Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - Reading on the Rails (3)
1. Introduce yourself to your team. Let your team members know where you are from. This is a great to know when themes are announced and when team-mates can expect other members to post their book choices.2. Team Captain - reserve a couple of posts in this thread tracking your team's book selection and completion. (Alternatively they could convert a chat comment to the tracking post/s.)
3. Name your team. Using this round's theme of Around The World in 80 Days, come up with a fun name. We are an open/public group with no age limit, so please make sure any chosen name is smart, not smutty ;)
Please PM your name to Jane(PS) by early Wednesday 6 March.
4. If you have a private profile, please 'friend' your team-mates. This is really important, because without this, your team-mates can't see your shelves to select a books under option 2.
5. Please post your book selections/completions in the format provided below. (This format is also posted in both the Q&A and Sign-Up threads.) We need to know the week that each book corresponds to, the page numbers, and how the book qualifies including names to lists/shelves (where applicable), etc. I can't stress this enough. When in doubt - link it*!
* don't link to your review in your completion post - reviews in your completion posts should be included in full within that post.
You don't want to start reading a book and then find it doesn't meet the requirements because some information (eg page count or theme link) was missing from your original post.
I will be monitoring this and your book will not be considered complete until I am satisfied that your selection and completion posts comply with the format rules of the challenge.
Remember - you can ONLY change your book selection in the week that the theme is called.
6. You MUST check in with your team each week, ideally once the theme is announced. Please let your team know if you expect to have spotty communication or are on holidays or having an operation.
7. When you post the completion of your book, you must post a review; enough for us to know you have actually read the book. Please don't link to a review. You must post the review in this thread.
8. Re-reads are allowed but you can't read the same book twice within this challenge.
9. There is no prize for the winning team - bragging rights only :)
10. Each week, the theme will be announced in the Q&A Annoucement thread. The full list of themes announced during this round will be maintained in msg 1 of that thread.
The Rule on the Pass Option
* Each team can only have ONE member using their pass each week.
* Each member can only use that pass once each 5 weeks.
* This means that one or two team members (dependent upon the size of your team) will miss using a pass in each 5 week block.
* No-one can use the pass option in the last week of the challenge.
* In the final week if Option 2 is used, members must select their book from another team. This will be advised in the week 11 announcement.
Key selection and completion post information. You must have ALL elements in your book posts.The format for selection posts Option 1:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
How the book qualifies - please link or name the qualifying bookshelf/list where applicable (link if possible).
If the theme is based off the bookcover or a letter in the title etc, please just repeat the theme.
The format for selection posts Option 2:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.
Format for completion posts:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Rating (1-5)
Review
Please DO NOT CHAT in these selction/completion posts. It needs to be super clear.
If you 'waffle' about your decided book - please REPOST your selection once you decide. DO NOT go back and edit your waffling post.
I'll be tracking each team's progress separately, using the Captain's summary in each team's thread to check for accuracy.
Weekly Themes
Week 1
Option 1
1. Read a book where
* the author or one of the MCs have their first and last name starting with the same letter OR
* the author or one of the MCs have their first and last name phoenetically sound as if they start with the same letter. Eg Phileas Fogg sounds as if his first and last name starts with an F.
Please show HOW this fits in the selection post given there are two options in this category.
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: September 7, 2018
Week 2
Option1
3. Read a book with a number:
* in the title or
* in the series title (not the number that the book is in the series) or
* in the precis (summary of the book on the main GR page).
Eg : Two for the Show - TWO
Stardust (Celebrate! ..2014 Advent Calendar) - 2014
Safe and Sound ..."that one night is just that." - ONE
Please show HOW this fits in the selection post given there are three options in this category.
Option2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: September 14, 2018
Week 3
Option 1
12. Read a book with editions available in more than one language.
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: September 21, 2018
Week 4
Option 1
7. Read a book with an animal on the cover.
Please post the cover to show how it fits the theme for option 1.
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: September 28, 2018
Week 5
Option 1
4. Read a book with a bet in it (noted in the precis) or where the MC is very wealthy (tagged as such eg millionaire, wealthy etc).
