Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Here we go again...
We have 1960-69, 1970-79, 1980-89 for our birthday decades. We had decided to go with the 1980-89 decade. Let me know if you want to change that. I have a couple of links to useful lists. Also keep in mind they do not have to be romance.
About the publication date, use, from Kat: "initial publication date, if there is a date listed at the top of the editions page use that", and "regardless of format" (See above)
GENERAL 1980s: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9
ROMANCE 1980s: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...
UPDATED...I'm familiar with these books and/or authors.

The Shell Seekers! 💖

I'm going to need to browse a little bit. I see a lot of old favorites in the ones Mony posted.

I'm still in for 80 - 89 as our decade.

Mony wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Hi Ladies,

I just finished my second read and posted above.

I think this brings us to our 6 books?

I'm seeing completion posts in the following messages:
Book 1 -Mony msg 380
..."

😥😥

Sending hugs to all of you Mony!
I've been in your daughter's shoes. She is incredibly lucky to have you!
Don't worry about us at all. I know you said you still weren't 100%.

I hope the little one (toddler) is doing okay and the fever is on the way down. I hated the years where mine would run high fears. Now I just fear croup.

Hopefully your daughter can get some rest as well. Pregnant, sick, with a sick baby and work stress is a storm of nasty that I don't wish on anyone at any time for any reason. Tell her that SHE needs to be the most important person in her life and that means rest rest rest otherwise - she and her babies won't get the healing they need. From a mom who has been through that war.

Huge hugs to you all.

Selection Post
Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.
Book/Author: Bad Behavior: Stories by Mary Gaitskill
(1988 edition)
Qualifies: M's birthday decade; First published 1988
Page Count: 225 (Kindle Edition)

Selection Post

Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
(1987 Edition)

Qualifies: M's Birthday Decade; first published May 15th 1987
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 306 pages

Selection Post

Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate


The Way to a Man's Heart by Debbie Macomber

Qualifies: M's Birthday Decade; first published April 1st 1989
Page Count: 189 pages

Hey all - I know we're reading our 80 - 89 books, but there was a question in the Q&A regarding the 5 fav books.

I just realized that -

One is no longer in KU - but I own it so I can loan it if you'd like to read it.

Two are in KU

The last two are older books and are not on KU and only one may be available via a library app (The Shell Seekers)

Would you like me to review my reads and add in more KU books?
Honestly culling my favs down to 5 was difficult so switching some out to more accessible reads is not a difficult task LOL

Maggie wrote: "Selection Post

Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by [author:Douglas Ada..."

I was able to borrow this as an audiobook - which is a different format for me. I'm enjoying the freedom as I can listen and "work" out here and on a few mindless tasks while taking in a book.

I didn't realize a few things and now I am feeling very embarrassed and realizing how kind some of my closest friends really are to me:

1- I didn't realize the show was based on a series of books.

2- I didn't realize that the Hitchhiker's Guide was a series let alone that Douglas Adams had written "other" books.

3- this book is just as good as the show is supposed to be

4- the show is still sitting in my binge watch queue because, well, Tom Ellis as Lucifer seems to push anything else aside except for The Things We Do in the Shadows and Lupin...... I may have done Dirks a very very great wrong with my narrow minded viewing habits.

Had to share as ,,, I'm listening instead of reading and I'm not physical capable of sitting still without actively doing something.

Maggie wrote: "Hey all - I know we're reading our 80 - 89 books, but there was a question in the Q&A regarding the 5 fav books.

Would you like me to review my reads and add in more KU books? "

Maggie, I would say that is up to you. I think I'll be fine choosing something from either of your shelves either way.

FYI: I'm answering this without remembering exactly what the task says that your referencing, so this answer could be complete BS, but I'm at work and can't go look right now. Lol

Shan ~A~ wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Hey all - I know we're reading our 80 - 89 books, but there was a question in the Q&A regarding the 5 fav books.

Would you like me to review my reads and add in more KU books? "

M..."

LOL

What you meant to say was "Maggie - use all of your words ...."

Sorry about that.

The task I'm referencing was for each of us to chose our 5 favorite books and place them on a shelf. The task, should it be assigned, would be for a teammate to read a book from one of the "favorite books" shelves that we created.

I remember Mony mentioning at the kick off that she had rearranged a few of her choices to make them more KU accessible. I meant to do the same at that time - then forgot.

