Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - Superstar Glow (3)
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. Lead Rapper - 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 BTS, 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 31 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. (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 selection post Option 1 you must have:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
How the book qualifies - please note which qualifying bookshelf/list you are using or the tags that justifies that it works.
If the theme is based off the bookcover, post the cover. If there is a letter count in the title, publication date etc, please note these details.
For selection post Option 2 you must have:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.
For selection post Option 3 you must have:
Week #
PASS
For the completion post you must have:
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.
IF YOU NEED TO CORRECT A POST FOR MISSING INFORMATION or because the didn't qualify etc, please REPOST this inforamtion in a NEW post. I don't want to have to keep going backwards in the thread.
Pass The Parcel Team - Round 18🕺🕺🕺K-pop featuring BTS🕺🕺🕺
THEMES
✅
Read a book with a publication year ending in 2. That is, 2022 / 2012 / 2002 / 1992 etc.
Please state your edition's publication date.
Any English edition counts.
✅
Read a book set in Asia or with an Asian MC
Qualification must be via the precis, main page location, list or shelf.
- If set in Asia, there is no minimum % time in the story, however the MCs must have been in Asia during the story.
- Asian MC - 'by descent' will qualify. The connection must be obvious, eg surname.
List of countries / states that count:
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, East Timor, Georgia (country), India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen
The following lists may help:
Romance books with Asian love interests
Asian Fantasy & Science Fiction
Romance in East Southest Asia and/or East Southest Asian Heroes/Heroines
Gay Asian books
3) Gayo
Read a book with an MC who writes (author, poet, journalist, PHD student writing a thesis) or an LGBTQ+ character.
Qualification must be via the precis, main page location, list or shelf.
🏁4) Nine - WEEK 10
Read a book with a 9 in the page numbers.
Rules on page numbers apply - minimum count (109pp ~ since you can't get a 9 in the count otherwise and still qualify); any English language edition.
✅
Read a book with a colorful (energetic) cover. The cover must have at least 5 separately identifiable colours from: White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink, Purple, Blue, Aqua, Green, Grey & Black.
Please state your identified colors.
6) Training
Read a book with an MC who is a student or in training (eg athletes, musicians, dancers, apprentices ~ someone who 'trains'). Excludes actors.
Qualification must be via the precis, main page location, list or shelf.
- race car drivers allowed
✅
Read a book with a well-dressed or brightly-dressed person/s on the cover.
Not just jeans and a tee-shirt (or no shirt). Must be a 'put together'/crafted look.
✅
Read a book with an MC who is either struggling with mental health or works in the medical industry (doctor, nurse, psychologist, etc)
Qualification must be via the precis, main page location, list or shelf.
9) BTS
Read a book with the letters B T & S in the title and/or series name.
The author's name does not count for this task.
✅
Read a book with a PNR or Fantasy shelf showing on the main page.
Please state the applicable MPG in your qualification.
✅
Read a book with a handsome* man on the cover.
(*your interpretation.)
Facial features must be seen clearly.
12) Suga
Read a book with an intelligent MC from one of the following lists:
Brainy Romantic Heroes
Nergasms
Gay Bookish, Nerdy, Geeky Characters
Nerdy Geeky Heroines of Romance
✅
Read a book from one of the following lists:
Millionaire, Billionaire, King, Wealthy Man
Billionaires, Millionaires, Tycoons and Other Utterly Rich Romance Heroes.
MM Romance with a millionaire/billionaire and an everyman
14) Jimin
Read a book from one of the following lists:
The Mary Sues of Literature
The Gary Stus of Literature
Dream Guy
YA contemporary romance with perfect guy
Best Gay For You
Mary Calmes
15) V
Read a book with a rural setting (eg ranch, farm, wilderness).
Qualification must be via the precis, main page location, list or shelf. I will accept 'small town' as a qualification as well.
