Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - Cloud 9 Readers (9)
1. Introduce yourself to your team. Let your team members know where you are from. This is a 'nice to know' when categories are announced and when team-mates can expect other members to post their book choices.2. Deep Sleeper - reserve a couple of posts in this thread tracking your team's book selection and completion. (Alternatively they could convert a chat comment to the tracking post/s.)
3. Name your team. Using this round's theme, come up with a fun name. Given we are an open/public group with no age limit, so please make sure any chosen name is smart, not smutty ;)
Please PM your name to Jane(PS) by 29 March
4. If you have a private profile, please 'friend' your team-mates. This is really important, because without this, your team-mates can't see your shelves to select a books under option 2. (It will also help with one of the categories in this round!)
5. Please post your book selections/completions in the format provided below. (This format is also posted in both the Q&A and Sign-Up threads.) We need to know the week that each book corresponds to, the page numbers, and how the book qualifies including links to lists/shelves (where applicable), etc. I can't stress this enough. When in doubt - link it*!
* don't link to your review in your completion post - reviews in your completion posts should be included in full in that post.
You don't want to start reading a book and then find it doesn't meet the requirements because some information (eg page count or theme link) was missing from your original post.
I will be monitoring this and your book will not be considered complete until I am satisfied that your selection and completion posts comply with the format rules of the challenge.
Remember - you can ONLY change your book selection in the week that the theme is called.
6. You MUST check in with your team each week, ideally once the theme is announced. Please let your team know if you expect to have spotty communication or are on holidays or having an operation, etc.
7. When you post the completion of your book, you must post a review; enough for us to know you have actually read the book. Please don't link to a review. You must post the review in this thread.
8. Re-reads are allowed but you can't read the same book twice within this challenge.
9. There is no prize for the winning team - bragging rights only :)
10. Each week, the theme will be announced in the Q&A/Announcement thread. The full list of themes announced during this round will be maintained in msg 1 of that thread.
The Rule on the Pass Option
* Each team can only have ONE member using their pass each week.
* Each member can only use that pass once each 5 weeks.
* This means that one or two team members (dependent upon the size of your team) will miss using a pass in each 5 week block.
* No-one can use the pass option in the last week of the challenge.
* In the final week Option 2 has altered and I will be allocating each team another team from which their book selection must be chosen :)
Key selection and completion post information. You must have ALL elements in your book posts.For selection post Option 1 you must have:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
How the book qualifies - please note which qualifying bookshelf/list you are using or the tags that justifies that it works.
If the theme is based off the bookcover, post the cover. If there is a letter count in the title, publication date etc, please note these details.
For selection post Option 2 you must have:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.
For selection post Option 3 you must have:
Week #
PASS
For the completion post you must have:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Rating (1-5)
Review
Please DO NOT CHAT in these selction/completion posts. It needs to be super clear.
If you 'waffle' about your decided book - please REPOST your selection once you decide. DO NOT go back and edit your waffling post.
IF YOU NEED TO CORRECT A POST FOR MISSING INFORMATION or because the didn't qualify etc, please REPOST this information in a NEW post. I don't want to have to keep going backwards in the thread.
Weekly Themes
Week 1
3. Charlotte Bronte once wrote: "a ruffled mind makes a restless pillow".
*Read a book with MPG Historical or by an author whose last name starts with either C or B.
You must specify which option is used in your qualification.
Week 2
2. More than a third of adults fail to get enough sleep each night.
Read the third book in a series OR any book from a trilogy.
You must specify which option is used.
