July '20 Serial Reader Challenge

[Nell]

JULY '20 SERIAL READER CHALLENGE

July is Ice Cream Month

TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JULY CHALLENGE:

♦Pick five series that you want to read.

♦It can be a new or an on-going series.

♦Post the name of the series and the covers of at least two books that you have not read.

♦There must be at least two unread books in the series. No re-reads allowed.

♦You may re-post a series chosen before as long as there are at least two unread books.

♦Post series now through June 20th.

♦Pairs will be posted on June 21st.

♦Select a series for your partner between June 21st and 24th...sooner is better

♦Next month, read two (or more) books from the series selected for you.

New to the challenge? The thread for challenge guidelines and questions is here

Comments on this thread will be limited to members posting series until the 21st. After pairs are selected, the thread is open for discussion.

Challenge participants are advised to have their GR account set to accept personal messages so the moderator can contact you.

[Nell]

Participants:


🍦Gary picks for Michelle
🍦Jennifer picks for Linda R
🍦Michelle picks for Meg
🍦Meg picks for Gary
🍦Helen picks for Barbara
🍦Linda R picks for Helen
🍦Linda C picks for Jennifer
🍦Barbara picks for Linda C

[Gary]

I am back for July.

Izzy Lewis Mysteries by Wendy Byrne
#2 #3

Petra Paranomal Mysteries by Margaret C. Morse
#1 #2

Proverbial Crime Mysteries by Dane McCaslin
#2 #3

Barb Jackson Mysteries by Anna Snow
#2 #3

Cookies and Chance Mysteries by Catherine Bruns
#1 #2

[Jennifer]

In for July:

Cajun Country


Morland


Books by the Bay


County Cork


Tourist Trap

[Michelle]

Here are my choices....

Farm-To Fork Mystery by Lynn Cahoon
#3 One Potato, Two, Potato, Dead
#4 Deep Fried Revenge


Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle
#11 Once Upon A Spine
#12 Buried in Books


Museum Mystery by Shelia Connolly
#5 Razing the Dead
#6 Privy to Dead


A Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery by Tonya Kappes
#1 Stamped Out
#2 Address for Murder



A Ghostly Fashionista by Gayle Leeson
#1 Designs on Murder
#2 Perils and Lace

[Meg]

July is all about Hawaii!

Islands of Aloha
O'ahu Lonesome Tonight?
I'm Kona Love You Forever

Professor Molly Mysteries
The Musubi Murder
The Blessed Event

Maile Spencer
AWOL at Ala Moana
Baffled at the Beach

Maui Mayhem
Something's Rotten in Paradise
A Killing in Kula

Triple Threat Mysteries [the second one is set in Hawaii]
The Connecticut Corpse Caper
Can You Hula Like Hilo Hattie?

[Helen]

I’m in again.

Mary Daheim Emma Lord


Veronica Black Sister Joan


Debbie Young Sophie Sayers Village Mysteries.


Diana Xarissa Isle of Man mysteries.


Rebecca Tope Cotswold mysteries.

[Linda]

I'm in again!

Vintage Magic by Annette Blair (new to me)


Anna Pigeon by Nevada Barr (ongoing)


Cookbook Nook Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber (ongoing)


Torie O'Shea by Rett MacPherson (ongoing)


Capitol Crimes by Margaret Truman (ongoing)

[Linda C]

I'm in

Forensic Handwriting Mysteries - Sheila Lowe
#2 #3

Faith Fairchild Mysteries - Katherine Hall Page
#1 #2

Bellehaven House Mysteries - Rebecca Kent
#1 #2

Lily Bard Mysteries - Charlaine Harris
#2 #3

A Southern Ladies Mystery - Miranda James
#3 #4

[Barbara]

I have been so overwhelmed with work from home that I had to take last month off. But, I'm back for July and would like to make progress on one of these ongoing series:

Agatha Raisin by MC Beaton:
(#21) (#22)

Sarah Winston Garage Sale by Sherry Harris:
(#3) (#4)

Cat Latimer by Lynn Cahoon:
(#1) (#2)

Library Lovers by Jenn McKinlay:
(#9) (#10)

Manor House by Julie Hyzy:
(#2) (#3)

[Nell]

Welcome to the challenge. Pairs are posted in msg 2. You know what to do! 😉

[Michelle]

Meg I chose the Professor Molly Mysteries for you. Happy Reading!

[Jennifer]

Linda wrote: "I'm in again!

Vintage Magic by Annette Blair (new to me)


Anna Pigeon by Nevada Barr (ongo..."

Linda R, I'm picking Vintage Magic for you, albeit with misgivings because it's a great series and there are only six books! I was so disappointed when the seventh never came out.

[Linda]

Helen wrote: "I’m in again.

Mary Daheim Emma Lord


Veronica Black Sister Joan
[bookcover:A Vow of Obed..."