✅
Read a book from one of the following lists:
Sports Romances
Romance with hero/heroine that is a an athlete
Best Gay Athletes
Best books about being in love with a pro-athlete
WEEK ONE - 10) Rap Monster: MPG Fantasy OR PNRCOMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK TWO - 16) Jungkook: From Lists (Athlete/Sports)
COMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK THREE - 7) Presentation: Well-Dressed or Brightly-Dressed Person(s) on cover
COMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK FOUR - 2) AsiaCOMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK FIVE - 1) Publication year ends in 2
COMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK SIX - 5) 5 Separate Colours on CoverCOMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK SEVEN - 13) Millionaire Lists
COMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK EIGHT - 8) Mental HealthCOMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK NINE - 11) Handsome Man on Cover
COMPLETE
(view spoiler)
WEEK TEN - 4) 9 in Page NumberIN PROGRESS
Kira: Selection / Completion
MN Lisa: Selection / Completion
Truitt: Selection / Completion
Fran: Selection / Completion
Maggie: Selection /
WEEK ELEVEN
IN PROGRESS
Kira:
MN Lisa:
Truitt:
Fran:
Lisa:
Hi Team!I'm Kira. I'm 29 and live in Alberta, Canada. I work full-time as a veterinarian and have have 2 dogs. Ravi is a St. Bernard and Charles is a Great Dane. When I'm not at work, I'm usually curled up on the couch with my dogs and a book. Lately I've started collecting houseplants and trying to keep them alive.
I read mostly MF romance. I love most genres (dark, contemporary, fantasy, and PNR in particular). I also love most tropes, so I'm looking forward to having some challenge prompts again to help with the decision making.
I'm excited to play this round with you all and get some recommendations! Does anyone have team name suggestions? I may be lacking in creativity and K-Pop knowledge 😂.
Hi Team!I’m Fran. I live in NY and I’m so ready for Spring!
I love reading romance and contemporary, humorous, Insta- caveman style love and sweet holiday stories are my favorites right now. I’ve found that in the last two years of Covid stress and anxiety, sweeter and lovelier stories are my jam! I read MF and MM.
I’m looking forward to checking out everyone’s shelves and finding lots of new, great reads :)
Some team name ideas - lyrics taken from the two BTS songs I know-
Hotter, sweeter, cooler, butter!
Smooth like butter
superstar glow
bring the fire
sweet as honey
Thank you Kira for being our fearless leader!
Greetings, everyone! This is just a quick check in - I’m at my local community theatre getting ready for the evening show of a double header, so I’m on my phone and don’t have much time.I did want to say hello, though, and say how much I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone.
More to come….
Hello, I'm Lisa. I live in, so Central Time Zone. I've been at a weekend event for my daughter and will be heading home later today. I'll do a more complete check-in then.Thanks!
Hi All, I'm Maggie and I live in CT. I'm a stay at home mom to a teen and a tween who are creatively living their lives to the fullest while I ponder how soon a three letter government agency will be appearing in our lives due to their lifestyles.
My husband, who is lucky enough to escape the house now that people are returning to the wild, has an office pool going as to which agency will forcibly provide the teen with their hospitality services and how long it will take the tween to either hack something they shouldn't or Minecraft something they shouldn't.
I was supposed to be working on writing a book pre COVID arrival.
Currently I am enjoying my "I rock athlesiurewear and I review books occasionally" lifestyle. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. Which I guess needs to be soon as the husband has returned to the wilds and the kids are no longer threatened with Zoom classes.
Let's see. The teen and I are Swifties and the teen is currently studying for an AP history exam using a TSwift playlist to help her remember key dates and people. I'm not much of a K-pop fan, all I know is that Niall Horan from 1D likes BlackPink. Again, due to the teen. I follow a lot of soccer and Minecraft for the tween. Sadly, I think I can explain what a goal differential is in soccer/football terms.
