Carol J's 2023 Reading Challenge

[Carol]

223. Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews - Meg's friend Karen stops by and asks her to watch her son for a little while, but then she doesn't come by and the police aren't real concerned. *** 8/2/23

[Carol]

224. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling - 4th time read - Harry Potter has to be on the look out! Sirius Black has escaped from the Wizard prison of Azkaban. ***** 8/3/23

[Carol]

225. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun - Nice cozy mystery involving Jim, Coco and Yum Yum up in Pickax. Some accidents have been happening resulting in deaths. *** 8/4/23

[Carol]

226. Playing Dead by Peggy Rothschild - Molly is settling into her new California home with her new dogs. She takes them to Playtime Academy for dog training. One day, one of the trainer's dead body is found and Molly kicks into her (former) PI mode. **** 8/4/23

[Carol]

227. Bark If It’s Murder by V.M. Burns - Lilly is on a trip to Atlanta with her boss to purchase art. She left her dog, Aggie at a pet resort. While watching Aggie on the pet cam, she thinks she may have seen a murder. *** 8/12/23

[Carol]

228. Mother's Day: A Professor Molly Mystery by Frankie Bow - Professor Molly is pregnant and not feeling the greatest, but she still got sweet talked into tutoring a student (her boss at Mahina State University hopes that the student's mother will leave the University some money in her will) but will a murder be involved? *** 8/12/23

[Carol]

229. Cemetary Dance by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child - Wm. Smithback, a reporter for the NY Times was killed and his wife, Nora Kelly was injured. Witnesses said that the person that did it was a dead man. From what was reported, he was a... zombie! **** 8/13/23

[Carol]

230. Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry - This is the story of "Ben" Van Brunt, the granddaughter of the the prominent Brom Bones and Katrina Van Tassel. Their town of Sleepy Hollow is isolated and almost magical. Odd things happen, people seem to disappear and despite her grandfather saying there was no horseman, there seems to be something riding around the hollow. There is also a creature that kills, taking the head, hands and feet of random boys. *** 8/13/23

[Elyse, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "230. Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry - This is the story of "Ben" Van Brunt, the granddaughter of the the prominent Brom ..."

I'm a big fan of Christina Henry's retellings! I haven't read this one yet.

[Carol]

it would be great at Halloween...

[Carol]

231. The Collector by Nora Roberts - Lila, a house sitter who likes to people watch, is seeing what she thinks is an argument between the couple that lives across the way. All of a sudden, the woman gets slammed against the window, shattering it and she falls from the high rise window to her death. Lila immediately reports it to the police. Upon investigation they find the boyfriend is also dead of an alleged suicide. Lila runs into the brother of the boyfriend and they get thrown into a world of danger. **** 8/13/23

[Carol]

232. The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh - A creative story that starts with a wild, New Year's Eve party on Mirror Lake on the border of Wales and England. Then the celebrity owner, Rhys Lloyd was found dead. *** 8/14/23

[Carol]

233. Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay - A unique story that flips the male/female stereotypes. A female chef who suffers from ADHD and dyslexia does not like reading but she falls for a hunky librarian who loves reading. **** 8/14/23

[Carol]

234. A Thousand Miles to Graceland by Kristen Mei Chase - Grace is getting divorced from her husband and somehow ended up on a road trip with her mom, from El Paso to Graceland. **** 8/14/23

[Elyse, Moderator]

I also gave The Last Party 3 stars. It was realllll slow going! The audio helped. The sequel is out now, A Game of Lies.

[Carol]

Elyse wrote: "I also gave The Last Party 3 stars. It was realllll slow going! The audio helped. The sequel is out now, A Game of Lies."

I don't think I am going to read the sequel...

[Carol]

235. Mrs. Plansky's Revenge by Spencer Quinn - Loretta Plansky is a sweet, 70 something grandmother who is living in Florida in retirement. She is called one night from a boy claiming to be her grandson asking for money. The next thing she knows, her accounts are emptied out. Based on information she has learned this took place in a village in Romania. She decides to go get her money back. No problem! ***** 8/15/23

[Carol]

236. Murder in the Dark by Kerry Greenwood - Phryne has been invited to The Last, Best Party, but she gets a message threatening her life if she attends, so of course she must investigate! **** 8/15/23

[Elyse, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "Elyse wrote: "I also gave The Last Party 3 stars. It was realllll slow going! The audio helped. The sequel is out now, A Game of Lies."

