Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Team Members

Captain: Chan
Pam
Plethora
Stefanie
Suzanne (esmerelda)
Lauren

1. Introduce yourself to your team. Let your team members know where you are from. This is a great to know when categories are announced and when team-mates can expect other members to post their book choices.

2. Team Captain - 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 of SNOW WHITE, come up with a fun name. 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 7 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.

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.

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 Annoucement 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 if Option 2 is used, members must select their book from another team. This will be advised in the week 11 announcement.

Key selection and completion post information. You must have ALL elements in your book posts.


The format for selection posts Option 1:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
How the book qualifies - please insert a link to the qualifying bookshelf/list.
If the theme is based off the bookcover or a letter in the title etc, please just repeat the theme.

The format for selection posts Option 2:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.


Format for completion posts:
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.

I'll be tracking each team's progress separately, using the Captain's summary in each team's thread to check for accuracy.

THEMES

Week 11: Called May 18, 2018
Option 1
9. Read a book with an MC who earns their living from the land using one of Jane's Compulsory Lists

Option 2
Key date: 17 November 2017
You must select from Team 6 shelves

Week 10: Called May 11, 2018
Option 1
11. Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages.

Option 2
Key date: 10 November 2017

Week 9: Called May 4, 2018
Option 1
16. Read a book with an actor or entertainer in the storyline. Your book must be chosen from one of Jane's Compulsory Lists

Option 2
Key date: 3 November 2017

Week 8: Called April 27, 2018
Option 1
15. Read a book that has 2,000 or more ratings.

Option 2
Key date: 27 October 2017

Week 7: Called April 20, 2018
Option 1
6. Read a book with something from the list below found on your bookcover:
📚 a mirror
📚 a shiny/reflective surface (eg glass, sheet metal, body of water)
📚 an item that would shine if the sun or light was directed onto it (eg knife blade, spurs, watch, jewelry).

Please show the book cover and note the item in your selection and completion post.

Option 2
Key date: 20 October 2017

Week 6: Called April 13, 2018
Option 1
10. Read a book set in the woods or featuring a home/cottage. You must select a book from one of Jane's Compulsory Lists

Option 2
Key date: 13 October 2017

Week 5: Called April 6, 2018
Option 1
13. Read a book with an MC as the housekeeper or similar. Must select a book from one of the lists in Jane's post found here: Link to Jane's Compulsory Lists

Option 2
Key date: 6 October 2017

Week 4: Called March 29, 2018
Option 1
2. Read a book with the main page genre 'historical'.

Option 2
Key date: 29 September 2017

Week 3: Called March 23, 2018
Option 1
3. Read a book with a 5 AND 3 in the book publication date and/or the page numbers (any combination) on the GR page for the book you choose. You cannot substitute a month for a number (3 = March; 5 = May). Please note how this qualifies in your selection post.

Option 2
Key date: 22 September 2017

Week 2: Called March 16, 2018
Option 1
7. Snow white was 'fair' - read a book with an MC with blonde hair and/or fair skin. You must either quote the optional list used OR include in your post the sentence that qualifies that the MC is fair or blonde.
Link to Jane's Post with Optional Lists

Option 2
Key date: 15 September 2017

Week 1: Called March 7, 2018
Option 1
1. Read a book set in Europe.
If you aren't sure, please use this wiki link to determine if your book qualifies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

Option 2
Key date: 8 September 2017

Weeks 1 - 3: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 1
Pam: Selection Post | Completion Post
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 2
Pam: Selection Post | Completion Post
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 3
Pam: Selection Post | Completion Post
Plethora: Selection Post |
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Weeks 4 - 6: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 4
Pam: Selection Post | Completion Post
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 5
Pam: Selection Post | ⛅⛅⛅
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: PASS

Week 6
Pam: PASS
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Weeks 7 - 9: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 7
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 8
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 9
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Weeks 10 - 11: Selection Post | Completion Post

Week 10
Plethora: Selection Post | Completion Post
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne: Selection Post | Completion Post
Lauren: Selection Post | Completion Post
Chan: PASS

Week 11
Plethora
Stefanie: Selection Post | Completion Post
Suzanne
Lauren: Selection Post |
Chan: Selection Post | Completion Post

Hold

Hiya Team. My name is Chan and this is my first time captain-ing (i make up words sometimes).

I have family visiting, but they are leaving tomorrow late afternoon. I'll be back online then.

In the meantime, go ahead and introduce yourselves and share some team name suggestions.

Heavens! No-one else has commented yet? Hope they were just waiting for you Chan...

Hi everyone,

my name is Stefanie and I am from Germany. I love to read it‘s my way to relax from a stressful day. I read all kind of books but mainly romance 😊 M/F and M/M.

