Women With Books - 2019 Summer Reading Challenge: What I Read!

Women With Books - a curated collection of conversations about your favorite books, media, and other fabulous things.

Well??? Did you complete the Summer Reading Challenge? I did!

For last year’s challenge and the books I read, click here and here.

As I said before, the 2018 Summer Reading Challenge was one of my most popular episodes of last year – this one and the round up episode. And I’ve loved hearing what everyone was reading this summer!

What I did for this challenge was give you broad themes and you find the book that best fits that for you. After all, at Women With Books, we only want you to read what you love.

I know everyone wants to know, though, what I read for the challenge this year. Some of my picks can fit into more than one category, so I may just slot them into different places… if I need to.

Pretty Dress Cover

Read: The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams (More about it here on Best Books to Read Now)

Debut Author

Read: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Beach Cover

Read: The Southern Side of Paradise by Kristy Woodson Harvey (More about it here on Best Books to Read Now)

Diverse/ Inclusive Read

Read: Alisha Rai’s The Right Swipe (More about it here on Best Books to Read Now)

TBR List

Read: Temptations of a Wallflower by Eva Leigh (HOLY CRAP THIS WAS GOOD WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG????)

Comfort Read

Read: Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins (She had not been a Women With Books guest when I read this book but she is now! Find her episode here.) And Nina Bocci’s On the Corner of Love and Hate.

New Genre

Read: Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri (also an #ownvoices author and a debut author! This was so good y’all… read more about it here!)

Former WWB Guest (Find them on WomenWithBooks.com)

Read: Sidelined by Suzanne Baltzar (hear her episode here) AND The Southern Side of Paradise by Kristy Woodson Harvey (hear her episode here)

For a list of the authors/ books discussed, subscribe to the Women With Books newsletter (With extra Q&A from the guests!) Buy me a coffee! Support the Podcast at www.Ko-fi.com/womenwithbookspodcast Friend me on Goodreads! Check out the HBIC Nation Podcast!

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Women With Books - 2019 Summer Reading Challenge!

Women With Books - a curated collection of conversations about your favorite books, media, and other fabulous things.

Get excited! The popular Women With Books Summer Reading Challenge is Back!

For last year’s challenge and the books I read, click here and here.

Happy Summer!

It’s time for the 2019 WWB Summer Reading Challenge!

This was one of my most popular episodes of last year – this one and the round up episode – so I’m really excited to do it again.

What I do for this challenge is give you broad themes and you find the book that best fits that for you. After all, at Women With Books, we only want you to read what you love.

So I’m giving you some suggestions, some of them off MY TBR list and some of them I’ve already read, but please feel free to insert whatever you’ve got burning up on your bookshelf.

Pretty Dress Cover

Suggestions: Rebel by Beverly Jenkins or The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams

Debut Author

Suggestions: Mia Vincy, Casey McQuiston or Hafsah Faisal

Beach Cover

Suggestions: the latest from Kristy Woodson Harvey or The Lieutenant’s Nurse by Sara Ackerman

Diverse/ Inclusive Read

Suggestions: (A lot from the other suggestions + a few that don’t fit under the other categories?) Alisha Rai’s The Right Swipe or Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev or The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo

TBR List

Suggestions: I don’t know! It’s your TBR Pile!

Comfort Read

Suggestions: the Kat Holloway mystery series by Jennifer Ashley or Coming Home by Rosamund Pilcher

New Genre

Suggestions: Spec-fic/ mystery The Psychology of Time Travel or fantasy romance Radiance.

Former WWB Guest

Suggestions: Go to WomenWithBooks.com

Remember to use hashtag: #WWBReadingChallenge so we can all see what everyone’s reading this summer! And drop me a line over email or through social media if you have any great books to recommend this summer!

For more details on the Summer Reading Challenge go to my Blog here.   For a list of the authors/ books discussed, subscribe to the Women With Books newsletter (With extra Q&A from the guests!) Buy me a coffee! Support the Podcast at www.Ko-fi.com/womenwithbookspodcast   Buns & Roses Tea benefitting Adult Literacy Friend me on Goodreads!

