Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - Snow Not-So-White (8)
Wax wrote: "WEEK 1: SET IN EUROPE
The Best Corpse for the Job
298 pages/GR
Qualifies: Set in England"
I was looking at this, thinking 'gee that looks familiar; why is this familiar' - until I finally realised it was your possible final book in Spell!!
Susan A wrote: "You're in luck...the series is not over with book 3
Reckoning by Fyn Alexander"
Wow, I totally missed this one! Thanks, Susan!
Jane (PS) wrote: "Wax wrote: "WEEK 1: SET IN EUROPEThe Best Corpse for the Job
298 pages/GR
Qualifies: Set in England"
I was looking at this, thin..."
You have a good memory, Jane!
Two more reviews missing in orderto complete Week 1. The second theme will be called in a few hours. Could the first one here, please, post the theme, since I'll probably be sleeping? Thanks ;)
Week 2Option 1
7. Snow white was 'fair' - read a book with an MC with blonde hair and/or fair skin. You must either quote the optional list used OR include in your post the sentence that qualifies that the MC is fair or blonde.
Optional lists in case you need to know your book's MC is 'fair'.
Sexy Blonde Heros Historical Contemporary and Paranormal Romance
Best Blonde Heroes of Contemporary Romance
Sunlight Blonde Heroines in Contemporary Romance Novels
Blonde on the cover
MM readers - you'll have to do a word search if a book isn't already added to a list!
Option 2
Key date: 15 September 2017
Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads. when you post your selection and completion posts.
Selection PostWeek 2 - Blonde/fair
Facing West by Lucy Lennox
312 pages
loc 46/497
His thick blond hair curled deliciously with waves that begged for fingers in them.
Selection PostWeek 2 - Blonde/Fair
Promises Part 4 by AE Via
Pages: 313
Qualifies: Pg 55 "...pressure points at the base of his scalp where that silky blond hair lay curling in different directions."
Week 1: Set in Europe
Mending Him
Set in england
200 pages
4/5
I loved this book and i thought the transistion between friends to lovers was jus beautiful and i liked the fact that they never gave upon on their love
Selection PostWeek 2 - Blonde/Fair
200 pages
Qualifies loc 246 Sandy blond hair, wide brown eyes, tall, lean body, dimples for miles,
Shannon wrote: "Selection PostWeek 2 - Blonde/Fair
Promises Part 4 by AE Via
Pages: 313
Qualifies: Pg 55 "...pressure points at the base of his scalp where th..."
I've been wanting to start this series. Do you remember whether there's a blond in book 1?
Week 2 - Blonde/FairOption 1
Timing
232 pages/GR
Qualifies: "The blond hair, dark green eyes, and the permanent tan that I had been born with..." (page 32 of 387 when reading on iBook app)
Elizabeth wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Selection PostWeek 2 - Blonde/Fair
Promises Part 4 by AE Via
Pages: 313
Qualifies: Pg 55 "...pressure points at the base of hi..."
Let me take a looksie!!
Completion PostWeek 2 - Blonde/fair
Option 1
Facing West by Lucy Lennox
312 pages
3/17/18
3 stars
loc 46/497
His thick blond hair curled deliciously with waves that begged for fingers in them.
Review:
This was hard for me to rate. So much of the story was a 5 star happy read. It comes down to this: the plot line of West being so angry, mean, judgmental, unforgiving and nasty about Nic running away from home as a teenager just didn't make sense. I often accept and enjoy a crazy plot, especially from this author, but this one didn't work for me.
Shannon wrote: "Looks like Promises Part 2 had dirty-blonde hair. Not book 1 though."Thanks for checking ;)
Completion PostWeek 2 - Blonde/Fair
Promises Part 4 by AE Via
Read: 3/19/18
Rating: ★★★★★
I cannot get enough of these guys. I'm sure we've all been eagerly anticipating Brian's story and this did not disappoint. I already loved Brian and I already love Sway and I already loved them together so I was so happy to experience their journey to HEA. Sway's mom and Tweetie were just the best characters and we even got a scene with our old pals God and Day. What a treat. I'm also so happy that the "damnit"s in this book were spelled "dammit". I know, stupid, but it drove me nuts in the others. For some weird reason, in this story it didn't seem like the name Brian fit. I guess I'm used to the God, Day, Ford, Rux etc of these guys. Don't mind me, it's a strange brain I live with. Anywho...I LOVED this book. One of my favorites in the series.
Week 2 - Blonde/Fair
Dead in L.A.
109 pgs/GR
Qualifies ... how his blond hair struck out in every direction...
Week 2 - Blonde/Fair
Dead in L.A.
4 stars
I enjoyed both stories very much. I liked both MCs and I found the paranormal aspect / mysteries interesting. This was my first book by the author but I'll definitely check her other stuff.
Week 2 - Blonde/FairOption 1
Timing
232 pages/GR
Qualifies: "The blond hair, dark green eyes, and the permanent tan that I had been born with..." (page 32 of 387 when reading on iBook app)
Read 3/21/17
5 stars
Somehow this story still works for me. The enemies to lovers dynamic is well done and I like the characters.
