TBR Takedown 5.0

#TBRTakedown is a Twitter-based read-a-thon taking place from February 6-12th 2017. The goal is to read a few of the books on our ever-expanding TBR piles. Want to keep track of what's going on? Follow @TBRTakedown .

The thing that grabbed my attention about this read-a-thon is that there are themed challenges to help participants select their TBRs. Here are my picks for each category:

1. On Your TBR Shelf For Ovr A Year

Redeemed
by P.C. and Kirtsten Cast

In the final electrifying novel in the HoN series, Neferet has finally made herself known to mortals. A Dark Goddess is loose on Tulsa and the world. No single vampyre is strong enough to vanquish her - unless that creature has the power to summon the elements as well as the ability to wield Old Magick. Only Zoey Redbird is heir to such power…but because of the consequences of using Old Magick, she is unable to help. Find out who will win and who will lose in this epic battle of Light versus Darkness.

The House of Night has been one of my favorite series since the beginning. I got into this before I started my blog. And yet, I haven't read the final book yet. It's time to fix that. I want to know what happens to these characters.

2. Most Recent Book Haul

The Underground Railroad
by Colson Whitehead

Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hellish for all the slaves but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood - where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned and, though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted.

In Whitehead's ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor - engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar's first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven - but the city's placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. Even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom.

As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre-Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day. The Underground Railroad is at once a kinetic adventure tale of one woman's ferocious will to escape the horrors of bondage and a shattering, powerful meditation on the history we all share.

This was suppose to be read during DiverseAThon, but I joined that late and read  a 450 page book for oe of my picks, so the fact that I didn't get this done doesn't surprise me. However, I do feel that this book is important and really want to read it, so here it is. This could have easily been the 'out of my comfort zone' pick, but since it is the most recent thing I've purchaed, I'll put it here.

3. First Book In A Series

Catching Jordan

by Miranda Kenneally

ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

I started this years ago and ended up having an arthritis flare that prevented me from finishing it. However, I enjoyed the part I did read so I think it will be fun to sit down and finish this fully.

4. Catch Up On A Series

Romancing The Nerd
by Leah Rae Miller

Cool guy. Geeky girl. Let the games begin.

Dan Garrett has become exactly what he hates—popular. Until recently, he was just another live-action role-playing nerd on the lowest rung of the social ladder. Cue a massive growth spurt and an uncanny skill at taking three-point shots in basketball and voila…Mr. Popular. It’s definitely weird.

And the biggest drawback? Going from high school zero to basketball hero cost Dan the secret girl of his dorky dreams.

A tuba-playing nerd with an eclectic fashion sense, Zelda Potts’s “coolness” stat is about minus forty-two. Dan turning his back on her and the rest of nerd-dom was brutal enough, but when he humiliates her at school, Zelda decides it’s time for a little revenge—dork style. Nevermind that she used to have a crush on him. Nevermind that her plan could backfire big time.

It’s time to roll the dice…and hope like freakin’ hell she doesn’t lose her heart in the process.

After reading and enjoying The Summer I Became A Nerd, reading this seems like a natural next step for this category. I'm looking forward to seeing what crazy, nerdy antics will happen in order for these two to get together.

5. Out Of Your Comfort Zone

The Fire This Time
by Jesmyn Ward

National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward takes James Baldwin’s 1963 examination of race in America, The Fire Next Time, as a jumping off point for this groundbreaking collection of essays and poems about race from the most important voices of her generation and our time.

In light of recent tragedies and widespread protests across the nation, The Progressive magazine republished one of its most famous pieces: James Baldwin’s 1962 “Letter to My Nephew,” which was later published in his landmark book, The Fire Next Time. Addressing his fifteen-year-old namesake on the one hundredth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Baldwin wrote: “You know and I know, that the country is celebrating one hundred years of freedom one hundred years too soon.”

Award-winning author Jesmyn Ward knows that Baldwin’s words ring as true as ever today. In response, she has gathered short essays, memoir, and a few essential poems to engage the question of race in the United States. And she has turned to some of her generation’s most original thinkers and writers to give voice to their concerns.

The Fire This Time is divided into three parts that shine a light on the darkest corners of our history, wrestle with our current predicament, and envision a better future. Of the eighteen pieces, ten were written specifically for this volume.

In the fifty-odd years since Baldwin’s essay was published, entire generations have dared everything and made significant progress. But the idea that we are living in the post-Civil Rights era, that we are a “postracial” society, is an inaccurate and harmful reflection of a truth the country must confront. Baldwin’s “fire next time” is now upon us, and it needs to be talked about.

I saw this book on many must-read non-fiction of 2016 lists, and it immediately piqued my curiosity. That said, a book like this should never feel easy or 'comfortable' to me. In a perfect world, a book like this would not be needed. However, two of my goals for 2017 are to read at least one non-fiction book a month and to read more diversely, so here we go.

Are you taking part in TBR Takedown? Leave a link to your post and I'll take a look at what you're reading, too. 

Review: The Summer I Became A Nerd By Leah Rae Miller

This book has been on my TBR for a long time. So long, in fact, that when I picked up my Kindle and was ready to buy it, I discovered that I already did that years ago. Ah, memory. ;)

I've always been a geek. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, Harry Potter, video games... It's pretty much been my bread and butter my whole life. I was not one of the popular people but, thanks largely to my disabilities, I never had the desire to be one of them. Nor did I live under the illusion that was possible.

Do I sound bitter? Let me assure you it is not for myself--I'm 34 and outside of YA fiction high school is way, way in my rear view mirror--but rather for the protagonist of this story. The fact that there are girls out there who feel as she does truly breaks my heart.

(Summary from GoodReads)

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

There were some things I really liked about this book, and some things that totally drove me up the wall. At the center of this set of mixed opinions was our protagonist, Maddie. I didn't think she was a terrible person, but as I said in my intro, I couldn't relate to her extreme desperation to be popular, and I think that created a divide between her and I.

There wasn't actually a lot of external conflict that related to the core popularity struggle. The vast majority of Maddie's fears, aside from being laughed at in the prologue and one line of dialogue by a single character near the end, are self inflicted. In fact, I found that with a lot of Maddie's problems, which made it difficult for me to empathize with her.

She won't tell people she doesn't like a popular country singer. She hides her geeky interests to a spy-comedy level of ridiculousness. She has crafted a persona and image for herself, picking people and controlling everything down to two CDs strategically placed in her backseat to match what her friends are listening to.

I'm sorry, but I just couldn't fully believe it. It actually made me feel sorry for the people she has been lying to / using / deceiving rather than making me feel sympathy for her plight.

And yet, despite how hard I'm coming down on this, I did enjoy the book. I think it holds a very important message about the value of being true to yourself and the cost when someone is too afraid to do that.

I liked Terra (Maddie's best friend) and felt bad that Maddie didn't have enough faith in their friendship to confide in her. Logan was all right. A bit too quick to switch his attitude, though Maddie kinda deserved that considering how fake she could be. Unfortunately, he didn't have a lot of real presence on the page and despite all the fabulous geeky references and settings we get to explore, his character never really did anything that made him stand out. My favorite character was Dan. He was hilarious, honest and a loyal friend.

Basically, this novel was like a picture just slightly out of focus. What was here was an enjoyable read, but I wanted to dig deeper into this situation. I wanted to understand why Maddie continued to feel her fears were justified. I wanted to get to know the other characters--not just have her tell me how they were. A light, breezy and definitely geeky summer romance, The Summer I Became A Nerd is literary cotton candy. It's sweet, airy and you'll enjoy it while it lasts, but upon looking back you will wonder if you actually ate anything. As with cotton candy, that doesn't mean it should be avoided. Rather, a potential reader just needs to know what they are getting into when they pick this book up.

Review: Life In A Fishbowl by Len Vlahos

My father had to be operated on last October to remove a tumor from his pituitary gland. During that operation, he had a deep brain stroke and over three months later he has a long road toward recovery ahead of him. With that in mind, I think it's safe to say that books about fathers, daughters and medical trauma are on my mind right now. Life In A Fishbowl further grabbed me with the idea of combining this with reality tv. I hate reality tv with a burning, fiery passion, so I figured no good could come of this.

But do you want to know what sold me on reading this book hook, line, and sinker? Glio. That's what--or who?--made this have to be the first book I read in 2017. The idea of a brain tumor actually getting its own POV was such a crazy concept that I simply couldn't resist?

Was Life In A Fishbowl as good as the sum of its parts? Read on and find out!

(Summary From Goodreads)

Fifteen-year-old Jackie Stone is a prisoner in her own house. Everything she says and does 24/7 is being taped and broadcast to every television in America. Why? Because her dad is dying of a brain tumor and he has auctioned his life on eBay to the highest bidder: a ruthless TV reality show executive at ATN.

