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R15: SS Team 4 - 4ever Reading Books

Week 1 ..roll 6
Alternative list
Set in Asia
A Werewolf's Soldier
Kayley Scott
147 pgs
17 feb
3 stars
Fits ..set in Afghanistan
New author to me ( which is always a good thing) .
EDIT ...just checked and this is the only books shes written in 2012, so not expecting a bk 2 !!!
Very fast paced and loads of action at start of the book and i enjoyed it , then the sex scenes came along and it went downhill . ..which wasna shame

WEEK 1 | SPOT #6 - COMPLETION POST

Fang and Fur by Stormy Glenn
How it Fits: (Midnight Matings #6)
143p
Read: 2/21
Rating: 2.5 stars
Review: I swear I love this multiple-authors series. I read all 20 books entirely and have no memory of reading this one, but honestly, I was more shocked that I had a copy. It is full of cliches I used to eat up in my early romance-centric days. Although it is a light read, it glosses serious situations with whoopie time. It is entertaining, but ultimately, I will forget about it in the end.

WEEK 1 | SPOT #6 - COMPLETION POST

Fang and Fur by Stormy Glenn
How it Fits: (Midnight Matings #6)
143p
Read: 2/21
R..."
Me too Taya..definitely a guilty pleasure of mine 😄


While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory
Pages- 336
How it fit- 6th in Wedding Date Series
Rating: 4 stars
Finished- 2/22/24
Review: What a sweet little read. I can honestly say this was such a good book to actually sit down and physically read. I loved how the characters grew as individuals. I personally don't want to give too much away, but there was one part in the book where I was absolutely laughing so hard. OUTLOUD! I also related to the main character, Anna, so much as I suffer from anxiety too. You'll absolutely have to grab this series. Such fun reads. and if I recall correctly is the final published book in the series.



Book: Harmony's Way
Author: Lora Leigh
How it fits: 6th in the Feline Breeds series
Pages: 314
Rating: 3 stars
Finished: 2/22/24
Review: Harmony Lancaster is a Lion Breed who was raised to be a killer until at 15 she found that those she killed were the innocent. She turned on her trainers and escaped to spend the next ten years hunting the people who preyed on the innocent. But now she has been cornered by her brother, Jonas and forced to remake her life by going to New Mexico and work for six months as a deputy within the legal system.
There are lots of hidden agendas and an unwelcome mating heat that weakens Harmony's defenses. This was a good plot but overloaded with sex at every turn. A little less would still have gotten the point across and made a tighter story.

How it fits- 6th in a series or set in Asia
Linda C- Harmony's Way (6th in series) Review
Kayla- While We Were Dating (6th in series) Rreview
Taya- Fang and Fur (6th in series) Review
Janeylou- A Werewolf's Soldier ( Set in Asia ) Review
Geri- The Alpha’s Pack (6th in series) Review
Loriidae- Built of Strength ( 6th in series ) Review

Week 2
Current space- 6
Dice Roll- 4 + 4 =8
New Space- 14
How it fits- Standalone, 1st in series, 4th in series, 14th in series or the alternate of Title M


Book: Writers of the Purple Sage
Author: Barbara Burnett Smith
How it fits: 1st in Purple Sage Mysteries series
Pages: 251
This is the start of the 5 volume series I am going to try to finish for the bonus point


Week 2
Spot: 14

Series: Wallflowers #4
Book: Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
Qualification: Book 4
Read: 2/25/24
Rating: ✶✶✶✶
Review:
I really do enjoy a house party, enemies to lovers, historical romance. The lawn game scene was so much fun too! I did like Daisy and Matthew together. They had good banter and I liked how their attraction grew slowly. It was also nice to read about the other heroines and heroes from the previous books. This book rounded out the series nicely.


Want You Still by C.E. Ricci and Marley Valentine
How it Fits: Standalone
394 pages


Book: Writers of the Purple Sage
Author: Barbara Burnett Smith
How it fits: 1st in Purple Sage Mysteries series
Pages: 251
Reed: 2/26/24
Review: Jolie Wyatt, recently divorced, mother of teenage son, aspiring mystery writer and job hunter for a position in Austin in order to move away, suddenly finds herself as the person of interest in a murder investigation when the victim has been killed using the method described in her working novel. Only people in her writing group and the sheriff knew the plot device. Who is trying to frame her?
A secondary thread deals with the lingering and unresolved feelings between her and her ex-husband. This dynamic is different than the typical old relationships in many current mystery cozies. I liked it.
The plot also doesn't push her into questioning people she doesn't know, since the potential killer is someone she interacts with already. Other quests are through research of news, library and government records. I think this will be an interesting series.
This is the start of the 5 volume series I am going to try to finish for the bonus point


