Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Team Members

Flower Power Rosebud
🌹 KarenH

Sprouts
🌱 Maggie
🌱 Sherece
🌱 Annie
🌱 Naomi
🌱 Jamie TRR
🌱 Vicki

1. Introduce yourself to your team. 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.

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 Spring, come up with a fun name. 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 Jane(PS) by 10 September.

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. (It will also help with one of the categories in this round!)

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, etc.

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/Announcement 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 Option 2 has altered and I will be allocating each team another team from which their book selection must be chosen :)

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


For the initial selection post Option 1 I need:
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.

For the initial selection post Option 2 I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.


For the completion post I need:
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.

A summary chart will be posted in the last week to let teams know their progress against other teams :)

Weekly Themes

Week 1
14. The Earth has been slumbering but is now waking up!
* Read a book from one of the following lists:
Amnesia Themed Romance
Amnesia based Historical Romance
Gay MC with Amnesia
Amnesia in Harlequins
Qualification: your selected book MUST be on one of these lists

Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 1-4

Week 1 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - Into the Storm - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - Someone to Watch Over Me - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - The Opportunist - Selection Post / Completion Post
🌱 Annie - Not My Romeo - Selection Post /
✔🌱 Naomi - The Mixtape - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - A Cowboy to Remember - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - Into the Storm - Selection Post / Completion Post (hide spoiler)]

Week 2 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - Fighting the Fire - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - Elementary Romantic Calculus - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - Neanderthal Seeks Human - Selection Post / Completion Post
🌱 Annie
✔🌱 Naomi - Schooling the Jock - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - The Love Hypothesis - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - Elements of Chemistry: Attraction - Selection Post / Completion Post (hide spoiler)]

Week 3 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - The Highland Fling - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - The Highland Fling - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - Can You Keep a Secret? - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - Something to Live For - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - Bittersweet - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - She Who Became the Sun - Selection Post / Completion Post (hide spoiler)]

Week 4 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - Promises in Death - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - Hard Code - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - Lover Reborn - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - The Flight Girls - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy - Selection Post / Completion Post (hide spoiler)]

Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 5-8

Week 5 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - Lover Unbound - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - RoomHate - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - Neighbor Dearest - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - The Love Hypothesis - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - Knight - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - It Ends with Us - Selection Post / Completion Post (hide spoiler)]

Week 6 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - Buried Bones - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - A Bite to Remember - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - Love Lettering - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - Fried Chicken & Fangs - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - Written in the Stars - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - Pick Your Poison - Selection Post / Completion Post (hide spoiler)]

Week 7 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - The Lost Bones - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - Doctor Scandalous - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - Stranded with His Boss - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - Dearest Milton James - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - Payback's a Witch - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - PASS - Selection Post (hide spoiler)]

Week 8 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - The Mighty Storm - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - Rule - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - Good Deeds - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - Simply Irresistible - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - Lord of Scoundrels - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - Ivan - Selection Post / Completion Post (hide spoiler)]

Selection/Completion Posts - Weeks 9-11

Week 9 - Complete
(view spoiler)[✔🌹KarenH - The Matchmaker's Mistletoe Mission - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - Campus King - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - First Addition - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - The Truth About Forever - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - The Fifth Surgeon - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Vicki - Wings - Selection Post / Completion Post (hide spoiler)]

Week 10
✔🌹KarenH - A Merciful Silence - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Maggie - I Bet You - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Sherece - Second Chances - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - The House in the Cerulean Sea - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - Annie on My Mind - Selection Post / Completion Post
🌱 Vicki - Three Sisters - Selection Post /

Week 11
✔🌹KarenH - Missing in Death - Selection Post / Completion Post
🌱 Maggie - Heartless Player - Selection Post /
✔🌱 Sherece - Bad Dream - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Naomi - The Start of Us - Selection Post / Completion Post
✔🌱 Jamie TRR - I Can't Think Straight - Selection Post / Completion Post
**🌱 Vicki - First & Then - Selection Post / Completion Post

Team Name Suggestions

Spring Flings
All the Buzz
The Garden Gnomes
Busy Bees
Blossoming Bibliophiles
Persephone's Editors
Lilac Prose Beauties

**

Hi everyone!

