V.I. Warshawski is a tough Chicago PI

I have been reading the VI Warshawski series for a while now.  I had missed a few and picked this one, Shell Game,  up as an award winner for my Monthly Award Challenge.   It was good catching up with VI and her friends- Lottie Herschel, Mr. Contreras and news reporter, Murray Ryerson. 

While I enjoyed reading the latest in Sara Paretsky's series, I did find the political undertones of the book a bit unnecessary at times.  The book deals with immigrants and ICE and the fear that many live under while here in the US.  I understand that is a real fear and am fine with the plot as it pertains to this serious issue.  What I did not care for was the commentary on the current President.   I felt it was unnecessary in portraying the severity and emotion of the situation and the storyline. 

I have read other books that make references to current world situations without specifying president names or parties- for example the Patterson book written with Bill Clinton, The President is Missing.  That book was written about the fact the President has to make decisions for the nation and sometimes they aren't politically popular but the President is just doing the best job for the country not necessarily for their party agenda. 

Despite the political preaching, the story was still an enjoyable read for me and I will probably go back and read the books I missed in the series once I finish the others on my list.


Shell Game by Sara Paretsky
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had not read a VI Warhawski book in a while and was happy to come back and reconnect with the PI in the Windy City. It is always enjoyable to read about books that are set in your home area especially as V.I. traverses all over the Chicagoland. The plot was an intriguing one with plenty of twists and turns. Enjoyable as always to read the VI series. I am now motivated to go back and read the books in the series I have missed. The only issue I have is the commentary on the current president that is mentioned several times in the book. That could have been left out and the story lines about ICE and immigrant fears would have still been as powerful.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #38
2. Literary Escapes-  IL
3.  Cloak and  Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #30
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter-  1st shot for Sara Paretsky
6. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge  #13 same title as a tv show/ movie but is unrelated to it
7. Around the Year in 52 Books- #43 A book related to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse- death and war
8. Book List Queen #27 About a Controversial Topic
9. 2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge #17  A book set in the state you live in
10. TBR Book # 26  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
11. While I was Reading #11   A book set in the state you live in
12. Monthly Book Award-   #GXOAwardReadingChallenge  Edgar Award for Sue Grafton Memorial Award (2019)

Coconut Layer Cake Murder

This is the 25th installment of the Hannah Swensen mystery series by Joanne Fluke.   I really enjoy this series and I am caught up on the series after completing this book.  They are pleasant cozy mysteries set in Lake Eden, Minnesota.  Hannah runs a bakery and coffee shop with her business partner Lisa.  Lisa recounts all the stories of Hannah finding dead bodies.   In typical fashion, she gets mixed up in a murder, finds clues that allude the police, and ends up in a dangerous situation while solving the crime.  This series has been made into TV movies for Hallmark and Hannah is played by Alison Sweeney.  Also enjoyable to watch.

This series has recurring characters besides Hannah and there is an ongoing relationship triangle between her, Norman, and Mike.  Norman is the steady considerate type who is a dentist.  Mike on the other hand, causes Hannah to flutter when he comes around.  He is more the bad boy police detective with a past.  Problem is Hannah cannot make up her mind so she won't commit to either of the men, regardless of how hard they try to persuade her.  This is an ongoing relationship tension that has persisted throughout the series.   It is a given that at some point in the book Hannah will find herself seated between Mike and Norman at a dinner.   

In this particular book, Hannah is taking a much needed vacation in Southern California with her mother.  She is unexpectedly summoned home by her youngest sister, Michelle.  Apparently Michelle's boyfriend, police officer Lonnie, has inadvertently found himself a suspect in the murder of a high school friend of his.  Because he is Mike's partner, Mike is prohibited from working the case as is Lonnie's brother.  This means Hannah and her sisters and friends are left to do snooping while Mike sits on the sidelines.  In this case, Hannah actually has the blessings of Mike since he cannot be perceived to interfere in the investigation.  Thus, atypically, Hannah is running the investigation with little input from Mike and no objections.