I primarily read all sorts of romance. Looking at my shelves, I guess sports romance is what I read the most of. I know I also tend to pull out military or romantic suspense for comfort reads. I have mainly read MF books, however I have some MM authors that I really enjoy and a few RH/poly authors that I also enjoy.
Fran, I like Superstar Glow and Bring the Fire.
Kira, Thank you so much for captaining!
I can't wait to get started!
OK. Just got home at 6pm from a weekend away with 60 girls from 10 to 20and almost as many adults...It makes for a super long weekend and I don't get to read as much since I am the leader of our section of girls from the area. I read primarily MM and will occasionally read some MF, but I prefer historical (like 1200s to 1800s European eras) for those. For the most part, I don't like the dynamic between the MF characters and the F seems to almost always need to be rescued in some way shape or form and that just annoys me.
I don't have a preference for a team name, so whatever everyone else wants. This is my first time with this challenge, so???...here's to what I don't yet know. :)
Hi everyone! The community theatre production I was in had its last performance today, so for at least a few days I'll feel like I have lots of extra time. It won't last, lol.Call me Truitt or Tru. I live in the state of GA (ET), work full time, and read more than I probably should. I've been on GR since December, 2020 and have been having a great time with Challenges. For the last two years or so I've been reading mainly MM Romance - probably 80%. The rest is mainly other genre fiction - SF, Fantasy, Mystery, and some MF Romance.
I am definitely clueless re: suitable team names. I'll go with whatever.
Thanks, Kira, for being our leader!
I've never played this before - is there anything I should be doing to prepare? I was thinking of making a list of the non MM series I've read from in the last six months to save the non-MM readers some time looking at my books. Does that make sense?
Thanks for the name suggestions Fran! I also like "Superstar Glow". Is everyone okay with that? If there are no objections, I will pass our choice on to Jane soon.It sounds like you all had some busy weekends!
I hope the performance went well Truitt! That sounds very cool.
I'm sure they must appreciate your work as section leader Lisa! I can't even imagine trying to organize a crowd like that 😂.
I am by no means a Pass The Parcel expert, but I don't think you need to prepare (unless you want to).
It seems everyone reads some MM except me (and I am definitely open to it), so I wouldn't worry about sorting your recent reads that way. Though maybe we could all share if there's anything you've read in the last 6 months that you'd highly recommend?
Ex: I listened to the Love Lines series on Audible and LOVED it. It's MF and super sweet. I wouldn't usually go for clean romance, but the duet audio and banter was perfect.
Some people plan what they want to read for each theme in the event that it's called, but it works just as well to select after the call. The challenge runs for 11 weeks, so only 11/16 themes will be selected.
Having short books preselected may be helpful in the very last week as there can be a race to the finish.
It may also be useful to look through teammates shelves to see if there are books you'd like to read for Option 2.
I'm good with the team name and can't wait for the first selection! I'm excited for my first Pass The Parcel game/challenge
I’m good with any team name. I’m excited to get started!A few I’ve really liked recently-
Crashed
Times Square
Managed
Fall
Ice Planet Barbarians
Superstar Glow sounds great to me!And while I was coming down off the hype of the weekend (the last performances went very well, thank you, Kira!) I went ahead and listed all the non MM books and series I've read in the last six months, and it was an interesting experience. Two conclusions -I read a lot of MM and I am appalingly consistent in my other reading as well. While a great deal of my reading patterns were due to assorted Challenges, hopefully, PtP will encourage me to find some new authors.
SInce I went ahead and soplied the list, I'll go ahead and post it later, My feelings will not be hurt if no one uses it, lol.
