Bunch of Mini Reviews ~ 4 & 5 star books!

Hello there!

Once again, I am WOEFULLY behind on my NetGalley reviews, so I thought I'd do a bunch together in some mini reviews so I can get them out there. My current NetGalley ratio is 68%, but I've read a bunch of books, I just haven't actually posted about them yet, so here I am to do that. Some of these books I read a while ago so I hope that I remember enough to write about. We shall see! Let's start with some 5 and 4 star books!




BOOK ~ Project Alpha (Voyagers 01) by D.J. MacHale
Completed ~ 1/22/16
STARS ~ 4 of 5 stars
PAGES ~ 224 page Kindle book

Earth is about to go dark. Without a new power source, life as we know it will be toast. A global competition is under way to determine which four kids will join the secret mission that might just save us all. Project Alpha is a contest of physical challenges, mental puzzles, and strategic alliances. The battle is fierce. Who will lead the team? Who will pilot the most complicated space ship ever built? Who will be a friend? An enemy? And how will they survive over a year stuck on a space ship together?

Once chosen, the Voyagers will journey to the far reaches of space, collecting unique elements and facing unbelievable dangers. The future of our planet is in their hands. Sure, they’ll be the best in the world . . . but can they save the world?

I've had this book on my NetGalley TBR for quite a while and just kept putting off reading it, despite the blurb being right up my alley. I wish I hadn't waited because I ADORED this book. It was just my kind of thing ~ competitions going on, things to be solved and for the most part quick and non-stop action.

8 kids compete for 4 spots and it's pretty easy to see who it will be from the start, but the competitions are interesting and keep the flow going quickly through the first part of the book. Then the book takes a nice jump forward in time so we don't see all their training, once they are chosen, but join right back up for them as they are heading out into space. In the first book, they are heading to the first location to pick up the first element but find that they weren't told the whole truth. Things fracture a bit for a few reasons, but they all work it out in the end.

The kids are likable characters, the "bad guys" are very unlikable. And there's something else going on behind the scenes that we don't quite know what it going on with it yet. Definitely can't wait to see where the series is headed and read more about the crew's adventures as they try to stay alive and save their planet.


Setting = A
Plot = A+
Conflict = B+
Characters = A
Theme = A+





BOOK ~ Gambit (The Prodigy Chronicles 01) by C.J. Renault
Completed ~ 1/17/16
STARS ~ 4 of 5 stars
PAGES ~ 556 page Kindle book

In Earth’s battle-ridden future, humans have evolved. Those with extraordinary skills rise to power and fame. Those without live in poverty.

Sixteen-year-old Willow Kent believed she was normal. But when a genetically-advanced military officer shows up in her village and questions her identity, long-buried secrets begin to emerge. With remarkable skills and a shocking genetic code the Core and its enemies will do anything to obtain, Willow suddenly finds the freedom she craves slipping through her fingers. Greed, corruption, and genetic tampering threaten every aspect of her existence as she’s thrust, unwilling, into the sophisticated culture of the elite Core city. To ensure peace, she must leave the past behind, marry a man she’s never met, and submit to the authority of a relentless officer with a hidden agenda of his own.

Her life has become a dangerous game. How much will she sacrifice in order to win?

Despite some REALLY annoying things about this book, I found it very enjoyable.

The Good: The story. It was fairly unique, with mostly good characters and it kept going at a fast pace. It grabbed my attention from the start and I was really sucked into the book. Despite it being a little on the long side, I felt like I got through it much quicker than the 2 days I have listed at GoodReads. The abilities were unique and different and it was neat to see how each used their own.

The Bad: The main character was a little too wishy washy for my tastes. One minute she appears strong and capable, the next she is weak and whining. I didn't feel like she was a believable lead character, she just was so hot and cold, but the story kept her moving despite herself. For the most part, she was fine and tolerable, there were just moments I wanted to slap her. Then, there was a romantic interest and I won't give anything away because it's spoiler-ish, but I thought it was very very stupid. I couldn't see how or why she would like that person and that almost ruined the book for me. I know it's only going to grow (likely) so we'll see how it goes. It just wasn't believable to me and while it did lessen my enjoyment of the book it wasn't SOOOOOO much that it ruined an otherwise great storyline and interesting plot. I will read the next one and hope someone bangs some sense into her.


Setting = A
Plot = A+
Conflict = A
Characters = B
Theme = A





BOOK ~ Taking Fire (One Eyed Jacks 04) by Cindy Gerard
Completed ~ 1/5/16
STARS ~ 4 of 5 stars
PAGES ~ 384 page Kindle book

Betrayal. Retribution. Redemption?

Six years ago, tough-as-nails military contractor Bobby Taggart met the woman of his dreams in war-torn Kabul—a sexy, whip-smart war correspondent who approached him at a local bar, took him to bed, made him fall in love…and then mysteriously disappeared. In her wake, the terrorist leader he’d been mining for valuable intel was assassinated—then Bobby discovered his phone had been bugged. And he’s pretty damn sure he’s been played for a fool.

Now, a covert security mission for the U.S. Embassy in Oman unexpectedly reunites him with Talia Levine, the woman who betrayed him and broke his heart. And there’s one more secret she hasn’t told him—one that will change his world. But as the heat of anger mixes with a still-simmering passion, dangerous forces close in, their sights set on Talia. Trust is the only way they will survive—but with their lives in the balance, can Bobby risk trusting her again?

