When You're Not Reading a Cozy Showing 1,051-1,100 of 1,892

[Brenda]

Thanks Heather, I'll share that wine with you 😀

[PamG]

Brenda wrote: "My review - #345 - completes my Goodreads annual challenge for 2020 - The Queen's Captain by Peter Watt

https://www.goodread..."

Congratulations on reaching your 2020 reading goal!

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Reread 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff today, and enjoyed it as much as the first time. As with the first reading, though, I wish the correspondence was more complete. It’s obvious from some of the letters included that some are missing. Makes one wonder what is missing. 🙂

Now to decide what I want to tackle next....

[Brenda]

PamG wrote: "Brenda wrote: "My review - #345 - completes my Goodreads annual challenge for 2020 - The Queen's Captain by Peter Watt

https..."

Thanks Pam :)

[Mark]

I enjoyed the middle grade mystery Spy School Revolution by Stuart Gibbs. If you are looking for a good book for the middle grader in your life, I highly recommend anything he's written. And don't forget to get a copy for yourself because you'll enjoy it, too.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda]

My review for Deadly Cry by Angela Marsons

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jane]

Heather L wrote: "Reread 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff today, and enjoyed it as much as the first time. As with the first reading, though, I wish the correspondence was more com..."

I too enjoyed this book (more than once, but no idea how many except less than 10), also her book about her trip to England The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street.

[Brenda]

My review for An Independent Woman by Kate Loveday

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PamG]

I finished The Garden of Promises and Lies by Paula Brackston. This is the third book in the Found Things series. It's an entertaining mix of historical fiction, fantasy, time travel and suspense.

My 4 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jane]

Last night I finished Affairs of State: The Untold History of Presidential Love, Sex, and Scandal, 1789-1900Robert P. Watson . The next-to-last paragraph is his thoughts on the character necessary for a president. I wonder what he thinks of Trump.

[Brenda]

My review for The Violinist of Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

I’m about halfway through Pandemic by Robin Cook. So far it has been pretty interesting, with the tension beginning to ratchet up. And, of course, interesting parallels, considering the past year and the fact the book is set in early November.

[Brenda]

That's creepy Heather!!

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Brenda wrote: "That's creepy Heather!!"

Definitely is, but I’m interested to see where this goes. So far there are numerous anomalies that have cropped up during and after an autopsy that are feeling creepier. This is book eleven of a series I haven’t read, which makes me wish there was less backstory, but the mystery itself keeps you guessing.

[Brenda]

I hope you enjoy it through to the end! I remember reading Robin Cook when I was much younger, and the horror in his books got too much for me ;)

[Brenda]

My review for One Way Street by Trevor Wood

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda]

My review for Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe by Morton S. Gray

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Well, I finished Pandemic. Not as spine-chilling as some thrillers I’ve read, but definitely some eerie parallels to the last year, including the origin. Cook mentions a vacant lot housing refrigerator trailers to be used in the event of a pandemic, and mentions the same lot would be used as a field hospital or morgue. And while I’m not in NYC, I do watch the news, and a field hospital has gone up at our state fairgrounds. Bearing in mind that this book was published two years ago, there were also these quotes:

“...Jack was one of the people who knew that as many as five hundred deaths a day could be expected in such a circumstance.”

Laurie: “Whatever it is, the prospect is really scary. I don’t think there are nearly enough ventilators available citywide. Some scenarios have predicted up to a thousand hospital admissions a day in this kind of scenario.”

And then, in keeping with commentary on current events not necessarily pertaining to a pandemic, there was this:

David: “...[H]ere in the USA there is depressing divisiveness and a kind of anti-immigrant neotribalism that is getting progressively worse.”

How’s that for prophetic? 😐

[Brenda]

Ooooo - cue creepy music!! Incredible Heather!!

