Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Right-e-o! We are underway.


1. You are free to name your team. This is not mandatory, but it is fun. 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 me by 1 Feb.

2. Pick a Team Captain. The team captain will track the books read by the team and notify me in a separate thread of the team's completions. They will also double-check that your book selection complies with the rules - eg make sure that the post is as per the formatting and information requested below (msg 3).

Anyone is free to ask questions in the Q&A/Announcement thread - here. If you are unsure, please ask.

Once a Captain has been decided, the Team Captain should reserve a couple of posts in this thread to track the book selection and completion.

3. Introduce yourself to your team. Definitely 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.

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.

5. Please make sure you post your book selection 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 (where applicable), etc. I can't stress this enough.

6. You MUST check in with your team each week, ideally once the theme is announced. Please let your team know if you except to have spotty communication or are on holidays or having an operation.

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 :)


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 4 weeks.
* No-one can use the pass option in the last week of the challenge.

Team members


Jasmin
Breann
Suzanne
* DG


Themes Announced

Week 1: Book set in the UK or Ireland
Option 2 key date: 7 August 2013

Week 2: Main character from the corporate world
Option 2 key date: 16 August 2013

Week 3: A book with children in the plot-line
Option 2 key date: 23 August 2013

Week 4: MC wears a uniform
Option 2 key date: 30 August 2013

Week 5: Enemies to lovers
Option 2 key date: 6 September 2013

Week 6: Book with less than 200 ratings (per GR)
Option 2 key date: 13 September 2013

Week 7: Historical setting (more than 50 years ago)
Option 2 key date: 20 September 2013

Week 8: Book published for the first time in the last 6 months
Option 2 key date: 27 September 2013

Week 9: ?
Option 2 key date: 4 October 2013
No passes allowed

Posting formats:

Following is a sample post showing how everyone should post their book choices in their team threads once the game starts.


Theme - book starting with the letter 'G'

Sample post - selection

Week 1: The Gamble - 629 pages per goodreads


****
Theme - Hurt/Comfort/Grieving

Sample post - selection

Week 3: Flowers from the Storm - 533 pages per goodreads
Shelf 'tortured hero' - https://www.goodreads.com/genres/tort...
or
Shelf 'tear-jerker' - https://www.goodreads.com/genres/tear...
or
Shelf 'illness' - https://www.goodreads.com/genres/illness


****
Theme - Hurt/Comfort/Grieving
Same theme but just a reference to the precis:


Week 3: Dark Desire - 369 pages per goodreads.
Precis covers the theme.

****************


Sample post - completion

Week 3: Dark Desire - 4 stars.

I found this book a bit dark. (Huh - well perhaps I should have expected that!) However once I settled into the 'theme' of more extreme violence and I knew what to expect, I really enjoyed it. I can't handle too many scary scenes! (Yes, I read vampire books voluntarily...)

**reserved**

TEAM PROGRESS - T9 DIVINE NINE


Week 1 Theme: Book set in the UK or Ireland
Completed: 4 / 4
✔ Breann: Harry Potter and the Bound Prince (381 pgs., shelf: Foreign UK) - Feb 9 ★★★ review
✔ D.G.: A Christmas Promise (304 pgs., shelf: England) - Feb 8 ★★★ review
✔ Jasmin: Can You Keep a Secret? (416 pgs., listopia: British Chick Lit)- Feb 15★★★★★ review
✔ Suzanne: Devil of the Highlands (351 pgs., shelf: Scotland) - Feb 10★★★★ review


Week 2 Theme: MC from Corporate World
Completed: 4 / 4
✔ Breann: Sixty Five Hours (174 pgs., theme in précis) - Feb 16 ★★★★½ review
✔ D.G.: The Chocolate Thief (303 pgs., shelf: business-owner) - Feb 20 ★★★ review
✔ Jasmin: Some Girls Bite (341 pgs., option 2)- Feb 21 ★★★★ review
✔ Suzanne: Dog Handling (336 pgs.,theme in précis)- Feb 16 ★★★★ review


Week 3 Theme: Children in the plot-line
Completed: 4 / 4
✔ Breann: Home Work (356 pgs., listopia: Best Gay Books Dealing with Children)- Feb 27 ★★★★ review
✔ D.G.: Extremis (384 pgs., theme in précis)- Mar 1 ★★★★½review
✔ Jasmin: Blue Bloods (302 pgs., theme in précis)- Mar 4★★★★ review
✔ Suzanne: Shadow Kiss (443 pgs.,option 2) - Feb 27 ★★★★★ review


