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Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R4: Team #4 ~ Four Leaf Clovers

DIRECT LINK: http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/m...
FOUR LEAF CLOVERS
Week 6: 10-11 Mar 12
I6: Paranormal Mystery - 5/5 - TBD
Amanda - Dead Witch Walking - ★★★½ - 24 Mar 12 - Review
Christina - Doppelgangster - ★★★★ - 18 Mar 12 - Review
Heather - Fair Game - ★★★★★ - 20 Mar 12 - Review
Kate - Fair Game - ★★★★★ - 23 Mar 12 - Review
Leah - Pack Challenge - 11 Mar 12 - ★★★½ - Review





Week 7: 17-18 Mar 12
O20: Magic - 3/5 - TBD
Amanda - The Lord of Illusion -
Christina - Storm Kissed - ★★★★★ - 19 Mar 12 - pending..
Heather - The Hunger Games -
Kate - Kindling the Moon - ★★★★½ - 21 Mar 12 - Review
Leah - Touch of Power - ★★★★ - 23 Mar 12 - Review







Flashfire by Deborah Cooke - ★★★★ - 6 Mar 12
Lorenzo di Fiore is Pyr, though he wishes he wasn't. He's not interested in being a Slayer, either. He doesn't want to be a dragon at all. Lorenzo rather concentrate on his Las Vegas magic show, his planned spectacular "exit" from the spotlight and, hopefully, from his fellow dragon-shifters. He is in possession of a spell that he can only use once and he plans to use it to sever his ties to his dragon side. He's looking forward to the time when he won't be bothered by other dragon's firestorms, unwanted visitors, or the involuntary urge to shift. Lorenzo is so desperate to finally be free of that side of himself, he hasn't really thought about the true impact it could have -- like, whether the spell might actually kill him, or how will he protect his ailing father if he can no longer breath a protective ring of dragonsmoke. And then Cassandra Redmond enters the picture and all his plans get thrown into an upheaval.
Cassie is a photographer. A celebrity photographer -- paparazzi, if you want to be truthful. She's in Vegas because of her best friend, Stacy. Stacy was left at the altar and she didn't want to go to Vegas alone --- it was suppose to be her honeymoon -- nor did she want to lose the deposit money. Cassie has never taken a real vacation -- something Stacy always points out -- nor has she ever felt she needed one, until now. Her last assignment brought her to a cross-road and she's not sure if she wants to go back to the hunt. There is a very lucrative offer out there for photographs of the Pyr, but Cassie doesn't believe they are real. She's not interested in the assignment, but out of curiosity, asks her editor and learns that the same amount of money is being offered for photos that prove the dragons are fake. It's the type of money that would allow her to retire from photographing celebrities and pursue other work. However, she's still on vacation and Stacy is dragging her to yet another Vegas show.
I really liked this book, though I was a bit apprehensive at first. I was not happy with the heroine in Darkfire Kiss.
This book was different for the others. Lorenzo wasn't part of Erik's warriors, so he's not someone the reader knows much about. The new threat is Chen, and the book's prologue introduces us to his agenda and we get a glimpse of a few new characters -- including the hero of the next book. This book seems to be setting up things for both book 8 and Thorolf's book -- I'm making a huge assumption that he gets a firestorm (and since he's still around to help Zoe in her spin-off series, I'm sure I'm right). Chen is still anxious to collect the dragons with the strongest affinity to water, earth and air: Lorenzo, Brandon, and Thorolf.
Lorenzo took a bit to warm up to. Like all the Pry, he's got some personal baggage that makes him act the way he does. Once I got to know him better, I began to like him. Since he hasn't been around other Pyr during their firestorms, he's skeptical about the whole phenomenon. One thing he does believe is that, if he consummates the relationship, the sparks will go away. Lorenzo doesn't think Cassie is his type, so he doesn't expect to fall for her. Once he realizes he loves her, he's determined that she should come with him when he "disappears".
I really liked Cassie a lot, as much as I liked Alex and Ginger. She's smart and observant. There are a few times when something Lorenzo does or says that she could have taken the wrong way or lead her to assume the wrong thing. She's quick to pick up how to read him. Cassie never expected to fall for Lorenzo because of her first impressions of him. Though she didn't believe in the existence of dragons, once she sees Lorenzo shift in way that can't be construed as a part of his act, she's accepts what she sees and comes to understands part of why he planned his dangerous disappearing act in the first place. Like the other mates, Cassie keeps her cool in dangerous situations and does her best to stand her ground against bad dragons who can kill her easily.
In the epilogue, the whole gang (minus Thorolf) pay Cassie and Lorenzo a visit so Quinn can repair Lorenzo's armor. We get a quick update of all the families. One thing puzzled me: I thought that Rafferty turned down the position of cantor, yet he is referred to as the new cantor. I thought that was Marco. I'll have to re-read the pertinent part of Darkfire Kiss. Maybe Marco is only responsible for the crystals.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book. Brandon seems young -- compared to the other shifters -- and I think that will give the book a different feel. Also, as much as Thorolf annoys me, I'm curious to see what's next for him. He's in an interesting situation.

