R27 Team #9 ~ Reading to the Nines

[Marisa]

Ok, so... I won't write down any book under your name till you finish ;)

[Marisa]

Any theme you're interested today? I'm chanting for N and Y, as they would give us 4 in a row.

[Marisa]

Shelf #6 ~ 2 Apr: M - mate / made me cry
Requirement: Choose a book using one of the following options ...

*For Mate, read a book with mate in the title or series name, a book featuring shifters, or a book set in Australia

* For made me cry, read a book on the following shelf: GR made me cry

[Marisa]

Shelf 6: M - mate / made me cry

Laura: Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes (11/04/2025 - 📚📚📚📚📚) Review
Marisa: The Rebel Dragon by Tesha Geddes (04/04/2025 - 📚📚📚📚½) Review
Sarah: Heartsong by T.J. Klune (17/04/2025 - 📚📚📚📚📚) Review



Summary Post

[Sarah]

Completion Post



Book: Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales
Shelf: G - Galentine
Pages: 358 pgs
Date Read: 4.2.25
Rating: 3 stars
How it Fits: author is a woman Heather Fawcett
Review:

I was able to get through this pretty quickly with the audiobook. Plus, it was a quick read on it's own. This is the series finale so I won't give it all away. But I think it's wrapped up really nicely and still leaves it open enough that if the author really wanted to come back to this series and continue it she could. I still really liked the characters and the world itself. I like that it's a mix of pseudo research and fantasy. I will say I wasn't as enthralled with this addition to the series as I was with the first two which is why this one got a lower rating.

[Laura]

Shelf #6 ~ 2 Apr: M - mate / made me cry
Requirement: Choose a book using one of the following options ...

*For Mate, read a book with mate in the title or series name, a book featuring shifters, or a book set in Australia

* For made me cry, read a book on the following shelf: GR made me cry

[Laura]

I just started a book with shifters set in Australia this morning!

I do have Sunrise on the Reaping to read, but I'm not positive how soon I'll get to it. My kids have grabbed it before me!

I also have the audio for Scythe & Sparrow which is shelved Made Me Cry 3 times.

Or my book club is reading Under Loch and Key this month, so it works for shifters.

Basically, I'll post the first book I finish that works for the shelf. :)

[Marisa]

:) Good choose, Laura!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

😊 WTG! Your request to stamp G Shelf has been approved; if you have any issues stamping your card, let me know. Once you’ve stamped your card, go to the Captain’s Log and share a link with us. Thx!

[Marisa]

Thank you, Sandra!

[Marisa]

Selection Post
Shelf 6: M - mate / made me cry
Book: The Rebel Dragon by Tesha Geddes
Pages: 281
How it fits: The MC is a pocket-size purple dragon shifter

[Marisa]

Completion Post
Shelf 6: M - mate / made me cry
Book: The Rebel Dragon by Tesha Geddes
Pages: 281
How it fits: The MC is a pocket-size purple dragon shifter
Read: 04/04/2025
Rating: ★★★★½



Review

This is the last book in the series, and it's a pity to see the characters go away. I haven't enjoyed it as much as the first one but I've liked it a lot. It's nice to see how family/pack is blended by love, not by blood, and how dragos begin to evolve and integrate with
the rest of the world. The final battle you've been expecting since the first book appears here, and it fits quite well in the plot. Seriously, I've enjoyed this series and I've got another ones to test.

[Sarah]

Just an update I should be finishing Tale of the Heart Queen in the next few days.

My selection for M is Heartsong by T.J. Klune, tagged Made Me Cry 50 times.

[Marisa]

Ok, I hope you're enjoying the book, Sarah.

[Sarah]

Completion Post



Book: Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J. Tuli
Shelf: O - One and Only
Pages: 672 pgs
Date Read: 4.9.25
Rating: 4 stars
How it Fits: finale to the Artefacts of Ouranos series
Review:

It took me longer than I wanted to get through this one. There is a lot of action and unexpected turns in this one. However, I really enjoyed it. I think Tuli really put thought into how she wanted the characters to end their journey. Everything is tied up nicely and I'm happy with the outcome. I will say there were things that happened that were kind of out of left field. I didn't like Herric as a character at all or even as a villain. He came across kind of cartoonish to me and one dimensional. I also found the MC to cry a lot. I'm not saying there weren't reasons or denying that crying isn't a valid response, it just seemed to happen all the time! So I dropped the rating a star.

[Marisa]

Shelf #7 ~ 9 Apr: Q - quirky / queen
Requirement: Choose a book using one of the following options ...

