2016 Reading Challenges

20 Books of Summer 2016  – COMPLETE!

DONE – It Takes a Witch (Wishcraft Mystery #1) by Heather Blake
DONE – The Edge of Dreams (Molly Murphy #14) by Rhys Bowen
DONE – Royal Blood (Royal Spyness #4) by Rhys Bowen
DONE – A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
DONE – A Full Life, Reflections at Ninety by Jimmy Carter
DONE – Embrace the Grim Reaper (Grim Reaper #1) by Judy Clemens
DONE – The Gods of Guilt (Mickey Haller #5) by Michael Connelly
DONE – Catering to Nobody (Goldy Bear #1) by Diane Mott Davidson
DONE – The Revolt of the Angels (La Révolte des anges) by Anatole France
DONE – Shakespeare’s Champion (Lily Bard #2) by Charlaine Harris
DONE – The Predator of Batignolles (Le Léopard des Batignolles) by Claude Izner
DONE – Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
DONE – What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
DONE – Salem Chapel by Margaret Oliphant
DONE – Leon Roch by Benito Perez Galdos
DONE – A River in the Sky (Amelia Peabody #19) by Elizabeth Peters
DONE – The Lost Island (Gideon Crew #3) by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
DONE – Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
DONE – Murder on Astor Place (Gaslight Mysteries #1) by Victoria Thompson
DONE – The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

RMFAO 2016 Genre Challenge – COMPLETE!

A different level may be chosen for each month.
Level 1: Casual Reader: 1 book (easy)
Level 2: Frequent Reader: 2 books (moderate)
Level 3: Bookworm: 3 books (mildly strenuous)
Level 4: Bibliophile: 4 books (strenuous)
Level 5: Bookiopath: 5 books or more (challenging)

January – Science-Fiction + New Adult (Bibliophile: 4 books)

1. Passing Fancy (Alien Nation #6) by David Spencer
2. Police Your Planet by Lester del Rey
3. Extreme Prejudice (Alien Nation #7) by L A Graf
4. Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper

February – Mystery-Thriller + Speculative-Fiction (Bookiopath: 5 books or more)

1. The Julius House by Charlaine Harris
2. The Lone Wolf by Louis Joseph Vance
3. The Amethyst Box by Anna Katharine Green
4. Dead Over Heels by Charlaine Harris
5. Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich
6. Sold Down the River by Barbara Hambly
7. A Fool and His Honey by Charlaine Harris
8. The Diamond Master by Jacques Futrelle
9. The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart
10. Traveling with the Dead by Barbara Hambly
11. Last Scene Alive by Charlaine Harris

March – Romance + Literary Fiction (Bookworm: 3 books)

1. The Amazing Interlude by Mary Roberts Rinehart
2. The Dead Letter, An American Romance by Metta Victoria Victor
3. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

April – Young Adult + Apocalyptic-Post Apocalyptic (Frequent Reader: 2 books)

1. Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine
2. Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine

May – Classics + Steampunk  (Bookiopath: 5 books or more)

1. The Mystery of the Man Who Was Lost by Jacques Futrelle
2. The Lazarus Machine by Paul Crilley
3. Queen Lucia by E. F. Benson
4. Miss Mapp by E. F. Benson
5. Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos
6. Jezebel’s Daughter by Wilkie Collins
7. A Country Doctor by Sarah Orne Jewett

June – Non-Fiction + Mythological/Religion (Bookiopath: 5 books or more)

1.  What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, A Memoir by Haruki Murakami
2. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
3. A Full Life, Reflections at Ninety by Jimmy Carter
4. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
5. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
6. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
7. Prince William, The Man Who Will Be King by Penny Junor
8. Places: The Journey of My Days, My Lives by Thaao Penghlis

July – Dystopian + Graphic Novels (Frequent Reader: 2 books)

1. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
2. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

August – Contemporary + Historical (Bookiopath: 5 books or more)

1. Sorrow’s Anthem by Michael Koryta
2. A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters
3. Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen
4. Murder on Washington Square by Victoria Thompson
5. In the Shadows of Paris by Claude Izner
6. The Edge of Dreams by Rhys Bowen
7. Die upon a Kiss by Barbara Hambly
8. Naughty In Nice by Rhys Bowen

September – Humour + Retellings  (Bookworm: 3 books)

1. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman
2. When a Man Marries by Mary Roberts Rinehart
3. The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom

October – Horror + Paranormal (Bookworm: 3 books)

1. Ghost at Work by Carolyn Hart
2. Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs
3. A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake

November – Fantasy + Gothic (Bookworm: 3 books)

1. The Tower of Dago by Mór Jokai
2. The Ghost: A Modern Fantasy by Arnold Bennett
3. Walking the Labyrinth by Lisa Goldstein

December – Action + Adventure (Bookworm: 3 books)

1. Prester John by John Buchan
2. Juju by Murray Leinster
3. The Fortieth Door by Mary Hastings Bradley

RMFAO 2016 Classics Challenge – COMPLETE!

