Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
The Amazing Race Archive
>
TART Challenge - Round 3 - Fast like Molasses (11)
I'm so glad! I was a little worried that it was going to be hard to get into because I know you read a lot of historicals. The alien romance genre can be a bit weird (and sometimes really awful), but Ruby Dixon was the first one I felt comfortable trying because it seemed the most "tame" as far as sci-fi goes, and I really enjoyed her style. Now that you're introduced to the big blue guys, you could skip around to some of her other series for lighter stories without being lost when you need them for challenges, too. Most of the Corsairs (all except book 3) are super light and fun, and the the one I'm doing now in the Risda series is super sweet.
Completion - Task 71. Each player reads a book by the same author, teams decide author - no pass for this task.
Team chose Ruby Dixon
Ice Planet BarbariansPages: 188 (Kindle version)
Rating: 4 stars
Completed: 3/28/21
How the book qualifies: Written by Ruby Dixon
Completion Post - Task 71. Each player reads a book by the same author, teams decide author - no pass for this task.
Team chose Ruby Dixon
When She Dances
Pages: 170 (Kindle version)
Completed: 3/30
How the book qualifies: Written by Ruby Dixon
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
I've read a lot of Dixon since coming across the Ice Planet Barbarians series a few years ago, and I think this book is going to be one of my all-time Dixon favorites.
I absolutely loved the couple in this. Tessa is a great combo of tough, without being a b-----, and sweet, without being a doormat. And no whining! After all those Icehome ladies, I really needed a character like Tessa. She has a nice realness to her, and I really appreciate when Dixon writes heroines like these.
And Zakoar is just wonderful. I always love a good Beauty and Beast-esque, scarred hero romance, and this is just such a great twist on that troupe. Zakoar has been injured several times over his life, and then "repaired" by the government so much that he's now more of a cyborg. Lots of metal pieces, lots of skin grafts. And because he knows what a terrible job the Messakah do when fixing their soldiers so they can immediately be sent back out to war, he has learned to improve these modifications to give others a better quality of life.
I can't recall Dixon doing anything similar to this before, and I really just loved everything about it. The characters have great chemistry. The story is sweet. Just a really nice romance. And it's different enough from the rest of the IPB or Icehome series that if those are starting to feel a bit repetitive, this can definitely be a nice change of pace to pull you back into Dixon's world.
#7 | Task 1. Each player reads a book by the same author - Ruby DixonBook: Ice Planet Barbarians
Pages: 188
Rating: 👽👽👽👽
Completed: March 30, 2021
Qualifies: Author is Ruby Dixon
I'm dying to know what you guys thought! Was it enough story even though it was on the shorter side? And, Chan, did it get too gory with the hunting?
I wasn't too sure at the beginning, but once I got through about the first 25% or so it picked up for me. I ended up liking it enough to add the next one to my wishlist!
Yay! I'm so glad! Yeah, the beginning starts a bit dark, but I think it really picks up. I think you'll like the next book, too. As you go through the series, it's pretty clear that Raaosh and Liz are the author's favorite couple 🤣🤣
The gore was a bit AHHH. Vektar eating the heart and the description of the warm burst of flavor...blech! Some of those images messed me up a bit. The story was also a bit whimsical in terms of the humor and events ~ "he didn't want to eat me. He wanted to eat me out."
I would have preferred it to be longer, especially with the intense beginning and the need for world building, but I knew going in that the length would be an issue for me.
But it was fun and I enjoyed the ride of exploring a new genre. I added books 1.5 and 2.
Here is your next task!Task 8 - 33. Read 6 books in the same sub-genre, teams decide.
As a team select a sub-genre and than read 6 books in that sub-genre. Please include the selected sub-genre in your completion posts.