Please quote the precis, or note the tag and the number of times it occurs.
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: October 5, 2018
Week 6
Option 1
8. Read a book with an MC that is not caucasian from one of the following lists:
Non-caucasian protagonists_SciFi Fantasy & PNR
Love story (BW/WM)
New interracial BW_WM romance
Romance with asian love interest
Interracial historical romance
Best Interracial MM romances
African American gay romance
Gay romance feat native American MCs
Please quote the list and page number where the title is found. A link would be even better!
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: October 12, 2018
Week 7
Option 1
5. Read a book added to your TBR shelf in the last 80 days.
Hint from before the game started: the challenge lasts 11 weeks, roughly 77 days depending on when I make the first call (Wednesday or Friday in the first week). A book added the day before the challenge starts will qualify for this category throughout the full length of the game.
To show how it qualifies, you must note the date that the book was added to your TBR list and how many days it has been on your list from today (19 April 2019).
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: October 19, 2018
Week 8
Option 1
2. Read a book with a 'servant' as the MC from one of the following lists:
Servant Heroes/Heroines in Romance
Helping Hand Romances
Nanny Governess Romances
Manny MM
Best Gay Slaves
Romance novel leads who were slaves
You must select from one of the lists. Please quote the list and page number where the title is found. A link would be even better!
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: October 26, 2018
Week 9
Option 1
15. Read a book where the word 'friend' or 'friends' is included in the GR book's summary/precis. Expansions on 'friend' is acceptable, eg friendship, friend-with-benefits, boyfriend, girlfriend.
To show how it qualifies, please quote the relevant sentence from the book's main page on goodreads.
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: October 26, 2018
Week 10
Option 1
11. Read a book with two 1s in the publication date. Eg Oct 1, 2017. (Do not convert the month to numbers.)
To show how it qualifies, please specify the publication date.
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: November 2, 2018
Week 11
Option 1
6. Read a book involving mistaken identity or working undercover from one of the following lists:
Mistaken/hidden identity romance
Hide in plain sight romance
Gay romance with MC undercover
Best gay assassins/spies
Spy romance
Princess in Disguise
If you use this option, you must select your book from a shelf included above.
To show how it qualifies include a link to the list in your selection post.
Option 2
In this final week, if you use Option 2 you must select your book from a member in the team below yours in the following list:
Key Date: November 9, 2018
2 Fogg Off
5 The Traveling Bookworms
4 Traveling Page Turners
3 Reading on the Rails
10 Nellie Bly Did It Faster
1 Reading is Dreaming
6 Le Tour du Romance
11 Full of Hot Air
8 Read, Play, Love
9 Tome-Toting Travelers
12 66 Books in 80 Days
7 Lucky 7
13 Around the World in 13 Books
Please select your book from a member in the team immediately below you on the list. Eg Team 2 selects option 2 books from Team 5. And Team 13 selects option 2 books from Team 2.
Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 1-4Week 1 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 2 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 3 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 4 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 5-8
Week 5 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 6
(view spoiler)
Week 7
(view spoiler)
Week 8
(view spoiler)
Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 9-11
Week 9
(view spoiler)
Week 10
(view spoiler)
Week 11
✔KarenH - The Chosen - Selection Post / Completion Post
Grace - Beyond Temptation - Selection Post /
Mary-Megan - A Princess in Theory - Selection Post /
✔Tink - When We Touch - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔Sassafrass - Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔BarbaraAnn - Finders, Keepers - Selection Post / Completion Post
Team Name OptionsRacing Round the Shelves
80 Leagues Around the Stacks
Reading on the Rails
The Steamiest Trip Around the World
On the Rails of Romance
Falling in love in 80 days
Full Read Ahead
Hi everyone...great to see so many familiar names! I'm looking forward to getting started.Just a bit about me...I live in the foothills of the North Cascades in Washington state (so Pacific timezone) - kind of in the middle of nowhere. It's inconvenient at times being a good 30 minutes from the nearest grocery store or gas station, but so beautiful and worth the occasional hassles. I read probably 95% romance, with the VERY occasional mainstream mystery/suspense or general fiction thrown in. Within the romance genre I'll read almost anything, although I tend to avoid inspirational and I'm pretty picky about a couple other sub-genres (YA and Sci-Fi). I'll read those, but generally only if I get a really good recommendation from someone I trust. The vast majority of my "reading" is actually listening...I generally have earbuds plugged into my ears almost all the time.