Level 5: Professor: 12 or more books

1. The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (January)
2. The Lone Wolf by Louis Joseph Vance (February)
3. The Amethyst Box by Anna Katharine Green (February)
4. The Diamond Master by Jacques Futrelle (February)
5. The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart (February)
6. A Gentleman of France by Stanley John Weyman (Jan/Feb)
7. The Amazing Interlude by Mary Roberts Rinehart (March)
8. Michael Kohlhass by Heinrich Von Kleist (Feb/Mar)
9. The Dead Letter, An American Romance by Metta Victoria Victor (March)
10. The Cossacks: A Tale of 1852 by Leo Tolstoy (March)
11. Daisy Miller: A Study by Henry James (March/April)
12. The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett (April)
13. For the Major by Constance Fenimore Woolson (April)
14. The Belly of Paris by Émile Zola (March/April)
15. Little French Masterpieces by Honoré de Balzac (March/April)
16. The Mystery of the Man Who Was Lost by Jacques Futrelle (May)
17. Queen Lucia by E. F. Benson (May)
18. Miss Mapp by E. F. Benson (May)
19. Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos (May)
20. Jezebel’s Daughter by Wilkie Collins (May)
21. A Country Doctor by Sarah Orne Jewett (May)
22. The Island of Sheep by John Buchan (May/June)
23. The Revolt of the Angels (La Révolte des anges) by Anatole France (June)
24. Salem Chapel by Margaret Oliphant (June)
25. Leon Roch by Benito Pérez Galdós (July/August)
26. A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen (August)
27. Green Mansions by W. H. Hudson (August/September)
28. When a Man Marries by Mary Roberts Rinehart (September)
29. Hard Times by Charles Dickens (September/October)
30. The Courts of the Morning by John Buchan (October)
31. A Strange Disappearance by Anna Katharine Green (October)
32. The Ghost: A Modern Fantasy by Arnold Bennett (November)
33. Anne by Constance Fenimore Woolson (October/November)
34. La-Bas (Down There) by J. K. Huysmans (November)
35. Prester John by John Buchan (December)
36. Juju by Murray Leinster (December)
37. The Fortieth Door by Mary Hastings Bradley (December)

RMFAO 2016 Series Challenge – COMPLETE!

AMELIA PEABODY series by Elizabeth Peters
DONE – A River in the Sky (#19) (August)

ALIEN NATION series (various authors)
DONE – Passing Fancy (Alien Nation #6) by David Spencer (January)
DONE – Extreme Prejudice (Alien Nation #7) by L A Graf (January)
DONE – Cross of Blood (Alien Nation #8) by K W Jeter (July)

RICHARD HANNAY series by John Buchan
DONE – The Island of Sheep (June)
DONE – The Courts of the Morning (October)

KINSEY MILLHONE series by Sue Grafton
DONE – V Is for Vengeance (#22) (March)
DONE – W is for Wasted (#23) (March)
DONE – X (#24) (May)

AURORA TEAGARDEN by Charlaine Harris:
DONE – Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (#3) (January)
DONE – The Julius House (#4) (February)
DONE – Dead Over Heels (#5) (February)
DONE – A Fool and His Honey (#6) (February)
DONE – Last Scene Alive (#7) (February)
DONE – Poppy Done to Death (#8) (March)

ANNA PIGEON by Nevada Barr
DNF – The Rope (#17)  (gave up on this one)
DONE – Destroyer Angel (#18) (April/May)

 

Two Challenges, One List!

Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2016 – COMPLETE!

Level 4 – Sleuth Extraordinaire – Read 21 or more books

Craving For Cozies Challenge 2016 – COMPLETE!

