TART Challenge - Round 5 - Reading on Empty (11)

[Kira]

I'm going to be a little slow on this one. I just did not have the energy to stay up and read yesterday. Sorry team. Will hopefully be done late tonight.

[Maggie]

Kira wrote: "I'm going to be a little slow on this one. I just did not have the energy to stay up and read yesterday. Sorry team. Will hopefully be done late tonight."

It's okay Kira. I'm in the same boat. Our daughter had her AP History exam today, so last night I was up late with her to help with a panic attack that came on hard.

This morning we woke up to a flooded basement as our hot water heater had sprung a leak, a son with a non weight bearing ankle as apparently we asked him to play through practice yesterday on a sprain and not just on a weak ankle, and a round of therapy visits for him to get him ready for a psych evaluation that the school board has scheduled for him next Tuesday. Because the school district is trying to prove that he doesn't have PTSD and that if he DOES it wasn't caused by bullying from peers or from administrators.

I commented on M and Kirsten's posts earlier while I was hanging out in one doctor's office. I read a little while I was in another. Then I wound up driving to another part of our state to get to the sports medicine group we use for his ankle. I got back in town just in time to pick up our daughter who had finished her exam and was such a zombie her teachers sent her home. LOL. I sat down to eat and read then.

My BIL is a plumber and was able to get us a water heater and showed up about two hours ago. Right before he pulled into the driveway he received a text from the job he'd been working at for the last two days that read "Thank you SO MUCH for fixing everything! We really appreciate it and your willingness to work in the house with us while we have COVID!"

They never told him they had COVID. He and my sister have a 4yo and a 1yo. Our family calls them Tiny Tornado and Tiny Tank. For good reasons. My sister is fried. She's an occupational therapist for a state run practice.

My mom has cancer, COPD, and is still incredibly medically fragile from catching COVID this past January.

So instead of reading I've been helping my sister figure out when they last saw my parents, how we can help my sister with the Tinys over the next week as my BIL will be living in their in law apartment, she'll be working full time and the kids will be at school - unless anyone gets sick.

And, then I had to call my mom and tell her about my BIL, where he was now, and she had to ask me not to see her this weekend.

I haven't seen my mom since Christmas. We live in the same town. Our son is convinced that my mom is going to get very ill, wind up in a hospital and he'll never see her again. It's been his fear since the start of the pandemic. I get it. But I'm tired of trying to talk him down out of the fear.

So. I'm going to go back to reading now. It's just slow. I'm enjoying a glass of wine and have a mindless movie on in the background as well.
My body feels like wet cement and my mind is just slow and it's like thinking through mud.

I'll be up late tonight. Whenever you and I post I'll get our stuff over to the Q&A thread. It'll all work out.

I mean - there aren't aliens who are trying to take over the world. 🤷
(I have Independence Day on in the background. 😆)

[Kirsten]

Oh, honeys, take care. It’s just a reading challenge.

[M]

Kira - No worries!! Take your time. Real life is more important.

Maggie- Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! Huge hugs to you and your family. That is terribly difficult. I pray that no one in your BIL's family get covid. Get some rest and don't worry about us.

[Kira]

COMPLETION POST
Task 10: 51) Different Books by the Same Author - Pippa Grant
Stud in the Stacks by Pippa Grant


Page numbers: 274 (See Above Links)
How book qualified: Author Pippa Grant
Date Completed: 5/7/22
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review: I wasn't sure about Parker in the last book, but I really warmed up to her in this one. She's also super funny, but a little more subtle than Ambrosia. Knox's grandmother was amazing and having a male main character that reads romance was a nice twist!

[Kira]

Maggie wrote: "Kira wrote: "I'm going to be a little slow on this one. I just did not have the energy to stay up and read yesterday. Sorry team. Will hopefully be done late tonight."

It's okay Kira. I'm in the s..."

Ugh, Maggie, that's SO MUCH. I'm sorry you're going through all that.
I have my fingers crossed that your sister's family stays happy and healthy. Same with your parents, as much as is possible.
And it seems like you're doing a great job of supporting your kids. It sounds like they've got a lot on their plates as well.

