The Challenge Factory discussion

Runell & Dre - At Any Price

When would you like to start this one, Dre?

Hi Runell,

I actually started this one last night, but I'm having trouble getting into it. I'm noticing some little inconsistencies that are really bothering me, but I'm happy to continue if you'd like to start now, or if you have something else you need to read this month, I'd be happy to put it on hold for now and pick it back up later.

I'm finishing up a book that today and then I'll start on it later on tonight when I go on my break at work.

Oh no. :/ It sounds like such a fun book and it's highly recommended by a booktuber that I watch so hopefully we end up liking it (at least it was free for me if I don't, I hope it was for you as well).

I'm pretty sure that I got the book for free on Amazon a while ago, or my mom purchased it. I share my prime membership with her, so we are able to share libraries. She enjoyed this series too, so maybe it's just a rough start and gets better? I'm hoping that's the case anyway. I'll continue reading this weekend. My boyfriend is taking a motorcycle safety class all day Saturday and Sunday, so I'm hoping the rain holds off and the class doesn't get cancelled. I'm so excited to have the house to myself both days. I feel like I never have alone/quiet time for reading these days.

I'm on chapter 7 and I'm actually really enjoying it so far. I hope it's picked up for you.

I just finished reading a NA, Rowdy by Jay Crownover, and I really didn't like that one at all so to read this one and like it is very nice. I've been reading a lot of fantasy lately (and loving it) but it's nice to switch it up a little bit.

I'm almost finished. The story did pick up a little, but I'm not really enjoying it. I don't hate it, but I think this author may not be for me. The characters make me crazy with their secrets and unwillingness to communicate. And I also hate Mia's wishy-washiness. I'd like for her to actually stick to her guns one of the times she tells Adam one more night. I figured out the little twist early on as well.

I hope you're still enjoying the story!

Have you read other books by Jay Crownover? And did you enjoy them? I read the first book she ever published, and the writing wasn't great, but I did like the story. I've been wondering if it's worth giving her a second chance because a lot of people seem to enjoy her books.

I've just read the five books in the Marked Men series by here. They're okay. The first and third one are my highest rated both at 4 stars, but the third one is definitely my favorite.

I haven't picked my kindle up in a few days, but I hope to get back to it in the next couple of days as I'm trying to clear up my "currently reading", but I've been in such a mood lately where I want to read all the books and I find myself picking through them all but not really finishing them. Have you ever found yourself doing that?

It also doesn't help that I have a very new addiction called Korean dramas . . . Like, not good for my reading whatsoever, hahahaha.

I think I read the first Marked Men book. It was called Rule. I read it when it first came out, and I think she may have re-released it. Not sure if she self-published and got a publisher or if she just had it edited and re-released it, but I wondered if the second version was better than the one I read. Book 1 definitely could have been a really good read if it had been edited professionally.

I hope you continue to enjoy At Any Price. I'm very much a mood reader, so I seem to go through phases with my reading. I've been in a somewhat similar mood as you recently. I load a ton of books on my kindle because I want to read them all, but I read one or two, and they aren't all that great, so I have to clear my kindle and find different books to read. It's hard because I don't really seem to know what I'm in the mood for, which is why I think everything I read is falling flat for me. And I feel like I'm spending far more time loading and unloading my kindle rather than actually reading these days, so I totally feel your pain.

I'm assuming Korean dramas are tv shows or movies? Are they on Netflix? If you feel like watching Korean dramas, I'd definitely say go ahead and what them, even if it is affecting your reading. I know when I get in a reading funk I have to do something else to clear my mind. If I force myself to keep reading things I'm not interested in, I just end up stopping reading all together for longer periods of time.

The editing throughout all the books (1-5 anyways) are pretty bad. She combines super with everything and makes it one word such as superfunny, supercute, etc. It's highly annoying.

Oh that sucks. :( The best thing for me when I'm in that kind of mood is when I read something out of my usual, such as when I got a mystery/thriller kick and now fantasy.

They're tv shows and you can find them both on Netflix and Hulu. I've only seen three (working on my third right now) and I'm enjoying them immensely; they're so addicting and fun. I definitely encourage you to give them a try: Bromance and Coffee Prince are the two that I've seen in full so far. Bromance is very light and fun and cheesy, but so good. But Coffee Prince? That is the creme de la creme. Soooooo good, and much more believable.

The super everything being one word would annoy me. I think I'm better off skipping the rest of her stuff. It really is too bad the editing isn't good because I think she could be quite good if she had some decent editing done to her books.

Yeah, that's a good idea actually. I have a few YA, sci-fi/horror type books that I may pick up just for a complete change of pace.

I have Netflix, so I may have to give them a try.

Have you gotten any further on At Any Price? Not trying to be pushy, just honestly wondering if you're still enjoying it or if anything happened to change your mind.

I've gotten a little over halfway and I'm hoping to buckle down and finish it by Sunday.

It's pretty obvious what the "twist" is going to be, but as of the moment, I'm enjoying it, but I'm a little nervous to see how the ending is because Mia and Adam's story arc lasts for three books, and I don't think I really care enough about their story to read two more books for their story. How do you feel about it?

I'm now finished! I finished it when I got home from work, and gave it three stars. I really liked it there for a while and then Mia started to get on my nerves and things started to get pretty stupid for me so ultimately I just ended up liking it, though I'm still not sure if I'll continue on with their story (unless it's super cheap to do so). I just would have been so much happier if their story had wrapped up in this one book and the whole series was nothing but companion novels.

Yeah, I didn't hate it per se, but I didn't enjoy it much either. The book seemed plodding and overly long and boring to me. There was no real drama, or at least there wasn't for me since I had figured out the twist, and I'm not really sure why she was so angry about it.

I have this quirk where I have to finish a series, esp. if it ends on a cliffhanger, because I just HAVE to know what happens. But I read or should I say skimmed most of book 2, and even though it ends in a cliffhanger, I will never pick up the rest of the series at this point. Thankfully, I'm not feeling that annoying pull to go back and finish either. Mia was beyond obnoxious in the second book. I don't want to ruin anything for you in case you decide to give it a try, but I was really hoping something awful happened to her by the end. You know how Mia hates secrets, yet she keeps the biggest secret ever, and treats Adam like crap for keeping secrets and for being controlling because he's trying to figure out what's going on with her. Book 2 was one of the most infuriating books I've ever read. I may have it lendable if you're interested though.

Oh wow, I don't think I'll continue on whatsoever then. It's my mission to finish as many series as possible this year, but it doesn't seem like I'll be finishing this one.

Thanks for the heads up about book 2.

You're welcome. I'm trying to be better about not wasting time on books that I'm not enjoying, even if they're part of a series. There are so many books I want to read, so why bother wasting time on not so good ones?