This case has a bit more personal side stories and in depth detail than many of the books.  Of course it is full of recipes for both sweets and breakfast foods as are all of the books in this series.   All in all an enjoyable quick read despite the fact I felt the ending was a bit rushed to reach a solution to the case.


Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another fun murder mystery with Hannah Swensen

Always fun to visit Lake Eden and this time we got an added bonus visit to sunny SoCal. Hannah's vacation was cut short when she had to rush home to clear Lonnie , her sister Michelle's boyfriend, of murder. The usual cast of characters helped Hannah solve the case. Following clues and leads led Hannah into a perilous situation as usual. My only complaint and why I have it a 3 was the ending felt rushed. The story was flowing along with good details character interaction but then suddenly the solution is just is just abruptly there. It felt a little unsatisfactory. Still all and all an enjoyable read


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #37
2. Literary Escapes-  MN
3. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   up on the Hannah Swensen series  Apr 2020
4. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #29; 13th cozy
5. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice #3
6. Calendar of Crime-  #CalendarOfCrime2020  February  #3 action takes place
7. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
8. Mystery Bingo: 
• Weapons card :  pillow
9. Wizading World Tour  
• Ilvermorny:  Food on the cover

This is Going to Hurt

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident by Adam Kay was an engaging memoir.  His talent for comedic timing and self deprecation is apparent throughout this book.   I can see how he went on to become a comedy writer for TV.   He is a natural story teller who engages the reader.

This memoir focuses on his career as a Junior Doctor in the NHS in the UK.  Being somewhat familiar with how medical residency works here in the US it was interesting to contrast their processes with ours.  Kay works in OB/GYN and many of the diary entries relay stories from his medical practices.   The impact the residency takes on personal lives is readily apparent in his writing and is so unfortunate. Unlike in the US it doesn't seem as if there is ever a true reward for the hard work and long hours in their system.  It was interesting to hear Kay speak disparagingly about our medical system.   After reading the processes of how the system seems to work and how the decisions of who is eligible for specific treatments such as IVF and C-sections truly depends on which hospital/clinic a patient is treated, I am not sure how he views the system as superior to ours.    It was an interesting read that moved at a quick pace and I can highly recommend it.



This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident by Adam Kay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting perspective on the medical profession in the UK. I was totally unfamiliar with the way the system there works. Both in regards to the progression of the Medical career and the actual treatment processes

Adam Kay does a wonderful job telling the story of his career in the medical profession. There is a good balance of humor and educational information. I can totally understand how he has come to succeed in his second career as a comedy writer. I also understand why this book won awards and remained a best seller for so long.

Most of all I think I’m very glad I was pregnant and had my son in the US medical system where I picked my doctor and hospital and didn’t have to fight for treatment options


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #36
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #2 A book by an author whose last name is one syllable
3. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #52 A book with a Foreword
4. 20 in 20:  #Read20in2020 #5 LGBTQ related book
5. Memoirs-  #10  Memoir Written by a person who identifies as LGBTQIA 

the Mixed Up FIles of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler

I reread the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg this week.  This is a middle reader book that I remembered from my childhood.  The plot has always stuck with me even when I couldn’t remember the title.  I recall searching for the book on the internet a few years back,  literally putting “kids book, runaway, NY museum” in as my search parameter.  At that time, I was looking for a book to share with my son.  I bought it but alas it has sat unread on his shelf all these years.  We have very different tastes in genres-  I love mysteries, I’ve always liked them ever since I was a child.  I used to devour Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Encyclopedia Brown, the Boxcar children and many others.  My son on the other hand prefers dystopian novels- something I really don’t enjoy.  Maybe it’s the adult feeling that the world has enough bad in it that I don’t need to spend my leisure time reading about things when I could get just as upset watching the news, especially now. 