Best Books to Read Now: October 2018

Is there anything better than a crisp autumn day and an excellent book?

The answer is, NO. There is not. Because autumn is prime reading season, I thought I’d get back to sharing my recommendations of what I’ve read and what is next on my TBR list!

The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick

Amazon || Apple Books

The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick is a fabulous book for fall. It has everything - Tudor history, a dash of romance, a mystery, and time-travel! I have been recommending this one to a lot of people so if you read it, please let me know how you like it! I’d love to talk about it.

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Amazon || Apple Books

I just realized I recommended this one at the end of the summer, as well. HA! That’s how you know it’s good. Still, as mentioned in my Women With Books episode with Chanel Cleeton (she’s the one who finally got me to start the series), this is really the perfect book to enjoy snuggled up on a dreary day with a hot cup of tea.

Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? by Alyssa Mastromonaco

Amazon || Apple Books

One of the things that gets me to recommend a book is if I cannot get it out of my mind. And this is one of those. No, it’s not a great literary piece or a fast-paced thriller or steamy romance. It’s an easy to read, funny yet thoughtful memoir of one of the most senior White House staffers for President Obama. As we go through yet another divisive political season, I think more of us should read books like this one, that remind us what government (and politics) looks like through an insider’s lens and how it can be used for good. And yes, I think people of all political stripes can find something to enjoy in this one.

TBR PILE!

What’s next on my to-read list? I’ve been saving these two as a reward for when I get my edits done (which should be ANY DAY NOW!!)

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

Amazon || Apple Books

My Favorite Half Night Stand - by Christina Lauren

Amazon || Apple Books

So I’ve been anxiously awaiting both of the above, since I interviewed Jasmine (last JANUARY?? Has it been that long???) and C.Lo this summer. (You can find both podcast episodes here: Women With Books.) These authors know how to bring me tears and laughs with their modern romances and I know it will be exactly what I need after I RIP MY HEART OUT (sorry - I meant to say, ‘finish my edits.’)

And of course, I can’t let a “Best Fall Books To Read” blog go by without mentioning that my book, THE ROYAL RUNAWAY has been included in several “best of” lists!

Check these out!
Bookbub’s 18 Best Fall Romances

Get Literary’s Five October Fiction Picks

AND…

In Style’s Ten Books You Won’t Be Able To Put Down This October

 The Royal Runaway!

Amazon : http://amzn.to/2EhFPuz

BN.Com: http://bit.ly/TRRBN

Simon & Schuster: http://bit.ly/RoyalRunaway

Apple : http://bit.ly/TheRoyalRunaway

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2xQNdrl

Kobo: http://bit.ly/TRRKobo

So go on - what are you waiting for? I give you permission to joyfully purchase all the books that will make your heart warm and fluttery this autumn.

Best Books to Read Now: 2018 Women With Books Summer Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

Earlier this summer, I introduced the 2018 WOMEN WITH BOOKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE!
 

Did you do it? What did you read? 
I sort of accidentally completed the challenge, and I talk all about it on the Season 3 opener of my podcast, Women With Books. Check out the episode here. And while you're listening, these are the books I discuss....
 

A royal book! 

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Amazon || Apple Books

BEACH BOOKS

Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams

Amazon || Apple Books

New To You Genre

Prisoner of the Crown by Jeffe Kennedy

Amazon || Apple Books

A Diverse / Inclusive Read And Debut Author
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
 

Amazon || Apple Books

 

A Book that Inspired a Movie/ TV Show

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan:  Amazon || iBooks

A Book with A Pretty Dress on the Cover

Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean

Amazon || Apple Books

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

 

Amazon || Apple Books

Book from a Former Women With Books Guest
Check out Tessa Dare's, Sarah MacLean's and Jeffe Kennedy's books, above!

I'd love to hear if you read anything good this summer and I definitely recommend the above books so go ahead and add them to your TBR pile! And while you're one-clicking, make sure you reserve your copy of my next release... THE ROYAL RUNAWAY!  Anyone who has good taste in books will enjoy it! 
 

