R3 TEAM THREAD: Team #2 ~ Double Trouble [FIRST PLACE]

[Steph, Serious series addict]

{Team Stats Updated}

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

I'll be reading (at some point)
for FREE SPACE.

[Ming]

Hey that helped:

I'll read
Hard Bitten . Chloe Neill for the 4 Stars (which I didn't read when it came out because I just couldn't get into it.)
and
Kindling the Moon . Jenn Bennett for the Free Space

[Laura Lulu]

Yay Ming! ;)

I'm going to read for the free space.

[Laura Lulu]

All BINGO Cards


Free Space - 0/6 completed
Heather
Judithe Firewalker
Laura Lulu Hunt the Moon
Rachel
Christina Marked
Ming Kindling the Moon


4-Stars, G4 - 0/6 completed
***announced July 23***
Heather Riding the Storm
Judithe No Mercy
Laura Lulu Ultraviolet
Rachel Unlocked
Christina Kiss of Midnight
Ming Hard Bitten

[Rachel-RN]

Done 7/24/11 4*
Unveiled was one of the best historicals I've read. Unlocked continued that enjoyment. Looking forward to #2. The Turner series I highly recommend for fans of the historical genre.

[Rachel-RN]

I think I'll do for free space

[Heather ~ Marceline]

I'm debating between two books for my free read, so once I finish I will let you know. It will either be or .

[Laura Lulu]

No rush, Heather. We have time before the free space book becomes a needed spot on the board. So there's no hurry to pick one, and if you do pick one, you can always change it.

I had a teammate in one of the bingo rounds who still hadn't finished her free space read, and it was at the point where we needed it. She had posted early in the game what she was going to read for the free space, but I went and looked at the non-bingo books she had read since the game started and there were a few that were on the SOS bookshelf and could be used for the free space. So I sent her a PM telling her which books she had already read that she could use for the free space if she wrote a review for one of them. :)

So the moral of the story is two-fold: first, if you post what you're reading for the free space, you are not committed to reading that specific book--anyone can change their mind and there are a ton of books on the SOS shelves. And second, I'm a nosy control freak. ;)

[Heather ~ Marceline]

Laura Lulu wrote: "And second, I'm a nosy control freak. ;)"

We should get along great then. Judithe can vouch for me from our last game of bingo, add onto that I am also extremely competitive, and it makes for a great combo. :)

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Hmmm...looks like that's describing at least half of the team....

[Ming]

not me, I'm neither nosy, nor competitive.

snickering as I walk away from the computer ...

[Cindy (eclecticfirefly)]

*spits wine on keyboard*

OMG.....OMG....OMFreakinG!!!!

Hey Ming - you owe me a new keyboard.....

*deadly serious face* Of course you aren't competitive....or nosy.....*snickers*....you would never be nosy.....*guffaws*....or competitive.

[Ming]

I think I have keyboard for an Apple one you could use, or was it a Lisa?

[Cindy (eclecticfirefly)]

It's just a Compaq....nothing fancy. SIGH.....now I have to unstick some keys.....

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

I have about 60 pages left of Kiss of Midnight, so I'll probably finish it this afternoon. I'm surprised, considering it's 402 pages long. I had figured that I'd only be at the half-way point by the end of the weekend.

Now I have to decide whether to take this opportunity to read the Free Space book or pick something that will count toward a few challenges and doesn't take long to read.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

4*'s 7/25/11

I haven't visited this series in quite a while...and had forgotten some things (now intrigued to do some re-reading...but have so many other things to read, too!). Dev, from Sanctuary, falls for a Dark-Hunter...and what was supposed to be a quick, no strings attached, hawt trip between the sheets, turns into something else. Lots of apocalyptic murmurings in the background, and glimpses of characters that we haven't seen recently made this a very fun read.

[Heather ~ Marceline]

I finished on 7/25/11 and give it 4*'s. I picked this book based on a friend's recommendation, and I loved it. I really decided to read it due to the x-men type characters, but was surprised by all the hot scenes that were in it as well. I will definitely be reading on in the series. The action and romance combined made for a great read.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Sydney Croft = Larissa Ione (Demonica) and she can write some very, very good scenes....think I'll add it to move it up on my TBR...it was already there!

[Cindy (eclecticfirefly)]

Definitely move it up Judithe! I loved all of them. Of course, I now have to move up the Demonica books. I have all of them here, just haven't read them yet!

[Heather ~ Marceline]

Judithe wrote: "Sydney Croft = Larissa Ione (Demonica) and she can write some very, very good scenes....think I'll add it to move it up on my TBR...it was already there!"

I didn't realize that, thanks for the heads up. I am about to start for my free space read. No wonder I like both series :) I think I might like the x-men type story lines of her Sydney Croft series just a little bit more than Demonica. IMO there was a lot more hotness to those than Demonica as well, I almost felt like I was reading Lora Leigh based on the sheer quantity.... not that I am complaining, just saying.