*For Quirky, read a book featuring a quirky or eccentric character (wears unique clothing, having a strange habit or strong sense of humor, etc), a book with non-linear narrative (jumps between timelines or perspectives) or 'Q' in the author's name, title or series

* For queen, read a book on the following shelf: GR queen

[Marisa]

Shelf 7: Q - quirky / queen

Laura: The Prestige by Christopher Priest (12/04/2025 - 📚📚📚📚) Review
Marisa: The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi (11/04/2025 - 📚📚📚📚½) Review
Sarah: The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst (21/04/2025 - 📚📚📚) Review



Summary Post

[Marisa]

Well, I'm going to ask for our Unlimited stamp (although according to Sarah's review it could go to "make herself cry" ;) ), and I'll chant for "N" or "Y".

[Sarah]

Marisa wrote: "Well, I'm going to ask for our Unlimited stamp (although according to Sarah's review it could go to "make herself cry" ;) ), and I'll chant for "N" or "Y"."

haha it really could!

[Sarah]

Selection Post

For Q I will read The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst I'm sure it is tagged Queen but I didn't look as it has Q in the title and series name.

[Laura]

Not sure what I'm going to read for Q (too many possibilities at the moment, need to see what I get from other challenges). But I will have my M book done on Friday, I think.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Sarah wrote: "Selection Post

For Q I will read The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst I'm sure it is tagged Queen but I didn't look as it has Q in the title and series name."

It is tagged Queen by 1 person.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

😊 WTG! Your request to stamp O Shelf has been approved; if you have any issues stamping your card, let me know. Once you’ve stamped your card, go to the Captain’s Log and share a link with us. Thx!

[Marisa]

Selection Post
Shelf 7: Q - quirky / queen
Book: The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi
Pages: 317
How it fits: Q in the author's surname / It mixes both MC's point of view

[Laura]

Completion Post

Shelf: M
Book: Someone Else's Shoes
Date Read: 4/11
Rating: 5 stars
How it fits: Shelved Made Me Cry by 7 people.
Review: I was reluctant to start this one because I was reading it only for a real-life Bingo at my local indie bookstore. It won an award in 2024, and I just wasn't interested. But I'm really glad I read it. I loved the premise. These women have all reached "a certain age" and their lives needed a bit of shaking up. And boy did they get it. I loved seeing the growth of each of them.

[Laura]

Marisa wrote: "Well, I'm going to ask for our Unlimited stamp (although according to Sarah's review it could go to "make herself cry" ;) ), and I'll chant for "N" or "Y"."

It's time to start chanting for N before Y. Y is now a winning call for Team 1.

[Marisa]

Ok, then N it is....

[Laura]

I just started the audio for The Prestige. I think it’s going to work for Q. It just jumped from the present to about 100 years in the past.

[Marisa]

Sandra wrote: "😊 WTG! Your request to stamp O Shelf has been approved; if you have any issues stamping your card, let me know. Once you’ve stamped your card, go to the Captain’s Log and share a link with us. Thx!"

Thanky you, log updated!

[Marisa]

Laura wrote: "I just started the audio for The Prestige. I think it’s going to work for Q. It just jumped from the present to about 100 years in the past."

Which author, Laura?

[Marisa]

Completion Post
Shelf 7: Q - quirky / queen
Book: The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi
Pages: 317
How it fits: Q in the author's surname / It mixes both MC's point of view
Read: 11/04/2025
Rating: ★★★★½



Review

It has been a very cute and cozy reading. The cafe with the baby dragons sounds wonderful, the MCs are totally different but they evolve to form a relationship, friendship in the beginning and love in the end (I'm spoiling nothing ;) ). It's nice to read about some details of the hindi culture too, mixed with the fantasy. It has a slow pace, that I like, and no nasty characters (aside of some background that makes the story evolve). At the beginning, the third person changing the point of view (male and female MC) is a bit confusing, but it feels natural in the end, so you get the story from both POV. I will try to find more books by this author.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

I've reported the spam, so don't remove it :)

[Laura]

Sandra wrote: "I've reported the spam, so don't remove it :)"

I think only the mods can anyways, right?

[Laura]

Marisa wrote: "Laura wrote: "I just started the audio for The Prestige. I think it’s going to work for Q. It just jumped from the present to about 100 years in the past."

Which author, Laura?"

