You've been volunteered

This is the 2nd in the series of Class Mom books by Laurie Gelman.  It was as funny and realistic as the first book.  As a stay at home mom who has volunteered in the PTA and other organizations I can truly relate to how the protagonist gets dragged into doing an additional role within the PTA.  My emails to my class parents were definitely not as snarky as Jen Dixon's were but I can surely relate to the different personalities she encounters and how getting people to show up to do the things they signed up for   isn't always easy as it would seem.  If you enjoy humorous realistic fiction then you should enjoy this book.



You've Been Volunteered: A Class Mom Novel by Laurie Gelman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A funny book anyone who has volunteered at school can relate to readily. The story is the second in the series of Class Mom books. It is a fun structure combining emails from the class mom with her first person narration. Her snarky sense of humor is often misunderstood and leads to many comical confrontations. The author creates a novel that has you laughing along with her protagonist's antics and relating to her struggles to balance helping at her son's school with her home and personal life. She makes plenty of mistakes which makes her relatable to any parents who struggle with similar concerns.

All in all a fun book that keeps you smiling.


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1. Challenge Prompts

   The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:
   
   1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #66

The Twenty-Ninth Day

This memoir by Alex Messenger is intense and not for the faint of heart.  I could not put it down and read it in an afternoon.  The author describes in great detail his month long journey into the Northern tundra of Canada in 2005.   He ventured out with 5 other young men, including a guide to canoe the tundra within the Northwest Territories and Nanuchak 1000 miles from the US border.
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His description of the landscape, wildlife and journey are wonderful.  It is not hard to imagine you are in the canoe and tent right alongside these intrepid young men.   The story of his attack by the grizzly goes into great detail.  It is amazing he survived the attack and the subsequent journey to get back to civilization.

This is an example of the amazing ability to persevere  and overcome obstacles.  This book helped me to appreciate the growth my son experienced when he hiked the Appalachian Trail the other year with his Scout troop.     I must admit the story makes me a bit nervous to send him off on his next high adventure but that part of letting him grow and find himself. 

This is an amazing memoir that reads like a novel and I recommend it highly especially if you have an adventurer in your family.




The Twenty-Ninth Day by Alex Messenger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an amazing story. Cannot believe this is a true story. What an experience Alex Messenger endured. The book does an amazing job of describing a life changing adventure journey over the Canadian tundra. He does a great job of describing how the experience transforms him even before the grizzly attack. The details of the attack and the subsequent care plan is amazing and demonstrates his internal strength

Amazing memoir full of description of the tundra and the experience


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #68
2. Literary Escapes-  Canada- Northwest Territories
3. 20 in 20:  #Read20in2020 #4 day/night in title
4. Memoir  #14 author under 40
5. Wizarding World Tour  
• Mahoutokoro: with an exquisite cover

All Fudged Up

Chocolate and Bichon's what's not to love in this first book in the Candy Coated mysteries by Nancy CoCo.   Allie has come to Mackinaw Island to run her family's McMurphy hotel and fudge shop.  She never learned how to address finding a murder victim in your hotel when she was studying hospitality in school.  The characters are a diverse bunch and it isn't hard to imagine them as real characters on the small island.  I enjoyed the twists in the story and look forward to reading more about Allie and her hotel.

This book was extra interesting to me as I have heard about Mackinaw Island for years and it is on my list of places to visit.   Now I am really intrigued to go after reading the stories of the horse drawn transportation and the flashes to bygone eras. 

This is a fun cozy that was an easy read while still keeping me guessing on who the guilty party was and what the true mystery the McMurphy hotel was hiding.



