Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Pass The Parcel (Team Challenge)
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PtP R24 - Wedding Between the Lines (3)
Week 2 ~ 5. The ceremony follows well established ritualsOption 1
Book: Black Woods Blue Sky
Arthur: Eowyn Ivey
Read: 7 May
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
This book was really interesting. Birdie has had addiction problems and has a 6 year old, Emaleen. Something happens that causes them to meet Arthur, a recluse. But the 3 of them become like family.
I thought this book did a good job of juxtaposing living isolated with our needs for human connection.
Completion PostWeek #3
Option 2
Book: Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann
Page numbers: 314
How it fits: Read by Michelle on March 5, 2025 and rated 4 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Finished: 05/06
Rating: 5 stars
Review: I didn't think that I was going to love this as much as I did after reading Older and with the juvenile way Cora and Dean dealt with each other in the beginning.
I was wrong. I loved it. I hated what happened to these two, but the author did such an amazing job conveying their experience before (with flashbacks to their past), during, and after.
I wanted to grab Cora and just hug and console her. I wanted to knock Mandy upside the head because she refused to understand that Dean and Cora may not be ready to move ahead on her timetable.
The confessions that were made during their ordeal, plus the flashbacks shows that it had always been more to their relationship than what either of them wanted to admit, but after going through that traumatic event together everything was heighted including the bond that was already there.
Week 4Option 1
3. There is a public declaration by an official (Minister, celebrant etc.)
Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name.
These are: full stop (aka period), question mark, exclamation mark, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark and ellipsis.
A combined 'title: series' name will work. The proof can be on the main page of GR or on the bookcover. Please link to the page or include the bookcover.
It must be limited to the actual title and/or actual series name. Tangential sentences to the title or series will not work.
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: 8 November 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.
UPDATE!!Week 1 ~ 11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event ~ Done!
Week 2 ~ 5. The ceremony follows well established rituals: Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'. ~ Done!
Week 3 ~ 8. Marriage is a legal contract: Read a book with a main character who is a lawyer.
🍾LaurLa: Option #1 | Friction | 290 pgs | Rating | Link to Post
🍾Vicki: Option #1 | False Witness | 440 pgs | Rating | Link to Post
🍾Catsalive: Option #2 | Dead to the World | 291 pgs | Rating | Link to Post
Selection PostWeek #4
Option 1
Book: 10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace by Jahquel J.
Page numbers: 428
How it fits: Comma in title
Book: The 7-10 Split by Karmen Lee
Pages: 289
Qualification: Hyphen in the title
Completion Post ❱❱ Week 3 ❱❱ Option 1Call ❱❱ 8. Marriage is a legal contract
Task ❱❱ Read a book with a main character who is a lawyer
Book ❱❱ Friction
Pages ❱❱ 290 (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits ❱❱ from precis: "At the powerhouse law firm of Knight & Payne, winning comes first and ethics a distant second. Leary Michaels uses her female charms to daze opponents, and it’s always worked well—until now. On her most personal case yet, she finds herself going up against a defense attorney just as skilled, shameless, and seductive as she is."
Date Read ❱❱ 05.09 ★★★★
Review
I didn't think I was going to like the female MC at first - too shallow and too manipulative, but she actually ended up having a very good heart. I also enjoyed the actual trial scenes. I was a worried that Leary was going to let the malignment of her client's character go but in the end, the author did address that, although I would have liked to have seen that happen by Leary decimating the fake witnesses - but then we wouldn't have had the plot tool for Reeve to redeem himself, so I guess it worked out!
Call ❱❱ 3. There is a public declaration by an official
Task ❱❱ Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name
Book ❱❱ Lucien's Fall
Pages ❱❱ 320 (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits ❱❱ apostrophe in title
New selection in post 114
I asked about accents over letters in Q&A because I have one I'd rather read, so if Jane approves, I may change my selection.
Week 3 ~ 8. Marriage is a legal contractOption 1
Book: False Witness
Arthur: Karin Slaughter
Read: 8 May
Rating: 5 stars
Review
First, let me say that Karin Slaughter is one of my favorite thriller and mystery authors. I can always expect to "enjoy" her books. I can't say that I didn't like this one, but I will say that it's hard to say a book was "good" when it has graphic rape, sexual abuse of underage girls, graphic murder scenes and so on. That being said, I did enjoy this one and the twists and unexpected turns! The graphicness of some scenes I couldn't dwell on and I will say if you're a survivor of any type of sexual assault you might not want to read this one. I can only assume for some people that this book would cause triggers so enter cautiously. But I love Karin Slaughter's writing in general...look at the Will Trent series! (And others!)
Option 1 ~ 3. There is a public declaration by an official
Task: Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name
Book: When I Killed My Father: An Assisted-Suicide Family Thriller
Pages: 337
How it Qualifies: There's a colon in the title
Changing my book as I realized I can double up on this one for another challenge:Selection Post ~ Week 4
Option 1 ~ 3. There is a public declaration by an official
Task: Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name.
Book: Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire by Lizzie Johnson
Pages: 432
How it Qualifies: There's a colon in the title
NEW Selection Post ❱❱ Week 4 ❱❱ Option 1Call ❱❱ 3. There is a public declaration by an official
Task ❱❱ Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name
Book ❱❱ Stars, Love And Pirouettes
Pages ❱❱ 132 (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits ❱❱ comma in title
Completion Post ❱❱ Week 4 ❱❱ Option 1Call ❱❱ 3. There is a public declaration by an official
Task ❱❱ Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name
Book ❱❱ Stars, Love And Pirouettes
Pages ❱❱ 132 (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits ❱❱ comma in title
Date Read ❱❱ 05.10 ★★★
Review
This was just a short little ho-hum book that I needed for another challenge and realized it had a comma! There was a bit of teeth in female MC's story arc as she had some work to do on herself on understanding her motivations. But other parts of the plot didn't feel authentic to me... I think it's very very very rare that a prima ballerina would be literally handed a role on a prime time TV show with no other acting experience... but this is fiction and I suppose it worked for the story. It was all pretty predictable but not a bad read. If it had been longer, I might feel differently!
Week 3 completion
Book: Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
Date: 10/5 3★
Review:
An entertaining read but not as good as the previous book. There are vampires, werewolves, werepanthers, angels & witches, but it never really lifted above a fairly average story. I do feel sympathy for poor Jason, he may now have a more interesting life, but he didn't choose it nor deserve it. I prefer Eric as himself, & I don't believe he would have changed so completely with amnesia. Sookie is fairly tedious at times, but very handy to have around for all these odd creatures hanging about her town. A little humour wouldn't go astray, everyone takes themselves so seriously.
Week 4 selection - option 1
Miss Darby's Debut by Marilyn Clay
Pages: 224
Qualification: punctuation in the title
Week 4: Option 1 - Selection Post
Dr. Stanton's The Epilogue by T.L. Swan
Pages: 186
Qualification: Punctuation in the title
Changing my book as well. LOL. I'm in a bit of a rut.
Selection Post - Week 4
Book: Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
Pages: 176
Qualification: Comma in the title
Completion Post - Week 4
Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
Finished: 5/12/25
Rating: ★★★
Review: The plot was so interesting and there was so much potential here but there was something about the writing style that left me feeling so distant. I never did form any connections with the characters which made it hard for me to care about what was going on. I'm a character driven reader and if I don't care about the characters it's hard for me to enjoy the story and that was the case here unfortunately. The aura and vibe of the story were cool and feels like a fairytale which was interesting but yeah I wish I had liked this more in the end.
Completion Post - Week 4: Option 1
Dr. Stanton's The Epilogue by T.L. Swan
Finished: 5.12.25
Rating: ★★★★★
Review: Although this was an epilogue and a HEA, I didn't see it ending like this. It was better than I could have imagined and it was everything I wanted for them. I was thrilled that Cameron, raised with endless money and power, embraced Ashley's commitment to raise their son, Owen, to appreciate that through hard work and commitment, he'll feel a sense of pride and value all the good things in their lives. This is one series (2 books) I would love to see created as a movie. The banter, inside jokes, the friendships...it was the perfect ending to a heartwarming story.
Completion Post ~ Week 4 Option 1
Book: Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire
Author: Lizzie Johnson
Read: 14 May
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
This book is a nonfiction account of the destructive Paradise "Camp Fire" which was so devastating! I live about 2 1/2 hour drive from Paradise but the smoke from the fire was so thick that I literally couldn't read freeway signs one day as I was driving home from a nearby town 12 miles away. (Good thing I knew the route well.) Reading Lizzie Johnson's account of the Camp Fire brought that memory roaring back, but it also opened my eyes to just how many lives were impacted ~ and how many could have been saved.
