Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - Hunting Wabbits (7)
Just to give everyone a heads up, I'm going away tomorrow until Friday, I'm not sure what my internet access is going to ve like but will post as soon as I'm able
Becky's Completion Post Week # 3 ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
Option 2: Key date: 21 September 2016
(Book 1 in Animal Magnetism series read by Stacie on Mar 18, 2017, 4 stars.)
Title/Link: Still The One by Jill Shalvis
Date Read: Mar 25, 2017
My Rating: ★★★★
My Review:
This series is filled with fun couples, but Darcy and AJ's 'friends to lovers' story stands out from the rest. The couple has already established a relationship and creates a unique bond. There is also a wee bit of angst in play, adding a delicious chemistry to the book.
I've always enjoyed Darcy's personality. She's a strong heroine with a fighting spirit. Her sense of humor and proclivity to play practical jokes on friends and family adds to the well-written, funny dialogue I've come to expect from Jill Shalvis. Darcy's background hasn't been easy and she tends to hold on to her trust, but she did not allow herself to be a victim of her bad experiences.
I am the hero of my story, I don’t need to be saved.
(view spoiler)
AJ is her physical therapist...and her brother Wyatt's best friend.
Our hero, AJ, is extremely likable and sees right through Darcy's baloney. He knows when she's lying to herself, or if something isn't quite right he can pull the truth out of her easily. They have a strong attraction and feelings for each other that are more than the friendship kind, but they refuse to cross that line for reasons you'll have to read the book to discover.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention how much I like Xander. He also has a close friendship with Darcy, having been there for her through the years. If he feels more than honest friendship, he's doing a great job of keeping it hidden. A few sparks fly between AJ and Xander, but I'm glad the author didn't turn this into a full blown love triangle. I'm not a huge fan of those!
This is definitely one of the better books in the series. My only complaint was the 'Big Misunderstanding' that happens late in the book. It's a repeating pattern in this series and I've mentioned the formulaic pattern in previous reviews. It's not necessarily 'bad', but it makes things a bit predictable...especially that close to the end of the story.
Overall a fantastic addition to the series! I highly recommend Still The One to any adult contemporary romance fan.
Completion Post:Kristan HigginsWeek 3: Bear Hunt
Book: Fools Rush In
#118 on Petite Heroine/Big Hero
384 pages/GR
Date completed: 3/27
Rating: 2.5 stars
Review: I have a love/hate relationship with Kristin Higgins. Sometimes she can write a really great story with a female character that isn't annoying. This book was not one of those times. Not one character in this book made it onto my like list and the book was overly sweet and sappy. Plus, the main character really really needs some therapy and better friends. "Hi, we know you've been in love with this idiot forever but perhaps you are making things up and should go get this stalking/imagining thing taken care of. kthxbye."
Completion Post
Week #3: Bear Hunt
Book:
by Karen ChanceHow it qualifies: #199 on Petite Heroine / Big Hero List
Pages: 385
Rating: 4 stars
Review:Reread: 3/26-27/2017
I'm so glad I reread this. Dory is one of the most badass heroines out there, and I pretty much love all of the characters. I have to say that I am still kind of disappointed that I really can't get into the Cassie Palmer series since I read this one first. Thinking about Mircea as a sexual being after meeting him as a father figure is basically impossible. Especially since I just immediately thought of him as older. Like a humanoid version of Shifu from Kung Fu Panda. (Do not ask me why)
For some reason I thought Ray was in this first book–I guess because he just made such an impression as the doofy fuckup of a sidekick. But STINKY IS MY MAN! I love him. I do want to know exactly how he got over the poisoning, though. Caedmon just sort of threw him into the bathroom and he seemed pretty much fine after that.
It would be horrible of me to write this without mentioning the sexy Frenchman.
Louis-Cesare.
Louie.
The Great L dash C!
'sup
....
*whispers*
alsoIloveyouforeverandyou'rereallyhotandawesomeandsexyasfuckandcanyoubeMINE???
First Read: 6/29-30/2015
Rachel C. wrote: "Week 2 (Completion)
5 stars
This was cute, fun and sweet and I absolutely adore it. Mal and Cassidy are really cute together and I have to admit that I ..."