Sorry I was out and about so I was using the app quickly. It's The Prestige. There are also magicians, and if my guess is correct I believe we are somehow going to find twins sharing a body. So quirky figures all around. And several narrative time jumps from present to past and back again. I should have it finished tonight. I know that isn't the audio edition that I linked, but that is the correct cover, and it's the physical edition that I bought at the bookstore for my book club.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

I've no idea, but I presume librarians can, cause I do that a lot on the librarian threads. :)

[Laura]

Sandra wrote: "I've no idea, but I presume librarians can, cause I do that a lot on the librarian threads. :)"

I didn't even think of librarians. I just thought of mods or not mods. But librarians have lots of extra powers, at least on all the tv shows. :)

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Hahahahaha ...... so true, we are awesome!!!!!!!!!

[Marisa]

Laura wrote: "Marisa wrote: "Laura wrote: "I just started the audio for The Prestige. I think it’s going to work for Q. It just jumped from the present to about 100 years in the past."

Which author, Laura?"

So..."

Thank you! I'd seen this book but I wasn't sure because the blurb doesn't sound like that.

[Laura]

Marisa wrote: "Laura wrote: "Marisa wrote: "Laura wrote: "I just started the audio for The Prestige. I think it’s going to work for Q. It just jumped from the present to about 100 years in the past."

Which autho..."

Yeah, the blurb only contains the historical elements. But look at the MPGs. Historical, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Mystery, Steampunk, Horror. It's all over the place! It's hard to describe it without giving out spoilers. But I guess it was made into a movie at some point? My local indie bookstore has a Reel Reads book club, and this is April's selection.

[Laura]

Completion Post

Shelf: Q
Book: The Prestige
Date Read: 4/12
Rating: 4 stars
How it fits: The magicians are definitely quirky characters. But also, it jumps times present/past/present/past/present. And with the exception of the first and last present times, each time is from a different character's perspective.
Review: I really don't know what to think. I am really curious to see the movie, though. This book bears little real resemblance to the blurb. The actual elements of the story are much more than that. At some points in the story I thought we were dealing with an absorbed -twin-in-the-womb situation. But I will neither confirm nor deny that theory. It is well written, and if I enjoyed having my brain played with I would totally read more of his writing, but this was just not my preferred type of book.

That being said, I do recommend it!

[Laura]

I'm caught up now, right?

[Marisa]

Totally right, and the book sounds curious

[Laura]

Marisa wrote: "Totally right, and the book sounds curious"

That's actually a good word for it. :)

[Marisa]

Well, let's begin the chant for "N" ;)

[Marisa]

The following reviews I believe are pending, please, tell me if I've overlooked them:

Week 6: M - mate / made me cry

Sarah: Heartsong by T.J. Klune (Completed)

Week 7: Q - quirky / queen

Sarah: The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

[Marisa]

Shelf #8 ~ 16 Apr: X/Z - XOXO / eXcited -or- Zealous / Z
Requirement: Choose a book using one of the following options ...

XOXO / eXcited -or- Zealous / Z
*For XOXO, read a book an author or character whose name contains an X or O, series or title containing X or O or a book in a series you love

* For eXcited, read a book on the following shelf: GR excited

*For Zealous, read a book with Z in the title or series name, a character whose name begins with Z or written by an author you zealously follow by buying every book, subscribing to emails, following on socials, etc

* For Z, read a book on the following shelf: GR Z

[Marisa]

Shelf 8: X/Z - XOXO / eXcited -or- Zealous / Z

Laura: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez (21/04/2025 - 📚📚📚📚📚) Review
Marisa: Dead Beside the Thames by Stephanie Laurens (21/04/2025 - 📚📚📚📚) Review
Sarah: Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon (02/05/2025 - 📚📚📚📚) Review



Summary Post

[Sarah]

Marisa wrote: "The following reviews I believe are pending, please, tell me if I've overlooked them:

Week 6: M - mate / made me cry

Sarah: Heartsong by T.J. Klune

Week 7: Q - ..."

This is correct. I should finish Heartsong today or tomorrow. (Hopefully today)

[Sarah]

Selection Post

For X/Z I will be reading Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon, x in the author's name.

[Sarah]

Completion Post



Book: Heartsong by T.J. Klune
Shelf: M - Made Me Cry
Pages: 471 pgs
Date Read: 4.17.25
Rating: 5 stars
How it Fits: tagged made me cry 50 times
Review:

I read the first two in this series awhile ago always intending to return to the series much sooner than I did. I thought I'd be lost. I wasn't. I thought I'd be disappointed. I wasn't. I thought there was no way this book was as good as the first. It was. These books are magic. They are beautifully written and so easy to enjoy while also being so tragic and full of so much heartbreak. Highly recommend. I don't even know what else to say. I didn't cry (it's hard to make me cry, the first one made me cry), but it was very very close.