A Challenge To Read More... Annual A to Z Author Challenge 2015

Since joining Goodreads.com I have found many “new to me” authors and series.

As my regular followers will know, I took the site’s general “2014 Reading Challenge” and have signed up again this year. In addition to that I decided to sign up for a few reading challenges that the groups I belong to set.

The group “Who’s Your Author” discusses your favourite PNR (Paranormal Romance) and UF (Urban Fantasy) writers. Including but not limited to: Kelley Armstrong, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jim Butcher, Laurell K. Hamilton, Patricia Briggs, Karen Chance, Lilith Saintcrow, Lynsay Sands, Keri Arthur, Jennifer Rardin, Kimberly Raye, Christine Feehan, Jacquelyn Frank, Ilona Andrews, Karen Marie Moning, Kim Harrison, J.R. Ward, and Charlaine Harris. It's always fun to find out about new authors and give yourself more books to read!

This group also has a Book of the Month and an Author of the Month. While no one is required to participate in these activities, it exposes people to new authors and books and gives people the opportunity to try new things.

So, this post is all about the annual reading challenge that the “Who’s Your Author” group have set for the whole of this year…

WYA 2015 A-Z Author Challenge

Duration: January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015
Read: 26 books
Rules: Use authors' first or last names. You cannot use middle initials. For the letter "X", any author with the letter X in his/her name is acceptable including initials.

You can sign up anytime, and you can backdate books if you know when you finished it, as long as it was done in the year 2015.

A – Annie Bellet – Justice Calling (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress #1)
B – K.F. Breene – Jonas (Darkness #7)
C – Carmen DeSousa – The Library: Where Life Checks Out
D - Dianne Duvall - Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians #3)
E - Elizabeth Naughton – Marked (Eternal Guardians #1)
F - Felicity Heaton - Tempted by a Rogue Prince (Eternal Mates #3)
G – Rose Gluck – Triptych: Delusions of Love (Short Affair Series #3)
H - Elizabeth Hunter - Shadows and Gold (Elemental Legacy #0.5)
I – Ilona Andrews – Of Swine and Roses
J - Tenaya Jayne  - Forbidden Forest (The Legends of Regia #1)
K – Kevin Hearne – Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles #1)
L – Jane Lovering – Hubble Bubble
M – William Massa – Fear the Light: Who Murdered Dracula?
N – Neil Gaiman - Stardust
O – John O’Riley – Grumpy Old Wizards
P – Terry Pratchett – Sourcery (Discworld Novel #5)
Q – Gladys Quintal – Man Of My Dreams (The Dream #1)
R – Stephanie Rowe – Darkness Unleashed (Order of the Blade #7)
S – Miranda Stork – Vigilante of Shadows (Scarlet Rain #1)
T – Teresa Gabelman - Slade (The Protectors #6)
U – Simon Kurt Unsworth - Mami Wata (Mammoth Books presents...)
V – Victoria Danann – My Familiar Stranger (Knights of Black Swan #1)
W – Linda Welch – Along Came A Demon (Whisperings #1)
X – Kate Baxter – The Last True Vampire (Last True Vampire #1)
Y – Samantha Young – Drip Drop Teardrop
Z – Rebecca Zanetti – Scorpius Rising (The Scorpius Syndrome prequel)

So, have you read any books written by these authors? 
I am a happy girl because I found a new favourite author or two working my way through this challenge!! You can click on any of the authors' names above and you'll be taken to their website in a new tab.

Oh, and after I read each of the above books, I posted a little review on Goodreads, if you want to know what I thought of them click here.

A challenge to read more.... Who's Your Author A-Z Paranormal Characters Challenge 2015

Since joining Goodreads.com I have found many “new to me” authors and series. I took the site’s general “2014 Reading Challenge” and have signed up again this year. In addition to that I decided to sign up for a few reading challenges that the groups I belong to set.