Week 4 Theme: MC wears a uniform
Completed: 4 / 4
✔ Breann: Guarded Desires (150 pgs., theme in précis)- Mar 1★★★½review
✔ D.G.: Lord John and the Private Matter (368 pgs., theme in précis)- Mar 1★★★★ review
✔ Jasmin: Seducing Cinderella (341 pgs., theme in précis)- Mar 7★★★½review
✔ Suzanne: PASS


Week 5 Theme: Enemies to Lovers
Completed: 4 / 4
✔ Breann: Concubine (148 pgs., shelf: enemies-to-lovers) - Mar 9 ★★★ review
✔ D.G.: The Notorious Rake (224 pgs., shelf: enemies-to-lovers-opposites-attract) - Mar 13 ★★★ review
✔ Jasmin: Divergent (341 pgs., list: YA Star-Crossed/Forbidden/Enemy Love) - Mar 9★★★★★ review
✔ Suzanne: Legend (341 pgs.,shelf: enemies-to-lovers) - Mar 13★★★★ review


Week 6 Theme: Book with less than 200 ratings (per GR)
Completed: 4 / 4
✔ Breann: From Darkness to Darkness (290 pgs., 92 ratings - Mar 20 ★★★★ review
✔ D.G.: A Perfect Match (216 pgs., 145 ratings - Mar 16 ★★review
✔ Jasmin: Edge of the Past (269 pgs., 133 ratings - Mar 23 ★★★★ review
✔ Suzanne: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (418 pgs.,option 2) - Mar 20 ★★★★ review


Week 7 Theme: Historical Setting (in any period more than 50 years ago)
Completed: 4 / 4
✔ Breann: High Country Bride (435 pgs., shelf: historical-romance) - Mar 27 ★★★ review
✔ D.G.: Romancing the Duke (370 pgs., list: 2014 Historical Romance)- Mar 28 ★★★½review
✔ Jasmin: Outlander (870 pgs., theme in précis)- Apr 4 ★★★★ review
✔ Suzanne: Night Broken (341 pgs.,option 2) - Mar 26 ★★★★★ review


Week 8 Theme: Book published for the first time in the last 6 months
Completed: 4 / 4
✔ Breann: Ball & Chain (306 pgs., Pub Date: 3/17/14) - Mar 29 ★★½ review
✔ D.G.: Clean Sweep (200 pgs., Pub Date: 12/2/13) - Apr 4 ★★★★ review
✔ Jasmin: Recklessly Royal (384 pgs., Pub Date: 3/25/14) - Apr 1 ★★★★★ review
✔ Suzanne: The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion (347 pgs.,Pub Date: 11/1/13) - Apr 3 ★★★★★ review


Week 9 Theme: Book from the RRRC's shapeshifter shelf
Completed: 0 / 4
Breann: Magic Rises
D.G.: Raphael/Parish
Jasmin: River Cast
Suzanne:
[bookcover:]

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

PASSES
Week 1: No Passes Used
Week 2: No Passes Used
Week 3: No Passes Used
Week 4: Suzanne Passed
Week 5:
Week 6:
Week 7:
Week 8:
Week 9: No Passes Allowed

Anyhow, my name is D.G., I'm 37, married with no kids. I live in NYC and I read pretty much everything. I've participated in team challenges before so I can be Captain if need be.

I'm looking forward to meeting everybody! I'll send friends requests to all of you.

ETA: OK, I sent friend requests...now I'm off to sleep. I have this cold and I've been feeling badly all day.

I'll post some names suggestions tomorrow. We can go either of two ways: try to come up with something related to #9 (as we are team #9) or we can go with just a crazy group name. I've done both so feel free to suggest any names that tickle your fancy in any style. :)

Hello! I'm Suzanne, I live in Indianapolis. I'm married with 2 girls, 6 and almost 2. I listen to audiobooks at work during the week and try to read the back of cereal boxes on the weekends :) I"m good with either for the team names, I'm heading to bed as well but I will be on on Monday!

Have a good weekend!

