This year, for the New Authors Challenge, I tried something new in February and it seems to have been a resounding success. For February, Literary Escapism held a mini challenge featuring the League of Reluctant Adults and the goal was to read up to 5 new authors sometime during the month.
Within 28 days, 52 bloggers discovered 21 new authors and read 43 different novels, which resulted in 126 reviews showing up on the web. Not only did everyone post these reviews on their own blogs, but it appears that all the reviews were posted at least in one other location. That’s amazing. My hope for this challenge was that we would help get the word out on these League authors and I think we did a pretty damn good job. Check out all these reviews that showed up:
The Accidental Werewolf by Dakota Cassidy (Accidental Friends #1) – Ale, Ellz Readz and Escape Between The Pages
The Becoming by Jeanne Stein (Anna Strong #1) – Intense Whisper , Jennifer M and Poisoned Rationality
Black & White by Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge (Icarus Project #1) – Wren
Black London Series by Caitlin Kittredge
1. Street Magic – Becky LeJeune, Christine M., Mardel, Samantha and Spav
2. Demon Bound – Christine M. and Melissa – My World…in words and pages
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (Clockwork Century #1) – Alpha Heroes, Ruthann and Samantha
Broken Heart series by Michele Bardsley
2. Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire – Teri C.
6. Come Hell or High Water – Sandy G
Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman
1. Nightlife – Book Eater , Ruthann, Sara’s UF Blog and Zombie Joe
3. Madhouse – Wayfaring Writer
Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead
1. Storm Born – Christine M. and Lori@Escape Between The Pages
2. Thorn Queen – Christine M.
Elizabeth & Anna’s Big Adventure by Jeanne Stein – Natasha (Wicked Lil Pixie)
Georgina Kincaid series by Richelle Mead
1. Succubus Blues – Becky LeJeune
2. Succubus on Top – Jennifer M
4. Succubus Heat – IYam Vixen Books
Greywalker series by Kat Richardson
1. Greywalker – Amy (she Wulf), Becky LeJeune, Intense Whisper, Jennifer M, Poisoned Rationality, Wayfaring Writer and Wren
3. Underground – Nicola O.
Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry (Amanda Feral #1) – Ale, Amanda Leigh, DarklyReading, Heather C/ heatwave16, Pamk, Sara’s UF Blog and Throuthehaze Reads
Hells Belles by Jackie Kessler (Hell on Earth #1) – Melissa (My World…in words and pages) and Vickie B
Immortality Bites series by Michelle Rowen
1. Bitten & Smitten – Aye. Me? and Ruthann
4. Stakes & Stilettos – Wayfaring Writer
5. Tall, Dark & Fangsome – Teri C. and Wayfaring Writer
Kara Gillian series by Diana Rowland
1. Mark of the Demon – Becky LeJeune, Donna S, Ellz Readz, Escape Between The Pages, Kay, Ruthann, Spav and Tynga
2. Blood of the Demon – Nicola O.
Kiss & Hell by Dakota Cassidy – Donna S
Lupercalia by Anton Strout – Natasha (Wicked Lil Pixie)
Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk (Allie Beckstrom #1) – Vickie B
Megan Chase series by Stacia Kane
1. Personal Demons – Ale, Book Eater – Beleth, Mardel, Sara’s UF Blog and Wicked Lil Pixie
2. Demon Inside – Wicked Lil Pixie
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper (Jane Jameson #1) – Becky LeJeune, Book Eater, Dark Heart, Darkly Reading, Donna S, Ellz Readz, Jennifer M, Spav, Teri C. and Tynga
Nocturne City Series by Caitlin Kittredge
1. Night Life – Natalie Jay and Wayfaring Writer
2. Pure Blood – Ruthann
Nymphos of Rocky Flats by Mario Acevedo (Felix Gomez #1) – Sandy G, She_wulf, Wayfaring Writer and Wicked Lil Pixie
Once Bitten Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin (Jaz Parks #1) – Book Eater and Nicola O.
Red-Headed Step Child by Jaye Wells (Sabina Kane #1) – Amanda Leigh, Book Eater, Escape Between The Pages, heatwave16, Kay, Pamk, Poisoned Rationality, Sandy G and Wren
Simon Canderous series by Anton Strout
1. Dead to Me – Kindle Vixen and Wayfaring Writer
2. Deader Still – Donna S and Kindle Vixen
3. Dead Matter – Ale and Kindle Vixen
Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler (Jane True #1) – Ale, Amanda Leigh, Escape Between The Pages, Fantasy Dreamer’s Ramblings, Mardel, Ruthann, Sandy G, Teri C., Tynga and Vickie B
Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding (Dreg City #1) – Darkly Reading, Donna S, Jennifer M., Mardel, Maya M and Ruthann
Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
1. Vampire Academy – Book Love Affair, Ellz Readz, Kay and Sandy G
2. Frostbite – Teri C
Of course, I can’t forget that there were prizes involved. When the Leaguers found out about the mini-challenge, they generously offered 35 different titles to be given away at the end of the month to 7 different winners. Now, since I’m going to be drawing 7 winners and letting them chose which 5 books they get to walk away with, I’m not going to announce the names just yet. Some people are at work and I’m in the eastern time zone, so I don’t even know if people out on the West Coast are even up (I know I wouldn’t be). So, to be fair, the winners will be posted tonight at 9pm. That’s a heads up for everyone, so make sure you check back.
As for my own attempt at the challenge, I totally sucked. I normally average about 10 books a month, but I only read 2 in all of February and those were only because I had to since someone else was waiting their turn. (Blame it on my pregnancy, wacky hormones or the hubby’s crappy schedule if you want) So, you will be seeing my League reviews popping up shortly. I am currently reading Mark Henry’s Happy Hour of the Damned and I have at least six other Leaguers sitting on my desk that I plan to get through.
As for this mini-challenge, I think everyone had a lot of fun, so I will definitely be doing something like this again, but which collection of authors, I’m not sure of yet. I’ve already started collecting other collaborative sites and I have an idea bouncing around of doing this a little differently, so if you enjoyed this, keep your eyes open. Something will be popping up in the next two weeks about the next mini-challenge.
So what did everyone think?
Well done Jackie! Honestly, this is the first challenge I have EVER finished! Whoo Hoo! lol! Great job!
I love it! I just wish I had gotten more done, I had a really slow month reading too! Great idea for a challenge!
Awesome! I am still reading books from these authors! I feel so proud cause I finished the challenge =P hehe… Great challenge btw!
This was such a great challenge! Made me pick up some books that I would not have otherwise – and I loved most of them! Only wish that I could have read more…
I enjoyed! I had already read all the books from Richelle Mead, Jaye Wells and 1 by Michelle Rowen adn kat Richardson, so I couldn’t read those.
I had many books from these authors on my shelves that I just hadn’t picked up yet, so It gave me extra motivation to do so.
I only read 3 books though cause I had review books from publishers to read in the mean time but it was fun =D
Thanks for the great concept!
West Coast here! But to be honest, I’ve only been up an hour. And only then because I have class!
What a crazy challenge. Everyone turned out well, though!
That all is amazing! This is a great thing for these awesome authors!
I wanted to ask you… Did my post from the 28th go through? I seemed to be having troubles with the Linky thing. I did a review for Boneshaker yesterday and thought it posted the link here, but it may not have gone through. I think I was the last number yesterday. Sorry. And Thank you!
This was a lot of fun, though I only read 3 new League’ers and I meant to read 5, but I ran out of time and had other stuff that had deadlines to be done you know?
I’m looking forward to the next new mini-challenge! I admit I like these better than the longer ones since I feel more urgency to finish them…the year long ones I always go ‘hmmm well I’ll get around to it’ and then its december and I’ve not read a single book for 3 different challenges XD
This was fun and I read a couple of books that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. And found a few new author’s to follow.
I really enjoyed this challenge :D! I discovered some new authors and i will probably read more of the League books the next months.
And 9pm EST… Is 3am for me *lol* i guess i will have to wait until tomorrow to know the winners :P
Thank you!
Whoa! I’m glad this was such a success. I got introduced to some authors that I’ve been meaning to pick up. A couple of those I really liked. I had a lot of fun, can’t wait for the next challenge.;)
This was great! I really like the shorter timeframe.
Hey, when I was pregnant oh so many years ago now, I would have been lucky to get ANYTHING done. BAAHAHAHAHAHA So, you did great. Geesh, you organized this challenge which is amazing in itself. This was my first completed challenge too, and I had a blast. Thanks so much for hosting it!
This was a great deal of fun. I know I picked up books (like Bitten & Smitten and Mark of the Demon) that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. I also enjoyed everything I read and the fun gets to continue for me as I think I have five or six more books by league authors to read.
Thanks for hosting such a great contest!