Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
2009 Challenge Archive
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October - Pick It For Me! Challenge
Annie (a mad hamster) wrote: "You're right about Nation, I have read & enjoyed it"OK, so my first choice is out. But at least I was on the right track.
Hmm... I know this is a romance forum, but I am a relative newcomer to the genre. That makes me somewhat hesitant to pick a true romance novel. Since the story in a romance follows one of four plots and the ending is already set in stone, how much someone like a romance novel is directly proportional to whether or not they like the characters and the writing style. Since I haven't read enough of the same books as you in the romance genre to get a good enough feel for your tastes, I think I'll keep avoiding this genre for now.
So my second choice for you will be
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I'm sure that you've heard of it. And I'm thinking 50-50 chance that you've read it but failed to put it on your list.
In the event that you have read this second choice as well, I'm off to find that elusive and perfect third choice.
Sallie wrote: "Mel, I wanted to find a few different choices for you so here goes
First- How to Murder a Millionaireby Nancy Martin. This is the first in the Blackbird Sisters Mysteries & it..."
Thank you, Sallie - I will have a look in Borders tonight and see if I can locate one of your recommendations :)
LibraryLass, gosh, we have similar taste!!Anyway, here's a list for you to choose from:
1. The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe
2. Untouched by Anna Campbell
3. Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
4. Mona Lisa Awakening by Sunny
If none of those appeal, let me know and I'll see what I can do to come up with something else for you :)
Hello Tammy,
I browsed through your shelf and noticed that aside from paranormal romance, you also read a lot of contemporaries and YA books.
So my first choice for you would be The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I've just read the book recently and it was really fantastic. I hope you can read it too.
For my second choice, I know that this book is already in your TBR list but I want you to try Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. It's wonderful and one of my all-time favorite contemporary romance novel.
You might also want to try Lisa Kleypas' contemporary series called the Travis Trilogy. Start with the first book in the series titled Sugar Daddy.
Thanks.
Happy reading!
I browsed through your shelf and noticed that aside from paranormal romance, you also read a lot of contemporaries and YA books.
So my first choice for you would be The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I've just read the book recently and it was really fantastic. I hope you can read it too.
For my second choice, I know that this book is already in your TBR list but I want you to try Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. It's wonderful and one of my all-time favorite contemporary romance novel.
You might also want to try Lisa Kleypas' contemporary series called the Travis Trilogy. Start with the first book in the series titled Sugar Daddy.
Thanks.
Happy reading!
Photojim,You have quite the mix of books read, so I chose some others based on the same theme:
1. Birthright by Nora Roberts
2. Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson
3. Mirror Image by Sandra Brown
4. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson (warning its a little disturbing but wonderfully written and everyone I have recommended it to have not been able to put it down once they have started)
Enjoy!
Annvelwis,Thanks for the suggestions, I think i'll read: Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie
Melissa,Thank you for the picks. I've looked at the reviews and all four look great! However, I'm sure I'll read Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson. I was in Half-Priced Books on Saturday and held this and Gibson's It Must Be Love in my hand. Although I bought It Must Be Love, I'll go back and pick up S.I. too. Having a book recommended to me that I had in my hands a few days ago tells me that is what I should read.
I've never read a Nora Roberts book. I've always been turned off by the covers as they look like something my mother in law reads. No offense to MiL's out there, but her record of giving me books has not been a good one. Perhaps I'll pick this one up when I start to feel disenchanted with my TBR pile.
And Girl with a Dragon Tattoo has piqued my interest. I generally like my books a little disturbing. If I go back to the bookstore and the other book is gone, this will be my pick.
Thank you again.
Annie,The third choice (in the event that my second has also fallen before your literary onslaught) is Victoria Dahl's Talk Me Down. A fun light rom-com with characters I liked 75% of the time. I really liked the sequel Start Me Up, but I think it would lose something if you didn't read TMD first.
If you don't like (or have read) the previous choices, let me know and I'll happily take another stab at it.
Jim
OK, Tara. Here goes! Since we have a mutual love for Cat and Bones, I thought I'd recommend Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey. The characters and plots are totally different, but the structure is similar and I like this series as much as Jeaniene Frost's. They have the same feel to them.
I noticed you've read a lot (or all) of Jennifer Crusie so I recommend Bobbie Faye's Very (Very, Very, Very) Bad Day by Toni McGee Causey. The publisher, for whatever reason, re-released this book this summer with a new title in Mass Market Paperback. That title is Charmed and Dangerous. They are the same book, though. This series is full of laughs, action, and romance with a bit of a mystery. Reminds me of Crusie's books.