Hi, I'm Jasmin (in fact that is my real name since I registered via facebook lol) and I'm from Koblenz in Germany :)

I'm a 21-year old student without kids. (LOL)

Just to let you know early: I'll probably have to skip the week 10th and so on.. since I'm having exams, like one each day, it's horrible >.<

Jasmin wrote: "Hi, I'm Jasmin (in fact that is my real name since I registered via facebook lol) and I'm from Koblenz in Germany :)

I'm a 21-year old student without kids. (LOL)

Just to let you know early: I'l..."

Just remember to check in Jasmin and remind us all of what you are up to :) I would suggest that the team coordinate your pass for that week...

Hi, I'm Momi from England. I'm 35, and I have 2 daughters (14 & 4) and I'm getting Married in the Summer after being with my other half for 16 years!!

I like to read any sort of Romance and tend to switch sub-genre every other book so I don't get bored.

I'm happy to add a vote for D.G. to be team captain.

Just some suggestions to get us started....

*Divine Nine ( This one is my favourite )
*A Stitch in Nine
*Reading on Cloud Nine
*Heavenly Readers
*Nine times the Fun
*Cat-O-Nine Books
*K-9 Readers
*Nine corners of the Book
*Dressed to the Nines

I like Divine Nine!

Jasmin wrote: "Just to let you know early: I'll probably have to skip the week 10th and so on.. since I'm having exams, like one each day, it's horrible >.<"

Hi Jasmin! Can you let us know what do you mean by week 10th? Do you mean Week #10? Because the challenge will only last 9 weeks. Or do you mean the week of Feb 10th or March 10th?

No I was talking about Monday the 10th. ( so the week 10th-16th), since I wasn't sure how we are counting our weeks.

And I like Divine Nine too :)

Jasmin - We have 2 Mondays the 10th that fall within the challenge. Feb 10th (Week 1) or March 10 (Week 5). Which one are you referring to?

Momi and Suzanne - If you have any particular weeks where you already know something is going on in your lives and you'd like to take a PASS, please let me know.

Right now, I have nothing going on in a particular week where I know already I need to pass. Most likely I won't pass at all during the challenge because I usually read at least a couple of books a week and I already know I have choices for all the themes but I guess I'll my option to pass during one week just in case.

As far as I'm aware, I won't need a pass and don't plan on using one, but you never know, 9 weeks is a long time LoL

Naturally I'm talking about February, otherwise I wouldn't tell you about this yet lol I thought we'd be starting with the 1st, but it's week 1 then you are right >.< lol
Actually I won't have to pass then. Since we'll be starting on a Friday instead of Sunday or Monday, I'll have enough time to read before exams.

So I won't need a pass either :)

Jasmin wrote: "Naturally I'm talking about February, otherwise I wouldn't tell you about this yet lol I thought we'd be starting with the 1st, but it's week 1 then you are right >.< lol
Actually I won't have to ..."

LOL, there's no naturally about it! A few times I've been in team challenges where I have a business trip planned during the time of the challenge so I've usually told the team in advance.

And now that I think of it, I have business trip planned during Week 3 but most likely it will be from Tuesday-Friday so I should be able to make it without a problem.

D.G. wrote: "I like Divine Nine!"

I do too!

D.G. wrote: "Jasmin - We have 2 Mondays the 10th that fall within the challenge. Feb 10th (Week 1) or March 10 (Week 5). Which one are you referring to?

Momi and Suzanne - If you have any particular weeks wher..."

I don't know of any week at the moment, but if I get the flu or something I'll save my pass for that week. I haven't been sick all year, so hopefully I'll be good.

OK, we'll go with Divine Nine for our team name. I'll inform Jane. :)

Hi everyone. Momi has had to pull out of the game due to an unexpected event that will put her out of internet range for 5 weeks. She is clearly sorry to miss out playing with you, but it is unavoidable.

The GOOD news is that I have been able to re-juggle a team of 5 members since one member volunteered to move and balance out numbers :)

So - Breann will join your team in a few moments :)

Hello new team!

We're so sorry to see you go, Momi! Hopefully everything turns out alright.

Welcome Breann! Thanks for volunteering to joining us. We're very happy to have you. :)

I'll send you a friend request very soon!

Oh I thought we were starting this weekend! But I see that is actually the week after that.

Bummer!