I can honestly say I haven't read a MF book in the last 6 months. Maybe in the last year, so Sorry I won't be much help if you prefer MF. :(
For what it's worth, here's a list of all the non-MM series I've read from in the last 6 months (series/author/book/date completed) and the few standalones. I hope it's helpful, although I don't know that it will be, lol.Series List:
Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch (The October Man, 3/24)
Elemental Blessings - Sharon Shinn (Troubled Waters, 3/22)
SPI Files - Lisa Shearin (The Phoenix Illusion, 3/19)
Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold (Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, 1/15)
In Death - JD Robb (Holiday in Death, 1/14)
Raine Benares - Lisa Shearin (The Trouble with Demons, 12/22)
Keeper Chronicles - Tanya Huff (Summon the Keeper, 12/21)
Underworld Detection Agency - Jayne Hannah (Under Wraps, 12/20)
Smoke Trilogy - Tanya Huff (Smoke and Mirrors 12/11)
Kinsman - Ilona Andrews (Silent Blade, 12/8)
Harriet Gordon Mystery - A.M. Stuart (Singapore Sapphire, 12/4)
Section 47 - Jennifer Estep, (A Sense of Danger 12/1)
Crown Colony - Ovidia Yu (The Betel Nut Tree Mystery, 11/30)
Jacqueline Kirby Mysteries - Elizabeth Peters (The Murders of Richard III, 11/28)
Victoria Nelson - Tanya Huff (Blood Price, 11/25)
Kate Daniels - Ilona Andrews (Magic Strikes, 11/18)
Colonel Race - Agatha Christie (The Man In The Brown Suit Agatha Christie: Classic Novel By The Master Of Mystery, 11/17)
World of the Five Gods - Lois McMaster Bujold (The Curse of Chalion, 11/15)
Parasol Protectorate - Gail Carriger (Soulless, 11/12)
Damar - Robin McKinley (The Blue Sword, 11/5)
Lee Ofsted Mysteries - Charlotte & Aaron Elikins (On the Fringe, 10/31)
Hercule Poirot - Agatha Christie (Hallowe'en Party, 10/30)
Her Royal Spyness - Rhys Bowen (God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen, 10/29)
Roderick Alleyn - Ngaio Marsh (A Grave Mistake, 10/27)
Meg Langslow - Donna Andrews (The Gift of the Magpie, 10/26)
Brainship - Anne McCaffrey (The Ship Who Sang, 10/24)
Lock In - John Scalzi (Head On, 10/21)
Sookie Stackhouse - Charlaine Harris (Club Dead, 10/15)
Kate Burkholder - Linda Castillo (Gone Missing, 10/14)
Pern - Anne McCaffrey - (Dragonsong, 10/13)
Heralds of Valdemar - Mercedes Lackey (Arrows of the Queen, 10/12)
James Bond - Ian Fleming (Goldfinger, 10/11)
Peter Shandy - Charlotte MacLeod - (Rest You Merry, 10/8)
Phryne Fisher - Kerry Greenwood (Cocaine Blues, 10/5)
The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher (Storm Front, 10/5)
Stand Alone Books:
Wildfire at Midnight - Mary Stewart - 11/23
The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood - 11/7
The Copenhagen Connection - Elizabeth Peters - 10/28
Candide - Voltaire - 10/15
The Thin Man - Dashiell Hammett - 10/13
This Rough Magic - Mary Stewart - 10/9
I've PM'd Jane with our name request. I'm so excited to get started!Fran, I've also started down the Ice Planet Barbarians rabbit hole and have been enjoying it. There are so many books! The others sound great as well.
Truitt, "The Love Hypothesis" became one of my instant favourites. I'm also seeing lots of series on that list that have been on my radar, but I haven't prioritized (JD Robb, Ilona Andrews, Jennifer Estep, Rhys Bowen, Charlaine Harris). Maybe this will be the push I need to to start some. Thanks for sharing!
Kira wrote: "I've PM'd Jane with our name request. I'm so excited to get started!Fran, I've also started down the Ice Planet Barbarians rabbit hole and have been enjoying it. There are so many books! The othe..."
The Love Hypothesis was fun - I know many people have read that one, so I doubt it's much help. Sorry I don't read much MF (although some of my other genre reading has hints of MF romance), but at least if you're inot MM, I've read a lot of that in the last six months, lol.