Week 5: 3-4 Mar 12
O24: Paranormal Romance - 5/5 - TBD
✔ Amanda - Embrace the Night Eternal - 6 Mar 12 - ★★★½ - Review
✔ Christina - Flashfire - 6 Mar 12 - ★★★★ - Review
✔ Heather - Here Kitty, Kitty! - 4 Mar 12 - ★★★★½ - Review
✔ Kate - Succubus Blues - 5 Mar 12 - ★★★½ - Review
✔ Leah - Unclean Spirits - 5 Mar 12 - ★★★★ - Review






Squashed between my two long winded posts above, it's easy to overlook. Even I passed it up...and I knew it was there. =}



Squashed between my two long winded posts above, it's easy to overlook. Even I passed it up...and I knew it was there. =}"
Haha oops, I missed it altogether, apparently I read some posts but they just don't register in my brain ;)
Heather -- I loved The Hunger Games. Also, it's the type of book that as you read it you think 'this would make a really good movie'.
You are lucky because now you won't have the year-long wait most of us did between the book and the movie!!

You saved me from having to do it myself. ;-) I've converted the post to our status post. I was in such a rush to get our stamp request for PNR posted.


I hope you enjoy it. Though...why anyone tagged it as "magic" is beyond me.

It makes four-in-a-row for Team 10 (diagonally) and Team 12 (vertically). They both need the SAME shelf to win: 2011 .
So, to re-cap: the shelves we DON'T want to see anytime soon - 2011, angels, and post-apocalyptic.

I figured as much when I went looking, but was banking on a weirdo tag like that. Sure enough, there were 10!

I figured as much when I went looking, but was banking on a weirdo tag like that. ..."
Wow! That's a lot. I mean, the book I'm going to read for this shelf was only tagged three times...and it has magic in the book!
I'll be reading



I liked this one :)"
So did I! So looking forward to the 2nd book. I hope you enjoy it! :D

You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'paranormal-romance'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D


Yeah, I started to read the second, and just couldn't get in to it. I still have the series on my TBR shelf. We'll see if I can remember what's going on.




Well, Patricia Briggs and all her characters are my fav's so if you feel the same you should love it too. It was a slow build for me, it let me really enjoy the entire book, I never felt rushed, but the ending, boy oh boy!

Well, Patricia Briggs and all her characters are my fav's so if you feel the same you shoul..."
I just finished this last week and loved it too!! I feel like I know Anna and Charles :) My husband laughs at me because when I tell him about the book I talk as though they are real people!!