Book: How to Fake Date Your Grumpy Boss
Author: Camilla Evergreen
Pages: 289
How it Fits: #1 How to Rom-Com
Date Read: Feb 27 ★★★★✰
Review:
I rarely read rom-coms and usually abandon them because they get too silly for me, but the catchy title of book #5 How to Find Love When You're Weird caught my eye, and I read it in a day.
The series is only joined by similar trope. The books are basically stand alones featuring authors and a love of books and reading. The writing stye is present tense which normaly I avoid like the plague, and often abandon at the first paragraph, but somehow the writing is such that I rarely noticed the tense while reading.
Book #1 How to Fake Date Your Grumpy Boss was quite lovely. The books are clean with some kissing. I didn't enjoy book #1 as much as book #5 mostly because of her parents. The age difference was 8 years so borderline with her at 22 and him 30.The meet-cute at the beginning was lovely and their HEA believable. 4 stars

# 14 alternative task
Title begins with M
Madison Square Murders
C.S. Poe
260.pgs
4.5 stars
Im a big fan of CS Poe and she didnt dissappoint. I love quirky cops, and i have a thing about 'cold cases' as well .
Everett had an accident in his teens and ever since has the most fantastic memory for details and great deductive work ..but his social skill are lacking . Along comes Ira and turns his world upside down, working alongside and helping him be more sociable as well

Spot 14

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
How it fits: 1st in a series
Rating: 4 stars
Date Read: 2/29/24
Review:
This was my first book by Helen Hoang and I wasn't disappointed. This book was so easy to read. I absolutely loved the characters. Michael is a down to earth guy just trying to do all the right things when it comes to his family. Stella is an awkward (she determines this) woman just trying to keep to herself and her routines. In order to make herself better she hires Michael and a friendship/romance blossoms. I absolutely can't wait to pick up the second book in the series.

Geri- Scandal in Spring (4th in Series) Review
Taya-Without Regrets (4th in a series) Review
Linda C- Writers of the Purple Sage (1st in the series) Review
Loriidae- How to Fake Date Your Grumpy Boss (1st in a series) Review
Janeylou- Madison Square Murders (alternate- Title M) Review
Kayla- The Kiss Quotient (1st in a series) Review

WEEK 2 | SPOT # 14 - COMPLETION POST

Without Regrets by Reese Knightley
How it Fits: Standalone/ (Cobalt Security Book 4)
224 pages
read: 3/1
Four stars
Review:
Although I hadn't read the previous book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this enemies-to-lovers story. It was a quick and pleasant read. I appreciated the acknowledgement that the characters liked each other, but were not quick to utter the words "I love you".

That’s a pain, especially if you were looking forward to and was disappointed.

Starting spot- 14
Dice Roll- 2 + 6 = 8
New Spot- 22
2nd in a series or the alternate : Title S
Janeylou wrote: "Will this work for S The Santa Problem..or where it asks for title we have to be more strict ?"
Works perfectly! Articles at the beginning are always excluded for the title alternates. :)
Works perfectly! Articles at the beginning are always excluded for the title alternates. :)

Works perfectly! Articles at the beginning are always excluded for ..."
Great 👍


Book: Dust Devils of the Purple Sage
Author: Barbara Burnett Smith
How it fits: 2nd in Purple Sage Mysteries series
Pages: 256
This is the 2nd of the 5 volume series I am going to try to finish for the bonus point

That's a pain, especially if you were looking forward to and was disappointed."
Yes. it just wasn't the right time for this book.

Week 3
Spot: 22

Series: A Fiona Figg & Kitty Lane Mystery #2
Book: Covert in Cairo by Kelly Oliver
Qualification: Book 2
Read: 3/3/24
Rating: ✶✶✶✶
Review:
This is definitely one of my favorite Cozy Mystery series. Fion, Kitty and Clifford are an odd trio, British agents on assignment in Cairo. But I chuckled a lot at their antics and dialogue. Fiona’s men, Frederick Fredericks and Archie, add light romantic entertainment too. There was some exciting action. And, yes, some of the story did get a bit ridiculous. But, for me, it was always fun!

WEEK 3 | SPOT # 22 - SELECTION POST

Enduring Instincts by S.J. Frost
How it Fits: Instincts #2
284 pages

Alternate task , title S
The Santa Problem
Barbara Elsborg
166 pgs
5th March
4 stars
Fits..title starts with S
Alfie is an elf from Greenland who has taken it upon himself to put a smile on Kendalls face and make him believe in Christmas .
A really sweet christmas tale , proving that Santa id definitely real 🎅 🧑🎄 😁


Twisted Games by Ana Huang
4.5 stars
Date Finished: 3/5/24
How it Fits: 2nd in Twisted Series
Pages: 456
Review: I absolutely loved this book. The absolutely best way to describe it is It's a mixture of The Princess Diaries and the movie The Prince and Me with very adult smut in it. There was only a weird thing for me personally that I didn't give it 5 stars. The story line was awesome. The characters I loved. I love how they led up to this book in the first book but also did a quick little lead up to the next book. Twisted Games was a great title for this book. There were so many twists I didn't see coming and I love that in books. The weird thing for me was there were just two words I personally don't like to read or hear. I know it sounds so silly but I noticed every time I read them that I would physically wince. There were also a couple of spots where I just personally wanted to rebel against the main male character Rhys. Don't get me wrong he is hot as all get out but still felt that way a bit. Over all I'd absolutely recommend it to anyone. The story line was AWESOME!!!

Twisted Games by Ana Huang ..."
I totally agree with you on the words, nothing worse. It is so jarring.


Book: On the Edge
Author: Shannon Stacey
Pages: 200
How it Fits:
Date Read: Mar 6 ★★★✰✰
Review:
In the first book readers were introduced to Charlotte, the unflappable, situation commander behind the desk at headquarters. When security at the office is severely compromised Charlotte goes undercover, to take down the mob boss who abused her when she was a teen. I did enjoy the new vulnerable side of Charlotte as her past in all it’s miserable glory was revealed.The HEA was believable as she and Tony have known each other for eight years, albeit with no face to face meetings. However, the book was only 200 pages, and the pacing was very rushed and as a result would have been improved with more depth plotwise. Unfortunately the situations were quite implausible and a fair degree of suspension of disbelief was required. 2.5 stars.


Book: Dust Devils of the Purple Sage
Author: Barbara Burnett Smith
How it fits: 2nd in Purple Sage Mysteries series
Pages: 256
Read: 3/6/24
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Jolie Wyatt has a part time job doing the news on KSGE radio in Purple Sage, TX. When local bad boy James Jorgenson escapes from prison with the help of his sister and is presumed to be heading to Purple Sage, the town gets involved in his search. Then a well liked friend of Jolie's son, Jeremy, is murdered. Jeremy starts visiting the victim's friends asking for comments for a memorial article, but finding there was more to Tim than he knew. All this while a tornado is coming their way. Really good story. Like this series a lot.
This is the 2nd of the 5 volume series I am going to try to finish for the bonus point

Easy done :)

I'm sorry, but I don't know what this refers to. Does this refer to one of the bonus tasks?


WEEK 3 | SPOT # 22 - COMPLETION POST

Enduring Instincts by S.J. Frost
How it Fits: Instincts #2
284 pages
Read: 03/07/24
1.5 stars
Review:
I'm back again, reading a book I don't remember reading. I was intrigued simply by the cover. I honestly thought it was another vampire or paranormal book I had read in the past. Anywho, I endured reading this book. It has definitely been 10+ years since I read it. I can't even describe what I like now, but at this moment, being heavy on sex is not my cuppa. I do enjoy sex with no substance, but baby, I was not vibing with this one. The way they talk feels dated. I read many books like this, and I could predict something around 30% of the time in the book. This oldie is not a goodie.

Im in that too, really enjoying but were nit doing very good 😔

Oh my apologies. Yes wrong group, sorry ladies.

Geri- Covert in Cairo (2nd in series) Review
Janeylou- The Santa Problem (Alternate- Title S) Review
Kayla- Twisted Games (2nd in a series) Review
Loriidae- On the Edge (2nd in series) Review
Linda C- Dust Devils of the Purple Sage (2nd in series) Reiew
Taya- Enduring Instincts (2nd in series) Review
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Week 1
Spot: 6
Series: Kit Davenport #6
Book: The Alpha’s Pack by Tate James
Qualification: Book 6
Read: 2/18/24
Rating: ✶✶✶✶
Review:
This is the final book in the Kit Davenport series, a paranormal, reverse harem romance. The book starts off where book 5 ended. With Kit and one of her guys, a hellhound, out for revenge. And the rest of her guys are desperately searching for them. So there was some good action and exciting moments. As usual, the ‘sexy times’ were hot as heck. And the ending did have a few surprises. A really good conclusion to this series!