Danielle The Book Huntress ’s Comments (group member since Jan 27, 2010)

Danielle The Book Huntress ’s comments from the Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group group.

The July Challenge is up:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

DHASG July Challenge

Introduction: Welcome July! The seventh month of the year is also the first full month of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere. In the United States, we celebrate Independence Day with barbeque and fireworks. But there are plenty of other ways to enjoy July. Let's reflect on the month in our reading.

Rules:

1. Any member of the DHASG can participate in the challenge. Sign up at any time during the month of July, and post your beginning and final stats when you're finished.

2. A book may only be used once in the challenge.

3. Books must be read during July 1st and July 31st.

4. Have fun!

Levels:

1. Hot and Sizzing--Read 9-12 books
2. Hot Tamale--Read 5-8 books
3. Hot Stuff--Read 3-4 books

Categories:

1. Fireworks: We celebrate the 4th of July in the United States with fireworks. Read a book that has plenty of "fireworks", either of the romantic or action-oriented variety.

2. I Forgot Day: July 2nd is the day where we try to remember what's important or forget painful events in our pasts. Read a book that has a main character who suffers from amnesia or a book where a lead is trying to leave behind a painful past.

3. My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys: July 4th is also National Country Music Day. Even if you're not a fan of the genre, you can use it for this challenge by: (1)reading a book with a western setting, (2)main characters are cowboys or live a western lifestyle, (3)has a character who is a country music singer, (4)title of book is also a country song. Let us know in parentheses, which one you choose.

4. What's Cooking?: National Culinarian's Day is July 25th. Read a book with a lead character who is a cook (amateur or otherwise), chef, caterer, or baker. You can even count a book where the lead cooks at least once in the book.

5. Ask the Lonely!: July 11th is Cheer Up the Lonely Day. Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to do exactly that. For the challenge, read a book with someone who is suffering from loneliness, or the title has some variation of lonely or a synonym for lonely in its title.

6. Let Your Geek Flag Fly!: July 14th is the day to Embrace Your Geekness. Read a book that represents some aspect of your geeky nature. You may also choose a book with a lead character who is on the geeky side.

7. Moon Called: July 20th is the day the first man walked on the moon. To celebrate, read a book that represents the moon in some way, such as a lead who is an astronaut or space traveler or a werewolf (changes shape with the moon).

8. Work-a-holic Day: July 5th is the day for those of us who don't know when to quit...working. To celebrate, read a book with a lead character who is a workaholic.

9. All or Nothing: July 26th is the day of extremes. Read a book with characters who go for broke, have nothing to lose or everything to lose, and are willing to or forced to put everything on the line. Read a book where the lead is pushed to the extreme in the situation they face.

10. Amelia Earhart Day: July 24th is Miss Earhart's birthday. To celebrate it, read a book about a trailblazing heroine, historical, modern or futuristic. If you can find a book with an aviatrix, even better.

11. Anti-Boredom Month: Nobody likes to be bored, so let's find a book that is far from boring for this part of the challenge.

12. Stay out of the Sun!: For the holiday on July 3rd, read a book with a character who has a sun aversion or allergy. Or even a character who tries to stay out of the sun, for whatever reason. It could be a vampire, troll, gargoyle, etc. Other options: books that take place in a place of perpetual darkness, seasonal or otherwise.

July Holidays taken from Holiday Insights website: http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreho...



Challenge Participants List

Tina Theresa
Netanella
Danielle The Book Huntress
Elizabeth
Amanda
Laura
Suzanne

Kyami wrote: "Any suggestions for Q and Y would be welcome? I can see the finish line..."

Great to hear. Can you please list the date you read your books? You can keep track of that on your my books page. Thanks!

Welcome, Dawn and Storm!

Way to go, Story_girl!

I have read good male and female narrators, and they are always best when they modulate their voice within a normal range. They seem to imply male versus female effectively without sounding fake.

I'm the same way with visualizing books. I think audiobooks are a double-edged sword though. If I don't like the narrator, it can really mess a book up for me.

I don't like when the male narrator does female voices in a falsetto. It grates on my nerves big time.

Shannon wrote: "My fave Russian would def be Dimitri from Vampire Academy! Ever since that series came out I've been a goner for Russian guys."

I loved Dimitri!

Does anyone else hear the hero talking in the luscious accent while they are reading?

Way to go, Marta!

Kelly wrote: "I don't really know my first but the one I love the best is Zsadist from Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward I can't get enough of him and tea..."

Fantastic!

I love Russian accents, so any hero who speaks with a Russian accent. Also a huge fan of Brits and French accents, yum!!!

Yeah, I can see a person who had real life experiences with a stalker or controlling boyfriend not going for this type of hero at all.

I don't mind when the hero wants to make suggestions on clothing, or even buys her clothing (under certain circumstances) but I don't like it when he goes so far as to pick every aspect of her appearance and controls everything about her life. That's way creepy to me.

Yeah, I think there can be a point where it's just creepy. I don't care for that kind of stalkerific hero. I admit that in a good, drama-filled book, the stalkerific hero is icing on the cake, but I don't read books to mirror my reality. I like escapism, and some things I don't mind in fiction, that I would never tolerate in real life. I don't like controlling men, in fiction or in real life. IMO a hero can be stalkerific without being too controlling. It's just a matter of realizing he is terribly in love with the heroine and it comes out in dramatic ways. At least some authors excel at writing a clear distinction. I like just when they are possessive and jealous, and maybe slightly obsessed. The stalkerific moniker is a bit of humor, although I would never justify stalking in real life, just to be clear.

Some readers like BDSM and erotica, which I don't. But I love a possessive/jealous/obsessed hero. It's my guilty pleasure. In real life, I like my space and my privacy, so having a boyfriend/husband who was chained to me, wouldn't work.

At any rate, feel no need to defend yourself and neither will I. I'm happy to enjoy my stalkerific heroes, which is why we have this thread for others who do like them and can recommend books. Although you are also free to say why you don't care for them.

Susan wrote: "A non-needy stalker? :-)"

Stalkerific is a catch all term for possessive/obsessive/jealous heroes. Are you saying you don't like possessive heroes at all, or just the obsessed/needy ones?

Yes, it's Benedict as Khan from Star Trek: Into Darkness.

I like those kinds of heroes too. I don't think a stalkerific hero cannot be as you've described as above. I've seen plenty of them who meet the above description.

The Secret is the Garwood where the hero tells the heroine "he's keeping her." Not quite a specific "I Love you," but as good as one.

Which first "I love you"s are memorable to you? Please include a link with the books you list. Tell us if it was phrased in a distinctive way.

I don't think I would like a needy guy in real life, but I like a hero who needs his heroine. So I'm all for it. :)