Review: The Gates to the Afterlife

The Gates to the Afterlife by Jen Pitts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great cozy that dives into a bit of Voodoo and its history in New Orleans. Sammy’s new family finds itself embroiled in another murder all while trying to celebrate the release of Andrews new book. The book centers on the 7 gates of Marie Laveau and the attempt to contact afterlife This book continues the series and highlights the ambiance and history of New Orleans. It also has a great representation of a found family and new beginnings.

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General Tracking Challenges

Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2026  #31

Literary Escapes  (Destination) LA

Read Around the US   Jun

What an Animal   16

Genre Specific

Bookish Books challenge  #8

Cruisin thru Cozies  Paranormal #2

Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal    #31

Craving for Cozies   #CravingCozies #28

Six Shooter Challenge  2nd  Shot

Medical Examiner Challenge- 6 Toe Tags 

Prompt Based Challenges

52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2026  #

Around the Year in 52 Books #

Bookworm  #

BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenchallenge26 #

Cover Lovers #

HP Sorting   #

Movie  #

Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2026 #

RAD Challenge  #aradreadingchallenge  #

Read with Allison  #readwithallison2026  #

Reporter Challenge  #

What's in a Name  #wian2026   #

Monthly Criteria

Beyond the Bookends  

Book Challenge by Erin  1st Quarter  

Kat the Book nerd 

Fairytale Retellings    #fairytalereadingchallenge2026  

Monthly Keyword #keywordreadingchallenge⁠  

Monthly Motif #motifreadingchallenge⁠ 

Creative Tracking Challenges

Marathon Challenge- goal is to read 26 mysteries plus a short story to complete a marathon 26.2 miles.   Readers will track number of pages read. 

Picture Bingo 

Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2025  1st Q 

Review: Private Rome: A Private Novel

Private Rome: A Private Novel by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An intense ride through some glamorous and shady parts of Rome. This book features Jack Morgan as he finds himself embroiled in the mysterious death of a priest while at a party celebrating the opening of his Rome office. He soon learns of all the criminal corruption enveloping Rome including the Holy City.

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General Tracking Challenges

Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  #20

Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2026  #30

Genre Specific

Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal    #30

Six Shooter Challenge   6th Shot

Medical Examiner Challenge-  15 Toe Tags 

Prompt Based Challenges

52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2026  #

Around the Year in 52 Books #

Bookworm  #

BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenchallenge26 #

Cover Lovers #

HP Sorting   #

Movie  #

Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2026 #

RAD Challenge  #aradreadingchallenge  #

Read with Allison  #readwithallison2026  #

Reporter Challenge  #

What's in a Name  #wian2026   #

Monthly Criteria

Beyond the Bookends  

Book Challenge by Erin  1st Quarter  

Kat the Book nerd 

Fairytale Retellings    #fairytalereadingchallenge2026  

Monthly Keyword #keywordreadingchallenge⁠  

Monthly Motif #motifreadingchallenge⁠ 

Creative Tracking Challenges

Marathon Challenge- goal is to read 26 mysteries plus a short story to complete a marathon 26.2 miles.   Readers will track number of pages read. 

Picture Bingo 

Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2025  1st Q 

Review: The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy

The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy by James Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

full of emotion and intense storytelling

This book hits close to home because I have a college son with a girlfriend who lives off campus with her sorority sisters. It’s hard not to fear this could happen to them. The book is written from different perspectives of including Brian Kohlberger’s story. It is terrifying how methodically his mind works and he justified his actions. The book also highlighted how different families react in this tragic circumstances. I am not sure how I’d react and hopefully I never have to find out. If you like intense true crime this book will be a good read for you

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General Tracking Challenges

Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  #19

Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2026  #29

Alphabet Soup #AlphabetSoupChallenge I

Clock Challenge   #ClockReadingChallenge 4

Genre Specific

Non Fiction #`1

Medical Examiner Challenge- 4 Toe Tags 

Prompt Based Challenges

52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2026  #

Around the Year in 52 Books #

Bookworm  #

BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenchallenge26 #

Cover Lovers #

HP Sorting   #

Movie  #

Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2026 #

RAD Challenge  #aradreadingchallenge  #

Read with Allison  #readwithallison2026  #

Reporter Challenge  #

What's in a Name  #wian2026   #

Monthly Criteria

Beyond the Bookends  

Book Challenge by Erin  1st Quarter  

Kat the Book nerd 

Fairytale Retellings    #fairytalereadingchallenge2026  

Monthly Keyword #keywordreadingchallenge⁠  

Monthly Motif #motifreadingchallenge⁠ 

Creative Tracking Challenges

Marathon Challenge- goal is to read 26 mysteries plus a short story to complete a marathon 26.2 miles.   Readers will track number of pages read. 

Picture Bingo 

Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2025  1st Q 

Review: When There Were 9

When There Were 9 by C.A. Larmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another good cozy that follows a Christie framework. I am inspired to read the original now this year. There are some new characters added to the book group this time. It makes for an interesting change in character dynamics. This book is set in a rural area outside Sydney so that fit in with the original plot by the Dame herself. Overall I enjoy this series and the plots along with interactions among characters. This cozy is a pure amateur detective case.