This post is all about the annual reading challenge that the “Who’s Your Author” Group have set for the whole of this year…

WYA 2015 A-Z Paranormal Characters
Duration: 1 January - 31 December 2015

Rules: Read 26 books, one paranormal character per book, either male or female, using either first or last names. Any paranormal character is acceptable. For those hard to find letters Q, U & X, names which include those letters, including middle initial will be acceptable.

A – ALENA KORNOV – “Of Swine and Roses” by Ilona Andrews
B – DR SLADE BUCHANAN – “Slade – The Protectors #6” by Teresa Gabelman
C - CELIA ALBRIGHT “Bound by the Vampire – Blood and Absinthe #3” by Chloe Hart
D – DUNCAN ROARK – “Duncan - The Protectors #3” by Teresa Gabelman
E – ELIJAH ROSS – “Darkness Surrendered – Order of the Blade #3” by Stephanie Rowe
F – FOREST – “Forbidden Forest – The Legends of Regia #1” by Tenaya Jayne
G – GIDEON ROARKE “Darkness Seduced – Order of the Blade #2” by Stephanie Rowe
H – HAWKE BLAKESTONE – “Claiming the Vampire – Blood and Absinthe #3” by Chloe Hart
I – IOLANTHE – “Hunted by a Jaguar – Eternal Mates #4” by Felicity Heaton
J – JARED KINCAID – “Jared – The Protectors #2” by Teresa Gabelman
K – KADE ISSACSON – “Kade’s Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans #1) by Kym Grosso
L – LILY HARPER – “To Hell and Back – Lily Harper Series #3” by H P Mallory
M – MARCUS GRADEN – “Night Reigns – Immortal Guardians #2” by Dianne Duvall
N – SEBASTIEN (BASTIEN) NEWCOMBE – Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians #3) by Dianne Duvall
O – JOSEPHINE O’CONNOR – “Grumpy Old Wizards” by John O’Riley
P – PAULIE – “Jonas (Darkness #7) by K.F. Breene
Q – DEVINSHEA QUINN – “Steal The Light (Thieves #1) by Lexi Blake
R – WILLOW RHOWSEN – “Influential Magic (Crescent City Fae #1) by Deanna Chase
S – SID SINCLAIR – “Sid – The Protectors #4” by Teresa Gabelman
T – TENZIN – “Shadows and Gold – Elemental Legacy #0.5” by Elizabeth Hunter
U – DRACULA – “Fear The Light” by William Massa
V – VAIL – “Tempted by a Rogue Prince – Eternal Mates #3” by Felicity Heaton
W – ROLAND WARBROOK – “Darkness Dawns – Immortal Guardians #1” by Dianne Duvall
X - ALEXA O’BRIEN – “Huntress & Stunner – Alexa O’Brien Huntress Series #0.5 & #0.75” by Trina M Lee
Y – YVAINE – “Stardust” by Neil Gaiman
Z – ZACH – “The Druid Series, 1-3: Reapers, Bled & Harvest” by Marata Eros

Who's Your Author Group (A-Z Paranormal Character Challenge 2015) Book Montage

*flora*'s favourite books »

So, have you read any of these books? I am a happy girl because I found a new favourite author or two working my way through this challenge!! You can click on any of the authors' names above and you'll be taken to their website in a new tab.

Oh, and after I read each of the above books, I posted a little review on Goodreads, if you want to know what I thought of them click here.

 

A challenge to read more... Reading Rainbow (part 3)

Since joining Goodreads.com I have found many “new to me” authors and series. I took the site’s general “2014 Reading Challenge” and have signed up again this year. In addition to that I decided to sign up for a few reading challenges that the groups I belong to have set it’s members. This post is all about the annual reading challenge that the “Urban Fantasy” Group have set for the whole of this year (2015)…

Reading Rainbow Yearly Challenge

Your goal: 7 to 38 books, depending on your level
 
Duration: January 1 – December 31, 2015 (Honestly, I originally designed this to be an open-ended challenge that would take however long you need to complete it. So if December rolls around and we’re still not done, we could roll it over into next year.)
 
