Summer 2016 Reading Challenge: Try Three New Authors

[Ranee]

Excellent point, Amanda! I think I can guess which books your talking about, and even if I'm guessing the wrong one, it also proves exactly what you said. I only have boys so far, but it makes me think about the books he's reading. He's only 10, but we have such different interests in books that we don't tend to overlap much. (He's not a big romance reader, lol). Still, you gotta talk. I love that point so much.

[A.L.]

Ranee wrote: "Still, you gotta talk. I love that point so much."

I'm trying to follow my own advice. Today my girls (twins who just finished kindergarten) read a bunch of Little Critter books. Then they fought over who got to read Animally and were sent to their rooms. Ahhh, welcome to summer vacation.

[Lisa]

I have picked my three books with new to me author's to read this summer. The first I am assuming is LDS, because I can't find any info on the author, published by Covenant and it's set in Provo. It is A Date With Danger by Kari Iroz. The book isn't listed on Goodreads yet and there isn't bio info for the author. The second book that I plan to read is The Time Key, the third is Keepers of the Sword.

[Lisa]

Debbie wrote: "I am reading ENTWINED by Heather Dixon (a new to me author). I've only read about 60 pages so far, but it's good!"
I loved this book!

[Katie]

I've chosen my three books for the summer. Gladly Beyond by Nichole Van, Bethany's New Reality by Rachel John, and Glitch {A Comedy of Errors} by Amber Gilchrist. I'm looking forward to finding new authors! :)

[Jennie]

I've read two books by authors I haven't read before this month; Pride and Politics by Brittany Larsen and Chemistry Lessons by Rebecca H. Jamison. I'm sure I'll find another one before the summer is over.

[Charissa]

Ranee wrote: "Charissa, I'm interested in your take on Kelly Oram's books. I've only read V is for Virginity, and while I loved the idea behind the plot, I was really bothered by how lightly the way Kyle sexuall..."

Sorry for the late response, Renee. I've just moved states and have been going crazy trying to pack and now unpack. I haven't read the V is for Virgin book, so I can't comment on that relationship. The books I read were super power characters and that made it pretty intense with the action. She does write edgier stuff with some terminology and lingo the teens use, but I felt the books never showed more than kissing and were pretty clean. The witty dialogue makes me laugh and her characters are pretty strong. I'll have to keep what you said in mind when I read the V book, which I'll get to hopefully before end of summer.

[Cathy]

Finished my first book, A Date with Danger by Kari Iroz!

[A.L.]

Cathy wrote: "Finished my first book, A Date with Danger by Kari Iroz!"

That's great! How is everyone else doing with their summer reading?

I've been reading the last few weeks, but all nonfiction (or read-aloud kids books), so nothing that counts for this challenge. I guess I'm still at "one down, two to go."

[Lisa]

A.L. wrote: "Cathy wrote: "Finished my first book, A Date with Danger by Kari Iroz!"

That's great! How is everyone else doing with their summer reading?

I've been reading that last few weeks, but all nonficti..."

I just finished reading The Time Key by Melanie Bateman. It's her debut and it is well done! It is my first book of the challenge. Book #2 will be read next week.

[Lisa]

Lisa wrote: "I will try. :) My review schedule is pretty tight for the summer. Maybe some of theme will be new LDS author's to me. (crossing my fingers)"

I have read two "new to me" LDS author's so far for this challenge. The first was "The Time Key" by Melanie Bateman. It was very good! The second was "A Date with Danger" by Kari Iroz. The MC was so snarky and fun to read that I couldn't put it down. I am looking forward to the third book.

[Jennie]

I read Eyes Forward by Lavita Wilkinson, a new author for me. That makes three authors I hadn't read before.

[Kim]

Lisa wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I will try. :) My review schedule is pretty tight for the summer. Maybe some of theme will be new LDS author's to me. (crossing my fingers)"

I have read two "new to me" LDS author's s..."

Way to go Lisa and Jennie!

[Tressa]

Lisa and I are on the same tours, so we've read the same books: and . My review for The Time Key went up on my blog today and then the other will go up tomorrow. Both were good, but I am a sucker for romance so I loved the second one. Just one more to go and that will be my next tour book with Cedar Fort for in the middle of July.

