2011 June Reading Challenge

Goodread’s June Reading Challenge

Just got in under the wire…completed my last book at 10:41pm on 6/30!!!!

10/10 Completed

Looks like this one is easier than May’s challenge!

1. Repeat Repeat: Midnight Rain by Dee Davis 6/23

Read a book where the first letter of the author's name is the same (ex:Julie James) or the first letter(s) of the book's title is the same (ex: A Lot Like Love).

2. Birthday: (Ai) My Sunshine (Kendrick/Coulter/Harrigan, #6) by Catherine Anderson 6/21

Read a book from an June B-day celebrant’s GR bookshelf whose “day” falls on the same “day” as yours. If no one has the exact same day, then go for the closest day.GR June Birthday List

3. Geography: Here to Stay (Kendrick/Coulter/Harrigan, #10) by Catherine Anderson 6/22

Read a book whose author, character or setting is from Oregon.

4. U.F.O Day: My Favorite Earthling by Susan Grant m6/30

Read a book with space-travel or a sci-fi book.

5. Best Friends: Beach Lane by Sherryl Woods 6/13

Read a book where the H/h have some great friends instead of them being the Lone Girl/Man.

6. Summer Solstice: The Promise of Love by Lori Foster 6/17

Read a book with summer in title or takes place during Summer or with a bright cover using light blue or green or yellows or white color.

7. Graduation Month: Borrowed Stilettos by Rebecca J. Clark 6/1

Read a book whose character is a teacher/student.

8. Old Maid's Day: A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods 6/24

Read a book with an with an older Hero or heroine. As a point of reference, let the minimum age be mid-to-late thirties.

9. Yummy Yummy: Let’s Dish by Catherine Wade 6/12

Read a book where the H/h is a chef or a book predominantly with a food setting or book with a food cover.

10. Reader's Choice: The Reluctant Vampire (Argeneau, #15) by Lynsay Sands 6/3

Men in Uniform Reading Challenge

I’ve been promoted to Chief!

TheBookVixen keeps enticing me into reading challenges. The latest is the Men in Uniform challenge.

The goal is to read as many novels that involve men in inform as you’d like. It can be a policeman, firefighter, paramedic, Army, Navy, Marine Corp., etc. – As long as the leading man wears some sort of uniform, it counts.

Current Level: Chief (16+ books)

16. Montana Lawman by Allison Leigh 6/7
15. Hot Pursuit (Hot Zone, #5) by Denise A. Agnew 5/25
14. Sheriff’s Runaway Witness by Kathleen Creighton 5/14
13. Sealed Forever by Mary-Margret Daughtridge 5/5
12. Any Man of Mine (Chinnoks Hockey, #6) by Rachel Gibson 4/29
11. Operation: Forbidden (Black Jacquar Squadron, #2) by Lindsay McKenna 4/25
10. Cowboy Deputy by Carla Cassidy 4/24
9. The Knitting Diaries: Return to Summer Island by Christina Skye 4/23
8. Navy Seal Security (Brothers in Arms) by Carol Ericson 4/17
7. Breaking the Rules, Troubleshooters #16 by Suzanne Brockmann 3/23
6. Flash Point, Holding Out for a Hero, #3 by Shelli Stevens 3/18
5. Becoming Miss Becky by Shannon Stacey 2/13
4. Everyone Loves a Hero by Marie Force 2/13 (So do pilots!)
3. Icebreaker by Deidre Martin 2/6 (Hockey players wear uniforms!)
2. Deadly Valentine: The February 14th Secret by Cindy Dees 2/6
1. SEALed with a Kiss by Jill Monroe 1/23

2011 Lori Foster’s Reader & Writer Get Together

Well, it’s been a few years since we attended this event. Rhonda (Sanddanz) and I are here as hanger-oners.  We aren’t actually attending the event but are here for the author booksigning. Really, it was a chance to visit with Rhonda. The number of people attending this event was overwhelming.

One of the great things about events like these is the opportunity to discover new authors. In addition, I found that some of my favorite authors have some books coming out that I didn’t know about. Books added to my Amazon wishlist: Bad Girl By Night: A H.O.T. Cops Novel (Lacey Alexander) and The Billionaire’s Borrowed Baby by Janice Maynard. I downloaded samples for Wicked Wonderland (LuAnn McLane, Janice Maynard, Susanna Carr); Carpe Bead ‘Em (Tonya Kappes); and Fool for Love (Marie Force).

