Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - Nellie Bly Did It Faster (10)
I've been traveling since Wednesday and won't be back until Monday, so expect some slowness on my end!
Amanda wrote: "I've been traveling since Wednesday and won't be back until Monday, so expect some slowness on my end!"No worries!! Just don't forget to make a pick by Friday, you'll have plenty of time though.
Week 4 SelectionA Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare (Spindle Cove #1)
372 pages
Qualification: Member's shelf and series rule. LaurLa read A Week to Be Wicked (Spindle Cove #2) on March 28 and gave it 4 stars.
[*book:A Night to Surrender|10429836]
Week #4 Selection PostOption 1
Finders Keepers by N.R. WalkerPages: 220
How it qualifies: dog on cover
[*book:Finders Keepers|37904249]
Week4: Animal On Cover A Few Good FishRating: ★★★★★
Review:
I love this series and couple so much. Ellery and Jackson are so great together. They really just make so much sense. I enjoy reading about a "solid" couple. They're it for each other. They know it. They're happy about it. No external factor is going to get in between them without a fight. And fight they do. This story requires a little bit of suspension of disbelief but not as much as some other series I could name. It doesn't get too outlandish and unrealistic. Though really, I feel like Jackson should've died like 5 times, at least. But that's part of the fun. They're not experts. They're not super trained "heroes". They just are good guys who won't back down when they know they're doing what's right. The "action" aspect of the plot was good. It's wrangled well for the most part. I'm a little hmm about the deal that's made but I get why it's made so I can live with it. I enjoyed the deep dive into Jackson's trauma and seeing him work through it. Ellery also had some residual trauma to work through and I really like how they accomplish it. I really liked the supporting characters as well. I thought I had read Sonny/Ace's book but apparently I haven't. Oops. I need to fix that. And I need to read Burt/Ernie's asap too.
I'm so out of wack this round. I read 2 -1- 4
Will I read Week 3's book before Week 5's? Who knows?!
Week 4: CompletionA Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare (Spindle Cove #1)
372 pages
Qualification: Member's shelf and series rule. LaurLa read A Week to Be Wicked (Spindle Cove #2) on March 28 and gave it 4 stars.
Rating: ★★★
Review: My investment in Susanna and Bram's romance was a bit flighty, as I never became too attached in seeing their happily ever after. However, I am so glad to finally start the series and I have high hopes for the next book.
Week #4 Completion Post
Finders KeepersRating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review:
A perfect feel-good read!
Griffin has just moved to Coolum Beach and on a hiking trip he finds a seemingly straying dog. He takes in the dog and contacts the owner from the phone number on the tag. Turns out, Dane, the dog owner, is frantic. He's on a business trip and his cute little dog Wicket ran away from his parents who looked after him.
They decide that Griffin keeps Wicket until Dane is back from his trip. During these few days they text a lot and there's already some chemistry between them. And when they finally meet in person feelings grow fast!
A funny, sweet read, without any drama or misunderstandings and instead with the magnificent dog Wicket and the awesome landlady Bernice, a quirky hippie.
Week 4 - Option 1 Animal on Covercompletion post
Northern Pines Den Bundle: Books 1-3
★★★★
completed 4/3
I am pleasantly surprised by this one. Honestly, I was in such a mood for something sweet and fun and sexy and Northern Pines Den is just what the doctor ordered.
Susi Hawke writes great relationships and the three pairings she does in these stories are wonderful. More about the mating than the plot, there is a story slowly evolving here... I'm looking forward to the next installment.
Week 3Wizard at Large by Terry Brooks
Read: (3/30)
Rating: ★★★★½
So I know I read this book back in high school and yet in reading it now I realized I remember none of it. Made the reading that much more enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed Abernathy and his being stuck in our world. A talking dog would be a tad bit suspicious in today's world. ;)
I like that in this story Questor starts to really come into his own as a wizard, sure he's still a bit of a screwup, but he's definitely getting better. He really had to accept himself here and keep trying. He's not perfect, but he has good intentions and the best will to never quit. Ben also had to remind himself that he's capable and deserves to be king here too.
This was a fun story. It's still a little bit silly, but I enjoyed both sides of the plot. I appreciated trying to save Abernathy in the real world while a little obnoxious demon is wrecking havoc in Landover. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Week 4Option 1
Book: Michael's Heart
Page numbers: 175
How Fits: Cover: Eagle
[*book:Michael's Heart|22075468]
Week 4Michael's Heart by Lynn Tyler
Read: (4/2)
Rating: ★★★★
I really liked both the characters in this story as individuals and thought they were good matches for each other. But Michael's actions started to drive me a little nuts at time. I felt for Justin. He had some legendary patience here. I wanted them to work it out, but I wanted Michael to start talking and stop running quicker.
I loved that Justin was such a unique shifter. He was different and I liked that about him. But that was another thing I wanted him to share with his mate sooner. The ending of this felt rushed and it took reading the short story after it to feel like I really got any sort of conclusion to these guys story. It really felt like the short belonged on as an epilogue in this story.
Amanda & Caipi, can you let me know if I've missed completion posts for your Week 3 books?If you haven't posted yet, no rush! You're not behind or anything. I'm just double checking.
Whoops. I am REAL late with this. Sorry y'all!!
Week 5Option 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
Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads. when you post your selection and completion posts.
Week 3 CompletionThe Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
336 pages (re-read)
Qualification: Spanish edition - La ecuación del amor
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: I love this book so much. It was my favorite read of 2018 and this is my third re-read. There's just so sweet about the way Michael loves Stella. I also loved the reversal of class differences, where the hero is the millionaire.
Week 5 SelectionMister McHottie by Pippa Grant
182 pages
Qualification: Tagged "billionaire" by 10 people. Also mentions the hero is a billionaire in the book description.
[*book:Mister McHottie|36240652]
Week 5Option 1
Book: Conspiracy in Death
Page numbers: 364
How Fits: Tagged: Billionaire 4 times (Also while this description doesn't have it the characters are the same from book to book and from the first book Eve's now husband is described as "Roarke, who is one of the wealthiest and most influential men on the planet" in that description)
[*book:Conspiracy in Death|172691]
Selection Post ~~ Week 5Option 1
Task: 4. Read a book with a bet in it (noted in the precis) or where the MC is very wealthy
Book: Soaring ~ Kristen Ashley
How it fits: tagged wealthy 2 times + precis notes H as being an 'American heiress'
Pages: 603 pp
[*book:Soaring|24374053]
I'm going to try
but I want to get into it and make sure I'll be able to finish it before I post it.
Week 5 CompletionMister McHottie by Pippa Grant
182 pages
Qualification: Tagged "billionaire" by 10 people. Also mentions the hero is a billionaire in the book description.
Rating: ★★
Review: This was way too silly for me and the humor seemed to try to hard to be shocking. While there were the bones of real, genuine conflict there, it was masked by over the top antics. Both the hero and heroine lacked the maturity for me to believe in their romance.
Week 5option 1
Length: 312 pages
How it Fits: References to his wealth in blurb, tagged as billionaire by 3 users.
[*book:Silver & Black|23252649]
Week #3 Completion Post
The Ghost Wore Yellow SocksRating: ⭐⭐⭐
Review:
Actually I love this author's books but with this one I had a hard time. The setup was great, mysterious things happening in a creepy old house. The two main characters, navy SEAL Nick Reno and young, shy artist Perry Foster, were both individually interesting. But together they didn't work for me. I really didn't like how Nick always addressed Perry as "kid". My dislike might have been increased by the audio and the voice the narrator used for Perry.
Week #5 Selection PostOption 1
The Billionaire's Boyfriend by Geoffrey KnightPages: 163
How it qualifies: title "The Billionaires Boyfriend"
[*book:The Billionaire's Boyfriend|35265027]
Caipi wrote: "Week #5 Selection PostOption 1
..."dang Caipi, I wish I'd seen this one! I'll be waiting to see how you liked it.
Week #5 Completion Post
The Billionaire's BoyfriendRating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5)
Review:
Sweet insta love romance, with lots of humor!
Matthew Darcy is a frustrated romance writer in his early thirties, who pays his bills by delivering flowers for a local florist shop. One day he saves a stranger from a deathly accident. Turns out this handsome guy is nobody other than billionaire banker Calvin Croft.
And when Calvin stands on Matthew's doorstep the next day to gift him with a new bike, the fairytale enfolds.
The story was sometimes ridiculous, definitely over the top, but I smiled and laughed out loud through the whole book. And the secondary characters were so unique,
I loved them all. :)
Just be aware that it should be read when you're in a silly, giggly mood, otherwise, if you read it in a serious mood, I'm afraid you'll roll your eyes annoyed. ;)
Trio wrote: "Caipi wrote: "Week #5 Selection PostOption 1
..."dang Caipi, I wish I'd seen this one! I'll be waiting to see how you liked it."
It's still time to change your book for this week, Trio. ;)
I wish My problem is it has to be an audiobook right now.
I looked at my cocky valet but Joel Leslie's voice drives me insane so that's not an option.
Silver & Black is pretty stupid but at 1.85 speed it's going by pretty fast.
Week 5option 1
Length: 312 pages
finished 4/11, 3 stars
The comparisons to Pretty Woman are so glaringly obvious that they even joke about it throughout the story. There's also a bit of the 50 shades thing going on (sans BDSM) with the millionaire/poor college student scenario.
I couldn't keep from rolling my eyes a bit at some of the banter since I seriously doubt any men - or any humans - would really talk to each other the way they do. And there are some incredibly unrealistic NYC scenes that frustrated me... a few of them are actually rectified in the conclusion so that helped a bit.
