The Quasi-Official August Book Reading Game

[Geoffrey]

Happy Melting August, Y'all.  It's time to get this game started ..... Here are the participants and their selectors for this month:

Selector	Selectee	Genres	Dealbreakers
Annalog	Tripp	historical fiction; chick lit; family saga; drama; suspense; thrillers; religion is OK if it is presented culturally, not to convert.	Horror  and any creature that is typically associated with horror (vampires, zombies, werewolves, etc.).
Basilius	imallbs	Mystery/Detective; American and Western European History This is supposed to be a link to my Goodreads list but I'm not promising anything.	No Deal Breakers
Berrytastic	KingAl	Sci-fi/fantasy, Mystery/thrillers.  Here's my Goodreads	Romance
ciscokid	Annalog	Science Fiction; Mystery; Fantasy, I have an account on Goodreads	No Deal Breakers
djgross	Tuttle	Fantasy, Science Fiction	I'm going to have to set some sort of monetary limit. This may be edited but for now lets say $5.   Nothing extremely depressing.
dpinmd	Basilius	Science Fiction;  Military History	Romance (Paranormal or otherwise), Horror, and Religion (with intent to convert).
drenfrow	dpinmd	paranormal (with/without romance); contemporary fiction (i.e. the latest thing circulating around book clubs)	No Deal Breakers.
Emily King	drenfrow	Mystery, Fantasy/Sci Fi, Science/History of Science	extreme violence/gore, extreme sadness, horror/scary stuff, You can check out my books on Goodreads: Donna's Books
fadedrainbows	wtsfox	science fiction, fiction, adventure	religion, gay romance
Geoffrey	Berrytastic	crime book reader and have recently discovered historical fiction such as pillars of the earth.	apart from a barbara cartland style romantic novel i am prepared to try most things .
imallbs	RiddleMeThis	Romance; Science Fiction/Fantasy; Murder/Crime Mystery	Religion(allusion is ok; but no books who's story line is trying to save my soul); Politics; Non-fiction; And if it is a series it must be the first one in the series
kaotickitten	Solace	Fantasy, Adventure, Thriller	No Deal Breakers   I need something light length and story-wise
KingAl	kaotickitten	Christian Romances, YA fantasy	No Deal Breakers
Leslie	djgross	Mystery, suspense	No Deal Breakers
MoyJoy	fadedrainbows	Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Chick Lit My Goodreads	I am a college student, so less than 1000 pages would be lovely!  And if it stays under the $10 limit, that would be amazing.
RiddleMeThis	ciscokid	paranormal thrillers, horror, romantic suspence	Political, gay romance, short story compilations
Solace	MoyJoy	My goodreads For me price is not a deal breaker so my selector can do more than 9.99 if they're passionate about it.	historical/non-fiction; TALKING ANIMALS!
Tripp	Leslie	I'll be honest, I'm the most high-maintenance player in this game. I love being a picker (and I think I do pretty well in that department) but I have a harder time as a pickee. Ready to take me on? Okay, here's a few parameters	No Deal Breakers
Tuttle	Geoffrey	Science Fiction; Fantasy; Alternate History; gay themed books.  You can find me on goodreads here.	No Deal Breakers
wtsfox	Emily King	Urban Fantasy; Paranormal; Horror; Mystery here is my Goodreads	Non-Fiction; Religious / political with the intent of change; Harlequin-style romance.  Chick Lit. I would prefer an indie or something less expensive, if possible.

[Geoffrey]

Riddlemethis' post from the Sign-up thread ....

OK ciscokid. You haven't been here long so Im not too sure what to suggest for you so I am giving you two selections.

Naked In Death by JD Robb is the first selection.


The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason is the second selection


Both of those are the first in their respective series and both are EXCELLENT. If you for some reason feel you need another selection just let me know!