I believe I saw a post that we may get stasted early - today, even. I have a few books I'm interested in reading from each of your read lists, but there are definitely some themes I'm looking forward to.
I'm excited to get going!
MN Lisa wrote: "I can honestly say I haven't read a MF book in the last 6 months. Maybe in the last year, so Sorry I won't be much help if you prefer MF. :("Thats better than me. Ive been MM exclysive since Apr 2013
Lisa wrote: "Thats better than me. Ive been MM exclysive since Apr 2013"I only read one and it's because I had to for a challenge. :)
We Have Our First Theme Call!Week 1
10. RM (Rap Monster) was the first BTS member recruited.
Option 1
Read a book with a PNR or Fantasy shelf showing on the main page.
Please state the applicable MPG in your qualification.
Option 2
Key date: 1 October 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 all three options. This format is also in msg 3 of your team threads.
We will all need to make Selections posts before the next theme is called (Friday April 8th 3pm EST).
SELECTION POSTWeek #1 - Rap Monster
Option 1
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
Page numbers: 807
How the book qualifies: MPG Fantasy
Selection Post
Week 1: Rap Monster
[*book:Yours, Forever After|55275753]
Pages: 499
How it fits:
Fantasy-Magic: 8 Users
MM Fantasy: 4 Users
Selection Post- Option 1Week 1- Rap Monster
P.S. I Spook You by S.E. Harmon
Pages- 258
How it fits- Fantasy- Paranormal MPG
Completion PostWeek 1
P.S. I Spook You by S.E. Harmon
Rating- 4*
Review- This was a mystery/ghost/romance book that is more romance and kind of mystery-pnr-light. This was a good thing for me because mystery is not my favorite genre. There was just enough ghostly goings on for me and a nice second-chances romance between Rain and (view spoiler). Rain’s inner voice was the best part of the story, with a sarcastic, funny running monologue. A few timeline and plot issues were distracting, but I was here for the Rain snark and romance 🙂
Selection Post- Option 1Week 1- Rap Monster
Four Psychos by Kristy Cunning
Kindle Edition, 210 pages
How the book qualifies MPG Fantasy; MPG Fantasy> Paranormal; MPG Romance > Paranormal Romance
Maggie wrote: "Selection Post- Option 1Week 1- Rap Monster
Four Psychos by Kristy Cunning
Kindle Edition, 210 pages
How the book qualifies MPG ..."
Ooh! I'm excited for your review of this Maggie. I've heard good things.
Completion Post
Week #: 1 - Rap Monster
[*book:Yours, Forever After|55275753]
Rating: ***
Review: Gray and Rory are Princes of neighboring areas. Gray is chased from his home at 11 years old and grows up secluded in a valley. Rory's parents died when he was 5 and his aunt took over the crown. She is a bad person and who chased Gray away.
Years later they meet, go on an adventure and fall in love. This book also has an extended epilogue where they plan their wedding (yes it has a HEA).
The writing was very good. Not huge outstanding grammar or spelling issues, which I like, but i'm just not sure about the story and concept. It wasn't bad and I didn't NOT like it, but I didn't really like it either....
I just wanted to check in and let you all know that I have not forgotten I'm playing! I've already read a book that would work for this week (for another Challenge), but it was pretty bad - I hate to use it for this, lol. I have several books that will work - I'll post a completion soon.
COMPLETION POSTWeek #1 - Rap Monster
Option 1
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review: I listened to this in audio format. The narrator was great. 28 hours of audiobook finished in 2 days. I've been slowly working through all of SJM's catalog, but Crescent City has definitely cemented itself as my favourite. This was heartbreaking and healing and complex. I was really happy with the pacing. 800+ pages and I was invested start to finish. I wasn't expecting to feel so much for the characters so soon. I wasn't expecting to feel the relationships between characters so much either. I cried. This was also much more adult than SJM's other works (more foul language), which I appreciated. Will definitely be moving on to the second book, but might need to sit with this book hangover awhile first.