I hope I'm not going to confuse the issue, but I'm jumping in anyway. We selected contemporary I think mostly because it's the most prevalent sub-genre, but I'm wondering if we want to switch to historical instead since I know we all like it. I'm fine either way, I just know contemporary is kind of hit or miss for (I think) Courtney.If anyone has already started a contemporary book, just disregard this! 😁
Ok, I'm great with contemporary. If I was going to mix things up I should have done it before anyone had a chance to start reading!
I’ve got 2 contemporaries that are pretty short. I should be able to knock them out by tomorrow night.
I'm going a bunch of different directions today and might be tomorrow too, so I won't promise more than one book. Actually haven't even looked for anything yet, but I have tons of options. Might even do a reread, just because it requires less attention...
I'm fine with contemporary. Maybe the next one we can switch to historical if everyone wants. I think there's another sub genre one near the end. I actually still need an adventure book for PTP, so it'll probably be easier to double up with a contemporary anyway.
As long as a book has contemporary as a MPG, it's good right?I have
, but Military and Suspense are both higher up on the list.
Courtney wrote: "As long as a book has contemporary as a MPG, it's good right?I have
, but Military and Suspense are both higher up on the list."Yep, that's perfecct. Actually, it just needs to be tagged both contemporary romance (or each tag separately, I believe) to qualify. Doesn't need to be MPG, although Kat prefers that.
Chan wrote: "The gore was a bit AHHH. Vektar eating the heart and the description of the warm burst of flavor...blech! Some of those images messed me up a bit. The story was also a bit whimsical in terms of t..."
Oh, I didn't even remember that part 🤦♀️! I just remembered they hunted for khuis at the end. I think that might be the worse of it in any of the books, though. I know they complain a lot about eating raw meat, but I don't think there's very many actual hunting scenes.
Hopefully the second book will feel a bit fuller. I do think the first one has more to cover with the kidnappers and the new planet, and it was originally is serial form, so the feel is just a bit different from the rest of the series.
I really like the kind of snarky, punny humor Dixon uses. Some of the heroines go a bit overboard with it, but most of the time it makes me chuckle. I think I like this kind of humorous sci-fi style even more because so many other sci-fi romances are just dark and abusive. It's nice having something more light and fun. V.K. Ludwig is another one that does this kind of sarcastic humor sci-fi, too.
~KarenH~ wrote: Yep, that's perfect. Actually, it just needs to be tagged both contemporary romance (or each tag separately, I believe) to qualify. Doesn't need to be MPG, although Kat prefers that."Ok, cool. I'll get started this afternoon. I can probably find another short contemporary if we end up still needing a 6th book.
#8 | Task 33: Read 6 books in the same sub-genre ~ Contemporary RomanceBook: Assumption
Pages: 220
Rating: 👩⚕️👩⚕️👩⚕️👩⚕️
Completed: March 31, 2021
Qualifies: MPG Contemporary Romance
Courtney wrote: "Ok, cool. I'll get started this afternoon. I can probably find another short contemporary if we end up still needing a 6th book."I've finished my first book and started a second that I should be able to finish tonight, barring anything unplanned happening. I sure hope so anyway because the little OCD corner of my brain really hates to not finish my books at the end of the month...don't like crossovers!
haha i was just coming to post I found a 2nd book - Beneath this InkLooks like Liz and Karen are reading 2 books. Thanks, Ladies :o)
Completed Task #8 | Task 33: Read 6 books in the same sub-genre ~ Contemporary RomanceBook 1:
Pages: 512
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Completed: March 30, 2021
Qualifies: MPG Contemporary Romance
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 2:
Pages: 189
Rating: ❤❤
Completed: March 31, 2021
Qualifies: MPG Contemporary Romance
Review :https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Completion - Task 8 - 33. Read 6 books in the same sub-genre, teams decide.Team chose Contemporary Romance
Book 1:
Southern SunrisePages: 215 (Kindle version)
Rating: 4 stars
Completed: 3/30/21
How the book qualifies: MPG Romance > Contemporary Romance
Book 2:
Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny's LairPages: 244 (Kindle version)
Rating: 4 stars
Completed: 3/31/21
How the book qualifies: MPG Romance > Contemporary Romance
Completion Post - Task 833. Read 6 books in the same sub-genre, teams decide.
