Welcome to the 2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge IX. I began hosting this challenge in 2010, when I took it over from Kristi at Passion for the Page. I love reading books that feature animals and am going to host this one again. I hope you will join me.



The challenge will begin on January 1st. Read on for more details...

The rules are really simple...

1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:


a. there is an animal in the title of the book

b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal plays a major role in the book

d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like).

Level 1 - Read at least 6 books

Level 2 - Read 7-12

Level 3 - Read 13-20 

Level 4 - Read 21 or more

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...


3. Challenge runs from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. That’s a full year to read at least 6 books. 


4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.

5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.


6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).


7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.


8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.
 If you don't have a blog, just post in the comment section that you'd like to join. You can post your books in there. Or you can sign up by joining my group on Goodreads for this challenge by clicking here.

9. Books can be in any format of your choice (print, audio, ebooks)

1. Last Licks (Sunny and Shadow Mystery #3) by Claire Donally  This book also has a cat that comforts those about to die

2. Florist Grump (A Florist Shop Mystery #17)  Seedy is on the cover and finds the murder weapon and has a significant part at the end of the book

3.  Sweet Pepper Hero (Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mystery #4)   Hero, a fire dog is on the cover and carries something that is important in the story.

4.  Weekend Warriors by Fern Michaels. Kathryn's dog is always with her and even needs an alibi as much as she does.

5.  Black Cat's Legacy by Elaine Faber. This book qualifies because it has a cat on the cover and Thumper (a Black Cat) is a main character in the book and his thoughts are told. The motel had a black cat for a long time, one appears soon after the one before dies. Thumper is the first other name one of the cats has been given. 

6. Fat Cat Takes the Cake (A Fat Cat Mystery #3) by Janet Cantrell 
7. Moss Hysteria (A Flower Shop Myster #18) by Kate Collins
8. Faux Paw (A Magical Cats Mystery #7) by Sofie Kelly
9. Ripped from the Pages (A Bibliophile Mystery#9) by Kate Carlisle

These all have animals on the cover and talk about the pets in the books.

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2016 Alphabet Soup Challenge

A.  (Armoires & Arsenic (Darling Valley Cozy Mystery #1)  by Cassie Page
B.  (The) Betrayed Fiancee (The Amish Millionaire: Part 3) by Wanda E. Brunstetter & Jean Brunstetter
C.  Crowned and Moldering (A Fixer-Upper Myster #3) by Kate Collins
D.  Darned If You Do (A Needlecraft Mystery) by Monica Ferris
E.  (The) English Son  (The Amish Millionaire: Part 1) by Wanda E. Brunstetter & Jean Brunstetter
F.  Florist Grump (A Flowershop Mystery #17) by Kate Collins
G. Gumshoe Granny Investigates: A Bess Bullock Retirement Home Mystery by Allen. B. Boyer
H. Hobo Finds A Home by Kevin Collidge
I.  (The) Iced Princess by Christine Husom
J.  Jumping Mr. January (Hot Night in St. Blaise Book #1) by Maggie Wells
L.  Last Links by Claire Donally
M.  Moss Hysteria (A Flower Shop Mystery #18) by Kate Collins
N.  (The) Names of Our Tears - An Amish-County Mystery by P.L. Gaus
O.  One Chance (An Aliso Creek Novella)  by Heather B. Moore.
P.  Payback (Sisterhood #2) by Fern Michaels
Q  (The) Tattered Quilt (Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club #2)  by Wanda E. Brunstetter
R.  Ripped From The Pages (A Bibliophile Mystery, #9) by Kate Carlisle
S.  Sweet Pepper Hero (Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mystery #4) by J.J. Cook
T.  (The) Takeover Bid by Leigh Michaels
U  Undiplomatic Murder (Capital Crimes #27) by Margaret Truman (Donald Bain)
V.  Vanishing Act (A Sisterhood Book) by Fern Michaels
W.  Weekend Warriors (Sisterhood #1) by Fern Micheals
X.   (The) X'ed=Out X-Ray by Ron Roy
Y.   (The) Yellow Yacht by Ron Roy
Z.  Zeke's Surprise by Jennifer Kacey

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What's In A Name? 2016

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 – I’ve included some from other languages, and translations most definitely count!):

• A country’: In France we eat sofas!  by Adriano Justin Capuano  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1650344343  for review
• An item of clothing :  (The) Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1694205566
• An item of furniture  Armoires & Arsenic (Darling Valley Cozy Mystery #1)  by Cassie Page  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1651815968
• A profession  Weekend Warriors (Sisterhood #1) by Fern Michaels https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1629369209  for review.
• A month of the year: Jumping Mr. January (Hot Nights in St.Blaise Book #1) by Maggie Wells   https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1653604762
• A title with the word ‘tree’ in it :  Murder Under the Tree (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 2) by Susan Bernhardt
• 
  

Remember the titles I’ve given here are only examples, you can by all means use them if you want to but it’s not necessary. There are plenty of other books that will fit the categories and you may have

some in mind already or even some on your shelves you can read.

http://wormhole.carnelianvalley.com/whats-in-a-name-2016-sign-up-post

Cozie Challenge 2016

The challenge runs from January 1, 2016 and ends December 31, 2016

Rules

1. Choose the level you wish to participate:

Levels

• Famished – 1 – 10 Cozy Mysteries
• Starving – 11 – 20 Cozy Mysteries
• Satisfied – 21 – 40 Cozy Mysteries
• Almost Full – 41 – 60 Cozy Mysteries
• Completely Stuffed – 61 or more

2. You can Feed Your Need To Read with print, digital or audio books.

Undiplomatic Murder (Capital Crimes #27) by Margaret Truman (Donald Bain)

Last Licks by Claire Donally

Murder Under the Tree (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 2) by Susan Bernhardt

Florist Grump (A Flower Shop Mystery #17)by Kate Collins

Darned If You Do (A Needlecraft Mystery) by Monica Ferris

Moss Hysteria (A Flower Shop Mystery #18) by Kate Collins.

Ripped from the Pages (A Bibliophile Mystery #9) by Kate Carlisle

Black Cat's Legacy by Elaine Faber

Fat Cat Takes the Cake (A Fat Cat Mystery #3) by Janet Cantrell

Braking for Bodies (The Cycle Path Mysteries, #2) byDuffy Brown

Fawx Paw (A Magical Cats Mystery, #7) by Sofie Kelly

Crowned and Moldering (A Fixer-Upper Mystery #3) by Kate Carlisle

Darned if You Do by Monica Ferris

Claws for Alarm (Nick and Nora Mysteries, #2)  by T.C. Lotempio

Gumshoe Granny Investigates: A Bess Bullock Retirement Home Mystery by Allen B. Boyer

Snow Way Out  (Snow Globe Shop Mystery #1) by Christine Husom

The Iced Princess (Snow Globe Shop Mystery #2) by Christine Husom

Pounced (TheSierra Files #1) by Christy Barritt

TRY A NEW GENRE & WIN

TRY A NEW GENRE & WIN

On July 2^nd, we launched the Take a Walk on the Wild Side – Try a New Genre & Win contest. There  is one day to go, so while there is still time to take part, you need to get reading!

We started out with 200 books to giveaway, so first check the Read a New Genre FB group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/311838205606591/) to see if there are any copies left, but if not, you can still participate, by finding a new-to-you genre book at the library, borrow one from a friend, or support one of the great authors sponsoring this contest. Read below to see how it all works. If you already know, and are participating, this is just a reminder that there are only 14 days left. And don't forget, the person who participates the most on the Facebook group wins a $50 gift card. Go on, be a chatterbox! :)

How It Works

PERSUADE US . . .

We're all different and what we like to read is no exception. However, sometimes it's fun to change things up a bit and try something new. We're going to help with that, by giving the first 200 lucky readers to ask us an ebook for free. All we ask is that the book they request is in a genre they don't read, or read a long time ago and drifted out of.

