2024 Finishing the Series Reading Challenge

The Finishing the Series Reading Challenge is back for another year. This challenge is focused on finally finishing those series that you’ve started but not yet completed. It was previously hosted by Bea’s Book Nook, but the Celebrity Readers Blog been hosting it since 2018. This challenge is an easy one for me because I read quite a few series. As my favorite authors write and publish their annual novels, I link them to this challenge. There are some situations where I read several installments of a series in one year. Each of those books is also linked to the challenge.  I am signing up the challenge as an A Lister. This requires that I read 9 or more series in 2024.

The Challenge Rules 

1)   The challenge will run from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. Books must be read during this time frame to count. Sign up is open from now until December 1, 2024, so you may join even just for the last month of the year.

2)   Series can be already completed as well as still ongoing. For ongoing series, the goal is to catch up to the most recent book published by the end of 2024.

3)   It is OK if you have only 1 book or 10 books to read in order to finish your series, as long as you’ve started the series before 2024 (ie read at least one book in the series), it counts. Re-reads are not required.

4)   Any format and length of book counts – print, ebook, audio, ARC, etc.

5)   Series can be any length (even if it’s just a duology).

6)   Crossovers from other challenges are OK.

7)   Reviews are not required, but highly encouraged.

8)   To participate, declare your intentions somewhere on the internet!! You do not need to be a blogger to participate, there are many ways to declare. You could write a blog post, create a reading challenge page, create a Goodreads shelf containing series you hope to finish, post about it on Facebook, X, Mastodon, Instagram, etc. Some things you could include (but that aren’t required): A link to the challenge post so that others may find us and join the fun as well (feel free to download the button at the top to use in your posts).

9)   Make a list of series you hope to read for this challenge. 

10)   Select the challenge level you are aiming for.

11)   Sign up at the challenge post, and link directly to where you’ve declared your intentions (ie to the specific blog post, the goodreads shelf, the facebook post, etc).

12)   Only one link up will be posted for the whole year. This is where you can add links to your reviews or any wrap-up/overview posts you wish to share.

13)   Use the hashtag #FinishingTheSeries2024 on any social media to keep up with other participants!

14)    There are 3 different “Celebrity” levels of achievement for this reading challenge:

C-LIST SERIES FINISHER:  Complete 1-4 Series

B-LIST SERIES FINISHER: Complete 5-8 Series

A-LIST SERIES FINISHER:  Complete 9+ Series

Some of the series that I read are:

• Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery Series
• Laura Childs' Indigo Teashop Series
• Charles Finch's Charles Lenox Mystery Series
• Gary McAvoy's Vatican Secret Archives series
• Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry series 
• S. D. Sykes's Oswald de Lacy Somershill Manor
• Ellen Crosby's Wine Country series
• Nathan Dylan Goodwin's Forensic Genealogist Morton Farrier series
• Heather Atkinson's Alardyce House series 

A few series I have enjoyed over the years are no longer being written and I am sad about this.

• Alka Joshi's Jaipur trilogy
• Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles series
• A. M. Stuart's Harriet Gordon Mysteries
• C. J. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series 

2024 Library Love Reading Challenge

It's time to sign up for the eighth annual Library Love Reading Challenge hosted by Angel’s Book Nook & Books of My Heart.  I am not sure how I feel about participating in the challenge since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Before the pandemic, books that I took out from my library had an odor on them.  It was probably incense or perfume but I cannot get the smell out of my mind and it is grossing me out. However, I retired during the past year and cannot expect to spend the same amount of money on books for my Kindle. I don't know whether I will participate if I sign up.  It all depends on my gag reflex.

The Challenge Rules

1)    The challenge runs January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024. You can join anytime.

2)    The goal is to read at least twelve (12) books from the library. While twelve is the minimum, there is no maximum limit. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you.

3)    Any book format will work for this challenge (prints, ebooks, or audios) as long as you checked it out from the library, it counts.

4)    Books can be any genre (fiction, nonfiction, romance, fantasy, mystery, thriller, horror, etc.).

5)    Crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed, including re-reads. The goal is to support your local library and save money.

6)    You do not have to be a book blogger to participate. You can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.