My last recommendation is Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. Since you like Sookie Stackhouse, I'm thinking you'd like this series as well. I actually prefer Briggs and I've been a Charlaine Harris fan for years.
Hope one of these interests you!
tosca wrote: "Melissa - damn, is there anything you haven't read? LOL picking for you was incredibly hard - we'd read a lot of the same books. So, I made a list of ones you might want to try that are a mix of g..."I am going to go for the Feehan book/story. I've read all of Feehan's Carpathians and have wanted to try her other series, as well. This book is a perfect way to do that. It also has a short story that begins Eileen Wilks werewolf series. That is another author I've been curious about. Thanks!
Melissa wrote: "OK, Tara. Here goes! Since we have a mutual love for Cat and Bones, I thought I'd recommend Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey. The characters and plots are totally different, ..."
Hmm... they all sound good! I think I'll eventually read them all, but I think I'll try the Terri Garey books, since its the only author I'd never heard of and I like trying something completely new.
Thanks!
Hey Grain,Here's my 3 for you:
1. First Comes Marriage by Mary Balough
2. Austenland by Shannon Hale
3. The Luxe by Anna Godberson
Sallie wrote: "Mel, First- How to Murder a Millionaireby Nancy Martin. This is the first in the Blackbird Sisters Mysteries & it..."
I've decided to go with this one. The Borders I went into tonight didn't have any of the books you suggested but the staff did track down two of them - How to Murder a Millionaire and Blue Bloods - in another store. I pick them up tomorrow :)
Looking forward to reading them!
Cathy, thanks for the suggestions and I think I'll start with Dead witch walking but knowing me I'll end up reading the others at some point too.Yz, these suggestions are muddled - a bit like my mind today but anyways
The first is Under the Duvet Shoes, Reviews, Having the Blues, Builders, Babies, Families and Other Calamities It's a collection of column by Marian Keyes - some have already been published in newspapers and magazines over here in Ireland and some have not. It's mostly funny but it does have some very moving bits as well. There's also a follow up called Further Under the Duvet also incredible funny.
The second is Full Moon Rising. I'm suggesting this because I'm not entirely sure what I thought of it but I couldn't put it down.
Kasia wrote: "It all sounds gooooooood Annie. I'll read what I can track down first. Thanks! I hope you'll get some rest soon. Seems like you had that conference over the weekend... **sends hugs** "Thank you!
The conferences are Monday - Wednesday, but it's easier flying in the night before. 2 conferences in 3 weeks, with training in the same city the week in between! I'm really going to know my way around Christchurch by the end of the year!
Photojim wrote: "Annie (a mad hamster) wrote: "You're right about Nation, I have read & enjoyed it"OK, so my first choice is out. But at least I was on the right track. ..."
Hi Photojim - aha! The impetus I need to finally read American gods! If no luck, I'll try Talk me down.
The pressure to 'perform' and make a recommendation is intense, isn't it? I feel so guilty for those whose recommendations I couldn't read, because the books didn't arrive in time or, like September, when I left the book behind in my rush to pack & catch a plane!
But, I promise!, I'll be better this month.
PS I hardly ever recommend romance books - I'm more inclined to young adults, which a lot of us seem to read.
lesley wrote: "Hey Grain,
Here's my 3 for you:
1. First Comes Marriage by Mary Balough
2. Austenland by Shannon Hale
3. The Luxe by Anna Godberson"
Hello Lesley,
These seemed like fantastic choices. I've been wanting to read The Luxe so I might try that one. Thank you.
Here's my 3 for you:
1. First Comes Marriage by Mary Balough
2. Austenland by Shannon Hale
3. The Luxe by Anna Godberson"
Hello Lesley,
These seemed like fantastic choices. I've been wanting to read The Luxe so I might try that one. Thank you.
Karyn wrote: "Yz, these suggestions are muddled - a bit like my mind today but anywaysThe first is Under the Duvet Shoes, Reviews, Having the Blues, Builders, Babies, Families and Other Calamities It's a collection of column by Marian Keyes - some have already been published in newspapers and magazines over here in Ireland and some have not. It's mostly funny but it does have some very moving bits as well. There's also a follow up called Further Under the Duvet also incredible funny.
