Thursday, December 31, 2020

2020 Reading Challenge Wrap Up!

 


It's that time of year to wrap up my 2020 reading challenges.  I didn't do as well as I hoped, but I didn't do terrible either.  I signed up for eight reading challenges, plus the Goodreads reading challenge. Here's how I did:

I did not complete these reading challenges:

Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge - I read 19 out of 26 books.

Craving for Cozy Mysteries Reading Challenge - I read 18 out of 25 books.

Literary Escapes Reading Challenge - I read 27 out of 51 books.

Kindle Unlimited Reading Challenge - I read 2 out of 9 books (I really, really wanted to better on this one.  It just never happened.)

Goodreads Challenge - I read 89 out of 100 books.  This was a big disappointment as I always manage to reach 100 books a year.  Oh well, I'll just have to try again next year 😀

These are the ones I did complete:

Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge - I completed 20 books.  You can see the list of books I read here.  

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge - I completed 25 books.  You can see the list of books I read here.

What An Animal Reading Challenge - I completed 12 books.  You can see the list of books I read here.

The Purrfect Reading Challenge - I completed 10 books.  You can see the list of books I read here.


I really didn't do too badly.  I could have used some of the books on my Cruisin' challenge to complete the Craving for Cozies challenge but I didn't want to do that.  I wanted to read different cozies.  I've been able to do this in previous years, but I was much more of a slower reader in 2020.  

Now, I'm reading to begin my 2021 reading challenges and looking forward to doing better.

Hello 2021!




End of the Year Wrap Up - Bye 2020!

 


I can't remember when one year was so bad for everyone.  Hopefully 2021 will be a much better story for all of us.  For now, here's goodbye to 2020:

On a personal side...I lost my two beloved cats...Trudy and Cookie...


I will miss these two girls forever.  They've left a huge hole in my heart.  To add to this, my mother just lost her beloved cat who she had since he was a baby.  He was 19 years old.  Such a horrible year.

As far as the humans in my family, we were very lucky with our health.  We've been very careful during the pandemic and we've all been fine.  Just waiting until the vaccine is available to us.

This has been the first full year we've lived in Florida.  It's been a crazy year.  We haven't even been able to really embrace it since, for the most part, we've been home.  

On a positive note, we did adopt two kittens.  They are the cutest things and so sweet.  


Books and Blogging...

I can't believe I started this blog in 2008.  Next year it will be 13 years.  I never ever expected it would last this long.  It's been fun.  I'm still trying to decide if I should switch to Wordpress, but I'm lazy and will probably just stay here.  LOL

My reading went down.  You would think being stuck home because of a pandemic would make me read more, but it had the opposite effect.  I was too busy trying to get info and watching the news non-stop.  I don't expect 2021 to be like this, but we'll see.

I had been reading mostly cozy mysteries until this year.  Now, I have expanded to thrillers, suspense, and romance.  Maybe reading different genres will help me to read more.

I will do a separate post on my top reads of the year and a separate one for wrapping up my 2020 reading challenges.  It just helps me to keep things organized to do separate posts.

Despite the bad year of 2020, I am looking forward to 2021.  I'm looking forward to reading many great books, participating in reading challenges and continuing this blog.  I'm having too much fun to stop now :) 

Here's wishing everyone a great and Happy New Year!


Spotlight: To Fetch A Felon by Jennifer Hawkins

 


About the Book


Genre: Cozy Mystery, #1 in A Chatty Corgi Mystery Series
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: December 29, 2020


Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Spotlight: A Wicked Yarn by Emmie Caldwell

 


About the Book


Genre: Cozy Mystery, #1 in A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery Series
Publisher: Berkley 
Release Date: December 29, 2020


Monday, December 28, 2020

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros/Teaser Tuesdays - December 29th



It's Tuesday!  It's time to share your excerpts and teasers from books we are currently reading, have read or are planning to read.  So, feel free to join us by sharing the first paragraph or (a few) of a book you are reading or thinking about reading soon.  This meme is guaranteed to increase your TBR :)

Awww Mondays

 



This is a fun hop hosted by Comedy Plus

The Backlist Reader Challenge 2021



Saturday, December 26, 2020

The Weekend Review - December 26th-28th





The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, it is now being hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme with a new host!  It's now being hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. This is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm also linking to  Stacking The Shelves which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews.

Friday, December 25, 2020

Friendly Fill-Ins - December 25th Merry Christmas!


This meme is hosted by Four-Legged Furballs and  15andmeowing. Each week they will post four fill-in statements.
friend

Another fun friendly fill in Friday!

Book Beginnings on Fridays/The Friday 56 - December 25th




This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

It's that simple.

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Review: Snowed in With You by Sophie-Leigh Robbins

 



Genre:  Romance

Format:  E-ARC

Publisher:  Got It Covered Press

Release Date:  December 14, 2020






Wednesday, December 23, 2020

2021 European Reading Challenge


 I can't resist signing up for one more reading challenge (well, there might be more but right now it's just one more LOL).  This one is hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader.  Since I can't be traveling to Europe right now, I'm excited to do so with armchair reading.  