Gone is her mom's attention and cooking and parent-teacher conferences. Gone is her sister's trust ever since she's been dazzled by the cameras and new-found infamy. Gone is her privacy. Gone is the whole family's dignity as ATN twists their words and makes a public mockery of their lives on Life and Death. But most of all, Jackie fears that one day very soon her father will just be . . . gone. Armed only with her ingenuity and the power of the internet, Jackie is determined to end the show and reclaim all of their lives, even in death.

This book was every bit as unique as I thought it would be. Unfortunately, I mean that in both the best and worst ways possible. Let's start with what I liked:

Glio -- The extremely weird, why-the-heck-is-this-a-thing POV 100% did not disappoint. Despite any flaws this book has, it's not one that I'm going to forget thanks to this 'guy'. Why did he work? Well, the connection between his POV and Jared's allowed the author to continue to express Jared's emotion even as his disease consumed him and essentially stripped away who he was. I don't think this 'character' will be for everyone and it might even set some people off, but I feel his inclusion was for far more than mere shock value.

The way characters were introduced. This book had a ton of narrators and one of the things the author did to help the reader know we were getting another brand new one was to theme the first two lines of each new POV's opening. For example:

The high-grade glioblastoma multiforme tumor liked Jared Stone's brain. It liked it a lot. In fact, it found it delicious.

An intro like this happens for every major and minor character POV throughout the novel, tailored to what is important to that individual. I feel that this helped to solidify a massive cast of POV that could have gotten really confusing or fallen apart otherwise.

The overall flow of the plot kept things moving and was written interestingly enough that I was never bored with the story. The style had a breezy feel to it that kept me tapping to turn the page of my Kindle with no hesitation at all.

Okay, then. What went wrong?

First and foremost, I don't feel that this book is really YA. I think that it features a few teen characters and that they do get to do some important things in the narrative, but this is the most adult-focused YA novel that I have ever reviewed on this blog. The villain is a TV producer that our heroine has little hope of really taking down. And far more disturbingly, when we get glimpses into his POV some of the things we find out are that he likes to use his secretary as a prostitute and that secret cameras were installed in the Stone family's bathrooms and that the TV crew liked watching the mother and her 13 and 15 year old daughters shower.

If either of the two examples I just gave had actually really factored into the story in any direct and tangible way, we wouldn't be having this conversation. But no. They are here for shock value, and unlike Glio they do not work.

Another thing that drove me crazy was that this book, which initially felt like it was written in third person past tense, would occasionally decide that it wanted to switch to omniscient POV without warning. I found this very jarring and it was generally to tell the reader things they would probably have been better off not knowing, like the part about the villain's secretary that I listed above.

My next issue comes with the fact that at about half way the book gets a split narrative between the teenaged heroine finding a way to stop the TV people filming her family, and her mother finding a way to perform euthenasia on her husband. We end up seeing the final results of both of these situations in full detail. To be clear: my issue has nothing to do with being for or against assisted suicide. My issue is that such a core part of the book, which will undoubtedly make a lot of readers uncomfortable--should have been addressed somewhere in its marketing. That it was not is irresponsible of both the author and the publisher.

Lastly, there was a violent and unnecessary dog death about half way through the book. Unlike my other complaints, this is a personal pet peeve. If I felt it had served an actual purpose I wouldn't be as annoyed, but as it stands I'll stick to my reaction when I read it: "Really? You're gonna kill the dog?". *eyeroll*

So, should you buy Life In A Fishbowl? My feelings on this are very mixed. There is a good book among all of the flaws that I have listed, but this is definitely not a read to go into blindly. If books were roads, this one would be full of pot holes. Watch your step. 

Review: Take Them By Storm by Marie Landry

*This book is New Adult

As with any review I do for Marie's books, I will start with the necessary disclaimer: Marie Landry is a long-time blogger friend whom I have known for several years. I do not say this to discredit the integrity of my review, but rather to ensure that all cards are laid on the table when you read it.

That said, what were my thoughts going into Take Them By Storm? First and foremost that I know I'm late to the party. This released a while ago and I was not actively blogging or reading much at that time. Second, that I was pretty sure going in that this book would be a safe bet for me. I've enjoyed everything Marie has written, so I was fairly certain Take Them By Storm would be the literary equivalent of catching up with old friends.

