An Argumentation of Historians by Jodi Taylor

Title: An Argumentation of Historians (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #9)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2018

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 440

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR Pick; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Reading in PJs

Behind the seemingly innocuous facade of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, a different kind of academic work is taking place. Just don’t call it “time travel”, these historians “investigate major historical events in contemporary time.” And they aren’t your harmless eccentrics either; a more accurate description, as they ricochet around history, might be unintentional disaster-magnets.

From Tudor England to the burning city of Persepolis, from a medieval St. Mary’s under siege to Victorian Rushford and a very nasty case of gaol fever, Max is struggling to keep her private life intact. There’s an ambitious program hindered by giant teapots, plus Mrs. Midgely’s objection to dead hamsters in her airing cupboard, and Mr. Markham’s stubborn refusal to reveal his exact marital status.

And as if that’s not enough, the unfortunately not leprosy-laden Malcolm Halcombe is back. Admittedly, none of this is the most secure platform from which to launch an initiative to bring down the renegade Clive Ronan, but hey, what’s the worst that could happen?

Oh goodness. I was breathless speeding my way through the last 100 pages of this one. I did not see any of that coming!!! Truly a splendid volume full of historical adventures, quiet moments, major twists, a big reveal, the return of a few characters, and plenty of references to past adventures. I am completely stunned and in agony. This volume focused a lot on Max and we get tons of reflective moments from her. I loved the attempt at bringing together a ton of storylines and issues from the past. I can’t wait to see what happens next! And darn it! One of these days Ronan will see his end.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now For Something Completely Different
#10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

Dark Angel / Lord Crew's Bride by Mary Balogh

Title: Dark Angel (Dark Angel #1)/ Lord Carew’s Bride (Dark Angel #2)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: 1994 / 1995

Genre: Romance

Pages: 624

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Over 500 pages

DARK ANGEL
Jennifer Winwood has been engaged for five years to a man she hardly knows but believes to be honorable and good: Lord Lionel Kersey. Suddenly, she becomes the quarry of London’s most notorious womanizer, Gabriel Fisher, the Earl of Thornhill. Jennifer has no idea that she is just a pawn in the long-simmering feud between these two headstrong, irresistible men—or that she will become a prize more valuable than revenge.

Hmmm… So I like most of this book. I enjoyed the intrigue of the dangerous game between Thornhill and Kersey. I enjoyed watching Jennifer fall for Thornhill even though she resisted. I wasn’t a huge fan of their relationship during the last 50 pages of the book. I would have liked more discussion/understanding instead of hostility. I hope we get to see them happier in the next book.

LORD CAREW’S BRIDE
Jennifer’s cousin Samantha Newman is smarting after she too is toyed with by Lord Kersey. In the midst of her heartbreak, she seeks solace from her new friend, the disabled gardener Hartley Wade. If only she knew that Hartley is secretly Lord Carew, and that he hides more than extraordinary wealth: a passionate secret held deep in his heart that only her love can reveal.

I liked this story much more than Dark Angel. Hartley and Sam were much more interesting characters. And I wasn’t as confused by their relationship as I was Gabriel and Jennifer’s. I loved how their relationship progressed. And Kersey was just as much of a villain as in the first book. Definitely a fun read.

Dark Angel:

#1 Dark Angel
#2 Lord Carew’s Bride
#3 The Famous Heroine
#4 The Plumed Bonnet
#5 The Ideal Wife
#6 A Precious Jewel
#7 A Christmas Bride
#8 Christmas Beau

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

Title: The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth #2)

Author: N.K. Jemisin

Publisher: Orbit 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 448

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Alphabet Soup - J; Dancing with Scifi and Fantasy - Under 500 Pages; Seasonal Series - Trilogy

This is the way the world ends, for the last time.

The season of endings grows darker, as civilization fades into the long cold night.

Essun -- once Damaya, once Syenite, now avenger -- has found shelter, but not her daughter. Instead there is Alabaster Tenring, destroyer of the world, with a request. But if Essun does what he asks, it would seal the fate of the Stillness forever.

Far away, her daughter Nassun is growing in power - and her choices will break the world.

What a ride! I was drawn back in on page one and was upset that I got to page 448 and there wasn’t anymore in this volume. Of course we get to learn more about what happens to our main characters, but more importantly, the world more fully revealed itself. I was amazed at the story of the stone eaters. Hoa is one of my favorite now! And we get more information about how orogeny works and what other secrets lay deep in the earth just waiting to be revealed. While I’m not a fan of Schaffa (not that any read is supposed to be a fan), this volume led me to a better understanding of his motivations and actions. Plus we get great narration from Nassun’s point of view. And I finally figured out who was talking in the interludes. Duh! Can’t believe I didn’t see that one in the last book. Can’t wait to finish the trilogy, though it’s going to have to wait until March so I can focus on my UnRead Shelf.

The Broken Earth:

#1 The Fifth Season
#2 The Obelisk Gate
#3 The Stone Sky

Next up on the TBR pile:

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Title: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (TATBILB #1)

Author: Jenny Han

Publisher: Simon and Schuster 2014

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - 365 Days of YA; Women Authors; Seasonal Series - Movie Adaptation

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

I’ve heard so many people say great things about this book (and by extension, this series), I eventually picked it up. Such a cute story! I immediately loved Lara Jean and her relationship with her sisters. I loved her relationship with the boy next door. I enjoyed the progression of the story into something different than Lara Jean was expecting. I didn’t mind the slightly cliffhanger ending (I’ll borrow the next book in March). I was not a huge fan of the narration style, but I know first person diary like narration is very popular in young adult novels. It’s not my favorite style, but I will forgive it because this book is written for the teen crowd. Cute, if a little immature for my 36 year old self.

Movie Review

Obviously the movie makers made changes to the story, but they kept the core of Lara Jean’s story and I appreciated that. I loved all the actors (with the exception of who played Gen who seemed very stiff in a lot of scenes). Extra fun recognizing Anna Carhart who played Kitty from my kiddos watching Odd Squad. The look and feel of the movie was great. Interested to see if a sequel happens.

Next up on the TBR pile:

In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire

Title: In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 208

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Women Author; Seasonal Series - Dark Cover

This is the story of a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should.

When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well.

Finally! We get to hear Lundy’s story. She is just an interesting side character in the series and I had been intrigued by her background. In this volume, we get her entire story up until moving to the Home for Wayward Children. In the overall scheme of books, I seriously loved this story and am going to give it 5 stars. Within the context of the series, I think this is my least favorite so far. It didn’t have as much weirdness as the others. But I really did love visiting the Goblin Market and meeting Moon and The Archivist.