Tabloid Trouble is really short Rachel. It's not much of an extension to the story :(
Louise wrote: "I'm changing my Selection as my copy is corrupt :(Going with Option 2
Key Date: 14th Sep
Sweet Little Lies
Read by: Poongothai
Date Read: 22/01/17"
Hi Louise - you need to put the week # and the page numbers on your post :)
My GOD I just want this next call to be the one with the H title! Then I can finally read Heir to the Shadows and my life will have meaning again!
Louise wrote: "Selection Post: Option 1Week 3: Bear Hunt
#2 Petite Heroine, Big Hero"
Louise - could you please add the page numbers to your selection post? Thanks!
Jane PS wrote: "Tabloid Trouble is really short Rachel. It's not much of an extension to the story :( "LOL figured that out after I asked the author where I could find a copy and she sent me one... but still was worth reading even if it was not as long as I would have liked XD
Anna Serene wrote: "My GOD I just want this next call to be the one with the H title! Then I can finally read Heir to the Shadows and my life will have meaning again! "XD I totally get that. I wanted to wait and use the U title that I just finished for a challenge... but I just couldn't wait *sigh*.... but so so worth it!
Completion post Week #3
Bookcover/link : The Cajun Cowboy
Rating (1-5) : 3.5
Review : It was a fun and entertaining read. It had too much Cajun-ism in it. The auntie Tante Lulu was an interesting character. There were too much of monologue for the characters which could have been cut off.
Selection Post: Option 1Week #4
by Anne BishopPage numbers: 500
How the book qualifies: Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Becky's Selection Post - Week # 4 ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
Option 1: Read a book that begins with "H" for "hunt."
Title/Link Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Pages: 464
How it qualifies: Title of book begins w/letter "H".
LOL. It's official: I will probably never get to posting the weekly theme in a timely manner. Still, for those of you who haven't made your selections yet :)Week 4
Option 1
2. Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
You can ignore A, An and The in the title.
Option 2
Key date: 28 September 2016
Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads.
Anna Serene wrote: "My GOD I just want this next call to be the one with the H title! Then I can finally read Heir to the Shadows and my life will have meaning again!"WOOHOO! How lucky was that?! I'm so excited to finally read Heartless by Marissa Meyer!
I've made mine but I'm away for the weekend and my little laptop keeps not wanting to connect so I was waiting until I could post it properly.
Jane (PS) wrote: "Louise wrote: "I'm changing my Selection as my copy is corrupt :(Going with Option 2
Key Date: 14th Sep
Sweet Little Lies
Read by: Poongothai
Date Read: 22/01/17"
Done
Hi Louise - you..."
Completion PostWeek 2
Option 2: Key Date : 14th Sep
Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis
Pages: 384
Date Read: 30/03/17
Rating: 4*
How It Fits: Read by Poongothai 22/01/17
Review:
I really enjoyed this bittersweet romance which centres on the relationship between Pru and Finn. For reasons which are developed and explored through the story Pru is trying to rid herself of the guilt of the past by helping those whose lives she feels have been badly affected by her fathers actions. In her efforts to help Finn find happiness she falls in love, but in her heart she knows this cannot be allowed to happen. We are introduced to other characters of the Courtard in the book which brings a different depth. All in all a good read with the obligatory HEA.
Week 4 Selection PostOption 1
2. Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
You can ignore A, An and The in the title.
Book: Heart of Venom
Author: Jennifer Estep
384 pages
How it fits: starts with H
Becky wrote: "Anna Serene wrote: "My GOD I just want this next call to be the one with the H title! Then I can finally read Heir to the Shadows and my life will have meaning again!"WOOHOO! How lucky was that?! I'm so excited to finally read Heartless by Marissa Meyer!"
super super lucky... I wish I'd started that series already so I could joing you in reading it Anna!
Week #4: Option 1Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Bookcover/link:
Page numbers: 376
How the book qualifies - starts with H
Week 3
Playing for Keeps by R.L. Mathewson
Pages: 220pgs
Date Read: 02/04/17
Rating: 4*
How It Fits: #2 on list
Review:
This was a quick read about a shy plain Jane and the bad boy who lives next door. We are taken on a rollercoaster of a ride as Jason and Haley become friends and then lovers in this sweet romance. This was one of those rare finds and was rather enjoyable.