Was I right? Read on and find out...

(Summary from GoodReads)

This book is a standalone companion novel to Waiting for the Storm and After the Storm.

Sadie Fitzgerald has always been different, and not just because she makes her own clothes and would rather stay home watching Doctor Who than party with kids her age. When it’s time to leave Angel Island for college, Sadie is eager to put her old life behind her. Small-minded people and rumors have plagued her for years, but with the love of her adoptive family, the O’Dells, Sadie has learned to embrace who she is. Now she’s not afraid to admit the rumors about her are true: she’s gay.

For the first time in her life, Sadie feels free to be herself. She dives into college life and begins volunteering at the local LGBT center, where she discovers her small-town upbringing left holes in her education about life outside Angel Island.

The world is a bigger and more accepting place than Sadie ever imagined. She’s finally found where she belongs, but with the reappearance of someone from her past, an unexpected new friendship, and a chance at love, Sadie soon realizes she still has a lot to learn about life, friendship, and love.

The first thing I can say about Take Them By Storm is that it covered all the things I expect (at this point) from a Marie Landry novel. Relatable characters? Check. Beautiful writing with a natural flow? Absolutely. Gorgeous, descriptive prose complete with a setting so vibrantly realized that it seems like its own character? Without question. I had tried samples of three other books on my June reading list and failed to connect with them. I definitely did not have that problem here. 

It was beautiful going back to this story world. (I view all stories as their own worlds, even if they are set in ours.) It was great being reunited with Charlotte, Ella, River and Ezra. It was also wonderful getting to know Sadie better. I had hoped she would get her own story and now that I have read it I feel that hope was definitely justified. 

The shift from YA to NA was handled well and felt organic for the characters. The characters from previous books were also consistent with who I knew them to be, while still carrying enough growth and depth for me to believe that a year had passed and they were all headed to work / university / college. 

Just as vital as the growth I see in the characters is the growth I see in Marie's writing. She used a plot device that drove me slightly batty in one of her earlier books and then turned it completely on its head. She also managed to have me convinced that was not going to happen until the last minute, which made for some very tense, fidgety, nail-biting reading that I usually don't get from contemporary books. 

She also did something extremely clever with the romance here, which was definitely a bold move considering that she was already expanding her horizons by writing a romance with two ladies. I don't want to say much more about what goes on in the romance, as I feel that the way it turns out and is developed over the course of the book is one of Take Them By Storm's most intriguing and memorable aspects. Especially from a writing point of view. 

Last, I think it's clever how Marie is tying various places she has set up within her re-imagining of Ontario together. Getting to see Melody and Oliva from The Game Changer was a fun surprise. 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Do you even need to ask? Take Them By Storm is a great novel in its own right, as well as a continuation of the excellent storytelling and gorgeous writing I have come to expect and enjoy in every Marie Landry novel that I read. If you have not read any of Marie's books and you're a fan of contemporary fiction, do yourself a favor and try one. 

I Love Contemporary YA!

There are two genres that make up the largest bulk of what I read and I'll be covering both this month. Since Contemporary starts with a C, it gets to go first.

Why I Love Contemporary YA: 

What makes Contemporary novels so compelling to me is that sometimes, things that could happen in real life are even more fascinating to me than things that happen strictly in the realms of fantasy or paranormal. Further, as a writer who mostly focuses on speculative fiction, I feel that my own work is enriched by an enhanced awareness and sensitivity to the things people face every day. Hidden demons that might not get as much time as vampires and werewolves but which are much more frighteningly real.

Then, of course, there is the opportunity to, though a book, essentially borrow a character's life. To experience what it would have been like to have a date for prom. To see how someone else's pre-college preparations may have differed from my own. Through contemporary, I can insert myself into any social group, situation, etc. without the need for a time machine or even having to leave the comfort of my chair. Pretty powerful stuff, I'd say.

So today I'm going to post a few trios of books. I'll list my top three contemporary recommendations. I'll share three books by beloved authors that I can't wait to read. And I'll list three books by new-to-me authors that I'm totally dying to check out.

My Must Reads:

I've read tons of contemporary YA that I totally love, and if I tried to list all of it I'd be here all day. Since neither of us have time for that, I've narrowed it down to these three.

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles -- While I love the entire Perfect Chemistry series, Carlos and Kiara's book was my favorite. Probably because Carlos is a bit of a rebel, and Kiara reminded me a bit of me.