This is the first time I take part in a challenge and I am so excited 🎉

Greets
Stefanie

Hi everyone. I'm Pam and I live in Virginia, right outside of DC. With the huge storm that passed over, I lost power early Friday morning and didn't get it back until late last night :(

This will be my 8th pass the parcel. It is one of my favorite challenges. I was even on the winning team once! Looking forward to "meeting" everyone and reading together. I read mostly romance and mysteries.

'hi guys....sorry for delay.

Yesterday was all day event...gone from 6am - 1am....no GR time :(

West Coaster and this will be I think my third PtP.

I'm the oddball as Romance is not one of my favorite genres. So don't expect a bunch of hot steamy books from my shelves if you search for a match on mine.

Welcome Stefani, Pam & Plethora!

To get us started on the names, my suggestions are below. Please add yours to the mix. We need to submit a name by March 7th

Fairest reader of them all
Whistle while we read

Hi all!

I will admit I stopped by earlier and didn't know what to say, so I waited for pretty much everyone else to jump in! :) I read mostly romances (of any combination) but will read pretty much anything as long as it's not too dull!

This is my first PtP and I'm also on the West Coast.

I love "Whistle while we read", Chan!

Hello! I'm here!

I've done PtP before but its been awhile, I read everything but my go-to is Urban Fantasy. I can't wait to get started. What do we want our name to be?

Hi Lauren and Suzanne. Welcome to PtP!
I believe everybody is accounted for, so let's get our creative juices flowing. So far we have (I'm adding a few more):

Fairest reader of them all
Whistle while we read
Grumpy's Groupies
Bashful Readers
Sneezy Romance Readers
Happy Chicks
Because I'm Happy
What's Up Doc?
The Lovable Dopes

What would you all like to add to the list?

I like whistle while we read as team name

Thanks Stefanie!

Does anybody else have thoughts on the name?
I plan to submit the team name to Jane by 6:00pm EST.

I'm going to be away from internet access for a few hours, so I'm going to go ahead and submit our name.

Lauren and Stefanie both voted for Whistle While We Read.

Yay! We finally have a team name. I hope everybody likes it :o)

I love the name. I am having the worst luck. We lost internet, cable and phone yesterday. Repairman just left with a temporary fix. Hope that is the end of it.

Pam wrote: "I love the name. I am having the worst luck. We lost internet, cable and phone yesterday. Repairman just left with a temporary fix. Hope that is the end of it."

We lost electricity in half our house for 5 days this week, but fortunately not near our wifi internet plug :) Cooking was all on the BBQ and no fans or lights :( Back on now thank heavens!

...Oh, and we've been without a landline phone for about a month due to water on the line. Been working off mobiles ;) ...Sadly its the internet that's the most inconvenient loss now when services go down ~ but we've been lucky!

I'm good with Whistle While We Read too, that's cute!

The theme has been called! YAY!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Selection Post

Week # 1 - Option 1

Act Like It
199 pages
Qualifies: set in Europe: London, England

Lauren wrote: "Selection Post

Week # 1

Act Like It
199 pages
Qualifies: set in Europe: London, England"

Hey Lauren. Act Like It's blurb sounds interesting. I have a hard time getting into books where the MCs are famous people but I may have to give this one a try.

Week 1 | Theme 1 | Option 1 ~ Selection Post
Book link: The Duke and I
Page numbers: 384
How the book qualifies: Setting is London, England

Selection Post

Week 1: Called March 7, 2018

Option 1

1. Read a book set in Europe.

Book: Speedy Death
Author: Gladys Mitchell
Pages: 266
Fits: Set in England

Selection Post

Week 1 - Option 1
Book link: The Soldier's Scoundrel
Page numbers: 352
How the book qualifies: Set in England

So far, we are all reading books set in England :o)
Let's see what Pam and Suzanne chooses.

Selection Post Week 1
A Duke in the Night
pages 336 per GR
Fits: Set in England

No pressure Suzanne, but everybody elses book is set in England :o)

England sounds good to me! I’ll post my selection tomorrow and look tonight to see what I need

Completion Post

Week #1

Act Like It - Lucy Parker
Rating: 4
Review:
TW: (view spoiler)[attempted sexual assault (on page), death of a sibling as a child from cancer (in the past), suicide of a parent (in the past) (hide spoiler)]
"Fauxmances" are one of my favorite tropes, so right off the bat this started out well. I also liked that the main characters were both stage actors, which was a nice change from TV/movie actors and rock musicians. I thought the first half - full of Robert being an absolutely annoying person and Lainie not taking any of his crap - was highly entertaining and near-perfect. However, the second half went down a bit with an attempted rape scene that I thought was entirely unnecessary followed by a final climax that I saw coming from a mile away, and an unexpected and weird turn of events that forced the hero to admit to his feelings for the heroine. Overall, though, I enjoyed watching Lainie and Richard's relationship develop.

