Thursday, June 28, 2012

Books to Read in July

Total Number Read: 16

Audiobooks:
Bonk by Mary Roach 
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness 
For the Win by Cory Doctorow
Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

Library Books:
Four Play by Maya Banks and Shayla Black (e-book)
The Great Escape by S. E. P.
Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon (e-book)
Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen (e-book)
Somewhere I'll Find You by Lisa Kleypas (e-book)
Straight by Hanne Blank
On Request:
I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Quiet by Susan Cain
Shadows of Night by Deborah Harkness

AOTM/Challenges:
Seduction by Amanda Quick*
Untraceable by Laura Griffin

New Series/Authors:
Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs
Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Continuing Series:
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong
The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James
The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley
The Good, the Bad and the Undead by Kim Harrison
Lover Unbound by J. R. Ward
River Marked by Patricia Briggs*
The Vampire Who Loved Me by Teresa Medeiros*

Stand Alones/Non-Fiction:

Not on Original Plan:
Eland by Allyson James
Aiden and Ky by Allyson James
Collision Course b K. A. Mitchell
Rees by Allyson James
Maia and Rylan by Allyson James
Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong

Currently Reading:
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong

Read:
Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris
Seduction by Amanda Quick
Eland by Allyson James
Aiden and Ky by Allyson James
River Marked by Patricia Briggs
Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs
For the Win by Cory Doctorow
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs 
The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley
Collision Course by K. A. Mitchell
Untraceable by Laura Griffin
Bonk by Mary Roach
Rees by Allyson James
Maia and Rylan by Allyson James 
Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong
*ROR Summer Challenge Books

Sunday, June 24, 2012

My Hero Challenge 2012

From the Goodreads Nothing but Reading Challenges Group:
Everybody Loves a bad boy or even a nerdy hero. This challenge is to read 10 books, 1 for each Hero. You may backdate to January 1, 2011 and it will go until December 31, 2011 incase anyone needs to get caught up on their challenges.
The idea for this challenges came from the Love-Romance-Passion website's list of the Top 10 Romance Hero types.

Bad Boy Hero:
The Bad Boy hero is in a league of his own. More heroines and readers/viewers have fallen for the Bad Boy than any other hero. He is the ultimate rebel: mysterious, seemingly indifferent, and hard to get. He starts off behaving badly and unrepentant. His inner good is revealed however by the end of the novel due to actions of the heroine or circumstances that force the Bad Boy to become the knight in shining armor.

Alpha Hero:
Oh the Alpha Hero… how we love to hate and adore him. The innate leader in any situation, all look up to him and want to be him. He’s cool, confident, steady, strong, and sure. His ultimate role, I’ve noticed, is to take care of the heroine.

Brooding Hero:
Our poor tortured lonely Brooding Hero, how we love to torment him! Aloof, angry, wounded, and ultimately one of the most vulnerable heroes out there, the Brooding Hero has captured the most hearts in very recent history with Angel and Edward Cullen. (The Brooding Hero is a perfect foil for the Paranormal Hero.)

Rogue Hero:
The Rogue, who by any other time period outside of Regency, is a promiscuous cad in need of a physical. Utterly charming, completely dashing, and carelessly carefree about life and love, the Rogue is ready to live life to the fullest. Commitment is not a word in his vocabulary until the heroine sweeps into his sphere of influence.

Nerd Hero:
Another name for the Nerd Hero is the Beta Hero. He’s kind, sweet, and decent. He’s the best friend or the slightly awkward gentleman. The Nerd Hero almost always meets his full potential because of the heroine. He rises to the occasion… in more ways than one!

Tycoon Hero:
This hero type literally litters Harlequin presents. He can be a millionaire, billionaire, prince, sheik, or wealthy boss. Ninety percent of the time the Tycoon starts out isolated and jaded in the novel only to wind up happy and easygoing by the end.

Protector Hero:
The Protector Hero comes in many disguises and professions, most are obvious, but some not so much. You can find him playing the role of a cop, firefighter, spy, detective, bodyguard, part of the military, etc. The plot behind many Protector Hero stories involves a mystery where he almost loses the heroine while trying to save her.