[PattyMacDotComma]

A Chorus of Innocents (Sir Robert Carey #7) by P.F. Chisholm was another entertaining instalment in this historical fiction mystery series set in 1592 on the English/Scottish borderlands. Ah, the intrigue! Such a great way to soak up a bit of history. But mind the bloodshed!
4.5★ Link to my Innocents review

[Jane]

I am reading The Virgin of Small Plains The Virgin of Small Plains Nancy Pickard. It's not a cozy but a straight mystery, though Nancy Pickard has written a whole bunch of cozies. More than a bit tragic - I sneaked and read the ending.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Brenda— Isn’t it? 😐 Decided I needed something a bit lighter following that, and have started a YA romance, Anna and the French Kiss, which will fit a couple reading challenges.

[Karen]

Heather L wrote: "...which will fit a couple reading challenges..."

How many challenges do you do?

JeezOPete! I have trouble with one challenge. When I did a second it was one where the books would count toward the first, too.

[Brenda]

My review for The Final Siren by Nicki Edwards

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda]

Heather L wrote: "Brenda— Isn’t it? 😐 Decided I needed something a bit lighter following that, and have started a YA romance, Anna and the French Kiss, which will fit a couple reading challenges."

Sounds just what you need Heather! And the start of a new series too :)

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Karen — LOL, more than usual this year, but all have some crossovers. The principle ones are the monthly mini and seasonal here, and the Popsugar Ultimate. Anna fits two: the “marooned without a compass” one here and “set in a city that has hosted the Olympics” for Popsugar—the city in question being Paris.

I also did a short story challenge this year as well as a couple others, but as I said, they’re ones in which books can be used for multiple challenges. They’re all listed on my member challenge page:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Brenda— I couldn’t have chosen a better book for something lighter. Anna is laugh-out-loud funny. Which is why I’m still up at 2:30 am. I made myself put it down so I can sleep, but my mind is still buzzing from it. Clearly books that keep you laughing are not the way to quiet your mind before bed. Ah, well.... I did see it was book one of a series—like I need more books to read. 😐

[Brenda]

Haha - definitely the sign of a good book! So it's 2.52am over there - it's 7.52pm on the night of Thursday 19th here :) I thought you must have been keeping late hours being still onboard!

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Brenda— Yes, I was up reading way too late into the night and have paid for it today. Tired and cranky, but finished it this afternoon. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes YA romance. The setting makes me long for a return visit to Paris.

[Brenda]

Never mind - finished and early to bed tonight :) My latest is set in Paris as well - first in a new series..

[Brenda]

My review for A Dangerous Goodbye by Fliss Chester

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Brenda wrote: "My review for A Dangerous Goodbye by Fliss Chester"

I really hate you right now. The last thing I need is another book set in France or pertaining to WWII, but this definitely intrigues. (Adds it to her list.) 😐

[Meg]

Heather L wrote: "Brenda— I couldn’t have chosen a better book for something lighter. Anna is laugh-out-loud funny. Which is why I’m still up at 2:30 am. I made myself put it down so I can sleep, but my mind is stil..."

oh, okay, you've hooked me. laugh-out-loud was all i needed to hear. so it's now on the wish list. 😄

p.s. taking some time out from capital letters 😎

[Jane]

Jane wrote: "I am reading The Virgin of Small Plains The Virgin of Small Plains Nancy Pickard. It's not a cozy but a straight mystery, though Nancy Pickard has written..."

Finished! Satisfying ending.

[Brenda]

Heather L wrote: "Brenda wrote: "My review for A Dangerous Goodbye by Fliss Chester"

I really hate you right now. The last thing I need is another book set in France or pertaining ..."

Hahaha you made me laugh out loud then Heather!!! I chose to read it because I picked up #2 from NetGalley, so had to read #1 first :)

[Karen]

Heather L wrote: "They’re all listed on my member challenge page: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/.."

WOWZA! The main challenges are Interesting! The categories cover almost everything under the sun. The mini challenges look fun. (I see you already exceeded your goal of hitting half.)