Wayward Children

Next up on the TBR pile:

Skirting the Grave by Annette Blair

Title: Skirting the Grave (Vintage Magic Mystery #4)

Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: Berkley 2011

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Cold Hearted Character

Maddie Cutler thought she was taking on a new design intern for her boutique. But instead she finds her dead at the train station under suspicious circumstances. Now, Maddie is determined to iron out the wrinkles of this mystery.

Another fun cozy mystery. I loved adding another great character into the mix. Isabel is fun and very knowledgable when it comes to clothes. I’ve never loved Eve as a character and counterpoint for Mad, so Isabel is a much better choice. The big mystery was amazing and I was a bit disappointed at the reveal. (I’ve read some of Blair’s other books and it felt a bit like a rip-off.) I’m a bit disappointed as to the resolution of the Nick-Mad-Wener situation. I hope the last two books change the situation.

Vintage Magic Mystery:

#1 A Veiled Deception
#2 Larceny and Lace
#3 Death by Diamonds
#4 Skirting the Grave
#5 Cloaked in Malice
#6 Tulle Death Do Us Part

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand

Title: Winter Solstice (Winter #4)

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2017

Genre: Romance

Pages: 297

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Set in Winter

It's been too long since the entire Quinn family has been able to celebrate the holidays under the same roof, but that's about to change. With Bart back safe and sound from Afghanistan, the Quinns are preparing for a holiday more joyous than any they've experienced in years. And Bart's safe return isn't the family's only good news: Kevin is enjoying married life with Isabelle; Patrick is getting back on his feet after paying his debt to society; Ava thinks she's finally found the love of her life; and Kelly is thrilled to see his family reunited at last. But it just wouldn't be a Quinn family gathering if things went smoothly. A celebration of everything we love--and some of the things we endure--about the holidays,

Goodness! What an ending to this series! I admit, I was in tears by the end of the book. The Quinn family really got under my skin. I wanted to see each and every one of them happy and settled by the end of the series. That didn’t quite happen, but I was still very satisfied with the ending. I loved seeing Ava make up her mind, finally! I loved seeing Bart find a place once again. I was very interested in Jennifer and Norah’s stories. The only part that felt a little flat for me was Eddie’s story and narrated chapters. But his perspective did move along the rest of the characters’s stories. Overall a very good series.

Winter:

#1 Winter Street
#2 Winter Stroll
#3 Winter Storms
#4 Winter Solstice

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand

Title: Winter Storms (Winter #3)

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 246

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Series Completely Published

Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns. After a year apart, and an ill-fated affair with the Winter Street Inn's old Santa Claus, Mitzi has returned to rule the roost; Patrick is about to be released from prison; Kevin has a successful new business and is finally ready to tie the knot with Isabelle; and best of all, there's hopeful news about Bart, who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan.

That doesn't mean there aren't a few dark clouds on the horizon. Kelley has recently survived a health scare; Jennifer can't quite shake her addiction to the drugs she used as a crutch while Patrick was in jail; and Ava still can't decide between the two lovers that she's been juggling with limited success. However, if there's one holiday that brings the Quinn family together to give thanks for the good times, it's Christmas. And this year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as the Quinns prepare to host Kevin and Isabelle's wedding at the inn. But as the special day approaches, a historic once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place--and the people--they love most. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough upheavals to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog, in this touching novel that proves that when the holidays roll around, you can always go home again.

Still enjoying this series a lot. I loved checking back in with the Quinns after the tumultuous events of the last volume. We finally get more of Bart’s story and even a bit more of Norah (turns out she’s actually an interesting character). I loved the big events of this book and seeing the happy moments. I’m still annoyed with Ava, or I should say that I was very annoyed with her until about halfway through the book. Finally, we get to see some growth from her! I can’t wait to dive into the final book in the series.

P.S. It was very weird for Hilderbrand to namedrop herself and another of her books during the scene of Isabelle’s bridal shower. I seriously had to reread the paragraph, but yep it was there…

Winter:

#1 Winter Street
#2 Winter Stroll
#3 Winter Storms
#4 Winter Solstice

Next up on the TBR pile:

And the Rest is History by Jodi Taylor

Title: And the Rest is History (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #8)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 376

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Ebook; Seasonal Series - Gifted to Me

No one knows quite how, but Max and her baby are safe at last. No one knows quite how, but Peterson has persuaded Dr Foster to marry him. No one knows quite how, but Markham's marital status remains unknown. Certainly no one knows quite how a twelve-foot-high teapot has mysteriously materialised on the South Lawn, but it has. But they do know that Clive Ronan is back. They do know that he hates them and that this time he has good cause. And they do know that he will bring death and destruction in his wake. Follow the disaster magnets of St Mary's from the Egyptian desert to the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and from Hastings to the Sack of Constantinople...

Oh my. This volume killed me, seriously killed me. I was devastated in the middle of the book and then even more devastated by the end. But don’t let that statement make you think that I didn’t like this book. I loved every single page of it. I have come to really feel like the characters of St. Mary’s are part of my friend circle. Plus this volume sees the historians finally visiting Hastings in 1066. Woohoo!

P.S. I also read the super short (i.e. 4 page) short story Desiccated Water featuring a science experiment gone wrong. And I read the other super short (i.e. 7 page) short story Markham and the Anal Probing right after reading this book. Oh so much fun!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now for Something Completely Different
#10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

2018 Reading Challenge Roundup - Failed

Not too many challenges left uncompleted this year. I’m very happy with my progress.

Perpetual Reading Lists Challenge
Goal: 28/30 books 93.3%

The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels (1/12/18)
Arabian Nights (1/19/18)
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (3/17/18)
The Dark Tower by Stephen King (1/25/18)
The History of Love by Nicola Krauss (3/16/18)
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (7/31/18)
Ramses 2 by Anne Rice (3/7/18)
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (2/7/18)
The Selection by Kiera Cass (6/6/18)
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (5/26/18)
Alice in Zombieland by Gina Showalter (4/20/18)
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (2/9/18)
The Great Halifax Explosion by John Bacon (4/7/18)
Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman (4/13/18)
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore (4/27/18)
Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (6/15/18)
A History of the Wife by Margaret Yalom (6/24/18)
The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan (6/26/18)
College Girls by Lynn Peril (8/28/18)
Pox Americana by Elizabeth Fenn (9/8/18)
Cocktails Across America by Diane Lapis and Anne Davis-Peck (9/11/18)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer (10/23/18)
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (9/29/18)
Dracula by Bram Stoker (10/24/18)
Looking for Alaska by John Green (12/12/18)
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (11/24/18)
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (12/7/18)
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (11/27/18)
TBD
TBD