When a reading prompt for this year said to reread a childhood favorite, I decided this was the time to get the book off the shelf and read it again.  The story is about a 6^th grade girl, Claude, who decides she is unappreciated at home as the oldest, and only girl.  She devises a plan to runaway from her home in Greenwich, CT.  As part of her plan she decides to take her middle brother along as he is a saver and can fund their excursion.  Plus he can keep a secret better than the oldest of the brothers.  Claude works out all the details and then springs the plan on Jamie.  The leave on a Wednesday because that’s music day and they will have an extra container to carry food and clothes.  Claude wants to run away in style, not hide in the woods, nope its NYC and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

When they first leave home, it is Claude’s intention, to get noticed and to come home with a story to tell.  But as their stay and adventures at the Met go along, she comes to realize she wants to be come home changed and a hero for solving a mystery.  Her ultimate transformation of growth actually leads to her realizing the process and the knowledge that you know something that isn’t necessarily public is worth a lot to self growth and awareness.  The 2 children ultimately come to meet the narrator, Mrs. Frankweiler,  she helps them solve a bit of the puzzle and to return home to their family. 

The copy of the book I have is the 35^th anniversary edition.  It has a fun afterword with the author and also contains the only sequel written to the story.  The sequel is a conversation between the siblings about the Newbery award the book received.  It was part of the program given to the attendees in 1968 at the awards.

All in all it was enjoyable reread for me and I am glad I spent the afternoon doing so.  This is a great book to read with children or alone.  

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Was an awesome experience to revisit a childhood favorite. I especially enjoyed the fact my book had a note from the author at the end which helped me to see the messages and themes she was portraying in the book. She also covered the changes from when she wrote the book in 1967 to today (the 35th anniversary). Great as an adult, but for kids it is just a fun book to read

As for the story who wouldn't love to live in a museum filled with treasures and things to explore. This is a great book that I am so happy I read again. It is great for elementary kids to read alone, with parents or in classrooms. All around clean story with intrigue and suspense and messages if you are paying attention


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge #9 with a map
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #25  book related to the arts
3. Book List Queen #34  Middle Grade Fiction 
4. 20 in 20:  #Read20in2020 #13 A book you read in your childhood days 
5. TBR Book #1  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
6. Wizading World Tour  possible categories
• Mahoutokoro: Read a middle grade novel
7. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO-   Went for the classic theme- before I was born

Cyrus LongBones adventures

I am generally not a Fantasy genre reader, I prefer cozy mysteries and thrillers.  I read these books as part of an program where I received the book in exchange for an honest review of it.  Well I can honestly say I enjoyed the books.  I read them each in a single day.

The YA novels are written by Jeremy Mathiesen.  The adventures of Cyrus, Edward and Fibian are fantastical but fun.  The first book is Cyrus Longbones and the Curse of the Sea Zombie.  Here we meet the 3 main characters of the series and learn how they come to be on the journey they are on.  Cyrus, leaves his home under some extreme circumstances, initially he never intends to go back, but as his adventures happen, he slowly changes his tune.  In this first adventure, Cyrus and his best friend, Edward, encounter several challenges while trying to run away.  After they seem to have gotten away, they find themselves in a bit of a mess and we meet their traveling companion, Fibian.  He is grudgingly allowed to join them on their quest but is not entirely trusted by Cyrus and Edward.   The first story finds them sailing to the cold North in search of the Yeti Kingdom.


The second installment, is Cyrus LongBones and the Yeti Kingdom.  Here the travellers encounter more danger and fighting in their quest for information on how to save Cyrus' home and people.  There are lots of different creatures, none we are familiar with in our daily lives, some good, some not so good.  We cannot help but cheer for the young Cyrus and his friends.  The book is filled with lots of intense anticipation and uncertainty as to how the story will end.

There is a large amount of fighting so if you or your younger reader are not up for that this may not be the best book for you.  All in all the adventures as they journey on their search for the Yeti Kingdom, as part of the larger quest to save Cyrus' home, were enjoyable.  I will seek out the 3rd book in the series as well.

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. AtoZ and Alphabet soup challenge #AlphabetSoupChallenge-  "C"
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #44 . A book related to witches
3. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #51 A genre you don’t normally care for
4. Book List Queen #20 Genre You Don’t Usually Read
5. NJM #NJMBookChallenge2020  #19  supernatural tale
6. Wizading World Tour  possible categories
• Durmstrang:  a book that includes a villain
• Koldovstoretz: Read a book related to a serpent

Cyrus LongBones and the Curse of the Sea Zombie by Jeremy Mathiesen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun YA adventure book that is the first in a series. I enjoyed reading this and learning about the main character, the title's namesake. Cyrus is on a quest to leave his home island when we first meet him. As the story unfolds we come to understand why he is working toward this goal. We learn about his family and his neighbors. We grow to know Cyrus and his best friend Edward as the story progresses. They add an unlikely 3rd member to their travel party as this first book comes to an end. I eagerly started the second book the next day.

There is a large amount of fighting so if you or your younger reader are not up for that this may not be the best book for you.


View all my reviews

Cyrus LongBones and the Yeti Kingdom by Jeremy Mathiesen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The second installment finds the reader joining Cyrus, Edward and Fibian on their northward sailing. The travelers encounter more danger and fighting in their quest for information on how to save Cyrus' home and people. There are lots of different creatures, none we are familiar with in our daily lives, some good, some not so good. We cannot help but cheer for the young Cyrus and his friends. The book is filled with lots of intense anticipation and uncertainty as to how the story will end.


There is a large amount of fighting so if you or your younger reader are not up for that this may not be the best book for you. All in all the adventures as they journey on their search for the Yeti Kingdom, as part of the larger quest to save Cyrus' home, were enjoyable. I will seek out the 3rd book in the series as well.


View all my reviews

Every Breath you Take by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke

I have enjoyed all the Under Suspicion novels I have read previously and this installment did not disappoint.  I find it engaging to read along as Laurie Moran works with her production team to investigate old criminal cases.  They interview the key players from the cases, many of whom are living under clouds of suspicion due to the unsolved nature of the case.
In this installment they are reexamining the death of a wealthy widow during the annual Met Ball.  The widow's family and personal assistant were all present the night of her death but they all pointed the finger at her younger boyfriend, Ivan Gray.   The family accused him of being a gold digger who was just after her money,  he claimed he was in love and they were getting engaged.   If he didn't kill her then who did?
The story leads the reader along the investigation path and has several twists and red herrings.   In addition to the enjoyable plot line, the readers enter the personal world of Laurie Moran as well.  MHC does a great job of engaging us with the protagonist and wanting to see her happy and successful.  As a reader, I felt myself rooting for her and experiencing her frustration with her host, Ryan Nichols, and her sadness after losing her husband to a murder (a previous book in the series investigates this case).
Overall I find these books enjoyable and sincerely hope Alafar continues to write these books now that Mary Higgins Clark has died.


Every Breath You Take by Mary Higgins Clark

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have enjoyed all the Under Suspicion novels I have read previously and this installment did not disappoint. I find it engaging to read along as Laurie Moran works with her production team to investigate old criminal cases. They interview the key players from the cases, many of whom are living under clouds of suspicion due to the unsolved nature of the case. The books also engage the reader in the characters and you can envision their feelings and reactions to the different situations.

Overall I find these books enjoyable and sincerely hope Alafar continues to write these books now that Mary Higgins Clark has died.



View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #35
2. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   Under Suspicion Series caught up Apr 2020
3. Cloak and  Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal : Book #28 
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter-  2nd shot for Mary Higgins Clark
6. TBR Book #24  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
7. Wizarding World Tour  
• Uagadou: Read a book with a hand on the cover

Astrophyics for People in a Hurry

I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.  I listened to this audiobook which was narrated by the author.  Neil deGrasse Tyson is a wonderful narrator.  I found this book to be engaging and funny.  The material can be heavy at times but with a basic understanding of atoms, light waves and general chemistry you can follow his discussions.   

I selected this book based upon recommendations in several of my reading groups I have joined this year.  I picked it as the book I read on a topic I know nothing about.  I had a very basic understanding of astronomy and a recent refresh of particle and light wave concepts from helping my HS son study for chemistry.  Neil deGrasse Tyson does a great job of making the subject interesting and engaging.  My only caution is to be sure you can focus on the text as you listen as often times I found myself drifting and having to go back.  This is not a book you can just drop back in on after missing a sentence or 2.  

I can recommend this book if you are at all interested in space, the evolution of our universe or general desire to expand your knowledge

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The author is the narrator and he did a great job of making it understandable and fun. He does not make it too difficult to understand, rather he explains things in a way that people with a basic understanding of particles, light and wave concepts and general chemistry can follow along. It is necessary to be able to focus on the story though as it is not a book you can tune out and then drop back in without losing the gist of the topic. I think this is a book it could be beneficial to read the book versus listening to it. It might be easier to go back to reread a section that you didn't follow initially. But, if you do this, you miss out on a wonderful narration by the author



View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #34
2. Audiobook challenge Book #6
3. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge #18 on a subject you know nothing about
4. Around the Year in 52 Books- #21 A book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer and Jesuit Priest who was born in 1720
5. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #28 Title beginning with A
6. Book List Queen #18- New York Times #1 Bestseller
7. Wizading World Tour  possible categories

Hitting the Books

This was the ninth installment in the Library Lover's series by Jenn McKinlay.   The local librarian has a knack at becoming involved in criminal cases.   Unlike many of the books, this one does not center around a murder, but rather around the hit and run of one of the town's more famous residents.  There is a bit of murder that does occur during the case, but it is not the center of the story.  This book has several plot twists and turns.

This story centered more on the relationship between Lindsey and Sully.  I enjoyed reading along as we watched their new living arrangements created some interesting moments.   While the supporting characters- the library staff and Crafternoon participants were still present, this story mainly focused on Lindsey  and Sully as well as police chief Emma Plowecki and Robbie Vine.  This story was a bit more elaborate and harder to believe than many of the other books in the series but was still an enjoyable storyline.


A fun cozy read for those who enjoy the genre.


Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was the ninth installment in the Library Lover's series by Jenn McKinlay. This story centered more on the relationship between Lindsey and Sully. I enjoyed reading along as we watched their new living arrangements created some interesting moments. This story was a bit more elaborate than many of the other books in the series but was still and enjoyable storyline.

A fun cozy read for those who enjoy the genre.



View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #33
2. AtoZ and Alphabet soup challenge #AlphabetSoupChallenge- "H"
3. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   up on the series as of Apr 2020
4. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #27
5. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice #2
6. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
7. Six Shooter-  3rd shot for Jenn McKinlay
8. Around the Year in 52 Books- #51 A book with an "-ing" word in the title
9. TBR Book #23 #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

Private Games

This is the 3rd book in James Patterson and Mark Sullivan's Private series.  Private is described as the modern day Pinkerton and is involved in all sorts of corporate and personal investigations and security globally.  This is not the first book in the series I have read, and it isn't the first time I read one centered around the London office. 

In this installment the London office is heavily involved in the London Olympic Games as are many of the employees from other offices around the globe.  Peter Knight is the protagonist with personal and professional stakes in the actions.   There is plenty of drama and mystery in this thriller that keeps you reading more.  Peter works with a sport reporter from the London Sun, Karen Pope to try to solve the crimes that are casting a pall shadow over the Games.   Karen is the unfortunate journalist to receive letters from Cronus.  He wishes to rid the modern Olympics of the corruption and lack of allegiance with the intent of the ancient games as he sees it. 

The book has plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep you guessing til the bitter end.  Overall a good and quick read.




Private Games by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a engaging thriller that keeps you guessing the whole way on who the guilty party is in the mayhem that is being directed at the London Olympic Games. While it is full of action and disaster, there is a nice balance of character interaction. We learn a lot about the main characters of the novel, including a visit from some recurring characters in the series. Peter Knight, the single father of 3 yr old twins, is caught in the middle of all the chaos, both professionally and personally. As the story goes along we learn more about his personal story and his extended family. It gives the drama an even more intense buildup for the conclusion.

Overall this is a really good book even if some of it is a bit far-fetched at times


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #32
2. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   10th series, working through Private Series
3.  Cloak and  Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #25
4. Medical Examiner-  11 Toe Tags 
5. Six Shooter-  1 shot for James Patterson
6. Mystery Bingo: 
• Weapons card :  insect bite and Axe/hatchet
• Clues:  matchbook, Blood on object; seen by moonlight
• Red Herring :  secret passage; twins; missing money
• Crime Scenes: Basement
7. Around the Year in 52 Books- #32. A book related to the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Japan
8. Book List Queen #42. With a Hideous Cover
9. 20 in 20:  #Read20in2020 #16. A book that has something to do with sports
10. NJM #NJMBookChallenge2020  #2 a non fiction book
11. TBR Book #1  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
12. Wizarding World Tour  
• Mahoutokoro- where the dust jacket and cover are different colors

Mar Reading Recap

Mar Reading Progress

General Tracking

AtoZ  and  Alphabet Soup #AlphabetSoupChallenge  - March letters: B, W
completed previously - A, D, E, F, G, K, L, M, N, O, P, S, T, U

Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge- March letters: E
completed previously A, B, C, D, F, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V, W

Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2020  Tracked Here  completed 6/5 in total
Library Lover's Series;  New Orleans Scrapbooking Series; Hat Shop Mystery Series, Stone Barrington

Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Tracked Here 30 /36 books read  (21 previously)

Literary Escapes  (Destination)  Visited:  OR, TX, VT and Israel in Mar
visited previously CA, CT, FL. MA, MO, NY, OH, TN, WA  plus Australia, England, France, Ireland, Yugoslavia

Specific Criteria

PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge  completed in Mar #2 (by trans or non binary author), #5 (set in a city that has hosted the olympics), #22 (with a robot, cyborg, AI character), #30 (has a book on the cover), #34 (you picked up because the title caught your attention)
completed previously # 1, 6, 8,12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 27, 35, 38,40, 41, 43,  46, 47, 49, 50

Around the Year in 52 Books  completed in Mar #5 (The first book in a series that you have not started), #10 (A book that is between 400-600 pages ), #23 (featuring an LGBTQIA+ character or by an LGBTQIA+ author), #24 (Book with an emotion in the title)
completed previously # 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,  22, 26, 28, 33, 34, 40, 41, 45, 48, 49, 50

52 Books in 52 Weeks completed in Mar # 2 (hardcover), #6 (Written in first person), #24 (Title beginning with B). #25 (Title beginning with C), #29  (An award-winning novel) #43 (Set in a country you’ve never visited before- Israel)
completed previously  #1, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 26, 28, 30, 34, 35, 37, 39, 42, 46, 47, 48 

BooklistQueen completed in Mar #12(More Than 400 Pages), #23(A Beach Read), # 28(By an Indie Author), #37 (That Will Make You Smarter)
completed previously #3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 16, 21, 31, 32, 36, 39, 40, 43, 46, 49

20 in 20 #Read20in2020 completed in Mar  # 2 NF (set in the country where you are currently residing); #5 Fict (LGBTQ related book); #7 (Book about mental health/dealing with mental illness )
completed previously #1F, 2 NF, 7, 8 F/NF, 9F, 10F, 13F, 17F, 18F,

NJM Book Challenge  #NJMBookChallenge2020 5 completed in Mar:  #3 (self published book),    #10 (over 500 pages), #17(with LGBTQIA Rep), #23(with an animal in the title), #24(with a season in the title)
completed previously#1,2, 4, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 25

Wizarding World Tour

• Beauxbatons: 0 new prompts in Mar
• 4/7 prompts completed previously
• Castelobruxo-3 prompts in Mar- with a green dust jacket; book related to plants; with gold on it
• 4/7 prompts completed previously
• Durmstrang:  2 prompts in Mar- set outdoors; includes a boat
• 3/7 prompts completed previously
• Hogwarts:  0 new prompts in Mar
•  5/7 prompts completed previously
• Ilvermorny- 2 prompts in Mar- body part on the cover; own voices book
• 3/7 prompts completed previously
• Koldovstoretz-  1 prompt in Mar- tied to your roots (heritage)-  Scottish
• 0/7 prompts completed previously
• Mahoutokoro-  0 new prompts in Mar
• 1/7 prompts completed previously
• Uagadou-  1 prompt in Mar- book over 450 pages
• 2/7 prompts completed previously

While I was Reading  in Mar  #1 Book with an emotion in the title;  #2 A young adult novel
completed previously- Centered around a holiday; a romance novel

What's in a Name 1 new prompt in Mar- #2  An Antonym
completed previously- Given/First Name; reference to children; one of 4 natural elements

Color Coded  3 prompts in Mar- Green, Brown, Yellow
completed previously Blue, Black, Red, White, Beige, and Orange

Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO Subgenre-  Cozy Mystery

• Buried to the Brim by Jenn McKinlay 3/6/20
• blog post and Goodreads review

Monthly Keyword #MonthlyKeyWordGXO-    Keyword "Dream, Day, In, House, Luck, Friend"

• Winter in Paradise by Elin Hildebrand 3/9/20
• blog post and Goodreads review

Monthly Book Awards #GXOAwardReadingChallenge - Audie 2016

• Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson 3/31/20
• blog post and Goodreads review

TBR Based Challenges

2020TBR #2020TBRReadingChallenge: #15 completed in Mar
completed previously  # 1, 5, 7, 9, 14, 16 (n america, australia, europe) 20, 21


Beat the Backlist #BeatTheBacklist2020  completed 2  books in Mar;  1 new bingo square:
#23 written before 2010
completed previously 13  bingo squares:  #1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21


Back List Reader  #Backlistreader Tracked Here  20/24 read  (16 read previously)

Start on Your Shelfathon  #StartOnYourShelfathon Tracked Here  20/5  thru Apr 2020

Mount TBR  #MountTBR2020 Tracked Here 20 /24 read  (16 read previously)

Genre Specific

Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2020  a prompt in 2 new months- Jan, Feb
previously a prompt in 10 months-Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul,  Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec

Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal - Mysteries Tracked Here  23/25 total comp (15 prev)

Craving for Cozies  Tracked Here 11 /26 total completed  (7 completed previously)

Cruisin thru Cozies  completed #5(outside US), #12/13 (free choice) 10 /20  total completed;   (7 completed previously)
previously read the culinary, holiday, career, animal, craft,  and 2 freebie

Historical Fiction  #2020HFReadingChallenge  Tracked Here  1/5

Memoir  total completed 3/5  Read Mental Health/Illness
previously read memoir for the Food memoir category; Lab Girl fits multiple prompts

Aloha Betrayed

I read a quick read this week while we were taking a virtual Spring Break cruise.  We were fortunate that the weather got a bit nicer in the Chicago area and we took the time to sit on "the deck" and read.  I picked the JB Fletcher/Donald Bain Murder She Wrote book from my library stash I had from before the shutdown. 

Aloha Betrayed is a typical Jessica Fletcher mystery.   Where she innocently gets wrapped up in a murder case while going about her daily life.  In this instance she was in Maui on a paid teaching assignment.  She was co-teaching new police recruits techniques for using the community around them to assist in their job.  Her teaching partner, Mike Kane, ended up being her detecting partner as well.  Mike is a well revered, retired police detective from the Maui Police force. 

Together the two investigate the death of a new acquaintance of Jessica's, Mala Kapule.  Mala was the niece of a medical school classmate of Jessica's friend, Seth Hazlett, whom Jessica looked up upon her arrival to Maui.   Mala had suffered a seemingly tragic slip off a coastal cliff but to Mike and Jessica it didn't seem to be as it appeared. 

While looking into the tragic death,  we follow Jessica around the island of Maui.  We venture with her on her sightseeing trips to Haleakala, a luau and more.  The story of course wraps up with Jessica solving the case before she needed to return to the mainland.  Although a typical formulaic Murder She Wrote mystery, it is still a fun and enjoyable read. 


Aloha Betrayed by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Aloha Betrayed is a typical Jessica Fletcher mystery. Where she innocently gets wrapped up in a murder case while going about her daily life. In this instance she was in Maui on a paid teaching assignment. She was co-teaching new police recruits techniques for using the community around them to assist in their job. Her teaching partner, Mike Kane, ended up being her detecting partner as well. Mike is a well revered, retired police detective from the Maui Police force.

Together the two investigate the death of a new acquaintance of Jessica's, Mala Kapule. Mala was the niece of a medical school classmate of Jessica's friend, Seth Hazlett, whom Jessica looked up upon her arrival to Maui. Mala had suffered a seemingly tragic slip off a coastal cliff but to Mike and Jessica it didn't seem to be as it appeared.

While looking into the tragic death, we follow Jessica around the island of Maui. We venture with her on her sightseeing trips to Haleakala, a luau and more. The story of course wraps up with Jessica solving the case before she needed to return to the mainland. Although a typical formulaic Murder She Wrote mystery, it is still a fun and enjoyable read.


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #31
2. Literary Escapes-  HI
3. Finishing the Series- series  #9 Murder She Wrote #41 #FinishingTheSeries2020   
4. Calendar of Crime-  #CalendarOfCrime2020  
5.  Cloak and  Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal : Book #24 
6. Medical Examiner-  2 Toe Tag 
7. Six Shooter-  1 shot for Jessica Fletcher
8. TBR Book #21  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

Furiously Happy is a fun read

While the underlying topic and message of the book is a very poignant one,  Jenny Lawson's stories in her memoir really make this book a joy to read.  She is quite frank and open in discussing how her depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses affect her life on a daily basis.  However, her funny stories really do make it an enjoyable read while still pointing out the struggles she and others experience in daily life. At times they are gut wrenching laugh out loud funny.    I appreciate she is doing her best to help take the stigma out of talking about mental illness and pointing out how it is not any different than having any other health ailment that afflicts our bodies.
Plus how can you not like a book with a smiling raccoon on the cover

I can highly recommend this book




Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny  Lawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is awesome. If you are looking for a book to make you laugh then I highly recommend this book. While the subject of mental illness can still be a hush hush topic among some circles, Jenny Lawson is doing her best to remove that stigma. Her stories are real and point out the struggles she and others like her go through with debilitating depression and anxiety but they are presented in a fun way that gets the message across without being melancholy. There were many times I was laughing out loud and reading funny excerpts to my husband. All in all this is a great book I can highly recommend. Plus who can't smile while looking at a smiling racoon.


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #30
2. Literary Escapes-  TX
3. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge  #34 you picked up because the title caught your attention
4. Around the Year in 52 Books- #24 Book with an emotion in the title
5. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #29  An award-winning novel
6. 20 in 20:  #Read20in2020 #7 Book about mental health/dealing with mental illness 
7. Wizarding World Tour  
• Castelobruxo: Read a book with Gold on it
8. While I was Reading  #1 Book with an emotion in the title
9. Color Coded:  #3  Yellow
10. What's in a Name #2  An Antonym
11. Monthly Book Award-   #GXOAwardReadingChallenge  Audie award in 2016
12. Memoirs-  #1 Mental Illness
13. Beat the Backlist #BeatTheBacklist2020 #6