Team chose contemporary
Stranded with the SEAL
Pages: 238 (Kindle version)
Completed: 4/1
How the book qualifies: MPG Contemporary Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Review:
Have you ever gotten really frustrated with a book because you could see all the potential it has, but it just doesn't come together right? This is that book for me.
The writing style? Good
The general plot with the ex-SEAL wanting revenge on the guy who killed his buddy and then falling in love with the bad guy's girl? Super fun
A handful of side characters with great personalities that you can't wait to read more about in their books? Yup, just right
But the main characters?
They're absolutely ridiculous and their actions make no sense. They meet when Hawk comes around a blind corner and demolishes Olivia's car. She's knocked unconscious, and despite his frequent worry that she's dying, all he's capable of doing is getting a stiffy every time he thinks about her.
And when Olivia wakes up, turns out she has amnesia. Why did the author decide to give her amnesia? I have absolutely no freaking clue. It made absolutely no sense. It doesn't do anything for the story except add these weird awkward scenes where Olivia wants to do Hawk, but feels a little guilty because she knows she's engaged to someone she can't remember....but she still does Hawk anyway....and it turns out she was on the run from her crime-lord finance because he was roughing her up a bit...but she ends up still feeling guilty about cheating on the guy....who also bangs underage sex trafficking victims...
Added to this was a whole bunch of ridiculousness to explain stupid stuff that didn't even need to be in the book anyway. Like, the fact that Olivia is actually a super famous actress, whose stage name is Brooke. Why did she need to be a famous actress? Beats me.
She forgets this anyway because of the stupid amnesia, and Hawk doesn't recognize her the whole time they're together....until they're going at it, and he sees the name "Brooke" tattooed on her butt. Yes, the world-famous, just hosted SNL, actress with a billionaire fiance has her own stage name tattooed on butt. And it is that form of identification that suddenly makes her recognizable. Do you think Lady Gaga has the same problem? Dudes not recognizing her because she introduces herself as Stefani, but then they see she has Lady Gaga tattooed somewhere and then they figure it out?
Yeah, no....because it's stupid.
And don't even get me started on how no one knew that a famous actress was engaged to a famous billionaire WHO SHE LIVED ON THE SAME FREAKING MOUNTAIN WITH. Or how a team of former Navy SEALs didn't know the regular billionaire Marco Acero (that Olivia/Brooke was engaged to) was actually also Marco Steele, the drug and sex trafficking billionaire that tortured and killed their buddy. Acero even means steel in Spanish...ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This crack team couldn't put two and two together until the end of the book? Maybe you need someone new to join your team. I heard this guy is pretty good with solving mysteries.
Seriously, if the author hadn't pushed so hard to put so much in here, this could have been so much better. All the crazy extras just ended up making the story feel ridiculous. And the insta-love is this was just sooooo bad. Way too quick and nothing to back up the infatuation. The relationship was so unbelievable and so forced that she would have been better off just leaving it out completely and making the entire focus how the SEALs go after the bad guy who killed their teammate.
I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series or not. I really enjoyed Cowboy and Jax and Logan, but if their books are over-written like this one, I'm just going to end up super frustrated with them, too.
I swear this better not foreshadow all the books I'm going to read for April. I hate when I start the month with something 🤪.
Ok, I just got Zoey Ellis's new book, and I'm totally stoked. Hoping it's going to fit an upcoming task! 
Courtney wrote: "Completion Post - Task 833. Read 6 books in the same sub-genre, teams decide.
Team chose contemporary
Stranded with the SEAL
Pages: 2..."
Yikes. that sounds like a frustrating read. The author was def doing too much.