7)    If you’re a blogger grab the challenge button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook, Tweet, or Instagram about the challenge. Please link back to both hosts: Angel’s Book Nook & Books of My Heart

8)    Reviews are optional. Write a review to enter the giveaway – 2 sentences or an essay, whatever works for you, but there is a minimum of 2 sentences. Not sure what to write? How about something like; “The plot was a delight, but the characters didn’t capture me.” “I enjoyed the story and really liked the characters.”

9)   Please use #LibraryLoveChallenge when sharing your reviews, library pictures, etc…

There are several levels for the challenge. 

Dewey Decimal: Read 12 books

Thrifty Reader: Read 24 books

Overdrive Junkie: Read 36 books

Library Addict: Read 48 books

Library Card on Fire: Read 60+ books

 

I will try to complete the Dewey Decimal level but am not going to brow beat myself if that gag reflex acts up.  It is what it is.

End of Year Book Memes

I found both of these memes on Librarything. They both were posted approximately 8 years ago but I just found them last week during a search.  Just fill in the answers with books you've read this year.  Here are my answers:

Meme #1

Describe yourself:  The Middle Ages by Eleanor Janega

Describe how you feel:  Cor Rotto by Adrienne Dillard

Describe where you currently live:  The House of Pines by Ana Reyes

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:  Russka by Edward Rutherfurd

Your favorite form of transportation:  The Ghost Ship by Kate Mosse

Your best friend is:  Mistress of Bhatia House by Sujata Massey

You and your friends are:  Night Angels by Weina Day Randel

What’s the weather like:  Red Winter by Tom Clancy

You fear:  Date Night by Samantha Hayes

What is the best advice you have to give:  Vanish is Plain Sight by Marta Perry

Thought for the day:  Honey Drop Dead by Laura Childssds

How I would like to die:  Six Feet Deep Dish by Amanda Quigley

My soul’s present condition:  Weyward by Emilia Hart

Meme #2

Shortest book title?  Poison by Charlotte King

How many re-reads?  1: The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

Most books read by one author this year?  I read 5 books by Gary McAvoy:  The Avignon Affair, The Magdalene Deception, The Magdalene Veil, The Magdalene Reliquary, and The Jerusalem Scrolls

Any in translation?  1: Juan Gomez Jurado's Red Queen

How many books were borrowed from the library?  19

Name a book you’ve read this year which was recommended by a blogger?  Ashes to Ashes Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley

The Triumph of the Lions

I received an advanced review copy of Stefania Auci's newest novel from Net Galley.  The book will be published in English on March 12, 2024 and is the basis for the upcoming Disney produced series on Hulu The Lions of Sicily. The story is about the Florio family who are the lions. They have amassed a fortune that includes palaces, factories, ships, silks, and jewels. The city of Sicily admires them, honors them and, above all, fears them.

The publisher's summary:

Ignazio was destined to rule Casa Florio since birth, a fearless drive that pulses through his veins, pushing him to look beyond Sicily towards Rome, Europe and its courts, the naval domination of the Mediterranean, and eventually the purchase of the entire Archipelago of the Egadi to build his dazzling empire. But his heart is black as ice. To seize Casa Florio, he abandoned the love of his life—an act of treachery which still casts a dark shadow.

Barely twenty, his son Ignazziddu stands to inherit all that his father has built. Yet he is nothing like Ignazio. A nervous young man, he does not want to be shackled to his infamous name, to sacrifice himself for the family. Despite his fears, he embraces Ignazio’s legacy, and must face a world that changes too quickly, agitated by new, violent, and uncontrollable forces. Ignazziddu eventually realizes that it’s not enough to have Florio blood to become the imposing force his grandfather and father were. What is it they had that he lacks?

Beside father and son are two extraordinary women: Giovanna, Ignazio’s wife, hard and fragile as crystal, full of passion but hungry for love, and Franca, the wife of Ignazziddu, the most beautiful woman in Europe, whose golden existence is threatened by the blows of a cruel fate. It is these women who unforgettably animate The Triumph of the Lions.