Kira wrote: "Maggie wrote: "Selection Post- Option 1Week 1- Rap Monster
Four Psychos by Kristy Cunning
Kindle Edition, 210 pages
How the book..."
It was sooooo good!! I read it straight through in one sitting. Absolutely worthy of all the good things and the hype. The only thing that made me really sad was reaching the author information at the end. I'd forgotten this was one of C.M. Owens pen names. One that she wrote infrequently under. She passed away unexpectedly a little over a year ago? Or maybe we're coming up on the year anniversary? Either way... It hurt to read that and realize...once I'm done with these books, there won't be any more.
Completion PostWeek # 1 Rap Monster
Four Psychos by Kristy Cunning
Rating: 5 Stars
Review: I selected this book based on the overall GR rating as well as the blurb. It did not disappoint in any way. The story begins without any hesitation. The first line has the reader inside the house with "the Four" and your narrator is the ghostly/ethereal unnamed female spirit who is somehow tied to these four. Written as an Urban fantasy with bits of mythology, demons, purgatory, differing viewpoints of what makes up hell or what encompasses hell, varying versions of who or what Lucifer and his brethren may be make up the base for the long arc of the plot within this story. The core of this book is setting up the idea of Keyla - the recently named spirit who slowly becomes more and more real/whole/human as the book moves on. What she is exactly and what she means to the four men who feature in the book remains a mystery right up until the cliff they stand on at the the very cliff hanger. The book reads very quickly with barely any slow parts. The lowest point in the plot is when the guys find themselves trapped in a pit of hell for their "protection". Removed from the assassins and their day jobs gives Keyla the opportunity to explore both her own power and entity as well as push the boundaries as to how great a tie she has to the quad. It also provides the reader with the framework of the greater Underworld family hinting at shifting power games, evil plots, and the never ending reminder of "never trust those who aren't bonded to you". The story ends abruptly and just as some of the key issues are beginning to reach a state of dente. Per the author's notes at the ending, this work was begun as a writing exercise never meant to see the light of day. It was more for her own fun and to let her brain just wander. Sadly, this book is written under one of the few pen names of an author who passed away recently. I'd forgotten about this particular pen as it was used so infrequently. I'm absolutely hooked into this story now and will be continuing on with it....while also reading with that bittersweet feeling I have with all of her books now. Knowing that this is the last of it's kind. I'm so happy she chose to publish this for whatever reason drove her. It's a compelling, richly detailed, and well told story. It's rating and reviews on GR are all very well deserved. Can't say more as literarily everything is a spoiler at this point. LOL!
Selection Post:Week # 1
Option 2
Idol by Kristen Callihan
Pages: 339 per GR
Fran completed Managed the 2nd book in the VIP series on 2/6/2022, rating it 4 stars. Idol is book 1 in the series.
Completion Post:Week #1
Idol by Kristen Callihan
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I don't read much MF romance these days, so this was a bit of an unusual pick for me. But, it worked for two other challenges, I'm a bit of a sucker for rock star romances, and I was able to get the audio from hoopla. It seemed like a decent enough choice.
And it was a decent choice. While I didn't love it, I enjoyed it enough to keep listening. I really liked Killian, the hero rock star; Libby, his love interest, I liked less. There were times when I would have preferred a little less sex for more plot progression, but I often feel that way. The secondary characters were interesting, enough so that I may read the second book to get Gabriel Scott's story.
I have to laugh at myself: I felt one of the secondary characters, Jax, had a story line that would be perfect for a closeted rock star who comes out in a later book. I checked - he doesn't, lol. Yep, I definitely have a MM romance focus these days.
We seem to be a pretty quiet bunch, lol.For those of you who have played before: do most people go for option 1 or option 2? Just curious....
