2021 Craving for Cozies Challenge

Tari Hann

Once again, I’m going to take part in Lori’s Craving for Cozies Challenge, mainly because reading the lists of what people have read in the Facebook group is a lot of fun–and my TBR has grown, but that’s half the fun too. Although I got really behind posting in the group this year and didn’t post anything after I hit the goal. (I kinda wish the group wasn’t a public group–my family already thinks I’m nuts LOL!).

Anyway to sign up for the Escape with Dollycas 2021 Craving for Cozies Challenge, just follow the blue linked words in this sentence.

Since I only read cozy mysteries, my entire Read shelf will serve as how I’m keeping track of this year’s challenge. If I made a specific Craving for Cozies shelf, I know I’d forget to tag the book when I was done with it. 😉 (Maybe I should make a shelf for any possible books that aren’t cozies. It would honestly be easier to keep track of that.)

Here’s the 201 required for Pigged Out Level:

1. Slay Bells Ring—Mona Marple
2. Murder Turns a Page—Thea Cambert
3. Cherry Cheesecake Murder—Joanne Fluke
4. Tomes and Terriers—Hillary Avis
5. Pages and Pyrenees—Hillary Avis
6. A Pie to Die For—Stacey Alabaster
7. Brewing Up Trouble—Constance Barker
8. Christmas Cake Murder—Rosie A. Point
9. A Wicked Yarn—Emmie Caldwell
10. S’more Murder—Rosie A. Point
11. Libraries and Labradors—Hillary Avis
12. Grounds for Murder—Tara Lush
13. Gunpowder Chowder—Lyndsey Cole
14. Rock Candy and Robberies—Patti Benning
15. Escape From Danger—Courtney McFarlin
16. RaspBuried Tort—Lyndsey Cole
17. A Deadly Edition—Victoria Gilbert
18. Perpetrators and Pumpkins—Summer Prescott
19. A Slippery Slope of Murder—Summer Prescott
20. Rhubarb Pie Before You Die—Gin Jones
21. Antique Secrets—Libby Howard
22. Eggnog, Extortion and Evergreens—Tonya Kappes
23. Specters and Sage—Corina Woolsey
24. Murder Spoils the Sweets—Thea Cambert
25. A Murder Between the Pages—Amy Lillard
26. Fatally Frosted—Jessica Beck
27. Bait and Witch—Angela M. Sanders
28. Seriously Serial—Patti Benning
29. Your Eight O’Clock Is Dead—Kat Jorgensen
30. Cranberry Spice Murder—Belinda J. Evaline
31. A Catered Book Club Murder—Isis Crawford
32. Cocoa Chaos—Allyssa Mirry
33. The Broken Spine—Dorothy St. James
34. A Hiss-tory of Magic—Harper Lin
35. A Curious Incident—Vicki Delany
36. One Poison Pie—Lynn Cahoon
37. Prove It: Murder in the Mix—Hannah Kurz
38. Hope, Faith and a Corpse—Laura Jensen Walker
39. The Eleventh Hour—Anina Collins
40. Breakfast Can Be Murder—Arlene Morgan
41. A Tourist’s Guide to Murder—V.M. Burns
42. Flower Dead—Linnea West
43. Death in Room 7—K.J. Emrick
44. The Garden Plot Thickens—Linnea West
45. Death Comes to Town—K.J. Emrick
46. Ink and Shadows—Ellery Adams
47. Murder Is the Pits—J.A. Whiting and Amanda Diamond
48. Who Murdered Mr. Malone? Hope Callaghan
49. Irish Parade Murder—Leslie Meier
50. Murder Paints a Picture—Thea Cambert
51. Bomb Pop Threat—Christy Barritt
52. Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder—Meg Macy
53. A Glimmer of Death—Valerie Wilson Wesley
54. Nearly Dead in Iowa—Wendy Byrne
55. Dead in the Doorway—Diane Kelly
56. True Confections—Ruth Hartzler
57. Murder with a View—Diane Kelly
58. Sinister Sprinkles—Jessica Beck
59. Sweet Deceit—J.A. Whiting.
60. Unbaked Croakies—Sam Cheever
61. Ropes, Riddles and Robberies—Tonya Kappes
62. Key Lime Die—Summer Prescott
63. Death by Pumpkin Spice—Alex Erickson
64. Cruel Candy—Mildred Abbott
65. Don’t Taco ‘Bout Murder—Mona Marple
66. Cranberry Candies and Murder—Patti Benning
67. Mixing Up Murder—Emmie Lyn
68. Key Lime Pie Murder—Joanne Fluke
69. Catalina, Crimes and Coconut Pie—Kailin Gow
70. Dog Days, Murderous Nights—Emily Page
71. The Legacy—JA Whiting and Nell McCarthy
72. Fruit of All Evil—Paige Shelton
73. Dead Velvet Cake—Emily James
74. Undercover on the Calypso—Lizzie Josephson
75. Gum Drop Dead—Emily James
76. Vicious Valentine—Patti Benning
77. Maddie’s Recipe for Mysteries—Emily Page
78. Murder in the City—Susan Harper
79. Peril Through the Panama—Lizzie Josephson
80. A Sampling of Murder—Emily James
81. Farm to Trouble—Amanda Flower
82. Whiskers of Murder—Patti Benning
83. Fudge & Felonies—Lisa Siefert
84. Murder Makes a Toast—Thea Cambert
85. Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop—Darci Hannah
86. Long Island Iced Tina—Maria DiRico
87. Murder and Marshmallows—Rosie A. Point
88. A Game of Cones—Abby Collette
89. No Lathering Matter—S.E. Babin
90. Risky Bisqueness—Elizabeth Rain
91. Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder—Joanne Fluke
92. The Squeaky Clean Skeleton—R.A. Muth
93. Momentary Paws—Corrinne Winters
94. Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle—Sarah Graves
95. Murder Loves a Fair—Thea Cambert
96. Frothy Foul Play—Tonya Kappes
97. Paris, Before You Die—Mary Bowers
98. Witches and Wine—Samantha Silver & Megan Marple
99. A Deadly Chapter—Essie Lang
100. Purrs for Murder—Patti Benning
101. Cookies and Scream—CeeCee James
102. Criminals on Campus—Susan Harper
103. All Wands on Deck—Mara Webb
104. Misfits and Mazes—Morgan Vale
105. Sugar and Vice—Eve Calder
106. The Missing Pom—Donna Doyle
107. Thread and Dead—Elizabeth Penney
108. A Peel of Murder—Belinda J. Evaline
109. Loaf or Death—A.R. Winters
110. Kiss ‘n Tell—Kathi Daley
111. Artistic License to Kill—Paula Darnell
112. Muffin But Murder—Rosie A. Point
113. Mewy Christmas—Summer Prescott
114. Murder on the Menu—Fiona Leitch
115. Vanilla & Vendettas—Lisa Siefert
116. Tall Tails Secret Book Club—CeeCee James
117. Party Perils—Patti Benning
118. Peril at Pumpkin Hill—Thea Cambert
119. Murder by Page One—Olivia Matthews
120. The Queen of Cozy Mountain—Pamela Grandstaff
121. Once Upon a Crime—Mona Marple
122. Seaside Magic—Constance Barker
123. Murder Mansion—M.K. Scott
124. The Body in the Park—Courtney McFarlin
125. Murder at the Ranch—Kathleen Suzette
126. A Tale of Two Bodies—Mona Marple
127. Temporary Paws—Corrine Winters
128. Deed for a Deathbed—Sue Preston
129. Alaskan Alliance—Kathi Daley
130. Derailed Plot—Summer Campbell
131. Paddlers, Promises & Poison—Tonya Kappes
132. Proof of Murder—Lauren Elliott
133. Bodies and Bows—Elizabeth Penney
134. A Page Marked for Murder—Lauren Elliott
135. Victim at the Vet—Susan Harper
136. Give Me Chocolate—Annie Hansen
137. Donut Murder—Rosie A. Point
138. Under the Cover of Murder—Lauren Elliott
139. Suitable for Framing—Lori Roberts Herbst
140. A Garden to Die For—T. Lockhaven
141. Raspberry Cupcake Mistake—Renee Summers
142. Vanished Into Plein Air—Paula Darnell
143. What Not to Wear to a Graveyard—Debra Sennefelder
144. Fresh Brewed Murder—Emmaline Duncan
145. Buttercream Murder—Rosie A. Point
146. Death by Pink Flamingo—Elisabeth Crabtree
147. Pumpkin Pie or Die—Eva Belle (aka Dawn Pearson)
148. Charming Chalice—Summer Prescott
149. Mrs. Morris and the Sorceress—Traci Wilton
150. A Flair for Chardonnay—Deborah Garner
151. The Sea Witch—JA Whiting & Nell McCarthy
152. Poppy Harmon & the Pillow Talk Killer—Lee Hollis
153. Death of a Christmas Caterer—Lee Hollis
154. Death at the Salon—Louise R. Innes
155. Honey Butter at the Hill—Thea Cambert
156. Claws of Murder—Patti Benning
157. Laid Out in Lavender—Gin Jones
158. Cuppa Chaos—Melinda Craig
159. Marshmallow Malice—Amanda Flower
160. A Matter of Hive and Death—Nancy Coco
161. Dangers of Dog Walking—Susan Harper
162. Candy Cane Crime—Amanda Flower
163. Chicken Murder Soup—Rosie A. Point
164. Raspberry Revenge—Rosie A. Point
165. Raspberry Ripple Murder—Abby Byne
166. A Tale of Two Cookies—Eve Calder
167. Planted on Perry Street—L.B. Holder
168. Lemon Drop Dead—Amanda Flower
169. Whole Latte Murder—Lena Gregory
170. Cruising for a Bruising—M.E. Harmon & Paula Lester
171. Murder in the Cookbook Nook—Ellery Adams
172. Murder 101—Lynn Cahoon
173. Serving Up Suspects—Emmie Lyn
174. Wining and Dying—Daryl Wood Gerber
175. Egg Shooters—Laura Childs
176. Peril in the Pines—Sharon Bradford Lunn
177. Strawberry Cakes and Corpses—Patti Benning
178. Insects, Ivy & Investigations—Tonya Kappes
179. The Magician—Vickie Carroll
180. A Page of Murder—Penny Brooke
181. Three Treats Too Many—Debra H. Goldstein
182. Paws for Concern—Amy Hueston
183. Mint Murder—Rosie A. Point
184. Tall, Dark and Deadly—Patti Benning
185. The Case of the Confused Canine—Donna Doyle
186. The Whacked Witch—F.M. Storm
187. The Trouble at City Hall—Courtney McFarlin
188. Punning with Scissors—Becky Clark
189. Cozy Mystery Sampler 12—various
190. Claws of Justice—Emmie Lyn
191. A Trail of Lies—Kylie Logan
192. Murder in the Reading Room—Ellery Adams
193. Deadly Ever After—Eva Gates
194. Open for Murder—Mary Angela
195. The Chocolate Cat Caper—JoAnna Carl
196. Wedding Woes—Patti Benning
197. Peaches and Schemes—Anna Gerard
198. Chocolate Cherry Murder—Rosie A. Point
199. Canines, Costumes and Murder—Allyssa Mirry
200. Barkers, Birthdays and Murder—Allyssa Mirry
201. Nothing Like a Pool Party—Jennifer M. Baldwin

2021 Literary Escapes Reading Challenge

Tari Hann

I’ll be doing this one again. I came closer on the states this year and only missed four. As always, it’s hosted by Lori at Escape with Dollycas–2021 Literary Escapes Challenge.

I’ll keep a list offsite that I’ll share when 2021’s challenge is over, but it’s basically all the US states and as many countries you can read.

Updated 12/30/21: Didn’t make it (again) lol but it’s still fun. Here’s what I did get done:

Alabama—Murder in the City—Susan Harper

Alaska—Alaskan Alliance—Kathi Daley

Arizona—Artistic License to Kill—Paula Darnell

Arkansas—Raspberry Ripple Murder—Abby Byne

California—Hope, Faith and a Corpse—Laura Jensen Walker

Colorado—Cruel Candy—Mildred Abbott

Connecticut—The Time for Murder Is Meow—T.C. LoTempio

Delaware

District of Columbia– The Coloring Crook—Krista Davis

Florida—Brewing Up Trouble—Constance Barker

Georgia—Murder by Page One—Olivia Matthews

Hawaii

Idaho—A Slippery Slope of Murder—Summer Prescott

Illinois—Perpetrators and Pumpkins—Summer Prescott

Indiana—A Cut Above—Judi Lynn

Iowa—Nearly Dead in Iowa—Wendy Byrne

Kansas

Kentucky—Eggnog, Extortion and Evergreens—Tonya Kappes

Louisiana—Momentary Paws—Corrinne Winters

Maine—Gunpowder Chowder—Lyndsey Cole

Maryland—The Eleventh Hour—Anina Collins

Massachusetts—Rhubarb Pie Before You Die—Gin Jones

Michigan—Rock Candy and Robberies—Patti Benning

Minnesota—Cherry Cheesecake Murder—Joanne Fluke

Mississippi—A Murder Between the Pages—Amy Lillard

Missouri—Breakfast Can Be Murder—Arlene Morgan

Montana—Murder at the Ranch—Kathleen Suzette

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire—RaspBuried Tort—Lyndsey Cole