This is kind of strange for me...I recognize some of your names, but pretty sure I've never been on a team with any of you, so I'm looking forward to getting to know you all!

Just a bit about me, I lived for years in a very rural area in NW Washington state (so Pacific time zone), about a 30 minute drive from the nearest grocery store or gas station, but recently my 60 lb. "lap dog" and I moved into a nearby small town. It's been a bit of a shock to my system to go from being so far away from everything and having to plan errands to be sure nothing was forgotten to having pretty much everything I might need within walking distance (or almost anyway). It's a good change though.

I read almost anything that falls under the "romance" umbrella, and even occasionally some non-romance, but that's the exception rather than the rule. I read almost all romance sub-genres, the only things I really avoid are inspirational and YA...generally only read those if they're required for a challenge or someone whose tastes I know match mine closely makes a recommendation. I'm happy with any heat level, from sweet to very steamy, but the majority of my reading falls somewhere in the middle, maybe leaning slightly more toward the steamy side. I currently read more RS than anything else I think, but I also make a point of reading some of a variety of sub-genres every month, so hopefully my shelves will be helpful for anyone using Option 2.

Our first order of business is to come up with a team name...not my strong suit at all. I have no creativity whatsoever! The only thing I came up with is the Spring Flings. Hopefully one (or more) of you can come up with something fabulous!

Hey everyone. I'm from Oregon. I'm a nurse and reading is my escape from reality. I read a ton of books, lots of romance, some historical fiction and recently have read a little paranormal. I have a 75 pound Siberian Husky/ German Sheppard mix and she is my spoiled rotten child. I also enjoy spending time outdoors.
I'm not really great at picking names but here are a few team name suggestions:
All the Buzz
The Garden Gnomes
Busy Bees

Hi! I'm from Texas. My favorite genres of romance are fantasy, contemporary, and paranormal. I'm terrible with coming up with team names but I really like the name Busy Bees so that one gets my vote.

I'm excited for this round. I haven't participated in PtP in a while and I've missed it.

This is my first time playing this challenge, so I may have some questions as we go along.

Hi all! I'm from Connecticut. No pups (our house and yard are too small) but we have two cats that make sure we know who is in charge. I also have a teen and a tween. I am VERY happy that school is able to be full time in person this year. I love them to bits - but I'm good with some separation.
I'm a full time reader. I had left my long time corporate career at the very end of 2019 The plan was we would be moving to Seattle at the end of the school year for my husband's job. I'd go back to school for a master's degree or two and the kids would finish off middle and high school out west. Then the world stopped. Then the kids and I got COVID. Then we decided that we would stay on the east coast. I started a blog for romance reviews during "the dark years" as a hobby. It took off way more than I anticipated. Unfortunately, it's stalled right now as I have been sick since February of 2021. I was diagnosed as a long hauler in June and have been dealing with some not so great health issues. I love to read, I'm a voracious reader and romance is my go to genre. I tend to read a bit of everything all over the genres and sub genres. Similarly to Karen, I tend to avoid inspirational books, and I also tend to avoid non fiction, self help and biographies of any sort. I do read a lot of YA and new adult as I like to know what my kiddos are reading. Our daughter is a sophomore in HS and our son is a 6th grader.

Hmm. that's about it. Other than, as I'm sure you can tell, I'm the "extra" extrovert that has been in quarantine WAY too long.

Karen, I admire you for being able to live so far out in the country. I'm going through city withdrawals. I haven't been into NYC or Boston since December of 2019 and it's starting to give me hives. I need a city weekend and soon. My favorite book store is The Strand which is housed in this old narrow building a few blocks off Broadway in NYC. I miss it. Desperately.

