Valentine's Day (Romance / Saints) - February 2017

[Allison, Quest Hound]

"Valentine's Day" is our chosen theme for February. You may read any book, fiction or nonfiction, that relates to either romance or saints.

What will you be reading? Any suggestions?

[Jenny, Certified Bookworm]

I think I am going to start The Adventurer Quartet. It's a series about four brothers who are all on ships, and the mystery they all have to solve, and the women they fall in love with along the way

[Rosemarie, Obsessive Reader]

I am going to do two plays by Shakespeare:
The Taming of the Shrew andAntony and Cleopatra
A comedy and a tragedy.

[Goga]

I am going to read The Brothers Karamazov and Homo Faber

[Rosemarie, Obsessive Reader]

Brothers Karamazov is a great book, my co-favourite book by Dostoevsky, with The Idiot. I studied Homo Faber in university( a long time ago now).

[Tracey]

I am slowing going through the Iliad. If a war caused by some guy stealing someone else's girlfriend isn't romance, I don't know what is.

[Jenny, Certified Bookworm]

LOL Chase! I may just have to dig out my copy of the Iliad and Odsey together now!

[Cherie]

Ah Valentines Day... what a cheery holiday for us single folks! LOL Rosemarie I love your plan to read Shakespeare. Maybe I'll break out Romeo and Juliet ;)

[Su]

I would love some recommendations!!! Preferably something romantic that is upbeat and modern! Just finished Pretty Little World.

[Tracey]

Jenny wrote: "LOL Chase! I may just have to dig out my copy of the Iliad and Odsey together now!"

At first I was HATING this book, but after showing it to my husband, he suggested trying a different translation. He was so right, because after picking up a better translation, I'm much happier with the book and absorbing so much more.

[Rosemarie, Obsessive Reader]

I am glad you found a better translation. It is quite a story.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Oh, that's so true! I used to underestimate the power of translation, but it makes such a difference!

[LindaH]

First, I applaud Rosemarie's choices, the Shakespeare plays.

Second, I'm going to read Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope, a simple romantic story set in the nineteenth century. This was tricky because I am not a fan of romances per se.

[Cindy]

Just finished Trying to Score and now starting Sweet Revenge

[Lynnette]

My favorite romance novel and movie, Out of Africa. Every time I watch that movie I cry.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

I need to watch that again. It really was a terrific love story.

[Sam F]

I read The Selection by Kiera Cass to see what my daughter was reading these days. Yikes. Not something I would recommend for any teen/pre-teen. Though at least the main character is more of an individual and stands up for herself a little.

[Roseanne]

Out of Africa was a love story? I was young when I saw the movie. I remember nothing about it. I remember falling asleep. I think I want to revisit that.

[Rosemarie, Obsessive Reader]

I recently read Out of Africa. The author never states that Dennis Finch-Hadden(?spelling) is her lover, but he was in fact. Parts of the book were better than others, for sure.

[Dana]

Romance -

[Roseanne]

I actually just started The Heir this morning which is the 4th book in the Selection series. I actually like the series. What can I say guilty pleasure.

[Wei-Ting]

When in French: Love in a Second Language was recommended to me by a friend. Since my husband and I both speak a second language to each other, this will be an interesting read.

[Wren]

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

(I am side-reading National Geographic - Gender Revolution and The Book of Shadows by Nicola de Pulford).

[Rosemarie, Obsessive Reader]

I finished The Taming of the Shrew. There were two marriages-Kate and Petruchio, Bianca and Lucentio.

I had never read this play before and really didn't like it. I am sure it is funny to watch, but has to be one of the most blatantly sexist plays I have read.

[LindaH]

I just finished Rachel Ray, a very good story about two lovers kept apart for most of the book by a small town's backward ways. To think, I would have missed it if it wasn't for this challenge.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Trollopes so wonderful! Moving RachelRay up on my list. :)

[Krysta]

I read The Fault in Our Stars, since I hadn't yet and it was so largely touted as super romantic.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Did you find it to be super romantic as touted?

[Cindy]

Just finished Sweet Revenge and the newest Eve Dallas Echoes in Death - liked the first and LOVED the second.

On to a few more before the end of the month...

[Christine]

I read a book called Flirting with Felicity. It is a cute romance that I started last year and went back to it to finish this year. It is a cute book of romance..Just happy to have finish it.

[Jenny, Certified Bookworm]

Finished The Lady's Command. It was a good adventure romance. I hope to finish the second book in the series, A Buccaneer At Heart, this month as well. I am also working on Shirley by Charlotte Bronte.

[Christine]

Read a romantic Comedy called Five Minutes Late by Rich Amooi. This was a cute little book. Simple and perfect for this month of Romance. :)

[Celia]

Read Our Souls at Night

More than one list had this as a Valentine read and I agree.

Especially for us 70 somethings (!), it is touching and revealing!!

[Yvonne]

Reading :)

[Sam F]

I finished One Good Friend Deserves Another by Lisa Verge Higgins which had a MPG as Romance. A cute Chick-lit easy to read book.

[Cindy]

Okay, I give up...what's an MPG?

[Cindy]

Finished Falling for Jillian and working on Empty Net

[Sam F]

MPG means Main Page Genre - I just get lazy writing it. It's what would be written as the genres on Goodreads page for the book.

[Krysta]

Read Northanger Abbey today. Nothing like Austen for some romance!

[Rosemarie, Obsessive Reader]

Northanger Abbey is a fun book-such a sweet love story.

[Trisha]

Finished A Room with a View - E.M. Forster, which I really enjoyed.

[Rosemarie, Obsessive Reader]

I like that book too. I am glad the main character made the right choice.

[Cindy]

Finished Empty Net - now on to Cold Mountain

[Rosemarie, Obsessive Reader]

Finished Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare.
That one didn't have a happy ending.

[Cindy]

Finished Falling for the Backup
Working on Cold Mountain