Does anyone have any name ideas? This is always the hardest part for me - my creativity is almost nonexistent!
Looking forward to hearing from everyone. Oh, and I'm sending friend requests to those of you I'm not already friends with! 😃
Hi Everyone! I missed the last pass the parcel, so I'm happy to be back in the game. I'm in the Chicago area, so central time and hoping spring comes quickly this year. The majority of books i read have at least a bit of romance in them and include most sub-genres, although I read very little YA. I'm also an audiobook fan and usually have an audio book in process at any time (keeps me calm when driving). I'm horrible with names. Maybe "racing round the shelves" or 80 leagues around the stacks?
For our name, how about some play on steamer/steamy? It ties the travel together with romance, but I'm just not quite sure exactly how to put it together. The only complete name option I could think of is Reading on the Rails. I hope someone else is better at this than I am! 😋I'll list name suggestions in msg #9 so they're all in one place.
Hello! I'm also from the Chicago area and desperate for spring. I was just in Florida for a week and it was sooo hard to come back to the cold. I read mostly contemporary romance with a little romantic suspense and mystery/thrillers. Right now I'm on a historical fiction WWII kick but I tend to do those as audiobooks and read my romances in print.For names I came up with:
The Steamiest Trip Around the World
On the Rails of Romance
Falling in love in 80 days
Hi BarbaraAnn and Mary-Megan! I'm right there with you when it comes to hoping for spring! I feel kind of funny complaining about the weather we've been having considering what you've been dealing with, but we're such weather wimps in the Pacific Northwest that it doesn't take much to be TOO MUCH here. It's finally starting to warm up a bit but still freezing hard overnight, so the snow that has already been here for a month isn't going away nearly fast enough to suit me. I'm not a hot weather person (I'm an equal opportunity weather wimp 😛) but I'm ready for it this year!
Hi everyone,I'm from England so themes are normally posted at night for me but I'm always about so that shouldn't be a problem. I read most romance genres aside from suspense/mystery as I'm too impatient to wait and see the outcome so hopefully if you need to use my shelves you can find something.
I quite like Reading on the Rails for a name so far.
Hi all. I just wanted to check in. I’ll post my longer I tried in a bit when I am on my laptop instead of my phone.
Hello everyone! I think I've "met" everyone on the team at some point with different challenges.I'm on the east coast outside of Philadelphia. I'm desperate for wether without wetness whether it be snow or rain. We've had a very wet last 12 months.
Anyway, I read all types of romance and won't be adverse to trying something at least once. Mostly, I read a lot of contemporary.
I love PtP and I have played every game since the beginning!
I really like Reading on the Rails as well.
Hi Team! I'm from San Diego, so I probably have the least to complain about winter weather ;) I read all types of romance, though I have a fondness for sci fi and paranormal. The only team name I could come up with is Full Read Ahead.
I'm good with Reading on the Rails.
Hi all...everyone has checked in! I just realized that Grace, Sassy and I were on a team together before, and we actually won! Maybe we can make it happen again...
BarbaraAnn and Mary-Megan, do you have a name preference? Does anyone have any more ideas?
I have no preference for a name. If everyone else like Reading on the Rails, that's fine by me.
I’ll go with reading on the rails as well
Wow! Ok, I guess we're going with "Reading on the Rails". I think that was the easiest name selection process I've ever been involved in - thanks everyone! I'll let Jane know.
Is everyone ready for our first theme announcement? Hopefully it will be in about 2 hours...yay!On another note, does anyone besides me plan on trying to read Around the World in Eighty Days as one of their books for the challenge? I think I am...it works for I think about half of the themes and I've never read it. Also, I found an audio version (one of the many out there) narrated by Jim Dale (narrator of the US version of the Harry Potter books), so the narration should be enjoyable, regardless of whether or not I like the book itself!
