Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

I'm fine with Y, I need it for my yearly challenge too, so it's perfect.
I am still working on Sleeping Giants, my week was crazy and I haven't finished it yet.

Jane (PS) wrote: "BarbaraAnn wrote: "I can take one of the "A" spots for week 9 option 1

All Kinds of Tied Down
290 pg GR
How it fits: starts with "A", on..."
Yep. To make it even more perfect, I needed a book with an author named Mary for the Hocus pocus puzzle challenge in FLOAB group, so 1book will cover at least 3 items. Happy dance time!

Completion Post
Week #9, Option 1

Book: You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour&David Levithan
Rating: ★★�
Review:
I liked this book, but I am conflicted because I loved the writing, but sometimes I felt like this were two separate stories. I didn't understand the connection this two teenager had, they have nothing in common, except they’re both gay and I have to believe that they become best friends in a day. Another thing is Mark's romance, he was in love with his best friend and they were friends with benefits, he was heartbroken when their thing was over, but he accepted that Ryan used him because he was convenient and even helped him. SO STUPID!!Maybe it's just me, but I hate when a book feels unrealistic. Still there are good things about this book, like the writing and this was very easy to read.

Completion Post

Week 9: Option #1

Book: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: ★★★★
Review: I liked this one much better than the first, as so often happens with a series. Now that we've gotten to know Qwill and his personality a little better, it's nice to see the dynamic between him and his cat Koko. In this book Qwill is writing for the interior design supplement for the paper, and he finds that he enjoys the friendly and creative people involved. But when a theft and murder threaten the paper, Qwill uses his investigative instincts to solve the crimes, taking advantage of Koko's quirky help.

Week 9: Completion post

292 pages
Rating: 5 stars
Review: I love this series. This book did not disappoint. This book revisits an earlier romance in the series. They were 16 and 18 when they first met. Now they are older and ready for a relationship. There were tears and lots of laughs in this book.

Week #4, Option 2

Rating: ★★�
Review: Finally, I really struggled to get through this but ended up thinking it was ok in the end? I definitely think part of the problem is I haven't had much time to sit down and read lately so had to resort to the audio and the narrator was horrendous. I really wasn't enjoying it at all for the first part, but then around the halfway point I started to care about the mystery a little more and the characters, I also could just never get fully into the relationship. So while I had thought I'd really get into this series I'll probably end up skipping the rest, unless I have time to actually read it.

Completion Post
Week #8, Option 1

Book: Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
Rating: ★★1/2
I wanted this book to be about a giant robot. But this was so disappointing, my major problem was the writing style (this book was told in an unconventional way, in case files), it was incredibly hard for me to connect with the characters. This was so boring, nothing happened, I wanted some action and being told, not shown felt so frustrating sometimes. I liked the last 100 pages, they were intelligent written and that saved the book in my opinion. This book ended on a cliffhanger, but I don't have any desire to read more books in this style.

Heather (Heatso) wrote: "Week #4, Option 2

Rating: ★★�
Review: Finally, I really struggled to get through this but ended up thinking it was ok in the end? I definitely think part of the proble..."

Heather,

When I read the first book I kind of wondered what all the fuss was about and to be honest it wasn't until about book 3 or 4 I really got into their relationship. Then I was hooked so if you get a chance you might give this series another chance - it gets SO much better.

I agree, Cut & Run was the first MM series I read and I will always love Zane, he is my favorite, the first two books are average, but the rest of the series is very good.

Completion Post Week 9
Book: Angel and the Assassin
Date Read: 11/8
Rating: �
Review: Honestly the whole daddy kink didn't bother me that much except that Angel called him daddy over and over again (in every sentence). It just didn't flow like a natural conversation. However, my biggest issue with the book was that I didn't particularly care for Kael and I really disliked Angel.
Angel has got to be the most immature 18 year old ever written. He acts more like a 6 to 8 year old half the time. He actually throws sit down on the sidewalk fits when he's upset. He lies whenever he thinks he might be in trouble, he sobs over minor things and skips into rooms. Then a few minutes later he's spouting psychological theories on Kael's behavior. It gave me whiplash and neither side of the character felt even a little bit realistic. Kael was okay for me but honestly though I didn't dislike him I didn't particularly like him either. He's a badass assassin and not a good guy. I'm okay with that but what I never really understood was what in the world he saw in Angel. Kael could be very cruel and he had no problem killing people but hey he's a cold blooded assassin so I could get behind that. I just couldn't accept that he'd put up with Angel's antics. Also the BDSM was very unrealistic. Getting fisted when you are a virgin? Being locked in a cage for an entire day? Who does that? It also seemed a bit unrealistic that everyone Angel came into contact with wanted to be with him including the boy he raped when he was young. I also don't really like it when one of the MCs has sex outside of the relationship. The first instance I could maybe get past after all he was in a way protecting Angel but it isn't the only time he has sex with someone else or plans to. I just never really felt like Kael was in love with Angel even when he said he was.