I've been reading Cindy Gerard for years and love just about everything she has written. The One-Eyed Jacks series is yet another one of her romantic suspense series with ex military guys now working elsewhere. In this one, we meet Bobby as he's on a mission. Talia is also on a mission, one that includes meeting and betraying Bobby. He's stunned to be betrayed (though he had suspicions, so I don't know why he didn't just listen to them) and moves on with life. 6 years later their paths meet and just happen to be in the same building when it gets blown up by people coming after Talia for the stuff years before. Bobby learns why she did what she did as well as some other stuff she's hidden from him. He then has to help her and brings in the other One-Eyed Jacks as backup.

I did not like Talia lying to Bobby. I'm pretty particular about hating liars, and I normally would have rated down just for that, especially the main thing she lied about. That pissed me off and I hated her for a bit, but the story was so engaging and I liked Bobby so much that I didn't rate down because of her. It was a great typical romantic suspense with good male characters. :)

Setting = A
Plot = A
Conflict = B+
Characters = One-Eyed Jacks ~ A+ / Talia ~ C-
Theme = B+





BOOK ~ Rewinder (Rewinder 01) by Brett Battles
Completed ~ 12/14/15
STARS ~ 5 of 5 stars
PAGES ~ 300 page Kindle book

You will never read Denny Younger’s name in any history book, will never know what he's done.

But even if you did, you’d never believe it.

The world as you know it wouldn't be the same without him.

Denny was born into one of the lowest rungs of society, but his bleak fortunes abruptly change when the mysterious Upjohn Institute recruits him to be a Rewinder, a verifier of personal histories. The job at first sounds like it involves researching old books and records, but Denny soon learns it's far from it.

A Rewinder's job is to observe history.

In person.

Embracing his new duties with enthusiasm, Denny witnesses things he could never even imagine before. But as exciting as the adventures into the past are, there are dangers, too. For even the smallest error can have consequences.

Life-altering consequences.

Time, after all, is merely a reference point.

I LOVE time travel books and this one was done really well. In this society, as schooling comes to an end all teens are tested to find out where they will live and work. Denny gets tested into a place he's never heard of and finds out that time travel is real. While doing his job of watching and verifying a moment in history, Denny makes one mistake and everything changes. Denny finds himself in a world different from the one that he knows, but finds that he prefers it. Instead of finding a way to make things right, he tries to find a way to keep things changed.

It was definitely a great story with good characters. Denny grows on you, though he starts off a little slow. He does seem to develop as time goes on and it's enjoyable to watch him grow and take on new things and then ultimately make decisions for what is best for him, not what it best for everyone. The time travel aspect was great and my favorite part of the book and it was quite easy to keep up with what was going on during all of it. Highly recommend for time travel fans.

Setting = A
Plot = A+
Conflict = A
Characters = B+
Theme = A+





Book ~ Destroyer (Rewinder 02) by Brett Battles
Completed ~ 12/15/15
STARS ~ 4 of 5 stars
PAGES ~ 230 page Kindle book

With the whole of human history altered, Denny Younger may be the last rewinder in existence - and the last person on earth with a chaser unit capable of time travel. While caring for his ailing sister, Denny must discover a way to recharge his device before he's left with no defense against a past that wants him dead.

Before long, Denny notices a mysterious stranger following him - keeping tabs on Denny, his family, and his friends. Is Denny just paranoid? Or maybe he isn't alone in this new reality after all...

When his chaser is stolen and his girlfriend is kidnapped, Denny risks everything to get both of them back. Launched into a high-stakes chase that spans continents and millennia, Denny's responsibility to save our future isn't over yet. It will take all of his cunning to stop a threat capable of steering the fate of the human race into disaster.

I was really excited to go right into this one and I was a LITTLE disappointed with it. It was still quite enjoyable but was a much slower pace than the first book was. I ended up guessing a few things pretty early on and there were some times that what was happening just slowed way down but it ended up being really good. The end was enjoyable and it left me wanting to know what happens next, and that's always a good thing when it comes to series. :)


Setting = A
Plot = B+
Conflict = B+
Characters = B
Theme = A





Book ~ Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs
Completed ~ 12/3/15
STARS ~ 5 of 5 stars
PAGES ~ 272 pages

Elena Martinez has hidden her eidetic memory all her life--or so she thinks. When powerful tech giant Aether Corporation selects her for a top-secret project, she can't say no. All she has to do is participate in a trip to the future to bring back data, and she'll be set for life.

Elena joins a team of four other teens with special skills, including Adam, a science prodigy with his own reason for being there. But when the time travelers arrive in the future, something goes wrong and they break the only rule they were given: do not look into their own fates.

Now they have twenty-four hours to get back to the present and find a way to stop a seemingly inevitable future from unfolding. With time running out and deadly secrets uncovered, Elena must use her eidetic memory, street smarts, and a growing trust in Adam to save her new friends and herself.

Another time travel book and this one was FANTASTIC!! It's not often that you have a time travel book go into the future as this one did and I really liked that, it was done really well. It had great characters and a great story and it kept me guessing all the way through it. Something goes wrong and they don't end up going where they were expecting to and they find some stuff out that they shouldn't, so they set out to change things. No one knows who is on whose side and the main characters are hiding their own secrets for different reasons.

One of the better time travel books I have read, and I have read a lot. Wish it could have been a series somehow, but it was a perfect stand alone book. Very enjoyable, I highly recommend!