Each participating author will offer ten books for free (we'll give you a list of what's available). But if you don't manage to get in fast enough and there aren't any books left, don't worry, you're still eligible for the Take a Walk on the Wild Side contest. Find a book in a new-to-you genre, whether at the library, from a friend, or if you want to support the wonderful authors involved in this contest by buying one of their books, so much the better!

Read the book—the contest runs for four weeks, so you've got time—then write a paragraph on the contest's Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/311838205606591/) about what surprised and delighted you about the genre you just read. You can also include a short paragraph on the genre you usually read and why you love it. Help convince other readers to give a new genre a try!

We're going to encourage people to like the paragraphs that inspired them to read a new genre, and the five entries with the most likes will go to a well-known book blogger (with names redacted) to choose the winner of the $200 gift card.

BE A CHATTERBOX . . .

This is one place where being a chatterbox will get you sent to the top of the class, not to detention. We want people talking about the books they're reading, swopping recommendations, and generally connecting over new genres, so we've got a $50 gift card prize to the person who interacts the most on the Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/311838205606591/).

Good luck, everyone, this is going to be a lot of fun!

And here are the amazing authors involved in sponsoring this contest:

Meet the awesome authors involved in sponsoring this contest. We have a mixture of NYT bestsellers, USA Today bestsellers, Amazon bestsellers & international bestsellers:

Dead Sea Games: Adrift

 

Dead Sea Games: Adrift was an e-book I read by J. Whitworth Hazzard.  It is set in New York City where the Dead Sea covers the sidewalks and Zombies walk about just outside the cells.

One young man has been studying martial arts and he plays a game which involves surviving by killing Zombies. His friends call him Deathwish.  He really does not care what happens to him as he feels dead all ready.

He tries to save a neighbor and her son and finds that he needs the help of his friends to survive.

A very well written tale.  I liked it even though I would not normally read this type of book, but it fit the body of water catagory of this challenge.

The Mystery at Jamestown

The Mystery at Jamestown: First Permanent English Colony in America! by Carole Marsh is part of America's National Mystery Book Series. It uses the names of real kids and real places.  There are internet connections that allow children to do some activities.

History is taught in a manner that is suitable for young children.  They learn about the places the children visit and follow them while they solve a mystery.  In this came the children follow clues and are looking for the person who stole some bones in order to clear their friends father of the theft.

I liked the way the mystery is presented and enjoyed learning more about American History in the process.

Violet Shadows

 



Violet Shadows by Melanie Rose is an e-book that I read for the color catagory of What's in A Name 2015.

It takes place during World War II.  Marie Severin is a member of the resistence whose real name is Violet. .She sews things for other people. A French gendarme invites to go on a picnic and later on in the book she saves his life.

Violet faints while they are escaping France and when she wakes up, Phillipe Gautier, the former gendarme, tells her that he told the hospital staff they were husband and wife.  She does not object.

I would have liked to know if they had really married but it is not important in the story.  Along the way, they rescue a dog that is skin and bones and call him Os which is a term for bone.  They all survive the war and return to France to see the lady who ran the boarding house where Marie/Violet had lived.  It was a very good book.

Inheriting His Secret Christmas Baby

Inheriting His Secret Christmas Baby by Heidi Betts is my choice for family relationship.  Trevor Jarrod had a one night stand that resulted in the woman having a baby.  The baby's mother died two months after giving birth and Bradley was being raised by his aunt Haylie.  Once paternity is established Trevor says they will be married.  The lady refuses and leaves town.  Does he really love her or does he just want to have his son in his life.

This is a great ending to the six books about the Jarrod Dynasty.

What an Animal 2015

1.. That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook
2. Cat Man Deux (A Mo the Shelter Cat Mystery) by Maureen Murphy Williams
3. Catastrophe (A Mo the Shelter Cat Mystery) by Maureen Murphy Williams 
4.  Knitting Bones (A Needlecraft Mystery #11)  by Monica Ferris
5.  Demise in Denim by Duffy Brown
 6. Borrowed Crime: A Bookmobile Cat Mystery by Laurie Cass
 7. A Root Awakening  (A Flower Shop Mystery, #16) by Kate Collins
 8.  Buy A Whisker by Sofie Ryan
 9. Romeow and Juliet by Kathi Daley
10.  Book Clubbed (Booktown Myster #8) by Lorna Barrett
11. Lemon pies and Little White Lies by Ellery Adams
12. Catnapped! (A Dead-End Job Mystery, #13) by Elaine Viets
13.  Meow If It's Murder by T. C. Lo Tempio
14.  Hiss and Tell by Claire Donally
15. . The Book Stops Here (A Bibliophile Mystery, #8) by Kate Carlisle 
16.    A Fatal Chapter (A Booktown Mystery, #9 by Lorna Barrett 