[Cindy (eclecticfirefly)]

Well, yeah! The ACRO series is considered to be erotica, the Demonica series is not. Erotica tends to have more quantity AND more detailed description of the actual act itself.

I'm anxiously awaiting Taken By Fire. Hoping to be able to grab a copy at PBS, but if not, I'll definitely be buying that one! It's the last of the series *sobs* and supposed to be fabulous!

[Heather ~ Marceline]

Cindy (eclecticfirefly) wrote: "Well, yeah! The ACRO series is considered to be erotica, the Demonica series is not. "

Thanks! I wasn't sure if that was the case here, but I was assuming it might be. You were right too, I loved the read. I will have to let Michelle know as well since I picked it up from her original recommendation from CC4. I will definitely be reading these, luckily my library carries them.

I made it over to Borders today and came home with quite the haul. The Sci-Fi was still only 10% off so I tried to stay away from those for now. :( I will have to go try to check those out in another week or two.

[Laura Lulu]

Just doing a fly by...off to Six Flags with the kiddos.

I have less than 50 pages left in my book, I'll finish it tonight when we get home & I'll update our status post then.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Have a blast with the kids!

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

**Rule Clarification**

A couple of questions have come up related to books used for Bingo. Just in case you haven't seen the discussion on the Q&A pages, etc., we're posting it here. Happy reading!

* All books should be a minimum of 200 pgs. All others are more of a novella. This rule will be effective as of the 2nd shelf announcement, in case someone has already chosen and read one for shelf #1. (if you have read one for shelf #1, your read will count)

* No, graphic novels are not accepted.

Here is Steph's original announcement.

[Ming]

well there goes Horton hears a who ....

[Cindy (eclecticfirefly)]

LOL Ming. You couldn't use it anyway. Rereads have to be from more than a year ago.....

[Ming]

True , I am up to Junie B Jones now

[Ming]

Free Space

Kindling the Moon
***


A first in a series, by a first time author, this book is OK. It breaks no new ground, is not particularly well done, neither is a steaming lump of ________ (fill in the blank). The word pastiche comes to mind.

[Laura Lulu]

4-Stars

finished July 26 ★★★★1/2

Wow. Really cool book. I don't know where to begin. I feel like anything I write in this review will be a bit of a spoiler in one way or another, so I'll try to be vague.

The story is told in first person from the POV of Alison, a 16 year old girl who can see sounds and smell emotions and taste lies. Numbers each have a color, names have a personality, and the stars make music. And she has hidden this extra side of herself since she was 6 years old and shared it with her mother, who proceeded to freak out and tell Alison to never say anything like that ever again.

So Alison keeps it to herself, which of course turns her into a distant person, never really sharing any of herself. How can she, when she needs to keep secret so much of what makes her her?

So, on to our story. Things happen, and Alison ends up in a mental institution for teens. Alison doesn't remember what happened, all she knows is that a girl from school is missing, a girl Alison hated, and the last thing Alison remembers is getting in a fight with said girl, and the girl disintegrating. Huh? People don't disintegrate. Do they?

What proceeds is a wild ride of mystery, self-discovery, and craziness. And because the book is written in first person and you're in Alison's head, you're never sure what is TRUTH. I questioned stuff right up to the end. Is this really happening? Is she crazy and imagining this? And that adds to it's awesomeness.

This books does some crazy genre jumping. The genres involved are right up my alley, so it totally worked for me, but I'm concerned that the ratings for this book might end up being a bit lower, just based on people reading along, thinking they were reading one thing and all of a sudden--WTF??? I myself am a big fan of WTF when done nicely, and this was done nicely.

But my absolute favorite part of this book was the prose. The unbelievably extensive way Alison senses things--and the beautifully descriptive way Anderson writes those impressions--just made this book for me.

[Laura Lulu]

.


Free Space - 1/6 completed
Heather Ecstasy Unveiled
Judithe Firewalker
Laura Lulu Hunt the Moon
Rachel
Christina Marked
✔Ming Kindling the Moon finished July 26 ★★★


4-Stars, G4 - 4/6 completed
***announced July 23***
✔Heather Riding the Storm finished July 25 ★★★★
✔Judithe No Mercy finished July 25 ★★★★
✔Laura Lulu Ultraviolet finished July 26 ★★★★1/2
✔Rachel Unlocked finished July 24 ★★★★
Christina Kiss of Midnight
Ming Hard Bitten

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Kiss of Midnight - ★★★★ - 25 July 2011
I know I've probably mention this before, but vampires aren't my favorite paranormal creatures in romance, though I've become more accepting of them over time, on a case by case basis. I tried J. R. Ward's series, and it wasn't for me. I tried Christine Feehan's, and it also wasn't for me. I initially passed on the Midnight Breed series without really knowing much about it, but decided to give it a try when I learned that the author made them descendants of an ancient alien race.

