Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - Backstage Antics (12)
Selection PostWeek 9: Set in UK
Option 1
Lovers Leap by J.L. Merrow
Pages: 202pgs/GR.
How it Fits: Takes place on the Isle of Wight. (England)
Selection Post: Week 9Option 2
Rend by Roan Parrish
Pages: 303/GR
How it Fits: Eugenia read Riven on Oct 31 and gave it 5 Stars.
Using Series Rule: Riven is the first book in the series (which I've already read) so I'm reading the 2nd book in this series.
Do have the option of using shorts here? Or are we stuck to the 100 page minimum?
And Danielle, I’m so jealous you have a copy of Rend!! I just finished Riven and LOVED it!!
Eugenia wrote: "Do have the option of using shorts here? Or are we stuck to the 100 page minimum?"They have to be 100pgs. No BINGO-type exceptions...
However, if you don't want to read a UK-set book, or pick a book that one of us have read (and rated at least 3-stars) in the last 6 months...you can ask to Pass the Parcel this week!
I might be passing this week. Is it OK if I call dibs on it? I might still pick something—I’m just feeling slumpy
If you want to Pass I'm good with it; I'm already listening to mine, Logan used one last week, and I think Danielle is reading hers.Just post PASS some time before the NEXT theme is called. However, until you post a hard pass, well, one of the other guys can call it...
I don’t need it! I’m unsure of my book choice but I’m good to go for this week :)
I’m catching up today. Hoping to finish both my outstanding books by tomorrow!
I wont need the pass either. I haven't picked out my book yet, but I have a couple to choose from.
Selection PostWeek 9: Set in UK
Option 1
Helping Hand by Jay Northcote
107pgs/GR
How it fits: Set in Plymouth, England (United Kingdom)
Logan wrote: "I’m catching up today. Hoping to finish both my outstanding books by tomorrow!"Hi Logan - I know its late, but could you please do an official 'pass' selection for week 8? Thanks!
Completion PostWeek 7 Option 1
Romancing the Duke
Rating: 5 stars
Review: I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to read this one! I will say that it's a bit spoilery having this book on the "heroines as writers" list but it didn't ruin my fun at all. I simply loved the chemistry between Ransom and Izzy, and the way they each overcame their confidence issues to find each other was magical. I found myself laughing, choking up, and swooning throughout the whole thing. Definitely adding Tessa Dare to my list of fave romance authors now. So much fun!
Updated to here on the tracking posts...
Can I un-pass my turn if I pick something before next call? I’m just having a very tough few days.
Eugenia wrote: "Can I un-pass my turn if I pick something before next call? I’m just having a very tough few days."*hugs* I'm with you on that BT.
I'll ask Jane.
Selection PostWeek 9- Option 1
I Will: A Christmas Novella
Pages- 144
How it fits- Setting- London, 1833 (stated on first page of book)
Completion PostWeek 9: Set in UK
Option 1
Lovers Leap by J.L. Merrow
Pages: 202pgs/GR.
How it Fits: Takes place on the Isle of Wight. (England) (See Precis.)
3.5 Stars
Hmmm...what to say about this one? Well, it was entertaining I'll give it that. But I had a hard time connecting to the characters. Or rather, to Michael...he was just such a shithead that I actually stopped listening on more than one occasion and almost gave up entirely twice. However, I'm particularly fond of JLM's stories and usually love the way her settings are described...so I held in there. (*insert silly inspirational cat poster gif*)
And I'm glad I did. He never quite outgrew the selfish, self-absorbed attitude but there was significant character growth - especially with the frequent and upsetting internalized homophobia. One of those almost rage-quit instances settled around what he thought it meant to be gay, or what acts make a person gay. And as Michael is a self-professed bisexual, I found that disturbing. Makes him seem less bisexual and more "any hole will do." (I HATE that stereotype, too.) So, yeah, how he comes around on that is quite a transformation.
Some of the details are silly (like being refused service at a hotel because he turned down a marriage proposal? How did management allow that?) and annoying (yet another bigoted parent who fell back on a that whole religious excuse - which got really annoying since Michael & his family weren't particularly religious)...but I do have to point out how much I ADORED Rufus' best friend.
Liz was just...gah, I loved her. I loved how she was all about the tough love - and Rufus needed to be slapped with a good dose of reality. (And Michael just needed a good slapping, so I kind of wish she'd done that given some of the cringe-worthy things he'd say to her.) I think honestly my favorite part of the book was how she addressed the whole step-mom situation, how insulted she was on that woman's behalf. Because I was as well...she didn't seem stupid or incompetent and for Rufus to treat her like that (and Michael to label her "evil" when she was anything of the sort? Humor/Fairy Tale reference FAIL, big time)... well, yeah, Liz did the right thing. I mean, I get why his DAD would be afraid to ask too much of her, to expect too much, but that's also a little condescending, right?
