Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
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TART Challenge - Round 3 - Fast like Molasses (11)
whew...i thought maybe I was being too picky. I too am very grateful for my library access. Since the pandemic, the libraries have increased the audio selections. Brilliance Audio, how selfish! LOL
Chan wrote: "whew...i thought maybe I was being too picky. I too am very grateful for my library access. Since the pandemic, the libraries have increased the audio selections. Brilliance Audio, how selfish! LOL"
Yeah, they did it when the libraries stopped carrying DRM protected audio and went to straight MP3 files...afraid too many people would pirate their books! Unfortunately they have quite a few of the big name romance authors. Most of Nora Roberts' backlist is with them, but she changed publishers a couple of years ago (at least for audio, not sure about print) so her new stuff is now available from the library again...yay!!!
53. Each teammate reads a book set in one of your teammates' home town (born in, raised in, currently live in - all work), teams decide. No pass for this task.For this one, do we all need to pick the same place? I actually just found a series set in Ohio (strangely enough 🤣). Might be an option.
Courtney wrote: "53. Each teammate reads a book set in one of your teammates' home town (born in, raised in, currently live in - all work), teams decide. No pass for this task.For this one, do we all need to pick..."
Yep, if it says "teams decide" or something similar, we all need to read the same of whatever the category is...in case hometown). I'd be fine with Ohio...and FYI, I LOVED One Reckless Summer! Might just read the first book in the spin-off series if we do this.
~KarenH~ wrote: " I'd be fine with Ohio...and FYI, I LOVED One Reckless Summer! Might just read the first book in the spin-off series if we do this."That's great to know! I found it as a recommendation when I was looking for a book for PTP. I was like, OHIO?! 😳🤣Not expecting that while browsing beach reads.
Actually sounds really cute, though.
Sounds good. Can we all read the same book?
Courtney wrote: "That's great to know! I found it as a recommendation when I was looking for a book for PTP. I was like, OHIO?! 😳🤣Not expecting that while browsing beach reads.Actually sounds really cute, though."
I found it to be a much deeper and more emotional book than I expected from reading the precis. It seems to strike people very differently though, because while most of the people I tend to agree with about books loved it, there were definitely some that didn't. It has its light, fun moments, but it also has some hard stuff in it too. There were at least a couple of times that I was a blubbering idiot, and books don't tend to make me cry very easily when I read them (they do more when I listen though).
Elizabeth wrote: "Sounds good. Can we all read the same book?"
Yes, unless the task specifically states that we have to read different books (which this one doesn't)
~KarenH~ wrote: "I found it to be a much deeper and more emotional book than I expected from reading the precis. It seems to strike people very differently though, because while most of the people I tend to agree with about books loved it, there were definitely some that didn't. It has its light, fun moments, but it also has some hard stuff in it too. There were at least a couple of times that I was a blubbering idiot, and books don't tend to make me cry very easily when I read them (they do more when I listen though).."
Ooh, that's good to know.
Man, I'm having the hardest time picking something for PTP because I know I want to have it done before I start here 🤣. Why is every beach book a super-long, over 400 page chick lit!!!! 🤪I need a quick hot surfer read or something 🤣
Courtney wrote: "Man, I'm having the hardest time picking something for PTP because I know I want to have it done before I start here 🤣. Why is every beach book a super-long, over 400 page chick lit!!!! 🤪I need a..."
I'm drawing a blank on hot surfer reads...sorry! ☹️ Now if you wanted a super short RS I'd have the perfect idea for you, but I know you're not a fan...
EDIT: Oops, nevermind...I was thinking the minimum for this challenge was 90 pages, but it's 100. The book I was thinking of is only 94.
Darn, thanks anyway.I still haven't picked anything because I'm trying to finish up
first 🤣. I found a series named Billionaire Beach, but in the precis of the one I want to read, it doesn't specify that it's Malibu. So I might have to read an earlier one that does. 🤷🏼♀️
I've never read any books by Ruby Dixon. Do you have to read her series in order or can you bounce around?
