Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Welcome to the slightly revamped FAC Challenge!

As of February, we are showcasing TWO authors each month instead of one. Double the pleasure, double the fun!
-You do not need to read a book by both authors. Please feel free to choose either one or both authors.
-If you decide to read a book by both authors, please post your results in separate posts. It will be much easier for us to track, and everyone else to see how you felt about your reading choice.
-There will be two different sub-genres of Romance to choose from, with one author recognized as 'Queen of Romance' and the other as 'Princess of Romance' (she may be slightly less widely known than the Queen).

Queen of Romance- Alyssa Cole-

Alyssa Cole is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and sci-fi romance. Her Civil War-set espionage romance An Extraordinary Union was the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award’s Best Book of 2017 and the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018, and A Princess in Theory was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2018.

She’s contributed to publications including Bustle, Shondaland, The Toast, Vulture, RT Book Reviews, and Heroes and Heartbreakers, and her books have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Library Journal, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Vulture, Book Riot, Entertainment Weekly, and various other outlets.

When Alyssa’s not working, she can usually be found watching anime or wrangling her pets. She splits her time between fast-paced NYC and island-paced life in the Caribbean.

Alyssa's GR page can be found here- Alyssa Cole

Princess of Romance- Nina Croft-

Nina's writing mixes romance with elements of the paranormal and science fiction. Her latest release is Witch's Moon, which is part of the Daughters of the Morrigan series.

Growing up in the cold, wet, north of England, Nina Croft spent a lot of time huddled under the blankets dreaming of faraway sunnier places and ponies. When she discovered both could be found between the covers of a book, her life changed forever. Soon her horizons expanded to include other galaxies and whole new worlds, monsters, and vampires and then even stranger…love and sex.

Nina settled in southern Spain where she and her husband bought the small almond farm they now call home. No electricity, no neighbors, no chocolate shops, but on the plus side, stunning scenery, a vineyard to make her own red wine, and far enough away from anywhere to satisfy Nina’s hermit tendencies. She shares the farm with her husband, and an ever increasing number of animals, including Piggles, a three-legged Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.

She still travels, but usually only in her imagination, and can often be found lying under a fig tree, wine in hand, plotting stories of love in faraway places.

Nina's GR page can be found here- Nina Croft

b>Challenge Task: Read one book written by one or both of our featured authors.
Challenge Duration: The whole month of July.

To sign up:
Post your interest and the book(s) you are planning to read.

For each author, you must also signify if you are:
A - I'm a big fan! I'm excited to read another of her books.
B - Familiar with her work, and wouldn't mind reading her again.
C - Totally new to this author. Will see how I like it.
D - Didn't like the last one I've read, but willing to give it another chance.

To complete:
Post the date when you've completed your book(s).

You must also say if, after reading:
A - would definitely look at her other books, since I've enjoyed this one very much.
B - could take it or leave it. Was not an unpleasant experience but I'm not burning rubber to get to her other books.
C - Oh well, I tried. Definitely not my cup of tea.

A little review of the book read is welcomed but not required.

*

Totally new to both authors.

Totally new to both authors.

Totally new to both authors this month too, so C for each.

I plan to read Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole and Losing Control by Nina Croft in September.

Seriously, how is it September?!

I finished Let It Shine on the 3rd of this month. I enjoyed it, but felt it really needed to be longer! Considering the subject matter, I would have loved more. More of the characters and their relationship and their struggles. I listened to the audio and thought the narrator, Karen Chilton, fit the story well.

I started a C for Alyssa Cole and finish a B, I wouldn't mind reading more by her.

I finished Losing Control on September 4th and it was just OK. I listened to the audio and it was just OK too, so that didn't help. There were parts that were annoying and that made it hard to get invested in the characters and their story.

I started a C for Nina Croft and finish a low B. I'm not opposed to trying another book by her, but I'm not going to be seeking any out either.

I finished reading A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole and absolutely loved it! It's part of the audible romance package so I was able to borrow it. It was like a love story set in Wakanda. Started out a C and ended up an A.

I also finished Losing Control by Nina Croft. It was ok, I didn't get into this one very much. The hero was too controlling and the heroine was too naive for the situation she came from. It wasn't very believeable. I started out a C and ended up a B.