Satisfied – 21 – 40 Cozy Mysteries

2016 Cozies

1. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (Aurora Teagarden #3) by Charlaine Harris (January)
2. The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (January)
3. The Heist (O’Hare and Fox #1) by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (January)
4. Dead Man’s Island (Henrie O #1) by Carolyn Hart (January)
5. The Julius House (Aurora Teagarden #4) by Charlaine Harris (February)
6. The Amethyst Box by Anna Katharine Green (February)
7. Dead Over Heels (Aurora Teagarden #5) by Charlaine Harris (February)
8. Tricky Twenty-Two (Stephanie Plum #22) by Janet Evanovich (February)
9. A Fool and His Honey (Aurora Teagarden #6) by Charlaine Harris (February)
10. The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart (February)
11. Last Scene Alive (Aurora Teagarden #7) by Charlaine Harris (February)
12. Blueberry Muffin Murder (Hannah Swensen #3) by Joanne Fluke (March)
13. The Shell Game (Fox and O’Hare 0.25) and Pros and Cons (Fox and O’Hare 0.5) by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (March)
14. V Is for Vengeance (Kinsey Millhone #22) by Sue Grafton (March)
15. The Chase (O’Hare and Fox #2) by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (March)
16. Poppy Done to Death (Aurora Teagarden #8) by Charlaine Harris (March)
17. The Eagle Catcher (Wind River Reservation Mystery #1) by Margaret Coel (March)
18. The Shape Shifter (Leaphorn & Chee #18) by Tony Hillerman (March)
19. Wicked Appetite (Lizzy and Diesel #1) by Janet Evanovich (March)
20. The Job (O’Hare and Fox #3) by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (March)
21. W is for Wasted (Kinsey Millhone #23) by Sue Grafton (March)
22. City of Darkness and Light (Molly Murphy #13) by Rhys Bowen (April)
23. The Body on the Beach (Fethering #1) by Simon Brett (April)
24. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #4) by Joanne Fluke (April)
25. Murder at Redwood Cove (Kelly Jackson #1) by Janet Finsilver (April)
26. Death On the Downs (Fethering #2) by Simon Brett (April)
27. Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs #1) by Jacqueline Winspear (April)
28. The Torso In The Town (Fethering #3) by Simon Brett (May)
29. Royal Flush (Royal Spyness #3) by Rhys Bowen (May)
30. Spiderwoman’s Daughter (Leaphorn & Chee #19) by Anne Hillerman (May)
31. Ring in the Dead (J. P. Beaumont 20.5) by J. A. Jance (May)
32. Desert Heat (Joanna Brady #1) by J. A. Jance (May)
33. The Blood of an Englishman (Agatha Raisin #25) by M C Beaton (May)
34. Deadly Gamble (Charlie Parker #1) by Connie Shelton (May)
35. Vacations Can Be Murder (Charlie Parker #2) by Connie Shelton (May)
36. Edge of Evil (Alison Reynolds #1) by J. A. Jance (May)
37. X (Kinsey Millhone #24) by Sue Grafton (May)
38. Dishing the Dirt (Agatha Raisin #26) by M C Beaton (June)
39. It Takes a Witch (Wishcraft Mystery #1) by Heather Blake (June)
40. Flipped For Murder (Country Store Mystery #1) by Maddie Day (June)
41. Web of Evil (Alison Reynolds #2) by J. A. Jance (June)
42. Partnerships Can Kill (Charlie Parker #3) by Connie Shelton (June)
43. A Taste For Murder (Hemlock Falls #1) by Claudia Bishop (June)
44. Small Towns Can Be Murder (Charlie Parker #4) by Connie Shelton (June)
45. The Merlot Murders (Wine Country Mystery #1) by Ellen Crosby (June)
46. Open and Shut (Andy Carpenter #1) by David Rosenfelt (June/July)
47. Murder on Astor Place (Gaslight Mysteries #1) by Victoria Thompson (June/July)
48. The Diva Runs Out of Thyme (Domestic Diva Mystery #1) by Krista Davis (July)
49. Memories Can Be Murder (Charlie Parker #5) by Connie Shelton (July)
50. First Degree (Andy Carpenter #2) by David Rosenfelt (July)
51. Embrace the Grim Reaper (Grim Reaper #1) by Judy Clemens (July)
52. Artifacts (Faye Longchamp #1) by Mary Anna Evans (July)
53. Catering to Nobody (Goldy Bear #1) by Diane Mott Davidson (July)
54. Every Crooked Nanny (Callahan Garrity #1) by Kathy Hogan Trocheck (July)
55. To Live and Die in Dixie (Callahan Garrity #2) by Kathy Hogan Trocheck (July)
56. Bury the Lead (Andy Carpenter #3) by David Rosenfelt (July)
57. Murder at St. Mark’s Place (Gaslight Mysteries #2) by Victoria Thompson (July)
58. Homemade Sin (Callahan Garrity #3) by Kathy Hogan Trocheck (July)
59. Murder on Gramercy Park (Gaslight Mysteries #3) by Victoria Thompson (July)
60. Dying for Chocolate (Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #2) by Diane Mott Davidson (July)
61. A River in the Sky (Amelia Peabody #19) by Elizabeth Peters (August)
62. Death of a Nurse (Hamish Macbeth #31) by M. C. Beaton (August)
63. Sudden Death (Andy Carpenter #4) by David Rosenfelt (August)
64. Dead Center (Andy Carpenter #5) by David Rosenfelt (August)
65. Play Dead (Andy Carpenter #6) by David Rosenfelt (August)
