SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R23: Team #5 ~ The Meet-Cute Readers Grim!
Just a Hop, Skip & Click AwayHappy 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.
Hiya, Team Caps! Thanks for volunteering to guide your team through a round of BookShelf Bingo! 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, Sandra or Judithe) should you need us for any reason throughout the game
Hi Ladies! Lookin' forward to another round of bingo. 😊
Welp, sorry to leave ya, ladies, but two more players have joined and I’m hopping on team #15 with them. Hope y’all have a good round!
hi! just checking in ☺️ looking forward to playing this round!
Sad to see you go, Steph but happy to have more players/teams! Good luck 🍀💜
Checking in! Boo to losing Steph but yay we have more people wanting to play!!
😊 Same, ladies. Happy reading!
i don’t mind being captain. if one of you would like to do it, i’m happy to step aside. but since we’re about 5 minutes away from the first shelf call, i’ll get our list started.
R23: Team #5 - The Meet-Cute Readers GrimFree Space
Melissa - Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne 5/8/23 ★★★★ Review
LaurLa - Oracle's Moon by Thea Harrison 5/27/23 ★★★★ Review
Lady Jaye - Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
✓ Week 1: Detective - STAMP RECEIVED
Melissa - Play the Fool by Lina Chern 5/2/23 ★★★★ Review
LaurLa - Hungry Like the Wolf by Paige Tyler 5/6/23 ★★★★ Review
Lady Jaye - Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green 5/2/23 ★★★½ Review
✓ Week 2: May Day - STAMP RECEIVED
Melissa - Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant 5/9/23 ★★★★★ Review
LaurLa - The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter 5/13/23 ★★★★ Review
Lady Jaye - Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire 5/15/23 ★★★★ Review
✓ Week 3: Cozy Mystery - STAMP RECEIVED
Melissa - The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren 5/17/23 ★★★★ Review
LaurLa - Semi-Psychic Life by Elizabeth Hunter 5/17/23 ★★★★ Review
Lady Jaye - A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn 5/23/23 ★★ Review
Week 4: Fae STAMP REQUESTED
Melissa - Wickedly Dangerous by Deborah Blake 5/25/23 ★★★★ Review
LaurLa - MacRieve by Kresley Cole 6/3/23 ★★★★ Review
Lady Jaye - Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne 6/1/23 ★★★ Review
Week 5: Beware of Bears
Melissa - Polar Bared by Eve Langlais 5/27/23 ★★★★ Review
LaurLa - Badger to the Bone by Shelly Laurenston
Lady Jaye - Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold
Week 6: Magical Realism
Melissa - We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
LaurLa - The Choice by Nora Roberts
Lady Jaye - Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
Name Ideas:The Meet-Cutes
Flights of Fantasy
The Grim Readers
The Nail Biters
The Forever Young Book Club
The Page Turners
I've let Steph know you'll be Captain, Melissa :)
Week 1: Detective A book that contains a character who is a detective or police officer; series or title contains “Detective” or from the shelves: Paranormal Detective / Paranormal Detectives
Sandra wrote: "I've let Steph know you'll be Captain, Melissa :)"Thank you 💜
Selection Post:
Shelf: Week 1: Detective
Book: Play the Fool
Author: Lina Chern
Series: N/A
How it fits: “A book that contains a character who is a detective or police officer …”
Pages: 320
Selection Post:
Shelf: Free Space
Book: Ink & Sigil
Author: Kevin Hearne
Series: Ink and Sigil # 1
How it fits: Option 3
Pages: 336
Melissa wrote: "Name Ideas:The Meet-Cutes
Flights of Fantasy
The Grim Readers
The Nail Biters
The Forever Young Book Club
The Page Turners"
I like The Meet-Cutes, maybe play off our team # with The Meet-Cutes Five. IDK, maybe that's weird.
Thanks for offering to be captain! I'm usually out on Thursday evenings when the call happens, so that's helpful to have someone else getting us going :-)
Week 0 ➖ Selection PostShelf ➖ Free Space
Book ➖ Oracle's Moon
How it fits ➖ series Elder Races; #28 BEST OF: Paranormal Romance Series
Pages ➖ 336 pp
Week 1 ➖ Selection PostShelf ➖ Detective
Book ➖ Hungry Like the Wolf
How it fits ➖ tagged 2x Paranormal Detectives
Pages ➖ 320 pp
OMG, I hope I have not been replaced!!! Hi everyone, and so sorry I am late!!! I promise I am not this scatterbrained usually!
I will put up my choice, ASAP!
I like "The Grim Reapers" for our name :D
For the Paranormal detective Shelf, I will readBook: Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green.
Series: Nightside, #1
Location: Paranormal Detective shelf, page 2
Number of Pages: 230
trying to think of ways to combine both team names… The Grim Meet-Cutes
The Meet-Cute Readers Grim
The Reaping Meet-Cutes Five
or we could just flip a coin? other ideas?