(view spoiler)
Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 1-4Week 1 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 2 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 3 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 4 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 5-8Week 5 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 6 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 7
(view spoiler)
Week 8 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 9-11
Week 9 - Complete
(view spoiler)
Week 10 - Complete
✔KarenH - Ten Things I Love About You - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔Geri - Things We Never Got Over - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔Trio - A Family for Christmas - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔Fran - Danced Close - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔Sally906 - Rescue My Heart - Selection Post / Completion Post
Week 11
✔KarenH - On Hart’s Boardwalk - Selection Post / Completion Post
Geri - Welcome to Temptation - Selection Post /
Trio -
Fran - Mr. Right Now - Selection Post /
Sally906 - All I Want for Christmas Eve - Selection Post /
Team Name Suggestions
Books at our bedside
PJs, Books and Hot Chocolate
Sweet dreams and books
Reading beauties (a play on sleeping beauty)
Reading and Dreaming
Cloud 9 Dreamers/Dreaming
Dreaming on Cloud 9
Hi all! I'm on my way out the door so I'll introduce myself in a little more detail later. For now though, feel free to jump in and tell us a bit about yourself (hopefully at least location/time zone and a bit about your reading tastes)...and if you have any suggestions for a team name, that would be great too!
Hi allMy name is Sally and I am an Aussie - I live 2 hours inland from the Queensland capital of Brisbane on the eastern seaboard.
I’ve played PtP many times before
I am married, 46 years this year, retired (woo hoo) and busier now than when I was working. We have 3 grandchildren who are all readers.
I’ve already picked books for each of the tasks.
Oh - and you should all have friend requests from me except Fran as I’m already friends with you 😀OK - I’m out the door as I play competitive croquet and todays games are about to start.
Hi Team! Checking in. I live near Chicago. So I am U.S. central time zone. I read all types of romance. Mainly MF. This round I am going to read audible books I rediscovered recently. It’s been years, or in some cases a decade or more, so it will be like reading them for the first time. LOL Looking forward to getting the party started!
Sally906 wrote: "Hi allMy name is Sally and I am an Aussie - I live 2 hours inland from the Queensland capital of Brisbane on the eastern seaboard.
I’ve played PtP many times before
I am married, 46 years this..."
Wow, Sally, congrats on 46 years married! 25 yrs married here. And I am a planner too. I love that Jane lets us know the possible tasks upfront. 🙂
Have a great game!
Hi again, now that I'm back home (and the basketball game is over so I can concentrate) I'll finish what I started earlier!I live with my 60 lb. "lap dog" way up in the northwest corner of Washington state, in a small town about halfway between Seattle and the Canadian border, so Pacific Time Zone.
I read almost exclusively romance, although I have been known to pick up the occasional mystery/thriller or general fiction if something sounds really intriguing to me. Within the romance genre I read almost anything from sweet to steamy (but usually fall somewhere in the middle), and I make a point to read a variety every month - Contemporary, Historical, PNR, along with MF and MM. Haven't read any FF, but only because nothing has come across my radar that jumped out at me. The only things I tend to avoid are YA and inspirational, unless they're recommended by someone whose tastes I know and trust. My shelves are pretty eclectic within the romance genre, so hopefully they can be helpful if/when anyone needs to use Option 2.
I'm generally around my computer on Friday afternoons when the new themes are announced, but if anyone notices that I haven't gotten it posted here, please feel free to do so!
Last thing...we need to come up with a name. If anyone has any ideas, please post them! Even if you don't like them or think they're silly, sometimes one of those can be tweaked a bit and turned into something great. I'm absolutely horrible at coming up with the initial idea, but have been known to build on someone else's idea. I'm definitely a much better editor than creator!
Can't wait to get started!
Team name suggestions:Books at our bedside
PJs, Books and Hot Chocolate
Sweet dreams and books
Reading beauties (a play on sleeping beauty)
Great suggestions, Sally! I'll add one more:Reading and Dreaming
I'll be compiling all suggestions in msg #8, so everyone can check there rather than browsing all the posts.
I’m terrible at names too. But I have one suggestion. A play on our team number. Cloud 9 Dreamers or Dreaming Go ahead and change anything. I won’t be offended! LOL
Hi team!I’m Fran, I’m from NY, and I fall in between Sally’s 46 years married and Geri’s 25 years….32 for me :)
I love reading romance, with an occasional memoir or autobiography thrown in. Humorous, upbeat and sweet (but with heat) are current faves. I love a stranded, road-trip, meet-cute or holiday trope.