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General Tracking Challenges

Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  #18

Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2026  #28 

Clock Challenge   #ClockReadingChallenge 9

Genre Specific

Bookish Books challenge  #6

Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #15

Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal    #29

Craving for Cozies   #CravingCozies #27

Six Shooter Challenge  4th  Shot

Medical Examiner Challenge- 9 Toe Tags 

Prompt Based Challenges

52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2026  #

Around the Year in 52 Books #

Bookworm  #

BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenchallenge26 #

Cover Lovers #

HP Sorting   #

Movie  #

Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2026 #

RAD Challenge  #aradreadingchallenge  #

Read with Allison  #readwithallison2026  #

Reporter Challenge  #

What's in a Name  #wian2026   #

Monthly Criteria

Beyond the Bookends  

Book Challenge by Erin  1st Quarter  

Kat the Book nerd 

Fairytale Retellings    #fairytalereadingchallenge2026  

Monthly Keyword #keywordreadingchallenge⁠  

Monthly Motif #motifreadingchallenge⁠ 

Creative Tracking Challenges

Marathon Challenge- goal is to read 26 mysteries plus a short story to complete a marathon 26.2 miles.   Readers will track number of pages read. 

Picture Bingo 

Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2025  1st Q 

Whats in a name 2026

  Once again,  Andrea at Carolina Book Nook is hosting a prompt-based challenge that’s all about titles.  This is one of the most creative ones I participate in each year.  

You can sign up at any point on the Linky on the page but only count books read between  

Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2026.  Creativity to apply a book to the prompt is encouraged but only count a book for 1 prompt.  

Andrea’s site has links for reviews for each category so please be sure to go back and link your book reviews as you work through the challenge.

#wian2026

Post reviews on the blog for each prompt

Progress: 1/6

 In 2026, choose 6 books that have titles that contain:  (Click on the links for more examples and info)

• Six/6
• Cold weather
• Peace
• Pathways
• Terrain
•  Discovery in Great Sand Dunes National Park by Aaron Johnson
• Blog and Goodreads Review 1/10/26
• Flower

Review: Gone to Hot Pot

Gone to Hot Pot by Vivien Chien
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

fun novella

Fun story from Megan’s perspective. Kikko takes a tour around Asia Village while Lana is in CA. Fun interaction with the shop owners and recurring characters starting Megan and kikko.

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General Tracking Challenges

Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  #14

Mount TBR   #MountTBR2026  #4

TBR 26 in 26 #TBR26in26 #4 

Alphabet Soup #AlphabetSoupChallenge G

What an Animal   14

Genre Specific

Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #11

Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal    #24

Craving for Cozies   #CravingCozies #23

Six Shooter Challenge  2nd  Shot

Prompt Based Challenges

52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2026  #

Around the Year in 52 Books #

Bookworm  #

BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenchallenge26 #

Cover Lovers #

HP Sorting   #

Movie  #

Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2026 #

RAD Challenge  #aradreadingchallenge  #

Read with Allison  #readwithallison2026  #

Reporter Challenge  #

What's in a Name  #wian2026   #

Monthly Criteria

Beyond the Bookends  

Book Challenge by Erin  1st Quarter  

Kat the Book nerd 

Fairytale Retellings    #fairytalereadingchallenge2026  

Monthly Keyword #keywordreadingchallenge⁠  

Monthly Motif #motifreadingchallenge⁠ 

Creative Tracking Challenges

Marathon Challenge- goal is to read 26 mysteries plus a short story to complete a marathon 26.2 miles.   Readers will track number of pages read. 

Picture Bingo 

Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2025  1st Q 

Review: Diamonds on the Danube

Diamonds on the Danube by Cheryl Dougan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

good read where we meet the characters who are also in the ocean cruise mysteries. the relationships don't start out great and it is interesting to see how they have grown and changed by the time the ocean series starts. iand enjoyed getting the background info the mystery was quite a twisting turning bit of plot work

View all my reviews

General Tracking Challenges

Mount TBR   #MountTBR2026  #3 

TBR 26 in 26 #TBR26in26 #3

Literary Escapes  (Destination) Hungary

European Tour #4

Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  Eastern Europe

Genre Specific

Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #10

Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal    #23

Craving for Cozies   #CravingCozies #22

Six Shooter Challenge  4th  Shot

Prompt Based Challenges

52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2026  #

Around the Year in 52 Books #

Bookworm  #

BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenchallenge26 #

Cover Lovers #

HP Sorting   #

Movie  #

Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2026 #

RAD Challenge  #aradreadingchallenge  #

Read with Allison  #readwithallison2026  #

Reporter Challenge  #

What's in a Name  #wian2026   #

Monthly Criteria

Beyond the Bookends  

Book Challenge by Erin  1st Quarter  

Kat the Book nerd 

Fairytale Retellings    #fairytalereadingchallenge2026  

Monthly Keyword #keywordreadingchallenge⁠  

Monthly Motif #motifreadingchallenge⁠ 

Creative Tracking Challenges

Marathon Challenge- goal is to read 26 mysteries plus a short story to complete a marathon 26.2 miles.   Readers will track number of pages read. 

Picture Bingo 

Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2025  1st Q