Waiting For The Storm by Marie Landry -- A beautiful story of surviving the worst and learning to truly live again. Love, family, friendship... This book has many of the things that make contemporary such a compelling genre.

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens -- This book is equal parts harrowing and hopeful. I absolutely loved the characters (and damn did I ache for them!). Despite all that happens in this book, it is one where I did not want the story to end.

My Most Wanted:

This is kinda unfair, since these are all from authors I've read and loved. I was going to do a category for authors I want to try, but I'm behind on this and I want to go to bed!

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

After The Storm by Marie Landry -- The next book in the Angel Island series. This one is from Ella's point of view. Considering how she was in Waiting For The Storm, I can't wait to see how she will be here and whether she will be able to win readers over.

Played by Liz Fichera -- Sequel to Hooked, which was one of my favorite contemporary novels last year. I've been waiting a LONG time for this one and I absolutely cannot wait to read it!

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson -- Jandy's first book, The Sky Is Everywhere, isn't just one of my favorite contemporary novels. It's one of my favorite novels *ever*. So when I discovered that she has a new book coming out this year, there was no way it wasn't getting on this list.

So, what are your favorite contemporary YA novels? Which ones are you excited for this year? I'd love to know. :) 

2013 YA Contemporary Challenge

In 2012 I did not read nearly as much contemporary YA as I would have liked to, and that is something I plan to change in 2013. As part of my commitment to that change, I have decided to take place in the 2013 Contemporary Challenge being hosted at Katie's Book Blog.

I am going for the gold here--I'm going to give level 3 a shot. This isn't *quite* what I had in mind (I wanted to read some stuff I missed last year) but there are a ton of great sounding contemporary YA novels releasing this year, so I can go with that. (And it won't stop me from reading the ones I'm dying to get through for my TBR Pile Challenge, anyway.)

If you are interested in learning about the challenge click here. If you decide to join the challenge, I would also recommend joining the GoodReads group for it, here. They have compiled an awesome list of 2013 Contemporary YA releases, which will no doubt prove helpful.

Kat's Reading List: 

I'll come back and add pictures at the end. Right now, I'm trying to make sure that I don't pick, say, all books that are releasing in November. Here we go! (Wow! I ended up with a list of 17 books. That's pretty impressive.)

Empty by K.M. Walton (Jan. 1st)
Salvation by Anne Osterlund (Jan. 10th)
Hooked by Liz Fichera (Jan. 31st)
Blaze by Laurie Boyle Crompton (Feb. 1st)
Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally (Mar. 1st)
Bruised by Sarah Skilton (Mar. 5th)
This Is What Happy Looks Like (Apr. 2nd)
The Lucy Variations by Sarah Zarr (May 7th)
The Book of Broken Hearts (May 21st)
Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown (May 21st)
Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt (Mar. 26th)
Dare You To by Katie McGarry (May 28th)
The Summer I Became A Nerd (May 7th)
OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
Canary by Rachele Alpine (August 28th)
Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma (Sept. 5th)
Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein (Oct. 1st)
Red by Cherry Alison (Oct. 8th)

So, are you taking part in the Contemporary YA Challenge? What contemporary YA book are you most excited about this year?

Let's Talk About Love: A 2012 Romance Reading Challenge

Okay, here's a big surprise: I love romantic fiction. Gasp! I bet you're just dying over there, aren't you? :) ;)

Okay. Now that we've got the totally obvious out of the way, let's get to the not so obvious. I've been looking for a romantic fiction challenge to join for 2012 but have not come across one that would be right for me. The main reason for this is that a lot of them do not qualify YA as a valid source of reading material. And that's totally fine. It just means I've needed to come up with my own.

And so the Let's Talk About Love Reading Challenge is born.

But now you're probably wondering what the heck it entails and just why you should sign up for another reading challenge. Well read on and I'll share all the details.

What's The Challenge?

The goal of the Let's Talk About Love Reading Challenge is to get you to read twelve different books and consider them from a romance point of view. You've read at least one of my reviews here on I Write, I Read, I Review, right? (Right?) Every time I review a book I talk about the romance as its own category if any form of real or valid romance was shown in the book.

I'm not necessarily asking you to read twelve *more* books here. What I'm challenging you to do is to give twelve books, over a variety of categories, a bit more consideration in the romance department. By the time this year is over, if you stick with me on this, you may know a little more about what you like about couples in books -- or why romance is totally not your cup of tea. At the very least, its not going to be boring.