I'm on-call this weekend and had to drive out to a goat kidding at 1am. The baby goat was already dead. It took quite a bit of effort, but I got her out (in pieces 😬), hoping to save the mom. But once the baby was out, I felt a tear in the mom's uterus. And that was a super bad prognosis. So I euthanized the mom. And it was just sad. And I feel a little like I failed them all. And ugh.

Minor in comparison. But, I moved here during covid. So I haven't really made any friends in the area outside of work. Or been able to really get out and do much hobby/activity wise. So when work isn't great, those feelings tend to bleed over into free time too it seems.

[Maggie]

Completion Post
Task 10 - 51. Each teammate reads a different book by the same author, no pass for this task. We chose Pippa Grant as the author

The Last Eligible Billionaire by Pippa Grant
Page numbers: Kindle Edition, 352 pages
How book qualified:Author Pippa Grant
Date Completed: 5/7/22
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This is being shelved as one of my favorite Pippa books. It's a writing style that is similar to her book The Hot Mess and the Heartthrob. Pippa's rom com amazingness is very much in this book from the start, however her humans are also so much realer right from the start. I've always loved Pippa books for her characters. She gives all of her humans normal flaws, fears, illnesses, hurdles, traumas, cuts and bruises that we all carry around in life. In some books it takes awhile for those things to come to the front for the characters. Luca and Henri were like this in Real Fake Love. In Hot Mess and Last Eligible though, there isn't just the baring of her humans in her writing so quickly into the plot it's how much of Pippa herself that she wrote into these two books. Hot Mess was written in a weird time of the world and a weird time for Pippa. Hot Mess was a book she wrote to get all of her own emotions out. Last Eligible was a book she spoke freely about enjoying her writing process. She'd post quite a bit about making herself laugh out loud again while writing this book. There are more Easter eggs in this story than she's ever put in. There are also tiny things about her own life that she's shared in her reader's group which Begonia and Hayes say and do. This is also one of the few Pippa books that has made me cry. I think Hot Mess may be the only other one. Editor Jess (and most of her readers) is going to scream though as she very very very much just started a new world, teased another Rutherford story there in the end and then GHOSTED us LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL. The best thing about Pippa is I know that when she is finished with her book tours, her big adventure with her family, and the next two books she has for the year - she'll pop into her group and apologize to us while giggling over whose voices are and aren't in her head at that time. She's such a fun person and her books make you feel that.

[Maggie]

COMPLETION POST- Team 11 Reading On Empty
Task 10

M:Msg 246
Kirsten:Msg 247
Kira:Msg 255
Maggie:Msg 257

*posted on Q&A

[Maggie]

Thanks All! My house is finally settling down. The daughter is starting to come out of AP exam fog. She was finally making jokes about it today.
The son is doing a lot better as well. We don't typically have him do ice baths with sprained ankles, but we did this time around and it's working wonders on the internal swelling. He hates them, but he's able to put full weight on the ankle and take short walks. No supports or braces on his foot. He should be back to sports fit by end of week. As for the rest of the coming week, we're just telling him to talk to us or other adults he trusts about whatever it is he needs to.

My SIL and BIL aren't showing any signs of illness. The Tiny Terrors are driving my sister up a wall. they do semi private weekend swim classes on Saturday so I went with her today as an extra set of hands. it was, and adventure.

My dad saw my other nephew two days ago and picked up a GI bug from HIM which has my dad living in one part of their house and my youngest sister and my mom living in another. At the very least it isn't COVID.

I promised my mom we'd do their grocery shopping tomorrow and bring by her gifts which are all gardening based. I'm going to be on standby for my Dad in case he needs an emergency contact.

I'm taking my niece with me and my two out book shopping and bribing them all with a starbucks treat. then I'm dropping the tiny with her mom, dropping my kids at home, and my husband and I are going to dinner downtown by ourselves.

I've been sleeping as I can. Hence the late hour of this post.

[Maggie]

Kira wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Kira wrote: "I'm going to be a little slow on this one. I just did not have the energy to stay up and read yesterday. Sorry team. Will hopefully be done late tonight."

It's okay Kir..."

Oh Kira. 😢 I 100% could never do vet or animal care work. And yes it is perfectly normal for all of those feelings to bleed over into non work hours.

