2014 Vintage Mystery Bingo - BINGO!!! FINISHED!

I pretty much failed at my list of 36 mysteries for last year's Vintage challenge, but since that left me with 27 mysteries written prior to 1960 that I'd like to read, I've chosen to attempt it again.  I'm doing the GOLDEN CARD. 

From Bev - 

This year's challenge will be run as a Bingo extravaganza.  I have also added a level to the challenge this year--dividing the Vintage mysteries into Silver & Golden Ages.  I, being the crazy challengaholic that I am, will be attempting both Bingo Cards.  My declared challenge will be to finish two Bingos on each card (a total of 24 books).  But those of you who know me well won't be surprised if I don't go for all the marbles and try to cover both cards....Why don't you come and join me?  Click this link to see the complete rules.

*One Free Space per card—you may use your Free Space to cover any spot on the board.  The Free Space book must fulfill one of the categories from the card, but it may fulfill ANY space you like—even a category you have already fulfilled.   For example…if you are having trouble finding a book to meet the “mode of transportation” category, but you really need that space to complete a BINGO then you may read a book that meets any other category on the board and use your Free Space to claim the “mode of transportation” space.

*No double-counting.  A book may not count for both the original category (say, "Woman in the Title") and as the Free Space to replace "mode of transportation."  A second "Woman in the Title" would need to be read to complete the Free Space and replace "mode of transportation."

*BINGOS may be claimed by completing all spaces in a row--horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.  You may also claim a “Four Corner” BINGO by reading a book for each of the four corners plus two more spaces—any two.  A valid BINGO must have six complete spaces.

*Any challenger who completes one BINGO will be entered in a drawing at the end of the year.  Any challenger who completes two or more BINGOs (either from the same card or BINGOs from each card) will automatically be offered a prize from the prize list.  Any challenger who covers a card by completing all categories will automatically be offered a prize from the prize list (as referred to in the "two or more BINGOs" section) PLUS a special surprise bonus.

 

G
Color - Death in A White Tie by Ngaio Marsh (Roderick Alleyn #7) 1938

World Setting (not US or England) - The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins 1868

Crime Besides Murder - 

Locked Room - The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie 1921

Academic - Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers 1935

Set in Entertainment World - Enter a Murder by Ngaio Marsh (Roderick Alleyn #2) 1935

O
Multiple titles - Plot It Yourself aka Murder in Style by Rex Stout 1959

Number - Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey #7) 1931

Food - 

Author Never Read - 

Murder Method - 

Woman in Title - The Haunted Lady by Mary Roberts Rinehart 1942

L
Spooky Title -

Made into Movie - Mrs. McGinty's Dead By Agatha Christie 1952

Amateur Detective - (need one for a diagonal)

Man in Title - 

Country House - The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer 1937

Mode of Transportation - The Rome Express by Arthur Griffiths 1907

D
Author Read - (needed for 1st row across)

Court Room - The Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie 1948

Read by Fellow Challenger -

Professional Detective - Tell Her It's Murder by Helen Reilly 1954

Water - Voyage into Violence by Frances & Richard Lockridge 1956

Outside Comfort Zone - The Beetle by Richard Marsh 1897 - hypnostism

E
Team - The North Meets Murder by Frances & Richard Lockridge 1940

Time of Day or Month - The Clock Strikes Twelve by Patricia Wentworth 1944

Translated -

Short Stories - 

England - Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh (Roderick Alleyn #2) 1938

Borrowed - (needed for last row across)

N
Animal - Canary Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine (Philo Vance #2) 1927

Place - The Nursing Home Mystery by Ngaio Marsh 1935

Size - The Big Four by Agatha Christie 1927

Medical -

Pseudonym -

Set in US - The Benson Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine (Philo Vance #1) 1926


I still have my free space and I may have to use it...

2014 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge COMPLETED!!!

I love this challenge and I'm going to do it again, although I am running out of Q books to read.

Details

This challenge will run from January 1st, 2014 until December 31st, 2014.

You can join anytime. You do not have to review the book. Books can come from any genre.

You do not need to link up each spoonful.

Make a page or a post or a Goodreads shelf where you will keep track of your spoonfuls.

After you complete the challenge just come to the 2014 Alphabet Soup Page under the Challenges tab at the top of my blog and leave a comment with your completed list.

Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged!

It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book that has a title starting with every letter of the alphabet.

You can drop the A’s and The’s from the book titles.

A – How I plan to do it: Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

For complete rules visit this link.

That's how I am doing it too--- Bold Means I'm DONE

A - After the Rain by Norma Fox Mazer

B - Battle of the Ampere by Richard Paul Evans

C - Calico Bush - Rachel Field

D - Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

E - Entwined by Heather Dixon

F - Fyre by Angie Sage

G - Gifted Hands by Ben Carson

H - Home Before Dark by Christy Barritt

I - I'm With You by Taylor Dean

J - Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Maas

K - The King of Atolia by Megan Whalen

L - Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman

M - Masquerade by Janette Rallison

N - The Nursing Home Murders by Ngaio Marsh

O - Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes

P - Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

Q - Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman

R - Running Barefoot by Amy Harmon

S - She Owns the Knight by Diane Darcy

T - This Voice in My Heart by Gilbert Tuhabonye

U - The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer

V - The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsberg

W - Wonder by R. J. Palacio

X -  The Prayer BoX by Lisa Wingate

Y - The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

Z - Zenith by Julie Bertagna

What's in a Name 2014 - COMPLETED!!!