As I've stated in the annual challenge I do, I like the unstructured reading what I want when I want. (Currently, I read what I want -- going for the sheer number -- and see how they fit into the more structured-category option of the challenge.) I don't know how well I do with a more structured challenge like the main one you do (I have yet to hit the more structured version of the challenge I do).

I have to say, though, it would definitely be a challenge, that's for sure! It would certainly stretch my reading bag.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Karen— Yes, I’ve exceeded my Popsugar goal of at least half the last few years, getting a bit further each year. I might actually attain 49/50 this year. There’s only one criteria I didn’t like and knew I would not do as I had no books that fit.

I had books for nearly all categories in Mount TBR except the one I crossed off. For a book published this year, I got lucky and won a book from GR or I probably would have borrowed one from a friend. The only one I changed was “book with a made-up language.” I was going to use a book I had, but then I found Ella Enchanted in a neighborhood LFL, and since I’d been wanting to read it for a while now, I went with that. It’s definitely a good way to stir up your TBR pile/list.

The 2021 challenge is supposed to be posted December 1, and those of us in the Popsugar Ultimate GR group are growing anxious to see it. It’s a month later than last year. I think a couple of my suggestions might be on it. I also admit to using the list for ideas here, such as last month’s “tag” challenge.

[Karen]

Two things...
Heather L wrote: "Mount TBR"
Love it! I have tried climbing Mount TBR. Somehow I never make it to the top.

I also admit to using the list for ideas here, such as last month’s “tag” challenge."
As Charles Caleb Colton said, "Imitation is the sincerest of flattery."

If fun challenges can't be adapted and passed around, what good are they. :o)

[Brenda]

And variety is the spice of life as well :)

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Karen— Sadly, I too shall never make it to the summit of Mount TBR. Doesn’t stop us from adding more books, does it? 🙄

Brenda— Exactly! I was able to do mysteries for nearly half of the 50 Popsugar categories—and also apply them to challenges in this group—with enough books in other genres to round out the rest. Will be interesting to see if I can do the same for next year’s challenge. Nonfiction are always the hardest. 🤔

[Cindy]

Finishing up She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs . I loved Heartland by Smarsh and am really enjoying this book. Makes me want to learn a bit more about Dolly Parton and maybe visit Dollywood.

[Brenda]

Heather L wrote: "Karen— Sadly, I too shall never make it to the summit of Mount TBR. Doesn’t stop us from adding more books, does it? 🙄

Brenda— Exactly! I was able to do mysteries for nearly half of the 50 Popsuga..."

Agreed! Non fiction has to be good - but I am reading a little more now than I used to. I guess it depends what it is :)

[Brenda]

My review for The Charleston Scandal by Pamela Hart

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PamG]

I finished a Regency Romantic Suspense: The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson.

My 4 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PamG]

I finished a science fiction alien romantic suspense novella: Kadin by Mel Teshco.

My 1.5 star review rounded up to 2 stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda]

My review for Lethal by Sandra Brown

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Finished a cozy mystery this evening, now I get to return to Silver Bells, a collection of four Christmas romance novellas. This is one I started listening to a couple weeks ago while making Christmas cards, but discovered after the first two that only half the book had been uploaded to YouTube. I was able to get the ebook for free thanks to a credit and am looking forward to finishing it. (Plus, it crosses off another item on the Popsugar Reading Challenge!)

[Brenda]

Lucky you managed to get the whole thing - who only puts half a book up!!

[PattyMacDotComma]

When Darwin Sailed the Sea: Uncover how Darwin's revolutionary ideas helped change the world by David Long is a great little book that should be in all school libraries. Attractive and informative, even for old folks like me. :)
5★ Link to my 'Darwin' review with several illustrations

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Brenda— I know, right? I went back and looked up the person who posted it, and it wasn’t Audible. Also looks like she did it with other books, so probably not a legal upload. 🙄