Not to mention a move right before the entire world shut down 😢😢

We were supposed to move cross country to Seattle in June of 2020, but COVID stopped that for us. It's hard enough without a pandemic to make friends as adults, but to add in isolation it's really hard. My friends and I were just talking about this the other day. We haven't really made friends outside of our neighbors or our kid's social circles since we've become parents. We all had our babies early. I'm not even sure I have any social skills left at this point in your life.

It's not the same - but feel free to pop on here and chat when you need people.

The other thing I do a lot is facetime and over text with one of my forever besties. She lives in Florida while I'm up here in CT. We seem to trade off on who is going through hard times. We've been together since the first day of high school. Sometimes just hearing her voice or seeing a snarky "get over yourself" text from her helps me. It's not someone right there with you, but don't discount any far away friendships when the yuck feelings start to creep in.

[M]

Oh my gosh, Kira! Bless your heart. I can't imagine doing what you do, but thank you so much for all fo it. So sorry the outcome wasn't the best. Hugs! I agree with all the Maggie said. We are here if you ever need to chat. We can be your faraway sounding boards.

[M]

My 12 year starting getting a sore throat yesterday afternoon. By late evening he had a temp of 101. Woke up this morning with a yucky sounding cough, chills and a fever of 103.6 -- He is so bummed because he has the remainder of state testing Tues-Thurs and then of course baseball. I told him not to worry. His health is more important, but he is a boy who loves school and baseball.

If I'm a bit quiet in the next couple of days you know why.

[Kirsten]

Ih, sick kids in warm weather… nor a good match.

Im feeling pretty guilty about how easy I have things.

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Can I just say that it is wonderful to see how supportive you all are of each other!! ❤️ Wishing you all the best!

And now, here is your next task!

Task 11 - 3. Each player reads a book by a new to you author - no pass for this task.

To qualify for this task, the selected books need to be written by a new to you author. You may have other books by the selected author on your shelves, but only the book selected for this task can be marked as read/rated. Include a link to your read shelf in your completion post, ideally sorted to your selected author. Please make sure the book you read for this task is on your shelves and marked as read. If your profile is private, you will either need to open if for the duration of this task or friend me so I can confirm your book. If I cannot confirm your book, the task is not completed.

[Kira]

Maggie: I'm glad things are settling down for your kids! And hopefully your dad feels better soon. Book shopping and a dinner date sounds like a great Sunday. I've always wanted to visit Seattle! But I think I'm too chicken to make an international move. But it's pretty close and my boss was bugging me to book some holiday time, so maybe I'll get to go soon!

M: Thank you! Sorry to hear about your son. Sickness seems to always have the worst timing. Trying to perform for sports/exams while not feeling 100% can't be easy.

Also, Happy Mother's Day to all of you! I hope you're all feeling loved and appreciated today (and every day).

[M]

Kira wrote: "Maggie: I'm glad things are settling down for your kids! And hopefully your dad feels better soon. Book shopping and a dinner date sounds like a great Sunday. I've always wanted to visit Seattle! B..."

Thanks, Kira! Hope to get him seen this morning. It was quite the fiasco yesterday and made for a day when I hate living so rural. Not many options when urgent care randomly closes and leaves no options.

[M]

Selection Post

Task Task 11 - 3. Each player reads a book by a new to you author - no pass for this task.


Raise Hell by Ashley Gee

Qualifies New to me author - have books shelved to read, but this is my first one reading
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list...
Page Count 324

[Kirsten]

Task 11 - 3. Each player reads a book by a new to you author
Completion Post

Fool Hearts
Emmy Sanders
294 pages
Completed 9 May
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

2.5 stars, rounded down.
Bad tropes, unbalanced,
Voices were the same, plus kid.
Big challenge points, though!
Honestly, if I weren't reading this for 2 challenges (and I have to read what I pick in the other one for the major bonus), I'd have dnf'ed. There's 20+ years of unrequited love, a dead wife, homophobia, and the characters are dull. I knew going in that I prolly woudn't love it, but I was disappointed anyway.