I was on the Q&A thread today and noticed that one of the teams was asking MKat about this task as they were assigned it this week... and it reminded my squirrel brain that I had put this on my to do list

Hence my totally random and ill worded out of the blue question.

Sorry!!

On the fly...

It's task 99. Each teammate lists 5 favorite books. Select books from 2 different teammates and read them.

Msg 5 lists everyone's shelf with their favourite five book titles.

Good timing, cause I was hoping people might have time to review the books they selected as their favourites & perhaps modify to try to connect to team members' tastes. :)

UPDATED
And yea, after I made my modified selections, I checked & 2 books were on KU. But wouldn't say that this a req't for your choices. Hope that helps.

Maggie wrote: "Mony wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Hi Ladies,

I just finished my second read and posted above.

I think this brings us to our 6 books?

I'm seeing completion posts in the following messages:
Book 1 -..."

Thanks Maggie! This cheered me up. Yes, I also remember those years. Wow, there were some hard days....croup, chicken pox.
All is now going in right direction...no covid, temp coming down slowly, daughter resting & has time to shower. Good thing I love these people cause 8 -5 + dinner shift is killing me. LOL Actually it's been so cool to hang out with Théo...new vocab, moves, holding hands. :)

Maggie wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Selection Post

Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by [aut..."

This so cool Maggie...loved Hitchhiker's Guide book...so will need to check out Dirk Gently - 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Hitchhiker's Guide didn't fare so well @ 65%. Don't watch much TV but love British shows. Thanks!

UPDATED - new book...needed a comfort read

Selection Post
Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.
The Bride BY Julie Garwood

Qualifies: M's birthday decade; First published July 1st 1989
Page count: Paperback 358 pages

Completion Post
Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.
The Bride BY Julie Garwood

Qualifies: M's birthday decade; First published July 1st 1989
Page count: Paperback 358 pages
Completion date: Oct. 28, 2021
Rating: 5 stars
Review: Review: This is the story of Alec Kincaid, a powerful laird of a large Scottish clan, and Jamie Jamison, a beautiful young English woman. Theirs is a marriage dictated by the Scottish king in order to build alliances between their two countries. Both work to make the best of it although they are wary of the other. Alec is a wonderful H - sexy, clever, cocky, ruthless while also honest, and able to be kind & gentle. Jamie is a strong h - confident, capable, quirky, wily & spirited. While there is great chemistry, witty banter, sexy times, what I liked the most about this story was seeing two very different people learn to deeply trust, respect, love one another over time. Recommend.
After their wedding night…
Jamie: “Were you pleased with me last night?”
Alec: He looked as if he wanted to laugh. “You'll get better.” He knew exactly what to say to her to get her temper riled.
Jamie: ”I'll get better?" she strangled out. "Why you—”
Alec: “We'll practice, Jamie, once we get home, every single night, until you get it right.”

Completion Post
Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.
Book/Author: Bad Behavior: Stories by Mary Gaitskill
(1988 edition)
Qualifies: M's birthday decade; First published 1988
Page Count: 225 (Kindle Edition)
Finished: 10/28
Rating: 2 stars
Review: I read several reviews before reviewing this book, so I was hoping I would love it more or maybe I was just expecting more.

It could have been because I went in knowing that Secretary was a part of this book of short stories, and I absolutely loved that movie.

The stories themselves have a lot of meat, but they end up feeling like incomplete thoughts to me. All in all this read like a book of samples, instead of a book of complete short stories.

The books on my fav shelf are either books I own or they are on KU. I only changed one, but it's by the same author as the other, I just forgot that I owned that one on audio and paperback, instead of kindle (or other ebook) edition.

Mony wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Selection Post

Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.

[book:Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency|..."

You're welcome!
I only have about a 1/2 hour left of listening to go. This one has made me laugh out loud quite a few times. It's very much that dry British humor with a lot of geek humor mixed in as well. A very fun read for me!

Mony wrote: "On the fly...

It's task 99. Each teammate lists 5 favorite books. Select books from 2 different teammates and read them.

Msg 5 lists everyone's shelf with their favourite five book titles.

Good..."

Since I'm listening to my book today :-) -

I went through and did a compare of where you all have overlap with my prior reads.

I've updated my favorites shelf so that 4 of the 5 books on my favorites shelf are in KU.

