Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP R23 - Ready Set Dough (1)
I’ve finished week 7 book and will post my review this evening
Week 8: Completion Post Option 1
Don't You Dare[*book:Don't You Dare|58511930]
Finished: 11/25/24
Rating: 4 ★★★★
Review:
I really like the friends-to-lovers trope. This one was good, but man, it felt SO LONG...
I can't exactly pinpoint what made it feel that way, but at times, I kept checking to see what page I was on because I felt like the same thing was happening, and we were just not moving forward at all.
I liked both Aspen and Keene. I had a little bit more of an issue with Aspen, but I think that's because we don't really get to understand why he's so insistent on not being in a relationship. Is it because his dad passed away? Why does he feel like he can't trust anyone? We never deep dive into that. We just keep reading, on repeat I might add, how it can never happen. Keene was more of an open book which I could appreciate.
The stupid breakup at the end pissed me off because there was no reason for it. I feel like this is so overused in books. It's starting to get old.
The epilogue was better, but I would've like a little more.
Selection PostWeek #8
Book: Play Along
Page numbers: 339
How It Fits: MPG Sports - per precis, MMC is the shortstop of a professional baseball team.
Selection Post - Option 1Week 8
Book: Now or Never
Pages: 320 Pages
How it fits: tagged law enforcement by 1 person on page 2 of tags
Completion Post
Week #: 8
Book: Until You Tell Me by J.P. Asher
Date Completed: 11/26/2024
Rating: **
Review: This just wasn't for me. I felt it was very slow to read and the details were just kinda blah. I'm sure its just me though.
Completion Post - Option 1Week 8
Book: Now or Never
Pages: 320 Pages
How it fits: tagged law enforcement by 1 person on page 2 of tags
Read: 11/27
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I have recently been re-listening to this series - it helped for a challenge and the audiobooks are available at the library. And it's been fun to re-visit. I've learned that the best way to enjoy this series is to not take it too seriously.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I would have probably liked it more had i not just re-read most of the others. It felt a bit repetitive (which is not a surprise for a series of over 30 books), but still it was a little boring this time around. I am also not sure how I felt about the ending. I won't offer a spoiler here I'll just say that something had been resolved, but the way the author handled it made it still seem unresolved. I don't know, I was annoyed.
I have read all my books and am caught up. Right now, work is kicking my butt and I shouldn't be taking time away to post this. I will *try* to get things posted by tomorrow.
Week 9Option 1
5. A sourdough starter is a live fermented culture of fresh flour and water
Read a book that has been 'fermenting' on your bookshelf for at least 12 months. (Added to your shelves at least 12 months ago.)
Please state the date you added it to your shelf.
If you haven't been tracking books on GR for 12 months yet, then select a book that was added to your shelves in the first month.
You can also reread a book but it must have been originally added at least 12 months ago.
Option 2
Key date: 31 May 2024
Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars
Option 3 - Pass
Selection Post
Week #: 9
Book: The Last Nanny in Manhattan by K. Sterling
Pages: 334 Pages
How it fits: Added 11/24/2023
Week 9: Selection Post - Read a book that has been 'fermenting' on your bookshelf for at least 12 months Option 1
Losers: Part I594pgs
How it fits: added to shelf 10/18/22
[*book:Losers: Part I|60916772]
Completion Post: Week 5A Proper Companion
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
The Earl of Bradleigh announces his engagement and his grandmother is fit to be tied, as she doesn’t like the girl’s family. However, Robert cannot break the engagement, so she schemes in order to have the girl break it. As Lady Bradleigh and her household move from Bath to London in order to enact said scheming, she also makes plans to marry off her companion, who was born into an acceptable family who disowned her mother. Emily is quite determined to make her own way, but fate and Lady Bradleigh have other plans. The Earl is enlisted to introduce suitable gentlemen to Emily.
I enjoyed this. Emily wasn’t a wilting miss who was all “woe is me”. She worked with what she had, made the best of things, and remained true to herself. Robert really came to see her clearly, and to admire her for all of her good qualities. Lady Bradleigh and her lack of subtlety when it came to her plans for Emily were amusing, especially compared with the machinations she employed when trying to set the Earl on the right path.
Completion Post: Week 8Change of Heart
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
Nat is the coach of a U 10 hockey team. He’s been coaching for a couple of years, trying to provide his players with a safe, accepting space to grow and play the game. Nat quit playing in his teens because he was gay, and doesn’t want other kids to go through that. When professional hockey player Ryan offers to be his assistant, Nat is irritated on two counts: that the professional will have ideas on how the game should be played, especially with regards to his son and that it won’t be a safe space for Nat. However, Ryan surprises Nat by how willing he is to let Nat take the lead, and how he reacts when he finds out Nat is gay. Then he surprises Nat even more when he admits he feels attraction to him, and it isn’t curiosity.