The second is Full Moon Rising. I'm suggesting this because I'm not entirely sure what I thought of it but I couldn't put it down..."
I added both books to my TBR shelf here in GR, and I've requested Full Moon Rising from my local library. Looking forward to reading it.
Thanks for the recommendations.
Emily wrote: "Valerie,Greetings and salutations. Here are a few choices that I hope you can find and enjoy. :^D
1.) P.S. I Love You ..."
Thanks Emily. The library has the first one. I can't wait to start it.
Hello Corrupt Angel,For someone who likes vampires, I can't believe that you do not have any of the Black Dagger Brotherhood on your list! I hope you are not intentionally avoiding them. Just in case, I gave you a couple to choose from:
1) Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
2) Fangs for the Memories by Kathy Love
3) Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
Enjoy!
Mel wrote: "LibraryLass, gosh, we have similar taste!!Anyway, here's a list for you to choose from:
1. The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe
2. Untouched by An..."</i>
Thanks Mel, I'm gonna give [book:The Smoke Thief a go. I've got it on reserve at my library. Looking forward to it.
LibraryLass wrote: "Thanks Mel, I'm gonna give The Smoke Thief a go. I've got it on reserve at my library. Looking forward to it."I hope you enjoy it!
Amanda wow this is going to be tough,but i notice we like the same type of books so here are a few you might like i hope you will be interested in one of these1.Virgin River-robyn carr
2.Baby Love-catherine anderson
3.Fantasy Lover-sherrilyn kenyon
4.Evermore this is a ya book-alyson noel
Tammy wrote: "Amanda wow this is going to be tough,but i notice we like the same type of books so here are a few you might like i hope you will be interested in one of these1.Virgin River-robyn ..."
Thanks for the recommendations, Tammy. I own two of these (Virgin River and Fantasy Lover) and have Evermore checked out from the library right now. Baby Love sounds good too and I'm adding it to the TBR. I can't wait to read them!
Hi Lily, I have to admit I enjoyed looking through your shelves. I found a lot of authors I had never heard of before. I hope you will find something that you might enjoy out of these:Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
The Duke And I by Julia Quinn (I love this series!)
Amanda wrote: "Hi Lily, I have to admit I enjoyed looking through your shelves. I found a lot of authors I had never heard of before. I hope you will find something that you might enjoy out of these:[book:Ple..."
I'm going to read The Duke and I.
Thanks :)
Corrupt - spot on choice! Just finished it last night and absolutely enjoyed the book :) So much so, in fact, that am going to read the other one in that same series I never got around to AND am going to highlight it in our library Romance e-newsletter for Oct (I'm the sucker editor whose library card is always maxed out trying to read them all before I recommend them yay me)
Tosca, I am glad you liked it. I am reading the last one the the series right now.
I've just finished How to Murder a Millionaire by Nancy Martin which was recommended to me by Sallie.This was a fun read. I like a bit more romance with my mysteries but what there was picqued my interest enough to search out the rest of the books in this series.
3.5 stars
Thanks for the recommendation, Sallie :)
I finished Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson this morning. Thanks to Melissa for a great recommendation.I'll write a review and update tomorrow night. Funny thing is second book/story in 24 hours where the mother doesn't tell the father she had his baby.
I've read a lot of these lately and it's by accident that I'm picking them up. I'm always in two minds when I read books where the woman doesn't tell the guy he's a dad. How hard do you have to keep trying to tell him, when do you give up if he doesn't believe it and when is it never a good thing to say to him? So many romance books feature this theme and you spend half the book reading about how justifiably angry he is, and the other half with her trying to make him see it from her angle. One I read recently had him suing for custody while romancing the ex-girlfriend in an effort to make her fall in love with him again so he can serve the custody papers. It gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about the drama and resulting ulcer.
Valerie, I went out and bought Dark Lover. If I like it I will go get the rest with my birthday money. I will start it within the week, I will let you know how it goes.
Grain de Beaute wrote: "Hello Tammy, I browsed through your shelf and noticed that aside from paranormal romance, you also read a lot of contemporaries and YA books.
So my first choice for you would be [book:The Hunge..."
I think i will go with kiss an angel,i have wanted to read this for awhile. I am adding sugar daddy to my to be read pile it sounds good. I am reading the hunger games right now for anouther chanllange. Thanks really good picks.