All Fudged Up by Nancy CoCo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun cozy mystery for those looking to see a strong female character that is determined to follow her dreams. CoCo sets the story on iconic Mackinaw Island and does a wonderful job of describing the charm of the island and its residents. The characters are easy to relate to and a touch of romantic tension is thrown in for good measure. This is the first in the series and I look forward to reading more.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #64
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book #52 
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice #13
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter- new target- 1st shot
6. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Clues:  well oiled hinge

Class Mom

This debut novel by Laurie Gelman is laugh out loud funny at many times.   If you have ever been a class parent and dealt with the other class parents then you will definitely find stories you can relate to in this book.   Jen Dixon finds herself drawn back into the PTA and class mom after years  of absence when her son, Max, enters Kindergarten.   Her challenges getting volunteers, trying to get timely responses and controlling expectations is absolutely relatable.   The term heding cats comes to mind at times and many of the personalities that she encounters are very realistic.

I'm glad a read this first book in the series and promptly started the next chapter in the story.  It is a fun book that is written in a different structure,  combining snarky emails with a first person narrative.  All in all a great book.



Class Mom by Laurie Gelman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A laugh out loud book that any volunteer in a modern PTA can relate to. Gelman does a wonderful job at creating a protagonist that is easily misunderstood. Not everyone gets Jen Dixon's approach to the job of class mom. Being older than many of her son's classmates' mothers makes her stand out as it is but then her humor is often misconstrued. Gelman does a great job of developing her character and letting the reader get a glimpse at what is underneath the surface of Jen's attitude. In reality, she is just like many of us, trying to get everything done and be liked. This book is great for someone looking to read a book that has laugh out loud moments but you can still see glimpses of your own life in the story


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #65
2. Literary Escapes-  KS
3. Book List Queen  #35 Recommended by a Local Librarian

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

This was another engaging thriller that I finished in 1 day.  I am finding that I really enjoy this genre in addition to the cozy mysteries. This novel keeps you guessing as to who it on Avery's side and who is not.  You begin to doubt her story and whether she is involved in the death of Sadie or is truly a friend trying to figure out what happened to her.  You cannot help but feel sorry for Avery for all the struggles and tragedies she has overcome through her life.   She made mistakes but you can understand how they came about.  The story does a wonderful job of peeling back the layers of her story as well as that of Sadie's death.  There are definitely some creepy characters and you cannot help but get a bit on edge when Avery finds herself alone in the house and hearing noises. 

This story is an exciting and engaging thriller that you can finish quickly if you choose.   It will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing til the end.

 

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very good thriller with some unexpected twists. You really don't know who Avery should trust when trying to determine what really happened to Sadie the previous summer. The book is written in alternating time frames. It transitions back and forth between summers and at times Avery reflects even further back in history when remembering memories. Avery is a girl who finds herself caught between the 2 worlds of summer residents and year round citizens. Neither group really views her as one of their own. Her character struggles to overcome past mistakes and behaviors and to try to reconnect with her former friends. She is motivated to find out what really happened to Sadie the previous summer and she really doesn't believe the version of the story that is being told. The book is very good at keeping the reader guessing and trying to figure out who Avery should trust.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes mystery/thrillers.


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #62
2. Alphabet soup Author- #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge
3. AtoZ and Alphabet soup challenge #AlphabetSoupChallenge
4. Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #50
5. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
6. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Clues:  candle

20th Victim

Lindsay and the Women's Murder club are at it again in their 20th book.   This time we get a glimpse of some personal struggles which make the characters more relatable.  They all go through some different struggles in this book.   Joe Molinari, Lindsay Boxer's husband, has a mystery of his own to solve.   There are definitely a lot of victims piling up in this story and some plot lines that are quire possible and scary.  All in all it is a good read that stays in line with the other Patterson books in the series.




The 20th Victim by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another good Womens Murder Club book. This one certainly had a large list of victims and was quite a challenging case for Lindsay to solve with her partner. This book also had Joe Molinari off on his own investigation. This tome dove into more personal lives and interactions than some of the previous versions. All of the club members had to deal with their own trials and issues with each other. Overall a good book and it stepped out of the formulaic template of the series to a certain degree.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #63
2. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   up on the Women's Murder Club
3. Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #51
4. Medical Examiner-  20 Toe Tags 
5. Six Shooter- 4th Shot for James Patterson
6. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge  #42-  number 20 in title

Disappearing Earth

This novel by Julia Phillips was a totally unexpected hidden gem that I read with my book club for this month's read.  I admit I wasn't looking forward to the book as I was mislead by the title.  I expected a book about climate change etc and didn't really feel up to reading a controversial topic in the current climate of the US.   Well this book was not about that topic at all and I am glad I read it.