Well, colour me surprised. I was sure I was going to DNF this book. Unknown author, not much of a back catalogue, hockey (which can go terribly, terribly wrong if the author knows nothing about the sport), kind of GFY; there were so many ways this could have gone wrong. Instead, I enjoyed it. I thought it was well written and engaging, and I liked the characters. The hockey, especially the boys’ team, matched up with what I’ve seen and experienced. And I really liked that Nat stuck to his guns with Ryan. And that Ryan couldn’t understand where Nat was coming from and thought he was wrong until a moment of blinding realization showed him he was looking at the situation from the point of view of someone who had never been made to feel other since he was white, male, straight. (Well, not straight since he fell in love with a guy, but he never knew that until Nat.) I would have liked to have seen more of the development of their relationship, and gotten to see more togetherness, but that was just a minor niggle.
Selection Post - Week #: 9 - Read a book that has been 'fermenting' on your bookshelf for at least 12 months
Book: Wild by Nature
Pages: 137 Pages
How it fits: Added 9/08/2020
Completion Post - Week #: 9 - Read a book that has been 'fermenting' on your bookshelf for at least 12 months
Book: Wild by Nature
Pages: 137 Pages
How it fits: Added 9/08/2020
Read: 11/29
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review: The premise of the book was fun (if not unique), but the execution could have been better. I thought the characters were sweet and there were some funny moments.
Selection Post: Week 9 - Fermented cultureSmall Wonders
Pages: 282
How it qualifies: on TBR since June 1, 2023
[*bookcover:Small Wonders|25837112]
Completion Post - Week 7Option 1
Pumpkins in Paradise by Kathi Daley
Pages: 234
How It Fits: 3 word title
Date Read: 11/20
Rating: 3*
Review:
This was the first in a new cosy mystery series set in the small town of paradise. TJ is a high school teacher and soccer coach who when visiting an elderly friend discovers him dead in his favourite chair. When the local police deem it a suicide TJ is not convinced and goes about investigating and uncovering some dark family secrets. This was an enjoyable quick read that I will definitely continue.
Selection Post - Week 9Option 1
A Killing in Kenya by Susan Harper
Pgs: 105
How it Fits: Added Nov 27, 2020
Completion PostWeek 8
Book:
Completed: 11/29/24
Rating: 5 stars
Review: I have loved all the books in this series and this one did not disappoint. This involves the brother of the previous book's MMC and we had seen the beginning of this relationship in that book. Isaiah was wonderfully written - and I'm always a sucker for a man who is unafraid to admit he is obsessed with his girl. The best part of these books is how funny they are! I highly recommend the audiobook if you can - the readers were wonderful.
Selection PostWeek: 9
Option 1
Book:
Pages: 674
How it Fits: Added October 6, 2023
Week 9: Completion Post Option 1
Losers: Part I[*book:Losers: Part I|60916772]
Finished: 12/3/24
Rating: 2 ★★
Review:
I'm in the minority on this one. I didn't like it. I guess, really, I didn't like Jess. Did she grow as the book went on? Yes. But I disliked her so much at the beginning that I didn't really care.
I found the whole premise a little far-reaching as well. She breaks into their garage with a bunch of her friends, they destroy everything in there, create THOUSANDS of dollars in damages, and the guys just let it go and make her their play toy as punishment. Yeah, that didn't work for me.
I would've much preferred a book with two M/M couples: Lucas/Manson and Vincent/Jason. That would've been better for me. But adding Jess into the mix...nope. I'm not sure what it was about her that made these guys drool over her.
I won't be reading the next one.
Completion Post
Week #: 9
Book: The Last Nanny in Manhattan by K. Sterling
Date Completed: 12/5/2024
Rating: ***
Review: I read the second book before this one and thought I would like to see the story of how Fin and Walker got together, but I just was not that interested. The most interesting part was the 3 girls and how they terrorized Fin when he started. It was cute, but long. Sweet, but boring.
W8: Sporty📙Selected, Not Read: Louise
W9: Fermented
📙Selected, Not Read: Louise, Stacey, UC Beppy
I have only Louise outstanding for week 8.Agree with week 9.
Let me know if I've missed a post :)
🌻
Found and updated my tracking for Stacey's Week 8 completion.