TBR Pile
Goal: 9/12 Books 66.7%

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (1/23/18)
The Bostonians by Henry James (1/30/18)
Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (9/12/18)
The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman (5/4/18)
School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins (DNF)
Parasite by Mira Grant (6/20/18)
The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie (DNF)
Birthmarked by Carah O'Brien (5/23/18)
A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
Stealing Fire by Jo Graham
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (3/21/18)
Little Bee by Chris Cleave (8/24/18)
The Firemaster's Mistress by Christie Dickason
An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin (10/20/18)

Reading Assignment
Goal: 11/12 Books 91.7%

January - Arabian Nights (1/19/18)
February - Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (2/7/18)
March - Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (3/17/18)
April - The Words We Live By by Linda Monk
May - Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery (5/30/18)
June - A History of the Wife by Marilyn Yalom (6/24/18)
July - How to Fall in love with a Man Who Lives in a Bush by Emmy Abrahamson (7/31/18)
August - The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (8/25/18)
September - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (9/29/18)
October - Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (10/31/18)
November - The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (11/20/18)
December - Strange Weather by Joe Hill (12/22/18)

Finishing the Series
Goal: 6/10 Series 60%

Chronicles of St. Mary's by Jodi Taylor
- #5 No Time Like the Past (1/16/18)
- #6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong (10/6/18)
- #6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings (10/9/18)
- #7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History (11/13/18)
- #7.5 The Great St. Mary's Day Out (11/17/18)
- #7.6 My Name is Markham (11/28/18)
- #8 And the Rest is History
- #8.5 A Perfect Storm
- #8.6 Christmas Past
- #9 An Argumentation of Historians
Witchcraft Mystery by Juliet Blackwell ✓
- #6.5 A Haunting is Brewing (1/24/18)
- #7 Spellcasting in Silk (1/26/18)
- #8 A Toxic Trousseau (2/9/18)
- #9 A Magical Match (11/14/18)
Fairwick Chronicles by Juliet Dark ✓
- #3 The Stone Angel (2/4/18)
Bedwyn Saga by Mary Balogh ✓
- #0.2 A Summer to Remember (3/10/18)
- #1 Slightly Married (4/25/18)
- #2 Slightly Wicked (4/25/18)
- #3 Slightly Scandalous (4/25/18)
- #4 Slightly Tempted (5/16/18)
- #5 Slightly Sinful (5/16/18)
- #6 Slightly Dangerous (5/16/18)
Cemetery of Forgotten Books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
- #2 The Angel's Game
- #3 The Prisoner of Heaven
Strain by Guillermo del Toro
- #2 The Fall
- #3 The Night Eternal
Ramses the Damned by Anne Rice ✓
- #2 The Passion of Cleopatra (3/7/18)
Hex Hall ✓
- #1 Hex Hall (2/9/18)
- #2 Demonglass (3/8/18)
- #3 Spell Bound (3/14/18)
The Glamourist by Mary Robinette Kowal
- #1 Shades of Milk and Honey (2/26/18)
- #2 Glamour in Glass (3/30/18)
- #3 Without a Summer
- #4 Valour and Vaniety
- #5 Of Noble Family
Edwardian Brides by Carrie Turansky ✓
- #1 The Governess of Highland Hall (1/8/18)
- #2 The Daughter of Highland Hall (1/9/18)
- #3 A Refuge at Highland Hall (1/10/18)

Seasonal Series Summer
(June 21st - September 21st)
Goal: 24/25 Books 96%

1. Read a book from a fantasy series - Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (7/20/18)
2. Read a book while drinking a cool drink - The Anomaly by Michael Rutger (6/29/18)
3. Read a book from a really hyped series - Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (7/21/18)
4. Read a book with yellow on the cover - Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell (7/18/18)
5. Read while eating ice cream - Emily and the Dark Angel by Jo Beverley (8/15/18)
6. Read a book that's set in summer - The Stolen Bride by Jo Beverley (8/10/18)
7. Read a book from a YA series - Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (8/14/18)
8. Read while having a picnic - Keeper of the Castle by Juliet Blackwell (6/28/18)
9. Read a book with LGBT+ characters - Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (7/14/18)
10. re-read a favorite book
11. Read a book that has blue on the cover - Symbiont by Mira Grant (7/4/18)
12. Read a book from a series that has four or more books - The Heir by Kiera Cass (6/23/18)
13. Free Space: read any book of a series - Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (9/15/18)
14. Read a book while eating fruit - Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (8/26/18)
15. Read a book that you're sure you'll love - A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell (7/25/18)
16. Read a book where someone travels -The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (8/25/18)
17. Read a book while on the go - Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine (8/4/18)
18. Read a book from a contemporary series - Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready (9/13/18)
19. Read by a pool/ sea/ lake... - How to Fall in Love with a Man Who Lives in a Bush by Emmy Abrahamson (8/8/18)
20. Read a book that features an OTP or great love story - The Crown by Kiera Cass (6/24/18)
21. Finish a trilogy - Chimera by Mira Grant (7/13/18)
22. Read a book during 24 hours - Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass (6/22/18)
23. Read a book someone recommended to you - Little Bee by Chris Cleave (8/24/18)
24. Read a book while wearing sunglasses - Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire (7/6/18)
25. Read a second book in a series - Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed by Jo Beverley (7/10/18)

Seasonal Series Spring
(March 20th - June 20th)
Goal: 22/25 Books 88%

1. Take a walk while listening to an audiobook - A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter (6/4/18)
2. Read a book while drinking lemonade - Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman (4/13/18)
3. Read the first book in a series - If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell (4/4/18)
4. try to unhaul a book you've lost interest in
5. Read a book that's been on your shelves way too long - Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien (5/23/18)
6. Read with rain in the background -> real rain or sounds - NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (4/17/18)
7. Read a book with pink on the cover - Dead Bolt by Juliet Blackwell (4/6/18)
8. read a book from a middle grade series
9. Read a series with a new book coming out in 2018 - A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas (6/3/18)
10. Read a book of a series where the parents of the MC aren't dead - The Selection by Kiera Cass (6/6/18)
11. Read a book with character growth - Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter (4/20/18)
12. Read a book while eating chocolate - Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter (5/6/18)
13. Free Space: read any book of a series - For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (5/26/18)
14. read a book where only the first book of a series is out
15. Read a book set in the real world - Parasite by Mira Grant (6/20/18)
16. Read a book with a spring colors on the cover - Home for the Haunting by Juliet Blackwell (6/16/18)
17. Finish a duology - Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (6/15/18)
18. Use a flower as a bookmark - The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman (5/4/18)
19. Read a book with great friendship - The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter (5/18/18)
20. Read a second book in a series - Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal (3/30/18)
21. Read a book while sitting outside - The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (4/13/18)
22. Read a book that is (partly) set in spring - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (5/29/18)
23. Read a book with green on the cover - Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (5/30/18)
24. Read a book that includes an animal - Murder on the House by Juliet Blackwell (6/2/18)
25. Read a book under 300 pages - River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey (4/24/18)

2018 Reading Challenge Roundup - Completed

Oh my goodness! Check out all the reading challenges that I actually finished this year. So happy with my reading stats for 2018!

