Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Team Members

Captain: LaurLa
❀~Amy~❀
Nicole
☘KathyD☘
Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥
MountainKat

1. Introduce yourself to your team. Let your team members know where you are from. This is a 'nice to know' when categories are announced and when team-mates can expect other members to post their book choices.

2. Team Captain - reserve a couple of posts in this thread tracking your team's book selection and completion. (Alternatively they could convert a chat comment to the tracking post/s.)

3. Name your team. Using this round's theme of HUNTING, come up with a fun name. Given we are an open/public group with no age limit, so please make sure any chosen name is smart, not smutty ;)

Please PM your name to Jane(PS) by 8 March.

4. If you have a private profile, please 'friend' your team-mates. This is really important, because without this, your team-mates can't see your shelves to select a books under option 2.

5. Please post your book selections/completions in the format provided below. (This format is also posted in both the Q&A and Sign-Up threads.) We need to know the week that each book corresponds to, the page numbers, and how the book qualifies including links to lists/shelves (where applicable), etc. I can't stress this enough. When in doubt - link it*!

* don't link to your review in your completion post - reviews in your completion posts should be included in full in that post.

You don't want to start reading a book and then find it doesn't meet the requirements because some information (eg page count or theme link) was missing from your original post.

I will be monitoring this and your book will not be considered complete until I am satisfied that your selection and completion posts comply with the format rules of the challenge.

Remember - you can ONLY change your book selection in the week that the theme is called.

6. You MUST check in with your team each week, ideally once the theme is announced. Please let your team know if you expect to have spotty communication or are on holidays or having an operation.

7. When you post the completion of your book, you must post a review; enough for us to know you have actually read the book. Please don't link to a review. You must post the review in this thread.

8. Re-reads are allowed but you can't read the same book twice within this challenge.

9. There is no prize for the winning team - bragging rights only :)

10. Each week, the theme will be announced in the Q&A/Announcement thread. The full list of themes announced during this round will be maintained in msg 1 of that thread.


The Rule on the Pass Option
* Each team can only have ONE member using their pass each week.
* Each member can only use that pass once each 5 weeks.
* This means that one or two team members (dependent upon the size of your team) will miss using a pass in each 5 week block.
* No-one can use the pass option in the last week of the challenge.
* In the final week Option 2 has altered and I will be allocating each team another team from which their book selection must be chosen :)

Key selection and completion post information. You must have ALL elements in your book posts.


For the initial selection post Option 1 I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
How the book qualifies - please insert a link to the qualifying bookshelf/list.
If the theme is based off the bookcover or a letter in the title etc, please just repeat the theme.

For the initial selection post Option 2 I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.


For the completion post I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Rating (1-5)
Review


Please DO NOT CHAT in these selction/completion posts. It needs to be super clear.

If you 'waffle' about your decided book - please REPOST your selection once you decide. DO NOT go back and edit your waffling post.

I'll be tracking each team's progress separately, using the Captain's summary in each team's thread to check for accuracy.

Weekly Tracking


Week 1: Completed Reviews

Week 2: Completed Reviews

Week 3: Completed Reviews

Week 4: Completed Reviews

Week 5: Completed Reviews

Week 6: Completed Reviews

Week 7: Completed Reviews

Week 8: Completed Reviews

Week 9: Completed Reviews

Week 10: Completed Reviews

res

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Hi everyone! Lots of familiar faces this round! Is this the first time playing for anyone?

Any ideas for a team name? Jane wants us to choose based on the hunting theme. My creative juices aren't flowing right now, so any suggestions are welcome!

Laurla!!!! I have a fellow snake on my team!!!

Hey LaurLa (and everyone else). Definitely not my first time playing as this is one of my very favorite challenges.

I'm not creative with names at all, but maybe after getting some sleep I can contribute a few options.

Just a bit about me. I'm 41, divorced with 2 boys (19 & 22) but only one still at home. I live in NC and work nights for the Post Office. I mostly read MM though I will throw in an occasional MF book here and there. Can't wait to start.

I'm new to this challenge. Have seen multiple people playing it and enjoying it.