Setting = A
Plot = A+
Conflict = A+
Characters = A
Theme = A+





Book ~ Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier
Completed ~ 12/4/15
STARS ~ 4 of 5 stars
PAGES ~ 338 page Kindle book

Welcome to Wonderland. By day, it’s a magical place boasting a certain retro charm. Excited children, hands sticky with cotton candy, run frenetically from the Giant Octopus ride to the Spinning Sombrero, while the tinkling carnival music of the giant Wonder Wheel—the oldest Ferris wheel in the Pacific Northwest—fills the air. But before daybreak, an eerie feeling descends. Maybe it’s the Clown Museum, home to creepy wax replicas of movie stars and a massive collection of antique porcelain dolls. Or maybe it’s the terrifyingly real House of Horrors. Or…maybe it’s the dead, decaying body left in the midway for all the Wonder Workers to see.

Vanessa Castro’s first day as deputy police chief of Seaside, Washington, is off to a bang. The unidentifiable homeless man rotting inside the tiny town’s main tourist attraction is strange enough, but now a teenage employee—whose defiant picture at the top of the Wonder Wheel went viral that same morning—is missing. As the clues in those seemingly disparate crimes lead her down a mysterious shared path of missing persons that goes back decades, she suspects the seedy rumors surrounding the amusement park’s dark history might just be true. She moved to Seaside to escape her own scandalous past, but has she brought her family to the center of an insidious killer’s twisted game? Acclaimed author Jennifer Hillier’s bone-chilling thriller is masterful and fast-paced, hurtling toward a shocking, bloody conclusion.

I will just about anything set in an amusement park and this one didn't disappoint. It start out with an employee climbing the park ferris wheel and falling, and the action hardly lets up after that. A new police chief comes to town and finds out that there's plenty of secrets hiding in the small town and no one wants her poking her nose in. She finds out that at least 2 boys have gone missing in recent years and she starts stirring everyone up as she tries to find out what is going on around the town and in the park.

It was definitely a really enjoyable book. The characters were good (the daughter was annoying) and the story moved along at a good pace. It definitely left me wondering what was going on though I did guess some stuff, but not some others. Really enjoyable book!

Setting = A+
Plot = A
Conflict = B+
Characters = A
Theme = A

January Reading Log

So Dec came and went without my log, which was my own fault. I wrote it down, had it ready to go and signed on the day after it would end to get my partners, and my dumb ass hadn't signed up! OOOOOPS!! I did do it, and I'm gonna tag the log at the end of my Jan one, but I doubt anyone will make it that far.

Just to warn you, I read a LOT of books in Jan. I explained below in the log, but it was for a team challenge. It was a little bit crazy, then I did the log in one day and that sucked. Thanks to anyone who actually reads through all of that! I know y'all must have to be tired of my insanely long logs. :( This month should be slower, I'm mainly gaming and haven't finished a book since 1/24.  (Yes, all these books, just to warn you it's 52, were read in 24 days.)

Swap-Bot 1st Quarter Reading Log 2016

From ~ ImzadiRose

1 ★  1.5 ★  2 ★  2.5 ★  <---Bad  3 ★ Great--->  3.5 ★  4 ★  4.5 ★  5 ★

Good

***Note ~ I was part of a team challenge from Nov 5- Jan 24.  The goal was to get the most points to “win” the challenge.  My team did end up winning the challenge, and during Jan I read a CRAP TON of books to help us win.  I know it’s a lot of books, just for Jan.  The rest of my year shouldn’t be so crazy.  (No promises!)  :)

January

01 – The Masked City (Invisible Library 02) by Genevieve Cogman

Completed 1/4

3.5 of 5 stars

            This is the 2^nd in the series, and I liked it a lot better than the first one.  I felt like the first one dragged a lot, this one got right into the action with one of the MCs getting kidnapped.  It was a pretty good storyline with ok characters.  Not my favorite series about books, but enjoyable.

02 – Bravo (Jad Bell 02) by Greg Rucka

Completed 1/5

3.5 of 5 stars

            In the first Jad Bell, he takes on a job at a theme park to help prevent a possible terrorist attack there.  I read it for the theme park aspect and really liked it.  I decided to read this one because it’s the only other one in the series.  It was ok.  In the book, he and his team are on the hunt for the man behind the attacks in the first book.

03 – Taking Fire (One Eyed Jacks 04) by Cindy Gerard

Completed 1/5

4 of 5 stars

            I wanted to rate lower for a few things (namely that she had his kid, didn’t tell him for years and wouldn’t have if she hadn’t needed him) but I liked Bobby a lot and the story was pretty good.  Bobby is in Kabul when he meets and has an affair with Talia.  She’s there for ulterior motives and ends up leaving him behind.  They run into each other years later and she now needs his help.  The series is a good one.

04 – Forbidden (Bartlett Brothers 01) by Suzanne Brockmann

Completed 1/6

3.5 of 5 stars

             Kayla travels to Montana to find the brother of her dead friend to tell him that she thinks he actually isn’t dead.  The two go in search of answers and see if they can find out the truth of what happens and they end up falling in love along the way.  Good story and characters.

05 - Divide & Conquer (Cut & Run 04) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/7

4.5 of 5 stars

            I started the Cut & Run series in Dec and loved Ty & Zane.  The series is my first full foray into MM and I definitely started with a great series.  In this one, Baltimore is up in flames with bombings and there are robberies going on as well.  Ty and Zane are trying to figure out what is happening, plus all the normal stuff with their relationship.  In this one they FINALLY shared their true feelings with each other.