So bottom line, I disliked one MC and didn't care for the other. Never believed the relationship was realistic and the BDSM was OTT for someone so new to the scene. I just didn't get the very weird dynamic between the two characters and if Angel called Kael "daddy" one more time I was going to throw my kindle across the room.

Completion post - week 9 option 1

Book: All Kinds of Tied Down
Date read: 11/9/17
Rating: ****
Review:
Review - I originally found this book on a best gay tearjerker list. After reading the book, I have absolutely no idea how this book ended up on a tearjerker list. It was quick moving with a lot of fun involved - almost closer to a caper book in my opinion, as it had some definite "over the top" moments. I did really enjoy the book though and I will look forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks for the advice Mariana and Danielle it's definitely helpful to know when things have a slow start, I'll just wait until I have time to sit down and read it before I try again :)

Week #10: Option 1


Book: The Playboy Prince and the Nanny by Donna Alward
Pages: 186
How the book qualifies: #174 from Royalty in Romance.

Week 10, Option 1

Pages: 270
How the book qualifies: #1 from Gay Romance Featuring Royalty/Nobility

Week 10 is up and posted in message 5.

Option Two

Week #10
In the Wreckage by Hailey Turner
Pages: 341
Mariana read on 10/8/17 and gave it 3 Stars.

Heather (Heatso) wrote: "Week 10, Option 1

Pages: 270
How the book qualifies: #1 from Gay Romance Featuring Royalty/Nobility"

This trilogy blew my mind - the first book was really hard to get through in parts and really no romance to speak of but the second and third book make it SO worth it!

Week 10: Option 2

240 pages
Read by Barbara Ann on September 3, 2017
Rated 4 stars

Danielle Gypsy Soul wrote: "Heather (Heatso) wrote: "Week 10, Option 1

Pages: 270
How the book qualifies: #1 from Gay Romance Featuring Royalty/Nobility"

This trilogy blew my mind - the fi..."

Thanks, I've been looking forward to it! Thanks for the warning, I was thankfully aware the first was weaker, but that is super helpful to know to push through.

Week 10, Option 1

Book: Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
Pages: 241
How the book qualifies: #1 from Gay Romance Featuring Royalty/Nobility

Completion Post
Week #10, Option 1

Book: Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
Rating: ★★★★
I decided to read this book knowing I would find darker themes like rape, torture, so I was not too shocked about that. Instead I'm surprised because I was completely captured by the story, characters, especially Laurent, which seems so intriguing to me and I just can't wait to read more about him. I think in the next volume I will find many things that will make me like him even more. After several months of reading mediocre books, it's so refreshing to read something unique and so well written. And yes I am buying the second book and probably reading it right now.

Mariana wrote: "Completion Post
Week #10, Option 1

Book: Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
Rating: ★★★★
I decided to read this book knowing I would find darker themes l..."

I really liked that book Mariana

Mariana,

I felt the same way. I was really intrigued by Laurent and I immediately bought the 2nd and 3rd books because I really wanted to know more. I'm not a big fantasy reader but I loved this series.

Selection post:

Week 10, Option 1
A Royal Affair by John Wiltshire
Pages: 250
How the book qualifies: #8 from Gay Romance Featuring Royalty/Nobility

Next week is the final week so I wanted to make sure you all saw this post:

ANNOUNCEMENT for our final week

Due to a few members pulling out or dropping out, a couple of teams heading into the final round have only 4 players.

To make sure we are all playing on a level field, we've decided to add another rule* in the final week for this round.

The WINNING team will be the first team that:
1. has read all their books from the prior weeks
2. has a SELECTION post for each of their current team members for week 11
3. is the first team to post 4 COMPLETION posts for week 11
4. AND posts back into THIS thread that they have finished.

Depending on the time, one of the mods (if I'm asleep) can then determine if all posts qualify and announce the winner.

Completion Post

Week 10: Option #1

Book: The Playboy Prince and the Nanny by Donna Alward
Rating: ★★�
Review: This is basically a very pleasant romance, feeling a little old school, meaning there's just a hint of sex and lots of dreamy romance. There's not a lot of emotion, this is not a dramatic love for the ages. It's just nice and warm and sweet. I can't really find anything to rave about, but I also find nothing to complain about. There is a scandal at the end that raised the excitement level and helped to round out the story nicely.