Best Books to Read Now: 2018 Women With Books Summer Reading Challenge

This time of year, I'm always being asked - WHAT'S A GOOD BOOK TO READ???  
Between road trips, vacations and lazy days in the shade, it seems like everyone agrees that it's the perfect time to immerse yourself in a great book. 

So in response to popular demand, I'm introducing....

For the next three months, join me as we explore new genres, discover new authors and bask in the glory of love... mystery... adventure...  Of course you can pick whatever book you want in each category but I'm going to give some recommendations... you know me. I can't RESIST giving book recommendations...

Ready?  Let's start with what everyone's been obssessing about!

A royal book! 
 

I've done a lot of talking about the Royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry this spring, including hosting several inspiring authors of royal romance. Here are some of their awesome books:

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole Amazon || iBooks

Royally Wed by Teri Wilson Amazon || iBooks

Command Me by Geneva Lee Amazon || iBooks

The Royal We - Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan Amazon || iBooks

BEACH BOOKS

Every time I do the lightning round in a podcast interview I ask people if they prefer a book with abs on the cover or a beach scene. So let's pick some books with beach scenes this summer. My recommendations...

Kristy Woodson Harvey's Peachtree Bluff series: Amazon || iBooks

All the Breaking Waves by Kerry Lonsdale: Amazon || iBooks

Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers by Sara Ackerman: Amazon || iBooks

New To You Genre

Branch out this summer. Do you want to try...

A mystery? Try Deanna Raybourn's Victorian ones or Gigi Pandian's Treasure hunt ones!

Fantasy? Try the new series by Jeffe Kennedy or L. Penelope

Historical women's fiction? The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Paranormal romance & Urban Fantasy?  The Shadowchasers' series by Seressia Glass or anything by (my all-time favorite) Ilona Andrews

Book from a Former Women With Books Guest

I've already mentioned a bunch on this page! But check out the Women With Books episodes for a deeper dive. 

A Diverse / Inclusive Read
 

It's really important to me, as a reader, an author and a podcast host to promote and recommend books by all types of authors. Many of the recommendations I'm making in this post include authors of color, but for even more books check out... 

WOC Romance
20 Books by LGBT Authors You May Not Have Read...but should

 

Debut Author

 

This is another branch of the Women With Books mission statement, to support debut authors. To that end, I'm very excited to suggest these authors who all debuted in the past year!

Alexis Daria's debut,  Take the Lead: Amazon || iBooks

Kate Clayborn's debut,  Beginner's Luck: Amazon || iBooks

Jasmine Guillory's debut, The Wedding Date:  Amazon || iBooks

Madame de Boudoir's debut, King of the Sea  Amazon || iBooks

A Book that Inspired a Movie/ TV Show

I always love reading books that will be or have already been interpreted on the big (or little) screen. Part of it is keeping up with the zeitgeist, participating in the discussions at the water cooler. And part of it is my analytical brain that likes to see the differences in adaptations. Either way, I enjoyed BOTH the books and the adaptations of the first and third of these (and I'll definitely be buying a ticket to Crazy Rich Asians!)

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty: Amazon || iBooks

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan:  Amazon || iBooks

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: Amazon || iBooks
 

A Book with A Pretty Dress on the Cover

 

As I mentioned above, I always ask guests if they prefer abs covers or beach scene covers. But you know what my favorite type of cover is? Pretty Dress Covers. And these three are GORGEOUS, don't you think??  (Another favorite is Deanna Raybourns' Lady Julia Grey series, mentioned above.)

Chanel Cleeton's Next Year in Havana 
Taylor Jenkins Reid's Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Sonali Dev's A Bollywood Affair

So. Are you ready? Inspired? Feeling competitive?  I'd love to hear what you're reading this summer and what you recommend! Comment below or on any of my social media and use the hashtag: #WWBSummerReads to update your friends and the Women With Books community on what you're reading this summer! (And check out the podcast where I talk about all this!)

AND... while you're updating your TBR pile, make sure you reserve your copy of my next release... THE ROYAL RUNAWAY!  Anyone who has good taste in books will enjoy it!