Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

I've just started on Fractured by Karin Slaughter. I like her, I know her style - this should be a very enjoyable read. Oh and I'm planning to use Fractured to fill in the Crime Prevention Month category in the Monthly Challenge. Isn't that a smooth start to October? :D

I will start Covet by JR Ward today.

I started Outcast by Joan Johnston.

I'm reading Rescue Me by Christy Reece - a leftover from September's Read the Month challenge. It's good!

I'm reading a book called Bloody Good by Georgia Evans. It's a paranormal set WWII with Nazi vampires. Now I've encountered quite a few different versions of vampire in my day, but never a Nazi vampire. *LoL*

Am currently heads down in Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters, Lucky Charm by Carly Phillips and The Defender by Cara Summers.

I am reading Forbidden Freshman v Carol Lynn and With Love v J L Langley.

Three quick reads in three days. A Rake's Guide To Pleasure by Victoria Dahl, Blush by Opal Carew, and The Tao Of Sex by Jade Lee. One good, one decent, and one bleh. Reviews posted.

Rescue Me was good - keen to get the next two in the series! Now reading How to Murder a Millionaire by Nancy Martin.

I started WITCH FIRE by ANYA BAST for my PNR and UF challenge, last night. I really liked Chapter One.

I finished Bloody Good, which, unfortunately, wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Now I'm readding Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane and enjoying it A LOT.

Just finished Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare. Nice, light historical romp that makes me wonder why men can't wear riding breeches anymore. Would like to read the next tw books in Dare's series.

I started Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters last night. A friend recommended the series to me quite some time ago. I haven't read a mystery in many, many years, and don't think I've ever read a historical one. Of course, the added bonus is that it fits our Jungle challenge.;-)

Just finished reading Trusting Ryan by Tara Taylor Quinn - didn't feel anything for the story. So gonna trawl through my large pile of to-be-reads and try something totally trashy, lewd and lascivious. Or I could just start my non-fiction book now :)

Mel W wrote: "Rescue Me was good - keen to get the next two in the series!"

Mel, the series just gets better. I liked the last one, Run to Me, the most.

I have so many books I should be reading lurking, I'm reading Freaks of Nature What Anomalies Tell Us About Development and Evolution. It doesn't fit in ANY category, anywhere...
But, I tend to read non-fiction when I'm stressed and busy.

I'm starting Smooth-Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas.

I've just finished How to Murder a Millionaire and now I'm reading Crazy Cool by Tara Janzen.

Alathea wrote: "Mel, the series just gets better. I liked the last one, Run to Me, the most."

I shouldn't but I know I'm going to give in and order them soon :)

I'm going through You Can't Hide by Karen Rose pretty quickly, and I'm still working on Covet by JR Ward.

Yz, have you read any Karen Rose? I think you might like her.

Finished reading One Night with the Rebel Billionaire by Trish Wylie. Lots of simmering sexual tension - it's a Harlequin Mills & Boon, so that's to be expected, but she's a 30 yr old virgin. I didn't expect that. Or maybe I should have - I don't know. Also finished Staked by J.F. Lewis which, weirdly, has a female in a miniskirt totin' a gun - only the main character is a male. Eh?! Enjoyed it, though. But the cover confused me heh. Now reading Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark by Donna Lea Simpson which is a paranormal historical romance (I think) and Secret Identity The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-creator Joe Shuster by Craig Yoe which is a non-fiction book full of the most fascinating fetish art sketches.

Sarah wrote: "I'm going through You Can't Hide by Karen Rose pretty quickly, and I'm still working on Covet by JR Ward.

Yz, have you read any Karen Rose? I think you might like her."

I haven't read any Karen Rose, although I've seen her name and book titles being bandied here in GR. Based on what you said, I will add her to my TBR shelf.

Thanks for the heads up!

I just finished reading The Laird Who Loved Me and right now I am currently starting Never Marry a Stranger. Hopefully I finish this fast coz I just bought so many books this past weekend and I wanna read 'em all! LoL

Reading The Sicilian's Baby Bargain, The Sicilian Boss's Mistress and Captive At The Sicilian Billionaire's Command all by Penny Jordan. Also in the middle of The Vampire Queen's Servant by Joey W. Hill (which is weird 'cause I've read the one after this a year or so ago for some reason), Maverick by Joan Hohl and Millionaire's Calculated Baby Bid by Millionaire's Calculated Baby Bid by Laura Wright. One day I'm going to read one book at a time. That day is obviously not today :)

I finished Give Up the Ghost yesterday and it wasn't very good. I'm still working on a few books from September (The Hollow, Real World, Evernight, and Evil Without a Face) but I started two new books anyway for challenges this month:

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The first story in Enchanted Again was kind of weird and hot at the same time. Soulless already seems like a lot of fun and I'm only 12 pages in. It reminds me a lot of Colleen Gleason's Gardella Vampire Chronicles.