Week 10Option 1
10. Patience is required
* Read a book from one of the following lists:
Can't Wait Books of 2024
Can't Wait Books of 2023
Can't Wait Books of 2022
Can't Wait Books of 2021
Can’t Wait M/M Romance of 2021
Can't Wait M/M Romance of 2020
Gay Romance Featuring 'Need You Now' Sex
(Sorry MM readers - the lists didn't go up to 2024)
Option 2
Key date: 7 June 2024
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.
Week 10: Selection Post - Read a book from one of the following lists: Can't Wait Books of 2021Option 1
A Shadow in the Ember647pgs
How it fits: #328 on Can't Wait Books of 2021
[*book:A Shadow in the Ember|57282383]
Completion PostWeek 9
Book: With Everything I Am
Completed: 12/6/24
Rating: 3 stars
Review: This is a typical Kristen Ashley book - lots of descriptions of clothes, growly alpha hero that doesn't like to explain things, good girl friends for the FMC, and an HEA. I thought the conflict in this one when on too long and I got tired of rereading the same internal dialogue about the conflict. Also I got a little tired of sexy times.
Week 10: Completion Post Option 1
A Shadow in the Ember[*book:A Shadow in the Ember|57282383]
Finished: 12/7/24
Rating: 5 ★★★★★
Review:
I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this book! It was perfection, and there was so much to love about it.
I absolutely love Sera and Nyktos. It's so very clear that Nyktos has feelings for Sera. Feelings that he clearly doesn't want to acknowledge. But damn, this man is perfection!
Sera is also shaping up to be a pretty badass FMC. She's been through a lot in her life, and of course, she will continue to go through it.
I will say that I loved how the betrayal was handled when it emerged. Instead of either of them stomping their feet, they faced it as head-on as they could.
There are so many answers that I had after reading the first three books in FBAA. However, I now have so many more questions, lol. I also really loved interacting with Nektas and the other draken. It's so nice having these interactions.
I'm excited to be in this world again!
Selection Post
Week #: 10
Book: Tide of Tricks by Ariana Nash
Pages: 281 Pages
How it fits:
#66 on Can’t Wait M/M Romance of 2021
Selection Post -Week 10 - Option 1 - Patience is required
Book: Role Model
Pages: 354 Pages
How it fits: #5 on the Can’t Wait M/M Romance of 2021 list
Completion Post -Week 10 - Option 1 - Patience is required
Book: Role Model
Pages: 354 Pages
How it fits: #5 on the Can’t Wait M/M Romance of 2021 list
Rad: 12/9
Rating: 5 stars
Review: This is my favorite in the series, though I love Tough Guy too. Troy has a great redemption story and Harris is adorable. It's also a fun Christmas red.
Apologies all I’ve been away in Morocco for a few days and the internet was very spotty. I should have everything updated before the next shelf
Option 1
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
Pages: 339
How It Fits: #14 Can’t Wait Books of 2021
Week 9: Completion PostSmall Wonders
Rating: 5 stars
Review:
Trip was a surprise birth for his parents. He leaves when he is sixteen and makes his way to New York. Trip makes his living by busking, telling fortunes, and being a pick pocket. He lives with 4 other people in a 1 bedroom apartment, and sometimes has trouble making rent. And while Trip steals money from people, he also takes small things that interest him, like a small plastic spider with missing legs. He makes up stories about the small treasures that he takes. One day, he meets Nate. They keep meeting, and one day, Trip goes home with Nate. Nate has been fired, so Trip makes a deal with him: Trip will teach Nate how to loosen up a little, and Nate can’t work for 3 months.
This was such a quiet little book. Not a lot happened (you know except for the lives changing and the falling in love), but the story was so well crafted and written. All the characters leaped off the page, and there were no editing errors that I noticed. Even “faze” was the correct word. The story built and built as Trip and Nate got to know one another, peeling back layer after layer. This story is told in present tense, flipping between first person and third person. (I think that maybe the first person tense is what Trip is writing?) Anyway, loved. Not a passionate love, but a deep, quiet love.
Selection Post: Week 10 - Patience requiredThe Final Masquerade
Pages: 520
How it qualifies: #61 on Can’t Wait M/M Romance of 2021
[*bookcover:The Final Masquerade|59739580]
Completion Post: Week 10The Final Masquerade
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review:
Brice is the lord of a crumbling estate. His mother and father are both dead, killed by madness. Before she died, his mother warned Brice against the Fae, so even though Brice has received an invitation to the Masquerade held by the Fae every year, he refuses to go. Until his brother swipes his invitation and goes. Then Brice attends and meets the trickster Fae. Brice is kicked out of the party, but his brother and best friend aren’t. When they don’t come back in the morning, Brice sneaks back into the Masquerade the next year to rescue his brother. He runs into Raoul and finds out that he has been punished in the past year, but they work together to try to get his brother out. When Brice is out once again, he receives another invite and heads to the Masquerade for the third time. This time, he wants to free the Fae from their prison and rid the world of the Host, the one holding Fae and humans alike captive.