Elizabeth wrote: "I've never read any books by Ruby Dixon. Do you have to read her series in order or can you bounce around?"I think Courtney is the only one of us who has ever read anything by her, so hopefully she'll check in later (middle of the night for her right now I think). I wouldn't be the right person to ask anyway...I'm more than slightly obsessive about reading series in order, even when people say it isn't necessary. The only time I can do it is when it's not really a series, just a bunch of totally unrelated book connected by a certain theme that the author lumps together and calls a series - and even then it almost makes me twitch to read them out of order! 😂😂 I can make myself do it with rereads, although ideally I'd rather not...
Elizabeth wrote: "I've never read any books by Ruby Dixon. Do you have to read her series in order or can you bounce around?"Hmm, good question. For the Ice Planet Barbarians series, I think you could bounce around as long as it doesn't bother to hear about characters you haven't met yet. In
you meet the first five ladies, and you get a little info about what the planet looks like. You'll read about the other aliens that kidnap them and how they get left on the planet, but that's not too super important. They threaten to come back in a later book, but that's about it. In the second book,
, you meet I think like 6 more girls that were frozen the whole trip, so you could easily start there, too. Honestly, every book kind of covers the same format, boy likes girl and tries to impress her, so you don't really need too much backstory. Each book is primarily about the main couple.Really, the only one in the series I would say not to start is
because it's kind of a second part to Book 6 (two sisters get dropped off together).I think the Icehome series might get too confusing for skipping around, though, because it has all the characters from IPB plus the new ones that they find.
The corsairs would probably be fine to skip around, too. They don't really talk about the past couples in the following books, and there's probably enough world building in each book because they just live on a ship and in each book, they go to a different planet. I would not recommend Book 3
if you are squeamish. No torture happens on page, but the heroine talks about things that happened to her with her captors before the start of the book, and it's not pretty.The Risdaverse series is pretty much all independent, so you could totally read those out of order. They take place mostly on the same planet (Risda), but that's really all they have in common. Sometimes a girl will mention that another girl from a different story is her neighbor, but that's about it.
For the Fireblood dragons, I think it might be hard without the first book because it sets up everything that happened to Earth. After the first book, you could totally skip around because they all take place in different areas, but I'm not sure how clear everything would be without the first one.
For the Aspect & Anchor series, definitely start with book 1. Book 2 would be really hard without it.
You could easily start the Bedlum Butcher's series at
. It's the first book that hits the 150 page minimum for the challenge, and it introduces all of the MCs in it as if it's a first book. No real ties in to the first two books except that they're in the same motorcycle club. This one is a really a better start to the series anyway, and make Book 1 and 2 feel like prequels. It is super smutty, FYI.
I'm kinda excited about Ice Planet Barbarians now. I hope we get that task this time around.
It's almost time to start! I wonder if Kat is going to pull another fast one on us and call Task -03
Chan wrote: "I'm kinda excited about Ice Planet Barbarians now. I hope we get that task this time around."Me too! Enough that I've added it to my M&G to "to be picked" shelf...and it can be pulled from there if that task is picked for us right away. I've never read any romance involving aliens, but not for any particular reason, just that nothing's ever crossed my path that intrigued me enough to bother with it.
Well, yikes! Kat's being just a little bit evil...Task 1: For EVERY TEAM!
With St. Patricks Day coming up, everyone is Irish! As a team select whether you are going to read books set in Ireland OR books with an Irish character OR books with a primarily green cover. Each teammate must read a book that fits the qualification selected, no pass for this task.
Please include the team selected qualification in your completion posts. Remember you need to include how you know your book qualifies! I need to know where to look to confirm your book, include any info or links as necessary. If choosing the primarily green cover, it needs to be over 50% green to be accepted. Don’t forget to use the first edition Kindle page count!
So what is everyone thinking? I have books that cover both parts of the task so it doesn’t really matter to me either way.
Elizabeth wrote: "So what is everyone thinking? I have books that cover both parts of the task so it doesn’t really matter to me either way."Both? There are 3 options - Irish character, set in Ireland, or green cover.
I can find something that works for any of them, but I think my order of preference would be: 1. character, 2. location, 3. green cover.