What made me angriest was the role of human error. PG&E's negligence wasn't just a legal failure, it was a moral one. So much suffering could have been alleviated with better infrastructure, clearer warnings, and stronger accountability. Yet, at the same time, nature's course was unimaginable. The fire moved FASTER than anyone could've predicted. I was blown away to read that firefighters came all the way from New Zealand and Australia, and the international support touched me. Paradise was not just a California story but a global one.
The human life lost brought to life with some of the people's accounts in this book, and reminded me that it wasn't "just a fire." REAL people, children, old people, people in their swimming pools, in cars and women giving birth or trying to save their kids. This story was SADI am a PG&E customer and not that this compare AT ALL, but due to the old grids and frequency of wildfires in California, our bills have gone up astronomically! PG&E was found responsible for the fire, which started due to a faulty electrical transmission line. Pacific Gas & Electric Company ended up in court and pled guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter. So, we, the paying customers, are now paying for THEIR errors in (bad) judgment. This, the deadliest wildfire in California's history, is one that I know I will never forget.
🦆 Just 2 outstanding from the current week I believe.
Completion PostWeek #4
Option 1
Book: 10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace by Jahquel J.
Page numbers: 428
How it fits: Comma in title
Finished: 05/16
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I wasn't sure I was going to like after initially meeting Stevie. She's described as in her own head, but no matter how in your head you are, there is no way you are that naive in this day and age. She did not grow up in or live in an actual bubble.
As soon as I read what her "friend" was doing with the money, I knew she was shady. So honestly that initial situation while they were on the trip, she actually deserved for being stupid.
Naive does not equal stupid and that is what she was being.
If something is too good to be true, it usually is or at least comes with strings attached.
However, when she met Menace, she had me rolling laughing. And the laughter didn't stop there.
Then we have Menace who is a badass that was a mold of his own. It's not even that he has OCD and the things that come along with that. He'd kill someone in one breath, then go around never calling people by their names. Poor Greene was ever color of the rainbow and then some.
If it wouldn't have been for that first bit with Stevie being too dumb for my taste in the beginning, this would have been five stars. It had all the things I love when reading about a crime family while not taking itself too seriously and having me laughing my ass off throughout.
Week 5Option 1
7. A wedding takes extensive planning
Read a book:
* with a character who is a wedding planner OR
* from a series of more than 5 books.
Qualification:
* For the wedding planner option, please state HOW it qualifies through the precis/blurb, or with an appropriately named shelf or list. Please advise the shelf/list and provide a link to that page.
* For the series option, please link to the series page.
Half books etc will count toward the 6 or more books in the series, but they must show on the series page that is linked to in the selection post. Eg. Aster Valley
If you aren't sure how to insert links in your posts, please read these instructions in the Q&A thread
Option 2
Key date: 15 November 2024
Teammate 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.
UPDATE!!Week 1 ~ 11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event ~ Done!
Week 2 ~ 5. The ceremony follows well established rituals: Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'. ~ Done!
Week 3 ~ 8. Marriage is a legal contract: Read a book with a main character who is a lawyer. ~ Done!
Week 4: 3. There is a public declaration by an official (Minister, celebrant etc.) Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name.
🍾Catsalive: Option #1 | Miss Darby's Debut | 224 pgs | Rating | Link to Post
Selection PostWeek #5
Option 1
Book: About That Night by Julie James
Page numbers: 284
How it fits: FBI/US Attorney Series has 7 books in the series
https://www.goodreads.com/series/6281...
Selection Post - Week 5
Book: Hopeless Romantic by Georgia Beers
Pages: 247
Qualification: From the precis: "Teddi Baker used to believe in happily ever after. It’s why she became a wedding planner and worked so hard to make her business, Hopelessly Romantic, successful."
Week 4 completion
Book: Miss Darby's Debut by Marilyn Clay
Date: 12/5 2★
Review:
I'm afraid Miss Darby would have been carted off to the stews the moment she stepped out independently at the docks, never to be seen again. Not much of a story there, so she did make it to her destination & thence carried on like an ungrateful idiot, only getting away with it because the countess was such a scatterwit & she had the earl's protection. All the characters are caricature-ish & none of them likeable. A load of rubbish, really, a modern tale plopped into Regency England, & not very well.