Am currently reading (while sitting at work eek) Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow - it's my first Saintcrow book so I'm kinda half excited/half terrified in case I don't/do like it. Last night I finished The Vampire Queen's Servant by Joey W. Hill and didn't like the characters. No, didn't relate to them - did think the servant was kinda hot but did not like her and wowsers lots of explicit sex all over the place. Ordinarily I wouldn't complain but I wasn't feeling it. I actually fell asleep partway through a sex scene and it was mere gymnastics to me by then (albeit with an awful lot of euphemisms for bodily parts heh). Have not written it off totally - it could have been my state of mind at the time, so have requested another book in the series.

I'm reading Smoke Screen A Novel by Sandra Brown. It's mainly suspense with very little romance but I like it very much so far.

Finished reading Where No Birds Sing by Grant Shanks which was a daft idea to finish it before going to sleep. I'm a native New Zealander and we have some pretty freakin' scary supernatural stories and I knew that before reading this but noooo I still go and read it D'OH and will now sleep with the light on *rolls eyes* Instead of stopping at one or two stories I read the whole collection (meant to be true stories) and about peed my pants geez not one of my brighter ideas.

It's about midnight here and I'm starting Heat Seeker by Lora Leigh uhh thought it might be nice to read something to take my mind off spooky supernatural stories - not so sure an erotic romance is a good idea when I'm trying to get to sleep LOL

Just started The Widower A Novel by Liesel Litzenburger. Only a dozen or so pages in and I'm loving it. A beautiful prose style. Set in Michigan.

I walked into the library the other day and said, "Give me the first book you can find that is set in Michigan." Having made odd requests in the past, they've come to expect something like this from me. Fortunately, it looks like this one will work out just fine.

"Upstairs, in his bed, he has heard even this, the silver blade parting the length o fine mesh with the whir of a hummingbird. Every door in the house is unlocked. grace likes to do things the hard way. He was glad she hadn't shot off the locks. She has some talents. He does, too. What are they? He doesn't know anymore. He sure can't dance, would make a lousy poker player, doesn't know any magic tricks, isn't much for meaningful conversation. He is a champion of deep sleep. He excels at the long rest."

This is part of the opening paragraph. It just flows to me like poetry.

Over the last couple of days I've read Crazy Cool, Crazy Wild and just heading into the last pages of Crazy Kisses - Tara Janzen's Steele Street series. Really liking them.

Mel W, I have this whole series on my TBR mountain. What's the romance content like???

Started reading Heat Seeker by Lora Leigh and re-reading (during my lunch break) On the Prowl (Includes Alpha & Omega Prequel; World of the Lupi, #3.5; Dorina Basarab Prequel; Monère, #2) - in particular the Alpha and Omega story because I LOVE Charles Cornick - by Patricia Briggs.

Emily wrote: "I'm reading a book called Bloody Good by Georgia Evans. It's a paranormal set WWII with Nazi vampires. Now I've encountered quite a few different versions of vampire in my day, but neve..."

I've been wondering about that series. I'll keep an eye out to see what you think.

Photojim wrote: "Just started The Widower A Novel by Liesel Litzenburger. Only a dozen or so pages in and I'm loving it. A beautiful prose style. Set in Michigan.

Well, I finished it today too. Some of the shine wore off, but overall pretty good. Something to check out if you haven't gotten your Michigan book yet.

LibraryLass wrote: "Mel W, I have this whole series on my TBR mountain. What's the romance content like???"

I find the romance subtly erotic, steamy without being overly descriptive, and not every second page :)

I don't have the last three in the series yet - I can see another online order happening soon though!

I'm reading The Vampire's Bride by Gena Showalter. I'm not a big fan of hers after The Nymph King, but I wanted to finish the series....

I am reading "Friday Night Bites" by Chloe Neill

Joelle wrote: "I am reading "Friday Night Bites" by Chloe Neill "

Ooh, I almost picked this up tonight but I need to finish some other books first. I really liked the first one though so I'll keep an eye out to see what you think!

I just started Mouth To Mouth by Erin McCarthy today.

