Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Birthday: December 13
Favorite Color: purple & green
Favorite Food: Ramen
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): I think it was either Promises or Almost Like Being in Love
Favorite Romance Genre: I'm fluid :) But currently, SF & historical
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... all the bookshelves in my apartment are full - every nook and cranny is filled up. Until I buy a new shelf, I'm officially banned from entering bookstores. Thank god for ebooks!

Tamara (緑) wrote: "Until I buy a new shelf, I'm officially banned from entering bookstores. Thank god for ebooks!"

Ain't that the truth!!

I never got around to introducing myself here, but this is as good a place as any to vent about this (I thought) straight male's love/despise relationship with romance novels.

Birthday: Though some accuse me of being born yesterday, I was officially born some time ago on November 25th. This is a day of the month otherwise known as "I'm sorry, I can't afford to give you a gift this year; I spent all of my money on turkey." It was on this day many years ago that I would be blessed with a name that I would be mocked with for much of my childhood. Ahhh memories.

Favorite Color: Considering my name and the fact that I lived in a conservative town, I always used to go with blue. I would have probably gotten my ass kicked if I even let on that my tastes veered anywhere near the more "feminine" sectors of the color spectrum. But now that I'm an adult who pays rent and stuff, I can proudly proclaim that my favorite colors are electric blue (like the color of Anne Hathaway's 2011 Oscar dress), lipstick red (like the color of... lipstick), and varying shades of pink depending on my mood. So, if you ever see a romance novel cover with red painted lips smiling from a puffy pink dress backed by an electric blue sky, prepare to watch me squander my life savings on it even if the title is "Courtney is the Biggest Idiot in the World."

Favorite Food: Do Margaritas and Redbulls count as food? If not, put me down for cheesecake and anything unhealthy. The general rule is the healthiness of a meal is directly proportional to how terrible it tastes. Although, fun fact: Coconut is my official arch nemesis.

First romance novel you read: Let me tell you the twisted legend of Fifty Shades of Grey. Like other mortal men, I picked up the book, ostensibly, just to get a laugh at what the ladies were calling "mommy porn". But unbeknownst to me, this magical book took control of my senses. The next thing I knew, I got so immersed in the blasted thing that I started to forget whether my name was Courtney the man or Anastasia Steele the 21-year-old female college senior with a penchant for letting playboy billionaires take her over their knee. I bit my lip when she did, grew an inner goddess, and shivered in fear (and exultation?) each time the name Christian Grey was mentioned. So, as punishment for doubting the powers of Fifty, I have since been cursed to experience every single romance book through the eyes of the female rather than the male lead. It turns out, my imagination has a hard time casting me as the physically domineering male protagonist, but it thinks I fit the role of insecure mail-order bride or recovering housewife perfectly.

Favorite Romance Genre: It has to be the historical romance. If this 50 Shades curse is going to keep forcing me to play the girl, I would rather my suitors fight through layers upon layers of crinoline, petticoats, and bodices before being allowed access to my inner sanctum. At least I can hold out hope he'll get tired of the obstacle course of clothing and just say "oh, screw it". And even if he gets through my maze of finery, there's something a tad more romantic about a man that has to slowly unwrap his woman like a gift... And I don't believe I just expressed satisfaction at being treated as some man's "gift."

I know I'm a book addict because my Kindle looks like a Ladies Night Out exploded all over my computer screen: plenty of dresses, women's high heels, and shirtless men as far as the eye can see. I wish I liked V8 engines or Baseball, but instead it's circumnavigating the complex inner workings of love while fawning over fictional hunks of man candy. And this cursed group just keeps enabling me.

Lol Courtney!!! I don’t believe we have EVER been so well-introduced into the background, preferences and mind-shifts of a member. Thank you! It definitely brightened my day 😍

That was just fabulous!

And enabling is what we do best here! =D

Hi! I'm Diana!

Birthday: September 25th
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Food: Pasta
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): Pride and Prejuice by Jane Austen.
Favorite Romance Genre: Suspence and Sci-fi
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I love to escape reality and enter the life of the characters in each story. I get into every story, enjoying and living the emotions that the author wanted to express through words.

Diana wrote: "I know I'm a book addict because.... I love to escape reality and enter the life of the characters in each story. I get into every story, enjoying and living the emotions that the author wanted to express through words."

Hi Diana, isn't that the best part?! I love getting lost in another world and escaping reality - some authors just paint beautiful pictures with their words!

