May Reading Challenge Recap

It seems like quarantine and social distancing is finally helping in the reading department for us Weres. We have both read a ton of books and made some excellent progress on our reading challenges this month! We hope you all are safe and reading a ton of books during this weird time!

This is how we did in May:

Romanceopoly

Gretl

Completed:
✔️Past Eaves - Historical Fiction
Blame It on the Duke by Lenora Bell
✔️Coffee Shop: 🌞Recommended by a friend
Tikka Chance on Me by Suleika Snyder
✔️Sleuth Street - 🌞Mystery w/ “Death words” in the title
Glory in Death by JD Robb
✔️Burger Joint: 🌛A Book from the Book Girlfriend List
Naked in Death by JD Robb
✔️Spring - Green/yellow/floral cover or farmer/gardener MC
A Bad Day For Sunshine by Darynda Jones
✔️The Gym: 🌛Bangin Body on cover
Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle
✔️Journey’s End: 🌞Fantasy with magic user MC
Storm of Fury by Bec McMaster
✔️Drive-in Movie: 🌛Romance develops from a one night stand
A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee
✔️Fated Folly: 🌞PNR with MC in pack/coven/group
Alpha Night by Nalini Singh

Coming Up:
I’m going to try to finish my board by the end of June. Here’s what’s left:

➖Beau Blvd - YA by new to you author
➖Lady Lane: Women’s Fiction
➖Amour Ave: Age gap/ second chance romance
➖Emergency Services: MC in medical profession
➖Campus Corner: NA w/ nerd MC
➖New View: Enemies to Lovers NA

Rose Red

School has now ended for me so my brain seems to be in "Read all the books!" mode again! I loved rereading some of my favorites like the Psy-Changeling series last month but I'm glad to be reading new books again. I killed it this month on Romanceopoly! I'm so happy to be making progress on this challenge again!

Completed:
✔️Post Office: Read an Epistolary Romance
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
✔️Killer Crescent: Read a Thriller Where's a Serial Killer on the Loose
Unholy by Morgan Brice
✔️Library #3: Read Any Book You Want
Network Effect by Martha Wells
✔️Past Eaves: Read a Historical Fiction Novel
Slippery Creatures by K.J. Charles
✔️Drive-in Movie: Read a Romance That Develops From a One Night Stand
Married to the Mobster by Leighton Greene
✔️Spring: Read a Book with Green or Yellow on the Cover
Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian
✔️The Cobbles: Read a Historical Romance Not Set in London
Stages of the Heart by Jo Goodman

Coming Up:
➖Passion Place- Read an Erotic BDSM Romance (Sun)
I started Docile by K.M. Szpara during the readathon for this challenge. I'm listening to the audio while I cook, clean, and do yard work. I'll use it for this challenge if I don't read something else that fits the prompt before I finish it.
➖Rainbow Row - Read a M/M Romance
Next month is Pride Month so this one will be easy since I try to read mostly queer fiction exclusively in June.
➖City Lane- Read an Urban Fantasy Published in the Last Five Years
➖Lady Lane: Read a Women’s Fiction Novel
I'm planning on reading Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore for this one since I didn't get to it for last year's Romanceopoly Challenge.

Beat the Backlist

Gretl

I’m playing Beat the Backlist Bingo and filled 6 squares this month.

Own Voices Author: Tikka Chance on Me by Suleika Snyder
Wish you read sooner: Naked in Death by JD Robb
Written before 2010: Glory in Death by JD Robb
Cover Redesign is Better: Immortal in Death by JD Robb
Owned for more than 2 years: Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle
Title is also a song: Through the Fire by Katie Ruggle

Rose Red

I completed 4 squares on my Bingo Board this month.