Mel W wrote: "LibraryLass wrote: "Mel W, I have this whole series on my TBR mountain. What's the romance content like???"

I find the romance subtly erotic, steamy without being overly descriptive, and not ev..."

I am so bad, I buy whole series of books on their premise alone and then get disappointed about the romance content. I haven't read any of this series so far, but I am pleased that it has got romantic content.

On the other hand I have bought all of Allison Brennan's and Mariah Stewart's trilogies and I hear that there is hardly any romance in them. I am so bummed as I bought them new here in NZ ($24 each) and now I don't know if I want to read them. My bad, bad, bad. ;(

LibraryLass wrote: "On the other hand I have bought all of Allison Brennan's and Mariah Stewart's trilogies and I hear that there is hardly any romance in them. I am so bummed as I bought them new here in NZ ($24 each) and now I don't know if I want to read them. My bad, bad, bad...."

I've not read ALL of Allison Brennan's. I think I've just read a couple (Speak No Evil and See No Evil). They weren't bad, pretty suspenseful at times, I gave them 3 stars but the romance content really wasn't all that great. It was more of a suspense with some romantic aspects than a romance with suspense. I guess it would depend on what you're looking for whether or not you'd enjoy them, but if you're looking STRICTLY for the romantic aspect of it, I would guess you'd be disappointed.

I don't mind books that are suspense, but if they have to only have a small amount of romantic content it has at least got to be good.

I have the entire "ice" series by Anne Stuart. But the reviews for book 1, Black ice, describe the hero as being very 'gamma' and that has put me off the whole series (cos I am pedantic and HAVE to read series books in the order they are written).

I'm reading "Demons are Forever" by Wynne Hayworth and not enjoying it. 48 pages in....I'm convinced I'm going to finish it, but so far I don't recommend it ... *yawn*. After that I'm going to read "Vanish" by Tess Gerritsen if anyone's read that??

Shannon wrote: "Joelle wrote: "I am reading "Friday Night Bites" by Chloe Neill "

Ooh, I almost picked this up tonight but I need to finish some other books first. I really l..."

It start off really slow, not like the first book where the story basically started from page one. Overall though I am glad I stuck with it, because the story really started to pick up after about 50 or so pages. I have to agree with Mallory though on Merit's love life,( I won't give it away:)). I also found the ending a little abrupt. All in all it was good not as good as the first one, but still a good read.
Now I am starting ... Dangerous Ladies by Christina Dodd

LibraryLass wrote: "I am so bad, I buy whole series of books on their premise alone and then get disappointed about the romance content. I haven't read any of this series so far, but I am pleased that it has got romantic content."

I am the same! I have Alison Brennan's "Evil" trilogy and the first of Mariah Stewart's "Dead" trilogy too but haven't read them yet either. I don't consider myself a romantic but I like it in the books I read. I also like HEAs :)

Mel W wrote: "LibraryLass wrote: "I am so bad, I buy whole series of books on their premise alone and then get disappointed about the romance content. I haven't read any of this series so far, but I am pleased t..."

Me too Mel W. In fact it is extremely rare for me to read anything that would even have the slightest possibility of not having a HEA. It is why I shied away from YA books for so long even tho I'm a children's librarian. There is so much angst in a lot of those books. But Twilight fixed me - and it also fixed my complete dislike of reading in the first-person. I am completely over that, although still much prefer my romances in the third-person (so love to be in the hero's head).

No matter what people say about Twilight it has done amazing things for lots of people - authors & readers alike.

I must give Twilight another go. It started off well enough for me but then Bella started to get irritating so I didn't bother with the rest of the series, even though I'd bought them all. My daughter loves the movie and the books are now on her bookshelf. Despite what I feel, Twilight was like the Harry Potter series, it got kids reading, and that's a very good thing!

Mel W wrote: "Despite what I feel, Twilight was like the Harry Potter series, it got kids reading, and that's a very good thing!"

It's not just kids either Mel W. We have had heaps of new borrowers joining up at our library because they had read the Twilight series (or seen the movie) and are now wanting to read something else. These are women & teens who have never been into reading. Twilight has also done wonders for the 'bonk n bite' genre as a whole. Those sort of books are rocketing off our shelves.

Sarah wrote: "I will start Covet by JR Ward today."

The deleted scenes from Covet are posted now.

http://www.jrward.com/fallenangels/sc...

Oh uhh I have to admit I couldn't stand Twilight - the second book made me want to kick her for her co-dependency. I know! It's fiction! But I couldn't get past it.