3 of the books are listed as part of a series and MKat has stated in the Q&A that the series rule applies to this particular task. For example, I love the Escape to New Zealand series by Rosalind James. I placed my favorite book of the series on my shelf which is book #2, however if book #17 is on your TBR you could read that one instead for this task.

I also noticed that we have a lot of favorite author overlaps and have read and rated a lot of books similarly, so I grabbed two big favorites of mine - one from Pippa Grant (who is very similar to Max Monroe) and one from Alley Ciz (who is similar to Meghan Quinn, Rebecca Jenshak, and a touch of Kelsey Clayton) the book I chose by Alley IS a cliff hanger and the second/final book IS available and in KU (if you decide you like it)

If you would prefer a non cliff hanger be listed on a shelf, I can absolutely switch it out for one of Alley's stand alone novels. I just happen to love her cliff hanger books the best. Evil Author that she is.

The fourth book is a full fun Christmas story that is again, similar to Max Monroe's style and is in KU.

The final book is a dark suspense romance that I am deeply and utterly in love with. It's no longer in KU but I am more than happy to loan it out if it catches your eye.

If anyone has triggers - I think Alley's book and the dark suspense by Maria Luis are the only two that need to be noted. Alley's is a bully based book, but it's more of a he TRIES to bully her, but she pushes back HARD and the bully isn't fully successful. Unlike the full on bully humiliation breaking of a human's psyche story line.

Maria's book reads like a spy thriller with a romance novel written around it. It's like Robert Ludlum, Brad Thor and Judith Krentz books had an orgy and Maria's brain popped out Road to Fire as their book baby.

There is violence, and the hero is part of a secret spy ring. There isn't waterboarding or beatings or fingernail pulling interrogations, but there scenes of psychological tactics being used to break a suspect and the heroine does refuse to eat while she and the hero push each other to their emotional and physical limits.

The other three books are fun and light.

Yay! thanks for reviewing/sometimes making changes!

ShanA, one suggestion would to consider subbing the Rock Chick book with another. Kat may assign us task 82 & we decided to use that series for that task (see below). Might be a bit tricky. Thanks!

82. Each teammate reads a different book from the same series.
ROCK CHICK- K. ASHLEY

Completion Post

Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
(1987 Edition)

Qualifies: M's Birthday Decade; first published May 15th 1987
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 306 pages
Read On: 10/29/2021
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I listened to this as an audio book narrated by the author, which I think may have helped with my enjoyment of it. The book is, from what little I've learned from the show vastly different from the show itself. Which is great as I have yet to watch the show. Overall I highly enjoyed the book. The cast of characters is large and a bit intertwining. Having a narrator helped to keep them lined up and properly ordered in my mind along with the different relationships they had with one another. It was very similar to an Agatha Christie novel where you have all of Miss Marple's villagers in each other's business or a certain "set" in a Pirout story.
Dirk's himself isn't a huge character or a main character as the title suggests. The story winds it's way around Gordan Way and an Electric Monk. It also encompassed Gordon's company, his employees, his siblings, and then ripples out from there. It's within these ripples that Dirk is caught in the fray.
As with Hitchhiker's Guide this is another very niche geek nerd book of Mr. Adams subtlety and subtlety layered with classic British humor of the written Monty Python variety. The timing and tone of a seemingly off the cuff mark or random notation is comedic timing at it's best.
The bluntness of British sensibility when time is being wasted on tangents and one must just get through to get back on track is wonderfully captured.
I loved the "haunting" of poor Richard. The anger and spurring from Susan. Gordon "commandeering" Weakes Way in order to pass along his warning/message.
And I adored the overtones of British writers that I have loved in the past from Agatha Christie, to Dickens (very and Marley and Scrooge like with the no week ends off and taking over a walking human to warn of impending death by an electronic monk) to the current humor on scene with the horse in the bathroom (a la "the penguin on your television will explode in...") I can also see where Terry Pratchett and parts of Bill Bryson's writing comes from and drew from to gain popularity.
I probably won't go running off to the library to pick up the remainder of the series nor will I be running off to fill in my Hitchhiker's gap in reading past the first book, but I'll note them on my TBR for those days were I need a fun, non romance, yet thought provoking read.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁

𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝟭𝟮 - 𝟳𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝟰 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲'𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵, 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲.