I'm 29, no children yet. Married going on 7 years in October. I work in a healthcare administration. I read 98% MM with select mf books.

Nice meeting you Amy!

Hi team! I'm excited to be playing this again - I've played every round so far! My teams have even won a few times - that was exciting.

A little about me - I've been married forever to my high school sweetie and I still like the guy! =P I am a mom and grandma - being a grandma is awesome! We have three grown kids and so far three grandkids. I know there is at least one more coming, not yet though. They are all such a kick and even more fun because I don't have to parent them. =) I live in the mountains of SoCal - so Pacific time. Living in the boonies makes audiobooks ideal for me - it is an hour each way to the grocery store! I check in to GR almost every day, but I will probably be having a minor surgery (or two) in the near future. That might interfere, but I will make it work. If there is one thing I can say about myself is if I commit to something I follow through - I might have to take a pass for the first time ever though!

I read pretty much any type of romance, but it has to be romance! I need my HEA! So hopefully my shelves will be of help if you need Option 2, even though I've been in a bit of a reading funk for the last few months.

I'm not great at coming up with names, but I'll give it a shot:

Hunting for an HEA
Romance Seekers
Page Turning Detectives

Wow, those are horrid! I blame sleep deprivation... Hopefully somebody else has some creativity!

Hello everyone. This is one of my favorite challenges. I like all aspects of romance. I read MM, MF, and menage. I am a nurse practitioner. I have 2 kids ages 11 and 12. I also have 2 dogs. I also married my high school sweetheart. We have been married for 17 years, but together for 24 years. I look forward to starting this challenge.

Good Morning, Ladies! I just did a quick check in last night because I was really tired. I think I know everyone here from either here or A Million More Pages group (*cough snakes rule cough*) but I'll share a little now about myself too...

Like you, Amy, I have two boys 16 and 20. My 20 y/o will be 21 in a month. Oye. Both are at home right now, but we're working on the 20 y/o getting back to school. We're not pushing too hard because I really don't want to alienate him but he has been told no school, no more free ride at home. So we'll see. Anyway, I have a dog and a cat and a hubby. Not necessarily in that order ;-) OR maybe exactly in that order ;-P We will be married for 24 years on Monday, which will means I've been married half my life. Isn't that some kind of milestone?

I work in the marketing department of an accounting/consulting firm (Tamika, you might actually know it, we do a lot of HC work). Basically I manage our customer database.

I read romance almost exclusively (this was my very first group on GR, not surprisingly), almost any genre. I will read MM when I need to for a challenge, but it's not my first choice. But I'd take it over straight sci-fi, horror and most thrillers! But I will read those if they have a romance angle.

Enough about me! Some name suggestions...

We're Goin' on a Fox-Hunt
No Hero Poaching Allowed
What the Fox Says (okay, lame)

I also like Hunting for an HEA or HEA Hunters

I like HEA Hunters. =)

LaurLa wrote: "Good Morning, Ladies! I just did a quick check in last night because I was really tired. I think I know everyone here from either here or A Million More Pages group (*cough snakes rule cough*) but ..."

I had to do that with my oldest last year and thankfully it worked out, though it was a fairly slow process. I was so worried that pushing him was going to make things bad since he is the definition of stubborn and willful. He finally has got his crap together though and has gotten a full-time job at a nursing home as an RCA and is working on getting his CNA (with an eye to a nursing degree in the end). He loves his work and all the people he gets to help. It has been so good to see him grow up and become a self-sufficient man. He's moved out recently and is doing really really well.
Now if I can manage to get my 19 yo off the couch I'll be doing good. *sigh*

I like HEA Hunters

I like HEA Hunters too. =) No Hero Poaching Allowed made me laugh though.

Good luck with the older kids. You would think it is easier as they get older, but it really just changes. You could just do what we did though - move to a one bedroom! (Seriously, our oldest got married June 4th, our youngest graduated high school June 17th and our house was on the market July 2nd.) We have a loft where they can stay, but they don't get walls - nobody stays too long! But I really feel we succeeded at parenting, despite not having a clue when we started. All three are college graduates and all three are happily married - that's a win in my book. =)

I really like No Hero Poaching Allowed!!!

