SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R24: Team #10 ~ Cats with Hats

Happy Reading!
Shelf Announcements ~ Check for the latest shelf announcement & review the requirements for each shelf
Captain's Log ~ Share team shelf stats prior to requesting a stamp
Stamp Me! ~ Request a stamp for your bingo card
Discussions ~ Throughout the game, head here to chat with other players & shelf chant til your heart's content
Bingo Rules ~ Rules of the game
Free Space Rules ~ Where to look when pickin' your free space book
Bingo FAQ ~ Don't hesitate! If you have a question, let us know.

Your job, should you choose to accept it, will require a few things:
1 ~ Be our go-to person should we have any questions about your team
2 ~ Organize your teammate's weekly reads for each shelf/category so that the BSB Ninjas can quickly and easily verify and approve your stamp request(s)
2a ~ Create a master list in a post (preferably on the first page of your team's thread) and update it weekly or as often as necessary
2b ~ Post your team's stats on the Captain's Log prior to requesting a stamp
3 ~ Encourage and motivate your team (you may also ask to borrow Judithe's whip whenever necessary)
4 ~ Post regularly to ensure your team is communicating and on track each week
4a ~ Send them a PM and friendly poke if they haven't posted at least once a week, noted their book choice, and/or appear to have dropped out of webspace
5 ~ Send us a PM (Steph or Sandra) should you need us for any reason throughout the game

Can't wait to play!
I like the new format ,though there are some tricky shelves for me.
I don't remember if I have read a bear shifter book ever.
Some ideas for team name - Tenet, Tentatively Positive, Nothing But Tens
Also, I'd prefer not to take on captain duties this time.

Looking forward to this round!
Hmm.. as it's a Halloween edition, maybe something in that style 🎃
That said, I kinda can't think of any with the number 10, except '10 Cloverfield Lane'
But I like the ideas Skandia mentioned. We could maybe make it 'Tentatively Dead' (or Alive) or so? I don't know, I'm gloriously bad at naming teams hahahahaha.
Some other ideas (yay for Google):
* Witch, Please
* Fang-tastic Witches
* The Real Housewives of Transylvania
* Night Shifters
* Cats with Hats
* Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun
* Monsters Inc.
* Will Spook For Treats<
* Children of the Candy Corn
I can be captain for this round unless Megan wants to take it on 😊
Oh, but I have to mention that I live in Belgium (Europe), so while I strive to be awake at the shelf call, it could be that I'm only able to update it in the group a couple of hours later (should I be captain, of course).
And yeah, Skandia, I have gone through the list, and I have a few tricky shelves as well (one of them is the Alice one... oh boy). We'll figure it out!

I'm in Europe too , in Estonia, so for me that is not an issue for you captaining us, but let's also wait for Megan and decide then.
So, the first tricky shelf got called already :)

And yeah, Skandia, I went through my whole tbr list to check what had food on the cover. Out of 1.5k books... I got 2 lol

For a name I like Cats with Hats, but am okay with any of the suggestions.

Free Space:

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
How it fits: SOS BEST OF: Young Adult Fantasy Series #46
Category #1 ~ 18 Oct: Nat'l Food Day
Requirement ~ Read a book featuring any type of food on the cover

Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates
How it fits: different desserts on the cover and has Paranormal Mystery as a MPG

I'll reserve some posts for the overview and get started on that when I get back later on :D
Oh btw... I've been wondering, what does MPG stand for?

🎃 Team 10 ~ Cats with Hats ~ Shelf 0: Free Space ~ Stamped! 🎃
Megan ~ Unearthly by Cynthia Hand ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐� ~ 10/20/2023 ~ review
Skandia ~ Double Vision by Elizabeth Hunter ~ ⭐⭐� ~ 11/15/2023 ~ review
Victoria ~ Star Witch by Helen Harper ~ ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~ 11/14/2023 ~ review
🎃 Team 10 ~ Cats with Hats ~ Shelf 1: Nat'l Food Day ~ Stamped! 🎃
Megan ~ Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~ 10/19/2023 ~ review
Skandia ~ Legends & Lattes by by Travis Baldree ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐� ~ 10/22/2023 ~ review
Victoria ~ Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐� ~ 10/23/2023 ~ review
🎃 Team 10 ~ Cats with Hats ~ Shelf 2: Nat'l Book Month (Reader’s Choice) ~ Stamped! 🎃
Megan ~ Ghosted by Sarah Ready ~ ⭐⭐� ~ 10/31/2023 ~ review
Skandia ~ Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐� ~ 10/29/2023 ~ review
Victoria ~ A Kiss of Salt & Sea by Bliss Devlin ~ ⭐⭐� ~ 10/27/2023 ~ review
Team 10 ~ Cats with Hats ~ Shelf 3: Nat’l Boyfriend Day ~ Stamp requested
Megan ~ Highlander's Challenge by Jo Barrett ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~ 11/29/2023 ~ review
Skandia ~ Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux ~ ⭐⭐⭐� ~ 11/06/2023 ~ review
Victoria ~ Kiss of a Hellish Prince by A.M. Mason ~ ⭐⭐� ~ 11/03/2023 ~ review
Team 10 ~ Cats with Hats ~ Shelf 4: Nat'l Savings Day
Megan ~ Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ ~ 11/16/2023 ~ review
Skandia ~ The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab ~
Victoria ~ Slouch Witch by Helen Harper ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ ~ 11/12/2023 ~ review
Team 10 ~ Cats with Hats ~ Shelf 5: Nat'l Cat Day ~ Stamp requested
Megan ~ Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews ~ ⭐⭐½ ~ 11/29/2023 ~ review
Skandia ~ The King's Captive by K.M. Shea ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~ 11/29/2023 ~ review
Victoria ~ The Demon Prince by Ann Aguirre ~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~ 11/21/2023 ~ review
Team 10 ~ Cats with Hats ~ Shelf 6: Kindness To Animals Day
Megan ~ Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop ~
Skandia ~ Desert Bound by Elizabeth Hunter ~
Victoria ~ Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews ~
Team 10 ~ Cats with Hats ~ Shelf 7: Nat’l Mad Hatter Day
Megan ~
Skandia ~
Victoria ~ Witch's Sorrow by Taylor Aston White ~