[Kira]

COMPLETION POST
Task 11: 3) New to You Author
Lessons in Corruption by Giana Darling


Page numbers: 406 (See Above Links)
How book qualified: First/Only book by author marked read on my Shelves
Date Completed: 5/9/22
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️(⭐️)
Review: Reverse age gap doesn't usually work for me. Stud in the Stacks was an exception. Lessons in Corruption has a lot of issues. King was supposed to be 18, but he was written so much older. And Cressida was 26, and did have a sheltered upbringing, but was still written very young, The first chapter was creepy. Then it started waxing poetic and was just cliched. Ugh. I'm almost embarrassed that I liked this as much as I did. Maybe I'll revisit this review and take away that 4th star. But I tend to rate with my heart, not my head. I needed some escapism and for whatever reason I managed to set aside my disbelief and ignore the issues and just fall into this story. The Canadian setting was fun. Biker romances always get brownie points from me, And I did really appreciate Darling's writing style. I'm looking forward to reading more from her. Hopefully the next one will have fewer issues.

[Maggie]

Completion Post
Task 11 - 3. Each player reads a book by a new to you author

Fish Out of Water by Josie Watts
Page numbers:Kindle Edition, 349 pages
How book qualified: First/Only book by author marked read on my Shelves
Date Completed: 5/9/22
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This book had me laughing out loud quite a bit. the characters were fantastic. Julia is a young woman living in a retirement community. The community has adopted her as their de facto grandchild, young person, and over all able body. The personalities in the side characters are just as colorful as they are in the main characters. The book only gets better once Grant's mother and his grandmother enter the picture. The books reads like a Stephanie Plum novel if Stephanie were on the outs with her overly christian, very reserved family who had disowned her and Morelli and Ranger morphed into one person whose extended family was once the most extensive crime family on the East Coast, but are now retired. Grandma Mazur misses her husband and has a fortune so she drinks White Claws, still carries her handgun (in a high end designer purse) and is trying to track down Cousin Vinnie who in this version of the world is actually Grandma Mazur's brother. Bonus points for this version of a Plum novel as the chick playing the role of Stephanie ACTUALLY winds up with the guy. It was a good read. More of the book focused on female empowerment, learning to love and be your true self, honoring the titles of "nerd" and "weird" as sexy and cool vs undesirable items, and being okay with wearing the same stilettos' you took a guy's eyeball out with to dinner three days later. This author was fun, gave her character's interesting depths and the only real disappointment I had with the book is that Uncle Vito's story turned out to be just like everyone said it would be. I had faith that Vito would live up to the awesomeness of the rest of his family. Alas, no. He really couldn't make past the two bit con man. Pity.

[Maggie]

M wrote: "My 12 year starting getting a sore throat yesterday afternoon. By late evening he had a temp of 101. Woke up this morning with a yucky sounding cough, chills and a fever of 103.6 -- He is so bummed..."

M - I'm not ignoring you! I wanted to stop in and make sure you and your house were doing okay. Let us know how we can help you from afar, even if it's not challenge related. No matter how big or small the babies are, fevers of 101 or higher still make my stomach twist. I hope your kiddo is on the mend and that the rest of the house is healthy-ish. Don't worry about any of the challenge, just let us know you are doing okay. Thinking of you!

[Maggie]

Kirsten wrote: "Ih, sick kids in warm weather… nor a good match.

Im feeling pretty guilty about how easy I have things."

Never ever feel guilty for being a little beyond the stage of life where all the crazy of kids or your job come crashing through the walls out of nowhere. You're a professor! I can only imagine what the last two years of your teaching life has been like! My friends don't teach at the university level, but watching them scramble and then try to make things work on a day to day basis for high school and elementary kids is exhausting. Watching my two psuedo nephews finish off their college degrees during COVID was hard - and they were "only" in engineering and business. To be teaching in the arts at a collegiate level during pandemic is something that I don't even want to try and wrap my head around.

You don't get to feel guilty. You get to say "I understand ladies. I've had those struggles sometimes too"

And we get to say "Kirsten, it's the end of semester and end of year in the college world - are you okay, are you still breathing, and please tell us you get summer term off?"

[Maggie]

Okay all - I'll be away most of the day at drs appointments with the boy child. I'll be back home around 5ish EST.

I think we have all but M's completion done for this task. (THIS IS NOT A RUSH OR A QUILT THING!!!!!!)