Welcome Diana! I think P&P would have to be one of my fav books of all time. I love that story! And I also love getting lost in a new world with each book ~ so long as they aren’t TOO scary 😝

Birthday: 29th December
Favourite Colour: Green
Favourite Food: Is this a trick question? Basically all forms of sugar.
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): Bared to You
Favourite Romance Genre: Three-way tie between Contemporary, Paranormal/Urban Fantasy and Suspense.
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because... when I'm not reading I'm browsing through books to add to my 'to-read' list.

Nash wrote: "I know I'm a book addict because... when I'm not reading I'm browsing through books to add to my 'to-read' list. ..."

That is such a trap for me! I keep buying books when I'm sitting at my computer since our libraries over here don't really stock the sub-genres I read. I think some of us will need an 'intervention' to stop the purchasing!

Jane (PS) wrote: "That is such a trap for me! I keep buying books ..."

Yeah, I always do that too! I have a ridiculous amount of books that I haven't read. Probably more than it's possible to read in a lifetime. cx

I 'ought to ban myself from buying books before I finish the ones I own. Then again, that's probably why it's an addiction. ^^;

Birthday: June 5
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Cheese
First Romance Novel Read: Mackenzie's Mission
Favorite Romance Genre: Erotica/suspense
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because....my "want to read" lost is over a thousand books

LOL Nash and Angel! I think you are in good company with your TBR piles - I'm sure a lot of us have over a thousand on that list! But that doesn't stop us from finding more to add!

Hello all. My name is Drew and I am a long-time member of Goodreads. I have posted in this before but it has been awhile since I did so I am re-posting my info for any newbies since I posted.

Birthday: March 25
Favorite Colors: Red, yellow, and pink
Favorite Foods: Anything dark chocolate and bubblegum
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): A Perfect Stranger by Danielle Steel
Favorite Romance Genre: A toss-up between Paranormal and Historical
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because my TBR list gets longer no matter how many I read and I cannot stop reading once I start. I sometimes forget to sleep because I cannot stop reading to sleep.

If anyone wants to know more about myself, please feel free to ask me. My life is like an open book.(pun intended)

--Drew

Hi Drew - great to see you back in here 🙂

Welcome Angel! ...now you have me wondering exactly how many ‘to read’ books are on my shelf! If it’s on my ‘to read’ that means I’ve already bought it. Tracking down its location is the hard part 🤣

Jane (PS) wrote: "Hi Drew - great to see you back in here 🙂

Welcome Angel! ...now you have me wondering exactly how many ‘to read’ books are on my shelf! If it’s on my ‘to read’ that means I’ve already bought it. T..."

I've got about 1648 "want to read" and 144 "read" I started last year and have only 2016 and 2017 reads.

Kuhi wrote: "Birthday:1th september
Favorite Color:black
Favorite Food:pizza
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember):a walk to remember
Favorite Romance Genre:teen romance
Finished the line: I know I'm..."

LOL - at least with black all your clothes would match :) ...Aaaand now I feel like eating pizza ;)

I sobbed during the movie A Walk to Remember! I do better with that sort of story in a movie, I need my happy ending. =)

(That did end well, after the incredibly sad part, but I want a happily ever after in my books!)

Ok ,

Birthday: Dec 29th
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Sushi
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): hmm Don't rember
Favorite Romance Genre: Contemporary
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I hoard books ;)

Natalie wrote: "Ok ,

Birthday: Dec 29th
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Sushi
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): hmm Don't rember
Favorite Romance Genre: Contemporary
Finished the line: I know ..."

Love sushi!

Natalie wrote: "Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I hoard books ;) "

The struggle is read! Thank goodness for ebooks!

Birthday: May 29
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Food: Mexican and Indian
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Favorite Romance Genre: Historical and Contemporary
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because back in high school, I used to read on the bus and during class instead of paying attention to the teacher!!

I am not an active reader anymore. But I am hoping to change that!!!

Lol - your teachers must have been on to you? Our classes were so small there’s no way could have done that!! 🤣

And that is one of the reasons why I always chose to sit in the front of the classrooms - so I wouldn't try to get away with reading in class!

MountainKat wrote: "And that is one of the reasons why I always chose to sit in the front of the classrooms - so I wouldn't try to get away with reading in class!"

I moved to the front in chemistry and physics 'cos ppl kept talking to me in the back! So distracting even though I wasn't great at either subject. But then they just moved with me LOL!! But there was less opportunity to talk :D

After getting caught a few times, I learned my lesson and stopped reading in class!!!!