Beat the Backlist Bingo

Book Rec From a Friend- Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
Owned for Over Two Years- Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
New-To-You Author- The Replacement Husband by Eliot Grayson
Wish You Had Read Sooner- A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by Cat Sebastian

Non-Bingo Backlist Books

The General's Mate by C.W. Gray
The Soldier's Mate by C.W. Gray
The Lieutenant's Mate by C.W. Gray
The Engineer's Mate by C.W. Gray
The Captain's Mate by C.W. Gray
The Rebel's Mate by C.W. Gray
Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon
Barbarian Lover by Ruby Dixon
Barbarian Mine by Ruby Dixon
Ice Planet Holiday by Ruby Dixon
The Reluctant Husband by Eliot Grayson
Yuletide Treasure by Eliot Grayson
The Yuletide Runaway by Eliot Grayson
Malik by Kiki Burrelli and Crista Crown
Kidnapped by the Pirate by Keira Andrews
Changed: Mated to the Alien Alpha by Robin Moray
The Vampire's Omega by L.C. Davis
A Dragon's Sacred Mate by Aiden Bates and Jill Haven
Ice Planet Honeymoon: Vektal and Georgie by Ruby Dixon
Ice Planet Honeymoon: Raahosh and Liz by Ruby Dixon
Ice Planet Honeymoon: Aehako and Kira by Ruby Dixon 

Library Love Challenge

Gretl

I’ve read 27 library books so far this year on a goal of 36.

This month I read:
Naked in Death by JD Robb
Glory in Death by JD Robb
Immortal in Death by JD Robb
Fan the Flames by Katie Ruggle
Gone Too Deep by Katie Ruggle
In Safe Hands by Katie Ruggle
Run to Ground by Katie Ruggle
On the Chase by Katie Ruggle
Survive the Night by Katie Ruggle
Through the Fire by Katie Ruggle

My goal for the year is to read 12 Books I Own for the Safety level but I'm going to aim to hit the First Down (25-36) level.

Thanks to quarantine, I'm at 12 TBR books read for the year so far! I have successfully completed the Safety level already so First Down may not be all that impossible to achieve by the end of this year!

This month I read six books that count for this challenge. Unfortunately, none of these satisfy the prompt challenges for April (New-to-Me Author) or May (TV/Movie Adaptation).

 The books I read are:

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by Cat Sebastian

Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian

Slippery Creatures by K.J. Charles

Check, Please! Book Two: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Network Effect by Martha Wells

How did you all do on your reading challenges this month?

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#Romanceopolyathon and April Reading Challenge Recap

We're doing our challenge recap a few days late in order to include our results for Romanceopolyathon, which ended on May 3. Here's how we did in the readathon as well as the rest of our reading challenges:

Romanceopolyathon

The readathon lasted one week and we had 7 prompts that we need to fulfill! Each of the books had to complete a board challenge can count for multiple prompts.

Romanceopolyathon Prompts:

1 – Cover has same color as the challenge square (if it’s a non-street or corner, pick black or white on the cover)⁠
2 – Recommended to you⁠
3 – Already on your bookshelf or TBR⁠
4 – Debut or new to you author or series⁠
5 – Longest title on your TBR⁠
6 – Animal(s) on the cover⁠
7 – Standalone⁠

You can see our original TBRs in this post.

Here's what we actually read:

Gretl

I deviated from my TBR on the very first day and wound up only reading one of the books I originally planned on. But I still completed all the prompts and filled 6 more squares on my board.

Here's what I read for the readathon:

✔️Oath Sworn by KN Banet
Square: The Bar - Set in a place you’ve lived
Prompts: Debut or new to you author or series
✔️Family and Honor by KN Banet
Square: City Lane - UF published in last 5 years
Prompt: Cover same color as challenge square
✔️Broken Loyalty by KN Banet
Square: Library - Free Choice
Prompt: Animals on the cover
✔️If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell
Square: The Cobbles - Historical with 5 or more words in title
Prompts: Longest title on TBR
✔️Blame It on the Duke by Lenora Bell
Square: Past Eaves - Historical Fiction
Prompt: Already on your TBR
✔️Tikka Chance on Me by Suleika Snyder
Square: Coffee Shop - Recommended to you/ Foodie words in title
Prompts: Recommended to you, Standalone

Rose Red

I deviated from my TBR a bit with my Outer Space book and I changed up which challenges I went for. I didn't complete all the books on my list but I am kind of proud that I mostly stuck to the TBR I set. I did complete all the prompts and filled 3 squares on my board. And I'm over halfway through a fourth book/challenge that I will hopefully finish soon.