Book: Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett
Read: March 21, 2012
Rating: ★★★★.5
The world that this book is set in is brilliant. There’s magicians who have powers similar to a lot of witches I’ve read about in the past, Earthbound demons who have ‘halos’ in different colours, Æthyric demoms which are mostly pretty scary. Throw in some magical societies and a demon nightclub – not forgetting Cady’s own demon serving bar. I thought the world was written in a way that was so vivid to me. I felt like I was right there beside Cady as she tried to find the evidence that would prove her parents’ innocence. From Ms. Bennett’s writing it’s easy to see that she is an artist.
One of the more surprising things for me whilst reading this book was Jupe – Lon’s teenage son. Normally I don’t like children in novels. They come across to me as either too old for their age, too young, too cute – all it really translates for me as too annoying. But Jupe entertained me. I thought he was written perfectly – he was at that stage where he’s trying to show he’s a man of the world but at the same time he still needs his dad around. He provided a lot of comic relief which the story needed at times. I hope we see a lot more of him in future books because I think he was my favourite character.
I loved how the story came together. It was in such a way that I was surprised by exactly how it unfolded but nothing new or out of left field was brought in just to create the climax. I loved Cady’s powers and how she used them. She’s a survivor who does what she has to but she has morals and is a decent person. I liked that about her. And the sexual tenstion between Lon and Cady? Brilliant. Their interactions and banter amused me greatly.
--
Nearly finished my paranormal mystery read. I just don't want to finish reading Anna and Charles so I'm kind of... putting it off to make it last longer. I'm really enjoying it.
I know what you mean Leah - I feel I know them better than I know a lot of real people I know :P


Book: Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett
Read: March 21, 2012
Rating: ★★★★.5
The world that this book is set in is bri..."
Jupe! I liked him, too. I liked how he and Cady got along. :D

I just finished Fair Game. Loved it! My review to come tomorrow or the next day.

I just finished Fair Game. Loved it! My review to come tomorrow or the next day."
Now that Lon and Cady are an item, we'll probably see more of Cady and Jupe together. :D


No worries :) I haven't started the most recent shelf's book yet, but will soon.
Saw the Hunger Games movie last night, I absolutely loved it. Very faithful to the book, and almost everything was how I envisioned it in my head. It was 2 and a half hours long, but the time just flew by!!

No problem! :) I'm procrasting on two reviews so...I can't judge. ;-)


Book: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
Date Read: 23-Mar-12
Rating: ★★★★
This was a nice quick, satisfying read. I'm a fan of Maria V. Snyder's Study series as well.
A kingdom with magicians and mages (earth, moon, air, and many more types) is on the recovery from a plague that killed two thirds of the world population. Avry, our narrator, is one of the healing mages that have been blamed for causing the plague. I really liked the world that Maria Snyder sets up in this novel. The writing provides just enough description of the world that you can easily picture the scenes in your head, but not so much description that the books gets slow.
This is my type of book because it doesn't slow down for a minute. Avry is on the run, kidnapped, making escape attempts, taking part in a revolution, and sacrificing her own health for others throughout the book.
I liked Avry's character. The book could have used a little bit more character development, but I think the next books will allow us to see more in depth to Avry's character. It was nice that she was a very compassionate, giving person, but that she was not willing to give up her own health to save unworthy people.
I will have to check out the next book in this series, but it doesn't come out until 2013!


Book: Fair Game by Patricia Briggs
Read: March 23, 2012
Rating: ★★★★★
I love how Ms. Briggs tortures her characters. Just because she’s let Anna and Charles get mated and married does not mean she’ll let them have an easy time of it. They’re both hurting. Charles especially – not wanting to let the spirits that haunt him to taint Anna but because of this and his pulling away from her, he’s hurting her more than ever.
I love Anna. And I love Charles. But I think what I love most about them is how they love each other. It’s evident in everything they do and how they interact. I think it’s really beautiful and a testiment to Ms. Briggs’ writing that she can write a fairly gritty urban fantasy novel where romance is very much in the background, and yet their love for each other is so prevalent.
The supporting cast in this book were brilliant. I loved the different government agencies and the feelings of forced co-operation between them. I have no doubt that the government would create a new paranormal agency just to handle new issues that would come to light with the werewolves and fae coming out into the world. I also really liked Isaac – the Alpha of the Boston pace. He gave a new insight to a different kind of alpha – you don’t need to be an old wolf to be a good alpha. Alistair Beauclaire also interested me. I feel like if Ms. Briggs ever wanted to write another spin-off with the Fae in the forefront, he would be a great character to have in it. Either as a main or serving a similar role to the one that Bran holds in this series. The fae are so interesting! All their magical powers and unspoken rules. I really would love to get a closer look at them. And the witches? I’m rather glad I’ve never had an encounter with one of Briggs’ witches…. they be crazy!
Pace wise, there was a lot of groundwork laid at the start of this novel. It did feel a little slow to begin with but after things got moving, I never felt like it was rushed. Everything felt like it was at a natural speed.
I loved the action. And I liked that the action scenes showed how Charles has grown as a person since the beginning of the series. He will always be there for Anna – but he now realizes that more importantly for her, she needs to be there for herself. They’re so perfect for each other… *dreamy sigh*
The wait for the next book is going to be painful for me! I might go into withdrawal! At least I have the other books in the series as well as the Mercy Thompson books to go back and re-read whenever I need my fix.