Popsugar 2018
Goal: 40/40 Books 100%

Made into a movie I've already seen -- Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (3/23/18)
True Crime -- The Poet and the Murderer by Simon Worrall (2/18/18)
Next book in a series I started -- Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell (1/26/18)
Involving a heist -- Sourdough by Robin Sloan (5/15/18)
Nordic noir --
Based on a real person -- Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (1/23/18)
Set in a country that fascinates me -- The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (3/21/18)
A time of day in the title -- Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire (7/6/18)
About a villain or antihero -- The Gunslinger by Stephen King (2/25/18)
About death or grief -- As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner (3/1/18)
Female author who uses a male pseudonym -- Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (7/31/18)
LGBTQ+ Protagonist -- Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (7/14/18)
Also a stage play or musical -- Dracula by Bram Stoker (10/24/18)
Author of a different ethnicity than me -- Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (9/12/18)
About feminism -- Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (2/7/18)
About mental health -- The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (4/13/18)
Borrowed or was give as a gift -- The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman (5/4/18)
By two authors -- The Passion of Cleopatra by Anne Rice and Christopher Rice (3/7/18)
Involving a sport --
Local author -- A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell (2/9/18)
Favorite color in the title -- Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (11/24/18)
Alliteration in the title -- Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (2/9/18)
Time travel -- No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor (1/16/18)
Weather element in the title -- Strange Weather by Joe Hill (12/22/18)
Set at sea -- The Great Halifax Explosion by John Bacon (4/7/18)
Animal in title -- Mad Hatters and March Hares edited by Ellen Datlow (5/12/18)
Set on a different planet -- Artemis by Andy Weir (9/18/18)
Song lyrics in the title -- Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (11/7/18)
About or set on Halloween -- The Elite by Kiera Cass (6/11/18)
Characters who are twins -- Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (7/20/18)
Mentioned in another book -- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (5/29/18)
From a celebrity book club -- Open House by Elizabeth Berg
Childhood classic I've never read -- Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (5/30/18)
Published in 2018 -- The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller (3/24/18)
Goodreads Choice Awards winner -- Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham (8/22/18)
Set in the decade I was born --
Meant to get to in 2017 but didn't -- NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (4/17/18)
Ugly cover -- Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien (5/23/18)
Involves a bookstore or library -- 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (3/30/18)
Fave prompt from 2015, 2016, or 2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge -- The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan (6/26/18)

Advanced

Bestseller from year I graduated high school --
Cyberpunk --
Being read by a stranger in a public place -- Florida Lauren Groff (10/17/18)
Tied to my ancestry --
Fruit or vegetable in the title -- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer (10/23/18)
Allegory --
Author with the same first or last name as you --
Microhistory -- College Girls by Lynn Peril (8/28/18)
About a problem facing society today --
Recommended by someone else taking the Popsugar Reading Challenge -- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (12/11/18)

What's in a Name?
Goal: 6/6 Books 100%

Word "the" used twice -- The Day the Dead Came to Show and Tell by Mira Grant (2/2/18)
Fruit or Vegetable -- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer (10/23/18)
A shape -- Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (7/14/18)
Begins with Z -- Z-Burbia by Jake Bible (12/15/18)
A nationality -- The English Wife by Lauren Willig (2/1/18)
A season -- A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh (3/10/18)

A to Z
Goal: 26/26 Books 100%

The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark (2/4/18)
The Bostonians by Henry James (1/30/18)
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (3/23/18)
The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/9/18)
The Emerald City by Jane Yolen (4/29/18)
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (5/26/18)
The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/8/18)
A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell (1/24/18)
If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell (4/4/18)
Jennifer Government by Max Barry (4/26/18)
Keeper of the Castle by Juliet Blackwell (6/28/18)
Literary Wonderlands edited by Laura Miller (2/23/18)
Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke (4/11/18)
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (1/23/18)
The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels (1/12/18)
The Poet and the Murder by Simon Worrall (2/18/18)
The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter (5/18/18)
A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/10/18)
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (2/26/18)
Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter (5/6/18)
Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (8/26/18)
A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair (10/3/18)
Washington Square by Henry James (8/18/18)
eXtinct by Ike Hamill (10/19/18)
You’re the Rogue that I Want by Samantha Holt (10/13/18)
Z-Burbia by Jake Bible (12/15/18)

Seasonal Series Autumn
(September - December)
Goal: 25/25 Books. 100%

1. Read a book from a sci fi series - What Could Possibly Go Wrong by Jodi Taylor (10/6/18)
2. Read a book (partly) set in fall - Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan (9/22/18)
3. Read a book with PoC characters - Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha (12/4/18)
4. Read a book with orange on the cover - Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan (9/28/18)
5. Read a suspenseful/ scary/ creepy book - Dollhouse by Anya Allyn (10/12/18)
6. Read a book while eating candy - Larceny and Lace by Annette Blair (10/5/18)
7. Read a book set in the real world - A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen (10/10/18)
8. Read a first book in a series - A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair (10/3/18)
9. Catch up on a series - A Magical Match by Juliet Blackwell (11/14/18)
10.Read a book with rain in the background - You’re the One that I Want by Samantha Holt (10/13/18)
11. Read a book with red on the cover - Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (10/31/18)
12. Read while eating soup - Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen (10/16/18)
13. Free Space: read any book of a series - My Name is Markham by Jodi Taylor (11/28/18)
14. Read a book that's part of a duology - Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (11/7/18)
15. Take a walk while listening to an audiobook - The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (12/7/18)
16. Read a book that scares you (b/c of size, hype,...) - Lies, Damned Lies, and History by Jodi Taylor (11/13/18)
17. Read a book while wearing a sweater - Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen (11/23/18)
18. Read a book while drinking a tea - The Great St. Mary’s Day Out by Jodi Taylor (11/17/18)
19. Read a book that you think will break your heart - Z-Burbia by Jake Bible (12/15/18)
20. Read a book that's not YA - Death by Diamonds by Annette Blair (11/26/18)
21. Read a comic or graphic novel that's part of a series - Monstress Vol. 3 (11/21/18)
22. Read bonus content from a series (novella/ prologue,...) - Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings by Jodi Taylor (10/9/18)
23. Read a book while eating an apple or apple pie - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (9/29/18)
24. Read a book with creatures of the night - Extinct by Ike Hamill (10/19/18)
25. Use a leaf as a bookmark - Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand (12/14/18)

Modern Mrs. Darcy
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

Classic I've been meaning to read -- The Bostonians by Henry James (1/30/18)
Recommended by someone with good taste -- The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (3/16/18)
In translation -- How to Fall in Love with a Man Who Lives in a Bush by Emmy Abrahamson (8/8/18)
Nominated for a 2018 award -- Florida by Lauren Groff (10/17/18)
Poetry, Play, or Essay collection -- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2/27/18)
Read in a day -- Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (2/26/18)
More than 500 pages -- The Arabian Nights (1/19/18)
Favorite author -- The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen (4/29/18)
Recommended by librarian or indie bookseller -- The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (1/4/18)
Banned book -- Looking for Alaska by John Green (12/12/18)
Memoir, biography, or book of creative nonfiction -- The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan (6/26/18)
Author of different race, ethnicity, or religion than me -- Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (9/12/18)

Mount TBR
Goal: 48/48 Books 100%

The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels (1/12/18)
No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor (1/16/18)
A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell (1/24/18)
The English Wife by Lauren Willig (2/1/18)
The Day the Dead Came to Show and Tell (2/2/18)
The Poet and the Murderer by Simon Worrall (2/18/18)
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2/27/18)
As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner (3/1/18)
A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh (3/10/18)
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (3/23/18)
The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller (3/24/18)
Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser (3/28/18)
The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (4/13/18)
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (4/17/18)
Slightly Married by May Balogh (4/25/18)
Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh (4/25/18)
Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh (4/25/18)
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore (4/27/18)
Circe by Madeline Miller (5/5/18)
Slightly Tempted by Mary Balogh (5/16/18)
Slightly Sinful by Mary Balogh (5/16/18)
Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh (5/16/18)
For Darkness Shows the Stars Short Stories by Diana Peterfreund (5/27/18)
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (5/29/18)
Murder on the House by Juliet Blackwell (6/2/18)
The Stanforth Secrets by Jo Beverley (6/20/18)
The Anomaly by Michael Rutger (6/29/18)
Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed by Jo Beverley (7/10/18)
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (7/28/18)
The Stolen Bride by Jo Beverley (8/10/18)
Daisy Miller and Washington Square by Henry James (8/18/18)
Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham (8/22/18)
Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (8/26/18)
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (9/5/18)
Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready (9/14/18)
I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel (9/21/18)
What Could Possibly Go Wrong by Jodi Taylor (10/6/18)
Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings by Jodi Taylor (10/9/18)
Dollhouse by Anya Allyn (10/12/18)
You’re the Rogue that I Want by Samantha Holt (10/13/18)
Extinct by Ike Hamill (10/19/18)
Dracula by Bram Stoker (10/24/18)
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (10/31/18)
Spinning Straw into Gold by Joan Gould (11/6/18)
Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (11/7/18)
The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian (11/9/18)
On a Cold Dark Sea by Elizabeth Blackwell (11/25/18)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (12/11/18)

Graphic Novel
Goal: 52/52 Books 100%

The Walking Dead Vol. 27 (1/8/18)
The Walking Dead Vol. 28 (5/9/18)
The Walking Dead Vol. 29 (7/11/18)
The Walking Dead: Here's Negan (7/7/18)
Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 1 (1/7/18)
Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 2 (1/7/18)
Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 1 (1/6//18)
Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 2 (1/6/18)
Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 3 (1/6/18)
Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 4 (1/6/18)
Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire by Neil Gaiman (2/1/18)
Saga Vol. 8 (2/3/18)
Moonshine Vol. 1 (2/10/18)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2/13/18)
Low Vol. 1 (2/14/18)
Monstress Vol. 2 (2/16/18)
Revival Vol. 4 (2/17/18)
Revival Vol. 5 (2/17/18)
Revival Vol. 6 (2/20/18)
Revival Vol. 7 (2/20/18)
Revival Vol. 8 (4/6/18)
ApocalyptiGirl by Andrew MacLean (2/21/18)
Jane by Aline Brosh McKenna (2/25/18)
The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 6 (3/9/18)
One Week in the Library (3/13/18)
Penny Dreadful Vol. 1 (4/6/18)
Creatures of the Night by Neil Gaiman (6/8/18)
The Haunted Mansion (6/9/18)
March Vol. 1 (6/10/18)
March Vol. 2 (6/19/18)
March Vol. 3 (6/19/18)
Paper Girls Vol. 1 (6/13/18)
Paper Girls Vol. 2 (6/13/18)
Paper Girls Vol. 3 (6/14/18)
Paper Girls Vol. 4 (6/25/18)
Moonstruck Vol. 1 (6/16/18)
Wayward Vol. 1 (6/26/18)
Wayward Vol. 2 (6/26/18)
Wayward Vol. 3 (6/26/18)
Wayward Vol. 4 (6/27/18)
Wayward Vol. 5 (6/27/18)
Giant Days Vol. 1 (6/28/18)
Giant Days Vol. 2 (6/28/18)
Giant Days Vol. 3 (6/2818)
Giant Days Vol. 4 (6/28/18)
Giant Days Vol. 5 (6/29/18)
Giant Days Vol. 6 (6/29/18)
Giant Days Vol. 7 (6/29/18)
Locke and Key: Heaven and Earth (7/7/18)
Rat Queens Vol. 4 (9/7/18)
Black Magick Vol. 1 (9/8/18)
East of West Vol. 8 (11/10/18)

Library Love
Goal: 60/60 Books 100%

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (1/4/18)
The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/8/18)
The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/9/18)
A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (1/10/18)
Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell (1/26/18)
The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark (2/4/18)
A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell (2/9/18)
The Gunslinger by Stephen King (2/25/18)
Literary Wonderlands edited Laura Miller (2/23/18)
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (2/26/18)
Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins (3/8/18)
Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins (3/14/18)
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (3/16/18)
Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal (3/30/18)
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (3/30/18)
If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell (4/4/18)
Dead Bolt by Juliet Blackwell (4/6/18)
The Great Halifax Explosion by John Bacon (4/7/18)
Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke (4/11/18)
Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman (4/13/18)
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter (4/20/18)
River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey (4/24/18)
Lost San Francisco by Dennis Evanosky (4/24/18)
Lost Worlds of the San Francisco Bay Area by Sylvia Linsteadt (4/25/18)
Jennifer Government by Max Barry (4/26/18)
The Emerald City by Jane Yolen (4/29/18)
Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter (5/6/18)
The Little Book of Feminist Saints by Julia Pierpont and Manjit Thapp (5/11/18)
Mad Hatters and March Hares edited by Ellen Datlow (5/12/18)
Sourdough by Robin Sloan (5/15/18)
The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter (5/18/18)
A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas (6/3/18)
A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter (6/4/18)
The Selection by Kiera Cass (6/6/18)
The Elite by Kiera Cass (6/11/18)
The Selection Stories by Kiera Cass (6/12/18)
The One by Kiera Cass (6/12/18)
Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (6/15/18)
Home for the Haunting by Juliet Blackwell (6/16/18)
Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass (6/22/18)
The Heir by Kiera Cass (6/24/18)
The Crown by Kiera Cass (6/24/18)
Keeper of the Castle by Juliet Blackwell (6/28/18)
Symbiont by Mira Grant (7/4/18)
Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire (7/6/18)
Chimera by Mira Grant (7/13/18)
Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell (7/18/18)
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (7/20/18)
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (7/21/18)
A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell (7/25/18)
Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine (8/4/18)
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (8/14/18)
Pox Americana by Elizabeth Fenn (9/8/18)
Cocktails Across America by Diane Lapis and Anne Davis-Peck (9/11/18)
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (9/15/18)
Artemis by Andy Weir (9/18/18)
Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan (9/22/18)
Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan (9/28/18)
A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair (10/3/18)
Larceny and Lace by Annette Blair (10/5/18)