Wax wrote: "Week 2 - Blonde/FairOption 1
Timing
232 pages/GR
Qualifies: "The blond hair, dark green eyes, and the permanent tan that I had been born with..." (pa..."
That one always works for me too! Love it.
Selection PostWeek 2: Fair
Country Boy
Pages: 326
How it qualifies: Kindle location 186 "His blond hair was still damp at the ends from his post-workout shower."
Completion Post: Week 2Country Boy
My rating: 3 stars
Read: 3/20/18
My Review:
Synopsis: When Paul and Robbie first met, they were playing on opposing hockey teams. They spent the night together, and then the next day during their second game, Paul punches Robbie and calls him a derogatory name.
Flash forward a couple of years, and Robbie and Paul are now playing on the same professional team. Robbie can't forget about either incident, and he takes it out on Paul. When Robbie is kind of threatened by his captain for it, he realizes that something has to change. Then Paul comes up to Robbie to apologize for how he acted after their night together.
Paul grew up knowing that the way that he felt about men was wrong. He hasn't been with another one since the night he was with Robbie. Paul hasn't been able to forget the night or Robbie for two years. They are forced to spend time together, since they are both rookies and rookies room together, and Paul comes to realize that his feelings for Robbie aren't going away, no matter how wrong he thinks they are, or how hard he tries not to feel them.
What I liked: that although Paul's church condemned homosexuality, and made him believe that he was evil, he still believed in a higher power and in religion. I liked that, as he came to be more and more accepting of his own sexuality, he didn't turn away from his faith, just from his church. I liked that, even though Robbie didn't understand that kind of faith, he respected the fact that that was Paul. I also liked that the story touched on the "beginning" of AIDS in the 80s, and how devastating it was, especially to the gay community.
What I didn't like: how, even though Robbie understood that Paul's faith was very important to him, and knew that Paul had had 20-some years of "homosexuals are evil" indoctrination, he expected Paul to overcome that teaching in a month and be completely all right with being gay and even out. I also didn't like how, when Paul found out that there were churches that were accepting of homosexuality, he didn't go to find one that was a fit for him. His faith and religion, and the community feeling, were very important to him, and I just found it hard to believe that he still felt he had to go it on his own.
Week 3Option 1: Read a book with a 5 AND 3 in the book publication date and/or the page numbers (any combination) on the GR page for the book you choose. You cannot substitute a month for a number (3 = March; 5 = May).
Option 2
Key date: 22 September 2017
Week 2 - Blonde/Fair
Finished, 22/3
5/5 stars
I loved this mm spin on one of my favourite movies sabrina so all in all a lovley take on a classic movie
I've got two possible books picked out, a fantasy and a contemporary romance. I'm going to wait until I'm ready to read to decide which one. I'll post then.
Week 3 Selection PostOption 2
Read by wax october 23
Rated, 4 stars
204 pages
Week 3/Option 1: 3 AND 5
Prosperity by Alexis Hall
3 stars (audiobook)
I found the story and the world-building interesting, athough it took me sometime to get into it and enjoy the narration. I'd love to read the other stories in the series.
Completion PostWeek 3
Option 1
A King's Rival by Xander Tracy
153 pgs
3/24/18
3.5 stars
How it fits: 3 and 5 in page count
Review: 3.5 stars rounded up. I enjoyed the story overall. I expected a darker story. I felt like the ending was too rushed. This is a debut novel I believe. I would try this author again.
Week 3 Completion PostOption 1
Perfect by Felice Stevens
Read: 3/25/18
Rating: ★★★
I don't know why but this book didn't resonate with me nearly as much as any others in the series. It felt like we jumped right into this kind of boring relationship until Blake decides Jeremy is better of without him. No talking about, no trying to figure out problems, just time to go...see ya! WTF? These two and their constant "he's perfect and I'm shit" thoughts were just exhausting. Not a bad read, just not as good as the others IMO.
Ugh. Two of the books that qualified for this week were absolutely horrible, so I DNF'd them. The next one I picked has made me chuckle a couple of times, even if it's not marvelous, so fingers crossed I can finish this one. I might have to do choice two, which wouldn't necessarily help clear up my TBR.
Selection PostWeek 3: 3 and 5
The Wicked Wallflower
Pages: 357
How it qualifies: has 3 and 5 in page count
Week 3 - 3 and 5Option 1
Dead In L.A.
111 pages/GR
Qualifies: This edition published March 5th 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Finished: 3/28/18
I love psychic stories, and this once again drew me in. Even though each story was quite short, I feel that we get to see a bit about both Jon and Leander's personalities. I would love to see more of their relationship develop.
Completion Post: Week 3The Wicked Wallflower
My rating: 3 stars (waffling: maybe 2.5)
My review:
Synopsis: Lady Emma and her two friends are wallflowers, and have been so for 4 seasons. Emma has a suitor, but he has not come up to scratch, mostly because he needs to marry for money. Blake, the Duke of Ashbrook, has been mired in lots of scandals over the past several years, and, although he has no need of money personally, he needs investors in order to get an invention made. Because of his scandals, his investors have withdrawn.
