Read 100+ Books in 2015 discussion

Wow! August already. I did a bit of reading in July but I hope to do more in August but I'm not sure since I'll be going to Authors After Dark this month. Not much reading gets done an author/reader convention. My 10-year old niece has been checking to see how many books I've read so she can read more than me. She's winning as of last Saturday but I did get a few more in this week.

So now for August's challenge:

1. Read a book whose author's last name starts with F.
2. Read a book set in the summer.
3. Read a book that won an award.
4. Read a book written that was written before the author turned 21.
5. Read a classic mystery.
6. Read a book set in school.
7. Read a book set in a place where you have taken a vacation.
8. Read a memoir.
9. Your choice.

My August books are:

5/9, 17 books

1. Read a book whose author's last name starts with F--Hell Bent by Emma Fawkes--finished 8/29/15.
2. Read a book set in the summer--A Week at the Lake by Wendy Wax--finished 8/19/15.
3. Read a book that won an award.
4. Read a book written that was written before the author turned 21.
5. Read a classic mystery.
6. Read a book set in school--Public School Superhero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbets--finished 8/3/15.
7. Read a book set in a place where you have taken a vacation--Goons and Roses by Donna Joy Usher--finished 8/1/15.
8. Read a memoir.
9. Your choice--Tess' Tale by Donna Joy Usher--finished 8/1/15.

Bonus:
Beta read finished 8/2/15
Dearest Rogue by Elizabeth Hoyt--finished 8/5/15
Beyond the Cut by Sarah Castille--finished 8/7/15
The Trailsman: Arizona Ambushers--finished 8/12/15
The Antidote by Lisabet Sarai--finished 8/21/15
Beta read finished 8/21/15
Exposure by Lisabet Sarai--finished 8/22/5
Her Beguiling Butler--Cerise DeLand--finished 8/22/15
A Mansion, A Drag Queen, and A Ghost by CC Dragon--finished 8/24/15
Bear Trapped by Eve Hunter--finished 8/27/15
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews--finished 8/29/15
Beauty and the Beastmaster by Carol Devine--finished 8/30/15

Here's my August's challenge:

1. Read a book whose author's last name starts with F.
2. Read a book set in the summer.
3. Read a book that won an award.
4. Read a book written that was written before the author turned 21.
5. Read a classic mystery.
6. Read a book set in school.
"The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown. The story starts out at the University of Washington.
7. Read a book set in a place where you have taken a vacation.
8. Read a memoir.
"Rin Tin Tin" by Susan Orlean
9. Your choice.

Now reading "Revival" by Stephen King.

"In a small New England town, in the early '60s, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs Jacobs; the women and girls - including Jamie's mother and beloved sister - feel the same about Reverend Jacobs. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond, based on their fascination with simple experiments in electricity.

Then tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, the preacher curses God, mocking all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town."

-Elizabeth Byler Younts 8-2-15
This was a well-written and thought-provoking historical novel about an Amish girl whose boyfriend decides to enlist in the military and leave the conscientious objector camp where he had been serving his draft because he felt that God was leading him to do so. It spends a great deal of time showing how the Amish church felt about his decision and how they treated her for refusing to "break up" with him to use a more modern expression. I really appreciate the research and thought that the author put into this novel about what happens when WWII and a pacifistic culture collide.

-Elizabeth Byler Younts 8-5-15
This was a well-written and thought-provoking historical novel about how a young Amish man who serves out his draft as a conscientious objector by working as an orderly at a mental hospital where he meets and falls for a nurse. When he leaves for home as the war comes to a close, he invites her to take refuge at his home due to a life-changing occurrence in her life, and there in an Amish community in Delaware, their relationship grows closer and closer. To avoid spoiling the ending, I'll just say that I liked what happens with their relationship and how certain choices are made. I really appreciate the research and thought that the author put into this second novel about what happens when WWII and a pacifistic culture collide.

-Stephanie Grace Whitson 8-7-15
Despite the title, this historical Christian romance focuses on only five of the sixteen women who travel west with Mr. Drake's "Ladies Emigration Society." Unknown to them, the idea is to bring brides to the men of the west. Once the real purpose becomes known to the women, half of them refuse to travel on to the next town and the welcoming dance set up for them. So, eight women stop in Plum Grove, Nebraska and refuse to go further down the line to Cayote. Two of these ladies find jobs in town while the others decide to claim the homesteads they'd been told they could claim because none of these "widows" want a man. Anyway, the story is told from the perspectives of five of these homesteading women who are some of the best characters I've seen in a novel this year, but even though it was also one of the more unique plots I've seen, I'm not certain that it would have been possible for women to legally claim homesteads in that time period, and it seems unlikely for there to be such feminist-minded women back then either. I liked the novel, but I've given it three stars because of those more unbelievable elements.