Monday, December 21, 2020

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros/Teaser Tuesdays - December 22nd



It's Tuesday!  It's time to share your excerpts and teasers from books we are currently reading, have read or are planning to read.  So, feel free to join us by sharing the first paragraph or (a few) of a book you are reading or thinking about reading soon.  This meme is guaranteed to increase your TBR :)

Awww Mondays

 



This is a fun hop hosted by Comedy Plus

Saturday, December 19, 2020

The Weekend Review - December 19th-21st





The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, it is now being hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme with a new host!  It's now being hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. This is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm also linking to  Stacking The Shelves which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews.

Friday, December 18, 2020

Book Beginnings on Fridays/The Friday 56 - December 18th




This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

It's that simple.

Friendly Fill-Ins - December 18th


This meme is hosted by Four-Legged Furballs and  15andmeowing. Each week they will post four fill-in statements.
friend

Another fun friendly fill in Friday!

Monday, December 14, 2020

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros/Teaser Tuesdays - December 14th



It's Tuesday!  It's time to share your excerpts and teasers from books we are currently reading, have read or are planning to read.  So, feel free to join us by sharing the first paragraph or (a few) of a book you are reading or thinking about reading soon.  This meme is guaranteed to increase your TBR :)

Awww Mondays

 



This is a fun hop hosted by Comedy Plus

Saturday, December 12, 2020

The Weekend Review - December 12th-14th





The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, it is now being hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme with a new host!  It's now being hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. This is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm also linking to  Stacking The Shelves which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews.

Review: Magic, Mistletoe & Murder by Ruby Blaylock






Genre:
Paranormal, Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
JB Woods

Release Date:
February 23, 2018




Friday, December 11, 2020

Review: A Whisker of a Doubt by Cate Conte





Genre: Cozy Mystery

Format: E-ARC

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Release Date: December 1, 2020









Book Blast: Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship by Parker Fairchild (Blog Tour/Tour-Wide Giveaway)



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Parker Fairchild will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

On a Caribbean cruise, a platter full of cookies, and a shot of Christmas magic yields a perfect pairing.

Chemist and budding romance writer Olivia Chasen is on a cruise to avoid spending Christmas with her beautiful twin sister and new fiancé—Olivia’s ex. Now, thanks to her lonely, intoxicated ramblings on Santa’s lap, her fellow passengers think she’s in love with a fictional character.

Former Navy SEAL Commander Jace Morse has dealt with plenty of unusual situations in his career, but he’s never had the honor, the pleasure, or the privilege of being a beautiful and intelligent woman’s fantasy hero come to life. While he hasn’t officially met the sexy chemist, he’s sure eager to explore the chemistry that’s sizzling between them.

Bringing the charming SEAL together with the skeptical Olivia is going to take more than just Christmas cookies and a little help from Mrs. Claus; it’s gonna take a heaping dose of Christmas magic.

Read an Excerpt

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He reached out to touch her cheek, but she swatted his hand away.

She was gettin’ good!

“Don’t you dare call me sweetheart, you lying scoundrel you!”

She shoved her phone in his face. “Explain this, Commander Casanova? Did you think you could get away without ever telling me? Sneak it past me that you were my sister’s ex-boyfriend?”

How satisfying it was to watch all the color drain from his face.

About the Author

Parker Fairchild is a social media copywriter, a freelance writer with multiple writing credits, and a model. Recently, she Cnished writing a client's memoirs, which will be published in the next few months.

A Virginia native, she and her husband have their own shipboard romance as they met on a cruise ship tender in Maui, and as her mom is fond of saying, "they haven't stopped talking since." When she's not busy playing with words, she loves spending time with her husband and family in Arizona where she now resides.

http://www.5princebooks.com/parkerfairchild
http://www.parkerfairchild.com
parker@parkerfairchild.com
https://www.facebook.com/ParkerFairchildAuthor
https://twitter.com/ParkerFairchild
https://www.instagram.com/parker.fairchild/
https://www.pinterest.com/parker_fairchild
https://www.linkedin.com/company/69048882
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/120400979-parker-fairchild

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Cookies-Cruise-Perfect-Pairing-ebook/dp/B08N8P1G1P/ref=sr_1_1 

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Monday, December 7, 2020

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros/Teaser Tuesdays - December 1st



It's Tuesday!  It's time to share your excerpts and teasers from books we are currently reading, have read or are planning to read.  So, feel free to join us by sharing the first paragraph or (a few) of a book you are reading or thinking about reading soon.  This meme is guaranteed to increase your TBR :)

2021 Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

 


Since I just took this challenge over, I figure I should join in too :)  I'll be keeping track of my books here.  I'm signing up for the Silver Level (25 books).  To sign up for this challenge, check out my sign up page here.

2021 Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge - Sign Up

 

Thank you to Gadget Girl 71 for the beautiful badge above.  It's so much better than anything I can come up with.  Thank you!

I'm happy to announce that I've taken over the Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge from Tina at Reading Between the Pages.  I'm always feeling like my Netgalley and Edelweiss shelves are getting out of hand and thought this challenge would help me out alot.  So, although it's the eighth annual challenge, for me it's my first :) Keep reading for all the info...