BR for Conquer Historical Romance Reading Challenge

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Hope you don't mind me popping in and out throughout the year! I'm having a hard time choosing books at the moment.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Buddy Reads for the 2016 Reading Challenge - Conquer Historical Romance

Turns out some of us are reading or intending to read some of the same books for the 2016 Reading Challenge. So, pulling a b..."

I'm ready! One week.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I wish I could read this with you all, but I'm "booked up." I think I've over-committed myself to some other buddy reads.

Sigh I love reading with other people.

[Mariana]

Lol. I'm starting during my lunch break today.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "I wish I could read this with you all, but I'm "booked up." I think I've over-committed myself to some other buddy reads.

Sigh I love r..."

I am definitely game for another.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "Lol. I'm starting during my lunch break today."

That is awesome. I can't wait to hear what you think. I am 23% of the way in and seriously enjoying how descriptive the book is. Lik..."

Great progress! I will definitely catch up this weekend.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "Lol. I'm starting during my lunch break today."

That is awesome. I can't wait to hear what you think. I am 23% of the way in and seriously enjoying how descriptive the book is. Lik..."

Between yesterday and today, I have completed part 1. I agree that I am enjoying the colorful descriptions. I am thinking it paints a villainous (if sexy) hero. I am curious how my perception will change in part 2. The last scene gives me hope.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Ooh! A villainous hero!

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "Lol. I'm starting during my lunch break today."

That is awesome. I can't wait to hear what you think. I am 23% of the way in and seriously enjoying how..."

I have read 56%. Beau is badass! This is a different story than I have ever read before and so entertaining.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I live a badass or villainous H!

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "I have read 56%. Beau is badass! This is a different story than I have ever read before and so entertaining. "

How far are you now? I had to take a slight break at the 85% mark. Ju..."

92%--I really want to finish tonight, but it might be in the morning.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "92%--I really want to finish tonight, but it might be in the morning. "

OK, I am done and I really wanna talk about this one...."

I will finish today. Would love to discuss tonight.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "92%--I really want to finish tonight, but it might be in the morning. "

OK, I am done and I really wanna talk about this one...."

I will finish today...."

I just completed the book. Tell me your thoughts.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "I just completed the book. Tell me your thoughts. "

At work for a few more hours, and then....let's talk. I have feelings =)"

Let's talk about this:
a) what an absolu..."

I think I enjoyed this book more than you did. However, I am also more generous with my ratings than I should be.

a) I agree that it was a fun adventure. I think the attention to detail was important to me as I was completely unfamiliar with pirate battles or life at sea.
b) h/h? I'm new to any kind of social media and am still learning abbreviations. What does this stand for?
c) I liked all the characters as well. I was able to distinguish and remember them. Sometimes I get lost when a book has too many characters or any secondary love interests. Her dad was a special one, completely different than any other father I have encountered in a historical romance.
d) I have a difficult time critiquing sex scenes. Obviously, some are good and others are not. This one didn't have well written sex scenes. Maybe less descriptions here and more to our imaginations would have been better. I'm not a writer. I can only imagine sex scenes are difficult to write.

Overall, what I liked about the book was its uniqueness, at least from what I have read. Joining this group and the year challenge is leading me to read different sub-genres of historical romance. This was definitely a new one. It defied all of the usual rules and expectations most of the regency romance is set around, whether or not the characters comply with those patterns of behavior. This one basically threw the rule book out the window. It was also fun to have the damsel rescue the hero in distress.

Another important factor was its readability. Too many times in the past I have tried to force myself to read through a book. I don't anymore. I just give them one star and move on. Fortunately, that was not the case with this book. It had enough adventure for me to want to find out what happens next, although if it had been a real page turner I would have completed within 24 hours of starting it.

All this said, it wasn't "my type" of book. I won't be looking for other Elizabethan or pirate books. It was just a refreshing change to much of my usual. I like variety.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "I think I enjoyed this book more than you did. However, I am also more generous with my ratings than I should be."

Ok, I am grabbing a few minutes before dashing out of here. I wil..."

Thanks Ally for the Buddy Read. It was my first, and I had fun.

[Mariana]

The next on my Conquer Historical Romance Reading Challenge is Highlander.

Want to buddy read When a Scot Ties the Knot with me?

On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shy, pretty, and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart.A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter . . . and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep—handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He's wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters . . . and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep.
https://ebookows.3m.com/library/lewis...

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "The next on my Conquer Historical Romance Reading Challenge is Highlander.

Want to buddy read When a Scot Ties the Knot with me?

On the cusp of her first London se..."

I have read a couple of Tessa Dare books. I thought Say Yes to the Marquess was mediocre, but I loved A Lady by Midnight. Highlander books are hit and miss with me. I mean, I love a kilt; but sometimes the written Scottish brogue just gets to me. I'm optimistic though. I plan to start tonight.

[Mariana]

Civil War


Always to Remember

When would you ladies like to start reading, and how many chapters per day?

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "Civil War


Always to Remember

When would you ladies like to start reading, and how many chapters per day?"

I can start reading ..."

Let's start reading tomorrow and read three chapters per day. Does that sound okay?

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

How many chapters does it have in total?

[Mariana]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "How many chapters does it have in total?"

19 chapters plus a prologue and an epilogue

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'll probably start this weekend.

[Mariana]

I haven't started yet, so let's push it back a bit. How about we read the prologue and chapters 1 and 2 on Friday?

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'll try to read them.

But I'm often so pooped on Friday evening after work that I don't get in as much reading as I'd like.

[Mariana]

Sounds good to me. I plan to start reading this evening.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I've just completed ch 2.

If there is one thing I can't take, it's coming into someone else's home/property uninvited and being rude or disrespectful to them.

"Meg" is going to have to work hard to redeem herself.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

If she wanted to punish Clay, she should still keep off of his property if she can't behave herself.

[Mariana]

I've read through chapter 8 thus far.

I don't understand why Meg feels she has to watch every chisel of granite; but I guess if she didn't, there wouldn't be much interaction between them.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I had another thought.

After I finished ch 2, in addition to noticing how obnoxious the h is, I noticed despite her awful behavior, the H was starting to "moon" over her.

It's too soon (for me) for the H to moon over Meg. I'm having trouble buying it.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'll keep reading then.

I think he's brave to stand up for what he believes, but he just mopes around so far.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "I had another thought.

After I finished ch 2, in addition to noticing how obnoxious the h is, I noticed despite her awful behavior, the..."

I just finished chapter 11.

Clay is certainly brave. The level of hate just sickens me. It's hard to comprehend, but I can imagine it being that way during a war where brother may have fought brother. Then again, sadly enough, there is still much hate today.

[Mariana]

Just finished chapter 14. This book is really drawing me in. Been crying tonight. I feel it in my soul.

[Mariana]

I did not expect to enjoy the book either. Civil war?! Not my thing. I do feel the timing helped. I was craving a book with a truly good hero of character.

[Mariana]

Ally wrote: "Mariana wrote: "I did not expect to enjoy the book either. Civil war?! Not my thing. I do feel the timing helped. I was craving a book with a truly good hero of character."

You make a really good ..."

I agree. I just finished chapter 17. You still planning to finish the book tonight?

[Mariana]

Andrea,
Did you finish?

Ally,
I am looking forward to your thoughts