06 – Warrior’s Cross by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/8

4 of 5 stars

            This is a standalone book about 2 characters that appear in Cut & Run #5, so I wanted to read it.  The characters, Julian and Cameron were quite different and enjoyable.  I really liked Cameron and felt bad for all he had to go through. 

07 – HP and the Deathly Hallows by JKR (re-read)

Completed 1/10

5 of 5 stars

            This is finally the end of my full re-read by listening to the audios done by Stephen Frey.  First I listened to Jim Dale, then my full listen of Frey.  I’m still a Jim Dale fan, but Frey did do a great job.  Best series ever.

08 – A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic 01) by V.E. Schwab

Completed 1/11

3 of 5 stars

            I ended up not liking this one as much as I expected to.  It sounded good but it didn’t deliver.  It’s about Kel who is a traveler between alternate worlds of London.  Magic is a part of the worlds and there’s conflict about it.  I would have liked the Kel part of the story, but there was a character named Lila who was a main part of the book and I felt like she was an afterthought, she just didn’t fit.  Would have been so much better without her.

09 – Armed & Dangerous (Cut & Run 05) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/11

4.5 of 5 stars

In this one, Ty and Zane go to retrieve Julian and bring him back to D.C.  The 4 of them were definitely an interesting pairing and there was tons of crazy stuff going on.  It was an enjoyable story and had some surprising moments in it as well.

** For the challenge, I decided I wanted to read a bunch of shorter books that would give me the most points.  If I read anything 161 pages to 350 pages, it was 20 points, so I wanted to read a bunch of books that were under 200 pages for quick points.  I decided my Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden would be good books for this.  Most of the ND are re-reads, though not all.  All the TB are re-reads.  I won’t go into a huge thing about each, just a bit about what that book was about. 

10 – The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew 01) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/11

3 of 5 stars

             In her first mystery, Nancy in on the hunt for a will.  I don’t like Nancy as much as Trixie, I feel like Nancy is quite stuck up, where Trixie is more down to earth.  Nancy is just entitled and thinks she is the best thing ever.  I don’t agree. 

11 – The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew 02) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/11

3 of 5 stars

            This is one of the very few ND that I actually do enjoy.  In this one, ND and her friend Helen go to a house where there is some “haunting” going on and ND tries to figure out what is going on as well as keep the place from being sold.

12 – The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew 03) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/11

3 of 5 stars

            ND and Helen meet a new girl when she helps them out.  They find out there’s a lot that is going on with the girl and she’s very sad.  ND tries to prove that her new guardians are out to get the girls inheritance.

13 – The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Nancy Drew 04) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/11

3 of 5 stars

            ND heads to an inn owned by Helen.  There’s a bunch going on in this one with someone impersonating ND, and another stealing diamonds.  ND tries to figure out who is out to hurt Helen.

14 – The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Nancy Drew 05) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/11

2 of 5 stars

            One of my least favorites (of the ones I have read).  The only good thing about it is that it’s the book in which we meet Bess and George, who replace Helen in most of the books, though Helen does show up a few more times.

15 – The Secret of Red Gate Farm (Nancy Drew 06) by Carolyn Keene

Completed 1/12

2 of 5 stars

            I don’t remember this one from my childhood, so I don’t think that I read it, could have and just forgot of course, but it didn’t seem familiar.  In it, Nancy finds out there’s a counterfeit ring going on and she’s out to stop it.

16 – The Clue in the Diary (Nancy Drew 07) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/12

3 of 5 stars

            And it’s the first appearance of Ned in this one.  The story I remember, but it was just ok.  Not great, not bad.  She finds a diary and uses it to prove the innocence of a man in trouble.

17 – Nancy’s Mysterious Letter (Nancy Drew 08) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/12

3 of 5 stars

            In this one, ND is trying to find another ND who is set to get an inheritance in England if she can be found.  This one was especially dated, first Ned was a kicker for the team, then he was a quarterback. 

18 - The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (Nancy Drew 13) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/13

1.5 of 5 stars

            Another of my least favorite.  Nancy just takes a boy from the circus and takes him home to live with her.  If that happened now, she’d be thrown in jail.  It’s crazy the shit she got away with and was supposedly the good person.  I don’t like her! 

19 – The Keeper (DI Sean Corrigan 02) by Luke Delaney

Completed 1/13

3 of 5 stars

            Corrigan is investigating the disappearances of young women who are being taken and held before being dumped.  Creepy, but a typical “reason” as to why the psycho is psycho.  The killer was very deranged and Corrigan isn’t all there either.

20 – Dine & Dash (Cut & Run 05.5) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/13

3 of 5 stars

            This was a VERY short (10 pages) online story.  It was a quickie, both in story & storyline.  ;)

21 – Stars & Stripes (Cut & Run 06) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/13

4.5 of 5 stars

            A great Ty & Zane where they head to their respective families to help out with different things.  A moment with Ty’s grandfather was soooooo funny and worth 4 stars on its own.  The time in Texas was enjoyable, especially with some tigers.

22 – Touch & Geaux (Cut & Run 07) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/14

4 of 5 stars

            There was a lot of craziness going on in this one.  What starts out as a remembrance celebration turns into a fight for their lives and a lot of running around trying to figure out what is going on.  A lot of sad stuff happened, but it was really good as well. 

23 – Shock & Awe (Sidewinder 01) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/14

3.5 of 5 stars

            This is Nick and Kelly’s first book and I don’t like them nearly as much as Ty and Zane.  There was a lot of drug use, for no reason, in this one.  I felt like it didn’t fit at all.  It was good overall, just a few things I didn’t like.  Them getting together was fun and interesting. 