But I'll go with majority of what the team agrees on.

MountainKat wrote: "I like HEA Hunters too. =) No Hero Poaching Allowed made me laugh though.

Good luck with the older kids. You would think it is easier as they get older, but it really just changes. You could just ..."

Yes, you are DA PARENT!! It bothers me that he won't go to school, but I know it's not for everyone. He's not a slacker, he's working, but he's not showing any signs of living/working to his potential and that is what has me concerned. I just have to have faith, i guess...

I really like the No Hero Poaching Allowed too but since it was my suggestion, I don't want to be the deciding vote.

So chime in and let me know whether you like No Poaching or HEA Hunters.

I kinda want to go with No Hero Poaching Allowed.

I like them equally and would be happy with either name. Sorry not a lot of help! If you need a vote between them I can flip a coin. =)

LaurLa wrote: "It bothers me that he won't go to school, but I know it's not for everyone. He's not a slacker, he's working, but he's not showing any signs of living/working to his potential and that is what has me concerned. I just have to have faith, i guess..."

He will get there I'm sure! That is a tough age - you want to be an adult, but not quite there yet.

Amy, Nicole -- name preference?

I think we should go with No Poaching. =)

I think we should go with no poaching. it's different.

Alrighty! Sent name to Jane!

hi all...sorry I'm so late checking in! great team name! real life sucks for me right now, but that hasn't stopped my reading so please don't worry if I only check in every here and there...this is my second spin with this game and I'm looking forward to getting started!

Week 1 Call - Link to Post


Option 1 (follow above link to original message for list links)

16. Our theme book won a number of children's book awards. Read a book that has won or been nominated for an award. Optional lists to get you started:
~MM Romance Members Choice Awards 2016, 2015, 2014
~Goodreads Choice Awards 2016 Also has links to awards back to and including 2009
~RITA Award Winners 2016 - 1982
~Golden Heart Award Winners 2016 - 1981
~Romantic Time Reviewers' Choice Best Book Awards

These are not compulsory lists. Please note the award win or nomination in your post.


Option 2

Key date: 7 September 2016

Week 1 Tracking


LaurLa
Book: Forged In Ash - Trish McCallan
Review: message 48

❀~Amy~❀
Book: A Marked Man - Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Review: message 44

Nicole
Book: The Marriage Contract - Katee Robert
Review: message 47

☘KathyD☘
Book: It Happened One Wedding - Julie James
Review: message 45

Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥
Book: Marked in Flesh - Anne Bishop
Review: message 43

MountainKat
Book: Indulgence in Death - J.D. Robb
Review: message 46

Does the key date equate to another option?

Selection Post

Week # 1
Bookcover/link: Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop
Page numbers:416
How the book qualifies - Goodreads Choice Awards Best Fantasy

Can someone let me know if this is right?

Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ wrote: "Does the key date equate to another option?"

The key date is for Option 2 - that is the date it must have been read by on a teammates shelves. It also has to have been rated 3 or more stars.

And you post appears correct too.

Ahhh, that helps.

Thx

Week 1: Our theme book won a number of children's book awards. Read a book that has won or been nominated for an award.
Selection Post

Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb, 373 p. per GR
RITA Nominee 2011 for Romantic Suspense and GR Choice Award Nominee 2010 - listed on GR main book page.

Selection Post

Week 1
Option 1

A Marked Man
Page count: 214
How it qualifies: currently #60 on the MM Romance Group Members' Choice Winners list.

Selection Post – Option 1

Week 1
, Julie James
Page Numbers ➔ 305
How the Book Qualifies ➔ All About Romance Annual ReaderPoll Winners – Best Romance, Best Love Scenes, Best Romance Couples, and Funniest Romance, 2015

Week 1: read a book that was nominated for or won an award
Option 1

368 pages
Was nominated for The RITA Award 2016 for contemporary romance mid-length.

