Summer 2017 Reading Challenge: Something old, something new . . .

[Laura]

I'm reading a fairly new book by an LDS author, Jewel Allen, called Soapbox: A Political Memoir. It tells about how she became a political activist, but it includes many more interesting tidbits about her life as well. I'm about halfway through.

[Laura]

Soapbox: How I landed & lost a columnist gig, fought a prison, and got elected

[A.L.]

Sounds like an interesting book, Laura!

[Cathy]

My something blue is Paige's Turn by Jennifer Peel. Such a great romance if you like that sort of thing. And I loved that it was clean, I wouldn't have a problem passing it on to my teen.

[A.L.]

I love books that are clean enough that I can recommend them to everyone!

[Lucinda]

I read for the second time. So, so good.

[Kristen]

Finished the borrowed book (they were all borrow to be honest). I finished Miss Burton Unmasks a Prince. It was fluffy little romance. And it was a quick read.

[A.L.]

Lucinda wrote: "I read for the second time. So, so good."

I'm glad you were able to read something for the challenge, Lucinda. How is the book you're writing coming along?

[A.L.]

Kristen wrote: "Finished the borrowed book (they were all borrow to be honest). I finished Miss Burton Unmasks a Prince. It was fluffy little romance. And it was a quick read."

So you just have something blue left, right? (I think you're ahead of most of us--which is awesome!)

[Lucinda]

A.L. wrote: "Lucinda wrote: "I read for the second time. So, so good."

I'm glad you were able to read something for the challenge, Lucinda. How is the book you're writing ..."

I didn't remember about the challenge until I was done reading.

If I can get to my goal word count, I'm almost at the 2/3 mark.

[Kristen]

I do have my blue book left, Ceynote. And I just might finish it by tomorrow, which was my goal, but if not that's okay too. It is a really great book with layers of symbolism under an enjoyable story. I definitely recommend it even through I am only halfway through it.

[A.L.]

Kristen wrote: "I do have my blue book left, Ceynote. And I just might finish it by tomorrow, which was my goal, but if not that's okay too. It is a really great book with layers of symbolism under an enjoyable st..."

I've heard really good things about Chelsea Dyreng's books!

[A.L.]

Lucinda wrote: "If I can get to my goal word count, I'm almost at the 2/3 mark. "

Sounds like you're making good progress! My book's too long, so I'm trying to cut stuff. And add more internal thoughts. So my efforts are kind of canceling each other out on the word count front.

[Kristen]

Done. Ceynote, my something blue, was great. It is a story of unlikely love (which when you think about it pretty much describes most marriages). Sandpiper and Lark are pushed together by circumstances of life and marry, but the troubles of the world around them and their pasts come to haunt them. This can just be a good story, or you can ponder the deeper means that Dyreng has woven into the story. I recommend it.

[Joseph]

I noticed 3 of mine happen to center on pioneers,
The Undaunted : The Miracle of the Hole-in-the-Rock Pioneers ,
Saints ,
and
Like a Fire is Burning.

[A.L.]

Sounds like you have some good choices for Pioneer Day reading!

Question--how many people here celebrate Pioneer Day (July 24)?

Growing up, we often had a ward potluck or something. Then I moved to Utah and it's a state holiday here, so it's kind of a big deal. I still remember going to swim practice my first 24th in Utah and wondering why the Richards Building at BYU was locked on a weekday.

[Julie]

Buxton Peak Book Two: Center Stage is featured today on the LDS Summer Book Trek Reading Challenge and it's FREE on Kindle this week, July 10th-14th. It is 'Something New' since it was published within the last year. If you'd like to read Buxton Peak Book One: Who Is Ian Taylor? that counts as something Blue. If you'd like a complimentary digital copy, let me know and I'll email you a copy. Buxton Peak Book Three: The End of the Beginning is also brand new this spring so it would count as something new (psst... it's free next week as part of the Summer Book Trek!) Happy reading! -Julie L. Spencer

[A.L.]

Julie wrote: "Buxton Peak Book Two: Center Stage is featured today on the LDS Summer Book Trek Reading Challenge and it's FREE on Kindle this week, July 10th-14th. It is 'Something New' since it ..."

Julie, you might want to post about your free books on the Free Books discussion. I think more people are following that topic: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Julie]

A.L. wrote: "Julie wrote: "Buxton Peak Book Two: Center Stage is featured today on the LDS Summer Book Trek Reading Challenge and it's FREE on Kindle this week, July 10th-14th. It is 'Something ..."

Thanks! I posted it! -Julie

[A.L.]

How is everyone doing on their challenge?

I just finished something blue: Mustaches for Maddie
I read it aloud to my kids and they loved it. (I liked it too.)