When I went to write my Goodreads review, I went back and forth between a 3 and 4 star rating.  I initially gave it a 3 because at times it felt like there were too many characters many of which felt unnecessary.   But after reflecting on the book upon completion, I decided the characters played a role in pointing out some themes in the story.   It demonstrated how the area of Kamchatka is a largely wilderness area but in the end there are not many degrees of separation among its inhabitants.

 The story weaves among different narrators as 1 year elapses.  As you read through the novel, the different narrators' relationships with one another become apparent. I do still feel as though some of the characters were potentially unnecessary but in the end they all had a connection to Marina in some tenuous way or another.   I think these relationships showed a sense of community that often gets lost in our society today. 

Additionally, the novel highlighted how there are forms of bias around the world.  In this case there was a perceived difference between Russians and the natives of Northern Kamchatka.  I found myself visualizing the native cultures as similar to those in Alaska, which turned out to be rather accurate when the author describes them as Aleut.   I definitely think having visited Alaska makes it that much easier to envision this area of the world. 

I also enjoyed the perspectives of the older generation versus younger and how they perceived the old USSR vs modern Soviet Republic.   It also felt as though there was a common idea of how many who grow up in small communities cannot wait to get out of those but then find they don't quite know how to acclimate to their new surroundings.  This book has many layers to it and probably could have been much longer and delved deeper into the characters. 

The last portion of the book picks up its pace and has the reader holding their breath to see the outcome.   Alas, the book does not provide a conclusion that many would prefer to see.  In fact, I read a review that describes the ending as being a low voiced f*** because you don't get to see how it ends. 

If you like books that wrap everything up in a neat bow and tell you how the characters go on with their lives or resolve conflicts, this is not going to be a book that leaves you satisfied.  If you are looking for a book that leaves you thinking about it for long periods after completing it, this is the book for you.

Disappearing Earth by Julia  Phillips
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dramatic story

This book was an fascinating story that centered around a mysterious disappearance. The approach of writing a month by month account from different narrators’ perspectives was interesting. At first glance it seems there are too many characters and stories going on. As the book progresses the purpose becomes clearer. Ultimately it seems to show how small a world Kamchatka is but also how big and diverse. The book touches upon the different cultures present and the different experiences they represent. I enjoyed the book


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #61
2. Literary Escapes-  Kamchatka Peninsula Russia
3. Around the Year in 52 Books- #30 A book from the New York Times '100 Notable Books' list for any year
4. Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #49
5. 2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge #16 set in Asia
6. TBR Book #36  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

The Murder of Twelve- Murder She Wrote #51

This book reminded me of the famous Agatha Christie, And Then There were None and oddly enough Jessica Fletcher draws that parallel during the case.   It really amazes me how many murder cases one person can come across in such a small town but Jessica Fletcher sure knows how to puzzle them out and come to a successful conclusion.  This book had lots of victims and lots of twists.

It was an interesting deviation from the normal group of crime solvers.  There was minimal involvement from Jessica's usual supporting cast.  Mort Metzger, Sheriff of Cabot Cove, and Dr. Seth Hazlett were only involved from a distance for most of the book.  Jessica had to puzzle it out with the proprietor of the Hill House hotel, Seamus McGilray and the wedding party members in residence with her during a major blizzard.  We did get glimpses of her PI buddy, Harry McGraw in this via the telephone.   I have to admit though when I read about him I always picture the actor who plays him on the TV show and more specifically with Lenny from Law & Order.  Adds a bit of a diversion from the story at times.

In the end the guilty party is identified and the story wrapped up.  It was not totally predictable or far fetched so it wasn't frustrating.   All in all it is an enjoyable light mystery that can be read fairly quickly. 


