2016 Spring Challenge

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

This challenge will last from March 20, 2016 to June 19, 2016.


** This is a "spell-it-out" challenge, where you will spell out a word (or words) using one of two options:
1. Use only the first word of a title. (The words "the", "and" "a" and "an" do not count.)
2. Use an author's first or last name.

Example:

S = Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell
P
R
I
N = Cold Pursuit by Carla Neggers
G


E = Lethal Letters by Ellery Adams
G
G
S


** Books DO NOT all have to be mysteries. You can use any genres.

** A book can only be used once for this challenge, but can be used for other challenges (such as the monthly mini challenges).

** You DO NOT have to choose books in advance.


YOUR WORD LISTS:


HOLIDAYS during this period (words in parentheses optional):

Anzac (celebrated in Australia, New Zealand)
April Fool’s (Day)
Arbor (Day)
Earth (Day)
Easter
Father’s (Day)
Flag Day
May Day
Memorial (Day)
Mother’s (Day)
Passover


Words associated with the season:

Eggs
Bunny
Chicks
Crocus
Daffodil
Equinox
Flowers
Galoshes
Kite
Lamb
Lilacs
Palms
Puddle
Rain
Robin
Showers
Snowdrops
Spring
Thaw
Tulips
Umbrella
Vernal
Windy


Do as many words as you like and have fun!

[Julesy]

Julesy's tracking post

Spring Challenge - March 20, 2016 to June 19, 2016

Updated: June 9
Progress: 11/12

G - Booked for Trouble by Eva (G)ates - finished Mar. 31
A - Played by the Book by Lucy (A)rlington - finished Apr. 15
L - The Silver Anniversary Murder by (L)ee Harris - finished Apr. 22
O - (O)ff the Books by Lucy Arlington - finished May 28
S - (S)tirred by Konrath, J.A. - finished Apr. 12
H -(H)ounded by David Rosenfelt - finished June 4
E - (E)mbroidered Truths by Monica Ferris - finished Mar. 26
S - The Kind Worth Killing by Peter (S)wanson - finished Apr. 20

E - A Dog Gone Murder: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper by Elaine Viets - currently reading
G - The (G)ood (G)irl by Mary Kubica - finished May 25
G - (G)one Missing by Linda Castillo - finished June 9
S - (S)weet (S)ecrets by J.A. Whiting - finished May 16

[Jackie]

2016 Spring Challenge

March 20, 2016 to June 19, 2016

Completed 4/4


√ R Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler READ 4/7/2016
√ A After the Night Rain: Haiku by James G. Brueggemann READ 4/18/2016
√ I Intense Rain by Shinri Fuwa READ 4/18/2016
√ N Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy READ 4/19/2016

[Marisa, Cozy Mysteries Assistant Moderator]

My God, I have to define my Winter words now :D

[Kellene]

I'm in on this one. Will post words later on.

[Valerie]

I am in. Gonna start with ones in my stack that I also need for yearly challenges.

17/17

√L Lie of the Needle
√ A Allergic to Death
√ M Marked Fur Murder
√ B Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna

√E Equal Rites
√G The Ghost And The Dead Man's Library
√G The Garden of Eve
√ S The Shepherd's Crown

√ T The Time of the Ghost
√ H A Hat Full of Sky
√ A Amy and Roger's Epic Detour
√ W The Wee Free Men

√ W Wintersmith
√ I I Shall Wear Midnight
√ N Navigating Early
√ D A Deadly Tail
√ Y The Yellow Yacht

[Paula]

I'll try the challenge again. I didn't do so well with the winter one. Need to pick an easier word.

[Carla]

I am definitely in and will post my words once I go over my TBR list and add to it as I read.

[Sherrie]

2016 Spring Challenge
2/10 Finished

R
A
I
N

P - The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum
U
D
D
L - Lizbeth Lipperman Heard It Through the Grapevine
E

[Nell]

Heather

Are you accepting alternatives to the first letter X to spell Equinox? For example, I have a mystery by E.X. Ferrars.

[Gary]

Jackie wrote: "2016 Spring Challenge

March 20, 2016 to June 19, 2016

Completed 0/4

R The First Drop of Rain by Leslie Parrott
A Rain Song by [author:Alice J. Wisl..."

