Historical Info for Historical Fiction Readers discussion

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Hello Everyone! I am participating in this Historical Romance Reading Challenge and I wanted to invite anyone else who wished to participate. I'm including a link to Herding Cats and Burning Soup blog where you can read the rules and sign up if you would like: http://www.herdingcats-burningsoup.co...

Or if you would like, you are welcome to post your challenge update here with mine.

I will be posting a monthly update here of the books I have read. If you are interested in my thoughts on the books, I will be reviewing them all. Feel free to 'friend' or 'follow' me (Sophia Rose).

My goal is Level Four (30+ books) by year end.

Good work; countdown to 2014!

Brrrr! It's cold outside today with temps in the single digits and it has been that way a lot this month so no wonder I got in some good reading opportunities. Here's what I finished up toward the challenge this month:

You are so far ahead of me it hurts. Lol. Hopefully more people will join your challenge.

Debra wrote: "You are so far ahead of me it hurts. Lol. Hopefully more people will join your challenge."

Haha! Six were for blog reviews so I had to get them done and it was nice that I could use them for my challenge too.

It would be nice if others join. I love seeing what other people are reading and end up putting a lot of their stuff on my wish list.

Hey! It's the end of February already and the chocolate from my Valentine's Day stash is almost gone. Here's what I had this month toward my goal:

There is still a piece of chocolate? Where do you live? ;)

Debra wrote: "There is still a piece of chocolate? Where do you live? ;)"

I had a big stash. Everyone knows I love chocolate so don't let the fact that there is some left fool you. Haha! People actually hit the after holiday candy clearances for me. Dark chocolate will earn you a pretty big favor from me. ;)

Think Spring is just a catch phrase at the moment as I look out the window on the snowy ground, but I did get a lot of reading done while I curled up under the blankets for another month of cold.

Goal: 24/20+
Here's what I have for March:

Good for you! I did hear there is still a lot of snow in some places. We've had some nice days here, and I'm grateful for that. I needed to get started walking again. :)

Debra wrote: "Good for you! I did hear there is still a lot of snow in some places. We've had some nice days here, and I'm grateful for that. I needed to get started walking again. :)"

I'm hoping that was the last of it. It's still cold, but I guess its not beyond getting out for a good walk. No green leafies pushing up yet, but I don't blame them for being cautious.

Well, another month and you'll probably have a few flowers. I hope so! If not, get a good picture book full. :)

Debra wrote: "Well, another month and you'll probably have a few flowers. I hope so! If not, get a good picture book full. :)"

We'll get some early bulbs up hopefully. The rule of thumb around here is no planting until after Mother's Day just to be safe. I have plenty of seed catalogs and gardening books to keep me happy until then. ;)

April's Update time. Hope everyone had a lovely Easter!

31/20+

Great! Is it hard to find enough books?

Debra wrote: "Great! Is it hard to find enough books?"

I have more books than time, Debra. I have several on my TBR pile, then there are those sent me from publishers and authors, and then there are the ones I am given as gifts. Six of the ones I read this month were sent to me by publishers and then one was a Christmas gift. So no, I definitely don't have a hard time finding books. Haha!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone (US peeps)! Just put the garden in because it looks like we are finally safely through with winter. Great month of reading!

Here's my update:
37/20+


And these don't count because they're too short, but I'm giving them an honorable mention:

Hey, Tina!

The doors are still open to join and there are lots of goal levels. Any book read since Jan 1st over a 100 pages that is a Historical Romance counts. You can still go to Anna's blog and link up. Or you're welcome to do your own challenge here on my page each month. I don't mind sharing and I'm always glad to check out what others are reading for new books to love. ;)

Tina wrote: "Alrighty! I will try to gather up what has already been red first!!!"

Great! Glad you can participate, Tina!

Welcome, Tina! I'm glad Sophia has company here.

Good work (?) Sophia. My computer access is iffy for a while, so I might not get in too often.

Not cool! Hope the computer stuff straightens out for you.

And yes, I love the idea of having company for the challenge.