When a letter that was created as a joke by Emma and her friends, gets published, Emma and Ashbrook are purportedly engaged. Instead of letting everyone know that it isn't true, Emma and Ashbrook decide to act as though it is true in order to win Fortune Games that Ashbrook's aunt hosts every year to see who will be the heir to her fortune for that year. Ashbrook and Emma agree to participate so that Emma can have money in order to marry her true love, and so that Ashbrook can get his invention made.
What I liked: for the first 40% or so, I was chuckling out loud because of the humour and ridiculousness of it all. Emma was quirky and focused on what she wanted, but not to the exclusion of hurting other people. Ashbrook couldn't fathom a woman who wasn't instantly putty in his hands, and his way of dealing with that was amusing. I enjoyed the secondary characters.
What I didn't like: After Emma acknowledged that she, too, might be susceptible to the "Ashbrook Effect", everything got a lot more serious. And ridiculous without the humour. It was like once Emma realized that she might have feelings for Blake, she completely stopped opposing him and tried to just button down and not be noticed. By anyone, including the duke. There was also a lot of "oh, I'm not pretty", with Blake telling her that she was, even if it wasn't in a way that was in style right then. I felt as though Emma was supposed to be this strong person who didn't want to compromise who she was (a reader of books for knowledge and pleasure) for society, but constantly tried to compare herself to that society.
UnusualChild{beppy} wrote: "Selection PostWeek 3: 3 and 5
The Wicked Wallflower
Pages: 357
How it qualifies: has 3 and 5 in page count"
I can tell that I've been reading a lot of m/m, because my first thought on why the gentle, understanding swain wasn't coming up to scratch is because he was a "confirmed bachelor". In fact, that phrase was even used during the story. But then it turns out that he loves her, just not enough to defy his father until she has the potential to come in to some money. Definitely laughed at myself for that!
Week 4Jane posted the new theme early. It's historical for this week! It should be a main page tag.
For option 2 the key date is 29 September 2017.
Completion Week 3
Option 2
Read by wax october 23
Finished 29/3
Rated, 3/5
204 pages
A sweet rags to riches story and I liked that it was low angst and just sweet and fluffy
Selection Post: Week 4 Historical tagThe Ruin of a Rake
Pages: 336
How it qualifies: historical tag on main page
I love historical romance! I have a few to choose from, but I'll pick after Easter. Hope you all have a nice weekend!
Week 4 Selection PostOption 1 - Historical
Hexslayer by Jordan L. Hawk
Pages: 344
Qualifies: Listed on Main page as Historical
UnusualChild{beppy} wrote: "Selection Post: Week 4 Historical tagThe Ruin of a Rake
Pages: 336
How it qualifies: historical tag on main page"
Beppy - you are still reading the week 1 book, right? Or did I miss a post?
Week 4 Selection PostOption 1 - Historical
Hexslayer by Jordan L. Hawk
Pages: 344/GR
Qualifies: Listed on Main page as Historical
Week 4: Historical tag
According To Hoyle by Abigail Roux
3 stars
This was different from the other stories I've read by the author. I didn't love it but I found the story interesting. Historical western, full of adventure and not so much romance., with two sets of MCs.
Week 4 Selection postOption 1 Historical
A Scot's Surrender by Lily Maxton
261 pg/GR
main page genre historical
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
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Timing (other topics)
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Painting the Cowboy (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Abigail Roux (other topics)Jordan L. Hawk (other topics)
Jordan L. Hawk (other topics)
Annabeth Albert (other topics)
Annabeth Albert (other topics)
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The Best Corpse for the Job
298 pages/GR
Qualifies: Set in England
Read 3/13/18
4 stars
Adam Matthews is a teacher at Lindenshaw St. Crispin's School and serves on the board of governors. Unfortunately it's not as prestigious a position as it might sound. At the start of the book, he's being bored by a headteacher (not headmaster, that's not PC!) candidate talking about "lifelong love of learning." Soon thereafter, the other candidate is found dead in the school after no-showing to his interview. Immediately, the police are called, and Inspector Robin Bright shows up at the scene. He is familiar with the school, having attended it as a child, and has some bad memories lingering. Soon, we are immersed into the police investigation of the murder. And though Robin knows it's a bad idea to get close the handsome teacher, he can't resist stopping by his house more times that strictly necessary for the case.
The trouble I had with this book probably lies with the large cast of characters/murder suspects. I occasionally had to backtrack to remember who someone was. That detracted from my love of this book. For those who love their mysteries, you will love this story. There are so many twists and turns, and just when you think you know who the killer is, the rug is swept out from under your feet. I loved the relationship between Robin and Adam, as well as the one between Robin and Campbell (Adam's dog, who immediately falls in love with Robin.) But for me, this book just didn't have that particular spark that I get when I read something and know I'm going to love it again and again.