Oh boy. This was engrossing. It was quite lengthy and I did I feel it at times, but everything was well done. Brice only ever wanted to protect the people he loved, and proved it over and over again. He might not have gone about it the best way, but everything was done for love. It was hard to know Raoul through the brief glimpses of Brice’s first two visits, and there is always something swimming beneath the surface. Even with all that, it is so easy to believe that Raoul loves Brice and will do whatever he can within his Fae nature to help him. They are definitely made for each other, bringing out the best in one another.
I believe that I should be all caught up, now.
UnusualChild{beppy} wrote: "I believe that I should be all caught up, now."Yep :)
🌻 Louise - you need to post a completion before the next call :)
Changing this week’s bookSelection Post - Week 10
Option 1
The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa
Pages: 336
How It Fits: #33 Can’t Wait Books of 2021
Conpletion Post - Week 8Option 1
Riders by Jilly Cooper
Pgs: 919
How It Fits: MPG Sports
Date Read: 12/5
Rating: 4*
Review
This was a doorstopper of a summer read. The cheeky cover gave a taste of what to expect. Set in the world of showjumping leading upto the Los Angeles Olympics there is a whole host of characters. Who are cavorting both on and off the showground. This was a fun read with some very British humor that was appropriate for the time period. Not sure I will read the next in the series unless I can get it on audio.
Completion Post - Week 9Option 1
A Killing in Kenya by Susan Harper
Pgs: 105
How it Fits: Added Nov 27, 2020
Date Read: 12/6
Rating: 4*
Review
This was a fun quick read. Pauline and Kendall are two strangers who have joined together to go on a trip of a lifetime travelling from country to country, accompanied by Pauline’s little white terrier Dot. On this occasion they are joined by a friend and fellow flight attendant Lil who inadvertently is accused of murder when she happens across the body of a guest at the Giraffe manor they are staying in. There is a lot of light hearted moments in the book mainly down to Pauline’s antics as she comes up with plans to get their friend to the US embassy
Week 11 - Final weekOption 1
14. Bake at 450F (or 230C)
Read a book with an avg GR rating of at least 4.3 stars.
Please ask if you are not sure.
Option 2
Key date: 14 June 2024
If you use this option, this week you must select your book from the team shelves immediately below your team in this list. The last team picks from the first team.
9 Loaf Me Tender
3 Readers Dough it Better
2 Sourdough Sagas
8 Dough Go Breaking My Heart
1 Ready Set Dough
7 Night of the Living Bread
10 The Jane Doughs
4 Books Bake Me Happy
6 Knead To Read
5 The Path of Yeast Resistence
Eg. Team 9 picks from team 3's members bookshelves. Team 5 picks from team 9's members bookshelves.
DO NOT PICK from a team member who has left the team during the game. Picks must come from current members. If you aren't sure if they are current, please check on the spreadsheet that is linked in the first message of this thread.
A selection post must be made for whichever option you choose.
Refer msg 3 in your team thread for formatting of all 3 options.
Week 11: Selection Post - Read a book with an avg GR rating of at least 4.3 starsOption 1
Ever-Greene: A Souls Christmas101pgs
How it fits: Average GR rating of 4.45
[*book:Ever-Greene: A Souls Christmas|36667504]
Week 11: Selection Post - Read a book with an avg GR rating of at least 4.3 starsOption 1
A Mage's Guide to Wicky
113pgs
How it fits: Average GR rating of 4.37
[b*ook:A Mage's Guide to Wicky|95583274]
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
The Trouble With Trying to Bag a Blood Witch (other topics)Sanctuary (other topics)
The Trouble With Trying to Bag a Blood Witch (other topics)
Ever-Greene: A Souls Christmas (other topics)
Tide of Tricks (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Susan Harper (other topics)Susan Harper (other topics)
Jilly Cooper (other topics)
Julie Kagawa (other topics)
Helen Hoang (other topics)
More...
Change of Heart
Pages: 196
How it qualifies: Per précis, one MC is a pro hockey player
[*bookcover:Change of Heart|44512183]