Team name suggestions-
-Blossoming Bibliophiles
-Persephone's Editors
-Lilac Prose Beauties

Maggie wrote: "Karen, I admire you for being able to live so far out in the country. I'm going through city withdrawals."

LOL, I actually grew up in Seattle. The place I was living until a month or so ago was our summer cabin when I was a kid, so even though I grew up in the city I spent a lot of time roughing it in the woods. And it was VERY rough back in those days...several miles of dirt roads to get to it, no indoor plumbing and barely electricity, etc. Obviously both the community in general and our place specifically have been drastically improved since those days - there's even cell service and "real" internet service (only had dial-up until about 5 years ago), It's still very much a vacation/summer community though - less than 200 permanent residents, and many of them are snowbirds, so not enough people to support businesses close by. I grew up with that though, not full time, but we had to bring everything with us knowing we couldn't just run down to the corner market if we forgot anything, so it's pretty normal to me. Having everything as close as I do now is what seems strange. Where I am now is a great compromise though...small town, rural areas very close, but also close enough to Seattle that if I want to do something only available in the "big city", I can.

Hi everyone! This is the second time I’m doing this challenge. I really enjoyed the last round. I've worked in banking for several years. I love reading because it provides an escape from reality as well as allows me to wind down from a hectic day.

I’m with Maggie and Karen… I don’t like reading those types of books. I much prefer romance and it’s various sub-genres. I particularly like paranormal, reverse harem, and dark romances. I also enjoy reading thrillers and mysteries, though I haven’t read much of them this year.

I look forward to seeing everyone’s selection over the next couple of weeks and to making new friends ☺️☺️☺️

Oh… I like the name Blossoming Bibliophiles ☺️

Hi team - I've added Vicki to your team 🧐 She'll be over soon no doubt...

Hello team!!! I was just added and I am so excited to play! I am currently watching two of my 21 grandchildren and they are 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 plus I am on my phone, so I will get on later in the day when I get home and post some things about myself.


Briefly — I love historical fiction, mystery/thriller/ psychological thriller, romance,

Favorite authors: Colleen Hoover, Jennifer Armentrout, Rebecca Donovan, Brittainy C. Cherry, Gregg Olsen, J.A. Redmerski and others.

Last book read: THE MIXTAPE by Brittainy C. Cherry.
Currently reading: A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee.

Another quick thing — I live in California so I am on PST. I am generally 2 to 3 hours behind most eastern states. So oftentimes when I get up everyone has been on GR for a few hours but I’m here and will give my input even though it might be later than others’ discussions.

Hi Vicki, welcome to the team!

Thanks for the friend request, Naomi! I normally send friend requests out to all my teammates first thing, but somehow it slipped my mind this time, so I appreciate the nudge, I've sent them out to the rest of you now. 😀

Thanks, Karen :)

When does the challenge actually begin, this Friday?

Vicki wrote: "Thanks, Karen :)

When does the challenge actually begin, this Friday?"

Yes, the official start date is Friday, but if everyone gets checked in and all (or at least most) of the teams get their names to Jane in time she generally announces the first theme early...usually Wednesday.

Oh, okay, that’s good to know.

Hey everyone! We have one person that hasn't checked in yet, but still need to decide on a name. The suggestions we've had so far are in msg #9...any other suggestions and/or preferences from what's there already?

So many cute choices, but my favorites are Spring Flings and Blossoming Bibliophiles.

Blossoming Bibliophiles is my favorite.

I like Blossoming Bibliophiles too, so since that's four of us that have a preference for that one (not counting Maggie, and it was her idea) I'm going to go ahead and let Jane know that's our choice!!

I love it! Woo hoo!

Sounds good

Vicki wrote: "Hello team!!! I was just added and I am so excited to play! I am currently watching two of my 21 grandchildren and they are 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 plus I am on my phone, so I will get on later in the day ..."

~KarenH~ wrote: "I like Blossoming Bibliophiles too, so since that's four of us that have a preference for that one (not counting Maggie, and it was her idea) I'm going to go ahead and let Jane know that's our choi..."

