Square 15 - Newtonmas

Book: Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly (5 stars - HIGHLY RECOMMEND)

Task: I am appreciating the alchemy that Arizona Diet Green Tea, apple liqueur from a local vineyard, and Jack Daniels' Honey whiskey has on my spirit while I peruse my dashboard while the holiday dinner is prepped and cooking. No reason for the diet version of the tea other than I like it a little more than the original formula. Next glass I am going to substitute mead for the whiskey.

Square 12 - Festivus

Book: I Know What I Am, But What Are You? by Samatha Bee (3 stars)

Task: Perform the Airing of Grievances

The books chosen for this task all have something in common - hype for the series or author that elevated my expectations, and that in reading these books my expectations were not only met, but plummeted to their death in the most gruesome way. And yet I read these books all the way to the end in desperate hope that they would end better than the 90% of the story. I was wrong to hope.

1. Dime Store Magic by Kelly Armstrong

     Weak-ass witches, dumbass villains, and a plot centered on a 13 year old girl's first menses. I should have taken the DNF and just not read for that Halloween bingo square. I don't understand how this author is so popular in the paranormal romance sub-genre - the writing was as weak as the witches.

2. Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

     Aka A Walking Tour of Tang Dynasty China. Horrible first book except that readers get a small taste of the MCs in the second book (which was great! seriously, skip the first book and just start with the second). The only thing the dumbass heroine knew how to do well was runaway. So. Much. Walking.

3. A Rose for Major Flint by Louise Allen

    The first two books, written by other authors, were wonderful so I got my hopes up that the final book in the trilogy would send the series out on a high note. It failed miserably. This was basically a Harlequin Presents dressed up in early 19th century clothing. I was very much looking forward to Major Flint's story, but by the end I wished I didn't bother starting the book. I was so bored for most of this book that I would put it down to do household chores. A shallow, self-absorbed, manipulative brat of a heroine that is a dime a dozen in Regency romance. But it's too late as she and Adam have intimate relations and now Adam feels he has to marry the twit. Adam should have left her on the battlefield, honestly. 

4. Echoes in Death by JD Robb

    It's at this point in the series (book #44) that I am ready for the series to be done. Just give Eve her captain bars and let her ride the desk until retirement. The ghost writing is so strong in this novel and nobody wants three books worth of damn house renovations. The side characters were out of character (*side-eyes Peabody*). I am also tired of the crimes in the series - seems like the plot lines are ripped from Law & Order: SVU, just raping and brutalizing women and children. Of course the killer is a serial rapist and murder with Mommy issues (well, technically, Auntie issues). 

5. Emma and the Outlaw by Linda Lael Miller

    Old skool romance that is just too crazy to make it a "so bad it's good". Originally published in 1991, I read a 2014 reprint that wasn't updated at all. Once the sex starts between Steven and Emma it doesn't stop. EVERY CHAPTER after Steven takes Emma's v-card in a field of daisies has at least one sex scene. Steven really likes Emma's breasts;  so much nipple sucking and licking. Seriously after a while, the sex scenes were just repetitive nonsense. And there is endless threats of rape and one attempted rape of the heroine. But it is the not so subtle racism in this book that made me want to throw my NOOK at the wall. Memo to publishers/authors: before reprinting old romances, revise/update/edit the fuck out some shit that you got away with earlier, for modern readers are going to red flag that shit. Between the racism and the constant verbal rape threats/real sexual assaults by Macon and Fulton on Emma, I started to become sick and couldn't wait for the book to end (I was curious about the killer's identity).

5 Books I Appreciated this Year....and yeah I kinda cheated, lol:

1. With Every Letter (Wings of the Nightingale #1) by Sarah Sundin

     Finally a book that features a military heroine! I really loved this story of Tom and Mellie falling for each other in both letters and in person. Can't wait to read the other two books in the series.

2. Call of Crows series by Shelly Laurenston

     Got to love female rage mixed with Norse mythology and lots of humor. This trilogy is a great read for paranormal romance fans who want actual strong female characters. I refuse to name my favorite, they are all good in their own way. A very cathartic way of dealing with real life news.

3. A Lady for Lord Randall by Sarah Mallory/A Mistress for Major Bartlett by Annie Burrows

      These were the first two books in the Waterloo Brides trilogy (the last book stank). I loved that Regency romance left the ballroom and went onto the battlefield - such a departure from the normal Regency romance.

4. The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

     The artwork was stark and evoked such feelings as Satrapi told her life story, along with giving readers a history and cultural lesson on Iran. I would recommend reading both books to understand her fresh approach to the immigrant story.

5. Allie Pleiter

    Not a book, but an author of historical romance. This was the Summer of Allie Pleiter - from contemporary bull rider returning home, to 1906 San Francisco just months after the earthquake, to World War I knitters who get the Spanish flu and finally to an post-WWI orphange. There wasn't a moment of reading Pleiter's works that I did not enjoy.

I am cutting COYER short to make room for Halloween Bingo. Between IRL obligations and running this beehive, my reading time is shorter than it was in the beginning of summer. So here is my wrap up post.

I chose the reading list option for this challenge, which helped a lot because I didn't spend so much time choosing which book to read next - it was already done for me. I tried to pick books that were languishing on the TBR for a long time. I only read 2 books not on my list.

When it came to the quality of what I read, there are some highlights: book one and two of the Brides of Waterloo trilogy, all of Allie Pleiter's books, Falling for the Enemy, and The Complete Persepolis. Some lowlights include the Midnight Breed novella, Butterfly Swords, and a few books I received at RT that failed to impress.