I liked the idea of them being part alien, part human. They are alive, not undead. The aversion to light could be explained by their alien DNA, just as their digestive systems couldn't process the plants and animal products, and therefore have to rely on human blood to sustain them. I also liked that the Breed are born, not made.

I really liked this book. I read it a lot faster than I thought I would. To me, it did not feel like 402 pages. I liked the couple. Gabrielle sometimes made stupid decisions, but I didn't think she was "too stupid to live" either. Lucan is a stubborn, one-track-mind kind of guy, but I also think he's learning to loosen up a bit. At one point, I thought, "This guy needs a hobby. Or a wife." Since he's not the type to take up knitting or scrap-booking, it's a good thing he finally caught on to the fact he was in love.

I do plan to continue with this series, and bought them all awhile ago, based on my reading of the prologue alone.

[Heather ~ Marceline]

I finished for the free space on 7/27/11 and give it 4.5 *'s. I don't know if it is because it has been a couple of months since I read the others or not, but I think this was my favorite so far. I wasn't crazy about Lore after book 3, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book, but reading his story, from his point of view, I really liked him. The way the story worked for Idess and her needing to protect Kynan was great. I have Sin Undone already requested from the library. I am excited to read the book, but sad that its the only book left to read in the series.

[Ming]

Hard Bitten

****

there are more than enough reviews of the book out there, including the spoilers and info about the cliffhanger ending. It was a fine book, on par with the other in the series. Read the other books first.

[Laura Lulu]

Woo hoo! WTG Double Troublemakers!!!

Steph, we're ready for our first stamp, por favor. :)


Free Space - 2/6 completed
✔ Heather Ecstasy Unveiled finished July 27 ★★★★1/2
Judithe Firewalker
Laura Lulu Hunt the Moon
Rachel
Christina Marked
✔Ming Kindling the Moon finished July 26 ★★★


4-Stars, G4 - 6/6 completed - stamp pending
***announced July 23 - completed July 28***
✔Heather Riding the Storm finished July 25 ★★★★
✔Judithe No Mercy finished July 25 ★★★★
✔Laura Lulu Ultraviolet finished July 26 ★★★★1/2
✔Rachel Unlocked finished July 24 ★★★★
✔ Christina Kiss of Midnight finished July 25 ★★★★
✔ Ming Hard Bitten finished July 28 ★★★★

[Steph, Serious series addict]

CONGRATULATIONS, Double Trouble!
You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on '4 stars'.

[Your new BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]

Good Job!! :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Congrats Trouble ;)

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

YAY, team! :D

[Cindy (eclecticfirefly)]

*assumes fiery dragon persona*

HUMPH!!! *small flame erupts* I guess congratulations are in order, for now.....

Congrats!

[Ming]

Since we've finished .. can we have the next shelf early?
:-DDD

take that Cindy, and I mean it in the most non competitive, non nosy way possible.

I'm collecting up another box of cozys for you that I am reading for a PBS cozy challenge.

[Cindy (eclecticfirefly)]

*anyone other than Ming who loves cozies is exempt from reading this post*

Ming - I still haven't read the last cozy you sent me......SHEESH!!!! I have read exactly 1 cozy in my entire reading life, and it was only so-so. I LIKE GORE!!! I LOVE blood and guts!!! A mystery tame enough for somebodies ancient grandma to solve doesn't exactly warm my cockles! LOLOL

*no books were harmed in this rant - promise*

[Laura Lulu]

Thanks everyone!

I still need to finish a book and a half in the next three days, so I'm happy waiting for the next shelf. :)

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

LOL! I'm finished with my Bingos (free space review later...have to be up till the wee hours to drive son to bus leaving for baseball tourney...at 3 a.m.! What's the point in sleeping!), and having trouble deciding what to pick up next! I'd hate to start something and have it be the perfect pick for the next shelf!

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

And hooray for our stamp!

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

I started my Free Space book last night, since I couldn't settle on something else to read, even though I tried.

[Heather ~ Marceline]

Hi ladies! I've got a girls getaway this weekend so I wanted to let you know you probably won't hear from me until late Sunday. Have a great weekend everyone!

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

You have fun, too!

[Laura Lulu]

Have fun Heather!

*Oooh...girls' weekend. Sooo jealous.*

[Laura Lulu]

Here's a spreadsheet I made to keep track of everyone's bingo cards. Then you don't have to go to every team thread to see how the other teams are doing in regards to chip placement. :)

I usually put the link in the "team status" posts, but I was just sharing the spreadsheet with the other teams and realized I never actually told my team about it. So that's what the "All Bingo Cards" link is in the status posts. :)

All Bingo Cards