[Geoffrey]

Berrytastic,

It didn’t start out that way but your selections this month have a Persian theme to them.  The first option is A Beginner's Guide To Acting English by Shappi Khorsandi.  It’s a memoir of her childhood learning to assimilate into English culture after her parents fled the Revolution in Iran.




Your second option is not an Amazon book but instead available on Baen Books’ site, The Stolen Throne, The Time of Troubles I by Harry Turtledove.  The book itself contains the first two books in the series (bonus).  Yours is the first book in the series and it is a fantasy novel set during a civil war in an alternate Persia – a great start to a series and a great stand alone novel

[Leslie]

DJ, I have two choices for you:



I picked this one because I saw a post of yours where you were talking about POV in a story. This book is written in a most unusual way: third person POV, present tense, and it alternates between the two brothers, Alex and James, in each chapter. I had never read anything quite like this before but it works very well. Plus, it's a terrific story. I gave it 5 stars in the review I wrote at jessewave's site: http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/2011/07/25/what-they-always-tell-us/#more-54686

My second choice for you is one of my all-time, forever and ever favorite books:



This is written in what I call a "modified epistolary style." It has letters but also diary entries, legal briefs, emails, checklists--you name it, it's in there and it's a great device for telling a wonderful love story. I have read this book over and over--I even bought it in paperback to keep for the archive, I loved it that much. I hope you do too, if you pick this one.

Let me know what you think of these choices....I hope they work for you.

L

[wtsfox]

ok Emily King, it's the first time for me so hope you like my selection

1st: Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy


2nd: the hunger games by Suzanne Collins


3rd: Paper Cities, An Anthology of Urban Fantasy


I like them all but my favorite is the hunger games trilogy. I have read them now 10 times. It has a love story but it's not like twilight or so.
I hope you like the selection.

[fadedrainbows]

Okay, so wtsfox, I have a few selections for you. They are out of your genre, but some of my favorite books and I hope you like them!

First up:
A hilarious series about a lingerie buyer turned bond enforcement agent. These are cute and silly and make me laugh out loud. Books 1-13 are amazing, and then I hear the series gets good again around 16 or 17.

Second:
This is the first book in a paranormal romance series about a grim reaper. She helps the dead cross over. I found her to be sweetly sarcastic and I loved her.

Third:
This is a series about a homicide detective and how she solves murders. There is a little bit of romance, but it is one of my most favorite romances that I have read so far. It is set in the future, so it is a little science-fictiony, but it is a murder mystery so I figured it was far enough out of your genre

I hope you like at least one of these choices, if you don't just let me know and I'll try again

[djgross]

My second choice for you is one of my all-time, forever and ever favorite books:



This is written in what I call a "modified epistolary style." It has letters but also diary entries, legal briefs, emails, checklists--you name it, it's in there and it's a great device for telling a wonderful love story. I have read this book over and over--I even bought it in paperback to keep for the archive, I loved it that much. I hope you do too, if you pick this one.

L

Hi Leslie,

Both books look intriguing.  I'm going with one of your all time favorites and plan on starting Almost Like Being in Love tonight!

Thanks for the picks!

DJ

[Emily King]

ok Emily King, it's the first time for me so hope you like my selection

1st: Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy


2nd: the hunger games by Suzanne Collins


3rd: Paper Cities, An Anthology of Urban Fantasy


I like them all but my favorite is the hunger games trilogy. I have read them now 10 times. It has a love story but it's not like twilight or so.
I hope you like the selection.

I've read both Hunger Games and Urban Shaman, so I'm going to download a sample of Paper Cities...

[wtsfox]

Okay, so wtsfox, I have a few selections for you. They are out of your genre, but some of my favorite books and I hope you like them!

First up:
A hilarious series about a lingerie buyer turned bond enforcement agent. These are cute and silly and make me laugh out loud. Books 1-13 are amazing, and then I hear the series gets good again around 16 or 17.

Second:
This is the first book in a paranormal romance series about a grim reaper. She helps the dead cross over. I found her to be sweetly sarcastic and I loved her.