Daredevil Hero:
Pirates and superheroes compose the majority of the Daredevil Heroes. They love action, they love fights, and they love thrills. Give them a damsel in distress and they’re all over that like white on rice.

Warrior Hero:
The Warrior Hero, funnily enough is a very reluctant hero. He thinks himself above it all. His mission in life is to fight and protect his home, his country, and his men. Then a woman gets thrown into the mix all kinds of chaos and havoc ensure and he fights it every step of the way only to get conquered by the heroine.

Paranormal Hero:
Oh yes, the Paranormal Hero, when a normal man just won’t cut it the Paranormal Hero steps in prepared to win hearts and steal our very souls. He oozes sex with his otherworldly good looks and quickens our imagination with images of the extraordinary. Call him a vampire, a wizard, a lycanthrope, or any other kind of superhuman being it’s all the same to him.

Romance Novel Heroine Challenge 2012


From the Goodreads Nothing but Reading Challenges Group.
For this challenge read one or more books for each of the following types of Heroine. You set the pace/time and the amount of books of each type of heroine you wish to read. Most of all have fun!

Easy: 1 - 3 books for every type of heroine
Moderate: 4 - 8 books for every type of heroine
Difficult: 9+ books for every type of heroine

1. Outsider/Rebel/Bluestocking Heroine - Tough, self-sufficient, self-thinking woman who will not conform just because she's told to by others or because society dictates it. A person who wishes to control her is barking up the wrong tree.
Seduction by Amanda Quick (reading now)

2. Wallflower Heroine - Plain looking an overlooked by most but an extraordinary type of woman that excels at everything but small talk. Needs someone who can look beyond the surface and see her inner beauty.
Winning the Wallflower by Eloisa James
 
3. Professional Heroine - Sometimes mistaken as being a bitch for using her authority, but she just knows how to handle people and will not be pushed around. Needs someone not intimidated by her brain or her authority and can give as good as they take
Something About You by Julie James
 
4. Rich Girl Heroine - Rich and smart and a little spoiled, but has a good heart. Needs someone who'll appreciate her for her and not her money.


5. Brainiac Heroine - Smarter than your average bear and willing to use that to her advantage. Needs someone that will not be intimidated by her brain and can hold their own.
The Witness by Nora Roberts


6. Spinster Heroine - Thought to be too old to ever marry, but possesses hidden passion and is too smart to settle for anything less than she deserves. She needs someone that has it all.


7. Woman Warrior/Kick-Butt Heroine - Tough, self-sufficient, uncompromising and needs someone that won't change her and accepts her the way she is -faults & all.
Never Love a Highlander by Maya Banks


8. Minx/She-Devil Heroine - Mischievous, feisty, and self-thinking. Will give a person a run for their money and will be well worth it.


9. Girl Next Door Heroine - She's pretty, smart, sweet, wholesome, but somewhat naïve. Most likely to fall for the boy next store.


10. Paranormal Heroine - Strong, self-sufficient, and dangerous woman who won't put up with cr@p. Needs a person who can handle her and not be intimidated. Can be a witch, vampire, shape-shifter, etc.
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Disney Princess Reading Challenge

From the Goodreads Nothing but Reading Challenges Group.  Read a book that fits the Disney Princess descriptions below:

Easy: 1 - 3 books
Moderate: 4 - 8 books
Difficult: 9+ books
Time Limit: None! (Take as long as you want)

Pocahontas:
Read a book where the protagonist is Native American, loves nature, or displays shamanic powers. You can also read a retelling of Pocahontas.


Princess Jasmine (Aladdin):
Read a book where the protagonist is of Arabic descent or is named Jasmine. You can also read a retelling of Aladdin.

Snow White:
Read a book where the protagonist has fair skin and dark hair. Or read a book where the protagonist is German (or of German descent). Read a book where the protagonist has many male friends. You can also read a retelling of Snow White.