D.G. wrote: "Oh I thought we were starting this weekend! But I see that is actually the week after that.

Bummer!"

I thought so too at first >.< Can't wait to start :)!

Breann wrote: "Hello new team!"

Hello! Welcome to the group!

D.G. wrote: "Oh I thought we were starting this weekend! But I see that is actually the week after that.

Bummer!"

Being the first time we've done a team challenge, I may have allowed a bit TOO much time for teething problems!!

Ah don't mean to complain Jane. :) I can definitely understand.

D.G. wrote: "Ah don't mean to complain Jane. :) I can definitely understand."

Nah - didn't take as a complaint so much as the general impatience we all feel when a new challenge starts :)

Since everyone is ready to start and I under-estimated the organisational skills of all these groups as well as myself, I will call the first theme (category) early on Wednesday between 6-9pm US EST. (That is Thursday 9am - 12pm Australian EST :)

This means everyone will have 9 days to read their first book. I will revert to Friday in week 2.

Please watch the Q&A/Announcement thread for the call or any other updates :)

Great news! Thanks, Jane!

YAY! *rubs hands together* I have my Pass the Parcel shelf all loaded up and ready to go!

Are you hoping for a particular theme for our first week?

I have a few in mind that I'd prefer but overall, I'd like one of the easier themes for our first week. )

Jane (PS) wrote: "Since everyone is ready to start and I under-estimated the organisational skills of all these groups as well as myself, I will call the first theme (category) early on Wednesday between 6-9pm US ES..."

Woohoo!!

D.G. wrote: "Are you hoping for a particular theme for our first week?

I have a few in mind that I'd prefer but overall, I'd like one of the easier themes for our first week. )"

Nothing in particular. I think I own at least one book for each category.

Hey ladies! Now that we're starting tomorrow, I'll just post some ground rules to make things easier for your Captain. :)

1. Remember to follow the formats in post #3 when you select your book.

2. If you pick a book that's on a particular shelf or listopia, please show the link to the page in that shelf where you found the book. For instance:

Let's say for MC is a musician, you pick , which you found on page 4 of the Musician's shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
or in a Listopia called 'Fiction Involving Music'
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

That way, if I have to verify eligibilty, I'll be able to find the book in the appropriate page - this is a book that I'll probably check because there's no mention of music in the description, title or cover.

3. If you are reading a book from a fellow teamplayer's Read Shelf, please show a link to the player's review page (there is one even if you don't write a review).

So for instance, let's say I want to read , which Breann read in Jan 2014 (remember the six month deadline), then please show a link to Breann's review of that book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

(You can find this link by going to your teammates' Read shelf, find the book you want to read and click on 'view')

4. If you are not sure whether a book fits a theme, please ask in the Q&A thread. It's better to ask if you're not sure than to risk reading a book that doesn't fit the theme.

The Theme for Week 1 was announced!

Week 1 - Book set in the UK or Ireland

This is what I'm planning to read for Week 1...I'll start it in a couple of days because I still have another book going and I have a long meeting for work tomorrow.

Week 1 Theme: Book set in the UK or Ireland


Title/Author: Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon
# of Pages per GR: 368 pgs
**Theme in Précis: On a clear morning in mid-June, Lord John Grey emerges from London’s Beefsteak Club...**

Week 1: 362 pgs per GR.

From the blurb: Grant Morgan is one of London's most eligible and unattainable bachelors.

D.G. you read that one:
Did this play in the UK? Since it's on this list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

Jasmin wrote: "D.G. you read that one:
Did this play in the UK? Since it's on this list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..."

Yes, I read it. It's hilarious. :)

And it's set in the UK - all of Kinsella's books are.

Week 1: Can You Keep a Secret? - 416 pages per goodreads
Shelf "British Chick Lit" - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

I'm still looking for my UK themed book, I'll have it picked out by the end of the day today!

Would count as UK? Wasn't sure if Scotland counted as the UK. If not I'll read or .

I think Scotland doesn't count as UK, but I'm not an expert either LOL

Yes, Scotland counts. And Wales too. They are both part of the United Kingdom. It's not only England in the UK. :)

Ladies - If you don't want to read a book set in the UK, remember that you can select a book from the 'READ' list of a team-mate that they read as far as 7 August 2013 (and no earlier) and was rated at least 3 stars.

Well.. I'm happy with my choice :)