Third:
This is a series about a homicide detective and how she solves murders. There is a little bit of romance, but it is one of my most favorite romances that I have read so far. It is set in the future, so it is a little science-fictiony, but it is a murder mystery so I figured it was far enough out of your genre

I hope you like at least one of these choices, if you don't just let me know and I'll try again

well I got a lot of time so i'm going to try to read all 3 beginning with "one for the money"

[Emily King]

drenfrow - I went through my fav's and discovered that a LOT of my books I read are dark, depressing, and kinda scary.  So, I've tried to pick some that are out of your normal genre that you might enjoy....

First, a KB author whose work I absolutely love... HP Mallory's Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble:


The next pick is another favorite series of mine, Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series first book Moon Called:


The 3rd pick I have is a series that cracks me up... it's paranormal and the characters have tons of spunk... love this series by Shelly Laurenston - The Mane Event  *** This series is pretty steamy, so I felt I should warn about that ***

[fadedrainbows]

Yay, wtsfox. Those three are some of my favorite series. If you like First Grave on the Right, the sequel book is coming out this month, the 16th, I believe. I can also link you to a short story written by the author, set between 1 and 2.

[ciscokid]

Annalog, I'm new here and computer challenged, so I don't have a clue how to include a link with a pic of the book.  I'd be grateful if someone would give me detailed instructions on how to do so.  Anyway here are my picks for you.  They are out of your normal genre, but No Good Deed has a paranormal twist that I really enjoyed.  Its not a Paranormal Romance.  I loved both of these and they would rate a 5 on my scale of 1-5 and very few books rate that high for me.  If one of these doesn't work for you, let me know and I'll suggest a few more.    


Henry's Sister's by Cathy Lamb  



No Good Deed by Mary McDonald  




[EDIT: I added the book cover links for you ....]

[fadedrainbows]

Annalog, I'm new here and computer challenged, so I don't have a clue how to include a link with a pic of the book.  I'd be grateful if someone would give me detailed instructions on how to do so.

If you scroll down, you will see "Amazon Link Maker." I always right-click and open that link in a new window. You should be able to search for a book on the newly opened page. Then, you can choose the right book by clicking on it (when it shows up on the left) and the coding options will show up on the right.

Geoffrey might have a link to a tutorial with screen shots. If he doesn't, I can make one later today, so we can just link to that post from now on.

[ciscokid]

Geoffrey, even though I LOVE Nora Roberts' books, I couldn't get through the first J.D. Robb book I tried.  Strange, I know, since Nora Roberts is the author of both.  So, I'm going to try The Rest Falls Away. 

[drenfrow]

Emily King, I am not a romance reader and had a recent bad experience with a paranormal romance disguising itself as science fiction that I read by mistake.   But in the interests of going outside my usual areas, I am willing to try one that you really liked so I am going with Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble.    I am also going to read Moon Called.   It was on a poll in the SciFi and Fantasy eBook Club over on Goodreads awhile back.  We didn't read it but I remember thinking it looked very interesting, I think I even voted for it.  So I am taking that as a sign that I should read it.  I just started another book so it will be a couple of days before I can start these.  I'm looking forward to them.  Thanks.

[fadedrainbows]

drenfrow, if it is helpful, I have read Moon Called and do not remember any romance in it So you have that to look forward to.

[drenfrow]

Dpinmd, here are my choices for you, two books that I read in the last few months and really enjoyed.

The first is:

I have read this a couple of times and most recently listened to it as an audiobook.  It is really quite a funny book.  There are many Kindle editions of this book ranging in price from free to several dollars.  

Next up is:

An interesting book about an eccentric family.  There is a sequel which I liked even better.

I had a third, non-fiction choice ready to go so if neither of these look good, let me know.


P.S. Thanks fadedrainbows, for the tip!

[Emily King]

I've read both Hunger Games and Urban Shaman, so I'm going to download a sample of Paper Cities...