And we're off and running! 😃Week 1
Option 1
1. Read a book where
* the author or one of the MCs have their first and last name starting with the same letter OR
* the author or one of the MCs have their first and last name phoenetically sound as if they start with the same letter. Eg Phileas Fogg sounds as if his first and last name starts with an F.
Please show HOW this fits in the selection post given there are two options in this category.
Option 2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: September 7, 2018
Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads. when you post your selection and completion posts
I just have to say I'm super happy this one was called because I already have the book on my shelf and have been waiting to read it :)At the same time, I'm glad the call came early this round because I'm in the middle of a book and won't get to start this book until Friday so in my world it all works out :D
Selection PostWeek # 1
Bookcover/link: Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
Page numbers: 296 pages
How the book qualifies: The author’s first and last name - Julie James - both start with with the letter “J”
Week 1 - Selection PostOption 1
Two Can PlayPages: 384 (Kindle version)
How the book qualifies: Author's first and last name (Kate Kessler) start with 'K'
Great first call!Selection Post
Week # 1
Bookcover/link: IRL: In Real Life by Lucy Lennox
Page numbers: 311 pages
How the book qualifies: The author’s first and last name - (Lucy Lennox) both start with "L"
BarbaraAnn wrote: "Great first call!Selection Post
Week # 1
Bookcover/link: IRL: In Real Life by Lucy Lennox
Page numbers: 311 pages
How the book qualifies: The author’s first and ..."
I just finished a Lucy Lennox book yesterday (of course). Fortunately I had another book on my M&G list that qualified!
Week 1: SelectionOption 1
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang336 pages/GR
How it fits: author's first and last names start with H
Selection Post:Week: 1
Book: The Trouble With Tony
Page count: 144
How it qualifies: Authors first and last name starts with E
Week 1: CompletionOption 1
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang336 pages/GR
How it fits: author's first and last names start with H
Date completed: 3/7/19
Rating: *4 STARS*
This was adorable. I have a thing for awkward/quirky heroines (maybe because I'm so awkward/quirky). And I really liked Stella. I loved the way she took control of her life when hiring Michael.
I knew that they were perfect for each other from their first time together. And I'm glad they got it together enough to both realize it as well.
Such a sweet ending I was really sad to see it though. I could have read about those two forever.
Completion Post: Week 1Book: The Trouble With Tony
Rating: 4 stars
Date Read: 8th March
Review:
I expected this to be a cheesy story but I enjoyed how these two connected and the heat between them. The whole mystery aspect was almost unnecessary but worked as a plot point so I have no complaints.
Week 1 - Completion PostOption 1
Two Can PlayFinished: 3/7/19 - 4 Stars
Review: I recently discovered this pseudonym used by Kathryn Smith (thanks, FAC) and I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are flawed but likeable, and while it's not romance, the series does have a romantic thread running through it...main couple were childhood sweethearts, reconnect in the first book and are an established couple in this book. The mystery was intriguing and I thought it was well done. There were hints throughout, but the solution wasn't obvious until fairly late in the story. There were also several sub-plots going on, some that continue from one book to the next, so this is a series that definitely should be read in order, and I'm looking forward to the next book!
Week 1 completion postOption 1 - IRL: In Real Life
Finished 3/10/19 - 5 stars
Review - This book had all the basic elements of a stereotypical rom-com, but it was done so well that I completely fell in love with the characters. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Week 1Option 2
Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews (#9.5 in Kate Daniels Series)
380 pages
Sassafrass read Magic Breaks(Kate Daniels #7) on 10/9/2018, rated 5 stars
Kate Daniels Series
Completion PostWeek # 1
Bookcover/link: Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
Rating (1-5): 3 stars
Completion Date: 3/12
Review: 3 stars is an average rating for me (it takes a lot to wow me for more stars). I enjoyed this book. The hero Jason was cocky and it took a while to warm up to him, but I think you were on the same journey to liking him as the heroine Taylor. It was interesting seeing them both deal with their jealousy and coming to really realize their feelings. The only thing I’d say against the book is I wanted more evidence that he’d really changed his ways. For a guy who says he leaves women when he gets bored, I wanted a smidge more evidence that he’s changed his ways
Grace wrote: "Week 1Option 2
Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews (#9.5 in Kate Daniels Series)
380 pages
Sassafrass read Magic Breaks(Kate Daniels #7) on 10/9/201..."