Week 4 Completion PostOption 1
2. Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
You can ignore A, An and The in the title.
Book: Heart of Venom
Author: Jennifer Estep
384 pages
How it fits: starts with H
Date completed: 4/4
Review: Gin continues her badassery and I don't think I've ever seen her this hellbent on destruction. It was good to get some more backstory on some of the supporting characters and to see Owen not need me to smack the stuffing out of him anymore. Interested to see where the new big bad story arc is going.
Week 4 (Completion)
2 stars
This was ok. But just ok. This is one of those series where I care more about the plot and what could possibly be added to it than I do about the characters. Honestly, this is probably because the characters just seem a little flat to me and pretty much all the same, even if they have slightly different back stories. So, this was kinda "Enh." I have a feeling I'll eventually pick up the next ones, but probably only to figure out how Colonel Merrit ended up being such an apparent asshat, or if he even really was (which I secretly hope he isn't, although that would be a tad cliche).
Selection Post Week #4
Bookcover/link : Heartstrings and Diamond Rings | 448 pages
How the book qualifies - Title starts with H.
[*book:Heartstrings and Diamond Rings|11130658]
Completion PostWeek #4: Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Book:
by Anne BishopHow it qualifies: Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Pages: 500
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review: This book was so SO GOOD! I love these characters so much. I missed Daemon through a lot of it, but I also understood it. And freaking LUCIVAR is awesome. I love the brother-sister dynamic between him and Jaenelle.
Saetan continues to be given a hard time by Jaenelle. He loves it, but I'm sure he sometimes wishes he were capable of falling into an early (not so much) grave.
For such a dark series, I end up laughing a lot, and I feel so much for all of these characters. I can't wait to start the next one! (Literally, I'm starting it right now.)
Anna Serene wrote: "Completion PostWeek #4: Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Book:
by Anne BishopHow it qualifies: Read a book starting with the le..."
You are making me want to do a re-read!
Becky's Completion Post Week # 4 ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
Option 1: Read a book that begins with "H" for "hunt."
Title/Link Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Date Read Apr 5
My Rating: |★★★|
My Review:
The Hubster and I are HUGE fans of Marissa Meyer and binged the Lunar Chronicles in a very enjoyable month last spring. We've eagerly waited for the release of Heartless, enduring a twelve week wait at the library (finances are tight) and stopped the world when the hold came through to immerse ourselves into Meyer's incredible imagination once again! Unfortunately, Heartless turned out to be a heart-breaking story. It's incredibly well written - I'd expect nothing less from Meyer - and the characters were brilliant; however...
It turns out that this isn't our type of story. The Hubster and I love Science Fiction and Fantasy. The Hubster especially leans towards a happy ending ... which doesn't happen in this book. In Heartless, Meyer tells us the story of Catherine, a sweet, innocent girl from Hearts, before she rises to power and becomes the evil, murderous Queen of Hearts we know from Alice in Wonderland. (view spoiler)
The story probably deserves more than three stars based on the writing and Rebecca Soler's narration, but the enjoyment factor just wasn't there for us. The Hubster absolutely hated this story. We debated about the final rating over two days because our initial emotional response was to rate the book 1 star for breaking our hearts! In the end, we had to acknowledge that the summary and the title did warn us. It's a quality story that delivered what it promised, so we eventually compromised based on the artistic talent of both author and narrator. Just like Fairest, we didn't love it.
Our recommendation: If a HEA ending is an absolute must for you, it's best to pass on this story. However, I do think it's an interesting read. I'm always fascinated by authors that can take a character and make them great, but not every author can slowly chip away at a great character and turn them into a villain in a believable way. Just keep the Kleenex within reach and the freezer packed with ice cream ... or the comfort food of your choice.
I am displeased with the call this week but will manage. Here is the link to the post with the list links: Links are hereWeek 5
Option 1
8. Ray Hunt was a well-known horse-trainer. Read a book featuring a cowboy from the following lists:
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy
Favorite Western Cowboy Romance Novels
Saddle Up: Rodeo Romance MF
Healing Horses: Romances with Horse Whisperers, Rescues Horses or Therapy Horses
Best Gay Cowboys
Best Gay Cowboy Westerns - Renegades and Ranchers
These are compulsory lists. Your selected book MUST come from one of these lists. You must link to the list and note which page/which number it is on that list.