M if you happen to post prior to me getting back today, the message posts for our completions are:

Kirsten: Msg 268
Kira: Msg 269
Maggie: Msg 270

Once M's post is up, we are good to let MKat know on the Q&A thread so we can get our next task.

I hope you are all having easier days today and hopefully some of the sunny warm weather in my state is also reaching all of you. :-)

[M]

Completion Post

Task 11 - 3. Each player reads a book by a new to you author - no pass for this task.


Raise Hell by Ashley Gee

Qualifies New to me author - have books shelved to read, but this is my first one shown as read
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list...
Page Count 324
Date completed 5/10/22
Rating 3.5/4
Review New to me author so I had no idea what I was getting into - well this one was pretty good. I wouldn't say it was bully, maybe enemies to lovers. Still that would be pretty light in my opinion. I think the actually story of the college and the havoc house overshadowed that part which was totally fine too.

I found the story to be intriguing. It kept me interested with enough twist and turns to keep me on edge.

One badass girl full of hot fiery vengeance plans to take down a group of men so powerful that anything they do can be wiped away or swept under a rug. She'll start with the most untouchable guy first then it will all fall like dominoes. She will try her hardest not to fall for the charm of Drake. Being the president of havoc house she knows that he is her in to find out the information she is determined to fin and he will stop at nothing to get her to leave. To keep secrets hidden and away from her.

Ends in a nasty cliffhanger and makes me want to start on book two asap!

[M]

COMPLETION POST- Team 11- Reading On Empty
Task 11
3. Each player reads a book by a new to you author - no pass for this task.

Kirsten - msg 268
Kira - msg 269
Maggie - msg 270
M - msg 274

POSTED ON Q&A

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Here is your next task!

Task 12 - 80. Read 4 books initially published in different decades.

Books selected for this task need to be initially published in different decades, though not necessarily sequential. For this task, decades will run 0-9, so 2010 through 2019 is one decade. Make sure to use the initial publication date. If there is a date listed at the top of the editions page use it, otherwise I will be looking for the earliest dated English language edition regardless of format for the qualification. Please include your selected decade in your completion posts.

[Kirsten]

I’ve had Whitney, My Love in my queue forever, published 1985. I’m in the middle of a long book for my other challenge, so it will take me a minute to get to this. If I change my mind, I’ll take a look and find something else from the 1980s or earlier.

[M]

Ok, that sounds great Kirsten. Take your time. No rush. This is all for fun. I enjoy these challenges because it helps get books off my mountain of a tbr lol.

So then it would leave these decades as our other options, correct?

1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s

[M]

I would take 2010 if no one else wants it! I'd read pub in 2018

[Maggie]

I would like to take the 2000's if that's okay. I have three books that looked good.
and

They all looked good and I'm not sure what I'm in the mood for yet :-)

Kira - I'll hold off on starting my book until you check in. I have plenty in the 2020's and as my daughter told me "MOM! You own the Nora Roberts Library!" needless to say - I'd have the 90s covered as well

[Kirsten]

Task 12 - 80. Read 4 books initially published in different decades.
Completion Post

The Duchess
Jude Deveraux
Published 1991--Decade 1990s
368 pages
Completed 11 May

3 stars
So old school romance!
Slapping, grooming, ravishing--
Times and I have changed.

TL;DR: If someone's started or needs to chose 1990s, I can pick again.

Okay, so I screwed up and didn't realize it until I posted. I started Whitney, My Love and was both bored and annoyed 10 pages in. I'd also just finished Molly House, which was absolutely brilliant and definitely in my top 5 of the year so I was hella hungover. I decided to go back and re-read an old favorite Jude Deveraux, and checked my public library. I looked at 4 books, thinking they were all in the 80s (The Awakening, The Taming, A Knight in Shining Armor and Duchess). The Taming wasn't the book I remembered (can't do wedding night medieval dubcon anymore); KISA was so long and such a commitment post Molly House; The Awakening (my fave Jude book) wasn't available. So I picked Duchess, another favorite. And then saw I had the dates wrong. Please let me know if I need to go back to the Deveraux well. I can always whip through The Raider or The Princess.

[Kira]

All good Kirsten!