Sallie!I've noticed Stacey hasn't made her recommendations yet. (I've sent her a reminder, but she's offline last couple of days, and we're moving further and further into October...) Hopefully S. will jump in soon, but in the meantime, in case you needed a recommendation - would you take one from me? I'm thinking: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It's a really gripping and touching adventure. I had a blast with it.
Tara,I've just finished Tall, Dark & Dead. It was entartaining. I feel some hesitancy about characters choises and plot integrity, but it was easy to overlook. Thanks for the recommendation :)
tosca wrote: "I've read a lot of these lately and it's by accident that I'm picking them up. I'm always in two minds when I read books where the woman doesn't tell the guy he's a dad. How hard do you have to k..." Tosca, I agree that there just isn't a good time to not tell someone they have children. I liked Simply Irresistible, but I spent half the book wanting to smack the heroine. (review finally posted)
I finished two of the stories in the Lover Beware anthology. I am definitely going to read Feehan's Drake Sisters series. What a great start Magic in the Wind was. I'm a fan of her writing anyways and have always been curious about this series. I really liked Eileen Wilks' story too. It was loaded with background/world building, but it made me want to start that series so I can see what a full book is like.Great pick, Tosca! Thanks!
Melissa, I loved Feehan's Drake Sisters' series :)
Melissa wrote: "I finished two of the stories in the Lover Beware anthology. I am definitely going to read Feehan's Drake Sisters series. What a great start Magic in the Wind was. I'm a fan of her writing anywa..."I am a fan of the Drake Sisters series and the World of Lupi series by Eileen Wilks. Just a heads up - the first complete book in the World of Lupi series,
Tempting Danger, is basically a re-write of the short story with LOTS of changes. I still enjoy the series but that was disappointing to me.
Thanks for the heads up Valerie...I think I would have been put off had I not known that! I would have picked the book up expecting the storyline to move forward not repeat. I really liked the short story and the world so I would love a whole book getting to know it better, so to speak.
Sallie! Sorry this is comming this late, but I got a reply from Stayce. (We have to some communication issues because I asked for a post here, not a personal message, but hey, I'll take anything). So here's the PM from Stayce:
I am so sorry...I forgot.
I would recommend Sallie to read Marked by P.C.Cast & Kristen Cast
Phew. So that's that and I finally everrybody's got their recommendation.
Annvelwis wrote: "Tara,I've just finished Tall, Dark & Dead. It was entartaining. I feel some hesitancy about characters choises and plot integrity, but it was easy to overlook. Thanks for the recommendation :)"
I felt the same way about it! I'm glad you enjoyed it!:)
Sallie...it looks like we have a lot of books in common, but as far as I can tell you have read one of my favorite series. It is a young adult series called the House of Night series. The first book is Marked by P.c. Cast and Kristen Cast. I would highly recommend this book.
Yz wrote: "Cathy,We seem to enjoy similar books, so I'm going to recommend a few more that I've enjoyed and were not able to find in your GR shelves.
First choice: Slave to Sensation by N..."
Yz,
I just finished Shadow Game by Christine Feehan and really enjoyed it. I will be adding the rest of this series to TBR list.
Hi Kasia - thanks for the update on Stacey's recommedation - I have just returned from Portland Maine so I have been out of touch with what has been happening here - Stacey, thank you for the recommendation I will hunt for this book soon.
Thanks again
Valerie, I just got done reading Dark Lover. Thank you for the recommendation, I loved it. It started out rough but then it took off. I am now going to start Lover Eternal. Thanks again.
Mel W, I may need a backup list as the only book I can source is The smoke thief (which I really want to read) but am away on holiday and the book is overdue to be returned to my library, so may not get it in time. Can you give me another title or two and I can read one of those. (Don't want to not finish the challenge)
Yz wrote: "Cathy,We seem to enjoy similar books, so I'm going to recommend a few more that I've enjoyed and were not able to find in your GR shelves.
First choice: Slave to Sensation by N..."
Yz,
I have now finished both of your recommended reads
Shadow Game by Christine Feehan and Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh. I really enjoyed both series and have added both series to my TBR pile.
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Blood Magic by Jennifer Lyons
Shoot to Thrill by Nina Bruhns
Lucky Charm by Carly Phillips"
Hi de hi Corrupt :) I'm sad to say our library sucks (sshh I work there heh) and we don't hold the first two titles BUT I do enjoy Carly Phillips' books so have just now requested that. I've read Lucky Streak in this series but, for some reason, never the two before it doh. Looking forward to it - it should arrive tomorrow YAY ME!