Hi everyone! Today I have an update for you guys on our September Reading Challenge Month. In case you missed our announcement last week, we are having a month-long event in September. Each week will be a different reading challenge to help us expand our horizons and try some new books and genres. Each week the folks here will be reviewing a bunch of books that fit the weekly theme. And we hope you guys join in by participating in some of the challenges too!
We have some fabulous sponsors who have put together some amazing prizes for those who join in the fun of the challenge weeks. Each week, you can enter to win by commenting on our review posts. And you can get even more entries by reading along with your own challenge books. These prizes are amazeballs so you definitely want to get in on this, and reading along will give you tons more entries than just commenting alone.
If you want to participate in the reading challenges, you can pick any books you like that fit that weekly theme. However, if you want, you can also choose a book that we are reading if you would like to be able to chat about the books and share your own thoughts. So today I am going to give you some highlights of what we are planning to read. This isn’t the full list as some things are still being finalized, but it will give you all a good idea of what we have planned.
Week One: New-t0-Me Author Week
- Unsaid by Avery Astor (Jay)
- Tower of the Ice Lord by Anne Mok (Kris)
- Knight of Ocean Avenue by Tara Lain (Michelle)
- Ace by Jack Byrne (Jason)
- Chef’s Table by Lynn Charles (Michelle)
- Saving Grapes by Madeline Kirby (Wendy)
- The Affair of the Porcelain Dog by Jess Faraday (Lloyd)
Week Two: TBR Pile Challenge (Pick a book that has been in your TBR pile at least a year)
- Not His Kiss to Take by Finn Marlowe (Jay)
- Hot Ticket by K.A. Michell (Wendy)
- Barren by Anna Hedley (Sue)
- Complementary Colors by Adrienne Wilder (Michelle)
- Twice in a Lifetime by Shawn Lane (Kris)
- The Devil Lancer by Astrid Amara (Sue)
- Scarred by J. M. Snyder (Crissy)
- Lightning Rod by Vaughan R. Demont (Lloyd)
- The Shed by Dianne Hartsock (Sammy)
Week Three: Genre Challenge (Pick a genre that you don’t normally read)
- Property of the Alpha by Shannon West and Victoria Sue (Wendy, paranormal)
- Obsidian Sun by Jon Keyes (Jason, fantasy)
- On Wings of Song by Anne Barwell (Kris, historical)
- Nor Iron Bars a Cage by Kaje Harper (Jay, fantasy)
- Agamemnon Frost and the House of Death by Kim Knox (Crissy, steampunk)
- Right Here Waiting by K.E. Belledonne (Michelle, historical)
- Beneath the Scales by Aurora Peppermint (Veronica, fantasy)
Week Four: Favorites List Challenge (pick a book off of any of our blog Favorite Books lists)
- Sinner’s Gin audiobook by Rhys Ford (Michelle, Rock Stars)
- Inheritance by Lissa Kasey (Jay, Vampire/Shifter Pairing)
- Suit Yourself by Susan Mac Nicol (Crissy, Cross Dressing Hero)
- Bad Company by K.A. Mitchell (Wendy, Enemies to Lovers)
- Pricks and Pragmatism by J.L. Merrow (Jay, Virgin Hero)
- Crossing Borders by Z.A. Maxfield (Veronica, Coming Out Stories)
- The Assignment by Evangeline Anderson (Susan, Virgin Hero)
We have a few more in this category we are hoping to review but are waiting for official word on release dates.
As I said, you don’t have to read the same books we do, but if you want to join in, it should be a fun way to play along. If you need more details on Challenge Month, check out the introductory post. And I will be back next week with a list of the amazing prizes provided by our very generous sponsors, Riptidie Publishing, Dreamspinner Press, Samhain Publishing, and Less Than Three Press.
I’m so looking forward to this! A few of the books on your lists I’ve already read, but most of them are new to me, titles as well as authors – unfortunately I must try to keep to my book budget and don’t really have the money to buy any new books. Luckily I think I have enough books hidden away on my Kindle that I still ought to read, both those that has been there a year or more, and those who are more recent purchases. Tricky about a new genre though, I don’t know if there’s one I’ve never read, does a seldom-ly read genre count? Would a fantasy with a romance sub-plot count maybe?
Of course Sara! The idea is just to broaden our reading horizons a bit, so whatever works for you is great for us and definitely a less well read genre is fine, doesn’t have to be a new one. I picked two I read much less frequently, but I have read both before, so no worries. So glad to have you joining in!
Thanks for the update! This is going to be fun!! I am with Sara on the genre category. I read pretty much any genre…so would something read less often count? For example, I have not yet read too many stories with a Transgender main character. Would that count?
Absolutely Jen! The JJ reviewers are focusing on traditional reading genres (historical, futuristic, etc), but for you guys I think anything that is out of your normal reading zone is great. So less often read subgenres, or a new type of story, anything like that is great.
I too have to stopping buying new books until I get caught up on what I already have but I think I have things that will fit into everyone of the categories already on my shelf. Looking forward to giving it a try.
Oh good! Glad you are joining in. And yes, please don’t feel like you have to buy new books. I think most of us can find things in our bookshelves. For favorites lists for example, almost everyone has “men in uniform” which is one of the categories. So hopefully it won’t be too hard to join in without buying new stuff.
This sounds like fun. I’m going to try this with you guys, I have a ton of books on my TBR list that I’ve been trying to work my way through but sadly haven’t had the time to make any headway with. I know there’s a few author on my nook that are new to me author I wanted to try but haven’t gotten to.
Oh good, that is fabulous! Glad you are going to join in!
I just realized something… I was wonderging when this was going to start because 2 weeks already passed by… and now I read it’s in September! LOL!!! I’m so blind! XD
Anyway, thanks for the list! I see a lot of my fav authors and some books I have in my TBR list. I’m sure this will be such a fun event. =)
Thanks Serena! And yes, we are starting Sept 1
I’m going to read Favorite Son by Will Freshwater
Oh good! Look forward to hearing what you think and so glad you are joining us!