Completion post: Week 10 option 1

Book: A Royal Affair by John Wiltshire
Rating: **** 11/13
Review - The book started on a low note for me - I'm not usually a fan of first person narration and even less a fan of foreshadowing in books. The MCs grew on me though and i'll keep an eye out for the second book.

Completion Post Week #10 - Option 2
In the Wreckage by Hailey Turner
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: There were some things I absolutely loved about this book but I couldn't quite give it five stars due to the amount of sex in the book and the lack of emotional/relationship moments. Don't get me wrong the sex is super hot and I enjoyed it but there was A LOT of it and the sex scenes went on for pages and pages. I think if there would have been some time spent between the two characters out of bed and not on a mission it would have balanced out better.

I really enjoyed the world building in this book as well. I found it interesting and wanted to hear more. I was also intrigued by several of the characters and I was invested in the outcome of the suspense/action plot. Although this was set in the future and the Metahumans aren't in a typical military the lingo was correct and thoughtfully used. I believed a department like this would/could exist in this world and that it was accurate. I found the action intense and it kept me glued to the book to see what would happen next! I also really enjoyed the teams interactions and look forward to reading more. With a bit more emotional impact and a little less sex this could easily be a five star book and I will definitely be reading the next one.

Week 10

rating: 5 stars
review: I loved this book. The main character cracked me up. He was so awkward in social situations. It reminded me of my husband. The writing kept me wanting more. I have already started the next book.

Nicole wrote: "Week 10

rating: 5 stars
review: I loved this book. The main character cracked me up. He was so awkward in social situations. It reminded me of my husband. The writing..." I really liked this one too, in spite of not knowing (or caring) anything about professional hockey. Lane was definitely the best part.

Completion Post
Week 9, Option 1

Rating: ★★★★ 1/2
Review: Kasie Wests books continue to just be like warm fluffy blankets. Are they super well written? Probably not. Do they deserve my high ratings? Honest, probably not. I just can't help but love all of them, and they never fail to put me in a good mood. I dinged this one half a star just because it took me an extra second to get into but besides that, I can't complain. If you like fluffy teen romance, that has more to offer than just that, I personally think no one is better than West.

Week Eleven:

Option 1
8. Gloppy - what a great name.
Read a humorous book from one of the following lists:
Humorous Romance Books
Humorous Paranormal Books
The Best Humorous Gay Romance
Quirky Southern Fiction
Best Humorous Historical Romances

These are compulsory lists. Your selected book MUST come from one of these lists. You must link to the list and note which page/which number it is on that list.


Option 2
Key date: 19 May 2017

If you use this option, this week you must select your book from the team shelves immediately below your team in this list. The last team picks from the first team.

5 Lord Licorices Ladies
4 Gramma Nutts
12 Candy Strippers
6 Suckers for Romance
10 SweeTEN Sassy
11 Lemon Drop Ladies
13 Gumdrop Mountain Maidens
3 Rainbow Reading Queens
1 Eyre Heads
8 Lollipop Lickers
7 Team of Smarties
2 2 Sweet Gumdrop Dolls
9 King Kandy Krusaders

Eg. Team 5 picks from team 4's members bookshelves. Team 9 picks from team 5's members bookshelves.

Week 11 Selection Post
Option 11, Option 1
Book: Red Dirt Heart 3 by N.R. Walker
Pages: 287
How it Fits: Best Humorous Gay Romances #377

Week 11: option 2


216 pages
On eyre head nicole's read list.
Read november 9, 2017 Rated 3 stars

Selection post. Week 11 option 1

Catch Me If You Can by L.B. Gregg
Pages 128
How it fits. #21 on best humorous gay romances list

Completion post. Week 11 option 1



Rating ***
Finished 11/17
Review: humor is subjective so maybe if I read this another dat, I’d think it was hilarious. Today, enough that I’ll read the next one at some time, but not too soon.

Team Six Won!

Thanks for being a great team and making this so easy for me as the Captain. I enjoyed being on a team with you guys.

I am so sad that I fell asleep last night, but I enjoyed playing this game so much and this round was so fun.

This was a great round! Hope to see you all at the next one.

Wow, I didn't understand the need for speed so I just picked my book yesterday.

So now that a team has won, do we just stop? Or do we need to post/read our book just to finish things up?

Connie N. wrote: "Wow, I didn't understand the need for speed so I just picked my book yesterday.

So now that a team has won, do we just stop? Or do we need to post/read our book just to finish things up?"

Hi Connie - we're officially done.

Thanks for the fun.