66. Royal Blood (Royal Spyness #4) by Rhys Bowen (August)
67. Murder on Washington Square (Gaslight #4) by Victoria Thompson (August)
68. New Tricks (Andy Carpenter #7) by David Rosenfelt (August)
69. Dog Tags (Andy Carpenter #8) by David Rosenfelt (August)
70. The Edge of Dreams (Molly Murphy #14) by Rhys Bowen (August)
71. Mr. Monk Goes to Germany by Lee Goldberg (August)
72. Rock with Wings by Anne Hillerman (August)
73. Naughty In Nice (Royal Spyness #5) by Rhys Bowen (August)
74. Crewel World (Needlecraft Mysteries #1) by Monica Ferris (August)
75. Framed in Lace (Needlecraft Mysteries #2) by Monica Ferris (September)
76. One Dog Night (Andy Carpenter #9) by David Rosenfelt (September)
77. A Stitch in Time (Needlecraft Mysteries #3) by Monica Ferris (September)
78. Leader of the Pack (Andy Carpenter #10) by David Rosenfelt (September)
79. The Dangerous Hour (Sharon McCone #22) by Marcia Muller (September)
80. Murder On the Rocks (Gray Whale Inn Mystery #1) by Karen MacInerney (September)
81. Unleashed (Andy Carpenter #11) by David Rosenfelt (September)
82. Hounded (Andy Carpenter #12) by David Rosenfelt (September)
83. Away in a Manger (Molly Murphy #15) by Rhys Bowen (September)
84. Dead and Berried (Gray Whale Inn Mystery #2) by Karen MacInerney (September)
85. Time of Fog and Fire (Molly Murphy #16) by Rhys Bowen (September)
86. The Cereal Murders (Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #3) by Diane Mott Davidson (September)
87. The Case of the Missing Books (Mobile Library #1) by Ian Sansom (September)
88. Mr Dixon Disappears (Mobile Library #2) by Ian Sansom (September)
89. Murder on Mulberry Bend (Gaslight Mysteries #5) by Victoria Thompson (September)
90. Out of Circulation (Cat in the Stacks #4) by Miranda James (September)
91. Scandal in Fair Haven (Henrie O #2) by Carolyn Hart (September)
92. The Twelve Clues of Christmas (Royal Spyness #6) by Rhys Bowen (September)
93. Ghost at Work (Bailey Ruth #1) by Carolyn Hart (October)
94. Vanishing Point (Sharon McCone #23) by Marcia Muller (October)
95. The Ever-Running Man (Sharon McCone #24) by Marcia Muller (October)
96. Murder on Marble Row (Gaslight Mysteries #6) by Victoria Thompson (October)
97. Burn Out (Sharon McCone #25) by Marcia Muller (October)
98. Death in Lovers’ Lane (Henrie O #3) by Carolyn Hart (October)
99. Heirs and Graces (Royal Spyness #7) by Rhys Bowen (October)
100. A Strange Disappearance (Mr. Gryce #2) by Anna Katharine Green (October)
101. The Ghost Walker (Wind River Reservation #2) by Margaret Coel (October)
102. A Dinner to Die for (Hemlock Falls #13) by Claudia Bishop (October)
103. A Witch Before Dying (Wishcraft Mystery #2) by Heather Blake (October)
104. Murder on Lenox Hill (Gaslight Mysteries #7) by Victoria Thompson (October)
105. The Dream Stalker (Wind River Reservation #3) by Margaret Coel (October)
106. Dark Tort (Goldy Bear #13) by Diane Mott Davidson (October)
107. Pies and Prejudice (Charmed Pie Shoppe #1) by Ellery Adams (November)
108. On What Grounds (Coffeehouse Mystery #1) by Cleo Coyle (November)
109. Bones Under the Beach Hut (Fethering #12) by Simon Brett (November)
110. Pardonable Lies (Maisie Dobbs #3) by Jacqueline Winspear (November)
111. The Silence of the Library (Cat in the Stacks Mystery #5) by Miranda James (November)
112. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency #1) by Alexander McCall Smith (November)
113. Messenger of Truth (Maisie Dobbs #4) by Jacqueline Winspear (November)
114. Latte Trouble (Coffeehouse Mystery #3) by Cleo Coyle (November)
115.  Death in Paradise (Henrie O #4) by Carolyn Hart (November)
116. April Fool Dead (Death on Demand #13) by Carolyn Hart (November)
117. Untimely Death (Shakespeare in the Catskills #1) by Elizabeth J. Duncan (November)
118. The Dead Cat Bounce (Home Repair is Homicide #1) by Sarah Graves (November)
119. Murder in Little Italy (Gaslight Mysteries #8) by Victoria Thompson (November)
120. In the Bleak Midwinter (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Adirondack Mysteries #1) by Julia Spencer-Fleming (November)
121. Who Let the Dog Out? (Andy Carpenter #13) by David Rosenfelt (November/December)
122. An Incomplete Revenge (Maisie Dobbs #5) by Jacqueline Winspear (November/December)
123. A Fountain Filled with Blood (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Adirondack Mysteries #2) by Julia Spencer-Fleming (December)
124. A Murderous Yarn (Needlecraft Mysteries #5) by Monica Ferris (December)
125. Maid of Murder (India Hayes Mystery #1) by Amanda Flower (December)
126. Triple Witch (Home Repair is Homicide #2) by Sarah Graves (December)
127. Out of the Deep I Cry (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Adirondack Mysteries #3) by Julia Spencer-Fleming (December)