24 – Ball & Chain (Cut & Run 08) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/15

4 of 5 stars

            In this one, Ty and Zane head to Scotland for a wedding, but they are also there to help figure out who is trying to rip off the bride’s father.  Then dead bodies start turning up.  It’s an insane amount of stuff going on and a lot of craziness.  I didn’t see one thing coming, yet I thought there was something there.  I wasn’t fully shocked by it. 

25 – Zom-B (Zom-B 01) by Darren Shan

Completed 1/16

1 of 5 stars

            One of the worse zombie stories I’ve ever read.  If it weren’t for the challenge I wouldn’t have read past the first few pages.  I HATED the main character, he was such as ass.  The worse book of the year so far, hopefully I won’t read anything else as awful this year! 

26 – Cross & Crown (Sidewinder 02) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/16

3 of 5 stars

            Back to Nick and Kelly and Julian shows up in this one as well.  There’s a John Doe how is found at the scene of a crime but who is alive and can’t remember anything.  The story was pretty dull in general, but it had a few good moments.

27 – The Clue of the Tapping Heels (Nancy Drew 16) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/16

2 of 5 stars

            Back to the short ND’s.  This one was a least favorite of mine, a bunch of cats in it and too much tap dancing.  ND tapped to, and received a message from the supposed bad guy?  Ugh!

28 – Gambit (Prodigy Chronicles 01) by C.L. Denault

Completed 1/17

4 of 5 stars

            Willow is living her life quietly hiding her bizarre power, when she gets a new power and finds out that she’s the long lost daughter of a royal type.  She’s forced to leave the only life she’s ever known to take her true place, being forced to behave in certain ways and heading towards a forced marriage.  I liked it for the most part, but really had an issue with another part of it. 

29 – The Marvelous Land of Oz (Oz 02) by L Frank Baum

Completed 1/17

1 of 5 stars

            Meh.  I tried the first book a while ago and decided to give this a try.  I hated both.  I prefer the movie in every way, the books are annoying and boring. 

30 – The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden 01) by Julie Campbell (every TB is a re-read)

Completed 1/17

4 of 5 stars

            My FAVORITE childhood series and I still enjoy it.  It’s dated though not as bad as ND.  Trixie is more down to earth and relatable.  I always wanted to be Trixie.  In the first one, she meets Honey and they find Jim hiding out in the Mansion and they help him out while he’s there.

31 - The Red Trailer Mystery (Trixie Belden 02) by Julie Campbell

Completed 1/18

3.5 of 5 stars

            Jim has taken off so he can’t be found by a horrible stepfather.  Trixie & Honey (T&H from here on) find out he doesn’t have to go back and they set out to find him, searching in camps where he said he’d try to get a job.  There were some lame parts in this one, but overall it was good.

32 - The Gatehouse Mystery (Trixie Belden 03) by Julie Campbell

Completed 1/18

4.5 of 5 stars

            Trixie’s older brothers Mart & Brian are back from camp for this one and the Bob-Whites are formed.  This is one of my favorite books, if not my absolute favorite.  T&H find a diamond and try to figure out who could have dropped it.  Lots of great moments in this one.

33 - The Mysterious Visitor (Trixie Belden 04) by Julie Campbell

Completed 1/18

3 of 5 stars

            We meet pretty Di in this one, who is an ok character.  I don’t like her as much as they others.  She starts off crappy in this one, but with reason and once she settles down she’s better.  Di’s uncle is in town making her miserable, and Trixie doesn’t believe he’s really her uncle and sets out to prove it.

34 – The Mystery off Glen Road (Trixie Belden 05) by Julie Campbell

Completed 1/18

3 of 5 stars

            In this one the gang thinks there is a poacher in the woods and they set out to find him and keep the property safe.  What she does for Brian and how she does it is pretty awful but what she does is awesome and the moment he finds out is great.

35 - The Mystery in Arizona (Trixie Belden 06) by Julie Campbell

Completed 1/19

2.5 of 5 stars

            Not a fan of this one.  If I didn’t know better, I would assume this one was the first by the Kathryn Kenny persona.  It read like a history report on Arizona and the mystery was boring.  Just not enjoyable. 

36 – Cruel Crown (Red Queen 0.1-0.2) by Victoria Aveyard

Completed 1/19

3 of 5 stars

            I read the first Red Queen in Dec.  This is two stories set before the main book.  I liked the first book about the former queen.  I didn’t care for the second book, it was more boring.  Overall, it was good background into the story.

37 – Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics (Lemoncello’s Library 02) by Chris Grabenstein

Completed 1/19

4 of 5 stars

            This series is SOOOO cute and fun.  For any fan of books about books, even though it’s written for middle grade.  In the first book we meet Lemoncello and his fantastic futuristic library during a scavenger hunt.  In this one, Kyle and his teammates are defending their title against players who have been chosen to come and play another game in the library. 

38 - The Mysterious Code (Trixie Belden 07) by Kathryn Kenny

Completed 1/20

4.5 of 5 stars

            My 3^rd or 4^th favorite of the series just for the ending.  It’s so cute, I adore the scene with Trixie, Jim and Spider.  In it, the Bob-Whites are threatened to be disbanded, though I’ve never understood how a principal can disband a group of friend who just happen to call themselves a “club”.  Makes NO sense.  So they BWGs set out to prove their worth by having an antiques sale.  Stuff is being stolen and there are people up to no good. 