New Jersey—Cocoa Chaos—Allyssa Mirry

New Mexico

New York—A Catered Book Club Murder—Isis Crawford

North Carolina—Fatally Frosted—Jessica Beck

North Dakota

Ohio—Death by Pumpkin Spice—Alex Erickson

Oklahoma

Oregon—Tomes and Terriers—Hillary Avis

Pennsylvania—A Wicked Yarn—Emmie Caldwell

Rhode Island

South Carolina—The Broken Spine—Dorothy St. James

South Dakota—Escape from Danger—Courtney McFarlin

Tennessee—Murder Turns a Page—Thea Cambert

Texas—Cranberry Spice Murder—Belinda J. Evaline

Utah

Vermont—Christmas Cake Murder—Rosie A. Point

Virginia—A Deadly Edition—Victoria Gilbert

Washington—Kiss ‘N Tell—Kathi Daley

West Virginia—Seriously Serial—Patti Benning

Wisconsin—Whiskers of Murder—Patti Benning

Wyoming—Murder on Display—Thea Cambert

COUNTRIES:

Australia—Death in Room 7—K.J. Emrick

Canada—A Hiss-tory of Magic—Harper Lin

England—Slay Bells Ring—Mona Marple

France (Paris)—Paris, Before You Die—Mary Bowers

Mexico—Don’t Taco ‘Bout Murder—Mona Marple

Spain—Derailed Plot—Summer Campbell

2020 Library Love Challenge

Tari Hann

Updated on 12/28/20: Read 18 library books, all borrowed on Overdrive

I did this challenge for 2019 and didn’t do the best job of keeping track here on the blog toward the end, but I do have a list of what I’ve done (the 12 for Dewey Decimal level) and I’ll update the blog once craft shows are done in December.

I’ll be doing the 2020 Library Love Challenge run by Angel’s Guilty Pleasures (the link is where you go to sign up) this year and once again, the lowest level of 12 books. The books can be any type as long as they’re borrowed through a library or somewhere that you’ve signed up for through your library (Overdrive, Hoopla, RB Digital for audios).

Here are the levels, but for all the awesome details visit Angel’s Guilty Pleasures in the link I’ve already posted.

Levels:

  • Dewey Decimal: Read 12 books
  • Thrifty Reader: Read 24 books
  • Overdrive Junkie: Read 36 books
  • Library Addict: Read 48 books
  • Library Card on Fire: Read 60+ books

My reads:

  1. Glazed Murder–Jessica Beck
  2. The Bodies in the Library–Marty Wingate

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2020 Alphabet Soup Author Edition Year End

Tari Hann

Here’s my list of authors for this year’s challenge. I fell short by two: X and Y. It was quicker to go with the list I had saved instead of trying to match up the titles. I need to rethink that record keeping for 2021 lol.

Angela Pepper

Beck, Jessica

Cole, Lyndsey

Danielle Collins

Elizabeth Penney

Flower, Amanda

Gilbert, Victoria

Hollis, Lee

Isabella Alan

James, CeeCee

Kate Carlisle

Libby Klein

Maddie Cochere

Nancy Coco

Orgain, Diana

Peggy Ehrhart

Q Carolyn Q. Hunter

Ray, Deany

Sennefelder, Debra

Thomas, Lisa B.

Updegraff, Roberta

Vicki Delany

Washburn, Livia J.

X

Y

Zara Keane

2021 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge

Tari Hann

I’ve been doing this challenge for several years  now, and it’s always fun. I’m going to pass on the author version of this though. It’s just too hard to fit in an author for every letter especially using just cozy mysteries, which is my genre of choice.

I’ll link to Lori’s original post about this, so anyone who comes here and doesn’t already know about it can join as well. 2021 Alphabet Soup challenge presented by Escape with Dollycas.

Instead of listing on this page as in the past, I’ll post the whole list once the challenge is over.

