Academia Meets the Romance Novel

I found a new literary criticism of the romance novel via Smart Bitches, Trashy books.  It's called New Approaches to Popular Romance and the people who put together the book have an academic journal: Journal of Popular Romance.

Also via Smart Bitches, Trash Books is an annotated bibliography about romance readers. This bibliography is a compilation of all articles and books that somehow identify/quantify romance readership.

Serial Killer...er...Reader Challenge 2012

From the Goodreads Romance Readers Reading Challenges Group

SERIAL KILLER READER CHALLENGE

As requested, a series challenge. The duration of this challenge is one year from the sign-up date. You can cross challenge with other challenges, but within Serial Reader the books you list cannot repeat.
This one is monstrous, not for the faint of heart!!! In order to complete it officially, you'll have to read: 27+ books and 15+ different series. Yup, you're reading it right. But fear not, I'm willing to compromise: if you omit some of the subcategories and then call it quits - fine by me - you just won't be all that notorious then. Of course, you can post as you go, but be sure to sing up to set the start date. (note: it's ok to back date if you wish to do so)
So Serial Readers, are you up for the challenge?!

1) Jack the Page Ripper (15 books):Choose fives series and read:

Five Books from the First Series:
Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs

1. Blood Bound
2. Iron Kissed
3. Bone Crossed
4. Silver Borne
5. River Marked

Four Books from the Second Series:
Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris

1. Dead Until Dark
2. Living Dead in Dallas
3. Club Dead
4. Dead to the World

Three Books from the Third Series:
Women of the Otherworld Series by Kelley Armstrong

1. Bitten
2. Stolen
3. Dime Store Magic

Two Books from the Fourth Series:
Parasol Protectorate Series by Gail Carriger

1. Changeless
2. Blameless

One Book from the Fifth Series:
Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

1. Bitten 

2) Una-book-bomber (5 books):

Read one book from each of the genres. It does not have to be the first book in the series, but it must be a series book, not a stand-alone:  

1. Chick-Lit -Somthing Borrowed by Emily Giffin
   
2. Romance - Dance of Seduction by Sabrina Jeffries (Spinsters of Swanlea)
3. Mystery - Cat's Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
4. PNR/Urban Fantasy/Fantasy/Sci Fi - Star King by Susan Grant (Star Series)
5. Young Adult - Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (Underland Chronicles)

3) Spree Series Killer (1+ book):Try out a totally new author. If the book turns out to be a stinker, you have to TRY AGAIN. Repeat until you find a series that you like and are willing to keep on reading in the future.
The Turners by Courtney Milan

1. Unveiled

4) Author-ican Psycho (1 book)Try a book from the author you've "given up" on - call it one more try. It can be the same series you previously found only so-so, or a totally different series by the same author. It's up to you.
Ladies of Lantern Street by Jayne Ann Krentz

1. Crystal Gardens

5) Dr. Hannibal Lecturer (1 book):Start on that series that everybody is praising so much but you keep postponing it for later.
Just read it already. Go on
Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward

1. Dark Lover

6) The Book Strangler (1+ books):Read a whole series from the beginning to the end (or to the last published book). You choose whether it's going to be a 15-book-long-monster or a 1-book-long-freshly-started-baby series...
Darkest London Series by Kristen Callihan

1. Firelight
2. Ember (short story)
3. Moonglow

7) 3rd Degree (3 books):Read a trilogy. An old fashioned trilogy that wraps up at book 3.
The McCabe Trilogy by Maya Banks

1. In Bed with a Highlander
2. Seduction of a Highland Lass
3. Never Love a Highlander

BONUS: Bloody Mary (1 book):A series with a strong female kick-ass protagonist, something like: police detective, body builder, warrior. So for example LKH Anita Blake would work.
The Hallows by Kim Harrison

1. Dead Witch Walking

Toy Stories Reading Challenge 2012

Toy Stories Reading Challenge

Put together by Valorie and the ever active members that contribute in the Challenge Suggestions thread, here is a reading challenge inspired by popular toys.

Read 10 books plus an option of bonuses within a six month period. You may begin anytime you want, as long as you put your start date and end date.

Duration: 6 months
Total No. of books: 10 required + 2 bonus of your choice

Earliest start date for this challenge is its launched date: October 10, 2010.

Enjoy playing, everyone.

1. Barbie: Read a book with a character that is a fashion designer, interior designer, writes about fashion or is just really into fashion.
Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase

2. G. I. Joe: Read a book with a character that is in the military or was in the military, or the story takes place during a war of some kind.

Born to Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann

3. Easy Bake Oven: Read a book with a character that is a chef or baker, owns a restaurant or bakery, or there is a type of food in the title or on the cover.