The book has a slow pace probably because of the simple plot as well as the plethora of Italian words that I was not familiar with. I quickly got tired of looking up words in the dictionary. Since the story has just been translated into English, I have to wonder if there is an issue with the translation or with the plot. However, the translator should not have left so many of the words in Italian. A few of these words were explained in the next sentence but most were not. When the story moved to Ignazio seeing his French lover once again, we had to decipher the French sayings.

We have all heard the admonition to writers to "show not tell."  In Lions there is alot of "tell," especially in the first half of the story.  The characters were one dimensional until the final third of the story where we see Ignazziddu take over the family business. The reader sees Ignazziddu is not up to the challenge of running the family business from his actions.  We see him spending too much money and that he is a womanizer. Having never been interested in the business while his father was alive, Ignazziddu learned nothing over the years that would have prepared him for running the company. In the end, we see the business faltering. The story ends with the birth of his first child. A girl. I am presuming that this means the end of the family. I don't know because the novel ended abruptly with her birth. 

I am not sure how to rate the book. I was bored throughout most of it but the ending was good. There were serious problems with either the writing or the translation or both. I will give it a 2 star rating.

My Life in Books Meme

Shellyrae at the Book'd Out blog came up with this cool meme last year.  To participate all you have to do is complete the prompts using titles from the books you have read in 2023.

2023 was the year of: White Faced Lies (Eric Flanagan)

In 2023 I wanted to be: The Armor of Light (Ken Follett)

In 2023 I was: The Papal Assassin ( S.J. Martin)

In 2023 I gained: The Orchid House (Nancy Bilyeau)

In 2023 I lost: The Magdalene Veil (Gary McAvoy)

In 2023 I loved: The Party on Laurel Street (Ruth Heald)

In 2023 I hated: The Perfumist of Paris (Alka Joshi)

In 2023 I learned: His Fatal Legacy (Heather Atkinson)

In 2023 I was surprised by: The Importance of Pawns (Keira Morgan)

In 2023 I went to:  The Last Kingdom (Steve Berry)

In 2023 I missed out on: A Marriage of Fortune (Anne O'Brien)

In 2023 my family were:  Five Steps Beyond (Luana Ehrlich)

In 2024 

I hope (for a): The House in the Pines (Ana Reyes)

The Red Citadel

I received an advanced review copy of The Red Citadel through the Early Reviewer's Program at Librarything.  It is the third book in Michael Lynes Isaac Alvarez Mystery series and it was published earlier this month.  The Red Citadel is a historical thriller set in the court of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain.  It takes place in Granada, Spain in 1499.

The publisher's summary:

Issac is desperate to return from exile to his family in Seville. Haunted by accusations of heresy he is still recovering from the death of his wife. Granada is riven by religious tension: the Catholics want the Muslims to convert. Isaac falls in love with Aisha, the wife of the rebel Muslim leader and his friend, Abdul Rahman. If he finds out Isaac will be a dead man. The king offers Isaac a chance to return to Seville, in return for gathering intelligence on the rebels. Where do Isaac’s loyalties lie? Then an old enemy accuses Isaac of murdering the Grand Inquisitor. Can Isaac’s daughter, Isabel, save him?  Issac must prove he is innocent of murder, satisfy the king, and reconcile his feelings for Aisha. Can he quell a rebellion and reunite his family?

I had some difficulty getting interested in the story because of the many historical terms used by the author in the initial chapters. There are a lot of them. However, since I have studied this era in Spain and am well acquainted with its history, I was surprised by this. There is an assumption that the reader knows this history and can figure out what is going on. In addition, there were a lot of characters introduced early in the story and that also slowed me down. I continued reading and it all soon gelled in my mind.

As I mentioned above, the book is advertised as a historical thriller perfect for fans of CJ Sansom and SJ Parris.  I agree that Sansom and Parris fans will like the book. However, it is not a thriller.  As mentioned above, the book is the third book in a trilogy and I have not read the first two books. I am sure that this is affecting my experience reading the novel. The author said in an online interview that he believes he did a good enough job of weaving the back story into this novel so that it can be read as a standalone.  Since I have not read the earlier books I cannot make any comments about these statements.