Well my book is set in Ireland and has Irish characters so I just combined them. Lol
Elizabeth wrote: "Well my book is set in Ireland and has Irish characters so I just combined them. Lol"Ok, that makes sense...and I just found an alternate cover on one of my "short list" books that's green, so it actually jumps up above location. I have books that I'm planning on reading this month that fit the Irish character and green cover options. I also have a couple in mind that are set in Ireland, but not actually planned for this month, so any of them really do work for me.
Just got up! Let me look at my shelves. I'm thinking green cover might be easiest, though.
OK, so I found a few....Irish character but I think also takes place in Ireland
Irish character
So, I guess Irish character has more options I can find. Also good with green cover, though.
I've got these that I think are green enough.
Do depending on which we do I have these 2 books... I'd preper the green cover since I have the audio book of The last of August but I'm happy with either one. Green Cover
Irish character set in Ireland
For a green cover I have
and the only reason that one works for me is I listened to the novella that came right before it while I was running errands this morning. For Irish character I'd just listen to the next In Death book that I have waiting (don't remember offhand which one it is, but they all work), and for Ireland there are a couple of Nora Roberts' older series that are set in Ireland that I wouldn't mind revisiting. I'd probably go with
. Or I might poach from Courtney's options and go with
Are we going with green cover? I just got approval on
being green enough, so I'm good with that.
I hope so I’m almost half way through my book.
Sorry Ladies for being out of pocket. Life came calling. I'm so glad you didn't wait for me.
I'm running to look through my tbr for a green book
Elizabeth wrote: "I hope so I’m almost half way through my book."😳 You're so fast! 🤣🤣🤣
Hey Chan, I saw your post in the other thread. You can use any cover, it doesn't have the be the kindle one. However, you can't use the "stock" covers that they just stick in when they don't have an actual cover. There is one that works though...it looks blue, but TinEye calls it mostly green:
i posted in the other thread? lol i must be half asleepThanks for catching that Karen and answering my question
Karen, when you said other thread, i thought you meant our thread from last round, when we were team 10. I didn't realize i posted in the main thread LOL. I was on a short scavenger hunt looking for where i posted that question. 🤣I'm going to sleep...right now 😴
Chan wrote: "Karen, when you said other thread, i thought you meant our thread from last round, when we were team 10. I didn't realize i posted in the main thread LOL. I was on a short scavenger hunt looking fo..."LOL! I thought the message sounded like you probably intended to post it here, which is why I went ahead and answered it - but I also let Kat know what I'd told you so she wouldn't need to go hunting for an alternate cover that would work (which she does when that happens). I made sure I closed the thread from the last round as soon as we started chatting here, because I know myself well enough to know posting there is exactly the kind of thing I would have done!
Task 1: Completed 
Date completed: March 16
Pages: 326
Qualifies: Mostly green cover.
Rating: 3 stars (Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
I probably didn't need to add that 2 people tagged it Dark Green, but I'm not sure if others will think the background is Black or Dark Green. The physical book it is easy to tell...
Elizabeth wrote: "I probably didn't need to add that 2 people tagged it Dark Green, but I'm not sure if others will think the background is Black or Dark Green. The physical book it is easy to tell..."TinEye has it something like 85% green, so I think you're good! 😂😂
~KarenH~ wrote: "Chan wrote: "Karen, when you said other thread, i thought you meant our thread from last round, when we were team 10. I didn't realize i posted in the main thread LOL. I was on a short scavenger hu..."so glad you can read my non verbal cry for help LOL
BTW, thank you again for introducing me to In Death. I think the series title is what kept me away.
#1 | Task 1 - Green Cover Book: Judgment in Death
Pages: 360
Rating: 👮♀️👮♀️👮♀️👮♀️👮♀️
Completed: March 17, 2021
Qualifies: Mostly Green Cover
Chan wrote: "BTW, thank you again for introducing me to In Death. I think the series title is what kept me away."You're welcome! I avoided it for a long time too, and I don't even know why...I've always loved suspense/RS, so Death in the title wasn't the reason. Once I did start it though (over 15 years ago now - yikes!) I've made a point of recommending it whenever I get the chance!
Completion Post#1: ALL TEAMS - With St. Patricks Day coming up, everyone is Irish! As a team select whether you are going to read books set in Ireland OR books with an Irish character OR books with a primarily green cover. Each teammate must read a book that fits the qualification selected, no pass for this task.