LaurLa wrote: "Week 0 ➖ Selection PostShelf ➖ Free Space
Book ➖ Oracle's Moon
How it fits ➖ series Elder Races; #28 BEST OF: Paranormal Romance Series
Pages ➖ 336 pp"
lucky! to have thea harrison first-time-reads available! she’s one of my favorites!
Lady Jaye wrote: "For the Paranormal detective Shelf, I will readBook: Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green.
Series: Nightside, #1
Location: Paranormal Detective shelf, page 2
Number of P..."
i can’t wait to hear what you think about this one! it’s been on my tbr for years!
Belated Happy International Workers' Day, everyone! For the Free Space, I will read: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Location: SOS bookshelf
No. of Pages: 576
Shelf: Detective Title: Something From the Nightside, by Simon R. Green
Date finished: 2nd Mat 2023
Series: Nightside #1
# of Pages: 230
Rating: ★★★½
Review: I found this here novel delightful for a couple of reasons. Before I get into those, overall, I think I'd rate it :
4 stars for the setting and the prose,
2.5 stars for the plot,
making it overall, 3.5-ish out of five stars.
This book was written by a man, and a man who loves horror fantasy stories, at that - it is extremely obvious, and it made me smile. The "romance", if we can call it that, it blah and totally unrealistic, and uncalled for and unnecessary - and you can also immediately tell that a man conceived it, LOL!
The setting is the most interesting character in the book, and the author does a great job of making it come alive vividly. I immediately believed that there was a Nightside of London, unknown to us normal people - seedy, and gritty, and dangerous, and populated by people with all kinds of weird and unsavory powers that us in the real world have no idea about, and that people who fall through the cracks of our society can end up there (much like Neil Gaiman's LONDON BELOW in Neverwhere).
The events and major players and their backstories are narrated by the main character to his client in large swaths of infodumps, but it didn't bother or annoy me, for the most part, although I feel like we should have been shown some of it, instead of told so much. The author also liked hiding information, I guess to make events mysterious, but it did not annoy me as much as it should have. It did get a bit much in the latter half of the book, though.
Finally, the characterization. The main character manages to be both interesting and bland at the same time. This book is a story of a man who's superpower is that he can find anything , especially in the Nightside - he has a literal private eye that can see anything hidden. He was on self-imposed exile and returned to the Nightside for his latest job. Apart from his power, his name seems to command a lot of fear and influence, and it is unclear why, even to the character himself. So we have a private eye who seems to have other influence but doesn't know how/why/what those powers and influences are , traipsing around his former dangerous neighborhood surviving against all odds. He is boring, and has a boring name to book - what sort of name is 'John Taylor' for someone who even the bogeymen fear?
Anyway, I liked it well enough that I will be checking out the next in series.
Completion Post
Shelf: Week 1: Detective
Book: Play the Fool
Author: Lina Chern
Series: N/A
How it fits: “A book that contains a character who is a detective or police officer …”
Pages: 320
Date Finished: 5/2/23
Rating: ★★★★
Review: Isn't this book cover gorgeous?! I had never heard of this book or author before making this pick but when I searched "detective" books, the cover drew my eye and I had to know more!
I downloaded a copy of the story from my library, did a quick Kindle search for "detective" and "officer". Kindle returned enough hits that I felt comfortable choosing this book blindly and assumed that it would reasonably fit this shelf.
I had no expectations going in. I'm not normally a "cozy mystery" reader. I would even go so far as to say that's not even a thing I would enjoy. But, I would have been wrong.
Katie True spends her days as a tarot card reader at the mall. She prides herself on being able to read people and celebrates being nosy. So, when her best friend turns up dead, it's no wonder that she finds herself in the middle of the investigation.
I loved how flawed she is. She spends so much time feeling like a screw-up because she isn't what her family wants her to be. But, she is so loving towards her brother and has such a strong sense of loyalty to her friend - even at the risk of harm to herself. I actually think this book is a love letter to everyone with ADHD who has a hard time finding their place in the world - although there is no mention of her having this diagnosis. (IYKYK)
I also really liked Officer Jamie. I liked the potential for romance. But even more, I liked that their relationship developed organicallly throughout. The book stayed focused on the murder mystery rather than halting the investgation for Marley so they could get naked. I mean ... I like some steamy stuff but it wouldn't have made sense in this story.
I deducted a star because I guessed what was actually happening about 1/2 way through. The book was still enjoyable and I spent the 2nd half of the book waiting for Katie and Jamie to catch up with me. I wasn't disappointed when they did. They were so cute together!
I did wish that there was some sort of paranormal aspect but the closest we got was Katie "thinking in cards". She would be talking to someone and they would make her think of a specific tarot card and she would calibrate her responses based on the traits of that card. I thought that was pretty cool.
Soooo ... not paranormal, not romance but a lot more law enforcement involved than I originally anticipated. That makes it a good pick. I can already think of a few friends who I can recommend this to. That makes it worth reading.
Lady Jaye wrote: "Shelf: Detective Title: Something From the Nightside, by Simon R. Green
Date finished: 2nd Mat 2023
Series: Nightside #1
Rating: ★★★½..."