Week 1 - Selection Post
Option 1


Call: 16. Read a book that has won or been nominated for an award
Book: Forged In Ash - Trish McCallan
How it fits: RITA Award by Romance Writers of America Nominee for Romantic Suspense (2015)
Pages: 446

Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ wrote: "Does the key date equate to another option?"

I know Kat answered, but I'd just clarify that the 'key date' takes you back to the earliest read date for a team-member's book that you can use for Option 2 (read in the last 6 months and rated at least 3 stars). That is: 6 months ago this week. Next week, the date will move forward 1 week.

Completion Post

Week # 1

Bookcover/link: Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop
Date Read:3.11.17
Rating: 5 stars

Review:
So much stuff happened!!! I REALLY enjoyed this installment. Meg, Hope and Jean are really figuring out their powers and such. I'm so surprised that I'm not missing out on the romance. I would have been on pens and needles about not having a the romance. It's there but seems so elementary. I guess that isn't the point of the series. I really enjoyed seeing the human pack come into their own. I'm glad people like Monty, Burke, Denbeys are apart of this world. They show the others that all meat isn't douchebags.We really see what a shit humanity is. I'm glad that N.S. is a done deal, and Vlad is my new book. I look forward to the next book.

Completion Post
Week 1, Option 1

A Marked Man
Date Read: 3/10/17
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'm quite sure that having the narrator it did helped immensely. Greg is just such a talented guy. =)
I usually avoid assassin stories because I don't like the violence, but needed this for 2 challenges so I dove right in. Thankkfully this was light on the violence, but also light on significant plot. I really liked both MC's and enjoyed the hot sex. I had a hard time with the crazy POV changes (did we really need to hear from so many side characters?) and you definitely need to suspend reality for this. Not sure if I will continue with the series or not.

Completion Post – Week 1

, Julie James – 3/10/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰
Review — This was such a fun book of constant comedy of errors....I Vaughn and Sydney are both snarky, sarcastic, and somewhat jaded characters. It was fun to see how their meet-cute went from snarly to sexy time. I really enjoyed how they developed their friendship while not even realizing they were falling in love! I really enjoy this series and had a fun time catching up with some of the other male leads from previous books!

Week 1: Our theme book won a number of children's book awards. Read a book that has won or been nominated for an award.
Completion Post

Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb, 373 p. per GR
RITA Nominee 2011 for Romantic Suspense and GR Choice Award Nominee 2010 - listed on GR main book page.

Completed 3.13.17 *4 Stars*

I love this series! Roarke and Eve are a wonderful couple, I love their adventures! It was a nice bonus to see Roarke's family in Ireland again too. This story was good, and the bad guys were twisted. But the best part about this series is the relationships though, between Roarke and Eve and between all of the characters. That is what makes the series so enjoyable for me.

I listened to the audio and Susan Ericksen is great narrator. Listening to these books makes me happy!

Week 1: completion post

368 pages
4 stars
Review: I really enjoyed this book. Lots if drama, action, and romance. Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. A real page turner. I will read more in this series.

Week 1 - Completion Post
Option 1


Call: 16. Read a book that has won or been nominated for an award
Book: Forged In Ash - Trish McCallan
How it fits: RITA Award by Romance Writers of America Nominee for Romantic Suspense (2015)
Pages: 446
Date Read: 03.17
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
I waited years for this book and then somehow when it came out I lost sight of it and waited more years to get to it. For the past several months it's been on my short TBR list but it just never seemed to get 'the call' for whatever current team challenge I was working on. Finally, finally I got to it! And it didn't disappoint. I was worried that after so much time I would feel really lost but I didn't. I picked up the thread of the series easily and the recurring characters felt almost like old friends. I like the little bit of psychic paranormal this series has and love the chemistry the author creates with the MCs. I'm so glad the series is fully extended now and I will not wait another 5 years to read the next one!!

Week 2: Selection post

295 pages
#52 on https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

Nicole, I was looking at shelves for Option 2 because none of my short list books were on the mandatory shelves and I noticed that you don't have any books marked 'read' after October 2015. The book you just read for week 1 isn't even on your shelves. Is there any way for you to add the books/dates because we need that to be able to use your shelf for Option 2?