Umm....where is the N in that last title/author? Although I do like that all the books have Rain in the title.

[Nell]

Jackie wrote: "2016 Spring Challenge

March 20, 2016 to June 19, 2016

Completed 0/4

R The First Drop of Rain by Leslie Parrott
A Rain Song by [author:Alice J. Wisl..."

I see what you're doing - You're using four books with the word "Rain" in the title instead of actually spelling out the word. Clever idea but only one of your books fits the challenge rules.

[Jackie]

Thanks Gary!! I originally did that when I was too tired to be thinking clearly. I have fixed it now.

[Gary]

I still like that all the titles feature rain

[Jackie]

Thanks, I thought that would be fun.

[Nell]

Jackie wrote: "Thanks, I thought that would be fun."

I like that too. It's a great twist to the challenge. Good luck. I have a hard time just trying to find letters.

[Gary]

Nell wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Thanks, I thought that would be fun."

I like that too. It's a great twist to the challenge. Good luck. I have a hard time just trying to find letters."
I feel your pain on that.

[Linda]

I'm in! Not sure what word(s) I'm going to do. I've got it narrowed down to crocus, puddle, tulips or umbrella - in case you can't tell I have a "u" book I want to read.

[Jackie]

Nell wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Thanks, I thought that would be fun."

I like that too. It's a great twist to the challenge. Good luck. I have a hard time just trying to find letters."

Thanks Nell!!

[Erica]

These are my favorite challenges...I'm in!! I will start with:

U - Unruly by Ronnie Douglas finished 4/27/2016
M - Midnight Captive by Elle Kennedy finished 4/21/2016
B - Be The Miracle by Delores Liesner finished 4/29/2016
R - The Romance Diet: Body Image and the War We Wage on Ourselves by Destiny Allison finished 5/13/2016
E - Elisabeth de Mariaffi's The Devil You Know finished 3/29/2016
L - Levi Koenig, a Contemporary King Lear by Dorothea Shefer-Vanson finished 5/8/16
L - The Last Tears of a Phoenix by J.P. Cianci finished 5/25/2016
A - American Girls by Alison Umminger finished 5/11/2016

Adding:

T - The Tenants of 7c by Alice Degan finished 7/15/16
H - The Happy Life of Preston Katt by J.J. Zerr finished 6/26/16
A - At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier finished 6/22/16
W - Wedding Wipeout by Jacob M. Appel finished 6/10/16

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Nell wrote: "Heather

Are you accepting alternatives to the first letter X to spell Equinox? For example, I have a mystery by E.X. Ferrars."


Nope... There are actually titles/author names that start with the letter X -- The Xibalba Murders, for example. And remember -- books do NOT have to all be mysteries. ,-)

[Kimberly]

I'm in. I'll decide my words later. :) I'll be keeping my list in my personal challenge thread and I'll post the link later. :)

[Carla]

I am going to try 4 to start, that didn't last long. Up to 9 words now.

61/61

E - The End Game by Catherine Coulter 05/01/2016
A - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 03/24/2016
S - The Stranger by Harlan Coben 04/04/2016
T - Tear Drop by Joanne Clancy 03/20/2016
E - Emily Beck Cogburn wrote Louisiana Saves the Library 03/28/2016
R - Rebecca Thomas wrote Melting His Alaskan Heart 03/23/2016


E - Emma Kavanagh wrote The Missing Hours 04/26/2016
G - Gone Again by James Grippando 05/10/2016
G - James Grippando wrote Cash Landing 04/14/2016
S - The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse by Brian Farrey 04/02/2016


C - Cheryl Hollon wrote Shards of Murder 05/18/2016
H - Janet Hepburn wrote Flee, Fly, Flown 05/21/2016
I - Iris Johansen wrote Hide Away 05/22/2016
C - Christianne C Jones wrote Fuchsia Fierce 05/20/2016
K - King Garnet Stories by Marianne Parry 05/10/2016
S - Karen Rose Smith wrote Deadly Decor05/15/2016


M - M is for Autism by The Students of Limpsfield Grange School 03/20/2016
O - Owen Mullen wrote Games People Play 03/24/2016
T - Paul Tobin wrote The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat 03/21/2016
H - High Strung by Janice Peacock 03/27/2016
E - Extreme Prey by John Sandford 06/07/2016
R - The Rabbit Ate My Flip-Flops by Rachel Elizabeth Cole04/21/2016
'
S -Susan Lyttek wrote Homeschooling Can Be Murder05/22/2016

D - The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Harold by Maureen Fergus 04/26/2016
A - A.H. Gabhart wrote Murder at the Courthouse 04/23/2016
Y - You Belong to Me by Mamoru Suzuki 06/10/2016


S - The Strangers at the Manger by Lisa M. Hendey 05/24/2016
P - Private Paris by James Patterson 06/08/2016
R - Rita Mae Brown wrote Tall Tail 06/11/2016
I - I Like Being Me: Poems about kindness, friendship, and making good choices by Judy Lalli 06/07/2016
N - Natalie Grant wrote The Miracle in Music City 06/06/2016
G - Gilt by Association by Karen Rose Smith 06/07/2016


V - Victoria Aveyard wrote Red Queen 04/08/2016
E - Erik Burnham wrote Ghostbusters: Who Ya Gonna Call? 06/13/2016
R - Shawn Reilly Simmons wrote Murder on a Silver Platter 05/11/2016
N - Natalie Dias Lorenzi wrote A Long Pitch Home 05/19/2016
A - Ann Walmsley wrote The Prison Book Club 04/25/2016
L - The Lake House by Kate Morton 05/05/2016


A - Armstrong: A Mouse on the Moon by Torben Kuhlmann 04/26/2016
N - Nicole Sorrell wrote The Art of Going Home (The Art of Living) 04/01/2016
Z - Diane Zahler wrote Baker's Magic 03/29/2016
A - Tom Angleberger wrote Inspector Flytrap and The Big Deal Mysteries 04/29/2016
C - Cole's Perfect Puppy by Frances M. Crossno 04/02/2016


F - Tina Fey wrote Bossypants 03/24/2016
L - Linda Ladd wrote Gone Black 04/02/2016
O - Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline04/19/2016
W - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty04/10/2016
E - Ellie Alexander wrote Caught Bread Handed: A Bakeshop Mystery 06/19/2016
R - Karen Rose Smith wrote Staged to Death05/07/2016
S -The Skeleton Garden: A Potting Shed Mystery by Marty Wingate04/12/2016


W - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty 04/10/2016
I - The Imagination Box by Martyn Ford04/05/2016
N - Night Road by Kristin Hannah 05/08/2016
D - Philippa Dowding wrote Myles and the Monster Outside: Weird Stories Gone Wrong 05/03/2016
Y - You Belong to Me by Mamoru Suzuki 06/10/2016


and for my grandson,
P - The Puffin of Death by Betty Webb04/16/2016
U - Unlucky Charms by Linda O Johnston 06/17/2016
D - David Dyer wrote The Midnight Watch04/20/2016
D - The Deep End by Julie Mulhern 05/18/2016
L - Liz Mugavero wrote Murder Most Finicky 03/30/2016
E - Erik Burnham wrote Ghostbusters: The New Ghostbusters 06/13/2016

[Rhonda]

I am going to start with Spring

S - The Shiloh Sisters - Michael Kilian
P - Paw and Order - Diane Kelly
R - Rose Cottage - Mary Stewart
I - Ines of My Soul - Isabel Allende
N - Natural Causes - Michael Palmer
G - The Girl With The Phony Name - Charles Mathes

A - Antietam Assasins - Michael Kilian
P- A Pattern of Lies - Charles Todd
R - Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen - Vicki Delaney
I - In The Blood - Steve Robinson
L - Lethal Letters - Ellery Adams

M - Malice at the Palace - Rhys Bowen
A - Alice's Diary - Vernon Coleman
Y - The Year of Reading Dangerously - Andy Miller

J - The Journey - John A. Heldt
U - Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe
N - Never Saw It Coming - Linwood Barclay
E - Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library - Chris Grabenstein

[Rhonda]

Is it possible to use the spring months April, May, and June for the challenge.

[Gary]

4/4

Well lets start with an easy one

E The Con Man by (E)d McBain
G Glory in Death by JD Robb
G A Dose of Death by (G)in Jones
S The Unique Hamlet: A Hitherto Unchronicled Adventure of Mr. Sherlock Holmes by Vincent (S)tarett

[Brenda]

I'm in - I'll start with one word
13/13

A - (A)ngie Fox - The Haunted Heist - Finished 4/2/16
P - Permanently Booked - Finished 3/25/16
R - Romeow and Juliet - Finished 4/16/16
I - (I)sabella Alan - Murder, Simply Stitched - Finished 4/17/16
L - Jess (L)ourey - June Bug - Finished 3/20/16
F - Fleur de Lies - Finished 3/31/16
O - Oh Say Can You Fudge - Finished 4/20/16
O - One Foot in the Grove - Finished 4/23/16
L - (L)eighann Dobbs - A Zen for Murder - Finished 4/15/16
S - (S)andra Bretting - Murder at Morningside - Finished 4/3/16
D - Maddie (D)ay - Grilled For Murder - Finished 4/25/16
A - (A.) Gardner - Southern Peach Pie and a Dead Guy - Finished 4/9/16
Y - Yarned and Dangerous - Finished 4/24/16




Adding another (cleaning up my Kindle) 4/25/16
4/4

E - Phoebe (E)ggli - The Calla Lilies of Murder are Blooming - Finished 4/29/16
G - Susan (G)illard - Cadbury Creme Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 3 - Finished 4/27/16
G - Susan (G)illard - Maple Frosted Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 2 - Finished 4/26/16
S -Strawberry Cream Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 1 - Finished 4/25/16



Adding another word 4/30/16
6/6

L - Elizabeth (L)ee - Nuts and Buried - Finished 5/2/16
I - If Mashed Potatoes Could Dance - Finished 5/7/16
L - A Lime To Kill - Finished 5/11/16
A - Kristi (A)bbott - Kernel of Truth - Finished 5/6/16
C - Curious Minds - Finished 5/5/16
S - (S)tephanie Blackmore - Engaged in Death - Finished 5/8/16



Adding another word 5/11/16
4/4

L - Liar, Liar - Finished 5/16/16
A - Address to Die For - Finished 5/15/16
M - Murder on a Designer Diet - Finished 5/11/16
B - Bite the Biscuit - Finished 5/14/16



And another 5/16
6/6

C - Janet (C)antrell - Fat Cat Spreads Out - Finished 5/25/16
H - Susannah (H)ardy - Feta Attraction - Finished 6/3/16
I - In Deep Voodoo - Finished 6/9/16
C - Maya (C)orrigan - Scam Chowder - Finished 6/1/16
K - Tonya (K)appes - Fixin' To Die - Finished 6/5/16
S -Show Time - Finished 5/20/16



33/33

[Paula]

I'm in too.

L
A
M
B - Bossa Novas, Bikinis, and Bad Ends by Mary McHugh - finished 3/20/16

[Gary]

Paula how can you have finished a book on a date that has not arrived yet? :)

[Paula]

Gary wrote: "Paula how can you have finished a book on a date that has not arrived yet? :)"

Thanks for letting me know. Just a typo.

[Ashlee]

S
P
R
I
N
G

F
L
O
W
E
R
S

[Nell]

Gary wrote: "2/4

Well lets start with one I almost have done

E
G Geared for the Grave by Duffy Brown
G Christmas in High Heels by (G)emma Halliday
S"

The Spring challenge began yesterday, March 20th. You posted this word as almost done the day before the challenge started. Books read before the 20th don't count for this challenge. Are these two books you've already read or two you plan to read?

[Valerie]

Nell wrote: "Heather

Are you accepting alternatives to the first letter X to spell Equinox? For example, I have a mystery by E.X. Ferrars."

X by Sue Grafton is a choice. If you have not read the series, you can do it (I did it for the alphabet challenge last year).

[Nell]

Valerie wrote: "Nell wrote: "Heather

Are you accepting alternatives to the first letter X to spell Equinox? For example, I have a mystery by E.X. Ferrars."

X by Sue Grafton is a ..."

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm on "M" in the Grafton series. Maybe if I start now, I can get to X by the end of spring.

[Gary]

Nell wrote: "Gary wrote: "2/4

Well lets start with one I almost have done

E
G Geared for the Grave by Duffy Brown
G Christmas in High Heels by (G)emma Halliday
S"

The Spring c..."

I was using books read starting this month, guess I missed the start date. I cut off the winter challenge books at the end of February. I corrected the entry above.

[Amber]

Spring 2016 Challenge
May 20 2016 - June 19 2016

S Second Grave on the Left 04.16.16
P Pretty Little Liars 06.08.16
R The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey 03.24.16
I Innocent in Las Vegas 04.28.16
N Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng 06.04.16
G The Great Gilly Hopkins 03.29.16

[Amanda]

My 2016 Spring Challenge:
3/20/16 - 6/19/16

9/12 Complete

L = Devonshire Scream by (L)aura Childs 3/26/16
I = (I)ce Cream & Murder Book 1: A Sprinkles Cozy Mystery by Jennifer Martin 5/27/16
L = Trick or Treat Murder by (L)eslie Meier 5/26/16
A = A Killer Plot by Ellery (A)dams 4/22/16
C =
S = (S)trawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke 4/12/16

T = (T)ippy Toe Murder by Leslie Meier 5/5/16
U = (U)nEnchanted by Chanda Hahn 5/24/16
L =
I =
P = (P)archment and Old Lace: A Scrapbooking Mystery by Laura Childs 5/3/16
S = (S)uspendered Sentence by Laura Bradford 5/17/16


]

[Gary]

Updated post 26 above.

[Kimberly]

I finally got it... I'm going to start with the word "Equinox." :) Yep, I already have books for those pesky letters Q and X! I actually just picked up the X book at my library for a whole $0.50! :) I'll keep track of my list HERE. I'm keeping my options of adding words if I have time. :)

[Tonya]

Spring 2016 Challenge
May 20 2016 - June 19 2016
5/6 Completed

S-Husbands and Wives by (S)usan Rogers Cooper-finished 6/20
P-12th of Never by James (P)atterson-finished 4/28
R-Fogged In by Barbara (R)oss-finished 4/23
I
N-To Fudge or Not to Fudge by (N)ancy Coco-finished 6/12
G - (G)oing, Going Ganache by Jenn McKinlay - finished 04/04

[JennH]

2016 Spring Challenge
March 20 - June 19

✔Secret Place, The by Tana French 5/3/16 4 stars
P
✔Rick Yancey - The 5th Wave 4/21/16 3 1/2 stars
✔ I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark 3/30/16 4 stars
✔Nemesis by Agatha Christie 5/30/16 3 1/2 stars
✔Going, Going, Ganache by Jenn McKinlay 5/6/16 3 1/2 stars

✔Fleming, Ian wrote Live and Let Die 4/10/16 3 1/2 stars
✔Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder 5/3/16 4 stars
O
✔Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein 4/24/16 5 stars
✔Erin Hunter wrote Into the Wild 4/29/16 3 stars
✔Rowland, Laura Joh wrote The Iris Fan 6/6/16 4 stars
✔Saint-Exupery, Antoine de wrote Little Prince 3/24/16 3 1/2 stars

[Gary]

I'll have EGGS done soon, as I am partway through Glory in Death which will get the last G and finish the word.

[Lacey]

L - Ghostly Interests by (L)ily Harper Hart (3 Stars)
I - The (I)mportance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (5 Stars)
L - The (L)ine by J.D. Horn (1 Star)
A - Gracelin O'Malley by (A)nn Moore (3 Stars)
C - (C)appuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse by Harper Lin (2 Stars)
S - A (S)cone To Die For by H.Y. Hanna (5 Stars)



Just finished lilacs last night. I'm working on mothers next.

[Gary]

Finished EGGS

[Carla]

Good job Lacey and Gary. I have a couple of those books you used in my TBR pile Lacy, I need to get to them.

[Valerie]

Good job Gary and Lacey!

[Brenda]

Completed my word (message #27) - I'm going to scan the shelves and see if I can add another one to try and finish before the challenge ends.

[Carla]

Congrats Brenda. You never know, there is still a lot of days left until summer hits.

[Valerie]

Congrats Brenda.

[Kimberly]

Congratulations Brenda! :)