Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP Bookin' through the Pages (T5)
So sorry about your job, LaurLa. That is tough!
Oh no! So sorry to hear that, LaurLa.
Selection PostWeek #8
Option 1
[*book:Graceland|62589950]
Pages: 400
Qualification: Car on cover
✈️ Selection Post ✈️Week #8, Option 1
Task: Read a book with a vehicle on the bookcover (any edition).
[*book:Love in the Time of Zombies|201822446]
Page count: 281 pages
Qualification: Cars on the cover.
I'll be done with Week 7's book over the weekend.
LaurLa wrote: "Hi all - how has your week been? Mine's been tough - I was laid off from my job last Friday and it's been a rough go this week. Reading helps but it's been difficult to stay focused... Anyway, I ..."
That's hard! Best of luck job hunting 🥰
☎️ Outstanding:Christene Paula - selection week 7
Week 7 completions - LaurLa and minnemoo
LaurLa wrote: "Hi all - how has your week been? Mine's been tough - I was laid off from my job last Friday and it's been a rough go this week. Reading helps but it's been difficult to stay focused... Anyway, I ..."
Oh no! I am so sorry to hear that, truly! That's a major stressor in life, and I hope and pray you find a job that you enjoy doing soon! I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers for sure.
SELECTION POST WEEK 8, OPTION 1
🌟Task: Read a book with a vehicle on the bookcover (any edition).
🌟Book: Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier
🌟Task: Task: Read a book with a vehicle on the bookcover (any edition).
🌟Page count: 356 pages
🌟How it Qualifies: There are several small sailboats on the cover
[*book:Dragonfruit|181325033]
Completion Post🚦Week 7Option 1
Call🚦2. UK & Ireland
Task🚦Read a book set in the British Isles
Book🚦Unclaimed
Pages🚦304 pp (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits🚦set in England per books main page setting
Date Read🚦05.26 ★★★★
Review
Quite an emotional book, at least in parts. It wasn't as light-hearted as I expected but it wasn't overly angsty either. I enjoyed the byplay between the MCs and how they did indeed truly get to know one another before their smexy times kicked in. It was definitely an interesting read on the strength of one's principles and whether keeping them just to keep them is honorable or just prideful. Good book. Looking forward to Smite's book.
Selection Post🚦Week 8Option 1
Call🚦13. Vehicles ~ plane / boat / motorcycle / train / car / truck / bus
Task🚦Read a book with a vehicle on the bookcover (any edition).
Book🚦Closed Doors
Pages🚦193 pp (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits🚦boat on cover
[*book:Closed Doors|17201305]
Completion PostWeek #8
[*book:Graceland|62589950]
Read: 5/28/24
Rating: ✶✶✶1/2
Review:
The book was basically about a road trip to Memphis, Tennessee, and a multi generational family drama. It took me a while to really get into this story. There was some humor, as well as some difficult issues for the main characters to confront. I was surprised at some of the revelations. In the end, this was a heartwarming story. A 3.5 star read.
COMPLETION POST WEEK 8, OPTION 1
🌟Task: Read a book with a vehicle on the bookcover (any edition).
🌟Book: Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier
🌟Read: 27 May 2024
🌟Rating: 4 stars
🌟Review: I loved this one with pirates, dragons, seadragons, and Hanalei and Sam. It was a fun read and so different. The women rule in their land. Hanalei was separated from her homeland for an offense her father committed and she's under the rule of a cruel Captain Bragadin. The descriptions of the various animals/dragons/monsters is so good. I loved it.
[*book:Dragonfruit|181325033]
Hi Team - I've had to remove Christene Paula from the team given she hasn't posted a book for week 7 yet.Please continue without her. Unfortunately it means you cannot use her bookshelf for Option 2 from now on :(
Hopefully everything is OK with her.
🗺️ Completion Post 🗺️Week #7, Option #1
[*book:The Book of Lost Things|69136]
Date read: May 28
Rating: 3★
Review:
I thought it would be a good idea to have some variety in reading so I picked this up because the premise sounded interesting. I've read The Gates by this same author, and that was a quick and amusing read, so I was sort of expecting a similar vibe with this one. Um...let's just say I was not prepared for how disturbing it turned out to be. There was so much death and violence -- far too much in my opinion that the message of overcoming loss that I think Connolly was going for just got lost in the doom and gloom. It wasn't a bad read overall, but...
🗺️ Completion Post 🗺️Week #8, Option #1
[*book:Love in the Time of Zombies|201822446]
Date read: May 28
Rating: 2★
Review:
Another "Oof why did I pick this" book, but I was able to finish it at least. The story and characters were campy and fun as promised, but I just hated the writing style. There was just too much "witty" banter that went on for pages and pages, a lot of it mindless back-and-forth arguments between characters that was supposed to be, I dunno, funny or something?
Maybe if this were a contemporary office romance I wouldn't have minded, but like...this is a zombie apocalypse, folks!!! At one point the h and H were outside on the street just bantering away about how he sucks at running a business, and I was cringing the entire time, waiting for zombies to pop out and attack them.