I love all of the team names suggested so far! Cloud 9 Dreamers is my favorite!
I like Cloud 9 Dreamers too...or another option building on that - Dreaming on Cloud 9.
Cloud 9 dreamers sounds great - got my vote 👍
Hi everyone!I'm Trio, and I live in NYC.
I'm in the middle on the years of wedded bliss as well, LOL, I'm going to be 30 years this July.
I read mostly romances, usually LGBTQ+ characters, but I like to read cookbooks and childrens' books too.
I love Cloud 9 Dreamers, I think that's perfect, but I'm easy and will go with any name the group chooses :).
Wow, we're all checked in, and it looks like we even have a name...Cloud 9 Dreamers it is! That was easy!
Well, so much for me usually being around when the tasks are announced! 😁 But I guess when it's announced at 3:30 AM my time, it's not surprising I missed it! Anyway, here's our first task:Week 1
Option 1
3. Charlotte Bronte once wrote: "a ruffled mind makes a restless pillow".
*Read a book with MPG Historical or by an author whose last name starts with either C or B.
You must specify which option is used in your qualification.
Option 2
Key date: 30 September 2022
*Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars
Series rule applies:
If the book is in a series but does not match where you are up to, you may read another book from that same series.
Option 3
*Pass
A selection post must be made for whichever option you choose - INCLUDING A PASS
Refer msg 3 for formatting of all 3 options. This format is also in msg 3 of your team threads.
Also from the Q&A thread:The first task is announced above. You can start reading now.
The second task will be announced next Friday (7 April) between 3-6pm US EST
Week 1 - Selection PostOption 1
The Unknown BelovedPage numbers: 413
How the book qualifies: MPG Historical
Thanks, Karen! I was expecting the task tomorrow. Good to know early!
Geri wrote: "Thanks, Karen! I was expecting the task tomorrow. Good to know early!"Jane generally posts the first task early...Wednesday, or as soon after that as all teams are complete and named. From now on the announcements will be on Friday unless there's a conflict of some kind (rare, but it happens), and we usually know in advance when that is going to happen.
Selection PostWeek #1
Option 1
The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe
377 Pages
How the book qualifies: MPG Historical
Woo hoo - off we go!Week 1 selection post - Option 1
3. Charlotte Bronte once wrote: "a ruffled mind makes a restless pillow"
Task: Read a book with MPG Historical
Book:
Plaid to the Bone by Caroline LeePages: 187
How it qualifies: MPG of Historical
Week 1 - Selection PostOption 1
Mouth to Mouth by Tessa Bailey
Page numbers: 158
How the book qualifies: Author's last name starts with 'B'
Completion PostWeek #1
The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe
Read: 4/2/23
Rating: ✶✶✶.5
Review
After Katherine is rejected by her fiancé, Preston, she attends a scandalous masquerade ball. Where they both bump into each other unknowingly. Then the fun really begins. There was plenty of heat and sparks between Katherine and Preston. Along with plenty of drama and feuding. Just a little too much drama and feuding for me. Katherine was very spirited and ambitious, which I liked. A good book overall.
Week 1 - Completion Post3. Charlotte Bronte once wrote: "a ruffled mind makes a restless pillow"
Task: Read a book with MPG Historical
Book:
Plaid to the Bone by Caroline LeePages: 187
How it qualifies: MPG of Historical
Read: 04/04/23
Rating: 4★s
Review: I loved this fluffy read, that was chock a block full of quirky characters.
Laird Kenneth McClure is undercover at Oliphant Castle on the King’s business. The youngest daughter catches his eye, literally - she was stark naked bathing in a creek singing off key. Leanna is bubbly and funny - the opposite of Kenneth, but how Kenneth wants to be. Kenneth finds himself very attracted to her. The feeling is mutual.
