The Southern Reading Challenge 2008

The Southern Reading Challenge
I've copied the rules from Maggie Reads:

The rules are easy: 3 Southern Setting Books by Southern Authors in 3 Months beginning May 15 through August 15!
How can you pass this amazing challenge up? Incentive you say? A tin full of yummy tasting pecans will be sent to a lucky participant every Friday. I'll also be linking y'all's experiences as they come in, just like last year. Sense of Place Contest? Oh, Yeah! Dead Mule Society List? You Bet! Click here for southern book suggestions

Books Read For the Challenge
1. Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner by Lisa Wingate review here

2. Holy Moly by Ben Rehder review here

3. Icy sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio review here

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Name Your Blues Contest

Maggie Reads is sponsoring a Name Your Blues Contest. One winner will receive an autographed copy of Finn by Jon Clinch. What fun!

Here's my entry: Polk Salat Nana

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Wrap Up

I truly enjoyed this Challenge, the books I read and those chosen by others were right up my alley. Thanks Maggie for sponsoring this and making it so much fun!

Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner was a light romance with lots of humor. I don't read too much romance but this one was just great, a good clean fun read. Even better it took place in my state, Texas.

Holy Moly was a murder mystery with humor and satire thrown in so this was another fun read for me. I've read Several of Rehder's books and have enjoyed them all.

Icy Sparks was took me into the life of a child growing up with a disability and made me think. It broke my heart to think of children growing up with out any understanding or real help, shoved in institutions. It was sad and funny in turn, bittersweet.

What an Animal Reading Challenge

I’ve decided to join Kristi’s What an Animal! reading challenge.

The rules are simple:
1. Read at least 6 books that have any of these requirements:

a. an animal in the title of the book

b. an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal that plays a major role in the book. a main character that is or turns into an animal (define that however you’d like ;>)).

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)–dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark…dragons, mermaids, centaurs, fairies, vampires…you get the idea…

3. Challenge runs from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. You can still sign up after July 1st as long as you can get 6 books read by June 30th ;>).

4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.

5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or just list them as you find them.

6. Books may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).

7. Crossover books with other challenges is permitted and encouraged.

8. You don’t have to blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.

9. Sign up with Mr. Linky at Kristi's place. Please sign up with the specific post announcing the challenge if you are a blogger. If you do not blog, sign up with your name and leave the URL field blank. Thanks!

10. Have fun!!

Books:

1. Cat Pay The Devil by Shirley Rousseau Murphy review here

The main character is Joe Grey, a mystery solving cat.

2. The Cat Dancers by P.T. Deuterman review here

Cat in the title, mountain lions in the book

3. Swine Not? by Jimmy Buffett review here

A pig is the main character.

4. Spider Mountain by P.T. Deuterman review here

Spider in the title

5. Winter Study by Nevada Barr review here

Winter Study refers to an ongoing study of wolves, wolves are on the cover.

6. Moon Called by Particia Briggs review here

Do werewolves and a coyote shapeshifter count?

7. Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews review here

Birds on the cover, various animals in the story.