Here's what I read for the readathon:

✔️His Bride for the Taking by Tessa Dare

Square: BFF's House- Read a Best Friends Sibling Romance

Prompts: Standalone, Animal on the Cover, Recommended to You

✔️Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu
Square: Farmer's Market- Read a Romance Where the H/H Works in the Food Industry
Prompts: Longest Title on TBR, Already on Your Shelf/TBR

✔️Jailmates by Lesli Richardson

Square: Outer Space- Read a Sci-Fi Book with an Alien or Cyborg Character

Prompts: Cover the Same Color as the Challenge Square, Debut or New-To-You Author/Series

Romanceopoly

Gretl

Before the readathon, I completed 2 more Romanceopoly squares.

✔️Killer Crescent - Thriller w/ Detective or PI MC

Something Blue by Emma Jameson

✔️Post Office - Romance that started online

Fake It Til You Make It by Anne Harper

Coming Up:

➖Lady Lane: Women’s Fiction

Betwixt by Darynda Jones

➖Sleuth Street - Mystery w/ “Death words” in the title

Naked in Death by JD Robb

➖The Gym: Longest Book on your TBR/ Bangin Body on cover

➖Beau Blvd - YA by new to you author

Rose Red
The only challenges I completed this month were the ones I read for the readathon. I stuck mostly with rereads this month because of the covid craziness.

✔️BFF's House- Read a Best Friends Sibling Romance

His Bride for the Taking by Tessa Dare

✔️Farmer's Market- Read a Romance Where the H/H Works in the Food Industry

Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu

✔️Outer Space- Read a Sci-Fi Book with an Alien or Cyborg Character
Jailmates by Lesli Richardson

Coming Up:
➖Spring- Read a Book Where It: Has a green or yellow cover; Has flowers on the cover; Has the word ‘Spring’ in the title; Where the hero or heroine is a gardener or farmer; Or all of/any combination/any one of the above!

➖Post Office- Read an Epistolary Romance
I'm currently listening to This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Motar on audio for this challenge. I just haven't been commuting so I haven't been listening to my book.
➖Passion Place- Read an Erotic BDSM Romance
I started Docile by K.M. Szpara for the readathon and I'm going to finish it for this challenge.

Gretl

I’m playing Beat the Backlist Bingo and filled 6 squares this month:

Social Media Made Me Read It: Erstwhile by HE Trent
Murder Mystery: Something Blue by Emma Jameson
Love Triangle: Wager by HE Trent
Author Shares Your Initials: Breaking the Billionaire’s Rules by Annika Martin
Black and White Cover: Moonlighter by Sarina Bowen
Good Book Bad Cover: Oath Sworn by KN Banet

Rose Red

I completed 3 squares on my Bingo Board this month.

Beat the Backlist Bingo

Book with Less Than 200 Pages- His Bride for the Taking by Tessa Dare

Written Before 2010- Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
Book You Never Finished Before- Jailmates by Lesli Richardson

Non-Bingo Backlist Books

Wild Invitation by Nalini Singh 

Whisper of Sin by Nalini Singh

Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh

Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh

Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh

Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh

Play of Passion by Nalini Singh

Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh

Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh

Secrets at Midnight by Nalini Singh

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh

Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh

Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh

Wild Embrace by Nalini Singh

Silver Silence by Nalini Singh

Ocean Light by Nalini Singh

Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh

Claimings, Tales and Other Alien Artifacts by Lyn Gala

Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities by Lyn Gala

Affiliations, Aliens, and Other Profitable Pursuits by Lyn Gala

Expeditions, Estimates, and Other Dangerous Pastimes by Lyn Gala
The Mercenary's Mate by C.W. Gray

