic/dramatic to get what she wanted. It didn't seem to go with her character to be so passive.
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