When the pair of them discover a skeleton mid-kiss in a secret passage, Kenneth is fairly certain it’s not the missing man he’s looking for. But…he’s beginning to realise things are not as they seem in the castle, there is the barking mad laird, his hypochondriac wife, more ghosts than he can count and six very independent sisters.
I laughed and laughed at the shenanigans going on - and when I got to the end I was happy that there are five more sisters to get their happy ever afters.
Week 1 - Completion PostOption 1
The Unknown BelovedRating: 4 stars
Review: This was something of a surprise for me - I didn't realize going in that was based on an unsolved series of murders in Depression era Cleveland. It was darker than I expected for some reason, which doesn't really make sense considering the subject matter - I should have been expecting dark! I did enjoy it though, and I couldn't resist doing a little research after finishing it to see how closely it mirrored the actual case. Apart from a few major differences (most notably Dani's abilities and the fact that the case was solved) the story did seem to follow the facts of the original series of murders reasonably closely.
This was my first book by Amy Harmon, and I'll definitely be reading more.
Week 1 - Completion PostOption 1
Mouth to Mouth by Tessa Bailey
Read: 04/04/23
Rating: 3*
Review: This was not my favorite Tessa Bailey book. But…..it did hold my attention for the most part. Olive is young. Like 18 yrs old young. Rory is 6 years older and a ‘bad boy’ (of course) lifeguard and bartender. Lots of virgin younger girl/bad boy older guy tropes in this story. I rolled my eyes a bunch of times. But I am a sucker for a single-minded, obsessed hero and an interesting heroine. Olive has a really cool backstory that I have never come across before and I wish was more a part of the story. Overall a quick read about a naive but book smart girl who gets rescued (of course) by an older bad boy with a heart of gold. And it is set in NY!
Hi Karen!Your completion post is labeled ‘selection’
Fran wrote: "Hi Karen!Your completion post is labeled ‘selection’"
Thanks! I do it at least once every round! 🤪
Selection Post, Week 1Option 1
*Read a book by an author whose last name starts with either C or B.
Murder at an Irish Castle by Ellie Brannigan
320 pages
How it Fits: Author's Last Name Begins with "B"
Trio wrote: "Selection Post, Week 1Option 1
*Read a book by an author whose last name starts with either C or B.
Murder at an Irish Castle by Ellie Brannigan
320 pages"
Hey Trio! Will you please add your qualification for this book (Author's last name starts with B). Even when it's obvious Jane wants the qualification listed as such. Thanks! 😃
Week 2 selection post - Option 12. More than a third of adults fail to get enough sleep each night
Task: Read the third book in a series
Book:
Seduced by Snowfall by Jennifer BernardPages: 294
How it qualifies: 3rd in the Lost Harbour Alaska series
Week 2Option 1
2. More than a third of adults fail to get enough sleep each night.
Read the third book in a series OR any book from a trilogy.
You must specify which option is used.
Option 2
Key date: 7 October 2022
*Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars
Series rule applies:
If the book is in a series but does not match where you are up to, you may read another book from that same series.
Option 3
*Pass
A selection post must be made for whichever option you choose - INCLUDING A PASS
Refer msg 3 for formatting of all 3 options.
Selection PostWeek #2
Option 1 - Read a book from a trilogy.
The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts
354 Pages
How the book qualifies: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy #2
Completion Post, Week 1Option 1
*Read a book by an author whose last name starts with either C or B.
Murder at an Irish Castle by Ellie Brannigan
320 pages
How it Fits: Author's Last Name Begins with "B"
Read: 6 April 2023
Rating: 4 stars
Review:
Murder at an Irish Castle is such a fun, cozy mystery! I hope we get more of the same from new author Ellie Brannigan.
Brannigan really sets the stage in this colorful tale. Between the historic castle and the charming rural folks, Rayne's penchant for fashion and personal grooming, and the tiff between Rayne and her cousin, I was charmed by the way this story unfolded.
