Theme Read - August 2010

[Suzanne]

August, the month of sun and fun!


1) Read a mystery about travel or vacations; a mystery location at a popular vacation destination works too.

2) At the end of a nice summer vacation, it's back to school time - read an academic mystery.

[Suzanne]

For my travel mystery, I'm going to read Hula Done It?: A Passport to Peril Mystery which will also cover Hawaii for the US Challenge. And for academic, I'm going to read Blindsighted which begins with the murder of a young college professor.

[Daphne]

Great, I should be receiving in the mail today or tomorrow , by Donna Andrews and that fits right in with the vacation theme. For the academic read, I think I will pick one of Gillian Roberts Amanda Pepper books.

I forgot that I am scheduled to read for the summer season challenge, so that will also cover me for the academic read in this challenge.

[Sherrie]

For my academic I'll be reading Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend.

[Trine]

Great list, Suzanne! :-)

I'll be reading by Lyn Hamilton and by Kathryn Lilley.

Happy Reading, everyone! :-)

[Shay]

Trine wrote: "Great list, Suzanne! :-)

I'll be reading by Lyn Hamilton and by Kathryn Lilley.

Happy Re..."
Have Dying to be Thin in my TBR pile. Let us know how it is. I probably won't be getting to it for months.

[Trine]

Shay wrote: "Trine wrote: "Great list, Suzanne! :-)

I'll be reading by Lyn Hamilton and by Kathryn Lilley...."

I'll let you know, Shay. :-)

[Lizz (Beer, Books and Boos)]

I might do this challenge but i have to think about my books.

[Marisa, Cozy Mysteries Assistant Moderator]

I think that for my academic reading I'm going to read and for vacations I'm going to read (which will be useful for my around the world readings).

[Lindy-Lane]

Looking forward to the August challenges!

2/2 Done... Updated:8.25

Academic Read: FINISHED 8.22
Adam and Evil by Gillian

Travel Read: FINSHED 8.25
Two Down by Nero Blanc

[Valorie]

I'm going to read for my back to school book. I really enjoyed the first book in the series! Not sure about the travel one yet. Maybe I'll read for a vacation location. It is set in the Virgin Islands! Will that work?

[Suzanne]

Valorie wrote: "I'm going to read for my back to school book. I really enjoyed the first book in the series! Not sure about the travel one yet. Maybe I'll read [bookco..."

Absolutely that will work! And that's a really good book IMHO. :)

[Valorie]

Suzanne wrote: "Valorie wrote: "I'm going to read for my back to school book. I really enjoyed the first book in the series! Not sure about the travel one yet. Maybe ..."

great thanks! Now I cant wait to start it!

[Linda]

I guess I will put mine on to now. I think I am going to follow Valorie. with for the back to school and then for vacation the . I guess we tend to read the same thing as we are mother and daughter. We have a good time reading and discussing books. I thank her for this site. She is the one that told me about it. I am getting to a lot of books I have to read.

[Valorie]

Linda wrote: "I guess I will put mine on to now. I think I am going to follow Valorie. with for the back to school and then for vacation the [bookcover:Swimming with..."

Yay mom! Like mother like daughter I guess!

[Marisa, Cozy Mysteries Assistant Moderator]

My reads (updated)

1 / 2 Done

1.- Travel, vacations or located at a popular vacation destination:

2.- Academic mystery: Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri (08/02 - **)

[Suzanne]

Just finished 212: A Novel by Alafair Burke which qualifies as my academic read. A college student is being stalked by a psycho on a campus website. This book was not cozy, but was very good.

[Courtney]

August Theme Reads

1/2 read

1. Vacations:
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner ~ Stephenie Meyer
(It's set in Seattle. My parents happen to be there right now, so I'm counting that as a vacation/travel mystery. I personally would love to move there.)

2. Academic:
Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend ~ Victoria Laurie

[KarenF]

August Theme Reads


1. Vacations: Track of the Cat - Nevada Barr (National Park setting)

2. Academic: Murder 101 - Maggie Barbieri

[[deleted user]]

Karen wrote: "August Theme Reads


1. Vacations: Track of the Cat - Nevada Barr (National Park setting)

Just got this from the library, looking forward to it.

[Valorie]

I finished and LOVED it! Hilariously funny with a cute romance and fun mystery!

[KarenF]

August Theme Reads


1. Vacations: Track of the Cat - Nevada Barr (National Park setting) - Finished 8/4 - Really enjoyed this one and looking forward to others in the series.

2. Academic: Murder 101 - Maggie Barbieri - Finished 8/9 - Cute story, I didn't think there was a whole lot of sleuthing but definitely fun characters and the start of a sweet romance (I think?)