Main page genre :)"
Ohhhhh.... that makes so much sense *facepalm*, thanks!!


Star Witch by Helen Harper
Pages: 332
How it fits: Best of UF (#153)
UPDATE:
I switched out Truthseeker by C.E. Murphy, as I just couldn't get into it :(
UPDATE2:
Yeah... for some reason, Dark Lover is not keeping my interest :( I'll get back to that one eventually!

Requirement ~ Read a book featuring any type of food on the cover

Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
How it fits: yummy cupcake on the cover, and is tagged as UF
Currently rereading books 1 and 2 before I can start on it, as I can't really remember what went on 😅

Free Space:

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
How it fits: SOS BEST OF: Young Adult Fantasy Series #46
Categor..."
Megan, I loved Unearthly and whole series. Although it's an YA series, it wasn't juvenile at all. Such an amazing story and characters, I hope you enjoy it too!

Requirement ~ Read a book featuring any type of food on the cover

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
How it fits: cake and pastry on cover, shelved as UF 39 times


Double Vision by Elizabeth Hunter
How it fits: from group bookshelf

Oh.. one thing we still need to decide on, and that's our team name.
I suggest the following options:
* Tentatively Dead
* Tentatively Alive (I don't know which option is more fun)
* Cats with Hats

Requirement ~ Read a book featuring any type of food on the cover

Legends & Lattes by by Travis Baldree
How it fits: cake and pastry on cover, shelved as UF 39 times
Read 10/22/23
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
I don't know what I was expecting but for sure I wasn't expecting this sweet, warm and heartfelt story taking place in a coffee shop. I couldn't stop smiling.
Very much character centered story and what a cute cast of characters we had - a retired orc, sassy succubus, gnomes and a hob and other creatures. Following them form a true supportive friendship was just so cute. A true feel good book !

Requirement ~ Read a book featuring any type of food on the cover
Book: Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
Pages: 352
How it fits: UF shelf (GR - listed 66 times)
Date: 23/10/2023
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Review:
I had to reread books 1 and 2 first because I felt sooooo clueless during the first chapter 😅
That said, I'm really happy I did, just to rediscover all the characters and why this series deserved to be on my favorites list.
Book 3 is actually the conclusion to the first major arc in the series, which in my opinion, was pretty damn strong!
If you want to read the series, I'll put up some spoiler tags so it doesn't ruin the story.
(view spoiler)
I love the characters in this series! They are so diverse. We have withes, sorceres, necromancers, shifters, vampires, dragons, demons... you name it, the series has it! The one thing most of them have in common is they all love chocolate, or, well... Jade's yummy cupcakes, at least!
They are well fleshed out and have their individual quirks and personalities.
I'm looking forward to reading more about them in the following installments!
As I've said, I read books 1 and 2 before starting on this one, and it went by quickly! The book pulls you in and takes you along for the ride. The only thing you can do is hold on (and have some chocolate, of course).
The book is well-written and told from Jade's point of view.
While there is a romantic undertone, you can consider it more a side note than anything else at this point in the series (though I really hope one of the guys gets lucky :D)
If you want to read an excellent urban fantasy with a chocoholic FMC and a bevy of other supernaturals? Pick this one up!

Shelf: Free Space

Book: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
How it fits: SOS BEST OF: Young Adult Fantasy Series #46
Date Finished: 10/20/23
Rating: 5 stars
Review:
I chose to read this book because it worked for a challenge, but wasn't sure what to expect. The story was interesting and I was flying through it...and hated putting it down. I'm so curious to learn more about this world and why Clara's mom is so secretive. The way Tucker acted towards Clara reminded me of Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. Hoping to read the next book soon.