39 – Shipbuilder (Time Travel Journals 01) by Marlene Dotterer

Completed 1/20

4 of 5 stars

            This was different and pleasantly enjoyable.  It was about a scientist and a young lady who accidently get sent back in time to 1910 (ish).  While she’s trying to find work and passing herself off as a boy, she meets Thomas Andrews.  She, who has lived in Ireland and studied there, has no clue who he is so the scientist has to fill her in.  She wants to tell him about Titanic and they end up doing so to try to change history.  Very different, very enjoyable!

40 – Crash & Burn (Cut & Run 09) by Abigail Roux

Completed 1/21

5 of 5 stars

            The last Ty & Zane and I don’t want it to end!  In this one, everyone shows up as they try to figure out who the traitor is.  It wrapped everything up really well, I just don’t want it to end.  I want more.  Very enjoyable series and characters.

41 – Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk (Nancy Drew 17) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/21

2 of 5 stars

            Another boring one.  It was annoying that ND could think that she was the only one on the ship with the initials ND.  She’s so arrogant.   Crappy side characters, boring story.

42 – Project Alpha (Voyagers 01) by D.J. MacHale

Completed 1/22

4 of 5 stars

            Really really cute story about 4 kids who compete to go into space to get a substance that will help save the planet.  Good challenges to choose the ones who would go, then good stuff that happened once they got going.  Really enjoyable for a middle grade book, can’t wait to read more!

43 – The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (Nancy Drew 22) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/22

3 of 5 stars

            This one wasn’t quite as dated as the others, just didn’t deal with crazy stuff that supposedly they could have gotten away with back then.  ND is trying to find a dance for yet another inheritance.

44 – The Invisible Intruder (Nancy Drew 46) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/22

3 of 5 stars

            This one is different because it’s a bunch of shorter things going on as they are on a “ghost hunt” that takes them 4 or 5 different places to find out who is behind the hauntings and why.

45 – The Mysterious Mannequin (Nancy Drew 47) by Carolyn Keene (re-read)

Completed 1/22

3 of 5 stars

            ND’s father receives a rug and ND happens to find a message woven into it and she’s on the hunt for a mannequin.  I think even back as a kid I figured out what was happening right away, I’d like to think that everyone would, even kids.

46 – The Greek Symbol Mystery (Nancy Drew 60) by Carolyn Keene

Completed 1/23

1.5 of 5 stars

            Don’t remember this one at all, and I definitely didn’t like it at all.  I think I don’t like ones set outside the normal place, for the most part, because it’s written so differently.  This one was supposedly about yet another inheritance but I can’t recall any of it.  It sucked.

47 – The Second Super (The First Superhero 01) by Logan Rutherford

Completed 1/23

3.5 of 5 stars

            Really enjoyable.  This was a story about the 2^nd Super Hero and how he came into his powers.  Definitely took a lot of ideas from Superman/Smallville (kid learning to use his powers on a farm) but it was enjoyable over all with a good story.  Was surprised by the ending and can’t ait to see where it’s going.

48 – The Black Jacket Mystery (Trixie Belden 08) by Kathryn Kenny

Completed 1/23

3 of 5 stars

            Meet Dan in this one and even as an adult I think that the adults were the idiots in this one, hiding Dan’s identity from the BWG’s and not telling them what was going on.  If they had, they would have tried to make Dan feel welcome, but then there wouldn’t have been a “mystery”.  Stupid adults though!

49 – Wonderment in Death (In Death 41.5) by J.D. Robb

Completed 1/23

4 of 5 stars

            The latest novella in the In Death series, it had an Alice in Wonderland theme and was quite funny and enjoyable.  Typically I only give novellas 3 stars, but I liked this one.  Short and sweet.  Awesome Dallas covering a crazy murder situation.

50 – No One to Trust (Red Stone Security 01) by Katie Reus

Completed 1/23

3 of 5 stars

            Read this one for a short story to get a few last books in to win out the challenge.  The MC’s brother gets in trouble and she tries to bail him out, falling under the interest of a drug lord who is out to take her for his own. The other MC tries to protect her.  Boring-ish story.

51 – Danger Next Door (Red Stone Security 02) by Katie Reus

Completed 1/23

3.5 of 5 stars

            The next in the series, I liked this one more than the first.  In this one, a MC moves in next door to the dude MC and she’s being harassed by an ex and someone else as well.  Typical romantic suspense, but enjoyable characters.

52 – Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

Completed 1/24

3 of 5 stars

            I needed a “J” title for a goal for the challenge (though I never ended up using the goal cuz this book ended up winning the game) so I listened to this on audio featuring Tim Curry.  I’ve never read it before and thought it was OK, not great.  I did watch the more recent movie, and thought it was pretty boring too.  Just too slow moving for me.

My Dec Log ~ only if you are interested

December ~

45 ~ Protecting Summer (SEAL of Protection 04) by Susan Stoker

Completed 12/1

3.5 of 5 stars

            Mozart’s story.  It was an enjoyable one.  Mozart is hunting his sister’s murderer and it leads him to a remote town where he meets Summer working at the place he’s staying.  I liked both characters and the storyline as well.  The shorter audiobook was what I needed after the mammoth Winter.