The rules:
- This challenge is divided into four parts. You may choose to do all parts or only one, two or three parts.
- The books may be from any genre, unless specified otherwise in a category.
- Re-reads are allowed as are books used for other challenges.
- You may post your list up front or as you go and you may make changes as you go.
 
Choose your level:
Fingerpaint – Any one part
Watercolour – Any two parts
Acrylic – Any three parts
Oil – All four parts

PART ONE ~ Complete!

PART TWO ~ Complete!

PART THREE ~ 12 books (2 for each colour)

Red
1. Red is the international colour for stop.

Read the last book in a series or trilogy. (The most recent release in an ongoing series will also count.)

The Fate Series: Complete Box Set (Fate #1-3) by S.Simone Chavous

2. Red is an auspicious colour for marriage. Brides in India and Nepal wear red saris; in Japan, a red kimono symbolizes happiness and good luck. Read a book in which a wedding takes place OR there is a wedding themed item in the title or on the cover.

Sinjin (Bryn & Sinjin #1) by H.P. Mallory

 Yellow
1.In Japan, yellow often represents courage.

Read a book featuring a kick-butt female character.

Shadows and Gold (Elemental Legacy #0.5) by Elizabeth Hunter

2. Yellow is the colour most often associated with the deity in many religions (e.g. Hinduism and Ancient Egypt) Read a book including a god, gods, or god-like characters or the people who worship them.

Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles #1) by Kevin Hearne

Blue

1. Blue is the #1 favourite colour of all people! Read a book from one of your favourite series.

Taken by a Dragon (Eternal Mates #7) by Felicity Heaton

2. Blue jeans are worn all over the world and a dark blue suit is professional business attire. Read a book with a denim-clad character on the cover OR a sharp businessman in the story.

Justice Calling (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress #1) by Annie Bellet

Green
1. Green is universally associated with nature. Read a book with characters trying to protect/preserve wildlife or nature OR read a book with a character that can control or influence nature (This could include anything from controlling weather, making plants grow, or communicating with animals).

Storm Shades (Alpha Love #1) by Olivia Stephens

2. Traffic lights are green all over the world. Read the first book in a new-to-you series.

Forbidden Forest (The Legends of Regia #1) by Tenaya Jayne

Purple
1. Among Mediterranean people, purple was reserved for emperors and popes. The Japanese christened it “Imperial Purple”
Read a book featuring a character who is a member of royalty OR with a royal title in the title or series name. For example: (queen, prince, duke, emperor, raja, etc.)

Claimed by a Demon King (Eternal Mates #2) by Felicity Heaton

2. Purple is the colour of mourning or death in many cultures (U.K., Italy, Thailand, Brazil)
Read a book in which a character dies.

Fear The Light: Who Murdered Dracula by William Massa

Orange
1. Orange is the colour of life rafts, hazard cones, and high visibility police vests.
Read a book featuring a police officer or a book in which a character’s life is saved.

The Library: Where life checks out by Carmen DeSousa

2. The middle traffic light is orange in France.
Read a “middle” book in any series (any book other than the first or last/most recent release)

The Council (Darkness #5) by K.F. Breene

So, have you read any of these books? Are you doing this challenge too? I found this part of the Rainbow Challenge the most fun - having to find a book that fit in with the challenge! 

As always you can click on the authors' names to go to their own websites and you can see my reviews on Goodreads, some stories I really liked and some not as much but it made me source books that I would have missed if left to my own devises. Remember, a favourite author, book or series could be just around the corner.....

I will continue to post more as I complete each section with the tag/label #ReadingRainbowYearlyChallenge2015 to make it easier for you to find the relevant posts - part 4 is all about the name of the main character starting with the same letter as the colours of the rainbow.... 

Urban Fantasy Group - Reading Rainbow Challenge 2015 ~ Book Montage

*flora*'s favourite books »