Courtney wrote: "I swear this better not foreshadow all the books I'm going to read for April. I hate when I start the month with something 🤪."LOL that would suck, but it happens like that for me too sometimes. The first book of the month can predict how my reading will be for a while.
Courtney wrote: "Ok, I just got Zoey Ellis's new book, and I'm totally stoked. Hoping it's going to fit an upcoming task! "
what is it?
I've been waiting for two months to get my hands on it 🤣. I really like the author. She can get dark, but she's super original. Her stuff never feels like a rehash of something I've read before, so I always look forward to her new stuff.
Chan wrote: "Yikes. that sounds like a frustrating read. The author was def doing too much..."Yes! Ugh, so frustrating. She needs a better editor who isn't afraid to tell her when to cut stuff. She's definitely a "throw in everything and the kitchen sink" kind of author. It's a shame because she can write really well, it's just too much stuff.
Here is your next task!Task 9 - 63. Read a minimum of 1200 pages in books tagged 'magic' or 'magical'.
Qualification for this will come from the tags/shelves only. The books selected need to be tagged 'magic' or magical'. Variations of the words and combo tags will be allowed in context. Remember to use the first edition Kindle page count!
i don't know what to read. I have so many good options now. i've added a few books that you all have read from these past challenges and now where my tbr was devoid of magical books, it has quite a few :o)
I've actually got quite a bit on my new M&G shelf that work. I'm planning on a couple of short ones that will total a little over 500 pages, so that will give the rest of you some flexibility. I'm starting with
(thanks for the idea, Courtney) and then I'll go with
Oh good I’m already reading One of the Disney retelling books that are tagged as Magic.
Elizabeth wrote: "Oh good I’m already reading One of the Disney retelling books that are tagged as Magic."I hope you didn't start it before the theme was called, otherwise it won't qualify... 🙁
Ok I’ll start the next one then lol
MountainKat wrote: "Here is your next task!Task 9 - 63. Read a minimum of 1200 pages in books tagged 'magic' or 'magical'.
Qualification for this will come from the tags/shelves only. The books selected need to be ..."
MountainKat I think you must really like me 🤣🤣🤣. The last MPG tag on the book I bought yesterday is "Magic", and I'm dying to read it!
~KarenH~ wrote: "I'm starting with (thanks for the idea, Courtney)"Oooh can't wait to see what you think!
This is another fairy tale retelling that I thought looked good if you guys need something
Courtney wrote: "Ok I'm doing to start. The page number isn't listed on Goodreads yet, but on Amazon it's 289."I added the page count for you! 😃
I was surprised when I started looking how many books I had on my M&G shelf that work for this one!
~KarenH~ wrote: "Courtney wrote: "Ok I'm doing to start. The page number isn't listed on Goodreads yet, but on Amazon it's 289."I added the page count for you! 😃"
Thanks!
Chan, I totally forgot! How about
? Did you ever get to that series?
Courtney wrote: "MountainKat wrote: "Here is your next task!Task 9 - 63. Read a minimum of 1200 pages in books tagged 'magic' or 'magical'.
Qualification for this will come from the tags/shelves only. The books ..."
Oh yeah. you just posted about it. the zoey ellis book.
total favortism 😜
~KarenH~ wrote: "I was surprised when I started looking how many books I had on my M&G shelf that work for this one!"IKR me too! i was shocked because i remember there was a time i had a big fat 0
Courtney wrote: "Chan, I totally forgot! How about ? Did you ever get to that series?"Not yet. i'm still trying to decide. I have so many good ones. I blame you, Karen and Liz for this dilemma.
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)
More...
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)
More...
Her books are pretty short, but most of them do a good job I think. Ther..."
I'm glad you got me out of my comfort zone. I can't say I've been completely converted to the genre, but it doesn't make me as nervous anymore. lol I've tried some really bad Alien novels before. So I'm glad to know when doing these challenges I now have an author I can turn to for this genre. 😊