I don't think I am going to read the sequel..."

If I happen upon it with nothing else to read...maybe. But I'm not seeking it out. lol

[Carol]

237. American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne - A list of short stories about fictional American Tall Tale heroes such as Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Mose, a New York fireman, Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, Pecos Bill and more, as written for children. *** 8/16/23

[Carol]

238. The Second-Worst Restaurant in France by Alexander McCall Smith - Paul is back in Scotland and plans to write a new book on food. His girlfriend kind of moves in with him and brings her cats. Paul's cousin invites him to visit her in France so he jumps at the chance. As he struggles with his new book, he becomes acquainted with a restaurant and some of the locals that visit it. *** 8/16/23

[Carol]

239. The Poisoner's Ring by Kelley Armstrong - Mallory Atkinson has somehow traveled back in time from modern day to Edinburgh, 1869. Since the first book in the series, she has risen from a housemaid to an undertaker's assistant. In this book her investigation is closer to home. The husband of her employer's sister has been poisoned and the wife is a prime suspect. *** 8/19/23

[Carol]

240. The Edge of Dreams by Rhys Bowen - September 1905 - Molly's husband Daniel is being stumped by a rash of murders. After each murder, he gets a note that taunts him. This set's Molly's ("former") detective sense tingling. Then, one day in early September, she is involved in a subway crash. She and her son survive, but many do not. *** 8/19/23

[Carol]

241. Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt - Andy and family are setting down for a long Christmas holiday. He sees a homeless man and his dog on the street and gives them some cash and a gift card for a pet store. Later, Andy and family see that same homeless man on the news. He had been assaulted and his dog attacked the attacker landing him in a dog quarantine. Then the homeless man's DNA was found on and around a dead body. Looks like Andy hast to help again. **** 8/19/23

[Carol]

242. Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah - A novel about Ever Geimausaddle, who is Kiowa and Cherokee and harboring a lot of anger. His story was told in a series of stories, voices and timelines. *** 8/20/23

[Carol]

243. The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - More cases of the once missing Sherlock Holmes. *** 8/22/23

[Carol]

244. Spider's Web: A Stage Play by Agatha Christie - I think this was supposed to be a mystery/comedy. This was originally a stage play. For most of the book I thought I was listening to A Crooked House. They are very similar stories. Henry Hailsham Brown is expecting a very important house guest. In the meantime, his first wife's husband showed up and eventually ended up dead. *** 8/23/23

[Carol]

245. The Shaman Laughs by James D. Doss - Charlie Moon has to investigate a case of a missing buffalo and later it deals with mutilated animals. *** 8/24/23

[Carol]

246. The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick - Ginny had it all. A great job as a radio host/advice expert and a wonder marriage to a wonderful man. Their anniversary was coming up and she was going to surprise him with a romantic vacation in Italy. He doesn't want to go! *** 8/24/23

[Carol]

247. Self-Care for Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: Honor Your Emotions, Nurture Your Self, and Live with Confidence by Lindsay C. Gibson - Common sense suggestions on caring for someone who may be fragile because they had emotionally immature parents. *** 8/26/23

[Carol]

248. 100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife by Ken Jennings - A fun book showing how different cultures, TV shows and movies, and even games interpret death. **** 8/26/23

[Carol]

249. A Question of Death: An Illustrated Phryne Fisher Treasury by Kerry Greenwood - A collection of Phryne Fisher short stories plus some recipes and Phyne trivia. **** 8/26/23

[Carol]

250. Mrs. Porter Calling by A.J. Pearce - I thought the Emmy Lake/magazine story would have been completed in the last book, but there looked like there was more story to tell... A climax. The magazine has been inherited by Mrs. Cressida Porter who had a few, tiny ideas... **** 8/27/23

