2012 February Reading Challenge

[Jennifer]

This month's challenge is- you guessed it- romances or love stories! People are often down on romances, but they actually make up the largest percentage by far of adult fiction sold in the U.S., so somebody is reading them. Maybe just secretly.
Interpret this however you want. Half the fun is in the rationalization, right? My favorite love story is Super Sad True Love Story, which is about as modern, edgy, and literary as you can get. Not recommended for delicate sensibilities, but I still laugh about it more than a year later. So let us know what you chose, and let us know if you need a suggestion. As always, there's a free book for one lucky poster at the end of the month!

[Amanda]

For are book club we read Nicholas Sparks, Best of Me.. it was a great book for Feb.. :)

[Vicki]

I just started reading The Sound of Love by J. Adams, so I guess that fits!

[Becky]

I'm in--I've got a book in mind I have had on my to-read list for a long time.

[Jackie]

I'm in. Always looking for an excuse to read a trashy romance. Preferably with the horse and large chested woman on the front cover :0)
I am actually going to read "I Think I Love You" for book club, so I think that qualifies.

[Havilah]

I just picked up Midnight in Austenland from the Draper Library today! I think this one could count for this month's challenge. :)

[Becky]

I read the Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen. I liked it :) It has everything you could want on Valentines day: sugar, romance, and a little magic.

[Jana]

My husband and I are reading The Princess Bride together. Can't get much more romantic than that. :)

[JoAnn]

I just finished Olive last night. I tried to read several other more contemporary romances, but got tired of all the smut. This one lives up to the truly romantic greats such as Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. LOVED IT!

[Havilah]

Havilah wrote: "I just picked up Midnight in Austenland from the Draper Library today! I think this one could count for this month's challenge. :)"

And now I have finished it. I really enjoyed it. I actually liked it better than the first one! :)

[Vicki]

I finished Sound of Love and it great, short ans sweet. I also read Her newest titled Sweet 16 Birthday Ball, available on Kindle! Really short and sweet, the way I like my romance.

[Tina]

My favorite romance will always be Golden Urchin. I can't count the number of times I've reread it. It was published in 1987, so you can't get a copy from the library. I just love the detail that went into the main character, a girl raised by aborigine who finds herself an heiress in industrial England. My favorite scene is when she smells elephants while at the dock and is trying to describe the smell to her gaurdian (and future love interest) in a way that will allow him to tell her what animal it is.

[Jennifer]

I think my favorite actual genre romance was Welcome to Temptation, which I read because of Reader's Choice. I hadn't read a romance novel before that one, really, and was surprised at how clever and funny it was. I read all her others, which are more or less the same, but this remains my favorite.
Also, they aren't really considered romances, but I love anything Sarah Dessen does. Always a sweet, but not saccharine, love story.

[Trpusey]

I just finished "Friends and Foes" by Sarah Eden. Fun, easy to read romance and perfect timing to have read it this past week for Valentine's.

trpusey@hotmail.com

[Becky]

I just finished Outlander, read because I thought it applied to this month's challenge, and was on my to-read list for a long time. I'd heard a lot a good things about the book. I did not care for it.

[Jenny]

I read I Think I Love You. I had a hard time getting into it at first, but ended up really enjoying it. It starts off with the main character as a 13 year old girl who is infatuated with David Cassidy...but then the second half is about this same character, now in her mid 30's, getting divorced and about to actually meet David Cassidy...

I also read At the Sign of the Sugared Plum which is a children's historical fiction about the Plague in London. It was not romance, but it did have a sweet romance in it.

[Lisa]

Becky, that's too bad. The Outlander series is one of my favorites (on my 5th read through).

[Jackie]

I finished reading "I Think I Love You", and realized that the next book on my stack will also qualify for this month's challenge. I am now reading "Attachments" by Rainbow Rowell. This is her first novel, so I will let you know if I think she should keep her day job :0D. BTW, who names their daughter Rainbow???

[Holly]

I decided to read "Emma" again since we're seeing the play at Pioneer Theatre. It's always a delight.

[Jennifer]

Holly wrote: "I decided to read "Emma" again since we're seeing the play at Pioneer Theatre. It's always a delight."

We just went to the play last night! It was lots of fun.

[Jennifer]

I just read Vaclav and Lena, which was a beautiful love story. I did cry on the last few pages, but not in a bad way.:-)

[Erin]

I read that too, but it didn't even occur to me to consider it a love story, I don't know why not! It was cute!

[Jennifer]

Okay, it's the last day for this challenge! Make sure you post by the end of the day to be included in the drawing. Also, you can't win if I can't track you down, so make sure that your account is set to allow people to email you. If it's blocked, then you are out of luck. Thanks!

[Jennifer]

This month's winner was Amanda, who read The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks. Congratulations, Amanda, and make sure to check out March's Urban Fantasy challenge. Also, from now one, librarian Ann will be taking over the monthly reading challenges. But I'm still here for you if you need me!

[Jackie]

Just a plug for "Attachments". Laugh out loud funny, and a cute love story to boot. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a light read.