Speaking of challenges, it’s time for me to wrap up two challenges. Big thanks go to Maggie at Maggie Reads for hosting the Southern Author Reading Challenge and to Liz at Reviewed by Liz for hosting the Summer Mystery Reading Challenge.
I didn’t do well with the Southern Authors Reading Challenge. I only read one book and I didn’t even have time to write about it. I can tell you though that The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell by Loraine Despres was a fun read. I thought Belle was a great character and I got a kick out of all the maxims in the Primer of Propriety and how Belle often adds her own bit of wisdom. As for the other books that I didn’t get to? They go back on the TBR stacks.
Now are you ready to congratulate me? I finally finished a reading challenge! I read all six new to me authors for the Summer Mystery Reading Challenge. The books were: The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz, Volk’s Game by Brent Ghelfi, Fatal Laws by Jim Michael Hansen, The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard, Slipknot by Linda Greenlaw, and Sacred Cows by Karen E. Olson. I didn’t get to write about Fatal Laws and Virgin of Small Plains because I ran out of time so those links take you to Amazon for more info.
My favorite books were Sacred Cows, The Virgin of Small Plains and Slipknot. While I thought Volk’s Game and Fatal Laws were interesting they are really more in the thriller genre and a bit too intense for me. I don’t read just cozies but I think I need something more in the middle. Still, it’s always fun to read a new author.
Anyway it was a lot of fun to join in these challenges and thanks again to Maggie & Liz.
Congrats on the mystery challenge! I’ll be posting my wrap-ups of the same two challenges soon (already written, waiting for tomorrow and the 31st). 🙂 Here’s to fall! And new challenges with blank slates!
Congratulations on finishing the Mystery Challenge! 🙂
Congrats on finishing the challenge! I only one I’ve ever finished is last year’s RIP challenge, and that’s because I only committed to one book!
Congratulations! One challenge down…how many to go?
Hey, finishing the Summer Mystery Reading Challenge is a good thing. Congratulations are definitely in order.
Don’t berate yourself. You did very well!
Life and work gets in the way of reading. Maybe if you win the lotto or when you retire, you can accomplish all your goals….
In the meantime, congrats!
Eva – Looking forward to reading your wrap-ups too. And, good luck with all of your challenges 🙂
Tanabata – You too! We did it!
Dorothy W. – Hee. Hey you still finished it so it counts. I can’t remember, are you doing the RIP Challenge this year?
jenclair – ha, no kidding. I have 5 more. I’m addicted.
Dark Orpheus – Thank you! I did think I’d finish this one just because I do read quite a lot of mysteries but I would get sidetracked by some of my favorite series ones so I had to hurry up and read those new to me authors.
Isabel – Nah, no berating going on. It’s all in fun and I had a good time doing both of those. Now moving on to many more and maybe I should buy a lottery ticket just in case 🙂
Good job! And I see that of your remaining challenges, we’re sharing one. So I’ll look forward to your reviews of the spooky books. 🙂
Oh my I still have to finish writing review for my last mystery challenge book. Tomorrow is the end of the August! 🙂
Congratulations to crossing the finishing line!
Just back from vacation and catching up on blogs. Thrilled to see that you liked SACRED COWS!
I didn’t officially take up the summer mystery reading challenge, but I did discover a few great crime novels this summer: Victor Gischler’s PISTOL POETS, Paul Levine’s SOLOMON VS. LORD, Sujata Massey’s ZEN ATTITUDE, Alison Gaylin’s TRASHED, and Anthony Neil Smith’s THE DRUMMER. Recommend all of them!
dew – Thanks! I’m looking forward to Carl’s challenge. I love a good ghost story.
Matt – And, congrats to you too! So do you think you’ll read more mysteries now?
Karen Olson – It really was a fun read! I have to say I even liked some of the bad guys. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series. I’m so glad you stumbled on my blog as that’s how I found out about your book. I have read Paul Levine’s Solomon vs. Lord. Hilarious. And, I was a big Sujata Massey fan up until book 8 or so. I need to check out the others you recommend 🙂
Congrats on finishing. I finished the Mystery Challenge. I need to post about it.
I’m sorry you didn’t get to all the Southern books on your list, but I’m pleased to have read your review on Belle. The author and the book were all new to me and currently on my TBR stack. So, I think the your participation in the challenge was more beneficial to me! 😀 Thanks for playing!
Nancy – Thanks! And congrats to you too. I have to stop over at your blog and see how you did!
Maggie – Maybe next year I’ll finish it – hint, hint. This means you need to host it again! 🙂
Congratulations on finishing the Summer Mystery Reading Challenge! And you made a good effort on the Southern Reading Challenge. At least you enjoyed the book you did read for that one. I am glad you enjoyed Slipknot so much! I just won a copy of that in a contest and am looking forward to reading it.
That last comment was from me, Iliana. I forgot to enter my name and address. Chalk it up to a long day and exhaustion. :-S
Literary Feline – Thank you! Also thanks to you I also had to read Sacred Cows. Hope you enjoy Slipknot. I think it shows some great potential for a good series.