Truitt_T wrote: "We seem to be a pretty quiet bunch, lol.For those of you who have played before: do most people go for option 1 or option 2? Just curious...."
I've never played before, but I plan to do Option 1 as much as possible. Option 2 will be if I just cannot find anything. I like to use these challenges to find books I wouldn't normally read on my own,
MN Lisa wrote: "Truitt_T wrote: "We seem to be a pretty quiet bunch, lol.For those of you who have played before: do most people go for option 1 or option 2? Just curious...."
I've never played before, but I pl..."
For this first one, Option 2 was the choice that pushed me toward a book I wouldn't have read on my own, but I think I'll probably be reading for Option 1 most of the time. I like for Challenges to help me direct my reading, and often to help me find new authors. I have occassionally ended up reading something I didn't much like to complete a Challenge - I try to avoid that!
This time I was able to fit my selection into this challenge as well as the PIFM and Yahtzee challenges for April so it worked out great.In the past, I’ve looked to see if something catches my eye from option 1 and if not, I look to option 2. I think it’s fun to browse teammates shelves for new titles :)
The problem with browsing shelves is then my TBR grows and grows. I'm trying to limit my TBR to under 200. but its at like 350 right now. Then I have a separate spreadsheet where I track things that I want to check out or think might be good for challenges in the future.
Lisa you have way more self control than I do! My tbr is huge!
Fran wrote: "Lisa you have way more self control than I do! My tbr is huge!"Not sure I'd call it self-control... more like barely contained OCD. I have the TBR in GR, but I also track it in a spreadsheet to help with challenges. If it gets out of control I don't know what to do. I get anxiety. :)
My spreadsheet track Author First/Last Name Pages, Series and Character names (helps with all those spelling challenges). I also have fields for Profession, Location and Trope...
I get a bit obsessive.
That's a wrap for week one! Good work everyone.I also usually try Option 1 first. Though I have browsed everyone's shelves already. I enjoy snooping 😂. I'm sure some of the called tasks won't appeal to me and I'll be using Option 2 at some point.
I wish I could manage that sort of organization! Trying to keep track stressed me out. So my GR tbr includes thousands of books and grows daily. I have stacks or purchased books all over still TBR. I have a libby TBR. An audible tbr and Wishlist. A bunch of free kindle downloads I could read. An amazon Wishlist. Lists saved from Booktok/Bookstagram and FB. And on and on and on..... 😬.
Truitt_T wrote: "We seem to be a pretty quiet bunch, lol.For those of you who have played before: do most people go for option 1 or option 2? Just curious...."
We do seem to be a quiet bunch!
I've played before. I think my playing style is close to Fran's. I'll start with Option 1 to see if something catches my eye, then I'll move to Option 2. I don't think I've had to use a Pass before. I tend to really not want to do so.
I also have no shelf control so once I go down the rabbit hole of looking at other's shelves my TBR grows. Whenever the Meet and Greet picking rolls around it's the best/worst for me as I get to "snoop" into so many people's choices and I wind up adding a ton of books to my own shelves.
Also like a lot of people in the group, I'll look to see if an ARC or one of the reads for my other challenges will fit for the called task in this challenge. Like Fran, this week's task actually fit my Yahtzee roll for the month so it was two reads for the price of one.
I like the calls when we have lists we need to choose from. The lists tend to have books that I wouldn't usually read or authors I haven't heard of before. I like the search, find and discovery of those tasks.
I like the list tasks too Maggie!
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
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Barbarian's Hope (other topics)
Barbarian Alien (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Mary Calmes (other topics)Tal Bauer (other topics)
Ruby Dixon (other topics)
Ruby Dixon (other topics)
Kayley Loring (other topics)
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Lead Rapper
👨🎤Kira
Singers / Dancers
🕺MN Lisa
🕺Truitt T
🕺Fran
🕺Maggie