4. Hot Wheels: Read a book with a character that works on cars or races cars, or there is a car, motorcycle, or some type of vehicle on the cover.

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

5. Lite Brite: Read a book with a colorful cover (3 or more colors) or has a color as part of the title.

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

6. Rock'em Sock'em Robots: Read a book with a character who is a boxer, fighter, or warrior of some kind.

Assassin's Honor by Monica Burns

7. Cabbage Patch Kids: Read a Young Adult novel or a book with a character that is a child or teenager.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

8. Etch-A-Sketch: Read a book with a character that is an artist of some kind, draws, or is a graphic artist or read a graphic novel.

9. Connect Four: Read the 4th book in a series or has 4 words in its title.

Always Time to Die by Elizabeth Lowell

10. Raggedy Ann & Andy: Read a book with a red cover or a book with a character that is a red head.

Sudden Death by Allison Brennan

Bonus two: Pick your favorite toys and post your own book categories!

11. Monopoly: Read a book with a character who works in real estate or in business or has a number in the title .

12.

I Spy Reading Challenge 2012

From Goodreads SOS Serious Overload of Series Group:

I love challenges where we have to go on a little scavenger hunt through our TBR to find books that fit. This one is a TITLE search challenge--it's not based on finding pictures on the cover, but finding words in the title of the book.

But instead of giving you specific words to search for, we're going to do categories. I've listed a bunch of examples, but you're not limited to those--use your imagination and find words that fit the categories.

You may use anthologies & rereads.  Also, if you are having a hard time with a category, you many use the series name if it is printed on the cover of the book. Everyone can do that for up to 3 categories.

_____________________________________________________________________

In the TITLE of a book, find a word that fits the below categories:

1. Color  --  don't forget the good ones like crimson & indigo

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

2. Number: one, two, three, as well as once, twice, first, second

1st to Die by James Patterson

3. Things That Grow: flower, tree, rose, orchid, garden, lily, forest, seed, thorn, ivy

Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick

4. 4 Seasons: spring, summer, fall, autumn, winter

Autumn in Scotland by Karen Ranney

5. First Name: Dick, Tom, Harry, Harriet

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

6. Places: city, state, country, land, town, empire, kingdom, world OR the proper name of a city, state or country (NY, London)

Brook Street: Thief by Ava March

7. Body Part: heart, eye, hand, bone, skin, mind, foot

Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs

8. Weapon: knife, sword, arrow, dart, poison, blade, razor

Dark Lover by  J. R. Ward (A Black Dagger Brotherhood Novel)

9. Body of Water: sea, ocean, river, lake, pond, bayou

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

10. Form of Water: ice, fog, rain, snow, water, mist

Laird of the Mist by Paula Quinn

11. Product of Fire: heat, smoke, fire, burn, flames, light, ash, blaze

Hot Island Nights by Sarah Mayberry

12. Heavenly Body: sun, moon, star

Star King by Susan Grant

13. Architecture: castle, house, tower, bridge, gate

The Wicked House of Rohan by Anne Stuart

14. 5 Senses: sight, sound, touch, scent, taste

15. Royal Title: king, queen, princess, duke

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

16. Family Member: brother, daughter, mother

The Husband List by Victoria Alexander

17. 4 Elements: fire, earth, air/wind, water

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

18. Time of Day : morning, noon, night, evening, midnight, twilight, dusk, dawn

After Midnight by Teresa Medeiros

19. Metal: gold, silver, bronze, iron, steel

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

20. Emotion/Feeling: love, hate, pride, passion, desire, fear, envy

Never Love a Highlander by Maya Banks

21. Animal/Insect: dog, cat, wolf, tiger, bird, spider, fox, crow, goose, snake

Cat's Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown and Sneakie Pie Brown

22. Something to Read: book, tale, story

The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris et. al.

23. Gender Identifier: boy, girl, man, woman, wife, husband, lady

The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne

24. Paranormal Being: vampire, demon, angel, succubus, ghost, zombie, devil, unicorn, dragon
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Southern Vampire Series)

Spring MADIOAS Challenge

The MADIOAS group's April challenge is to come up with a spring or Easter related word and read books with titles or authors for the first letter in each word.  I chose "Allergies" for my word and here's my list:

A - Assassin's Honor by Monica Burns

L - Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward (reading now)
L - Lover Unbound by J. R. Ward

E - Elizabeth Lowell's Always Time to Die

G - Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

I - Isaacson, Walter - Steve Jobs
E - Everyday, Average Jones by Suzanne Brockmann

S - Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs