Cheli's year ending Mini Category Challenge

Converses2015 Category Challenge

Afegeix-te a LibraryThing per participar.

Cheli's year ending Mini Category Challenge

Aquest tema està marcat com "inactiu": L'últim missatge és de fa més de 90 dies. Podeu revifar-lo enviant una resposta.

1cyderry
Editat: gen. 2, 2016, 5:58 pm

Well, I have completed my 2015 Category Challenge and still have 72 days to go so here is my mini challenge for the remainder of the year. Can I see the forest for the trees, or will I get caught before I reach the end of the maze by more books to read?


Using the same categories as my regular challenge, I will endeavor to bring current several series and also get several started (why am I even thinking that?)
Altogether I have selected 33 books/12,545 pages (avg 174 pgs a day), with the holidays and traveling and family time, this will be a challenge. (God forbid a book would come across my radar that I have to fit in!)

The Categories and the selected books are:

I. I finished the bottle already? - Wine and cheese mysteries
The Sauvignon Secret CATEGORY COMPLETED


II. Not another one! - Firsts in new series
Path of the Crooked 10/20/15
A Chili Death
If Fried Chicken could Fly
CATEGORY COMPLETED

III. Ouch! I dropped the hammer on my foot - Home Improvements/Repair and Crafts
Gilt by Association
IV. You have the right to remain silent (as you read) - Legal/police mysteries
No Lesser Plea
Cuckoo's Calling
The Silkworm
V. How'd they do that? - Magical series
Peter and the Shadow Thieves
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon
Peter and the Sword of Mercy
VI. Ah,to be young again! - Young Adult series
Runaway Dolls
Rivals in the City
CATEGORY COMPLETED

VII. Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? - Romance series
A Secret Affair
The Secret Mistress
VIII. In Flanders fields the poppies blow - HISTORIES World War I concentration
Wilson
Warren G Harding, 29th President
CATEGORY COMPLETED

IX. There's no place like home - Classics
I'M ALL CLASSICed OUT. I read 13 in this category to complete the challenge and right now, I'm just not up to any more. So I'm using this category for my ARCs that need to be read.
Murder at the Courthouse
Cardiac Arrest
A Christmas Escape
A Beautiful Blue Death
CATEGORY COMPLETED

X. Mark it with a Star ★ - Favorite authors series
A King's Ransom
Nature of the Beast
CATEGORY COMPLETED
XI. Never go to bed alone - Book based mysteries
The Christie Curse
CATEGORY COMPLETED

XII. A Watched Pot never Boils - Culinary Mysteries
Sex and Salmonella
A Slice of Murder
A spoonful of Murder
XIII. Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. - Foreign series
The House of Silk
The Garden Intrigue
The Passion of the Purple Plumeria
XIV. As ye sew, so shall ye rip - Needlework mysteries
Knit Fast, Die Young
XV. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. - Miscellaneous
Boys in the Boat - November Book Club selection
Bedford Falls: The Story Continues by Anne Morse - December book Club selection
CATEGORY COMPLETED

So now I have a countdown




2rabbitprincess
oct. 20, 2015, 5:48 pm

Congrats on completing your initial challenge, and good luck with your year-end challenge! :)

3DeltaQueen50
oct. 20, 2015, 9:37 pm

Congratulations on completing your challenge, Cheli. Have fun with this one!

4-Eva-
oct. 20, 2015, 11:08 pm

Great idea for bonus-challenge!

5MissWatson
oct. 21, 2015, 4:47 am

Congratulations and enjoy the free reading!

6thornton37814
oct. 22, 2015, 8:16 pm

Wow - I could never stick to just a certain set of books. Something else would catch my attention, and I'd be off schedule immediately.

7cyderry
oct. 22, 2015, 9:10 pm

>6 thornton37814: so far two for two.

I worry about the same thing, but the ones I've chosen are ones I really, really want to read.

8cyderry
oct. 27, 2015, 11:23 am

Everyone,
I'm also working on plans for next year and want your opinion. I have mine but want some confirmation.

Voteu: Do you consider Agatha Christie mysteries classics?

Xifra actual: 13, No 0, Indecís 1

9cyderry
oct. 27, 2015, 6:31 pm

Another question....

Voteu: Sherlock Holmes - Classic?

Xifra actual: 14, No 0

10christina_reads
oct. 29, 2015, 5:58 pm

>8 cyderry: I'm your "undecided" person on the Christies. I think some of them are definitely classics -- And Then There Were None, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Murder on the Orient Express. But, much as I love them, I don't know that I would say the same about Death in the Clouds or The Seven Dials Mystery.

11cyderry
oct. 29, 2015, 9:27 pm

I was thinking that I would actual tackle the Miss Marples or Sherlock Holmes in the Classics.

12cyderry
Editat: nov. 3, 2015, 9:40 am

I've manged to get a few books read and will be posting reviews soon!

13cyderry
nov. 12, 2015, 12:04 pm

Challenge Book# 119

TITLE: Path of the Crooked★★★½
AUTHOR: Ellery Adams
DATE READ: October 14 - October 15
Series/ Progress: Hope Street Church (1/4)
Book type: e-book
Category: Not another one! - Firsts in new series


Cooper Lee's life hasn't been going great - her boyfriend of 5 years dumped her and her parents are worried because she moved back to their home (living over the garage) so when one of her clients (she repairs copiers) invites her to her church, Cooper goes only to find that while attending a Bible class, the lady who invited her has been murdered.

Making new friends while trying to find the person who really killed her client keeps Cooper on her toes as well as helping adjust to her new circumstances.

14cyderry
nov. 12, 2015, 12:27 pm

Challenge Book# 120

TITLE: A Beautiful Blue Death★★★★
AUTHOR: Charles Finch
DATE READ: October 20 - October 22
Series/ Progress: Charles Lenox Mysteries 1/10
Book type: e-book
Category: There's no place like home - ARCs


Charles Lenox and Lady Jane Grey have been friends since childhood so when the death of one of her former servants doesn't seem right, Lady Jane asks her friend to check into the circumstances for her.

Inspector Exeter doesn't want to offend George Barnard, the employer of the victim so he's perfectly happy to call the death a suicide until Charles convinces him that the death may be more than that and be critical to saving a major government problem from occurring.

15cyderry
nov. 12, 2015, 12:57 pm

Challenge Book# 121

TITLE: No Lesser Plea★★★★
AUTHOR: Robert K. Tanenbaum
DATE READ: October 23 - October 31
Series/ Progress: Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi 1/28
Book type: e-book
Category: You have the right to remain silent (as you read) - Legal/police mysteries


I was really worried when I started this book because being set in the 1980's when it was written, I thought that it might show age in missing technology (computers and cell phones, etc.) but was very pleasantly surprised that it really wasn't an issue.

The story is of a young Asst DA trying to get justice for 2 murder victims and having to deal with a murderer who plays against the system by faking mental disorders.

The writing was crisp and the story well-told keeping this reader on the edge of her seat while characters worked to find enough evidence for conviction along with proof of the mental illness deception.

16cyderry
nov. 12, 2015, 2:31 pm

Challenge Book# 122

TITLE: The House of Silk★★★
AUTHOR: Anthony Horowitz
DATE READ: October 26 - October 31
Series/ Progress: Anthony Horowitz's Sherlock Holmes 1/3
Book type: audio-book
Category: Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. - Foreign series


The Arthur Conan Doyle Estate officially authorized this Sherlock Holmes novel but somehow Anthony Horowitz’s attempt to mimic Doyle's Sherlock novels falls flat leaving the reader without the complexity of Doyle's Holmes.

Similarities are apparent - Watson as the narrator, Holmes' deductions that have to be explained and the back stories of Doyle's but the story itself was not spectacular and in comparison with other non-authorized stories with Holmes , I prefer the ones by Laurie R. King. Here, Holmes was 2 dimensional, he never really came alive.

17cyderry
nov. 12, 2015, 5:40 pm

Challenge Book# 123

TITLE: The Nature of the Beast★★★½
AUTHOR: Louise Penny
DATE READ: November 2 - November 4
Series/ Progress: Chief Inspector Armand Gamache 11/11
Book type: e-book
Category: Mark it with a Star ★- Favorite authors series


I love Armand Gamache and the village of Three Pines but this time the visit with them was unsatisfactory. Somehow or other the story (taken from true life) of the finding of a old rocket launcher by a small boy who normally cried wolf, did not engage me with the feelings that have previously been evoked.

The death of the 9 year old supposedly effects all the village residents but the reactions of the villagers seem to be more toward the massive threat from the rocket launcher than anything else.

I really didn't enjoy this one as much as the other Three Pines novels because the personal interactions didn't seem to be the same.

18thornton37814
nov. 12, 2015, 11:23 pm

>17 cyderry: I will get to that one, but it may be December or January before I do.

19mamzel
nov. 13, 2015, 11:41 am

>17 cyderry: I just picked up a copy at my library after a long waiting list wait.

20cyderry
nov. 13, 2015, 12:48 pm

Challenge Book# 124

TITLE: Cardiac Arrest★★★
AUTHOR: Lisa Q. Mathews
DATE READ: November 3 - November 6
Series/ Progress: January-00
Book type: e-book
Category: There's no place like home - ARCs


Summer Smythe has settled into her late grandmother's condo in a senior community of Hibiscus Pointe and has found a job with a cardiologist, however on her first day Dr. A drops dead at her feet.

Dorothy Westin, a senior resident at Hibiscus Pointe, takes Summer under her wing when it appears that she may be in trouble when it comes to light that Dr. A was poisoned.

So Smythe and Westin set out to find the true murderer before one of them ends up dead or in jail.

A cute little cozy with a nice mixture of characters.

21cyderry
nov. 13, 2015, 2:09 pm

Challenge Book# 125

TITLE: The Christie Curse★★★
AUTHOR: Victoria Abbott
DATE READ: November 6 - November 8
Series/ Progress: A Book Collector Mystery 1/4
Book type: e-book
Category: Never go to bed alone - Book based mysteries


Jordan Bingham has been dumped by her boyfriend who left her with a bundle of debt so she needs to find a job when she returns to her hometown. With her qualifications she's perfect for the job Vera Van Alst has advertised but Miss Vera wanted a man. Jordan convinces her to be given a trial period. Miss Vera wants to find and purchase a "lost" play by Agatha Christie. As Jordan starts her research, she discovers that there are dangers lurking. When one of her contacts is severely beaten, left for dead, she realizes that the search may turn deadly.

The characters are so much fun from crabby old Miss Vera to Fiammetta the cook to Sal the area Godfather - can't wait to revisit Harrison Falls!

22cyderry
Editat: nov. 13, 2015, 3:23 pm

ABANDONED

TITLE: Mycroft Holmes★½
AUTHOR: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
DATE READ: October 24 - November 9
Book type: ARD
Category: abandoned


I heard about this book with Sherlock Holmes' brother as the central character and was really looking forward to reading it.

However, I was doomed to disappointment. The characters were dull, very 2 dimensional, the dialogue was stilted. I couldN'T even bear to continue through more than the first 100 pages.

23rabbitprincess
nov. 13, 2015, 5:57 pm

>21 cyderry: I love the Book Collector series! My favourite characters are Jordan's army of uncles.

24cyderry
nov. 13, 2015, 5:57 pm

Challenge Book# 126

TITLE: Murder at the Courthouse★★★½
AUTHOR: A. H. Gabhart
DATE READ: November 9 - November 12
Series/ Progress: A Hidden Springs Mystery
Book type: ARD
Category: abandoned


An unidentified body is found on the courthouse steps and the everyone in Hidden Springs is in an uproar. Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane has to try to identify the body before he can even start an investigation. At the same time, Keane is battling with a rebellious teenager. With all the players that are getting the way, the clues to the murder seem a bit out of the ordinary.