The way everything wraps up is a very good story, which is how it gets 3 stars from me. As for the rest? If you're into hot, salacious sex scenes between characters with little or no chemistry, then Silver & Black is the book for you.
Completion Post ~~ Week 5Option 1
Task: 4. Read a book with a bet in it (noted in the precis) or where the MC is very wealthy
Book: Soaring ~ Kristen Ashley
How it fits: tagged wealthy 2 times + precis notes H as being an 'American heiress'
Pages: 603 pp
Date Read: 04.
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
What can I say? It was typical KA and I have to admit I love KA's books. That's not to say I binge read her, but I love her hero's. And her sassy heroines. This one was a little poignant, especially in the beginning. I really felt Amelia's pain with her broken relationships with her kids. I did wish we had a more concrete example of her 'going crazy' towards her ex and his new wife. There was lots of talk about it but I kind of wanted to 'see it'. I'm not completely convinced I liked the ending, the way Mickey handled things. But part of me sees it too. He says he (view spoiler). It was all still good enough for me to love the book and miss the characters now that I'm done!
Let me post my book before I turn into a bad captain who breaks the rules and gets kicked out of the challenge. Week #5 - Rich MC/Bet
American Fairytale
368 pages
Qualifies - "Wealthy donor" "Built Billion-dollar company" in blurb.
Caipi wrote: "Week #4 Completion Post Finders KeepersRating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review:
A perfect feel-good read!
Griffin has just moved to Coolum Beach and on a hiking ..."
I read this a while ago - loved the story and the setting is so accurate! I spend half my time in this area of Queensland, and Walker is spot on!
Week 6: Non-Caucasian MCThe Bride Test by Helen Hoang
320 pages
Qualification: #276 on Romance with Asian Love Interest
[*book:The Bride Test|39338454]
Week 6: Non-Caucasian MC
by Lane Hayes226 pages
How it Fits: #276 on Best Interracial and Multicultural MM Romances list
[*book:The Right Words|23780580]
Week 6Option 1
Book: The Engineered Throne
Page numbers: 346
How Fits: #11 on Best Interracial and Multicultural MM Romances
[book*:The Engineered Throne|30332511]
Welp. I'm way late lol. sorry y'all. My faves released a new album so I stayed up all night so I could listen right away and then I crashed...hard.
Week 6Option 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
Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads. when you post your selection and completion posts
Calila, how did you get your link to go right to the book and not just the top of the page?
Trio wrote: "Calila, how did you get your link to go right to the book and not just the top of the page?"The list link?
You have go to the book page, scroll down to "lists the book is on", find the list you want, then copy/past that link.
OOOOOH - I never would have thought to do it that way - of course that link takes you right to the spot on the list. Very clever, thank you :)
well I gave it a try, the only problem is that every English edition of the book has different listopia lists for it and I went through the first three and didn't find that list hahahaI'll give it a go again later just to prove to myself I can do it.
That's one thing I wish GR did differently, that the lists a book is on would all show up under each of the editions, you know what I mean?
Trio wrote: "well I gave it a try, the only problem is that every English edition of the book has different listopia lists for it and I went through the first three and didn't find that list hahahaI'll give it..."
Yeah that's the downside, since the lists are edition specific you have to go to the right edition's book page.
Selection ~~ Week 6Option 1
Task: 8. Read a book with an MC that is not caucasian from one of the following lists
Book: Magic Shifts ~ Ilona Andrews
How it fits: #560 on Non-Caucasian Protagonists in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Paranormal Romance
Pages: 352 pp
[*book:Magic Shifts|17333171]
Week #6 Selection PostOption 1
Strong Enough by Cardeno C.Pages: 247
How it qualifies: #83 on Best Interracial and Multicultural MM Romances
[*book:Strong Enough|27212293]
Week 6: Non-Caucasian MCcompletion post
by Lane Hayes226 pages
How it Fits: #276 on Best Interracial and Multicultural MM Romances list
finished 4/16, 3 stars
Honestly, for me, this one started out fine but gradually descended into formulaic and predictable. Michael Ferraiuolo was able to hold my attention with his lovely, melodic voice and his cool as heck accents.
Week 6 CompletionThe Bride Test by Helen Hoang
320 pages
Qualification: #276 on Romance with Asian Love Interest, page 3
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: Sophomore books are tough and I was worried the author wouldn't be able to match my love for her debut, The Kiss Quotient. I was wrong. This is such a tender Cinderella story and you can't help but root for the heroine the whole way through. Now Quan just needs to get his book, finally, dammit!
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
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completion post
251 pages
Rating: ★★★★
Completed March 29th
There's something about the books in this series that haven't really worked for me, though I want to love them because everyone loves them... This one focuses so much on the politics of the era, and while I get that's the point of Silas' character - and the drama between him and Dominic, I still could have done with a tad more lovin' and a bit less talk.