Group Read Rules and Themes

[Abbie]

I want to get a feel if you would all like some rules for picking our group reads? Here are some of my ideas.

1. A author can be picked once every 6 months.
2. We could have a list of genera's and using random.org pick one. Say there where 6 types and we would pick one and then work our way through and then start over once we have read one of each.

Any thoughts?

[Rachel]

These sounds like good rules, Abbie. There are so many different types of romance - historical, contemporary, romantic suspense, etc.

[Abbie]

Here is a start to a list.


1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Suspense
3. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Mystery/suspense
6. Western Romance
7. Amish Romance(would include Mennonites shaker etc)
8. Short story collections
9. HeartSong Presents

[Ausjenny]

Wondering if you could conbine all the Love inspired books and maybe add heartsong presents with them. for one month? like your idea of having a theme.

[Abbie]

Well it would be more fun to let each branch of love inspired have a month. I will look at the heartsong not sure what those are. I can of course combine them if more want it that way. :)

[Kristy]

I like it separate.

[Rachel]

Heartsong are quite similar to Love Inspired, they do contemporary and historical romances:

http://www.heartsongpresents.com/

A lot of popular authors, such as Mary Connealy and Wanda Brunstetter started out writing for them.

[Karen]

Are there any guidelines around the discussion of the group reads? Or are we free to pretty much discuss any aspect of the book we'd like?

[Abbie]

The only real rule is to wait till later in the month to talk about main plot lines so as to not give anything major away. I say the last week is fair game as long as you mention a spoiler at the top of your post. Other then that no but of course to be fair and no name calling etc.

[Diane U]

Here is the current list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Suspense
3. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Mystery/Suspense
6. Western
7. Amish (This includes Mennonite, Shaker, etc)
8. Short Story Collections
9. HeartSong Presents

Do you have any other suggestions?

[Diane U]

I would like to add Prairie Life, Southern, Love Finds You In... and Anything Goes.

[Diane U]

I was looking around on CDB and Heartsong Presents can be brokend down into Heartsong Presents - Contemporary Romance and Heartsong Presents - Historical. Plus we could add Romancing America. All these books are not available for the kindle but are easily under $2 or $3 at CBD.

[Rachel]

Diane, I really like the look of some of the Romancing America collections. I think we read a Christmas one over at Fans of Amish Fiction last year?

Does Prairie Life overlap with Western, or are you thinking of something slightly different?

[Diane U]

Rachel wrote: "Diane, I really like the look of some of the Romancing America collections. I think we read a Christmas one over at Fans of Amish Fiction last year?

Does Prairie Life overlap with Western, or are ..."

Prairie life could slightly overlap western. I bought these books at CBD that would definitely fall into this category:



Plus I have seen some others that are similar to an adult version of Little House on the Prairie. Here are some other suggestions when you search for it on CBD:

http://www.christianbook.com/Christia...

[Diane U]

Here is the full list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Suspense
3. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Mystery/Suspense
6. Western
7. Amish (This includes Mennonite, Shaker, etc)
8. Short Story Collections
9. HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance
10. Prairie Life
11. Southern
12. Love Finds You In...
13. Anything Goes
14. HeartSong Presents - Historical
15. Romancing America

[Diane U]

I have selected the group read theme for June 2012 using random.org. The theme will be:

#2 - Love Inspired Suspense

[Diane U]

Here is the remaining list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Mystery/Suspense
6. Western
7. Amish (This includes Mennonite, Shaker, etc)
8. Short Story Collections
9. HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance
10. Prairie Life
11. Southern
12. Love Finds You In...
13. Anything Goes
14. HeartSong Presents - Historical
15. Romancing America

June 2012 - Love Inpsired Suspense

[Diane U]

July 2012's group read theme is:

#12 - Love Finds You In ...

[Diane U]

Here is the remaining list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Mystery/Suspense
6. Western
7. Amish (This includes Mennonite, Shaker, etc)
8. Short Story Collections
9. HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance
10. Prairie Life
11. Southern
12. Anything Goes
13. HeartSong Presents - Historical
14. Romancing America

June 2012 - Love Inpsired Suspense
July 2012 - Love Finds You In ...

[Diane U]

August 2012's group theme is:

#9 - HeartSong Presents - Contemporarty Romance

[Diane U]

Here is the remaining list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Mystery/Suspense
6. Western
7. Amish (This includes Mennonite, Shaker, etc)
8. Short Story Collections
9. Prairie Life
10. Southern
11. Anything Goes
12. HeartSong Presents - Historical
13. Romancing America

June 2012 - Love Inpsired Suspense
July 2012 - Love Finds You In ...
August 2012 - HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance

[Diane U]

September 2012's theme will be:

#5 - Mystery/Suspense

[Diane U]

Here is the remaining list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Western
6. Amish (This includes Mennonite, Shaker, etc)
7. Short Story Collections
8. Prairie Life
9. Southern
10. Anything Goes
11. HeartSong Presents - Historical
12. Romancing America

June 2012 - Love Inpsired Suspense
July 2012 - Love Finds You In ...
August 2012 - HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance
September 2012 - Mystery/Suspense

[Diane U]

October 2012's theme will be:

#10 - Anything goes

[Diane U]

Here is the remaining list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Western
6. Amish (This includes Mennonite, Shaker, etc)
7. Short Story Collections
8. Prairie Life
9. Southern
10. HeartSong Presents - Historical
11. Romancing America

June 2012 - Love Inpsired Suspense
July 2012 - Love Finds You In ...
August 2012 - HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance
September 2012 - Mystery/Suspense
October 2012 - Anything Goes

[Diane U]

Here is the remaining list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Western
6. Amish (This includes Mennonite, Shaker, etc)
7. Short Story Collections
8. Prairie Life
9. Southern
10. HeartSong Presents - Historical
11. Romancing America
12. Love Inspired Suspense

July 2012 - Love Finds You In ...
August 2012 - HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance
September 2012 - Mystery/Suspense
October 2012 - Anything Goes
November 2012 - Christmas
December 2012 - Christmas

[Diane U]

January 2013's group read is:

#6 - Amish

[Diane U]

Here is the remaining list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Western
6. Short Story Collections
7. Prairie Life
8. Southern
9. HeartSong Presents - Historical
10. Romancing America
11. Love Inspired Suspense
12. Love Finds You In ...

August 2012 - HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance
September 2012 - Mystery/Suspense
October 2012 - Anything Goes
November 2012 - Christmas
December 2012 - Christmas
January 2013 - Amish

[Diane U]

February 2013's group read is:

#6 - Short Story Collections

[Diane U]

Here is the remaining list of themes for our group reads:

1. Love Inspired
2. Love Inspired Historical
3. Historical
4. Contemporary
5. Western
6. Prairie Life
7. Southern
8. HeartSong Presents - Historical
9. Romancing America
10. Love Inspired Suspense
11. Love Finds You In ...
12. HeartSong Presents - Contemporary Romance

September 2012 - Mystery/Suspense
October 2012 - Anything Goes
November 2012 - Christmas
December 2012 - Christmas
January 2013 - Amish
February 2013 - Short Story Collection

[Diane U]

Beginning today, 1/16/13, we will not be using themes to pick our group reads. Instead, we will be nominating ANY Christian Romance book. After a book has been a group read, you cannot nominate that author for 6 months.

[Melissa]

Diane U wrote: "Beginning today, 1/16/13, we will not be using themes to pick our group reads. Instead, we will be nominating ANY Christian Romance book. After a book has been a group read, you cannot nominate t..."

Thanks Diane!

[Phyllis]

I. like all Love Inspired and Heartsong books