The Murder of Twelve by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good and entertaining mystery. Jessica Fletcher sure does stumble upon a lot of murders in Cabot Cove. This one was a decent mystery with a few twists, some more predictable than others. It was a quick read that focused more on Jessica and the hotel guests/victims than her usual cohorts. She only interacted with sheriff Mort Metzger and Dr. Seth Hazlett at the beginning of the story and via telephone later. We got a bit of her PI buddy, Harry McGraw from a distance as well.

All in all a good entertaining light mystery able to be finished quickly.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #60
2. Literary Escapes-  ME
3. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   - book 51 in series
4. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #48
5. Medical Examiner-  6 Toe Tag 
6. Six Shooter- 2nd shot
7. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Weapons card :  Car (carbon monoxide)  & Falling Object
8. TBR Book #31  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
9. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO-  Number in Title

Hit List

This is the 53rd book in the Stone Barrington series by Stuart Woods.  As to be expected when you are on a book that far into a series, the books become a bit formulaic.   I enjoy a light read that doesn't require a long time commitment periodically between novels that require a bit more focus. 

There is always action and romance abound in these books.  There is as always a bit of a mystery to solve in this story as well.  What was a bit unique about this installment was Stone and Dino Bacchetti, his ex partner who is now NYPD Chief,  struggled to capture the guilty party even after they had identified him.  Normally the bulk of the story is them identifying the culprit, this time they determined that fairly quickly  and then struggled to end his crime spree.  Eventually it wrapped up.

There was  a bit of a confusing ending to the book though.  One of Stone's relationships that had  carried over from the previous book ended rather suddenly.  There is also a bit of a strange sign off at the end of the book with a dated The End which I don't recall being there in other books.  Perhaps this was the last installment in the adventures of Stone Barrington.  We will have to wait and see.





Hit List by Stuart Woods
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A typical but still entertaining Stone Barrington book by Stuart Woods. Although Stone is far more monogamous in this installment than usual. This book has lots of location hopping and hits on most all the spots Stone usually goes to in a book. The plot was probably a bit more realistic than many of the books involving Stone and Dino Bacchetti. This one actually had the criminal alluding them at several points rather than the often norm catch em when we want to scenarios. I did find the ending a bit strange, it was almost as though the series was being wrapped up in a way but I am not sure. We will have to see if there are future installments or if this is the end of the series


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #59
2. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   caught up on Stone Barrington 
3. Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #47
4. Medical Examiner-  5 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter- 5th Shot

Murderous Macaron

This was a cozy by Ana T. Drew that I received as an Advance reader copy which means I received it complimentary in exchange for providing an unbiased review. 

I enjoyed the book that is the first in a series set in Provence.  Julie  has recently returned to her hometown of her youth to open a Gluten Free Bakery.  Unfortunately her opening didn't go quite as planned when a class participant dies of a heart attack.  Julie is suspicious and presses the genardame to look into it as more than just a natural death.  The story has a bit of a slow start but once it got going ti was a fun and enjoyable read.  The characters are all enjoyable and there is a diverse cast from family to friends and coworkers.  Her grandmother, Rose, is a quirky charming woman. 

All in all the story was well written with a bit of a surprise in who was the guilty party but not so outlandish that you couldn't have figured it out if you picked up on all the clues.   There are currently 2 more books in the series and I plan to continue reading the series. 




The Murderous Macaron by Ana T. Drew
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The reason I didn't give it more stars is the beginning of the story was a bit choppy and it didn't really seem to flow smoothly. Once the story got going it flowed much better. I suspect the rough flow has to do with setting the background for the characters and the setting. I never wanted to quit reading just wished it would hurry up and get into the action and mystery.

I found the characters likeable and multi- dimensional. The family dynamics were relatable and added an interesting layer to the story. The plot was interesting and believable. I thought there was a decent twist to the story and it wasn't too obvious who the guilty party was although the clues were there in retrospect like they should be.