I completed a trilogy in the first read-a-thon of the challenge (Brides of Waterloo). I got ahead of a few series as well. The first two read-a-thons went well, the last one I tanked hard. I also did BL-opoly for a little while and did two outside read-a-thons (#24in48 and BoB Cycle 20). I also got a few more prompts from the Pop Sugar challenge filled.

For the most part, I kept up on reviews and participated in the FB group most days. The Instagram challenge went well for the first 18 days, then I completely lost the will to keep going - this is still MUCH more than I usually do, so I am happy. I won during one of the Twitter chat parties, so I just have to pick out my prize.

Overall, I am happy with my work in this challenge and look forward to the winter edition. For the winter edition: sign ups start November 18th, challenge starts December 18th (not as long as the summer one). The title of the winter edition is Winter Switch, and there is hints at having another list option and new rules to play by. Stay tuned.

Stats:

45 books total on the list (30 original and 15 additions)

37 books read

     .5 star - 2 books

     1 star - 4 books

     1.5 stars - 2 books

     2 stars - 10 books

     2.5 stars - 1 books

     3 stars - 3 books

     3.5 stars - 3 books

     4 stars - 4 books

     4.5 stars - 3 books

     5 stars - 3 books

6 books sent back to the TBR pile

2 books DNF'd

6 books from the library, everything else was from my personal library

3 non-fiction books

 June's reading was all over the place - I read some great books, some average books, some awful books. But I didn't realize how many books I read until I finished this post. This doesn't count the 4 DNFs books or the 2 I didn't even get to 10% before giving up.

I can't believe the second half of 2017 starts tomorrow. Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans!

Currently reading Rock Courtship: A Rock Kiss novella by Nalini Singh for RB Bingo and COYER.

Challenges

BL/GR: 97/150

Pop Sugar: 1

Library Love: 3; 35/36 for the year

COYER: 7/30

RB Bingo: 9/25

1. Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston (RB Bingo)- 2.5 stars 

2. Not My Father's Son: A Memoir by Alan Cummings (Pop Sugar prompt - family member term in title) (Library Love) - 4.5 stars

3. Loose Lips (Dusty Deals #5) by Rae Davies (COYER) - 3.5 stars

4. Undercover in High Heels (High Heels #3) by Gemma Halliday - 3.5 stars

5. Christmas in High Heels (High Heels #3.5) by Gemma Halliday - 1 star

6. Alibi in High Heels (High Heels #4) by Gemma Halliday - 5 stars

7. A Charming Cure (Magical Cures #2) by Tonya Kappes - 2.5 stars

8. Any Means Necessary (Luke Stone #1) by Jack Mars - 2 stars

9. A Lesson in Chemistry with Inspector Bruce (Gentlemen of Scotland Yard novella) by Jillian Stone - 3 stars

10. An Encounter in Hyde Park (Anthology) by Various Authors (RB Bingo)- 2 stars

11. The Captain's Kidnapped Beauty by Mary Nichols (RB Bingo) (Library Love Challenge) - 1 star

12. Heat Wave (Nerds of Paradise #4/Magnolias and Moonshine) by Merry Farmer (RB Bingo) - 4 stars

13. Midnight Unbound (Midnight Breed #14.5) by Lara Adrian (COYER) - 1 star

14. Midnight in Legend, TN (The McClains of Legend, Tennessee #1) by Magdalena Scott (COYER) - 1 star

15. Double Trouble (PJ Sugar #2) by Susan May Warren (Library Love Challenge) - 4 stars

16. The Bull Rider's Homecoming (Blue Thorn Ranch #3) by Allie Pleiter (COYER) (RB Bingo) - 4 stars

17. A Lady for Lord Randall (Brides of Waterloo #1) by Sarah Mallory (COYER) (RB Bingo) - 4.5 stars 

18. A Mistress for Major Bartlett (Brides of Waterloo #2) by Annie Burrows (COYER) (RB Bingo) - 4.5 stars

19. A Rose for Major Flint (Brides of Waterloo #3) by Louise Allen (COYER) (RB Bingo) - .5 star

21. Homefront Hero by Allie Pleiter (COYER) (RB Bingo) - 5 stars

For the last week of June, I have a full load to read. All new, fresh reading to juice up my reading mojo.

Friday Free Read/COYER Summer 2017: The Bull Rider's Homecoming by Allie Pleiter. This is on my COYER reading list so I figured kill two birds with one book. I have read another book by this author that I enjoyed so I am hoping for another great read.

BL-opoly Read/Pop Sugar Challenge: Ellis Island (Ellis Island #1) by Kate Kerrigan. Irish immigrant to NYC during the 1920s satisfies the prompt "book written/about refugees or immigrants".

RB Bingo: Hell on Wheels (Black Knights, Inc #1) by Julie Ann Walker. Still trying to find a book that fits in the "Never read genre/subgenre" square. I bailed on the rock star series when it became clear the series was about all the other employees of the band and not about the band members. This book is a combination of motorcycle club and military romance, which are other niches I don't read. Thank goodness for OverDrive.

COYER Summer 2017: A Lady for Lord Randall (Brides of Waterloo #1) by Sarah Mallory. This is the first in a trilogy. I am kicking myself for reading that kidnapped romance when I could have just waited for COYER to start and used this book instead.

Random Pick: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson because it is due back to the library at the end of the week.