46 ~ The Shrunken Head (Curiosity House 01) by Lauren Oliver

Completed 12/2

1.5 of 5 stars

            I don’t think this was a BAD story, it just wasn’t for me.  I like a lot of MG stuff, but not this one.  It was very weird.  It read like it was for very very young readers, yet there were deaths and murder in it.  It was about a circus type thing set in a store.  It just was slow moving and dull and I couldn’t find any interest in it at all.

47 ~ Ten Thousand Skies About You (Firebird 02) by Claudia Gray

Completed 12/3

4.5 of 5 stars

            Took me a little while to get into this one.  Didn’t like it quite as much as the first, but it was still really enjoyable.  I definitely like the series and can’t wait for more.  In this one, she has to go to new worlds to find something to help out both Paul and Theo.  Good books, if you like parallel worlds stories.

48 ~ Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs

Completed 12/3

5 of 5 stars

            It’s not often I read a time travel book about going to the future, which this one was all about.  I definitely really enjoyed it.  A lot of stuff going on that I wasn’t sure what was happening, and that’s rare for me.  They were sent to go 10 years into the future to see what tech they could bring back, but nothing was what it seemed.  A really great book. 

49 ~ Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier

Completed 12/4

4 of 5 stars

            I’ll read pretty much anything set in an amusement park, and this one was a good one.  A new police chief comes to town to a murder and a lot more.  She had the task of finding out what happened, where the other missing boys are and doing it all with little to no help from everyone around her.  Set in a small park, the story and the characters were really good.  I definitely enjoyed it a ton.

50 ~ Contributor by Nicole Ciacchella

Completed 12/5

3 of 5 stars

            This one was about this strict world where everyone had a job to do and they did it without thought or question.  The MC was in a mini competition for an apprentice job when her mother gets hurt and her perfect image of the life they live is shattered when she finds out that if you can’t work then you are useless and they will kick you out.  Lot of weird stuff with it, and it was ok, but not great.  Too much crying going on.  MC “burst into tears” at least 10 times. 

51 ~ Heist by Laura Pauling

Completed 12/7

1 of 5 stars

            Worst time travel book I’ve ever read.  If I hadn’t needed it for a challenge, I wouldn’t have gotten past 3%.  Was about this kid who’s father was in jail and somehow the kid ends up time traveling to what his father was in jail for.  Each time he went back in time, he tried to do something different to save his dad, but it would change things, for the worst, in present time.  Then the big finale of the book ~ to accept what happened and move on.  It was BAAAAAAD.  Dunno even how he was able to time travel.  It was awful!

52 ~ Marking Time (Immortal Descendants 01) by April White

Completed 12/8

4 of 5 stars

            Now here was a GOOD time travelling one, though it did take quite a while for me to get into.  I didn’t really like the first half, just because she wasn’t getting any answers and I was feeling frustrated along with her.  But then, once it got going, I really did like it a lot.  It had a good story, and good characters.  In it, Saira finds out that she is part of a time traveling family when she accidently goes back in time to the 19^th Century.

53 ~ Alpha (Jad Bell 01) by Greg Rucka

Completed 12/11

4 of 5 stars

            Another amusement park book and enjoyable after it got started.  It tried to be another book, called Utopia (by Lincoln Child, about to be re-released under a new name) but it definitely was NOT Utopia ~ a great book.  This one was ok, but really didn’t get going for me until about 40% in, after that I really liked it.  It was about some threats against some parks and the people who knew about it and were there to save everyone.

54 ~ Dark Rising (Alex Hunter 02) by Greig Beck

Completed 12/12

2 of 5 stars

            Since I’m up to date on a series by Jeremey Robinson that I love, I have been trying to find similar books.  This series sounded so promising but just isn’t good.  Gonna give it one more book before I give up completely on it.  I do like Alex and the Hawks team but the stories are soooooo dull.  It’s supposed to be able this badass special ops team, but they spend too much time elsewhere talking about things and it just doesn’t let the book flow right.  Not enjoyable.

55 ~ No Coming Back by Keith Houghton

Completed 12/12

3.5 of 5 stars

            Good, but not great, story.  Felt no connection to the story or characters, it was just a bit flat, which stinks because I like this author.  I was surprised by some things that happened though, and that’s rare for me, so that was a positive.  In this on, MC comes back to his hometown after his father falls ill.  He hadn’t been back because his girlfriend in high school had disappeared and he was a suspect.  It could have been a really good book and some twists were really good.  Just didn’t have that extra something to make it great.

56 ~ Protecting Cheyenne (SEAL of Protection 05) by Susan Stoker

Completed 12/13

3 of 5 stars

            My favorite of the series so far, but also I got ticked off for an erotica type thing, so I won’t give details to that.  I loved the characters, they were the best of the bunch so far, and I also liked the story a ton.  Didn’t like the one aspect, but overall, really enjoyable.  In this one, Dude is called in for a bomb threat and Cheyenne has had a bomb strapped to her.

57 ~ Marrying Caroline (SEAL of Protection 03.5) by Susan Stoker

Completed 12/14

3 of 5 stars

            Spoiler alert ~ Wolf and Caroline get married.  LOL!  So yeah, this was a short story about their wedding.  It was good for what it was.  Of course with all them, there has to be some kind of drama, nothing ever goes the way it should.

58 ~ Rewinder (Rewinder 01) by Brett Battles

Completed 12/14

5 of 5 stars

            Really enjoyable time travel book.  In it, Denny finds out that time travel exists and is trained to go back in time and verify things for those who pay for the service.  He finds out that one accident in the past can cause tons of changes for the future and he accidently erases the future he knows and he’s thrown into a different place/time to him.  But after time, he realizes that time is better than his former one and he wants to keep it.  Really good and enjoyable book.