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty):
Read a book where the protagonist has a curse placed upon her at birth. Or read a book where the main character is unaware of her biological family or where she comes from. You can also read a retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

Mulan:
Read a book where the protagonist is Chinese (or of Chinese descent), she must also be able to kick some serious ass. Read a book where the protagonist disguises herself as a man or enlists in the army.

Ariel (The Little Mermaid):
Read a book where the protagonist has red hair or has a lot of sisters. Or read a book where the protagonist frequently disobeys her father. You can also read a retelling of The Little Mermaid.

Belle (Beauty and the Beast):
Read a book where the protagonist loves books and reading. Read a book about a protagonist who adores her father or falls in love with a man who is not handsome (he can have scars, be it emotional or physical) or is temperamental . You can also read a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame):
Read a book where the protagonist is a Gypsy or read a book where the character has a pet goat (this should be interesting). You can also read a retelling of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.


Megara (Hercules):
Read a book where the protagonist has a low opinion of men and is cynical about love. You can also read a retelling of Hercules.

Tiana (The Princess and the Frog):
Read a book where the protagonist is African American, takes place in New Orleans, or is a waitress or an excellent cook.You can also read a retelling The Princess and the Frog.

Cinderella:
Read a book about someone who has an evil stepmother, or read a book about someone who has had a difficult life but perseveres with the help of love. You can also read a retelling of Cinderella.

Rapunzel:
Read a book where the MC has really long hair or read a book where the MC was kidnapped. You can also read a retelling of Rapunzel.

Alice:
Read a book where the protagonist lives in a dream world or discovers an alternate (fantasy) world; read a book where the protagonist defies a monarch (preferably a queen). You can also read a retelling of Alice in Wonderland.


Jane (Tarzan):
Read a book where the protagonist is an artist; set in Africa or in a rural (out of reach) area; read a book that has a vibrant yellow cover or features someone on the cover dressed in yellow. You can also read a retelling of Tarzan.


Tinker Bell (Peter Pan):
Read a book where the protagonist is a fairy ( not to be mistaken with a faerie ). Or, because Tinker Bell doesn't speak, read a book where the protagonist is very shy or has problems communicating . You can also read a retelling of Peter Pan (but it has to feature a Tinker Bell).

What's in a Name Challenge #5

The What's in a Name Challenge is being hosted by by Beth Fish Reads and here's how it works:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title:  
River Marked by Patricia Briggs

2. A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title:
The Star King by Susan Grant

3. A book with a creepy crawly in the title:
The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

4. A book with a type of house in the title:
The Wicked House of Rohan by Anne Stuart

5. A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title:
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

6. A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title:
I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Monday, June 18, 2012

Speaking of Audiobooks: Mix 'Em Up Firsts Challenge

Track Two - Mix ‘Em Up Firsts
Listen to 12 books of firsts - first time listening to a narrator, your first book by a specific author, the first book in a series, the first of a new-to-you romance sub-genre. You can also define your own firsts such as your first listen of a 2012 audio or the first audio your borrowed from a friend, etc.
  1. First Audiobook of 2012:  1st to Die by James Patterson
  2. First in a Series:  Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris 
  3. First Non-Fiction Audiobook:  Stiff by Mary Roach
  4. First Audiobook from One Digital Media:  All Together Dead
  5. First Romantic Suspense Audiobook: Always Time to Die by Elizabeth Lowell
  6. First Historical Romance Audiobook:  Just Imagine by SEP
  7. First Audiobook Read by Carolyn McCormick:  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  8. First Cory Doctorow Audiobook:  For the Win by Cory Doctorow
  9. First Audiobook from Audible.com:  Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
  10. First Deborah Harkness Audiobook:  A Discovery of Witches
  11. First Nora Roberts Audiobook: The Next Always
  12. First Linda Howard Audiobook:  Open Season

Speaking of Audiobooks: Listening to the Top Hits Challenge

Track One - Listening to the Top Hits
Listen or relisten to 12 audios from AAR’s 2010 Top 100 Romances Poll and AAR’s 2011 Annual Reader Poll. These are lists of print books but there are 73 audio versions to choose from!
You will find a list of these titles at the end of today’s column.

