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.

I couldn’t resist temptation and am joining three challenges! Like I mentioned yesterday, I spent a good part of the weekend looking through my stacks of my unread books and I’ve decided which books to read for each challenge. Yes, all books are coming from my stacks. So here’s what I’m looking at for the Fall:

Outmoded Authors Challenge hosted by Imani.
Goal is to read three books between Sept. 1 and Feb. 29, 2008
Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton
A Favorite of the Gods by Sybille Bedford
The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen

Book to Movie Challenge hosted by Callista
Goal is to read three books between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1, 2007
Evening by Susan Minot
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
Shopgirl by Steve Martin

R.I.P. II Challenge hosted by Carl V.
Goal is to do the First Peril and read four books between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, 2007
The Society of S by Susan Hubbard
Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert
Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason

Now I just need to get my husband to help me add the buttons on my sidebar. Anyway, a big thank you go out to Imani, Callista and Carl V. for hosting these challenges. I’m so excited about all of them. Wish me luck!