Library Love Challenge

Gretl

I’ve read 16 library books so far this year on a goal of 36.
This month I read:
Breaking the Billionaire’s Rules by Annika Martin
Moonlighter by Sarina Bowen
If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell
Blame It On the Duke by Lenora Bell

Tackle My TBR

Unfortunately, I didn't read any books for my Tackle My TBR Challenge this month with all of my rereads. I will try to catch up and do April's New-To-Me Author Prompt in May.

What did you all read this last month?

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March Reading Challenge Recap

We're three months into the year so it's a good time to remind you all one more time that we're doing something different with our monthly wrap-ups in 2020. Instead of one large post, we're doing a few small ones including a monthly reading challenge recap at the end of the month to keep you all updated on our progress with our challenges. Wish us luck!

With all the Covid-19 craziness that's happened in the last month, us Weres didn't get as much reading done as we had hoped. But we still made some progress on our reading challenges! We hope you all are safe and reading a ton of books under quarantine.

This is how we did in March:

Romanceopoly

Gretl

Completed:
✔️Flirt’s Corner - contemp w/ nerdy MC
Mission: Her Freedom by Anna Hackett
✔️Outer Space - SciFi set on alien planet or ship
Gladiator by Anna Hackett
✔️Soldier Street - Romantic suspense w/ Action Pose on the cover
In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle

Coming Up:
➖City Lane - UF from rec list
➖Beau Blvd - YA by new to you author
➖Killer Crescent - Thriller w/ Detective or PI MC
➖Action Ave - UF with dark cover
➖Spring - Green/yellow/floral cover or farmer/gardener MC

Rose Red

Completed:
✔️Burger Joint -Read a Book on UTC's Book Girlfriends List
Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs
✔️Fated Folly- Read a Fated Mates PNR
Alpha Night by Nalini Singh
✔️Flirt's Corner- Read a Contemporary Romance With Mature Characters (40+)
What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga
✔️Action Avenue- Read an Urban Fantasy with a Kick Ass Heroine on the Cover
Trifles and Folly by Gail Z. Martin

Coming Up:
➖ Farmer's Market- Read a Romance Where the H/H is a Chef or Works in the Food Industry, Owns a Bakery/Restaurant/Food Establishment
I'm kind of saving this challenge for the next Check, Please! bind-up that comes out in April because I haven't found anything I own that I want to read for it.
➖Post Office- Read an Epistolary Romance
I'm currently listening to This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Motar on audio for this challenge.
➖Spring- Read a Book Where It: Has a green or yellow cover; Has flowers on the cover; Has the word ‘Spring’ in the title; Where the hero or heroine is a gardener or farmer; Or all of/any combination/any one of the above!

Beat the Backlist

Gretl

I’m playing Beat the Backlist Bingo and filled 6 squares this month:
Unusual Science: Unmapped by Anna Hackett
Last book in a series: Undetected by Anna Hackett
Book containing a fandom: Mission: Her Freedom by Anna Hackett
From myth or legend: Mission: Her Safety by Anna Hackett

Space travel: Gladiator by Anna Hackett
Stars on the cover: Warrior by Anna Hackett

Rose Red

I was able to complete two of the squares on my Bingo board this month.

Beat the Backlist Bingo
Bought it for the Cover- Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs
Cover Redesign Was Better- Trifles and Folly by Gail Z. Martin

Non-Bingo Backlist Books
Vassalord, Vol. 1 by Nanae Chrono

Vassalord, Vol. 2 by Nanae Chrono
Vassalord, Vol. 3 by Nanae Chrono
Vassalord, Vol. 4 by Nanae Chrono
Vassalord, Vol. 5 by Nanae Chrono
Vassalord, Vol. 6 by Nanae Chrono
Vassalord, Vol. 7 by Nanae Chrono 
What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga

Library Love Challenge

Gretl

I’ve read 13 library books so far this year on a goal of 36.

