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R15: *** WINNING TEAM *** SS Team 7 - Reading in Seventh Heaven
Selection Post: week 4, spot 36My Healer by Alanea Alder
pgs: 244
book 3 in betwitched and bewildered series
I'm reading Breaking Rules: Billionaires in Disguise: Lizzy - #3 in Billionaires in Disguise: Lizzy series
I'll be reading Pucking Around by Emily Rath it is the #1 book in the Jacksonville Rays series. It fits the alternate of author "E". It is also chunky at 756 pages.
COMPLETION POST - Week 4Diane - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Jen K - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Karen - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
LaurLa - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Logan - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Sarah - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
1 bonus pt - book over 500 pgs (Jen)
Completion Post: week 4, spot 36
My Healer by Alanea Alder
pgs: 244
book 3 in betwitched and bewildered series
finished: 3/11/24
rating: 3 stars
review: Rheia flees ferals with her adopted 4 year old daughter Penny and meets her fated mate, Colton. We learn more about the ferals this time. Have a couple funny scenes with the alpha unit as they try to keep the new human happy. Penny was super adorable and very compentent for a 4 year old (view spoiler). I thought it was weird that Rheia wanted to get pregnant within a week of meeting Colton.
The series has some very funny moments and I plan to continue it.
COMPLETION POST - Week 4Spot 36
Book/Author: Breaking Rules: Billionaires in Disguise: Lizzy Blair Babylon
Date Read: 3/12/24
Pages: 259
How It Fits: #3 in Billionaires in Disguise: Lizzy Series
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This story is a continuation of the previous book. Without giving too much away, Lizzy is staying with Theo while Mannix is out of town on business. She discovers a lot more about both men but finally is starting to realize that Mannix is not good for her. So many twists and turns, especially toward the end. One more book in this series which I'll definitely be reading shortly. Major cliffhanger in this one.
Completion Post ⪼ Week 4Spot ⪼ 36
Book ⪼ Wild and Free
How it fits ⪼ #3 The Three trilogy
Date Read ⪼ 03.11 ★★★★
Review
This was typical Kristen Ashley but I'm not complaining because it was exactly what I needed during an emotionally trying weekend. I did think that the 'biker/biker bitch' vibe of Abel and Delilah was kind of a hard fit for this fantasy series overall, but it mostly worked, especially as she was going for the 'every person' feel for this fated couple. Things were a little loose as well on the world building but like I said, nothing that kept me from enjoying the book for what it was.
Completion PostRoll #4, Spot 36
Book: Pucking Around by Emily Rath
How it Fits: "E" Author
Pages: 756 pgs
Read: 3.12.24
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
Any time a book is popular on BookTok, unless I've already read it, I'm a little hesitant about whether I'll like it only to end up usually liking the book. I'll just resist at first lol. This is a why choose, reverse harem hockey romance. I really liked the initial connection between Rachel and Caleb, and between Rachel and Jake. I would have been happy if the author left the romance there. The addition of Mars wasn't totally unnecessary, it just didn't really click in the same way as the initial romance. This edition also included the prequel novella but I skipped it. It wasn't necessary IMO, as the circumstances of how Rachel and Jake met was well established in the book itself. This is a really steamy, graphic book which is totally fine by me, I was prepared going in. However, there were entirely too many sex scenes, and the book itself was way too long. But I did really enjoy it and I flew through it because it kept my attention and I was invested in the character's happiness. I'll be continuing the series.
Completion Post- Week 4Spot: 36
Book: Cress by Marissa Meyer
Qualification: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Finished: 13 March 2024
Rating: ★★★
Review:
The third in the Lunar Chronicles series. In this one, now that Scarlet and Cinder are together in their mission to take down Levana, along with Wolf and Thorne, they decide that their first step is to get more information and reach out to Cress, the programmer that helped Cinder earlier. Cress, Crescent Moon, is a retelling of Rapunzel. She is kept prisoner in a satellite all alone other than the occasional visits by the Queen's lackey. With no sharp objects, her hair does get a bit unruly and obsesses of the possible hero that will rescue her as a damsel in distress. She starts to fixate on Thorn as her hero. Of course the rescue plan to collect Cress did not go as planned.
While I appreciate that is must be tricky to have more than one "princess" in a story, I didn't love the break up of the group. The pairings were odd and not quite as fun. Cress and Thorn were the best but her naivety kind of made it gross when I kept remembering that she is only 16. The story stretched out a bit unnecessarily and relied on some convenient coincidences but I enjoyed the snippet of Winter and am all in to see how they all live happily ever after.
@566 pages; ✸ One point can be earned for reading a book with >500 pages.
I'm finishing up my book, Lucas Davenport #3, tonight.
Week 4 Completion PostSpot 36
Book: Eyes of Prey by John Sandford
Pages: 480
Qualification: Lucas Davenport #3
Finished: 3/14/24
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
Luckily Lucas' baby mama and child take a back seat in this one. The family drama wasn't adding anything to the series so I was glad to see Sandford try a different direction with regard to Lucas' personal life. It was still a bit disappointing to see him take up with yet another woman - with disastrous consequences of course - but I did enjoy her character more than any of the others so far in the series.
The killers in this entry were compelling and chilling. I loved that we had some twists despite knowing the killers from the beginning. The story unfolded well and the big reveal at the end caught me by complete surprise. In the preview chapter for the next book it picks up with the trial for this book's killing spree so I'm curious to see what's next!
Week 5 Dice Roll: 5+1=6
Previous Space: 36
New Space: 42
Can read Series #2, 4 or 42 or Alternate: 42. Cover Item: Hands/Arms/Feet/Legs (no other body parts visible)
1 Point earned for reading a book over 500 pages
Perfect. I'm Lunar Chronicles #4.
Which has a disembodied hand.
I'm going with A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty by Stacia Stark, it's #2 in the Kingdom of Lies series.
Mine is Burning Bright: Billionaires in Disguise: Lizzy - #4 in the Billionaires in Disguise: Lizzy series
Selection Post: week 5, spot 42The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
book 4 in the Inheritance Games series
pgs: 470
COMPLETION POST - Week 5Diane - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Jen K - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Karen - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
LaurLa - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Logan - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Sarah - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
1 bonus pt - book over 500 pgs (Jen)
1 bonus pt - 3 or more books in a series (Karen)
1 bonus pt - 2 in 1 - fits series # and alternate (Jen)
COMPLETION POST - Week 5Spot 42
Book/Author: Burning Bright: Billionaires in Disguise: Lizzy Blair Babylon
Date Read: 3/17/24
Pages: 325
How It Fits: #4 in Billionaires in Disguise: Lizzy Series
Rating: 5 stars
Review: Wow. This is the last book in the series and I couldn't put it down. Lizzy goes to Paris for Rae's wedding and unknown to both of them, Theo is attending the wedding also. Of course, evil Mannix shows up and the suspense ramps up from there. There are so many surprises in this book before this couple can get their HEA. I'm definitely reading more books by this author.
Completion Post ⪼ Week 5Spot ⪼ 42
Book ⪼ Drama King
How it fits ⪼ #2 Three Kings series
Date Read ⪼ 03.17 ★★★★
Review
I felt like this was a whirlwind romance but actually it wasn't. I think it was because the pinnacle or focus of the story was the scenes on Christmas and Christmas Eve but the story started in June, so we had a whirlwind of scenes through November. I really like the male MC, Cyrus. He was funny, self-deprecating and quite witty but he did come off as thoughtless about how his actions affect others. Really he was just clueless, letting his shallow interactions hide some deep insecurities of his own. At the same time he was self-aware enough to know what he was doing and when called out on it, he could change the way he interacted with others. The female MC wasn't quite as self-aware. She couldn't let go enough or relax enough to see that she didn't have to try so hard to be 'seen' and didn't have to always prove her 'usefulness'. Watching these two circle each other with their neuroses was kind of fun if a bit painful at times.
Completion Post: week 5, spot 42
The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
book 4 in the Inheritance Games series
pgs: 470
rating: 4 stars
review: Don't read if you haven't read the previous books
This focuses on Jameson who meets his father who wants him to win an impossible game for him. The details are interesting, but Jamie still goes to extremes.
It also focuses on Grayson, who is looking out for his half-sisters and trying to keep them from realizing how awful their father is. Grayson grows a bit and finally asks for some help, but (view spoiler)
There are also some cute flashback scenes, but the book needed way more Nash and Xander.
Completion Post Roll #5, Spot 42
Book: A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty by Stacia Stark
How it Fits: #2 in the Kingdom of Lies series
Pages: 536 pgs
Read: 3.19.24
Rating: 3 stars
Review:
I think I got too excited about the first book when I picked the second book as my selection for this week's roll. I enjoyed this book but definitely not as much as the first one. It all felt a bit cheesy to me. I don't like the main character Prisca as much I thought I would. I feel like she has a lot of growing to do, but compared to where she's supposed to be in the book it doesn't really make sense. She's also very wishy-washy, going back forth between wanting to be queen and not wanting to, I love him and I hate him kind of thing as well. Normally, names in a book don't bother me, especially in fantasy I can go along usually with whatever the author has come up with. However, for some reason the names in this series I found cheesy and annoying. The naming devices didn't really work for me. At this point I think I will continue the series, but it might be awhile from now. But who knows, if I ended the series here and didn't pick up the next one I wouldn't feel like I was missing out on anything.
Completion Post- Week 5Spot: 42
Book: Winter by Marissa Meyer
Qualification: The Lunar Chronicles #4
Finished: 20 March 2024
Rating: ★★★
Review:
The fourth and last of the Lunar Chronicles takes our band of princesses and heroes to Lunar where they meet Winter, the beautiful stepdaughter (Snow White). Unfortunately she is bit mad with the Lunar sickness but has a good heart and manages to save both Scarlet and Cress. Meyer is so clever in her conception to retell such classic stories with cyborgs, androids and space travel which I really appreciate. However at this point there are too many characters to do anyone full justice and drags on a bit. Iko is probably the best of them all. I am happy to finally be finished with the series.
✸ 2 in 1: One point can be earned for reading a book that fits both the series number and the alternate for the spot you are on.
Alternate: 42. Cover Item: Hands/Arms/Feet/Legs (no other body parts visible)
Week 5 Completion PostSpot 42
Book: Silent Prey by John Sandford
Pages: 358
Qualification: Lucas Davenport #4
Finished: 3/21/24
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
This was a much more intriguing and fun book in this series. I was a bit worried that it would feel a bit stale since the villain is the same in this book as #3, but there were lots of twists that kept me on my toes.
Lucas is in New York assisting the NYPD in capturing Bekker, who escaped from prison in the first chapter and is on another killing spree. There is a new woman, of course, but it's more casual and feels a bit more natural than some of the others in past books. I loved following the twists that slowly changed my perspective on everything I had been reading. I also loved seeing Lucas getting out played a bit by the other cops. The book wraps up neatly and I'm curious to keep reading to see if the series has finally hit its stride.
Week 6Dice Roll: 3+6=9
Previous Space: 42
New Space: 51
Can read Series #5, 1, 51, Standalone or Alternate: 51. Book to Movie/TV (must state how book qualifies: listopia, imdb, precis)
1 Point earned for reading a book over 500 pages (Jen)
1 bonus pt - 3 or more books in a series (Karen)
1 bonus pt - 2 in 1 - fits series # and alternate (Jen)
I have to read A Murder Is Announced for another challenge and it's #5 in the Miss Marple series, so that worked out wonderfully!
Mod
Yes, standalone books can be used for 1 and 0.
Denise wrote: "Jen K wrote: "Can we do a stand alone for 1 also?"Yes, standalone books can be used for 1 and 0."
Awesome, I need to catch on about to expire library books. Thanks!
I think I'm going with Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli, it's the first book in the Crimson Moth series, but I may change to The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter, #1 in the Burning series or Cursed Fates by Caroline Peckman & Susanne Valenti, #5 in the Zodiac Academy series.
COMPLETION POST - Week 6Diane - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Jen K - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Karen - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
LaurLa - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Logan - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Sarah - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
1 bonus pt - book over 500 pgs (Jen)
1 bonus pt - 3 or more books in a series (Karen)
1 bonus pt - 2 in 1 - fits series # and alternate (Jen)
Completion Post Roll #6, Spot 51
Book: Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
How it Fits: Crimson Moth #1
Pages: 416 pgs
Read: 3.24.24
Rating: 5 stars
Review:
This book is very hyped right now. The premise felt a lot like Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin so I was unsure whether or not I would like it. I also have that book 5 stars and I didn't want to compare this one to that one too much. However, besides the fact that it is about a witch and a witch hunter falling in love, that's about where the similarities end. I really liked the world building in this one, and the magic. The characters also were very well done. It is a YA book so the romance is a slow burn, but done very well. The ending is what really pushed the book from 4 stars to 5 for me. I am very excited to see where the next book will take it. The twist wasn't as twisty as I wanted it to be, I figured it out before the reveal.