All in all I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more in the series.
I did receive an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #45
2. Cruising through cozies -  Paranormal
3. Medical Examiner-  2 Toe Tag 
4. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Weapons card :  Animal Attack/Bite
   • Clues:  Disguise; empty poison bottle
5. Wizarding World Tour  
• Beauxbatons: set in Spain or France

The Family Upstairs

This thriller by Lisa Jewell was fully engaging, sometimes downright creepy.   She uses 3 different narrators which adds to the complexity and the intensity of the story.  Jewell weaves a story that spans past and the present and she moves between the 2 eras very readily.  The story is a bit nerve wracking and you aren't quite sure if everyone is as they appear to be.   At times there were portions of the story that made me think of the VC Andrews Flowers in the Attic.  Dark and creepy with a sense of evil looming through the story. 

The characters are developed in such a way that the reader has emotional responses to them.  You cannot help but feel pity, anger, fear right alongside them during the story.  You root for them to find the resolution they are looking for and for it to have a happy ending.  I am not entirely sure there isn't a sequel on its way for this book based upon the ending and some unknown answers to some questions that still linger. 

All in all this is a very good book that I read in 1 day. I look forward to checking out additional books by Lisa Jewell.


The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chilling thriller

Wow is this an engaging thriller that is downright creepy times. I liked the style of having 3 different narrators the story is well written and Jewell does a great job of jumping between present day and the past. The reader is easily grabbed the storyline wanting to find out what really happened in the house in Chelsea. It is very easy to have emotional reactions to the different characters This was a definite page different kept me engaged


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #58
2. Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #46
3. Medical Examiner-  4 Toe Tag 
4. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Red Herring :  Forgery
   • Crime Scenes:  Attic 
5. Beat the Backlist #BeatTheBacklist2020 #8 
6. TBR Book #34  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

Pumpkin Spice Peril

Fairy Tale Cupcakes makes a return appearance in this the 12th installment.  This time Mel and Angie are investigating the sudden heart attack of their artist friend, Rene.  Jenn McKinlay does a wonderful job of describing her glass blown art and you cannot help but want to visit Scottsdale to see it if it really existed.   In addition to the death of their friend, there is lots going on in the personal lives of the 2 bakery owners.  Several are unresolved so we will have to wait for the next book to see what happens.   We meet a few new characters in this book\ and the DeLaura brothers play some central comedic roles in this story as they have in the past. 

The cupcakes in the story sound fabulous and the best part is there is no calorie to be found in reading about them.




Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jenn McKinlay has written another fun installment in her Cupcake Bakery series. Always fun to catch up with the crew at Fairy Tale Cupcakes in Scottsdale. An amazing number of murders seem to happen around them and this is raising the concern of the police chief. Not even Uncle Stan seems to be able to Mel from the wrath of the chief. This installment had some fun twists on the dynamics of the central crew in the stories. The murder in the case is a bit close to home being a friend of Mel and Angie's. The story line takes a few good twists and keeps the reader guessing who is the guilty party.


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #57
2. Literary Escapes- AZ
3. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   up on Cupcake Bakery Mysteries
4. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #44
5. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice #12
6. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
7. Six Shooter-  1 shot for Jenn McKinlay  (4th shot total)

Cruisin thru the Cozies Challenge goal updated

 I originally set my goal to be Level 2 Investigator for this challenge.   I completed all but 1 prompt for this on June 12 so I have decided to update my goal to be Super Sleuth B-   So 2 books from each category and 10 books of my choice.   I have updated my tracking to reflect the new goals. 

For the original goal/post see this page.

