Cruisin' Thru the Cozies 2022 Wrap-Up

 

Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews hosts the Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge.   I participated at Level 2 (Investigator) - reading 20 books of my choice.  Here's what I read:

1. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax #2) by Dorothy Gilman

2. Reserved for Murder (Booklover's B&B #2) by Victoria Gilbert

3. Death at High Tide (Island Sisters Mystery #1) by Hannah Dennison

4. Dead Wrong (Agatha's B & B #1) by Vannetta Chapman

5. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #6) by Alexander McCall Smith

6. The Highland Fling Murders (Murder, She Wrote #8) by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

7. Plain Deception (Amish Inn Mysteries #2) by Tara Randel

8. Clause & Effect (Deadly Edits #2) by Kaitlynn Dunnett

9. Partners in Lime (Seaside Cafe #6) by Bree Baker

10. Danger at the Cove (Island Sisters Mystery #2) by Hannah Dennison

11. Body on the Bayou (Cajun Country Mystery #2) by Ellen Byron

12. Murder with Darjeeling Tea (Daisy's Tea Garden #8) by Karen Rose Smith

13. Murder on the QE2 (Murder, She Wrote #9) by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

14. Blue Shoes and Happiness (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #7) by Alexander McCall Smith

15. Chained (Kate Turner, DVM #3) by Eileen Brady

16. Books Can Be Deceiving (Library Lovers #1) by Jenn McKinlay

17. Peg and Rose Solve a Murder (Peg and Rose #1) by Laurien Berenson 

18. Hot and Sour Suspects (Noodle Shop #8) by Vivien Chien

19. A Tourist's Guide to Murder (Mystery Bookshop #6) by V. M. Burns

20. A Christmas Candy Killing (Killer Chocolate #1) by Christina Romeril

Crusin' Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2023

Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews is hosting the 13th annual Crusin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge.  The link to the sign up is here.  I will be participating at Level 2 (Investigator) - reading 20 cozy mysteries of my choice (option A). I will be keeping track of them here.

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Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks 2023

I will be joining Robin at 52 Books in 52 Weeks for this reading challenge again.  The goal is simple - read 52 books.  Click on the link to see the official rules and to sign up.   Robin also hosts other fun challenges at her blog including an Agatha Christie challenge, A Well Educated Mind challenge, and a Bingo challenge to name a few.  I will be listing the books I read for this challenge here.

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Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks

 

Lilac by Stephen Darbishire

I will be joining Robin at 52 Books in 52 Weeks for this reading challenge again.  The goal is simple - read 52 books.  Click on the link to see the official rules and to sign up.   Robin also hosts other fun challenges at her blog including an Agatha Christie challenge, A Well Educated Mind challenge, and a Bingo challenge to name a few.  I will be listing the books I read for this challenge here.

1. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

2. Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

3. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

4. Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

5. Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico

6. A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair

7. Dead Wrong by Vannetta Chapman

8. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith

9. A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan

10. The Big Four by Agatha Christie

11. Acceptable Risk by Lynette Eason

12. For Such a Time as This by Kayleigh McEnany

13. Dearest Dorothy, Are We There Yet? by Charlene Ann Baumbich

14. Plain Deception by Tara Randel

15. Clause & Effect by Kaitlyn Dunnett

16. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

17. The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

18. The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis

19. The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie

20. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

21. The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher

22. The Bookseller's Promise by Beth Wiseman

23. Body on the Bayou by Ellen Byron

24. Murder with Darjeeling Tea by Karen Rose Smith

25. The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis

26. A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

27. Passing by Nella Larsen

28. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

29. The Mockingbird Next Door by Marja Mills

30. Sunburst by Susan May Warren

31. Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith

32. Joy in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse

33. The Unkept Woman by Allison Montclair

34. Pagan Spring by G. M. Malliet

35. Chained by Eileen Brady

36. Village School by Miss Read

37. Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay

38. Hard Times by Charles Dickens

39. Peg and Rose Solve a Murder by Laurien Berenson

40. The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin

41. Active Defense by Lynette Eason

42. Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda Flower

43. From This Day Forward by Lauraine Snelling

44. Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate

45. Autumn by the Sea by Melissa Tagg

46. This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber

47. A Christmas Candy Killing by Christina Romeril

48. Castle Deadly, Castle Deep by Veronica Bond

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Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2022

 Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews hosts the Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge.   I will be participating at Level 2 (Investigator) - reading 20 books of my choice.  There is also a Goodreads group you can join here.

I will be listing my books here:

1. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax #2) by Dorothy Gilman

2. Reserved for Murder (Booklover's B&B #2) by Victoria Gilbert

3. Death at High Tide (Island Sisters Mystery #1) by Hannah Dennison

4. Dead Wrong (Agatha's B & B #1) by Vannetta Chapman

5. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #6) by Alexander McCall Smith

6. The Highland Fling Murders (Murder, She Wrote #8) by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

7. Plain Deception (Amish Inn Mysteries #2) by Tara Randel

8. Clause & Effect (Deadly Edits #2) by Kaitlynn Dunnett

9. Partners in Lime (Seaside Cafe #6) by Bree Baker

10. Danger at the Cove (Island Sisters Mystery #2) by Hannah Dennison

11. Body on the Bayou (Cajun Country Mystery #2) by Ellen Byron

12. Murder with Darjeeling Tea (Daisy's Tea Garden #8) by Karen Rose Smith

13. Murder on the QE2 (Murder, She Wrote #9) by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

14. Blue Shoes and Happiness (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #7) by Alexander McCall Smith

15. Chained (Kate Turner, DVM #3) by Eileen Brady

16. Books Can Be Deceiving (Library Lovers #1) by Jenn McKinlay

17. Peg and Rose Solve a Murder (Peg and Rose #1) by Laurien Berenson 

18. Hot and Sour Suspects (Noodle Shop #8) by Vivien Chien

19. A Tourist's Guide to Murder (Mystery Bookshop #6) by V. M. Burns

20. A Christmas Candy Killing (Killer Chocolate #1) by Christina Romeril

Japanese Literature Challenge 14

Japanese Literature Challenge 14

Hosted by Dolce Bellezza

January 1, 2021 - March 31, 2021

Details

Here is what I am hoping to read for this challenge:

2021 Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks Reading Challenge

I am joining Robin again at Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks.  The goal is simple, read a book a week in 2021 and post your review on Robin's blog.  I have enjoyed participating in 2020 and look forward to it again in 2021!  See the link for all the details.

1. The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

2.  My Mrs. Brown by William Norwich

3.  Muzzled by Eileen Brady

4.  The Price of Valor by Susan May Warren

5.  Wed, Read & Dead by V. M. Burns

6.  The House Girl by Tara Conklin

7.  Murder with Oolong Tea by Karen Rose Smith

8.  A Fatal Winter by G. M. Malliet

9.  Affliction by Russell Banks

10.  Martinis and Mayhem by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

11.  The Hawk and the Dove by Penelope Wilcock

12. Diggin' Up Bones by Bonnie Wright

13. Under a Dark Sky by Lori Rader-Day

14. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

15. Killer Kung Pao (Noodle Shop #6) by Vivien Chien 

16. The Scent of Murder (Jazz Ramsey #1) by Kylie Logan

17. The Solid Grounds Coffee Company by Carla Laureano

18. Father Elijah: An Apocalypse by Michael D. O'Brien

19. Collateral Damage (Danger Never Sleeps #1) by Lynette Eason

20. The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

21. The Secrets of Bones by Kylie Logan

22. Bookmarked for Murder by V. M. Burns

23. Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard

24.  A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver

25. Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink

26. Murder, She Wrote: A Deadly Judgment by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

27. Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

28. Night Fall by Nancy Mehl

29. Death in Bloom by Jess Dylan

30. The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris

31.  Keep Going by Austin Kleon

32. Love People, Use Things by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus

33. Closely Harbored Secrets by Bree Baker

34. Crime & Punctuation by Kaitlyn Dunnett

35. Home by Marilynne Robinson

36. The Diabolical Bones by Bella Ellis

37. Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond

38. Death in Strange Country by Donna Leon

39. At Lighthouse Point by Suzanne Woods Fisher

40. My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary

41. The Gentlewoman's Choice by George MacDonald

42. Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty

43. Unleased by Eileen Brady

44. Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day

45. A Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson

46. The London House by Katherine Reay

47. Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron

48. Power Play by Rachel Dylan

49. The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker

50. Dead Fall by Nancy Mehl

51. A Palette for Murder by  Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

52. A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle

Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge 2021

 

The Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge is hosted by Bev at My Reader's Block.  The goal is to read twelve books, one for each month, in the mystery genre that fit the categories provided.  For all the details, click on the link.  I will be tracking my reading here.

1. January - A Fatal Winter by G.M. Malliet - Month related item on cover

2.  February - The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair - Couple/Romance/Love Triangle

3.  March - Muzzled by Eileen Brady  - Money/Inheritance has major role

4.  April - A Royal Affair by Allison Montclair - Title has a word starting with "A"

5.  May - The Mugger by Ed McBain - Title has a word starting with "M"

6.  June - Wed, Read & Dead by V.M. Burns - Month related item on cover - wedding cake

7.  July - Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink - Independence Day

8.  August - A Call for Kelp by Bree Baker - Month related item on cover - beach

9.  September - The Scent of Murder by Kiley Logan - Title has a word starting with "S"

10.  October - The Cider Shop Rules by Julie Anne Lindsey - Month related theme

11.  November - A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver - Family relationships play major role

12.  December - The Diabolical Bones by Bella Ellis - Primary action takes place this month

The Literary Life 19 for 2021 Reading Challenge

 I will be joining The Literary Life Reading Challenge again this year. I enjoy this challenge because it gets me to read things I wouldn't otherwise read.  Also, the hosts of the podcast, Cindy Rollins, Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks, often discuss books that will fill a category from the challenge.  I will record my progress here.

A Poetry Anthology - One Hundred and One Famous Poems (I didn't finish this - I read 130 pages)

A book (or selection) of Letters - Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson

A book from Your To-Be-Read Stack - The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

An Ancient Greek or Roman Work - The Iliad by Homer

A Book on Education, Art or Literature - A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason

A Victorian Novel - The Gentlewoman's Choice by George MacDonald

A Lesser-Known Book by a Well-Known Author - Home by Marilynne Robinson 

A Shakespeare Play - As You Like It

A Book You have Avoided - The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile 

Finish a Book You Started but Never Finished - A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle

A Literary Biography - My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary

Something Russian - The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

A Regional or Local Book - Diggin' Up Bones by Bonnie Wright

A 14th, 15th or 16th Century Book - The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson

A Book in a Genre You Don't Normally Read - Father Elijah: An Apocalypse by Michael D. O'Brien

An Obscure Book Mentioned by Thomas Banks (or any book mentioned on the podcast) - Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

A Light Comedic Novel - Boo by Rene Gutteridge

An "Other World" Book - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis

A Travel Book - My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

Crusin' Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge

Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews hosts the Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge.   I will be participating at Level 2 (Investigator) - reading 20 books of my choice.  There is also a Goodreads group you can join here.

I will be listing my books here:

1. A Call for Kelp by Bree Baker

2. Muzzled by Eileen Brady

3. Wed, Read & Dead by V. M. Burns

4. Murder with Oolong Tea by Karen Rose Smith

5. A Fatal Winter by G. M. Malliet

6. Egg Drop Dead by Vivien Chien

7. Martinis and Mayhem by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

8. The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lilian Jackson Braun

9. Poetry in Motion (Secrets of Mary's Bookshop #8)

10. Killer Kung Pao (Noodle Shop #6) by Vivien Chien

11. The Scent of Murder (Jazz Ramsey #1) by Kylie Logan

12. Here Comes the Body (Catering Hall #1) by Maria DiRico

13. High End Finish (Fixer-Upper Mystery #1) by Kate Carlisle

14. The Secrets of Bones (Jazz Ramsey #2) by Kylie Logan

15. Bookmarked for Murder (Mystery Bookshop #5) by V. M. Burns

16. Peach Clobbered (Georgia B & B #1) by Anna Gerard

17. Pint of No Return (Shake Shop #1) by Dana Mentink

18. Murder, She Wrote:  A Deadly Judgment by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

19. Murder on Gramercy Park (Gaslight Mystery #3) by Victoria Thompson

20. Death in Bloom (Flower Shop Mystery #1) by Jess Dylan

Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake

Songs of Innocence and of Experience.  William Blake (1789). Oxford University Press (1970).  156 pages.  Genre:  Poetry, Classic.

William Blake was as much an artist as a poet.  This book contains full color copies of the illuminated plates created by Blake on which he etched both a design and a poem.  

"He knew that poetry and design are the same thing in different forms, and he possessed the originality and craftsmanship needed for the practice of both, separately or simultaneously.  He was not content, therefore, to see his poems only in a written form or in ordinary print as they were in his earlier Poetical Sketches."

This was my first introduction to William Blake's poetry.  Overall, I think I liked more of the poetry in Songs of Innocence.  The illuminated plates are beautiful and do add to the poetry.  I was thankful they included the text of the poem on a separate page because it is sometimes hard to read it on the plate.

Here's one of my favorites from Songs of Innocence:

Spring

Sound the Flute!

Now it's mute.

Birds delight.

Day and Night.

Nightingale.

In the dale

Lark in Sky

Merrily

Merrily Merrily to welcome in the Year

Little Boy

Full of joy.

Little Girl

Sweet and small.

Cock does crow

So do you.

Merry voice

Infant noise

Merrily Merrily to welcome in the Year

Little Lamb

Here I am, 

Come and lick

My white neck. 

Let me pull

Your soft Wool.

Let me kiss

Your soft face.

Merrily Merrily we welcome in the Year

I read this book to fulfill the "Complete volume of poetry by a single author" category in The Literary Life Podcast 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge.

The Literary Life Podcast 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge

The Literary Life Podcast 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge is hosted by Angelina Stanford and Cindy Rollins at The Literary Life Podcast website.  You can listen to Episode 31: Our Year in Reading to hear them talk about the challenge and give some suggestions for the categories.  I will record my progress below.




1.  A Shakespeare Play - The Winter's Tale
2. A Classic Detective Novel - Death on the Nile
3. A Classic Children's Book - Pollyanna
4. A Contemporary Novel - The Saturday Night Supper Club
5.  A Historical Fiction Novel - The Solace of Water
6.  An Ancient Greek Play - The Trojan Women by Euripedes
7.  A Collection of Short Stories - Fidelity by Wendell Berry
8.  A Biography or Memoir - Safe Passage by Ida Cook
9. A Devotional Work - Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney
10.  A Book about Books - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
11.  A Foreign (Non-Western) Book - Malice by Keigo Higashino
12.  A "Guilty Pleasure" Book - Two Steps Forward
13.  An Intimidating Book You Have Avoided - The Great Divorce
14.  A Satire - 1984 by George Orwell
15.  A Book of Essays - The Way of Ignorance by Wendell Berry
16.  A Book by a Minor Author - Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty
17.  A Classic Book by a Female Author - Persuasion by Jane Austen
18.  A Complete Volume of Poetry by a Single Author - Songs of Innocence and Experience by Wm Blake
19.  An "Out of Your Comfort Zone" Book - Beartown by Fredrik Backman
20.  Reread a Book You Read in High School (book by an author I read in hs) - Cannery Row by Steinbeck

Visual Theology 2020 Christian Reading Challenge

The Visual Theology 2020 Christian Reading Challenge is hosted by Tim Challies at his website.  It is composed of 4 lists of books,  which you are meant to move through progressively.  

There are several levels to the challenge:

*The Light Reader - with a goal of 13 books

*The Avid Reader - with a goal of 26 books

*The Committed Reader - with a goal of 52 books

*The Obsessed Reader - with a goal of 104 books

I have participated in this challenge for several years and usually just use it to see where my reading takes me by seeing if the books I am reading fit into the categories.  However, this year I am planning to complete the Light Reader list and then see where my reading takes me.  If you would like to join the challenge, click the link above to get a copy of the list.  I will record the books I read for the Light Reader list below.

1. A book recommended by someone else - Still Life by Louise Penny

2. A biography - The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio

3. A Christian novel - The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

4. A book about history - Safe Passage by Ida Cook

5. A book targeted at your gender - Two Steps Forward 

6. A book about Christian living - Counter Culture

7. A book with at least 300 pages - Death on the Nile

8. A book about theology - The Great Divorce

9. A book from a "best of 2019" list - The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel

10. A book more than 150 years old - The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare

11. A book on the ECPA Bestseller List - The Fifth Avenue Story Society

12. A biography for children or teens - The Story of Edith Cavell

13. A book of your choice -  Cape Light

Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks

Read 52 Book in 52 Weeks Challenge

January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020

This is my first time joining this challenge.  The rules are simple.  Read a book a week for a total 52 books in a  year.  I will list the books I have included in the challenge below.  If you would like join too, just click the link below the picture.

1.  Still Life by Louise Penny

2.  Sweet Tea and Secrets by Joy Avon

3.  The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts

4.  The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Linday Harrel

5.  The Cat Who Turned On and Off by Lilian Jackson Braun

6.  Malice by Keigo Higashino

7.  Safe Passage by Ida Cook

8.  Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty

9.  The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano

10.  The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck

11.  The Frontiersman's Daughter by Laura Frantz

12.  Oath of Honor by Lynette Eason

13.  A Book by It's Cover by Elizabeth Adams

14.  Stillmeadow Daybook by Gladys Taber

15.   Love Bears All Things by Beth Wiseman

16.  A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay

17.  Barbara & Susan's Guide to the Empty Nest by Barbara Rainey & Susan Yates

18.  On Writing by Stephen King

19.  Tisha as told to Robert Specht

20.  Sherlock Holmes:  Master Detective by Arthur Conan Doyle

21.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

22.  Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich

23.  The Undoing of Saint Silvanus by Beth Moore

24.  Julie by Catherine Marshall

25.  84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

26.  Persuasion by Jane Austen

27.  Murder Lo Mein by Vivien Chien

28.  Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

29.  Clammed Up by Barbara Ross

30.  Dead End by Nancy Mehl

31.  Beartown by Fredrik Backman

32.  Indemnity Only by Sara Paretsky

33.  The Best of Intentions by Susan Anne Mason

34.  Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

35. Murder, She Wrote:  Rum & Razors by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

36.  The Heart of a Hero by Susan May Warren

37.  Always Look Twice by Elizabeth Goddard 

38.  The Pomeranian Always Barks Twice by Alex Erickson

39.  The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 

40.  The Children of Henry VIII by John Guy

41.  Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

42.  Pulp Friction by Julie Anne Lindsey

43.  Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

44.  Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet

45.  Tide and Punishment by Bree Baker

46.  God's Hotel by Victoria Sweet

47. The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis

48.  Murder, She Wrote:  Brandy & Bullets by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

49.  Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark

50.  Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill

51.  Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost

52.  The Watch on the Fencepost by Kay DiBianca