Thanks All! :-)

Hi Vicki! Long time no talk! 😃

~KarenH~ wrote: "I like Blossoming Bibliophiles too, so since that's four of us that have a preference for that one (not counting Maggie, and it was her idea) I'm going to go ahead and let Jane know that's our choi..."

Thanks Karen! I'll put in with the majority rule.

Sorry to be so late on the thread. We started school and activities last week. This is the first week of our "real" schedule. I'm adjusting.

Maggie wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Hello team!!! I was just added and I am so excited to play! I am currently watching two of my 21 grandchildren and they are 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 plus I am on my phone, so I will get on lat..."

You wish! lol Good to see you :)

I'm so ready...let's gooooooooo! lol

Vicki wrote: "I'm so ready...let's gooooooooo! lol"

Jane just posted that the first theme will be announced soon, so the wait is almost over!

Awesome! I am too excited for whatever reason. lol

And here we go!!!

Week 1

Option 1
14. The Earth has been slumbering but is now waking up!

* Read a book from one of the following lists:
Amnesia Themed Romance
Amnesia based Historical Romance
Gay MC with Amnesia
Amnesia in Harlequins
Qualification: your selected book MUST be on one of these lists

Option 2
Key date: 5 March 2021
Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars

Option 3
Pass

A selection post must be made for whichever option you choose - including a pass
Refer msg 3 for formatting of options 1 & 2. This format is also in msg 3 of your team threads.

Selection Post Option 1:
Week # 1
Bookcover/link: Someone to Watch Over Me
Page numbers:362 pages
How the book qualifies: Found On Amnesia-Themed Romance

Selection Post Option 2:
Week #1
Bookcover/link The Mixtape
Page numbers: 333 pages
Vicki's shelf , their star rating: 5 stars, date they read the book: 9/5/21

Selection Post: Week 1 - Option 1

Book: A Cowboy to Remember by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Page numbers: 357
How the book qualifies: Is #71 on the list Amnesia Themed Romance

Selection Post ~ Week 1 ~ Option 1


The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher
Page Numbers: 278
Qualification: #8 on the list 'Amnesia-Themed Romance'

[*book:The Opportunist|13312527]

Selection Post ~ Week 1 ~ Option 1


Book: Into the Storm by Melanie Moreland
Page Numbers: 338
How the Book Qualifies: #45 on the Amnesiat-Themed Romance list

Naomi wrote: "Selection Post Option 2:
Week #1
Bookcover/link The Mixtape
Page numbers: 333 pages
Vicki's shelf , their star rating: 5 stars, date they read the book: 9/5/21"

Naomi, I hope you like this one. If this is your first Brittainy C. Cherry book and you like it at all, please add . OMG does this woman know how to engage your emotions!

Vicki wrote: "Naomi wrote: "Selection Post Option 2:
Week #1
Bookcover/link The Mixtape
Page numbers: 333 pages
Vicki's shelf , their star rating: 5 stars, date they read the book: 9/5/21"

Naom..."
Thanks for the suggestion. Yes this is a first read from this author

Naomi, as far as I know that’s her latest book. I’m excited to read your review on it. I hope you find a new author you love.

Hey everyone! I'm Annie from India. I know I'm joining you all very late in the game, I mean it has already begun... please don't be mad at me. It's just I've started a new job last month and I guess I'm still adjusting to it. Because of this new job I haven't read a book this past month which is very strange for me because I always make time to read even when I'm busy and so I decided to play this game, hoping it'd get me back to reading.

Selection Post
Option 2
Week #1
by Ilsa Madden-Mills
346 pages
Read by Maggie on 16 April 2021
Rating: 5 stars

Welcome, Annie...glad you were able to make it!

You guys were all so speedy getting your selections posted, I kind of feel like a bit of a slouch! I've started my book (the same one Vicki is reading, actually - great minds think alike I guess). I just haven't been at my computer long enough and at the right time to actually make the post. I should get it done sometime this evening though!