Sorry for holding up your reading Maggie! I figured I would take what was left and did not get a chance to check back in. But that works for me. I have tons of 2020s so I will get through one of those tonight!

[Maggie]

Not a problem!
I’ll start a 2000 read tonight. I was able to knock a lingering read from the Meet and Greet off my list today.

[Maggie]

Kirsten you are all good!
I’ve got three to choose from in the augts.
M has 2010
Kira has 2020

No overlap at all ❤️

[Maggie]

Completion Post
Task 12 - 80. Read 4 books initially published in different decades.

Flat-Out Sexy by Erin McCarthy
Qualifies: Per Goodreads it was originally published on 10/30/2008. Decade 2000s
Pages:Kindle Edition, 308 pages
Read On: 5/12/2022
Rating;2 stars
Review: I listened to this as an audiobook today. I have to say there were many times I very much wanted to DNF this book. As Kirsten has mentioned - times have changed and I have changed.
While I would have enjoyed this book when it was first published (being a mom of a terrible two toddler, working insane hours, and my husband almost never home due to work travel) it would have been the perfect bit of fluff for my brain.
Sadly for me, the story didn't age well. I found it to be shallow, repetitive, whiney, and way over stereotyped. It opened with two women discussing one of their dates while one woman is claiming to date him as he is "reliable and solid and doesn't want to objectify men" she is running a mental list of his clothing, grooming, etiquette, personality …. and comparing him to the "buff beer drinking bad boy race car drivers she just can't seem to let go of" (eye roll here so hard it hurts)
The plot would still work in the romance world of today. A woman whose husband is killed suddenly in a crazy car crash during a race. Suddenly widowed with two young children. She grew up in and around racing. She's lonely, she's worried about her babies, and she's looking to stabilize her home, take care of herself and take care of her kids. It's a good standard juggle. Add in the current bad boy of racing and you have a hit book.
Just....this one hits ALL of the redneck NASCAR good ol' boy southern racing from drinking Bud and crushing cans to watching out for those nasty sponsors and just UGH. Looking at the publication date though, I have to remember that this is a book that was being published when Lori Foster was a racy little thing. Julia Quinn was WELL into Bridgerton. Nora Roberts was the queen of all romance and I think she and Jayne Ann were at the end of Nora plagiarizing from her. Jayne was well established in her Amanda Quick series and was starting to pioneer the Arcane Society over into the contemporary field, slowly, but it was there. Erin does go on to publish other books that I've enjoyed. I've just grown up and need a real story these days.

[Kirsten]

Indeed. I have read nearly all Jude’s books, and have taught KISA, but I can barely stand them anymore.

[M]

Completion Post
Task 12 - 80. Read 4 books initially published in different decades.


That Guy by Kim Jones

Qualifies Per GR it was published June 2018 (decade 2010s)
Page count 250 pages
Date completed 5/12/22
Rating 4
Review Jake and Penelope were pretty darn fun together. I needed a decent romcom to lighten up my dark heart lol.
She was quirky and sassy. He was always in control and a true man's man. The way they met was one for the books, obviously.
Took me a hot minute to fall for Jake and his charms though. He took a bit more time to see that this random girl in his home was one that would be the stealer of his heart. Couldn't fault him for that. Glad I picked this one to read.

[Kira]

COMPLETION POST
Task 12: 80) Books Published in Different Decades - 2020s
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey


Page numbers: 400 (See Above Links)
How book qualified: First Published March 1, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review: Everyone was raving about It Happened One Summer last year. And I liked a lot, but didn't love it. Something about Piper's personality just didn't fit. Or wasn't consistent. But Hannah really shone. I was so excited for her story and it did not fail me. The text threads between Hannah and Fox were super cute. Hannah was a sweetheart through and through and I love how she expressed her feeling by referencing songs. I think the musical references were tastefully done and won't date this book the way it sometimes does. This romance just worked for me on all levels.

[Kira]

COMPLETION POST- Team 11- Reading On Empty
Task 12
80. Read 4 books initially published in different decades.

Kirsten - msg 281
Maggie - msg 285
M - msg 287
Kira - msg 288

*POSTED ON Q&A

[MountainKat, Moderator]

I’m not checking books tonight, I will catch up tomorrow.

