Since September is an off-month for read-alongs, anybody up for a mini-challenge? I have a ton of good books on my shelf and Kindle but a lot of them are the first in a series.  I  can't justify starting another series when I have tons series that I've already started.  I'm going to make September my month of clearing the next book in series.  Some are HF and some are CF.  Join me if you like!  I'll have a small prize for the person who reads the most books from a series and for the person who reads books from the most different series.  I'll be pretty lax in defining a "series".   We'll include prequels and sequels.  For example, I'm counting The Scarlet Lion because I've already read A Place Beyond Courage and The Greatest Knight.  Even though that is not specifically a "series", we'll count it.  And we will count non-HF as well.

We'll start Sept. 1 and count only the second and subsequent books of series where you finished the first book by August 31.

If you want to keep track, claim a spot and we'll do our keeping track in this thread. 

I'm hoping to read:

-The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwich (The Marshall series)
-The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble (Mercy Falls series)
-Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum series)
-Pirate's Code by Helen Hollick (Sea Witch series)
-Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon series)
-The Rivers Run Dry by Sibella Giorello (Rayleigh Harmon series)
-The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir (Ray Quinn series)
-The Rook and The Knight by Steven James (Bowers Files series) and maybe The Bishop also if time allows

That would be a record month for me this year!  Not sure I can make it through all of those, but we'll give it a shot.

Hi Christa! I'll claim a spot here and see how it goes!

For sure, I want to read these at least:

1. Bound -Sally Gunning (sequel to Widow's War) - finished 9/1/11

2. Buried Alive by Jack Kerley - will bring me up to date finished 9/3/11

3. Genghis, Lords of the Bow

4. The Man Who Went Up in Smoke by Sjowall and Wahloo - finished on 9/6/11

5. Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn - finished on 9/18/11

6.) Murder in the Sentier by Cara Black - finished 9/9/11

7.) The Bone is Pointed by Arthur Upfield - finished 9/10/11

8.) The Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill - finished 9/12/11

9.) A Bone of Contention by Susanna Gregory (#3 in the Matthew Bartholomew series) - finished 9/16/11

10.) The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley- finished 9/20/11

11.) Dying to Sin by Stephen Booth - finished 9/21/11

12.) Revenger by Rory Clements- finished 9/25/11

13.) The Sting of Justice by Cora Harrison - finished 9/27/11

 This is a great idea!  I'm in the same position, Christa.

I'm going to try and finish two series: DONE

The Dead of Winter by Rennie Airth~Finished 9/23

One Good Turn ~~ Finished 9/3

When Will There Be Good News?~~Finished 9/5

Started Early, Took My Dog, all by Kate Atkinson~~Finished 9/9

Bring myself up to date on : DONE

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare~~Finished 9/25

Move forward with: DONE

Eleven on Top ~~ FInished 9/7

Twelve Sharp~~Finished 9/14

Plum Lovin'~~Finished 9/17

Lean, Mean Thirteen   all by Janet Evanovich~~Finished 9/18

Plum Lucky~~Finished 9/18

Tentative List:

1. The Red Queen (Cousin's War #2) by Philippa Gregory
 finished 9 Sept

2. Lady of the Rivers (Cousin's War #3) by Philippa Gregory finished 11 Sept

3. The Magician King (Magician #2) by Lev Grossman  finished 17 Sept

4. The Deception of the Emerald Ring (Pink Carnation #3) by Lauren Willig

5. Sword Song (Saxon Chronicles #4) by Bernard Cornwell

6. Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon

Claiming my spot!  TBA later on....

I am in. Will try to work on list a bit later today. I love to join a challenge. It gives me energy to research new authors, return to fav authors, etc . I read the books to fulfill the challenge, but my problem is posting the books that I have read to the forum. Will do better. I have all of the 2011 challenges to post books that I have read.

Mary

I have decided not to participate.

This is a good idea Christa - have to say that it will probably prod me enough to get with it!

What's bad is that I'm only dealing with the series where I have the next books on my TBR.   In addition, I have all of the ones I want to keep reading but I just don't physically have them....Genghis, Bound, White House Chef cozies, Medicus....plus the ones I may start between now and the end of the month...Martyr, Outlaw, India Black...plus the others that I have at least the first book...Chosen King, Kingmaking, Plaidy's Tudors, Mistress of Rome, Seven Wonders....I could read series books for a whole year and never pick up anything else! 

Genghis:  Bones of the Hills by Conn Iggulden  (completed 9/19/11)

Nine Men Dancing by Kate Sedley  (completed 9/3/11)

The Midsummer Rose by Kate Sedley  (completed 9/10/11)

To Kingdom Come by Will Thomas  (completed 9/23/11)

Guinevere, The Legend in Autumn by Persia Woolley  (completed 9/5/11)

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik  (completed 9/29/11)

Oh Christa - this is the bane of the book lover. There are always more- more-more. When I look at my series on FictFact, I think to myself "how in the heck did I get myself into this dilemma?" Do not stress over it - just read what you feel like reading when the mood hits you. Let's face it - having too many books is better than not having ANY! Did you read the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (I'm finally reading it now)? Those people were totally cut off from all news etc. They took up reading the books they had on hand. We are so fortunate and of course, we over-do it - I know that I am guilty of that. But what fun! As I used to say to Valli when she was offering me beaucoup books " I'm drowning in books but what a way to go!"

Bumping up!  Ready, set, GO!

I have to finish Mary Sutter first, then I can start!

I'm starting Bound by Sally Gunning today!

I'm in, reading book three of the Silver Rush Mysteries as we speak: Leaden Skies, by Ann Parker.  Starting a challenge like this will help me decide the ever-present question of what-to-read-next.  And like Holly, I will post as I go along.  Thanks, Christa. (I think)

Linda

You guys are crazy!

Starting One Good Turn, book 2 in the Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson.  Not HF, but I'm enjoying it so far!

You guys are crazy!

Well, that's not news!

Hey, Letty -- what happened? I thought you were following the flock -- I loved your pic -- it made me laugh and now you've removed it.

Okay, I started Bound by Sally Gunning yesterday (the sequel to Widow's War) and I finished it late last light, so that's one down!

I'm not quite sure why this book kept me turning the pages and finishing it so quickly. Part of it is that Eben and Libby (the Widow from Widow's War) played a very big part in it and we eventually find out what happens to these two. I found that the main character, Alice, even though she had been severely traumatized, really really made a lot of terrible decisions and I just wanted to shake her during many parts of this book. Gunning's writing is so good and  she captures the period so well, that you almost feel as if you are in the thick of things! I give this book 4 stars mainly because of Gunning's style of writing.

Deb, I just have to much on this month.  But just for you or ewe? LOL

OK, goofy question. Is this challenge just for September? So,it will end 9/30/11?

I am taking some time off this month, so will get books together.

edited to add

THE WHITE LIONESS  by Henning Mankell    started book and realized I already read it. RATS

THE LEOPARD by Jo Nesbo   GOOD READ,SO FAR

Mary

Aw, thanks, Letty.

I couldn't get into that book  either Christa!

BTW, I started this month's available books thread and put Bound in there in case anyone from this forum is wanting it.

Finished Buried Alive by Jack Kerley and now I think I'll try The Man Who Went Up in Smoke by Sjowall and Wahloo. Yes, doing it this way has definitely helped me focus on "what's next".

I finished my first challenge book, Nine Men Dancing by Kate Sedley and I think it has to be one of my favorite Roger the Chapman books thus far even though I had it figured out ahead of time.  But wait...now I'm reading The Midsummer Rose also by Kate Sedley and this one starts out really great too!  What's a fan to do?  Why keep reading of course.