I was happy to be getting in to a new series that already has quite a few books out (I think 10 so far). This book was a little all over the place for me. A lot was going on and it felt a little random? To me anyway. I kept hitting pockets that would really grab me, followed by parts I found kind of boring. I liked Rachel and the secondary characters too. I wonder how things will play out between Rachel, Ivy, Nick and Trent. I liked that it seemed like things would be evolving and you never really knew everyone's motives. It was a bit different to me, and I really enjoyed the world-building. I am planning on reading the next in the series sometime soon so I don't forget what is going on.

PNR-UF
Week 8: 24-25 Mar 12
N11: PNR-UF - 0/5 - TBD
Amanda -
Christina - Discount Armageddon
Heather - Bear Meets Girl
Kate - Tiger Eye
Leah - Something Secret This Way Comes





I've updated post #341 with everyone's pick.
I'm trying to wrap up my review for Doppelgangster so we can get our "paranormal mystery" stamp. :D


Doppelgangster by Laura Resnick - ★★★★ - 18 Mar 12
Esther Diamond is an actress. When the play she's in closes due to poor ticket sales, Esther has little choice but to go back to waiting tables at Bella Stella's until her agent can get her another gig. Waiting tables at Stella's isn't too bad. For one, Stella requires her waitstaff to sing when requested by patrons. Stella considers them actors, making it very easy for Esther to ask for time off for auditions. Secondly, the tips are pretty good, especially since Esther has a decent voice.
However, Stella's is a hangout for the Gambello family and their "friends". Esther doesn't have a problem with that, unless the guys gets grabby. Fortunately, she can now claim that she's seeing a cop. It affords her an odd bit of protection. The last thing a bunch of wiseguys want is to bring themselves to the attention of a cop, especially one that just started working on the organized crime task force. Detective Connor Lopez, the cop in question, isn't happy about Esther working at Stella's. He's worried about her safety. Esther assures him she'll be fine. The fact that his new job will allow him to keep an eye on her mollifies him somewhat.
Despite Esther's many assurances that it is perfectly safe, someone kills Chubby Charlie right in front her. The problem? She didn't actually see it happen (crazy, but trust me, she didn't). Just prior to his death, Charlie had been going on about seeing his perfect double, which he said marked him for death. He was highly agitated, so Esther thought he was having a medical problem and tried to convince him to see a doctor. Charlie had been acting odd the day before, as well: he came back to the restaurant after already dining and acted as if it was the first time he'd seen or talked to her that evening, as if he hadn't been there less than an hour before.
The forensic evidence doesn't make sense, Lopez's boss thinks Esther is hiding something, and Lopez is worried that she's become a target. Charlie's behavior and the forensic evidence prompts Esther to pay a visit to her friend, Dr. Maxmillian Zadok, the wizard assign to combat Evil in New York. She's accompanied by Lucky, the semi-retired hitman she befriended, who's been tasked by Don Gambello to find out who put the hit on Charlie. It has been relatively peaceful between rival families. If it was the Corvinos, the Gambello's main rival, then things could become an all out war.
Max suspects that someone created a doppelgänger, a perfect double. Why, how, and who aren't as easily answered. But at least that would explain Charlie's strange behavior the day before he died. The question is, which version of the chubby capo was the doppelgänger and when was it created? When Lucky gets word from another member of the family who witnessed similar behavior in a member of the Corvino family, he suspect that someone is trying to start a war between the rivals.
Now Esther must help prevent a mob war, find the person behind the doppelgängers, and get an audition for popular cop show all while trying to spend some romantic time with Lopez, who thinks Max is crazy, doesn't believe in magic, and wants her in protective custody out of fear for her life.
I read the first book back in May 2007 and enjoyed it so much, I was looking forward to the follow-up. Unfortunately, the author's contract was canceled before the second book was published. She finally sold it to the current publisher and Doppelgangster was released in 2010. The first book will be re-issued, but it is not necessary to read it to enjoy this book. The prologue explains what happened and how Esther met Lopez and Max.
I've forgotten how much I liked Esther. She is funny and I think she's a very confident person. She's also tough. When they finally catch the guy creating the doppelgangers, Esther really lets him have it.
Max was his delightfully eccentric self. His attempts to sound like a wiseguy were quite funny. Max acquires a familiar in this book and it doesn't go exactly as planned.
I really liked Lucky. He's open-minded about the magic because of his Sicilian grandmother, so having him on their side made it easier for Max and Esther to prevent the families from going to war. He's smart, too, and I can see why Don Gambello would rely on him.
As stated above, Lopez doesn't believe in magic, which creates a rift between him and Esther. He cares about her a great deal and doesn't have a problem with her being an actress. He's also pretty cool about canceled and interrupted plans. Esther even tells him that's one of the things she likes about him. Lopez is a good guy and a good cop, so the things he does to protect Esther from being hauled off to jail weighs heavily on his conscience. Until he can accept what Esther and Max tells him, their relationship is doomed. Changing his perception might be possible, but it will take some time: Lopez does something that causes Max to believe he has some unrealized power.
I will be continuing with this series.