Shelf #1: Nat'l Food Day

Book: Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates
How it fits: different desserts on the cover and has Paranormal Mystery as a MPG
Date Finished: 10/19/23
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
This was a super fast read, mostly because it was so entertaining I couldn't put it down! I had an inkling who the murderer was the moment the character was introduced, but then kind of forgot until the reveal. I didn't suspect the reason, but Mavis was a horrible so wasn't surprised. I can definitely see myself continuing with this series.

Hi Sandra, I currently have: " Book Completion ~ Shelf 1: Nat'l Food Day", do I need to add anything else?

I will update the group as soon as the new shelf is called.

Hi Sandra, I currently have: " Book Completion ~ Shelf 1: Nat'l Food Day", do I need to add anything else?"
Hi Victoria. You just need to list which of the five "shelves" you found the book. Once that's updated, I'll give y'all your stamp. WTG, Cats with Hats!

Eeeeeeeeeek, so sorry! I totally forgot that part *facepalm*
I added it to the review!

Requirement ~ Reader's Choice - Read a book found on one of the five shelves, 200+ pages, genre must be part of a fantasy subgenre (PNR, UF, PN-Mystery, Sci-Fi Fantasy, SFR, etc)
Happy reading everyone! :D


A Kiss of Salt & Sea by Bliss Devlin
Pages: 384
How it fits: PNR (GR - MPG)

Eeeeeeeeeek, so sorry! I tot..."
No worries 😊 Thx!

You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'Nat'l Food Day'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D


Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Pages: 408
How it fits: shelved as PNR 21 times


Book: Ghosted by Sarah Ready
Pages: 457
How it fits: shelved as PNR 13 times


Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Pages: 408
How it fits: shelved as PNR 21 times
Read 10/29/23
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
One desperate bargain made with evil Fate while nursing a broken heart and trying to win back her "true love" starts a chain of misfortunate events. While Evangeline seeks to right the wrongs her broken heart started, she's being swept into solving an ancient prophesy with the same evil Fate she made her deal with.
I really liked both the main characters. Evangeline understanding quickly her mistake and bravely taking action to make things right. Jacks is just the perfect cool antihero we all secretly like.
I truly enjoyed this story and could not put the book down. Starting with fairy tail like magical atmosphere and changing into fast paced adventure, I just could not put the book down.
Of course there was a cliffhanger, unfortunately.
I must say the hype over this story is real and very much deserved in my opinion. Stephanie Garber's writing style is just pure gold on pages, just wow!

Book: A Kiss of Salt & Sea by Bliss Devlin
Pages: 384
How it fits: PNR (GR - MPG)
Date: 27/10/2023
Rating: ⭐⭐�
Review:
To be very honest... I don't know what to make of this book.
Did I like it? No, not really. Did I dislike it? No, not that either.
So what's the issue? Good question!
Maybe I was a bit blindsided by the blurb, as that gave me the expectation that it would be an actual academy novel. Instead, Jacinthe is an indentured servant and is a cook's apprentice for most of the book.
Yeah, not what I expected.
That, together with the weird conversations... just didn't do it for me.
Of course, it started to get interesting at the end, but will I read the next book? No, don't think I will.

Requirement ~ Read a book featuring your book boyfriend
Happy reading everyone! :D

Shelf #2: Nat'l Book Month (Reader's Choice)

Book: Ghosted by Sarah Ready
How it fits: shelved as PNR 13 times
Date Finished: 10/31/23
Rating: 3 stars
Review:
I listened to the audio version while following along with the ebook. The audio was well done and kept me more interested, I think, than had I been just reading the book by itself.
The book starts with Jillian moving into a new apartment, one she got ridiculously cheap. I enjoyed the beginning, but didn't care for the almost immediate love between Jillian and Daniel (the ghost). (view spoiler)
The book is long, perhaps more than necessary, but I did enjoy reading it. I thought the last epilogue, while it explained the beginning, made things more confusing.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

Requirement ~ Read a book featuring your book boyfriend

Kiss of a Hellish Prince by A.M. Mason
Pages: 360
How it fits: PNR (GR - MPG)
"Tall, sexy, exciting…and also the crowned prince of Hell" = perfect book boyfriend material! ;)
Books mentioned in this topic
Witch's Sorrow (other topics)Witch's Sorrow (other topics)
Highlander's Challenge (other topics)
Magic Bites (other topics)
Highlander's Challenge (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ilona Andrews (other topics)Jo Barrett (other topics)
Jo Barrett (other topics)
Ilona Andrews (other topics)
Anne Bishop (other topics)
More...
Captain: Victoria
Members:
Skandia
Victoria
Megan