If you have not read any historical fiction about the Spanish Inquisition, I recommend that you read the trilogy but in order. There is much to learn about how Jews and Muslims were treated by the Spanish monarchs during this era. Some of the Jews had converted to Christianity but many of them secretly continued worshipping as Jews. Some of the Muslims also converted but those that did not had to agree to be subject to their Christian rulers.  It's a heartbreaking fact of history.  I am planning to read the earlier two books in the series and re-read The Red Citadel sometime next year.  I feel that the author is giving us a good history lesson in his writing.

I am excited that he plans on returning to Granada next Spring to research his next book.  It is going to be a young adult novel set in the same time period.  The story will focus on Isaac's ten-year-old ward Juana.  Juana's father was executed by the Inquisition and her mother died in "mysterious circumstances." The Alhambra, which is the red citadel in the title, will be the setting of this new novel also.  I love this setting and have been pining to travel to Spain to see it in person.  

The book was a slow read so I am rating it 3 out of 5 stars.

My Life in 2023 Meme

Karen from the Booker Talk blog publishes a similar post every year.  I first learned about it one year ago and I am going to answer her questions from last year today.  There are links in the titles below that will take you to my reviews.

In high school I was: Poison (Charlotte King)

People might be surprised by: The Godmother's Secret  (Elizabeth St. John)

I will never be:  The Lemon Curd Killer (Laura Childs)

My life post-lockdown was:  Weyward  (Emilia Hart)

My fantasy job is:  The Keeper of the Queen's Jewels  (Adrienne Dillard)

At the end of a long day I need:  Letters of Comfort  (Wanda Brunstetter)

I hate being:  The Papal Assassin's Wife  (S.J. Martin)

I wish I had: Someone Else's Life  (Lin Liao Butler)

My family reunions are: Tides of Fire (James Rollins)

At a party you’d find me:  Vanish in Plain Sight  (Marta Perry)

I’ve never been to The Blue Bar (Damyanti Biswas)

A happy day includes: Blood Oranges (Jim Cannon) 

Motto I live by: Cor Rotto  (Adrienne Dillard)

On my bucket list is: The Ghost Ship  (Kate Mosse)

In my next life, I want to have: An Evil Heart  (Linda Castillo)

2024 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge Author Edition

I have never before participated in the Author Edition of the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge. Next year I am going to give it a go and see how well I can finish the challenge.  I have some trepidation about participating but will do the best I can.  The challenge is to read one book that has an author whose first name, middle, or last name starts with every letter of the alphabet.  

Challenge Rules:

1)    This challenge will run from January 1, 2024 until December 31, 2024.  

2)    Participants can join anytime and do not have to post a review of the book.  

3)    Books can come from any genre. 

4)  Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – and audio – are acceptable for this challenge. 

5)    Crossovers from other challenges are allowed. 

6)    There are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.

        A – Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the authors with the book you read to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find authors/books to fit.

OR

        B – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet.

7)    There is a group on Facebook for the challenge where you can share the books you have read and converse with others taking part in the challenge. Alphabet Soup – Author Edition – Challenge –  You can share your accomplishments throughout the year there. 

IMPORTANT – You must fill out a form to join the challenge before joining the Facebook Group and be sure to answer the group membership questions completely or your request for membership to the group will be declined.

The challenge host is asking everyone to sign up using Google Forms. Sign Up Here. 

2024 Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge

The Cloak and Dagger Challenge is one of my favorite reading challenges so, of course, I will be rejoining the challenge next year.  It is being hosted again by the Carol's Notebook blog.  Below are the details concerning the challenge.

Challenge Rules:

• You can read any book that is from the mystery/suspense/thriller/crime/true crime genres. Any sub-genres are welcome as long as they incorporate one of these genres.

• You don’t need a blog to participate but you do need a place to post your reviews to link up. (blog, Goodreads, Instagram, etc.)

• Make a goal post and link it back here with your goal for this challenge.

• Books need to be at least 100 pages long. Please no short stories.

• Crossovers with other challenges are fine.

• The Challenge will run from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2024.

•  Sign up ends March 15, 2024.

• Use the hashtag #CloakDaggerChal. on your book reviews.

• The challenge has several levels of participation for you to choose from.