Week 6: 10-11 Mar 12
I6: Paranormal Mystery - 5/5 - TBD
Amanda - Dead Witch Walking - ★★★½ - 24 Mar 12 - Review
Christina - Doppelgangster - ★★★★ - 18 Mar 12 - Review
Heather - Fair Game - ★★★★★ - 20 Mar 12 - Review
Kate - Fair Game - ★★★★★ - 23 Mar 12 - Review
Leah - Pack Challenge - 11 Mar 12 - ★★★½ - Review






You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'paranormal-mystery'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
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OK, so assuming you aren't using your computer when ..."
I don't think I've ever used it to it's full potential. I don't think it can beat out free. :) Also, I had the program two years before I joined Goodreads.
I have Wi-Fi, so if I have it off, I can't connect to the internet. But even when I had my access through the cable company, if I didn't want to be on the web, I just open the program -- it would still be quicker than coming here (especially if the connection was slow or GR was doing maintenance).
Covers -- oh yeah, you can change the covers. If you don't like the one that's downloaded, find one you like better, resize if you need to, and replace. I suppose you'd have to import from an AU site to always get the correct currency and bookcover. The old version has three listed: Fishpond, Angus & Robertson, and National Library.
You can tweak/change prices, categories, series, etc. on a book-by-book basis. Say you paid less for the book or got it used, you could update that particular book. One of the things I don't like (and it might just be because it's an older version) is that it will import keywords and ratings. Some keyword are useful, and it might be nice to know the book you just added has rating on the site you pulled from -- but I end up deleting the stuff so I can put what I want. Some categories are head-scratchers, too:
Lord of the Wolfyn? "Policewomen"
Spirit Bound? "Occult Fiction"
Eternal Kiss of Darkness? "Love stories"
The Legend of Michael? "Genetic Engineering
Abandon the Night? "American Light Romantic Fiction"
And "Fiction" was the category for an eclectic listing of books, from Pack Challenge to Murder on Bank Street
I ordered the upgrade on CD, so I don't know how different my version is to the newer one.