[Katie]

I made a list of three and have yet to read any of them yet, but I did read A Date with Danger by Kari Iroz and Making Faces by Amy Harmon. Both are new-to-me authors.

[Tressa]

Katie wrote: "I made a list of three and have yet to read any of them yet, but I did read A Date with Danger by Kari Iroz and Making Faces by Amy Harmon. Both are new-to-me authors."

Obviously I need to read Making Faces with all the fabulous reviews. It sounds really good.

[Lisa]

Katie wrote: "I made a list of three and have yet to read any of them yet, but I did read A Date with Danger by Kari Iroz and Making Faces by Amy Harmon. Both are new-to-me authors."

I hadn't heard of Making Faces until this. I just went and looked it up, it looks great. Another for my TBR list.

[Katie]

It's not squeaky clean, but I have an emotional hangover. It's so moving!

[Kim]

Katie wrote: "It's not squeaky clean, but I have an emotional hangover. It's so moving!"

I have to agree with you Katie. Making Faces is one of the most moving teen (ya) to new adult coming of age novels I have ever read. I must have screamed out loud in anguish and used up half a tissue box at the last dramatic plot twist. I too had an emotional hangover 2 years ago when I read it. Amy Harmon's latest that came out last month The Bird and the Sword I bought and hope to get to soon though obviously as not part of the challenge.

[Katie]

I can't wait to see what you think about that one, Kim!

[Katie]

I read Buxton Peak Book One: Who Is Ian Taylor? by Julie L. Spencer and I'm about 3/4 done with one on my list (finally)--Gladly Beyond by Nichole Van.

[Melanie]

My first two books are the same as Lisa's and Tressa's. "The Time Key" by Melanie Bateman and "A Date with Danger" by Kari Iroz. I enjoyed them both! "The Time Key" is time travel/fantasy and "A Date with Danger" is romantic suspense and is also very funny!

[Kim]

Katie wrote: "I read Buxton Peak Book One: Who Is Ian Taylor? by Julie L. Spencer and I'm about 3/4 done with one on my list (finally)--Gladly Beyond by Nichole Van."

I just finished Gladly Beyond and can't use it for the challenge because I read a novella of Nichole Van in the Spring in Hyde Park anthology. I just also finished Solstice but have read books of Jane Redd under her real name Heather B. Moore before, so can't use that title either. I am currently reading Eun Na and the Phantom by Erica Laurie whom is a new LDS author to me.

[Erica]

I hope you like Eun Na and the Phantom. :)

[Kim]

Erica wrote: "I hope you like Eun Na and the Phantom. :)"

Loving it so far :-)! Wish there was more like this. All the things I love about K-dramas.

[Kim]

Hallejuah! I went through the group bookshelf and found the two more LDS authors I never have read for the challenge! My 3 books for the challenge by the end of August are:


Eun Na and the Phantom by Erica Laurie


Royal Date by Sariah Wilson


All Fall Down by Julie Coulter Bellon

[Erica]

I'm going to assume that any one on the board for the Whitney's is LDS. So I am currently reading The Soul Stealer's Child on wattpad by Braden Bell

I plan to read Accidentally Married next.

[Cathy]

Finished Sweet Confections by Danielle Ferguson, currently reading Candid by Michele Pennington. Almost finished! :-)

[Cathy]

I finished Candid the other day, so I'm all finished! :-)

[A.L.]

Well done Cathy!

[Kim]

Cathy wrote: "I finished Candid the other day, so I'm all finished! :-)"

Great job Cathy :-)!

[Melanie]

I hope it's not too late to jump in here. I just finished Sigil in Shadow by Constance Roberts (it was very good), and I'm starting Swan and Shadow by Kaki Olsen. Thanks for all the lists. I'm excited to read more LDS authors.

[Charissa]

Melanie wrote: "I hope it's not too late to jump in here. I just finished Sigil in Shadow by Constance Roberts (it was very good), and I'm starting Swan and Shadow by Kaki Olsen. Thanks for all the lists. I'm exci..."