I think your review touches on the exact reason that this has been on my TBR for so long ... and I hate to admit it ... but it's the male author & the male perspective in general. This is also the reason why I can't get into Harry Desden no matter how many times I try.
It also makes me afraid of re-reading all of the Neil Gaiman books on my shelf. I worry that they won't hold up. Neil has been my "favorite author" since I was introduced to the Sandman comics in the 90's. I don't think I can handle being disappointed by him. So, I would rather remember how reading his stories made me feel.
(Overall, I think that's a great review! Also, as a side note, do you mind adding the # of pages to your review post? I know it will make it easier on the mods when they check the captain's log.)
I'm going to have Google pick a number at random to determine our team name from the list. Unless you all have strong feelings one way or the other??1. The Meet-Cutes Five
2. The Grim Reapers
3. The Grim Meet-Cutes
4. The Meet-Cute Readers Grim
5. The Reaping Meet-Cutes Five
I will post the random number on Thursday before the next shelf call if we don't decide before then.
Actually, page numbers aren't a requirement for completion posts :)
oh, good! thank you, sandra! i remembered having to correct my completion post info in an earlier round and thought that was what i had left out. i should know better than to trust this swiss cheese brain of mine - especially at 2 am!sorry, lady jaye! that was my mistake. i should have double checked.
No worries, Melissa, we like to keep it fun, so there are few rules really :)Just shelf, book, date read, rating (stars) & review.
And #5 is the last team without a name. What's it gonna be ????
Random number generator says # 4 is the one! our team name will be: The Meet-Cute Readers Grim! Thanks for being patient with us!
Team name added :D
Happy Shelf Day!!Week 2: May Day
A book released in May of any year; character, title or series name contains "May"; author first or last name begins with M or D
Week 2 ➖ Selection PostShelf ➖ May Day
Book ➖ The Vampire's Mail Order Bride
How it fits ➖ First published May 26, 2015
Pages ➖ 372 pp
FYI, I'm working on my week 1 book now. Hopefully will have it posted tomorrow sometime.
Selection Post:
Shelf: May Day
Book: Into the Drowning Deep
Author: Mira Grant
Series: Rolling in the Deep # 1
How it fits: Author first or last name begins with M or D
Pages: 448
Week 1 ➖ Completion PostShelf ➖ Detective
Book ➖ Hungry Like the Wolf
How it fits ➖ tagged 2x Paranormal Detectives
Pages ➖ 320 pp
Read ➖ 05.06 ★★★★
Review ➖
New series for me and almost new author (apparently I read a short story at some point in an anthology though I don't really remember it). I love a good shifter book and series - interesting premise to have an entire squad of werewolves within a police department and no one in the chain of command aware of it to help cover them. Will be be interesting to see if that holds up in the series. There wasn't much world building about werewolves in this author's world - maybe more will come. We were told how people were turned but nothing else about werewolf society or if there even is one. Based on this book, I'd say werewolves are pretty much on their own unless or until they are able to form a pack. The story wasn't good or bad... for now I'm more interested in how the werewolves exist than what might be the next story. There wasn't any real story arc starting to build, other than maybe their covering up what they are for so long is beginning to break down. We shall see what's next...
Melissa wrote: "Lady Jaye wrote: "Shelf: Detective Title: Something From the Nightside, by Simon R. Green
Date finished: 2nd Mat 2023
Series: Nightside #1
Rating: ★★★½..."
I think your review touches on the exa..."
I can't get into Harry Dresden neither! I love Neil Gaiman, and since January, I have been re-reading many of my old faves by him, and some short stories I haven't read before. For the most part, I think his body of work holds up. There's a few short stories which I think don't hold up well, but most of his work does.
For the MAY DAY shelf, I think I will read...Rosemary and Rue, by Seanan McGuire.
Series: October Daye #1
How it fits: The author's last name begins with M.
# of pages: 346
Wooo Hooo!! We've requested our 1st stamp of the game!
Lady Jaye wrote: "For the MAY DAY shelf, I think I will read...Rosemary and Rue, by Seanan McGuire.
Series: October Daye #1"
Lucky!! I wish I had a Toby book to read for this shelf! Buuuut ... Sleep No More isn't scheduled to come out until September! *sob* That's what lead me to seek out Seanan McGuire's alter ego, Mira Grant, this week! Honestly, I couldn't possibly have been disappointed by killer memaids! (O_O) The Luidaeg would approve! ❤
LaurLa wrote: "Week 1 ➖ Completion PostShelf ➖ Detective
Book ➖ Hungry Like the Wolf
How it fits ➖ tagged 2x Paranormal Detectives
Pages ➖ 320 pp
Read ..."
An entire squad of werewolves does sound interesting!! I think I need to check this one out!
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Beguilement (other topics)We Ride Upon Sticks (other topics)
The Choice (other topics)
Kindred (other topics)
MacRieve (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lois McMaster Bujold (other topics)Quan Barry (other topics)
Nora Roberts (other topics)
Octavia E. Butler (other topics)
Eve Langlais (other topics)
More...
Captain: Melissa
Members:
Melissa
LaurLa
Lady Jaye