Carol J's 2023 Reading Challenge

[Carol]

Elyse wrote: "I actually liked the Children of Men movie more than the book."

I listened to the audiobook and did not care for the narrator...

[Carol]

350. A MacCallister Christmas by William W. Johnstone - You can't have a Christmas in the William W. Johnstone/J.A. Johnstone cowboy world with a little gun play. Duff MacCallister is going to meet some cousins for the first time over the Christmas holiday, but over the season, their lives become endangered, his becomes endangered and many of his friends become endangered. **** 12/14/23

[Elyse, Moderator]

Ahhh yes a narrator can kill a book!

[Carol]

351. Led Zeppelin: The Biography by Bob Spitz - Wow. I went into reading this book as a big fan of their music. I am still a fan, but more... educated. Once they hit their stride, they were rowdy rockers who took copious drugs and drank lots of alcohol. Their organization was maintained by a thuggy manager who was assisted by a bunch of thugs. They had lots of bad behavior on and off the road. **** 12/15/23

[Carol]

352. Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies - Am not sure which came first, the movie or the book, but the two are so similar it doesn't really matter. Santa Clause falls into an unbelieving family's life. **** 12/15/23

[Carol]

353. The Cowboy and His Baby by Jessica Clare - Annie is a animal trainer working on a film in Wyoming. She meets Dustin, a hunky cowboy ladies man who has a reputation. They both fall hard for each other and then the misunderstandings start. **** 12/16/23

[Elyse, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "352. Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies - Am not sure which came first, the movie or the book, but the two are so similar it doesn't really matter...."

I've never seen the movie (or remake) or read the book!

[Carol]

the movie from 1947 was great... so was the remake from 1994. Recommend both to get u in the Christmas spirit.

[Carol]

354. The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander - After a slow start, this novel eventually engaged me. Jess has a nice life until her grandmother dies and she looses her job at the library. Living off her savings, she then moves into a small cottage and tries to make the surrounding village her home. She finds out that she owns a red phone booth on her property. Jess sets it up as a little library with the books her grandmother left her. Quickly, they start to work their magic. **** 12/17/23

[Carol]

355. Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt - Another Andy Carpenter Christmas mystery. While he and his dog Tara are out walking, they find a body in the snow. That body turns out to be the mayor and a journalist is accused. *** 12/18/23

[Carol]

356. Agatha's First Case by M.C. Beaton - The book that started it all for Agatha Raisin. She a lowly minion at a public relations firm. She finds a wealthy man who is accused of killing his wife, runs the PR angle of it and over all, clears him of murder while finding the true murder. *** 12/21/23

[Carol]

357. 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. *** 12/21/23

[Carol]

358. The Private Life of Spies and The Exquisite Art of Getting Even: Stories of Espionage and Revenge by Alexander McCall Smith - The title of this book says it all. It is short stories about spies and getting even. AMS takes his time and meanders through the stories so much that you forget what they are supposed to be about. *** 12/22/23

[Carol]

359. The Perfect Body by Frankie Bow - Professor Molly Barda and her husband, Donnie are attending a fund raising gala at Mahina State University. Unfortunately, Molly's ex is killed and her husband, Donnie is the prime suspect. *** 12/22/23

[Carol]

360. Rebellion by Kass Morgan - Colonists and the Earthborns are celebrating their first holiday together when a group of people attacked the settlement and kidnapped some of the youth. **** 12/23/23

[Carol]

361. The Cowboys by William Dale Jennings - 1877 - Wyoming-Montana territory - Will Anderson is a cattle rancher with a problem. He has a big herd of cattle he needs to take on a 400 mile cow drive and all the eligible cow men have lit out on a gold rush. He is desperate and hires on a pack of school boys to help him on the cattle drive. **** 12/24/23

[Carol]

362. The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts by Lilian Jackson Braun - Jim's good friend is killed and his mustache and the kitties are acting odd. Something is up and people are seeing ghosts! *** 12/26/23

[Carol]

363. Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie - The story begins with Elinor and Roddy a couple waiting to inherit their Aunt Laura's fortune. Then enters Mary, a friend from Elinor's past. Elinor and Roddy fear that she is trying to ingratiate herself to Aunt Laura in hopes for some of the inheritance. Aunt Laura dies and then another and then Hercule Poirot enters to solve the mystery of who killed who. *** 12/26/23

[Carol]

364. Cold Skin by Albert Sánchez Piñol - A young man accepts a billet at a weather station down around the edge of the Antarctic. The only other human on the island is a man who lives in the lighthouse and seems to be crazy. The new young man believes they are by themselves, but there are other two legged creatures that live in the area. The thing is, they are not quite human. *** 12/27/23

[Carol]

365. The Rescue by T. Jefferson Parker - A sweet novel based on the rescue dog, Joe. It starts with how Joe came to be, by his purebred mother being... wooed by a street dog. The boy fell in love with the puppy, Joe and raised him and loved him and provided special training for him to become a drug sniffing dog. Then the boy's family was not able to keep the dog and passed him on to the drug sniffing community. The dog has other changes in his life each placing him deep in his various keeper's hearts. ***** 12/28/23

[Carol]

366. The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk - Peter is an FBI agent who works in the White House Situation Room. One night he gets a call from a young woman scared to death. She was hiding from a person who broke into her aunt and uncle's house. She snuck out the back of the house, yet the killer was able to track her down. But Rose's aunt and uncle gave her a number to call and some pass codes to save her. Peter answered that call. **** 12/28/23

[Carol]

367. Wham! George & Me by Andrew Ridgeley - The story of George Micheal's and Andrew Ridgley's friendship and the creation of the group Wham!. **** 12/30/23

[Carol]

368. Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey - Miss Pym is lecturing in a Psychology course at college. Then there is an accident or a murder. She must investigate. ** 12/31/23

[Elyse, Moderator]

Oh boo I also read a 2-star as my last book of the year!