Team picked green cover
Book: Fatal Flaw
Pages: 408
Rating: 4 stars
Completed: 3/16/21
Qualifies: Mostly green cover (over 60% per TinEye)
Elizabeth wrote: "Task 1: Completed Pages: 317
Qualifies: Mostly green cover. (2 People tagged it Dark Green)
Rating: 3 stars (Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3..."
Liz, will you please add your read date to this? Thanks!
Elizabeth wrote: "Task 1: Completed Pages: 317
Qualifies: Mostly green cover. (2 People tagged it Dark Green)
Rating: 3 stars (Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3..."
That was a good review. I was going to add the first book, but decided against it because i don't want to read the 2nd book lol
~KarenH~ wrote: "Completion Post#1: ALL TEAMS - With St. Patricks Day coming up, everyone is Irish! As a team select whether you are going to read books set in Ireland OR books with an Irish character OR books wi..."
Whoa! I totally forgot about this series. I liked book 1 although I wasn't thrilled with Nick's character. I wanted him to be stronger, not physically though. Similar to Roarke...Eve is a very strong character, but she doesn't overshadow Roarke AT ALL.
I planned on reading book 2, but don't know what happened. I read book 1 in 2017 LOL
Chan wrote: "~KarenH~ wrote: "Completion Post#1: ALL TEAMS - With St. Patricks Day coming up, everyone is Irish! As a team select whether you are going to read books set in Ireland OR books with an Irish char..."
I really enjoy the series, although I find myself comparing it to In Death...there are so many similarities! Some definite differences too, though - most notably the close family connections they have that Eve and Roarke don't. I think if you continue the series you won't be disappointed in Nick. In the first book he was floundering a bit, dealing with the loss of his friend and everything that went along with that. He gets over that pretty quickly! 😁
I've got about 100 pages left for mine, so hopefully I'll get through it tonight. It's actually going surprisingly fast! I thought it would be a lot darker than it is, but the MCs are actually really sweet. There was just a bit of gore at the beginning, but that's about it.
Thanks for the warning. I was waiting for your review of the book because the blurb is intriguing, but I too, thought it would be dark and gory. No rush on getting done. I typically listen to In Death stories all in one go because i get so caught up. I rarely speed these books up because I want them to last forever and ever.
Completion Post#1: ALL TEAMS - With St. Patricks Day coming up, everyone is Irish! As a team select whether you are going to read books set in Ireland OR books with an Irish character OR books with a primarily green cover. Each teammate must read a book that fits the qualification selected, no pass for this task.
Team picked green cover
Book: Laurent and the Beast
Pages: 360
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Completed: 3/18/21
Qualifies: Mostly green cover
Review:
This was my first K.A. Merikan book, and I didn't really know what to expect - time-travel, pacts with a demon, motorcycle club - it really could have gone completely ridiculous. But, honestly, it was just fantastic. Super original, really interesting, totally unexpected. Just sucks you in! The story was fresh and different from anything else I've read, and the characters were just super well done. Even the villain was great. The authors made me hate him so much! 🤣
There is a bit of gore in the beginning, but the majority of the book is actually pretty sweet for a motorcycle club romance. The MCs are totally cute together. That scene where Beast gets Laurent his first pair of glasses?
When they won't let them into the waterpark?
I really just enjoyed Beast's character so much. He's really what kept me invested in this. I needed to see this guy win! I loved the whole gruff and scary on the outside, sweet and cuddly on the inside he had going on. Truthfully, I got a little annoyed with Laurent at times, but I was a total sucker for Beast.
I'm not sure if I'm totally sold on the precis for Knight's story, but this book was such an enjoyable read that I'll likely come back for more in the series.
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Love on Lexington Avenue (other topics)Risky Play (other topics)
Happy Singles Day (other topics)
A Husband's Regret (other topics)
6-Pack Rancher (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Ilona Andrews (other topics)Jack Davenport (other topics)
Jacob Chance (other topics)
Ruby Dixon (other topics)
Weston Parker (other topics)
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I thought the same thing. They've not scored any points with me since they did away with Audible Escapes. Thank goodness I have good library access and can find a lot of what I want to listen to there! Not everything, unfortunately, since Brilliance Audio won't allow their books into libraries...