Read:
The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne

Ain't She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Open Season by Linda Howard


Possible Reads:

Naked in Death by J. D. Robb
When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn
Nobody’s Baby But Mine by SEP
Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas
Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas
Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
The Proposition by Judith Ivory
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Prize by Julie Garwood

Speaking of Audiobooks: Spread Out Your Listening Challenge

Track Four - Spread Out Your Listening
Listen to four contemporary/romantic suspense, four historical/western, and four paranormal/fantasy/time travel.

Contemporary/Romantic Suspense:
  1. Always Time to Die by Elizabeth Lowell
  2. The Wrong Hostage by Elizabeth Lowell
  3. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
  4. Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
Historical/Western:
  1. The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
  2. Just Imagine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
  3. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
  4. A Night Like This by Julie Quinn
Paranormal/Fantasy/Time-Travel:
  1. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
  2. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
  3. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
  4. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Speaking of Audiobooks: Listen by the Numbers Challenge

Track Three - Listen by the Number
Three romance audios produced in 2012, three from 2011, three from 2010, and three from 2009.

Produced in 2012:
  1. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
  2. The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts
  3. The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts
Produced in 2011:
  1. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
  2. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
  3. The Next Always by Nora Roberts
Produced in 2010:
  1. The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
  2. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
  3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Produced in 2009:
  1. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
  2. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
  3. A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Monthly Mix-up Mania Challenge

From the Monthly Mix Up Mania Blog:
What: To read a book for each letter in the months of the year. That's right, a title for the J in January and the A in January, etc.... 74 books total!
Official Start date: April 1, 2011, because we're fools to try this but any book read since 1-1-11 counts ;)
End date: March 31, 2013, yes, two years, because well, we have other challenges to do ;)
Guidelines:
  • only one letter per book
  • books can be moved around if it fits better somewhere else after you've read it
  • the letter doesn't have to be the first word, just the first letter of a word in the title (a, an, and the do not count)
  • if you get stuck, an author's name will do in a pinch but try to have more titles than names

January
Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
All Through the Night by Connie Brockway
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Unveiled by Courtney Milan
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
Ravished by Amanda Quick
Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase

February
Forever Blue by Suzanne Brockmann
Extreme Bachelor by Julia London
Bad Kitty by Debra Glass
Retreat (BTVS S8)
Unlocked by Courtney Milan
As You Desire by Connie Brockway
Rest Falls Away, The by Colleen Gleason
Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas

March
More Than a Mistress by Mary Balogh
After the Night by Linda Howard
Ransom by Julie Garwood
Christmas Promise, A by Mary Balogh
Her Master & Commander by Karen Hawkins

April
Americus by M. K. Reed
Perfect Proposal, A by Katie Fforde
Raven Prince, The by Elizabeth Hoyt
In Too Deep by Jayne Ann Krentz
Lady Most Likely, The by Julia Quinn et. al.

May
Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase
And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke
Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas 

June
Just Imagine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard

July
Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
Untraceable by Laura Griffin
Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas 

August
Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
Use, The by D. L. Carter
Gentleman Always Remembers, A by Candace Camp
Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory
Secret Pearl, The by Mary Balogh
To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

September
Something Wonderful by Judith McNaught
Everyday, Average Jones by Suzanne Brockmann
Predators and Prey (BTVS S8)
Three Weddings and a Kiss by Kathrine Woodiwiss et. al.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Morning Glory by Lavyrle Spencer
Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockmann
Can't Get Enough by Sarah Mayberry
Reef, The by Nora Roberts

October
One Perfect Rose by Mary Jo Putney
Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Twilight (BTVS S8)
One Touch of Scandal by Liz Carlyle
Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan
Elizabeth Hoyt's The Leopard Prince
Rules of Surrender by Christina Dodd

November
No Man's Mistress by Mary Balogh
Other Guy's Bride, The by Connie Brockway
Virgin River by Robyn Carr
Elizabeth Lowell's Always Time to Die
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan
Earl, The by Caroline Linden
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

December
Decepetion by Amanda Quick
Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward 
Cry No More by Linda Howard
Eland by Allyson James
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
An Affair Without End by Candace Camp 
Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward