June RandomKit: Initials

For June’s RandomKit we will be reading books where you and the author share at least one initial. Take a look at your initials and then match at least one of your letters to the author’s name.

For example if your name is Peggy Sue Jones then your initials would be P, S, and J. The author that you chose must have at least one of those letters as an initial in his/her name as well. For example Laline Paull, A. S. Byatt, Joe Abercrombie would all fit with Peggy Sue Jones.

Have fun with this challenge and, if you use it, here is the Wiki: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2024_RandomKIT#June:_Topic:_Initials

My initials are J, J, and S so these are the books that I am planning on reading for this challenge:

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson
Two of a Kind by Sasha Cottman
Snow Angels by James Thompson

Oh, fun!

My initials are JLC, and I already had plans to read Compass Rose by John Casey and Pebble & Dove by Amy Jones, so those books both fit perfectly!

You'll no doubt be surprised to learn that my initials are JK :) I am really happy to have the chance to read Surfacing by Kathleen Jamie.

Terrific idea, Judy! I thought it (especially the V) would be difficult but found my authors right away.

My initials are V , R, and J. I'll be reading 1989 by Val McDermid and A mortal terror by James R. Benn.

I think I'll postpone making choices for R W M G until I see what I need for other challenges.

What a fun idea! My initials are M E I L, but like >6 Robertgreaves:, I'll wait and see if I can align this with other challenges. I'm looking forward to finding a book for this prompt!

Mine are B G, and I'm sure I can find something for that.

My initials are E A W so I'm either going to read Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese or Open House by Elizabeth Berg.

Anyone with initials J or B gets a quick win with AlphaKit.
Mine aren't J or B. I have several on the TBR pile that would fit my initials though.

I figure I can use my pen name initials (S F) or my legal name (S E S W), which should give me plenty of options.

Mine are C L W and I have plenty on my shelf to choose from.

I've thought I would start the Pink Carnation series and this may be the time. It has all three letters in the title/author's name!

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willing

My initials are A D L. I will look on my shelves to see what I have.

I have both A and C initials, so I'll be reading an Agatha Christie mystery.

My initials are J,C,M so I will read Strange Journey by Maud Cairnes. I have had this on my list for a while - as a kid, Freaky Friday was one of my favourite books so a body swap book from the 1930s sounds like just my thing.

Initials: T,K,W, S

No K's in my TBR! I think I will begin with Gritli's Children by Johanna Spryi and then probably finish with a William Shakespeare.

>12 clue: Well, we have very similar initials! I'm CSW.

My initials are SK, and I have Stars Uncharted by S K Dunstall in my TBR pile, so that is an easy match.
If I can wait until June to read it:-)

I'm hoping to match at least two initials, but depending on time, I might stick with one. My initials are csw

If I can do two, I'll aim for one of these:
Footsteps in Time / Sarah Woodbury
A Crack in the Edge of the World / Simon Winchester
Our Little Lies / Sue Watson

ETA: Oh, I should be reading this, anyway, and it does hit two initials: Dark Roads / Chevy Stevens

I read The Lady Always Wins by Courtney Milan, with whom I share the initial M.

Birgit Jasmund doesn't only share an initial with me, but the entire first name. It's a shame I didn't like the book very much: Das Geheimnis der Porzellanmalerin. Insipid, to be honest.

COMPLETED Errant Justice by R. H. Bishop for R.

I have finished Babel for B.

ETA: Ooops, soory, wrong thread. Ignore.

Starting The Nancys by R. W. R. McDonald (R W)

I can report another book with B: Das Geheimnis von Salem by Birgit Rückert

I finished Surfacing by Kathleen Jamie, which was excellent as expected. I love her writing.

I read Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Carcaterra, since my first name starts with C.

I read 1989 by Val McDermid for the V.

I read Total Creative Control by Joanna Chambers & Sally Malcolm for S.

COMPLETED The Nancys by R. W. R. McDonald for R. W.

I read Death of My Aunt by C. H. B. Kitchin for the B.

I read Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave for L and For Whom the Book Tolls: An Antique Bookshop Mystery by Laura Gail Black also for L.

I have completed Two of a Kind by Sasha Cottman for the S.

I've read Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese sharing the letter W for my last name too.

I read A Mortal Terror by James R. Benn for the J and R of my initials.

I have finished Der arme Awrosimow by Bulat Okudschawa, whose first name shares its initial with mine.

I just read The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg, which works perfectly for this prompt since my first and last initials are also CB!

Just One Evil Act - Elizabeth George

I read Piglet by Lottie Hazell for my initials "L" and "H"

I read Defiant Dreams by Sola Mahfouz and Malaina Kapoor for another S.

My initials are alms, and I read the first half of A Strange Life: Selected Essays of Louisa May Alcott, edited by Liz Rosenberg, preface by Jane Smiley. I did not reread Hospital Sketches which I read as a single book last year.

I have now completed Devil Take the Blue-Tail Fly by John Franklin Bardin. Both the author and I have first names that start with J.

My initials are S.A.V. I've got a lot of S and A books on my shelves, but not as many Vs. The one I do hope to get to for this is Still Waters by Vivica Sten for my two main initials.
In the meantime, I've finished a couple of others:
Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly
The Rule Book by Sarah Adams

July RandomKit: https://www.librarything.com/topic/361425

My initials are A, D, and L so I read The Special Guest by Lee & Donna Allen.

Dark Roads / Chevy Stevens (my initials CSW)
4 stars

Teenaged Hailey is an orphan, and she has recently been living with her Aunt Lana her aunt’s husband, Vaughn, and their son. Vaughn is a police officer and pretty much forbids Hailey to do much of anything outside the house. She does not like him at all and tries her best to avoid him. They live in a rural community in British Columbia along a highway where a number of girls and women have been murdered or gone missing over years. They think it’s not only one person who have done the murdering, but that there has been more than one person responsible over time. When Hailey finds something on Vaughn’s computer, she has to get away. Not long after, her new girlfriend, Amber, is found dead.

Yes, this was based on the famous “Highway of Tears” in B.C. where a number of women and girls (many First Nations) have been murdered or gone missing. The author changed the name of the highway and made up the town where it took place, but it’s recognizable and she does mention it in a note at the end.

I listened to the audio and was mostly able to pay attention to what was happening. When Amber’s sister, Beth, from Vancouver arrives to try to find out what happened to Amber, the POV switches between Beth and Hailey. I mostly didn’t find Beth’s story as interesting as Hailey’s but it did come together at the end. Have to admit, I also though Beth did a supremely stupid thing near the end. I also ended up really not liking Hailey much – at least at the end of the book. No surprise here, but I loved Hailey’s dog, Wolf.

I have finished Der Zwölfte by Gertrud von Brockdorff who shares my initials. Otherwise, this book has nothing to recommend it.

I finished Labyrinth by Kate Mosse for M.

Currently reading Last Winter's Snow by Hans M. Hirschi for the M.

I've finished Open House by Elizabeth Berg and we not only share the initial "E" but also first names.

I finished A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel for my last name initial H.

COMPLETED MY INITIALS: R W M G

The Nancys by R. W. McDonald
Last Winter's Snows by Hans M. Hirschi
Coraline by Neil Gaiman

I have completed my read of Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst. My last name begins with an S.

I just read Green for Danger by Christianna Brand, who also shares my CB initials.

I have completed my read of Exit Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston.

Finished several more books for S, A & V:
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo
Made Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Still Waters by Viveca Sten
I Am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

I did not finish in time, but want to report that I read Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap to also get something for my last name initial, L. This is a very worthwhile collection of short stories set in Thailand.

I read Strange Journey by Maud Cairnes. Between the title and the author, it covers all my initials, JCM.
This is a charming body swap book from the 1930s. I love being able to access so many titles in the British Library classic collections on Kindle Unlimited.