[Carol]

251. Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban - I really enjoyed this book. A YA novel about a girl's broken relationship with her boyfriend and the betrayal of a best friend. It all comes to a head on Campus on Board ship. **** 8/29/23

[Carol]

252. Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop by Lee Goldberg - The precinct is under budget cuts and Monk's services were cut. Then, Captain Leland Stottlemayer was arrested for killing another policeman. *** 9/1/23

[Carol]

252. Zero Days by Ruth Ware - Jack (Jacinda) and her husband are specialists that test security systems for companies. Jack is very good at her job, but one night, after a close call at work, she comes home to see her husband has been murdered. Eventually, she finds out she is the police's prime suspect and goes on the run. ***** 9/1/23

[Carol]

253. Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews - Meg is in charge of the Caerphilly Christmas parade. All is going well until Santa gets killed. *** 9/3/23

[Carol]

254. The Cat Who Sniffed Glue by Lilian Jackson Braun - I liked this better 2nd time around. More murders in Pickax. The son (and his wife) of a banker are found murdered. Koko and Yum Yum start to act weirder than usual. **** 9/4/23

[Carol]

255. Fever Dream by Douglas Preston - Aloysius Pendergast had lost his wife 12 years ago on a hunting accident in Africa. His wife, Helen, was a good hunter and was killed while trying to protect herself and her husband. Fast forward 12 years and Aloysius still mourns his wife. He finds out some new information and plans on finding her killer. **** 9/6/23

[Carol]

256. Reign by Katharine McGee - An alternative history of the trials and tribulations of young American royals. If America had decided to have a ruling king instead of a president. **** 9/7/23

[Carol]

257. The Nakamura Letters by Frankie Bow - Molly's friend, Emma Nakamura is a little spooked when she finds out about a supposed suicide that took place in her rental house. *** 9/7/23

[Carol]

258. Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson - This reminds me of 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. Two people corresponding with each other, from far away. Tina Hopgood wrote and inquiry to a Danish museum and Professor Anders Larsen writes back. Soon they start writing regularly and discover they have similar interests. **** 9/9/23

[Carol]

259. Death in Delft by Graham Brack - 1671 - 3 girls go missing in the town of Delft. One girl is found dead. The mayor of the town asks Master Mercurius, a university cleric, to help. *** 9/10/23

[Carol]

260. A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie - ‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m.’ read the people (including Miss Marple) of Chipping Cleghorn. *** 9/10/23

[Carol]

261. Mesabi Pioneers by Smith Jeffrey - A historic fiction story about the start of mining for iron on the Mesabi Iron Range. **** 9/11/23

[Carol]

262. The King's Grave: The Discovery of Richard III’s Lost Burial Place and the Clues it Holds by Philippa Langley - The amazing true story of how the remains of King Richard III of England was found and his reputation was repaired. **** 9/12/23

[Carol]

263. Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin - The historic fiction story of Alice Liddell Hargreaves’s (bka Alice in Wonderland) life. *** 9/12/23

[Carol]

264. Ojibwe in Minnesota by Anton Treuer - The history of the Ojibwe people in Minnesota. *** 9/14/23

[Carol]

265. Bark of Night by David Rosenfelt - Defense lawyer Andy Carpenter’s vet asks to speak to him in private. Andy is worried his beloved dog Tara is gravely ill, but instead the vet tells him how a man came by wanting to euthanize "his" French bull dog. The vet is having a hard time with this and Andy is angry. Of course after some investigation on his part, there turns out to be a dead body or two or three... **** 9/14/23

[Carol]

266. Cooking for Picasso by Camille Aubray - What a lovely story! 1936: 17 year old Ondine is a cook in her parent's restaurant in the town of Juan-les-Pins, on the South Eastern coast of France. She is to prepare & serve food to a mysterious new patron staying at a large house. It turns out that this customer, known as Ruiz is really Pablo Picasso! Slowly, they get to know each other. She eventually poses for him & they become lovers. This story isn't so much about Picasso, but Ondine, her daughter & granddaughter's journey through life. **** 9/16/23