Traci Odom delivers a wonderful performance in the audio edition of Murder at an Irish Castle. Flowing between all the different Irish accents as well as Rayne's American one, I was impressed with Odom's skill as a narrator. Nicely done.
Completion PostWeek # 2
The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts
Read: 4/9/23
Rating; ✶✶✶✶
Review:
A sweet, family focused contemporary romance. Avery and Owen have been friends forever. Until the resident ghost at Inn BoonsBoro pushes them together. I enjoyed the details about renovating the Inn. It’d be nice to visit. And I enjoyed the humorous family antics. There was some family drama too. And the romance was sweet. A good night time read.
Week 2 - Completion Post2. More than a third of adults fail to get enough sleep each night
Task: Read the third book in a series
Book:
Seduced by Snowfall by Jennifer BernardPages: 294
How it qualifies: 3rd in the Lost Harbour Alaska series
Read: 09/04/23
Rating: 5★s
Review: I really enjoyed this Alaskan romance - Bethany is the new doctor at the local hospital, Nat is a firefighter. They meet when he comes to rescue her when she locks herself out of her house - all she is wearing is a towel. They like each other - but things not up when Nat finds an injured young teen hiding in the fire station who is half wild. He calls in Bethany to help with the girl while they sort out where she comes from and who has been abusing her. Lots of sub plots to make things interesting, and yes, a snowfall seduction.
Week 2 - Selection PostOption 1
Chase The Sun by R.J. Scott
Page numbers: 166
How the book qualifies: Third book in series -Stories from Sapphire Cay
Week 2 - Selection PostOption 1
Lightning in a MirrorPage numbers: 320
How the book qualifies: Book 3 in the Fogg Lake Trilogy
Week 2 - Completion PostOption 1
Lightning in a MirrorRating: 4 stars
Review: This was pretty typical Jayne Ann Krentz (which for me is not a bad thing), suspense, romance, with psychic abilities playing a major part. The story revolves around the search for the remains of a secret lab (and artifacts that may have been looted from it) near a small town in Washington State. Harlan and Olivia (the hero and heroine) team up to find and recover the lab's secrets before the bad guys, some of whom would be happy to see them dead.
I listened to the audio version, and while the narration by Sandra Michelle wasn't bad, to me her voice just didn't really match the "vibe" of the story (she narrated the entire trilogy, so I was at least somewhat prepared for it going into this one). I'd be fine listening to her narrating something else, but preferably something a bit lighter.
Week 3Option 1
5. Until recently, medical science was unable to consistently and fully explain why we sleep.
Read a book from on of the following medical romance lists:
Creatures Great & Small : Veterinarians in Romance
Doctor Medical Romance Heroes
Doctor Medical Romance Heroines
Best Gay Doctors
Heal Me! Best Male Doctors in Romance
Nurse Themed Romances
Include the list used in your qualification.
If you use this option, your selected book MUST be on the list prior to this theme being announced.
Option 2
Key date: 14 October 2022
*Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars
Series rule applies:
If the book is in a series but does not match where you are up to, you may read another book from that same series.
Option 3
*Pass
A selection post must be made for whichever option you choose - INCLUDING A PASS
Refer msg 3 for formatting of all 3 options.
Week 3 selection post - Option 15. Until recently, medical science was unable to consistently and fully explain why we sleep
Task: Read a book from the following medical romance lists: I’ve chosen the ‘ Creatures great and small veterinarians in romance’ list
Book:
The Foxe & the Hound by R.S. GreyPages: 330
How it qualifies: Is #5 on the list - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Mr. Right Now (other topics)Welcome to Temptation (other topics)
On Hart’s Boardwalk (other topics)
Mr. Right Now (other topics)
All I Want for Christmas Eve (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Annabeth Albert (other topics)Jennifer Crusie (other topics)
Olivia Noble (other topics)
Annabeth Albert (other topics)
Jay Northcote (other topics)
More...
Captain Deep
✔KarenH
REMs
✔Geri
✔Trio
✔Fran
✔Sally906