59 ~ Destroyer (Rewinder 02) by Brett Battles

Completed 12/14

4 of 5 stars

            Not quite as good as the first one.  Still really enjoyable.  In this one, people from his former life have caught up to him and they are trying to figure out who changed the timeline, not knowing it’s him.  His friend is taken captive and he’s forced to watch as another person ruins the history of the world he’s in.  Very good time traveling series, can’t wait for more. 

60 ~ Cut & Run (Cut & Run 01) by Madeline Urban / Abigail Roux

Completed 12/17

4.5 of 5 stars

            I believe this was my first M/M book.  I’ve read plenty of erotica 3somes (or more) but this was the first just focused on the guys.  I’ve heard a lot of good things about the series and decided to give it a try.  I had never looked at them before or may have tried it sooner as it was also a romantic suspense with the guys being FBI agents.  I ended up really liking it and I’ll definitely continue with the series.

61 ~ Flashpoint (Troubleshooters 07) by Suzanne Brockmann

Completed 12/19

2 of 5 stars

            I read books from this series years ago, and read this one for a challenge.  I found it sooooo dull and boring.  I didn’t like the characters, at all, I didn’t like the storyline at all.  The characters and the story were flat and I didn’t have anything invested in them.  A shame because I remember liking the other books I’ve read from this series, perhaps my tastes have just evolved too much to enjoy it. 

62 ~ A Bad Beginning (Series of Unfortunate Events 01) by Lemony Snicket (re-read)

Completed 12/23

3 of 5 stars

            This is a rare re-read for me.  I didn’t even want to read it.  But for one of the challenges we needed a book read off the “Worst books of all time” list and I was the only one around at the time to do it.  Since I already had this on audio, I just decided to go through it again since it’s so short. 

63 ~ Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass 02) by Sarah J Maas

Completed 12/23

4 of 5 stars

            Liked it better than the first one.  It grabbed my attention from the start and it kept my attention.  Definitely an enjoyable series and I will read more.  In this one, Celaena is trying to find out who is up against the King while trying to figure out what she is supposed to do to stop the King.

64 ~ The Martian by Andy Weir (re-read)

Completed 12/24

5 of 5 stars

            I re-read this one because we watched the movie on Christmas and I wanted to listen to it again before we watched it.  It was just as wonderful the 2^nd time around.  I LOVE this book!  I only read it this year (back in April I think it was) and it’s still my favorite book of the year, and probably going to creep into my top 5 favorite all time.  If you haven’t read it ~ do so!  If you only watch the movie ~ read the book!  The movie was good, but left out so much and it changed one thing to making it kind of stupid.  The book is much better, though the movie is really really good.

65 ~ Sticks & Stones (Cut & Run 02) by Madeline Urban / Abigail Roux

Completed 12/25

3 of 5 stars

            2^nd in the series, I didn’t like this one NEARLY as much as the first.  In this one, they are on vacation in WV but some stuff happens and they are stranded on a mountain with some bad guys.  I thought the story as slow moving and dull.  I still like the MCs, just the story didn’t interest me at all.

66 ~ Protecting Jessyka (SEAL of Protection 06) by Susan Stoker

Completed 12/27

3.5 of 5 stars

            My least favorite so far, sorta.  I did really like Jessyka and I liked Benny as well, but the story was emotional and had some triggers so I didn’t like it because of that.  All the other books had their moments and a lot of things that could be triggers for others, this one just had mine so I didn’t like it quite as much, but it was still really really good.

67 ~ Red Queen (Red Queen 01) by Victoria Aveyard

Completed 12/27

4 of 5 stars

            I chose to read this for a challenge and I was pleasantly surprised by it.  People seem to either love it or hate it and I was worried about not liking it, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.  In it, Mare is a Red.  Red’s are the ones who are the workers or in the front line of the war while the Silver’s enjoy an easy life and have superhuman powers.  Mare finds herself at the castle and things start to get weird.  It was quite enjoyable and I do look forward to reading more.

68 ~ Fish & Chips (Cut and Run 03) by Madeline Urban / Abigail Roux

Completed 12/29

4 of 5 stars

            MUCH better than the 2^nd book.  This one they are on a cruise ship, having taken the identities of some bad guys to find out some deals that are happening.  Chaos happens.  It was a good story from start to finish though I wish they would just start being honest with each other instead of hiding their feelings.  It’s starting to come out some, but still not enough. 

69 ~ The Final Seven (Lightkeepers 01) by Erica Spindler

Completed 12/29

3.5 of 5 stars

            This one is a new series by an author I’ve read a lot by.  In this one, they have “Sixers”, which is a group of people with some kind of six sense.  They pair one Sixer guy up with a New Orleans cop and they are on the hunt for a killer who is striking on the victim’s birthdays.  I marked it as a 3.5 but now that I’m writing this, it was actually pretty unforgettable, so I might need to amend that to a 3.

70 ~ Protecting Melody (SEAL of Protection 07) by Susan Stoker

Completed 12/30

3 of 5 stars

            The next to last of this series.  I really wanted to like it more as I loved both of the main characters.  There were two things I didn’t like about it.  One being that they mentioned that they met “6 months ago” probably about 50 times.  The other is that the MC and her best friend would “hashtag” to talk, and as I HATE Twitter, I HATED it.  It really ruined my enjoyment of what otherwise was a great book.