The levels of the challenge are as follows:
Level one (Snoop) -
A) Read 10 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read one book in each of the above cozy sub-genres (total of 10 books)

Level two (Investigator) -  
A) Read 20 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read all the books in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 20)

Level three (Super Sleuth) - 
A) Read 30 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 30 books)

Level four (Sleuth Extraordinaire) -  Now going for this in B
A)Read 40 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B)Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 20 cozy books of your choice (total of 40 books)

Optional Categories
- One from culinary (anything dealing with food: restaurants, baked goods, etc.)
- One from animal related (cats, dogs, birds, etc.)
- One from craft related (any kind of hobbies - knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc.)
- One from paranormal (witches, vampires, etc.)
- One from cozy mysteries based outside the US (example: Belinda Lawrence series (British))
- One career-based cozy mystery (housekeeping, wedding planner, etc.)
- One holiday based (set during any holiday - Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines, etc.)
- One travel mystery (character could be on a cruise, touring another area, etc.)
- One historical mystery (any mystery not set in the present)
- One is your choice! (freebie!)

Basic Rules:

The challenge runs from 1/1/-12/31/20.  Books don't have to be unique to this challenge and can be in any format.  Reviews are not required but always encouraged.  You can track on a blog, Goodreads or just post in comments on the host site.  

So pick up a cozy and get reading.  

Here's my list:  Trying for Sleuth Extraordinaire as of 8/24/20  Challenge Completed 9/28/20

completed- 20/20 category books;  42/20 additional

Note: books are linked to my review page on GoodReads.  Date listed is completion Date