Tonya Kappes has a cute book called Carpe Bead ‘Em that I’m looking forward to reading. And she has a new book called The Ladybug JInx – the promotional materials included a recipe for Hillbilly Punch. The promotional material for The Naked Hero blog includes a recipe for a Naked Lady cocktail. Definitely a woman after my own heart.

I had a chance to meet Marie Force who I discovered through Goodreads and I’ve been busy reading all of her books. Her Fatal romantic suspense series as well as her McCathy’s of Gansett Island contemporary romance series are two of my favorites. Marie is a self-published author and I wish her all the best in being successful and beating the publishing houses at their own game!

I had a chance to meet Cindy Spencer Pape. I have her Photographs & Phantoms book which I have not yet read. (Sorry about the photo!)

I had great conversations with author Kate Douglas and Rhonda in the bar. While I admit that I haven’t read Kate’s books, she was a wonderfully warm and entertaining conversationalist. If you enjoy paranormal erotica, I recommend checking out her books just based on meeting her.Kelsey Maxwell (All for Love series)

Other authors that I met that I hope to check out include: Leah Braemel, Sandy Sullivan, Tim Smith, Cat Shaffer (romantic suspense), Keri Stevens (paranormal romance), and more.

2011 Outdo Yourself Challenge: May Results

TheBookVixens: Outdo Yourself Challenge - Read more books than you did the previous year.

YIKES! I’m 27 books behind!

 

2011 Reading Goal: 350 books
2010 Actual Books Read: 332 books (92,978 pages)

YEAR TO DATE (as of 6/1/2011)
2011 YTD Books Read: 117
2011 YTD Pages Read: 33913

May 2011 Books Read: 18
May 2011 Pages Read: 8997*
* Includes updated page counts for 20 ebooks read in 2011 that did not previously have page counts

April 2011 Books Read: 25
April 2011 Pages Read: 5096

March 2011 Books Read: 25
March 2010 Books Read: 5096

February 2011 Books Read: 27
February 2010 Books Read: 23

January 2011 Books Read: 22
January 2010 Books Read: 30

2011 May Reading Challenge

Goodreads May Reading Challenge
Level 2:  3 Completed
Level 3:  2 Completed

Slow month of reading…plus this is a HARD challenge…

1. M is for May:

1.2 Read a book with a cover that makes you say, "Mmmmm!" and you have to post a link to that drool worthy cover so we all know what makes you drool. When You Dare (Men Who Walk on the Edge of Honor, #1) by Lori Foster 5/4

2. Birthday:

2.3. Read a book rated four or five stars with which you are completely unfamiliar from a May B-day celebrant’s GR bookshelf whose “day” falls on the same “day” as yours. If no one has the exact same day, then go for the closest date. (Alecia) Falling by Christopher Pike

3. Geography:

3.2. Read a book whose author, setting, AND characters are from India.The Sari Shop Widow by Shobhan Bantwal 5/22

4. Cinco de Mayo:

4.3. Read a book that has a recipe that calls for mayo. Life From Scratch by Melissa Ford 5/8

5. Mother May I:

5.3. Read a BDSM book. (After all, isn't BDSM all about one person following the commands of another person and trusting that they will get you where they want to go? So it's really like a full contact adult version of Mother May I.) Club Shadowlands by Cherise Sinclair

6. "Mayday mayday mayday! We're going down!":

6.3. Read a book where the h/h are involved in a plane crash or a shipwreck (bonus points if they actually use the term "Mayday mayday mayday!") The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky

7. April showers bring May flowers (and what do Mayflowers bring? Pilgrims!):

7.2. Read a book about a religious colony. Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore
7.3. Read a book about a religious colony with a picture of flowers on the front cover.

8. Maybe if things had been different... Maybe things will change in the future.... The world is full of maybes, might bes, and might have beens:

8.3. Past alternative realities might be the toughest. What if something was different in the past? Steampunk? What if the Axis won WWII? Read a historical with an alternative reality. Photographs & Phantoms by Cindy Spencer Pape

9. Friday the 13th!:

9.2. Since the date has become associated with a certain mass murdering psychopath, read a book that would be considered HORROR or at least a scary book. Hush (Lodestone Trilogy, #1) by Cherry Adair 5/1
9.3. Read a horror book with a 'luck' title. Lady Luck by Jane Toombs

10. Reader's Choice: I'll let you pick your own three levels. Just remember to have an open mind and pick a good one.

10.3 Face of Danger (The Guardian Angelinos, #3) by Roxanne St. Claire 5/17