I love this challenge. I have participated for several years now. Below are the guidelines - 

The basics

The challenge runs from January to December. During this time you choose a book to read from each of the following categories (examples of books you could choose are in brackets):

• A reference to time (Eleven Minutes, Before Ever After)
• A position of royalty (The People’s Queen, The Last Empress, The Curse Of The Pharaoh)
• A number written in letters (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, A Tale Of Two Cities)
• A forename or names (Rebecca, Eleanor & Park, The Unfinished Work Of Elizabeth D.)
• A type or element of weather (Gone With The Wind, Red Earth Pouring Rain)

Extra information

• Books can be any format (print, audio, ebook).
• It’s preferred that the books don’t overlap with other challenges, but not a requirement at all.
• Books cannot overlap categories (for instance my first example, Eleven Minutes, could be used for category 1 or 3 but not both).
• Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed, it’s encouraged!
• You don’t have to make your list of books beforehand, you can choose them as you go.
• You don’t have to read your chosen books in any particular order.

To participate visit this site.

My list - I will bold them when I finish each one

• A reference to time - Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
• A position of royalty - The King of Attolia
• A number written in letters - The Big Four
• A forename or names - Hercule Poirot's Christmas
• A type or element of weather - After the Rain

Mid Summer Doldrums

I sit and stare at my TBR list. Then I look in my box of books from the library and others and I find myself underwhelmed.

Nothing is especially appealing. Everything that looked interesting was read and returned days ago. I want to ignore all those boring tomes, but the part of me that revels in completing a challenge refuses to give in and give up.

So instead I clean. 

And that is pitiful...I despise cleaning.

Ever have a reading period like this?

June Keyword Challenge - My Only Sunshine

For June the Keyword options were . sand, sun, beach, island, country, sea, fly, away, never, far.

I decided on a book that looked perfect for a relaxing summer read. Funny, quirky, interesting. The book I chose was My Only Sunshine by Lou Dischler published in 2010. 

From the publisher:

"In 1962 the Cubans have their Russian missiles pointed right at the sugarcane plantations of Red Church, Louisiana, but nine-year-old Charlie Boone and his gravel-eating younger brother, Jute, are fixed on velvet ants and the declining health of a horse named Lunch Time. Their father has been sent upriver after a botched convenience store holdup and a walloping with a can of Crisco. Their mother, too, has vanished. Memaw and Pawpaw insist she disappeared in a hurricane. Buckle up for a big dose of Cajun comedy as Charlie takes charge."

My thoughts:

I couldn't find a copy in the local library system, so I decided to order one. It came in the end of May and I didn't even open the package in order to prolong the anticipation. One June 5, I opened the package and began to read.

Sadly I was disappointed. While I laughed at some parts, I was greatly disappointed by this book. I don't recommend it at all.

Now I'm off to get a copy of next month's book for this challenge, West With the Night. I am hopeful it will not disappoint me.

For more June Keyword Reads visit Book Marks to Blog.

2013 Summer Reading Challenge

It is time for the second annual Shhh! Mommy is doing her Summer Reading Challenge.

 

The Challenge runs from June 1 to Sept 1.

 

If you choose to participate come up with five categories of your own to read and then use my five or another friend's five or make up five-ten categories. I don't care. Just take a little time to sit and read, maybe in the backyard. With a chilled drink. I'm thinking limeade myself.

1. Read the book you have been putting off forever
2. Read a book that was meant for children
3. Read a Genre that you don't normally read
4. Read a book with or at the same time as your child or other relative
5. Read a book from a series either a new series or one you already enjoy
6. Read a book about something associated with summer
7. Read a non-fiction book

 

My List
1. Putting Off - Eve and the Choice Made in Eden

 

2. Children - The One and Only Ivan

 

3. Horror: Dracula or Frankstein which ever is shorter

 

4.Tandem Read - with son: Julius Caesar or Beowulf: New Verse Translation

 

5. Series - One of the Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy Sayer

6. Summer Sunshine - My Only Sunshine

7. Non-fiction - Handcart Pioneer book

LIMEADE LINK

 

2013 Vintage - Inspector Queen's Own Case

Inspector Queen's Own Case by Ellery Queen

A Calendar of Crime - 2013 Vintage Mystery Challenge

Inspector Queen has retired and is feeling at loose ends. He spends time on an East Coast island and discovers a murder mystery, maybe. Everyone except the victim's nurse believe it to be accidental death. So which is it. The inspector finds himself courting and falling in love with the only witness.

Not my very favorite, but a nice story.

Read January 24 & 25, 2013. 3 stars.