1. Culinary Cozy  
• Read-  Eggs on Ice by Laura Childs;  Cackleberry Club #8  1/2/20
• blog post and Goodreads review
• Read- An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette  Key West Food Critic #1  2/10/20
• blog post and Goodreads review 
2. Animal Cozy  
• Read-  Toxic Toffee by Amanda Flower 2/3/20
• blog post and Goodreads review
• Read- Dogs Don't Lie by Lisa Shay Kallie Collins Mystery #1 3/27/20
• blog post and Goodreads review  
3. Craft Cozy 
• Read- Kiki Lowenstein and the Purple Passion  by Joanna Campbell Slan 2/4/20
• blog post and Goodreads review
• Read- Mumbo Gumbo Murder by Laura Childs New Orleans Scrapbooking #16 3/9/20
• blog post and Goodreads review  (craft )
4. Paranormal Cozy  
• Read- The Murderous Macaron by Ana T. Drew 6/12/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
• Read-  Left Fur Dead by J M Griffin  7/1/20
• blog post and Goodreads Revew
5. Outside US 
• Read-  Buried to the Brim by Jenn McKinlay 3/6/20
• blog post and Goodreads review
• Read- Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy 7/9/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
6. Career Cozy 
• Read-  Three Widows and a Corpse  by Debra Sennefelder  Food Blogger #2; 1/3/20
• blog  post  and Goodreads review
• Read-  Let's Fake a Deal by Sherry Harris  Sarah Winston Garage Sale #7 1/16/20
• blog post and Goodreads review 
7. Holiday Cozy 
• Read-  Death by Jack O'lantern by Alexis Morgan  Abby McCree #2  1/13/20
• blog post  and Goodreads review
• Read- An Ale of Two Cities by Sarah Fox 9/28/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
8. Travel Cozy 
• Read- Buried in a Bog by Sheila Connolly 5/28/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
• Read- Cabs, Cakes and Corpses by Jennifer Joy 7/22/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
9. Historical Cozy
• Read- Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie  2/19/20
• blog post and Goodreads review
• Read- Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen 9/10/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
10. Read- Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay 3/15/20
• blog post and Goodreads review
11. Read- Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay 4/7/20
• blog post and Goodreads review (career)
12. Read- Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke  4/23/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (culinary)
13. Read- The Plot is Murder by V.M. Burns 4/30/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career )
14. Read- Read Herring Hunt by V.M. Burns 5/1/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career)
15. Read-  Sweet Saboteur by CA Phipps 5/7/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (animal/culinary)
16. Read- Death Al Dente by Leslie Budewitz 5/11/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review  (culinary)
17. Read- The Novel Art of Murder by VM Burns  5/20/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career)
18. Read- Wed, Read, & Dead by VM Burns 5/21/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career)
19. Read- Bookmarked for Murder by VM Burns 5/26/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career)
20. Read-  Death by Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum 6/7/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (craft)
21. Read- Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay 6/10/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (culinary)
22.  Read- All Fudged Up by Nancy CoCo   6/23/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career)
23. Read-  The Grim Reader by Kate Carlisle 7/13/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career)
24. Read- Cobblered to Death by Rosemarie Ross 7/17/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career)
25.  Read- Class Reunions are Murder  by Libby Klein 7/21/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (culinary)
26. Read- Midnight Snacks are Murder by Libby Klein 7/26/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review  (culinary)
27. Read- Who's Dead Doc?   JM Griffin 8/3/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (paranormal)
28. Read- Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu 8/5/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (culinary)
29. Read- The Killer Karma by Ana T. Drew 8/6/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (culinary)
30. Read- Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries by Tonya Kappes 8/7/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (career)
31. Read- The Agatha Christie Book Club by C.A. Larmer 8/10/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review  (outside US)
32. Read- Restaurant Weeks are Murder by Libby Klein 8/20/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review (culinary)
33. Read- Chocolates with a side of Murder by Meredith Potts 8/23/20
• blog post and  Goodreads Review (career)
34. Read- Rescued by a Kiss by Colleen Mooney 8/28/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
35. Read- Death in the English Countryside by Sara Rosett 8/30/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
36. Read- Danger at the Dive Shack by Donna Amis Davis 8/31/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
37. Read- Egg Drop Dead by Vivien Chien 9/1/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
38. Read- Duplicity at the Dive Shop by Donna Amis Davis 9/2/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
39. Read- Parchment and Old Lace by Laura Childs 9/8/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
40. Read- Rum Raisin Revenge by Jennifer Joy 9/15/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
41. Read- Disquiet at the Dive Shack  by Donna Amis Davis 9/20/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
42. Read- The Florist and the Funeral by Ruby Loren 9/22/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
43. Read- Flour in the Attic by Winnie Archer 9/23/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
44. Read- Wine and Punishment by Sarah Fox 9/24/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
45. Read- Murder at the Breakers by Alyssa Maxwell 9/25/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
46. Read- Who Moved My Goat Cheese by Lynn Cahoon 9/30/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
47. Read- Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower 10/1/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
48. Read- Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker 10/4/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
49. Read-To Helvetica and Back by Paige Shelton 10/9/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
50. Read-Deadly Fudge Divas by Christine DeSmet 10/11/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
51. Read-Bless her Dead Little Heart by Miranda James 10/12/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
52. Read-Undercover on the Calypso by Lizzie Josephson 10/13/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
53. Read-Gone with the Wings by Leena Clover 10/14/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
54. Read-A Time for Murder by Jessica Fletcher 10/16/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
55. Read- Dr. Shine Cracks the Case by Cathy Tully 10/19/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
56. Read- Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass 10/24/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
57. Read- Winner Cake All by Denise Swanson 10/29/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
58. Read- Murder in Storybook Cottage by Ellery Adams 11/4/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
59. Read- One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay 11/19/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
60. Read- Flipped for Murder by Maddie Day 11/23/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
61. Read- X Marks the Scot by Kaitlyn Dunnett 11/25/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
62. Read- Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan  11/26/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
63. Read- Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey 11/28/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
Read- The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton 12/16/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
Read- The Readaholics and the Falcon Fiasco by Laura DiSilverio 12/19/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
Read- Piece of My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark  12/20/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review
Read- The Bread of the Dead by Anne Myers 12/24/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review

May reading recap

May Reading Progress

General Tracking

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

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

Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2020  Tracked Here  completed 6/5 in total

New series in May:  Teddy Fay (#2 ) by Stuart Woods & Parnell Hall

Previously read:  Hannah Swensen; Hat Shop Mystery Series; Library Lover's Series;  Murder She Wrote;  New Orleans Scrapbooking Series;  Private; Stone Barrington,  Under Suspicion;

Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Tracked Here  /36 books read  (39 previously)