Birthday: April 23 (same as Shakespeare)
Favorite Color: Orange
Favorite Food: Anything Mexican
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): The Gift - Julie Garwood
Favorite Romance Genre: Paranormal (especially vampires)
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I have to re-read previous books in a series when the new book comes out to 1) remember what is going on and 2) to keep my book budget under control

Sounds familiar Keiria ~ I often reread series and am always amazed at what I’ve forgotten!

Well when you read 1-2 books/ week & new books typically come out annually, that's a minimum of 52 books in between the previous book & the current release

Keiria wrote: "Well when you read 1-2 books/ week & new books typically come out annually, that's a minimum of 52 books in between the previous book & the current release"

LOL - you've analysed it! I just thought I was lazy ;) (Note: it can take me 4 years to hit the next in a series ;)

Keiria wrote: "Well when you read 1-2 books/ week & new books typically come out annually, that's a minimum of 52 books in between the previous book & the current release"

Perfect justification! =)

I agree with you Jill and I never read that book and Keira my favorite color is orange too

Birthday: June 7
Favorite Color: Black
Favorite Food: Potatoes (so versatile, but fries are best)
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): Claiming His Secret Heir by Joanne Rock
Favorite Romance Genre: Contemporary(though I don't really have a fave I just happen to read that one a lot.)
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I keep buying books even though I have plenty unread ones still on the shelf. And I will read more then one at a time. And I will literally spend a whole day reading.

Yep Samantha - I do believe that makes you a book addict!

Mmmmm, fries....

Hot Chips (aka fries in the US) are my absolute weakness!! Yum!!

I love French fries but I never had hot chips

Pretty much the same thing, although they are probably a little thicker Christine. Some fast food stores (McDonalds & Burger King ~ which is called Hungry Jacks here) call them fries. Other places including KFC call them chips.

Suspect it is the same is the UK 🙂

Oh ok and I should try those hot chips sometime soon

Birthday: July 30
Favorite Color: Rainbow
Favorite Food: Pizza (I"m from Chicago!)
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): Oddly enough, it was Twilight, which led to the Black Dagger series by JR Ward
Favorite Romance Genre: MM historical or contemporary
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I freak out if I accidentally forget my ipad at home and can't imagine waiting anywhere longer than five minutes without a book

Lol - the freak out sounds familiar although now I just download the book to my phone if I’m Kindleless🤣

Birthday: December 28th (Capricorns rule!)
Favorite Color: Blue and Green
Favorite Food: Anything Homemade
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): No idea actually
Favorite Romance Genre: Western Romance
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I once read over 400 books in 1 year and I've mastered the art of reading while I knit.

I'm the same Lucy, but like Jane, I just keep books on my phone! I don't ever get far without my phone because I listen to audiobooks in the car. =)

Reading while knitting is very impressive Kass! I can listen and crochet or do needlework, but not read! And I can really only do that when what I'm doing is simple enough not to require a lot of thought.

Audiobooks in the car always!

Birthday: February 8
Favorite Color: Dark purple
Favorite Food: Raspberries
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): A 1980's-written medieval HR by Jude Deveraux which felt more like a guilty read. I didn't get hooked until more recently, with Nine Rules to Break While Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean (first of my new romance reading era!)
Favorite Romance Genre: Historical, particularly Regency.
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... reading is what I hope to do when I get home.

I loved that Nine Rules book by Sarah M when I read it as well. So much fun.

Jessica wrote: Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... reading is what I hope to do when I get home."

I understand that!

Birthday: 25 June
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Food: everything homemade... I love cooking!
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): I actually don't remember, though it can't have been that long ago
Favorite Romance Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romantic Suspense
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I always have a book with me, and my boyfriend always laughs at me and says I wouldn't need the book for where we are going

Welcome to the group Jessica - I love a home cooked meal too! And really, who leaves the house without a good book in your handbag??? 🤷‍♀️🤣

Birthday: May 25
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Hamburgers on the grill (I live on a farm and we raise our own beef and you can do so much with it)
First Romance Novel Read (that you can remember): I will go with Gone With the Wind but so long ago I really can't remember!
Favorite Romance Genre: Historical fiction or cozy mysteries (they both usually have a romance)
Finished the line: I know I'm a book addict because.... I have books all over the house, my favorite places are libraries and book stores, I read books on all different formats (digital, physical book, audiobook), my TBR is huge but I am whittling away at it, and I am on Goodreads many times a day!

Lol - great summary Kristin! And as usual after reading these posts, I’m now hungry 😝