Week 5 selection - option 2
Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
Pages: 295
Qualification: Sookie Stackhouse #5
Shan~A~ read Sookie Stackhouse #10 on 3 Apr, 2025 & rated it 4★
Completion Post - Week 5
Hopeless Romantic by Georgia Beers
Finished: 5/17/25
Rating: ★★★★
Review: Georgia Beers has become a dependable author for me. I’ve yet to be let down by her books. This was just what I needed. It was so incredibly sweet and heartfelt and I loved the personal growth that our leads had to go through to get their HEA.
Teddi is a wedding planner, Leah is a divorce attorney. They meet when Leah’s sister hires Teddi for her wedding. Leah also represented Teddi’s ex wife in their divorce. Awkward. I loved that once they figured that out that they handled it like adults. Both characters (all of the characters really) were so incredibly likable and charming. Teddi, despite being a wedding planner doesn’t want to get married again. Her divorce really did a number on her. Leah is a hopeless romantic and loves romcoms and wants that happily ever after. The third act breakup hurt, not gonna lie, but that ending, as cheesy as it was, made me so happy. It was adorable! These two were made for each other.
Overall, this was such a good time. Fluffy and sweet and one that I would definitely read again.
Selection Post ❱❱ Week 5 ❱❱ Option 1Call ❱❱ 7. A wedding takes extensive planning
Task ❱❱ Read a book from a series of more than 5 books
Book ❱❱ Hidden in Smoke
Pages ❱❱ 313 (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits ❱❱ series Phoenix Rising has 7 books
Selection/Completion Post ❱❱ Week 5 ❱❱ Option 1Call ❱❱ 7. A wedding takes extensive planning
Task ❱❱ Read a book from a series of more than 5 books
Book ❱❱ Hidden in Smoke
Pages ❱❱ 313 (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits ❱❱ series Phoenix Rising has 7 books
Date Read ❱❱ 05.18 ★★★
Review
I read the first book in the series a couple years ago and liked it enough to want to continue but somehow kept pushing it off. I think that was because it has college age as the MCs and would be considered new adult, I guess, and sometimes the angst gets to be too much for me. Pro-longed angst, I should say. This book had a little of that which is why it's 3 stars. I felt like there was a lot of repetition of the same type of scene with only incremental moves forward. I like the world the authors are creating (or have created) but I wish things just moved a little faster.
Completion PostWeek #5
Option 1
Book: About That Night by Julie James
Page numbers: 284
How it fits: FBI/US Attorney Series has 7 books in the series
https://www.goodreads.com/series/6281...
Finished: 05/17
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Kyle & Rylann met one another years ago while they were in college. They hit it off, but tragedy struck, and they didn't see one another again.
Now, Kyle is set to be released from his ankle monitor and home detention after the crime of being the Twitter Terrorist, which was really just him doing something stupid after getting dumped on Twitter.
Anyway, now after all this time they are face to face, the felon and the Assistant US Attorney, and the attraction is still there. The problem, the AUA doesn't want to rock the boat by dating a felon. However, some things are just inevitable.
I enjoyed the banter and the progression of their relationship. From almost college sweethearts, to working together, to finally letting the feelings that they have for one another free.
Week 5: Option 1 - Selection Post 
King of Envy by Ana Huang
Pages: 530
Qualification: 7 book series King of Sin
Selection Post ~ Week 5 ~ 7. A wedding takes extensive planningOption 1
Task: * from a series of more than 5 books.
Book: Cold Days by Jim Butcher
Pages: 515
How it Qualifies: #14 in The Dresden Files series
Week 5 - Completion PostKing of Envy by Ana Huang
Pages: 530
Qualification: from a series of more than 5 books King of Sin
Finished: 5.15.25
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review: Any plot that begins with the lack of communication between the characters always frustrates me. If Vuk would have expressed his feelings for Ayana in the beginning, there’d be no story. Jordan and Ayana entered a marriage of convenience and told no one. Vuk, Jordan's BFF, thought they really loved each other so he chose to hide his true feelings for Ayana. There were a number of other twists that kept me interested and ya'll, Vuk Markovic YEARNS! The tough exterior hot grumpy man notices everything about Ayana. A change in Ayana’s body language, a strain in her voice, and the girl can make him laugh! Vuk has a dark past that comes back to haunt him, putting Jordan, Ayana, and himself in danger. I don’t want to spoil it, but this book was a guarantee 5★ rating up until page 475. It was such a dumb plot twist I actually laughed out loud. The ending redeemed itself and I'll always love a HEA.