The Way to a Man's Heart by Debbie Macomber

Qualifies: M's Birthday Decade; first published April 1st 1989
Page Count: 189 pages
Completion date: 10/29/21
Rating: 3 star
Review - This was a very lighthearted read. Not much drama, wildly vanilla with characters that could be easily forgotten...Especially the H (Grey the professor). He often came off pretty condescending with the h. Not sure if it had to do with her age or her occupation, but it was kind of off putting. I did enjoy all the food talk - it made me hungry!

Guys! Sorry it took me so long to get this finished! Life has truly been busy with making homemade ugly Christmas sweaters, costumes and snacks. Phew I'm tried!

I wanted to get my post up before I went on my son's field trip, but I just couldn't get to it. We went to see Sugar Bear - The Capital Christmas tree off on it's long journey. My area was the first stop before it headed out. It was a very cool and special time. My friend's 5th grade son won the essay contest and will be the official tree lighter!

M wrote: "Guys! Sorry it took me so long to get this finished! Life has truly been busy with making homemade ugly Christmas sweaters, costumes and snacks. Phew I'm tried!

I wanted to get my post up before ..."

Wow, M, that sounds awesome. Whoa, making ugly Xmas sweaters...that's devotion! Just read about the The Capital Christmas ...so cool!
No worries about your posting...all's good!

Mony wrote: "Completion Post
Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.
The Bride BY Julie Garwood
[bookcover:The Bride|..."

Pleased correct to the first edition Kindle page count (388). Thanks!

Maggie wrote: "Completion Post

Task 12 - 72. Read 4 books published in the decade of a teammate's birth, team decides which teammate.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by [author:Douglas Ad..."

Please correct to the first edition Kindle page count (291). Thanks!

M wrote: "𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁

𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝟭𝟮 - 𝟳𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝟰 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲'𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵, 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲.


[book:The Way to a Man's Heart|..."

Please correct to the first edition Kindle page count (192). Thanks!

Here is your next task!

Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name (Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb).

Books selected for this task need to be written by authors who write under more than one name. Authors such as Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb or Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle would work for this task. Please include a link to the author’s profile or website showing both names in your completion posts.

Good morning Chicks 🐣, here are some author names for you in case you need help in finding your book. If you can't find the source to show both names please let me know. Last, if you have more names, please let me us know! ☺️

Lexi Blake/Sophie Oak
Anna Zaires/Dima Zales
Shayla Black/Shelley Bradley
Maya Banks/Sharon Long
Susan Elizabeth Phillips/Justine Cole
R.K. Lilley/Rebecca K. Lilley
Lisa Renee Jones/L.R. Jones}
C.M. Owens / Kristy Cunning / Chrissey Harrison / ST Abby
Kim Harrison / Dawn Cook
Kinley MacGregor / "Sherrilyn Kenyon"
Jasinda Wilder/Jack Wilder/J.S. Wilder
Lorelei James/Lori Armstrong}
J. Lynn/Jennifer L. Armentrout
Larissa Ione/ Sydney Croft/ Stephanie Tyler
Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb/Sarah Hardesty/Jill March/Eleanor Wilder}
Jennifer Ashley/Allyson James/Laurien Gardner/Ashley Gardner
Thea Harrison/Amanda Carpenter/Teddy Harrison
Tara Sivec/T.E. Sivec
Jessica Bird / J.R. Ward
Suzanne Brockmann/Ann Brock
Janet Evanovich/Steffie Hall
K.F. Breene /Willow Summers
Agatha Christie / Mary Westmacott
J. K. Rowling
Meg Cabot / Jenny Carroll
Sophie Kinsella / Madeline Wickham

Denvey Perry - Willa Nash
A.M Hargrove - Emerson St.Clair
Alessandra Torre - A.R. Torre

👍 thanks M. The Good Lie by A.R. Torre was terrific (mystery suspense romance)

Selection Post
Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.
The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison

Qualifies: Kim Harrison's pseudonym is Dawn Cook: see Harrison's GR bio https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 423 pages

Selection Post

Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.
Talk Nerdy to Me by C.M. Owens

Qualifies: C.M. Owens' pseudonyms are Kristy Cunning and S.T. Abby.
Information is located in her Goodreads Author bio
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 371 pages

Thank you for the lists of authors ladies! This helped me immensely!

Maggie wrote: "Thank you for the lists of authors ladies! This helped me immensely!"

☺️

Selection Post
Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.
Book/Author: Indigo Ridge by Devney Perry

Qualifies: Devney Perry also writes as Willa NashIndigo Ridge
Page Count: 324 (Kindle Edition)

*** Correction post ***

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁
𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝟭𝟮 - 𝟳𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝟰 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲'𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵, 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲.