Option 2
Key date: 5 October 2016
Yeah this one does not make me happy. Not even going to try Option 1
Week #5 Option 2Key date: 5 October 2016
Bookcover/link:
Marked in FleshPage numbers: 416
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book: Anna Serene, 5 stars, March 13, 2017
LOL. Having the same problem with this one too. Thanks for posting again, Stacie :)
Week 5 (Selection) (Option 2)
Title: Lady Luck
Pages: 662
How it qualifies: Anna Serene read and rated it 3 stars on January 1, 2017
Anna, your shelves are being attacked! XD
Rachel C. wrote: "LOL. Having the same problem with this one too. Thanks for posting again, Stacie :)"No problem!
Anna reads the good stuff lol
Rachel C. wrote: "Anna, your shelves are being attacked! XD"You MONSTERS lol
Anna Serene wrote: "You MONSTERS lol" Mwahaha
Selection Post Option 2
Week # 5: Key Date 5th Oct
Bookcover/link
Page numbers: 384
Read by Rachel - 17th Feb - 4*
I usually love Western Romance, but I just can't do it this time. I'm in a MOOD. ; )
Becky's Selection Post - Week # 5 ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
Option 2: Key date: 5 October 2016 :
Title/Link A Kiss At Midnight (Fairy Tales #1) by Eloisa James
Pages: 374
Read by: Rachel C read The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James, book #2 of Fairy Tales Series on October 27, 2016. Rated: 4 Stars
We are having an Option 2 party so far :)
There are quite a few contemporary westerns on the Popular Western Romance list that don't scream WESTERN!!!! Lol!I really enjoyed this one:
Running Wild by Linda Howard
It's a witty romantic suspense with an alpha male & a confident but clumsy heroine on the run from her stalker ex-boyfriend. It turned out to be one of my favorites.
I tend to prefer the historical western romances though. Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold is an AMAZING book. The Promise of Jenny Jones is another one that most people like regardless of the genre. Both of these have solid characters and plots.
I've narrowed it down to two!
Becky, I actually enjoy a good western or books with a western theme, too, just not in the mood this round :) Plus, I have too many books to get done this month and am trying to get everything to fit!Anna, LOL I hate it when that happens and I just can't choose XD
Week #5 Option 2Key date: 5 October 2016
Bookcover/link:
Marked in FleshPage numbers: 416
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book: Anna Serene, 5 stars, March 13, 2017
Completion date: 4/10
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review:
This one took a loooong time to get going and I was having difficulty with the introduction of so many new characters. Less new people, more Simon and Meg please. And Sam. I see where Bishop is taking the story but I enjoyed the world as it was (boooo to change). It was a difficult story and I am anxious about how it will continue in the last book. Can't imagine how people waited so long for the next one and I'm glad I waited!
Week 5 (Completion)
3 stars
Ok, I've got to say this. Thank you, thank you for finally getting to the end. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. But by 400 pages I was feeling pretty done. I felt like I literally lived a lifetime with this book. I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing, only that it just started to weigh me down at the end and I really wanted it to just be done already. Still, I can't really regret the extra pages which says something in and of itself, I suppose. Thus, this was a good book, but probably one that I won't be revisiting. Super excited for the next installment though.
Completion PostWeek #5: Option 2
Book:
by Kerrelyn SparksHow it qualifies: Read by: Becky on 1/5/17, rated 4 stars
Pages: 384
Rating: 2 stars
Review:
Big, HUGE eyeroll fest.
I only laughed once and it was at a joke I made myself.
I think I've fallen into a book-depression.
Nothing matters anymore except Daemon & Jaenelle and Meg & Simon and Joshua & Lucy.
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
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Second Grave on the Left (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Anna Adler (other topics)
Julie Kagawa (other topics)
Anna Adler (other topics)
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Week #3
Bookcover/link :
How the book qualifies - #64 in Gentle Giants in Contemporary Romance
[*book:The Cajun Cowboy|1412055]