Here is your next task!

Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.

Books selected for this task need to have won or been nominated for an award that is listed under 'Literary Awards' in the book details on the main book page. Please include the award/nomination in your completion posts, if there are multiple awards you only need to list the first one.

[M]

Selection Post

Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.


The Rivalry by Nikki Sloane

Qualifies RITA Award by Romance Writers of America Nominee for Erotic Romance (2018) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Page Count 301

[Kirsten]

I've just started Almost Like Being in Love for my other challenge. It won the Lambda Literary Award for Romance in 2004.

More to come, but I'll select this for now.

[Maggie]

Selection Post
Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.


Falling Hard by Lexi Ryan

Qualifies: RITA Award by Romance Writers of America for Contemporary Romance: Long (2018)
Pages: Kindle Edition, 376 pages

[Kira]

SELECTION POST
Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.

I currently have

borrowed from the library.
Qualifies: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2018)
Pages: 320

[Maggie]

Selection Post
Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.

I’m going to start with this one as it works for my other challenge this week too.


Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning
Qualifies: Readers’ Crown Award by RomCon for Best First Book (2011)

[Kirsten]

Kira wrote: "SELECTION POST
Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.

I currently have

borrowed from the library.
Qualifie..."

I love this book! I adore all Christina Lauren... some more than others, but it's hard to go wrong with them.

[Kirsten]

Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.
Completion Post

Almost Like Being in Love
Steve Kluger
370 pages
Completed 14 May

5 stars
Such a hangover.
Baseball, show tunes, miracles,
road trips, friendships... Swoon.
This is the page count for the 1st Kindle edition, October 2009. The book won the Lamda Literary Award, Romance in 2004: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

This is my second 5-star book this week! Probably a record unless I'm binging Alexis Hall. This makes my next award winner tough. I think I'm going to re-read Pansies because I want to, and because I can't bear not to read something good after this beautiful book. (It's a Lambda nominee)

[Kirsten]

Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.
Completion Post

Red, White & Royal Blue
Casey McQuiston
425 pages
Completed 15 May
Awards: ALA Alex Award (2020), Goodreads Choice Award, Romance and for Debut Novel (2019), Bisexual Book Awards, Romance (joint winner) (2019)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

5 stars; re-read for challenge and bc hangover
Joyful and hopeful.
About how love changes us
and changes the world.

[M]

Completion Post

Task 13 - 69. Read 6 books that have won/been nominated for an award.


The Rivalry by Nikki Sloane

Qualifies RITA Award by Romance Writers of America Nominee for Erotic Romance (2018) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Page Count 301
Date completed 5/14/22
Rating 3.5/4
Review This was a fun and sexy read about a Buckeye cheerleader and a Wolverine football player.
The long distance between the couple had nothing on the rivalry that was a mountain of a wedge between them. One chance encounter set off a love story for the record book.

I'm not familiar with college ball or the sport of football in general, but I had an easy enough time following along. I did for sure get the rivalry aspect being a baseball fan - shout out to my SF Giants!

Jay and Kayla were tons of fun together. She had sass for days and he was like the calm to her red and white storm. I love when the hero hardcore pursues and he was NOT going to let distance, the hatred for each other's schools or anything else to stand in his way. He was gonna catch her one way or the other.

I sometimes wanted to shake this girl, but she was set in stone with her passions. I get it and I appreciate the patience that Jay had with her despite his life being beyond crazy with football and college. I also wanted a bit more angst. I wanted him to be angrier with her at a certain part, but I also commend him for being thoughtful and understanding after he got a bird's eye view.

I enjoyed this sports romance and glad I gave it a go!

[Kira]

COMPLETION POST
Task 13: 69) Books that have won/been nominated for awards
Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren


Page numbers: 320 (See Above Links)
How book qualified: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2018)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review: This was close to 5 stars. Maybe it would have been in print. I liked seeing a main character with pets. And I loved Hazel's unfiltered nature. In audio, the female narrator was awesome. She Brough Hazel's voice through as quirky, but also grounded and real. The male narrators voicing of Hazel played up the "crazy" aspect of her personality and made me uncomfortable. Overall, I laughed a lot and liked Josh and Hazel together.