I really loved the mystery and the way that the history of the characters were interwoven into the story. The characters need a bit more fleshing out but for a first in a series it was really good.

25cyderry
nov. 18, 2015, 11:03 am

Hey everyone,

I may be missing in action for the rest of the month.
My 91 year old mom had a small stroke so I'm going back and forth to the hospital.
I have time to read but not a lot of concentration and little time on line but I'll pop in when I can.
I know you all will understand.

26mamzel
nov. 18, 2015, 11:37 am

We understand and our thoughts will be with you.

27thornton37814
nov. 18, 2015, 2:15 pm

>25 cyderry: Prayers! I certainly understand. I've still got a review from last week to write and post. I'll probably finish a couple of books tomorrow (an ARC and an audio book). Definitely a hectic November.

28dudes22
nov. 18, 2015, 2:58 pm

No rush. We'll wait for you. Hope your mom makes out ok.

29rabbitprincess
nov. 18, 2015, 6:59 pm

Oh no! Thinking of you and hoping all goes well.

30DeltaQueen50
nov. 18, 2015, 7:22 pm

Sorry to hear about your Mom, Cheli, hope everything goes well and remember to take care of yourself as well.

31lindapanzo
nov. 18, 2015, 9:31 pm

Sorry to hear about your Mom, Cheli. Hope everything turns out ok.

32MissWatson
nov. 19, 2015, 4:10 am

All the best wishes for your Mom!

33cyderry
nov. 19, 2015, 11:06 pm

Mom update

Just a minute to pop in - Mom is doing much better and she is going to be moved to rehab tomorrow afternoon. She's hoping to be home for Thanksgiving, but not so sure that's going to happen.

Thank you all for your understand and support!

34AHS-Wolfy
nov. 20, 2015, 5:54 am

Glad to hear that your mom is improving.

35DeltaQueen50
nov. 20, 2015, 6:24 pm

Very good news, Cheli!

36rabbitprincess
nov. 21, 2015, 9:58 am

Glad to hear that your mom's doing better. Hope the rehab goes well.

37-Eva-
nov. 23, 2015, 10:35 pm

Sorry to hear about your mom, but good to hear she's doing better!

38cyderry
nov. 24, 2015, 9:05 am

Mom is much better and hopefully will be headed home on Saturday. She'll miss Thanksgiving but we'll make it up to her at Christmas.

Unfortunately, for me, this little episode as really cut into my reading time, so I doubt that I'll complete my mini-challenge before the end of the year. But it's much more important for Mom to be taken care of and books are always so patient, waiting quietly on the shelf/e-reader until they are summoned.

39-Eva-
nov. 24, 2015, 10:41 am

She's getting out already? That's is fantastic news! Strokes can take their toll for a while after, so patience is needed. Sending all my best wishes that your mom gets back on track soon!

40cyderry
nov. 24, 2015, 11:40 am

>39 -Eva-: Fortunately, it was an extremely mild stroke and it didn't effect her cognitively or her speech but the doctors wanted to make sure that her mobility was such that she wouldn't fall. Physical theraphy has definitely helped her get steadier on her feet.

41lindapanzo
nov. 24, 2015, 1:12 pm

Great news, Cheli.

I've just started reading the new Louise Penny and couldn't quite put my finger what it is about this book but I think you're right.

The writing is great, as usual, but the personal angle seems off this time. It could improve (I'm only one quarter of the way in) but this likely won't be even close to my favorite in the series.

42cyderry
nov. 25, 2015, 11:39 pm


43thornton37814
nov. 30, 2015, 6:27 pm

>38 cyderry: I think a lot of us had life interrupt our reading plans. I didn't manage to get the AAC or BAC challenge books read for November. Now I'm facing trying to get both November and December's read in December PLUS finishing up the few stray books in my regular categories.

44cyderry
des. 1, 2015, 3:18 pm

>43 thornton37814: what are AAC and BAC challenges -- no,no I'm not going to ask!

wonders away, shaking her head, saying to herself - you know you'll just get pulled into another challenge, that was a dumb question

45lindapanzo
des. 1, 2015, 4:02 pm

>44 cyderry: I like the AAC but do it only some months. I'm trying to do the December author.

I also realized I somehow missed RandomCAT and GeoCAT for all of 2015. Maybe next year.

46cyderry
des. 1, 2015, 4:19 pm

No GEO in 2015 but there will be in 2016.

47thornton37814
des. 1, 2015, 8:41 pm

>44 cyderry: American Author Challenge and British Author Challenge. They are in the 75 group. A Canadian Author Challenge is being added next year.

48cyderry
Editat: des. 2, 2015, 10:05 am

>47 thornton37814: That's what I figured. I try to avoid being forced to read specific authors, so I can easily passed those by. Whew...

49cyderry
des. 15, 2015, 3:19 pm

Challenge Book# 127

TITLE: Wilson★★★½
AUTHOR: A. Scott Berg
DATE READ: August 24 - November 14
Book type: Audiobook
Category: In Flanders fields the poppies blow - HISTORIES


In this current day and age when presidents are either career politicians or from the military, how wonderful would it be if we had candidates that were thinking of the good of the nation and not their own pockets and careers?

Thomas Woodrow Wilson appears to have been such a man, thinking first of the citizens and their needs before his own. He was an academician who was elected Governor of NJ and from here to the White House. If Teddy Roosevelt hadn't decided that he wanted to get back in the Presidency, and hadn't split the voters, I'm not sure that Wilson would have been elected, but Wilson's presidency was at time when the nation needed his constancy and clear head.

He was responsible for the Federal Reserve Act, Federal Trade Commission, and the Federal Farm Loan Act. He also was a major player in the plans of the League of Nations at the end of World War I. I'm not sure that the man gets his just recognition.

A very informative book and even with the volume of pages, still a good source for Wilson's bio.

50mathgirl40
des. 15, 2015, 10:22 pm

>49 cyderry: I've almost finished reading Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World, in which Wilson plays a large role, as you had mentioned. The biography looks interesting; I would certainly like to learn more about his other accomplishments.

51cyderry
Editat: des. 15, 2015, 11:26 pm

Challenge Book# 128

A Christmas Escape by Anne Perry
176 pages Net Galley
Every Christmas Anne Perry delights us with a new adventure for a minor character from her mysteries series and this year was a grand surprise where the reader meets Hester Monk's brother, Charles Latterly while he is on a vacation to Italy. Murder is evident but the settings and characters are new and unknown - great change of pace.
Challenge Book# 129

Rivals in the City by Y. S. Lee
305 pages on Nook
Mary Quinn and James Eastman have opened their own detective agency but circumstances draw them back to the past and threaten their lives as well as their relationship.

The story was great in drawing on characters from the past. Hope the next one will be out soon.
Challenge Book# 130

Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
416 pages Audiobook 12 discs 14½ hours

Historical account of the rowing team that went to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Munich and against all odds won the gold medal. The story was enriched by the personal accounts of several of the rowers.
Challenge Book# 131

If Fried Chicken Could Fly by Paige Shelton
304 pages on Nook
The first in the Country Cooking School Mystery series was fun but I had a bit of difficulty because one of the principal characters was a ghost and the interaction between Isabelle and her Grandmother and the ghost didn't fit right to the story, IMO.
Challenge Book# 132

A Chili Death by Jessica Beck
466 pages on Nook
This was a fun start for a new cozy series where Victoria and Greg Branson run the diner that was started by her grandfather. When the diner and the family livelihood are threatened by a con artist and then by his murder, the family all banns together to find the murderer and save their heritage.
Challenge Book# 133

Runaway Dolls by Ann Martin
352 pages on audiobook 5 hrs. on 4 discs
What a very cute continuation of the tales of Doll and Funcraft families. After finding the long lost baby doll for the Doll family, Annabelle and Tiffany runaway because they feel that they must protect Tillie Mae. The adventures that they encounter as well as their creative solutions to their problems kept this reader entertained thoroughly.

52cyderry
des. 24, 2015, 5:30 pm


53VivienneR
des. 24, 2015, 5:48 pm



Merry Christmas Cheli!

54dudes22
des. 25, 2015, 7:24 am

Merry Christmas, Cheli!

55cyderry
des. 31, 2015, 9:02 pm


56rabbitprincess
des. 31, 2015, 9:04 pm

Happy New Year!!!

57cyderry
gen. 2, 2016, 5:49 pm

Challenge #134

A Slice of Murder by Chris Cavender
336 pages on Nook


Eleanor Swift is working with her sister to keep the pizzeria open and so when she's out making a delivery and finds a dead body, she becomes a suspect.

An interesting group of characters and background and good mystery with attention-grabbing clues for a first in a series.

Challenge #135

The Sauvignon Secret by Ellen Crosby
274 pages on Nook


Lucie Montgomery is drawn into an highly unethical situation when asked to try to find a missing person while checking into the quality of grapes for sale in Napa Valley.

I thought this was one of the best in the series because of the change in venue and the details and descriptions that were peppered throughout the story. I certainly hope that the series continues.

Challenge #136

Bedford Falls: The Story Continues by Anne Morse
238 pages on Kindle Tablet


This book is the story of It's A Wonderful Life's George Bailey's grandson and how Bedford Falls was affected by George after the end of It's a Wonderful Life and his family members. We see Mary his wife still alive in her 90s and his children and grandchildren. We again see the cruelty of greed and welcome the angel Clarence with open arms.

My Ladies group read this for a December gathering and it charmed us all. My favorite read of the year!

Challenge #137

Warren G. Harding: America's 29th President by Deborah Kent
110 pages from public library


It was extremely difficult to locate a biography of our 29th president and I finally had to settle for this edition from the Children's section of the public library.

I can understand why there are few bios of this president for the simple reason he doesn't much and he was far from a stellar personailty.

Warren Harding had little education and was unsuccessful in many of his life attempts in business, however, he was a smooth talker and a ladies man and in the first election where women were allowed to vote, he seems to have won them over. Maybe it was fortunate that he died in office.

Accomplishments during his administration included the improvement and expansion the nation's highway system, licensing of radio frequencies through the Commerce Department under Herbert Hoover, the eight-hour work day became common in American industry, and appointed former President William Howard Taft as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Challenge #138

A King's Ransom by Sharon Kay Penman
776 pages on Nook


I had never read much about the reign the Richard the Lionheart so I was really looking forward to this book after reading about his experiences in the Crusades from the previous book. However, I was very bothered by the extreme viciousness in the writing regarding the torture of a 13 year old boy. I had to put the book aside for several months before I could return to the narrative, skipping his actual capture by the agents of the Duke of Austria.

The story of his captivity and negotiations regarding his release for ransom were enlightening as to the politics of that era.

Did I like it? Yes, but it really wasn't necessary to be that graphic regarding the torture for information. It lost a half star because of that.

58cyderry
Editat: gen. 2, 2016, 6:08 pm

Well, I didn't do very well on my mini challenge - real life and the holidays got in the way but here's my recap.

2015 has come to a close and I really surprised myself with the number of books that I read and how well I stuck to my list and concept of catching up on my series reads. So here is how the year broke down.

New series started 30
Second in a series 17
Third in a series 16
4th or more 45
Histories 11
Fiction - misc and book club 8
Series brought current 32
Series still behind 156
Categories completed 15/15

read off the list from the beginning of the year 99/138 72%
books read from my shelves/e-readers 103/138 75%

e books read 89 64%
audio books heard 28 20%
books read 19 14%
abandoned 4 2%

New books acquired (total cost $260 - birthday $$) 61
ARCs 13
library books read 9


Best mystery of the year Devil's Bridge
Best surprise of the year Bedford Falls
Best history of the year Bully Pulpit