Literary Escapes  (Destination)  Visited in May: States: MT, NC, NV  Countries: China, Wales

visited previously CA, CT, FL. HI, IL, MA, MI , MN, MO, NY, OH, OR, TN, TX, WA, VT plus Australia, England, France, Ireland, Israel, Yugoslavia

Specific Criteria

PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge  completed in May # 28(meant to read in 2019), 33 (in country with "C"),
completed previously # 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 30, 34, 35, 38,40, 41, 43,  46, 47, 49, 50

Around the Year in 52 Books  completed in May #27 (history or historical fiction),  35 (geometric pattern or element on the cover )
completed previously # 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 32, 33, 34, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 51

52 Books in 52 Weeks completed in May  #45 (cost you less than $5),
completed previously  #1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 34, 35, 37, 39, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48 , 52

BooklistQueen completed in May  ##15 (set in asia), 17 (celebrity memoir )
completed previously #3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 20, 21, 23, 27, 28, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 39, 40, 42, 43, 46, 49

20 in 20 #Read20in2020 completed in May #

completed previously #1F, 2 NF, #5 F/NF, 7 F/NF, 8 F/NF, 9F, 10F, 13F, , 16F, 17F, 18F,

NJM Book Challenge  #NJMBookChallenge2020   completed in May #3(self published), #22 (spec-fic book):
completed previously #1, 2, 3,  4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23,  24, 25

Wizarding World Tour

• Beauxbatons: 0 new prompts in May 
• 5/7 prompts completed previously
• Castelobruxo- 0 prompts in May - 
• 6/7 prompts completed previously
• Durmstrang:   prompt in May - 
• 6/7 prompts completed previously
• Hogwarts:  0 new prompts in May 
•  5/7 prompts completed previously
• Ilvermorny-  prompt in May - 
• 6/7 prompts completed previously
• Koldovstoretz- 1  prompt in May -   involving potions; 
• 2/7 prompts completed previously
• Mahoutokoro-   new prompt in May - 
• 3/7 prompts completed previously
• Uagadou-   prompt in May - 
• 4/7 prompts completed previously

While I was Reading  in May - #
completed previously- #1, 2, 4, 11

What's in a Name 0 new prompts in May -
completed previously- An Antonym, Given/First Name; reference to children; one of 4 natural elements

Color Coded  0 prompts in May -
completed previously Beige, Blue, Black, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, White,  and Yellow

Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Author Introduction

• Sweet Saboteur by CA Phipps   5/7/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review

Monthly Keyword #MonthlyKeyWordGXO-    Keyword  Sky, Name, Blue, Book, Enchant, Is

• The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins 5/15/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review

Monthly Book Awards #GXOAwardReadingChallenge - Agatha Award 2013

• Death Al Dente by Leslie Budewitz 5/11/20
• blog post and Goodreads Review 

TBR Based Challenges

2020TBR #2020TBRReadingChallenge: completed in May - # 16 (Asia)
completed previously  # 1, 5, 7, 9, 14, 16 (n america, australia, europe), 17,  20, 21


Beat the Backlist #BeatTheBacklist2020  completed 7  books in May ;   new bingo square:

completed previously 13  bingo squares:  #1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23


Back List Reader  #Backlistreader Tracked Here  /24 read  (26 read previously)

Start on Your Shelfathon  #StartOnYourShelfathon Tracked Here  26/5  thru May  2020

Mount TBR  #MountTBR2020 Tracked Here  /24 read  (26 read previously)

Genre Specific

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

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

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

Cruisin thru Cozies  completed  # ()  /20  total completed;   (14 completed previously)
previously read the culinary, animal, craft, outside US, career, holiday and 4 freebie

Historical Fiction  #2020HFReadingChallenge  Tracked Here  2/5  The Opium Lord's Daughter

Memoir  total completed 4/5  Read   # ( )
previously read memoir for the Food memoir category; Mental Health/Illness, person who identifies as LGBTQIA,  Lab Girl fits multiple prompts using for under 300 pages