The Way to a Man's Heart by Debbie Macomber
Qualifies: M's Birthday Decade; first published April 1st 1989
Page Count: 192 pages
Completion date: 10/29/21
Rating: 3 star
Review - This was a very lighthearted read. Not much drama, wildly vanilla with characters that could be easily forgotten...Especially the H (Grey the professor). He often came off pretty condescending with the h. Not sure if it had to do with her age or her occupation, but it was kind of off putting. I did enjoy all the food talk - it made me hungry!

Selection Post
Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.


Gypsy King by Devney Perry
Qualifies: Devney Perry also writes as Willa Nash
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Page Count: 404 (Kindle Edition)

Completion Post
Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.
The Undead Pool (The Hollows #12) by Kim Harrison

Qualifies: Kim Harrison's pseudonym is Dawn Cook: see Harrison's GR bio https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Completion date: Oct. 31/21
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 423 page
Rating: 5★
Review: I love the Hollows series. For me, it’s magical - very much like Harry Potter for adults. Set in a dystopian world in the city of Cincinnati, it features Rachel Morgan, a strong female protagonist - a human with witch and demon capabilities, who rubs elbows with pixies, vampires, elves, demons, mystics and other beings.
This is one of the last books in the series. For me, what I loved about it was that the slow burn romance (over the series) between Rachel and the suave arrogant Trent Morgan, the elf leader, is finally becoming a reality. When we see him in the first book, he puts the interests of the elves first at all costs, even trying to kill Rachel. Then, over a long period, he begins to adopt Rachel’s values of love, compassion, respect for all beings - beyond the elves. It took a lot of books for this to happen and for Trent to realize he loved Rachel. (my 3rd read! LOL)
Trent took my hand and leaned over the space between us. “I am not ashamed of who I love.” ..."God, you’re beautiful. How could I have been so stupid? Thank you for waiting for me to smarten up.”

Still here. I’m reading my book. RL strikes again. Lost two days to Halloween and the daughter hiding concussion symptoms for 12 hours so she could finish her Halloween plans. She’s settled and seen all the doctors she needs to see (she’s had too many concussions from soccer so every one now needs a ped visit and a neuro visit) hoping I can finish my book tonight. Plus side - I rocked an Alexis Rose costume made from items found in my own closet 🤣🤣🤣 AND my mom gifted me with her left over chocolates!

Maggie wrote: "Still here. I’m reading my book. RL strikes again. Lost two days to Halloween and the daughter hiding concussion symptoms for 12 hours so she could finish her Halloween plans. She’s settled and see..."

Not to worry Maggie. Think Hallowe'en slowed things down. Sorry to hear about another concussion. yikes! Alexis Rose - loved watching her!

Completion Post
Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.


Gypsy King by Devney Perry
Qualifies: Devney Perry also writes as Willa Nash
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Page Count: 404 (Kindle Edition)
Completion date: 11/3/21
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review: Wow, this book was SO good. I have had it sitting on my kindle for months. I should have read it long before this. Dash and Bryce had such amazing chemistry, but then add in the intense storyline with tons of mystery and twists--- darn near perfection! I adored Bryce. She was tenacious and wouldn't let a big bad biker scare her away from the biggest story Clifton Forge would ever see. Dash was HOT! Intimidating, but not cruel. He pushed just enough to have her melting into his waiting hands and hood of his car. Can't wait to continue on with the series.

Completion Post

Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.
Talk Nerdy to Me by C.M. Owens

