Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

☘KathyD☘ wrote: "Those cover images combined with Sebastian York as narrator should be illegal!! So much amazing hotness!!!."

I agree! There is an alternative cover to Big Rock that covers a bit more of his, er, pelvic(?) area. I prefer the original ;-)

I love those books, but really wish she made them a series! They are all related and do occur in sequence - I've been trying to read think publication order. I don't think it is as critical to read these in order because they all do stand alone, but I'm obsessed with it anyway. The audios are fabulous and I've enjoyed them all. The stories are similar, but they have become my go to for fun, sexy reads to fill in as needed. The style and humor just work for me, they just make me happy!

Week 3: Your own 'bear' hunt! Read a book with a male MC who is a bear.
Completion Post

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James, 291 p. per GR
#149 on the Petite Heroine /Big Hero list.

Completed 3.29.17 *5 Stars*

Loved this! Julie James is such a wonderful author, this is an earlier work I had never gotten around to before. Once the audio was out it has been on my radar, just waiting to bubble to the top. I'm so glad it did finally! J.D. and Kendall had a wonderful love-hate relationship and great chemistry! The banter between the hero and heroine, as well as their friends, is just one of the things I love about Ms. James' writing - always fun and always enjoyable! The end of this story was awesome! I was wondering what J.D.'s grand gesture was going to be and I sort of suspected one part of how it played out, but it was still great. I just finished and I just want more!

I listened to the audio, Karen White was the narrator. She was wonderful and made the book even more enjoyable for me. She has become a favorite narrator of mine and I look forward to more of her narration!

Week 4 Call - Link to Post


Option 1
2. Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
You can ignore A, An and The in the title.

Option 2
Key date: 28 September 2016

Selection Post – Option 2

Week 4
by Garrett Leigh
Page Numbers ➔ 277
How the Book Qualifies ➔ Read by Amy on 2/17/17 ; rated 5 stars

Week 4: Option 1 Selection Post

238 pages per Amazon
It fits the category this week, because the title starts with an H.

Selection Post
Week 4, Option 1

Hard as It Gets
Pages: 368
How it fits: Title starts with H

Selection Post – Option 1

Week 4
, Paige Tyler
Page Numbers ➔ 354
How the Book Qualifies ➔ title begins with an “H”

I'll have my completion post up for Week 3 hopefully tomorrow! Sorry for the delay...I was out of town for work this past week! =)

Selection Post
Week 4, Option 2


Off Base by Annabeth Albert
Pages: 304
How it fits: Read by Tamika on 1/6/17 ~ rated 4 stars

Week 4: Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt.
Selection Post

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling, 734 p. per GR
Book title starts with H.

Sorry for not posting sooner, busy couple of days. I did start my book though and I'm almost 25%! That's more more progress than I was expecting over the weekend, I have a hard time listening over the weekend - the hubby actually wants me to listen when he talks to me...

Completion Post
Week 4, Option 2

Book Read:
Date Read:4.3.17
# of pages: 277
Rating: 4 stars

Review: My second re-read and I love it just as much as the first time. This cover is giving me life. I love the simplicity and meaning of it. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, not because of the menage aspect but it's Garrett Leigh and of course my emotions were going to be on ten. I'm certain I cried during the parts that Cass make things so simple and easy. I'm a sucker for him, if she could just write about him I would buy it. I loved him, and I loved his confidence when he came to Jake. He embraced Jake from the beginning, and to me that spoke volumes. If you went into this thinking that you were going to get straight smut think again. I don't know if Garrett Leigh every just writes smut, but to me she draws you into her stories with the people, places and times surrounding the setting. I wish I could see the simplicity when it comes to a relationship like that. I could never be involved in it but I loved how she did it.

MountainKat wrote: "Sorry for not posting sooner, busy couple of days. I did start my book though and I'm almost 25%! That's more more progress than I was expecting over the weekend, I have a hard time listening over ..."

No worries! Apparently I forgot to make my own post even though I chose my book days ago...

Week 4 - Selection
Option 1


Call: Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Book: Hard to Come By - Laura Kaye
How it fits: starts with H
Pages: 384 pp

Week 4 Tracking


LaurLa
Book: Hard to Come By - Laura Kaye
Review: Completion

❀~Amy~❀
Book: Off Base - Annabeth Albert
Review: Completion

Nicole
Book: Hotel Indigo - Aubrey Parker
Review: Completion

☘KathyD☘
Book: Her Wild Hero - Paige Tyler
Review: Completion

Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥
Book: Misfits - Garrett Leigh
Review: Completion

MountainKat
Book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
Review: Completion

Completion Post
Week 4, Option 2


Off Base by Annabeth Albert
Read: 4/3/17
Rating and Review: 4 stars
I really enjoyed this one, which is not really a surprise since Annabeth Albert has become one of my favorite authors. Pike as such a fun character. I totally adored him and just wanted to wrap him up in a hug and keep anyone (even Zack) from hurting him.
Zack, on the other hand annoyed me and broke my heart in turns. I felt so bad for the position he was in and the fear that he lived with daily, but for some reason his denial that he was gay for the first part of the story made me nuts. I really enjoyed the story once things got moving with him and Pike. They made a great couple, especially once Zack came out.
The only major issue with this book for me was the amount of homophobia present. There is a whole heaping lot if it here and I just wish it wasn't such an accurate representation. I work with a bunch of men that are major bigots and homophobes, as well as having been raised in a very intolerant environment. It bothers me to hear and bothers me to read. I'm hoping that the next book in the series doesn't deal as heavily with this, since I am really looking forward to Apollo's story.

Completion Post – Week 3

, Jill Shalvis – 3/31/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰
Review — I really enjoyed the back and forth banter of Dell and Jade. Even though both of these characters have been damaged by past events, they come together to heal each other. A big bonus for me...all the great animals in the story! Beans is a great addition and quite the sassy pants for being so small and mighty! All in all another sweet story by Ms. Shalvis!

Completion Post – Week 4

, Paige Tyler – 4/3/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰
Review — I really liked Declan’s and Kendra’s story...right up to the end. Don’t get me wrong, I love my happily ever afters, but this one seemed so rushed compared to the amazing build up between these two. The hybrid story is starting to heat up quite nicely and I do look forward to seeing where it goes from here!

Week 4 - Completion Post
Option 1


Call: Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Book: Hard to Come By - Laura Kaye
How it fits: starts with H
Pages: 384 pp
Date Read: 04.05
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
I loved the hero in this book. He was funny and sweet but still very alpha, minus the alpha-hole part. He felt so guilty having to lie to the Emilie. Meeting the way they did with Derek lying about it could have been totally drawn out and angsty and frustrating after the lie was revealed. Instead, because he was otherwise very real and genuine, Emelie was able to quickly work past her initial hurt and anger. I like that neither let pride rule them and were able to work through the problem. Not that they didn't have help with the intense circumstances they were in that didn't really allow for wallowing. The overall story arc of the series both intensified and lost its momentum. This is kind of a transition book from one set of bad guys to other bigger badder guys and there was some rushing at the end to tie up loose ends with the first bad guys that were rather convenient and a little rushed leaving me feeling like 'that's it?' But we do have new fodder for the next book so we'll see where things go.

Love that series LaurLa!!

MountainKat wrote: "Love that series LaurLa!!"

it is a fabulous series!!

Are you listening to them?

Week 4: Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt.
Completion Post

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling, 734 p. per GR
Book title starts with H.

Completed 4.5.17 *5 Stars*

I loved this book (and series) the first time I read it and every time since! I am, slowly, working my way the audios and after this one, I really don't want to go slowly anymore! (Even though the next book is my least favorite of the series.) I continue to be amazed at the world J.K. Rowling created, how complete and intriguing it is! And the characters are wonderful too! This is where the story really starts to get intense, not that it wasn't before. I just want to dive right into the next one - and watch the movies again too.

I listened to the audio and loved it! Jim Dale does an amazing job, there is never any question about who is speaking or their emotions.

PS - I couldn't help all the exclamation points. =)

MountainKat wrote: "Are you listening to them?"

Nope. And I won't. It's a thing for me. I know, KNOW, if I start I'll get addicted and I can't afford it, so I'm not starting!

MountainKat wrote: "Love that series LaurLa!!"

I'll have to hold on to the next one for when I need a M/M book! I don't normally read M/M but I'm looking forward to this since we've seen it building between Jeremy and Charlie for a while :-P

That's funny LaurLa, but I feel your pain...

And the next one is a good one, Charlie and Jeremy are so sweet!

Week 4: completion post

Finished: April 5
Rating: 3 stars
Review: This book started off well with good character development. When the romance started it felt forced and there was little chemistry between the main characters. That was disappointing.

Week 5: Ray Hunt was a well-known horse-trainer. Read a book featuring a cowboy.
Selection Post

Red Dirt Heart 2 by N.R. Walker, 352 p. per GR
#77 on the Best Gay Cowboy/Westerns - Renegades and Ranchers List

Week 5 Call - Link to Post


Option 1
8. Ray Hunt was a well-known horse-trainer. Read a book featuring a cowboy from the following lists:
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy
Favorite Western Cowboy Romance Novels
Saddle Up: Rodeo Romance MF
Healing Horses: Romances with Horse Whisperers, Rescues Horses or Therapy Horses
Best Gay Cowboys
Best Gay Cowboy Westerns - Renegades and Ranchers

These are compulsory lists. Your selected book MUST come from one of these lists. You must link to the list and note which page/which number it is on that list.


Option 2
Key date: 5 October 2016

Week 5 Tracking


LaurLa
Book: Saddled and Spurred - Lorelei James
Review: Completion

❀~Amy~❀
Book: At Attention - Annabeth Albert
Review: Completion

Nicole
Book: Rough, Raw and Ready - Lorelei James
Review: Completion

☘KathyD☘
Book: Branded as Trouble - Lorelei James
Review: Completion

Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥
Book: At Attention - Annabeth Albert
Review: Completion

MountainKat
Book: Red Dirt Heart 2 - N.R. Walker
Review: Completion

Week 5 - Selection Post
Option 1


Call: Read a book featuring a cowboy from the following lists
Book: Saddled and Spurred - Lorelei James
How it fits: #12 on SAVE A HORSE RIDE A COWBOY - Page 1
Pages: 336 pp

Selection Post – Option 1

Week 5
, Lorelei James
Page Numbers ➔ 236
How the Book Qualifies ➔ Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy

Are we able to substitute books in a series for option 2?

Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ wrote: "Are we able to substitute books in a series for option 2?"

Yes! I do that all the time! I usually just list it like this, from a previous round:

Week 6: Book set outside USA.
Memory in Death by J.D. Robb, 375 p. per GR
Option 2: #22 in series, #18 in series on Breann's Read Shelf, read 3.4.16, rated 4 stars

Thanks so much!!!

Week 5: Option 2

by Annabeth Albert
304 pages Per GR
Option 2: #2 in the series, #1 in series on Amy's Read Shelf. Read 4.3.17 Rated 4 stars

You gals are on fire!! Great going.

Week 5: selection post Option 1

280 pages
#3 On list https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5...

Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ wrote: "Week 5: Option 2

by Annabeth Albert
304 pages Per GR
Option 2: #2 in the series, #1 in series on Amy's Read Shelf. Read 4.3.17 Rated 4 stars"

Planning to listen to the audio of that this week and I'm really looking forward to it.
*Just wish I could use it for this challenge =( *

❀~Amy~❀ wrote: "Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ wrote: "Week 5: Option 2

by Annabeth Albert
304 pages Per GR
Option 2: #2 in the series, #1 in series on Amy's Read Shelf. Read ..."

Could you do the same thing I did?

Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ wrote: "❀~Amy~❀ wrote: "Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ wrote: "Week 5: Option 2

by Annabeth Albert
304 pages Per GR
Option 2: #2 in the series, #1 in series on Amy's R..."

Oh, I guess I could huh?
(lol! I blame the state of my pre-coffee brain!)

You would need to find it on a teammate's shelf wouldn't you Amy? I don't think you can continue a series just because you've read a book in the timeframe required. Now if Tamika finishes hers and shelves it before the cutoff, you could use her shelf, but you couldn't read it before her.

MountainKat wrote: "You would need to find it on a teammate's shelf wouldn't you Amy? I don't think you can continue a series just because you've read a book in the timeframe required. Now if Tamika finishes hers and ..."

I think she was referring to the fact that she had read and shelved book 1 of the series in the last 6 months and I could use that to read book 2. I'm pretty sure we can do that anyway...

Yep, Amy is right. I've read book one in the last 6 months.

Then you are golden! I didn't check shelves, just wanted to make sure you didn't read something if it wouldn't count. =)

MountainKat wrote: "Then you are golden! I didn't check shelves, just wanted to make sure you didn't read something if it wouldn't count. =)"

And I totally appreciate that!! =)

Week 5: Option 2
Completion Post

Annabeth Albert
304 pages Per GR
Date Read:04.09.17
Rating:2.5 stars
Option 2: #2 in the series, #1 in series on Amy's Read Shelf. Read 4.3.17 Rated 4 stars

Review:You know, I'll admit I waffle if I should give this book 3 stars for the author, or the actual story. I had to go with my gut on this. This was a disappointing read. I struggled throughout the entire story. My biggest thing is that we've read this scenario before. There was nothing new or exciting for the same thing again and again. I love Annabeth's work tremendously but it took everything in me to power through and read it. I seen all the high rating, and love for it. I had to wonder was we reading the same book. The general formula of a widower and a crush getting together was just it. There was nothing significantly interesting to me. Not one point. If I read ten pages then I forgot what the first 5 were. I even put it down for a while to read something else, and it still didn't draw me in or give me a glimpse of hope that it gets better.

I liked Apollo from book 1. I guess in his book he lost all the sparkle and excitement that I wanted to read about. Yes he was a caring father, and a tad overprotective but that's human nature. He's grieving and still in the mindset about Neal. I don't know how he feels about Dylan honestly. Even at the end, I sort of was not buying his feelings. I guess they feel forced to me. On Apollo's side it just felt physical. I didn't see the attraction outside of that, and I'm bothered by this mostly.

I know Dylan has always liked Apollo so I can believe his attraction. He does some classic stupid things, but they are classic and one reason this trope is so popular. Trying to only stay physical without getting their emotions involved is dumb. One because Dylan's emotions were already there and they just came back full fledged. This was really a contemporary novel nothing really major happens outside of the story.

I tried and tried to read and get involved with the story but it just seemed liked missed connections to me. I will read book 3 because I know Annabeth's stories work well for me. I just didn't like this one at all.

Week 5: Ray Hunt was a well-known horse-trainer. Read a book featuring a cowboy.
Red Dirt Heart 2 by N.R. Walker, 352 p. per GR
#77 on the Best Gay Cowboy/Westerns - Renegades and Ranchers List

Completed 4.10.17 *4+ Stars*

I love these books! They suck you in and you are completely invested emotionally. Charlie and Travis grew quite a bit in this installment and that was nice to watch. I can't wait to see what is next for them!

I listened to the audio with Joel Leslie narrating and really enjoyed it! I only wish the rest of the books were out in audio already!!

Completion Post – Week 5

, Lorelei James – 4/11/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰
Review — I really enjoyed India’s and Colt’s story. Their struggles with their past addictions and choices in general really shaped the people they became. The fact that their relationship bloomed from the strong foundation of their friendship only made their passion hotter, in my opinion. I pulled one star because I felt the dynamics with Colt’s family was glossed over a bit too much. The McKay/West family is a character unto itself in these books and was a pivotal point for Colt. While the estrangement he felt was dealt with, I didn’t feel that part of the story was handled with the same grace as Colt’s and India’s challenges with sobriety. All in all though, one of the best books in the series!