COMPLETION POST - Week 6Spot 51
Book/Author: Broken Record K.A. Linde
Date Read: 3/25/24
Pages: 350
How It Fits: #5 in Record Series
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This is the last book in the series. Savannah is torn between her love for both Easton and Lucas. There are numerous situations that Savannah has to navigate through before she can find her HEA. This was a great series and this book was a perfect ending.
Completion Post: week 6, spot 51
The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée by Kristen Painter
pgs: 368
how it fits: #5 in the Nocturne Falls series
rating: 3 stars
review:
Sebastian's estranged wife shows up after 400 years and wants to get back together, but his pride has him making up a fake fiancee. Enter Tessa, a valkyrie librarian who wants the job at his family's school. She agrees to help him out for the job.
This is a light, fun book. I'm not thrilled with the insta-love nor the fact no one figured out what Eva was after. But the characters were fun as Tessa and her kitten shook up stoodgy Sebastian's household.
For a challenge that is supposed to be helping me move through series I have, I keep starting new series that either don’t have a second book yet or are very short 😂
Sarah wrote: "For a challenge that is supposed to be helping me move through series I have, I keep starting new series that either don’t have a second book yet or are very short 😂"I hate when that happens! Lol
Completion Post- Week 6Spot: 51
Book: In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune
Qualification: Stand Alone
Finished: 25 March 2024
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
Loosely based on the story of Pinocchio, Victor is a human surrounded by machines. Raised by his father, a creator, in the remote woods. Victor makes his own friends from finds in the scrap yards especially a slightly sociopathic nurse bot and a very innocent and overly friendly vacuum bot. When they discover a new friend which they quickly name HAP (hysterically angry puppet), they are forced on a quest that leads them to better understand themselves and the world around them.
The quest was okay, the romance was slightly more awkward than sweet but the cast of characters and the witty dialogue was fabulously fun. I found myself laughing out loud often. I appreciated the reflections on identity and choosing who you are and being accepted as is but I kept reading for the giggles, robot/ android humor gets me every time.
Completion Post ⪼ Week 6Spot ⪼ 51
Book ⪼ A Murder Is Announced
How it fits ⪼ #5 Miss Marple series
Date Read ⪼ 03.25 ★★★
Review
I feel like it's sacrilegious to say I didn't love this book - Agatha Christie is the queen of mystery, after all. But I've always found it difficult to read her early and mid 20th century books. The British vernacular is almost foreign to me with my lowly middle America language. But getting through or past that, I liked the story okay. It was mostly a locked-room type mystery which is always fun to figure out. I'm not sure I agree with the way the plot played out, it got a little twisty in the end, but overall it was a good ending.
Week 6 Completion PostSpot 51
Book: Winter Prey
Pages: 343
Qualification: Lucas Davenport #5
Finished: 3/28/24
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
According to the author's intro, this is one of the series faves among readers. I agree that this one had a bit more to offer. It felt less stiff, and the prose much more natural. He still tends to use way too much description but it does make for a somewhat more immersive read.
I really liked the plot in this one. It had salacious characters, red herrings, lots of action, and a slow reveal of the criminal. It's a dark tale about child abusers and we see the toll it takes on some of the cops and townfolk. There was also a lot less objectification of women and a bit less homophobia, but I give it the benefit of the doubt considering it was published 30 years ago.
I couldn't quite give it 4 stars but a much more enjoyable entry for sure.
Week 7 - Team 7 - Reading in Seventh HeavenDice Roll: 5+1=6
Previous Space: 51
New Space: 57
Can read Series #5, 7, 57 or Alternate: 57. Published 2016-2020
1 Point earned for reading a book over 500 pages (Jen)
1 bonus pt - 3 or more books in a series (Karen)
1 bonus pt - 2 in 1 - fits series # and alternate (Jen)
I'll be reading The Dom Who Came in from the Cold #5 in Masters & Mercenaries Reloaded series. Glad to get back to this series.
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Lifestyles of the Witch and Ageless (other topics)Resisting the Bad Boy (other topics)
Seducing the Enemy (other topics)
Goddess of Filth (other topics)
All Systems Red (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Shéa MacLeod (other topics)Violet Duke (other topics)
Agatha Christie (other topics)
John Sandford (other topics)
Sophie Oak (other topics)
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Cress
The Lunar Chronicles #3
Bonus: Greater than 500 pages