Lauren wrote: "Completion Post

Week #1

Act Like It - Lucy Parker
Rating: 4
Review:
TW: [spoilers removed]
"Fauxmances" are one of my favorite tropes, so right of..."

I think sometimes authors add extreme scenes to try to make their book more interesting or to give it an edge. But in the end it seems really out of place.

Chan wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Completion Post.>"

Oh yes. Like, honestly, if the only way the couple is going to finally get together requires a near-death experience? Maybe they're not meant to be together! Different story, obviously, if it's a romantic suspense, but it was weird in a rom-com.

Selection Post



Week 1 - Option 1
Book link: Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers
Page numbers: 212 Pages
How the book qualifies: Set in England

Lauren wrote: "Chan wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Completion Post.>"

Oh yes. Like, honestly, if the only way the couple is going to finally get together requires a near-death experience? Maybe they're not meant to be t..."

LOL. Exactly! maybe the universe is shouting "stay away from each other"

Looks like we are all reading books set in England.
And we all posted correctly.

Thanks :o)

Completion Post

Week 1
Book link: The Soldier's Scoundrel

Rating: 5

Review:
This was my first book from Cat Sebastian and I loved it. I got it as a freebee some time ago and started to read it as part of my book challenge.

First it took a few pages to get used to the style of writing as English is not my mother language and there are some "old fashioned" words but this helped to immerse myself into the time of the story.
I loved to see how the two MC fell in love and how they overcame their issues. The story was well balanced between drama, steamy scenes and well defined characters.

Definitely not my last book from this lady! I want to read the Georgie's story.

Week 1 | Theme 1 | Option 1 ~ Completion Post
Bookcover/link: The Duke and I
Rating (1-5): 💖💖💖
Review:
Once upon a time in a make believe world...
Jane: I love you, but I can’t marry you. I can’t have children and I want you to be happy.

John: We were seen kissing. If we don’t marry, they shall literally burn you at the stake. Please marry me, Jane.

Jane: Only if you understand that I cannot have children because I know how badly you want them.

John: I understand.

Jane: Okay. I’ll marry you.

A few weeks later...
John: Why do you have birth control pills?

Jane: To prevent pregnancy.

John: I thought you couldn’t have kids.

Jane: Something horrific happened in my childhood that has scarred me for life and I will not have children.

John: You lied to me.

Jane: I’ve been in therapy and on antidepressants for 15 years to deal with my childhood. I’m not have children.

Two months later...
Jane: *Screaming* I’m pregnant. How did this happen? When I was on antibiotics you wore condoms.

John: I poked holes in them because I want a child
********************************************

My Dear GR Friends, how does this make you feel? How on earth can this guy take advantage of a woman like this? It’s her body and stuff, right? He needs to respect her wishes?

This is kind of what happens in The Duke and I, but it’s the female who wants kids. We sometimes forget that men have rights too and they are allowed to say NO and women need to respect that.

This book was really good up until the point Daphne disrespected Simon’s wishes and didn’t even have the decency to apologize. Then she was shocked when he left. She also allowed her family to think he was treating her wrong.

I will probably continue with the series because the Bridgerton brood are interesting, but I need a break first. I didn't like what Daphne did.

Stefanie wrote: "Completion Post

Week 1
Book link: The Soldier's Scoundrel

Rating: 5

Review:
This was my first book from Cat Sebastian and I loved it..."

A historical MM? I'm going to check to see if it's still free.

Week #1

Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers - *** - 3/11/2018 - 212 Pages
Review:
Dorothy Sayers was supposedly friends with Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and you can tell. This is the first of her mystery novels and it felt like it was 99% dialogue. Listening to this on audio may not of been the best format because my attention span kept going in and out. It reminded me a lot of the pink panther and would be a good start for those that like Agatha Christie.

Arg. Need to get into swing for this. I keep spacing what book i was to read. I will start today, probably won't finish as working extra hours, but selection wasn't too long so hope it is a quick read.

What day are new calls on?

Plethora wrote: "Arg. Need to get into swing for this. I keep spacing what book i was to read. I will start today, probably won't finish as working extra hours, but selection wasn't too long so hope it is a quick r..."

Hey Plethora. No worries. You have until the new call to post your 'Completion Post.' New calls are typically on Friday evenings around 6:00pm. Unless I can trick Jane into posting early...he he he.

Chan wrote: "Plethora wrote: "Arg. Need to get into swing for this. I keep spacing what book i was to read. I will start today, probably won't finish as working extra hours, but selection wasn't too long so hop..."

I'm awake to you Chan!!!

Plethora-you have to post your selection before the next theme is called but you can actually be a week behind on finishing the book and you can't change your book once the next week is called. It does give you a little breathing room. I should be done tonight or tomorrow.