Levels:

5-15 books – Amateur sleuth

16-25 books – Detective

26-35 books – Inspector

36 – 55 books – Special agent. This is my goal for the year.

56+ books – Sherlock Holmes  

There still is a Faccebook group for the challenge so if you haven’t joined you should seriously consider joining. Here’s the group’s link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/350512171977943/. It’s a closed group so you need to ask to join.

There will be a monthly link-up so we can see what everyone’s reading – and probably add some to our own tbr lists. At the halfway mark and at the end there will be giveaways for those participating.

Add a link to your sign-up post at the challenge post. 

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

It's time again to think about which reading challenges I want to participate in. The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge is probably my favorite challenge so I will be participating again in 2024. There are several levels of participation offered. I am going to challenge myself to the Prehistoric Level and read at least 50 books next year. This will be a tough challenge for me but let's see how well I do.

Challenge Rules

1)  The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2024 and is hosted by The Intrepid Reader blog.

2)  Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created by the challenge host where you can add the links for the books you have read. If you don't have a blog you can post a link to your review if it's posted on Goodreads, Facebook, or Amazon, or you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish.

3)  Any sub-genre of historical fiction is accepted (Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult, History/Non-Fiction, etc.)

4)  Choose one of the different reading levels:

20th Century Reader - 2 books

Victorian Reader - 5 books

Renaissance Reader - 10 books

Medieval - 15 books

Ancient History - 25 books

Prehistoric - 50+ books

5)  To join the challenge you only need to make a post about it, add your link to the challenge post.

6)  Don't forget to use the challenge hashtag #histficreadingchallenge.

Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bakeoff

Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off is my final selection for the Calendar of Crime Challenge. It is a lovely cozy mystery with recipes in the back of the book.  It the 2nd of 5 books in the author's Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series.

The publisher's summary:  

Tucked away inside an old lighthouse in Beacon Harbor, Michigan, bakeshop café owner Lindsey Bakewellis ready to make her first Christmas in town shine bright. But her merry plans crumble fast when murder appears under the mistletoe. 

With the spirit of the holidays wafting through the Beacon Bakeshop, Lindsey thinks she has the recipe for the sweetest Christmas ever—winning the town-wide cookie bake-off. Unfortunately, striving for a picture-perfect December in Beacon Harbor is a lot like biting into stale shortbread. Low on staff and bombarded by visits from family, Lindsey can barely meet demands at work, let alone summon the confidence to face fierce competition . . .

 

Self-appointed Christmas know-it-all Felicity Stewart is determined to take the top spot in the bake‑off, and she’s not afraid to dump a little coal in everyone’s stocking to do it. Just as the competition heats up, everything falls apart when the judge is found dead—and covered in crumbs from Lindsey’s signature cookie!

 

Solving a murder was never on Lindsey’s wish list. But with her reputation on the line during the happiest time of the year, she’ll need to bring her best talents to the table in order to sift out the true Christmas Cookie culprit.

I loved this story. It has everything you want in a Christmas cozy mystery. There are engaging characters, a wintery but cozy setting,  and the smell of freshly baked pastries on every page. When. Lindsay rose at 3:00 a.m. each morning to begin mixing her doughs, I felt like I was there with her.  As a baker myself, I could easily see in my mind her sweet roll dough recipe as well as her cinnamon rolls and caramel pecan rolls.  She baked and fried the doughs before making a variety of danish pastries all hours before her bakery opened for the day.  

The characters were believable. Of course, Lindsay is a great character but the villain seemed all too real to me also.  Felicity, owner of a year-round Christmas shop, is the epitome of every jealous woman I have had to "compete" against when bringing treats to work.  She will sabotage the efforts of other bakers in order to always be first at everything.  A few years ago a co-worker threw my cookies in the garbage because no one was eating hers so I definitely feel Lindsay's pain.  The celebrity judge, Chef Chevy Chambers, is another villain in the story.   His character provides many of the twists and turns because he not only is having an affair with several contestants but he also put a few of them out of business with his scathing newspaper reviews of their restaurants.  When he ends up murdered, there are several possible whodunnits. The howdunnit should be obvious.  It's a rolling pin.

Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off is simply the best Christmas cozy that I have ever read.  Check it out.  5 out of 5 stars.