Claiming Her Billion-Dollar Birthright

This is the first book in a series about the Jarrod Family. They are written by different authors but united under Silhouette's Desire imprint.  It is written by Maureen Child. This book introduces Erica Prentice who was Don Jarrod's child by a woman he loved while separated from his wife. Erica did not know about this until after he died. Don's will left her a portion of the estate but she had to move to Aspen. The lawyer who delivered the news to her, christian Hanford, fell in love with her almost immediately. The problem was that he had a clause in his contract that he could not be with a Jarrod or he would be fired. I am using this for the _ing of the What's in a Name. I am reading the rest of the series.

Tailing a Tabby

 


Tailing a Tabby is my animal in the title book for What;s in a Name Challenge.  Tabby refers to a stripped cat which Eddie the Bookmobile Cat fits.

Minnie Hamilton had rescued Eddie in the first book in this series.  She drives the bookmobile as she is the assistant director of the local library.  She is stopped by a woman whose husband is having a stroke.  He turns out to be a famous artist and is accused of murder.  Minnie does all she can to investigate the case and clear his name.  Eddie helps by giving her clues by tearing newspaper or running to various places.

Eddie is a very intelligent cat, he comments on what he hears.  It is very easy to fall in love with him. This book is even better than the first one in the series.

2015 Alphabet Soup

A: Assaulted Pretzel (An Amish Mystery #2) by Laura Bradford

B;  Borrowed Crime: A Bookmobile Cat Mystery by Laurie Cass

C:  Catnapped! (A Dead-End Job Mystery, #13) by Elaine Viets

D: Demise in Denim( (Consignment Shop Mystery #5) by Duffy Brown

E  Expecting the Rancher's Heir (Dynasties: The Jarrods #3) by Kathie De Nosky

F Falling For His Proper Mistress (Dynasties: The Jarrods #2) by Tessa Radley

G (The) Glassblower's Wife by Joanna Campbell Slan

H Hooked on Ewe(Scottish Highlands, #2) by Hannah Reed

I  Intensive Care by Carole Halston

J (The) Judgment by Beverly Lewis

K Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris

L Lemon Pies & Little White Lies by Ellery Adams

M Murder & Sullivan by Sara Hoskinson Frommer

N  No Turning Back by Lilane Robin

O Off Kilter (Scottish Highlands, #1) by Hannah Reed

P  Paid and Loving Eyes (Lovejoy #16) by Jonathan Gash

Q Quilts in the Attic: Uncovering the Hidden Stories of the Quilts  We Love by Karen S. Musgrave

R (A) Root Awakening (A Flower Shop Mystery, #16) by Kate  Collins

S  Still Life With Murder (Neil Sweeney Historical Mysteries,  #1) by P.B. Ryan

T That Old Flame Of Mine (Sweet Water Fire Brigade Mystery #1)  by J.J. Cook

U (The) Unwilling Umpire (An A to Z Mystery, #21) by Ron Roy

V Vague Images by Elaine Orr

W Wedding His Takeover Target (Dynasties: The Jarrods Book 5) by Emilie Rose

X (The) X-Mas Tree by Tess Marsel

Y (A) Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

Z  Zadie the Sewing Fairy (Rainbow Magic: The Magical Crafts Fairies #3) by Daisy Meadows

Challenges

I decided that I was trying to do too many challenges in 2014.  I have cut back to the folling:
Just For Fun
What an Animal 2015
What's In a Name 2015
Alphabet Soup 2015
Crusing with the Cozies 2015