Hi Grace! The Kate Daniels series doesn't show up on the book page for your book, even though it is part of the series. Will you please add a link to the Kate Daniels series page to your qualification, just to make things easier? Thanks!
~KarenH~ wrote: "Grace wrote: "Week 1Option 2
Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews (#9.5 in Kate Daniels Series)
380 pages
Sassafrass read Magic Breaks(Kate Daniels #..."
Fixed. Sorry about that.
Grace wrote: "Fixed. Sorry about that."No apology necessary...you didn't do anything wrong - it's just GR not playing nice and not having both series show on the book page. There's nothing in the rules that says it's necessary to add that link, but it will sure make it easier to confirm that the book qualifies. Without it, at a quick glance it doesn't look like it does. Thanks for adding it! 😃
I'll have my book finished over the weekend. I'm listening to the audio version ( I don't usually listen to audio books) and it's taking me longer than usual.
Grace wrote: "I'll have my book finished over the weekend. I'm listening to the audio version ( I don't usually listen to audio books) and it's taking me longer than usual."LOL, you're the exact opposite of me...I go through several audiobooks a week, but maybe 2 or 3 a month that I read. I tend to mostly read in bed, either before going to sleep or if I wake up earlier than usual, so it sometimes takes a long time for me to get through a book.
Week 2Option1
3. Read a book with a number:
* in the title or
* in the series title (not the number that the book is in the series) or
* in the precis (summary of the book on the main GR page).
Eg : Two for the Show - TWO
Stardust (Celebrate! ..2014 Advent Calendar) - 2014
Safe and Sound ..."that one night is just that." - ONE
Please show HOW this fits in the selection post given there are three options in this category.
Option2
Book chosen from a team member's shelf that was read on the date below or more recently and rated at least 3 stars.
Key Date: September 14, 2018
Week 2 - Selection PostOption 1
Purity in DeathPages: 480 (Kindle version)
How the book qualifies: Number (2059) in precis - New York, the summer of 2059, and the unbearable heat drives everyone to the very edge of madness.
Oh, I'm glad someone is reading an in death book. Now I'll have an option 2 guaranteed for the rest of the game. LOL
Sassafrass wrote: "Oh, I'm glad someone is reading an in death book. Now I'll have an option 2 guaranteed for the rest of the game. LOL"Yep, I always have the series going. This is my third time through it, and each time I start over I don't read any new releases until I get to the end. Since it takes me a couple of years or more to get through the series, I have several new ones waiting by the time I get there. And then when I start over it's been long enough and so many others in between that I don't remember a lot of the plot details. They're total comfort reads for me!
I remember we used them back and forth a bit last time we were on a team together and I was pretty sure you weren't near the end of the series at that point, so I was hoping I'd be able to find them on your READ shelf too, although I hadn't bothered to check yet.
Yeah, I'm only to #32 or something like that. I just read a few per year. LOL, I should have read some within the last 6 months, I'm sure.
Week 2 - Selection postOption1
294 pg/GR
How the book qualifies: Number one in precis - until the night she survived a violent attack... and became one herself.
Selection Post - Option 1Week # 2
Bookcover/link: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth E. Wein
Page numbers: 343
How the book qualifies: Numbers in the precis: “Oct. 11th, 1943” and “One of the girls has a chance at survival.”
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
The Good Luck Sister (other topics)The Good Luck Sister (other topics)
Beyond Temptation (other topics)
Finders, Keepers (other topics)
Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ilona Andrews (other topics)Alice Winters (other topics)
Lucy Lennox (other topics)
Amy Lane (other topics)
Amy Lane (other topics)
More...
Train Conductor:
★ KarenH
Travellers:
★ Grace
★ Mary-Megan
★ Tink
★ Sassafrass
★ BarbaraAnn