[Marisa, Cozy Mysteries Assistant Moderator]

My reads (updated and finished)

2 / 2 Done

1.- Travel, vacations or located at a popular vacation destination: G'Day to Die: A Passport to Peril Mystery by Maddy Hunter (08/09 - ***)

2.- Academic mystery: Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri (08/02 - **)

I'm afraid I'm not going to follow any of these series, I don't get the feeling, too "funny" and "chick" for me.

[❂ Murder by Death]

I'm a bit late to the game for this month, but I think I have time yet.

For travel, I've just ordered a copy of Alpine for You : A Passport to Peril Mystery. I picked this up when it first came out but for some reason it didn't grab me, so I put it back. But based on all the people here who have said they enjoyed this series, i think I have to give this a shot - I haven't been steered wrong by this group yet! :)

For academic, I just received Quick Study on Friday.

[Suzanne]

Jennifer wrote: "I'm a bit late to the game for this month, but I think I have time yet.

For travel, I've just ordered a copy of Alpine for You : A Passport to Peril Mystery. I picked this up when i..."

You can do it Jennifer!

[Linda]

I finished and really liked it. I have the next one to read also. There are just so many authors that I did not know of before I joined this group. Thank you ladies.

[❂ Murder by Death]

Suzanne wrote: "You can do it Jennifer!."

Thanks for the encouragement! :). I've just finished
Quick Study and really enjoyed it. I like this series more with each book.

Have started Alpine for You : A Passport to Peril Mystery tonight. Only 50 pages in so far but I can see potential...

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Read the first two chapters of Elkins' Murder in the Queen's Armes before bed last night for the "academic" part of the challenge, Gideon Oliver being a professor. Am considering Crocodile on the Sandbank for the travel/vacation end of things. Although technically, since the Elkins' takes place in Dorchester, England, I could probably kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, and count it for both.

Just hope I don't dream about anthropology classes again tonight...

[❂ Murder by Death]

Ok, just finished Alpine for You : A Passport to Peril Mystery by Maddy Hunter. I really struggled with this book and kept coming up with reasons not to read it last night but today was a free day for me and the weather here is foul so I sat down and finished it. I like the main character and the humor, so I'll try the next in the series to see if the series hooks me. Sometimes it takes a couple of books.

This completes my challenge for this month. My first one, and I think it's such a great idea. I can see how these challenges will expand my cozy collection with books I wouldn't normally think to try. :)

[Sherrie]

Finished Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend. I liked this second book much better than the first.

[Melodie]

Sherrie wrote: "Finished Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend. I liked this second book much better than the first."

I liked the first and third ones better than this one, but I didn't like the most recent one at all. It was terribly silly.

[Sherrie]

Melodie wrote: "Sherrie wrote: "Finished Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend. I liked this second book much better than the first."

I liked the first and third ones better than this one, but I didn'..."

I have the 3rd and 4th so I wonder what they will be like. MJ drives me crazy at times though and it takes me longer to get through the book because I have to put it down.

[Valorie]

I finished for the travel theme and really enjoyed it! Can't wait to continue on with this series!

[Suzanne]

Valorie wrote: "I finished for the travel theme and really enjoyed it! Can't wait to continue on with this series!"

I really liked this one too! I've got the second book in my TBR.

[Valorie]

Suzanne wrote: "Valorie wrote: "I finished for the travel theme and really enjoyed it! Can't wait to continue on with this series!"

I really liked this one too! I've go..."

Yeah,
I cant wait to find out what she gets into once she moves to the islands!

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Finished Murder in the Queen's Armes by Aaron Elkins this evening. It was intended for the academic challenge as the main character is an anthropology professor, but it also fits the vacation/travel part of the challenge as it is set in Dorchester, England, a popular tourist area.

[Daphne]

Theme Reads

Murder With Puffins - Vacations


How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Academic & Vacations

[Lindy-Lane]

Finished my August theme reads. Yahoo!
(original list posted in message #10)

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ, Cozy Mysteries Group Owner]

Congrats Lindy-Lane, Daphne, Kari and any others who've finished.

[Suzanne]

I've decided to read The Good Thief's Guide to Vegas for my vacation destination book, instead of Hula Done It?: A Passport to Peril Mystery. I love this series and am about 100 pages into it. So, I think I will finish the August challenge - yea!

[Linda]

Featured Author & Theme Reads - August

FAC: Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers 8/26/10***

Theme Reads:
Extracurricular Activities by Maggie Barbieri 8/8/10 ****
Swimming with the Dead by Kathy Brandt 8/24 ****



Yippee I finished now off to the next challenge

[Suzanne]

Woo hoo! I finished this challenge.

[Trine]

Finished reading by Kathryn Lilley and by Lyn Hamilton last month, but only The Celtic Riddle could be described as a cozy read.

[Marisa, Cozy Mysteries Assistant Moderator]

Great, Suzanne! Now September, Autumn and states *evil grin*