Here's my August's challenge:

1. Read a book whose author's last name starts with F.
2. Read a book set in the summer.
3. Read a book that won an award.
4. Read a book written that was written before the author turned 21.
5. Read a classic mystery.
6. Read a book set in school.
"The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown. The story starts out at the University of Washington.
7. Read a book set in a place where you have taken a vacation.
8. Read a memoir.
"Rin Tin Tin" by Susan Orlean
9. Your choice.
"Revival" by Stephan King
"The Book of Unknown Americans" by Christina Henriquez

Now reading "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Christina Henriquez.

"A dazzling, heartbreaking page-turner destined for breakout status: a novel that gives voice to millions of Americans as it tells the story of the love between a Panamanian boy and a Mexican girl: teenagers living in an apartment block of immigrant families like their own.

After their daughter Maribel suffers a near-fatal accident, the Riveras leave México and come to America. But upon settling at Redwood Apartments, a two-story cinderblock complex just off a highway in Delaware, they discover that Maribel's recovery--the piece of the American Dream on which they've pinned all their hopes--will not be easy. Every task seems to confront them with language, racial, and cultural obstacles.

At Redwood also lives Mayor Toro, a high school sophomore whose family arrived from Panamà fifteen years ago. Mayor sees in Maribel something others do not: that beyond her lovely face, and beneath the damage she's sustained, is a gentle, funny, and wise spirit. But as the two grow closer, violence casts a shadow over all their futures in America.

Peopled with deeply sympathetic characters, this poignant yet unsentimental tale of young love tells a riveting story of unflinching honesty and humanity that offers a resonant new definition of what it means to be an American. An instant classic is born."

-Vanetta Chapman 8-9-15
This was a well-written and truly entertaining cozy mystery. The mystery is set in an "Amish village," designed for tourists, which was a lot of fun to read about. One of the main characters is Amish and the others aren't, but all of them are well drawn. I really enjoyed this beginning to what promises to be a good cozy mystery series. It has definitely earned its place on my favorites list.

-Beverly Lewis 8-13-15
This is the first book in a great series about family ties and faith among the Amish community of Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania. It is well written and has great characters.

-Beverly Lewis 8-17-15
This is the second book in a great series about family ties and faith among the Amish community of Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania. It is well written and has great characters.

-Beverly Lewis 8-19-15
This is the third book in a great series about family ties and faith among the Amish community of Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania. It is well written and has great characters.

-Beverly Lewis 8-24-15
This is the fourth book in a great series about family ties and faith among the Amish community of Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania. It is well written and has great characters.

-Beverly Lewis 8-26-15
This is the fifth and final book in a great series about family ties and faith among the Amish community of Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania. It is well written and has great characters.

Rachel wrote: "-Beverly Lewis 8-24-15
This is the fourth book in a great series about family ties and faith among the Amish community of Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania. It is well wri..."

Sounds like a good series. Are there any Amish series you recommend?

-Christian George 8-30-15
Despite the weird title, this is an excellent Christian nonfiction book that is partly spiritual memoir and partly theological but down-to-earth discussion. It is a brilliantly written and is often highly funny as well as thoughtful and informative. I really enjoyed it.

Sheila wrote: "Rachel wrote: "-Beverly Lewis 8-24-15
This is the fourth book in a great series about family ties and faith among the Amish community of Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania...."

To finally respond to your question, I have read a lot of Amish fiction, and there are many series I would recommend. Too many that I can recall off the top of my head. Since you're on my Goodreads friends' list now, you're always welcome to browse my shelves. My favorites shelf would have several of those type of series. :) But a few that I can remember offhand by name are the Plain Perfect (at least that's the first book's title) series by Beth Wiseman, Daughters of Lancaster County Trilogy and Kentucky Brothers Trilogy by Wanda Brunstetter, and most of the series Beverly Lewis has written.

Rachel wrote: "Sheila wrote: "Rachel wrote: "-Beverly Lewis 8-24-15
This is the fourth book in a great series about family ties and faith among the Amish community of Gobbler's Knob..."

Thanks. Some of them I have heard of. I look forward to reading more of them.

August's challenge:

1. Read a book whose author's last name starts with F. N/A
2. Read a book set in the summer. The Betrayal-Beverly Lewis 8-17-15
3. Read a book that won an award. N/A
4. Read a book written that was written before the author turned 21. N/A
5. Read a classic mystery. N/A
6. Read a book set in school. N/A
7. Read a book set in a place where you have taken a vacation. (I visited Lancaster County, not Gobbler's Knob in particular) The Covenant-Beverly Lewis 8-13-15
8. Read a memoir. Sex, Sushi, and Salvation: Thoughts on Intimacy, Community, and Eternity-Christian George 8-30-15
9. Your choice. Promise to Return-Elizabeth Byler Younts 8-2-15, Promise to Cherish-Elizabeth Byler Younts 8-5-15, Sixteen Brides-Stephanie Grace Whitson 8-7-15, Murder Simply Brewed-Vanetta Chapman 8-9-15, The Sacrifice-Beverly Lewis 8-18-15, The Prodigal-Beverly Lewis 8-24-15, The Revelation-Beverly Lewis 8-26-15