So, yeah, I liked the book even though half the time I didn't - but YMMV. The narration didn't add anything special, but I am not sure I'd have slogged on without it as I listened while walking the dog and hatching an egg for my dumb Pokemon Go challenge.
⚣❣☙ Michaelle ❧❣⚣ wrote: "Eugenia wrote: "Can I un-pass my turn if I pick something before next call? I’m just having a very tough few days."*hugs* I'm with you on that BT.
I'll ask Jane."
Just so long as you change your mind (if you're going to) before the next category call, you're good to "un-pass."
But don't feel pressured. Let the Pass ride since none of us need or want it this round...
I AM OFFICIALLY **UN-PASSING** Week 9
Selection PostWeek 9: Set in UK
As You Wish by Isobel Starling, 238pp/GR
[*book:As You Wish|35515662]
Competion PostWeek 9- Option 1
I Will: A Christmas Novella
Rating- 4*
Review- I rarely read historical romance these days. I burnt myself out on Regency years ago. But I love Kleypas, and it was shorter, so why not. It started out in predictable HR fashion.....girl who is a spinster (she's 26!) and guy who is a rake. But the way the girl gets the guy made me smile and genuinely surprised me. Kleypas has a wonderful way of drawing you in and describing her characters. I enjoyed it :)
COMPLETION POST Week 9: Set in UK
As You Wish by Isobel Starling, 238pp/GR
[*book:As You Wish|35515662]
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sexy as sin...GFY/OFY!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Damn, this was fun!!! This is one of my favorite tropes!! How can I possibly resist popping cherries and the new found joys of the magical p-spot? I can’t. Not at all.
So this lovely story sets up an Englishman and a Scotsman as co-best men at their siblings’ wedding at a castle on Loch Ness. How’s that for romantic?
Of course, Declan, the sexy, straight, brooding Scot (who Gary Furlong gives the SEXIEST SCOTCH BROGUE TO) and Sam, the gay, happy-go-lucky world traveler DON’T HIT IT OFF at all.
Well, things change. Things like Declan liking Sam. Things like Declan wanting to be around Sam. Things like Declan wanting to touch Sam. This is all fantastic!! 💕💕💕
Now here is where we come to the pivotal point in any GFY novel: how will the “straight” guy handle his attraction to another man? How this is handled is sooooo important. And here it was handled adequately.
See, my dears, Declan could give a shit about being attracted to Sam. He just knows he is and goes with it. Full steam ahead. SPOILER!!!! (view spoiler). So, that reaction is a little hard to swallow for me. But Declan swallowed it very well, indeed.
Buuuuut.....Dec goes on to explain this and his inner monologue makes sense. So, I give him a pass. (Because he had a fucking fantastic accent).
What I LOVED about this delicious booty cherry popping scene was that it wasn’t all Stars ✨ and Rainbows 🌈 for our Declan. Noooo... it freaking hurt!!! Thank you Ms Starling for honoring the pain of anal breaching here 👏👏👏👏. Of course, Dec soon succumbed to the magic of the prostate and he was a goner. Can’t be helped (although that I’ll never know 😫!! Prostate envy is a terrible thing to live with).
I also ADORED all the references to one of the best movies of all times, The Princess Bride.....Sam and Declan have the thing memorized and they are hilarious with the dialogue using it during every single activity you can imagine.
While this was not love at first sight, it was close enough cause these two hotties fell in love over a wedding weekend.
So what happens to our lovers? Well, there’s a bit of a family secret and it means that we get to see more of these delicious men.
Major kudos 👏👏👏to Gary Furlong for NAILING The narration. Is there an accent the man cannot master? I think not!
I am totally digging my Starling/Furlong binge!! Feel free to join me, loves, it’s soooo worth it!
Eugenia wrote: "COMPLETION POST Week 9: Set in UK
As You Wish by Isobel Starling, 238pp/GR
[*book:As You Wish|35515662]
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sexy as sin....."
I rarely ever listen to books (maybe because I have young teens at home and my reading choices aren't something I want them listening to) but you made me not only want to read this book but listen to it. Great Review!
I know about the teens, but HEADPHONES 🎧 😘😘 .. when no one is home I Bluetooth it to the stereo, but otherwise it’s all headphones for me😉. Great while doing chores!
Eugenia wrote: "I know about the teens, but HEADPHONES 🎧 😘😘 .. when no one is home I Bluetooth it to the stereo, but otherwise it’s all headphones for me😉. Great while doing chores!"Yep, headphones for me as well. I have two bluetooth sets, one to use while the other is charging (just in case it's a long listening day).
It also helps block out the relentlessly watched FAUX "News" the SigO seems determined to keep on the television when I'm home and the NutJob AM Radio station he listens to in the car.
I’d love a pair of blue tooth headphones. But I’m afraid I’d lose them...I lose the wired ones constantly!!
I'll have to try that - than I can get some chores done while still listening :)
Eugenia wrote: "I’d love a pair of blue tooth headphones. But I’m afraid I’d lose them...I lose the wired ones constantly!!"LOL, believe it or not, since my BT ones are the kind that wrap around the back of my neck, I'm less apt to lose them than I do the wired ones. I tend to forget they're there sometimes, so I almost had them in my new DL photo!
Danielle Gypsy Soul wrote: "I'll have to try that - than I can get some chores done while still listening :)"
Yep, for some reason I can't just sit and listen to audio...I have to be doing something else at the same time. So, I do housework, grocery shop and walk the dog!
Completion PostWeek 9: Set in UK
Option 1
Helping Hand by Jay Northcote
107pgs/GR
How it fits: Set in Plymouth, England (United Kingdom)
Date read: 11/6
Rating: 3
Review: It's a sort of cute story, but not something really special.
The writing flowed well even if the dialogues was a bit choppy at times.
I liked the slow progression of the relationship, It made it more real in my opinion.
What I did miss was a dual POV. We only get Jez's POV and I so wanted the story have Big Mac's POV too. I believe taht my rating would have been higher if we had been showed what really went on in his mind too. Maybe even coming close to a rare 5-star rating...
⚣❣☙ Michaelle ❧❣⚣ wrote: "Eugenia wrote: "I’d love a pair of blue tooth headphones. But I’m afraid I’d lose them...I lose the wired ones constantly!!"LOL, believe it or not, since my BT ones are the kind that wrap around ..."
So I don't do audio - but wouldn't mind trying. Do you use a program like overdrive on your phone and than link your bluetooth headphones to your phone?
Danielle Gypsy Soul wrote: "So I don't do audio - but wouldn't mind trying. Do you use a program like overdrive on your phone and than link your bluetooth headphones to your phone?"Sometimes it's Audible or Hoopla's app...and until I got the new-ish phone this summer I used to use VLC to listen to the mp3 files I'd DL from my Library's website...but since this phone is more powerful/advanced I can use the Overdrive app. (The Library files are meant to play on that app, but DL as mp3 and can be moved from one platform to another.)
But yeah, I just pair my headphones to the phone and listen that way. Makes it easy to plug in the phone to recharge and listen at the same time, too. (Just have to remember not to go too far from the phone or else the audio drops.)
COMPLETION POST Week 9Option 2
Book: Rend by Roan Parrish
Date Read: 11/7
Rating: 5 Star
Review: This book is an emotional at times gut wrenching story two flawed but beautiful characters who love fully but have to figure out how to navigate marriage and forever when one of them doesn't know how to believe in forever. It was beautiful and I cried a lot but at the end it was so worth it to get to see it all work out.
This is the second book in the series but you could definitely read this one without having read the first book. If you've read the first book don't expect this one to be anything like the first one (which I also loved but in a completely different way). The two MCs do pop up quite a bit in this book but they are in this book as the support system and friendship that Matt and Rhys need.
This book begins about 18 months after Rhys and Matt have been married. We get a quick flash back to how they meet and than fast forward to 18 months after they've been married. Matt is a complex character with a heartbreaking background of an abandoned child who grew up in several foster homes and a group home feeling unwanted and unloved. Other than a best friend who moved away years ago Matt hasn't had any real relationships and he's learned not to expect anything or even want anything for himself until Rhys sweeps into his life. Rhys bursts into Matt's life and the two fall in love quickly and get married within two months and although there is never any doubt the two love each other Matt doesn't really believe it will last forever but he hides his insecurities well. Rhys comes from a loving family, close friendships and is unaware of Matt's struggles. It isn't that he doesn't want to know all of Matt it's just that in the different world he grew up issues like Matt's aren't even on his radar. Things actually go well until Rhys gets an opportunity to go on tour as a solo artist. He's looking forward to stepping into the spotlight after having spent years as a backup artist writing songs for other bands/singers. Matt stays behind because he doesn't feel he should leave his job working at a non profit agency helping kids transition from foster homes into society when they turn 18. It's a fulfilling job and important and he thinks he'll be okay but when Rhys goes on tour Matt starts to fall apart. He desperately tries to hold it together and hide it from Rhys but he spirals into depression and anxiety. He knows Rhys hasn't abandoned him but he feels like he has and doesn't know how to deal with those emotions.
When Rhys returns he finds Matt back where they started not really trusting the relationship and this is when we get to see the true beauty of the story in how both characters react and work to stay together. Most of the book is about Matt's abandonment issues but Rhys isn't perfect either and I loved that his best friend Caleb wasn't afraid to speak up about it and help him see that it wasn't about him and that he could support Matt but he couldn't fix him.
There is a lot of angst in this book and I don't always like that. I also don't usually like books where we don't see the progression of the beginning of a relationship but with this book it really wasn't necessary. The whirlwind romance happens quickly but it's watching Matt and Rhys learn the reality of marriage and how to be together and honest that's the real story and the angst is necessary and fitting. This book is full of emotion and you should definitely have a box of kleenex handy but along with the sadness there is also happiness and a ton of love. This is a book that will suck you in and take you through a journey that you can't help but feel along the way.
This is a book that will stick with me for a long time and I highly recommend this to all M/M romance fans.
Okay, yeah...I knew I wanted to read it after reading Riven. Your review sealed the deal to 100% impatient to get my hands on it...
⚣❣☙ Michaelle ❧❣⚣ wrote: "Okay, yeah...I knew I wanted to read it after reading Riven. Your review sealed the deal to 100% impatient to get my hands on it..."What she /\ said!!!!
And now both Riven and Rend are on my immediate wish list...Challenges are the worst for my TBR it grows with a couple of books every week... especially when you people keep reading all these amazing books!
Week 10Option 1:
Building on Cover
(Please post book cover image in selection post)
Option 2:
Key date: 9 May 2018
SELECTION POST: Week 10 - Building on CoverWeek #: 10
Book: All The World's An Undead Stage by Angel Martinez
Page numbers: 200
How it Fits: Building Skyline on Cover
Completion PostWeek 6
Finished: 11/9/18
Rating: 4 stars
Review: First of all, I want my very own rose goblin. Those creatures are so creative and unique and I loved them!
It took me awhile to get into this one because there is a LOT of backstory before we get the plot moving. I kept waiting for the payoff but it’s clear that particular score won’t be settled for some time. The events definitely feed into Toby’s motivations so it’s not totally off-putting, but it made for a bit of a slog while reading at times.
Once you push through, there is lots of promise for the series. I’m hesitant to say too much without spoiling things, so I’ll just say that I’m glad one particular character turns out not to be a love interest. He struck me as incredibly icky and the fact that Toby seemed to have feelings for him made me doubt her as a heroine. Luckily, she spared me from having to hate her, though I was disappointed she couldn’t see it all for herself.
Selection PostWeek 10: Building on Cover
Option 1
In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish
Pages: 350pgs/GR
How it Fits: Cabin on Cover
Eugenia wrote: "Mich...so good!!! 💕💕💕💕"I know, gonna listen to it this time!!
(Hey, do you remember if this is set during Christmas...or if it has a Christmas scene? It would help me knock out one of my Bingo books...and for the life of me I don't recall!)
Edited to add: You know what, there's a BJ scene (it's on the shelf) so nevermind; I'll use it for that Bingo category, too!
⚣❣☙ Michaelle ❧❣⚣ wrote: "Eugenia wrote: "Mich...so good!!! 💕💕💕💕"I know, gonna listen to it this time!!
(Hey, do you remember if this is set during Christmas...or if it has a Christmas scene? It would help me knock out o..."
If it's the first one, I think yes.
I might do
for this one and it's also on the BJ list.
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
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Smitty's Sheriff (other topics)
First Time (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Stella Starling (other topics)Cardeno C. (other topics)
A.M. Arthur (other topics)
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Stella Starling (other topics)
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Week 8: MC who plays or writes music
Option 1
Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake
Pages: 434/GR
How it Fits: #102 on MM with Musician MCs
Audio Rating: 4.3 Stars
Still a delightful and relatively drama-free story; character driven plots are a lot harder to pull off but LB is definitely one of those authors that do it well.
One thing I keep vacillating on, so I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't like stories about musicians that are heavy on the lyrics or song-writing aspect, and if they're rock stars I don't want heavy handed, repeated scenes of them performing. I don't mind one or two - and I absolutely LOVE it when the narrator can actually the sing the part. It's relatively easy to imagine the jewelry made but I have a harder time with the performance aspect. So, yeah, I wish we'd had that. (And yet I strongly dislike most musicals. I'm so weird.)
Very glad I listened to this one as a re-read, even if the narration wasn't particularly special or distinctive. I just appreciated a book I'd previously liked very much via a different medium.