This will probably be my first and last book by the author, sorry to say.
Selection PostWeek #9
Option 1
[*book:Reckless|108518990]
Pages: 466
Qualification: Tagged Small Town 800 times, left column, 8 down
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Week 9Link to Jane's post: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Option 1
9. Small town
Read a book set in a small town
For all the location/setting tasks, the book does not have to be solely set in that location; it simply needs at least one scene set there. The usual precise, main page, tag or list will need to be provided to show how the book qualifies.
Please ask if you are not sure.
If you aren't sure how to insert links in your posts, please read these instructions in the Q&A thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Option 2
Key date: 24 November 2023
Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars
Option 3
Pass
A selection post must be made for whichever option you choose - INCLUDING A PASS
Refer msg 3 in your team thread for formatting of all 3 options.
Selection Post🚦Week 9Option 1
Call🚦9. Small town
Task🚦Read a book set in a small town
Book🚦A Farewell to Charms
Pages🚦212 pp (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits🚦precis: In the swampy little town filled with powerful supernatural beings,
[*book:A Farewell to Charms|62085783]
✈️ Selection Post ✈️Week #9, Option 1
Task: Read a book set in a small town.
[*book:Breath of Malice|28135074]
Page count: 228 pages
Qualification: From the precis: FBI Special Agent Paige Carson hoped she’d be able to start a new life in small-town South Carolina...
SELECTION POST WEEK 9, OPTOIN 1
🌟Task: Read a book set in a small town
[*book:The Island|922991]
🌟Book: The Island by
🌟Page count: 473 pages
🌟How it Qualifies: From precis: "Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London...Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony" where she visits.
Completion PostWeek #9
[*book:Reckless|108518990]
Read: 6/2/24
Rating: ✶✶✶✶✶
Review:
The chemistry between Theo and Winter was great from the beginning. Winter was definitely prickly, but she had some good reasons. And Theo was definitely her sunshine, with his humor and lightness. The book did take a turn I didn’t expect, probably because I didn’t read the description. LOL It wasn’t my favorite plotline in romance. But the author kept my interest in the book. The book was heartbreaking at times. But also so funny and sexy too. I also really enjoyed how we got to see the other characters from previous books, the family scenes and vibes in the book. Elsie Silver did it again. Wrote another book I loved.
COMPLETION POSTWEEK 9, OPTION 1
[*book:The Island|922991]
Read: 2 June 2024
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This historical fiction was really good. Set on the island of Sinalonga and the small town of Plaka, a leper colony. I thought the characteriztion was done really well and I liked all of them. The details describing the scenery were beautifully written. I could imagine being there, but it was also sad as one could imagine. Learning one's history that includes such terrible things as family on a leper colony can't be easy, and it wasn't.
🗺️ Completion Post 🗺️Week #9, Option #1
[*book:Breath of Malice|28135074]
Date read: June 4
Rating: 3★
Review:
I must be far too spoiled by Pamela Clare and Cynthia Eden since I didn't really vibe with this author's writing style. It felt stilted and emotionless, though the story did have all the right ingredients with an interesting premise, creepy villain, a flawed heroine that I was rooting for, and the hero was both protective and supportive of her. Overall a solid 3 stars.
FYI - I am going on vacation in the morning. I might need a pass this week but not sure yet. When is our next call, Friday?
Yep, it's Friday. You're good for this week, though.Hope you have a good vacation, Vicki :)
Vicki wrote: "FYI - I am going on vacation in the morning. I might need a pass this week but not sure yet. When is our next call, Friday?"Good for you - hope you have a great time!!
Calls come usually in the early evening US time (around 6 Eastern). You're welcome to use the pass if you want, just remember you still need to do a selection post for it. Also, even if you don't read your book by next Friday, you can still make a selection and catch up after your vacation. Totally up to you!
Completion Post🚦Week 8Option 1
Call🚦13. Vehicles ~ plane / boat / motorcycle / train / car / truck / bus
Task🚦Read a book with a vehicle on the bookcover (any edition).
Book🚦Closed Doors
Pages🚦193 pp (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits🚦boat on cover
Date Read🚦06.05 ★★★
Review
Still not sure how I feel about this series. In some ways it feels dated (2011 published) but not so much I can't stay in the book. The writing is okay, not great, but the subject matter on this one (adult illiteracy) was handled pretty well. I think what bothered me the most was some of the repetitiveness of the MCs thinking and the push pull between them. It felt a lot like whining and at times wanted to tell them to just get over themselves. I'll stick it out another book and see how it goes.
Vicki wrote: "SELECTION POST WEEK 8, OPTOIN 1
🌟Task: Read a book set in a small town
[*book:The Island|922991]
🌟Book: The Island by
🌟Page count: 473 pages
🌟How it ..."
Hi Vicki - could you please update this to Week 9? Thanks!