[Julie]

I finished Life by Rebecca Belliston for something blue. I really liked the story and want to finish the other two books in the trilogy. It is about a community that does not have many material things. They are family even though they are not related, and help each other survive their challenges. It is a good read.

[A.L.]

Julie wrote: "I finished Life by Rebecca Belliston for something blue. I really liked the story and want to finish the other two books in the trilogy. It is about a community that does not have many material thi..."

I really liked that series. Such a cool (and slightly scary) premise!

[Cathy]

I finished my four with The Alliance by Gerald Lund as my old book!

[A.L.]

Cathy wrote: "I finished my four with The Alliance by Gerald Lund as my old book!"

That's great, Cathy!

How did you like The Alliance?

[Cathy]

I have loved that book for years. I read it tons of times as a youth.
It was fun to be able to read it again as an adult and realize that it was kind of the start of my love for distopian books.

[A.L.]

How fun! Sometimes I reread books I read as a youth, and I still love them. And sometimes I find my tastes have changed. I'm glad that one is still a good read for you!

[Lucinda]

I read this week for the something new. One of those you can't put down. Love this series.

[Becky]

I came a little late to the challenge since I just stumbled on this group. I hope that's okay. So far I've read a dozen or so LDS fiction this summer, all but one of them borrowed thanks to the Deseret Bookshelf.

Blue: Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites by Chris Heimerdinger


Old: The Work and the Glory: Pillar of Light by Gerald N. Lund


New: The Orphan Keeper by Camron Wright


Thanks for letting me join in!

[A.L.]

Lucinda wrote: "I read this week for the something new. One of those you can't put down. Love this series."

Does it have a history part too like the others in the series?

[A.L.]

Becky wrote: "I came a little late to the challenge since I just stumbled on this group. I hope that's okay. So far I've read a dozen or so LDS fiction this summer, all but one of them borrowed thanks the the De..."

Glad you joined the challenge, Becky! The challenge lasts until September, so there's still plenty of time for new people to join!

[Becky]

A.L. wrote: "Becky wrote: "I came a little late to the challenge since I just stumbled on this group. I hope that's okay. So far I've read a dozen or so LDS fiction this summer, all but one of them borrowed tha..."

I'm all done, what's next? ;)

[A.L.]

Well done, Becky!

What did you pick for your last book?

This challenge lasts until the end of September. Maybe we'll have a fall reading challenge when it ends.

I'm still only half-way done. But I have complete confidence that I can fit two more novels in before the end of September.

[Becky]

A.L. wrote: "Well done, Becky!

What did you pick for your last book?

This challenge lasts until the end of September. Maybe we'll have a fall reading challenge when it ends.

I'm still only half-way done. Bu..."

The challenge says it ends August 31. Is that wrong?

I finished the Work and the Glory series, so what's that last one, All is Well? I had been meaning to read those for years but never got around to it. Now I'm tempted to read more of his books, but I need a break from series for a while. While reading his 9-book series I was also reading an 8-book fantasy series. That's a lot of time to read just two authors. I'm not sure what I'll read from Deseret book next, any suggestions?

[A.L.]

Oops. Yeah, it's supposed to be through the end of September, so that people can do one book a month. But I put it wrong on the challenge feature. I'll go change that. Sorry about that!

[A.L.]

Becky wrote: "I'm not sure what I'll read from Deseret book next, any suggestions?"

What are you in the mood for, Becky?

If you like romance, the proper romance books are really popular.

If you like mystery/suspense, I'd look for Traci Hunter Abramson, Gregg Luke, or Stephanie Black.

If you like historical, I liked Jerry Borrowman's Til the Boys Come Home series. Or the Children of the Promise series by Dean Hughes. I liked the Isabelle Web series by Nancy Allen (kind of historical, with light paranormal elements). I've written some historical fiction too, and most of it's on DB plus.

[A.L.]

How is everyone doing on their challenge?

My "something borrowed" finally came through from the library, so I'll start The Orphan Keeper when I finish one of the books I'm reading now.

[Becky]

All done, I guess.

[A.L.]

We better start brainstorming the next group read. Let's do it on the brainstorming discussion, here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[A.L.]

Well, it took me until the last day of the challenge, but I finished.

Something old: The Captain of Her Heart by Anita Stansfield

Something new: The Wrong Side of Magic by Janette Rallison

Something borrowed: The Orphan Keeper by Camron Wright

Something blue: Mustaches for Maddie by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown

I finished my borrowed book a few days ago (a bit after it was due at the library--but that's the beauty of digital library books--if you don't connect your reading device to the internet, you can keep the book a little longer) and my old book a few hours ago.