 

What an Animal IX Reading Challenge 2016 – COMPLETE!

Level 2 (7-12 books)

1. Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper (January)
2. The Lone Wolf by Louis Joseph Vance (February)
3. The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel (March)
4. Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich (March)
5. W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton (March)
6. Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (April)
7. Murder at Redwood Cove by Janet Finsilver (April)
8. Deadly Gamble by Connie Shelton (May)
9. The Island of Sheep by John Buchan (May/June)
10. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck (June)
11. Hornet’s Nest by Patricia Cornwell (June)
12. Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris (August)
13. Death of a Nurse by M. C. Beaton (August)
14. Sudden Death by David Rosenfelt (August)
15. Dead Center by David Rosenfelt (August)
16. Play Dead by David Rosenfelt (August)
17. New Tricks by David Rosenfelt (August)
18. Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt (August)
19. Dogtripping by David Rosenfelt (September)
20. One Dog Night by David Rosenfelt (September)
21. Leader of the Pack by David Rosenfelt (September)
22. Unleashed by David Rosenfelt (September)
23. Hounded by David Rosenfelt (September)
24. A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake (October)
25. Pies and Prejudice (Charmed Pie Shoppe #1) by Ellery Adams (November)
26. The Silence of the Library by Miranda James (November)
27. Who Let the Dog Out? by David Rosenfelt (November/December)

 

2016 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge – COMPLETE!

A – The Amethyst Box by Anna Katharine Green (February)
B – The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly (March)
C – The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart
D – Dead Man’s Island by Carolyn Hart (January)
E – Extreme Prejudice by L A Graf (January)
F – Face of a Hero by Pierre Boulle (January)
G – A Gentleman of France by Stanley John Weyman (Jan/Feb)
H – The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (January)
I – Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine (April)
J – The Julius House by Charlaine Harris (February)
K – Killing Kennedy, The End of Camelot by Bill O’Reilly (March)
L – Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper (January)
M – The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (January)
N – New Tricks by David Rosenfelt (August)
O – Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt (June/July)
P – Passing Fancy by David Spencer (January)
Q – Queen Lucia by E. F. Benson (May)
R – Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die by Willie Nelson (March)
S – Sold Down the River by Barbara Hambly (February)
T – Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris (January)
U – Until Proven Guilty by J. A. Jance (June)
V – V Is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton (March)
W – Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich (March)
X – X by Sue Grafton (May)
Y – A Yellow Journalist by Miriam Michelson (October)
Z – Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (April)

 

 

2016 Goodreads Challenge – COMPLETE!

I’m going for 100 again this year. Current total: 252

–