UPDATED 11/9/21

Antique Secrets—Libby Howard

Brewing Up Trouble—Constance Barker

Cherry Cheesecake Murder—Joanne Fluke

(A) Deadly Edition—Victoria Gilbert

Escape From Danger—Courtney McFarlin

Fatally Frosted—Jessica Beck

Grounds for Murder—Tara Lush

(A) Hiss-tory of Magic—Harper Lin

Ink and Shadows—Ellery Adams

Jackets, Jack-O-Lanterns & Justice—Tonya Kappes

Key Lime Pie Murder—Joanne Fluke

Libraries and Labradors—Hillary Avis

Murder Turns a Page—Thea Cambert

Nearly Dead in Iowa—Wendy Byrne

One Poison Pie—Lynn Cahoon

Pages and Pyrenees—Hillary Avis

Q The SQueaky Clean Skeleton—R.A. Muth

Rock Candy and Robberies—Patti Benning

Slay Bells Ring—Mona Marple

Tomes and Terriers—Hillary Avis

Unbaked Croakies—Sam Cheever

Vicious Valentine—Patti Benning

W (A) Wicked Yarn—Emmie Caldwell

X MiXing Up Murder—Emmie Lyn

Your Eight O’Clock Is Dead—Kat Jorgensen

Z Maple DriZZle Murder—Rosie A. Point

Alphabet Soup 2020 Year End

Tari Hann

I made it with all 26 letters for this challenge: (just a list of titles to make it quicker)

Another Saturday Night and I Ain’t Got Nobody

BlackBuried Pie

Cherry Pie or Die

Death of a Dapper Snowman

End of the Lane

Frankly My Dear, I’m Dead

Glazed Murder

Hems and Homicide

In Cold Chamomile

Jammed

Killer Green Tomatoes

Libraries and Larceny

Murder, She Knit

Negative Exposure

One Bad Apple

Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury

Quilt or Innocence

Raining Men and Corpses

Sunshine Hunter

Theater Nights Are Murder

Ukulele Murder

Vanilla Bean Vengeance

W (The) Wedding Cake Murder

X SiX Cloves Under

Yappy Hour

Zombie Waffle Murder

Finished Off in Fondant review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Courtney Archer series that came out last year by Rosemarie Ross. I really enjoy the setting that was used in the first two books, an old castle with in the Poconos. The castle had a lot of great creepiness factors when it needed to have them.

I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of cooking shows, but I’m getting a little attached to the key players in the book, so I’m always interested in seeing what they’re up to. I felt bad for poor Skylar this time being the person accused of murder. And as before, Courtney was determined to prove his innocence. She knew from the first book what being accused was like! I just read on Ms. Ross’s bio page on GR that she’s working on the third book–and it’s Christmas themed! I’m definitely going to want to read that! I linked her page above, so you can read about her if you’re not familiar with this author.

My Goodreads review:

Finished Off in Fondant (A Courtney Archer Mystery Book 2)Finished Off in Fondant by Rosemarie Ross
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this second book in the Courtney Archer series which answered a few questions that were left standing at the end of the first book… or did it? One of those things could cause issues with Courtney’s TV career, but knowing this crew, they’ll work together and come up with something.

When Skylar, Courtney’s co-host and friend on the bake-off show became a murder suspect, she just couldn’t stay out of it. I started suspecting very early the person who ended up as the killer, although I wasn’t sure of they why and all that. Courtney’s showdown with the killer was pretty exciting and helped wrap up all the murder questions. I loved what she ended up doing to distract the person. It’ll be interesting to see how things go for a new venture that was talked about as well as Courtney’s dating life in the next book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Merry Christmas!

Tari Hann

To you and yours, a very Blessed, peaceful and Merry Christmas despite the trying times.

My daughter added this verse to the cover of the usual family yearbook of pictures she’s made for my mom for going on ten years now. She titled it “Never Alone:

“…I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life…” John 8:12

Murder Is a Must review

Tari Hann

I enjoy the first book in this newer series, First Edition Library, by Marty Wingate so much that I knew I’d want to read the next book when it came out. This  book didn’t disappoint, and I think I like it even better than the first book. I like how the book murders and stories parallel a Golden Age mystery from the First Edition Library. This time it was Dorothy L. Sayers and her book Murder Must Advertise. By the end of the book, Hayley was going to be taking on a huge challenge, but I’m pretty sure she’s up for it.

My Goodreads review:

Murder Is a Must (A First Edition Library Mystery Book 2)Murder Is a Must by Marty Wingate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another well plotted installment in an interesting new series. I was glad that Mrs. Woolgar was treating Hayley a lot better in this book. Hayley was doing a good job getting used to her position as curator and actually even got a few compliments from the woman. I was glad to see Hayley and her boyfriend Val were in a good place in their relationship too, and she even met his twins.

The showdown with the killer was a good one, and someone I thought might be a killer turned out to be a big help. I really liked the character of Dom, he kind of cracked me up and reminded me a little of Sheldon on TV with his exactness and how he remembered things. It’ll be interesting to see where Hayley’s adventures take her after the Lady Fowling remembrance exhibition.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

View all my reviews