This month I read:

Unmapped by Anna Hackett
Undetected by Anna Hackett
In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle
Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan
Nothing to Fear by Juno Rushdan

Tackle My TBR 2020

Rose Red
My goal for the year is 12 Books I Own for the Safety level but I'm going to aim to hit the First Down (25-36) level. Six books down; a lot more to go

This month I read three books and they all count for the monthly challenge prompt, Favorite Genre:
Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs
Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs

Alpha Night by Nalini Singh

How did you all do with your reading challenges in March?

 and

February Reading Challenge Recap

We're two months into the year so it's a good time to remind you all that we're doing something different with our monthly wrap-ups in 2020. Instead of one large post, we're doing a few small ones including a monthly reading challenge recap at the end of the month to keep you all updated on our progress with our challenges. Wish us luck! 

The Weres did awesome at their reading challenges this month despite February being a short month! This is how we did this month:

Romanceopoly

Gretl

Completed:
✔️Rainbow Row - F/F romance
Moontangled by Stephanie Burgis
✔️Fang Alley - PNR featuring a magic user who is not a vampire or shifter
Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues by Molly Harper
✔️The Vault - PNR by New to You Author
Touch of the Mage by D.D. Chance

✔️Lover’s Lane - LGBT set in college
Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Coming Up:
➖City Lane - UF published in the last 5 years
➖Beau Blvd - YA by new to you author

➖Killer Crescent - Thriller with detective or PI MC
➖Outer Space - SciFi set on an alien planet or ship

Rose Red

Completed:
✔️Amour Avenue - Read a Second Chance Romance
Stay Lucky by Leta Blake
✔️Library #2 - Read Any Book
A Pale Light in the Black by K.B. Wagers
✔️The Gym - Read a Book that has a Gorgeously Dressed Person on the Cover
From London, With Love by Bec McMaster

Coming Up:
➖ Farmer's Market- Read a Romance Where the H/H is a Chef or Works in the Food Industry, Owns a Bakery/Restaurant/Food Establishment
➖Post Office- Read an Epistolary Romance
➖Action Avenue- Read an Urban Fantasy with a Kick Ass Heroine on the Cover

Beat the Backlist

Gretl

I’m playing Beat the Backlist Bingo and filled 7 squares this month:
Title words begin with same letter - Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
Plants on the cover - Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues by Molly Harper
Indie Book - Beast by Holley Trent
4th+ Book in a Series - Untraveled by Anna Hackett
Released in the 2010’s - Disturbing His Peace by Tessa Bailey
Story involves a heist - Unfathomed by Anna Hackett
LGBT rep - Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Rose Red

I was able to complete two of the squares on my Bingo board this month.

Beat the Backlist Bingo
Book That Shares Your Zodiac Sign- Owned by Fate by Sean Michael
Author That Writes Multiple Genres- All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Non-Bingo Backlist Books
Stay Lucky by Leta Blake
Branded by Flames by Sean Michael
Seduced by the Tide by Sean Michael
Bound by Thorns by Sean Michael
Born of Air by Sean Michael
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Library Love Challenge

Gretl

My goal for the year is 36 library books. I'm at 7 so far.

This month I read:
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
Untraveled by Anna Hackett
Unfathomed by Anna Hackett
Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Tackle My TBR 2020

Rose Red

My goal for the year is 12 Books I Own for the Safety level but I'm going to aim to hit the First Down (25-36) level. Three books down; a lot more to go.

This month I read:
The Pale Light in the Black by K.B. Wagers (also counted for the monthly challenge prompt Diverse Read)

How did you all do with your reading challenges in February?

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