Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Oops, crazy trying to get things done to be out of town this weekend (extended). I'll go pick one now... Be back in a few.

Thank you.

Initial Selection Post for Option 1

Week # 4

Task: 2. Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Book: Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans
Page numbers: 320
Qualifies: Title starts with "H"

Week #4 - Completion Post

Option 1
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Finished 4/2/17 - 5 stars

Another amazing book in an amazing series! It has been wonderful to revisit Harry and his friends over the last couple of months, in audio this time, and as usual the narration was superb. I think for me this was the darkest and most emotional book of the series. (view spoiler)[If memory serves me correctly (and it's been over 10 years since my last reading, so who knows) the final book has a lot of the same dark feel to it...the difference for me is the fact that the ending of this one was such a cliffhanger, and with such a negative outlook, where book 7 has a lot of struggle and negative emotion but at least good triumphs over evil in the end. (hide spoiler)] It wasn't all dark though - I loved seeing the kids growing up and starting to view their friends in different ways, and the development of new and different relationships. I can't wait to dive into the final book, hopefully sooner rather than later!

Week 4 Completion Post


Harmless by Nicole Edwards
Read: 4/4/17
Rating: ★★★★★

I adored this couple. We know Roan from the previous books and knew something was going on with him and finally we get to read his story. And it was more screwed up than I ever thought. However, all is not lost for this poor guy. Seg to the rescue. Seg, the professional hockey player who really seems too good to be true. He kind of was but I still loved him all the same. His mom was just the best and we still got a lot of page time with the other guys from the marina which makes it all the better IMO. Happy, sad, pissed, outraged...I felt it all. I need more, more, more.

Completion Post
Week #4
Helping Hand by Jay Northcote
Rating: 4 stars
Review:

A quick, hot read. Not a lot of plot but I nonetheless enjoyed this sweet friends to lovers story.
Jez and Mac are housemates and while their four other housemates are out to party every weekend, these two are stuck at home. One to save his money and the other to improve his grades.
They hang out together, study together, play games and watch movies together.
One evening they decide to watch porn together and that's when things between them slowly start to change.

Week 5

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


Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads.

***Jane's post with links can be found here***

Week #5 - Selection Post

Option 1
Saddled and Spurred
336 Pages (Kindle Version)
Qualification: #12 on Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy

I'll post my completion soon. I've been traveling all day.

Lisa wrote: "Popping my audiobook cherry with this one."

OMG! I listen to so much audio its hard for me to believe some readers are only just trying it out!!

Hope you enjoy that one ~ I still have to read book 1 in that series (in audio of course ;).

Week #5: Cowboys!
Bookcover/link: Roped In
Page numbers: 155
How the book qualifies: #253 on the Best Gay Cowboy/Westerns - Renegades and Ranchers list

Week #5: Cowboys!
Bookcover/link: Roped In
Rating: 3 stars
Review: This one was OK, but it felt like it needed more development. There was a bit of a love triangle, but it was more of a distraction than a serious storyline. There was also a significant opposites attract element, with Graham being a cowboy and Kaz being an animal rights activist. With more time and space I think this could have really worked well. But it was rushed, and felt more like they decided to to concede in certain areas so that they could keep having excellent sex rather than any real meeting of the minds. The story was all told from Graham's first person point of view, which probably didn't help. That's probably what made the kink feel so out of the blue too, because Graham is so inexperienced. A longer story would have left more room for some self examination from Graham, and for Kaz and Graham to come together outside the bedroom.

Week 5 Selection Post


Chase the Storm by VM Waitt
Pages: 210
Qualifies: #64 on Best Gay Cowboys

Week 5

234 pages / GR

#19 Best Gay Cowboys

I haven"t forgotten, I still need to add my formal completion and this weeks pick. Still traveling, days are busy from dawn to night with very little free time. At an annual convention with daughter.

A Bookworm Reading (Plethora) wrote: "I haven"t forgotten, I still need to add my formal completion and this weeks pick. Still traveling, days are busy from dawn to night with very little free time. At an annual convention with daughter."

Dont worry, you gave time. Its really only in week 10 wwe need to be compketely up to date especially if we want to try to read for the win.

Week 5

4 stars


After his father passes away Geoff goes back to take over the running of the family farm.
One morning he finds a toung Amsih man sleeping in the barn, Eli. Eli is on his rumspringa and Geoff offers him a job and a home. Over time the two fall in love.

I liked seeing Eli leaarning about the English and trying new things.
Geoff and Eli were good together and apart from some angst towards the end it was a good story.

Selection Post
Week #5

Option: 1 Cowboys
Finding Home by Sloane Kennedy
149 pages
#114 on Best Gay Cowboy Westerns

[*book:Finding Home|25820292]

Lisa wrote: "A Bookworm Reading (Plethora) wrote: "I haven"t forgotten, I still need to add my formal completion and this weeks pick. Still traveling, days are busy from dawn to night with very little free time..."

Thanks... Wanted to make sure you knew I didn't disappear. We have a super late fight home tonight so in the next few days I can start to get some odd my reading life back on track.

Lisa wrote: "Week 4.
Option 2

238 pages
Read by Shannon. 12/24/16. Rated 4 stars

Popping my audiobook cherry with this one."

Hey Lisa! What did you think of your first audiobook experience?

I really disliked it.
There were several things:

I couldn't find a good speed to listen at. Too slow and he sounded drunk , too fast and he sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks.

I wasn't able to concentrate. My mind kept wondering and I know I missed lots of the story.

I tried reading along. However, I read way faster than the narrator spoke so I ended up turning the page and then he skipped parts of the story.

The book was 200 ish pages but a listening time of 8 hours. Really. I could read 3 books in that time.

I only listened because I had to for another challenge I am doing. I don't plan to listen to another book. I much prefer reading.

Ah, that's too bad - it's really nice to enjoy both formats since it opens up your options so much! For a long time I only listened to them in the car when reading wasn't an option, but I had about a 4 hour round-trip commute at the time that seriously cut into my reading time so I had to try something! Now I've gotten to the point where I listen to a lot more than I read since I can listen while doing so many different things. I know audiobooks aren't for everyone, though. Even as much as I love them there are still some books I choose to read rather than listen to, and of course others that aren't available in audio. Just like the debate over ebooks vs paper books, I'm just happy both options are available so people can choose the format they prefer!

Week 5 Completion Post


Chase the Storm by VM Waitt
Read: 4/10/17
Rating: ★★★★

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. After reading some other comments I was worried there was going to be some serious abuse going on. I didn't find it too bad but there was one instance that was borderline for me. But others were completely correct when they said Chase was an asshole. He sure as hell was. Holy crap, I wanted Elijah to run as far and as fast as he could and that brings me to my main niggle. Why would anyone stay around when they're being treated so crappy if they didn't have to. He could have left anytime but he chose to stay which I still don't get. We could all see what Chase's issues were and yes, he came around but I still never understood why Elijah put up with him. Anyways, I was completely engaged in their story and loved their smexing. Very nice! Just go into this one knowing there's extreme douchery going on.

The right narrator makes a *massive* difference in my enjoyment of an audiobook. Some narrators can make a so-so book entertaining. Others can make you want to snooze through even the most fascinating book. And some books just don't transfer well into the audio format. My father loves Robert Ludlum, but he hates listening to them in audio. He says you don't realize how flowery the language is until you hear it outloud. I enjoy audio versions of Jennifer Crusie's books. I think the snappy dialogue translates really well. But I'm not a fan of romance audiobooks in general.

Completion Post
Week #5

Finding Home
Rating: 4*
Review: To my own surprise I really enjoyed this book.
I'm not a big fan of insta love, but here it didn't bother me. As well as the fact that this is a m/m/m story, which is not always working​ for me. But somehow Finn, Callan and Rhys have made sense together. They just clicked like perfect puzzle pieces.
Although I think the events at the end of the book were over the top, I am looking forward to Dane and Jaxon's story.

Week #5 - Completion Post

Option 1
Saddled and Spurred
Finished 4/10/17 - 4 Stars

I really enjoyed this! I was hesitant to read it because the first book in the series was a disappointment for me, but everything else I've read by Lorelei James I've loved, so decided to give the series another chance and I'm so glad I did! Both MCs were great, and wonderful together. Harper had to fight for everything she and her younger sister had, and to prove that she was not "just like her mother". Bran was the typical cowboy, but with a giant soft heart and a willingness to give Harper a chance to prove herself rather than just dismissing her based on her looks and (unfounded) reputation. I'm looking forward to continuing the series!

Week 6

Option 1
12. has a lot of rhyming and repetition in it. Read a book where the title has at least two words in a row starting with the same letter (excluding A, An and The). Eg Power Play, Red River etc.

Option 2
Key date: 12 October 2016


Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads.

how did we get week 6 already?

It isn't Friday yet.

Completion Post for Week 4, Option 1

Week # 4
Option 1 Task: 2. Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
Book: Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans
Read: 04/07/17
Pages: 320
Fits: Title starts with "H"
Rating: 5
Review:
I've been enjoying this series, this is the fourth book in the series. The battle continues between the Electroclan and Hatch's goons. The constant battle of good versus evil continues as one man's greed tries to exploit a group of kids to take over the world.

A Bookworm Reading (Plethora) wrote: "how did we get week 6 already?

It isn't Friday yet."

Jane posted early this week since so many people (including her) had plans for Easter weekend.

~KarenH~ wrote: "A Bookworm Reading (Plethora) wrote: "how did we get week 6 already?

It isn't Friday yet."

Jane posted early this week since so many people (including her) had plans for Easter weekend."

You still have until Friday to get your Selection for last week posted though - that part didn't change...

~KarenH~ wrote: "A Bookworm Reading (Plethora) wrote: "how did we get week 6 already?

It isn't Friday yet."

Jane posted early this week since so many people (including her) had plans for Easter weekend."

Ah..ok. I was like, wow I know I"ve been out-of-town and am playing catch-up but didn't think I lost that many days. lol

Initial Selection Post for Option 1

Week # 5

Task: 8. Ray Hunt was a well-known horse-trainer. Read a book featuring a cowboy from the following lists:
Book: The Valentine Quest by Melissa McClone
Page numbers: 204
Qualifies: Book # 85, Page 1 on Saddle Up: Rodeo Romance MF list.

Initial Selection Post for Option 1

Week # 6

Task: 12. has a lot of rhyming and repetition in it. Read a book where the title has at least two words in a row starting with the same letter (excluding A, An and The).
Book: Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson
Page numbers: 304
Qualifies: Two "B" words in a row in the title

Week 6


257 pages

Week #6 - Selection Post

Option 1
Midsummer Moon
386 Pages (Kindle Version)
Qualification: Both words in title start with 'M'

Selection Post
Week #6

Option 1
Complementary Colors
Pages: 362
Qualification: Both words start with a "C".

[*book:Complementary Colors|22559554]

I missed the early theme call for Easter weekend. I wondered why there were so many PtP posts all the sudden!

Week #6: Read a book where the title has at least two words in a row starting with the same letter (excluding A, An and The).
Bookcover/link: Shelter the Sea
Page numbers: 190
How the book qualifies: Shelter and Sea both start with "s".

Becky, Im not sure your book qualifies. You might want to check with Jane, I might be wrong in my interpretation, and if I am I apologize.

The, A , An are usually when they are the first words in the title.

Please see Jane's post.

Lisa wrote: "Becky, Im not sure your book qualifies. You might want to check with Jane, I might be wrong in my interpretation, and if I am I apologize.

The, A , An are usually when they are the first words in ..."

It's ok, Lisa. We went through this exact situation in another thread earlier (Jane's traveling so I was doing some posting for her). The way you interpreted it was how she intended it, but enough people misunderstood (myself included) that she's allowing those words to be disregarded anywhere in the title.

~KarenH~ wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Becky, Im not sure your book qualifies. You might want to check with Jane, I might be wrong in my interpretation, and if I am I apologize.

The, A , An are usually when they are the fi..."

ok. that's great then

It would be worth reading even if it didn't count, but I'm glad it does!

The author just put the first book, Carry the Ocean, up on Instafreebie, if anyone wants to check it out. It's really good! https://www.instafreebie.com/discover...

Week 6 Selection Post


At Attention by Annabeth Albert
Pages: 304
Qualifies: A - At Attention

Week #6: Read a book where the title has at least two words in a row starting with the same letter (excluding A, An and The).
Bookcover/link: Shelter the Sea
Rating: 4 stars
Review: This is a sequel to Carry the Ocean, with the same main characters- Emmet who is autistic, and Jeremey who has anxiety and depression, along with social anxiety so bad that it's difficult for him to function in public. The sequel was more about developing a tight community and taking on a major threat to that community, and less about Emmet and Jeremey's progression as a couple, although there were a few nice moments in there.

The story is told in first person, with Emmet and Jeremey alternating chapters. My problem came in with Jeremey. Emmet's voice is very strong and distinctive. But in a couple of spots Jeremey sounded more like a 40 year old woman than a twenty something man. The thoughts he expresses and the language he uses felt more like the author speaking to us than a character.

Other than that, it was a wonderful story. I blubbered off and on through the whole thing.

Week 6 Completion Post


At Attention by Annabeth Albert
Read: 4/16/17
Rating: ★★★★

I thought Apollo would be the star of this book but he wasn't. That tag gets placed squarely on Dylan. At first, I was all into Apollo's growly, alpha moodiness but that crap got old real fast. And he just wouldn't stop hurting Dylan. I don't feel we learned enough about Apollo and Neal's connection to warrant the constant moody meanness Apollo was dishing out. And Apollo's turnaround without help from anyone was just a little too easy IMO. So yes, I did love this story but not as much as the first in the series. Still have high hopes for the next one.

How's everyone doing? The week after an early theme call is always weird.

Completion Post
Week #6

Complementary Colors
Rating: 3,5*/4*
Review:
Complementary Colors is a tragic story written in the PoV of Paris, an artist, suffering from mental illness, traumatic experiences in his past and the ongoing abuse by his sister.
I was aware before starting this book, that this wouldn't be an easy read.
It was depressing to read about Paris's self-destruction, not easy for me to accept, that he wasn't able to"just get help". During the whole book I thought, why doesn't he break free? Why does his sister have so much power over him? What is the truth? So many secrets!
This colorful book is definitely very skillfully​ written, but nevertheless I would have wanted a deeper insight into the different characters.
Oh, and Roy, this saint, where did he get the strength to stand by Paris?

Becky wrote: "How's everyone doing? The week after an early theme call is always weird."

Doing well, still on Easter vacation! ;)

Completion Post for Week 5, Option 1

Week # 5
Option 1 Task: 8. Ray Hunt was a well-known horse-trainer. Read a book featuring a cowboy from the required lists:
Book: The Valentine Quest by Melissa McClone
Read: 04/16/17
Pages: 204
Fits: Book # 85, Page 1 on Saddle Up: Rodeo Romance MF list.
Rating: 3.5
Review:
Ok, sure its one of those somewhat sappy romance novels that I can completely see as a Hallmark/Lifetime movie. But, that being said this one didn't annoy me as much as others and works for me. Both MC's are adverse to commitment and the "L" word from baggage, but forced to work together without knowing each others open a new world.