Week 6Option 1
16. And they lived happily ever after
Read a book tagged 'hea'.
Please include a link to the page where the tag appears (or to the tag specifically). (The shelves are accessed after clicking on the 'more' on the genres for the book page.)
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: 22 November 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.
Selection Post - Week 6: Option 2
Book: The Running Man by Richard Bachman
Pages: 417
Qualification: Shan~A~ read it March 29, 2025 and gave it 4 stars.
Selection Post ❱❱ Week 6 ❱❱ Option 1Call ❱❱ 16. And they lived happily ever after
Task ❱❱ Read a book tagged 'hea'
Book ❱❱ Bounty
Pages ❱❱ 678 (GR kindle, linked edition)
How it fits ❱❱ tagged HEA 10 times
Sorry I was MIA yesterday. Jamie thank you for posting our call for this week. I'll get everything caught up later today.
Week 5 completion
Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
Date: 24/5 3★
Review:
I had a fair bit of trouble getting through this one as very little happened in most of the book & I was a bit bored. I'm still not sure why Alcide even wanted Sookie as a witness to the Leadership Challenge, but at least she got to meet Quinn - always room for a new love interest, I suppose. I found Twining's end very strange & had to flip back to see if I'd missed something, that & his reasons were anti-climatical. Melodramatic madness, missing the energy of previous episodes.
Week 6 selection - option 2
Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
Pages: 324
Qualification: Sookie Stackhouse #6
Shan~A~ read Sookie Stackhouse #10 on 3 Apr, 2025 & rated it 4★
Selection PostWeek #6
Option 1
Book: Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage
Page numbers: 368
How it fits: Tagged HEA 6x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
UPDATE!!Completion Posts
Week 1 ~ 11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event ~ Done!
Week 2 ~ 5. The ceremony follows well established rituals: Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'. ~ Done!
Week 3 ~ 8. Marriage is a legal contract: Read a book with a main character who is a lawyer. ~ Done!
Week 4: 3. There is a public declaration by an official (Minister, celebrant etc.) Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name. ~ Done!
Week 5: 7. A wedding takes extensive planning: Read a book with a character who is a wedding planner or from a series of more than 5 books. Please link to the series page.
🍾Vicki: Option #1 | Cold Days | 515 pgs | Rating | Link to Post
Selection Posts
Week 6: 16. And they lived happily ever after: Read a book tagged 'hea'.
🍾Michelle: Option # | Book | Pages | Qualification | Link to Post
🍾Vicki: Option # | Book | Pages | Qualification | Link to Post
Selection Post ~ Week #6Option 1
Book: A Not So Meet Cute
Author: Meghan Quinn
Pages: 404
Qualification: Tagged 'HEA' 26x
Completion Post - Week 6 - Option 2
The Running Man by Richard Bachman
Finished: 5/25/25
Rating: ★★★★
Review: 4 stars. Not my favorite King book under his Bachman pseudonym (that title belongs to Thinner. I still think about that book) but this was still pretty good. It’s so action packed from the very beginning and it never eases up. The pacing is great and steady and keeps the story flowing. I was never bored while reading this that’s for sure. The plot was intriguing and I really liked the world building and it was cool that this takes place in 2025 but was written in the early 80s. I thoroughly enjoyed this and it’s my third favorite from Bachman after Thinner and The Long Walk.
Week 6 : Option 1 - Selection Post 
Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde
Pages: 491
Qualification: Tagged hea x4: column 3; 10th down from top
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
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Option 1
Book: The Lawyer
Author: Marni Mann
Pages: 330
Qualification: The title/MMC is an entertainment lawyer
"This time, he’s Mr. Dalton, my sister’s cutthroat entertainment lawyer." https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Finished: 5.5.25
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review: Plot was blah. Spice was 5/5. I really like Kendall's character. She went from her sister's punching bag to standing up for herself. She took a big risk accepting a spot on a reality show and the media twisted her character and created unnecessary scandal for ratings. Dominick was her sister's entertainment lawyer, but didn't know that when they first met. Kendall's sister, Daisy just sucks. She's a arrogant, egotistical reality star/actress/influencer brat. Instead of supporting and cheering her sister on, Daisy gets angry and it creates a rift in their relationship. Although, she does realize she was wrong and apologizes, I still think she sucks.