Reading Challenge ~ Spring!

[Harlequin Books]

Spring is in the air and what better way to celebrate than with a new reading challenge. :) Personally, I love all the bright and cheerful cover art that happens at this time of year so this challenge will ask you to pick a book by its cover. Find the item on the cover from the following list. Good luck!

Duration: March 14 - June 21, 2015

1. flowers
2. umbrella
3. children playing
4. garden
5. heroine sweater
6. hero wearing a hat
7. a wildlife creature
8. a bird
Bonus Items:
1. A basketball in honor of March madness!
2. A piece of fruit

[Annie]

Well, I can already tick 2 off this list!
1 - Flowers - Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella, has sunflowers on the cover.
4 Garden - Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley has a country cottage garden on the cover.
Now to search for the other items....

[Gail]

Hmm. This one may be tough for me, because looking over my recently read books, there aren't many of these things on the covers. Some of the people don't even have heads, so how can they wear a hat! But I have found a few...

1: flowers - Skylark by Jo Beverley has flowers on it.
8. a bird - Visions by Kelley Armstrong has what I believe are ravens on the cover. This is a rather dark urban fantasy where the heroine sees omens and has visions, but there are real ravens in it too, and owls.

Oh, there's another one!
7. a wildlife animal - Sanctuary Island by Lily Everett has wild horses on the front. I know they are wild because the horses and their existence and wildness is part of the plot of the story.

The rest of these? Pretty tough, I think...

[Harlequin Books]

That is why you have until June 21st. :) I've done challenges like this one before and found some great new-to-me authors because their cover had one of the hard to find items on it.

Happy searching!

[Pam]

This sounds fun. I am in.

[Pam]

I have yet to find an umbrella, a garden and a basketball. I have located all others. Have not read them yet.

[Harlequin Books]

I have to admit I have not yet started my search. You are all way ahead of me.

[Gail]

Haha! I have found a cover with a garden. :) Rose Harbor in Bloom by Debbie Macomber. The garden is seen through an arbor and a little out of focus, but is obviously a garden. I have found one with a woman in a hat, but no men so far... Maybe I can find a fireman hat??

[Gail]

Found a cover with kids playing, but it's Danielle Steel. I don't care for Danielle Steel, can't see me making that sacrifice. I'll keep looking. There's an interesting looking historical mystery that has a man in a hat on the cover...

[Gail]

Ah, and I finally found an umbrella cover that isn't Stephen King. Whew!

[Pam]

1. Flower -"The Groom's Revenge" by Kate Walker 4/2
2. umbrella
3. children playing
4. garden
5. heroine sweater
6. hero wearing a hat
7. a wildlife creature
8. a bird- "Restless Wind" by Aimee Thurlo 3/26
Bonus Items:
1. A basketball in honor of March madness!
2. A piece of fruit

[Tara]

Pam wrote: "I have yet to find an umbrella, a garden and a basketball. I have located all others. Have not read them yet."

I have a basketball!!! A Son's Tale, by me, Tara Taylor Quinn. I didn't like it lying there on the cover, but now it's good!!

[Harlequin Books]

LOL Happy to help you like everything about your cover.

[Pam]

Thank you so much I will get it asap

[Tien]

There are a handful of covers with basketball on this list: Hoops: Basketball Romance

[Pam]

Not many harlequin with a basketball on cover as I perused the list.
What about umbrella?

[Tien]

oh um, does it have to be harlequin? oops...

[Tien]

I found umbrella / hqn though

[Annie]

Neither of mine were Harlequin titles!

[Pam]

I thought since it was a Harleqin site they were to be Harlequinn books? I read mostly Harlequin Presents or Silohouette Deaire not alot on covers but hero and heroine so this is taking some searching. Thanks for Umbrella i check it out!

[Tien]

I didn't think it had to be hqn since you can't search books by publisher on GR. It'll be too hard if it is. Plus, it wasn't specified as such in the rules...?

[Liz]

Tried to cut and paste but my phone want let me. For umbrellas, go to Sarah Mayberry's Superromances. Also I think the newest Janice Kay Jonhnson Superromance had an umbrella too.

[Liz]

Won't let me. Jeez.

[Harlequin Books]

It doesn't have to be a Harlequin. That would make this an extremely tricky challenge and the goal is to encourage trying new books not making it near impossible to complete the challenge.

[Magpie67]

- Hurricane Hannah


anyone looking for a romance with a wildlife creature on the cover.. Pretty good too. I'm reading another Sue Civil-Brown title - -The Life of Reilly

[Pam]

Thanks for clarification but i have found most of these in some type of Harlequin. "Challenge" is supposed to be difficult hence the word challenge. However i do tend to be too literal. And like specific guidelines to accomplish goals. Sorry if I confused anyone!!!

[Annie]

Got another one! Hero wearing a hat - A Lady for Lord Randall by Sarah Mallory (Harlequin Historical)

[Nothing Like A Good Book!!!!]

I have a silly question, do you have to read the books that we find for the challenge or is it just looking for the book covers...

[Annie]

Ooh - I've found no. 2 now as well. An umberella on the cover of Her Forget-me-not ex by Sophie ClaIre (actually, it's not out yet but showing on Amazon for pre-order - does that count?)

[Harlequin Books]

Nothing Like A Good Book!!!! wrote: "I have a silly question, do you have to read the books that we find for the challenge or is it just looking for the book covers..."

Sorry for the delay in answering! I first read your question when I was using my Kindle but it was late at night and I planned on answering first thing in the morning because I hate typing with the Kindle. Then I got lost in a book the next day and totally forgot to answer. So sorry, and no question is silly.

Yes, the goal is to read them. The idea of the challenge is to help a person read books from their TBR piles or to find new books, new authors and give them a try. Since it is a harder challenge, everyone is helping out by sharing titles with right items on them as suggestions. However, don't hold out on joining the challenge because you don't think you'll finish the reading in time. These challenges are to spark a joy in reading. So have fun with it and hopefully discover a new favorite.

[Pam]

1. Flower -"The Groom's Revenge" by Kate Walker Harlequin Presents 4/2
2. umbrella-
3. children playing-"Toddler's Tale" by Rebecca Winters - Silhouette Romance
4. garden - "Rainbow's End" by Irene Hannon - Love Inspired
5. heroine sweater - "Coal Miner's Wife" by Marin Thomas - American Romance
6. hero wearing a hat - "Will of Steel" by Diana Palmer Silhouette Desire 3/28
7. a wildlife creature - Puppy Love" by Ginger Chambers Harlequin Romance
8. a bird- "Restless Wind" by Aimee Thurlo - Intrigue 3/26
Bonus Items:
1. A basketball - "A Son's Tale" by Tara Taylor Quinn - Super Romance
2. A piece of fruit - "The Maverick Millionaire" by Alison Roberts - Harlequin Romance

[Harlequin Books]

Great job Pam!

[Pam]

Can't wait to read them all. This is definitely getting me to step out and read a different line and reading new authors. I have some leads on the umbrella but since I have yet to purchase it I will wait to add it.

[Magpie67]

I have so many romance titles I want to read, so I will my own spring challenge instead of locating new ones.

When I mostly read mystery, my romance titles start to stack up...

;o)

[Harlequin Books]

The Spring challenge is almost over. How are you doing on your list?