Alrighty! Here's my progress finally - I have read 32/50 so I'm ahead of the game. Will revise I think when that opportunity is given. Here are the books I've read:

1/50 Duke of Midnight by Elizabeth Hoyt
2/50 Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt
3/50 Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt
4/50 The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
5/50 The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
6/50 Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley
7/50 The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley
8/50 The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley
9/50 The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn
10/50 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
11/50 The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
12/50 The Wicked Wallflower by Maya Rodale
13/50 Daring the Highlander by Laurin Wittig
14/50 Heiress Without A Cause by Sara Ramsey
15/50 Scotsmen Prefer Blondes by Sara Ramsey
16/50 The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran
17/50 The Trouble With Honor by Julia London
18/50 Your Wicked Heart by Meredith Duran
19/50 That Scandalous Summer by Meredith Duran
20/50 Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran
21/50 Three Weeks with Lady X by Eloisa James
22/50 A Promise of More by Bronwen Evans
23/50 A Kiss of Lies by Bronwen Evans
24/50 Secrets of a Viscount by Rose Gordon
25/50 The Duke's Match Girl - A Fiery Tale Novella by Lila DiPasqua
26/50 No Place for a Dame by Connie Brockway
27/50 Wallflower Gone Wild – Maya Rodale
28/50 At the Duke's Wedding by Caroline Linden
29/50 My Lady, My Lord by Katharine Ashe
30/50 Sin by Jess Michaels
31/50 What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries
32/50 What a Wallflower Wants

What an awesome list for the first half of the year, Ang! You picked some great authors too. I still have some on my wish list that are in your update and there are a few on your list that look interesting.

All very good, but I think my favorites so are are The Duke of Shadows, My Lady, My Lord, and Duke of Midnight. I highly recommend those out of this list, but I haven't read anything bad so far.

Ang wrote: "All very good, but I think my favorites so are are The Duke of Shadows, My Lady, My Lord, and Duke of Midnight. I highly recommend those out of this list, but I haven't read anything bad so far."

Thanks! I'm always open for recommendations. I'm not a picky HR reader so any culture and any time period are fair game for me.

Happy Summer Everybody! Here is what I have for June.

Total: 49/40+

Oops! I forgot to post for July so here are my July reading challenge results a tad late.

Total: 56/40+

And these aren't romance, but they do involve husband and wife detective teams so I'm giving them honorable mention:

I love detective novels. Oh for more reading time!

Debra wrote: "I love detective novels. Oh for more reading time!"

Me too! Historical detective novels are my absolute favorite.

Yes! Historical (that goes without saying with me).

Hot August and my busiest month, but still some time for reading. Here's what I have: 60/40+

Back to the School Year schedule and things have settled down a bit. I tried several new authors and had a good time with their stories. Here's what I have for September:

Total: 69/40+

And here are a couple more honorable mentions I read in Sept. that are historical and have a touch of romance, but don't fall into that category:

Happy Fall Y'all! For this nice long month of crisp fall weather, beautiful color on my walks, kids playing football in the park, and anticipation of costumes and candy, I got a lot of good reading accomplished. Here's what I read:

Total: 78/40+


And for honorable mention:

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Here's my November total and update: 86/40+


Honorable Mentions:

Good work. You get a lot more reading done than I do!

Debra wrote: "Good work. You get a lot more reading done than I do!"

Thank you!

I want to join a historical fiction reading challenge for 2015 - I haven't done this since 2011 and want to get back into it! Is Good Reads where I can sign up and find the badge for my blog? Last year I lumped all the books I read into one GR bookshelf, "Books I Finished in 2014", but would like to specifically read more His Fic this year.

Hi Robyn! Historical Tapestry blog does a reading challenge each year through their blog. They don't have the 2015 challenge up yet, but you can still head to their blog to check it out if you like. I don't have a blog so I participate in the blog reading challenges by tracking here, but you can always track on your blog.

Here's the link to this year's challenge at Historical Tapestry: http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.ca...

Hi, Sophia - that was the fastest reply ever! Thanks for the info, I'm gonna bookmark that link! Thanks :)

You're welcome!

Whew! Where has this year gone?

Final update post for the challenge already.
Total for the year: 94 books

Here was the group from this month:


Honorable Mentions:

Excellent! I wish I could read so much. But your work for authors is great.

Yes, I'm very fortunate to be able to read so many great books. I definitely couldn't afford to buy them all so its a nice partnership for me too.