Oookay, this one costs $9.99... I've requested it from the library and will give it a shot that way. I just can't spend that kind of money on a book right now.

[djgross]

Greetings Tuttle!

I have to use the old version of Linkmaker and my computer is being cranky this am.   I will give you the titles and prices now and put in links later tonight.

Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich   On sale for $3.99 kindle

Eight is my favorite of her Stephanie Plum bounty hunter series - funny, but most of the focus remains on the suspense.    Two of the later ones in her Plum series  (Fourteen and Fifteen) are more comedic and on sale at $2.99 if you'd prefer to go with one of those.

My One and Only by Kristin Higgins   $5.38 kindle

I'm a bit above your price ceiling on this one, but the book is a charmer.   A divorced couple forced by circumstance to take a road trip together.    Funny, insightful and filled with believable characters.   

If these choices don't work for you, let me know and I'll send more.

DJ

[RiddleMeThis]

Geoffrey, even though I LOVE Nora Roberts' books, I couldn't get through the first J.D. Robb book I tried.  Strange, I know, since Nora Roberts is the author of both.  So, I'm going to try The Rest Falls Away. 

Great!! I'm excited to see if you like it!

[Basilius]

Okay, imallbs, let's see what sort of lasting mental damage fantastic recommendation I can make this month...

We've got a few books in common in our goodreads lists, and I've got a hunch one of these two will work for you:



It's noir. It's sci-fi. Whatever it is, Lethem's first book is a brilliant read.



Structured as a "frame story," Hyperion is the story of why six people and an infant are on a pilgrimage that is, for all but one of the pilgrims, suicidal. This one won four awards and is generally considered to be in the top fifteen or twenty best science fiction books of all time. It's book one of a quartet, but certainly stands alone. I will say that as the father of a seven-year-old daughter, the part of the book titled "The Scholar's Tale" nearly brought me to tears on several occasions. This one will stick with you.

[Tuttle]

Geoffrey, I'm somewhat scared about choosing for you because of too similar of tastes, but I came up with three books to suggest.

This one is not available on amazon, but on the author's website, and the closest to what you normally read. It's a swords and sorcery book, the first of four (three of which have been published), in a world where bisexual polyamory is the norm. While you can tell that this was the author's first published book, the approach to what is in our world not the "normal" relationships, was very refreshing.
.

The second one is drastically different than the first. This book is the story of the author learning about humanity via gorillas, and her journey in life while on the autistic spectrum.


And in case these two are two similar or out there, the third option is a book I read for summer reading for junior year of high school, and while I haven't reread I've remembered it since. I really enjoyed the writing style in this one.

[Tuttle]

Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich   On sale for $3.99 kindle

Eight is my favorite of her Stephanie Plum bounty hunter series - funny, but most of the focus remains on the suspense.    Two of the later ones in her Plum series  (Fourteen and Fifteen) are more comedic and on sale at $2.99 if you'd prefer to go with one of those.

I've downloaded the sample for Hard Eight. I know this is a series my mom used to read, but back then I couldn't handle any murder mysteries so didn't read any of her books then. I'll see whether the sample catches me and report back.

[Tripp]

Leslie,
Here is my offering in no particular order.  Hopefully, one of these will pique your interest.

Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa



The Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb



Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden



This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett

[Leslie]

Leslie,
Here is my offering in no particular order.  Hopefully, one of these will pique your interest.

Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa

I downloaded the sample of this. I have heard of this book (I used to do work in hospice) but never read it, so maybe the sample will pull me in.

The Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

I have this in my Kindle library--I got it back in 2009 when it was free and never read it. So I just downloaded it to my Kindle and will give it a go.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

This is one of those books that I have often thought about reading but never got around to it. I downloaded the sample of this one, too.

This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett

This also looks interesting but let's see what happens with the other three, first.

Thanks for these recommendations, Tripp. Interesting choices and I am sure at least one of these will grab me!

L