Hi Helen!

I haven’t read any of your series but I do enjoy Mary Daheim’s other series so I am going to go with the Emma Lord series for you. Happy reading!

[Linda]

Jennifer wrote: "Linda wrote: "I'm in again!

Vintage Magic by Annette Blair (new to me)


Anna Pigeon by [author:Nevada Bar..."

Thanks Jennifer! Looking forward to trying this one out.

[Gary]

Michelle:

I choose the Farm to Fork series for you. I love the author's Tourist Trap series. I am looking forward to your reviews. I hope to start this series at some point this year.

[Sharon]

Oh nuts, I really did blow right by the deadline. Enjoy your July reads, everybody. I'll be back for August (I hope).

[Barbara]

Linda C wrote: "I'm in

Forensic Handwriting Mysteries - Sheila Lowe
#2 #3

Faith Fairchild Mysteries - Katherine Hall Page
[bookcover:The Body i..."

Hi, Linda,

I'm selecting the Forensic Handwriting Mysteries for you. I read Written in Blood several years ago and thought it was good (but definitely not cozy). Somehow, I lost track of the series on my TBR list, but will be adding it back.

Hope you enjoy the books!

[Meg]

Michelle wrote: "Meg I chose the Professor Molly Mysteries for you. Happy Reading!"

Yay, thanks, Michelle! I have really been meaning to get those read.

[Meg]

Gary wrote: "I am back for July.


Hello, Gary, I'm choosing the Proverbial Crime series for you!

[Gary]

Sharon wrote: "Oh nuts, I really did blow right by the deadline. Enjoy your July reads, everybody. I'll be back for August (I hope)."

Sharon

I did that a couple of times this year...

[Gary]

Meg wrote: "Gary wrote: "I am back for July.


Hello, Gary, I'm choosing the Proverbial Crime series for you!"

Thanks Msg. I think that finishes off the series once I read those two. I am trying to clear my backlog of Gemma Halliday Publishing books.

[Linda C]

Jennifer,
I pick for you the Tourist trap series. It takes place in a bookshop/coffee shop, a favorite location for me. I've read the first 8 and they're pretty good.

Sorry to be late at picking, but still made the deadline. Whew!
enjoy,

[Linda C]

Barbara wrote: "Linda C wrote: "I'm in

Forensic Handwriting Mysteries - Sheila Lowe
#2 #3.."

thanks, Barbara,
I just read the first one last month and thought it was good. Definitely not a typical cozy. Looking forward to continuing.

[Jennifer]

Linda C wrote: "Jennifer,
I pick for you the Tourist trap series. It takes place in a bookshop/coffee shop, a favorite location for me. I've read the first 8 and they're pretty good.

Sorry to be late at picking,..."

No worries at all! I like that series so thanks for the great pick!

[Meg]

Gary wrote: "Meg wrote: "Gary wrote: "I am back for July.


Hello, Gary, I'm choosing the Proverbial Crime series for you!"

Thanks Msg. I think that finishes off the series once I read those two. I am trying to clear my backlog of Gemma Halliday Publishing books."

I have quite a few of those in different series that I have tbr'd and here you are introducing me to another. lol. They don't seem to be available presently, however.

[Gary]

Gamma Halliday seems to have downsized her publishing company. It looks like Danger Cove and Aloha Lagoon have nothing new coming, which saddens me.

[Meg]

Gary wrote: "Gamma Halliday seems to have downsized her publishing company. It looks like Danger Cove and Aloha Lagoon have nothing new coming, which saddens me."

I noticed the same thing with those two series. I had pretty much caught up with Aloha Lagoon, but not Danger Cove. (Too many books, lol, so it may take awhile longer.)

[Helen]

Barbara wrote: "I have been so overwhelmed with work from home that I had to take last month off. But, I'm back for July and would like to make progress on one of these ongoing series:

Agatha Raisin by MC Beaton:..."
Hi Barbara,
Sorry for the late response. I’m picking Agatha Raisin for you as it is a series I want to read more of.

[Helen]

Linda wrote: "Helen wrote: "I’m in again.

Mary Daheim Emma Lord


Veronica Black Sister Joan
[bookcover..."
Thank you Linda. I enjoy both her series, and have several from this one waiting on my shelf for me to get back to them.

[Barbara]

Helen wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I have been so overwhelmed with work from home that I had to take last month off. But, I'm back for July and would like to make progress on one of these ongoing series:

Agatha Rais..."

Thank you, Helen! I have been meaning to get back to that series for a while.

[Gemma]

Meg wrote: "Gary wrote: "Gamma Halliday seems to have downsized her publishing company. It looks like Danger Cove and Aloha Lagoon have nothing new coming, which saddens me."

I noticed the same thing with tho..."

Gemma Halliday here! :) So glad you've enjoyed our cozies! Yes, we've made a conscious decision to reduce the number of new titles we publish each month, but we do have new books coming out every month! Our Danger Cove Mysteries will be likely concluding with book #25, which we expect to have out early next year. (Look for those to be in KU soon with a whole new look for the covers!) We also do have at least 2 new Aloha Lagoon Mysteries in the works, but no release date yet. This year has been understandably slower than expected for a lot of our authors. (Hard to write with all the kids at home!) Hopefully spring/summer of next year more Aloha Lagoon will be on the virtual shelves!

[Meg]

Thanks for the info, Gemma! It's always nice to have info on whether a series is ending, or not. Will definitely look out for the ones coming out.

[Gary]

Gemma wrote: "Meg wrote: "Gary wrote: "Gamma Halliday seems to have downsized her publishing company. It looks like Danger Cove and Aloha Lagoon have nothing new coming, which saddens me."

I noticed the same th..."

Thanks for the response. I hope Leslie Langtry can squeeze in another Nani Johnson Aloha Lagoon mystery. I love her Merry Wrath series. 25 seems like a good number to end Danger Cove at, although I will miss the series. I still have a huge stack of GH Publishing titles in my TBR.

Thank you and your authors for hours of reading enjoyment. Keep up the great work.

[Gemma]

I will pass along the wish for more Nani in Aloha Lagoon to Leslie! I know she's been focused on putting out new Merry Wrath as fast as she can type lately. :) But I love Nani, too, so maybe she'll be ready to take a break for something different soon...

[Gary]

Gemma wrote: "I will pass along the wish for more Nani in Aloha Lagoon to Leslie! I know she's been focused on putting out new Merry Wrath as fast as she can type lately. :) But I love Nani, too, so maybe she'll..."

Thank you. I did suggest to Leslie at one point that I'd love to see Merry's Girl Scouts run into a certain prodigy Boy Scout from the Bombay family. I already have the Merry Wrath coming out next week on pre-order. Yes I looked at your website and see another is due out at the end of the year. No complaint here.

[Linda]

Finished my first book, A Veiled Deception last night. Really enjoyed this first book in the series. Looking forward to seeing what happens next later in the month.

[Gemma]

"I'd love to see Merry's Girl Scouts run into a certain prodigy Boy Scout from the Bombay family. "

Ohmigosh, yes! This would be too funny! :D

[Gary]

Gemma wrote: ""I'd love to see Merry's Girl Scouts run into a certain prodigy Boy Scout from the Bombay family. "

Ohmigosh, yes! This would be too funny! :D"

What can I say Leslie's sense of humor is as warped as mine.

I also at one point suggested to Deb Baker that Gertie Johnson and her friends go to Mackinac Island, I hope she gets around to that at some point.

Speaking of LOL mysteries, thank you for the fun I have reading the High Heels Mystery series. I normally find the cop boyfriend to be an over-used trope. It works well in not only the High Heels series but the Merry Wrath series and the Tourist Trap series.

Back to reading When the Cat's Away

[Gemma]

Gary wrote: Speaking of LOL mysteries, thank you for the fun I have reading the High Heels Mystery series. I normally find the cop boyfriend to be an over-used trope. It works well in not only the High Heels series but the Merry Wrath series and the Tourist Trap series.

I'm so glad you're enjoying the High Heels books! Yes, there are a lot of cop boyfriends out there, I agree. ;) But I've always enjoyed how Maddie and Ramirez's personalities balance each other out. Maddie is girly to the core, but she's never one to back down or let a man save her when she can save herself! Of course, Ramirez is a tough guy through and through, but he's really a big softy when it comes down to it. So they fit and make it work. :)

[Jennifer]

Knocked out two full-length and two shorts from my series - and I got far enough into another book by her to be hooked before it dawned on me that it was the wrong series... .

[Linda]

Jennifer wrote: "Knocked out two full-length and two shorts from my series - [bookcover:Rocket..."

Guess we know what series will be on your August list

[Jennifer]

Linda wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Knocked out two full-length and two shorts from my series - ..."

You're positively prophetic. :)

[Gary]

Finished my first, off to my second.

[Linda]

Finished my second, Larceny And Lace. I really like this series and am glad I finally got around to reading it. Looking forward to reading more in the future.

[Michelle]

Yes!! I just finished my July Serial Challenge from The Farm to Fork series. I enjoy this series very much!

[Gary]

I will finish my second book shortly, down to the last 2 chapters (14 pages).

[Helen]

I’ve finally finished my first book for this challenge, and hopefully will start my second tomorrow. I have been busier than expected, and tend to “ read” more audiobooks when travelling, as I did in July. My challenge books are paperbacks in a favourite series.

[Helen]

Finished my second in this series before the end of August. I’ve chosen all ebooks for September, as I’m getting more opportunities to read them.