🍎 Just LaurLa's completion from this week outstanding, and Vicki to correct the week in this week's selection post (noting she is on holidays now :)
Jane, I see that I need to correct some thing but I’m still on my phone traveling and I can’t read all of the words. I won’t be able to do any corrections until three or four hours from now. I don’t know what I did wrong.
LaurLa, thanks, I will let you know tonight or tomorrow morning if I will be using a pass.
Vicki wrote: "Jane, I see that I need to correct some thing but I’m still on my phone traveling and I can’t read all of the words. I won’t be able to do any corrections until three or four hours from now. I don’..."Update the week in your selection post for Week 9 :)
When you get back on your computer is fine...
Vicki wrote: "Jane, I see that I need to correct some thing but I’m still on my phone traveling and I can’t read all of the words. I won’t be able to do any corrections until three or four hours from now. I don’..."Vicki - message 172 - your selection post says Week 8 but should say Week 9.
OK, I fixed my week 9 selection post. :)
Vicki wrote: "OK, I fixed my week 9 selection post. :)"Thanks Vicki :)
Selection PostWeek #10
Option 1
[*book:Sun Damage|60655767]
Pages: 400
Qualification: Sunglasses on cover.
Completion Post🚦Week 9Option 1
Call🚦9. Small town
Task🚦Read a book set in a small town
Book🚦A Farewell to Charms
Pages🚦212 pp (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits🚦precis: In the swampy little town filled with powerful supernatural beings,
Date Read🚦06.07 ★★★★
Review
I pretty much rounded-up for the rating here from 3.5 because it's Molly Harper and I really enjoyed this entire series. The book felt a little like being told a story rather than experiencing a story, but overall, it was good read. It had a feel good series ending, no loose ends and this was obviously written to give Alex an HEA because he'd been looked over more than once in the series. Poor guy!
Week 10Link to Jane's post: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Option 1
12. Glasses / gloves / hat / bag / phone / watch
Read a book with one of these items on the cover
Sunglasses will count as 'glasses'. Winter gear such as mittens and beanies will work for 'gloves' and 'hat'. 'Bag' will also cover luggage/backpacks.
A clock will NOT work for watch. The items need to be things that may be packed for a holiday or travel.
In the case of 'phone', cell-phones (mobiles) count. I will also allow a handset that you would find in an office/home or a payphone, as these may be used to book holidays, flights, etc.
As proof, please post the edition's bookcover in your selection post that shows the items described above.
Please ask if you are not sure.
If you aren't sure how to insert links in your posts, please read these instructions in the Q&A thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Option 2
Key date: 1 December 2023
Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars
Option 3
Pass
A selection post must be made for whichever option you choose - INCLUDING A PASS
Refer msg 3 in your team thread for formatting of all 3 options.
Selection Post🚦Week 10Option 1
Call🚦12. Glasses / gloves / hat / bag / phone / watch
Task🚦Read a book with one of these items on the cover
Book🚦How to Fake it in Hollywood
Pages🚦356 pp (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits🚦sunglasses on cover
[*book:How to Fake it in Hollywood|57023456]
✈️ Selection Post ✈️Week #10, Option 1
Task: Glasses / gloves / hat / bag / phone / watch
Read a book with one of these items on the cover
[*book:Billion Dollar Lie|209215620]
Page count: 244 pages, Kindle edition
Qualification: Male model on the cover is wearing a watch.
Selection Post ~ Week 10Option 1
Task: Glasses / gloves / hat / bag / phone / watch
Read a book with one of these items on the cover
[*book:Old Dogs and New Tricks|60490466]
Pages: 209
How it Qualifies: The man has glasses and a watch on.
COMPLETION POSTWeek 10 ~ Option 1
[*book:Old Dogs and New Tricks|60490466]
Date Read: 9 June 2024
Rating: 3 stars
Review: Nolan is the MC and he has a twin brother and they are pretty much opposites: Nolan never did graduate from college but his brother is a college professor. Nolan is a hair dresser (so was my dad so that was a connection I made). Nolan meets Harrison who is a lawyer when Harrison's roommate hires him to represent him. Nolan happens to be a witness to the case so he meets Harrison when he meets him to discuss his eyewitness account. Finally, Harrison has to admit to himself that he is a bi man who's never acted on it...until now. I liked their relationship and how the plot was developed and held my interest.
🗺️ Completion Post 🗺️Week #10, Option #1
[*book:Billion Dollar Lie|209215620]
Date read: June 10
Rating: 2.75~3★
Review:
The story started out promising but fizzled by the halfway mark when I realized nothing much was happening. There was a super annoying third-act breakup as well. I wasn't a fan of the hero, but at that moment I was more annoyed with the heroine. When they got back together again, it wasn't believable at all.
The writing was good for the most part. I'm not sure if I'll pick up another book by this author.
Kind of bummed I've been picking a lot of duds for this challenge 🤪 Hopefully the last week will be a good one!
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Anyway, I won't have my week 7 book done by tomorrow, but plan to get to it over the weekend.
@christene - I think we still need a selection from you for Week 7 - let me know if I've missed it somewhere.
Keep reading!!