Qualifies: C.M. Owens' pseudonyms are Kristy Cunning and S.T. Abby.
Information is located in her Goodreads Author bio
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 371 pages
Read On:11/3/2021
5 stars
Review: This book had me laughing out loud at so so many points of the story. Britt is an uber genius who lacks the ability to read social cues and facial expressions. This leaves her at a disadvantage in the every day game of petty life, but her super sized brain and huge heart for those she loves makes up for those annoyances in spades. She's on a mission - to lose...her hymen. Britt likes to use concise and precise words. Base is almost her polar opposite. He's more emotionally driven with his "pure artist soul" in the search of NOT being a sell out musician. Between his tunnel vision on that goal and his white knight savior complex he creates a lot of unnecessary drama but it also leads to some very funny laugh out loud scenes in the books. On a real life scale - the author nailed Britt's cognitive disfunction between her intellectual intake and her interactions with the outside "normie" world (as a friend of mine calls it). The author also wrote Base as a much more mature person than his 22 years, until you start to really stand back and start to dissect their relationship - which one of Britt's protective and loving sister in laws does for him. Then you really see all the areas where he REALLY needs to grow up and you realize that Britt has been operating at a MUCH higher level in her life than her concise answers and awkward social interactions lead the reader to see clearly.
But in between all that heavy stuff... the HUMOR!! I was up late and reached the part where Base dragged the band to see a "lecture" that Britt was giving - WITHOUT asking her what the lecture was about. Never in my life have I laughed so outrageously hard regarding the differences in hymens, the utter outrageousness of four grown men taking notes in a "first sex educational" class geared towards 8th graders, and I think the author has ruined doughnuts and fruit roll ups for me. SO SO SO worth it though. OMG. I've read CM's work with SM Shade before, but never one of CM's stand alones. I have been missing out. I also realized around 2am this morning, that CM sadly passed away this year.. so I have utterly missed out. Her readers group must have been one of the most fun to interact with based on the sheer humor in this book.

Maggie wrote: "Completion Post

Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.
Talk Nerdy to Me by C.M. Owens

Qua..."

Glad you liked it Maggie! I really enjoyed this one and other books in the series too.

PM'ed ShanA to see if everything's ok...nothing back yet.

Completion Post
Task 13 - 10. Read 4 books by authors who write under more than one name.
Book/Author: Indigo Ridge by Devney Perry

Qualifies: Devney Perry also writes as Willa NashIndigo Ridge
Page Count: 324 (Kindle Edition)
Finished: 11/04
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Griffin Eden and Winslow Covington pulled me into their story from the first page. I was completely invested in the outcome of their relationship, in the interactions between the Edens as a family, and how being so young and becoming the chief of police in a small town would affect Winn and the townspeople too.

Great series opener, and great segue into the next book in the series at the end.

Mony wrote: "PM'ed ShanA to see if everything's ok...nothing back yet."

Just so you all know. I'm in central time zone, and I commute to/from work, then I have a teenager that I have to feed, so on the days that I log on to goodreads (and I try to do it daily), it's most times after 8pm. Tonight it was closer to 9pm.

On the weekends, depending on my plans, I try to log on in the morning and then again in the afternoon or evening.

If the book I choose is audio (if I have an audio book that fits the task), I will finish it pretty quickly. Depending on the length in could be done during my working hours.

However, if I have to choose a book to read, that timeframe will vary on the amount of time I actually have to dedicate to read (better odds on the weekend if there is nothing going on).

On a none reading related note: My husband has cancer. He's had surgery to remove what needed to be removed, but they found it in one of his lymph nodes outside of the area where they found the tumor. So he will be starting chemo soon.

I am not telling anyone this for sympathy, and it will not affect my reading, but it may eventually effect how often I log on to GRs during the week.

Just know that I will say something in advance if it looks like I won't be able to log on for an extended period of time.

And...if it looks like it going to take me more than a day longer than the last person to post a book I will say something then also. When I checked yesterday Maggie had just posted her book, and I knew my book would be finished today after I got home from work.

All that being said, if you all think that I'm not reading fast enough and would like me leave this "team" please tell me. I'd rather have real, than fake any day of the week.

Here is your next task!

Task 14 - 18. Read over 750 pages in books tagged/shelved with 'favorite'.

Books selected for this task need to be tagged as ‘favorite’, variations of the work will be allowed. Combo tags will be allowed in context, ‘not my fave’ will not be allowed. Please include a link to the top shelves page showing your qualifying tag along with the number of tags and the page number of the top shelves page. The extra info is extremely helpful if the link is broken or the tag moves and both frequently happen! Remember to use the first edition Kindle page count.

Shan, sending my thoughts to you and your family. Cancer sucks hard!

Please remember that if you need it, you do have the pass option. (Not saying you aren't reading fast enough, I can't speak for your team, but I don't think it has been a problem. But I know from experience that sometimes you just need a break when you are caretaking.)

MountainKat wrote: "Here is your next task!

Task 14 - 18. Read over 750 pages in books tagged/shelved with 'favorite'.

Books selected for this task need to be tagged as ‘favorite’, variations of the work will be all..."

Here we go team...this one looks straightforward!