Challenge Levels:

Amethyst Heart -- Read and talk about four books / categories
Emerald Heart -- Read and talk about eight books / categories
Sapphire Heart -- Read and talk about twelve books / categories
Ruby Heart -- Read and talk about sixteen books / categories

But Kat, you mentioned categories...

Yes, I did. Because romances come in many different shapes and sizes. What kinds of books are we looking for romance in for 2012?

Contemporary

Romance that takes place in a book that happens in the 'real world'.

Fantasy

For the sake of clarification, this category is for books that don't happen on our world. (They *can* happen on a world similar to ours, historically or through time travel or alternate universes, though.)

Urban Fantasy

Fantasy that takes place within our world, in a generally modern setting.

Science Fiction

Aliens, spaceships, steampunk, mad scientists... The sky's the limit, pretty much.

Dystopian

Apocolyptic fiction, dystopian fiction or utopian fiction applies here. They're falling in love while the world is going to Hades in a handbasket. ;)

Paranormal

Vampires, werewolves, shifters, zombies and anything else that is creepy / scary.

Angels & Demons

Good angels, bad angels, demons... Anything that falls into the above will work.

Beautiful Creatures

Faeries, mermaids, nymphs... Anything that is pretty, even if it can be dangerous.

Fairytale Retellings

Retellings of fairy tales, myths or legends.

Historical

Stories that happened in our world, but that are from the past.

LGBT Romance

Romance between characters who are gay, lesbian, bi, etc.

Romance from a Male POV

Romance where we get to see the guy's point of view. This can either be fully a male pov or a book where both the male and female pov of the hero and heroine are used.

There are also four bonus categories. If any of the above really don't work for you, you are allowed to swap for one of these instead:

Romance in a 2012 Debut

Talk about the romance that happens in a 2012 debut that you read.

Romance in the Classics

Take a look at a classic book -- and I'm leaving this one very open for you -- and talk about the romance in it.

Romance in a Sequel / Series

Talk about how the couple(s) inside one of your favorite series are growing from book to book. (If you do this one I would suggest a spoiler warning.)

Romance that involves a love triangle. 

Love them or hate them, they happen. Talk about a love triangle in a book you read this year.

Rules:

1. The Reading Challenge will begin on January 1st, 2012 and continue until January 31st of 2013. The reason for the extra time is to make sure that people who want to read a December '12 book for their debut book can do so.

2. A book can only be counted once, even if it is technically able to fulfill two or more slots. For instance, Insurgent by Veronica Roth could count as dystopian, science fiction and a sequel. But you would have to pick which category you want to use it for.

3. There is no need to select a challenge level. All you need to do is come back for the appropriate badge(s) as you earn them. (Badges coming soon.)

4. You need to write and post a review for each book in this challenge. If you do not have a blog, you are welcome to link GoodReads reviews. Remember that the point of the challenge is to examine the romance in books you are reading. :)

5. Books read for this challenge are welcome to be used in other challenges as well. You read the book. As far as I'm concerned you've earned the right to use it in any challenge you desire. (At least in mine.)

6. The books for this challenge can be YA or adult. You may have noticed that I did not include any type of categorization that would make someone have to read a book that has a specified level of sensuality / sexuality. This was on purpose, because I feel we all have our own comfort levels with this. If you *do* read and link up adult books on my challenge linky once the challenge starts, please put (not YA) after the book name so readers will know. Thanks!

Prizes:

People who reach at least Emerald level by the end of the year will be entered into a draw for a prize. People who reach between Emerald and Ruby will get +1 entries for each additional book that they got closer. People who reach ruby (crazy, crazy people!) will be entered for a bigger and better prize.

Depending on my blog schedule, financing, etc. there may also be surprise contests that come up in conjunction with Let's Talk About Love.

Badges:

I am aiming to have badges done for each challenge level, as well as for each challenge category. When they go up you are totally welcome to put them in your posts to promote Let's Talk About Love.

Guest Posts:

My other goal is to have a guest blogger each month to talk about a category from this challenge and how they feel abou it. Watch out for these -- they will likely be where I set up surprise contests.

Sign Up!

Anyway, this challenge is still under a certain amount of construction, but thanks so much for taking a look. Have I grabbed your interest. Are you totally excited and ready for a super fun year of reading and discussion? Then please add your name to the linky below.