Share-A-Tea
Goal: 20/20 Books 100%

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (1/4/18)
The English Wife by Lauren Willig (2/1/18)
As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner (3/1/18)
The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller (3/24/18)
No That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser (3/28/18)
Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke (4/11/18)
Circe by Madeline Miller (5/5/18)
Mad Hatters and March Hares edited by Ellen Datlow (5/12/18)
A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas (6/3/18)
Parasite by Mira Grant (6/20/18)
The Anomaly by Michael Rutger (6/29/18)
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (7/21/18)
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (7/28/18)
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (7/31/18)
Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine (8/4/18)
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (8/14/18)
Daisy Miller and Washington Square by Henry James (8/18/18)
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (8/25/18)
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (9/5/18)
I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel (9/21/18)

Picture Books
Goal: 88/88 Books 100%

1. Title beginning with A - Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty (January)
2. Author beginning with A - And the Tide Comes In by Merryl Alber (May)
3. Title beginning with B - Boo, Bunny! By Kathryn O. Galbraith (March)
4. Author beginning with B - Arthur Goes to Camp by Marc Brown (February)
5. Title beginning with C - Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman (January)
6. Author beginning with C - Pug in a Truck by Nancy Coffelt (January)
7. Title beginning with D - Duck by Randy Cecil (February)
8. Author beginning with D - The Conductor by Laetitia Devernay (February)
9. Title beginning with E - Even Superheroes Have Bad Days by Shelly Becker (February)
10. Author beginning with E - Rain Fish by Lois Ehlert (March)
11. Title beginning with F - Friendshape by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld (April)
12. Author beginning with F - Lunch by Denise Fleming (February)
13. Title beginning with G - Good Night Planes by Adam Gamble (March)
14. Author beginning with G - Chu's Day at the Beach by Neil Gaiman (February)
15. Title beginning with H - Half a World Away by Libby Gleeson (January)
16. Author beginning with H - Duck & Goose Let’s Dance by Tad Hills (March)
17. Title beginning with I - Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty (January)
18. Author beginning with I - I Hear a Pickle by Rachel Isadora (June)
19. Title beginning with J - Joshua's Masai Mask by Dakari Hru (January)
20. Author beginning with J - The Incredibly Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers (March)
21. Title beginning with K - The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright (March)
22. Author beginning with K - It's Vacation Time by Lerryn Korda (February)
23. Title beginning with L - Lovely Old Lion by Julia Jarman (March)
24. Author beginning with L - Thumpy Feet by Betsy Lewin (February)
25. Title beginning with M - Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austin (February)
26. Author beginning with M - Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson (February)
27. Title beginning with N - A Night at the Zoo by Kathy Caple (March)
28. Author beginning with N - If You Give a Mouse a Brownie by Laura Numeroff (June)
29. Title beginning with O - One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote by Bonnie Worth (March)
30. Author beginning with O - Little Billy-Bob Eats It All Up by Pauline Oud (March)
31. Title beginning with P. - The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems (January)
32. Author beginning with P - Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette (March)
33. Title or Author beginning with Q - Quest by Aaron Becker (May)
34. Title beginning with R - The Rise and Fall of Oscar the Magician by Matthew Porter (January)
35. Author beginning with R - Ten Sleepy Sheep by Phyllis Root (February)
36. Title beginning with S - South by Daniel Duncan (March)
37. Author beginning with S - Big Choo by Stephen Shaskan (May)
38. Title beginning with T - Train by Elisha Cooper (January)
39. Author beginning with T - Tumford the Terrible by Nancy Tillman (June)
40. Title or Author beginning with U - The Quiet Book! by Deborah Underwood
41. Title or Author beginning with V or W - This is Not a Good Idea by Mo Willems (January)
42. Title or Author beginning with X or “Ex” - Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison (August)
43. Title beginning with Y - You Can Do It, Bunny by Pamela Kennedy (August)
44. Author beginning with Y - Meow! By Victoria Ying (August)
45. Title or Author beginning with Z - Zootopia The Essential Guide (May)
46. An alphabet book - 123 Versus ABC by Mike Boldt (March)
47. A counting book - 1 Zany Zoo by Lori Degman (February)
48. A color word in the title - Little Green Peas by Keith Baker (January)
49. A number word in the title - Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems (January)
50. Concept book of your choice: picture book - Patterns from Nature: The Art of Klimt by Myeong-Hwa Yu and Seung-Beom Yu (January)
51. Concept book of your choice: board book - Crocopotamus by Mary Murphy (January)
52. Bedtime book: board book - Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin (February)
53. Bedtime book: picture book - The Wrong Side of the Bed by Lisa M. Bakos (July)
54. Book that rhymes: picture book - And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss (January)
55. Book that rhymes: early reader OR board book - Hide and Seek Harry at the Playground by Kenny Harrison (March)
56. Holiday of your choice: board book or early reader - Happy Holidays Blaze (June)
57. Holiday of your choice: picture book - Little Mouse’s Big Valentine by Thacher Hurd (March)
58. Wordless picture book - Wave by Suzy Lee (May)
59. New to you author - Fins, Fluff, and Other Stuff by Bruno Merz (February)
60. New to you illustrator - The Perfect Hug by Joanna Walsh, illustrated by Judi Abbot (February)
61. Favorite author - The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems (January)
62. Favorite illustrator - Duck and Goose by Tad Hills (January)
63. Free choice - I Love You Like a Pig by Mac Barnett (February)
64. Fairy or folk tale adaptation - Little Red Riding Hood by Trixie. Bell (January)
65. Fairy or folk tale traditional - The Tortoise and the Hare by Jerry Pinkney (February)
66. A title with the word “first” in it - First Steps by Lee Wardlaw (February)
67. A book set in the state you live - Hello, National Parks by Martha Day Zschock (June)
68. A book set in a place you’d like to visit - Lily's Garden of India by Jeremy Smith (January)
69. A book set in an imaginary place - Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery by David Gordon (February)
70. A book set in the past: fiction or nonfiction - Madeline and the Old House in Paris by John Bemelmans Marciano (May)
71. A book set in the present -- Emma and the Whale by Lee White (March)
72. One word title - Pirasaurs by Josh Funk (January)
73. Long title (four or more words) - The Problem with Not Being Scared of Kids by Dan Richards (January)
74. A book about playing (hide and seek, tag, or peekaboo, etc.) - The Monsterator by Keith Graves (February)
75. A book about school - Steve, Raised by Wolves by Jared Chapman (May)
76. A book about hobbies (art, dance, music, crafts, sports) - Good Morning Yoga by Mariam Gates (March)
77. A title that is a question - The Duckling Gets a Cookie? by Mo Willems (January)
78. A title that is an exclamation -- There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! By Lucille Colandro (March)
79. An award winner or an honor book -- Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni (March)
80. A collection (of poems OR stories) - The Rooster Grows by Maud and Miska Petersham (March)
81. A book with animals (fiction) - You Can Do It Bert by Ole Konnecke (February)
82. A book with animals (nonfiction) - Apatosaurus by Charles Lennie (March)
83. A book about books or reading - Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk (March)
84. A book celebrating family - My Mommy Hung the Moon by Jamie Lee Curtis (February)
85. Book with an adventure or misadventure - This Book is Out of Control by Richard Byrne (January)
86. A book about a pet - Looking for Luna by Tim Myers (February)
87. Impulse Pick -- Land Shark by Beth Ferry (March)
88. Picture book published in 2018 - Go Go Cars by Jennifer Liberts (May)

Z-Burbia by Jake Bible

Title: Z-Burbia (Z-Burbia #1)

Author: Jake Bible

Publisher: Severed Press 2013

Genre: Horror

Pages: 228

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: What’s in a Name - Starts with Z; A to Z - Z; Seasonal Series - Break My Heart

Whispering Pines is a classic, quiet, private American subdivision on the edge of Asheville, NC, set in the pristine Blue Ridge Mountains. Which is good since the zombie apocalypse has come to Western North Carolina and really put suburban living to the test!
Surrounded by a sea of the undead, the residents of Whispering Pines have adapted their bucolic life of block parties to scavenging parties, common area groundskeeping to immediate area warfare, neighborhood beautification to neighborhood fortification.

But, even in the best of times, suburban living has its ups and downs what with nosy neighbors, a strict Home Owners’ Association, and a property management company that believes the words “strict interpretation” are holy words when applied to the HOA covenants. Now with the zombie apocalypse upon them even those innocuous, daily irritations quickly become dramatic struggles for personal identity, family security, and straight up survival.

Welcome to normal life in Z-Burbia!

Eh. I’m going to say this one is pretty boring. Not enough character development. Not enough zombies. Too much swearing (and this coming from someone who curses like a sailor). I was just pretty bored through most of this story. I know it’s the first in a series, but I’m going to say that this series will not be one I will be continuing. Just pretty boring to me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand

Title: Winter Street (Winter #1)

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Publisher: Back Bay Books 2014

Genre: Romance

Pages: 249

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - Leaf as Bookmark; Christmas Spirit Readathon

Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four grown children: Patrick, a hedge fund manager; Kevin, a bartender; Ava, a school teacher; and Bart, who has recently shocked everyone by joining the Marines. As Christmas approaches, Kelley looks forward to spending the holidays with his family at the inn. But when he walks in on his wife Mitzi kissing another man, utter chaos descends, and things only get more interesting when Kelley's ex-wife, news anchor Margaret Quinn, arrives on the scene.

Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays.

Going into this book, I thought it was going to be a fun and fluffy romance. Not quite. This volume had much more serious topics, plot points, and issues. Once i got into the story, I was very interested in seeing the progress of each character. I especially fell for Margaret. Such a contradiction! Now I’m intrigued as to what happens next with the Quinn family.

Winter:

#1 Winter Street
#2 Winter Stroll
#3 Winter Storms
#4 Winter Solstice

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Title: The Darkest Minds (Darkest Minds #1)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publisher: Disney Hyperion 2012

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 499

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (365 Days of YA); Seasonal Series - Audiobook

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that killed most of America's children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

Really disappointed in this book. It felt way too much like YA Dystopia/Apocalypse-lite. The characters were very bland and very predictable. The plot had way too many holes to be believable. And on top of all that, I hate when books don’t explain things and keep everyone in the dark so much that the reader just gets lost. I can’t get behind this one at all…

Darkest Minds:

#1 The Darkest Minds
#1.5 In Time
#2 Never Fade
#2.5 Sparks Rise
#3 In the Afterlight
#3.5 Through the Dark
#4 The Darkest Legacy

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha and Matt Griffin

Title: Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel

Author: A.W. Jantha and Matt Griffin

Publisher: Freeform 2018

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 528

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - PoC Characters

Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this electrifying two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens.

The book club selection for my newly created club. So I have a bit of mixed feelings about this one. I love love love the movie and by extension I really enjoyed the novelization of the movie that is the first half of this volume. I loved pictured the Sanderson sister running amok on the streets of Salem. I loved the little extra scenes that added into the story from Winnie’s perspective. I really enjoyed the first half. And then we get to the second half and things aren’t quite as good. It wasn’t the storyline or the characters. (Although at times I hoped the characters would act a bit more immature than they were portrayed) What really disappointed me was the first person narration. It was very jarring from the first half of the book. In addition, first person narration often feels very lazy and trite. I just didn’t love Poppy’s voice at all. I was still excited to see the Sanderson sisters, meet their fourth sister, and even meet their mother.

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Name is Markham by Jodi Taylor

Title: My Name is Markham (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #7.6)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 51

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Free Space

Like a smaller and much scruffier Greta Garbo – finally – Markham speaks!

It’s Christmas and time for the first (and almost certainly last) St Mary’s Annual Children’s Christmas Party – attendance compulsory, by order of Dr Bairstow. Discovered practising his illegal reindeer dance and poo-dropping routine, our hero, along with fellow disaster-magnets Peterson and Maxwell, is despatched to Anglo-Saxon England to discover the truth about Alfred and the cakes.

In his own words, our hero reveals Major Guthrie’s six-point guide to a successful assignment and the Security Section’s true opinion of the History Department. And of historians in general. And of one historian in particular.

And, just to be clear, it is time travel, for God’s sake. Forget all that pretentious ‘investigating major historical events in contemporary time’ rubbish.

This is history without the capital ‘H’. Because this is the way the Security Section rolls!

Cute little short story from the St. Mary’s crew. I enjoyed the subject matter of this one and the fun comedy bit at the end involving the reindeer. I wasn’t as much of a fan of Markham narrating the story. I’ve gotten so used to Max’s voice that this one was a bit strange. Still love this series and pushing through to the next one!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

Next up on the TBR pile:

Death by Diamonds by Annette Blair

Title: Death by Diamonds (Vintage Magic Mystery #3)

Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: Berkley 2010

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 270

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - Not YA

Madeira Cutler loves her Vintage Magic boutique, but the 'visions' she gets from the garments can be hard to handle, especially when she knows the owner. At first she's thrilled to receive a package containing the beautifully bejeweled dress she designed for actress and old friend Dominique Delong while in fashion school. But the dress comes with a disturbing message from Dominique, who it seems took her last bow under very mysterious circumstances.

Oh that Madeira Cutler! Always getting into the thick of a murder investigation. I think I enjoyed this volume even more than the last one. I loved the mystery of Dom’s death and the ensuing whirlwind of designer clothes and visions. It was nice to see a bit more of Mad’s life in New York before she returned home. The only thing that bugged me about this one: the love triangle between Mad, Nick, and Lytton. I really really really don’t like Nick and wish Mad kick him to the curb. I get the sex appeal, but his jealousy without actual emotional commitment drives me bonkers. I want to see Mad explore a relationship with Lytton and soon!

Vintage Magic Mystery:

#1 A Veiled Deception
#2 Larceny and Lace
#3 Death by Diamonds
#4 Skirting the Grave
#5 Cloaked in Malice
#6 Tulle Death Do Us Part

Next up on the TBR pile:

Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen

Title: Royal Blood (Royal Spyness #4)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2010

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 318

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - Wearing a Sweater

London, 1932. With her hateful brother Binky in town, Georgie has been desperately seeking an escape. So when an invitation from the Queen of England arrives asking her to represent the royals at a wedding in Transylvania—legendary home of vampires—she's delighted to accept. But when the bride starts acting a little batty and a prominent wedding guest is poisoned, something must be done lest the couple's vows become "till undeath do they part..."

Another fun romp with Georgiana and her random cast of realties and friends. it was a nice change of pace to to shift the action from England to Transylvania. And I loved meeting even more of Georgie’s royal relatives across the continent. The murder mystery was a bit silly, but at least we get a dramatic death this time. And we get to see more of Darcy. Yeah!

Her Royal Spyness:

#0.5 Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
#1 Her Royal Spyness
#2 A Royal Pain
#3 Royal Flush
#4 Royal Blood
#5 Naughty in Nice
#6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas
#7 Heirs and Graces
#8 Queen of Hearts
#9 Malice at the Palace
#10 Crowned and Dangerous
#11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service
#12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

Next up on the TBR pile:

Monstress Volume 3

Title: Monstress Volume 3

Author: Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda

Publisher: Image 2018

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 152

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - Comic

A Hugo and British Fantasy Award-winning series—and current Eisner Award nominee for Best Continuing Series, and Best Publication for Teens, with Marjorie Liu nominated for Best Writer and Sana Takeda nominated for Best Painter and Best Cover Artist! Maika has spent most of her life learning how to fight, but how will she fare when the only way to save her life… is to make friends? Collects MONSTRESS #13-18

This series keeps getting more serious with every trade and I’m totally here for it. I’m fully invested in the story of Maika Halfwolf and the various characters orbiting her. In some ways, I’m more confused than ever about the Old Gods and the various sides and their ultimate goals. But I’m here for the journey to the answers.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Great St. Mary's Day Out by Jodi Taylor

Title: The Great St. Mary’s Day Out (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #7.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 96

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Drinking Tea

Everyone deserves to get away for a bit. Even the miscreants at St Mary's. Astonishingly, Dr Bairstow has declared a holiday. Even more astonishingly - he's paying for it. Needless to say, there are strings attached. The trip is to record the 1601 performance of Hamlet, with Shakespeare himself in the role of the Ghost. It doesn't go well, of course. With Dr Bairstow and Mrs Mack turning a simple visit to a street market into a public brawl, Professor Rapson inadvertently stowing away on a vessel bound for the New World, and Shakespeare himself going up in flames, it would seem that Max, of all people, is the only one actually completing the assignment.

A fun short story where the various characters from St. Mary’s finally get to see Shakespeare! I loved the visit to The Globe and the hijinks that ensue. My favorite, once again, is Markham. I can’t wait to see what he gets into next time.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

Next up on the TBR pile:

Perpetual Reading Lists ChallengeGoal: 28/30 books 93.3%

TBR PileGoal: 9/12 Books 66.7%

Reading AssignmentGoal: 11/12 Books 91.7%

Finishing the SeriesGoal: 6/10 Series 60%

Seasonal Series Summer(June 21st - September 21st)Goal: 24/25 Books 96%

Seasonal Series Spring(March 20th - June 20th)Goal: 22/25 Books 88%

Popsugar 2018Goal: 40/40 Books 100%

What's in a Name?Goal: 6/6 Books 100%

A to ZGoal: 26/26 Books 100%

Seasonal Series Autumn(September - December)Goal: 25/25 Books. 100%

Modern Mrs. DarcyGoal: 12/12 Books 100%

Mount TBRGoal: 48/48 Books 100%

Graphic NovelGoal: 52/52 Books 100%

Library LoveGoal: 60/60 Books 100%

Share-A-TeaGoal: 20/20 Books 100%

Picture BooksGoal: 88/88 Books 100%

Perpetual Reading Lists Challenge
Goal: 28/30 books 93.3%

TBR Pile
Goal: 9/12 Books 66.7%

Reading Assignment
Goal: 11/12 Books 91.7%

Finishing the Series
Goal: 6/10 Series 60%

Seasonal Series Summer
(June 21st - September 21st)
Goal: 24/25 Books 96%

Seasonal Series Spring
(March 20th - June 20th)
Goal: 22/25 Books 88%

Popsugar 2018
Goal: 40/40 Books 100%

What's in a Name?
Goal: 6/6 Books 100%

A to Z
Goal: 26/26 Books 100%

Seasonal Series Autumn
(September - December)
Goal: 25/25 Books. 100%

Modern Mrs. Darcy
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

Mount TBR
Goal: 48/48 Books 100%

Graphic Novel
Goal: 52/52 Books 100%

Library Love
Goal: 60/60 Books 100%

Share-A-Tea
Goal: 20/20 Books 100%

Picture Books
Goal: 88/88 Books 100%