Never too late to jump in. I haven't heard of those authors, so I'm going to go look them up. Thanks, Melanie...and happy reading!

[A.L.]

Melanie wrote: "I hope it's not too late to jump in here. I just finished Sigil in Shadow by Constance Roberts (it was very good), and I'm starting Swan and Shadow by Kaki Olsen. Thanks for all the lists. I'm exci..."

What Charissa said. :) We've still got 7 weeks left. And even after that I can leave the discussion topic open.

[Katie]

I just finished Glitch {A Comedy of Errors} by Amber Gilchrist and I really enjoyed it! Yay--I love finding new authors.

[A.L.]

I'm glad you're finding and enjoying some new authors, Katie!

[Laura]

Okay, I finished the reading challenge for three new LDS authors and enjoyed stories by H. Linn Murphy, Maria Hoagland, and Jenni James.

[Charissa]

Laura wrote: "Okay, I finished the reading challenge for three new LDS authors and enjoyed stories by H. Linn Murphy, Maria Hoagland, and Jenni James."

Congrats! That's awesome. Maria's one of my friends. Glad you got to read her. Did you read the Re[model] Marriage or another one by her?

[Laura]

The {Re}Model Marriage. I enjoyed the story overall but I'm not very handy with tools so I struggled to envision parts of the remodeling job that were described in such detail. But I liked the way the couple resolved their marriage.

[Paul]

I just finished this one (the first of my three) by Dan Wells called "I Am Not a Serial Killer" and have linked my review for those interested.

by Dan Wells

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[A.L.]

Laura wrote: "Okay, I finished the reading challenge for three new LDS authors and enjoyed stories by H. Linn Murphy, Maria Hoagland, and Jenni James."

Yay!

I feel like we should have prizes or something. Maybe for the next reading challenge.

[A.L.]

Paul wrote: "I just finished this one (the first of my three) by Dan Wells called "I Am Not a Serial Killer" and have linked my review for those interested.

by [aut..."

Thanks for posting your review!

[Alisa]

I finished my three books! I read:

by Braden Bell (Brandon Gray)

by Sally Johnson

by Rachel John

And I think this one also qualifies: by Jenny Proctor

I thought I was going to have a hard time finding three, but when I started looking, I kept finding more! So I also plan to read: by Maria Hoagland and by Connie Sokol

[Charissa]

Alisa wrote: "I finished my three books! I read:

by Braden Bell (Brandon Gray)

by Sally Johnson

[bookcover:Beth..."

Good job Alisa.

[Charissa]

Laura wrote: "The {Re}Model Marriage. I enjoyed the story overall but I'm not very handy with tools so I struggled to envision parts of the remodeling job that were described in such detail. But I liked the way ..."

I read that one too. Maria's a handygirl with remodeling--she's always doing something in her house. I'm like you and couldn't picture certain things, but I didn't feel it detracted from the story too much. I'm sure what I envisioned was WAY different than what Maria was thinking.

[A.L.]

Alisa wrote: "I finished my three books! I read:

by Braden Bell (Brandon Gray)

by Sally Johnson

[bookcover:Beth..."

That's awesome, Alisa!

[Lucinda]

I read by Taylor Dean, a new author to me. Really loved it.

[Laura]

Charissa wrote: "Laura wrote: "The {Re}Model Marriage. I enjoyed the story overall but I'm not very handy with tools so I struggled to envision parts of the remodeling job that were described in such detail. But I ..."

True. And I liked the way she brought the MIL into the story. I could totally understand Jamie's point of view on that but I was hoping the author would resolve the matter between the two women a little more. I liked how the husband finally stood up for his wife but a little more dialogue between the two women would have been helpful.

[A.L.]

Lucinda wrote: "I read by Taylor Dean, a new author to me. Really loved it."

That one's gotten some good reviews from group members!

[Lucinda]

It was a really good surprise. I've been sort of following this series (missed the Feb and Mar books) and most of them have been really good (had one I didn't like at all, couldn't even finish), but this one was amazing.
I looked through my Kindle and I read a lot of authors that I've read before. I need to branch out a little.
I'm a romance reader (contemp, historial, etc) and I like sweeping stories. Any recs?